Author: Mr. Divabetic

Max Szadek, aka Mr. Divabetic, is the executive director of Divabetic, LLC.
Posted on

Divabetic Mysteries: Swan Wake, Part 1

Mr. Divabetic heads to the Gotham City Ballet Company’s box office to fix a mix-up with his ‘Swan Lake’ tickets and he’s faced with an even bigger problem – a MURDER! To make matters worse, one of his latest culinary creations, a gluten-free cheesecake, seems to be covering the victim’s face. Even more shocking are the numerous scandals swirling around the Gotham City Ballet and its members that have everyone walking around on tiptoes.

Could our happy healthcare host’s wacky culinary skills make him an accessory to the crime or even a possible side dish?

Now Mr. Divabetic with the help of his team of Certified Diabetes Educators, a Best-Selling Mystery Author, and his own nosy Italian Mom must whip up his own crime-solving recipe, and fast–before a hearty dose of intrigue and a deadly dash of danger ends his diabetes advocacy and healthy catering career once and for all.

FEATURING Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, USA Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Maryann Horst-Nicolay MEd, NDRT, Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, We Are Diabetes Founder Asha Brown, Mama Rose Marie, Chef Robert Lewis (The Happy Diabetic), and Seveda Williams.

Join us for Divabetic’s upcoming free Baking Party on Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom and you’ll be automatically entered into our random drawing for Divabetic’s prize giveaway.

Win gifts courtesy of Arthel Neville Design FABULOUS East/West Tote, Dr.’s Remedy Enriched Nail Care gift set, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes‘s Camper Cozy Mystery, Walden Farms Zero Calories, Zero Net Carbs Salad Dressings, and Peak 10 Skin’s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream during Mr. Divabetic’s random drawings on April 28, 2022. You must be present at our Baking Party to enter our gift drawings to win.

Chandra joined our last virtual Baking Party and won! Like 96 million other American adults she’s living with pre-diabetes. Of those with prediabetes, more than 80% don’t know they have it. Prediabetes puts you at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Take the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention‘s Prediabetes Risk Test NOW.

Over 150 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom, so don’t miss out!

REGISTER NOW – FREE REGISTRATION 

Posted on

Divabetic Mysteries: Suspect Boulevard, Part 1

How did the lady in red wind up dead at the bottom of the pool on the lush estate of one of the world’s most famous writers? To solve this mystery, we have to step back in time.

SYNOPSIS

On a bright sunny morning, our happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, arrives at the resplendent Beverly Hills estate of NYT Best-Selling Author and Socialite Marjorie Melbourne Blaze. He’s here to deliver the keynote address at the Annual Heart of the Diva Gala on diabetes and women. But he soon learns that a roomful of rich and famous faces is full of way more drama than he had ever expected . . . and now murder. So can Max and our team find the killer before this red carpet event is covered in blood? Divabetic’s story of diabetes mystery and intrigue stresses why it can be deadly to blame others for your heart’s misfortunes.

FEATURING

Max “Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, Lorraine Brooks, We Are Diabetes Founder Asha Brown, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, Susan Weiner MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic,’ USA Today Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES and Mama Rose Marie. Produced by Leisa Chester-Weir.

Posted on

QuestLove’s Amazing Weight Loss

Questlove

Questlove won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature for Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) on Sunday, but his weight loss journey is also an impressive accomplishment.

Questlove and I were motivated to change our lifestyles after seeing friends experience debilitating strokes.

Luther Vandross‘s stroke, at the age of 52 related to mismanaged type 2 diabetes, motivated me to stay active and eat and drink in moderation. For the past nineteen years, his stroke and untimely death inspired me to start Divabetic and encourage others to keep their house a home by learning to prevent diabetes health-related complications. 

Questlove’s motivation came from seeing many of his friends die from strokes in their 40s.

‘I was starting to hear the word ‘stroke’ just a little too much,’ Questlove said, as per Black American Web. 

‘Friends of mine have died of strokes at 40, and peers of mine have died of strokes in their 40s, and it was disturbing me.’

