Saturday is a big day for Eastern Iowa Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation as well as all of the Type 1 diabetics in the area. It is the JDRF Gala! The Gala is a black tie event in which a silent and live auction is held, as well as a dinner, social hour and entertainment in efforts to raise money for research. It is an event that is way more formal than my every day life, but a very special and fun event. I get the opportunity to deliver a special message at this year's event, which I am truly honored to do. I am a bit nervous, but know I will push through without a problem because my purpose is strong.
This is a very emotional event for me. I recall holding back tears at last year's event, especially when watching the kids in the Gala video (which can be viewed by clicking the link on the right hand column). This year, K'la and I are in the video and while filming the video I had a very tough time holding back the tears. I guess I am the type of person that wears my emotion on my sleeve when it is involving something that I want so bad for someone I love so much. Which brings me to the title of this blog.
"No Fear" use to have a clothing line with clever/cocky slogans on them. I use to wear the t-shirts because I thought they made me seem tough. One shirt that I wore said "It's not the size of the dog in the fight; it's the size of the fight in the dog". This is saying that it's not the physical size that matters, it's what"s inside. I often think of this slogan as I thumb through pictures of kids with juvenile diabetes. My daughter, Micheala, for example is one of the smallest kids in her class, or even for her age, but her fight makes her a giant. She wishes that she wouldn't have to get up and fight every morning, but she does it because she has no alternative. I see her fight and can't help but think of the millions of other kids like her that get up and fight every morning because they have no alternative. Right now, she doesn't have the knowledge to advocate for herself, so that's where I come in.
Saturday night, as I stand in front of thousands of potential donors and deliver my message, I will be thinking about Micheala and the millions of other kids with juvenile diabetes. I will be looking at the pictures hanging in the ballroom of the kids from Eastern Iowa that have juvenile diabetes and hoping that I am delivering a message that will encourgae the audience to donate. I will have conversations with families that have children with diabetes in which we will share our stories and our on-going concerns about our diabetic children who will not be with us on Saturday night. Most importantly, I will be thinking about the size of the fight in these kids and hoping that I can come close to matching that fight in my efforts to advocate on that night.
I did not choose to be diabetic. Micheala did not choose to be diabetic. We choose to fight!
It is very safe to assume that I will be a "small dog" in that ballroom on Saturday night. I live in Urbana, Iowa, live paycheck to paycheck and am a very small town guy. However, none of that will matter because I will be the "biggest dog" in the room in regards to the fight and passion that I have for funding a cure for juvenile diabetes.
Finally, as I write this blog and listen to the radio, I don't think that it's coincidence that "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain came on the radio. So for all of the juvenile diabetic kids, on Saturday night, "I'll be the greatest fan of your life".
Friday, September 30, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Valentine's Day
I wanted to take the opportunity to share a story, a true story, that was shared with me many years ago. It is about a 4th grader and his Dad. His Dad happen to be a very influential person to me during High School.
Valentine's Day
For some odd reason, Josh's 4th grade teacher decided that this year's Valentine's Day would be "optional". Optional meaning that if the students wanted to bring Valentine's for each other, they could, however they were not required to participate. Josh is a good kid. Strong faith, kind to others and loves to make people smile so when he learned of this news, he was excited to get home and start making Valentine's for all of his classmates.
Josh spent the next few weeks constructing home made Valentine's for all 25 kids in his class. He made them all individualized and attached a special Valentine treat to each and every Valentine. He then decided to make his own envelopes for the Valentines. He worked on making them look all fancy because he wanted each one of his classmates to have an personal and special Valentine. After finishing the envelopes, he worked on making his own Valentine's box, so that he could set it on his desk and receive the Valentines that his classmates would make for him. he spent hours on top of hours working on these projects. He would come home from school and get right to work. Some nights he would work until bed time. He also kept this a secret from his classmates because he wanted to surprise them on Valentine's Day.
Finally, it was Valentine's Day. Josh gathered all of his Valentine's and placed them carefully into a bag to take to school. He had his Valentine Box ready to go and was excited that this day had finally come.
Josh got to his classroom and passed out all of his Valentine's to his classmates. He then placed his box on his desk and was anxious to start receiving his own Valentines. During the first hour of school, his box was empty. Josh didn't worry about it. he just thought that his classmates may not have gotten around to passing theirs out yet. By noon, his box was still empty. Josh was starting to get a little concerned. At the end of the day, no Valentines had made their way into Josh's box. Josh was crushed.
The bell rang and he packed his box into his bag. He felt awful. he tried as hard as he could, but couldn't hold back the tears on the school bus. Other kids on the bus where looking at him, some giggling because he was crying. Finally he was home. He wanted to put this day behind him.
Josh's Dad has watched Josh over the past few weeks and knows how much work he put into making the Valentines. So he decided to wait outside for josh to come home from school to hear, what was certain to be awesome, the response from the other kids. he wanted to share in Josh's excitement, so it was a unpleasant surprise to his Dad when Josh got off the bus with his head down and eyes full of tears.
"What Happened?"
Josh ignored his dad, headed right for his room, slammed the door, put his head in his pillow and cried. Josh cried for an hour. His dad left him alone because Josh is the type of kid that would come to his dad when he was ready to talk.
Josh finally came to his dad and explained how nobody in his class likes him because he did not receive one single Valentine today. He was so angry at himself for putting all the work into making them Valentines and now wishes that he wouldn't have done any at all. He couldn't understand why nobody cared about him. He didn't want to ever go back to school. He hated everybody.
Josh's dad took a deep breathe and had to hold back his own tears.
At this point, Josh's dad could either start making excuses for the other kids or discuss the lesson that was learned on this day. He chose the second option.
He explained to Josh that when you do something nice for others that you shouldn't be focused on your own instant gratification. You do the right thing because it is the right thing to do. he told him that if his purpose for making the Valentines was so that he would get a bunch of Valentines, that he did it for the wrong reasons. If his purpose for making the Valentines was to show his classmates that he appreciated their friendship and wanted to make them smile, then he did it for the right reason. Josh agreed and stated that he just wanted his classmates to know how special they were to him. He added that a lot of them did tell him "Thank You" and were very excited to receive their special cards.
His dad looked at him and asked, "Well I thought you told me you didn't get any Valentines. Isn't their appreciation and reaction to your Valentine a Valentine to you?"
Josh thought about it. He started to smile a bit and agreed with his dad. Josh started feeling better because he knows that he did the right thing, for the right reason and changed some lives in his classroom today.
I think about this story every time I start getting frustrated with people in my life. Frustrated when I help them out and do not get the instant gratification that I was expecting. I have to remind myself that I do the right things for the right reasons. Not because I should expect anything in return, but because it feels good to do the right thing. I often remind my wife that "there does not have to be a logical reason to do the right thing". I just believe it is what God would ask me to do.
If you ever start to feel like Josh; putting hard work and time into something special for someone else and getting no instant gratification or in some situations, not even a "Thank You", I ask that you remember the moral of the story. Even if you feel down in the dumps and have people staring at you and laughing, just remember to continue to do the right things for the right reasons.
As far as what is the "right things". That is for you to figure out, but I will give you a hint....it's the things that you do that make you feel like you've made a difference.
Valentine's Day
For some odd reason, Josh's 4th grade teacher decided that this year's Valentine's Day would be "optional". Optional meaning that if the students wanted to bring Valentine's for each other, they could, however they were not required to participate. Josh is a good kid. Strong faith, kind to others and loves to make people smile so when he learned of this news, he was excited to get home and start making Valentine's for all of his classmates.
Josh spent the next few weeks constructing home made Valentine's for all 25 kids in his class. He made them all individualized and attached a special Valentine treat to each and every Valentine. He then decided to make his own envelopes for the Valentines. He worked on making them look all fancy because he wanted each one of his classmates to have an personal and special Valentine. After finishing the envelopes, he worked on making his own Valentine's box, so that he could set it on his desk and receive the Valentines that his classmates would make for him. he spent hours on top of hours working on these projects. He would come home from school and get right to work. Some nights he would work until bed time. He also kept this a secret from his classmates because he wanted to surprise them on Valentine's Day.
Finally, it was Valentine's Day. Josh gathered all of his Valentine's and placed them carefully into a bag to take to school. He had his Valentine Box ready to go and was excited that this day had finally come.
Josh got to his classroom and passed out all of his Valentine's to his classmates. He then placed his box on his desk and was anxious to start receiving his own Valentines. During the first hour of school, his box was empty. Josh didn't worry about it. he just thought that his classmates may not have gotten around to passing theirs out yet. By noon, his box was still empty. Josh was starting to get a little concerned. At the end of the day, no Valentines had made their way into Josh's box. Josh was crushed.
The bell rang and he packed his box into his bag. He felt awful. he tried as hard as he could, but couldn't hold back the tears on the school bus. Other kids on the bus where looking at him, some giggling because he was crying. Finally he was home. He wanted to put this day behind him.
