Symptoms for Diabetes or I have to pee all the time.

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Do you have diabetes? I hope not, but these are some of the symptoms to look out for. If you've ever been pregnant some of these may seem familiar. If you suspect that you are or someone you know is. You can request a test from your doctor. 

Type 1

• Frequent urination-You feel like you have a bladder the size of a peanut
• Unusual thirst-The waiter won't be able to fill your glass fast enough
• Extreme hunger-It doesn't seem to matter how much you eat. 
• Unusual weight loss-For no apparent reason
• Extreme fatigue and Irritability-You just can't understand why you're so tired and grumpy.

Type 2

• Any of the type 1 symptoms
• Frequent infections-including gum, bladder and yeast infections. Good times.
• Blurred vision-which can lead to blindness.
• Tingling/numbness in the hands/feet-constant pins and needles and can lead to amputations.
• Cuts and bruises are slow to heal-and almost always get infected.

Often people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms, isn't that awesome?

You may be diagnosed with prediabetes, which means if you don't change what you're doing then you will end up with diabetes.  So don't be stubborn and go get tested.

You can find out more at ADA. 

Do you know anyone with these symptoms?

Scooby doo on Channel 2, and Frankenstein on Channel 9

Ain't no party like a Sweetbutterbliss party.  I mean when have you attended an underwater birthday bash? Virtually never I'm sure. So I've been blogging for a whole year. Can you believe that shit? I sure can't. I've been going through all my old posts and tagging them; it's been interesting and a little cringe worthy to read my first attempts. 

But in a year I have....

made some kick ass online friends

cried with people I didn't know

laughed even more with people I didn't know

learned so much about myself and my writing

have a place to express myself

finally found my ever elusive niche (maybe?)

found more self confidence in myself and my choices

What have you gotten out of blogging?

Take Your Health Into Your Own Hands

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Although adorable and proficient in the "Laughter is the Best Medicine" school of thought, I wouldn't want Grover as my doctor.  

A friend of mine who is very overweight was having a doctor's visit and I suggested she asked for a diabetes test since being overweight can increase your risk. And she was exhibiting a few other symptoms. She acted like it was a ridiculous idea. She said that she wasn't going to worry about it because if her doctor wanted her tested, he would. I was in shock. 

I know one of the biggest reasons for not asking for tests or even going to see the doctor is that you'd rather not know. But you have to find out to fix it. My MIL didn't go to the doctor for years and when they found her cervical cancer, it was too late. I don't want to scare you but I really want you to be healthy, wealthy and wise. I can't do a lot about the wealthy, I can do a little about the wise, but you have to work on the healthy.

You can't expect your doctor to be in charge of your health. There are many reasons why they wouldn't test you. 

Time Constraints

You know how you go in to the waiting room and wait....a long time. Doctors overbook themselves and may not be as focused on you or have time to shake of the last patient to only consider your symptoms or complaints.

Money, honey

Some insurance companies do not cover certain lab work or procedures and the doctor is not familiar with each person's insurance details. They may not want to request a test that is not going to get paid for

Look for horses not zebras

Doctors are trained to look for the simplest solution. If you have a headache, they are going to think stress, or fatigue. Not brain tumor. Unless you explain that it's not just a headache, it's blurred vision and weird tastes in your mouth. 

Patients aren't forthcoming

If you don't tell the doctor all your symptoms how is he supposed to diagnose you efficiently?

Stepping on Toes

Your GP may not feel comfortable diagnosing diabetes, or he may not be familiar with the symptoms because he didn't go to school to be an endocrinologist

They're Just Assholes

It's sad but true. Sometimes they just don't take you seriously and don't want to spend time with you. If you get a doctor who blows you off or is mean to you, find another one. You're paying them for a service (or your paying for insurance to pay them)It is never okay for them to make you feel stupid.  Dr. House is fun to watch, but that's it.

You know your own body. You know if something is wrong, trust yourself. I'm not saying you shouldn't trust your doctor too. But the best advice I have ever heard is to remember that your doctor is just a human, albeit a human with a lot of education. But they are not some omnipotent deity. They make mistakes or miss things too. It's your job to help them take care of you. And to take your health into your own hands. 

