In 2012 I met Ryan Reed at an ADA cycling event in Chapel Hill.  At the time he was about 2 years into his Type 1 diagnosis, and was racing NASCAR events and running Ryan's Mission.  As we spoke before the event, his attitude and ideas were (are) very similar to mine.  Although our sports are nothing alike (if I am doing 190mph on my bike I must have fallen off a cliff or something) we talked about the similarities of trying to do BG testing during events, insulin sensitivity during stress, and other fairly common topics.

I remember telling the folks at the ADA National Office at a meeting later that year, that Ryan Reed was the celebrity voice the Diabetes Online Community needed.  The spokesman for the masses.  Someone for the victims of Type 1 to look up to, and to emulate.

We saw Ryan a few months ago at the Charlotte race, and I was scheduled to speak at his hospitality fan zone tent before the night time race.  It was great to see him, and to see how much he influenced and inspired the mass of younger people with Type 1 who had came over to meet him.

Yesterday afternoon, Ryan Reed won the NASCAR Xfinity Series 300 mile race at Daytona International speedway.  I was texted the result while in my car, and I was literally yelling with excitement of the fabulous news!!

His first win couldn't have happened in a more special way to a young man who has the respect of all, and has inspired so many.  What moved me MOST however, was here was a dude with Type 1 driving a race car at the highest level and winning - proving to my very young Type 1 son that ANYTHING, anything at all, is possible.

Take two minutes and watch his well spoken and meaningful emotional Victory Lane interview here:

http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/videos/2015/2/21/xfinity-series-daytona-international-speedway-victory-lane.html


There are no limits.

Diabetes or not.


Congratulations Ryan, and a sincere thank you, my Type 1 Brother.

It certainly was a VERY HECTIC November! The celebration of World Diabetes Day on November 14th, and the 30 days of Diabetes Awareness Month kept us ALL hoping.  Everyday gave us the wonderful opportunity to actively advocate for Diabetes causes.  Some of the major highlights are:

Over at The Blue Heel Society we successfully participated in the 30 Day, 30 Posts National Health Blog Post challenge.

In response to being named one of the International Diabetes Federation World Diabetes Day Heroes, I wrote and published a blog post over at Insulet's Suite D site about us All Being Diabetes Heroes.  If you have a moment take a look at it here:

http://suited.myomnipod.com/manage-diabetes/we-are-all-diabetes-heroes/

The book by Dr. Beverly Adler, My Sweet Life: Successful Men With Diabetes, that I was so grateful to be asked to contributed a chapter to was published.  

A team of 10 of us raced under the Blue Heel Society banner at an event called Rebel Race in Haverhill, MA.  It was a 5k with 23 obstacles ranging from fire to barbed wire to 25 foot vertical walls.  The event made a donation to a diabetes charity in the name of team.  While there all of the team members met and spoke to a ton of people about diabetes. We will certainly be doing this, and other similar races, again!  Look for a blog entry on Suite D shortly! 

I was fortunate enough to be nominated for the 2012 WEGO Health Activist Hero Award.  To be nominated and supported by members of the Diabetes Online Community is very humbling.  I am SO grateful.  Thank you!

In the middle of the month, I was asked to participate on a WEGO Roundtable discussion about Diabetes.  It involved a few of us on a call-in basis, and a very active Twitter, radio, and online interactive audience. A summary of the discussion can be found here: http://blog.wegohealth.com/2012/11/14/roundtable-recap-diabetes-awareness-month/.

The Blue Heel Society launched its IRL (In Real Life) Luminary Campaign.  The campaign provides free tools, aptly collected in The Shoebox, to people interested in leading advocacy campaigns in their local areas around the globe.  The response has been overwhelming, and The Luminaries have already scheduled events starting now. 

Along the same lines, The Blue Heel Society was also nominated by our friends in the DOC for the 2012 WEGO Health Best Ensemble Cast Award.  All us involved with BHS where simply blown away by this honor.  