Josh's Dad has watched Josh over the past few weeks and knows how much work he put into making the Valentines. So he decided to wait outside for josh to come home from school to hear, what was certain to be awesome, the response from the other kids. he wanted to share in Josh's excitement, so it was a unpleasant surprise to his Dad when Josh got off the bus with his head down and eyes full of tears.
"What Happened?"
Josh ignored his dad, headed right for his room, slammed the door, put his head in his pillow and cried. Josh cried for an hour. His dad left him alone because Josh is the type of kid that would come to his dad when he was ready to talk.
Josh finally came to his dad and explained how nobody in his class likes him because he did not receive one single Valentine today. He was so angry at himself for putting all the work into making them Valentines and now wishes that he wouldn't have done any at all. He couldn't understand why nobody cared about him. He didn't want to ever go back to school. He hated everybody.
Josh's dad took a deep breathe and had to hold back his own tears.
At this point, Josh's dad could either start making excuses for the other kids or discuss the lesson that was learned on this day. He chose the second option.
He explained to Josh that when you do something nice for others that you shouldn't be focused on your own instant gratification. You do the right thing because it is the right thing to do. he told him that if his purpose for making the Valentines was so that he would get a bunch of Valentines, that he did it for the wrong reasons. If his purpose for making the Valentines was to show his classmates that he appreciated their friendship and wanted to make them smile, then he did it for the right reason. Josh agreed and stated that he just wanted his classmates to know how special they were to him. He added that a lot of them did tell him "Thank You" and were very excited to receive their special cards.
His dad looked at him and asked, "Well I thought you told me you didn't get any Valentines. Isn't their appreciation and reaction to your Valentine a Valentine to you?"
Josh thought about it. He started to smile a bit and agreed with his dad. Josh started feeling better because he knows that he did the right thing, for the right reason and changed some lives in his classroom today.
I think about this story every time I start getting frustrated with people in my life. Frustrated when I help them out and do not get the instant gratification that I was expecting. I have to remind myself that I do the right things for the right reasons. Not because I should expect anything in return, but because it feels good to do the right thing. I often remind my wife that "there does not have to be a logical reason to do the right thing". I just believe it is what God would ask me to do.
If you ever start to feel like Josh; putting hard work and time into something special for someone else and getting no instant gratification or in some situations, not even a "Thank You", I ask that you remember the moral of the story. Even if you feel down in the dumps and have people staring at you and laughing, just remember to continue to do the right things for the right reasons.
As far as what is the "right things". That is for you to figure out, but I will give you a hint....it's the things that you do that make you feel like you've made a difference.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Cleansing: Mind, Body and Soul
On Sunday, my wife and I started our 10 Day Herbal Cleanse from Advocare. We cleanse our bodies every 90 days. We are a little over 90 days since our last cleanse, so Sunday just seemed like the right day to start. Without getting into the nitty gritty of what an actual cleanse does, which Advocare offers a very "gentle" cleanse, a cleanse basically scrubs the inside of your body out; getting rid of all of the garbage in your system so that the right vitamins and nutrients can be absorbed by your body. Basically getting rid of the bad and substituting with the good.
So I started thinking about the cleanse. Why is it that I cleanse my body, but ignore my mind and soul? After all, aren't we mind, body and soul? So with this body cleanse, I have decided to due double duty (no pun intended) and cleanse my mind and soul as well.
In cleansing my mind and soul, I am going to get rid of the bad and replace with the good. I am focused on the things that have frustrated (fascinated) me, the stresses in my life and issues in my life that I just keep setting aside. Identifying those things was the first step. My next step was fixing those things, or getting rid of them. I'll use a simple example of my own. I have a ton of unpainted bag boards in my garage that need to get done. I have procrastinated a bit, but also have been running into a time issue. As the timeline to get these boards painted is getting smaller and smaller, my stress level has been getting higher and higher. I decided to dedicate a few hours each night to work on them, whether it bee from midnight til 2am or if it is a few hours before supper; I have to consistently work on them. I started this last night and already feel better about that issue in my life.
With my body cleanse, it is a 10 day event, so I decided to make my mind and soul cleanse a 10 day event as well. My goal is that by day 10, not only will my body be free of the bad things, but my mind and soul will be as well. I felt it was important to have a timeline and both cleanses correlate very well.
I wanted to share with all of you what I was doing in regards to my cleanse because as I thought about it, I started wondering why everyone does exercise a cleanse. Maybe a body cleanse isn't for you, but what about cleansing your mind and soul? Start eliminating the "bad" from your life and substituting with the "good". Life is too short to spend your days thinking about the things that worry you all day. Take charge and fix them. It's much more fun to laugh all day than worry. It's alot easier to smile than frown.
Take the time and work on you. Once you are where you want to be, the people around you start reacting and want to be there as well. What have YOU done for YOU lately? Is it foolish to invest in yourself?
By day 10, I am going to be happier and healthier. By day 10, my family will be happier and healthier. By the end of today, I hope that you decide to be happier and healthier.
One final note. I have to tell all of you that read this how much I appreciate the positive feedback that I have gotten from all of you. My goal is to reach as many people as I can so that I can offer encouragement to not only diabetics and parents of diabetics, but everyone who needs a little kickstart every once and a while. So please, continue to pass this blog along to friends and family. Thank you and I love you all.
So I started thinking about the cleanse. Why is it that I cleanse my body, but ignore my mind and soul? After all, aren't we mind, body and soul? So with this body cleanse, I have decided to due double duty (no pun intended) and cleanse my mind and soul as well.
In cleansing my mind and soul, I am going to get rid of the bad and replace with the good. I am focused on the things that have frustrated (fascinated) me, the stresses in my life and issues in my life that I just keep setting aside. Identifying those things was the first step. My next step was fixing those things, or getting rid of them. I'll use a simple example of my own. I have a ton of unpainted bag boards in my garage that need to get done. I have procrastinated a bit, but also have been running into a time issue. As the timeline to get these boards painted is getting smaller and smaller, my stress level has been getting higher and higher. I decided to dedicate a few hours each night to work on them, whether it bee from midnight til 2am or if it is a few hours before supper; I have to consistently work on them. I started this last night and already feel better about that issue in my life.
With my body cleanse, it is a 10 day event, so I decided to make my mind and soul cleanse a 10 day event as well. My goal is that by day 10, not only will my body be free of the bad things, but my mind and soul will be as well. I felt it was important to have a timeline and both cleanses correlate very well.
I wanted to share with all of you what I was doing in regards to my cleanse because as I thought about it, I started wondering why everyone does exercise a cleanse. Maybe a body cleanse isn't for you, but what about cleansing your mind and soul? Start eliminating the "bad" from your life and substituting with the "good". Life is too short to spend your days thinking about the things that worry you all day. Take charge and fix them. It's much more fun to laugh all day than worry. It's alot easier to smile than frown.
Take the time and work on you. Once you are where you want to be, the people around you start reacting and want to be there as well. What have YOU done for YOU lately? Is it foolish to invest in yourself?
By day 10, I am going to be happier and healthier. By day 10, my family will be happier and healthier. By the end of today, I hope that you decide to be happier and healthier.
One final note. I have to tell all of you that read this how much I appreciate the positive feedback that I have gotten from all of you. My goal is to reach as many people as I can so that I can offer encouragement to not only diabetics and parents of diabetics, but everyone who needs a little kickstart every once and a while. So please, continue to pass this blog along to friends and family. Thank you and I love you all.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Why Are You So Happy All The Time?
I often get asked the question, "Why are you so happy all of the time?" Interesting. First, I am not happy all of the time. Second, is it a bad thing to be happy all of the time? Lets investigate this a little further.
I am not always happy. Iowa State beating Iowa in football this year was a time in which I was not very happy. My kids not listening to me and their mother does not make me very happy. Depending on others and having them disappoint me does not make me happy. So, no, I am not happy all of the time. I am happy most of the time, but not all of the time.
Is it a bad thing to be happy all of the time. They say misery loves company, but why doesn't happiness love company. Has our world turned into such a place in which when others succeed, we cannot feel happy for them? Are we that competitive that the success of others makes us hold a grudge against them. After all, if they are succeeding, then they are obviously working for it. Can we not celebrate their excellent efforts or do we have to minimize each others' accomplishments?
I make an effort to maintain a positive attitude everyday. I have found that at my work place, where I am viewed as a leader, that if I am positive and happy, my co-workers reciprocate these emotions. happiness equals better production. If I am in a bad mood, the tension in my work place is high and very negative; therefore slowing down the days production. So why do I seem so happy all the time? Production.
Truth be told, I am very happy. I have a great wife that I have been married to for 10 years. I have 2 great kids, Dylanne who is 8 and Micheala who is 6. I live in a great neighborhood and our kids go to a great school. We have great neighbors and so on. I don't really care for our family dog.....but that's another story.
Why would I spend my time being miserable? It goes back to what I touched on in yesterdays blog, if there's something in this world that i don't like, it's up to me to change it. Right now I wouldn't change anything. Sure I would love to more financially free, but that doesn't matter much compared to other things in my life. I feel I have a strong purpose with The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I feel like I try and help people when I can. I feel like the people who know me; like me. I feel like my faith is strong. I feel loved by my family.
