I was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of eight. Being eight I knew I was sick but didn't understand the severity of my disease. I wanted to get some drugs to make me feel better and then get back to living my normal life. I wanted to be back with my friends playing baseball and football. When I was released from Rhode Island Hospital I knew that I had to take a couple shots every day, test my blood sugar a few times a day and that I couldn't eat a lot of sugar. It sounded good to me; I could live the life I had before diabetes but with a couple of changes. I had a great family that learned what I needed to live a healthy life with diabetes. Over time I would learn from them what I needed to do to be healthy. Over the next five to six years I began to better understand my disease, I learned how to give my own insulin shots I was also becoming a teenager and had a little more freedom. I could now play sports or go to a friend’s house with not much worry.
I entered high school and that’s when everything began to change for the worse. I started to get lazy. I was tired of having to test my blood sugar, having to go to the school nurse, having to go to the doctor, I was sick of my disease. I wanted it to go away. For the next ten years I would live my life as if I didn't have diabetes. I never told any teachers, professors or sports coaches that I was a diabetic. I wanted to be "normal" I didn't want to be the kid with the weird disease that no one understood. I didn't want to be the kid at a party or a sleepover with a bag of needles and I didn't want others having to worry about me.
I found a way to lie to everyone in my life. When asked by my parents or family members how my sugars were I'd lie. I'd give them numbers that sounded good. When forced to test my blood sugar I would makeup an excuse, give myself some insulin and then test knowing that the number would be in range. That would get people off my back and show them I had my disease under control and didn’t need any help. I stopped going to the doctor. I knew I wasn’t doing what I should and didn’t want to get yelled at. I knew that a pharmacy would have to fill my prescriptions because without them I would die. As I entered college I stopped exercising and started drinking. I would go to the local bar near the school every night and drink until closing. I would never test my blood sugar I would just put drink after drink in to my body. I honestly don’t know how I woke up some days. My blood sugar was probably in the high 400s when it should be around 100. The high blood sugars and drinking started to take its toll. I wasn’t thinking straight because of the combination. My memory was shot because of the high blood sugars so I began to perform very badly in the classroom. At the age of 24 I was kicked out of college because of my grades. I returned home, I continued drinking. I was working full time but was doing nothing to make myself better.
At the age of 26 things began to change very slowly. I was admitted to Rhode Island Hospital with a blood clot in my right arm. I didn't know it at the time but this blood clot would save my life. When I was admitted to the hospital they took blood and ran every possible test that they could, they would find out that my A1C was at 14 and that I wasn't taking care of myself. After a very long recovery I started to learn to love my diabetes, this love didn't develop over night. My love for diabetes developed when I got my first road bike and found a love for road cycling. After my first ride my blood sugar was out of range and I quickly learned that i can't ride my bike successfully if I don't mange my diabetes the way that I should.
For seven years I have been all over the country riding my bike and doing my best to inspire others living with diabetes. As much as I love being on the bike or running I get the most satisfaction by sharing my story and inspiring others living with diabetes. I never imagined I would be managing my own website and helping hundreds with diabetes management while on the bike. With amazing friends, my parents and my brother I have the support system that helps me in good times and bad. When it comes to the bike, diabetes and life having people that support, love and believe in you is all that you need. At the age of 33, I'm running and cycling almost daily and life has never been better. I look forward to what the future holds and love each and everyday. Living with diabetes has made me who I am today and I love having diabetes!! Without diabetes none of this would be possible, I owe my life to diabetes!!!
I entered high school and that’s when everything began to change for the worse. I started to get lazy. I was tired of having to test my blood sugar, having to go to the school nurse, having to go to the doctor, I was sick of my disease. I wanted it to go away. For the next ten years I would live my life as if I didn't have diabetes. I never told any teachers, professors or sports coaches that I was a diabetic. I wanted to be "normal" I didn't want to be the kid with the weird disease that no one understood. I didn't want to be the kid at a party or a sleepover with a bag of needles and I didn't want others having to worry about me.
I found a way to lie to everyone in my life. When asked by my parents or family members how my sugars were I'd lie. I'd give them numbers that sounded good. When forced to test my blood sugar I would makeup an excuse, give myself some insulin and then test knowing that the number would be in range. That would get people off my back and show them I had my disease under control and didn’t need any help. I stopped going to the doctor. I knew I wasn’t doing what I should and didn’t want to get yelled at. I knew that a pharmacy would have to fill my prescriptions because without them I would die. As I entered college I stopped exercising and started drinking. I would go to the local bar near the school every night and drink until closing. I would never test my blood sugar I would just put drink after drink in to my body. I honestly don’t know how I woke up some days. My blood sugar was probably in the high 400s when it should be around 100. The high blood sugars and drinking started to take its toll. I wasn’t thinking straight because of the combination. My memory was shot because of the high blood sugars so I began to perform very badly in the classroom. At the age of 24 I was kicked out of college because of my grades. I returned home, I continued drinking. I was working full time but was doing nothing to make myself better.
At the age of 26 things began to change very slowly. I was admitted to Rhode Island Hospital with a blood clot in my right arm. I didn't know it at the time but this blood clot would save my life. When I was admitted to the hospital they took blood and ran every possible test that they could, they would find out that my A1C was at 14 and that I wasn't taking care of myself. After a very long recovery I started to learn to love my diabetes, this love didn't develop over night. My love for diabetes developed when I got my first road bike and found a love for road cycling. After my first ride my blood sugar was out of range and I quickly learned that i can't ride my bike successfully if I don't mange my diabetes the way that I should.
For seven years I have been all over the country riding my bike and doing my best to inspire others living with diabetes. As much as I love being on the bike or running I get the most satisfaction by sharing my story and inspiring others living with diabetes. I never imagined I would be managing my own website and helping hundreds with diabetes management while on the bike. With amazing friends, my parents and my brother I have the support system that helps me in good times and bad. When it comes to the bike, diabetes and life having people that support, love and believe in you is all that you need. At the age of 33, I'm running and cycling almost daily and life has never been better. I look forward to what the future holds and love each and everyday. Living with diabetes has made me who I am today and I love having diabetes!! Without diabetes none of this would be possible, I owe my life to diabetes!!!
