Uh oh! I'm trying something new!

Hi!

It's me, Debra, aka Dubbage42.

Yes, it has been a long time.

Long time no blog?
Yeah, maybe that.

Anyway, I'm trying something new.
I've just started posting videos on YouTube.
Yeah, there are only 2 as of me typing this post - but that will change.
Go HERE (it will open in a new window) and click the subscribe button.
Also, the videos will probably make use of my favorite word - so if you just can't stand to hear the F bomb *appropriately* tossed around - this might not be for you. Or it might. ;)

Yup. That's me.
<3

The Loneliness

Cold and damp
Down through my bones
A chill that won't respond to
A blanket or
A fire

The only warmth comes
When the loneliness leaves
And slinks off
To the dark place
Under the bed

Waiting
For no one else
To notice
The hole it digs
The chill it causes
The tears it brings

Every time.




(xposted from my fet account)

So am I Borg or Bionic?

It's no secret that I have a nice variety of health problems.
Lately though, my health problems have given me more... stuff to deal with.

I have diabetes. Type 2. I've had it for *years*. I've been using insulin for several of those years.

Several months ago, I started using a new-ish medication that lowers your blood sugar by allowing your kidneys to "flush it out". I was a *perfect* candidate for it! I had GREAT kidney function and the doc was excited for me to try it.

Hell, I was excited too.
It made my numbers *awesome* for the first time in years.
It *worked*.

Then... problems.

My kidneys were slowing down. Very down. I went from filtration in the high 90s to the low 20s. 10 points lower and I was going to be on dialysis.

Dammit.

Luckily, once I stopped that medication (and got lots of IV fluids) my kidneys bounced right back and I'm none the worse for wear.

That little incident, however, prompted me to move forward with my diabetes treatment.
I've had doctors try to get me to consider an insulin pump for quite some time.
I resisted.
I resisted strongly.
I was a bucket of "hell no".

I decided to make a change.

I am now the proud wearer/owner/user of an insulin pump.

I don't know what the hell I was so scared of.
It works.
It works damned well.
It's a LOT less painful than taking 5 shots per day.

As we tweak settings my numbers are MUCH improved. I'm on track to have an HbA1c of 7 (or just under) for the first time in over 10 years. Fairly recently it had been as high as 11.
Yeah.

So back to my title question - with this device *always* attached to me (I move it once every 3 days when I change my infusion set) am I more Bionic or Borg?
(also add to this picture my  CPAP mask - that I wear for obstructive sleep apnea)

I won!

That's right.
I Won.

I enter zillions of contests online. Ok, maybe not zillions, but it sure seems that way sometimes. I follow many MANY awesome bloggers - and some of them host giveaways.

I have won a few neat things lately...

I won the Mixer vinyl from These Girls Create on Fearlessly Creative Mammas.

I won the Mighty Leaf World Flavors giveaway at Mom to Bed By 8.

I won the Mini Frisbee Golf set Giveaway at Two Savvy Sisters.

And - most recently - I won a Kindle Fire HDX from Giveaway Promote.

Yes, I know. I'm a sucky winner most of the time.
From now on, I will be taking pictures and posting them.

Oh, and if you think this is a lot of winnings - you have no idea just how many and how often I enter.

Do yourself a favor - follow (at the very least) the bloggers above. They always have great posts - and giveaways.

Solitaire

No morning tea to wake me.

No goodnight kiss to soothe me.

Just bare white walls.

And Solitaire.

Tunes, jams, MUSIC

I listen to a pretty good variety of music. Madonna to Metallica, Bach to the Beatles, the Stones to Supertramp.

Thing is, I like to really mix it up in the car.

Luckily, my hubby installed his old car radio in my car - and it has a USB slot. I have an 8GB thumb drive with hundreds of my songs (ripped from MY CDs thankyouverymuch) on it.

My favorite thing to do with my music list is to put it on Shuffle.
Heh.

I refer to it as the "Music Mix of DOOOM".

On my way to work the other morning, I heard Madonna followed by Seals and Croft and the Violent Femmes. Then Metallica followed by Lonestar and Tone Loc.

And yes, I sang along with each song. Like a boss. Ok, like a tone deaf boss - but whatever. At 6:30am no one else should care!

I've been told I actually sing fairly well - but I will only do it in the car. Think the Flintstones - when Barney had to sing for a commercial - they put him in a tub. The episode is called The Flintstone Canaries.

Ahh... good times.

What do you like to listen to?
Any "Car tunes" that you HAVE to have in order to move on down the highway?

Winning is fun!

All of my friends know I enter *zillions* of blog giveaways.
Ok, maybe not that many - but still.

Sometimes I even win!
2 of the items below came in the mail today. What a nice treat to come home to!


A couple of weeks ago I won a "flash giveaway" from "What's Cooking Love" over on Facebook.
It was a $25 Visa Gift card!
Alyssa is a sweetheart - I got the thing in less than 2 days. :)


I also won "The Laughing Tree Organics" giveaway over at "Peace Love Organic Mom". I can't wait to use my Citrus shampoo and conditioner... and the lip balm is YUMMY!


I just opened up the "Eggland's Best Baking Kit" that I won from "Mostly Food and Crafts". An Apron, whisk, spatula, bowl scraper, re-usable shopping bag, and a nice *big* glass bowl - all branded with Eggland's Best.
Oh, and a certificate for a dozen eggs too.

Word of warning - looking around at Danielle's blog (Mostly Food and Crafts) is liable to make you HUNGRY.

Just sayin'.

The title of my post is "Winning is fun!" but it is more than that. I have found some great blogs while doing the blog-hop-boogie and entering everything I can get my keyboard & mouse on. There are so many bloggers putting up so many cool posts - and the recipes? WOW!

Thanks for stopping by -
Deb