In my lifetime, I have found that people are not happy because they are missing one of the above.
So my challenge to those of you that are not happy most of the time is to figure out what it is that you are missing from your lives. Identify the leaks in your heart and then identify what it is that will serve as the putty to stop those leaks. What do you like to do and why don't you do it more often? Who is it that you love and have you told them that lately? When is the last time you volunteered to help a friend or neighbor? What was the last compliment that you gave to someone? When is the last time that you prayed?
I would like to teach the world to sing a perfect harmony (as the song says), but cannot accomplish such a feat unless I fix the harmony in my own heart.
Pick a Facebook friend and message them today. Tell them how much you appreciate them and their friendship. Then savor the feeling you have for doing such a good deed. Then repeat this process.
Have a good weekend and GO HAWKS!
I am not always happy. Iowa State beating Iowa in football this year was a time in which I was not very happy. My kids not listening to me and their mother does not make me very happy. Depending on others and having them disappoint me does not make me happy. So, no, I am not happy all of the time. I am happy most of the time, but not all of the time.
Is it a bad thing to be happy all of the time. They say misery loves company, but why doesn't happiness love company. Has our world turned into such a place in which when others succeed, we cannot feel happy for them? Are we that competitive that the success of others makes us hold a grudge against them. After all, if they are succeeding, then they are obviously working for it. Can we not celebrate their excellent efforts or do we have to minimize each others' accomplishments?
I make an effort to maintain a positive attitude everyday. I have found that at my work place, where I am viewed as a leader, that if I am positive and happy, my co-workers reciprocate these emotions. happiness equals better production. If I am in a bad mood, the tension in my work place is high and very negative; therefore slowing down the days production. So why do I seem so happy all the time? Production.
Truth be told, I am very happy. I have a great wife that I have been married to for 10 years. I have 2 great kids, Dylanne who is 8 and Micheala who is 6. I live in a great neighborhood and our kids go to a great school. We have great neighbors and so on. I don't really care for our family dog.....but that's another story.
Why would I spend my time being miserable? It goes back to what I touched on in yesterdays blog, if there's something in this world that i don't like, it's up to me to change it. Right now I wouldn't change anything. Sure I would love to more financially free, but that doesn't matter much compared to other things in my life. I feel I have a strong purpose with The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I feel like I try and help people when I can. I feel like the people who know me; like me. I feel like my faith is strong. I feel loved by my family.
In my lifetime, I have found that people are not happy because they are missing one of the above.
So my challenge to those of you that are not happy most of the time is to figure out what it is that you are missing from your lives. Identify the leaks in your heart and then identify what it is that will serve as the putty to stop those leaks. What do you like to do and why don't you do it more often? Who is it that you love and have you told them that lately? When is the last time you volunteered to help a friend or neighbor? What was the last compliment that you gave to someone? When is the last time that you prayed?
I would like to teach the world to sing a perfect harmony (as the song says), but cannot accomplish such a feat unless I fix the harmony in my own heart.
Pick a Facebook friend and message them today. Tell them how much you appreciate them and their friendship. Then savor the feeling you have for doing such a good deed. Then repeat this process.
Have a good weekend and GO HAWKS!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Think Good Thoughts
I often times talk about how blessed I have been to have met some of the most amazing people. Today, I am going to talk about someone that I have never met. My wife has never met this person, but yet we seem to talk about her quiet a bit.
The other day, we got 2 rubber bracelets in the mail. Both black; one with pink writing, the other with purple writing that said "Think Good Thoughts". I asked my wife about the bracelets and she began to tell me a story that I could not forget.
She began to tell me about a woman that she had made contact with on Facebook. Her name is Brenda. Heather told me that the two of them started having conversation back and forth and became friends online. This was great and all, but what was the deal with the bracelets?
Heather starts to tell me about Brenda's little girl who is currently struggling with Epilepsy. She also tells me that Brenda is fighting this battle as a single mother. She proceeds to tell me more, so I decided to do some research and learn more about Brenda and her daughter.
What I found was not a sob story about all of the difficulties that Brenda and Andrea go through; but rather an uplifting story.
I visited andrea's caringbridge page(www.caringbridge.org/visit/andreadanielle)and started reading through the journal entries. WOW! I was amazed at the amount of fight and strength in this family. Brenda does not talk about Andrea's disability as much as she points out Andrea's ABILITIES. I couldn't imagine putting myself in her shoes and going through the daily routine that her and Andrea go through, but she does it. She gets up the next day and does it again, then the next day and so on. Truly amazing!
So I go back to the bracelet..."Think Good Thoughts".
I must assume that this works as a motivator for Brenda's family to keep on moving forward; battle through frustrations and choose to succeed. Now that I wear one of these bracelets, I support Andrea in her fight and hopefully my prayers for her will give her strength to keep fighting. I also support Brenda, as she fights for her daughter, through all of the good times and the bad times.
Brenda and Andrea are truly inspirational. I find it selfish that some of us complain about our jobs, family, bills and other curve balls that life has thrown us. We have an opportunity to change these things. What about Brenda and Andrea? Do they have the same opportunities to change the things in their world? Yet they continue to "Think Good Thoughts". Think about it. What do you complain about on a daily basis? Do you have the opportunity to change those things? If so, why haven't you changed those things already?
God Bless Brenda and Andrea. Thank you for reminding us that we should always stay positive and "Think Good Thoughts" regardless of the hurdles placed in front of us.
The other day, we got 2 rubber bracelets in the mail. Both black; one with pink writing, the other with purple writing that said "Think Good Thoughts". I asked my wife about the bracelets and she began to tell me a story that I could not forget.
She began to tell me about a woman that she had made contact with on Facebook. Her name is Brenda. Heather told me that the two of them started having conversation back and forth and became friends online. This was great and all, but what was the deal with the bracelets?
Heather starts to tell me about Brenda's little girl who is currently struggling with Epilepsy. She also tells me that Brenda is fighting this battle as a single mother. She proceeds to tell me more, so I decided to do some research and learn more about Brenda and her daughter.
What I found was not a sob story about all of the difficulties that Brenda and Andrea go through; but rather an uplifting story.
I visited andrea's caringbridge page(www.caringbridge.org/visit/andreadanielle)and started reading through the journal entries. WOW! I was amazed at the amount of fight and strength in this family. Brenda does not talk about Andrea's disability as much as she points out Andrea's ABILITIES. I couldn't imagine putting myself in her shoes and going through the daily routine that her and Andrea go through, but she does it. She gets up the next day and does it again, then the next day and so on. Truly amazing!
So I go back to the bracelet..."Think Good Thoughts".
I must assume that this works as a motivator for Brenda's family to keep on moving forward; battle through frustrations and choose to succeed. Now that I wear one of these bracelets, I support Andrea in her fight and hopefully my prayers for her will give her strength to keep fighting. I also support Brenda, as she fights for her daughter, through all of the good times and the bad times.
Brenda and Andrea are truly inspirational. I find it selfish that some of us complain about our jobs, family, bills and other curve balls that life has thrown us. We have an opportunity to change these things. What about Brenda and Andrea? Do they have the same opportunities to change the things in their world? Yet they continue to "Think Good Thoughts". Think about it. What do you complain about on a daily basis? Do you have the opportunity to change those things? If so, why haven't you changed those things already?
God Bless Brenda and Andrea. Thank you for reminding us that we should always stay positive and "Think Good Thoughts" regardless of the hurdles placed in front of us.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
I am A Rhinoceros
"You are a rhinoceros! You weigh 6,000 pounds and wake up in the morning CHARGING with a damn-the-torpedoes attitude. Luckily, you've got two-inch-thick skin, because you get hit by a lot of torpedoes. You have audacity and persistence. Your life is an exciting adventure. Keep charging!!!" - Lindsey Roberts
I woke up this morning and had this message on my Facebook status from my good friend, Lindsey Roberts. How does she know just what to say and when to say it?
To those of you confused by this, let me explain. "Rhinoceros Success" is a book written by Scott Alexander. It was given to me by Michael and Lindsey Roberts. The book talks about being a Rhinoceros in life. A 6000 pounds, 2 inch thick skinned animal charging forward. You see, when something that big comes running full steam, there is nothing that can stop it. So the book suggests, being a Rhinoceros, in theory of course, not physically.
So I will be a Rhinoceros!
I've had my disappointments and I am sure that I have let some people down, but I must keep charging. I've had those moments when I wanted to quit, But I must keep charging. I have been frustrated (fascinated), but I must keep charging. I have been told, "that will never happen", but I must keep charging. I have felt that I have hit rock bottom on some days, but I must keep charging.
If you have not read the book, I recommend picking up a copy and doing so. It is an easy read and will take you about 2 nights to read.
