My Grandfather loved The Price is Right, as a child I loved to be with my grandfather around lunchtime so I could have a bologna and cheese sandwich, chips, whole milk and watch The Price is Right.  I was a child of five or six but loved the games on the show, little did I know one of those games would be my life.  The Range Game is the game that anyone living with diabetes "plays" everyday.  

Diabetes management is all about keeping your blood sugar in a set range.  When our blood sugar is in that range we are at our best, we don't win a new car like on The Price is Right but we win at life.  If our blood sugar is below that set range we get angry and need something to get our blood sugar back in range.  When our blood sugar is above the set range we again get angry and people think we are a little crazy, just like on the show.  

Last night I learned just how difficult it is to stay in that range.  After a very refreshing hour long bike ride my blood sugar was in range.  I felt as though I won that new car (or bike) on The Price is right.  I was having my post ride protein snack and had taken my insulin to cover my snack and the time my pump was in a temp basal.  That is when the range game really begins, for me the bike ride is like bidding on a prize to get to play the range game (if you're not a Price is Right fan I have lost you!!)  An hour after my ride I was starting to lose at the range game, I was that guy that was above the price of the car.

Over time my blood sugar came back in to range.  The whole point of this totally random and weird post is that you need to have fun when it comes to blood sugar management.  If you're not having fun then it is very unlikely that you will enjoy living with diabetes.  For me relating blood sugar management to a childhood memory makes me smile and makes me love my diabetes.  I remember sitting with my grandfather watching the Price is Right and I know the he would love that I related his favorite game show to blood sugar management.  “Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.” ~ Willie Nelson

Just over eight years ago when I first started to ride a road bike I had a lot of difficulty with my blood sugar falling out of range while riding.  I had no idea that I needed to set a temporary basal or that I would need to eat up to twenty grams of carbohydrates every twenty minutes.  Luckily I was able to connect with some of the best road cyclists with diabetes to help me control my diabetes while doing physical activities.

One member of my support team has been simply amazing, Delaine Wright has always been the one that I turn to when I have any questions or concerns when it comes to cycling or running.  Eight years ago when just after my surgery I sat down with Delaine and her husband to learn about diabetes.  At that time I had no clue about insulin pumps or how to cover any food that I would eat.  Her support in the months after my surgery were amazing, Delaine is the one who taught me all about my Medtronic insulin pump.  I can't imagine where  I would be without the help that Delaine provided.

As I started to become an athlete living with diabetes, Dealine told me that I needed to buy the Diabetic Athlete's Handbook written by Sheri R. Colberg.  Delaine spoke about how the book was a great guide for any athletic sport that I would do.  When I purchased the book  I was amazed at all of the information, the book talks about aerobic and anaerobic exercise and how each effect ones blood sugar.  I felt that I had earned a PhD in diabetes management after reading the first few chapters, I learned how to hydrate and how to eat to be a successful athlete with diabetes.  Since reading the book I have been in control of my diabetes while running or cycling, yes I have had a number of blood sugars out of range but those have been caused by not following instructions that the book has given.  The Diabetic Athlete's Handbook is a must for anyone with diabetes!!  It doesn't matter if you walk for fun or if you ride your bike across the country, this book helps with all of it.  

The Diabetic Athlete's Handbook can be purchase on Amazon by clicking this link

This afternoon as I spoke with a good friend about music while running, we got in to the importance of music while racing.  It is no secret that if you do listen to music while running it impacts how you run.  As I'm writing I'm listening to Sam Hunt on Pandora, Take Your Time is playing and if I was running I would be smiling and running at a faster pace than usual.  However if a dance club techno song was on I would be running with a lot of anger slower because I hate techno and it wouldn't be motivating me.  

I listen to a lot of motivational speeches while running, this helps me in longer races and gives me that little kick in the ass when everything hurts.  That is great for me but might not work for anyone else.  What my friend and I came up with is asking you the reader of this blog to give me your favorite song while running.  In fact this has worked in the past when a good friend, fellow trail runner and athlete with diabetes, Brandon Baker suggested a song.  That song is still on my playlist and brings a smile to my face.  If you don't know the name Brandon Baker look it up, great man!!!

