7/21/09 One year post islet cell transplant

I had my one year check up in Minneapolis on Thursday and Friday of last week.  It was quite an event.  We left Wednesday morning and drove all the way to Minneapolis.  12 hours, which is long, but easy.  We ate supper when we got there and then checked in to the hotel.  I suddenly felt cold and tired so I took my temp. and it was 99.8.  We spent the evening just resting and watching TV.

The first day of the checkup was a lot of blood work.  They tested drug levels, liver and kidney function tests and cholesterol as well as glucose and C-peptide.  It lasted until about 3:00.  

As a thank-you to the staff who had done so much for me, I had some T-shirts made that showed a path of islet cells with a person walking on it.  "The Cure" was at the end of the path and the Schulze Diabetes Institute was at the top.  One of the islet cells had a pig face inside it to represent the research on pig islet cells.  It was a hit and we really enjoyed giving them out.  It made the visit even more fun.

The second day was a glucose tolerance test where glucose, insulin, and C-peptide were measured at intervals after I was given a bolus of glucose and later one of insulin.  I am anxious to see the results of all of these tests.

That afternoon we went to the Art Museum and then to our friends house.  We went out to dinner with them and spent that night at their house.  Mike was transferred to Atlanta, so this will probably be our last visit with them here.

Then on Saturday, we went to a fundraiser for the SDI called the Lightning Run.  It consists of hundreds of motorcycles riding in a parade through St. Paul.  Gary and I got to attend as VIPs.  We didn't ride motorcycles, but we did get to meet some of the doctors and staff and had a great time.  They had me say a few words about how the transplant has changed my life.  I really enjoyed doing that.  I think it is so important for people to learn about my experience and how successful this research already is.

I enjoyed meeting Dr. Sutherland.  He is in the picture with Dr. Hering.  He is  going to connect me with some of his patients who have had their own islet cells transplanted into their liver due to having pancreatitis.  They also have websites that are focused on their experiences.