From the bottom of our collective hearts, Thank You ALL for being a part of the most globally successful Diabetes Awareness Month ever!!

It is the hard work everyone of you do, the stories and experiences that each share, and the non-judgmental support and encouragement that we give each other that makes the DOC family so incredible.

Thank you.

Keep Choppin' everyone!!  

So, Diane and I went out for brunch today, and when our meal was served, my BG was a 151. I had a single item with carbs in it. Yes, yes. A biscuit.

Sans gravy. But I'm off in a ditch here....

They tell me 28gC, and I bolused for 30g plus the correction.

About 90 minutes later, I test again. I'm in the 280s. Hmmm......

So, I bolus for the correction and run a Temp Basal of 125% for an hour.

60 minutes later, I test again.

I'm still in the 250s.

My guess is that although I ordered a Diet Coke, I was served a non carb free beverage instead.

Fast forward until just a few minutes ago, and someone on Facebook commented on a tweet I made explaining the situation.

Heli explained that they test their drinks whenever they go out to avoid confusion.

I asked if that meant testing the drink just like a drop of blood.

Confirmed.

SAY WHAT??????

Diane overhears me exclaim "WOW!", and gets out a juice box and grabs the Diet Mtn Dew I was drinking. (Apparently this trick is in the D-Mom handbook. Natch).

I grab my meter and we test a drop of the juice.

158.

I test a drop of the diet soft drink:




I am still trying to pick my jaw up off the floor.

I NEVER KNEW THAT.

As is the case, I certainly learn something new about Diabetes everyday.

Even after all these decades.

So cool. I still am in awe.

:)


- Posted using BlogPress using my iPad from somewhere in the universe

I have more things to be thankful and grateful for then I can possibly count.

Honestly, I do.

Two wonderful little boys who are growing each day into thoughtful, smart, considerate, kind, articulate young guys.

A love in a relationship the depth and width of which the world had never know and that spans all of time.

Good health, even after 36 years of battling diabetes.

Even the disease itself, which, along the way, has propelled me to see and try things beyond my wildest imagination. I have had experiences first hand that 99.9% of the world will never have the opportunity to feel or witness.

Diabetes has also brought me an amazing new family. Through the Type1Rider, Blue Heel Society, and Diabetes Monster organizations I have had the good fortune to meet tens of 1000s of strong willed people, with a warrior mentality, that pursue an endless quest to fight diabetes and locate a cure.

Just like me.

With that though in mind, I am especially thankful to the mainstays at those organizations, Thomas Moore & Jen Loving, for the immeasurable amount of work you do, the inspiration and motivation you provide me with, and for the countless smiles we have shared along the way.

I am going to put my Choppin' axe down for a short while today, look around at the people I love, enjoy some joyfulness, and give thanks for all.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.




- Posted using BlogPress using my iPad from somewhere in the universe

Advocate today. It's easy... just wear blue.

Rebel Race.... conquered.

Rock ON Team Blue Heel Society!!





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I have been fortunate to have been given the opportunity to speak to 1000s of people over the past few years about training, racing, and living with Diabetes.

To tell you the truth, I always walk away learning more and taking more from those in attendance than I ever come close to giving.

It truly is a blessing.

One of the questions I get asked asked almost everywhere I go is " Did Diabetes make you who your are, or were you already you and you just so happened to get Diabetes".

Damn hard question to answer.

The truthful answer is just a simple "Yes."

The sheer blunt force impact of the diagnosis of Diabetes will shift your way of thinking. Your entire mindset. Your way of life.

There is just no way around that.

The new patient, with this new, as of now, life long companion, is faced with an altered reality. A world of carb counting, sliding scales, insulin therapy, endless finger sticks, hypers, BG readings, 504s, ketones, countless doctor appointments, hypos, and, primarily and overwhelmingly an abyss of unknowns and fear.

It's a simply overpowering litany of details of the utmost importance to keep us, or a loved one, alive and healthy.