How do you make sure you're taken care of?

I really do love The Walking Dead

I love Zombie movies. I'm also a pretty big fan of Zombie books. I am now in love with Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead graphic novel. I love his concept. He loved zombie movies, but they always ended. He wanted a never ending zombie movie, which is obviously impossible. So he decided to make it in the form of a comic. I'm not going to go all hipstery on you and act like I've been reading it forever and knew about it before the AMC tv show.  I found out about it because of the previews of the show. 

The comic is brutal and beautifully inked. It doesn't touch as much on the Zombies (or Roamers) but focuses on the survivors. It's an exercises in the psychology of how people would deal with it. What do you do when a member of your group is crazy and a danger to others? Do you kill them yourself and know that you murdered a fellow human being? or do you hope they don't kill someone? And how surviving like that changes a person. To be honest if they were a danger to my kids, they'd already be gone. Or so I imagine. You really never know how you will react put in that kind of situation. I can't imagine any of you have had to protect yourself from hoards of ravenous undead. But who knows? Maybe you decided not to blog about it.

And of course the series is my new favorite show. A weekly zombie fix in a neat little hour. Blood and guts, great acting, not so great attempts at southern accents. But nobodies perfect.  There's only two more episodes left. But it's already going to have a second season. They're changing it a lot from the comics. But so far I'm cool with it. Kirkman has a good point,he said that if you've read the novels you won't be bored, knowing who dies next or what character is coming up. Which I agree with. 

So read the comics, a new one just came out yesterday! And watch the series. Sunday nights at 9 central.

Have you read it? Have you seen the series? What do you think?

Food For Thought

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 This one is a little short because I've actually been working at work. I know how silly of me! I should be blogging and reading blogs. I'll try harder. I promise.

This made me cry of course. It's about a grieving mom going back to get her daughter's hand print.

Please don't text and drive!

Would you like to know how you would react during the zombie apocalypse? I would be the Strong Mom. That's right bitches. Don't mess with my babies! You can find out yourself, at AMC's The Walking Dead.

I know that you have all seen the Don't Touch My Junk video. I get that we need to make flying safe, but this story about a man treated poorly by airline employees is not helping. We should be able to feel safe and keep our dignity, right?

Gala Darling's Sad Trombone List.
Live stream of cute puppies. Guaranteed to brighten your day!

"The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” (Ayn Rand)

TILT-Turkey Edition

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Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends and just Happy Regular Thursday to all the others. 

*The family that I have chosen for myself*Ham*Mashed Potatoes*Stuffing*Macy's Day Parade on the TV all morning in the background*Not watching the UT and ATM game*Knowing that I married a man who has no interest in watching football*The way the house smells*Cozy stuffed feeling*

What do you love about Turkey day? Or regular Thursday Day?

Children Giving to Children with Blue Santa

My girls have a lot of toys. We can't always afford the very best stuff. But they do not lack for toys or anything else for that matter. Even if we could afford to get them fancy cell phones or the most expensive mp3 player, we wouldn't get it for them.  They don't need things like that. 

I want them to be aware that not everyone has it so lucky. There are kids who don't even have enough food, much less presents piled under a tree. I want them to understand that if you are in a position to, you should give. That the holidays isn't just about Dora dolls, and new tvs.  In 1972 a few beat cops in Austin felt the same way. They noticed that during the holidays some of the people who lived on their beat (look I'm using fancy cop lingo) didn't have anything for the holidays. So they took their own paycheck and bought presents and food for four or five houses. And delivered them on Christmas Eve. Can you imagine? Thinking about how you explain to your kids why Santa missed your house this year. And these strangers show up with Christmas all wrapped up. Just because. 

This was the beginning's of Austin's Blue Santa program. That first Christmas they helped 4 or 5 families. Now they help 3,500 families. It makes me teary eyed just writing this. And they do it with all volunteer help and community support. 

