Crop out Diabetes Hop for a Cure

If you are here for the Make-the-Cut blog hop it is below, BUT this project also uses MTC and I'm asking you come back to read it as it if for a very worthy cause!
I'm going to start out this post with why I asked to be part of this hop for a cure blog hop.
I have a 16 year old daughter with Type 1 diabetes.  She was diagnosed nearly 8 years ago just a few short weeks after I got home from my honeymoon with my husband.  I noticed she was looking a little thin, and figured she had a growth spurt.  But then other symptoms came into play, she was tired all the time, she was getting up 2-3 times a night because she was thirsty and had to go to the bathroom.  So I took her in for a check up, thinking it had to be nothing, but then came the diagnosis.  Type 1 diabetes. I was crushed.  My daughter the wimp, thinking of her dealing with needles, how would she handle that?  Of course she proved to be way tougher then any of us could every imagine!  After a few long days at the hospital learning how to check her sugar, give her injections, and learning how to count carbs, we came home to try to do it on our own.  Talk about overwhelming!
Taylor checks her sugar anywhere from 4-10 times a day.  4 is a low number, because there always seems to be something going on that requires more testing.  So here are some numbers I figured out on how many pokes Taylor has had over the years...
Finger pokes to check sugar (using 4 as the minimum number, but we average closer to 6 a day)... 11,680-17,520
Imagine that?  That doesn't include insulin injections, which started out wtih at least 4 a day in the beginning, but now that she is on the pump it is putting in an insulin port every 2-3 days.
I thought having an 8 year old with diabetes was tough, but then came the teenage years.  UGH!  Hormones and diabetes don't mix very well.  It makes for lots of highs and lows.  I have to have a lot of different rules to protect her.  Our most recent scare is her driving.  We have to monitor her blood sugars before and during driving.  One low sugar and she could be in big trouble behind the wheel. 
Now for the hop for the cure details!
Hello and welcome to the 2011 Hop for a Cure blog hop. We are running this fun crop and hop to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
We want to thank you for joining us in the fight to find a cure!!!
Now...onto the fun stuff:
What: Hop for a Cure blog hop
When: Hop starts Friday, January 28th at 8:00AM and ends on Saturday,February 5th at midnight.
Where: The hop starts here at www.cropoutdiabetes.blogspot.com. Follow along the hop to visit the particpating blogs and join in on the challenges.
How it works:

1. Donate to JDRF using our donate button which can be found on all participating blogs. (A minimum donation of $5 is required to be eligible for prizes)  **Donate button is located on the right hand side of my blog, just scroll down
2. Start at Crop Out Diabetes and follow along the hop. If you get lost each blog will have a list of the participating blogs so that you can get right back in on all the fun!
3. Complete the challenges and take a photo of your completed project.
4. Link a photo of your completed project to the linking tool at the bottom of each corresponding blog hop post by February 5th at midnight.
5. Winners will be chosen randomly using random.org and be posted by February 12th, 2011.

**Feel free to leave a comment about this post as the winner for the blog candy will be chosen from the submissions for my challenge!

I decided my project for today would be a page on what Taylor's life is like according to her.  She is one tough cookie!  I'll post her journaling after I share how I did this page!
I started this page with my title, life as I know it.  I used the Chomas Creations mini gel pen holder to draw the title using Make-the-Cut.  I then cut around the title with an oval.  I used the Copic markers to color in the gel pens, and look, no smearing!  Imagine all of the things you could draw and then color!

I used Basic Grey patterned papers, brads and chipboard accents to finish the page. 

This is the journaling in my daughter's words.  I'm hoping we can look back on it one day, when there is a cure for diabetes, and thing, wow are we glad that is over!

I am 16 and have had type 1 diabetes since I was 8 years old. My diagnosis was a big shock to everyone because there was no history of diabetes in my family, so that made me the first. In the beginning, I thought diabetes was really hard to deal with. I had to constantly keep track of my blood sugar by poking my finger with a needle anywhere from six to ten times a day. With diabetes I have to be careful when playing sports. When I go outside of my normal routine and go on a major bike ride with my family or friends I need to always make sure I look after myself. My blood sugars tend to go really low really fast when I play sports, swim, and do my favorite bike ride with my family. It always seemed like I was sitting on the bench when I played volleyball because my blood sugar decided to go out of whack and I had to take care of it before I could do anything else. And because my blood sugar tends to go low quite a bit, I have to eat snacks when I'm not really hungry, which just makes me feel worse because I tend to get bad stomach aches. Having my blood sugar go low isn't my only problem with diabetes, I tend to go high a lot too. My blood sugars are all over the place and it drives me nuts! Especially when whenever my blood sugar gets too high I always start feeling like crap. I get the chills, my heart beats super fast, I feel really nauseous and like I'm about to throw up. And now that I'm getting older and about to go away to college, I'm not even allowed to move out until I get my blood sugars under control. And believe me, that's going to be a challenge. I've had diabetes for almost 9 years now and still haven't gotten it under control. Plus now that I've got my license I have to check my blood sugar every time I'm about to leave the house. When my blood sugar's too low I can't drive and have to wait until I get my blood sugar gets back to normal before I can go anywhere. Although it's been hard, I've learned to live with diabetes and am happy with the way my life has turned out so far.

Taylor is one amazing young lady, she is way stronger then I ever thought she would be.  Taylor has diabetes, but diabetes does NOT have Taylor.
My challenge for you is to make a layout about someone in your life that inspires you!  Post it here for a chance to win a Chomas Creations micro Sharpie holder and 3 micro Sharpies in assorted colors.  Remember you must donate a minimum of $5 to the JDRF fund to sign up for this blog give away.  Feel free to comment on this post as the winner will be chosen from the submissions for my challenge!
Enter your submissions by February 5th midnight for a chance to win!

Here is a link to all of the blogs on the Hop for A Cure...
Crop Out Diabetes
Snug as a bug designs
Thinking with Ink
PS I love you scrapbooking
Sweet sassy diva
The cozy craft closet
Cricut Crafty Clare
Through my I's
Chomas Creations **YOU ARE HERE
Paper Pretties
Scrpality


















Like what you see? Leave a comment to let me know!