I also recommend that we all live like mighty rhinoceros. Charge forward, full steam a head, every day. Don't let dream killers convince you that you cannot do something. Show them that you can. Don't let the every day stress of life in general bring you down, thank God for all of the blessings in your life. Don't let criticism of others de-value your self-worth, know that you are important, stand up and be counted!
The way to keep your dream within arms reach is to keep believing and keep achieving.
Make a difference today!
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Waterstop Champions!
We Did It! We won the best waterstop at the 2011 Park-to-Park race in Cedar Falls. This means that Team Pump Princess will be getting a $300 donation towards our efforts to fund the cure.
A very special thanks to everyone that helped with the waterstop, whether it be on that day or with the preparation. Also thanks to everyone who ran in honor of Pump Princess!
YES!
A very special thanks to everyone that helped with the waterstop, whether it be on that day or with the preparation. Also thanks to everyone who ran in honor of Pump Princess!
YES!
Monday, September 19, 2011
The Schrock Tree
When Heather and I bought our house in Urbana, we had a tree in our front yard. Not a huge tree and not a small tree, but an adolescent tree. It was a nice compliment to our front yard. It offered a little shade in the summer and a few leaves on the ground in the fall. It was perfect.
One Iowa spring, we got a wind storm that completely blew the top of the tree clean off the trunk. We were left with a 5 foot, 6 inches around tree stump. I told Heather that I was just going to cut the trunk off because it looked like we had a random fence post in our front yard. She told me not to cut it down, as it may still grow. Foolish woman is what I was thinking but every man knows that a "happy wife leads to a happy life", so I left the tree trunk alone.
As the spring turned to summer, we started to notice that the tree was starting to grow branches once again. It was still alive and trying to grow. Now, I am not an expert of anything to do with trees, but I knew that the tree was not going to grow like it may have prior to the storm damage. It was still really neat to see the tree kind of blossom into a mini-tree. So our tree was back!
This past summer, we were hit with winds of 120mph and sure enough, we lost the top of that tree once again. Heather still insisted that we leave it be, but I was for sure that it was dead this time. I left the tree alone and sure enough, it started to grow again.
At this point, you have to be thinking, "Why are you sharing this story with me?"
This tree has served as a metaphor for our family since the day we moved in and took ownership of it. When we bought the house, things were going really well for our family. I had Diabetes, but everyone was healthy. We were striving as a family. We had good jobs, paying bills on time and really enjoying life. Then we were hit with a "storm" of our own. Micheala has brain surgery due to her Chiari Malformation of the Brain, Heather starts going through Thyroid Cancer, Heather's mom passes away in a fire, my place of work closes the doors and Micheala is diagnosed with Diabetes. Our tree tops were blown off and we thought that we were "dead".
We continued to stay positive and grow, just like that tree. We have become active with Eastern Iowa Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, I have a new job and have reached a career goal of mine, We are eating healthier as a family and are raising our girls in what we believe is a positive atmosphere. We have made many new friends through Advocare and have really got a grip on our purpose in life. We have our tree top once again!
We are well aware that another storm may come along and blow our tree top off and make us feel as if we are finished. When that happens, all we have to do is look out our front window at that tree we have in the front yard. That tree reminds us that we should never lose hop and keep fighting, because good things will come. It reminds us that we have deep roots and that with a little help from our friends and family (sun and the rain), we will grow strong once again.
The world is full of strength, as long as we take the time to not only notice it, but use it. Take the time to appreciate and learn from those things in your life, whether it be good or bad, there is always something to be learned. Remember that the things that happen to you today, will only make you stronger tomorrow.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Managing Blood Sugars; Easy...Right?
Let me start with the disclaimer right away. I am not a doctor, nor do I pretend to be one, well maybe on Halloween, but other than that...no.I don't know all of the medical terms, nor do I know what most of the medical terms mean. I am simply just a type 1 diabetic and a parent of a type 1 diabetic. I speak from experience; nothing more, nothing less. Now on to today's thoughts.
Managing blood sugars for the average non diabetic human is pretty simple. You eat what you choose to eat and let you body handle the rest. That's the way that our bodies are suppose to work. With type 1 diabetes, there is no insulin producing pancreas to help balance out your sugar intake, so us fortunate type 1 diabetics get to inject our own insulin to break down those sugars. Still sounds easy...right? Just eat, then take a shot. Well, not exactly. Diabetics have to be good at math, because we have to figure out how much sugars we are putting into our body, then figure out the precise amount of insulin it will take to keep our blood sugars normal. Normal blood sugars (according to our doctor) should be anywhere between 80 and 100. So type 1 diabetics have a 20 point window to play with.
If you miss calculate, this is where your trouble begins. Too much insulin and not enough sugars will result in low blood sugars (less than 80). This will cause you to become uncoordinated, shaky, sweaty, anxious and fatigued. So you then have to eat something to bring your blood sugars back up into that 80-120 range. If you eat too much, then you have high blood sugars and have to correct with insulin.
If your blood sugars are high (over 100) then you have to correct with insulin. High blood sugars make you thirsty, hungry, causes frequent urination, fruity smelling breath, irritated emotionally and causes sore muscles. If you over correct with insulin, it may cause your blood sugars to get below 80 and then you will have to correct with sugars.
It is a balancing act and goes on every 2 hours in our house.
The most taxing time is when Micheala's blood sugars are high right before bed. If they are good before bed, then we can sleep through the night and be worry free. If they are high, then we have to make sure we wake up and check her throughout the night to make sure that her levels are normal. This is not pleasant. Wake your 6 year old up every 2 hours throughout the night to poke her finger, then you will know what it is like. Nobody wants to be doing this at this time and emotions run high.
Diabetes changes your life. I have been diabetic for almost 20 years and still struggle with this. The best part is going into your doctor appointments and having the doctor scold you for having not perfect blood sugars. I know their intentions are good, but sheesh!
I felt it was important to write about this today because there are still people out there that just don't get how diabetes works. That's alright, because I am trying to educate them as we cross paths in life. Also for the struggling parents of diabetics out there, don't feel guilty about a bad blood sugar here or there. You are not killing your child so don't feel that guilt. Help is available for you; either at your doctor office or through Eastern Iowa JDRF...use them!
Keep fighting the good fight and I will leave you with this quote today:
"A man is not finished when he has been defeated; he is finished when he gives up."
Managing blood sugars for the average non diabetic human is pretty simple. You eat what you choose to eat and let you body handle the rest. That's the way that our bodies are suppose to work. With type 1 diabetes, there is no insulin producing pancreas to help balance out your sugar intake, so us fortunate type 1 diabetics get to inject our own insulin to break down those sugars. Still sounds easy...right? Just eat, then take a shot. Well, not exactly. Diabetics have to be good at math, because we have to figure out how much sugars we are putting into our body, then figure out the precise amount of insulin it will take to keep our blood sugars normal. Normal blood sugars (according to our doctor) should be anywhere between 80 and 100. So type 1 diabetics have a 20 point window to play with.
If you miss calculate, this is where your trouble begins. Too much insulin and not enough sugars will result in low blood sugars (less than 80). This will cause you to become uncoordinated, shaky, sweaty, anxious and fatigued. So you then have to eat something to bring your blood sugars back up into that 80-120 range. If you eat too much, then you have high blood sugars and have to correct with insulin.
If your blood sugars are high (over 100) then you have to correct with insulin. High blood sugars make you thirsty, hungry, causes frequent urination, fruity smelling breath, irritated emotionally and causes sore muscles. If you over correct with insulin, it may cause your blood sugars to get below 80 and then you will have to correct with sugars.
It is a balancing act and goes on every 2 hours in our house.
The most taxing time is when Micheala's blood sugars are high right before bed. If they are good before bed, then we can sleep through the night and be worry free. If they are high, then we have to make sure we wake up and check her throughout the night to make sure that her levels are normal. This is not pleasant. Wake your 6 year old up every 2 hours throughout the night to poke her finger, then you will know what it is like. Nobody wants to be doing this at this time and emotions run high.
Diabetes changes your life. I have been diabetic for almost 20 years and still struggle with this. The best part is going into your doctor appointments and having the doctor scold you for having not perfect blood sugars. I know their intentions are good, but sheesh!
I felt it was important to write about this today because there are still people out there that just don't get how diabetes works. That's alright, because I am trying to educate them as we cross paths in life. Also for the struggling parents of diabetics out there, don't feel guilty about a bad blood sugar here or there. You are not killing your child so don't feel that guilt. Help is available for you; either at your doctor office or through Eastern Iowa JDRF...use them!
Keep fighting the good fight and I will leave you with this quote today:
"A man is not finished when he has been defeated; he is finished when he gives up."
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Move Along
After an awesome evening in Mason City last night, I had no doubt in my mind that I would wake up in a fantastic mood. Sure enough...I did! I woke up with a quote in my mind that someone had shared with me a few years back. I can't remember who shared it with me, but for some reason, it was on my mind this morning.
"If there is something in this world that you do not like, it is up to you to change it."
That is so powerful, I am going to share it again.
"If there is something in this world that you do not like, it is up to you to change it."
