Seriously, How Do People Do It?

This post is mostly crowdsourcing...for me, and for you! 

I'm stressed out.  I haven't been on my Dexcom in weeks because I feel like it's just one more thing to worry about.  A large part of the stress is work, which also translates into work apathy.  Another part of the stress is looking for a new place to live.  Yup, we're planning on moving very soon.  We want to be closer to Philadelphia than where we are now in the suburbs.  This means rental-hunting and lots of considerations and list-making and deposit payments and--you get the point.

When you don't have a lot of time to relax, what do you do to unwind?  Can you relax and be productive at the same time?

Right now, when I get home from work, I just want to veg out.  However, in my vegetative "eat dinner and watch 2 hours' worth of Girls" state, I am still stressing because of all the work I'm not doing.  Didn't put clean dishes away first.  Could be cleaning the bathroom.  Could be folding laundry while watching TV except the couch needs to be vacuumed because of all the crumbs left by the kid I babysat.  I feel like I am full of excuses and zero motivation!  This is why I turn to you, friends and readers.

Let's have a discussion about beating stress, because for me, it sends my blood sugars to the moon, and when I last checked, my BG has not undergone astronaut training.

Eye Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore

If you want to know the annual doctor's appointment that gnaws at my nerves the most, it's not the gynecologist.  It's the eye doctor. 

Coming in second or third to the stories most people will tell you about their family member who didn't take care of their diabetes and lost a foot are the stories of somebody's uncle/aunt/brother-in-law (etc) who went blind. 

I never feel like I know what my eyes are doing there.  Are they just sitting in my skull, happily doing their jobs?  Is there more to it than that?  Retinopathy, sounds like the most insidious of all diabetes complications.  It just lurks in the backs of your eyeballs until your eye doctor discovers it.  Sometimes I have a bad blood sugar day where my eyes refuse to focus properly.  Near the end of a bout with what may have been the norovirus earlier this year (still not sure what illness it was exactly) paired with an infection, I became super photosensitive very suddenly.  Light literally hurt my eyes when I got out of bed in the morning.  I was terrified.  What would the eye doctor find in three weeks?

Luckily, the photosensitivity faded with my illness and the completion of my antibiotics.  It could have been a symptom or a side effect, not sure which. 

Two days ago, I was at my annual eye checkup.  I had a new doctor, who was a nice guy in his mid-40s.  He checked my vision, and while I need to change my prescription slightly, he encouraged me that I was looking great.  Even with my ridiculous nearsightedness that I've had since kindergarten, I can still be corrected to 20/20 vision.  There are new glasses in my future.  I'm excited and also sad to see these glasses go.  After that quick exam, I was given drops.

He said my pressure looked great, which is reassuring given the history of glaucoma in my family, but then I had to wait for my eyes to dilate.  That's the moment I tend to get a lump in my throat.  I paused in my mind to reason with my retinas.  Okay, guys, you're feeling okay, yes?  Maybe?  Please? 

Sitting in the chair for the moment of truth, I asked, "So be honest, tell me how they look?  I've been diabetic for 22 years now.  I've been told that you can tell I'm diabetic by looking at them but there's nothing to worry about."

"They look great!" he exclaimed.  He paused to look at my chart on the computer.  "Actually, they look better than last year.  I can see one micro-spot in your right eye, but it's practically nothing.  And like I said, it's even better than before."

Sometimes I feel like I will forever be dodging bullets, despite my best efforts.  It's always comforting to know I can fight another day.  My eyes are 99.9% perfect.  After 22 years with type 1, I feel happy just knowing that.  I feel lucky.  And of course, I always feel like I could do better. 

So for now I hope that eye squirrel stays friendly.  Or that he's maybe more of a transient eye chipmunk, or a degu.

Processing Times May Vary

Over the past 2 days, I've contacted both Tandem and Dexcom.  2013 is a year of New Diabetes Gearstuff here at Dorkabetic. 

