Throwing it Back and Moving it Forward

JDRFCC 2013

Last year at this time we were just getting home from our life changing experience in Washington DC.  I have included a Throwback Thursday pic collage.  Looking at it now, it seems like just yesterday however, much has been accomplished since then.  The SDP was renewed  http://advocacy.jdrf.org/our-work/special-diabetes-program/,  TJ and I  have visited with Heidi Heitkamp again and we are working to have a stronger JDRF presence in North Dakota. Articles about the progress on the artificial pancreas are everywhere http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/16/us/artificial-pancreas-shows-promise-in-diabetes-test.html?_r=0, a new inhaled insulin is available http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/06/28/fda-inhaled-insulin-diabetes-afrezza/11612739/ and the list goes on.  Much of this amazing progress can be attributed to JDRF and their commitment to finding a cure.   http://jdrf.org/blog/2014/jdrf-ranked-as-top-non-governmental-diabetes-research-funder/.

I have been terrible at blogging.  I would like to spend my days telling you all about life with T1 D.  However, first that could get downright depressing and second, we are busy living our days.  Some days are good and some days, not so much.  I would be dishonest if I didn't tell you I roll my eyes sometimes when people go on and on about their child's sniffle.  I know this isn't fair of me as each family has their own reality and what has become normal for us would constitute Hurricane Katrina for someone else.  I know this, because that was once us.  I found myself alone one afternoon when two of the kids were at D camp and the other two were not at home.  I did not know what to do with myself.  I literally felt as if I were crawling out of my skin.  At that moment, it occurred to me that I am so used to living with that element of chaos always in the shadow ready to leap out and attack in the form of a low blood sugar, keytones, lost site,or some other T1 annoyance that when the threat was removed, I was lost.  This discovery made me want to jump for joy and sob with sadness at the same time.  Joy- here I was for a few hours- FREE!  No insulin to inject, no carbs to count, no fingers to poke. On the flip side- sadness because this is not something my kids can  be free of- this disease is "managed" not "cured".  Just because I wasn't watching over them the insulin, fingerpokes, and carbs were still part of their every moment.  In turn, I felt humbled thinking of these kids at camp.  The strength in those little wooden cabins could move mountains.

Three of my inspirations!

With the memory of last year's energy and the hope of keeping these three pretty ladies and their comrades smiling, I signed our family up for the first  North Dakota JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes.  If you would like to help out or join our team, here is the link:  http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/t1-cubed   In addition,  spent some time on the phone with a lovely lady named Camille, who I met briefly in Washington last year. Her passion inspires me.  I am excited and honored to work with her, Barb, and Brekka (the moms of the beauties on the left and center of the photo) to bring awareness and opportunity to North Dakota.