So I thought to myself, I don't like that this world does not have a cure for Juvenile Diabetes, so it is up to me to change it. How am I going to change it? I would like to think that I am doing the right things now, but there has to be more that I can do. But why would I try to do this by myself? That's when I realized what this post needed to be about today.
"Move Along" by the All-American Rejects is sort of a theme song for me. I linked the video to the song on the right hand column under "Video and Site Links". Take a listen to it, but more importantly apply it. My favorite lyrics to the song are:
"When all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through"
This song sends the message of even when things are bad and you feel like they will never get better, keep pushing, remain strong! Is this not the story of an average day of someone living with juvenile diabetes? Is this not the story of the families that live with juvenile diabetes?
My message to everyone today, diabetic or not, is to MOVE ALONG. i am proud to say that I do not have any friends that are average. All of my friends are extraordinary, but only if they choose to be. Throughout my mission to fund a cure for juvenile diabetes, I have witnessed my friends, some old and some new, be extraordinary. Don raising over $1000 in sponsorship donations to run the half marathon in Cedar Falls last week. Kyle doing the same for his half marathon in Minnesota in October. Heidi throwing a Pampered Chef party for juvenile diabetes. Winn's Alley sponsoring a kickball tournament for juvenile diabetes. Various family members stepping up and standing beside me as I push for the cure. My point being, this could be you. This could be you, your family, friends and people you just met. Choose to be extraordinary and get involved in something. I love having new people contact me and ask, "What can I do?" Yes I am excited about them rasing money for our purpose, but I am even more excited about the ultimate reward which is them feeling awesome about being part of something special.
I believe that there is nothing too difficult to work through as long as you keep a positive attitude and stay strong.
Move Along.
"If there is something in this world that you do not like, it is up to you to change it."
That is so powerful, I am going to share it again.
"If there is something in this world that you do not like, it is up to you to change it."
So I thought to myself, I don't like that this world does not have a cure for Juvenile Diabetes, so it is up to me to change it. How am I going to change it? I would like to think that I am doing the right things now, but there has to be more that I can do. But why would I try to do this by myself? That's when I realized what this post needed to be about today.
"Move Along" by the All-American Rejects is sort of a theme song for me. I linked the video to the song on the right hand column under "Video and Site Links". Take a listen to it, but more importantly apply it. My favorite lyrics to the song are:
"When all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through"
This song sends the message of even when things are bad and you feel like they will never get better, keep pushing, remain strong! Is this not the story of an average day of someone living with juvenile diabetes? Is this not the story of the families that live with juvenile diabetes?
My message to everyone today, diabetic or not, is to MOVE ALONG. i am proud to say that I do not have any friends that are average. All of my friends are extraordinary, but only if they choose to be. Throughout my mission to fund a cure for juvenile diabetes, I have witnessed my friends, some old and some new, be extraordinary. Don raising over $1000 in sponsorship donations to run the half marathon in Cedar Falls last week. Kyle doing the same for his half marathon in Minnesota in October. Heidi throwing a Pampered Chef party for juvenile diabetes. Winn's Alley sponsoring a kickball tournament for juvenile diabetes. Various family members stepping up and standing beside me as I push for the cure. My point being, this could be you. This could be you, your family, friends and people you just met. Choose to be extraordinary and get involved in something. I love having new people contact me and ask, "What can I do?" Yes I am excited about them rasing money for our purpose, but I am even more excited about the ultimate reward which is them feeling awesome about being part of something special.
I believe that there is nothing too difficult to work through as long as you keep a positive attitude and stay strong.
Move Along.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
"Dad....why are you always gone?"
Truth be told....I owe a great deal of my motivation to my 8 year old daughter Dylanne. She has developed a great sense of when to say the right things at the right time and ask the right questions at the right time.
Dylanne is the healthiest person in our household; which is good for her, but also a burden because she sometimes finds herself on the back burner. She handles this fairly well and Heather and I tend to overcompensate, at times, due to our guilt. On the other hand, she is smart enough to pull this card when needed, I guess that is just part of being 8 and needing the validation that she is important to Heather and I.
As I took Dylanne and Micheala to school this morning, they both noticed that I had a change of clothes in the back seat. "What's the clothes for Dad?" I told them that, just like last night, Dad has a meeting that is very important because I am going to help people, as well as talk about JDRF with some new people. "Oh", they both said.
"Dad.....why are you always gone", asks Dylanne.
I started to answer her in a defensive way, claiming that I was not always "gone" and that she may be over exaggerating just a bit. But I suddenly stopped.....and thought about the question. Am I gone that much from my kids? What would make her ask that?
We pulled into her school and I dropped her off. Told her I loved her and proceeded to take Micheala to her school. I just couldn't stop thinking about that question. Was she interested in what I was doing on these nights that I am out late? Is she telling me that I am gone too much? Am I not paying enough attention to her?
One hour in the car, by yourself, tends to stir up a lot of internal conversation.
My follow up conversation with Dylanne will be honest and very simple. "I am gone so much now because I love you and your sister so much." Think she'll understand that? I doubt it as well, so let me explain and give some insight.
It's fact that a majority of our time is spent caring for Micheala. She is high maintenance due to her diabetes, and Dylanne is very independent. It is natural that Dylanne feels left out due to all the attention that we have to give Micheala, so Dylanne latches on to any special attention that we can give her. If I can put in all the work raising funds and advocating for a juvenile diabetes cure now, then Micheala becomes less maintenance, therefore result in equal amount of attention between the two of them. Plus, I get to spend more time home with my family and....well, you get the picture. So I am doing the work now to hopefully be able to enjoy more time with them in the future.
Not don't be misled, I am gone maybe one night a week, but that is enough to make an impact on Dylanne. I also include my family in every event possible because we are all effected by juvenile diabetes in one way or another.
Juvenile Diabetes impacts every ones' life in one way or another. Whether you have it, are a parent, sibling, day care provider, teacher and so on. We all have to make adjustments in our, what was our normal, every day lives.
Consider yourself lucky if you don't have Juvenile Diabetes; but consider yourself foolish if you don't think it effects you.
I know that when Dylanne gets older, she will understand and hopefully appreciate the work that I am doing to save her sister. Dylanne knows that I love her, because I tell her everyday. I am so proud of her and know that things are not always easy for her, but I hope that she is learning, through an example that I hope that I am setting, to follow her heart, chase her dreams and strive for what people are saying is not possible.
Thank you Dylanne for motivating me everyday to be the best me.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Born To Be Somebody
This morning, during my hour long car ride to work, I got to thinking about where I am at in my life now and where I was just a few years ago. It was sobering enough that I thought that I would share.
Just a few years ago, I had accepted the cards that life had handed me. I was unhealthy, overweight, unmotivated, internally miserable and was just waiting for that day I would not come home from a diabetic related hospital visit. I was told the day that I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes that I should "take care of myself because a cure is right around the corner". So I bought into that. Then year 1 passed, then year 2, year 3 and so on until I had gotten to year 18, when I really just said, "To hell with it", and gave up hope. It was when I gave up hope that Heather and my lives would be changed forever. The juvenile diabetes diagnosis of our, then, 4 year old daughter Micheala.
I heard so many comments, "your daddy is diabetic so he can really help you", "this should be easy for you guys since Mike has been diabetic for so long" and "your dad will be a good example for you and help you take care of your diabetes". Like I said, I was already waving my white flag and have accepted what I figured would be my ultimate death sentence, so how was I going to do all these things that people were saying? This was a game changer for me and I had to start taking care of myself to set an example for Micheala.
I spent a lot of time after Micheala's diagnosis questioning my faith. In my mind, it was alright for God to challenge my life with diabetes, but why my little 4 year old? I wanted answers, but didn't feel like praying, because I had felt that God had failed me. I was angry, depressed and really didn't want to be around anyone for the longest time. I was puzzled; trying to figure out what sin that I committed that would result in my punishment being Micheala's diagnosis of diabetes. I cried. I cried alot, but still unwilling to pray.
Then it came to me; at a time and place that i would have never expected.
2 months after Micheala's diagnosis, She and I were in our garage, working on a painting project. out of the Blue, she asks me, "Dad, how did I get diabetes?" Caught off guard, I turned to her, slowly raised my hand and said to her, "You got diabetes from me." Puzzled, she paused for a moment, then asked, "Dad, will I ever be undiabetic?" Caught off guard once again, I paused, turned to her and said, "Micheala, i will do everything I can to make sure that you are someday undiabetic." End of conversation. She ran off to play, but I was frozen in my garage.
That's it! I had come to realize that God had a plan for me, I just hadn't received the blueprints until now.
I wasn't being punished. God cares so much about me, even at a time that when I cared nothing about myself, that he picked me up when I was ready to quit. Most of you are probably thinking, "well your child getting a chronic illness is a hell of a way to wake you up", which is true, but that was not the end of the plan. With so many new diagnosis happening each and every day, there needs to be advocates for the cure. There needs to be more people willing to step up and be the voice for those with juvenile diabetes. This is our calling and we are answering.
