The timing of this discovery, yet again, magic.
Believe in magic.
A moment where the writing really was on the wall!
Also if you get down on the ground surrounded by bags of garbage to take a photo, be glad you did not encounter rats.
Stop thinking about it. No Whammies. xo
DUCK FIABETES.
If you would like more information on Big Duck, check out Wikipedia. If you would like more information on why I went crazy when I pedaled around a bend and saw Big Duck, click HERE.*
*Note: I went to architecture school and Big Duck was in my favorite class, Modern Architectural Design History. When I say “in my class”, I mean it was a topic covered, not that Big Duck sat next to me and was in my study cram group. The later would be 1000x better, however this still all seems special to me.
If you would like even more information on Robert Venturi’s use of the term, “Duck” in architecture (hey, learn something new), check This out.
Day total: 66 miles cycled. Riding across Manhattan at 11pm in stinky bike gear (P.U.) and a “South Hampton” sweatshirt big enough to be a dress or a tent for 3 of me, pretty terrific too.
#DuckFiabetes
This *may* have me giggling like a 5 year old this morning (I also posted it on the NYC JDRF Rider’s Facebook Page and seeing all the bike names has me laughing way harder than anyone my age should be laughing over such silliness).
I’ve decided to stick with “Pinata Bike” for my bike though, since “Colonel Slick Wagon” kinda gives me the creeps.
My friend, Brian (I have quite a few Brian named friends) wrote this post about his recent first time ride experience in La Crosse. I like his story for a multitude of reasons and thought you might too:
Last 1.5 miles, Oh my God! Immediate illegal turn… yet again (rebel) and then full sprint across street in clickety-clack shoes. Photo. Stood smiling. Phone battery almost dead.
A week full of some wacky and wild surprises, THIS was the Sunday evening finale. Cherry on top….. errrrr, actually heart on top.
Someone I admire so very much immediately messaged me last night when I posted the photo,
“That bike ALWAYS has that much heart on it”.
Yep. Tears a plenty.
Here’s the next step (well spin): NO QUITTING
A quick note:
I saw an excellent play last night (thanks to 2 JDRF friends who told me I “had to” see it) which was part of the NYC Fringe Festival. “Type What Now” was written, produced and performed by Jessie Bear. Incredibly thought provoking and what I hope remains an ongoing discussion regarding perceptions of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. On an even broader scale, the show tackles issues of body image and has appeal far beyond the diabetes community. After laughing and crying throughout the performance, I was thrilled to hear it is a Fringe Fave (apparently the short run has been very popular) and an additional show has been added for this Sunday at noon (8/30). If you are in the NYC vicinity here are the details:
If you do not have the opportunity to see the show but are interested in a review, I think this pretty much nails it (From Theater is Easy). Interesting right?:
Theasy Review of Type What Now
I agree with that review wholeheartedly. Good conversation and challenging one’s own perceptions… LOVE it.
Sunday. Back on Piñata Bike. Across Manhattan. up the West Side, Over the George Washington Bridge to 9W. Just me, Piñata and a ride coach. For months, I have wanted to take photos on the George Washington Bridge while I pedal along. Finally did it. Don’t worry, I was wearing a parachute.
Silly Rabbits, there are no parachutes, one adventure at a time kiddos.
The phrase on this photo bugs me because of the grammar. Ending a sentence with a preposition? What the what?!?! But, the saying is true to me, and applies to so many things. Endless.
I didn’t have a great ride on Sunday. I rode slower than I envisioned. I struggled on a route I sort of already know. It was a gorgeous early morning, and I wasn’t riding strong. There was so much road kill on 9W. A lot. I kept running over very flattened, furry things. Oh man. Sometimes I tried to imagine I just ran over a very dirty Barbie fur coat. I wasn’t feeling great. Blood glucose ran pretty well and I was drinking my electrolytes. As I lagged behind the coach, I looked up a hill and was stunned. There was a deer. A fawn. In the shoulder of the road, right in the path. I yelped to the coach (yelping is a sort of description of a really weird non yell noise that I made). Cars sped by. The fawn jumped into the brush and there were two baby deer. The ride coach passed the deer. I sped up, a little scared the deer would jump into the road and tackle me (another bizarre bike adventure? Please don’t tackle me deer). As I got closer, all 3 just stared at me. The fawn had large scars on her back. She clearly didn’t have it easy. For some reason I said in a low voice, “You guys need to move over. Go.” And I waved my arm. They stayed put in the brush. Apparently even deer don’t listen to me. Oh, dear (errrr deer).
I didn’t ride as far as planned. I was the reason we turned around early (I hate that). I had a MUCH better ride back (wind on my back helped) and I got the coach to talk to me (I actually said “tell me a story”. When I’m not feeling 100%, I find chatter an awesome distraction). I ended up riding 46.5 miles. Not great (for me) but acceptable.
Obstacle are placed in our way to see if WHAT we want, is worth fighting for.
I want to help cure diabetes. I want to push new technologies forward. I want to use my voice, my time, my life, my experience to make a difference in this diabetes game. I’m gearing up with a new plan. My goal didn’t end in Burlington. Here’s where to help: RIGHT HERE , or you can physically push me along (I’m really not kidding)… I’ll let you know the route!
More than a week (I think maybe 9 days?). I don’t have a good explanation for this but I’m on my 3rd (yep, 3rd) pump since my Burlington Ride. 3 pumps in 9 days). Apparently the second pump had an error code which is a language/microprocessor failure. I really don’t know/understand what that means. but I asked a TON of questions and made a lot of jokes about how my pump is probably mispronouncing my name now too.*
*Note: I have had a good track record with Animas pumps. 3rd time’s the charm right?
I recently saw a photo of a Dexcom site in the forearm and on the back next to the shoulder blade. I don’t know that there’s enough of me for room on my forearm and I don’t think I could do that Dexcom back thing on my own (even if I were a contortionist) but I am intrigued. I’ve had two thigh Dexcoms that have been problematic. I’m sure it’s because I have thighs of steel. I know, funny.
I took part in a JDRF/NYFAC ride. 20 mile loop called, The Loop. I did this same ride last year on a rental bike after training on Citibikes (our NYC Bike share program… those bikes are heavy!) and what a difference a year makes! I rode with a few of my fellow JDRF Riders from Manhattan out to Howard Beach. Last year didn’t involve riding on the boardwalk. Nice! Door-to-door it was 50 miles and I rode well. Cycling cobwebs dusted off! 90 degrees and it was wonderful. Last year, 20 miles felt daunting. This year it seemed easy. As disappointed (I down play this… I am much, much more than disappointed) I still feel about my Burlington performance, I need to remember the progress I really have made.
Below, I’m the person front right. I love this photo because of the shadow. Yes I was taking photos….
OR doing monkey impressions (I’ve laughed multiple times at this one). Who’s a Barrel of Monkeys?:
This week concluded with a Friday evening snap decision to ride. As I passed by familiar haunts overflowing with Happy Hour revelry, it occurred to me that my idea of “Happy Hour” is a bit different these days. Yes, this is a cool pic and it did take 3 tries as I rode along (no one was around me and I was on the bike path, not the road, all safe). Freedom Tower! Bedazzled helmet.
We have an event called “Summer Streets” that was started a few years ago. The first 3 Saturdays in August, Park Avenue is closed to cars from 72nd street down to the Brooklyn Bridge from 7am to 1pm. There are activities along the route too. This was the first year for Piñata Bike so I got going this Saturday, bright and early. I had to snack a bit at the beginning as I usually start a ride an hour after reducing my basal rate for an hour. Shot Bloks (made by Cliff) have been incredibly helpful.
There was a Water Slide (strange but true) and a Zip Line.
I planned to ride further than I did. The route got crowded and then it just got silly (by silly, I mean WAY too many people and little kids and parents not paying attention) to ride with speed BUT I made enough loops (23 miles) to checkout the scene and find some photo ops.
Wall at the Brooklyn Bridge
Hey Ladies!
I LOVE this. Street Art and my bright bike. A bunch of rainbow girls checking out Piñata! Notice the graffiti above? “Love is Baked Goods (and Gold Bond)”. Ahhh NYC, you still make me crooked smile. I put Piñata next to this Peace mural (note the Smurf) and started taking photos. A bunch of people started taking photos too. Silly. An older lady started talking to me and I explained JDRF and the Ride program and how all the colored bracelets are the names of the donors from my ride. She offered to take a photo for me so I could jump in. I had low hopes as she didn’t seem like she knew what she was doing and never stopped talking. Life lesson: Don’t judge. She took this awesome photo. Ab-So-Smurfly fantastic! 
Summer Streets before the crowds:
I have ideas right now. Just ideas. The importance of advocacy. Make. Create. Love. Do
That voice in my head that says over and over “Do good, feel good” is still right there, but there is a whisper, a little devilish, smirking voice that says, “fighters, fight”. Change is in the air.
Wine, all the batteries and fire? No thanks. (I know, that’s not what it means)
huh?
Like most people with diabetes, I often find myself disgusted, upset and shaking my head over diabetes publicity, often. The Crossfit CEO debacle sadness me on so many levels. When people don’t seem to think the Medicare CGM coverage (lack there of) doesn’t involve them, I can’t fathom how they don’t think it affects ALL of us. Believe me, it does. I have about 10 other things I could add to this list off the top of my head, but I won’t.
