Today I

[MsDisney23]

Surrender my soul and heart to write about the Day I Said Good~Bye to Diabete's. This has been a very emotional personal part of my life. However it will be one of the last chapter's in the book!

I have decided to tell the story like never told before. The fear's that the Diabetic has, the hard work, the road they walk down! To understand the fear. I have lived it, suffered it and it must be told like never before! People have asked me what it's like to now live without it? I tell them it's like having a little peace of Heaven!

It was so touching the monkey that sat on my shoulder, just waiting for the day he would get me! I kicked his butt, big time! I have shared with my endo whom I writing the book with many of my personal feelings that I have had on this journey. He has been a great friend and inspiration to me, and he is also a type 1 diabetic. We are the first daibetic Doctor~Patient team to publish a book about living with the complications of DM1. I have spoken with diabetic's from the age of 3 to 88, and there are voice's that want to be heard. I will be that voice, and a strong one at that. God has chosen me to show so many the way.

In January, I will be traveling to UMMC, where I have been blessed with the opportunity to sit and interview some of the Top Physician's, Scienctist, Professor's, etc. I will also travel to Miami to The Diabetic Research Institute and also interview one of leading Scienctist in our country.

Insulin is not a cure!

To me this fight is worthwhile! Let's wipe of Diabetes, make a wish today!

 

[Bearvet]

Good for you and good luck on this worthwhile project! My mother developed Type II diabetes and all of the complications that go along with it. Her toe became infected and had to be removed. The infection had spread and they then they had to amputate just below the knee. She died a few days later due to complications - she was only 60 years old. That was almost 12 years ago and I monitor my health carefully for any signs that I am develping this horrid disease.

I would love to see diabetes wiped out in the near future. Best wishes to you - you are brave to do this!

 

[suzannef]

As a mom of an 8 year old little girl with type 1 diabetes(almost 2 years now) I thank you from the bottom of my heart. The fact that you work so hard for others when you could just sit back and enjoy your new life is amazing! Good luck with all your endeavours and keep fighting the good fight.

God Bless
Suzanne

 

[Debi]

{{{Hugs}}}, Kitty. If anyone is strong enough to do this, it's you.

 

[Feralpeg]

You go girl!!!!

 

[JunieJay]

WTG Kitty!! I'm so proud of you, you are such an amazing person!

 

[kjs1976]

I shared in your celebration at the wishing well on 8/21 (my b-day!) and was moved beyond words.

I have a fellow co-worker/good friend who has diabetes and this year have 4 students who have it and are struggling with it as teens. Your story moved my friend to tears and I started crying again too.....the REESES P-BUTTER CUP.....ahhhhhhh! I get misty eyed even now!!! I hope to share it with my students when they get to their health unit.

Thanks for using your struggle/over coming the odds to inspire others!!!!

 

[Philagoofy]

If I missed other posts where you explain how you no longer have diabetes, I apologize. I remember recently you wrote about going in for tests for something but I didn't know what. Could you briefly tell me or link me to your post that explains what you went through to get rid of the diabetes?

My husband has diabetes & I know several people who have it & have many of the complications that go along with it. It'd be great to hear of a cure on the horizon.

Thanks and best of health to you.

 

[kdudley3]

CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[disneymac]

Good for you! I can't wait to read your book!

 

[LynnTH]

My DH was diagnosed with Type 1 in March of this year. Just yesterday he received this article from his brother. Thought you might like this - there may be hope for a cure yet.



Diabetes breakthrough
Toronto scientists cure disease in mice



In a discovery that has stunned even those behind it, scientists at a Toronto hospital say they have proof the body's nervous system helps trigger diabetes, opening the door to a potential near-cure of the disease that affects millions of Canadians.

Diabetic mice became healthy virtually overnight after researchers injected a substance to counteract the effect of malfunctioning pain neurons in the pancreas.

"I couldn't believe it," said Dr. Michael Salter, a pain expert at the Hospital for Sick Children and one of the scientists. "Mice with diabetes suddenly didn't have diabetes any more."

The researchers caution they have yet to confirm their findings in people, but say they expect results from human studies within a year or so. Any treatment that may emerge to help at least some patients would likely be years away from hitting the market.

But the excitement of the team from Sick Kids, whose work is being published today in the journal Cell, is almost palpable.

"I've never seen anything like it," said Dr. Hans Michael Dosch, an immunologist at the hospital and a leader of the studies. "In my career, this is unique."

Their conclusions upset conventional wisdom that Type 1 diabetes, the most serious form of the illness that typically first appears in childhood, was solely caused by auto-immune responses -- the body's immune system turning on itself.

They also conclude that there are far more similarities than previously thought between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and that nerves likely play a role in other chronic inflammatory conditions, such as asthma and Crohn's disease.

The "paradigm-changing" study opens "a novel, exciting door to address one of the diseases with large societal impact," said Dr. Christian Stohler, a leading U.S. pain specialist and dean of dentistry at the University of Maryland, who has reviewed the work.

"The treatment and diagnosis of neuropathic diseases is poised to take a dramatic leap forward because of the impressive research."

About two million Canadians suffer from diabetes, 10% of them with Type 1, contributing to 41,000 deaths a year.

Insulin replacement therapy is the only treatment of Type 1, and cannot prevent many of the side effects, from heart attacks to kidney failure.

