A match made in heaven

Photo by Lana Joos

The two of you are something different. Rebba turned 5 and Inthe will be 2 years old by the end of this year. Nevertheless, it's like you have always been together. You cling to one another so much and you're inseparable. Inthe knows Rebba is the leader and she has to listen to her. It's very interesting to see them communicate. How Rebba teaches her and scolds her when she's not behaving.

Inthe is still very playful. Rebba is more the observing type. But still, Rebba is the stronger one. Inthe cannot win during a race along the beach. Inthe is smart though.. I'll tell you why..

It always starts with a simple neck to neck walk.
Then, all of a sudden, they look at each other and I believe I see a little nod in their heads. That's when the race starts. Normally they race their hearts out, until Rebba signals it's time to race back. At least, that's how Rebba wants to run the race.
Inthe is not very good at losing though.. So she figured out her own plan. She races behind Rebba and right before Rebba signals to go back, Inthe silently turns around and starts to race the other way. It's so funny to watch! Once Rebba realizes little Inthe has gone back, she moves faster than lighting, leaving a crying Inthe behind. It's a neck to neck race, but on most occasions, it's still Rebba who wins. It upsets Inthe, because she wants to win every race. I'm sure Rebba wouldn't mind, but she wants to train Inthe to run faster I guess. She's smart, our Rebba. And she's a wonderful teacher. The two of them are a match made in heaven.

I want to ride my bicycle

A number of years ago - it must have been on Mother's Day - hubby bought me my very own bicycle. He was thrilled by the idea of his wife riding a bike and leaving her car in front of the house..

Well.. at least that was the plan. I'm not very good at hiding my responses to what's happening. I had a very hard time putting on my happy face. Wasn't too sure whether hubby got the message, but his excitement didn't convince me. I just don't like to ride a bicycle. They're a pain in the.. butt! Literally!

But I behaved and we decided to go for a ride. The kids got their bikes, hubby was waiting on his and I took a deep sigh before I climbed my spic and span new bicycle. By the time I got the bike from the terrace all the way through the hallway and up to the front door, I was done with it.. Bikes are so not me.. I prefer 4 wheeled vehicles. I like to sit inside my vehicle, not on some hard saddle. But I wanted to give it a go. You never know what happens, right?

The kids loved the ride and so did their dad. I was not impressed though.. So what?? I don't like bikes! Period! I don't like bikers who think the roads are designed for them. I don't like groups of bikers in the pouring rain. I hate flat tires and non-working lights. Don't even think about those bright yellow vests you're supposed to wear to get noticed in traffic. Sorry hubby, bikes and your wife are not a good match.

My top 10 dishes

I often ask people what their most favorite dishes are. Just out of curiosity. I like to cook and I love to try out new recipes. Maybe I should make a cookbook that contains nothing but favorite dishes of my friends. Wouldn't that be thrilling? Some people write down their favorite recipes on little sheets of paper. Those written recipe notes get dirty and in the end they get lost. If we would make a cookbook, we would safekeep all of these recipes.

I'm ready to let you know my top 10 dishes of the moment:

• buttermilk mash, wax beans with shallots and a home made dressing, poached egg
• chili con carne (yep, beans again)
• pasta all'arrabiata
• goat cheese salad
• quiche lorraine
• Chinese dim sum
• foie gras
• orange chicken and stirfried veggies
• Vietnamese spring rolls
• artichokes with a mustard dressing

Let me know if you want to share one of those meals with me. I'm ready!

Chat 'n Chew

Going out for dinner is always a pleasure, especially in good company. It's something we really like to do: having a chat over a well presented plate of delicious food. The clock ticks away time, but we don't keep an eye on it. Because good times are not supposed to end.

There's this show on TV, called Dinner Date. A single person tries to find his ideal date. Five candidates make their own personal 3 course meal in the hope the single person will pick them. Without having seen anything but the menus, the single person gets to choose 3 favorite dates. He then gets invited into their homes for a romantic dinner date. Some can cook, others are wonderful hosts and sometimes there's no click at all.
At the end of the week, the single person gets to pick his favorite date, based on the cooking skills, the romance and the overall impression of the night. All 3 candidates are supposed to dress up for a night out, but only one gets the chance for a second date, in a romantic restaurant. The other 2 get TV dinners delivered to their houses.

What a great concept! It seems like a lovely way to meet new people. Maybe people should do this in real life too! It would be a challenge. I suppose married people don't do dinner dates?

Sharing happiness

They claim it's all about the little things. An early sunbeam peaking through the curtains. The spontaneous laughter of a baby when you make those silly oochiekoochy noises. A full stomach after a with love prepared meal. That old postcard you found in the attic - it must have been ages since you kissed the boy who wrote it at the age of 14. You know.. the little things.

