Stacey Simms Blog

Glug, Glug, Glug

A bunch of folks in Charlotte, including me, are starting a challenge today.  We're trying to drink more water. A lot more water! It's called 60 in 60.  It starts today and you can get all the info here at NoFizzCLT. In a nut shell, they're asking us to drink 60 ounces of water every day for the next 60 days.

This started in May when personal trainer Bobby DeMuro asked people around here to give up soda for 30 days.  I spoke to him for Health Headlines: The Show and he said the response was so good that he'd do more. So here's the latest challenge.

I already drink at least 30 ounces of water a day, so I think it's going to be interesting to see if I can actually get up to 60. I'm going to ask Bobby if I can count the plain seltzer I switched to this summer. (Sorry NoFizz, I still like the fizzy!).  My new go-to cocktail is seltzer with a splash of cranberry juice, garnished with lime. I know - you want to party with me!

My plan for 60 in 60 is to drink one glass of water for every cup of coffee during Charlotte's Morning News.  That may not be too bright (let's just say my studio breaks are limited) but we'll see how it goes.  I'm also going to make sure I have a full bottle of water when I leave WBT each day - drinking that on the way home will add 20 ounces. 

We'll also continue what my family started earlier this on my son's diabetes doctor's advice.  Drink a glass of water each evening when you sit down to dinner, before you start eating.  As you can see below, doing that can help you lose weight.

 

 

Are you in? How do you sneak more water into your day? Let me know and we'll talk about it on the health show. 

(Programming note: after this Sunday, Health Headlines is on a break until October 17th to make room for the Panthers. Tune in to Mick, Eugene and Jim starting September 12!)

Spectrum of Hope

Eye opening event last Friday.  I was asked to emcee the Spectrum of Hope luncheon for the Autism Services of Mecklenburg County.  As the host of  Heath Headlines: The Show I get to interview many experts about many different medical topics, but so often we just skim the surface.  This was a chance to really learn what parents of children with autism go through day by day.

The speaker was Susan Senator, mother of three.  Her oldest son is, in her words, severely autistic. She gave a wonderful presentation, with family photos and heartfelt emotion.  It really helped me begin to understand what life is like when you have a children with autism. Senator is the author two books, her newest (right) is The Autism Mom's Survival Guide.

Friday was also Benny's first day of Kindergarten, so I kept my phone on during the luncheon. I was pretty sure a room full of moms and dads of kids with special needs would understand that my kid with special needs might need me.  Turns out, he did.  The teacher called just before his lunchtime to let me know Benny's blood sugar was very high (300). We chatted about what to do and then they went on to lunch and I went on with the event.

You know how once you start thinking about something it suddenly seems to be everywhere?  Came into work this morning to see this as the top story on Yahoo news: Who Is Temple Grandin?  Grandin was diagnosed with autism in 1950 at the age of 2 and went on to earn multiple advanced degrees, including a doctorate in animal science.  The HBO biopic "Temple Grandin," was nominated for seven Emmy awards Sunday night and won five. Hers is an amazing and motivating story.

So is Susan Senator's.  It was a pleasure to meet her and eye opening to spend some time with local parents of autistic kids. If you'd like more information about Autism Services of Mecklenburg County, including adult residential services, after school programs and summer camp, please click here. 

(left) ASMC CEO Marc Phillips, NC Rep. Beverly Earle (D-101), Susan Senator

(below) me and Susan Senator

Buckle Up For Back to School

First day of school! 

My daughter starts 4th grade and Benny's all set for Kindergarten. Well, almost. They stagger the start for the littlest students so he won't ride the bus for a few more days.  That's fine - it gives us another chance to go over all the diabetes info with his teacher and school.

I was excited to share our family's experience with Betsy Flagler, writer of the nationally syndicated Parent to Parent column. It ran in our local paper this week and will appear in newspapers around the country over the next ten days or so. 

Click here to read Betsy Flagler's column about back to school with type 1 diabetes.  The Charlotte Observer edited it down a bit.  I'll re-link if the original, longer version runs elsewhere, as expected.

I mention quite a few diabetes resources in the column, but I'll add one more here.  There are many wonderful parents blogging about their experiences with kids with diabetes - Leighann at D-Mom Blog has a good aggregate of back to school posts.

