Diabetes and Halloween: Just how does that work?

Common misconception: People with diabetes can't have sugar.

This is wrong for so many reasons, but I'm going to keep this short and simple(ish). Type 1 diabetes is about balancing carb intake with the appropriate amount of insulin. When DJ was diagnosed with diabetes we had friends and family asking left and right what they should give DJ "since she can't eat candy" and many people would unknowingly offer up snacks that are just as bad. Did you know eating a fruit snack is pretty much the same as eating a candy bar. Okay, one fruit snack = about half a candy bar. Someone even suggested we take her trick-or-treating and buy the candy from her so she could have cash instead of candy. That might fly now, but at seven years old? HA! Good luck. Candy is better than gold!

Diabetes sucks and kids that live with it already have to make major life changes. Taking away, or changing, holiday tradition (okay, so halloween isn't a real holiday, but you get my drift) is not something I've ever been willing to do. DJ's doctors encouraged us to take DJ trick-or-treating, since it's something we've always done, and to let her eat her candy. The difference being that now we had to incorporate the candy into our normal meal/snack times. We were even told that because we'll be out walking around, and exercise lowers blood sugar, she should probably be allowed a couple of pieces while we're trick-or-treating.

This year DJ will be trick-or-treating for the first time without me (sniff-sniff) and if I know my daughter she'll eat too much candy while she's out and about and when she gets home to me her blood sugar will be through the roof. I will get irritated, but I'll secretly be happy she had a couple of hours of normalcy. I will gladly stay up testing and injecting so she can have a good day tomorrow.

So, halloween becomes a little more inconvenient but at least the kid can earn her candy and eat it too.

One of those boring fitness blogs

So, when I started walking, and now when I run, I get the worst shin splints you can even imagine. If I try to run two days in a row, on day three I can hardly even walk. It is just.that.bad! I want to be able to run though; I've seen what it can do for a persons body and I know how I feel when I'm done. I am determined.

When I first started running I went out and got evaluated and bought the $100 that were supposed to help. They didn't. I went back to the store because they guarantee the fit, they offered to refund my money or let me keep them a while longer and gave me some tricks to try. They suggested some stretches and massaging my calves and shins with a foam roller.

The foam roller helps if I do it for about 15-20 minutes at night but I'm usually still in a lot of pain the next day. The foam roller also ends up being a kind of workout for my upper body too. This is good right? You would think... but not so much. I hate it. I love how the foam roller feels and I like to work out the upper body when it's what I feel like doing, not so much "just because I have to". So, I was looking for an alternative to the foam roller. Not only because it is a pain in my tush, but also because I need something to reach the little nooks and crannies around my ankles. So... I've been using this:

Yup, just an ordinary kitchen tool. The rolling pin has because my new workout bff. I can use this at night while I'm chillin' with DJ and it takes almost no effort. I can put as much pressure as I need on my calves, shins and ankles and the results have been amazing. I have been unable to run or walk agressively more than every three days. With the rolling pin massages I think I can up it to every other day comfortably.

This morning I ran almost completely pain free and it was amazing. I actually enjoyed my run this morning. I also took a friends advice and slowed down my run, just a little. The result was that I ran longer and I ran farther than I normally do. I was so excited and I actually stopped my run because I ran out of time and not because I was "just over it". I can't wait until Thursday so I can get ou there and do it again.

Work Rant

I went online this morning with the intention of researching Housing Authority of Portland's name change, specifically the cost of it. What caught my attention istead was this:

Oregon's Section 8 Policy Complicates Housing Search or "Whaaaaa"

First let me say, this article is about a woman who lives in the town I live in and I do not know her. I hope my house doesn't get egged. I also want to say that I'm in kind of a shitty mood today and not really in the mood to censor. So, here goes.

I work with homeless families in Washington County and many of them literally dream of they day they get a section 8 voucher; not because they are lazy or want an easy way out but because it will finally allow them that elusive thing called "affordable housing" and they can begin to get back on their feet.

Section 8 is a voluntary program for participants. There are requirements you must meet in order to receive a section 8 voucher and to keep it. Why should it not be voluntary for landlords as well? The county (whichever county holds the voucher) is responsible for inspecting the unit and making sure it meets their standard of cleanliness and safety, which may be above and beyond the standard for landlords or the general public. I've always thought a landlord must be crazy for not wanting to rent to section 8 recipients because it is guaranteed money each month, but if they were to be forced to participate in this program I think they should be compensated for whatever they need to do in order to meet the standard above the minimum.

One thing I saw several times in this article is "dream house/home". I have worked with many families looking for housing with a section 8 voucher. The only families I have seen lose that voucher because they ran out of time were those who were not willing to settle for something less than what they think they "deserve". Housing should be a right, not a privilege. I believe this whole heartedly. Unfortunately, in the land of the free there is not enough "affordable housing" (hereby referred to as "housing") and not enough funding, or too much mis-managed funding, to help all of our families/individuals in need. Even if there were enough housing, you can bet your sweet ass that it would not meet the criteria of "dream home" for many. You can get a decent place with section 8, but I can't imagine you will find the place you want to spend the rest of your days. <<< Unless you're retired, you shouldn't be looking for that anyway.

Section 8 is a stepping stone. It should be used as a tool to help a person/family become more self-sufficient in the long run. I fully realize the desire to give your kids a house, a yard, more than we had. I know from first hand experience that it physically hurts when you can't make that happen. If not for the help of my friends and my family I would not have come as far as I have in the past few years. I also know that because of the struggles we've had I appreciate where I live and what I have. I can't say I've gotten it all on my own because like I said, I have amazing family and friends that have helped me along the way, but I can say that hard work does pay off and the struggles are worth it.

What mostly upsets me about this article is that they seem to be talking shit about the section 8 program. The very program that is willing to pay over $1200 a month in rent for a family of four. No, the program isn't perfect. Yes, you would think more landlords would take advantage of this program.

I'm here to tell you that the section 8 waiting list in Washington County is eight years long. If you lose your voucher because you are not willing to take "just anything" then hopefully the person that gets the voucher will be a little more grateful. Keep in mind "just anything" must meet the standard of the county, and the standard is not the easiest to meet.

There you go... just my two cents.