I don’t write this diabetes blog much these days, but I still have diabetes. And I still write. So it makes sense that I’d rejoin the writing world, letting the words encapsulate my feelings so that they can escape my mind and disperse their emotional weight digitally. It just feels good to write some of this stuff down.  Diabetes is a Thing TM. Yes, it’s helped me grow and fine tune some of my strengths, but even on my best days, on my easiest days with this disease, it’s still a big ol’ pain in the butt. Writing about the ups and down, as literal as they may be, helps process my feelin ..read more

These Moms’ Night Out events, put on by Stacey Simms and the team at Diabetes Connections, are exactly what my own mom would have loved to attend back when I was diagnosed in 1986. I know firsthand how much the diabetes community has changed my life for the better. Opportunities to connect with our peers help us live better with this disease, and I’m grateful to see support and camaraderie becoming available and prioritized for everyone affected by diabetes. I asked Stacey to share some details about the three events taking place in the next few months. I’m especially excited for the October e ..read more

Kicking off some blog dust today for Haidee Soule Merritt, an artist whose work I have admired for years. (I especially love this print.) She lives with diabetes, her sense of humor is dark and delightfully twisted, and she has a new book out called The Sweet Taste of Misery: Illustrations for the Discerning Diabetic. Want more? Scroll, yo. Kerri: Haidee! I’ve been a huge fan of your diabetes insights and artwork for years. For readers who haven’t had a chance to get to know your or your work yet, could you tell us a little bit about yourself? Haidee: Kerri, you’re EXTREMELY kind to do this in ..read more

Today’s post is from my longtime friend, Jen Hanson. Jen is the Executive Director for Connected in Motion, an organization I’ve had the immense privilege to work alongside. Her post is all about reestablishing connections, and if you’re inspired to join us at the Northeast Slipstream in May (click the link for more information)! In January, after what felt like an eternity, I returned to my work in the diabetes community. In some ways, my time away felt much longer than the 12-month maternity leave I was officially off for. My son was born in January 2022, the year that was set to be Connecte ..read more

Photos taken while traveling in April 2023 ..read more

This post is from Laura, who is still processing a rotten diabetes week and could use a boost from the diabetes community. See below for her message: Hope you all are doing okay. It’s been a week plus extra over here. I’m okay. Tired. I think I’m finally emerging out of this cruel, bizarro week when practically everything in the “Bad stuff can happen, so be prepared” chapter of the diabetes handbook happened in a matter of days. Unexplainable sustained low blood sugar for six hours? Yep. Throwing up while low, therefore unable to treat said low. Yep. Paramedics in the living room and an ambula ..read more

It is supposed to be -20 degrees here in New England, which means that I refuse to leave my house until the cold snap passes along. To keep my mind from freezing, I’ve been combing through the diabetes online community posts (and the Internet in general) to see what’s new and to share what resonates. A Friday Six! It’s been a while since one of these. Big news! And I read it on diaTribe first: “The FDA cleared Tidepool Loop for people with type 1 diabetes ages six and up. Tidepool Loop is now the first “do-it-yourself” automated insulin delivery system with clearance from the FDA.” If you ..read more

I once was told I had the ‘betes, even though I ate my Wheaties. Not vitamins nor an apple each day could keep this ‘betes far away. The ‘betes wants to run me down, and swap my joy for a big frown. So unfriendly when it tries and tries to threaten my legs! My kidneys! My eyes! It wants to kill me in my sleep. The price to live is very steep! I check, check, check to stay alive. The ‘betes does not want me to thrive. And yet, I go-go-go, and fight-fight-fight. Can’t give up, all day or night! While the ‘betes might be so shady, it doesn’t know I’m a stubborn lady. Kill ’em with kindness — tha ..read more

by Kerri Sparling ..read more

submitted by Cherise Shockley I’ve been using a GLP-1 and insulin to treat my diabetes for the past two years. My PBM informed me in a letter that the GLP-1 is not preferred but that Ozempic and Trulicity are. I phoned Dr. P (endo) and requested the Ozempic script. A few days later, I received a refusal letter because I do not have type 2 diabetes. I froze. I’m ready to pay the non-preferred price for the GLP-1 I’m now taking, so I requested my endocrinologist to retry ordering it. Unfortunately, the pharmacy benefit manager declined my request since I do not have type 2 diabetes. The concern ..read more