As you can see in this video, Christopher is doing very well. He looks healthy (he’s gained close to 10 pounds since starting insulin - putting him back in normal weight range) and he is in this kind of happy, goofy mood most of the time.
(the video was taken at a local park using my MacBook Pro)
Well, we are settling into our new reality, and it’s surprising how quickly our definition of “normal” seems to be changing.
The biggest challenge - managing our fear - seems to be in hand. What’s behind that is having a few days experience doing the monitoring, injections, and meal planning. It was overwhelming only a few days ago, but now it’s becoming much easier. The key is being extremely well organized.
Lori took the kids for their first big outing on Thursday - a trip to the water park. Not being present (I was at work), I was more nervous than she was, and drove her pretty much crazy with my coaching (read: paranoid nagging) around how to prepare for the outing. Sidenote: Mark has always been the most easy-going guy on the planet, but not any more - he has become something of a control freak this past 10 days.
We also went to a movie last night (Journey to the Center of the Earth), and had to monitor (a finger-prick blood test) right in the theater.
And we went out for supper (Boston Pizza - Christopher’s favorite) this evening. We had to test and give Christopher’s insulin injection right at our table - we refuse to do these things hidden from public view because we don’t ever want Chris to feel it should be hidden.
All these things really add up to confidence. We’re getting better at it. Of course, it would be nice if Christopher were used to the injections (he still cries a bit), but that will come with time - my guess is it will take another week or two.
Thanks everyone for your support. It means a lot to us.
Where have I been? Why have I not been posting? Those are two fully loaded questions.
As I mentioned in previous posts, I was trying to solve some health problems. I thought I’d figured things out but, it turns out, I didn’t have all the answers - even though I’m closer now.
Frankly, alternating between , “I’m back!” and “I’m not back” became frustrating, tiresome and overly dramatic. Add the fact that the health problems I was having were physically tiring meant that I had little energy for blogging (or much else for that matter).
But, as I would soon find out, my health problems would be the least of what I would have to face. That’s because last Thursday, July 17th, I learned that my six year old son Christopher, has Type 1 Diabetes. Folks, this is as serious as it gets. Christopher was extremely ill and had lost a frightening amount of weight. To clear up any confusion, type 1 diabetes is not lifestyle related - it is the outcome of the body rejecting the cells that create insulin and help the body absorb fuel (sugar).
Christopher is doing well now, but he has a lifetime of insulin injections, and meticulous diet management ahead of him. We’re relieved, but we also have a lot of angst over the road ahead. I’m tired and eagerly anticipating my second wind. I know some people - like Nancy - will relate to my angst.
I’d like to apologize to a lot of people. First, to all the people who help out at CRN. I’ve abandoned you, and I’m truly sorry. Second, I’d like to apologize to those comments I have not responded to. I hope you will understand. Third, I’d like to apologize for all the unanswered emails. My inbox is now at over 1200 unread emails (completerunning is quite demanding). If you’re in there, I’m working on getting to you.
I’d especially like to apologize to my coach and friend Andrew, from Downeast Running. Andrew, I feel I have let you down. I have not responded to two of your emails. I hope you can now understand why, and that I have thought of you often.
I’d like to thank two bloggers for holding things together. Jeanne and Nora, I love you guys. I don’t know what I’d have done without you. Thank you. There are other bloggers I should also mention and thank, but I’ve got little time to write this post. Please know that I appreciate your support. Thank you for hanging in there with me.
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Thank you. 
Over the past year I’ve thought several times that I’d figured out the source of my health problems. Unfortunately, the rabbit hole was deep and I wasn’t able to really figure things out. Until now.
After months of worry and frustration, I finally feel great and am declaring today a positive new beginning.
I plan on blogging about what I’ve learned, and after that, I’m going to set out some new goals.
It’s time to start living again!
I’d be in the hospital. I have had the flu since last Tuesday. It was only last night (Sunday) when things got even remotely better than they had been.
Fever and chills and coughing up a lung. Fever and chills and coughing up a lung. Fever and chills and coughing up a lung. That’s been my entire week.
During this time I thought, “If I was 80, this would have put me in the hospital”.
BRUTAL.
Have you ever stopped posting and then found it really hard to start again? Yeah? Well, here I am starting from the beginning so this one’s gonna be simple.
I took my son to a monster truck show last night. I’m not into that sort of thing but, of course, it’s irresitible to a five year old boy. He was SO excited. Note to the unitiated: GraveDigger rulz (sort of the Hulk Hogan of the monster truck gig)! Here’s a little collage I put together of our time there. Click on the pic to enlarge.
The poor, poor members of the CRN (writing) team - they’ve had to put up with an endless stream of emails where I go on and on and on about all the cool stuff we’re building over at completerunning.
Something Jeanne has learned very well (and that even I have only recently come to understand) is that I only have two gears - full out and dead stop.
I am definitely a manic-depressive sort of character when it comes to my passions and work. I go through periods where I am inexaustible. Periods where I am up till 2:00 a.m. night after night. Periods where I have to keep a notebook so I don’t lose all of the ideas that flow into my mind in wave after wave of creative nirvana. Periods where noone can keep up to me. These periods generally last for a month or so and then…
…it all comes crashing down and I am utterly useless.
Then, I rest up (sometimes for as much as a month), rinse and repeat.
When it comes to non-running stuff, I am not a marathoner - I do not know pacing.
And I’m ok with that - it’s mostly nice to have figured out how “I am”.
But I imagine it must be hard to be around me. If that last statement rings a bell (Jeanne?), I apologize.
As the Scorpion said to the frog, “It’s in my nature“.
Some day soon, I will start talking about running again. I just needed to get this off my chest.
My family went on a little trip to Banff National Park (more photos at the link) right after Christmas this year. The kids LOVED the Gondola and Banff Hot Springs.
And this photo of Lori and I is a new favorite of mine.
Thank you everyone for your concern. I am a-ok after a difficult month or two of getting through layers of health stuff. I owe a bunch of you emails and promise to get in touch with you over the next few days.
Take care and happy holidays!
All the best to you and your families,
Mark
