Damn Mice.

Apparently mice can now turn their gut cells into insulin producers. Seriously is it possible to spit on a mouse in a lab without curing diabetes? I think these diabetic mice just spontaneously cure themselves to stay in the media. Kinda like Charlie Sheen. 

Anyway here is the article and I notice the picture they ran is not a mouse. New Approach to Treating Type 1 Diabetes? Transforming Gut Cells Into Insulin Factories 

Not only do mice get cured at the drop of a hat they also have kick ass abs. Only way that is a mouse is if she was one of the dancers who work the Mickey suit at Disney World...

... get to hang out at Disney too. 

Damn mice 

Parking - $62.50 an Hour

Yesterday I wrote about the type 1 meet up over the weekend. It was a good event. I was happy with everything but the stolen car. Well sort of stolen.

When I posted the event a while ago on Facebook my good friend Nick asked if there would be free parking. Sure Nick, drive on up from Texas, free parking for all.

Almost all.

To have time to get thing ready and to fret that I would screw up horrifically we sent my son on his first solo driving mission to center city. He has an acting class there. His is a good actor and beginner driver. For the last few weeks I had gone with him as a passenger, to teach him the way literally. Those missions were not entirely smooth but worked out OK. Well when I say OK, I made him miss the exit off I95 the first time. We did a U turn in the empty parking lot of a sketchy "gentleman's" club and book adult literature store parking lot at the next exit down.

The city can be a little tricky but with the practice runs I figured he was ready to solo. Maybe even better off without my navigation errors.

He got lost.

I talked him back on course over the phone and without the dance club u-turn. Parking was hard to find. The window motor broke and wouldn't go up. No worries, I said, its a clunker go to class.

At noon he came out to get the meter had left in the car and check on things. It was gone. The car that is, and with the meter with it. He thought it had been stolen. We tried to calm him down. Staying in touch with his acting training he analyzed his feelings and sent this text message, “If I were to describe this situation with one word, it would be a swear word.”

I just about cried I was laughing so hard.

A few calls, while I fretted all the more over blowing the meeting, Kimball discovered the car had been towed by the infamous Philadelphia Parking Authority. The ones with the reality TV show.

We wanted the kid back more pressingly than the car so Kim drove down to pick Connor up with little more than just enough time to get back for the event.

Meanwhile Ginger, the guest speaker and star of the soon to happen and fretted over diabetes event, and I had crossed signals. I didn’t get that she needed to be picked up at the train station in Philly. Time was short and just for fun the Mini Cooper battery died and it wouldn't start without a hill to coast start on.

But Karma was on my side as Kimball was already downtown picking up Connor! Did I mention his meter and iPod were in the car and the window broke and couldn’t be put up and the car was in the impound lot? He was stressing about that part. Guess what happens to blood sugar when he stresses out? Right Hypos.

I am not making any of this up.

The lot was open to 3:00 am or something convenient like that for people who stay to last call before finding out their car was towed. That is full service impoundment. The lot is off the same exit of I95 where Connor and I made the U turn when I missed the exit for old city.

Being overly ambitious we were planning on going to go down that night. But after theBetesNOW meet we had tickets to a spectacularly good New Church Live Band benefit for Habitat for Humanity. Saturday night we were too tired to get the car before the 3:00 am closing time. It turns out that was also good Karma as the tow truck driver wars turned violent and there was a shooting that night.

We got to the impound lot a half hour before it opened at 4:00pm the next day. I looked up the history of the cruise ship the United States to pass time. It is a rusting mess right next to the parking authority now but it was probably way cool in its day. The internet says it cost $800,000 a year to keep it there. That works out to something like $91.32 an hour. Yeah I was that bored. Seemed high for the location to me and it made me worry a little about getting the car back.

We were second in line. So when the parking authority did open we had only 37 minutes of standing in two different lines for three different windows and a sliding gate in south Philly to get the car back. Mostly the was due to Kimball quick thinking and her getting in the second and third lines while I was still in the first and second.

