Hello DiabetesSisters!
The month of October brings in many changes for us all. The days become shorter, the temperature begins to drop and we here at DiabetesSisters continue to be busy at work providing you with an ever-changing and ever-growing organization for you, our sisters with diabetes!
That being said, we'd like to announce our newest addition to the DiabetesSisters site, our Nutrition Tip of the Month from Lyndsay Riffe, RD, CDE who is also a member of our Triathlon Team! This month Lyndsay will educate us all about Good Fats. Good fats, you ask? Yes, they can be in the same sentence! Click here to Learn more about healthy types of fat and the benefits for a woman with diabetes.
 Beginning this month we would like to highlight one woman who we believe demonstrates the mission of DiabetesSisters. Lorrie DiCesare is an avid member of the DiabetesSistesrs Triathlon Team as well as a dedicated volunteer to the organization. Earlier this summer she shared a story on the Triathon Team Blog about overcoming setbacks. In case you missed it, we'd now like to share her story with all of you!
The Beauty of Tomorrow – Setbacks Don't Exist by Lorrie DiCesare
Back in May, I participated in the Indianapolis ½ marathon. Prior to this event, I had never imagined running that far. I could easily do 5K and 10K runs, but 13.1 miles seemed like it would be impossible to complete. I trained for about 4 months to prepare for the event and felt pretty confident I wouldn't have a problem finishing those 13.1 miles.
The morning of the event, I was feeling pretty good. I felt that I had prepared in every way possible, including keeping blood glucose levels in normal range during my training runs. Then, the worst thing happened. A half hour prior to the start, my continuous glucose monitor started alarming me. I quickly took a peek and started to panic. It showed that I was quickly trending downward toward the low spectrum of the normal range. I couldn't believe it. How was this possible? I had planned for everything. In the past, whenever I participated in a 5K or sprint distance triathlon, my blood glucose readings usually started off on the high end of the spectrum due to nerves and that adrenaline rush. Now I had the opposite thing happening and had to deal with it quickly. I started taking glucose tablets and drinking Gatorade. I also lowered my temp basal on my pump to even lower than I had originally set it.
Finally, at the start of the run, my blood glucose levels were going upward. However, this occurrence completely distracted me from focusing on the run. I lost all confidence in the run and struggled to complete it. I did finish, but I wasn't happy at all with my performance. I was embarrassed about my overall time and felt so sick at the end because I over compensated with Gatorade and didn't have enough insulin on board because I had lowered my temp basal too much. I quickly said to my friends who ran as well, that I would never do this again.
The following Monday, I was back in the gym with all of my friends. Our trainer asked us to write our finish times on a board. I just couldn't do it. The memories of that race left me ashamed because my time was slower than everyone else's. I couldn't bare to see it as a reminder of how terrible I had done each time I was in the gym. A couple of weeks later, as I was flipping through a magazine, I stumbled upon this quote from Tiger Woods. I can't remember the exact quote, but it read something like this: "Tomorrow I will be better than I am today...That's the beauty of tomorrow. There's no such thing as a setback." This quote re-energized me. Yeah, I had a setback, but it was time to move on. Everyone has setbacks, and even though I had a terrible run, I should be happy that I completed it and didn't give up, even though I felt like I was going to die.
My goals have shifted since that run a few months back. I've stopped focusing on comparing my abilities to others. Who cares if someone can swim faster, cycle better, and run like a gazelle? I want to feel confident that I can finish strong. I don't want diabetes to get in the way of just going out and performing the best I can.
When I read about the triathlon team forming, I was re-energized yet again. I immediately thought that this is something that I want to be part of and didn't hesitate to join the team. I haven't stopped talking about it with my friends. I too want to help inspire, support and achieve along with other women with diabetes. I want to learn from others and share what I learn. I want to support and be supported. I want to pay-it-forward. The Diabetes Sisters organization and triathlon team has a wonderful mission and I am so looking forward to being part of it.
Each month we will highlight a different woman for our "Sister Spotlight." Do you believe that you exemplify what it means to be a DiabetesSister? We'd love to hear your story! Email DSSpotlight@diabetessisters.org to be considered for next month's newsletter!
Our 2nd DiabetesSisters Day of Action will take place on Saturday, October 4th in Kansas City, Kansas at the Italian Delight in Mission by Avelluto. For more information and to RSVP, email Andrea at andrea@diabetessisters.org.
Mark your calendars! On Friday, October 11th join Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira and Maria Menounos for an educational and informational Diabetes Fair. NBC "TODAY" will have the top doctors, educational tools, and testing centers on site to answer your questions and to teach you and your loved ones about diabetes. The TODAY Diabets Fair will be open to the public so if you are in the New York area stop by NBC's Studio 1A on 50th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues between 6:30am and 10:00am. If you are interested in representing DiabetesSisters, contact info@diabetessisters.org for more information!
We will begin a new Hot Topic column titled, "My Life with Diabetes: From Urine Testing to CGMS" by Trish Rafalow. Trish's column about her 56 years with diabetes will go live on October 13th!
We are looking for volunteers like you to help DiabetesSisters grow! If interested, please send an email to info@diabetessisters.org or complete a Volunteer Interest Form on the website under "Volunteering."
Thank you again for your support!
In DiabetesSisterhood,
The DiabetesSisters Team
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