Ocean Blessings

I woke up at about 2 this morning shaking uncontrollably. I felt weak and extremely hungry. Usually when this happens I take out my glucometer, test my blood sugars, and proceed to go pump my body with sugar before going back to bed. If you didn't know already, I'm a type 1 diabetic. Type 1 diabetes is the "juvenile" form. It's an autoimmune disease where my body no longer produces insulin, so I have to inject myself with insulin upwards of 4 times a day. I don't usually talk about it, mostly because it doesn't fit so well with my mermaid image (seriously, what kind of mermaid pulls a needle from her shells and sticks it in her arm?!), but I feel like it's important to blog about it today. Being diagnosed with diabetes changed my life, for the better and for the worse. Coming so close to death reminds you of how short your life is, and truly forces you to live it to the fullest. Without my diagnosis, I probably wouldn't have followed my dreams to becoming a real mermaid.  But, I digress........So this morning I wake up shaking uncontrollably. When I looked at the number on my glucometer I had to double check, blink, and test again. My sugars had dropped to a mere 38. Now for those of you that are unfamiliar with how blood sugars work here's a little blood sugar 101 for you. A normal person ranges from 70-120 (ish). High blood sugars are upwards of 120 for normal people, although mine have gotten as high as 700. Low blood sugars are anything below 70 (70 is a normal fasting blood sugar). You can go into a coma if it goes below 40 (and sometimes, you won't wake up). So you can imagine my panic as the meter read 38. I'm lucky I woke up. Last night I came within minutes from slipping into a hypoglycemic coma.

So, why am I telling you this? I'm telling you this because I feel that it's necessary to tell the over 2,000 of you that have been reading this just how blessed I am. I feel it's more important than updating about any event or swimming session or mermaid experience. Too often I have taken these amazing gifts for granted. So here I am, publicly expressing my gratitude for everything in my life. It's a long list, and I know I won't get to everything, but here's a start (and in no order, really).

I have to be the luckiest mermaid in the world. I have a beautiful apartment, filled to the brim with mermaid treasures, mostly from an adoring husband who spoils me. I also have the best family in the world. Including a wonderfully supportive sister, Janelle who is responsible for pushing me to achieve my goals as an artist, and helping me with all my costuming/pictures/business/accessories etc. I'm also so lucky to have a wonderful and supportive network of friends, especially friends that I consider family (you know who you are!). I have been blessed with good health (aside from the above mentioned, of course) and energy. I'm one of the few lucky girls to not just live my dream as a mermaid, but be able to own a beautiful silicone tail, with all the trimmings. I've been blessed to be as talented as I am. I don't mean to sound pompous, but I truly feel it's a blessing that I'm able to perform and swim in my prosthetic it's a talent that not all have or could do, and I am so lucky to be able to have the physical and mental capacity to do it.

I'm also so blessed to have been given so many opportunities to perform and be able to share magic with others. I honestly cannot believe how many opportunities I have been given in the last year. In the past few months I have had some kind of mermaid event, performance, booking, photoshoot, etc. every weekend. While it has been crazy to prepare for that, I've also had the most wonderful experiences of my life. I'm also extremely grateful to have found a regular client and friend. I'm teaching my newest client and good friend, Gary, how to swim as a merman, and we've had so many great adventures and he has been so helpful in sharing my business and helping provide extra opportunities to perform. I was also blessed with my pagan friends helping me so much by allowing me to perform at their various festivals and booths. Crone's Hollow's Fairy Festival was a wonderful and fun opportunity for me, and Daniel Cureton of the Salt Lake Pagan Society allowed me to share their space (and parade space) at the Utah Pride Festival. On top of that I have been invited to perform at a few renaissance faires, one of which is in a little over a week. The Dragon Fyre Faire located in Soda Springs Idaho (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dragon-Fyre-Faire/531264566918146?fref=ts) has invited me to participate in their festivities, parade, and evening shows. They are treating us like mermaid royalty, providing us people to lift and carry us, food, booth space, and so much more. And there's another blessing in and of itself. I feel so blessed to have people willing to help me out when I perform. It's difficult having bound legs, and it's amazing how willing people are (and complete strangers too) to just lend you a fin.

I wanted to leave you with some pictures from the Crone's Hollow Fairy Festival since I haven't sooner.

Happy Splashes! 

Janelle and Dottie at our booth.