About Julie

I was diagnosed with T1 diabetes when I was in my 4^th month of pregnancy with my first child, Ruby.  I was 33.  Luckily for me, I had an excellent Endo at the time who recognized immediately that it wasn’t gestational diabetes, so I got onboard with MDIs and strict carb counting right away.  Why did I already have an Endo?  Well, I was diagnosed with acute onset Grave’s Disease when I was 22.  Grave’s is autoimmune just like T1, except your body attacks your thyroid instead of your beta cells.  So, now I’m down a pancreas and a thyroid.  Immune System: 2, Julie: 0

I’m habitually organized (ok, ok probably a little OCD) and I think numbers are cool.  More than that, I think patterns are cool, so you could say I was born with part of the skillset needed to manage T1.  However, I also believe that no matter how good your system is working (diabetes management or otherwise), there’s always new variables to consider, room for trial and error, revision and improvement…life is iteration.

So, what part of my D-management skillset is lacking?  I’m an introvert, sometimes even a recluse.  In steps this blog:  It’s my way of reaching out into the community instead of just observing from the sidelines.

Just the Facts Jack:

• I’m a scientist and technical writer, with degrees in Biology and Forensic Science, and I’m half way through an MPH focusing on Epidemiology.

• I am lucky enough to have a loving husband, Ben, and two healthy, sweet children Ruby (6) and Beckett (1). (This is the only pic I could find of all 4 of us).

• I tend to get on a soapbox about advocate for lifestyles involving healthier eating and less-processed foods.  I believe the obesity epidemic is very real and very dangerous, especially for children.

• My vices include red wine, dark beer, movie theater popcorn, and lipgloss (seriously, if I even think I left my lipgloss at home my lips are suddenly, psychosomatically as dry as the Sahara!).

• I’ve always had a little inside joke with myself every time I refer to myself as a “T1” because “T1” is also the name of the original (and somewhat clunky) generation of cyborgs in the Terminator movies (yup, from the 1980’s).  For those of you non-sci-fi geeks out there, a cyborg (aka cybernetic being) is “a being with organic and artificial parts”. I don’t know about you but with all the infusion cannulas, CGM sensors, and medications that keep me alive, there are definitely days when I start to feel like I’m half-woman and half-machine.  Ironic, huh?

Anyway, enough of all that sci-fi geek stuff!  I’ll just leave you with a little pic of Arnold and me (in my full T1 regalia) from back in the day 😉