In 1987 the owner of a local restaurant Chuy's , Mike Snow, and a local radio station, KLBJ, started a toy drive to support Blue Santa.  Two years later he decided it needed more awareness and to do that, it needs a parade!  So they handed out fliers telling people to bring a toy to work on a certain day and they would come by and pick it up. So they paraded down Congress, with a giant three man Santa, a fire truck and Marcia Ball on the back of a flat bed truck.  Governor Bill Clement even donated a giant Teddy Bear.  They tripled the amount of toys collected that year. And so it became a tradition. And in Austin we love our traditions. 

It's now a huge parade, with the same balloons they use in the Macy's Day Parade! Apparently they travel all over the country. So don't think that because Austin isn't a huge city, that we don't have a huge parade! And at certain points in the parade they stop and collect toys from kids attending the parade. Hence the name. Children Giving to Children.

So if you live in Austin, go, get excited about the Holidays and give back! It's on Saturday 11/27 and it starts at 11. The parade route is on Congress, from the capitol to Cesar Chavez. Get there early for a good seat! They need infant-2 year old toys and 8-14 yr old the most. Don't wrap it and it needs to be new. And if you don't live in Texas, I am sure there is the same kind of organization in your town. One toy won't break your bank and I know you will feel great about doing it.

What kind of holiday traditions does your town have?

Food Advice to Eat By

Someone Please Stop Time

My little girl asked me to cut her hair. And my heart sank. I hoped, in vain, that her feverish little mind would forget. But she didn't. She asked again. 

The best picture I could find of her long hair.

So with a heavy heart I twisted her waist length hair into a rubber band. I braided it and ended it with another one. I asked her to please sit still. I sawed through, right above the rubber band. The sound of the scissors made it hard to breath. I evened it out and added little layers so it didn't look like we'd put a bowl over her head. I sent her upstairs to see what she thought and sat there covered in her babyhood.

 Her first week

She had so much hair when she was born, people would comment on it all the time. And she smelled so sweet. I would lay next to her and bury my face in her little head and wish that we could bottle it. For times when she didn't want to be held or when she became a teenager and started to smell bad. I remembered mornings of braiding her hair into pigtails. I remembered her stubbornly "brushing" her hair and not getting a single tangle out. I remember her trying to brush it with her doll brush and whipping it around asking if she was a princess. I felt like I was going to cry but tears wouldn't come. But my chest hurt and my hands felt heavy. My husband asked "Why are you just sitting there covered in hair?" I reluctantly got up and brushed my lap off onto the Phineas and Ferb towel we'd sat on. I gathered it up and threw the remains in the trash. I tried to pretend that it didn't matter. My baby had made a big girl choice and I had to accept it. But it scared me and I don't have to like it. 

After. I think I did an okay job. 

Any milestones that hurt your heart?

Sometimes I Talk to Much

My word of the day was garrulous. Basically it means someone who talks to much, about trivial things. It made me think of blogging.  One person's trivial thing could be someone else's amazingly interesting thing. Like gratuitous pictures of my kids. I could talk about them all day and go through the hundreds of pictures we have, over and over again. But you might find that trivial or insanely boring.

But that's okay, because I like talking about my kids. I've had a lot of instances where I feel like I should just give up on it. (The blog, not my kids)  But then I think about my girls and all the stuff I've talked about them and it feels like giving up. So, if only as a trivial little blog that captures the moments I think are important, I think I'll keep it. And one day my kids can be like. "I can not believe you put that online. Mooooooommm."

What do you consider important that others might think is trivial?

Food for Thought-The Video Edition

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 Damn You Auto Correct made me laugh.

I know this story isn't just about it, but it make me really sad that Joe Fraziers' gym is for sale. It just seems wrong somehow.

I'm sure you've already seen it. It's fun to guess the words, I feel like the spoken words feel forced and mess it up for me. But the rest is really thoughtful

At least you’ll never be a vegetable - even artichokes have hearts.
— Amélie Poulain

I loved this ad campaign. What happened to it? Is it still on?

Don't want identity fraud? Don't smile in your driver's license picture. I just got mine and totally smiled. Damn it.

A new, mildly creepy way to learn your ABC's.

What fast food really looks like. A side by side comparison.

