My Inspiration

On December 1, 2008, just eleven days before his third birthday, Lance, my son, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. He is the inspiration for me to join the JDRF Bike Ride for a Cure and to raise money for Diabetes research. They have been making great advances in treatment options and will hopefully find a cure for this disease within Lance's lifetime.

There are generally two types of Diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 2 is far more common and you probably know someone within your family or close friends with this condition. Type 2 Diabetics can produce insulin, but their bodies do not utilize it very well to get sugars (i.e. fuel) into the cells. This condition is generally treated with diet, exercise, weight loss, and oral medication.

Lance, however, is Type 1 which means his body does not produce insulin. The treatment options for Type 2 patients do not apply to him. He needs regular insulin shots and a prescribed carbohydrate diet. In general, he can eat anything that he wants as long as it falls within his allotted carb amount. So, cakes, candy, cookies are all possible if Mom and Dad plan ahead. He can do everything a normal toddler can do but we have to monitor his blood sugars regularly to make sure he is not getting too high or too low. What he eats, how much he eats, illness, and activity level all impact blood sugar numbers. As we are finding out, predicting the tastes, appetite, and activity level of a toddler is quite difficult.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: How did Lance get this disease?
A: Doctors do not really know how this disease initiates. Genetics may play a part though many children get this disease without any family history. It is believed that a typical virus (i.e. Strep, Flu, etc.) kick-starts the imune system to fight off the infection which inadvertantly attack the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. Ultimately, all of the insulin producing cells are destroyed which creates this condition.

Q: Will Lance outgrow this condition?
A: No. Once the insulin producing cells are destroyed, they do not regenerate. Lance will have this condition for the rest of his life.

Q: How did you know he had Diabetes?
A: When there is insufficient insulin in the body, the sugar in your blood stream can not get to the cells where it is needed. So, the sugars keep building up. The body tries to get rid of the excess sugar through the urine. One of the common symptoms of diabetics is to be very thirsty and excessive urination. Lance had both of these symptoms. He could not get enough water to drink. He was chugging the bath water from a bucket! We were going to the potty and changing diapers every fifteen minutes! After Thanksgiving holiday we realized that this was not normal and took him in to see the doctor.

Q: Does Lance have to eat all sugar-free foods?
A: No. He can actually eat anything he wants as long as the carbs are within his "budget". With his insulin regimen he has a prescribed amount of carbs to eat with each meal or snack. We have to plan his food intake to be within this budget.

Q: I heard about this new treatment/drug/study for diabetics. Have you looked into that?
A: We are finding out that all the revolutionary new treatments, drugs, or studies are not qualified for toddlers. Even standard equipment like the pump are not recommended for toddlers. Most of the new stuff is tried out on adults and then teenagers before it becomes approved for all patients.

Post a question if you would like and I will try to answer it.

JDRF Ride 2011: La Crosse, Wisconsin

While Texas was enduring record high heat, Stacey and I escaped to the 2011 JDRF Ride in La Crosse, Wisconsin where the weather was sunny and 75 degrees. What a welcome change to comfortably spend time outdoors! La Crosse is small city right on the majestic Mississippi River. It has nice hike and bike trails along the river and quaint shops and eateries in the downtown area. La Crosse is also known for its local breweries. Stacey and I went searching for some free beer and came up empty, but we did find the King of Beer who was standing on a keg, raising his beer mug, and sporting the requisite beer belly.

The 100-mile ride started on early Saturday morning (August 13). Grey clouds blanketed the sky and there was a forecast of 50% chance of thunderstorms. I had flashbacks of Killington 2009 where it rained all day. At the start it was clear and over 400 JDRF riders were off for the ride. Shortly after the start the rain did fall but our spirits were high and we did not let that dampen our enthusiasm. I tucked in with a group of riders from Indiana and made good time to the first rest stop where their group peeled off. It was too early for me to stop so I pressed on. Suddenly, I was alone. I could see no one in front of me and no one behind. It is those moments that you can really look around at the rolling green meadows and the fog hovering over the hilltops and appreciate the beauty of this part of the country. At mile 20 Dave, a rider from Chicago, strolled up next to me and we had a nice chat. His company sponsored over 40 riders. He is a cycling racer and has a nephew and friend with Type 1 and was back with the Ride to Cure after a 3 year hiatus. After a while I could not maintain his pace and slipped back while he pressed on. Within a few miles I reached Rest Stop #2 at 28 miles in and stopped for a break. Stacey was volunteering at this rest stop and she was there to cheer me on. She was also there with a spare, dry jersey which was much appreciated.