The disease, over the course of my life, has made me want to prove - primarily to myself - that I can do anything. The sheer unabridged fear of in some way having a limitation forced on me due to diabetes makes me try extraordinarily hard to not be.




I have picked the biggest races & most ludicrously trying events on the entire planet to test myself with.

The more I hear "It cannot be done" or "No one with T1 Diabetes has ever attempted that before" the greater the fuel to go do it.

It's all completely driven by unbridled fear. Just fear.

I'm more afraid of finding a Diabetes forced limitation than I am of being of being injured.

Or worse.

After dealing with all the aspects of Type 1 for 35 years, and completing the vast majority of goals I set for myself, I believe, at the absolute core of my being, I can, indeed, do anything.

Each and everyone of us with diabetes can.


We. Can. Do. Anything.

Believe it.


So yes, in some very major ways, Diabetes has indeed forged who I am.

On the other hand, the disease simply forces the hidden inner strengths and talents in all of us touched by it to rise to the surface.

All people who have been affected by Diabetes, whether themselves or a loved one or child, find their soul does indeed contain a ferocious warrior, wizard, mathematician, writer, engineer, teacher, field General, and medical professional.

We ALL find our complete compliment of full armor plating.

Our unbound courage.
Our unyielding resilience.
Our razor sharp scimitar.
Our endurance athlete.
Our never ending compassion and understanding.

All of those amazing characteristics were shackled in our souls, mostly sitting idol the entire time.

We are just lucky enough to have found them & let them loose.

Yup. Lucky.

Not that we have to deal with Diabetes each and everyday, but we have found those specific traits that enable us to just that.

And these properties spill over into the non-diabetes related parts of our lives.

So, on the flip side no. I was indeed this same person all along.

Hence, I will always just continue to answer that complex question with a smile, and a simple "Yes."



Keep Choppin.



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I was doing some tabulations about my history with Type 1 tonight as Facebook posts for Diabetes Month. After posting about my having diabetes for more than 13,100 days I got a few great questions that needed answers. I thought I should put them here....

61500: The number of units of inulin ranging from Beef & Pork R, to Lantus, to Novolog I have injected into my body over those years.

Sometimes too much.

Other times not enough.

Hoping & working towards not needing a 1/2 million more.

10400: Approximate number of times (give or take a 1000 or two) that I have tested my BG using one technology or another.

2555: Number of days I have been on pump therapy. Also, the number of days I have celebrated no longer needing to take shots to deliver insulin.

2: High School track coaches I had that also had Type 1.

1: The number of times a guy told me "I can smell someone who has diabetes. You don't have it".

0: The number of times I felt like these disease would beat me.

Unfortunately, also the exact number of cures for Diabetes.



Still here.


Still choppin'.


;)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Guest post - "Greatness because of Diabetes"

Emma & Mini-Type1Rider 

Type1Rider.org is pleased to present a Guest post from one of our favorite Dmom's, Author, Advocate, and Creator (with her Daughter Emma) of 'Diabetic Barbie'...Amy Ermel. We also would like to express our most profound gratitude for the masterpiece in creating BY HAND, the Type1Rider Outfit pictured above. If you would like to inquire on how to get the accessories available for Girls & Boys (Including the Outfit in the picture), you can contact Amy HERE

First of all, I would like to say that I am honored to be writing a guest post for Type1Rider.org, thank you very much for the opportunity! 

My daughter, Emma is 8 years old and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 4  years ago. Since that day, I have learned so many things to say the least. I think I would like to dedicate this post to one in particular though...greatness.

When the doctor walked in the room and gave us the official diagnosis, I never would have thought that anything great or positive could have come of it. I thought that we were destined for a life of battles with food, needles, blood sugars, and insulin. I thought that it would consume us and take over every single aspect of our lives. I thought that there could never possibly be anything that would shine some light on our now darkened spirits. Boy was I wrong!

