Aliya's Page

Recently, without warning, I started receiving only one vial of Novolog insulin instead of the two I've gotten for the past few years, which isn't enough since I take about 300 units a week through my pump. After going through the typical insurance meshugas and calling my doctor to get a new prescription, I picked up my insulin this afternoon. Once I left the pharmacy I noticed the paper bag my medication was in was bulkier than usual. I burst into laughter when I opened the bag to see it was pr… Continue

Sure, I ate a good breakfast. Okay, I ate a really good breakfast. I ate salad. So my blood sugar has been good all day. But I also meditated this morning, which I do most mornings. I stayed calm, relaxed and present when I visited the cemetery where my grandfather was buried a month ago. I cried along with my grandmother and mother. Then we told him we missed him before getting back in the car to drive back home where we washed our hands in adherence to Jewish faith before we went into my grand… Continue

What’s the best thing about being a person with diabetes? No, that is not a typo. I do mean the best thing. It’s easy to rattle off a list of complaints about diabetes. Too easy. I won’t patronize the educated person with diabetes. Or worse, scare anyone with this illness that already sends alarm bells shrieking. And rightly so. This illness is deadly and hearing about its complications can be frightening. But it’s much more difficult to find the reasons I keep caring for myself day after day an… Continue

I have been in Miami since my grandfather unexpectedly died earlier this month. I have been jogging on the beach which has helped my emotional life as well as my blood sugars (the two are usually correlated with me). When I exercise in the gym, I get bored easily. Running near the water must be more inspiring than staring at a cement wall while I am on a stairmaster machine.