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If you’ve read my blog before, then you know that my daughter Leslie was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age eight. She is now 18.

This is not a fun disease. Leslie quickly learned to check her blood sugar, handle various blood sugar levels, and give herself insulin shots. Only about five to ten percent of those with diabetes have type 1. It occurs when the pancreas stops producing the hormone insulin which is necessary to live. Her shots, and now her insulin pump, which requires daily management on her part, provide that life.

Over this past weekend, my daughter Allison went the distance and completed the American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure bike ride of about 127 miles! Today she starts a four day trip to Yellowstone National Park where she will work for the next three months.

Time to say goodbye. Again. If you are the parent of a child, you know that you are in for a series of changes and goodbyes as they grow and discover who they are. From the first time you leave your child with a baby sitter, drop them off at the church nursery, or take them to their first day of school whether that is kindergarten or college, then you know that bittersweet heart tug.

I’ve spent a good part of today at the American Diabetes Association because this weekend is their Tour de Cure bike ride event. I’ve watched as riders come in to get their rider packets and information; some have diabetes themselves, others have family or friends with the disease, and still others are just glad to help a most worthy cause.

This year my 21-year-old daughter Allison is riding for the first time. Allison was 11 years old when her younger sister Leslie was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. By default Allison is also a diabetes veteran as she has watched and helped Leslie with diabetes management and also been active in ADA events over the last ten years.

I don’t know how many years May has been “Runners’ Month,” but this is the first year that it registered on my radar. That’s because, as I’ve mentioned quite a few times now, I’m a new runner. I continue to be fairly slow but consistent and I persevered through our first heat wave with help from the advice that some of you gave!

Now I am making more changes in my work out routine. You see, I went to the same gym and did pretty much the same workout for the last six years. It was definitely time to change that routine and rev up my workout life – hence the running. The fitness experts I’ve interviewed always suggest mixing up your routine so that it stays interesting – that’s great advice.

My grandfather died of complications from a stroke long before all of the amazing medical advances of today that make a stroke not nearly as scary or deadly. I wonder what his outcome might have been today? As I interviewed for the May issue of HealthSource, I talked with many patients who had good outcomes after stroke thanks to the stroke doctors in our area.
I was amazed at the number of patients who told me that they had no idea that they had so much artery blockage and, in fact, had no symptoms.
Anthony Kulish, who turns 64 this month, is one of those patients.
Kulish was sent to Dr. Majdi Ashchi at First Coast Cardiovascular Institute by his primary care doctor. Kulish says that he had no idea that he would find out that his tiredness was the result of having 95 percent blockage in one carotid artery and 85 percent blockage in the other.
“I had the catheterization test early one morning,” remembers Kulish. “When Dr. Ashchi saw how much blockage there was he sent me right to Memorial Hospital.” The next morning Kulish had carotid artery stenting on his left internal carotid artery; a month later he had the same procedure on the right side.
“If I hadn’t gone to the doctor and found out about the blockage and had it corrected, I would have had a stroke,” Kulish says.
My message today is don’t overlook a symptom! If Anthony Kulish had ignored his health, he might not be here to celebrate his birthday.

My youngest daughter, Leslie, has type 1 diabetes. She was diagnosed at age eight, which means that for the last ten years she has lived with daily blood sugar checks, insulin pump site changes, and an almost constant monitoring of how she feels, what she eats, and blood sugar levels.

Anyone who has a child with any kind of a disease knows what it’s like to live with that stomach lurching feeling of that next emergency while encouraging your child reach her full potential in spite of the disease.
Only about six percent of the population has type 1 diabetes – the pancreas simply stops producing insulin and the onset is usually childhood, though adults can also develop type 1 diabetes. There is no cure for diabetes, only management through insulin. Type 2 diabetes is the more common form of the disease.

In the April issue of HealthSource I wrote about whether it is possible to find balance in your life. One of my sources was Dr. Heidi Pomm, Coordinator of Behavioral Science at St. Vincent’s Family Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Pomm is one of my favorite people. She is compassionate, kind and always provides good take-away insight.

As I revealed in an earlier blog, I’ve started running and I love absolutely love it. I still can’t believe that I love running such a ridiculous amount and always look forward to my next run. I’ve logged in three 5Ks so far – I’m not fast and I have no real style, but I am consistent!

The problem, it seems, is that I started running during our very cold (well very cold for Florida) winter. I really enjoyed bundling up for my runs and then de-layering as I went. The fresh, cold air on my face was invigorating.