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Short and Sweet

Chris Stocker

Today’s post is not going to be a very in depth one.  This morning I went down to the Diabetes Research Institute’s 2.o Conference, Connecting the Community.  If you were following the #dri20 hashtag on Twitter, you probably know majority of what was going on.  I will be writing an in depth post of my 2 cents from the conference on Monday.

Today is going to consist of primarily watching football and that’s pretty much it.  Not much diabetes stuff going on lately, blood sugars have been good and haven’t been eating very healthy either.  On Monday I will be getting on the phone and doing some serious research about getting set up on Cobra.

Until then folks, have a great weekend.

Changing Jobs – Diabetes Style

Chris Stocker 1 Comment

Like I mentioned briefly yesterday, I am in the process of changing jobs.  I am no longer working at the diabetes supply company that I used to, so I guess I can take that out of my disclosure of the website now.  I won’t get into details of why I am no longer there, but the most important part is that both sides are happy and it’s time to move on.  I am still running CSI Marketing Solutions LLC, but due to the fact that I have this thing called diabetes I can’t work solely on this, I have to work for a corporation as well in order to have health insurance.  I am currently seeking a new job, and I would love to get a new job doing what I love to do, social media and internet marketing.  If not, then I will find something that I don’t mind doing.

While changing job for most people can be difficult, but when you have diabetes there is a whole other game added to it.  Sure, everybody has bills that they have to pay and families they have to take care of, but when you have diabetes, you have one of the most expensive diseases to manage it and there really isn’t much help out there for you if you don’t have insurance.  There are resources, but they are limited and they can still be way too much for those without a job.

Then when you finally do get a new job, some places don’t give you health insurance right away, let’s say for example a 90 day period before health insurance kicks in.  Well since we have this pre-existing condition BS, we have to prove to the insurance company that we have had credible insurance coverage within 63 days, and if you haven’t then you will not receive insurance for 12 months due to that pre-existing.  So if you have 63 days to prove your coverage, but your insurance doesn’t kick in for 90 days, what are you supposed to do?  If you’re married, which I’m not, you can try to get insurance through your spouse.  Amanda is not working full-time because she is finishing up her degree, also we’re not married so that’s not an option.

The next option is to pick up Cobra.  I don’t know too much about it, but when I had discussed with them two years ago when I thought I was going to have to pick it up, it was going to cost me nearly $650 a month.  How the heck are you supposed to pay for that.  I’m not even sure what it covers, but I’m guessing you still have to pay for strips, insulin, pump supplies, doctors visits, and even blood work?  If you have answers, please let me know.

Gee, I would sure like to have a new health care system that didn’t force you to work for  a corporation in order to get health insurance.  How about you let 50 uninsured diabetics get together on the same insurance plan, just like a small business with 50 employees, and even let their family members on board as well, so let’s say it ends up being 100-150 people on the plan and they pay a premium just like anybody else would for a small business.  Why can’t we do that?  It would be the same thing as a small business.  Oh, I know, because when 50 employees at a small business get a group plan, there is only a few diabetics, so the insurance company still makes their money from the “healthy” people that are just paying a monthly premium.

I better stop now, I’ll get back to this another time.

Lack of Exercise Has Brought Weight Back On

Chris Stocker 2 Comments

In a post I did earlier in the week, I explained that I was working a lot and not really sleeping at all.  Well, along with that I have been working right through exercise time as well.  My exercise has consisted of throwing footballs and doing a little jogging at football practice when I am coaching, that is about it.  I also have not been eating healthy again because I haven’t really gone to the grocery store in a long time.  I don’t really have the funds right now to go out and by $100 worth of groceries.  Business is good, but there are plenty of other things that require my money at the current time.  Back to the subject, I have put some weight back on unfortunately.  Not a lot, I am still down a few pounds from back in September when I got serious about losing weight, but still not down to what I want to be.

I have a monthly goal of losing 5 pounds before every doctor visit, which at this time is every 4-6 weeks.  I may have to cancel my next visit that is scheduled for later this month because I may not have insurance coverage at the time, we shall see and I should have a better answer shortly about that situation.  Once again, if anybody has information about being on Cobra, I really need your help.  I’ll post more tomorrow, but I no longer work at the diabetes supply company that I worked at for 2 1/2 years.