I ask that you comment on this blog, on my Facebook page, or twitter feed what song is your favorite.  My hope is to get at least 25 songs from 25 people.  Those 25 songs will be put in a playlist and used when I run my half marathon in June.  Share your story about life with diabetes and why the song means so much to you!!  That way I have a connection to the song when I hear it while running!!

It amazes me when people ask about my diabetes and do it in a very sincere manner. When that person is your boss it means even more. Having many bosses that won’t take the time to learn or don’t care has been the norm for me. I’ve been questioned on why I’m not working and drinking juice. I’ve tried explaining that I can ride a bike or run for hours and that’s easier than a “normal” day.

Today for the the first time in my life a boss took the time to learn about me and my diabetes. It was a very ordinary question about my pump and he was caught off guard when I explained that using a pump makes running and cycling a little more difficult but that it is great at keeping my A1C where I want it to be. He asked why which made my day, I explained that a two hour bike ride takes four hours with a pump. I won’t go into the details but he understood and respected my explanation. We then talked about his knowledge of diabetes and that he took the time to learn a lot about diabetes because his daughters best friend had type 1 and that he wanted her to be safe when she came over to visit his daugheter.

We live in a world that is fast paced and many people don’t take the time to care. Today made me proud to work where I do. I’d rather have a job I enjoy and have people that care than a job where I’m just a person and not understood.

Sometimes we don't get to choose when we get to take a week off from training.  I had one of those unplanned weeks off for the past six days, thanks to a fun little GI tract infection.  To keep it short and simple I have never been so cold in my life and spent a lot of time sleeping.  The rest you can put together for yourself, we all know what comes with any illness.  The interesting part of illness was how quickly Kate and I reacted.  Having a wife that is an athletic trainer and that knows you better than you know yourself is huge.  As soon as everything started I was told to get fluids and get checked.  We have learned from past experiences and know what needs to happen.

The thing is we know what needs to happen but we can't control what happens at the ER.  Having a wife that is eight months pregnant and heading to the ER at 3am meant I was flying solo.  No problem, I fully trust everyone at a hospital and believe I will be in good hands.  That was not the case, the nurse started to lecture me about my diabetes and how my blood sugar is high because my body is fighting an infection.  I know all this and cut her off, I explained my profession and diabetes history and how I probably know more about my body than I should.  Well that set the tone, I demanded a bag of fluids and a flu swab.  That was done and the doctor would come in and said that the flu swab was negative and that the cold will run its course and I'll be good.  

That was on Wednesday, Monday I would return to a walk in clinic that is run by a much better hospital and one that Kate worked at.  I should've done that in the first place but figured an ER would be better than a walk in.  Anyway they ran every imaginable test on me that they could.  From a hydration test to a swab for strep, it was all done and done with professionalism.  They did a number of blood sugar tests, urine and blood tests.  This time as I left I was given medication and in twenty four hours have gotten a lot better.

I will be back to running this weekend while in NYC for some family fun.  As always make sure to speak up when you are seeing any medical professional.  Living with diabetes teaches us more about our health than a lot of people.  know about us.

Team Novo Nordisk will start the 2019 season tomorrow in the Tour de Rwanda. Team Novo Nordisk is coming off a very focused and demanding team camp in Altea, Spain towards the end of January. Phil Southerland the teams CEO and cofounder was kind enough to sit down for a phone interview as camp came to a close and share his thoughts about the team and camp. “Camp has been very demanding for the riders this year, we have very high expectations going into this season and wanted to test the team. Everyone is very fit, that just shows the dedication and work the riders have put in during the off season.” The Tour of Rwanda will show how strong the team is, starting the season with a very difficult stage race will challenge the team and show the fans of Team Novo Nordisk how the early part of 2019 will play out.  If the team performs like they did last year at the Tour de Rwanda the 2019 version should be very exciting.

