Yesterday I spoke about how great my insulin pump was during the birth of our son.  If I lived a sedentary life an insulin pump would be perfect for me.  Thankfully I can't sit still, in fact I will often find something to clean or wash when I do have down time.  Don't get me wrong I have my lazy moments but for the most part I have to be doing something.

From a job that has me on my feet from eight to twelve hours a day to a love for trail running and road cycling I love being on the go.  For a longtime I would make the appropriate adjustments on my insulin pump so that I could go for a run or be on the bike.  Now time is at a premium and the ability to schedule a run or bike ride is harder to come bye.  If I can find an hour to ride or go for a run then I need to just go and not have to suspend my pump and wait an hour.

Yesterday just after 1pm my blood sugar was at 140, the little guy was asleep and I had some time to go for a run.  I had no insulin on board and decided a half of peanut butter and jelly sandwich and some water would be all I needed to make sure my blood sugar stayed in range while I went running.  I would of course bring a snack with me just in case but I  could just go and not think.  

This setup isn't for everyone, it is important that you do what works for you.  Right now what works best for me is to be on injections.  It gives me a lot more freedom and my A1C stays the same, for me it is a win win.  

Before I start talking about myself and the work I had to do during the birth of our amazing son I have to say that Kate is the real hero here.  After a nearly forty-five hour labor she deserves all of the credit!!

I must say that I thought I had control of my diabetes before the birth of our son and I do.  Nothing prepared me for the adrenaline rush of childbirth however.  I learned that adrenaline is not nice to those that live with diabetes, I had known this before but my mind went to other places while in the labor room.  I also made some rookie mistakes, my blood sugar shot up to 300 three times while Kate was in different stages of delivery.  Each time I took a little bit of insulin and when our baby was not born my blood sugar would crash and I would have a low of about 60 that would need attention.  

What I learned was that I can go almost two days without food and my blood sugar would be fine.  I owe that to accomplishment to my insulin pump.  Paired with my CGM the insulin pump did all of the work and kept me in range.  I overreacted when I saw my blood sugar start climbing but for the most part I was hanging out in my normal range while waiting for the little guy to enter the world.

A special thank you to a close friend for all of the help and suggestions before, during, and after the birth of our son.  Your words of wisdom helped so much.  A note to anyone living with diabetes that is helping their wife, always have a snack bag with you!!  The last thing you want to worry about is a low or high blood sugar during the birth of a son or daughter.

Twenty-eight years ago I was brought to Westerly Hospital by my father so that they could figure out what was wrong with me.  I had been urinating a lot, sleeping more than I ever did, and had an attitude.  My mother knew something was up and had my father bring me in, an hour later I was being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and in an ambulance that would bring me to Rhode Island hospital.  

My life with diabetes is nothing special, I unintentionally tried to kill myself because I didn't care, I didn't test my blood sugar and did whatever I wanted.  This went on for fifteen years, how I survived I don't know.  A freak blood clot and a cycling team would save my life and teach me how to dream.  In that time I also learned that I love diabetes, it makes me a better person and athlete.  

Twenty-eight years is all well and good but today I found myself leaving Rhode Island Hospital yet again.  This time I had the biggest smile on my face as Kate and I put "Coconut" in to the car to head home for the first time.  I don't know how this all happened on the same day but it is amazing.  I mean it has been a long few days but when our hospital room looked right at the building where I stayed for a week when I was diagnosed with diabetes I knew something special was happening.  I could even see the basketball hoop that my brother and I played at as my parents probably sat inside crying as their sons diabetes diagnosis had changed their world.

Twenty-eight years later Kate I have had our world changed and are so in love with this amazing baby boy.  With that said I'm not sure how often I will be sitting down to write but I will do my best.  I have a good long post planned that will detail the entire week.  Having a CGM and a pump was the best thing for childbirth.

Thank you in advance for all the well wishes, everyone is doing well.  

 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!!!