Patric’s Story
As of 2017 I have taken part in three rides of the JDRF Ride to Cure program. My first one was in Tucson, Arizona, a little over a year after diagnoses. The ride was filled with many pit stops of me laying at the side of the road screaming of leg cramps. However, I toughed through the pain in my legs and had stable blood sugar throughout the ride. This was until the last 10 miles.
This was a time before I had a continuous glucose monitor, so I was not getting readings of my blood sugar every five minutes. I was very much paying attention to what my body was telling me and at only ten miles to go my body told me I was dropping. I told the person riding with me, Aric (who is the reason I made it to the finish line and wasn’t at the side of the road curled up in a ball being picked up by a support van as I screaming in pain) that I needed to check. My blood sugar was 100, a very good blood sugar but I knew I was dropping. With no insulin on board I had a juice. I got back on the bike and continued riding with Aric. With only about four miles to go I said to Aric “I hate to be that guy, but I need to stop and check”. When I did I saw I was 80. I took about 10 more carbs and crossed the finish line.
After the ride and the pictures were taken I checked, the carbs were key, because I was not over 100. Setting out for future rides I made note to be more prepared for going lower towards the end of the ride.
I was honored with JDRF’s Spirit Jersey that day. They told the story about me wanting to do the ride as a tribute to living with diabetes with one full year. But I knew another reason I was awarded with JDRF’s spirit jersey was because I completed the ride even with the leg cramps. However, little known of my struggle not to go low in the last ten miles.
At my second Ride to Cure I made sure to be taking more carbs earlier, despite that I had a similar situation. However, during my latest ride, with an adjusted basal and a more carb intake I was able to ride the last 15 miles without testing and ended and a steady 120.
With diabetes you always need to be thinking multiple steps ahead. Even though my plans don’t always work, I still try and make sure I always have a plan.
Patric Ciervo