This is it

He's no longer amongst us, but then again he always will be. He was a very special man with an extremely unusual life. He's loved by many and despised by others. Either you love him or you don't, but nobody can deny he was extraordinary..

A tribute.. by inmates of the Philippines..

And your name is?

Today we're going to have another forum meeting. There's going to be 14 of us. Some of you know one another, some of you don't. It may be strange for some, to finally meet the faces behind the nick names. I can imagine them say: and your name is?

I'm sure we'll have another great day. We get along pretty well and we have one factor in common: diabetes. We talk to each other on a daily basis on the Internet, but every once in a while, we meet and enjoy the hugs and personal talks.

It will be a long drive for me, but I'm glad I'm going to have a companion by my side. We have made the trip before and having him in the car, made me forget about the long journey. We have a lot to talk about and time flies by.

I'm looking forward to seeing all of you around lunch! See you then!

Because I love you

Some friends have become real precious to me over the years. So precious that I would be devastated if anything would happen to them. They have become part of my life and we share a lot. They have become more than just a friend. Sometimes I want to tell them how much I love them. Nothing weird about loving a good friend, is there? It doesn't feel uncomfortable to me to tell my friends I love them. I'm still at ease giving them a meaningful, loving hug. I'm pretty open about loving my friends. Some people think that's kinda weird, but I don't care. As long as my friends don't see it as an awkward situation, I'll keep on doing whatever I'm doing.

We are living in a cold world where people no longer connect like they used to. People have become more selfish and withdrawn. I'm a people person and I like to hang out with my friends. Having good friends is something to nurture and invest in. Do you know the saying: you will know your friends when you need them the most? That's absolutely true.. By now, I know who my real friends are and I cherish them..

Whippetitis

Don't worry, it's not a disease you've never heard off. But if you have whippets of your own, you will know that one might get affected by whippetitis. This breed is so special and unique, that you get addicted to having some. They are so much fun to be around and they bring love and joy into your home. If I can choose between different -itis's, I would definitely choose for whippetitis!

Mr Good Enough

I'm not a feminist, by no means. But I do like to be independent. I have been that way since I was a teenager. I had a weekend job from the moment I was thirteen. I wanted to make my own money so I would have my own money to spend. Having 3 jobs at the same time, was no problem for me. I always liked to work and keep busy.

I remember telling my friends I would never get married and I would certainly have no children. I didn't believe in eternal love and I couldn't imagine myself living with the same man for the rest of my life. Thinking of that way of life choked me. I was not a man-hater, absolutely not. I had boyfriends and some more longterm relationships. But not one of those men convinced me of spending a whole lifetime together.

In those days, I had not ever heard of Mr Good Enough. It would not even have drawn my attention, because I wasn't looking for a husband. I overheard my friends planning their wedding. I heard them talk about their future life: a husband, a house of their own, two children (a boy, followed by a girl), two cars in the driveway, a dog,.. I didn't share those dreams. I had no idea what they were talking about and why they were planning ahead so long in advance. We can't predict our future, so what's the use in creating one?

I lived day by day, without worrying about the future.

Once you are married with kids, things change. You start to think about the future, although we still can't predict it. But we try to make the best of it. We think about life in a different manner. Things that were priority once, seem trivial now. You set different goals and respect replaces passion. Very little couples remain as passionate as they were in their first years of dating each other. I think we wouldn't survive that much passion, honestly. Instead of passion, you look for comfort, for intimacy, for mutual respect, for friendship. Of course you still love one another and sometimes you are homesick for those faded passionate moments. Maybe your Mr Perfect has become Mr Great and in some cases, he's become Mr Good Enough. But as long as he's Mr Good Enough to you, you're fine. You wouldn't want to live with Mr Bad or Mr Nobody, would you?

Immediate gratification

What is happiness? What is it to you? Is it love? Is it a life without worries? Is it good health? Or is a family of your own your definition of happiness? Sometimes I ask myself: am I happy? I believe that is one of the most difficult questions to answer, because it has so many different definitions.

Little things can make me happy as a clam at high tide. A phone call from a dear friend, an interesting encounter with a total stranger, a glimpse of the sun behind the grey clouds, our new puppy welcoming me home. Does happiness last? It feels more like come and go. I compare it to the question: how is your diabetes management? Then I feel like saying: "at this very instant? this morning? before or after lunch?" Do you know what I mean? You can't feel happy all the time, can you?