Sure, we could sit and tell you how bad having diabetes sucks, but that goes without saying, so we choose to be positive. We know a cure is on the way, because we are doing everything that we can to make sure that it happens. We share our story, we fund raise, we advocate.....we do everything we can and then look to do more.
This brings me to my final thought, I was born to be somebody and in the last couple years, I have been that somebody. Micheala was born to be somebody and she is and will be that somebody. Every one of you reading this was born to be somebody and that "somebody" is someone that you have to find within yourself. Never give up hope. Never give up on your faith. Never give up on yourself. Make the best of your today be the worst of your tomorrow.
Just a few years ago, I had accepted the cards that life had handed me. I was unhealthy, overweight, unmotivated, internally miserable and was just waiting for that day I would not come home from a diabetic related hospital visit. I was told the day that I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes that I should "take care of myself because a cure is right around the corner". So I bought into that. Then year 1 passed, then year 2, year 3 and so on until I had gotten to year 18, when I really just said, "To hell with it", and gave up hope. It was when I gave up hope that Heather and my lives would be changed forever. The juvenile diabetes diagnosis of our, then, 4 year old daughter Micheala.
I heard so many comments, "your daddy is diabetic so he can really help you", "this should be easy for you guys since Mike has been diabetic for so long" and "your dad will be a good example for you and help you take care of your diabetes". Like I said, I was already waving my white flag and have accepted what I figured would be my ultimate death sentence, so how was I going to do all these things that people were saying? This was a game changer for me and I had to start taking care of myself to set an example for Micheala.
I spent a lot of time after Micheala's diagnosis questioning my faith. In my mind, it was alright for God to challenge my life with diabetes, but why my little 4 year old? I wanted answers, but didn't feel like praying, because I had felt that God had failed me. I was angry, depressed and really didn't want to be around anyone for the longest time. I was puzzled; trying to figure out what sin that I committed that would result in my punishment being Micheala's diagnosis of diabetes. I cried. I cried alot, but still unwilling to pray.
Then it came to me; at a time and place that i would have never expected.
2 months after Micheala's diagnosis, She and I were in our garage, working on a painting project. out of the Blue, she asks me, "Dad, how did I get diabetes?" Caught off guard, I turned to her, slowly raised my hand and said to her, "You got diabetes from me." Puzzled, she paused for a moment, then asked, "Dad, will I ever be undiabetic?" Caught off guard once again, I paused, turned to her and said, "Micheala, i will do everything I can to make sure that you are someday undiabetic." End of conversation. She ran off to play, but I was frozen in my garage.
That's it! I had come to realize that God had a plan for me, I just hadn't received the blueprints until now.
I wasn't being punished. God cares so much about me, even at a time that when I cared nothing about myself, that he picked me up when I was ready to quit. Most of you are probably thinking, "well your child getting a chronic illness is a hell of a way to wake you up", which is true, but that was not the end of the plan. With so many new diagnosis happening each and every day, there needs to be advocates for the cure. There needs to be more people willing to step up and be the voice for those with juvenile diabetes. This is our calling and we are answering.
Sure, we could sit and tell you how bad having diabetes sucks, but that goes without saying, so we choose to be positive. We know a cure is on the way, because we are doing everything that we can to make sure that it happens. We share our story, we fund raise, we advocate.....we do everything we can and then look to do more.
This brings me to my final thought, I was born to be somebody and in the last couple years, I have been that somebody. Micheala was born to be somebody and she is and will be that somebody. Every one of you reading this was born to be somebody and that "somebody" is someone that you have to find within yourself. Never give up hope. Never give up on your faith. Never give up on yourself. Make the best of your today be the worst of your tomorrow.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Highlights from the Weekend
The Park-to-Park Eastern Iowa JDRF Pump Princess water stop was a huge success! Thank you to Phil, Nate, Mom, Dad, Dylanne and Micheala for working the stop. Special thanks to Don, Alissa, Erica, Nikki, Shawn, Laura and Heather for running in honor of JDRF and Pump Princess. At the end of the day we raised $1733! I was very excited about the exposure that Eastern Iowa JDRF received throughout the day as well.
A special thanks to Michael and Lindsey Roberts for getting us connected with this event as well as supporting our purpose.
This event is an example of how can premote JDRF to a large number of people. Over 1300 racers on Saturday, and they all travel with family. I am confident that we got our message out and made an impact on some people. The more that we advocate and talk to other about Juvenile Diabetes, the better chance we have of eventually reaching a cure.
Congrats to all of the runners and I still have some Pump Princess Race for the Cure t-shirts left if anyone is interested.
Finally, I couldn't help but think of a special friend of mine on Saturday. Bryce is in junior high and was running in a cross country meet on Saturday. Bryce is also a type 1 Juvenile Diabetic. Not only does he have the pressure of the race, but also the pressure of managing his diabetes during the race. Bryce is a CHAMPION, so I know that he can handle himself on race day, plus he has an awesome family that is very supportive as well. Congrats Bryce and keep Pumpin!
Friday, September 9, 2011
Bustin Theirs To Save Hers
It's the day before the Kilometers For K'La Park-To_Park Race in Cedar Falls and lets just say that the tension is running high in the Schrock House. We have been working on different props (tutus, insulin syringes, insulin pump and so on, my wife has been trying to prepare for her half-marathon, gathering volunteers and getting shirts printed. Heather sent me a message yesterday that she was stressed out and apologized for being "bitchy" now and in the future, which I thought was awfully nice of her, but not necessary. Even though I serve as the self appointed spokesperson for our family, Heather is really the solid foundation that keeps our family moving. While I spend my time dreaming up and doing these different ideas for Team Pump Princess, she is the one coordinating all of the soccer practices and other scheduled events for the girls. She makes us go and that is what I love about her the most.
The reason I mentioned this is because I thought that it tied in well with the theme of today's message, Bustin Theirs To Save Hers. My advice or words of encouragement to Heather after receiving that message yesterday, was simply that the more that we stress today, the less the kids with juvenile diabetes will stress in their future. The hard work that we put forward today, the sacrifices and all of the blood sweat and tears, the closer we get to a cure. I shared this with her because it is what drives me. This is what keeps me up in the early morning hours painting different props or making signs. It is remembering my purpose and sticking to it.
So while we bust our butts getting this organized, we cannot forget about those special individuals who are planning on bustin their butts on Saturday morning and running in Micheala's honor. What an absolute honor to have so many friends step up and participate. I can never really express in words what it means to Team Pump Princess or to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I ask that all of you reading this post, keep these runners in your thoughts and prayers on Saturday morning. If you are at the race, look for the runners wearing black, pink and silver tutus. This is their way of showing everyone that they are running with purpose.
I also want to mention that I added 2 links to the right hand side of this page. One is the video from the JDRF Gala 2011 and the other is the Pump Princess Walk video from 2011.
The reason I mentioned this is because I thought that it tied in well with the theme of today's message, Bustin Theirs To Save Hers. My advice or words of encouragement to Heather after receiving that message yesterday, was simply that the more that we stress today, the less the kids with juvenile diabetes will stress in their future. The hard work that we put forward today, the sacrifices and all of the blood sweat and tears, the closer we get to a cure. I shared this with her because it is what drives me. This is what keeps me up in the early morning hours painting different props or making signs. It is remembering my purpose and sticking to it.
So while we bust our butts getting this organized, we cannot forget about those special individuals who are planning on bustin their butts on Saturday morning and running in Micheala's honor. What an absolute honor to have so many friends step up and participate. I can never really express in words what it means to Team Pump Princess or to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I ask that all of you reading this post, keep these runners in your thoughts and prayers on Saturday morning. If you are at the race, look for the runners wearing black, pink and silver tutus. This is their way of showing everyone that they are running with purpose.
I also want to mention that I added 2 links to the right hand side of this page. One is the video from the JDRF Gala 2011 and the other is the Pump Princess Walk video from 2011.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Livin On A Prayer
I am one that appreciates good music. I enjoy all types of music...just as long as it is good. I often pull lyrics from some of my favorite songs and post them as inspiration on Facebook. I guess the reason that these songs are my favorites are because of the lyrics. Confusing....I know, but try to follow. Anyway, Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer" has a verse in it that really spoke to me one day.
"We have to hold on'
Ready or not,
We live for the fight,
When that's all that we got"
There is NO cure for Juvenile Diabetes...or at least not yet. So everyday there are children with Juvenile Diabetes, that wake up and have to fight this disease, because that is all that they got. While these children fight this disease, there are mothers that worry and fathers that feel as if they are helpless in protecting their children. I know this, because this is where Heather and I are at.
My view point is much different than most fathers of children with Juvenile Diabetes because I too have Juvenile Diabetes. I know how Micheala feels when her blood sugars are off, I share her frustration when everyone is eating cake and other sweets and she cannot have any and when she has to take time out from playing to check her blood sugars. Heather and I both worry when we are not within an arms distance of Micheala. Sending her to school and to daycare is nerve racking, but we have learned to trust those people that care for her in those places. We get frustrated when friends and family members seem to "just not get it" when it comes to her diabetes, but have also learned to understand that this is something they don't deal with on a day-to-day basis like we do.
