I received a great email from Dan Kelly this weekend. Dan lives in Ottawa and is looking at building a Team Diabetes website to talk about his experience with the races and build awareness and fundraising.
Turns out Dan and I will both be running in Disney World in January and Easter Island in June. Those are the only two runs I have on my schedule, once you add up Dan’s involvement with Team Diabetes, he’ll have run 5 marathons since starting with Barcelona in March.
I asked Dan to write a guest post explaining why he’s on board with Team Diabetes and thought it might help you with some inspiration to get behind the effort.
In a Moment
by Dan Kelly
In a moment everything can change. I was sixteen, had started a new school and knew no one. It was in Mr. Munroe’s English class that I met Tammy, who would from that point in time forever be my best friend.
We were the typical teenage friends; passing notes in class, skipping school together, sitting at length at the lunch table talking about everything and anything. After school, we were for the most part inseparable as well, spending all of our free time at each other’s homes or at our friends - always together. At one point late in our teenage years we even had part time jobs together spending even more time together if that’s possible.
After high school we both decided it was time to spread our wings, move out and start our adult lives. So we packed our bags and became roommates. Oh what a phenomenal year that was. Having all the answers and no problems. Working only to pay the rent, buy a few groceries and party, party party! Looking back we were silly and irresponsible but oh what fun we had; again always together.
After a year of this lifestyle and another year under our belts we decided to each get our own places still remaining best of friends. We were always on the phone talking, or at each other’s places. On more occasions then I can remember we would cut our dates short in order to meet up with one another and talk and laugh.
Now don’t get me wrong. Things were not always picture perfect. Like most best friends we had our disagreements and even screaming matches. Sometime the fights would last awhile; other times for only minutes. It was comical and stressful for our friends, I’m sure, never knowing if these two people would be peaceful and friendly or if World War three would be breaking out.
In a second a moment everything changed again. I had now known Tammy for ten years and had an epiphany. I wanted to marry Tammy, become her husband and the father of her children. (I bet you didn’t see that coming…no one did!) Four days later we were dating, five months after that we were engaged and eleven months after that we were married. The fighting, which had been ever increasing over the previous decade, had come to a screeching halt. I guess there was a little bit of tension there. Honestly sometime I can be as sharp as a marble.
Two years later and trying to get pregnant with our first child, Tammy was diagnosed with type 1 Diabetes. Although traumatized by the news, we persevered in trying to get pregnant for yet another year. Then finally in late 1996 she finally became pregnant, but had to go on insulin as so many women do even if the are not diabetic. No worries we thought. After the baby is born everything will go back to normal. We couldn’t have been more wrong.
In a third pivotal moment everything changed yet again. It was September 1, 1997. Two months after our son Ben was born, Tammy went into Ketoacidosis, otherwise known as a diabetic coma. Her body systems were shutting down and the hospital she had been admitted to stated that they couldn’t treat her and would be transferring her by ambulance to another hospital which was more equipped for such things. I was in a state of shock. As I chased the ambulance from one hospital to another I couldn’t fathom this occurrence. How could this be happening? How will I care for my infant son alone? How will I go on without my best friend? To make matters worst the radio was playing a song from one of that summer’s block buster movies Con Air - Trisha Yearwood singing ‘How Do I Live Without You”! It was all so surreal!
I manage to get to the second hospital somehow without getting into and accident and Tammy has been admitted into intensive care, but they won’t let me see her. First they wanted me to fill out all the forms and asked if I would like a priest available for last right to be administered. I somehow managed to keep it all together for Tammy’s sake, but she now she doesn’t even seem to know that I’m in the room and there are at least a half a dozen intravenous bags hooked up to her. After some period of time, Tammy is asleep and the doctors tell me to go home and come back in the morning.
Feeling the need to be with my infant son, I head back to my parents house to pick him up and tell them what has happened. They decide it will be helpful for me to know what Ketoacidosis is and look it up in a medical dictionary. All I can remember from the medical explanation was something something, something DEATH. I had to get out of there so I packed up my sleeping son and headed home. I put him in his crib without any problems and decided to turn on the television and wind down a bit and process what the day had entailed, but most importantly, to forget about the something, something, something death.
This was much easier said then done. Princess Diana had died a few days earlier and the world was morning her death. Every channel was talking about her and the death of “their princess” and how she had left her children without a mother. I felt somewhat removed from the whole story as I was wondering if I would soon loose my princess and that my child would grow up without even the memory of his mother. How I managed to get through it all when it was just one thing after another coming at me is still a mystery to me.