Fans of Team Novo Nordisk have a new reason to get excited for each and every race as Team Novo Nordisk will be dedicating the stage or single day race they are competing in to one of the fans of Team Novo Nordisk. Phil Southerland shared in the excitement of the dedication “Our fans mean so much to us. They are why we fight so hard to change diabetes. They are our motivation and this is our way to say thank you to the millions of fans that support us.”  Dedicating the race to a fan of the team will personalize the race for team members.  From photos of the fan to initials on team apparel the fan of the race will be with each and every team member as they race to change diabetes.  To learn more about the "Fan of the Race" and enter to be the fan of the race please click here

One major part of the Team Novo Nordisk that you may not see while they're racing against cyclists in the world is that each team member will be wearing a Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM).  This technology is so helpful to the cyclist as well as the team as both can see the riders blood sugar before, during and after the days stage.  This will help team doctors keep the riders closer to their best blood sugars that will help them perform their best.  As CGM technology has gotten better the blood sugar accuracy has increased.  As a cyclist myself I see this improvement in technology on a daily basis as my blood sugars on my CGM are almost in sync with my actual blood sugar.  Just five short years ago my blood sugar might be at 130 and my CGM might read 180.  Technology within diabetes is always changing and as it continues to grow it will not only help Team Novo Nordisk but each and every person living with diabetes.

One Team Novo Nordisk rider that is a personal favorite of mine is Sam Brand.  Sam also was kind enough to sit down with me while at camp and talk diabetes and cycling.  One spot where Sam and I are similar on the bike is when it comes to time trials.  A time trial is a true guts race and if you are willing to put it all on the line and suffer you will succeed.  Sam improved in every race that he competed in last season and had a great season when it came to the time trial.  "My cycling journey really began just two years ago, before that I competed in triathlons.  I learned so much from the development team, the team helped me learn how to race at the highest level."  In fact last year was Sam's first full season as a pro and the fans have taken to him.  Sams hard work and honesty make him a rider that anyone can relate too.  If he has a bad day on the bike, he will not make excuses, you will get the real reason why he struggled and you will also see a side of Sam that intimidates riders.  He will get angry and say that tomorrow is a new day and that he will do all that he can do do better.  That is Sam and Team Novo Nordisk, never settling and always fighting to be better.

The 2019 season will be a very special season for Team Novo Nordisk and their fans.  One quote from Phil Southerland that still has me puzzled is what he said before the end of our interview, "The game is about to change, stay tuned"  I have done all that I can to try and figure out what Phil meant but I have had no luck so far.  All I can is that for years Team Novo Nordisk has been changing diabetes, they are inspiring, educating and empowering those affected by diabetes.  Every day Team Novo Nordisk challenges me to be a better person living with diabetes.  If they can race against the best in the world then whatever challenge I have during my day is nothing.  Team Novo Nordisk will be traveling the globe racing against the best in the world and that's great but it is the moments before and after each race that mean the most to me.  It is at those times that the team does all that it can for the diabetes community.  If you can go see the team race, before or after the race find the team bus or tent and go talk to the riders and staff.  It will change your life and it will change their life.  We are all a part of Team Novo Nordisk!!

This past weekend Kate and I headed to the hospital to get a tour of where our little guy will be born. Now this hour long tour of everything that we could think of while welcoming our baby was covered. Does that take away some of my nerves? It does but how is this going to happen? No one has that answer but it could be the middle of the night, while we are at work or when we are out to eat dinner, time will tell.

Before we even began our tour Kate and I were thinking alike, we saw a bistro, smiled at each other and said that will come in handy. It’s the unspoken diabetes part of our marriage. What wasn’t said was that I’m not leaving the birth of our son to fix my blood sugar. As we headed to the birthing floor we were both very happy to see a vending machine. Another blood sugar fix if needed.

The thing is I don’t want to worry about myself while our son is being born. The odds are my blood sugar will be on the higher end because of adrenaline but again I have no idea. My pump and cgm will be working to keep me in range as always. I will also have my own bag packed just in case my blood sugar dips below my range.

The best thing is that I have a great diabetes community helping me. From a surprising heart to heart conversation about diabetes and being the husband during child birth too emails I have been so thankful for all of the help and can’t wait for the joy of our son.