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in America. Stroke is a “brain attack” that occurs when blood that brings oxygen to your brain stops flowing and brain cells die.

High blood pressure and obesity are two of the biggest risk factors for stroke, and the number of African-Americans with these medical conditions is on the rise.

Questlove used to eat everything without consideration for his health and was not very active before his weight-loss journey. He admitted it was easy for him to fall into bad habits by drinking and partying all night on regular occasions. He gained weight as time passed, and at his heaviest, he reached 488 pounds of body weight.

Questlove’s own weight and the death of his friends were a warning to him. So he made up his mind to change his lifestyle. He began by completely changing his diet. Next, he started consuming a healthy and balanced diet, primarily vegan foods. He also avoided those items high in carbohydrate content, such as gluten, wheat, and most dairy products. 

He focused more on eating green vegetables and fresh fruits.

‘That’s another thing I’ve learned relaxin’, sleep, yoga,’ Questlove says. ‘I didn’t know that that’s as crucial as going hard, as working’ hard, as exercising hard…And what my yoga instructor, what my trainer, what they’re trying to teach me is that, ‘No, it’s sleep.’ 

That’s important. That’s just as important as working’ out.’ 

And that has helped him both lose and maintain his weight effectively.

Summer of Soul, directed by Questlove, tells the unjustly forgotten story of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which included performances from Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Sly & the Family Stone, Mahalia Jackson and more iconic artists operating in the ’60s, making the case that had this not been a primarily Black festival, it would have been as well-remembered and celebrated as Woodstock, which took place in New York that same year.

“It’s not lost on me that the story of the Harlem Cultural Festival should have been something that my beautiful mother and my dad should have taken me to when I was five years old,” Questlove said, saluting his late father while his mother watched from the audience in tears. “This is such a stunning moment for me right now. But it’s not about me. It’s about marginalized people in Harlem that needed to heal from pain.”

Posted on

Gospel Legend LaShun Pace Passes Away at 60

Award-winning gospel singer LaShun Pace has passed away from kidney failure. She was 60 years old.

What Is Kidney Failure?

When your kidneys are damaged, waste products and fluid can build up in your body. That can cause swelling in your ankles, nausea, weakness, poor sleep, and shortness of breath. Without treatment, the damage can worsen, and your kidneys may eventually stop working. That’s serious, and it can be life-threatening.

Acute kidney failure — also called acute renal failure or acute kidney injury — develops rapidly, usually in less than a few days. Acute kidney failure is most common in people who are already hospitalized, particularly in critically ill people who need intensive care.

https://youtu.be/5QNfwXydT18

How Do You Get Kidney Failure?

You have a condition that slows blood flow to your kidneys. As a result, you experience direct damage to your kidneys. As a result, your kidneys’ urine drainage tubes (ureters) become blocked, and wastes can’t leave your body through your urine.

What Are The First Signs Of Kidney Problems?

  • You’re more tired, have less energy, or have trouble concentrating. 
  • You’re having trouble sleeping. 
  • You have dry and itchy skin. 
  • You feel the need to urinate more often. 
  • You see blood in your urine. 
  • Your urine is foamy. 
  • You’re experiencing persistent puffiness around your eyes.

Kidney failure or end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is when your kidneys have stopped working well enough for you to survive without dialysis or a kidney transplant. Damage to your kidneys cannot be reversed.

LaShun Pace had been on dialysis for several years and was awaiting a kidney.

African Americans are almost four times as likely as Whites to develop kidney failure. While African Americans make up about 13 percent of the population, they account for 35 percent of the people with kidney failure in the United States.

Dialysis is a treatment for people whose kidneys are failing. When you have kidney failure, your kidneys don’t filter blood the way they should. As a result, wastes and toxins build up in your bloodstream. Dialysis does the work of your kidneys, removing waste products and excess fluid from the blood.

LaShun Pace was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame in 2007, and in January 2015, she and the Anointed Pace Sisters were honored in their hometown of Atlanta at the 16th Trailblazers of Gospel Music AwardsThe evangelist and singer-songwriter was best known for her song “I Know I’ve Been Changed.”

