Day 11 Health Activist Writers Month Challenge

Today’s challenge: Write about your favorite health iPhone app. Suggested by Lori. And/Or write about your favorite social network. Do you love Twitter, Facebook? Pinterest? Why? 

I don’t really have a favorite health application but my kids and I often use the “Track3” application. It has many features specifically designed for those with diabetes. The feature we use most frequently is under the nutrition category. It has the nutritional information for hundreds of restaurants so when we grab a double scoop german chocolate cake ice-cream creation from Cold Stone creamery we know the carb count. Rapid Calc is another that we have used in the past when my daughter was on a pump hiatus. It basically acts like a pump without actually giving the insulin – you program all the various carb/insulin ratios and correction factors and it does the math and also keeps track of Insulin On Board “Active insulin”. We don’t use it when the kids are pumping but its a great application for those using multiple daily injections. It does keep records that can be emailed so trends can be identified.

Now on to the fun stuff – SOCIAL MEDIA!!!!

Oh how I love social media – let me count the ways.

A favorite I can not choose for without each I fear I’d lose

A tweet sent in the night while low sugars I fight

A post that shares a smile makes a continent feel like only a mile

A picture on Instagram brightens my day while I get to see how my friends play

A recipe on Pinterest leaves me less hungry today

This is the end of my poem.

Ok I’m a bit loopy without any coffee – see previous post.

Moving to California back in August of 2012 (I can’t believe its 9 months) meant I left behind all my real life friends and support network. I miss my friends and the Austin JDRF. Still thanks to social media I rarely feel alone. I have met (some in real life) the most amazing, strong, inspiring people via twitter and some I’ve carried over to Facebook. I can’t honestly choose a favorite social media. Each offers a unique experience. Twitter lets me find others that share my struggles.  DSMA (Diabetes Social Media Advocacy) has a tweetchat every Wednesday – an hour each week that keeps me sane – even if it is because I appear to be the most sane of the participants. Facebook doesn’t limit my characters and I can share pictures of my family and friends easily. Pinterest is a great way to spend an almost-all-nighter while I giggle at memes or plan my dream home. Instagram lets me see what my friends are having for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 😉

Social media  – whichever network we use allows us to advocate, educate, and be together even when separated by mountains, deserts, prairies and oceans. Social media is my village. (Insert village idiot comment here)