Ryan,

When you were diagnosed with diabetes and sat in Rhode Island hospital you feared for your life. You sat there terrified of a disease that you and your family knew nothing about. For the first time in your life you saw your father crying because he was so scared. You sat in a hospital room for a week and saw your mother cry each and everyday. You learned about a disease that could be managed but would probably never be cured. With the diabetes diagnosis came a lot of fear and rightfully so. I'm here to tell you that it turned out just fine and has been one of the best things that has ever happened in your life.

I'm here to tell you that it won't always be easy. In fact you will have ten years of your life wasted because of your dislike for diabetes. The good news is you have nobody but yourself to blame for not taking care of yourself. You saw your parents cry when you were diagnosed but what you didn't see were them crying when you stopped caring for yourself. Later in life you will be mad at them for not helping you but you were to immature to realize that they were trying to help but you turned them and everyone else away.

You will fail a lot before you realize that the key to life with diabetes is taking responsibility for the choices you make. It is also how you view our life. People will make you feel like you don't matter and try to make you feel useless but you will keep fighting and doing amazing with diabetes.

Once you have control of your diabetes and of your life you will do amazing things. You will motivate people with your ability to share your story. You will be a role model for people that you never meet. You will have dreams that you will reach but you will always want more. You will be an inspiration for pro athletes. Diabetes will give you the opportunity to ride your bike in Europe. I'm here to tell you that if you truly want something than do it. Don't be afraid, you have the talent and are more powerful than you will ever know.

Diabetes is your life and I know that sounds scary but it is the best gift you have ever received. I don't know why you have diabetes but you are better because of it. It will teach you to love life and the people in your life that truly love you. It will make you the most amazing father because you have been through so much in life. That will give you a gift. Don't ever forget that you can do anything.

It has been almost ten years since my life changed for the better.  A blood clot that caused my right arm to be three times the size brought me to the hospital for what I thought would be a quick visit.  It turned out to be an almost two week stay at the hospital.  Two surgeries would be performed, one to break up the clot and one to remove my first rib, the muscle in my right breast was pushing a vein into that rib, thanks again to probably over fifteen years of pitching.  

The staff at the hospital where I had the surgery was amazing.  One doctor was a complete jerk but told me the truth and has been my motivation to do amazing things for those with diabetes.  When a doctor says you should be dead and that I was the worst patient he has ever seen with diabetes it motivates you.  He indirectly told me he would not be my endocrinologist, that day I said to myself I'd get better and that I would never give up on someone that needs help in anyway.

The other doctor became a friend, this doctor would remove my rib and be by my bedside every night for a week.  I mean he's a doctor and that's his job but his job isn't to talk sports and keep my spirits up.  A month later as he removed my staples he asked to speak to me personally.  His daughter was diagnosed with diabetes a week earlier, he asked me what life with diabetes was like.  He asked why I didn't care for myself for so long.  It was a very honest an emotional conversation.  I would email this doctor from time to time but had lost touch with him for about eight years.

Yesterday we were reunited.  My right shoulder has been giving me problems yet again, I can't hold anything out straight with that arm, my right hand often goes numb, a sharp pain will shoot from the right shoulder down to my thumb, index and middle finger.  Thanks to my amazing wife Kate, we started to investigate what could be wrong with the man that knows me best.  Joking as we sat in the room waiting for this amazing man I said to Kate " I want to yell happy anniversary when he walks in!!"  With a smile she said "Might be a little odd but do what you want"  I decided against that because what kind of doctor would remember a man after ten years.  The best doctor in the world thats who.  He walked in and said "long time no see, how have you been"  He spoke about the week he performed the surgery and started to examine me.  He would see my CGM and insulin pump and asked if it was a Medtronic and if I was using Dexcom.  We talked about my setup and I asked "How's your daughter?"  That could've been the weirdest question I have ever asked someone I don't really know.  He would smile, and say "good" and smile again, words weren't needed but I could tell she was living a great life with diabetes.

