Hope

President Obama has given me hope. Again. By signing the bill to reverse the ban on stem cell research, I have even more hope that a CURE for Type 1 Diabetes is imminent in my daughter's lifetime. I realize that stem cell research is an emotional, ethical, and moral battle for some. I know that those little clumps of cells have value as a human life - but they also have value as a potential cure not only for diabetes, but for cancer, parkinsons, alzheimers, MS, etc. I'm not asking anyone to agree with me. Just have hope for my daughter and the many other children dealing with type 1, no matter where it comes from.

Here's what Kerri from dLife has to say.

Team Kat-Walk invites you....

Hello Family and Friends,

I am writing to ask for your help.

This year we will be walking in our local Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk to Cure Diabetes on October 5, 2008 (Kathleen’s 16th Birthday!) in Niantic, CT along with one-half million other walkers across the country, as we try to reach our goal of raising $100 million.

As most of you know, in March of this year our lives were forever changed when Kathleen was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. In just four months she has been through a lot and has shown amazing strength though it all. Each day she tests her blood sugar levels at least four times and receives three insulin injections. She HATES needles and is anxiously awaiting approval of an insulin pump. While insulin keeps her diabetes in check, it is NOT a CURE! Without insulin a person with type 1 diabetes will die.

Type 1, or juvenile, diabetes, is a devastating disease that affects millions of people, with a large and growing percentage of them children. To see what a day in the life of diabetes is like, you can watch this video made by a parent of a child with diabetes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1tiIcHfeMc

There is some good news, though. For the first time, scientists are predicting that we CAN expect to see a cure well within our lifetime! Now, more than ever, you can make a crucial difference. Won't you please give to JDRF as generously as possible? Together, we can make the cure a reality! Until then, Kathleen lives with this disease every day and we will do everything we can to support her.

You can donate the following ways:
Option 1: via our website http://walk.jdrf.org/walker.cfm?id=87051577
Option 2: by check to me (I will add your donation to the tally on the website. Please do not send donations directly to JDRF.)
Or, if you would like to join our team and help fundraise, visit our website and click on JOIN THIS TEAM. I guarantee we will have a great time walking "on the Kat-Walk." (couldn't resist!)

Thank you from the bottom of our pancreases!
Denise, Randy, Kathleen and Shelby

P.S. For more information on type 1 diabetes visit this link:
http://lastbraincell.blogspot.com/2008/04/4-14-2008-type-1-diabetes-awareness-day.html

Just SOME of Kathleen's diabetes supplies - about 1 month's worth:

4-14-2008 - Type 1 Diabetes Awareness Day

Today is Type 1 Diabetes Awareness Day. I have supported many worthwhile causes in the past but never once imagined I would support one that so directly affects one of my children. Our lives have forever been changed by Type 1 Diabetes. I believe there will be a cure in Kathleen's lifetime and on that day we will celebrate!! Until then, she lives with this disease and we understand that today is necessary. I realize that many people don't know exactly what Type 1 Diabetes is, and how it differs from it's more common cousin Type 2. Type 1 Diabetes Awareness Day is a day where we can all learn exactly what Type 1 diabetes IS and ISN'T.

Some facts about Type 1 Diabetes:
* Type 1 Diabetes can strike at any age, it doesn't only target children, though it is more common to get Type 1 Diabetes as a child.
* Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease much like Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis or Multiple Sclerosis. The body has attacked itself, in this case the cells in the pancreas that make insulin.
* People with Type 1 Diabetes are completely dependent on insulin to stay alive.
* There is no cure for Type 1 Diabetes.
* You cannot outgrow it.
* It cannot be cured by diet or exercise (or with cinnamon, fish oil, foil hats or any other "cure")
* You do not get it by having a bad diet, or by eating too many sweets.
* Type 1 diabetes is no worse or more severe than Type 2. It is simply different.
* People with Type 1 diabetes are not prohibited from eating sweets. They simply must eat a balanced diet like everyone else.

Type 1 Diabetes isn't:
* Type 1 Diabetes isn't caused by something we did or didn't do to ourselves or our children.
* Type 1 Diabetes isn't contagious.
* Type 1 Diabetes isn't a death sentence.
* Type 1 Diabetes doesn't prevent us or our children from doing everything possible in life.

Please share this information with as many people as you can. The misconceptions about Type 1 Diabetes are endless and the entire Type 1 Diabetes community is taking this opportunity to put an end to these misconceptions . Through the greater awareness of the truth about Type 1 Diabetes we hope to advance people and organizations who are dedicated to finding a cure.

For more information on Type 1 Diabetes and research towards a cure, please visit:
http://www.jdrf.org/
http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.org/

What goes up, must come down...

Those words have a few meanings for me today. On Thursday night (3/20) I had a dream that wherever I had to go, I had to take an elevator. Up. Down. Up. Down. Now I am not particularly fond of elevators, so this dream stuck with me.

Fast forward to Friday. After seeing the doctor at the Naval Subase Hospital, Kathleen was referred to Yale-New Haven Hospital with a diagnosis of Type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes. She had been having symptoms for a while now - excessive thirst, frequent urination, weight loss, dry skin, extreme hunger) and I finally would not take no for an answer when I asked to have her blood tested. On Friday her fasting glucose level was 295 before we went to Yale. Over the weekend she spiked at 360 once and had a low of just 212 (normal range is 70 - 120).

We stayed at Yale until Sunday afternoon. During those two days the nurses monitored Kathleen's blood glucose levels, changed her insulin doses accordingly, and threw a bunch of information at us (over and over again!) It was scary and overwhelming at times, but Yale was the best place for us to be. Kathleen was great about all this. She checked her own blood sugar and the nurses or I gave her the insulin shots. I started figuring out how to count carbs and order her food according to the plan. Goodbye take-out, hello cooking at least until I get the hang of that!

So, back to the dream (the elevator, remember?). Kathleen's room was on the 7th floor so of course, I spent a lot of time in the elevator...up. down. up. down. Her blood sugar levels all weekend...up. down. up. down. Crazy, isn't it? Adds a whole new meaning to the phrase: what goes up, must come down. From our lips to God's ears...