My Story
I grew up in a southern household. Born in Texas, but grew up in Montana. We lived on a steady diet of fried foods. My grandmother kept us well fed. Breakfast of eggs, bacon, and southern fried potatoes. Lunch was fried potato sandwiches. Dinner would be steak and potatoes.
By the time I was in the 7th grade, I was already well over 200lbs and wore a 42" waist pant. Yep, I was the fat kid. The kid that everyone made fun of. Teased relentlessly. Funny how this torment can shape your self-worth so many years later... My teen years were the most difficult. P.E. and swimming class in school! SWIMMING CLASS! I was terrified! And, as it turns out, I was right! There were 3 girls in my swim class that made my life a living hell. I don't recall their names now. Their names do not matter. I took my anger and frustrations out on myself. I mean, they had to be right. I was just fat and lazy... It was my fault. My flaw...
I turned to drugs, tobacco, alcohol, and food. Mostly destructive relationships that were driven by the need to be accepted by whomever would have such low standards as to be interested in me. I was kicked out of high school my junior year which gave me entirely to much time on my hands. Wish I could say I used that time constructively. If I did, I'd be lying.
I won't detail what hitting bottom was for me as far as the drugs and alcohol goes. Some things are just better left in the past.
Life went on. I had two great kids with my common law wife, Patty H. Mya and R.J. ROCK! We divorced and they all moved to North Dakota. So, of course I used food to medicate the completely empty feeling of not being having my kids around. It was all I could do to stay away from the booze. Stay away from the drugs. Food was a far lessor evil. This is the time frame when I got up to my heaviest. I saw ~340lbs.
I met Coleen and we married. She had 3 kids of her own. During those times when we were all together, it was quite the house full. It was during this time that I was diagnosed with TYPE 2 Diabetes. I changed my diet. Lost some weight. But the weight loss stalled. I still needed oral meds to control my glucose.
One day the kids begged me to go out on a bike ride with them. So I caved. I got the old Walmart mountain bike, which I thought was so cool, out of the garage. Air the tires, and off we went. We only went about four blocks that first time out. But WOW! What a blast! I felt like I was a kid again! I worked my way up. Riding a little further each time. Eventually, I began riding my bike to and from work everyday. That led to riding 60 mile rides, which led to riding 100 mile rides. Since that wonderful day when my kids asked me out on that first ride, I have fallen in love with cycling.
By 2006 I got my weight down to 184lbs. Went through a divorce. Moved to Colorado.
Here in Colorado I continued to ride. Added in hiking and skiing.
I met Joe Eldridge one of the co-founders of Team Type 1 in 2008 who introduced me to the other co-founder of Team Type 1, Phil Southerland. From this meeting, I founded Team Type 2 as an extension to the Team Type 1 organization.
In 2009 the team of 8 Type 2 Diabetics I put together competed in the Race Across America (RAAM). We raced from Oceanside, California to Annapolis, Maryland finishing in 7 days 7 hours 24 minutes.
The day before we were to start RAAM, we found out that my fiancée was pregnant. Abby Jane was born on February 22, 2010.
Of course a baby changes everything. Abby is the best. Patty and I are so very lucky to have her. But of course babies take a lot of time.
I rode less. Gained some weight. Rode less. Gained some more weight.
I began bike commuting again in June of 2010. Was a good 10 mile ride to work. Perfect commuting distance.
Then one day on my way home I had the worst bike accident of my life. I crashed. Crashed hard. I've crashed before, but always have been able to ride away from it. Not this one.
This one was an ambulance ride kind of crash. My right arm was notably deformed. I was less than a mile from a nearby Level 1 Trauma Center. I was transported there by ambulance. CAT scans revealed the destruction in my right art. My humerus was literally shattered into several pieces. Shattered to the point where the orthopedic surgeon on call wouldn't touch me. He called in an orthopedic trauma surgeon.
The surgery went well. They inserted a "rod" inside my shattered arm attaching it to my shoulder and elbow joints.
Well, it has been over a year of physical therapy and very limited physical activity. So, once again, the I gained a little more weight.
It's been over a year of recovery. I have finally achieved a mental and physical state where I feel the need to get the weight back off and get fit again.
My diabetes has gotten out of control. I know it has and have been in such a deep depression that it hasn't mattered to me in the least. I know that sounds horrible to many. Well, I promised to be brutally honest, pretty or not. Well, it isn't pretty but depression is a reality for thoes with Type 2 Diabetes, weight issues, or have suffered a major injury.
I'm just now coming out of my funk. Some days are better than others. Life is just so busy. Seems there will never be time to just get out for a nice long ride along our country roads. Something that brings me peace.
So, here I set before you. An open book. Nothing hidden. Starting my adventure to fitness and diabetes control again.
I'm sharing this adventure with anyone who may need support. Inspiration. Or just someone to laugh at.
Nothing is, nor has been easy. It has taken me years to get to this point. And yes, I still struggle with food. I still struggle with my desire to kick back on the couch with remote in hand for days on end. I still struggle with the self esteem issues from my teen years. These struggles are why I have put this site together. To share with you my struggles, successes, failures, and achievements.
You too can LIVE an ADVENTUROUS life with Type 2 Diabetes!
