.sunday jackpot.

11.01.2009

Yes, I am a blog slacker. More on that later. Right now.... here is my latest blog on how I am hitting the wedding jackpot: My Fiance. Mr. Nearlywed.

Where does one gushing bride even begin? Welp, let's start with this:

We met in January 2008. When we met, it was three weeks post diabetes diagnosis. So sharing the news to him was like telling him that I like pizza, it just flowed. It was as new to me as it was to him so we basically have navigated my entire disease together. It wasn't until this year- and only by my crazy schedule- that he missed a doctor appt. He went through Diabetes education training with me, read the books, walked the walks, he did everything that one woman could hope to have in a partner.

About two weeks into our dating, I let him know that I will be a medical landmine until all of this gets figured out. And I gave him the chance to walk away from any potential relationship and we can just be friends, if that would even work out. I realized what a long load it would be to get back to healthy (another blog for another day) and didn't want to drag him down that road.

You could tell that he heard me but maybe it didn't hit him or maybe he didn't believe me. Mr. Nearlywed barely batted an eyelash and said that he will stick by me.

He now gives new meaning to, "In sickness and in health...."

Last year, at the Step Out to Fight Diabetes, he gave a speech. Here is what he said, get a tissue, I can wait....

"I stand before you here today, not as a type 1 or type 2 diabetic. But, this disease affects me just as much as it affects all of you. Years ago a co-anchor of mine said, "Tedd… you should support a cause. Fight for something!" I didn't even give it a second thought. I was too consumed with my job, my life and my success. But, All of that changed 8 months ago. I met a wonderful, beautiful young woman named Jennifer.

She's the love of my life, and 2 weeks into dating she was diagnosed as a diabetic. A diabetic at 30 years old, I thought to myself how is that possible? This young, vibrant, healthy woman was now facing a lifelong disease--I was crushed. I told myself I have 2 options. I could either NOT worry about it. Or, I could support her, be there for her, help her fight this fight-------I chose option 2. You see it doesn't matter if you're type 1, type 2 or type 3 like myself, the role of the caregiver. Every dollar counts. It's organizations like this that help bring us closer to a cure. There are medical breakthrough's everyday. I'm not asking for a thousand dollars, I'm not asking for 20 dollars or 2 dollars. All I ask is that you keep supporting organizations like the American Diabetes Association and other diabetes fundraisers.

There are 300,000 Las Vegans with the disease, and I bet there are some who don't even know it. Millions in the US are affected by the disease, we can't escape it. We can't turn our back to it, because I'm willing to bet you, or someone very close to you has the disease. I stand before you to ask for your continued support for causes and organizations and fundraisers like you see here today. Because it's your support and money that brings us closer to a cure, so that our loved ones, and my Jennifer can live a long, healthy, prosperous life right along side us.

I'm proud to be walking alongside all of you. I thank you for being here this morning, Jennifer thanks you, Channel 8 thanks you…… but most importantly thank yourselves for being here. God Bless."
~Speech at Step out: Fight Diabetes Fundraiser

5 comments:

Harmony said...

Wow, what an amazing husband-to-be, caregiver, and most importantly what an amazing person!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a keeper! :)
I didn't realize your honey worked at CH 8! One memory I have of my mother is that the ONLY channel she ever watched was CH 8..especially the news!

Your Twitter friend,
AmandaMichelleM

emseedubya said...

Aww, you can really feel the love emanating from that speech! My sister is type 1 and mom is type 2 so I guess that makes me a kind of warped type 3. ;) (LOVE that btw) It is hard work taking care of my sister and I worry about her all the time, worry every time she has a new boyfriend if he understands the gravity of her disease, if he will feed her peanut-butter and honey sandwiches at 2 am when she's low the way I have or talk her down when she's high and in angry-stubborn mode, if he will "get it." You are so lucky that your FI "gets it" and is passionately working through it with you. And you are a strong woman to be fighting type 1 so much later than most.

Thanks so much for sharing that with us! It's a beautiful moment and touches my heart. :)

Anonymous said...

Wow. I mean, wow! He's a keeper, Jennifer. And, so are you. The two of you together is something wonderful to behold. Yes, I looked at the pics on your facebook page. They tell a compelling story. I'm so glad I stumbled upon your life and will now have the opportunity to follow along on this journey. I look forward to having the opportunity to meet you two at some point. I mean, heck, Las Vegas isn't THAT big.
rg

Katie said...

What sweet words for him to say! You definitely have a keeper! :)

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