Just last week I finally started the Diabetes 365 project.  This project is located on Flickr and has a group of around 220 people that submit pictures or videos every day, hence the 365.  At first I thought it would be a lot of work with little return.  I’m on the verge of pre ordering a new Canon Rebel camera and enjoy taking photos.  I’m not even close to anything but an amateur when it comes to photography.  On Blogging Diabetes you can easily keep track of my pictures by clicking on the word “Photos” in the header.

Back to the project; It has been fairly easy to keep up with the daily pictures because I can snap one on my phone camera, which is pretty good, and with the click of a few buttons, email it to my Flickr account to be automatically posted in my Diabetes 365 folder (called a Set).

The photo above was actually taken on the first day that I truly started the Diabetes 365 project.  I may not ever admit it, but the song is pretty good and the title stood out right away.  So, naturally, I snapped a picture of it with my phone and posted it for the day.  Now that is easy, right? 

One benefit of the Diabetes 365 project is this – by constantly thinking about diabetes it helps me to not become complacent.  It is very easy to: wake up, test, bolus, eat, test, bolus, eat, test and sleep.  However, when I am thinking about what might be interesting for the D365, diabetes sticks in my mind more and keeps me on my toes.  What I will try not to do is take a picture of my Humalog vial or meter every day for my daily picture.  I will certainly try to mix it up and be interesting.

Finally, the title of this song got me thinking about how I live.  Sometimes, when I’m a little down or around my young girls, I will almost act like I may not see them again, just in case.  I never miss an opportunity to shower them with extra hugs/kisses to the point where my oldest will say, “Alright Dad, stop”.  I remember growing up where my Mom doing this to me and now I can relate.  With having diabetes, I truly do live like I’m dying sometimes because that’s what the disease does to you.  It takes a little tiny bit of you each day until, one day, there’s nothing left.  Depending on the day and how well I do, it might be next to nothing or it could be more than it should.  If I don’t live like I’m dying than it can be too easy to become complacent with my management and put off things I should be doing today.  Until there’s a cure, I’ll probably live like I’m dying.  This isn’t saddening to me because it’s simply what I have to do… to win.