The car window was still open. It had only rained a little and the meter and iPod were still in it. And it worked out to only $62.50 an hour for parking for Connor's 4 hour class. Cheaper than parking the ship.

I think maybe I'll drive with him to class next week. I have had enough fretting.

Not that Abbott

Now if you are new to diabetes or are new to online forums and blogs, my buddy Brensdad of Diabetes360 and I will try to explain all the different diabetes terms and web quirks. If you know us you know what to expect. If you don’t, think of us as the Diabetes Bloger's Abbott (Not that Abbott) and Costello.


BadShoe: Look Brensdad, if you're a regular here, you gotta know all the people posting on the blogs.

Brensdad: I certainly do.

BadShoe: Well you know I've never met the folks. So you'll have to tell me their names, and then I'll know who's on the web.

Brensdad: Oh, I'll tell you their names, but you know it seems to me web players now-a-days have very peculiar names.

BadShoe: You mean funny names?

Brensdad: Strange names, pet names...like Brensdad.

BadShoe: Your dad?

Brensdad: EmmasPapa...

BadShoe: And your French cousin?

Brensdad: French?

BadShoe: Goofè.

Brensdad: Goofè. Well, let's see, we have, Who's on NPH, What's on ‘log, I Don't Know is on lantus...

BadShoe: That's what I want to find out.

Brensdad: I say Who's on NPH, What's on ‘log, I Don't Know's on Lantus.

BadShoe: Are you on the forums?

Brensdad: Yes.

BadShoe: You gonna be a writer too?

Brensdad: Yes.

BadShoe: And you don't know the peoples’ names?

Brensdad: Well I should.

BadShoe: Well then who's on NPH?

Brensdad: Yes.

BadShoe: I mean the kid’s name.

Brensdad: Who.

BadShoe: The guy on NPH.

Brensdad: Who.

BadShoe: The NPH kid

Brensdad: Who.

BadShoe: The guy using...

Brensdad: Who is on NPH!

BadShoe: I'm asking YOU who's on NPH.

Brensdad: That's the kid’s name.

BadShoe: That's who's name?

Brensdad: Yes.

BadShoe: Well go ahead and tell me.

Brensdad: That's it.

BadShoe: That's who?

Brensdad: Yes.


BadShoe: Look, you gotta NPH user?

Brensdad: Certainly.

BadShoe: Who's using NPH?

Brensdad: That's right.

BadShoe: When insurance coverage pays off the NPH every month, who gets the money?

Brensdad: Every dollar of it.

BadShoe: All I'm trying to find out is the name of the kid on NPH.

Brensdad: Who.

BadShoe: The guy that gets...

Brensdad: That's it.

BadShoe: Who gets the money...

Brensdad: He does, every dollar. Sometimes his mom comes down and collects it.

BadShoe: Who’s mom?

Brensdad: Yes.


Brensdad: What's wrong with that?

BadShoe: Look, all I wanna know is when you sign on the NPH user, how does he log in his name?

Brensdad: Who.

BadShoe: The guy.

Brensdad: Who.

BadShoe: How does he sign...

Brensdad: That's how he signs it.

BadShoe: Who?

Brensdad: Yes.



BadShoe: All I'm trying to find out is what's the guy's name on NPH.

Brensdad: No. What is on ‘log.

BadShoe: I'm not asking you who's on ‘log.

Brensdad: Who's on NPH.

BadShoe: One insulin at a time!

Brensdad: Well, don't change the prescriptions around.

BadShoe: I'm not changing nobody!

Brensdad: Take it easy, buddy.

BadShoe: I'm only asking you, who's the guy on NPH?

Brensdad: That's right.

BadShoe: Ok.

Brensdad: All right.


BadShoe: What's the guy's name on NPH?

Brensdad: No. What is on ‘log.

BadShoe: I'm not asking you who's on ‘log.