A mere 5 months after Emma was diagnosed, she approached me and asked if we could set up a lemonade stand out front of our house to raise money for "the people looking for a cure." She looked up at me with such innocent and determined eyes, that there was no way I could say no.

Seeing as how it was November, we convinced her to switch it to hot chocolate..contacted JDRF, made a few phone calls....and managed to raise $1200 in 3 hours time on November 14th (World Diabetes Day). As I sit here now thinking of that night, I can remember her face....her little 4 year old face...standing there with such hope in her eyes. She was on marshmallow duty naturally...what other job would a 4 year old want, right? She stood there for 3 hours filling cup after cup with marshmallows, chatting with hundreds of people about her diabetes, telling them that she was helping to find a cure. To say I was proud, would be the understatement of the century. That night was one of the first moments that I saw her "greatness". I saw the incredible amount of potential and drive and determination that lies within a person living with diabetes.

One day last year, Emma came home from school and told me that her friends had been talking about how there was going to be a bald version of a Barbie doll made to support kids dealing with cancer and other diseases involving hair loss. She once again looked up at me with those same innocent and determined eyes and asked me so matter of factly why there wasn't a doll out in the stores that had diabetes. I decided to make a toy insulin pump and blood sugar meter for her to play with on one of her own dolls. I thought there is no way that I could ever take on a toy manufacturer and help her make this dream a reality. I thought that it would just be left at that...a toy for only her to play with.

Well, Emma decided that she wanted other kids to be able to play with them too. She wanted other kids to have something that made them feel special. She wanted to keep going with this idea...and really, with that greatness and that drive that lies inside her....who was I to say no? So, we created a Facebook page to gain support for our campaign to make this a reality available in stores...and we have nearly 6,000 supporters.

I think back to that day of diagnosis and I want to wipe away the tears of that old me and force myself to look at my daughter through clear focused eyes. I want her to see that greatness...that drive...the flickering light that is the embers of hope that burns from her gaze. I see it now. I see it and I know that no matter what this life throws our way and no matter how many times diabetes tries to bring us to our knees.....we will make it. We will do better than just make it...we will leap over every hurdle with style and we will make things happen. We will make change happen all because of her greatness.

You can visit Amy's Blog HERE

To purchase a "virtual cup of hot chocolate" to help Emma support JDRF, please click on the following link: http://www.canadahelps.org/GivingPages/GivingPage.aspx?gpID=21134

To support Emma in her dream of a Diabetic Barbie, or other doll[s],  please click on the following link and click "like" on her Facebook page and share with others to spread the word! : http://www.facebook.com/DiabeticBarbie 

The final part of my series about the 2012 Tour Divide is now up and available on the OmniPod Suite D blog site.

It has been an honor to be able to share these thoughts about my Tour Divide race with all of the members of the DOC.  Thank you for supporting me and for taking the time to read about this adventure.

Tony Cervati’s Tour Divide Journey Part Five: Anything is Possible

Anything, really is, indeed, possible.  It truly is.

I look forward to blogging for Insulet over the next months, and sharing my experiences with all! 

Keep Choppin' everyone. 

Just.

Keep.

Choppin.

Installment number 4 in my week long 6 part series about the 2700+ mile 2012 Tour Divide mountain bike race has been published to the OmniPod Suite D blog.

Included in this segment is how I would normally sleep while participating in this race.  A little inside look at my home away from home.  :)

Thank you for the interest and excitement surrounding this, and I hope you enjoy today's first entry!

Tony Cervati’s Tour Divide Journey Part 4: Lows & Highs

Part 2 of my 2012 Tour Divide race was published to OmniPod's brand new Suite D blog this afternoon.

Thank you SO VERY MUCH for the continued interest in this story.

Tony Cervati’s Tour Divide Journey Part Two: Just Getting Started

Time has passed quickly since my 2012 Tour Divide attempt ended back in July.  During that time period I was honored to be asked to write for Insulet Corporation the makers of the OmniPod on their very newly launched Suite D blog.