An interview with George Romero. His take on his zombies and the new series The Walking Dead (which is my new favorite graphic novel and series)

This has been all over but it's a must for bloggers, if you don't want to looking like a flaming idiot. (Flaming makes it sound worse and britishy)

Does anyone want to send me this card? It's not too late. I will send you some back. I promise. Eh?

This makes me want to be a ballerina..sooo bad!

So what have you been digging on the web this week?

Do the Big Blue Test for World Diabetes Day

Today is World Diabetes Day, World! Not just National or State, but the whole world is participating. I think this is fantastic because I really feel like there is a lack of information and awareness of what it really means. And it's obviously close to my heart, since my husband and I both have Type 2 Diabetes.  So I am participating in the Big Blue Test. At 2pm I am going to check my blood sugar, get active then 14 minutes later check it again. And see what kind of a difference it makes. So if you are diabetic, do it and then go to Big Blue Test and enter your results.

You're not diabetic you say? But you still want to help? Don't think I would leave you guys out. Watch this video. That's it. Much less painless then poking yourself twice. Every time this video is watched Accucheck will donate one weeks worth of life saving insulin to a diabetic kid. Since we've established that you are not diabetic, then you have no idea how expensive insulin can be, and there is not such thing as generic. And some insurance won't cover it. Of course. So step in and help. It's not even a very long video. Then pass it on. Please.

Epic Creepiness and my Big Fat Ego or Internet Security 101

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You think that no one reads this. And no one really cares to see your pictures or is worried about the details of your life. You're not that full of yourself.  Your ego isn't that big.

It should be. Of course because you are all fantastic and fascinating people. But also because the internet is an extremely open place. And sadly there are very unfantastic people out there. In fact they are creepy and sick people who can check out your kids photos anytime they want. And even take them off your innocent blog and post them elsewhere. There are even people who care where you live. And it's not to send you a Christmas card. Sorry. (On a lighter note, I'll send you one! Because I like you)

Mama Kat wrote a post about the world's scariest email. Basically someone sent her an email that had a power point presentation with pictures and things she's written about, they figured out where she lived and where her kids went to school. It will make you sick while reading it. Another woman got an email from the London police letting her know her daughter's pictures were found on a pedophile's computers. Again, it'll make you sick.

It made me wonder how to Watermark your pictures. So I googled it. Because he knows everything. And is pro muslim apparantly.

I decided to use Picnik. It doesn't technically have a watermark feature. But you can add text then change the blend to overlay. And you're good. 

gratuitous cuteness taken by Peanut's mom

You can always use photoshop but I'm not familiar with it, and you can always pay for it too. Here's a link to a couple of sites.

A few more tips: (some of these are from Mama Kat, so you can read hers too. She has stick figures which are fun)

*Don't put any cute bath time or naked pictures of your kid. I think they are freaking adorable. Nothing like a little pot belly to make me smile, but again there are those creepsters. And it doesn't matter how young. Seriously.

*Make sure there are no house numbers, license plate numbers, school names. etc

*There are plugins you can download for wordpress that make people unable to take your photos, I don't know one for blogger. If you do let me know!

*Keep your blog email and "social networking" site separate from your real one. Or hide your name.

*Use nicknames.

*Subscribe to Stopsign. It has different tips and updates on Internet Security

*Ask your readers to point out if you slip up

I am not a private blog, but you can still give out some information without putting you or your kids (or furbabies) in danger. Sorry this was geared around mostly kids stuff but you can never be too careful. Someone might steal your cat.

Do you have any tips? Have you had a scare in the past? Will you guys point things out to me please?

Food For Thought-The Crushed Snails Edition.

 Above picture is from here. More beautiful ones, but this one is my favorite. 

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I am definitely a right brain. But after a minute I got it to turn the other way. Does this mean I'm not in my right mind? Oh. I kill. Go see How Your World Turns. 

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I have child bearing hips, and I am extremely happy about it and so is my hubs for that matter. Here's a poem about it that I want to tape to the bathroom mirror 

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Hilarious Before They Were Star's photos. 

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Another amazing thing that needs to be taped to the mirror. 

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 What the fuck has Obama done for us lately? Check it out. 

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Gala Darling tries to beat it into our girly brains that he's just not that into you. Pay attention

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 Why woman aren't funny. 