But what exactly is happiness? Is it constant? Does it last forever? How could you describe it? Happiness is when you start asking yourself: what's keeping me?

When people ask you: are you happy? How can you honestly answer that question? I mean, you can't be happy all the time, can you? Wouldn't it be so exhausting to be happy all the time? So predictable? I believe happiness is something you need to work on. Try to do your best without overreacting. Being happy is not something one can demand. 

I like to share happiness. It's so overwhelming to make other people happy, to reflect your happiness on them. I like happy attitudes and happy people to surround me with. Because being around happy people brightens your own life. It gives you energy and a true boost. Be happy! Start with small steps. Enjoy the little things in life..

Joy oh joy

It's amazing how much joy you bring into my life. I always look forward to getting up in the morning, so we can have our cuddles. It's like we haven't seen one another for a year or two! All the excitement when you see me! You jump all over me and the look in your eyes is touching. So we cuddle on the couch and we kiss and embrace each other. The moment you and your friend lie down again, is another moment of joy. Because I know how happy the two of you are.. You are best friends and I fear the day we'll have to let go of one of you. The other will be devastated. You cling like Siamese twins, always on top of each other and like shadows you move around the house.

Whippets are my favorite dog breed. They are so clever and sweet and loving. We're buddies and I'm so happy Rebba and Inthe came to live with us. They picked us as their people family and we don't regret their choice. From the love they give us, I can tell they are happy too.. They are part of our family..

Progress

About 50 years ago, the first insulin pump came to life. It was huge news and a big improvement for diabetics all over the world. Of course, the device was that huge, you had to wear it on your back. But it was a start...

Over the years, insulin pumps have shrunk in size but grown larger in possibilities. It's the most accurate way to replace a pancreas that's no longer producing insulin. Every couple of minutes, the insulin pump gives our body little amounts of insulin. Insulin is a hormone we can't live without. We wouldn't live very long if we had no insulin available.

My pump is very precious to me. The first pump I got was a Deltec Cozmo, in 2006. I really loved that pump and it was pretty emotional the day the company decided to stop making insulin pumps. We had to give back our pumps to get a pump that wasn't on my wish list.. I had no choice though.. The other option was going back to syringes and that was not even an option to me.
I used that second pump - Paradigm 722 - for just one year. It was a good pump since it did what it was supposed to do: deliver insulin. But to me, it felt like I had to give in and loose the options I had with my Cozmo pump. So no, it was no improvement to me.

Wearing sensors with the Paradigm, was the only thing that excited me. It came in handy and it taught me a lot about the way my body reacts/or doesn't react to insulin. Sensors are not covered by our medical insurance, so it's not very profitable for us, since they cost around € 45 a piece. You can keep them for 3 - 5 days if you're lucky. It takes a couple of months of fulltime practice to get to know the method and how to interpret the signals the sensors give.

Last year, I changed hospitals and finally I got the insulin pump I had longed for: the Accu-Chek Combo. It's a great pump and it gives me so much freedom. It's attached to my body 24/7 but that's okay. In fact, it's become a part of my body. That's how I see it. Don't mess with my pump if you don't want to get in trouble!!! I'm very protective of my pump and I like to wear it in a special ZIPPS pocket, so it's always close to my body. Every now and then I pimp my pump and I buy new methods to keep it safe. It sure looks a whole lot better than that first insulin pump. Thank goodness..

Delectable

Photo by Lana Joos

Aren't they picture perfect? Trust me, these tarts are just delectable! Crunchy puff pastry, tangy double cream and ruby red and luscious raspberries.. My idea of a great dessert.

I read the recipe on someone's food blog and instantly, I decided I wanted to make my own. I had some puff pastry in my fridge, that was waiting for me to start on that quiche I had planned on making. What the heck.. who cares for quiche if you can have these beauties instead?

There's always double cream in the fridge as well and lemons are just a necessity around the kitchen. The other day I had a day out with a friend and we strolled around the farmer's market. That's where we got those plump raspberries. They were a true bargain. Only 4 euros for 1 kg of delicious red diamonds!!

I think the tarts turned out real well. Too bad Lana's stomach wasn't feeling well (her gastritis is still bugging her), so she only took the picture and didn't have any.
I promised her I would make them again one day. Because they're so easy to make and the result is just superb!

A personal touch

Spending time at the hairdresser is not exactly my idea of a fun afternoon. But that opinion changed when I met my new hairdresser a couple of months ago. He's not just some hairdresser. He's a personal hairdresser, meaning, you're his only client at the time. He's all yours and completely there for you. Pampering your hair, having a chit chat outside on his deck in the sun, while your hair is gradually changing into the different color he put on earlier. He knows what you drink and is so thoughtful to walk you to the car under an umbrella if it's pouring out there. I like that personal touch. I like to be pampered. I like to hang out with my hairdresser. We laugh and we don't stress. It makes the time at the hairdresser a whole lot more fun.. That's why my visits to the salon have become more relaxing and something to look forward to.

