The word is now out there

Sunday evening and I will be calling it a night soon.

I guess now that the word is out there, I should take this opportunity, and maybe over the next couple of nights, let you all know what the process may potentially hold.

The Islet transplant, is not an organ, but cells. They have proven to be a huge step in the regenerating of new cells that produce insulin. I will gather my statistics at a later date, for now, lets just ease some anticipation. The cells will be removed from a cadaver donation and injected into my liver in HOPEs of regenerating new cells. This process can be done up to three times during the trial with most patients requiring as few as the one, but most likely two. The cells will be extracted from the donor pancreas, bathed in a process while my immune system is "killed off" to ready my system for the cells, then injected into my liver to begin the regeneration process. Antirejection (immuno suppressents) will need to be taken for the rest of my life to prevent rejection). As Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease, that was what killed the cells off in my system originally. My own immune system attacking itself, killing off the production of the cells.

It is my greatest hope at this point, that I pass the final phase of selection on my trip to San Francisco. I should know when this might occur in the next few weeks.

My decision to take part in this trial is that my blood sugars have now gotten to a point that there is no warning signs when I "get stupid" (language lesson to be posted in a day or so ...LOL)
or my blood sugars bottom out. "Fred" can tell you I am not an easy person to live with at times not knowing where I am or what the hell is going on, and losing several hours at a time due to this happening. As I have gotten older, the usual signs and symptoms of low blood sugar, like sweats, shaking, weakness, have all but disappeared. I now just go directly to "stupid" no coherent means of knowing where I am, who I might be with, loss of focus, not knowing what I am suppose to be doing, etc. Every time blood sugar drops below a certain range (mine has gone as low as 28 and I am still standing) brain cells are compromised. Now multiply this happening over a 37 year span and it is wonder I have any brain cells left at all. This of course poses many dilemmas in daily life. I hold a full time job, I work from home as well, not to mention all that yard work that doesn't seem to get done in a timely fashion making my house look not as pretty as I would like it to. LOL .... where are those men when you need them ??? (For those who know me you know there isn't one of those in sight :P). All joking aside, it has come to a point where I have been instructed by two endocrinologists that this is an opportunity for me to gain more time with life and hopefully slow and stop some of the progression of the complications that have settled in. I am so hoping for a new memory chip as well !!!

The last couple of years have been exceptionally stressful for me, taking care of my mom, and her ultimate passing, and now trying very hard to cope with my father (which has become an ultimate stressor not doing me any good in the health dept). The doctors I deal with (6 total on a regular basis) have all thrown their support behind this decision and have helped me get my records and paperwork into the team faster than most. That if I don't take this opportunity to quote my endocrinologist out of Phoenix at my last appoint on Friday was "these lows are going to kill you." Those lines rang similar 12 years ago when I went on my pump due to digestive complications. I was told to "put your affairs in order", damn, if only I could have had one !!! LOL ..... I refused to sit back and just wait to die. I researched, found the pump has advanced dramatically since I had "Fred" in 1989 and WANTED it!! My PCP at the time didn't think I was disciplined enough. I proved him wrong, and when I left his practice to move to AZ he had many patients wearing a pump, where he hadn't had one until me. It was a learning process for all that were involved. I continue to thank them for not giving up on me, allowing me to use all options available to me at the time.

In that time, I have gone back to school after being declared "disabled" in 1996 due to complications. After almost 10 years of being out of work and having read anything and everything I could, I declared I may be disabled, but I am not dead yet. My body my not cooperate as it once did, but I still have my mind and I would like to keep moving and going ahead until I crap out completely. Then have that big party.

I guess my point here is that people need a reason to get up in the morning. For me, I need to feed myself, my quest for knowledge on certain subjects has always been a way for me to pass the time. I have also had to use my humor, which as many of you know, has not only served me exceptionally well over the years, but can be in the very least, a tad bit twisted. I won't apologize for this, most of the time, I am just verbalizing what most are thinking and afraid to say. I can not begin to tell you how many operating room staff I have had laughing due to my twisted overview of a procedure or manner in which we go about "sedating" someone. In any event, brace yourselves..... LOL !

Ok ... well, again, for those that are looking to find more information, JDRF.org, click the tab "Research" and you will find info on the Islet Transplants. This will happen at the University of California in San Francisco and hopefully before anything really impairing for me occurs.

Well .... my pillows are screaming my name as 5:00 am comes early.
Thanks to all who have inquired this weekend and I look forward to having you along for the ride. Don't forget, I love to sing ... hehehe ....

et ;)