I will get back into my workout habits again, it doesn’t take much for me to get back into the gym, it’s just making sure that I continue to go everyday, well at least 5 times a week.  I also need to cut back on my coffee intake and fast food.  Lately I have not been cooking breakfast, instead I have just been going to Dunkin Donuts and getting a large coffee and a sausage biscuit (it’s only $0.99 so that’s why.)

Here is my goal and I will keep a daily record on my blog of this starting on Friday November 6, 2009.  I’m going to look for a cool WordPress plugin, if anybody knows of one, let me know, that will put a chart or graph into my blog and I will add it into here.  But I will keep track of my daily calorie intake, as well as how much exercise and energy drinks that I intake.

Tax on Soda, Relocating Fast Food Joints, all in the name of Prevention

Chris Stocker

I’ve been seeing on some news stations and on the internet lately about the idea of putting a tax on soda and other added sugar drinks.  The idea of this is to cut back on obesity problems and ultimately be a good prevention of diabetes.  I think this is a great idea.  Probably because I don’t drink any sugar drinks, except for orange juice, so I won’t be affected by the tax.  Amanda doesn’t really drink things with sugar in them either because we usually share drinks, so she gets something diabetic friendly.  Now people will think twice before purchasing a regular soda compared to a diet or sugar-free beverage.  Diabetes prevention programs like this can save millions in healthcare costs.

I’ve also seen some articles being written about the relocation of fast food joints and zoning regulations going up for new fast food places.  The idea is simple, keep fast food restaraunts away from schools and little league ball fields.  This again sounds like a great idea to get kids to stay away from fast food and opt for healthier options.  This doesn’t sound too good for the “soccer mom/dad” that may want to just pick up a quick bite to eat before or after a baseball game, or swing through the drive-thru after school in order to get to a parent/teacher conference.  There can still be a quick stop place, but let it be a healthier option, not a greasy burger and fries.  How bout a grilled chicken wrap with some fresh veggies on it, that can be quick and eaten in the car as well.

Obviously there are some big financial implications that this can cause.  It will take a lot of lobbying and local government hours to get these zoning policies passed.  But in the long run, it will be beneficial to all.  The amount of money that beverage companies MAY, and I stress may, lose will be made up in lower healthcare costs.  I don’t think that the berage companies would lose much money in the first place.  All major brands have a diet version of their drinks or at least a reduced sugar version that can be easily substituted for.

What are your thoughts on this, good idea, bad idea, don’t really care?

Thanks.

A New Baby, A New Life

Chris Stocker 2 Comments

Well the Phillies are still alive and the Eagles kicked butt on Sunday.  I have missed 3 Panthers hockey games now because I have had to stay home to watch the Phillies.  As long as they win, I don’t really care.  I received some good feedback on my post about diabetes being a disability and also want to thank those that commented on my birthday, I appreciate it.  Yesterday I was a little sick and didn’t go to work because I wasn’t sure if I was coming down with something worse and I didn’t want to spread it to any of my co-workers.  When I woke up this morning I felt a little better so I went into work.

I have a lot of research that needs to be done about Cobra.  For those of you that are currently using Cobra, please e-mail me at chris.stocker – at – thelifeofadiabetic dot com.  I’m not going to go into in the blog post today, so if you are interested or have any comments on Cobra, please e-mail me.

Now onto the good news today.  I am officially an uncle as of 3:30 a.m. this morning.  My sister-in-law had been in labor for about a day, but just went to the hospital yesterday after going to see the doctor.  My brother sent me a text early in the morning.  Unfortunately, I am not able to make it up to see her right now.  Her name is Sylvia.  I will post some pictures as soon as I get them (My iPhone can’t get MMS messages).  Hopefully, I can get up there to see her for Thanksgiving, if not then I will definitely see her during Christmas time.  The baby not only brings a new life into this world, but a new life and journey for those involved.  I have a lot of work to get to now, so I will post more about the newborn baby when I can.

Long Days, Late Nights, No Sleep

Chris Stocker

Last week was filled with a lot of work, I mean a lot of work for me.  I have been working on continuing to re-design this blog because to me it just doesn’t seem right.  Is it easy for you to read, anything distracting you, or fonts too difficult to read?  Along with that blog I have been working on a re-design on the other blog that I write about internet marketing and social media, Chris Stocker, Inc.  I have also been updating the Facebook accounts I have, and my LinkedIn, and Flickr, and about 10 other things including designing a website for my new company, CSI Marketing Solutions, LLC.  I also recently read Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuck, which if you want to get things and not sleep for about a week, I recommend that book.

With all of this work, and it’s not been completed yet, I foresee the same thing going on this week as well.  Last week from Monday-Friday I slept, in total, about 15 hours.  I was going to bed at 3:30 and waking up at 6:30 and getting back at it for an hour before I would begin getting ready for work.  See I work a 9-5, and run a business and do contract work on the side so I need about 8-10 hours a day to do that.  Then there is the 2 blogs that I write on a daily basis which adds about another 10 hours a week.  So, adding that up, we’re looking at around 20 hours of work a day, and no time for sleep.  This picture pretty much sums up my week last week.Coffee and SF Red Bull

Typically, the later I stay up, the more my blood sugars go up.  It’s basically a hand in hand thing.  I tend to start eating snacks in the middle of the night as well because I am up later and getting hungry and need to eat something.  I told myself last week that I am not going to let this happen, if I’m staying up later, I will make sure my sugars don’t go crazy.  I have done a pretty damn good job of it.  Throughout the nights my sugar didn’t really go over 200 maybe once or twice.  Here is a breakdown of my morning sugars this past week (my best ever):

Monday – 112

Tuesday – 88

Wednesday – 94

Thursday – 104

Friday – 125

Friday night however ended up being a different story.  My sugar, after being great in the morning, just shot up all day long and didn’t come back down.  It was on average about 325, with a high of 496.  I went to the movies to see Saw VI and I went to the bathroom when I got there and then I usually will go right before the movie starts so I don’t miss any of the movie.  So, I went as soon as the previews started but when I came back I told Amanda that I feel like I already have to go again.  I just thought that maybe my jeans were a little too tight and they were pushing in on my bladder, because that sometimes happens if I’m wearing a pair of jeans that don’t fit me the best.  About halfway through the movie I just had to go again, I couldn’t hold it any longer.  And for those of you that know the Saw movies, you know you can’t miss a second, because something is going to happen.  I literally ran out to the bathroom and ran back within about 20 seconds and didn’t miss anything.  As soon as the movie was over, I had to go again.sawVi

When we got out to the car I tested and that’s when I was at 496.  I was about to correct, but I knew that it was a bad site, so putting more insulin into it wasn’t going to do a damn thing.  I took just a little bit just so it wouldn’t go any higher, I knew it wouldn’t bring it down, but I was just trying to eliminate an even higher number.  Once we got home I took out the old site and was getting the stuff together to put in a new one.  Well guess what, I couldn’t find the pretty blue insertion device to put in the infusion set.  Finally after digging through my room Amanda found it, in the first place that I looked.  In the morning when I woke up my sugar was down to 185, so it went down.  Saturday was a little of the same story, high all day long, but not as high, this was in the mid 200’s.  So, I wasn’t sure what was going on.

Throughout the daytime hours my sugars aren’t going all over the place either.  Even with drinking about 4-5 cups of coffee and drinking at least 1 energy drink, sometimes 2 a day are not affecting my sugars. The coffee usually does, but energy drinks don’t ever make a difference on my sugar levels.  I know that the sleep deprivation is not good for me, but I don’t plan on doing it for a while, just until I get this work finished and everything is up and running.  I just fear that when I am done with the work and want to go to bed early, I’m not going to be able to because I will be so used to staying up later.

We shall see.

My 6th Birthday with Diabetes, 25th Altogether

Chris Stocker 3 Comments

Today is my birthday and it can turn out to be potentially one of the best birthdays that I ever had.  Reasons are simple, it is an all day New York – Philadelphia day.  At 1 p.m. the Eagles have a huge NFC East match up against the Giants and then at night it is game 4 of the World Series with the Phillies and the Yankees.  Do you think my stress level is going to be high?  I’m not even sure exactly what it is going all day during my birthday because of all the sports, I think it may include a cookout between the games, but not sure.  This is my 25th birthday (yes, I can now legally rent a car and my car insurance rates should go down), and it is the 6th birthday that I have celebrated with diabetes.

My birthday’s haven’t really changed at all since I have been diagnosed.  There is really only one thing that I require for my Brian and Chris_Halloween2birthday, call it high maintenance if you will, but I must have an ice cream cake because the greatest thing in the world is the little chocolate crusty things in the middle layer of the cake.  I get to eat that about once a year, so it’s allowable on my birthday.  My birthday gifts have changed a bit from family members however.  Now when mom and pops ask what I want for my birthday this year, I usually respond with, “How about picking up the costs of my insulin for this 3 month supply.”  That’s usually what the gift is now.  And I am more appreciative of that gift then I am for any other gift out there.

I didn’t get a chance to post any pictures from our company Halloween party from Friday, so here are just a few.  This is my buddy Brian, whChris and 800 lb gorilla_Halloweeno writes one hell of a blog about baseball and baseball cards, dressed up as one of the Disney Imagination Movers and then another with the proverbial 800 pound gorilla that we are all up against half the time in life.  I’m dressed up as a low budget Chase Utley (I have a man-crush on him).  This is also the same thing that I was last year..  I didn’t do any Halloween parties or do anything related to it this year because the Phillies were playing game 3 last night.  I was doing a little “trick – or – Tweeting” though however.

So today is not only my birthday, but also the first day of National Diabetes Month.  It’s also a bunch of other things, but I don’t feel like talking about that stuff.  Start today with spreading awareness.  Tell one person starting today about diabetes, almost like a Pay-it-Forward style.  Do your part, if we all do ours we can create a big movement.  Don’t just do it on November 14 on World Diabetes Day, make it the whole damn month!

Have a great Sunday ya’ll

Is Diabetes a Disability?

Chris Stocker 2 Comments

Here’s a question for you: Is diabetes a disability?  This question came up while I was reading an article in the October issue of Diabetes Forecast.  There is an article titled, “Cracking the Case.”  Long story short, Jeff Kapche was denied a position at the FBI because of his diabetes.  He filed suit against them stating that they didn’t hire him because of his diabetes.  The FBI said that his diabetes is not a disability because he manages his diabetes well.  The court favored Kapche.  The case is still is heading back to the Federal Court of Appeals for another review.

There is no easy answer to this question, it may seem like there is, but there isn’t.  Let’s look at it from all sides.

Diabetes IS a disability

When you have diabetes(type 1) there are certain things that you must do in order to live a healthy life.  You must check your blood sugar, take insulin whether it is from an insulin pump or syringe, be able to have access to glucose in case of an emergency and many more things that we don’t have to get into at this time.  This can definitely hinder your processes of doing normal day to day or daily job tasks.  If you are working an extremely physical job then your blood sugar is more likely to drop faster, so this is where diabetes can be considered a disability.

Diabetes IS NOT a Disability

Even with all of the things that you need to do in order to properly manage your diabetes, they do not have to hinder your daily life or your day to day tasks.  If you are doing the things that you need to be doing, then you can control your diabetes which does not allow it to become a disability.  Whether you are wearing an insulin pump or taking multiple day injections (MDI), you can control your levels.

My 2 Cents

Here’s my 2 cents.  Diabetes is in no way a disability.  I live a normal life, I just so happen to be diabetic.  In the 6 years that I have had diabetes there has not been one single time that I have had to say, “no I can’t do that because I have diabetes.”  I eat ice cream cake for birthdays, I ride roller coasters that go upside down(Manta @SeaWorld)Manta_SeaWorld while wearing a pump hooked to my hip, I test my blood sugar at the table, at the desk, in the bathroom, at work, at the dinner table, I do everything someone without diabetes does, but more!  I don’t see diabetes in any way being a disability.  With proper management, you can control it.  A disability to me is something that you can’t control.

I think using diabetes as a disability is a scape goat for a lawsuit. Sure, there may be a reason that you don’t get a job because of diabetes, but that is a discrimination, primarily based upon ignorance and the cost of your health to the company hiring you.  So, if you are going to file a suit against somebody for discriminating against your diabetes it should be because you are defending that it isn’t a disability and that you are able to do the job just the same as someone without diabetes.  Instead, the guy in this article is fighting the FBI and saying that he was denied the job because he DOES have a disability and the FBI is claiming that his diabetes is not a disability.

