2010 My islet year in review

Looking back, this was a very eventful year.

It began with my realizing that my fatigue might just be more than the typical holiday over doing it.  I discovered that I had CMV (again).  I began taking the antiviral drug Valcyte again to treat it.  It wasn't as difficult as the first time I had it either in intensity or duration.

This led to looking into (literally) my colon to see if the CMV was causing some of my abdominal discomfort.  I received a very interesting photo that showed what an inflamed colon looks like.  I still have it.  But, it was determined that it was not the CMV, but the results of one of the immunosuppressants I was taking.

This led to me giving up on the Cellcept and going back on Rapamune.  I was on this before when I was still taking Raptiva.  It caused me to feel much better other than an occasional mouth sore.

I discovered how well Debacterol works on mouth sores.

I was able to tell my transplant story on several occasions.  My story was featured in a two part article in the JDRF of Northwest Ohio newsletters in January and February.  Then in May, my story was again told in the newsletter published by the Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation.

I participated in a Promise Meeting with our local congressman, Bob Latta to convince him to cosign for the Special Diabetes Program.  He did and it passed in November.

The Islet Transplant Recipients Facebook page was created by Matt Jay.

I participated in two JDRF walks.  I was a team captain for the first walk.  We raised over $900.  It was a fun and rewarding experience.  I was touched by the turnout and the comments that I received.  I was a helper instead of walking at the second event.  I helped to recruit people to become JDRF advocates.

I celebrated the 2nd anniversaries of both my transplant and of my being off of insulin.

I started using insulin again.  This was very disappointing for awhile.  In hindsight, it was also somewhat of a relief.  I lived through my worst fear and have survived it.  It had been very difficult to slowly watch my BGs increasing and not having the capability to stop them.  I was cutting carbs and exercising all that I could, but it just wasn't enough.  I was feeling a little bit like I was failing again just like all of those years before my transplant when I just couldn't get it right.  So now, with an insulin crutch, I can at least be successful again in controlling my BGs.  This seems to be very important to me.  And as before, the needles and bother of the insulin are not the least bit of a problem or stress.  I'm just glad that they work.

I was on TV.  With Dr. Hering.  It still feels like a dream that I had the opportunity to do that.

The Diabetes Transplant Summit was an experience of a lifetime.  The people I met.  The message that we shared.  I know I will never forget any of it and will enjoy thinking back about it forever.

2010 was a fantastic year for me.  I am so very lucky.

To begin the new year, I did a polar bear plunge into the Maumee River.  It was really, really cold.  I was double dared.