In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to shift glucose into the cells that need it. In Type 2 diabetes, the insulin that is produced is not used effectively -- something called insulin resistance -- also resulting in poor absorption of glucose.

The problems stem partly from inflammation -- and eventual death -- of insulin-producing islet cells in the pancreas.

Dr. Dosch had concluded in a 1999 paper that there were surprising similarities between diabetes and multiple sclerosis, a central nervous system disease. His interest was also piqued by the presence around the insulin-producing islets of an "enormous" number of nerves, pain neurons primarily used to signal the brain that tissue has been damaged.

Suspecting a link between the nerves and diabetes, he and Dr. Salter used an old experimental trick -- injecting capsaicin, the active ingredient in hot chili peppers, to kill the pancreatic sensory nerves in mice that had an equivalent of Type 1 diabetes.

"Then we had the biggest shock of our lives," Dr. Dosch said. Almost immediately, the islets began producing insulin normally "It was a shock - really out of left field, because nothing in the literature was saying anything about this."

It turns out the nerves secrete neuropeptides that are instrumental in the proper functioning of the islets. Further study by the team, which also involved the University of Calgary and the Jackson Laboratory in Maine, found that the nerves in diabetic mice were releasing too little of the neuropeptides, resulting in a "vicious cycle" of stress on the islets.

So next they injected the neuropeptide "substance P" in the pancreases of diabetic mice, a demanding task given the tiny size of the rodent organs. The results were dramatic.

The islet inflammation cleared up and the diabetes was gone. Some have remained in that state for as long as four months, with just one injection.

They also discovered that their treatments curbed the insulin resistance that is the hallmark of Type 2 diabetes, and that insulin resistance is a major factor in Type 1 diabetes, suggesting the two illnesses are quite similar.

While pain scientists have been receptive to the research, immunologists have voiced skepticism at the idea of the nervous system playing such a major role in the disease. Editors of Cell put the Toronto researchers through vigorous review to prove the validity of their conclusions, though an editorial in the publication gives a positive review of the work.

"It will no doubt cause a great deal of consternation," said Dr. Salter about his paper.

The researchers are now setting out to confirm that the connection between sensory nerves and diabetes holds true in humans. If it does, they will see if their treatments have the same effects on people as they did on mice.

Nothing is for sure, but "there is a great deal of promise," Dr. Salter said.



http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=a042812e-492c-4f07-8245-8a598ab5d1bf&k=63970

 

[CathrynRose]

She died a few days later due to complications - she was only 60 years old. That was almost 12 years ago and I monitor my health carefully for any signs that I am develping this horrid disease.


!

My mom died at age 55 (this past January) from Diabete's complications, as well .

Nasty, horrible disease.

 

[CathrynRose]

I shared in your celebration at the wishing well on 8/21 (my b-day!) and was moved beyond words.

OT - my birthday too!!

 

[welovedisneyx4]

Thank you for your hard work and time on this.

I am sitting here at work waiting on a call from DS's(6) Dr b/c his sugar was sky high at school today. We have no idea why??? It was high before bed last night, but this morning was perfectly fine, so I just thought last night was a fluke or something, but the school nurse called and said it was even higher at lunch today. Luckily, he was acting fine (which is strange b/c he usually acts up if it is high or low and they said he was fine.)

He has only had it since the end of August and there is still so much I don't understand.

I'm also getting aggravated b/c the dr hasn't called back yet, it has been an hour since I called.

 

[MsDisney23]

If I missed other posts where you explain how you no longer have diabetes, I apologize. I remember recently you wrote about going in for tests for something but I didn't know what. Could you briefly tell me or link me to your post that explains what you went through to get rid of the diabetes?

My husband has diabetes & I know several people who have it & have many of the complications that go along with it. It'd be great to hear of a cure on the horizon.

Thanks and best of health to you.

I had a Pancreas transplant alone done!

 

[lesroi]

Insulin is not a cure!

To me this fight is worthwhile! Let's wipe of Diabetes, make a wish today!

I could not agree with you more!!! My neice, 6 years old, was diagnosed (I think MISdiagnosed) with diabetes last year. This is a NORMAL little girl in EVERY aspect of the word, except now her life is ruled by insulin shots several times a day. This child is not even allowed to take a simple nap in the car after a long day at the beach (like A NORMAL CHILD) without her Grandma freaking out that she is going into a diabetic coma. She literally shakes her and shakes her keeping her awake. This was after our time at the beach where she had snacks such as cheese and turkey, nothing with carbohydrates. Hello... Scientific Fact. Kids that are playing NEED CARBS!!!

This same child is not allowed to eat when she is hungry because they can't "check her sugar" right away. I literally had to hear her crying at Disney because her Grandma would not get her something to eat. Can you believe this?

It's pretty disgusting the way she is treated and I 100% believe that she is NOT DIABETIC and that anything that MAY be wrong with her can be cured by diet. A proper diet. A 6 year old should not be drinking caffeinated DIET SODA!

As you can see, this is a MAJOR pet peeve so I am in total support of what you are doing! I think insulin dependence is a joke. I have gone to many seminars that say the same thing. Insulin is not the cure!!! (unless you work for an insulin manufacturer!)


Tracy