The immediate gratification of a piece of Polish apricot cheesecake makes me happy.

My daughter performing ballet on stage makes my eyes tear up with happiness.

Endless conversations over lunch with a close friend, warm my heart.

Roaming around markets in a foreign country brings me pleasure..

Three great numbers in a row on my glucose meter make me proud and lead to a happy moment.

Sometimes, happiness is so overpowering that it's scary. It is scary, because you know it can't last for ever. That thought may dim your instant happy attitude, because you are aware of the fact it may be over soon. But please don't let it spoil the pleasure of the moment. We should enjoy and taste the good times we can have.

Our world is a world of abundance. We have too much luxury. We believe financial comfort makes us happy. And it will, to a certain point. It goes wrong when you are devastated once you run out of money. If you can still be happy after having lost all of your financial safety, it is considered true happiness. Because your happiness comes from within. You make your own happiness and it's not depending on materialism or someone else's mood. That's the kind of happiness I'm looking for..

Beware of the whippet

It's hilarious! The two of you are racing around on the couch! You are trying to tame the little rascal, but she's just too energetic for you. You stand over her, but she's so tiny she can escape from your prison legs in no time. You give each other friendly bites and Inthe has the nerve to bark at you! You are not impressed at all and you scold her in dog language. Yesterday she was not big enough to jump on the couch herself, but she must have grown overnight. It doesn't even take an effort now to follow you all around the house. No more safe spots for you Rebba..

We went for a little walk in the garden. Haha! It's so funny to see this little twit discovering all bushes and shrubs. She goes absolutely mad! But that's exactly what you did on your first day in our home, Rebba. You've calmed down a lot since.

It's too cold for Inthe to go for a walk in town. She would need pyjamas or at least a little sweater. It'll take some time to raise her, but we'll get there Rebba, we'll get there. She won't be this energetic forever, I promise..

You freaked me out!

You had no idea why the principal called you late at night, to come to the conference room in the hallway of your school. She said your mom was there. She said you were going to be punished for something you did.. My poor girl.. there was no such thing as a punishment. Your sister and I were there to surprise you! We came over to show Inthe to you! You should've seen the look on your face when you entered the room: all terrified! We probably freaked you out! It took you an instant to realize why we were there.
But then you saw her and you fell in love instantly. Inthe loved you too. She was really relaxed and at ease, in this old school of yours. You picked her up carefully, while you dropped your coat on a chair. You stuck your nose into her fur and sniffed her puppy smell. You held her ears between your fingers and kissed her neck. You were so happy that we came over to show our new puppy to you. Of course you had seen her before, because you had picked her out of a nest of 6. But still, she had changed over the following weeks and you had only seen her once.

We were a little scared that Inthe might want to poop on the antique carpet, so we didn't put her down. We were looking for a flower pot, just in case she needed to pee badly. Lolz.. just imagine!
You called your two friends in, and they were as amazed as you were. They all loved little Inthe. But who wouldn't? She's adorable. And so are you!

A partner instead of a judge

You are a very warm and giving person. Helping out whenever you can. Standing by your best friend's side on a daily basis. Whenever a friend needs you, you're there. You are the least selfish person I have ever met. Always standby for people in need. You have only one flaw: you forget to take care of yourself.. You've never put yourself first. Your children and beloved ones come first and all good things you do in life, are meant for someone else. It never crosses your mind to ask for something in return. The help you offer is your immediate gratification.

Maybe it's time to think about you now. It's okay, there's nothing selfish about it. You deserve to treat yourself in the best way possible. You need a partner instead of a judge. Nobody needs to dictate your life. If someone knows what she wants out of life, it's you. You have been degraded just once too often. I can't believe someone has the nerve to pull you down and make you feel bad about yourself. All you do, is done out of love. What better motive can one have to live their life the best way possible?

I like to hang out with you. We have fun and we laugh a lot. I love to see the sparkle in your eyes when you talk about your children. It hurts me to see tears when you sob about pain and suffering in the lives of your loved ones. Did you know your heart's in the right place? Has anyone ever told you? You deserve to be loved by someone who can value you for the person you are. Because you are rare and unique and many people should look a little more after you.

