Type One Diabetes demands so much work around the clock just to stay alive.  The constant  testing,  checking, adjusting, calculating, preventing and recovering from low and high  blood sugars just to make it though a day.
Not a day goes by where it’s not talked about and discussed,   involving those who live with this chronic illness and their closest family and friends in a routine of injections, blood tests and carb counting and stress.
Now I’m the first to admit that I push the boundaries when it comes to the management of my diabetes.  I  mean lets be honest what sane  person runs 205kms in 3 and a bit days ?????
My diabetes is well managed and I’m lucky enough to have access to my much loved MiniMed 640G insulin pump and continues glucose monitoring both of which have been life changing factors not only as someone who enjoys running but more importantly as a mum and partner. Less then two years ago I was running interstate marathons and training 100’s of Kms resulting in debilitating hypos which both my boys then  delt with constantly. Yes I had choices, I could of stopped running taken up knitting or fishing as a hobby!!!! But of course that would mean me admitting defeat and for me failure is never an option.
Recent I was in the position of seeing things from the otherside of the coin. As a dear friend Dave who has also been type one for 30 plus years was competing in the Cole Bay Triathetlon a 2km swim followed by a 90km bike ride and a 21.1km half marathon run. Dave had his support crew his lovely wife Rachel and his children who like Brendon and Lach live with type on everyday!!!!

Watching Dave compete and juggle  his type one at each change over was hard as for the first time ever I wanted to know what his sugars where and how he was feeling. Then it occurred to me I was on the outside looking in seeing what it’s like for our loved ones when people like Dave and I decide to push the boundaries.
Rachel was amazing and an absolute champion standing for hours on course waiting for Dave to swim/bike/run past her so she knew he was traveling ok. Brendon and I positioned ourselves on course so we could cheer Dave on and support him during the run leg. We where so proud of him and the job he was doing as the logistics of taking on something like this for anyone let alone as a type one isn’t easy blood testing, Basel rates and corrections on top of trying to compete makes the job that much harder (and longer).
Seeing Dave cross the finish line was amazing and seeing the releaf on Rachel’s face that she had him to hold again was truly a moment that showed how much type one diabetes effects the whole family.  Now Dave once told me “you are such a girl” when we where walking together and discussing a mutral friend/support we had lost contract with and I started to get teary.  This was nothing compared to the tears at the end of his event due to a of feeling relief, love and respect for a fellow type one who is willing to have ago and for the lessons I had learnt that day from his lovely family.

I later said to Brendon “that’s how you feel when I’m out running marathons” to which he said “yes it’s not easy sitting watching the person you love push to achieve their goals knowing full well at any moment it could all fall apart because of their diabetes. We are lucky we have CGM and the new pump (640G) so since we got these I feel better as I know it’s going to help avoid the lows as it will suspend before low but it doesn’t change the fact I still worry during and after the events as you are prone to hypo”.
So to all the families and friends out there who are watching out for a type one THANK YOU as without the love and support you provide us with we couldn’t make our dreams a reality.
In the car on the way home I broke the news to Brendon that I wanted to try a Triathetlon to which he said “you don’t swim (border line can’t swim) and are hopeless on a bike so who do you intend to do that?”  I just smiled and said WATCH ME!!!!!!