Thank You

"It is ok to choose your path and your pace...just stick to the path your heart is setting out for you.” My friend

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. There are no expectations other than having a great meal surrounded by the people I care most about. It’s a time when I start to reflect on the past year and think about how grateful I am for everything that has come my way – the good and the bad. I think about how appreciative I am for the support I have from my family and friends and how YOU continue to enrich my life.

So I’d like to say thank you. Thank you for supporting me in my life choices, thank you for supporting me in my athletic adventures and most of all thank you for continuing to donate to me on behalf of JDRF’s Ride to Cure Diabetes. The Ride to Cure has saved me in more ways than you could know and I am eternally grateful of your support. I asked you to make a decision to act and you did - you helped me raise $4,000.00 for this years ride in Vermont. As a whole the Vermont venue raised over 1.4 million dollars towards research – a first for the ride program!! All thanks to you.

That weekend was another life-changing experience as it challenged me like never before. You see I’ve never ridden in the rain. That day I rode 100 miles in the cold, wind and rain. I didn’t think I’d do it when I started; I was just going to see how I felt and take the day as it came. It’s a great thing when all is said and done, when you realize what you accomplished despite the adversity. I wrote in great detail what the experience was like in my blog. If you get a chance please copy and paste the link below to read all about it.

http://trainingdiabeteslife.blogspot.com/2009/08/coldwindrain100-miles-in-vt.html

As you may already know, this year I have become a triathlete and have now planned to race an Ironman by 2011. I can honestly say becoming an athlete has saved me. It’s helped me in dealing with loss, taking better control of my diabetes, becoming more involved in the diabetic community and as I have been positively influenced by the experience I want to continue to pay it forward. I have much to look forward to next year in preparation for 2011; lots of training, many races and new adventures as well as my annual century ride for JDRF. So I wanted to let you know you’re making a difference in my life and in the research being made with your continued support of the ride program. I couldn’t do this without you.

The path I am traveling right now is incredible and I’m enjoying every minute of it. Thank you so much for sharing it with me!!!

All my love,
Jen

30 Things About My Diabetes You May Not Know

1. The illness I live with is: Type 1 Diabetes

2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 1995

3. But I had symptoms since: 2-3 months prior to diagnoses

4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Thinking about how much insulin I need to cover everything I eat and always thinking about what my BG is.

5. Most people assume: That I can't eat the same things as them.

6. The hardest part about morning is: Waking up and getting out of my bed (cuz I'm tired!).

7. My favorite medical TV show is: (currently) Grey's Anatomy

8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: My glucose meter & Insulin Pump. If I really had to choose life or death situation I'd say meter.

9. The hardest part about nights is: Going to bed! I'm a night owl which is why #6 is so hard lol.

10. Each day I take: insulin and coffee.

11. Regarding alternative treatments I: don't think there is one for type 1, other than a cure.

12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: Invisible, because I don't want people to make snap judgments based on something visible.

13. Regarding working and career: Eventually I'll be working as an RD, CDE (got a few years to go) but I hope to be that CDE that everyone wants to see and learn from. I've also thought about coaching so who knows maybe I'll do it one day...

14. People would be surprised to know: That I can eat anything they can. That despite it's daily annoyances I actually APPRECIATE having diabetes because I'm not sure I'd be doing half the stuff I'm doing. That I think about diabetes and all it entails more than I might let on.

15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: I can’t be quite as spontaneous as I would like when it comes to food and exercise.

16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: become an athlete: century rider, triathlete and in 2011 an Ironman!

17. The commercials about my illness: usually target type 2 diabetes, not type 1. It's SO ANNOYING!!

18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: eating whatever I want without a care.

19. It was really hard to have to give up: I haven’t completely given anything up. BUT it has been hard to cut back on the sweets without the guilt.

20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: exercising regularly (or at least trying to).

21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: not have to check my BG and I'd eat whatever I want.

22. My illness has taught me: That I can accomplish more than I ever thought possible.

23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: I have a few: #1: “Should you be eating that?” (said with those judging eyes) #2: When they see me with a pump: “Oh you must not have it under control" #3: What's your #? (when they see me checking)

24. But I love it when people: ask because they are interested, instead of assuming.

25. My favorite motto, scripture, or quote that gets me through tough times is: as of late..."slow and steady".

26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: Diabetes is hard and it can be a real pain sometimes but don't EVER think you can't do something because of it.

27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: I can still learn something new everyday about my disease - doesn't matter how long I've had it. I have also been surprised about the opportunities it has given me and the great people I have met.

28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: opened the door for me and got me juice because I had a bad low.

29. The reason I am filling out this questionnaire is: I saw it on my teammate Jerry & David's blogs and thought it was cool.

30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: very happy - so thanks for taking the time!