At Least We Got A Paragraph!

Today the NY Times ran an article on the increased risk for heart attacks in diabetics. Mind you the headline stated Diabetics and not Type 2 diabetics which the 4 page (online version) of the article was almost entirely about. The only mention of Type 1 diabetics was that we are "often thin". Now I don't mean to feel like the bastard step child of the medical community but seriously at least throw us a bone! This comes on the heels of a friend of Courtney's mentioning to her that my blog is boring because it is only about "blood sugars." I'm more amazed each day by the misunderstanding people have with Type 1 diabetes and continue to try and think of outlets to get the word out about this disease.

For example, today ESPN had a segment on Sportscenter about Todd Crandell, a former heroin addict who was able to overcome his addiction through triathlons and ironmen competitions. Todd's story was inspirational and I would love if a similar piece was done on athletes who overcame diabetes. On any given sporting event you'll often hear about an athlete who overcame some adversity in his life to reach the position he is at today. However, groups like Team Type 1, athletes like Adam Morrison, Jay Hewitt, and Michael Sinclair are hardly ever mentioned. I spent my football career without the worry of blood sugars and can't imagine having played at the level I did while having to constantly check my bs.

I think the only way to improve the products we have to help treat the disease (like the work Amy at Diabetes Mine is doing) is to improve the awareness of this disease. My motivation to train for Ironman Lake Placid was in part to inspire all those diabetic kids who are afraid to put on a uniform of some kind but if our message never reaches those kids how are they supposed to be inspired? I'll continue to write like all those people on my blog roll do and hopefully one day our message will be heard.

Adult Onset Type 1

I was recently at the kickoff party for the Young Friend's of the Naomi Berri Center; 4 of the "friends" were diabetics, each of us had been diagnosed after our 17th birthday. It seems that a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes later in life has become more common over the past decade. This morning CNN.com ran an article about a 49 year old woman who was diagnosed with Type 1. Like the rest of us, she knows she must simply deal with the disease.

It's weird knowing that 3 or 4 months ago I was able to eat what I wanted without considering the repercussions. I didn't have to calculate the # of carbs in what I ordered at a restaurant or worry about how a beer was going to affect my blood sugar (up or down, up or down). Over the past few weeks Courtney has asked me to go for Dim Sum, Indian food or grab a burger at Shack Shake and I've had to turn each one down. Yesterday, she made a surprise visit to my office and before we grabbed an afternoon coffee she ordered an Ice Cream from Mr. Softee with sprinkles. In the past I may I have given her a look because she is training for an Ironman but yesterday for whatever reason I felt like that was insensitive. Perhaps I've been more on edge because of all the lows I've had over the past week and 1/2 but I'm definitely sensing a whole host of new struggles now facing me.