Brensdad: Who's on NPH.

BadShoe: I don't know.

Brensdad: He's on Lantus, we're not talking about him.

BadShoe: Now how did I get on Lantus?

Brensdad: Why you mentioned his name.

BadShoe: If I mentioned the Lantus kid’s name, who did I say is using Lantus?

Brensdad: No. Who's using NPH.

BadShoe: What's on NPH?

Brensdad: What's on ‘log.

BadShoe: I don't know.

Brensdad: He's on Lantus.

BadShoe: There I go, back on Lantus again!


BadShoe: Would you just stay on Lantus and don't go off it.

Brensdad: All right, what do you want to know?

BadShoe: Now who's using Lantus ?

Brensdad: Why do you insist on putting Who on Lantus?

BadShoe: What am I putting on Lantus?

Brensdad: No. What is on ‘log.

BadShoe: You don't want who on ‘log?

Brensdad: Who is on NPH.

BadShoe: I don't know.

Brensdad: & BadShoe Together: Lantus!


BadShoe: Look, you gotta pumpers?

Brensdad: Sure.

BadShoe: The Animus pumper’s name?

Brensdad: Why.

BadShoe: I just thought I'd ask you.

Brensdad: Well, I just thought I'd tell ya.

BadShoe: Then tell me who's using Animas.

Brensdad: Who's using NPH.

BadShoe: I'm not... stay out of insulin cabinet! I want to know what's the guy's name using an Animas pump?

Brensdad: No, What is on ‘log.

BadShoe: I'm not asking you who's on ‘log.

Brensdad: Who's on NPH!

BadShoe: I don't know.

Brensdad: & BadShoe Together: Lantus!



BadShoe: The Animus pumper’s name?

Brensdad: Why.

BadShoe: Because!

Brensdad: Oh, he's using a Omni Pod.




BadShoe: Look, You gotta Cosmore user on this web site?

Brensdad: Sure.

BadShoe: The Cosmore user’s name?

Brensdad: Tomorrow.

BadShoe: You don't want to tell me today?

Brensdad: I'm telling you now.

BadShoe: Then go ahead.

Brensdad: Tomorrow!

BadShoe: What time?

Brensdad: What time what?

BadShoe: What time tomorrow are you gonna tell me who's using Cosmore?

Brensdad: Now listen. Who is not using Cosmore.

BadShoe: I'll break your arm, you say who's on NPH! I want to know what's the Cosmore user name?

Brensdad: What's on ‘log.

BadShoe: I don't know.

Brensdad: & BadShoe Together: Lantus!




BadShoe: Gotta a Mini Med user?

Brensdad: Certainly.

BadShoe: The Mini Med user name?

Brensdad: Today.

BadShoe: Today, and tomorrow's using Cosmore.

Brensdad: Now you've got it.

BadShoe: All we got is a couple of days on the team.




BadShoe: You know I'm a Mini Med user myself.

Brensdad: So they tell me.

BadShoe: I get on the forum to do some fancy posting, Tomorrow's starts a thread and a heavy writer gets up. Now the heavy writer starts a medium term insulin thread. When he starts that thread, I being a good Mini Med user, I'm the send guy over to the NPH. So I open up the thread and send a private message to respond to it to who?

Brensdad: Now that's the first thing you've said right.

BadShoe: I don't even know what I'm talking about!


Brensdad: That's all you have to do.

BadShoe: Is to PM the NPH user.

Brensdad: Yes!

BadShoe: Now who's got a Private Message?

Brensdad: Naturally.




BadShoe: Look, if I Private Message about the tread to the NPH user, somebody's gotta get it. Now who has it?

Brensdad: Naturally.

BadShoe: Who?

Brensdad: Naturally.

BadShoe: Naturally?

Brensdad: Naturally.

BadShoe: So I pick up on the tread and I PM Naturally.

Brensdad: No you don't, you PM the thread to Who.

BadShoe: Naturally.

