the Betes event!

On Saturday we went to the Betes event, hosted by the ever lovely Bennet and Kimball Dunlap. Bennet is of the Your Diabetes May Vary fame and of course, the Betes. Oh it was fun and informative and it felt like home, with parents and kiddos who understand. It was just Grace and I attending from 3pm - 5pm.

Bennet had Gary Scheiner as his speaker along with Lee Ann Thill (who writes the awesome Butter Compartment blog) doing diabetes related art with everyone.

Here's Bennet saying howdy to everyone!

These stickers were on each table, one of them says 'the Betes for President'
which I would totally vote for!

After our welcome, Bennet introduced Lee Ann, who is  Registered Board-Certified Art Therapist and provides art therapy and psychotherapy for people with diabetes. You can find her practice and what she does at www.drawabetes.com Besides being a fabulous gal, she has had Type 1 for more than 30 years. She is funny, and knows her stuff. Grace had a great time making all sorts of art from diabetes supplies.

Just some of the tons of diabetic 'stuff' that Lee Ann brought for the art making!

Exactly.

Grace making art with her expired Pods!
She blinged them out.

My homage to the OmniPod.

Here's Gary, Colette (our OmniPod rep) and Lee Ann catching Grace making some neat stuff!

Our OmniPod rep., Colette, made a Pod spider, along with tubed 'web.'

Some of the creations were fabulous and intricate, like this 'box-machine.'
 You should see the OmniPod 'creature' that Connor Dunlap made!
Hopefully Lee Ann grabbed a picture of it, it was fabulous.

The art was very therapeutic - getting messy and creative and looking at everyone elbow deep in all kinds of diabetic supplies. Some of the diabetic supplies were familiar and some others I had to ask about. It was neat.

Then Bennet assembled us all into a small circle group and Gary spoke about his role as a CDE - (a fantastic one I might add!) - how basal rates may vary, the CGM and the pump,  how athletics and sports affect us, how he looks at data and sees trends.... The man knows his stuff. And he has Type 1. He spoke about his online courses about diabetes management at Type 1 University too and what information looks like in the 21st century - going to a class from home. It was formal and informal - there was discussion and questions, and laughter, and understanding, and support, and talk for over an hour. He makes you think and I heart him for that.

Gary and Grace chatting, T1 to T1.

Bennet, Patti, Kimball, Gary all chatting and everyone doing art!

Soon enough, it was over. More than 2+ hours had flown by. I cannot tell you what these get-togethers mean for me - camaraderie, bonds, learning, meeting other folk with T1 kiddos,  knowing other people are surviving and thriving with Type 1. All of it is wonderful. All of it.

There was one thing that was missing.

I had only wished that all of my DOC Mamas were there with me and Grace.

Truly, I wished you were there.