 

Over 150 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom, so don’t miss out!  Register now for Divabetic’s Baking Party on Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom.

REGISTER NOW – FREE REGISTRATION

Posted on

You Can Be A Divabetic Prize Winner in April!

Join us for Divabetic’s upcoming free Baking Party on Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom and you’ll be automatically entered into our random drawing for Divabetic’s prize giveaway.

Elizabeth is one of our past prize winners. She was one of 5  Peak 10 Skin’s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream winners.  This foot cream helps with dryness, cracking, rough heels, and more. Menthol and eucalyptus emit a soothing aroma during application while providing a cooling and refreshing sensation on contact that immediately begins to help ease the look, feel, and discomfort of dry feet. Shea butter is infused into this formula due to its known abundant nourishing benefits. The shea butter helps to add moisture and hydration to your depleted, dry skin. Coconut oil is combined with shea butter to provide additional moisturizing and hydration. It helps to condition the thick bottom skin of the feet. Your feet will thank you!

“Look forward to checking out the Mother’s day virtual party,” says Elizabeth.

Win gifts courtesy of Arthel Neville Design FABULOUS East/West Tote, Dr.’s Remedy Enriched Nail Care gift set, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes‘s Camper Cozy Mystery, Walden Farms Zero Calories, Zero Net Carbs Salad Dressings, and Peak 10 Skin’s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream during Mr. Divabetic’s random drawings on April 28, 2022. You must be present at our Baking Party to enter our gift drawings to win.

Chandra joined our last virtual Baking Party and won! Like 96 million other American adults she’s living with pre-diabetes. Of those with prediabetes, more than 80% don’t know they have it. Prediabetes puts you at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Take the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention‘s Prediabetes Risk Test NOW.

Over 150 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom, so don’t miss out!

During our Baking Party, The Diabetic Pastry Chef prepares a Mother’s Day Sugar-Free Dessert recipe, demonstrates her favorite kitchen tools, and shares expert baking tips for substituting sugar substitutes and alternative flours in recipes. Plus, Divabetic Style Icon, Catherine Schuller presents easy ways to add Spring’s hottest colors and accessories to your wardrobe.

Enjoy diva-savings on Peak 10 Skincare. It’s pure, clean, and effective. Peak 10 Skin’s founder, Connie Elder has been a loyal Divabetic supporter for years. She’s participated in several Divabetic outreach programs helping women to boost their confidence about managing their diabetes.

Once you register, we will send you the unique code to sign in to our Zoom Video feed. You will need a camera. We’ll all get acquainted and share niceties before the baking demonstration begins.

Over 150 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom, so don’t miss out!  Register now for Divabetic’s Baking Party on Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom.

REGISTER NOW – FREE REGISTRATION

 

Cost: Free.

Donations are greatly appreciated.

 

Posted on

Diabetic Vs. Person With Diabetes: Language Matters

Language has the power to help or hinder our ability to manage diabetes. For example, choosing words that put people first instead of the stigma associated with diabetes.

“I was reluctant to say that “I was diabetic,” says Lorraine Brooks on Divabetic’s March podcast. “I wasn’t really sure I wanted anybody to particularly know. I don’t think I was embarrassed or ashamed. I just kind of felt like it was something that didn’t really concern anyone.”

Lorraine admits that switching terms made a difference. “I realized I can say, “I’m was somebody living with diabetes” instead of “being diabetic.” And just that little change of “I’m somebody with diabetes” just like “I’m somebody with brown eyes” it’s just a part of myself. It’s just another thing about me. It doesn’t have to have any judgment attached to it whatsoever to me or anyone else.”

Another word in diabetes self-care also under scrutiny is ‘control.’ Instead, the word ‘manage’ is being used more often when referring to blood sugars.

“Yes, it was liberating to use the term, manage instead of control,'” says Lorraine. “I manage my diabetes on a day-to-day basis. And sometimes, even though I’m managing it, it’s still out of control.” Lorraine adds, “So I think managing is what you’re doing if you live with this disease. It doesn’t mean you’re always going to be perfect. It just means your dealing with it to the best of your abilities.”