I was in an Artificial Pancreas Clinical trial. No news there. I was asked to share my experience with EverydayHealth.com along with the doctor who oversaw the trial (who is my endocrinologist). I’ve written about this before. Yesterday, the story I filmed with Everyday Health posted (is that the word? “posted”?). Sure my first name is completely botched. Mangled. It is far more exotic than my name actually sounds so I’m embracing it. The pensive look to the Hudson river makes me giggle. Very deep in thought. But the thing is, it is stories like this, stories that help explain diabetes and where things are going that give ME hope. I am glad to see the incredible minds from UVA and Mount Sinai getting credit. I love that this is positive. I love that this EXPLAINS and educates. I love that I can send this to people who have donated to JDRF and explain that a JDRF grant made this clinical trial possible. I love that TypeZero technologies exists. I love that there is a video on the internet where I pretty much admit to wanting to be a klepto.
Here you go:
Diabetes? Now there’s An App for that.
So take THAT, negativity.
Thank you to all the people who devote their time and energy to getting this technology closer to reality.
What a week! Hello Blue Moon!
Buenos dias, mi amigos!
The following is a combination of what I posted on my personal FB page after I returned from the Burlington Ride and also what I sent as an email to the incredible people who’s names are on my bike and donated to the ride. I’ve also added a few more details. This isn’t easy, folks.
Adrenaline kicked in, I was going up and needed to pedal. When we finally got going, (we started on an uphill) I was ready for my BG to balance out. The hill would help. Nope. I knew I was in trouble before I reached the first rest stop. I was checking my Dexcom, and not where I wanted to be at all, but was convinced I could fix the situation. Regrettably, I could not. I can not put into words how completely and utterly crushing it was to accept I wasn’t going to jump out of the ambulance, hop on my bike, and catch-up to my teammates.
Sounds awful right? Yet my 3 days in Burlington were absolutely magical. Mike Clark, the National Ride coach told us the weekend would be life changing. He was right. NOTHING went as I’d planned on Ride day, nothing, but my unimaginable day was filled with incredible inspiration and love from my fellow cyclists, the team that runs the JDRF Ride program, the wonderful coaches, the families of the cyclists, people who are not connected to T1D but decided to join Ride (I LOVE those people so damn much), the medical staff who takes care of the riders (they know me VERY well), and the awesomeness known as “the Bike Room”.
Things didn’t get back to normal for me physically for the rest of the day despite everyone’s best efforts (I rode wearing 2 pump sites. One turned out to be a fail, and I ended up taking shots throughout the day too). I made enough progress to get the green light to meet my sister a mile from the end of the course, so we could cross the finish line together. When I finally returned to the hotel, despite keeping my chin up almost the entire day, the enormity of not obtaining my goal hit me like a ton of bricks. How could I possibly have clocked more miles on my very FIRST training ride in March when I didn’t even know how to switch gears, then I did on the BIG day, 3 months later?
At the banquet Saturday night, I could not have been more shocked as I listened to Mike describe this year’s Spirit Award winner, and although completely confused, I looked at my sister nodding and realized he was talking about me. I was the girl people had followed through her training highs and lows, I was the girl with a bike decorated with all her donor’s names, I was the girl who kept riding her bike in the bike room, unwilling to leave because I wanted to learn more. All of the ride coaches unanimously voted me for the award. What felt like defeat, turned into triumph. Honored seems like such a small word to describe how I felt then, and feel now.
One of my cycling buddies wrote the following on Facebook after I explained what happened,
“Just to add a bit more perspective for those who weren’t there…it’s not like Alecia just couldn’t finish the 100 because of T1D. She had severe T1D complications that involved getting paramedics called to administer an IV and so on. And, against medical advice, Alecia went on to the break points along the route to cheer on her friends to help us finish the ride. When I saw her at the 70 mile point with a big gauze covered hand I had this image of her yanking the IV out and running back to join us. The Crankees (NY JDRF team) could not be more lucky to have such a teammate. The reason we fight this fight is because T1D can be an extremely serious, life threatening condition and even in the face of just that *on* ride day Alecia fought on and won–the spirit award and the admiration of over 300 people in the room last night.”
There are more rounds for me, and everyone with T1D in this fight, and a century ride to be completed in my NEAR future. For right now, I am embraced by the incredible love of my family and that includes my JDRF Ride family.
Over $900,000 was raised by JDRF Burlington Riders this weekend to fight T1D. Thank you for your love and generosity. On Tuesday I went to my lunch time spin class. I’m back in the saddle (well spin is actually a lot of out-of-the-saddle). I think I need a little “me” time this week, but life is to be lived and I remain a fighter.