Things ain't never as bad as they may seem

Last night, I was asked to speak about My life with diabetes. I love to give these lectures. It's not stressful at all and I can do what I like to do: share my experience and inform others on the subject.

It was a diverse group of 30 people. When I asked if there were other diabetics in the room, 7 people raised their hand. That was impressive. They were all type 2 diabetics, but that's okay. I gave them the chance to tell their experience too and that was a good idea. People do have the urge to share their own story and to have the feeling that someone is actually listening to them. Diabetes is so much more than injecting insulin or paying attention to our food intake. Once again, my lecture taught me so much about life and diabetes and how to deal with both. It was good to let the public know about diabetes but at the same time show them that diabetes is not the end of the world. They could tell I take good care of myself and after 9 years of diabetes I still haven't got any complications. It was hopeful to them. Some people came to me after the lecture and told me they were going to have their bloodwork done, for diabetes runs in the family. That's a mission accomplished for me. Of course I keep my fingers crossed for these people, that the outcome of the bloodwork will be good. But if they do happen to have diabetes, I wish them all the best and I hope they will find the courage to deal with it in the best way possible.

If you're interested in a lecture on diabetes for your organization, do feel free to contact me. We'll work something out.

What a mess...

I'm sure you already know how I like to spend time in my kitchen. I'm a very, very messy cook though. I do not clean up in between dishes, leaving the countertop as a total disaster. I wish it were different and I would love to find a way to leave the kitchen a bit tidier. The rule in this house is that whoever cooks, doesn't do the dishes. So I feel sorry for the people who have to tidy up after my cooking. It doesn't sound right.

Sometimes I fill the sink with soapy, hot water so I can put some utensils and pots in there and leave them to soak. That helps, but I forget to do so too often. It's a problem I need to work on. Most of the time, my stove has 6 pots sitting on it to prepare different dishes. The oven works many hours and then there are the side dishes that don't need cooking. I love to prepare several kinds of vegetables at the same time as well as start on meals for the upcoming days. That's probably one of the reasons why at times, the kitchen is a very hectic place.

I'll work on it. I will.

Smile

Smile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by..
If you smile
With your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll find that life is still worthwhile if you'll just..

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you'll just..

Smile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by..
If you smile
Through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
you'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you'll just smile..

That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you'll just smile..

Are we looking in the same direction?

Photo by Lana Joos

It's so important for children that their parents are looking in the same direction. They know from a distance if mom and dad say different things. Raising children is not easy. It takes a lot of love and communication and involvement. Maybe that involvement is the biggest part. If you have no idea what your children's life looks like, then how can you ever bond?

I like to know what my children do and who their friends are. Because it's important to me. Because they matter. They are growing up so fast and their childhood will be over before we realize it. It's always good to know their friends. It says a lot about your children. We can learn from their friendships.

It must be really difficult if the parents have major issues about educating their offspring. If one nose looks in one direction and the other nose faces just the other way, that's where things go wrong. Children need stability and clarity. Structure is important, as is love and being nurtured. If both mom and dad can give their child all the love they deserve - without putting their child on a pedestal - , they will grow up to be responsible young people. Dare to be vulnerable, dare to love your children and don't be afraid to tell them they're being loved..

I gave you my heart

I must have lost track of time, since I don't remember how long ago we met. Because time flies by when we're together. There's so much to talk about and I love to discuss with you. You're a wise man and you know a lot about everything. Life experience and a deep joy in life is what's so appealing about you. There's a true friendship between us and I gave you my heart, my friend. I truly value our friendship and I accuse you of doing the same. There's not much we can't talk about and I know how important friendship is to you.

Today is your birthday. Remembering last year's birthday in London, it brings me back in time to indulge those memories. Think about the Indian cabs you rented and our journey through London. That was freaking awesome!

Tonight we will all be together at someone else's party. I'm glad we'll see you, so I can give you your birthday kisses. It will be a wonderful year, since you're working on an extra future for you and you're doing absolutely great. Looking forward to many more outings...!

Anguish

I don't know what to think of it.. It worries me. It's not that I don't trust you, but I don't know the other person. It just doesn't feel right. Tonight is not going to be a night I'm looking forward to. Voices from the past have come back.. I'm too stressed out. My blood glucosemeter is telling the exact same turmoil: numbers in the 300 - 400 range are far from normal. But that's how the last week has been..
It hurts. A lot.

You're too much

I always look forward to your private messages. You should see the broad smile on my face when I read them. You're too funny! To the point where I think: this is too much. It's so hilarious to read those conversations. We don't need much to understand one another. There are too many interests we share and we are somewhere on the same level, although you are sooooooooooo young compared to me!