Hear more of Lorraine’s interview on Divabetic’s March podcast. Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, and Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES. Throughout the podcast, we will be featuring music from Prince & The New Power Generation’s Love Symbol album courtesy of SONY Music.

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Do you need a little help staying on track with your diabetes self-care? Join us for Divabetic’s next virtual outreach program.

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, hosts this free, fun Virtual Mother’s Day-themed Baking Party with special guests, Stacey Harris, aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef and Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller, on Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom.

Win gifts courtesy of Arthel Neville Design FABULOUS East/West Tote, Dr.’s Remedy Enriched Nail Care gift set, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes‘s Camper Cozy Mystery, Walden Farms Zero Calories, Zero Net Carbs Salad Dressings, and Peak 10 Skin’s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream during Mr. Divabetic’s random drawings. You must be present at our Baking Party to enter our gift drawings to win.

Over 150 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom, so don’t miss out!

REGISTER NOW – FREE REGISTRATION

Posted on

Judging And Grudging by Lorraine Brooks

On Divabetic’s March podcast, Poet Lorraine Brooks reads her latest poem, Judging and Grudging.

Judging and Grudging is about Lorraine’s recent real-life encounter with a podiatrist. “I felt she was quite offensive in her lack of knowledge and her lack of using the appropriate language,” says Lorraine. “She was making judgments about me and how I handled my diabetes.”

Judging and Grudging by Lorraine Brooks 

My new podiatrist, who has never met me,
Feels it is her duty to address my diabetes,
Which does not offend me, although her comments make it clear
That she doesn’t “get” me.

She asks for my latest a1c, and the date,
And l dutifully tell her it was just last month,
that l stay on top of my bloodwork every 90 days,
And it’s been hovering around 8.

She doesn’t even look up from my feet
She shakes her head and makes that disapproving face,
While telling me l could “do better”, and l should lose weight
But in that moment, l refused to feel defeat.

I politely said, with all due respect, that statement is offensive
You have not done a history or proper exam,
You are making assumptions about who and what l am,
And your assessment of me is anything but comprehensive.

First of all, l am type 1, not 2,
I’ve had this disease for over 40 years, and yes, it is a struggle.
But l have no complications, and that includes my feet,
And now l feel l must educate you.

Everything in my life is not a result of what you see.
Every medical concern needs to be addressed objectively.
Whatever you would tell someone of average size
Is exactly what you should be telling me.

Pinched nerve? Tell me what to take, what to avoid, help me to cope.
Gastric reflux? Give me some practical advice l can use.
Don’t assume everything is about my size
Meet me where l am. Offer me hope.

Acknowledge that weight is just another statistic
That health, and well-being, are what you prescribe.
Tell me I’m ok without reservation
And examine yourselves to be more realistic.

Mr. Divabetic discusses language’s power to help or harm someone’s ability to manage their diabetes self-care with guests, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES, and Lorraine Brooks. March’s musical inspiration is Prince and the New Power Generation. We feature songs from their Love Symbol album to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its release, courtesy of SONY Music.

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Do you need a little help staying on track with your diabetes self-care?

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, hosts Divabetic’s upcoming free, fun Virtual Mother’s Day-themed Baking Party with special guests, Stacey Harris, aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef and Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller, on Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom.

Win gifts courtesy of Arthel Neville Design FABULOUS East/West Tote, Dr.’s Remedy Enriched Nail Care gift set, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes‘s Camper Cozy Mystery, Walden Farms Zero Calories, Zero Net Carbs Salad Dressings, and Peak 10 Skin’s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream during Mr. Divabetic’s random drawings. You must be present at our Baking Party to be entered in our gift drawings.

Over 150 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom, so don’t miss out!

REGISTER NOW – FREE REGISTRATION

Posted on

Easy To Make Celebrity-Inspired Charcuterie Plates!

Entertaining with diabetes doesn’t have to be bland. Learn to entertain like a Divabetic and turn your everyday meals into occasions.

