In honor of this year’s Indy 500, I thought I’d finally post this blog I’ve been sitting on for 2 years! This was the first Long beach Gran Prix I’d been to since I was diagnosed. I’ve gone pretty much every year since 2003. Here’s the post:
I just had the most amazing weekend!
So, I’ve become quite the Indycar fan by association. My husband was a huge fan when we met and he started going to the Long Beach Gran Prix 2000. I started going shortly after in 2003. Needless to say, I was very excited as it was my first race I attended since my diagnosis on June 28, 2012. Going as a newly diagnosed T1D, you know I was there as a huge Charlie Kimball fan. I was a fan of his before my diagnosis, but now it’s personal.
On Friday, we walked the pits, and I found Charlie Kimball’s pit box…so I had to get a picture while sporting my Super Duper Handy Dandy Novolog FlexPen!
On Saturday, We went to the Indycar fan village where the Race with Insulin tent was up. There, I got to sign up for a chance to win a VIP trip for four to the final race of the year in Fontana, CA. After entering, I was able to sign this shell of Charlie’s car.
I love this guy. I’m so happy, Ryan introduced me to this sport.
As I was there talking to the Novo Nordisk people, I told them that I was gonna come back for the Question and Answer Session with Charlie and have him sign my Novolog Flexpen. They told me that there would be a special line for Novolog Users and to see their marketing person to make sure I was in the right line! Oh boy! Oh boy!
I was the only adult in the special VIP (Very Insulin-dependent Person) line that day! I got to tell him my story of the fact that I had been diagnosed last year and that when they told me I had diabetes, I hoped I was prescribed Novolog so I can support Charlie even more! The weekend I came home from the hospital after being diagnosed, Charlie drove to his first podium finish in Toronto. He placed second. I like to think he did for me.
I had to make sure I took another picture after getting my Charlie swag!
As always, it was a gret race day. What made this one even better was at the end of the day, Ryan and I were able to sail away into the sunset with a great friend.
…And then this happened…about a month later! I thought they skipped my part since they showed Charlie with all the kids that day but, nope, check for this Cut the BS Girl’s story at 13:14!
Some of you may be wondering what my most memorable Long Beach Gran Prix is. It was in 2003 when I got engaged to the most amazing man after the race! I’ve been quite the fan ever since. The only two Long Beach Gran Prix I’ve missed are the years we welcomed our daughters into the world.
Cut the B.S. 