Brensdad: That's different.

BadShoe: That's what I said.

Brensdad: You're not saying it...

BadShoe: I PM the tread to Naturally.

Brensdad: You PM to Who.

BadShoe: Naturally.

Brensdad: That's it.

BadShoe: That's what I said!

Brensdad: You ask me.

BadShoe: I PM the thread to who?

Brensdad: Naturally.

BadShoe: Now you ask me.

Brensdad: You PM the thread to Who?

BadShoe: Naturally.

Brensdad: That's it.

BadShoe: Same as you! Same as YOU! I PM the tread to who. Whoever it is drops the topic and the thread changes to ‘log. Who PMs topic to What. What throws it to I
Don't Know. I Don't Know throws it back to Tomorrow, Everyone posts. Another guy gets up and writes a thread to Because. Why? I don't know! He's on Lantus and I don't give a darn!

Brensdad: What?

BadShoe: I said I don't give a darn!

Brensdad: Oh, I don't give a dam - that's the Health Insurance Company.

A Little Help From Your Friends

Just after our first diagnosis we got a great email from friend we didn't know was type 1. We were in that wildly fluctuating state of shock, denial, confusion and determination that all parents new to Type 1 experience. This friend knew that we needed some reassurance and chose humor as the way to do that. He used a brilliant strategy of injecting laughs into a time when we had precious few of them. I have shamelessly try to follow his lead since.

This is roughly the story he told.

Like any type 1 kid he did fair number shots. Being a typical boy he was curious and playful with the things in his environment.

Much to his delight he found that if he used toe nail clipper to cut the needle off the syringe it made a particularly effective covert tool to squirt water on classmates.

Now I think I made it clear by the use of the pronoun ‘he’ that this individual is male. So it should come as no shock to anybody with experience at being male that this is just one of those things that we males are genetically incapable of not taking to ludicrous extremes.

Being a male in good standing and with the particular lack of forethought that adolescences ads to the mix he achieved the kind of extremes that guys love to talk about over beers for years to come.

With a little R&T tinkering he found that if he used the toe nail clippers as small pliers he could bend a small angle on the needle to allow for even more concealed around the corner squirting.

These concealed weapons achieved great success. In an entrepreneurial society, like ours, such success is rewarded in the marketplace.

Consider the business model, the cost of good sold is negligible with insurance covering the purchase of syringes. The supply is plentiful with multiple daily injections. Only minor skilled labor was required in the transformation the medical device into the covert squirted. It is practically pure profit. Who can blame the young man for capitalizing on such an opportunity?

Initial sales were outstanding even at the low, low price of twenty five cents a squirter. Sadly anti free market regulators took notice when modified used syringes started showing up all over the school.

His unique access to the building blocks of the product brought administrative queries his way. At this point our success story comes to a crashing end. The budding business is shut down by do gooder regulators in the form of the school principal who for some odd reason objected to syringes all over his school. Our budding young businessman was sentenced to served time in detention.

There are a few morals to our story. First, obvious to all us right wing reactionaries, is that big government interference ruins the business economy. Next probably is that sharps really do need to be carefully handled. Most important for me however is that we need to laugh at diabetes like everything else.

When you're down, it is great to have a friend remind you that serious and solemn are different things.

Newbie Advice

This is the first in what I intend to be a few short bits on tips for newbies. Hopefully I can pass on some mildly useful advice with a bit of humor to help folks new to type 1 or at least give’m a small chuckle. Comments and corrections are appreciated.



Listen up Newbie!
Newbie Advice: The Long Run
Newbie Advice I: Insulin Resistance
Newbie Advice II: Pain in the Alliteration
A Little Help From Your Friends
A Little (More) Help From Your Friends
Newbie Advice III – Why aren’t we in The Caymans?
Newbie Advice IV: Never Buy a Meter
Fatherhood and Trenches
Snickering All the Way
I know one of your fears.
Who Best to Say You Will Be Okay.