Eating Bagels

I have been living in NY for almost 3 years, and during that I could count on my fingers the times that I ate bagels. for many reasons, (my A1C and my waistline) I just stayed away from then- I mean you should have seen my reaction when my Dr. told me that a typical NY bagel had 90 carbohydrates- that people is equivalent to 6 (yes SIX) pieces of bread. But recently right on the way to my subway stop a new bagel place opened up, for its first few months I avoided it, but then one day, I got a bagel and the next week I got another bagel, this my friends has been going on for a few weeks, which means that I am running out of fingers to count on.
Breakfast is always the hardest meal for me, because you are battling the morning blood sugar rise, coupled with the times that I work out in the morning and make insulin adjustments for all of it. I often rotate through periods of eating eggs, yogurt or oatmeal, and they all have different affects on my body, and now I am learning to tackle the bagel- and has enough carbo load in it so that I am set (remember 6 pieces of bread).
I really am becoming a New Yorker, except I get the eye when I ask for my bagel with sprouts, avocado and tomato:)

Inspiring Spirit

At each JDRF Ride to Cure they give out a Polka Dot Spirit jersey to honor a rider that the coaches feel exhibit the spirit  and dedication of the ride. This year the jersey went to Bob Parant a NYC rider, who has been type 1 for over 40 years, 2 years ago had a leg amputated due to complications- he rides with a prosthetic leg, a smile and determination. His son, Troy and son’s girlfriend, Sara rode in Death Valley last year and this year he joined us, the NYC team (Crankees) in Vermont.

He was honored the Spirit Jersey, and it was well deserved!

Here are a few words from him;

To all the Crankees,
What an amazing weekend and life experience. Sorry not on Facebook, maybe it's time to get into the tech world.

I can not thank you enough for all that this entire group has done for me. The coaches have always gone out of there way to make me feel like i could do this, always answering my many questions and pushing me literally along the way. The group at JDRF Aly, Lindsay, and Julia and all others encouraging me to continue to move forward with my involvement right from my first call i made 2 years ago for the DV ride.

I am so humbled and honored to be part of this amazing team and to have won the coveted " Spirit Award". This is a weekend that will forever be etched in my mind. Riding with the Crankees and so many other great people that gave me so much encouragement along the way, riding with Troy and Sara and having my whole family there to see me through all I went through and then being at the finish line to see me meet the goal I had, riding with my son who stayed with me the entire time and then caught up to the rest of the pack and do 100 was something a dad cherishes and makes me sooo proud and riding with an amazing person, Coach Lorne. He made my day enjoyable, got me through some tough hills and great conversation. The Spirit Award is shared with you. I could not have gotten to the finish line without all of the great people that have supported me along the way, when I think of this award I will think of all the memories listed above as well as many others even going back to Death Valley where this all started. Let me not forget how touched and how amazed i was with all of those that donated to me with great generoisity and support. Never did I think I would reach $7000 in donations for this cause. That really touched me.

As Lou Gerhig ( Yankee Great if u don't know) " Today I fell like the luckiest man on the face of the earth" .

Now on to me giving back. I want to help in anyway i can to continue to reach another goal and that is the Cure for this disease. I am very willing and able to help in anyway. That is also the joy of going to this event. Seeing how so many work towards this goal. Please call me for anything i can help with. I pledge to work towards finding a cure in my life time. I do not want to see anymore kids having to live with diabetes.

To all, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart and pancreas. I love you all for your help and support.

Ride Strong
Bob Parant


Feel free to pass along to others that may not be on the google list.

The Rite of Passage Ride, why we are Crankees

We did it! This past Saturday we had the annual rite of passage, the grueling Westpoint/ Bear Mountain Ride.
The course was about 65 miles and over 6,000 ft of climbing- yes, truth be told, I love this Ride!

The day started early, very early, when I rose at 3:30 am, we had scheduled a 5am departure from Brooklyn. Our SAG support (husband and step-daughter) had the car packed (with the exception of the cold items) and were going to meet us halfway in the course with fuel and hydrating liquids. The temperatures were expected to reach 100 degrees.

