T is for Track Star.

If you know me (and I'm assuming you all do, because who else would read this?), you know two things:  I am diabetic and I hate the military healthcare system.  Don't get me wrong, I am so thankful to have healthcare and to get my insulin needs fulfilled, but when it comes to the Navy docs I've dealt with, well, they leave a great something to be desired (like maybe getting my prescriptions right or being knowledgeable about my condition).

That brings us to a few days before our vacation when I went to the Air Force clinic to get syringes, because the Navy WAS OUT AGAIN.  Fed up to here *points way above head*, I asked how I could transfer to the Air Force clinic, followed my instructions and when we returned from vacation, I had a letter telling me to see a new doctor....  I was relieved, but anxious it'd be more of the same.

When I finally got in to see my new doctor, I was blown away.  Matt came with me to help bust heads if needed.  He was not needed (but I was glad he was there).

My new doctor was amazing.  He knew stuff about diabetes.  He suggested a different insulin schedule to bring down my HbA1C.  I was on board!  I was so super-pumped.

Then.  Then he suggested the unthinkable (for me).  Thirty minutes of cardio five days a week.  Thirty miutes of RUNNING five days a week.  And Matt heard it all, so I couldn't just pretend it didn't happen.

Disgusting.  Awful.  Miserable.

I am not a runner.  I have no desire to be a runner.  People who run marathons baffle me.

But now, I am slowly pacing myself to become a runner.  I started off walking five minutes and running one minute for a half hour.  Now I am up to 4 minutes of walking with 3 minutes of running.

And I hate it.  I hate running.  It sucks.  I do not feel better when I an done running.  I do not feel bad when I miss a day.  It sucks.  And I'm not even actually RUNNING.  I'm walking most of the time and jogging because Matt insists I'll wear myself out if I actually run.

Maybe it will be better when its not so stinkin' hot here, but I just don't know.  I'm sticking with it for now for my health.  But I am letting everyone know that I hate it.

DiaBirthday #6.

Every year, I try to celebrate the anniversary of my diagnosis in a special way. Diabetes themed parties in college, theme park visits, special dinners, etc. This year, with all of the excitement of my impending reunion, I completely forgot about my Diabetes Day until about 6 days before... I didn't make any plans and pretty much expected it to pass without much notice.

Enter the best co-workers in the world. I mentioned my special day to The Best Co-Worker Ever this morning as I was reading the e-mail Mom sent me about it. When she returned from lunch (after a few strange calls for our other co), she carried cupcakes and a bag full of Twizzlers, Good & Plenty's (the Official Candy of DiaBirthdays), other candies and a box of Truvia - quite possibly my new favorite sweetener. They both wrote wonderful things (I'm assuming, half was written in Japanese) in a fantastic card addressed to Adrenaline Andrea.

The first few years, I celebrated my DiaBirthday so that I had something to look forward to, so I didn't spend the day crying and lamenting my bad pancreas. Now it is a reason to be silly and over indulge and maybe even to remind people that I'm a little different, but that's okay. I'm still really cool.

Hope.

Transplants Help Type 1 Diabetics Skip Insulin

CHICAGO (Reuters) – People with type 1 diabetes who got stem cell transplants were able to go as long as four years without needing insulin treatments, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

They said the process, which involves injecting people with stem cells made from their bone marrow cells, appears to have a lasting effect.

The study involved patients with Type 1 diabetes, formerly called juvenile diabetes, which occurs when the immune system goes haywire and starts attacking itself, destroying insulin-producing cells in the pancreas needed to control blood sugar.

These patients typically need daily insulin therapy to control their diabetes.

Dr. Richard Burt of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and colleagues first reported on the short-term success of the procedure, known as autologous non-myeloablative hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation, in 2007 but have since looked at how long it persisted.

Writing in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association they said 20 of 23 patients "became insulin free -- 12 continuously and eight transiently -- for periods as long as four years." The transient group of eight had to restart insulin at reduced levels.

The patients ranged in age from 13 to 31.