Now I just need to wait, wait, wait on processing and companies contacting my suppliers.  Then I will wait, wait, wait on shipping.  I am not the greatest at being patient about such things.  Here is an approximation of what it looks like when I am waiting for something via delivery [USPS, UPS, FedEx, specific responses to emails, etc]:

Found via Google Image Search via some awesome person at iambrony.com

Here's hoping the waits aren't too long.  And don't worry, readers o' mine, I will certainly have plenty to say about my new diabetes "toys" when they arrive.  I apologize in advance to anyone without diabetes in my life for all the yammering on I will surely be doing about all my new gadgetry, but hey, listen in.  You might even learn something.

Let the mailbox checking begin!

Self-Portrait Saturday: Cat Hat Edition

"What do you expect?" I said to a friend after bumbling through an answer to one of his questions. "I'm a 30-year-old woman in a Hello Kitty hat!"

And I look cute in it too.  Bam.

Like a...Boss?

Do you ever get that proud yet somewhat reluctant feeling when you make a bunch of necessary doctor's appointments that you've been putting off?

That's what today is like for me. 

If I can top today off with printing up a log of numbers for my endocrinologist appointment tomorrow, I think I am officially a boss. 

Healthwise, though, I am long overdue for some of these things, and others I probably just need in general.  I spent this weekend sick, and it was a bit scary at times, but that is a post I shall make for tomorrow.

Happy Holidays from Dorkabetic!

Well, gang, I'm sure there will be an obligatory year-end post to come, but meanwhile, I just wanted to tell you all to make the most of this holiday season, enjoy the company of your loved ones, and look forward to the year to come.

For my fellow geeks/dorks/nerds out there, the world didn't end.

Source: http://memegenerator.net/instance/32234457

For the rest of you, hey, we made it!  And you should watch more Doctor Who.

I am not sure that I'm done shopping.  I don't have a single thing wrapped.  Work is over early today so we can all attend the office holiday party.  My boss got me a gift--fancypants sugar-free chocolates.  They look amazing.  I've eaten two.  That'll probably be it for a while.  That's the thing about sugar-free chocolates.  They satisfy that craving for sweetness, but it only takes one time to learn your lesson to not eat too many at once.  (For those not in the know, eating too much sugar-free candy often leads to unpleasant gastrointestinal stuff.  Don't overdo it, kids!)  But oh, aren't they nice looking?


Merry Christmas and happy holidays, readers!  Remember to bolus for whatever sweet treats Santa brings you!

The Equal Rainbow

While I'm of course a huge fan of equality, that's not the rainbow I'm here to talk about today.  Out at a cafe last night, I noticed something strange about the packets of pink sweetener. 

They are usually "off brand" or Sweet-n-Low, but this pink packet?  It was Equal.

At first I wondered how tired I was.  Was my mind really playing tricks on me?  Nope, it was there all right.  An entire caddy of saccharin sweeteners, dressed in pink, wearing the same name of a sweetener I'd come to associate with aspartame and blue.

Being the naturally curious/journalistically educated person that I am, I took to the internet to see what the heck was going on.  It appears that Equal and PureVia are part of the same company.  Equal now makes Equal Blue, Pink, and Yellow.  That's aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose.  PureVia comes in green packets.

So what does that give us?  A rainbow of artificial sweetener options!  And you know who loves rainbows?  Unicorns.  Also, Nyan Cat. 

Thanks, Equal.  Now I have yet another way to confuse my friends when asking them to pass me a fake sugar at a restaurant.  Blue ones were previously always "Equal" to me.  Now I need to go with the color codes. 

via Equal.com

Just a short announcement.

I've been at this blogging thing for quite some time.  One of my longest-time followers and someone I consider a good friend, even though we've never met in real life, is George Simmons.

If you have not read his blog Ninjabetic, go check it out.  I like to think that I had a hand in helping him rename it from just 'The B.A.D. Blog' years ago, but I'm sure that's probably up to him to acknowledge.

George is a fun-loving, optimistic, musical dude.  I am hoping that maybe I can make it to FFL in 2013 and meet him (and a lot of other Diabetes Online Community friends) in person.

Why am I blogging about my favorite D-Ninja?  He's having some tough times lately.  I think he's a solid dude, and he will make it through.  But seriously--he's had to have emergency heart surgery, his sister has just undergone a double mastectomy, and his stepmother has passed away.  This has all been in less than the last two weeks or so. 