Like most parents of diabetic children, we wake up in the morning and don't know what the day has in store for us in regards to diabetes. Is her pump site good today? Is she getting enough insulin for her food intake? How much is she going to play today and how will that effect her blood sugars? Questions that we cannot answer until they happen.
The one thing that I am sure of everyday is that we still have diabetes and we have to fight and advocate for a cure! So we choose to fight! We choose to advocate! We choose to fund raise! We choose to do these things because it's all that we got.
So my message today goes to all of the kids like Bryce, Celia, Ellie, Taylor and Micheala. It also goes to the parents of those children. KEEP FIGHTING! We will have a cure someday and we can put all of this behind us and start living the lives we were meant to live.
"We have to hold on'
Ready or not,
We live for the fight,
When that's all that we got"
There is NO cure for Juvenile Diabetes...or at least not yet. So everyday there are children with Juvenile Diabetes, that wake up and have to fight this disease, because that is all that they got. While these children fight this disease, there are mothers that worry and fathers that feel as if they are helpless in protecting their children. I know this, because this is where Heather and I are at.
My view point is much different than most fathers of children with Juvenile Diabetes because I too have Juvenile Diabetes. I know how Micheala feels when her blood sugars are off, I share her frustration when everyone is eating cake and other sweets and she cannot have any and when she has to take time out from playing to check her blood sugars. Heather and I both worry when we are not within an arms distance of Micheala. Sending her to school and to daycare is nerve racking, but we have learned to trust those people that care for her in those places. We get frustrated when friends and family members seem to "just not get it" when it comes to her diabetes, but have also learned to understand that this is something they don't deal with on a day-to-day basis like we do.
Like most parents of diabetic children, we wake up in the morning and don't know what the day has in store for us in regards to diabetes. Is her pump site good today? Is she getting enough insulin for her food intake? How much is she going to play today and how will that effect her blood sugars? Questions that we cannot answer until they happen.
The one thing that I am sure of everyday is that we still have diabetes and we have to fight and advocate for a cure! So we choose to fight! We choose to advocate! We choose to fund raise! We choose to do these things because it's all that we got.
So my message today goes to all of the kids like Bryce, Celia, Ellie, Taylor and Micheala. It also goes to the parents of those children. KEEP FIGHTING! We will have a cure someday and we can put all of this behind us and start living the lives we were meant to live.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Getting Ready for Kilometers for K'la
Heather and I have been very busy getting ready for our first big fundraiser of the year. I have posted the information below; however the race is full, but I could still use help at the water stop!
Kilometers for K'la
Saturday, September 10 • 6:00am - 11:00am
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Team Pump Princess is looking for runners/walkers to help raise money for the cure of Juvenile Diabetes. Be part of Team Pump Princess while participating in one of the best races in the state of Iowa, "Park to Park" in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
What do you have to do? Register to participate in the "Park to Park" event by clicking on the link below. You are responsible for your registration fees and can choose to run/walk any distance that you desire. There is a 5K, 10K and a 1/2 Marathon available. Once you are registered, start sharing with your friends and family about why you are participating in this race...a cure for Juvenile Diabetes.
Then what do I do? Start asking your friends and family if they will donate funds to sponsor you in your efforts to fund the cure. This may also help you pay for your registration. I have information (video, informational letter and other fliers) available to hand out or share so that our mission to find a cure is understood.
What is in it for me? Not only will you be running/walking one of the greatest events in the state of Iowa, you will be raising money to help fund a cure for millions of kids across the United States who battle the marathon of diabetes on a daily basis.
Any runner/walker that signs up to participate as a member of Team Pump Princess and raises over $50 (not including registration), will earn a Pump Princess t-shirt. All donations should be mailed to me before September 1, 2011. Donation checks can be made out to "Pump Princess" and mailed to Mike Schrock (706 South Street - Urbana, IA 52345). Also include your t-shirt size in the envelope. I would like to have the t-shirts done by the day of the race so you can wear yours if you desire.
The top 2 fundraising earners will also have their registration taken care of thanks to Michael and Lindsey Roberts.
Please contact me if you have any further questions, 319-361-1317 or mschrock@cbsforyou.com.
This fundraising effort is also supported by Advocare (Michael and Lindsey Roberts), so that means there will be plenty of Rehydrate!
Here are the links:
http://www.trekmanracing.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/ParktoParkentryform2011.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6EhVtB1vbA
Thanks to everyone and please help us top our JDRF 2011 Walk for the Cure total $11,009, in 2012
Kilometers for K'la
Saturday, September 10 • 6:00am - 11:00am
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Team Pump Princess is looking for runners/walkers to help raise money for the cure of Juvenile Diabetes. Be part of Team Pump Princess while participating in one of the best races in the state of Iowa, "Park to Park" in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
What do you have to do? Register to participate in the "Park to Park" event by clicking on the link below. You are responsible for your registration fees and can choose to run/walk any distance that you desire. There is a 5K, 10K and a 1/2 Marathon available. Once you are registered, start sharing with your friends and family about why you are participating in this race...a cure for Juvenile Diabetes.
Then what do I do? Start asking your friends and family if they will donate funds to sponsor you in your efforts to fund the cure. This may also help you pay for your registration. I have information (video, informational letter and other fliers) available to hand out or share so that our mission to find a cure is understood.
What is in it for me? Not only will you be running/walking one of the greatest events in the state of Iowa, you will be raising money to help fund a cure for millions of kids across the United States who battle the marathon of diabetes on a daily basis.
Any runner/walker that signs up to participate as a member of Team Pump Princess and raises over $50 (not including registration), will earn a Pump Princess t-shirt. All donations should be mailed to me before September 1, 2011. Donation checks can be made out to "Pump Princess" and mailed to Mike Schrock (706 South Street - Urbana, IA 52345). Also include your t-shirt size in the envelope. I would like to have the t-shirts done by the day of the race so you can wear yours if you desire.
The top 2 fundraising earners will also have their registration taken care of thanks to Michael and Lindsey Roberts.
Please contact me if you have any further questions, 319-361-1317 or mschrock@cbsforyou.com.
This fundraising effort is also supported by Advocare (Michael and Lindsey Roberts), so that means there will be plenty of Rehydrate!
Here are the links:
http://www.trekmanracing.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/ParktoParkentryform2011.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6EhVtB1vbA
Thanks to everyone and please help us top our JDRF 2011 Walk for the Cure total $11,009, in 2012
Old Stories
Because I am just launching this site, I decided to post some of the stories that I have shared with others over the past few years.
What About Now?
Being diagnosed with Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes at the age of 15 was one of the most difficult times in my life. I was an active teenager who was scared out of my mind. Was I going to die? Do I have to quit playing sports? Are all of my friends going to make fun of me? The uncertainty of what was now going to be my new lifestyle had both my parents and I concerned. In my 18 years of living with juvenile diabetes, I had some tough times. Hospitalizations, high and low blood sugars, eye surgery and even a heart attack to name a few. Nothing compared to what the future had in store for me.
On Mother’s Day 2009, my youngest daughter, Micheala was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. She was 4 years old at the time. Previous studies had indicated that parents with juvenile diabetes had a minimal chance of passing along diabetes to their children. Recent studies have shown that children that have a father with juvenile diabetes have a 50% chance of contracting the disease. I have given my daughter juvenile diabetes and I owe it to her to fight for a cure.
We fight together. We both wear insulin pumps to help manage our diabetes. Insulin pumps are not the cure, but it makes everyday life a bit easier for the both of us. We still have our difficulties, but manage to work through them together with the support of each other, our family and friends.
I get up every morning and stare at this beautiful girl who has to fight this battle on a daily basis and think to myself, I am responsible for her daily struggles. I have been waiting for a cure for 18 years and I have finally just asked myself the simple question, “What about now?” Why not a cure for juvenile diabetes now? I have dedicated my efforts to all of those children like Micheala, who didn’t ask for this, yet continue to fight each day.
Diabetes is everywhere. An estimated 24 million American children and adults have diabetes. They are your neighbors, your children and your friends. IT IS US! Help me cure my Micheala and the million other Michealas out there.
We have become actively involved with the Eastern Iowa Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and have made priority out of raising money to fund the cure for juvenile diabetes. We want you to join in our cause and become a member of “Pump Princess”. Over the past 2 years, Team Pump Princess has donated over $15,000 to JDRF for the purpose of funding a cure. This year we hope to add much more to that total. With your help, we WILL achieve this goal!
For more information on how you can help, donate or become part of our team, contact Mike Schrock (mschrock@cbsforyou.com) or Heather Schrock (schrockh@yahoo.com).
More information to come regarding the different fundraising activities we have planned.
The Kool-Aid Stand
As parents, there are certain times that we couldn't be more proud of our children. This just happens to be one of those moments for me.
