So I don’t usually get really excited for Valentines Day because like Halloween (Samhain), it’s usually surrounded by candy and chocolate. So if not chocolate or candy, what? What could you get a diabetic, that would convey your love, friendship, or affection. What you get someone might depend on the level of your relationship with them. Of course flowers would be a good choice. Even some guys I know enjoy flowers. One of my guy friends even breeds champion orchids. Most girls I know like flowers and especially red roses, well . . . 1 girl I dated didn’t. She liked black roses. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find black roses? OMG! (I’m so busted if she reads this.) Anyway, so flowers are nice. A heartfelt card, with some poetic words that convey something you can’t convey in your own words. These are all nice non-food gifts, but I think what really makes a Valentine special, is a small token made by ones own hand. Something you’ve put your loving energy into. A flower or plant you’ve grown yourself, a piece of jewelry you’ve hand crafted, a poem you’ve written, a piece of art you’ve created. Those are what I think make the most meaningful Valentines gifts . . . for anyone . . . and they work great for a diabetic friend or loved one since they have no carbs. *chuckle*
In the DMSA blog carnival this month, it was suggested that we offer YOU . . . our readers, commenters, and lurkers (Do I have lurkers?! COOL!), a special valentine. So here is a collection of my nature photography, selected just for you . . . . .
Happy Valentines Day DOC!!! by richthediabetic
Thanks for all of your support and encouragement in the last year. Thanks for your comments, tweets, and posts. You let me know that I’m actually making a difference in someone’s life.
May you find the love your looking for this Valentines Day . . . . .
This post is my February entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival. If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2013/february-dsma-blog-carnival-2/
This is my first ever entry into the DSMA blog carnival. Ok, so lets get this done. In 2013, I’m striving for an A1C of 7.0 or below. In all my life as a type 1 diabetic, I never really even understood what that A1C score was for. Never paid attention to it. I only got it checked every few years or so, by doctors that had no clue about how to treat type 1 diabetes. I never really lived my life like a diabetic. Didn’t even know what an endocrinologist was, until my cardiac arrest in the summer of 2003. I didn’t even start to understand my diabetes until after my cardiac arrest, and it wasn’t my doctors that got me interested in understanding it, it was bodybuilders! When I went through cardiac rehab, that got me hooked on exercising, so I found a trainer . . . . . that just happened to be a competitive bodybuilder. 
That’s him off the right. That was in late 2003. I surrounded myself in that lifestyle, although I wasn’t a bodybuilder. It was those bodybuilders who began to teach me about insulin. Bodybuilders understand insulin better than most diabetics, and even better than most endocrinologists. I began to understand metabolism, exercise, nutrition, etc. 2011 rolled around, and I started a home business as a Team Beachbody coach, which made me become even more interested in improving my diabetes. Then, in early 2012, I discovered the 2 things that have been instrumental in improving my diabetes. The paleo lifestyle, and the diabetes online community (#doc). Slowly over the last year, I’ve become even more of a nutrition nazi, and biochemistry hobbyist. Reading book after book, learning more and more about insulin, metabolism, biochemistry, and more. I’ve read more books this year than any other year of my life! All of them on nutrition. (I’m going to start a book review series on this blog as a matter of fact!) Although I’m an online diabetes advocate now, that doesn’t mean I’m a perfect diabetic. It does make me want to improve my A1C to a respectable level if I’m going to be an advocate though. I struggle just like everybody else. My A1C did drop by 2.5 points in 6 months last year, which I was really excited about. Still a little way to go to reach 7.0, but I’ll make it. I have a lot of people that have thanked me for what I do in the online community, but I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of you. Were it not for all of you, I wouldn’t be improving nearly as well as I have over the last year. In helping you, I’m helping myself. thanks Diabetes Online Community (DOC)!!!
