When you have kids that have chronic medical conditions, like diabetes, you tend to have a "CAN DO" attitude. At least we do here in the Loving house. We are an on the go, busy family, like many of you are. I'll never forget when Nora was released from the hospital, after her diagnosis, and it's dinner time. We had been gone all week from home and had nothing in the fridge so we HAD to eat out. I freaked! I need to take her blood sugar, count carbs, draw up insulin and inject insulin in a public place...with no nurse?? WHAT?? But, I looked at my husband, after my initial, "are you insane" face, and took a deep breath and said, "yep, let's do this!" and we did and we do. From that moment on I knew that we, as parents, would set the tone for making our daughter feel like she was leading as normal a life as possible...a new life...one with diabetes. So then it became my mission to let her know that she could do ANYTHING she wanted and not to let diabetes stop her. I know this sounds crazy but anytime I hear about an athlete, musician, actor, author, teacher, Dr, nurse, our co-founder, Tony Cervati,...anybody, especially in the public eye, with diabetes...I get excited! It's weird and maybe I'm a little twisted to be excited that someone else has diabetes, but I'm then able to show her, hey, look, they have diabetes and look what they are doing! It gives her inspiration to keep doing what she is doing or at least feel a common bond with them. How they handle a sport with diabetes and how she can relate. How she's had to pull herself off the basketball court because of a low when she really just wants to be in there playing in the Championship Tournament game. How she takes herself off the softball field because it's 90degrees and her blood sugar is high and her head hurts but she really wants to be fielding to get her opposing team out. How she sits out in gymnastics because she's low and all she wants to do is her back handspring tucks! It sucks when diabetes wins at that moment. But for her to find another diabetic who goes through the same things is very inspiring for her.
Of course, Nora is my inspiration too. When I sign up to do these marathons and mud runs; I think of her. When I'm training and it's hot and I'm tired and I've got a hill in front of me and feel I can't go any further...I think of my daughter. How can I complain and whine that it's too hard when she deals with diabetes ALL the time. When I've reached mile 10 in my run and feel my legs giving out I think of all the fingersticks and site changes and sensor insertions she deals with and I move forward. If I preach to my daughter that she can do anything then why shouldn't I practice it? Which brings me to why I even thought of this blog today. In my hometown, Cincinnati, a local boxer, Marty Slone, decided he was going to spar 100 rounds today in honor of a friend, whose kid has diabetes. You can read his story here. Now, if you don't know too much about boxing, this is equivalent to 3 marathons...he started at 9am with only 60 second breaks between rounds and finished 6.5 hours later!!! AMAZING!! You can watch the video, it's the last minute of his 100 round spar. I gotta tell ya...I get a little choked up seeing him so tired and the fans counting down and him just kicking and swinging away. It's just awesome!! As a parent of a T1, I stand in awe of people who donate their time, talent, gifts, themselves for people with diabetes. And many times they have no direct connection...they just know it sucks and want to help.
Now, I'm not suggesting you go to your local Boxing gym and attempt to spar 100 rounds for the diabetics in the world...but I'm challenging you to find YOUR inspiration. It doesn't have to be a physical activity. It can be musically, artistically, Blue Heel wearingly (had to get the "ly" in there!!) whatever form you desire...that suits YOU. What can YOU do to inspire your family, your loved ones, your friends? Think about it and then go do it!! Whatever it is!!
