Kris Freeman – DiabetesDad

Do you find yourself looking at things differently than so many others. Do you somehow take diabetes and place it in a realm that it might not so necessarily be reflected?

Now that the Olympics have ended, here are some things that I thought to myself as I watched. Now they may not make sense as being practical but I thought them none-the-less and I share them with you.

–How come the P&G commercials were only for moms; it surely is not as if dads did not play a role, right?
–How would a P&G commercial look for kids/parents with diabetes?
–Every time I saw sponsors for games of gathered people like Olympics, Special Olympics, and Paralympics; did anyone else think there should be one for people with diabetes and all money left after the games could go toward diabetes causes?
–Anyone wonder how Kris Freeman was feeling or what he was doing as you watched the games?
–I could not help but ask myself, why are there not others with diabetes in the Olympics; and when I saw highlights of Kris’ competition–my questions were answered. Tough is newly defined for me.
–Do other people from other countries swell with pride when their country’s flag is raised and their national anthem is played; like I do?
–Did you wish there was a mechanism/organization/event that awarded medals to our kids for doing what they do……I challenge any Olympian to do what our kids do and not feel as if a medal should be offered….right? And they should NOT need to wait 50 years to get a medal from Joslin (a program I love, for the record).
–I found myself saying, so many of these athletes are so young, I hope they don’t ‘get diabetes…..any of you say the same thing?
–Should there be games for just people with diabetes?

I love the Olympics and there are so many stories and names that were not in our minds before the Olympics that are now household names and events. I find it odd that I related so much diabetes stuff to the games and as I stated, some ideas are boarder-line silly; but I thought of these things and wondered if anyone else did the same and if so; what were your thoughts relating to your own life as you watched the Olympics?

I am a diabetes dad.

Please visit my Diabetes Dad FB Page and hit ‘like’

It was the 2010 Olympics and US Cross Country Skier, Kris Freeman, was just seconds from the lead and his blood sugar began to plummet, Kris did all he could to even stay in the race, much less take over the lead. But he did not give up.

The world of competitive sports is gruelling on any normal day, make it the world-wide stage of the Olympics; it becomes almost unimaginable. Add to the mix that one has type one diabetes—-well–there is just no word for that, is there?

But I have a word:

Hero.

Kris Freeman said the following recently:
“I will compete in the first of four races at the 2014 Olympics. Each time I will think of the thousands of children I’ve met over the last 10 years and try to win a medal for all of us.”

Like I said; hero.

Kris, although I know his absolute drive is to win a medal, does not have to stand on a podium to bring gold home to the United States; for the so many who have diabetes—he has already done that by participating. To withstand all it takes to be IN THE Olympics is enough to make any one in the diabetes community stand proud. And we do. Click the picture below to hear what Kris had to say on NBC about being a person with diabetes in the Olympics.

Of course Kris is not just racing for ‘diabetic athletes everywhere’ as Ms. Vargas stated in the introduction to the interview, he is racing for America, and also for anyone who has diabetes and has a dream of any kind.

He races for anyone who needs to see that diabetes should stop them from nothing. He races for himself to prove he can; and through that we all win, don’t we?

Something we do in the diabetes community; we say job well done. I read a question in a post if there was a way to say thanks to Kris; and I can tell you that if you look at the picture at the start of this article; it was taken at the Children with Diabetes Friends for Life Conference in 2010. At that conference, just months after the last Olympics, a group of kids with diabetes gave Kris a Gold Medal of his own. A Gold Medal for inspiration.

Because when it comes right down to it, for what Kris does by EVEN BEING at the Olympics, in the eyes of those who live with diabetes, well……….that is about as good as Gold!

I am a diabetes dad.

Please visit my Diabetes Dad FB Page and hit ‘like’.

Tag: Kris Freeman

The Olympic Flame is Out…….Random Thoughts of Diabetes During the Olympics…..Am I Alone in This?

To Our Kids: Olympian Kris Freeman is Gold Whether He is on the Podium or Not