What does it say about this world, this universe, this life, that things can be going bad for one person at one time while another person seems to be celebrating nothing but victories?

If you know George, even if you don't know George, check out his blog and Twitter.  We all want the best for our friends and loved ones, and one of our own needs our support right now.  Sending tons of hugs and good vibes to California, my Ninja pal.

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[Almost] Wordless Wednesday: The Big Yellow Test

Now, for only $1 plus sales tax, where applicable, a urine glucose test! Kind of nice, but who picked yellow for the box color? Is that so people know you have to pee on it?

Oh, You Know, Just Being Awesome.

I've talked about writing poetry.  I've talked about performing poetry.  If you've been waiting to see me actually do a poem, here it is!  Thanks to all my Philadelphia poetry family. 

And thanks to Warren, who is a great friend and a fantastic poet.  His editorial suggestions for poems are usually quite good, and his compliments are among some of the most sincere and well thought-out I've received regarding my writing in the past year. 

And now, on with the show!  Diabetes Online Community friends, welcome to hearing the sound of my voice!  (At least my poetry performance voice.)

New Pump Consideration Post 2012

My Cozmo is finally out of warranty.  If you've never realized how long my blog has been around, I definitely blogged about getting it four years ago.  Honestly, it's been four-and-a-half.  My little Cozmo has been well-loved, but it's time to move on to the next pump. 

This is where I am having a little bit of trouble.  I want a Tandem T-Slim.  I think it looks great, and I love that they still have potential to integrate with Dexcom in the future.  (Dexcom G4 = drool.  Not yet for me, but maybe early 2013?)  A lot of things I read about it and the handful of things I actually know about it just make sense to me.  Is it going to be as fabulously intuitive as an iPhone or a good Android phone?  I'm not sure, but hey, I've been dealing with regular clunky insulin pumps for so long, I just think you can't really get any worse, right?

On the other hand, a Medtronic would also be a practical option for me.  I've had a Medtronic in the past.  Two of them, in fact--my first and second insulin pumps were from Medtronic.  I know they are durable, but I also know they can be sensitive to static shocks.  I know I would have to use proprietary supplies.  I know I would be wasting their technology by using my Dexcom instead of their CGM system.  Yet, I can't shake the fact that I should be considering Medtronic.  They've been in the business a long time.

For practicality's sake, I am limited to a larger-sized reservoir, 300 mL plus, otherwise I'd be refilling my pump every day or every other day.  This makes my options very limited.  I can have a Tandem, a Minimed or an Accu-Chek combo.  I have not had my hands on a Accu-Chek.  I am not sure how I feel about the pump itself.  I personally think it still looks a bit clunky, although I do like the Bluetooth meter-remote concept and the 315 mL reservoir capacity.

Why am I saying all this?  Well, since it's National Diabetes Awareness Month, it seemed like a good time to talk about this and get your feedback.

Do you love your T-Slim, Medtronic or Accu-Chek?  Have you blogged about it somewhere?  I'd love to see some DOC feedback on these pumps so I can work toward a more educated choice for myself.  Post away in the comments, friends!  I want to know what you love and what you don't.

And so November begins...

It's Movember!  It's NaNoWriMo and NaBloPoMo!

It's National Epilepsy Awareness Month!

And most importantly, for most readers of this blog (as well as the author), it's National Diabetes Month.

JDRF declares the first day of November to be T1D - Type 1 Day.  Wego Health has also declared this month to be National Health Blog Post Month.  Whew!  That's a lot of stuff.  It's in the spirit of Wego Health's post suggestions that I start this month.  I am going to aim to follow them for all 30 days, but we'll see what happens, eh?

Wego says one of the Day 1 topics is "why I write about my health", and what better day to say something than Type 1 Day?

I write about my health because it helps me immensely to be a part of a community that really "gets it".  Having diabetes isn't easy.  Keeping it in control isn't easy.  If you are the type of person who doesn't need to talk about what's going on in their life in order to feel happy, you probably would never feel the need to blog about anything.  I am a writer.  I am compelled to write about everything--what I ate for breakfast, who I have a crush on, what my blood glucose is right now.  Many people do not understand that latter fact.

