Hi, thanks for visiting! I'm Laura (she/her), a three-time adamantine-best-selling copyeditor. I specialize in D&D fifth edition and also love new systems. I'd love the opportunity to lend my expertise with the Wizards of the Coast style guide and mechanics in accordance with the Chicago Manual of Style—or I can help you create a style guide of your own!Though I'm most passionate about helping others bring their dreams to life through copyediting, I'm also a skilled writer, game designer, graphic designer, and occasional artist.My best-known work includes Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen, Keith Baker's Exploring Eberron, and MCDM's Flee Mortals. I'm also the creator of the Simple Microsoft Word Template, which has been downloaded by over eight thousand designers! At last count, my DMsGuild work has earned three adamantine best-seller medals, four mithral, six platinum, fifteen gold, ten electrum, six silver, and one copper.I serve as editor-in-chief for Across Eberron, moderate several D&D-related Discord servers, and used to read books in my spare time but there's not much of that these days—because I'm also the mother to 2 gibbering mouthlings and wife to a paladin very tired teacher ex-teacher-turned-CAD-designer.If you don't need any TTRPG supplements but want to support me anyways, you are a kind dear soul, and yes, I do have a Ko-fi. :)
Diabetes Resources
Hi, you found my not-so-secret diabetes resources page!In "real life," I'm the mother of a preschooler with type 1 diabetes. It's quite the journey, but be encouraged that there's a light at the end of the tunnel, and you'll come out on the other side! <3This page has a few resources that I've created (and am now sharing by popular demand). These have nothing to do with my day job as a TTRPG editor, but this is my site so I make up the rules. ;)If you have questions, feel free to click the envelope icon near top of page (right beneath my name) to email me.And yes, feel free to share this link with any T1D caregivers you know! I grant unlimited permission for personal use of the documents on this page, including reproducing & modifying as desired. No commercial use allowed.Obligatory disclaimer:
None of this is medical advice, merely a collection of resources I've created for my personal use. Consider these to be samples in need of customization for your personal medical needs, and always talk to your doctor before making treatment decisions!Want to say thanks?
Some kind folks have asked how they can show appreciation. These resources are all provided completely free of charge, but if I've saved you a bit of time and you'd like to toss a coffee my way, it'd make my day! :)
Blood Glucose Decision Tree
Intended to help babysitters & school staff monitor kids for hypoglycemia. This chart does not include specific instructions for insulin administration, and assumes the caregiver is primarily watching for lows.
You can get an editable Word version in my Temporary Caregiver Instructions (below).
Temporary Caregiver Instructions
4 pages of customizable templates in Word format. This caregiver info includes general care instructions, overview of type 1 diabetes, a crash course on monitoring blood glucose, and the above-mentioned Blood Glucose Decision Tree.This does not have specific instructions for insulin administration, and assumes the caregiver is primarily watching for lows.You will have to customize this for your personal medical needs (e.g. to describe what's in your diabetes bag) - keep an eye on the highlighted sections to see what may need to change.
Info Sheets for School Diabetes Boxes
Half-page sheets, intended to be laminated as labels for shoebox-sized containers of diabetes snacks/medical supplies.The pictures show what we send to school with kiddo:1) We give my child's teacher a snack box; the top of it has general care info in case there's a sub, and underneath the lid, we tape another info sheet with snack instructions, along with the canister of Baqsimi.2) In the nurse's office, they keep another snack box (with info on top, and more info + Baqsimi under lid), along with another box containing medical supplies like fingerprick glucometer, alcohol wipes, Dexcom replacement sensor, etc.3) His backpack contains a small diabetes emergency kit, which teacher can carry to playground with them.You will have to customize this Word document for your personal medical needs (e.g. to include contact info, describe what's in your diabetes bag, etc).
Glucagon Instructions
These documents are not my creations. I'm including a link because you should print the relevant one and include it with the above caregiver instructions.
Things I Love
I have no affiliation with any of these - just linking to some of the diabetes resources from other folks that were helpful in starting my journey.
Podcast: Juicebox Podcast (seriously, LISTEN TO THIS)
Facebook group: Juicebox Podcast FB group (super supportive & positive, yet encouraging you not to settle for status quo)
Book: Think Like a Pancreas (read this, no matter what)
Book: Sugar Surfing (more helpful if you're on a pump, but has some good ideas regardless)
For MDI with young kids: i-Port Advance (not covered by insurance, but very affordable & worth the out-of-pocket for MDI because it makes frequent corrections a breeze. Talk to sales rep about getting a free 1-month trial)
For MDI without i-Port: Shotblocker (part placebo, part sensory distraction, and all MAGIC, makes injections tear-free)
CGM pouch: Spibelt Play-Proof (whether kiddo has a pump, Libre, Dexcom, whatever, this can hold it all. Spibelt makes a few other kids belts too, but this one is SO much more durable, I strongly recommend it)
Diabetes kit: Condor Sidekick pouch (This compact pouch fits well inside a backpack/diaper bag, and is big enough to hold our red glucagon AND baqsimi, glucometer/lancer/test strips, honey straws, glucose tabs, Pedialyte powder, syringes, glucose gel, and a backup battery pack)
"Type 1 Diabetes" velcro patch: HappyRover on Etsy (fits nicely on the velcro exterior of Condor Sidekick pouch mentioned above)
Carb Snacks:
Nudging mild lows: Neon Lasers "pixie sticks" candy (1g carbs sugar per straw; I like these over real pixie sticks because the wrapper is plastic and doesn't break & make a mess in my diabetes kit)
Nudging mild lows: Mega Smarties (3g carbs per smartie; these handily fit in empty glucose tab canisters)
Correcting moderate lows: Honey Acres honey straws (5g carbs per straw)
Correcting moderate lows: Haribo Gold-Bears mini packets (9g carbs per packet; also sometimes available on Amazon, just make sure you get the little packets, nutrition info will say 28g per 3 packets)
Correcting serious lows: Nature Nate's honey packets (12g carbs per packet; also available at my local Walmart).
Correcting serious lows: Apple & Eve Sesame Street 4.23oz juice boxes (14g carbs per box; also available on Amazon)
High-protein, lowish-carb milk: Fairlife milk (6 carbs for 8 oz white milk, 13 carbs for 8 oz chocolate milk; note that the single-serving 8 oz bottles are SHELF-STABLE and don't require refrigeration before opening!)
Nudging nighttime BG after teeth are brushed: Fiber gummies (sugar alcohols don't cause teeth decay, but YMMV on how much they increase your kiddo's BG. 2 of these gummies tend to affect my kiddo about as much as 1g sugar)