So here we go! I'm sure it's going to be a bumpy ride, but we're ready to buckle in and hang tight for the ups and downs.

 
(That's the Carolina Cyclone at Carowinds. We were just there last week and realized that - at 49" - Benny is now big enough to ride that and just about everything else.  And you think Kindergarten is supposed to scare me!)

Challenge: Southern Cooking

I love the Food Network Challenge shows, so when Charlotte decided to create a one-time local version, I jumped at the chance to host it.  It's the very first Find Your Center Southern Cooking Contest.  Find Your Center is part of Charlotte Center City Partners and the contest is part of the newly named Time Warner Cable BBQ and Blues Festival (got all that?).

First, the judges narrowed down all the entries down to two in each Southern cooking category: Mac & Cheese, Sweet Potatoes and Apple Cobbler.  We all met in a kitchen at Johnson & Wales University, set the clock and let them go!

 
 

Johnson & Wales staff helps contestants Andrea Robson (back) and Angela Charles during the competition. The biggest questions were about the convection ovens cooking faster and where to find some spoons. 

 

The winning dishes! Carla Brafford's Mac & Cheese Jalapeno poppers, Clarissa Lynch's Sweet Potato Biscuits, and Andrea Robson's Apple Cobbler. (congratulations to the runners up: Donte Fears, Scott Lindsley, and Angela Charles)

In addition to their dishes, the amateur Chefs needed to tell the story of their recipe. Carla says hers is Tex-Mex meets Southern (she doesn't say jalapeno.. she drawls jap-a-lee-noh), Clarissa talked about her family's slave history of making recipes from the lack of ingredients and Andrea's dessert is pure Pennsylvania Dutch brought down-home South.

 
 
  
Thanks to the wonderful Johnson & Wales judges - (l-r) Chef Mark Allison, Chef Wanda Cropper and Chef Peter Reinhart. Behind them are winners Brafford, Lynch and Robson.

They move on to the next part of the competition on September 11th at Time Warner Cable BBQ and Blues.  I'll host another cook-off and we'll announce the overall winner.  You'll be able to watch the whole show on demand on Time Warner this fall.

The food was incredible, but what really knocked me out were the cameras.  When I started as a TV reporter, they still had separate cameras and decks (that's where the tape went!), connected by a cable.  Here, the crew had one professional-sized digital camera, and two other tiny little ones that look like something we'd use to snap pics of our kids. Amazing.  Also, I am getting old.

Back To School

Went back to school shopping with Benny last week. School around here starts August 25th and we've learned that if you wait, the really cool Trapper Keepers are sold out. 

We've actually been prepping for the first days of school for a while now.  When you've got a student with type 1 diabetes, you have to fill out a few more forms, including making a 504 plan. (great explanation of the 504 and samples here at D-Mom Blog) I also had a great conversation with our school nurse in the spring.  We don't have a full time nurse - most Charlotte schools don't - and Benny's care will actually come more from his teacher and her assistant.

Here in North Carolina, kids with type 1 are checked in the classroom, not sent to the office.  That's not the case in most other states, and it's only been the law here since 2002.  (more information on the law here)

I'm very pleased Benny doesn't have to interrupt classroom time to check his blood sugar, but I admit, I'm a little worried about the teacher having the time during a busy day to give him the attention he needs, even with an assistant.  I also just found out that the terrific nurse I talked to is being transferred to a high school. The new nurse reports this week. 

So far, Benny's super-excited and just wants to make sure I'll come to school and read one of his diabetes books (like this adorable one above) to his new Kindergarten buddies.  "So they get it, Mom," he says.

I'm taking a deep breath and planning for a positive experience.  The principal has answered all my emails this summer and has assured me they know the drill. We'll meet with the nurse and Benny's teacher before classes start and I know we'll come up with a plan that works for everyone. 

He's not the first kid with type 1 to go to this school, but he's my first!

Lucky Number 44

Floyd Little will be inducted into the Football Hall of Fame this weekend. As a Syracuse alum, it's always great to see another #44 get his place in history. For those who don't bleed orange, here's why #44 is special 

I am strictly a casual SU fan - but I will always be thankful that a few of the best football players in school history also have a good sense of humor.

In 1989, I had been a reporter for student newspaper The Daily Orange for about two weeks.  A freshman who could barely find the Carrier Dome, I had been assigned to cover a football story. The editor didn't tell me much, just that some old players were coming back. It sounded like a nice, sentimental feature, so off I went.