This irritates me.  To think that the ADA is doing a 2 1/2 page article in their magazine talking about how diabetes is a disability.  What kind of negative thinking is that?  Not the kind that I want to think about.  How about they write articles about how it’s not a disability, but people’s pure ignorance to think that we can’t do something just because we have diabetes.  I don’t know.  But what I do know is that I’m not going to have an organization that is supposed to be furthering advocacy for the disease I live with, start to take steps backwards.

If you want to accept diabetes as a disability, then be my guest.  That’s your life decision.  But I’m not going to let this damn thing hold me down!

I would love to hear ya’ll feedback.

Diabetes Aside, What Do You Do?

Chris Stocker 2 Comments

What do you do?  I know that the number one thing that majority of us have in common is that we all have diabetes, or know somebody with diabetes.  But I want to know a little more.  What do you do, what is your passion?  What do you do for a living?  How many children do you have?  What do you do for fun, what are your hobbies?  I know some of this stuff about some of you, but I’d like to know more about more of you.  So, if you feel comfortable, please comment what it is that you, or what your passion is.  Put diabetes to the side and let’s know the rest of us.

Here’s a little about me.  I am an internet marketer.  I love the internet and geeky computer things.  I love social media, I love SEO.  I love blogging.  Currently I also coach a pop warner (12-14 yr old) football team in East Boca.  We are having a rough season.  The kids are 0-8, a real life version of the Little Giants, especially since our name is the Giants.  I have a girlfriend, Amanda, that I have been with for 4 years.  I do plan on marrying her, just isn’t the right time to make that move yet.  I moved down to south Florida from PA, where the rest of my family still lives.  My direct family consists of my mother and father who both turned 50 this year.  And one brother who turned 29 in September.  His wife is expecting their first child in just a few weeks.  I am extremely excited to become an uncle.

I enjoy watching football, Philadelphia Eagles, baseball, Philadelphia Phillies, hockey, Florida Panthers, basketball, Orlando Magic, and NCAA football, Virginia Tech and NCAA basketball, Michigan State.  Yes, I know my sports teams are all over the place, but there is a reason for each of them.  If you’re curious, here we go.  I like Orlando Magic because I became a fan when they signed Shaq back in 1992-93 and stayed a fan since then.  Virginia Tech became my team when a local high school QB went there in 1995 to play there.  Phillies and Eagles, I’m from the Philly area.  Michigan State came from their freshman point guard in 1996, Mateen Cleaves.

That is about it.  That sums up most of my life.  If you have other questions, I am open to answer them.  I look forward to seeing your stories as well.

Diabetes Doesn’t Make Sense Sometimes

Chris Stocker 1 Comment

Sometimes diabetes just doesn’t make any sense.  As soon as you think you are understanding it, there it goes again.  Most recent example was last night.  Throughout most of the day my sugar was low, I was eating glucose tabs and Skittles all day at work because it just kept going back down.  When I got home at about 5:30 and went to the gym my blood sugar was right around 110 or so.  I ate, then worked out at the gym for 45 minutes went to Wal-Mart and Target and then came home and checked my sugar and it was up to 230 – something.  Unbelievable.  I didn’t even eat anything that would have caused it to go high like that.  Like I said, it confuses me at times.

Then there are times like Sunday when I went to Olive Garden.  It has been well documented on what happens to my body and sugars when I go to Olive Garden.  I overeat and then next thing you know my sugar is soaring over 350 just about everytime.  So I took just a little more insulin than usual but spaced it out a little more this time with a wave bolus.  Well, instead of my sugar getting up to 350, it was about 300 points lower, about 67 when I tested 3 hours later.  What the heck is that all about?  I have no idea.  Once again, diabetes confusing me.

I guess if I was wearing my CGM I would be able to catch these things a little easier.  But I’m not wearing it.  The sensors that I have are expired, even though I think that they would still work, I have just been too lazy.  I’m not going to get more sensors until next year because of the whole deductible thing.  There was a span in there that I didn’t test for close to 4 hours, so that is my own fault.  Especially when at work I test once an hour, so it’s almost like I am wearing a CGM.

Please remember to dedicate at least one blog post to getting diabetes awareness into the faces of professional athletes so we can have even a bigger voice.

Thank you all.