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Again, I know Halloween is over, but this had me in tears, in a good way. 

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Need a little inspiration...Play twister

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Great advice for what to do when you feel like you don;t matter. My favorite is to get rid of the people who make you feel that way. 

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More great advice on How to Get To Know Someone.

Why ridiculous ideas are sometimes the best ones. Or at least sell the best.

A bunch of kids and a marshmallow. A study on self control.

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That's right Bakerella made smores. Big deal you say? She also made smores with Carmelos and Reeses? How do you like them apples?

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In the end, the quest for balance is bogus. Love your burdens. Love them hard. And when your loves knock you down or your weak ankles trip you up, stop worrying about balancing – ‘cuz you’re not – and bounce.

- Kelly Diels

America's 100 biggest libraries. And the cutest illustration.

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Shell tries to alleviate the mom guilt. But really will it ever go away. Nope.

These drawings are amazing.

Better Late then Never

I know that Halloween was over a week ago. But too bad. I want to post cute pictures of my kids. So here I am forcing them on you. Done.

 Hubs and I as Dios De Los Muertos, except he didn't want any flowers on his. What kind of sugar skull is that?

 The claw! I wanted to take pictures with a couple of Buzz's and Woody's I saw but no takers. 

 Pea is a mermaid. Yes we paid thirty dollars for a cheap dress with a picture of Ariel on it. This picture cracks me up because she's fighting of the strips of paper that kept blowing into her face. 

Could she be a creepier, sadder vampire?

All the kids together. I have no idea why Pea looks so grumpy. In the back is Ducky and Pancake. Our niece and one of our nephews. The Evil Teenager tried to go trick or treating without putting on a costume. I said hell no. And so he moped along behind us. 

They got lots of candy and had a great time. I feel like it was successful. 

How was your Halloween? No razors in apples, I trust?

How to Not Be Fat and Stupid or How to Read a Nutrition Label

Please don't be offended by my use of the word fat. I'm taking it back. 

I watch fitness reality shows, like the Biggest Loser. I use the word "fitness" loosely.  I get sucked in. I know they are technically unhealthy and not teaching any of these people long term goals and apparently are really crappy to the contestants. But what always surprises me is when they have to teach them to read a nutrition label. It happens in actual reality too. I had a diabetic co worker tell me he could eat the whole bag of cheese puffs if he wanted,  because it only had 11 grams of carbohydrates. Ummm okay buddy. If when you say "the whole bag" you mean "eight" then, yeah, go to town man.

I am sure that all you super smart readers know how to read a nutritional label so you can pass this on to your silly friends.

1. Read the serving amount. In above example it's 1 oz. About 10 chips. The whole bag contains 10 servings.

2.  The amount per serving listings is for just one serving. Not the whole thing. So for these chips. If you eat 10  chips that's 120 calories. If you're not paying attention and eat the whole of the salty greasy goodness you will have eaten 10 servings. 120 x 10 is 1200 calories. Holy bejesus.

3. The ingredients are listed in order of amount. So this bag is made up of mostly dehydrated potatoes. So if the first ingredient is "ombalyophinine" (oh yeah i made that word up. Sounded smart didn't I? ) then it's probably not good for you.

4. And of course being diabetic, my main concern is the amount of carbs. Which is a lot, even for just one serving.

So a recap.  The serving size is important, the whole bag is not 120 calories, but 1200. Don't eat anything you can't pronounce and lastly potato chips are bad for you. 

Any questions? 

Do you always look at the labels of what you eat? Or would you rather not know?

Exit interviews

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Do you ever want to find the people who unfollow you so you can ask why? Not in an aggressive jerky way? More like an exit interview or a survey so you can improve? That might be interesting. Email them a list of questions. Get some feedback. Sadly people online can be real asshats and you'll probably get back something really constructive like "Cause your stupid" or some other thought provoking thing. 

Have you ever gotten feed back from an unfollow? Do you think it's strange that the term follow has taken on a a whole new meaning? Like how facebook is a verb now. 

Food For Thought-The Meat Baby Edition

 This drawing makes me happy. And makes me think. Go ahead. Define it?