As soon as I arrived, I could tell something big was going on. I didn't recognize one person in the room, but you could tell just by the way other people were acting - everyone was beaming, some even seemed nervous - that these weren't ordinary players.  I had no idea.

But at least I knew I didn't' know!  I went over the SU pr person (boy I wish I remember who it was!) and confessed I was clueless. What else could I do? He laughed and said, "I can help." I then got a personal introduction to each player.

That's how I met Floyd Little, Jim Brown, and Don McPherson. They couldn't have been nicer and each spent several minutes answering my dopey questions.

I learned great lessons that day. Mostly about not being afraid to look stupid - you've got to ask the questions if you don't know the answers. Also, it's a good idea to research the story before you head out to cover it.  But the best lesson? Nothing makes your sportscaster wanna-be friends at Newhouse jealous like getting close proximity to famous players.

Kicking Off D-Feast Friday

I love the idea of D-Feast Friday.  Today is the very first and it's a chance for diabetes bloggers to mention a favorite recipe.  Doesn't have to be low carb or "diabetes-friendly" (whatever that means).

 

If you know me, then you know I'm not exactly a whiz in the kitchen.  Luckily, I'm married to a great cook and I know a ton of people in the restaurant business.  That's why my book is called I Can't Cook, But I Know Someone Who Can.  I donate all the money we make to JDRF ($12,000 and counting!).   

The book includes recipes and advice from Charlotte's best chefs - along with my kitchen disasters.  For D-Feast, I'm including a recipe by Johnson & Wales University Dean of Culinary, Chef Mark Allison. His Sunset Slaw is out of this world.

 

I met Chef Allison while judging a kids' cooking contest at J&W.  We got to talking and for some reason, I mentioned Benny.  Turns out, Chef Allison's son was diagnosed with type 1 at 11 months.  We're good friends now, and I can't wait to tell you more about the cookbook he's working on!

 

JOHNSON & WALES UNIVERSITY

Chef Instructor Mark Allison

Sunset Slaw

¼ teaspoon Cajun seasoning

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon cumin seed

1 teaspoon sugar

2 limes, zest and juice

¼ cup of vegetable oil

1 medium carrot, cut into fine strips

1 small jicama the size of your hand, cut into fine strips

½ red pepper, cut into fine strips

½ yellow pepper, cut into fine strips

¼ cup dried tomatoes

1 red chili pepper, cut into fine dice

½ tablespoon chopped cilantro

1. Place the Cajun seasoning, red pepper flakes, cumin, and sugar into a bowl. Add the zest and juice of the limes. Whisk in the vegetable oil.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix together well. Refrigerate to infuse the flavors for about 1 hour before serving.

(Serves 4-6)

 

Click here to find out more and purchase I Can't Cook...

Enter Promo Code JDRF at checkout and save $10

 

 

D-Camp

"Camp KUDOS is the best thing we do all summer," said Benny. "Because there's nothing else where everybody has diabetes." 

Camp KUDOS is a three-day session, for kids ages 4 and up. It stands for Kids Understanding Diabetes with Our Support. Charlotte pediatric endocrinologist, Dr. Mark Parker, started the camp 16 years ago and it's a true labor of love. The office staff does it all with no permanent location, no website and no pay. These are amazing people who love our kids; we can't thank them enough!

You can click here to watch a great story WSOC-TV did on Camp KUDOS this year. The big guy getting tackled by 5-year-olds is Josh, a Charlotte fire fighter with type 1.  He is Benny's absolute favorite person at camp.

Here's Josh, Benny and all the Kangaroos (the youngest group) practicing their big cheer.

Last year, camp helped us get Benny to finally wear his medical ID bracelet. This year, he continued to gain confidence using the pump himself - very important as he's off to kindergarten in just a few weeks. Mostly, he had a lot of fun seeing his friends from last year and making new ones.

As I said, Camp KUDOS doesn't have a website, but you can reach them at campkudos@aol.com.

If you're reading this because you're interested in diabetes, please check out these blogs: This Is Caleb and D-Mom Blog.  They've both started lists of diabetes camps around the country (and they're great to follow if you're looking for a little help/support/education as a parent of a type 1 kid).

Reunite Me With Regis!