Make your next gathering more memorable by focusing on ‘fun’ rather than the ‘food’ aspect of entertaining.

One way to host a fun night is by serving celebrity-inspired Charcuterie Boards.

The word “charcuterie” is a French term for a line of cooking devoted to prepared meat products. But today, charcuterie has become synonymous with wooden boards filled with meats, cheese, produce, crackers, artisan bread, and dips.

The key to making a healthy charcuterie board is to use all kinds of fresh produce for your bite-sized goodies. Choose meats that are preferably free of nitrates and minimally processed. Celery and carrots are always a great stand-by option. So are cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, roasted peppers, hot peppers, cucumber slices, cauliflower, and broccoli. Try to use a variety of textures, colors, and flavors that everyone will enjoy.

Recently, I made five different Celebrity-inspired Charcuterie Plates. My guests had to correctly identify my celebrity inspirations by the items on my Charcuterie Plates. When they needed extra help, I also allowed them to ask me ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions about each celebrity inspiration. 

Here’s how I created my Sophia Loren-inspired Charcuterie Plate.

I purchased five mini-brownie tin pans at a nearby Dollar Store. Each tin was $1.99. Then, I lined each tin with waxed paper before placing various food items on them.

My Sophia Loren-inspired Charcuterie plate featured black olives, Parmesan cheese, prosciutto-wrapped sundried tomatoes, and Italian bread. Seconds after putting the Charcuterie Plate down in front of them, my friends correctly guessed Sophia Loren! 

We had a lot of fun talking about Sophia Loren’s career, other Italian celebrities, and additional food items.

My celebrity inspiration, Sophia Loren, was born on September 20, 1934, in Rome, Italy. She rose above her poverty-stricken origins in postwar Naples to become one of Italy’s most famous movie stars. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as Cesira in the film Two Women (1961), directed by Vittorio De Sica.

Sophia Loren was the first actor to win an Oscar for a non-English-language performance.

Later she earned an Academy Honorary Award in 1991.

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Do you need a little help staying on track with your diabetes self-care?

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, hosts this free, fun Virtual Mother’s Day-themed Baking Party with special guests, Stacey Harris, aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef and Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller, on Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom.

Win gifts courtesy of Arthel Neville Design FABULOUS East/West Tote, Dr.’s Remedy Enriched Nail Care gift set, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes‘s Camper Cozy Mystery, Walden Farms Zero Calories, Zero Net Carbs Salad Dressings, and Peak 10 Skin’s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream during Mr. Divabetic’s random drawings. You must be present at our Baking Party to enter our gift drawings to win.

Over 150 people registered for our last Divabetic Baking Party on Zoom, so don’t miss out!

REGISTER NOW – FREE REGISTRATION

 

Posted on

Divabetic Remembers Traci Braxton

Traci Braxton, the sister of singer Toni Braxton and “Braxton Family Values” TV show star, passed away after battling cancer in the esophagus.

During the past decade, Traci Braxton was an outspoken diabetes advocate. Most of her comments and confessions about living with diabetes centered around her weight. Like many of us, she had a rollercoaster journey with her weight. But her journey was seen by millions.

If you struggle with managing your weight and/or maintaining a weight loss, you know all too well how challenging that can be. And to have diabetes on top of that can make it doubly difficult. Traci Braxton was no different.

Back in 2018, she said, “I was diagnosed diabetic and didn’t want to take any more pills, so I had to go on this healthy kick.” As a result, she successfully lost 4o pounds. “Now I control it through my diet. Because of that, I am no longer on the pills.”

Years earlier, in 2013, Traci Braxton faced harsh criticism from her sisters about her size. The Braxton sisters confronted her about her weight during a weight-loss intervention. The driving force behind their actions, it seems, was to tell Traci what the extra weight was doing to her health.

In the heat of the moment, Traci was not happy. “I really wanted to punch them in the face,” she said. However, Traci later changed her mind about the confrontation. Later, she made several lifestyle changes to get her health back on track. “I had to really change my eating habits, and it’s [still] a struggle. But my sisters were exactly right,” she admitted showing off her newly slimmed-down figure. She lost thirty-five pounds. “They saw me gaining weight … I developed (type 2) diabetes, high blood pressure, and I was in denial.”