To find out if the change was lasting the research team said they measured levels of C-peptides, which show how well the body is producing insulin. They found those levels increased "up to 24 months after transplantation and were maintained until at least 36 months," their report said.

Even in the group which had to restart insulin there was still a significant increase in C-peptide levels that lasted at least two years, the researchers said.

They said the procedure was able to induce "prolonged and significant increases of C-peptide levels" in the small group of patients who were taking little or no insulin.

"At the present time (it) remains the only treatment capable of reversing type 1 diabetes mellitus in humans," the team wrote.

"Randomized controlled trials and further biological studies are necessary to confirm the role of this treatment in changing the natural history of (the disease)," they added.

D is for Diabetes.

Well, the topic for this week was obvious.

It was five years ago on Monday that I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It was one of scariest days of my life, having no idea what I was in for. I can recall almost every moment of that week spent at the hospital. Each diabetes lesson, each visitor. Each comfort provided by the Great Healer.

Over the last five years, I have become more at peace with my condition. At times, I still hate my pancreas, but I know my limits. I know the disease. I try not to let my condition define who I am. Usually, I feel just like a normal person.

I am a normal person. (Thank you family and friends for all the support over the last five years.)

My Goodness!

So I had to go to the Medical Clinic today. Never, ever is that a favorite thing to do. Ever.

When I made the appointment on Wednesday, I was told to go to the Immunization clinic first and get a PPD test. Even though I just did that in April. Okay. Fine. So I did and then went to my appointment.

Oh just kidding, you didn't need the PPD. But you do need an MMR, Hep B and Vermicelli (something like that) Titer.

Okay. Today is the end of the quarter and kids had the day off of school. The Immunizations clinic was a mad house. So I went, and I waited, and I waited.

Oh, you can't have the MMR since you just got the PPD, so you have to come back Monday.

No. No, I'm sorry, they just told me I didn't need the PPD.

Shot, shot. Up to the lab, in and out. Back to the appointment. Wait, wait, wait. Chat. Wait.

I am so eager for the day when I can go back to a civilian doctor. I'm really tired today. The end.

Five Point Eight.

I had my meeting with the Internal Medicine doc today and there is some good news and some bad news. Bad news first.

It really doesn't look like I'll be getting a pump here in Okinawa. There is no Endocrinologist here, and that would be the guy who would get that taken care of. But, on my next visit to the States, I can go to an Endo and get it all started. We'll see.

The good news?

Not only were all of my tests super spectacular, my HbA1C test came back at 5.8%. To put it in perspective for my non-Diebos: The American Diabetes Association suggests that diabetics keep their A1C around 7%. Non-diabetics would have an A1C of between 3.5% and 5.5%. I'm not sure I've ever been so proud of myself. Even more of a reason to have a real blow out of a party this year at my 5th DiaBirthday. I'm pretty ecstatic, even with the non-pump news. Wooo!

Doctor, doctor, gimme the news...

I told Matt I was giving the Naval Clinic here two chances to get it right before I went off-base to get my medical help. My first appointment was yesterday and so far, so good.

After several less than enjoyable, less than helpful, and just plain terrible visits to military doctors, I have developed hypertension and a heightened pulse. Hmm... interesting. I am generally healthy (minus the inoperative pancreas) but when that nurse goes to take my blood pressure, things get a little crazy.

This time, to my surprise, the doctor (we'll call him Dr. Nice) actually asked me about it. Huh. I told him, "I just don't like military doctors. My last one suggested I try to get Lipo."

Dr. Nice was incredulous at such a suggestion! He could not believe a doctor would say such a thing! He wanted to know where this happened and who it was... Finally, I felt as though my prior indignation was not unwarranted. I felt vindicated. Dr. Not-Nice really was wrong. Cue sigh of relief.

To top it all off, Dr. Nice told me what labs he was going to have run on me, rather than asking me "So, what tests do you want?"

July 25, I will go in to get a follow up on my tests. I will have a meeting with a CDE (Certified Diabetic Educator) and hopefully we can get a recommendation for an Insulin pump. I know God can and will come through on this, so keep it in your prayers.