As for my shoulder, tests were ordered and I will be seeing an orthopedic specialist, a neurologist, and the doctor who fused my neck a year ago to figure out exactly what is going on.  The good news is in a month I get to go see the doctor that saved my life again and can't wait, I have never felt more comfortable with my life in the hands of a doctor until I met this amazing man.

ATLANTA, Ga., February 07, 2019 – Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team, and Italian-based Veloflex announced a partnership naming Veloflex as the official tire for Team Novo Nordisk.
Based out of Italy’s Bergamo region, Veloflex is a small company that specializes in racing tubulars and bicycle tires for training and racing. Veloflex’s product line includes both traditional and "open" tubular tires, which are also known as clinchers. All of Veloflex’s products are handmade through an artisan process.
“Veloflex is a high-end boutique brand that creates some of the top tires in the world and we are honored to have them join Team Novo Nordisk as an official partner,” Team Novo Nordisk Senior Vice President of Athletics Vassili Davidenko said. “Their tires standout against the competition because they are handmade using a special compound that creates an unbeatable, durable tire that is highly responsive while still being able to take on the various conditions that we race and train in as professional cyclists.”
The name Veloflex is a blend of the word ‘velo,’ which stands for bicycle and cycling in French and the word ‘flexible,’ which the company feels showcases how their tubulars and tires adapt to any race or road surface.
“Veloflex is very proud to partner with Team Novo Nordisk’s men’s professional team for the 2019 season. This wonderful team races to show the world that diabetes shouldn’t serve as an obstacle in life. Instead, these riders show how they can turn a challenge like diabetes into a motivator,” Veloflex CEO Roberto Colleoni said. “We support Team Novo Nordisk in their mission to inspire, educate and empower everyone affected by diabetes as they compete against the best cyclists in the world.”
Veloflex’s meticulous production technique was discovered more than 70 years ago. The 35-step process begins with raw materials and a variety of components--yarn, latex, rubber, glue, and valves--to produce a competition level tire. Veloflex’s tubulars take three times longer to produce than a clincher.
To learn more about Veloflex, please visit https://www.veloflex.it/en/about-us
Team Novo Nordisk’s men’s professional team will race the 2019 season on:

• Arenberg tubulars: an all-purpose tubular that is ideal for cobblestone racing and most rough road surfaces. The tires were named after the famed Trouée of Arenberg, a famous cobblestone road that serves as one of the toughest and most spectacular stretches of road during the Monument Paris-Roubaix.

• Corsa 25 open tubulars: designed for training and racing. The light (220 gram) all-purpose tire offers greater sensations than a traditional clincher.

About Veloflex
Founded in 1981, Veloflex is small Italian company specialized in racing tubulars and bicycle tires for competition and training. All tubulars and "open tubular" tires are made by hand in a laboratory in Presezzo in the province of Bergamo, Italy and are produced individually through artisan processes.
About Team Novo Nordisk
Team Novo Nordisk is a global all-diabetes sports team of cyclists spearheaded by the world’s first all-diabetes UCI Professional Continental cycling team. In 2012, Phil Southerland, co-founder and CEO of the team, and global healthcare company Novo Nordisk, came together to create Team Novo Nordisk, based on a shared vision to inspire, educate and empower people around the world affected by diabetes. For more information, go to www.teamnovonordisk.com

Lately I have had a lot of newly diagnosed type 1 diabetics and parents of newly diagnosed children contacting me.  I have met many of them at diabetes events and have also been contacted via email.  I often forget how hard it was in those first few years because I was younger and not to concerned about my disease.  As I have gotten older and have gotten control of my diabetes I can't imagine the difficulties of raising a child under 7 with diabetes.  It can clearly be done but it takes a tremendous amount of work and is very stressful.  When the parent of a newly diagnosed child approaches me I always try to keep the conversation upbeat, the last thing someone needs to hear is the negative side of diabetes.  

