It's Here, It's Here!!!

Yes, to most people it means nothing but to me, the world! My new insulin pump!!! Yes, I did open it at work because I was too excited! Check out all the "stuff", now if I could only get some to show me how to use so I don't accidentally kill myself! lol I did make a trip out to restock glucose tabs and instant glucose gel in case of emergencies. I will keep everyone up to date as I learn more and get this party started!

The real question of the day is can I keep numbers like this once I start on the pump? I hope!

For those who can't read horrible, blurry pictures:

7 day average after 26 checks is 110

14 days 109

30 days 119

60 days 120

90 days after 393 checks 120!!!! Freaking Awesome!

Package delivered at work:

Package contents on desk at work:

Package contents spread out on table at while reading the literature:

My weekend!

This weekend was great! I went riding Friday and put on a solid 30 miles. Did I mention I love riding? lol The whole time I was thinking about getting my insulin pump, how will I ride with it? Where will I put it? How do I adjust for exercise? All the normal things running through people's minds! Right?

I slept in until 8am on Saturday! Funny, I know, but getting up at 5am all week long means 8 is 3 extra hours!!! I went out to my parents to help with some projects as usual and visit with my brother. He is doing well with his chemo and all, here is a picture of him and I. So keep him in your thoughts and prayers and hopefully everything will keep moving along pretty well.

Sunday I rode the Sweet Corn Challenge put together by Eddie's Bike shop. It was an in credible day for riding!!! Perfect temp, perfect weather!!! I met a group of guys training for the MS 150 and rode with them for most of the 53 miles. It was a great ride, fairly challenging for the area but fun as well. I finished in 3:10:00 but the best part was that my blood sugars were perfect all day long. Now that I'm finally getting these under control while riding so I don't go low I'm moving to the insulin pump. My goal is to be up and running for the STOMP metric century at the end of the month. Wish me luck!!! On that note check back to see pics as I get my pump delivery tomorrow!!!

FINALLY!!!

Monday my insulin pump will arrive! A whole new era in my life with diabetes! I feel like it's Christmas in July! I will admit that I'm a little nervous about getting started but know it will better in the long run. I'll keep everyone posted on how this journey goes and how it changes my life, hopefully for the better. :)

Here is a pic of the pump in the color I will be getting:

Monday

Well, I was finally able to get out yesterday at about 6pm. The weather looked a bit shaky up until then. I had the news on, Internet weather and kept walking out and looking at the sky. Finally I said screw it!

I got my bike and myself ready and went out. The ride was great and I tried a new route which ended up being 29.4 miles, close enough to 30 for me!!! I felt great, like I could ride another 20 miles. However, I wrestled with my blood sugars for the ride. I was low when I started (BS 67) so I fueled up and about 9 miles in I went low again and had to stop in the valley for a Power Bar gel which is a solid 30g of carbs. Felt pretty good for the rest of the ride. when I got home my BS was 57 but I knew I was eating dinner so I was ok.

Checked again at 9 and my BS was 110 which is a-OK perfect as far as BS goes. I took my Lantus and had a small snack, the usual nighttime ritual. However as I was going to bed a little after 10 my BS was 41!!! Back to eating again. Sheesh! Being diabetic is tiring.

On a good note though HUGE cold front moving through bringing the temp and humidity down. 77 and sunny today!!! 40 miles here I come!!!

Boo, the weekend is over!

Back to the grind here at 7am. The weekend was good, I came off last week with a few more miles on my bike under my belt. Last week at some point in time I pulled a muscle in my back. I rode a few more days with it but it bothered me enough to take Friday off the bike. Not doing a heck of lot except relaxing with some heat on my back catching up on the weeks DVR or the Tour de France. Saturday I went home to help my Dad out with a few projects, visit my brother and see some relatives that were stopping by on there way back to NY. While taking some toolboxes back to my Dad's shed I tweaked my back again. Son of a B%#@*!!! However, I wasn't letting it ruin my ride that evening, after popping some Motrin I managed to tough out 35 miles in the evening.

Sunday was a bust as well, my back was pretty rough but after spending some time in the hot tub it felt better. My parents and brother came out to go swimming and cookout. I grilled up 7lbs. of ribs for everyone. Slow cooked with dried mustard, brown sugar and honey before topping off with some bbq sauce. I had to ribs left after the 4 of us got through them.

The highlight of my weekend, outside of seeing the fam, was stocking up on much needed refueling supplies!!! See below.

Gatorade G2, on sale until Wed. at Giant Eagle 10/$10 my fav beverage!

Power Bars, love them for riding, working out and the occasional low blood sugar!

Ride plan for the week:

Monday: bike 30 miles

Tuesday: bike 40 miles

Wednesday: Appreciation dinner for Tour de Cure at HOB Cleveland

Thursday: Toss up, 30 miles or ABC group ride

Friday: 40 miles

Saturday: Rest

Sunday: Sweet Corn Challenge! 50 miles with Horrendous Hills!!! Yes, I'm sick!

My Cause

And my new prized possession.

Have You Ever?

Been working out for awhile and just reached a point where you say, "I feel like I'm getting better!". I reached that point yesterday, maybe it's mental, maybe it's spiritual. I'm not sure. Yesterday when I was riding all the numbers were showing my heart rate, speed and distance were normal but I just felt more relaxed like I could ride all day. I rode 33 miles yesterday and I was ready to go back out again as soon as I got home. Words just can't describe that great feeling you have when you are busting your ass running or ridding or whatever your workout is and you feel you can just rise above and rock out.

Riding is my euphoria. I don't have to depend on anyone except myself, no one else is going to push down the pedal or get me up the hill. There is a lot going on in my life between work which is always crazy (gotta love marketing!), a little brother with cancer, a crazy ex-girlfriend who can't leave me the hell alone and is crazy even when on medication, all the day to day things that need to get done (i.e. paying bills, grocery shopping, taking care of dog, laundry) oh and did I mention I'm a type 1 diabetic and have to monitor my blood sugar, insulin and food intake every second I'm awake so I don't need anything amputated or have a major organs fail?

Riding = :)

But I love to ride, my goal is to ride over 1200 miles this season. I've covered 508 so far and I've signed up for local rides almost ever weekend I'm free for the rest of the summer. On top of that i get out of work at 4pm now and can make it almost anywhere for a ride in the evening. Here's my plan of attack for the week:

Monday: rest/clean bike (see Ran Man entry)
Tuesday: Ride into the valley and out a few times 33 miles
Wednesday: HIIT Ride 30 miles
Thursday: ABC Ride and picnic afterwards
Friday: Climb every hill out of the valley and then ride back in (more fun than you think!)
Saturday: Visit brother and try new ride route covering 45 miles
Sunday: Loooooong endurance ride

Weekly Mileage Goal 175

Drop a line if you want to come and ride!!! lol Happy cycling everyone!