The people who understand the most about having Type 1 Diabetes also have it themselves, and while some of these people live near me, many of them don't.  Many of us took to the internet in the hopes of finding community, insight, and the occasional bit of advice.

I write about my health because sharing my story with diabetes is cathartic for me.  I love storytelling, both real and fictional.  There are days I feel my life revolves around telling stories, and if I can't involve diabetes in these stories I am, in essence, denying a part of myself.

I actually wrote about this a bit here as well.

If you are reading Dorkabetic for the first time, welcome.  These are my stories.  They are sometimes better when accompanied by a beverage of your choice or a bowl of ice cream.  Stick around for more.

The Whys and Hows of Dorkabetic

On Mashable.com a while back, I discovered an infographic that piqued my attention.  It is a reference for job-seekers on whether they should or should not share something via social media.  If you want to see it, it's pretty neat.

I had to pause for a moment, though.  One of the chart questions is "Does it contain details of relationship woes, a doctor's visit or bathroom troubles?"  When you answer yes, it leads you to the opinion of sparing other people these details.  I don't want to tell everybody about whether I have a problem which may require consuming a lot of Jamie Lee Curtis yogurt to reach a solution, but doctor's visits?  I blog about diabetes.  I blog about my depression struggles.  I blog about my doctors, my endocrinologists, CDEs, medical supply companies, health insurance, issues with needles that poke into my skin, stories about blood--my own blood!--gushing from some part of my body after removing one of many aforementioned needles.

So am I chasing away potential employers reading this blog?  I certainly hope not.

In my everyday life, I am the master of saying "I'm fine."  I'm perky; I'm happy.  I try not to show people who are not my closest acquaintances that I am struggling, because I feel like other people shouldn't be worrying about me.  This blog has given me an opportunity to be honest, to share my struggles with the world, and to feel like my writing actually means something to those of you reading out there.

I sometimes post one-word Tweets or cryptic quotations/song lyrics in my Facebook status.  Does all of this make me any less employable?  I enjoy saying all the fucking curse words sometimes.  Does that make me unprofessional?

My personal Facebook page is not public.  I make it a point to not friend my co-workers.  My Dorkabetic Facebook page is all about my blog and diabetes.  My Twitter account is public but I try not to be nasty or overly controversial.

I guess what I'm getting at is this--at the same time, I am my blogger persona, and I am not. 

Am I enthusiastic about healthcare communications?  Do I love helping others with diabetes?  Absolutely!

Am I defined exclusively by being a diabetes blogger?  I hope not.

Does my diabetes make me any less employable?  It shouldn't. 

I don't think one blog, or one Twitter account, or one Facebook page can or should account for the very three-dimensional aspects of someone as a person. 

Sometimes I am afraid that using my blog in my resume or as part of my writing portfolio is a bad idea.  I have wrestled with the fact that I use my real name.  I worry that I could be pigeonholed as a diabetes writer.  

But why do I stick with Dorkabetic?  Why do I love writing here?  Why did I make up all those business cards to hopefully bring people to my site?  It helps me stay sane.  It helps other people by sharing experiences.  It allows me to stretch my writing skills beyond the daily drudgery of emails and memos. 

I love being a diabetes blogger.  Even though I may not update as regularly as some folks, I am always here.  This is my voice in this community.   My continued hope is that by always using my voice and my honesty, my next great opportunity will be something really special.

Wordless Wednesday: Handbag Politics Edition

No D-Day 2012: About the Author

What better way to NOT talk about diabetes than to tell you a bunch of random facts you may or may not know about me, Hannah, the person!  Twenty things about me.  Enjoy.

Thank you to my favorite Ninjabetic, George, for creating this event. Click through for more posts from diabetes bloggers that have absolutely  nothing to do with diabetes, because we are all so much more than chronic illness!

1.)  Yesterday (September 30) was my wedding anniversary.  Happy 6 years, Matt!

2.)  When I was a baby, lullabies made me cry.  My mom would have to sing "Buffalo Gals" or "Camptown Races" instead.

