This Just In

~BREAKING NEWS~


Type 1 Diabetic of 23 years is cured!
How did she do it? What is her secret?

how 'bout
Type 1 Diabetic of 23 years Cured for a Day!


more accurately
Type 1 Diabetic of 23 years wondering WTF is going on?!



No. I am Far from cured. Far far far from it.
I am currently taking an antibiotic for a serious infection. I am on pain medication for it too. I am also going through my "time of the month". Last but not least, I am in the process of changing a medication I have taken for almost 3 years.
That my friends is Not a cure.
But for one day I ate. And ate. And ate. And Not Once bolused!!!
Not once in over 24 hours did I count carbs or do a correction. Not once. I ate what I felt like and was running between 70 and 140. Not a balance, not steady, certainly not a cure. But no matter what I did, thought or ate, I did not need to take "extra" insulin.
I wear the Animas 1250 pump and my basal rates have not changed. I did not adjust them at all. Did quite a few "temp basals" in the past week but the rates have not been touched or adjusted or even considered.
All I know is no matter what I did, thought or ate, I did not "need insulin."



Now let's discuss some important facts:

First:
There is NO Cure for Type 1 Diabetes.
None. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Nothin'. Nope. NO CURE.
If you encounter me, talk to me, see me, hear me, email me, comment to me --> Never use this word, please.

I do have an incurable disease. A chronic illness. I live with this friend and foe of mine Every freakin' day, every minute. It is not going away . . . . .
Until Someone Finds a Cure.
I am hopeful but realistic.


Second:
Type 1 Diabetes is managed by the life sustaining hormone insulin. (I Love simple statements and this one is as simple and to the point as it gets folks.)


Third:
Let me state That Second Fact another way-->
Type 1 Diabetes can Only be managed.

Managed. Maintenance. We PWT1Ds can only Maintain our life. Manage our existence. And Only with insulin. Only. There is no other "drug" or "medication" that does what insulin does. Yes, there are some "pills" out there that help with your appetite and the effectiveness/absorption of insulin, none of which have ever been discussed by my Specialist. Never. Not once. So far, Not a consideration for Me.


Fourth:
There are many different types of the life sustaining hormone, my dear friend insulin. I personally take Humalog. Before H there was R, Regular (as in "keep me regular"? who is to define "regular" btw? Hmm??) These two hormones are the "fast-acting" kind. This is the type of insulin taken when a PWT1Ds wants to eat food. Any food with carbs in it. Ever really look at the Nutrition Facts on what You eat? You would be surprised what has how many carbs folks. So many people look at calories and fat content. I am Way Beyond and So over the calorie part. Well, I am also only 115 lbs (not on purpose but I am not horribly skinny either). Fat content? Yeah, definitely important to consider. PWDs are prone to heart problems so keepin' them veins running smoothly is a wee bit important. Gettin' off track here....
The other type of hormone is the "long acting" kind. When I was first diagnosed I was on NPh, twice a day. It was one big shot of so many units when I woke up and another before I went to sleep. Keeping on a schedule was of the utmost importance. There was no "sleeping in", ever. I then eventually started taking Lantus, once a day. We (my pancreas and I) liked that Lantus, A LOT. It was one Bigger Shot, once a day, in the morning. I could not take it in the evening because I would wake up with a low blood sugar level, simply put, good thing I woke up. Still no sleeping in but after 15 years of the NPh and a couple of attempts at other types of long acting insulin (mixes, NOT fun), I was happy.
Then once I started using the insulin pump, one insulin, sleeping in became a Must every chance I could get!!!


Fifth:
Every single person on This Planet Earth is Different. Every Body is Different. There is NO "one way" that helps PWT1Ds to manage their disease. There are many ways all while taking insulin. Different foods affect Each of Us differently. We all "deal" and "manage" situations, stress, happiness, life in general, differently. All of these factors Have To Be considered in managing T1.

Sixth:
There are many "ways" to administer insulin. There are different types of insulin therapy. There is multiple daily injections by syringe. There are pen needles. There are insulin pumps. Been there, done that. Tried them all. It has been only 3 years since I have been on the insulin pump. Before that it was one injection or two of long acting insulin administered with a syringe while using the pen needle for the short acting insulin when I wanted to eat food, for about 10 years. Before that it was the multiple daily injections for whatever insulin I was administering, an injection with a syringe for each type of insulin, for about 10 years.
I am thinking that I have 7 more to go on the pump and I will try/need a new type of insulin therapy? Or I will be able to afford the latest and greatest type of pump therapy?
For now, not injecting myself with a syringe multiple times a day is fantastic!! Every 3 to 4 days I change my infusion set, the site where the insulin is pumped into my body. From multiple daily injections to one every 3 to 4 days, Rock On. There is also the added benefit of not worrying if I can "produce" half a unit with the syringe or pen. The pump can administer a unit of insulin down to 0.025. Nice. The accuracy of the insulin pump is simply amazing. Technology has come a long way in the arena of medical equipment. By no means is this a cure folks. Just yet another way to manage my chronic illness.


In conclusion:
This disease, Type 1 Diabetes, is constant. And it's constant is change.
It is not easy. It is not fun. I am still learning to live with it. To find peace. To not let it control me. I don't like it. I wish I could say, "I used to have a retarded pancreas." (that one was for you Ashley!)

So if you know me, think you know me, want to know me, Please consider this:

Be open-minded enough to not question me or my disease or my life or how I manage.