At the beginning of the month, we spent a long weekend in Asheville, NC for the Ride for the Cure. After raising more than $4,800 for the JDRF, Marc rode 100 hard miles in the Smoky Mountains with 80 other folks. Marc's parents went with us; all five of us had a great time.

 

I had forgotten what a great little city Asheville is - sidewalk cafes, bookstores, a co-op - I stole away each day during Marc and Olivia's naps and just wandered around. Of course, we also had to visit the Biltmore and we had a nice dinner the night before the ride at a local tavern where they brew their own.

 

 

Olivia met several children who had pumps and exhibited real interest in the pump for the first time after playing with these kids and talking with me about how they no longer take daily shots. We have talked about this with her in the past, but now she is beginning to understand. She even started pointing pumps out to me when she saw them on people's belts.

It was so helpful for me and Marc to meet some folks in the community, as well, to talk with parents whose children were diagnosed around the same age as Olivia and who are now older. Everyone was very kind, very helpful and encouraging. I was so moved and impressed by many of the people who were not serious cyclists, but trained for and completed the 100 mile ride.

 

 

We met some members of Team Type 1 and have been reading up on their story since. Check out the link and read about how the team, comprised entirely of athletes with type 1, won the 3,052 mile Race Across America twice.

We are already making plans for next year and think that we (and by "we," I mean Marc) will probably do the Ride for the Cure in Montana.

 

Best of all is that Olivia's blood sugars were, for the most part, beautiful and have been since. In fact, she has been having the best six or seven weeks that she has had since she was diagnosed. I hope it holds.