3.)  I met Matthew Caws from the band Nada Surf when I was wearing one of their t-shirts.  I was in Newark, Delaware at the time, and he crossed the street to say hello to me.  It was really nice, though at first I was not sure who I was talking to...though I did think he was pretty cute.

4.)  I am very much into anything with owls.  This guy hangs out on my bed.  His name is Sherman. He is comfortable enough in his owl-pillow masculinity to be pink.

5.)  If you think adding an apostrophe-S to a word makes it plural, I am totally judging you.  Two owl's sat on a tree branch.  Red car's are sporty.  NO NO NO.  Owls.  Cars.  Nothing here is belonging to an owl or a car!

6.)  I think lima beans are gross.  I am also not a fan of peas, but they are tolerable, especially if an ingredient in another dish.

7.)  I'm a natural blonde.  Although I've been a redhead for a decent amount of time in the past year.

8.)  I have a separate personal Twitter account. 

9.)  When I am feeling particularly blue, pictures of baby animals make me feel better. 

10.)  I'm still not entirely sure if I want kids. 

11.)  I write poetry, and I love competing in poetry slams. 

12.)  I wish I could wear high heels without my feet killing me.

13.)  I'm pretty sure there are some things about me which might shock or slightly offend my readership, therefore they are not for discussion here.

14.)  With that being said, if I'd ever get involved in a burlesque act (which I haven't), I have a couple of songs picked out.

15.)  I'd like to have a steampunk outfit. 

16.)  I love dance parties, but most especially if they are 80s themed.

17.)  In the past few years, I have fallen in love with Doctor Who. (At least reboot-onward Who.  I haven't watched any of the more classic episodes.  Also, Chris Eccleston doesn't get enough credit for being a decent Doctor, btw.) 

18.)  I am proud to have never seen an entire episode of Jersey Shore.  Clips airing on The Soup totally don't count.

19.)  I don't know who I will be for Halloween this year, though I do have a good party to attend on the 27th.

20.)  Fall is my favorite season, and I'm glad it's here.  My only complaint about it is that it's dark when I have to get up early.

The Accu-Chek Nano Earworm

I went to dinner with my friend Mike recently.  I pulled out my meter to check my blood sugar at the restaurant table.

"Oh, I was meaning to ask you," he exclaimed, "if you've seen the ads for the Accu-Chek Nano!"  I had not.  I was puzzled.  I was also kind of amazed that I hadn't seen an ad for it.  Diabetes ads always catch my eye.  "I can't believe you haven't seen it!" he continued.  "There's a theme song and everything."

"A what now?  Seriously?"

And there, in the restaurant, over a massive basket of delicious fried onions, Mike very quietly broke into half-hearted song.  "It's like, uh...Accu-Chek Nano, the one that I choose...da da da da and easy to use...now with 9% more accuracy."

I could not believe that my non-diabetic friend was singing a blood glucose meter theme song to me. 

After laughing a bunch at the absurdity of this situation, I made a skeptical face.  "9% more accuracy?  That's not really a lot.  Is that all they have to tout about it?  I mean, I know you're not exactly hip to what constitutes a good glucometer, but that doesn't seem too impressive."  I paused.  I cackled.  "I cannot believe I am going on about a blood glucose meter to you because you heard about it first.  Maybe I'm falling behind.  I should blog more!  Am I losing my touch?"

We laughed and went back to our regularly scheduled silly, geeky dinner conversation.  But then...

I went back to his house to hang out so he could show me the video.  I present to you the song which will stick in your head all afternoon:

First of all, I discovered the meter actually has 23% more accuracy, something like that.  WAY more impressive than 9.  Actually, the Nano website states that their strips have "advanced accuracy...as tested against a 23% tighter specification."  Whatever that means exactly, there is a footnote on their site which hopefully explains it better.  Consumers are most likely hearing IT'S 23% MORE ACCURATE THAN THOSE OTHER GUYS OMG WANT. 

Second of all, the damned song got stuck in my head.  Has anyone out there ever known a blood glucose meter ad to have a catchy jingle?  Ever?  (Does not count as an ad jingle: SugaSheen and The Diabetic Rap and the Diabeetus Remix.)

