Our story; the prediagnosis, diagnosis, hospitalization and daily life with type 1 diabetes.

Click here for our prediagnosis/diagnosis Story

Type 2 diabetes is (in a nutshell) insulin resistence. The body makes the insulin, but the receptors on the cells are impaired at taking it in, therefore sugar accumulates in the blood. Can usually be reversed with diet and exercise. There are pills that increase insulin sensitivity.

TYPE 1 DIABETES IS AN AUTO-IMMUNE DISEASE for which there is no prevention or cure (yet!). The body's own immune system destroys the beta cells in the pancreas which produce insulin. As insulin production ceases, sugar accumulates to extremely dangerous levels. Insulin injections MUST be given at each meal in order for food to be used. Without insulin, the person with type 1 diabetes would starve to death in a short time. Type 1 diabetes cannot be outgrown. It cannot be reversed by diet and exercise.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Another Line of Hope for a Cure for Type 1 Diabetes

Researches have found that 2 common Leukemia drugs can cure type 1 diabetes in mice. Todd called a few minutes ago to tell me he had just heard that on NPR. I fell over myself trying to get to the computer to look it up. I found this article:

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE4AG78H20081117

I read it, then cried. This is the third line of hope in the cure for type 1 diabetes that I am clinging to.

Given how bad Allie's A1c's have been in the past year, how sick she's been lately and how bad her vision has been, these little strings of hope are all I have to cling to. They force me to stay on my feet, to keep pushing forward, to keep climbing back up from the depression that hovers at my shoulder every time I see Allie drawing up a syringe of insulin to keep herself alive.

Thank you to all the researchers who continue to search for a cure. I love you all.
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