The team met in the parking lot just under Perkins memorial drive, and we began to ride at 7am. There were 10 of us.  Like most rides that are coordinated by our couch Lewis, the ride began with a nice long climb, up bear mt. over the course of the first 36 miles (our designated meeting point at Mr. Cone) there were many a hills;  there was another climb waiting around every corner, at the bottom of every hill, when you think it was the top of a hill, if you missed a turn,.. you get it, it was all about the climb.

Mr Cone brought us a cuddly dog (Otis) a loving husband and step-daughter and some good food and drink (PB&J, bagels, bananas, Gatorade, COLD water) and some tri food (boiled potatoes?)
It was great to have the support, it was hot, and we were going through a lot of fluid and the food was able to provide us energy to continue on for the next- most grueling - part of the ride.

The back half of the ride brought us a few incidents, flat tires, wobbling falls caused by dropping a chain, low blood sugars, separation from the group, lost riders and tired riders. These things happen, we learn from these things, we grow from these and we ride to prevent these in the future.

The last 7-10 miles is the hardest, not only because we were tired but because you have come down to sea level and are now headed back up to the top of the mountain, it is a long climb, a steep climb but determined as we were, look up, look forward and ride. Those last few miles brought thunder showers that were refreshing and invigorating (always keep phone, meter, and cash in a zip-lock bag).  You look ahead and think, just another turn I will be to the top, just another one and another one, and you just keep going. Out of the 10, 7 made it to the peak- that is a pretty great accomplishment and I am proud of everyone who rode.

I feel this ride was a perfect example of why we ride and how we can parallel this to T1D, the uncontrollable elements (in this case heat, rain) the controllable elements (how we prepare ourselves for everyday in this case training) the known and the unknown, the strength we have to overcome challenge and the unity we have as a team to work together.


I am very excited to ride this Saturday with my team, the New York Crankees, in Vermont- Ride to Cure Diabetes!

The Forth of July- Tribute to my mama

Yesterday was a special day, like every year on the forth of July, it was my mama's birthday. And while we couldn't be together to celebrate this year, we  know you had a great celebration! I am so thankful for all that you have done for me over the years, your adventurous spirit, your continuous desire to learn, your nurturing soul.

As I have grown up and learned much more about myself, managing Type 1 and trying my best to keep myself in control, I always think about what you must have gone through as my mom  in a time when resources and access to technology and information are not what they are today- you led the way in making sure I was taken care of at every step, and even now I can't imagine what you must have gone through knowing that your child has a condition that not only can you not cure, but that it is not understood why they were diagnosed in the first place. 

I am grateful for all that you did diligently every day since I was diagnosed over 29 years ago- you have been through so much as my mom, as a parent of someone with Type 1, I honestly can't imagine!

Next week we will Ride to Cure Type 1 Diabetes, so that moms and  future moms don't have to go through what you have gone through!

So thank you for everything that you have done, as my mom, I miss you and I love you!

Success

How do you measure success?
For some it is money, for some it is fame, for some it is comfort.

For me this year it is support. This past week we held 3 fundraisers- two in Brooklyn and one, my parents threw,  in Olympia. All of them were overly sucessfull, not only in dollars raised, but in people that came out to show support for this cause.

This support that is shown by so many  year after year help us out not only financially but emotionally, and physically, it is very humbling.

In just over a week we pack up our car, me, husband and Otis boy and head up to Vermont- it is a great drive to a beautiful place and I am excited so see old friends and meet new ones and feel the overwhelming energy that resonates at the Ride. We couldn't be more grateful for all of our success this year!

weather conditions and conditioning

The weather has not been ideal for outdoor training this week aNd husband is traveling so i am on Otis duty, so we have cut back on training and are getting ready for a fun weekend/week of fundraising.

ITs gonna be great! Wish everyone near and far could join!

With a little help from our friends- come one come all!

We are so excited to share with everyone that we have 2 great fundraisers coming up. Mark your calendars- Sunday June 24, 3pm at South- Hubby will be serving up his amazing pulled pork , drink specials and great prizes. 

and Boot camp for a Cure on Thursday June 28 at 6:30 pm, in Prospect Park, with the great Joanna Paterson

To see why I ride watch the video I made last year- here 

We hope you can join us! If not and you still want to donate- here!