Myself and the team from Insulet figured the best way to kick this relationship off was to chronicle my Tour Divide adventures this year on their new platform.  

I couldn't be more thrilled!!

Although it took a bit longer for me to complete the entries than I first thought i tmight, Part 1 of a week long series of posts (6 in all) is out today.  The other 5 parts will be published, one or two a day, for the rest of the week.

Thank you for ALL the support and encouragement you have provided to me while I prepared for, and raced in, this history making event.

Part 1: Join Tony Cervati on his Tour Divide Journey

 

Over the weekend Diane and I where fortunate enough to finally be able to meet Michelle Litchman face to face in the Brookline neighborhood of Boston, MA.  Michelle, and other D movers and shakers, where in town for a diabetes conference and was gracious enough to spent some of her free time with us.

Most of you already know Michelle from her work as the author of the Sweet Advice blog, and as a very active and outstpoken member of the DOC.

Michelle is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Utah, and, as part of her work there, is conducting a very important survey about diabetes.

I wanted to share the survey in hopes that others would be interested in taking part, and helping Michelle to learn more specifics about the disease we battle each and everyday.

Follow this link to take the survey:

http://www.tudiabetes.org/m/discussion?id=583967%3ATopic%3A2784644
or contact Michelle directly with questions:

michelle.litchman@gmail.com

Have a great day everyone!!!

It's been going on 60 days since the end of my Tour Divide attempt for 2012.  Time has been moving VERY quickly, and I am all healed up (both body and soul) and have been doing some strength training to get back into the swing.

I have been riding, some, and my 29ers are in the shop getting some upgrades and small repairs after a very busy 10 months of preparation.  I am looking forward to getting back heavier training, and my races and events over the next few months.

Quite a few have emailed or messaged to ask about when I am going to do a write up about my wonderful, albeit slightly shorter than planned, Tour Divide experience this year.

A few months back my friends at Insulet, the makers of the OmniPod, asked me to document the Tour Divide race (as well as a few others scheduled events) for their brand new blog Suite D.  I was SO honored and super excited to have the opportunity to do that! I appreciate that fact that the folks at OmniPod have provided a larger platform to share my experiences and emotions of this amazing race attempt.

My TD race recaps will be featured on the Suite D blog in the next couple of weeks, and other events and features will be following throughout the year.  I am thrilled to be joined by amazing others in the efforts of this resource.  Natalie Strand of The Amazing Race fame, and pro snowboarder and Riding On Insulin author Sean Busby are among other that will be writing for Suite D as well.

I will post when my articles start appearing on the Suite D blog, but in the meantime check out their new blog, other writers, and my specific page there.

Thanks!!

Keep Choppin' and have a great day!!

Last year I was very fortunate enough to be asked to contribute a chapter to Dr. Beverly Adler's second book, "My Sweet Life: Successful Men With Diabetes".  Dr. Adler published a very well received similar book "My Sweet Life: Successful Women With Diabetes" last year.

I was very surprised & grateful to be asked, and, of course, immediately said yes!

It was MUCH harder than I had anticipated it being, and took a while to come to grips with what I was going to write about.

Over the summer the chapters made their way through the various editors, and, I am very happy to share that the book is scheduled to be published this week!

It was a absolutely wonderful experience, and I wish to thank Dr. Adler for letting me contribute in my small way.  It was such an honor to be asked, and to be included with such a distinguished list of accomplished individuals.

To learn more about the book and the other amazing authors, as well as Dr. Adler's other works, click on the cover above or follow the url:

http://www.pesihealthcare.com/ECommerce/ItemDetails.aspx?ResourceCode=SAM074665

Thanks again!!

Meri and Ryan Schuhmacher

Our friend and mother of 4 boys, including 3 with Type 1, Meri Schuhmacher, held her husband of 19 years in her arms as His Heavenly Father decided it was time to make him whole this morning after a very valiant battle with cancer.

Although no words can really help to ease the loss you bear, just know that you are very close in everyone's thoughts and prayers.