BRET MICHAELS DISCUSSES LIVING WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES WHILE BEING OUT ON THE ROAD

Poison singer Bret Michaels spoke to 95.9 The River‘s Nick Jakusz about living with Type 1 diabetes.

Michaels said (as transcribed by blabbermouth.net), “I’ve been a Type 1 diabetic since I’ve been six years old… The best lesson I got from my parents… A couple of things that my dad said and my mom said. They were, like, ‘Look, this is the cards you were dealt. You don’t have to love it, but you have to embrace this. You’re either gonna be a victim or victorious; there’s no in between. You’re either gonna choose that you can do this… And we’re gonna find a way for you to play football, way for you to play baseball, ride dirt bikes, play music, travel…’ And that mentality is what got me through the ’80s and ’90s and right now in music.”

When asked how he manages touring while dealing with the unique challenges that people with diabetes face, he said: “In Poison we [were] touring all the time, and solo, it’s non-stop. What I’ve learned to do is… This is the truth… When they see me take a break and someone’s doing a bit of a solo… They get a minute. We come out. C.C. DeVille [guitarist] starts a solo. It’s actually a chance for me to run back and check my blood sugar. And now with the technology, the constant glucose monitor, it’s in my arm, it’s injected into my arm. I can test it. I adjust my insulin intake. So I do about five injections a day of insulin, and I just adjust for it and I find my groove.”

Michaels added, “I know that sounds crazy, but each diabetic has to find their own groove that keeps those levels controlled, because, if not, it can be devastating.”

Following Poison’s appearance on th highly successful The Stadium Tour [with Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts] this past summer, Michaels will embark on his select date Parti-Gras 2023 tour with Live Nation starting July 13th in Detroit, see dates below. Joining Michaels on his tour will be Night Ranger and Jefferson Starship along with special appearances from Steve Augeri (former lead singer of Journey) and Mark McGrath (Sugar Ray), plus a nightly surprise guests

Parti Gras 2023 Tour Dates:

July:

13 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre

15 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake

16 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center

21 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center

22 – Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion

23 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

28 – Maryland Heights, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

29 – Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

30 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center

August:

4 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre at the FL State Fairgrounds

5 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

6 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion