Guest Blogger

I would like to introduce a long-time "childhood" friend to be my guest blogger today. Please Welcome, from MA, my friend Debbie Shanks (Doyle). Deb is being too kind here in my opinion, we were your basic 70's and 80's teenagers, better than most I think. Please read her views on past and present.
HEEEERRRRRREEEE'S DEB !!!


So, this is my first attempt at being a “guest speaker” on Binky’s blog, I thought about what I could write,, but finally just figured I would start writing and see what happens.

I was out country line dancing recently with my son, his girlfriend and my daughter. We were having a good time together when Colleen, my son’s girlfriend, said my son, Rick, was acting weird. I looked up to see him stumble backward as he was walking towards me like he was drunk. As he is not a drinker, I became concerned. I asked my son what was up and he said that he was low. For those of you who don’t know my son, he has also been “blessed” with diabetes. He had a handful of candy and started to unwrap a piece. I looked at my son and noticed he was not really focusing in on our conversation or the questions we were asking him. His gaze was far off and it was as if he couldn’t really understand us; basically because he was not really able to. When I asked him what his sugars were, he just kept saying he was low.

As we had just completed a dance where you switch partners throughout the song, I went into the bathroom and got a paper towel to wash Rick’s hands. I instructed him to check his sugars with his meter. It was then that Rick focused enough to tell us that his meter was in the car. Stephanie, my daughter, took him outside to check his sugars. As he was leaving, Rick whispered in my ear that he forgot that he had some sugar in his car, and he sounded like he had way too many cocktails. His voice was slurred and he spoke slowly. When they returned, Steph told me that Rick’s sugar was 56 – yikes! This was after eating a bunch of candy. For those of you who don’t have or live with someone with diabetes, this is pretty low. He must have been pretty darn low before he went out to the car and it is no wonder that he was unable to focus; there was no sugar getting to his brain.

Why do I write this story? Well, the next day when I read Bink’s blog, she explained what it is like when one with diabetes is low. Is this a coincidence? I think not. What is different is my knowledge of being with someone with diabetes. When I hung out with Bink, I was totally in the dark. If she was to stumble backward when she was low, I probably would not have noticed. If she was mumbling or unfocused, I would have thought that she was goofing around. As Bink has mentioned, she was not really forthcoming about her diabetes, but neither was I forthcoming with finding out more information. I could say that as a teenager I was unfocused on anyone other than myself, but that would only be part of it. Another part was probably Bink’s unwillingness to feel “different.’ As teens, nobody wants to be different. So as far as that goes, I have to respect Bink’s motives of not sharing, along with my teenage self absorbance for what they were at the time. The old saying, “if I knew then what I know now” certainly would apply for both of us, I suppose.

What is it like to have diabetes? I don’t have that answer. What is it like to live with someone with diabetes? That is something I can tell you about. I would think it is frustrating, scary, tiring, and a general pain in the neck to live with diabetes. Well, guess what? It is frustrating, scary, tiring and a general pain in the neck to live with someone with diabetes. When my son was first diagnosed, I hovered over him like a shadow. Needless to say this got old fast for both of us. He needed his space and I needed to give it to him. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. I have promised my son that I will “back off” and it has been extremely arduous. I should not have promised something that I can’t really follow through with. It is pretty hard to “back off” when you watch someone you love constantly live in the “denial” bubble. I have to stop myself from demanding that he eat an apple instead of a piece of cake. I have to stop myself from begging him to keep his sugars in control so that he won’t do permanent damage to his body. I have to let go and let him be his own advocate. I must let go when I don’t feel like he is advocating well. If I don’t let go, then I will loose him. The kicker is, if I don’t pester, I may loose him earlier than was necessary. To put is bluntly, diabetes sucks for all involved.

Now that I have played “true confessions” it leads me back to our favorite blog star - Binky, or for some Eliza - and her extraordinary upcoming adventure. Bink is willing to put herself through procedures that will not only help her out, but will ultimately help out all people with diabetes. In essence, Bink is paving the way for me to have my son around a lot longer. It is critical that we find a cure for this disease. Without brave pioneers like Bink, progress would not occur. Am I excited that Bink is going to have a healthier life? You bet your buttons. Is her procedure going to help out my own son? Well, you can bet your buttons on that too. I personally have two very important stakes in Bink’s upcoming procedures. Love is a very important influence in ones life. I can say that I love that Bink is doing this for herself – unselfishly- and am proud that, in the process, she is helping all the other people in the world that have diabetes. It is because of pioneers like Bink that science can move forward in the right direction.

I am very excited with Bink’s recent research (via her cousin, I think) that give statistics of people that have had the procedure she is going to have and have been living without diabetes for many years. I, like all of you, know that Bink’s life without diabetes is going to be just awesome! I can’t even imagine what it is like waking up in the middle of the night low. I am very excited for the day that Bink just has distant memories of doing so. I am excited for the day that Bink can eat what she wants and not worry about it spiking her sugars. I am looking forward to Bink being able to go for a walk and not worry about packing an extra snack “just in case.” I am also looking forward to continuing to read this blog with all the glorious updates that Bink will be writing as she experiences her “new” life without diabetes. It has been so long since the days when she has not had to prick her fingers that I wonder if she will find herself doing it out of habit? I suppose Bink will be the only one to be able to answer that question, but yippee for that day!
So, this is my first attempt at being a “guest speaker” on Binky’s blog, I thought about what I could write,, but finally just figured I would start writing and see what happens.

Oh, I forgot to warn you all, but I imagine you have figured out, that I have the gift of gab. That is one of the reasons Bink and I have always gotten along so well lol (did I do that right Bink?) I better end this post as Bink may not want to talk to me if I continue on (and on, and on…)

I will complete this “guest” blog with an enormous thank you to the scientist that continually pursue a cure for diabetes and a big hug, kiss, and undying gratitude to our friend, Bink/Eliza, for her willingness to grab the science “bull” by the horns and “ride” it all the way to a cure. Rock on my little buddy!

Love ya,
Deb (from MA)