Saturday marked the first day of 2010 that I actually had a ride that truly pushed me to the limit. My legs burned on many prior rides this year but it was not until Saturday, when temperatures reached well over 90 and mileage reached far beyond 50 that I started feeling it. The ADA Knoxville Tour de Cure took off from the HT Hackney Company in Knoxville earlier Saturday morning. We arrived and got registered by 7:00am and then the ride took off at about 7:30. Just before 1:00pm we pulled back into the parking lot at HT Hackney with 67 additional miles on the bike. A good friend from Nashville, Brian, came over to Knoxville for the ride as well. We had a good time along the route and met several greats folks from all of over Tennessee along the way. Jessica was cheering and taking photos as we turned the corner at the finish line and I could not have been more glad to see her smiling as we made it in. Around the 46 mile mark I was not sure I could do another 20+ miles but I got a third wind (the second wind came earlier in the ride) and pushed on through. The ride events make it all the more worthwhile to train on days when riding a bike just does not sound like alot of fun. Saturday was fun! The most important part of the day was a reminder that the 400+ riders and all of their supporters, family, friends, and type IIIs were out there for one reason....to support our cause for a cure!
I will be riding in the American Diabetes Associations Tour de Cure event this Saturday, here in Knoxville! This event is a great training practice run for the big hoorah coming up October 16th in Death Valley. While I don't do a big fundraising campaign for this event, I do try to raise a few dollars to support the ADA and their great local East Tennessee event. Most of my fundraising efforts are spent working towards my goals in the JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes but if you have the means and/or the interest, donations are appreciated!I have not been riding as much as I should be so we'll see how Saturday goes....at least they have great SAG wagons, support, and break stops!
Throughout this year, in the short time that I have been training in 2010, I have not yet mentioned those "Type IIIs" in my life. Nicole Johnson, Miss America 1999, refers to those that support, love, and encourage diabetics around the world as "Type III Diabetics." For those that may not know, Type I diabetes is what is referred to as "insulin dependent diabetes," (what I have) and Type II diabetes is non-insulin dependent diabetes. Therefore, Type III occurs when you have friends, family, and other loved ones who depend on you for support in their day to day diabetes care.
I am fortunate to have many type IIIs in my life that include my parents, friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, and others who have had an impact on my life during the last 12 years since being diagnosed. However, I would be remiss if I did not give special mention to my wife, Jessica, who is always supportive of me and my diabetes care. She is certainly the reason that I even participate in the Ride to Cure Diabetes since she is one who truly encouraged us to participate in the event for the first time in 2009. As I mentioned in the final blog last year, she even won the spirit jersey in the '09 Sonoma Ride because of her dedication to me and the fight for a cure. Spouses and partners are arguably the most important piece of any diabetic's daily care and I am fortunate to have a wife who puts my diabetes care at the top of her priorities. She shows me greater love through this than anyone could ever replicate!
Another Type III that I need to mention is our Yorkie, Cooper. Now this may sound a little crazy, but when I am asleep at night, if I do not wake up while going low (when blood sugar dips below 80 due to too much insulin, lots of exercise, etc.), Cooper wakes up and in-turn wakes me up. This phenomenon has happened more than once over the last 2-3 years, in fact, I would say that it happens almost monthly. I mentioned this to my endocrinologist at a recent visit and she in fact confirmed that I am not crazy and that this is a sense that dogs can develop after living with someone with diabetes for so long. Another factor could be that when I am low and it is 3:00am, I eat like it is my last meal and that meal usually includes peanut butter and crackers. Cooper loves peanut butter and crackers so he may have ulterior motives when he wakes me up as well! He is currently training our newest canine family addition, Stella, so that she can hone her own low blood sugar identification skills.
I could go on and one but without making a long list I do want to thank everyone who has ever asked me about my diabetes, financially contributed to one of our many fundraisers, or supported any other diabetic in any way. Diabetes can be a lonely journey and it is you, our Type IIIs, that keep us going day after day. Thank you.
I set out for a nice long ride on Sunday afternoon but was cut short with the lighting and do
wnpour that ensued shortly after beginning the ride! I suppose that on one level it is all about the effort but hey, I need to get some miles on those new wheels and hours in the saddle. Depending on how my rides over the next couple of weeks go, I am supposed to be riding in the American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure in Knoxville on Saturday, June 5th. They have 25, 62, and 100 mile routes...100 is definitely out of the question but at this point I am hoping that I can muscle through the 62 mile metric century. This would be a great start to my long summer of training. Will keep you posted!
Forty years ago this year, the parents of children with diabetes formed what is now the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Since the organization's founding in 1970, over $1.4 billion has been raised to support the quest for a cure to diabetes and its complications. This year marks an awkward milestone for JDRF, the 40 year anniversary "celebration." However, what is there really to celebrate? JDRF, as they say, is "in business to put themselves out of business." Since the lights at the JDRF home office in New York City and in the 100+ chapters and branches nationwide are still on, they clearly have more work to do. Details about what has been accomplished and the plans that JDRF has in this, its 40th year. 
The irony of this year being the 40th Anniversary of JDRF's founding is that the name of our ride team is "The Shafer Ten Year Team." As I explained last year, we named the team in this way because when I was diagnosed on October 23, 1998, I was told that a cure would likely be found within the next 10 years. Obviously, 12 years later, there is still no cure yet. That is why the Ride to Cure Diabetes and JDRF still exist.Since I was diagnosed, I have taken what seems like endless shots, tested my blood sugar constantly at all hours of the day and night, and carefully managed food and exercise. However, I am able to take care of myself. The individuals who could really use a cure are the extremely young and the extremely elderly. I do well to take care of myself, but could you imagine managing diabetes for a 16 month old? I'd like to share several numbers of note that may help illustrate the life of any diabetic, not just myself.- Diagnosed for nearly 139 months, roughly 4,170 days.
- Test blood sugar approximately 25,350 times.
- Used over 209,000 units of insulin totaling over 209 vials (roughly $100 each)
Diabetes care and supplies are a big business. This is why we ride, to raise money to find a cure so that the millions worldwide no longer have to endure. After 40 years, JDRF has made great strides towards a cure, but we are not there yet. Your support of our team is appreciated! If you can donate, great, but if not, please know that your thoughts and prayers are needed for our quest to find this cure.
Welcome to the 2010 edition of the The Shafer Ten Year Team blog!
Last year was the first time that we participated in JDRF's Ride to Cure Diabetes event. It was a great experience and with your support, we raised almost $9,000 for diabetes research to help find a cure for the devastating disease as well as its complications. When we set out to train and fundraise for the 2009 event, we did not know how great the experience would truly be. Throughout the training we learned about the physical demands caused by cycling. Throughout the fundraising we learned about the generosity of our family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and the community. Finally, throughout the "Ride Weekend" in Sonoma, we were reminded that we are not alone in our fight for a cure. The whole experience was certainly life changing in several ways and now we are poised to do it all over again in 2010.
I will be riding in Death Valley, CA on October 16th in what is JDRF's most popular ride destination. Death Valley was also the first location to ever host a Ride to Cure Diabetes event over a decade ago. Jessica and I will be training and fundraising together and this year's goal is $3,000. At the event this year, Jessica will be volunteering and I will be shooting to finish the 105 mile route in the hot California desert!
Please, join us again on the journey as we continue to fight for a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. If you are not familiar with our ride experience from 2009, you can visit last year's blog at http://10yearcure.blogspot.com/. Of course, you will be able to find out the latest with our progress for this year by visiting this site often and by following us on twitter at http://twitter.com/aashafer.
Stay tuned for more information and thank you in advance for your support!- Andrew