Take your time. Hard times are coming up. You will need your friends. Ask for help when needed, don't be afraid. It will be an emotional journey. Just remember, you can ask friends to join you on your way..

It is never too late

I'm going back to school.. I always liked to go to school and I'm eager to learn. I'm not very good at studying, because it bores me, but my grades were pretty good most of the time.
This time, it's a different school I'm going to attend. It is nearby and I won't go full time, not even on a daily basis. I'm supposed to go twice a week. The teachers are not really teachers, but physiotherapists. They will show me how to take better care of my back. There are different appliances in the gym, that will make it possible for me to exercise without hurting my back. I can't believe I'm going to do this.. I'm so not into sports! But I know I have to.. I have hardly any muscle strength. Tests have shown that my muscle tone is nearly always the same. You should see a difference in muscle tone between when you make an effort and when you relax. My muscles are always tense. They don't relax, neither do they contract. Those weak muscles do not support my body. So I need to tone them up and make them stronger. It's going to take quite some effort. I'm bored already, thinking of the exercises I will have to do. I'm trying to be positive about it, but it's not working yet. We'll see. It will be a longterm project and I will have to do my exercises regularly, if I want to obtain those stronger muscles in my back and stomach. Maybe I should give it a chance.. I'll need all the support I can get, figuratively and literally spoken.

Flaunt your figure

You have left the country again. Although you keep in touch, I miss you. You are enjoying the sun, sitting on the beach near San Cristobal de la Laguna. What's in a name huh? A lot of sun and sea maybe? You are such a sparkling person. You have a lot of wisdom and I'm sure you are a fantastic mother and a loving grandmother. The way you think, the words you speak, the thoughts you share.. it all comes with the same flair and elegance.

When I think of you right now, I can see you flaunt your figure on the beach. I'm sure many men will turn their heads when they see you stroll near the coastline, picking up shells and little pebbles. I can see you doze off in a strand chair, a book in your lap, your shades on your tanned nose. You are still wearing your jewellery. You only take it off to put on sunscreen. A large royal hat protects your beautiful hair from the sun. I believe there's even a white ribbon around the hat. The swimsuit you picked out is a compliment to your body. Your perfectly manicured nails reach for a longdrink and a little drop of that exotic cocktail spills on your bronzed arm. You are so laid back and relaxed, that it affects the people around you in a positive way.

We miss you, my lovely friend. We miss your thoughts, we miss your laugh, we miss your wittiness. I hope you will have access to the Internet once in a while - maybe in between two laps in the pool - so we can enjoy the stories you write down for us. Thanks for being the person you are.

Inthe Pocket

Inthe Pocket should be your full name, instead of Fiefoerniek's Various Positions. You are hilarious, you little muppet! You could fit right into my pocket, that's how small you are. But you have the energy of a horse! and I tend to believe you eat like one too.

You race around the house, you bark at Rebba (whippets are not even supposed to bark, silly!), you chew on the furniture and you think you're supposed to hoover the house. Rebba is nacked, because of your never ending energy. And then, all of a sudden, the battery dies and you are the cutest sleeping beauty ever.

You will bring so much joy in this house. Maybe I should buy one of those doggy purses, to take you along on my trips? Would you like that?

We are not that different after all

You and I look a lot alike. We have similar minds and both of us are loving persons. We are not that different after all. I look more after you than I look after the person who gave birth to me. Your daughter and I have more in common than my sister and I ever did. At some stages in our life, we even looked alike! I have a better bond with your son than I ever had with my own brother. And your husband values me more than my father ever will.

I'm happy to have the four of you in my family. It sounds familiar to be around you and the love you give me is natural, true and sincere. There are no tricks nor booby traps. I never have to fear you will no longer love me. You would never hurt me on purpose. You have always done the right thing and treated me with respect. You were there for me, when times were rough and when I felt all alone. You are still there for me. We share the same disease - diabetes - and we can relate to one another when we have a hard time coping with it. We don't have to see each other every week, to know we love each other. I feel welcome at any time.