Thirdly, I felt like I had heard this ditty somewhere else.  It struck me that it's stylistically similar to the theme song to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.  Because yes, I am that kind of geek.  Get over it.  The parody lyrics pop into my head on occasion: My Little Nano...I used to wonder 'what was my BG?'  My Little Nano...with super-duper accuracy!

As many of you may already know, Accu-Chek products are made by Roche Diagnostics, who annually gets a ton of d-bloggers together for their Diabetes Social Media Summit.  For the sake of disclosure, I have never been invited to attend the Summit, and Roche has not contacted me to talk about the Accu-Chek Nano.  This all just kind of happened.  [author's note: Don't worry, Roche--I ain't mad at ya.  While I'd love to go to the Summit sometime, I feel the diabetes community is in good hands with the people who DO attend the Summit each year.]

So now I'm curious this meter.  They've got a catchy song highlighting its best features!  A song so catchy that people without diabetes think this meter is fantastic!  The marketing communications geek in me is freaking out about how effective this ad seems to be, even though I have no evidence that it's made an impression on anyone besides my friend Mike and me.

"I think you need one," he said.

"They do make it seem pretty fancy," I said.

If anybody out there in DOC-land is using one, I'd love to know your impressions.

[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday: The Good Life

Sometimes all you need is a glass of homemade mead, some good friends, and a favorite movie.

The Pits

Feeling stuck, I think, is even crappier than feeling like you're just having a bad time. 

Maybe it's like the difference between a nasty flu that lasts for a week and having a chronic illness. 

There's a lot that feels like it hasn't gone right for me all year this year, and let's face it, there's not THAT much left of 2012.  My current focus is to just get somewhere.  My home is so close to being back to normal after the bedbugs and the continuing aftermath.  I'm still seeing my therapist, trying to read more books, trying to take time to be mindful of everything.  Despite my best efforts, there are still many times I feel like I'm standing on one leg and a kickstand. 

I finally saw The Dark Knight Rises over the weekend.  (I'll try not to spoil much here.)  In part of the story, Bruce Wayne is taken to a terrible prison at the bottom of a pit.  The prisoners have the option to climb out and escape their prison, but every time someone tries, they fall.  No one ever makes it--they live out their lives in toil and despair at the bottom of this pit.  Of course, Bruce Wayne is the goddamn Batman, and he's determined to escape so his beloved city does not collapse at the hands of evildoers.  He trains through the agony of a broken back and makes multiple attempts to leave the pit.  What drives him to succeed?  Being the goddamn Batman.  Being the hero.  Being the one who can stand up for Gotham City.

There are times when I feel like I'm stuck in some pit of despair.  I could try to climb out, but that seems just as exhausting as being stuck at the bottom.  I think it's just my time to go for it, without the stupid rope.  Commissioner Gordon isn't necessarily looking for me up there, because I'm not a vigilante hero. 

But I'm an awesome person.  I am creative, intelligent, friendly, loving, and totally capable of all kinds of greatness.  There is nothing worse than knowing you are a rockstar but not believing it anymore. 

Do you have any tips for banishing negativity from your mind?  How do you get yourself out of a funk?  Once you start working on improving something about yourself, what's the best way to keep it up?

Should've Cured Me at Least Twice Now

So here's what's been on my mind this week:  The Cure.  (Not this one, either.)

I've had type 1 diabetes for just over 22 years now.  It seems that every person I know who has been touched by diabetes, patients and caregivers alike, heard one line as part of their diagnosis story.  That line is something like, "But it's possible there's a cure about ten years down the road."

Whether the person with diabetes is 16 or 65, it seems like we've all heard it so many times.  I'm here to make a confession today:  I'm cynical about it.

Today, I am 30-and-a-half, and in the past week, there was obviously a great press release from Dr. Denise Faustman's lab at Mass General, touting that the promise of Type 1 Reversal could lie within a generic vaccine for TB that has been around for years.  I saw the story run on multiple news outlets.  It gave me a glimmer of hope for a second, just like news of artificial pancreas research gives me momentary glimmers of hope.