The next day was a complete turn around. Tammy was still in intensive care and still had the half dozen intravenous bags hooked up to her, but she was coherent and feeling much better. After a week in the hospital, she was released and returned home to start a serious diet, testing her blood regularly and to take insulin, as she was now a type 2 Diabetic.
Fast-forward ten years and Tammy has just celebrated her 40th birthday. Something I thought ten years earlier would never happen. I was planning a big party for her to mark the occasion and was inviting everyone I could possibly think of. Taking a short break from it all I decide to sit down with my tea and watch the news.
In a moment, anyone can inspire you. While watching the news on A-Channel, Ken Evraire (sports anchor) was doing a segment on Team Diabetes and his participation in the Barcelona Marathon 2008. Seeing Ken’s segment on Team Diabetes and the 42K Barcelona Marathon to be held on March 2, 2008 (which is my 42nd birthday) and thinking of the tribute it could be to my wife all seemed to be too much of a coincidence. I had done some fundraising before at my son’s school where I have been the Chair of the Parent Council for four years, but nothing to the commitment that was required for Team Diabetes. Also I had never done any running of this magnitude, but never the less, I got up, went to my computer and registered without a second thought.
The next day I sent Ken an email thanking him for his segment, for the inspiration and gave him a very condensed version of this story. I also told him that I was working hard on Tammy’s party but would begin my training and fundraising efforts right after the weekend when her party was done. Ken quickly responded asking if he could attend the party to wish Tammy a “Happy Birthday” and tell the party guests of my quest – which he did. Well the party was a hit and Tammy was so proud of me as were the guests. It’s been a whirlwind since then.
Training began on the Monday as planned and fundraising started soon after. Since that second week of August I have completed one Running Room clinic, started a second clinic, learned about nutrition, water, gels, energy blocks and a whole gamut of other items and issues. When I signed up I thought I just had to run! I had no idea there was such a science to it all. In addition to the endless hours of running I have basically had one fundraiser after another since August, which include: a bottle drive, bake sale, charity breakfasts, sales of home make dog biscuits (very lucrative), Christmas cakes and a number of donation incentives and other fundraisers held by co-workers and staff at my son’s school – St. James Catholic School. With the addition of donations from family, friends and co-workers - I’m well on the way to my goal!
I have not given my actual event in Barcelona much thought. I am too busy enjoying the entire process - from training and fundraising, to Team Diabetes meetings and sharing my story. I have met so many wonderful people and listened to their stories and have just had the greatest experience. It has been exceptional to date and it just keeps getting better. The one thing I have thought of and continue to think of is completing the race, crossing the finish line and saying out loud “This was for you Tammy - I love you”! She is my inspiration, my wife, my best friend…she is me.
In a moment, anything is possible! A cure can be found, a life can changed, a life can be saved!
In a moment, you can be inspired or you can inspire someone! Moments come and moments go.
Enjoy each moment!
You can join The 95Crave Team Diabetes Crew and run with Dan and I in Disney World in January, or you can support my Easter Island run by filling up my DreamBank.
The Blog According to Buzz. Spread the word, ya heard?
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Hi - I’ve heard your ad on the radio re the Disney World run in January. My Dad had type 11 Diabetes & didn’t make it out of quadruple heart surgery 8 years ago & recently my Mom was diagnosed with type 11 as well. I love to run so would like more details please.
When in January & how does it work re fund raising etc.
Thanks!
Karen
Hello Marathoners Buzz and Dan ,
Could you please clarify a few questions for me Dan ?
I have been reading and re-reading about Tammy’s diagnosis living with diabetes and am confused , as I am sure a few of us are , since diabetes is so complex .
It is my understanding, that type one diabetes is a different disease than type two diabetes . Type one does not produce insulin or initially very little ( honey moon stage ) , so requires insulin injections on a daily basis ; type two ( insulin resistent ) could be controlled by diet initially and or medication . Eventually, as the disease progresses the type two may require insulin .
A blood test called c-peptide will qualify if the pancreas is not producing enough insulin ; these patients require life sustaining insulin therapy .
And to add more …pregnant ladies may suffer from gestational diabetes ( treated with insulin ) . After the baby is born , the Mom may require insulin at a later date
( type 1 ) or medication ( type 2 , insulin resistant )
My confusion is , that Tammy living with diabetes story indicates , that she was originally diagnosed as a type 1 , controlled with diet only ?
By the time Tammy left the hospital , she was diagnosed as a type 2 person with diabetes using insulin ?
All my best to Tammy , Ben and you and a happy , healthy life .
nel P.
PS I am not a medical person ; like to learn more .
Living with type 1 diabetes for over 25 years ( and originally misdiagnosed as a type 2 , at age 42 ) .
@karen thanks for the interest.. i’ll get the Team D people to contact you asap.