You are the godmother of my oldest daughter and you love her so much. She can feel that love and sometimes you text message each other. You should see my daughter's face light up when you text her. She's crazy about you...

Thanks for having us over. We had a ball yesterday! We laughed so hard tears were rolling down our cheeks. It warmed my heart to see you enjoy the day.. And what a surprise your son was there too! He's a sweetheart.. Too bad your daughter and her fiancee couldn't make it..

I wish your health were better, so you could come over to our place more often. Life hasn't been easy on you, but you cope and you try to make the best of it.

Maybe I was born in the wrong family? Or maybe I needed that other family to make me become the person I am now: independent, strong and loving, but at the same time a fighter for justice and righteousness. Anyway, I love you mammie and daddy.. you are very dear to me..

Nothing less and a whole lot more

I knew you and Rebba were going to be the perfect match! You are so adorable!!! It was pretty exciting to wait for your home coming, but you're here now and that's all that matters. You are so small, little Inthe.. I never thought we were actually going to have a puppy in this house. Especially not after we got the 3 yo Rebba first. We have talked about you with Rebba in the previous weeks. She's used to your name by now and I'm pretty sure she'll get used to you pretty soon. The two of you will make good friends and you will enjoy each other's company.

You have met all of us, except for the youngest one. She's in boarding school and she's very sad she will have to wait a week longer before she can meet you. But I'm working out a plan, so she gets to see you this Wednesday. I'll ask the principal of her boarding school, if she would allow us to surprise her with a visit on Wednesday.

Sweet little Inthe, you are nothing less and a whole lot more. We love you already!

Generous people

Our children have wonderful grandparents. They are very good with their grandchildren and each one of them is loved for who he or she is. It's become a habit, that grandma throws a birthday party for all of her grandchildren. She has plenty of cake to eat and candles to blow. All family members are invited and we enjoy the time together. There are cards and presents and we laugh and fool around. Grandma rocks! She is so generous and loveable and the kids love to hug her. It doesn't come as a surprise that grandma's house is the most favorite sleep over place. So every once in a while, a whole bunch of children ask grandma if they can spend the night with her. And grandma just loves to have them over. They watch movies together and grandma tells them stories about her childhood. Grandma may not be the best cook ever, talking about her cooking attempts are still a hot topic in the house. It's mainly a house full of fun and joy. And what more can a child ask for?

Sugar Drop

Sometimes people ask me what I feel when my sugar's low. I'm not really sure. Lately I don't always feel my sugars drop. But when I do feel it happen, my lips are stinging, I'm feeling very warm, my nose is cold and an ice cold breeze races through my body. I am hungry like a horse, I sweat heavily and my legs feel like rubber bands, making it hard to walk straight. My sugar drops have not yet caused a single stage of unconsciousness. I can still function when I experience a severe hypo, even if my meter reads a LO, meaning my sugar level is beLOw 20 mg/dl. That's the stage where things become more dangerous. You risk loosing consciousness and sliding into a diabetic coma is an option if you don't take action to raise your blood glucose.

I used to feel my hypo's real well. Since my control is getting better, I'm more used to "normal range numbers", meaning the differences between good numbers (80 mg/dl - 120 mg/dl) and lows (< 60 mg/dl) are not that phenomenal. If you are used to high numbers, like 300ish, the difference is so big, you can even start to show hypo signs at a number of let's say 110 mg/dl.

I have experienced quite some nightly lows lately. Lows that I wasn't aware of, until something in me finally warned me. It's scary. You do not want to end up in a diabetic coma.

The producer of Sugar Drop is a type 1 diabetic himself (join the club..). The movie is the first of three parts (it's a trilogy). The main character is a type 1 diabetic, who gets stuck in an elevator, after having shot up too large a dose of insulin. His sugar drops dramatically and he experiences a severe hypoglycaemia. He's all by himself in the elevator and he starts to hallucinate as a result of his low blood sugar.

Sugar Drop is a work of fiction, based on a real medical phenomenon. Whilst medically accurate, it uses cinematic devices to both enhance and exaggerate the subject material. It has been written with the express intention of raising awareness of diabetes related complications amongst the general public, as well as encouraging diabetics to discuss issues such as hypoglycaemia more openly. It is not the intention of the filmmakers to cause alarm or distress to patients with diabetes, their friends or family. Under no circumstances should the following groups of people watch the film or trailer: individuals under the age of 18 ; individuals who suffer with diabetes related mental health issues (anxiety/depression/..)