It bothers me that in this day and age that parents are given books about diabetes, the books are great but do not cover the fears and questions that many patients have.  For example I remember my parents being terrified when I was diagnosed because they didn't know how I could play baseball with diabetes.  Each parent or patient has different concerns and different questions, we have amazing websites, blogs, and forums that answer questions but I believe we should have more.  I would love to get a list of people in Rhode Island that live with diabetes and do so successfully.  The one requirement of being on this list would be the ability to answer an email within twenty-four hours.  Each person on this list would be listed under their specific diabetes trait.  For example, a 19 year old child that runs track in college, he could look at this list and under athletics see my information.  All that would be listed is my name, email address, a short bio explaining my expertise in the area and my diabetes history.

The one problem with this idea is HIPPA, everyone that would be on the list would have to sign a contract saying that they agree to make their diabetes information public.  After that the program would have to work with the hospitals to get this list handed out to every newly diagnosed patient.  I don't believe that this idea is impossible but like anything it would take a bit of work.  I ask anyone that is in the state of Rhode Island living with diabetes and is interested in joining the list to contact me.  The easiest way to contact me would be by going to this page.  I look forward to hearing from people and hope to make progress with this idea.

Sometimes you need that little kick in the ass.  It doesn't matter how fast your mile time was, how far you rode on the bike, what your blood sugar was, what you did right or wrong during the day.  No matter how good or how bad things are realizing and looking at everything and how you got to where you are now makes a difference.  

Living with diabetes we often focus on what is wrong, that takes a toll on you and everyone in your life.  As athletes with diabetes we double that focus on perfection.  We want the perfect blood sugars and the perfect times in whatever race we are prepping for.  It isn't easy to realize when we are hurting ourselves but when we do realize that we must take a moment to step back and see what we have accomplished in life.

Personally I use motivational speeches to get myself to that point.  For me listening to a speech allows me to let my brain go to where I was a year ago, five years ago or even when I was a child.  I then look at where I am today and I can smile because I have learned and bettered myself.  What I'm doing today is more impressive than what I was doing a week ago, a year ago and definitley more than five and ten years ago.  I'm a better athlete living with diabetes today, I'm happy about that but will be looking back in a year and realizing I haven't reached my true potential!!  I can always be better!!!

To often as diabetics we forget about the mental strain that diabetes puts us through on a daily basis.  It is tough to explain to those that don't have diabetes but I believe that mental stress is one of the toughest parts of the disease.  The mental strain comes from more than just a high or low blood sugar, it comes from a bad A1C reading or from forgetting to take insulin to cover a meal or snack.  It also comes from everyday life, often times decisions have to be made while working so that I can keep my blood sugar in range incase my lunch is later than normal.

That doesn't sound like much but something like that takes its toll day after day.  Talking with others that have diabetes I'm shocked that so many say they have gotten diabetes burnout and have not tested or taken care of themselves the way they should for a day, a week, a month or in my case years.  That is very hard to hear, I was in that state for far too long and to hear that others felt the same way is really tough.  The diabetes community is very strong and we do have people to turn to when we get down but we still don't want the disease everyday.  I can only speak for myself but taking a moment to look around and see the amazing people I have in my life gives me that kick in the butt to suck it up and keep fighting.  That does help a lot but I still have those mental battles inside of my head.  Lying awake in bed some nights, hoping that you wake up the next morning is tough but it comes with the disease.

The mental strain of diabetes will always be present.  Personally I believe that sharing your diabetes fears or stresses are the best remedy.  For someone that deals with so much internally it is odd to say that you should talk but talking about my fears is what has made me love my diabetes so much for the past six years.  Diabetes will always be challenging,  it won't always be easy but when we are able to come together and share our stories and our remedies to help each other that is what makes diabetes so unique and so great.  

For twenty eight years I have been living with diabetes. Twenty eight years of insulin injections, finger pricks, and carbohydrate counting. It has been twenty eight years of bliss, in fact my diabetes story is probably one that would be told to newly diagnosed patients to let them know about the difficulties that the disease presents to patients.

Over time I have learned to love my diabetes and the challenges that it presents each and everyday. My love for diabetes is at an all time high and now my Facebook is littered with articles about a bionic pancreas and a possible cure. I may be all by myself when I say this but "without diabetes who am I?"