Did you ever wish you had the chance to relive a moment? Maybe make it better the second time around? I have that chance, but I need your help. It's the LIVE with Regis and Kelly Women of Radio Co-Host For a Day.  You see, me and Regis, we go way back.

I spent the summer before my senior year in college with an internship at WABC in New York.  That's in the same building as Regis & Kelly (of course back then, Kathie Lee was still the co-host).  I had a three-day a week internship, working for the medical reporter, Dr. Jay Adlersburg.  I think I met him once. Mostly I worked with the producer. Mostly, I sorted mail.

I loved going to work right near Lincoln Center, loved being in that newsroom. Growing up watching WABC, I felt like I was breathing rare air every day. The room was almost shimmery. I suppose it could have been the hairspray, but it felt like my bright future.

One morning, as I walked through the lobby, I saw the doors closing and yelled out, "Hold the elevator, please!"  A hand shot out to stop the door and I bounced in. "Thanks!" I chirped. Then I looked at the man attached to the hand. It was Regis Philbin himself! I was alone in the elevator with Regis!

Even more amazing, he was talking to me. He was inviting me to work on LIVE!  Oh wait, he was asking me which floor I needed.  I told him and he said, "Oh, you work in the newsroom." Then he said, "Tell Bill Beutel he owes me five bucks." Okay, I made up that last bit. (I loved Bill Beutel.  A New York legend, he was one of the few anchors who actually talked to interns)  

"Why yes," I said, suddenly trying to hold my briefcase and my coffee in a way I imagined a producer or a reporter would.  "The WABC newsroom." Were there others in the building? 

"Well, have a great day," he said.  The door opened and Regis walked out into the LIVE floor.  "You too!" I called. I floating within the elevator as it traveled the remaining five floors up.

My internship ended, I went back to college, got a part time job at WSYR radio, graduated from Syracuse and then got my first full-time job in Utica, NY. It was a far cry from the glittery WABC Lincoln Center experience. There were no other shows taping in the building. There wasn't an elevator. Some nights, there was barely a newscast - this is the kind of small TV station where the anchor operates her own TelePrompTer with a foot pedal. But it was exactly where I belonged and I loved every minute.

Fast-forward a few years and now I'm loving every minute at WBT radio.  But boy, wouldn't it be fun to go back to 7 Lincoln Center for a morning and revisit my star-struck 20-year old intern self?  This time I'd get to meet Regis for more than a moment, perhaps even have a genuine conversation. And tell him thanks, for making my already exciting internship even more memorable.

(If you agree, please click here to nominate me for the Women of Radio contest.  You can win a prize for entering, but hurry - it ends Friday, July 16th)

Raise a Glass For The Library

I took Benny to the library Tuesday after camp. Actually, we tried to go, but it was closed. I had completely forgotten that the new library schedule took affect this week. Bummer.

Like so many towns and cities, Charlotte's facing budget cuts that mean libraries are closing or cutting back hours. We are big library supporters; my late fees alone are probably keeping the North Regional branch open. Now we're putting our money where our mouth is. mouths are? Whatever. Really, we hope it's your mouth. Here's why:

My husband and I own Rotelli - a family Italian restaurant in South Charlotte.  This weekend, we'll donate 10% of proceeds to the Charlotte Libraries. That includes food or beverage (including the new full bar).  I wanted to call it Libations for the Library, but Slade went with Rotelli Wine & Dine for the Library. Fine.

My kids are both enthusiastic readers, but my schedule makes it hit or miss these days. I feel like I'm always reading last year's books. Just started The Big Love by Sarah Dunn and just finished the Guernsey Literary and Sweet Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.  I've recently become a huge fan of Michael Chabon and I raced through Robert Parker's second-to-last Spenser novel.  I've been reading Parker since I was 18 and was so sad to hear about his death this past January.

Two older books I really enjoyed this year are Julia Child's My Life in France and Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale (yes, that's the movie).  I'm also sort of embarrassed to tell you that I finally read Pride and Prejudice. Don't know what took me so long for that, but I can tell you why I'm waiting to read the second and third Stieg Larsson books.  Like everyone else, I read and loved The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.  My mom has the others on her Kindle, so I'm waiting until we see her later this summer!

I hope you can join us this Friday, Saturday or Sunday at Rotelli to help out our libraries. I'd also love to know, what's on your reading list?