Allow me to introduce Abby the Black Lab. I never actually met Abby the Black Lab, but I sure did read her stories, shared by her human, Laddie, a T1 and a blogger in the Diabetes Online Community. According to Laddie, “Abby the Black Lab was a popular author on my blog. She did not have diabetes nor did she ever notice any of my high or low blood sugars. But she was a wise dog and not shy about sharing her wisdom about life and blood sugar dysfunction.”
Abby made her blogging debut in 2013. During a memorable podcast in the DOC, Abby introduced herself as a diabetes fashionista of sunglasses and hats.
And she, like her human, was a tireless advocate for important causes. As Laddie recalls, “Abby was a dog and she knew that there was a much more important battle than diabetes for dogs and cats.”
“More importantly, we dogs and cats should toss aside our petty differences and stop the harassing hisses and barks. With a united army of canines and felines, we can fight a cosmic battle against our common enemy. A enemy who taunts and teases us in our own yards and through our own windows. An adversary who seems to think that dominance is achieved through water-skiing videos. We have seen the enemy and the enemy is……..SQUIRRELS!”
And her wisdom about COMMUNITY was so spot-on. In discussing the diabetes online community, Abby summed it up fabulously: “No one has ever complained about too much love, respect, and validation.”
Her wisdom lives on through her poetry (yes, she wrote poetry too!). Here is just a sampling from one of her best: A Diabetes Poem by Abby the Black Lab
I don’t know fancy poetry,
But I do know how to rhyme.
Diabetes is a pain-in-the-butt
All of the time.
I’m not a smart alert dog.
I don’t smell lows or highs.
But I do wish that diabetes
Would take a big good-bye.
Thank you, Laddie, for sharing Abby the Black Lab … and we send you much love … and wags.
Read more of Abby the Black Lab’s famous blog posts: The Best of Abby the Black Lab and more from Laddie’s Blog: Test Guess and Go
Ahh Abby was one of my besties. She is sadly missed.