After Rest Stop #2 the rain stopped and the streets dried. The cycling during this stretch was its most serene and beautiful. I rode with a good steady pace pulling a fellow rider behind me. When a pack zoomed past I accelerated and tucked in behind them. This was a group of four riders from Iowa riding in a paceline. They were happy to have a fifth to help shoulder the load. They peeled off at the Rest Stop #3 while I pressed on to “the loop.” The loop circles around and ultimately brings you back to Rest Stop #3 heading back towards the finish. The loop is also the portion that had a series of steep climbs and steep descents. I would accelerate on the downhill part to gain sufficient momentum to get over the peaks. Well, maybe not completely over but a least halfway or so before I had to downshift and crank it out. At the end of the loop there was a long downhill portion where I clocked in at just over 36 mph. That was fun!!

After the loop I stopped at Rest Stop #3 for a break. This was the 58 mile mark, over halfway done at this point. I head back along the road that I came down on but realize that the journey has gotten a little more difficult. In this direction the wind had picked up and was blowing straight in my face. I had over 40 miles of headwind to look forward to. Though it makes the cycling more difficult, I reveled in the cool breeze on my face thinking that I would never be able to experience this during the Texas summer. I latched on to a pack of four riders from Northern Wisconsin. They were struggling too in the headwind and I found that I was riding a little stronger than they were so I took to the front to pull them for a stretch. They peeled off at Rest Stop #2 but I kept going, waving at Stacey as I ride past.

I found myself alone on the road again. Being alone makes the cycling more difficult, but offers you the change to look around more freely to see the meadows and dairy cows grazing in the pastures. I find that my legs don’t seem to be spinning as fast as I want and my speed is steady but slow. At mile 86 I welcome the break at Rest Stop #1 where I can rest and refuel. The turkey sandwich and oranges really hit the spot. I press on with only about 15 more miles to go. 15 miles, that’s nothing. I head out looking for a group to latch on to but find that I am passing anyone that I see in front of me. After crossing the border from Minnesota to Wisconsin I have to turn onto a different highway where the wind is no longer in my face. What a difference that makes. I can instantly go about 2 mph faster and feel light on my feet. Soon I am crossing over the large bridge over the grand Mississippi and I can see the flowing water extending in both directions as far as I can see. I wind through the downtown area and reach the path leading to the finish line. There are crowds of people cheering and ringing cow bells. The DJ is playing music and announces that a rider is approaching. Young children stand on the path with their hands outstretched waiting for a high-five. When you cross the finish line the crowd erupts with cheers and applause. What a great feeling!

I completed the 100 mile course in just over 6 hours on the bike. My average was 16.2 mph for the course. I always think that I could have trained a little longer or pushed a little harder but given the rain, hills, and headwind I am pleased with my performance. Who’s with me for next year?

To My Supporters

The ride a La Crosse this year was the biggest ever to date. There were over 400 riders. The amount raised was also the biggest ever. La Crosse riders raised over 1 million dollars. With your contributions I raised $13,875 for JDRF. That put me as the #3 fundraiser at La Crosse. I want to thank all of my supporters for your donations, your support, and your well-wishes. The work that Team Lance-a-lot is doing is helping to solve our Quest for the Cure. You are all fantastic!

The Weekend at La Crosse

What a fantastic place and what wonderful people. Everyone here was super nice. There were only two of us from the Dallas Chapter at this ride but we were welcomed in to the Northern Wisconsin group. Everyone we met from the Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota chapters were all very friendly and outgoing. We had a chance to meet with other families with young children that also suffer from this disease like Lance. We met one family from Illinois that had two young girls. The youngest one was Type 1. The Mom was riding the full century and the Dad and girls helped along with Stacey at the rest stop. We hope to see you again.

Quest for Team Lance-a-lot

3, 780 insulin shots & 4, 725 finger pricks...

This is what my 5 year old, Lance, endured since he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in December 2008. Please watch Lance's video quest to find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_Z188Y5hhM!

To support Team Lance-a-lot, please visit http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/teamlancealot

Celiac Disease

Do you know what Celiac Disease is? Well, it is fairly common in Type 1 Diabetes patients to also have Celiac Disease. Lance has tested positive for a blood marker that predicts 99% positive for Celiac Disease. The only way to be sure is to do an intestinal biopsy which is fairly traumatic to a child (i.e. surgery). We are not ready to face the implications of this diagnosis yet...more to come. Lance will be tested for Celiac Disease again at his next appointment.