Quite a bit has changed in the last 8-10 months. I decided to leave the teaching job I had last year at the high school level teaching PE and health to return to teaching elementary school. It was a great experience, but I am a much better fit at elementary. I am currently teaching at the school my daughter attends. It's has been great to be able to see her on a daily basis. Last year there were some days due to coaching that I didn't see my family.
There have been bigger changes in my care for my type 1 diabetes than anything else. I ditched my CGM along with my pump as well. The insertion sites would only last a day or two. I have been working with a great guy, Dr. Trevor Kashey on my nutrition. He is a biochemist and his intellect scares me a bit. With Dr. Kashey's help, I have lowered my A1C to an all time low of 5.9. I have had my thyroid meds adjusted and that has made a drastic improvement. I have worked on my own for years without the results I have wanted. The greatest thing about Dr. Kashey is the true care and support he provides me. I am not going to go into major detail about the protocols he has had me follow, but I have eaten high carbs and low carb within the year and a half. At 37 years old, I am beginning to be okay with my disease and how it dictates my choices at times.
On the health front, the most impressive thing Dr. Kashey helped me to realize through working with him is that type 1 diabetes should not and doesn't have to be such a huge part of my life. Do a lot of choices still revolve around my disease? Sure, but it is more of just a nuisance that I live with on daily basis. Dr. Kashey asks me great questions that are difficult to answer at times. He plays life coach with me. I have a tendency to self doubt quite a bit. He will ask questions that bring me to really ponder why somethings are the way they are and my behavior. I couldn't be more thankful!
Another big thing that occurred was the Bolus and Barbells event in June that was put on by Rodney Miller. I think Rodney and I share the same brain sometimes. I was fortunate enough to be a speaker at the event. I was a nervous wreck about the whole thing. I had a rough outline of what I wanted to say, but once I was at the airport I just started writing about my life and type 1. Throughout the weekend, I ended up writing 24 pages. There were a lot of mantras written down. The overall experience was special for me because I had never really been around any other type 1s before. After a few of us spoke we squatted, pressed and deadlifted. That was really the last time I have done some maximal lifting. Since then I have been more exercising and feeling good rather than chasing numbers.
Competing in powerlifting and strongman is a double edged sword. I enjoy them both, but I go all in and take it a bit too seriously. I have always loved lifting. I remember being 12 and messing around with the weights we had at my house as a kid. My older brother and dad used them at the time. Even when I was playing high school sports and then went off to college to play football, I looked forward to the training for my sports more than playing the actual sports. There is a local powerlifting meet in March and a strongman competition the following weekend a few hours away. A huge part of me wants to enter one or the other. I feel more athletic when I train for strongman and it also gives me a purpose to train. Who knows what I will do. I have already changed my mind a few times while writing this on my future with strength sports.
As for now, I am not sure what is next besides being the best father and husband I can be on a daily basis. Don't let this disease rule you! Break diabetes!
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