As we near the end of our fundraising efforts for JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), I have been stressed out to the max. Friday evening, Heather and I were having a conversation about what to do to raise the final bit of money that we need to reach our team goal of $10,000. We had already raised quite a bit of money and were really close, but close doesn't cut it as I made a promise to Micheala to do everything that I could to raise $10,000. Micheala and I were both suffering from a virus; she had a temp of 103 and I was not feeling the greatest. Heather and I went back and forth; we've exhausted all of our friends and family, had a silent auction, sold t-shirts and even cleaned carpets for a day. What else was there to do? How were we going to meet our goal? As our discussion ended, I got up and took our dog outside to go to the bathroom.
After 10 minutes, I came back into the house to be greeted by Micheala; who was once laying down but now was sitting upright. She says to me, "Dad, I have an idea how to raise money to make me undiabetic!" I said, "Ok Micheala, let's hear it."
She proceeds to tell me that tomorrow she can build a kool-aid stand and sell our kool-aid in our driveway to people and that will raise money for kids to be undiabetic.
I left the room and was followed out by Heather. I am man enough to admit that this put me in quite an emotional state. Here lays my 5 year old diabetic daughter, with a fever of 103, barely with enough strength to get up and use the bathroom, wanting to build a kool-aid stand and sell kool-aid to help out. How does a 5 year old have so much unselfish perspective?
We told K'la that she could do this if she wanted to and she quickly got her older sister Dylanne on board. So we purchased 2 pieces of poster board and some plastic cups and told K'la that if she was feeling better by Wednesday that she could follow through with her idea. She was excited.
I gained a great deal of perspective from this. Micheala knows only through her experiences, what diabetes is about. She doesn't understand that this disease is killing her dad and may cause her complications in the future. She doesn't understand what "research" means nor does she have a total grasp on the importance of the JDRF Walk for the Cure and why we raise money. To her it is simple.....raise money to be undiabetic. What she knows or feels is that she needs to do something to help and this is the best way in her mind to do just that. A cup full of pennies is a lot of money to her, which brings me to understand that it's not entirely just about raising money, but about being part of something special...being part of the cure.
So Wednesday night, in 40 degree weather, K'la, Dylanne, Heather, myself and some friends were in our driveway, in Urbana Iowa, selling our sugar free Kool-Aid to raise money for Team Pump Princess and JDRF. In one hour, they raised $343! The real victory was watching my 2 girls contribute to a great cause, not because they were told to do so by some adult, but because they understand what a cure for Juvenile Diabetes would mean to millions of kids and decided to do something about it.
What About Now?
Being diagnosed with Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes at the age of 15 was one of the most difficult times in my life. I was an active teenager who was scared out of my mind. Was I going to die? Do I have to quit playing sports? Are all of my friends going to make fun of me? The uncertainty of what was now going to be my new lifestyle had both my parents and I concerned. In my 18 years of living with juvenile diabetes, I had some tough times. Hospitalizations, high and low blood sugars, eye surgery and even a heart attack to name a few. Nothing compared to what the future had in store for me.
On Mother’s Day 2009, my youngest daughter, Micheala was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. She was 4 years old at the time. Previous studies had indicated that parents with juvenile diabetes had a minimal chance of passing along diabetes to their children. Recent studies have shown that children that have a father with juvenile diabetes have a 50% chance of contracting the disease. I have given my daughter juvenile diabetes and I owe it to her to fight for a cure.
We fight together. We both wear insulin pumps to help manage our diabetes. Insulin pumps are not the cure, but it makes everyday life a bit easier for the both of us. We still have our difficulties, but manage to work through them together with the support of each other, our family and friends.
I get up every morning and stare at this beautiful girl who has to fight this battle on a daily basis and think to myself, I am responsible for her daily struggles. I have been waiting for a cure for 18 years and I have finally just asked myself the simple question, “What about now?” Why not a cure for juvenile diabetes now? I have dedicated my efforts to all of those children like Micheala, who didn’t ask for this, yet continue to fight each day.
Diabetes is everywhere. An estimated 24 million American children and adults have diabetes. They are your neighbors, your children and your friends. IT IS US! Help me cure my Micheala and the million other Michealas out there.
We have become actively involved with the Eastern Iowa Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and have made priority out of raising money to fund the cure for juvenile diabetes. We want you to join in our cause and become a member of “Pump Princess”. Over the past 2 years, Team Pump Princess has donated over $15,000 to JDRF for the purpose of funding a cure. This year we hope to add much more to that total. With your help, we WILL achieve this goal!
For more information on how you can help, donate or become part of our team, contact Mike Schrock (mschrock@cbsforyou.com) or Heather Schrock (schrockh@yahoo.com).
More information to come regarding the different fundraising activities we have planned.
The Kool-Aid Stand
As parents, there are certain times that we couldn't be more proud of our children. This just happens to be one of those moments for me.
As we near the end of our fundraising efforts for JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), I have been stressed out to the max. Friday evening, Heather and I were having a conversation about what to do to raise the final bit of money that we need to reach our team goal of $10,000. We had already raised quite a bit of money and were really close, but close doesn't cut it as I made a promise to Micheala to do everything that I could to raise $10,000. Micheala and I were both suffering from a virus; she had a temp of 103 and I was not feeling the greatest. Heather and I went back and forth; we've exhausted all of our friends and family, had a silent auction, sold t-shirts and even cleaned carpets for a day. What else was there to do? How were we going to meet our goal? As our discussion ended, I got up and took our dog outside to go to the bathroom.
After 10 minutes, I came back into the house to be greeted by Micheala; who was once laying down but now was sitting upright. She says to me, "Dad, I have an idea how to raise money to make me undiabetic!" I said, "Ok Micheala, let's hear it."
She proceeds to tell me that tomorrow she can build a kool-aid stand and sell our kool-aid in our driveway to people and that will raise money for kids to be undiabetic.
I left the room and was followed out by Heather. I am man enough to admit that this put me in quite an emotional state. Here lays my 5 year old diabetic daughter, with a fever of 103, barely with enough strength to get up and use the bathroom, wanting to build a kool-aid stand and sell kool-aid to help out. How does a 5 year old have so much unselfish perspective?
We told K'la that she could do this if she wanted to and she quickly got her older sister Dylanne on board. So we purchased 2 pieces of poster board and some plastic cups and told K'la that if she was feeling better by Wednesday that she could follow through with her idea. She was excited.
I gained a great deal of perspective from this. Micheala knows only through her experiences, what diabetes is about. She doesn't understand that this disease is killing her dad and may cause her complications in the future. She doesn't understand what "research" means nor does she have a total grasp on the importance of the JDRF Walk for the Cure and why we raise money. To her it is simple.....raise money to be undiabetic. What she knows or feels is that she needs to do something to help and this is the best way in her mind to do just that. A cup full of pennies is a lot of money to her, which brings me to understand that it's not entirely just about raising money, but about being part of something special...being part of the cure.
So Wednesday night, in 40 degree weather, K'la, Dylanne, Heather, myself and some friends were in our driveway, in Urbana Iowa, selling our sugar free Kool-Aid to raise money for Team Pump Princess and JDRF. In one hour, they raised $343! The real victory was watching my 2 girls contribute to a great cause, not because they were told to do so by some adult, but because they understand what a cure for Juvenile Diabetes would mean to millions of kids and decided to do something about it.
Purpose
I thought it was time to up my game in regards to funding a cure for Juvenile Diabetes, so why not blog about it. I also discovered this morning that I needed some sort of outlet for the emotional rollercoaster that I ride while fundraising.
What is the PURPOSE of this blog? I have been very fortunate to meet a lot of new people throughout the past 2 years and look forward to meeting many more. The most often asked questioin is...."How can I help?" This site will hopefully keep all of those people that want to lock arms with us in this fight with Juvenile Diabetes updated and informed on how they can help. I plan to post messages, scheduled events and different ways that people can help us with our goal to end Juvenile Diabetes.
This blog is not intended to get people to feel sorry for Micheala and myself, but understand there may be posts that are written out of frustration, because simple said....Diabetes SUCKS!
Please pass this blog on to your friends and family and help us help the 24 million Americans that live with Diabetes. Please post any questions or email me if you are wanting more information on how to help.
It's not just about raising funds....it's about being part of something special....it's about being part of the cure.
What is the PURPOSE of this blog? I have been very fortunate to meet a lot of new people throughout the past 2 years and look forward to meeting many more. The most often asked questioin is...."How can I help?" This site will hopefully keep all of those people that want to lock arms with us in this fight with Juvenile Diabetes updated and informed on how they can help. I plan to post messages, scheduled events and different ways that people can help us with our goal to end Juvenile Diabetes.
This blog is not intended to get people to feel sorry for Micheala and myself, but understand there may be posts that are written out of frustration, because simple said....Diabetes SUCKS!
Please pass this blog on to your friends and family and help us help the 24 million Americans that live with Diabetes. Please post any questions or email me if you are wanting more information on how to help.
It's not just about raising funds....it's about being part of something special....it's about being part of the cure.
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