Thank you.
No one likes the alarm clock going off at 6am on a Sunday. But I rolled out of bed, made a cappuccino, and dressed in running clothes. My blood sugar had been misbehaving all night thanks to a late dinner the evening before, and it hadn’t really recovered by the time I left for the 5K race. I drove 30 minutes south through San Diego county, wondering why I’d allowed myself that last glass of wine around 10pm last night. I followed other cars to the parking lot, and was promptly told that at 7am, the main lot was already full and that I’d have to park in the “overflow” lot almost a mile away.
Really? I thought to myself. What a pain in the ass. I turned my car around and managed to find a parking spot closer than the lot, but still a a hike away. It was so early, and a headache was creeping in. I checked my blood sugar. 160. Lovely. Just high enough to be annoying but too low to bolus for this close to a running event. Damnit diabetes I thought. And, as if I wasn’t already grumpy enough, I realized I’d have to run this 5k with my kit in my hand. There wouldn’t be a gear check because the event was on the smaller side, and I had parked far enough away that if I needed to bolus or adjust my basals, running back to the car would take way too long to be practical. I shoved my CGM into my kit, which was already obnoxiously bulky with my PDM, test strips and lancer, and was annoyed at the rattle the test strips in my kit made. That’s gonna get old on about mile one I lamented internally. Man, had I woken up on the wrong side of the bed that day or what?
But then I walked to the race site. I saw everyone in their T-shirts and the banners that adorned the start line: L”Honor the fallen by Challenging the living'” they read. “9-11 Heroes Run. A 5k for the 9k we’ve lost since September 11th.” I saw servicemen volunteering in their fatigues. I saw a new friend of mine, who’s husband was killed in action just a year ago in Afghanistan, directing the race logistics. I saw my best friend at the registration desk , who had been on site since 5am volunteering, and I thought about her boyfriend who is away for 10 weeks at a Navy training. I saw a woman check in with a prosthetic running leg, and a t-shirt proclaiming the slogan of the Travis Manion Foundation: “If not me, then who.”
Suddenly, diabetes didn’t seem like such a burden to me. The annoyance of the crappy blood sugars seemd to disappear. The weight of my kit lightened in my hand. My irritation at the disease that yes, I must manage forever but I can live with melted away into pride, to sadness, to appreciation, to reverence, to thanks. It melted away into the blue sky of sunny San Diego, on another gorgeous day that I get to wake up and go running. Another day that I get to be here in America. A day where there seem to be no words large enough to say “Thank You” to the men and women of this coutnry who keep us free. No words powerful enough to express that no matter what you cannot ever take our pride.
We ran that day for those who are no longer with us. To make sure that we will never forget.
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Comments
It is very humbling to see and remember how much people sacrifice themselves for us and our freedom every day. Here in the Southern Tier of NY we are still recovering from a massive flood and help has poured in from near and far. I worked at the shelter last night and couldn’t help but keep my emergency supplies strapped to my back as I was surrounded by people who lost everything - including their insulin and glucose meters. Can you imagine what it would feel like to know you just used up your last drop of insulin? Thanks go out to all the volunteers and servicemen and women helping us out, all the pharmacists working late hours trying to get Rx filled…
Mary, your comment is so true - all the volunteers and servicepeople and pharmacists, their work is so amazing and so appreciated - and I don’t blame you for keeping your insulin close, it’s alittle different for us than for most people, that is our life support. Bless you for taking the time to help others, I hope things are improving for you in there in NY, sending positive thoughts your way.
Awesome!