Doctor Awesome

This series of people you should be aware of for Diabetes Awareness Month would not be complete for me without including my doctor. 

He is not a blogger or really involved in a lot of online stuff but I found him through a good friend in the DOC who sent me his way. 

Dr. Unger has been a game changer for me. The fact that he is not an endo but is my diabetes doctor is perfect. He is a family doctor who is a Diabetesologist as well as a Type 1 himself. 

When I used  to see my endo he would only see diabetes. If I had a cold or flu he would tell me to see my primary care giver who would in turn say, well when it comes to diabetes go see your endo. That disconnect makes no sense to me. One effects the other and with that seeing one for one thing and the other for another leaves a hole in my health. 

Now when I see Dr. U he sees me completely. As a type 1 with a sore throat or cold or whatever! He has written a book about treating a person with diabetes and from what I have read, it is brilliant. You should check out the few pages on Amazon. 

The other crazy thing about Dr Unger is that he knows a lot of the people I have met through the DOC! The world is a small place and the DOC is small too! 

My health may not be perfect and my doctor may not be perfect for everyone but for me, and what I need to keep me on path, there is no one better!

Mi Hermano

Yesterday was a big day in the diabetes community. World Diabetes Day is the closest thing we can call a holiday and we all "celebrate" by posting, talking about, and spreading awareness. 

You have probably heard of the Big Blue Test and the Diabetes Hands Foundation who started it. You probably have heard of tudiabetes, the social networking site for people with diabetes. And if so, you have probably heard of Manny Hernandez. The guy who started it all.

I have known Manny since before he started tudiabetes, in fact I think I was the 8th member of the site. Manny is someone who is so passionate about diabetes it is almost scary.

All day long he seems to be thinking about ways to help more people with diabetes. Always looking for new avenues of getting medicine, education, and whatever else he can to people in need.

When we talk I can see the wheels turning in his head. I swear those wheels never stop and the diabetes community is lucky they don't. Each year the Diabetes Hands Foundation raises money to help people in need. He has personally travelled the world helping people first hand. That is pretty awesome.

Manny is not only a friend he is family to me. Whenever he is in town or I am in his neck of the woods we meet up and hang out. Visiting like brothers we talk about our family and the needs in the community that we can possibly help meet.

Thank you Manny for all you do. You and your foundation are making living with diabetes a little bit brighter.  

It's Her Fault

Today is World Diabetes Day.

I have had type 1 diabetes since 1990.

World Diabetes Day started in 1991.

It was not until 2005 that I found the DOC and really made my health a priority.

I found the DOC because of one person.

Christel Marchand.

She used to host a podcast called DiabeticFeed and now writes a blog called The Perfect D.

Every convention I have been invited to, every connection I have made, every life I have ever touched is directly connected to her. I think about her every single day because when I think about the DOC it all goes back to her in my eyes.

Her intelligence is only trumped by the size of her heart. My family loves her like family because that is what she has become.

Christel, there is no one else I should write about in the DOC before you today. You brought me to a community of support that saved my life and I owe it all to you!

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Love, George. 

The Grand Marshal

This weekend I am participating in a JDRF walk in Las Vegas Nevada. It turns out my team captain is the Grand Marshal of the event! Sara Nicastro!

Sara was one of the first bloggers I met in person. We found out early on that she was friends with some friends of mine! It was a crazy moment and another example of how small the world is.

Sara inspires me by her desire to share her story and her life. Acceptance and caring are two words I would use to describe Sara not to mention adventurous. I mean she has travelled the world, gone to Haiti to help in the aftermath of the earthquake a few years ago, and she has even sky dived!

Nothing can stop Sara.

Like Cherise, Sara is another source of encouragement for me. She can tell in a second if a tweet or status update has a gray cloud hanging over it. Whenever that's the case I will get an email, text, or phone call asking what is going on and how she can help.

This is the support I have found online and is available to other people with diabetes too. The DOC is filled with awesome people and if there were a parade I would vote Sara the Grand Marshal. As long as I could be drum major of course. 

I almost forgot about the two epic vlogs we did. You must check both of these out!

Share how Sara has touched your life in the comments. I can't wait to see her this weekend. Also, if you are able, please donate to the walk by clicking this link. THANKS!

It's Just Her, In Words

The power of the DOC is often blows my mind. Although this all started with one disease, the ties that hold us together are my more than that.

This past year has been a difficult one for my family. Last November when my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer my first reaction was to help her find some community. Someone who could be there for her like the OC is here for me. I remember saying, "I am  going to get you in touch with my friend Babs."

Babs Campbell is a PWD and a cancer survivor. I have not had the pleasure of meeting her in person but I feel very connected to her. On the day I told her my sister was diagnosed and asked if she would reach out to her, she changed her Facebook picture to the one on the right to provide some community to my sis. What an angel!

There is a grace I feel whenever I read one of Bab's posts. She has a way of sharing her love of life and people in her words that is hard to mistake. Her compassion and faith help turn my heart towards the stuff that really matters in life, loving one another.

Also there is probably only a handful of blog posts that I have bookmarked. I have plenty of blogs bookmarked but actual posts are few. This post written by Babs is one of the greatest and most important posts I have ever read. She speaks a truth about diabetes that few have been able to express as well as she did. 

I sleep better knowing people like Babs are in the world, loving it and changing it for the better. One day I will be blessed to meet her face to face but until then reading her posts on her blog and Twitter will have to suffice.

Share your stories of Bab's below. I would love to hear more about this amazing person!