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Creepy Stabbity Nana Dolls. Be afraid.

A Dad's list of things he does not know. It reminded me of when I asked why my hubs never puts tights on the girls and he looked kind of scared and said "I don't know how those things work!"

"To Watch Us Dance is to hear our hearts speak"

How to add spice to your blogs with stick figure drawings from Life In the Pitts.

See spiciness. I think it's the giant dapper dan 'stach that really brings it home.

These signs at the Restore Sanity are pretty much all spot on. My fav is the "Suspicious" one.

I love Spaghatti Nadle. Raising awareness of speech impediments!

Super cute purse that I want! Please?

Obviously something I need to follow. The Zen of eating healthy.

A Monstrous Manifesto. Might have to post this one up on the mirror.

“Sort of” is such a harmless thing to say. “Sort of.” It’s just a filler. “Sort of”—it doesn’t really mean anything. But after certain things, “sort of” means everything. Like after, “I love you.” Or, “You’re going to live.” Or, “It’s a boy!”
— Demitri Martin

 Another thing I want and how appropo.

This is fucking terrifying. If you click on one link in this list, click on this one. It's just not okay.

PILT-Person I love Thursday (Everyday forever)

Today is the best day in the world. Today is the day that my husband was brought into this mad mad world. And seriously my life would suck pretty hard if he wasn't around. I wouldn't have my babies and without him, I go crazy. It's happened, trust me. 

So the Person I Love Today is my fantastic, sexy, hilarious, supportive, enabling husband. 

Happy Birthday Sugarpants. I love you!

Check out his sexy pensive face

 He won Most Adorable Baby, obviously it wasn't even a competition.

Perfect right from the very beginning.

What do you guys love today? People or Things.

I will sleep now, not wait until I am dead. What a waste.

I love sleep. A lot. And I am tired. A lot. But yesterday I only got two hours of sleep. Literally. I'm not saying I slept fitfully for a full night,  I worked all night then napped for two hours and then worked all night again. So instead of pretending like I can write a thoughtful well written poignant post, I'm just going to show you pretty sleepy pictures. I'm aware this probably isn't the best way to help me stay awake at work. 

 A cup of tea (btw I want these mugs if anyone is interested in getting me a belated bday present)

 

 A good book. I want to get this one for my girls. I loved it and the movie as a child. 

 I sleep with a lot of pillows. Three at least. 

And sometimes even with a stuffed animal. I sleep 8 times better with one. Seriously

 I would prefer it to be a dreary rainy day. My favorite kind.

 

 But if not I will close myself in a makeshift cave

I love big fluffy comforters to burrow into. 

 And of course spooning with my husband makes me sleep a gazillion times better.

 What's your sleep routine?

Vote for Tattoos!

I don't really care who you vote for. I will judge you quietly though.  Just go do it. But even if your chosen candidate wins. Don't do this please. KThanks.

Here's info if you're in Austin. If you don't know where to vote or who to vote for in your state just Google it. This is the information age, so no excuses!

Get your patchouli stink out of my store

I read "Love is A Mix Tape: Life and Love One Song At A Time."  by Rob Sheffield. If you've watched any VH1 in the past five years you have seen his talking head on your TV. I liked the book. I especially like the music. It's songs I remember from my youth. 

It's about finding the love of his life. Maybe. He has an interesting perspective. He says becoming a husband is a scary thing. He talks about Nirvana and how Kurt Cobain wrote "In Utero" about being a husband. How "Heart Shaped Box" was about having someone you can't let go of and maybe can't protect. I have never looked at it that way and it made me listen with different ears.

He also talks about how the 90's was the era of girls (grrls?) in bands. I say that all the time. Sometimes I get tired of girls and pianos and acoustic guitars. I want Courtney Love all dirty in her baby doll dress, and Gwen Stefani with her glam face and punk rock clothes. I want some angry chicks, damn it! 

The end seemed quick, like he had to wrap it up real fast. But still, I enjoyed it, and it's a quick and easy read.  If you know who Belly is or ever got kicked out of L7's dressing room. (Hi babe!) then you'll "get" this book. 

What's a band from the 90's you miss?