6 yrs post transplant (almost)

Every year I have metabolic testing done to see how my islet cells are functioning. This week I had 2 of 4 tests and both had excellent results. May will be 6 years since I had my transplant and it still freekin amazes me!

It changed my life in such a basic fundamental way that it's difficult to explain just how amazing it really is. When a disease is all encompassing like diabetes is, it becomes woven into your life. It has to or you can't survive. It effects everything from what you eat to how you make your living to the people you're friends with and every, single, choice you make, is made in the light of, "How will my health be effected by this, and how will this choice be effected by my health?". It's no wonder there are so many people burned out by Diabetes. (Doctors, there's a lesson for you here about your lazy non-compliant diabetic patient that just won't listen to reason).

Diabetes wears you down, it can be oppressive, daunting and down right scary. To have that constant burden lifted after 26 years of it is nothing short of a miracle.

I wake up every day and I say a silent thank you to my donor and their family, to Dr. Jose Oberholzer, the University of Illinois Hospital, Chicago Diabetes Project, and especially, especially Cellmates On The Run, the charitable organization that helps fund the CDP through raising money by running in races and marathons throughout the year. If you have diabetes, or know someone that has diabetes please consider donating or even better running with them. There are still charity entries for the Chicago Marathon open. You can find their website here.

thank you

oh and

Yayislets!

2009 Chicago Marathon Anyone?

I know, I know, it's not until October but if you're thinking about training for a marathon, you're thinking about it already.

Personally, I reserve running for times when really scary people are chasing me, but I'm happy to support the crazyees that do enjoy a 26.2 mile bit of self induced torture.

And in turn some of them support the diabetes community.

CellmatesOnTheRun is a team whose goal is to raise money for The Chicago Diabetes Project, an organization near and dear to my heart (and liver). CDP helps fund UIC's islet transplant program. I talk about CDF and UIC incessantly so I know, you know they're the peeps that did my islet transplant.

If you live in the Chicago area they'll even help you train and such. It's a win-win situation!

so yeah, go sign up.

All the cool kids are doing it.

YayCellmatesOnTheRun!