What I like about Quick Sticks!

 I was washing my clothes last Sunday and I am real good about emptying my pockets and making sure no chap stick or change gets into the washing machine.  This past Sunday I had to wash a bunch of my cycling clothes and with those bottomless pockets in the back I guess I didn't get everything out because when I opened the washing machine I saw a package of sour apple Quick Sticks in the machine.  This brought fear that my clothes would all be diabetes quick acting sugar coated and if you all can't remember I am a diabetic so I could have unexplained highs from like osmosis or something.  I hope none of that laundry is my underwear, that would be embarrassing to put that on my blog.

Once I got all the clothes out of the machine I picked up the package of Quick Sticks and there were no tears or leaks and the product was perfectly dry inside.  I was so relieved and it made me think of why I like to use Quick Sticks at certain times.  Quick Sticks are tubes of this fast acting glucose powder that can easily be placed in your pocket.  Since I wear slacks at work and you know when you wear a pair of slacks anything in your pocket looks like an odd bulge and since Quick Sticks is small I can keep then discretely in my pants without anyone knowing or having an odd bulge.  Then the package is from what I found out water proof unlike alot of those tablet forms of glucose which I like since I keep them in my cycling jersey and up my shorts legs and a couple in my bike pouches.  Now I don't use these to run with since a mouth full of powder just is not efficient but on a bike they are great.  Now I do still buy the tablets, and gels, and all sorts of other diabetes recovery sweets just I use different ones at different times and places.

If you go to the Quick Sticks website: www.QuickSticks.com you will see a guy in a black shirt dumping some Quick Sticks in his mouth and also surrounded by other people.  That is my buddy Jeff, and he said when they were filming the pouring part of the ad they made him do it over and over.  Now Jeff is a type 1 diabetic and he said before they had their last shoot he tested and his BG's were in the 300 range from having to down all that glucose and he started to get sick and the film people kept asking him to do it again so they could get the right amount of powder going into his mouth.  That story always cracks me up about what us diabetics have to go through to get things right.

That's What friends are for!

 So Saturday was our kick off ride for the Dallas-Fort Worth "Tour de Cure" happening on August 3rd.  We had tons of wind and our 35 mile ride whichwas shortened to a 25 mile ride due to getting back in time for the party and a few people were not used to 30mph wind gusts.  Above you see my friend Jeff who is our team red captain and who has organized rides for us faithful all winter long and due to him when I was having issues on rides he would stay with me and help me out.

 This got me thinking about how the rides are alot of fun because I have so many friends that ride with us and that also have diabetes.  Above is my running buddy Don who is now an awesome cyclist and second in comand for our team red, has convinced me to do a 100 mile ride in May.  See that is what friends are for to help you when you are down, motivate you to do more, and to share all sorts of stories about diabetes and riding.

 Here is a picture of another friend Jim who does not have diabetes (nor does he have a single ounce of fat on his body) but is like the "Tour de Cure" chairman and also rides with us.  I didn't even know he jammed out on the sitar.  This is just a few pictures of friends but, I love talking to all of them getting to know how to switch from tennis shoes to cycling shoes, what to do with my insulin pump, showing others my CGM.  Then we sat around joking how I always carry a glucagon kit on me and that if I were to ride by myself maybe the kit should be duct taped to my handle bars or my neck for when I pass out I just fall on it and come right back to cycling again (We were just joking and I take having a glucagon kit on me almost seriously).

With all the friends I still can't get any of them to join Don and I for a run but we are never giving up.  Above you can see me in some gear Jeff gave me (I think he thought it was too small for him).  The jersey is a San Antonio ADA team red jersey, and the shorts are team red as well.  Then my friend Lew gave me some speed play pedals that were given to him by Don and we joked how at some time every one of us will have had these pedals and hopefully someone will enjoy them.

If you don't have any friends, or if you are a diabetic that does not participate in any diabetic games then you are missing life completely (OK that was a bit over the top).  The reason is with diabetic friends you all of a sudden have people around that "get it" or what I call: "the understand why the caged bird sings" and you get this outlet to discuss diabetes and issues or things with and also a team of people that motivate and push you to do better.  So go out and join every sugar diabetes organization you can find, maybe you might be the one that saves a diabetic life and can mentor someone.  Check out www.insulindependence.org www.diabetes.org www.jdrf.org or any other number of diabetes organizations that may be lurking in your area.

Canadian Diabetes

So I have been surfing www.Ebay.com for a new cycling jersey.  Currently I have been wearing just a running shirt made of that fancy moisture wicking material but I wanted a real-deal cycling jersey with the cool kids pockets in the back and all.  The thing is I don't want just a random plain Jane cycling jersey, I want something that is unique and different like myself.  While trolling the inter-web I came across this "Team Diabetes Canada" jersey and sent the seller an email to see if they would lower their price any (59.99 plus shipping).  There were no bids and the auction ended in two days and low and behold the seller emailed back and said they would do free shipping (from Canada) and lower the price to 39.99 USD.  I jumped all over that and in the picture above you can see me wearing my sweet new riding jersey.  Now I just have to do the math to convert type 1 diabetes to Euros.