Thanksgiving and Diabetes Awareness Month….what a Coincidence.

I have always found it incredibly and wonderfully ironic that Diabetes Awareness Month and Thanksgiving are both in the same month. With the amount of both good and bad understanding of the role food plays in the life of those with diabetes mixed in with the biggest food holiday of the year……..well what a picture comes to mind.

Thanksgiving was always a huge holiday in my house. It became even more-so as I achieved a life-long goal to play such a pivotal role in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as one of their “Pilots” of chief-balloonists.

My morning started at 3:00 am as I arrived in New York City. Some nights it was just a continuation of the night before when the massive dirigibles and trademark of the parade would be filled with helium and readied for flight. No matter the size of your TV, it is an entirely different experience to witness first hand those large balloons making their way down Broadway.

But it is the Thanksgiving meaning itself that I find so rewarding mixed in with that Diabetes Month theme. For this disease, as dreadful as it is, was, and will always be; has also always driven me to my knees with incredible thanks. Not for the disease itself, of course, but rather what has transpired since that fateful day in 1992 when diabetes entered our world.

I’ve seen incredible generosity. People giving of their hard-earned money to help move the dial in our diabetes world. Whether it was a device, an education initiative, or toward scientific research advancement for a cure, I’ve witnessed people give generously time and time again. From millions of dollars to just a handful of change that was all a senior citizen had, have all touched my heart with gratitude over the years. People giving their time and talents to do battle against a disease that no one surely wanted. My life and millions of others have been changed because of who came across our path during this diabetes journey.

For that I’m eternally grateful and always will be. So as Thanksgiving Day approaches, stop and be thankful for all of those who have molded who you have become as you morphed into a diabetes ninja and a hero. Thousands of people have touched my life over the years and, yes, you are one of them. So thank you for being part. I never expected any of the twists and turns that impacted our life and am surely glad you have been there at each turn.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving……I am grateful…….for you.

I am a diabetes dad.
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