You have a wonderful family of your own and you're a very good husband to your wife and a devoted daddy to the three little piglets. Although you don't sleep much, you help out wherever you can in the household and with the kids. Working a fulltime job, you still find the time to entertain your friends on www.diabetesforum.be and you have become a well respected member in no time.

I'm glad I got the chance to meet you twice so far. I really like your humor and the way you stroll through life. Our bond is something different. Thanks for your friendship!

Run for your life!

It must have been around 8:30 AM when I heard the two of you bark like crazy! Immediately I jumped out of bed (it was a lazy Sunday morning) and opened the doors before I headed to the kitchen to let you out of your kennels. At the speed you raced outside, I thought you had to pee very urgently! But that was not the case. In a flash, both of you were near the shed, where a black cat was hiding. You chased him around the backyard, making a whole lot of noise. I tried to calm you down, but the barking and the meowing was horrendous. Our own tomcat Arthur jumped in the fight as well, trying to defend the other cat - which he hates on other occasions - by jumping on the whippets and making his tail as fat as a squirrel's tail.
The poor black cat ran for his life. His little heart must have been pounding in his body and he's probably licking his wounds now, hiding in the shrubs.

I don't know how you knew this cat was hiding in the shed? Are you psychic or what?

The way I see it

It must have been around my diabetes diagnosis - I had my 9th diaversary yesterday - that I started to wear glasses. I can't remember the actual date, but I remember it was related to diabetes. I've had 3 pairs of glasses by now and I didn't really mind wearing them. But lately they've started to bother me. So I consulted Dr Google and I bought my first contact lenses.

What a pain to put those little soft pieces of rubberlike material into your eyes. Shoot! I had no idea it was going to be so much hassle. I can't say it was painful, but it's no big joke either. The lens kept sticking to my finger, my eyes were all wet and itchy and I'm not the most patient person in the world. Hubby and Lana tried to help out, but that didn't work either. I decided I had to do it myself!

On the Internet, I found a video on how to put in soft lenses. I watched it several times before I gave it another go. What a nuisance! The reviews on the Net also said that it can take over an hour the first time.. great.. But hey! About 18 minutes later, my lenses had reached their exact destination and I came back to the world of the sighted! Awesome! Let's hope things will go a bit smoother the upcoming days.

I owe it all to you

I wouldn't be living the life I'm living, if it wasn't for you.. You respect me for who I am. Not one time have you put pressure on me to get a job. Your income makes it possible for me to stay at home and take care of the children and the house. But you wouldn't keep me from working either. It's not like I haven't worked in the past. At a certain time, I had a fulltime and a parttime job. In between jobs, I came home to prepare supper, before I rushed to the other job. That was okay with you too. Whatever I prefer, is good for you.

I don't have a job right now, but that doesn't mean I'm not busy. My schedule is full of activities and charity. I like to help out where I can. It is as important to me to be there for the girls as it is to earn a salary.  Life is short. We have to make the most of it. We have to do what we do best. I'm pretty happy with the life I'm leading. And I know I owe it all to you..

Happy Father's Day! The girls are lucky to have you as their daddy.

Lethal

It really startles me how most dietitians still haven't got an update on diabetes treatment. The numerous times I hear that diabetics can't have more than 3 meals a day, are not allowed to eat tropical fruit or can't have sugar... It is sad, really. It's like they enjoy restricting our meal plans..  Bananas for example. Never ever eat a banana if you're a diabetic! It will skyrocket your blood glucose, as will grapes, mango, passion fruit or pineapple. Hello???? Get a life! We are allowed to have any kind of fruit. We can have snacks in between meals, just like non-diabetics. And yes.. we can have sugar! Not only if we are going through a hypoglycemic episode, but just because it tastes a whole lot better than the sugarless copy.

A dietitian announced a cooking class for diabetics. What did you think? Of course I took the classes! Just out of curiosity, because I really wanted to know what the guidelines would be. It was really sad, to hear that things still had not changed. The teacher was not a fan of counting carbohydrates but she was thrilled to let us know how lethal mangoes were to diabetics. Shoot... I told her I planned on eating a mango salad the following day. Maybe it was a good idea to eat it in front of my diabetes nurse, in the hospital? Just in case I might collapse and die? Come on, get real. I know perfectly well how to cover those sugars. Medication is no longer what it used to be and diabetics are not stupid. We know how to deal with our life and we know sugar is not the forbidden fruit. It's all about carbohydrates and learning how to adapt your meds to the foods you eat.

I feel like having some fresh pineapple now. Topped with banana and mango. Although I'm not an ice cream lover, I might even consider to have a scoop of home made vanilla ice cream to go with that. And I won't forget the colorful sprinkles! You bet, I'll enjoy that dessert and my blood glucose will not go way out of line. If you feel like it, come join me. That is if you don't fear this massacre...