Managing diabetes day in and day out can be a grind. Sometimes family members, friends, and healthcare providers telling you to ‘just lose weight’ doesn’t help or motivate you.

After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, getting your diabetes under tighter management is a reasonable first goal without the added extra burden of a weight loss goal. Doing so may mean starting on medicine (including, possibly, insulin), adding a different type of medicine to your regimen, and/or increasing the dose of diabetes medicine that you’re already taking. And, of course, meal planning and physical activity work with your diabetes medicine to help you manage your diabetes, as well.

Our big takeaway from Traci Braxton’s candor regarding diabetes advocacy is that conversations about diabetes shouldn’t start and end with weight loss. There’s much more in play regarding diabetes management than just the number you see on the scale. Maybe it’s time for society to realize there are many ways to manage your diabetes and avoid complications that don’t involve the word ‘diet.’

Gone far too soon, we celebrate Traci Braxton’s life and memory and send our heartfelt condolences to the entire Braxton family during this difficult time.

We’re talking about the power of words to elevate or tear down someone’s perception of themselves and their diabetes health on Divabetic’s podcast scheduled for Tuesday, March 15, 2022.

Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, and Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES. Throughout the podcast, we will be featuring music from Prince & The New Power Generation’s Love Symbol album courtesy of SONY Music.

Posted on

Divabetic Mysteries: A Christmas Peril Available On Demand

You can now enjoy our latest Divabetic Mysteries podcast, A Christmas Peril in its entirety (Episodes 1-11), on Facebook, YouTube, and BlogTalkRadio. We pack our annual mystery podcasts with diabetes and diabetes self-care information, a suspenseful mystery, and a few laughs.

Our main character, Mr. Divabetic is perfectly flawed to help us illustrate some of Divabetic’s cornerstone messages.

1. He’s resilient. Minor obstacles like a disastrous recipe or big problems like getting mixed up in murder investigations don’t deter his dreams of becoming the Next Food Network Star.

2. Healthy food doesn’t taste terrible. Unfortunately, Mr. Divabetic hasn’t figured out how to make one of his culinary creations taste good yet, but he has learned from his mistakes.

3. He doesn’t have all the answers, and that’s okay. Instead, he solves problems with the help of a team of friendly, upbeat certified diabetes care and education specialists, friends, and family members.

4. He doesn’t take himself too seriously. Instead, he rolls with the punches and punchlines and keeps his eye on the prize.

Divabetic Mysteries are a team effort that takes almost a year to produce. Each podcast is performed live on-air without interruption.

We have a blast from the initial story outline and first read-through to endless scriptwriting and fact-checking sessions and the final live broadcast! Of course, performing a 60-minute play without interruption is a bit nerve-racking and stressful for our cast of diabetes advocates, educators, authors, musicians, and poets.

Everyone’s afraid to make a mistake or even cough! But it’s also exhilarating to challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. We might not be trained actors, but we sure do like pretending to them for an hour!

Our story was inspired by Kevin Houdeshell’s tragic true-life story. Thanks to the Houdeshell family for their advocacy efforts on behalf of the Emergency Insulin Act of 2019 and the emergency prescription refill legislation. Known as Kevin’s or Howdy’s Law, it allows pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of a chronic maintenance medication if the doctor cannot be reached – a common-sense act that could save a life.

Starring Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, USA Best Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie Gentle, Terri Seidman, MaryAnn Nicolay, Trisha Artman, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, and Wendy Radford. Special thanks to the Houdeshell family, and Pharmacist Mandy Reece. Original music by Ivan Hampden Jr., Celine Dion’s vocals courtesy of SONY Music. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir. Video by Joe Hackney from Pixabay.

In the spirit of Scrooge’s awakening at the end of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, we encourage you to honor Christmas in your heart by living in the Past, The Present, and the Future. Try to embrace the Spirits of all Three and the lessons that they teach.

Thank you for listening!

Proudly powered by WordPress