Reuters News tried to take a balanced approach by stating that Dr. Faustman's research has at times been controversial, though this could be an important finding.  They quoted a doctor from Columbia University Medical Center who stated the findings may just be "a bit of magical thinking".  The story informs us that the generic TB vaccine only seemed to restore insulin production for a week in trial patients.

How am I supposed to believe there could be a cure in my lifetime if medical professionals don't see the validity in each others' research?

In fact, the Reuters story continues about Dr. Faustman and her project: "JDRF rejected her funding requests and circulated a 2003 letter from two of her colleagues at Harvard Medical School, casting doubt on her work and apologizing to diabetics for 'having their expectations cruelly raised' by stories about her research."

You know, haven't my expectations been "cruelly raised" for 22 years now?  Some people complain that we're living in the future and we still don't have flying cars, or we still haven't reduced our dependence on foreign oil, or President Obama hasn't magically waved his arms and created a job for every unemployed American.  I say, it's the future--and we still haven't cured type 1 diabetes!  (Or AIDS or HIV or cancer for that matter...)

What angers me about this news item about Dr. Faustman's lab and research is that this is a news story about science and research.  Aren't scientists supposed to keep testing their hypotheses?  If one scientist has some success in her hypothesis, shouldn't other scientists maybe try to refute or support one scientist's claims?  Just because Dr. Faustman didn't win the JDRF seal of approval is no reason for people to give up on research that has at least worked some of the time.

Even if the Faustman Lab research doesn't lead to a diabetes cure, what if it made something that made managing type 1 a lot easier?  I'm insulin resistant.  I've tried Symlin, and it's made me feel icky.  I tried Metformin with my insulin, it produced some rather unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects as well.  What if something from the TB vaccine could increase the effectiveness of my injected insulin?  There were no adverse side effects reported in the study, apparently.  I'd try that.

Even worse about the news from Dr. Faustman's lab is a view that made me relatively irate regarding the pharmaceutical industry.  Bloomberg reported that, "[Faustman] tried to interest every major drugmaker in developing the vaccine as a possible cure for diabetes. All told her there wasn’t enough money to be made in a cure that used an inexpensive, generically available vaccine".

If pharma wants to be as involved with the patient community as they would like to be, they need to keep the interests of actual patients in mind.   That sentence there basically tells the world that if there ain't money to be made by it, pharma doesn't want to cure you or even try to if they can't do it on their own ridiculously-priced dime.

What about the artificial pancreas projects and the closed loop systems?  Maybe it's better to be a med device manufacturer than a drugmaker in this case.

Either way, none of this news makes me feel better about ever getting a true cure.  Having a fancy cyborg system that checks my blood and acts like my pancreas with minimal supervision from me does sound pretty fantastic right about now, but is the day ever coming that we've all dreamed about when we were first diagnosed?

You know, the fateful day when we get cover-up tattoos for our "diabetic" medic alert tats, when we have a massive disposal party for all our diabetes supplies, when we can eat a cupcake and have our body provide a bolus instead of our fingers and some stuff from a vial.

Here's where I'm cynical.  Maybe this could be an unpopular opinion around the diabetes online community, but why bother to sugarcoat it?  (Ha ha, puns.)

How do we expect to ever be cured when medical professionals can merely argue over what is the best possible tract?  How do we expect research toward a cure to get done when pharmaceutical companies (who have all the major money out there) won't fund the trials that are necessary to prove efficacy?

How does pharma think they are going to earn the trust of empowered patients when news gets out that they won't help the very efforts many of us have been praying for since we were young?

Are we going to see a cure within the next ten years?  I'm not so sure about that, but I've been given a lot of reasons to feel disappointed.  Maybe if someone can prove otherwise, I'd feel a little more sunny on a diabetes-free outlook.

(Also, I'm curious, has anyone out there seen any research on how the Faustman lab is doing it wrong?  This is the internet, surely someone must have heard something...)

Wordless Wednesday: Post-Cedar Point Edition

The view from the bottom.

The view from the (almost) top.  That's Lake Erie.  Despite the heat, it was a gorgeous day.