If a cure does come along how do I go from living with diabetes for twenty eight years to not having to care for a condition that made me who I am today. I have a feeling that I would be the Brett Favre of diabetes, I love this condition and would be lost without it. I can't imagine my life without diabetes and that scares me a little. Yes I would love all of the good that came with a cure.  Kate and my parents could finally sleep when I'm away, they could relax when I'm out training . That's all well and good but what about me? What about my diet, the cycling and the endurance athlete I have become, does all of that go away as soon as a cure comes along? Without diabetes would I care about what food I eat, would I care about hydration and how my body responds to certain foods. Would I be excited about an hour lunch because it means I could get a run in?

For twenty eight years I have been hearing about a cure, until this year I never paid attention to the articles about a cure. The truth is we are getting closer, will a cure be found in five, ten or fifty years, I don't know. All I can do is take it one day at a time and live my life with diabetes to the best of my ability. I will enjoy each day, I will smile when I wake because I have another day to live, I will smile when I have a good blood sugar and I will enjoy my life. With or without diabetes this life is all I have, I might as well enjoy it!!

Although a dusting of snow is on the ground and temperatures are around ten degrees here in Connecticut, the 2019 cycling season is here.  This morning as I stayed in bed to keep warm I did my usual email and social media check, I quickly forgot all about the snow and cold as I saw an email from Team Novo Nordisk and a very interesting post on Facebook.  It's weird how an email from a cycling team that saved your life can change your entire outlook on the day.  Now don't think I'm some special inside member that gets emails from riders or inside information from the people that run the logistics of the team.  

The email was an invite to meet the 2019 team, learn about new advancements in technology and meet new sponsors.  The joy of this event is that anyone can do it, no expensive plane tickets or hotel fees.  All you need is an internet connection and Facebook.  Here is the official release from the team "Team Novo Nordisk, the world's first all-diabetes pro cycling team, will present its 2019 squad to fans and the press on Friday, January 25th at 3 pm CET/9am EST as part of its training camp in Altea, Spain. The event will be lead by Team Novo Nordisk's CEO and Co-Founder Phil Southerland who will introduce new riders, unveil advancements in data and technology, and highlight some new 2019 team sponsors."  That is amazing but what if I told you that wasn't the best part!!

Since the teams inception they have been changing diabetes and the world.  Team Novo Nordisk saved my life and so many others by showing whats possible when it comes to life with diabetes.  It is no secret that the fans of Team Novo Nordisk inspire the riders.  If you can go to any stage of a race that the team rides and it will change your life.  Yes this is a team that wants to ride in the Tour de France but when I say it's not about the bike it isn't a joke.  You can ask any rider that has ever been a member of Team Novo Nordisk what they remember the most about racing with the team and the answer is the same, the supporters.  Each rider has diabetes and knows what it is like to have a blood sugar that is out range.  How that blood sugar makes them feel, their family and their friends.  They know the worry that parents feel for their children when one is living with diabetes.  Before and after any stage they will take the time to educate, inspire and empower a fan that wants to talk about diabetes.  It's not about the bike, it's about changing diabetes. 

That is why this year Team Novo Nordisk will be dedicating each race to a fan of Team Novo Nordisk.  Think about that, we think they inspire us but it is us that inspire professional  cyclists that race against the best in the world and cyclists that will be racing in the Tour de France.  I can't put into words what that would mean to me, I'm 36 and have been living with diabetes for twenty-eight years and I'm going to inspire the guys that saved my life?  Imagine a nine year old child that was diagnosed a few months back and is so scared of diabetes and thinks that their life is over and that he or she can't do something because of diabetes.  A professional cycling team will forever change their life!!  In turn the life that was changed because of Team Novo Nordisk will change the life of others that are living with diabetes, it is a domino effect that is making the world a better place. 

I encourage each and every person that reads this to get on Facebook Friday morning and meet this amazing team that is changing the world and saving lives in the process.  Thank you Team Novo Nordisk and best of luck this season the diabetes community is behind you and can't thank you enough for changing diabetes and saving so many lives across the globe!! ​