It will be frightening to go see the movie, but I do want to see it. I know it's sometimes scary for the people around me, to have them watch my sugar go low, but I have no idea what it looks like, seen from their point of view. So yes, I want to go see this movie as an outsider. Maybe I should take all my diabetic friends along, so we can feed each other glucose tablets when the commotion and emotions make us go low.. Do you think diabetics will get a discount in the movie theatre? Maybe they will sell glucose tablets and provide test strips during the break for all of us..lolz.

I think I'm going bonkers

Too much is going on. It's just too hectic. I don't know what to do first. Can't think, my head is stuffed with cotton balls..

Hold my hand

A new pair of shoes can never harm one. They don't have to be (that) expensive (not???). They have to be classy and high heels are a must. Comfortable shoes are for aged women. Trying out higher heels than I would normally wear, I want you to hold my hand to prevent me from tipping over. Wow.. they sure make me look taller. Aren't those red soles similar to the Christian Louboutin shoes?? Do you think silk stockings would look nice in those pumps? I want to go out on a date.. I treated myself on a pair of stunning black Nicky Vankets and a pair of crocodile pumps.. aaarrgghhh...

As blind as a bat

Some men are so blind.. They have a beautiful wife, great kids, a lovely home, a good job.. Is it their instinct that makes them glance at other women? Is it age? Is it insecurity that makes them want another woman to pay attention to them and praise them for their masculinity? Or are men hunters by nature?

I listen to my lady friends. I hear about their men no longer noticing their wives. It's nothing new. This behavior has existed for ever. The first excuse couples have, is that they have no time for each other. Ask any man with an affair, how much time he spends on his mistress.. right.. Lame excuse.. All of a sudden, it's no problem to skip sports classes or a drink with the mates. They don't mind doing groceries, if that gives them the chance to make a phone call to the miss(tr)es. Isn't it sad, that they are not prepared to take the day off to spend a great day with you, if you hear how many days off they took to rush to the mistress..

But I agree: a mistress doesn't nag about dirty socks on the bathroom floor. She doesn't bother him with stories about the children's mischief. She doesn't care if the only thing he does around the house, is lift his feet when his wife hoovers around him. The other woman is there for good times. She's there to pamper him and give him what he needs.. I don't think I need to say what he needs.. That's pretty obvious.

Do you think those men ever wonder how their wives feel? Would they realise the wives may be bored too? Maybe the wives could use some extra attention as well. A happy wife makes happy husbands. If only men could see that. Some extra attention during the day, an unexpected bunch of flowers, a sassy text message at work, a surprise evening out without the kids.. it may all lead to what made them look for a mistress in the first place.

Life is complicated. It really is.. Maybe us women should buy our own pillow like the one on the picture. It gives us a hug and a shoulder whenever we need one.

Men think only they are entitled to sexual needs. Well guess what: you are not the only one! Maybe women should have a lover too. To experience what their men enjoy, while their wives are cooking dinner and putting their husband's meal in the oven for him to eat when he comes home.
Maybe women would also enjoy the alone time with a lover, without kids hassling them. Time with a man who adores them, who compliments them, who talks with them and surprises them. Time with a man who worships the floor they walk on, who notices their new hairdo, who is excited about their fancy shoes...
The knife cuts both ways..

What I couldn't do without..

We have access to all the luxury available and we have no financial problems. I can buy what I want and we don't have to ask ourselves if we have money left to buy the essentials. But not one of these material items can replace good friends. So the title of my topic should be: who I couldn't do without..

Today is a I'm-going-to-meet-a-friend-day. I have been looking forward to today for more than a month. It'll do us good to go out for the day, to let our thoughts drift off in the air. We understand each other without words, but we talk and talk and talk until we run out of time. And then we are not yet satisfied. Girlz..

I'll pick you up in an hour. Get ready. I'll bring some munchies. Made a dozen of English muffins for you and some ricotta pastizzi. Make sure you have an extra hug for me. That's all I need. And I'm sure you're looking forward to one too.