What's the latest in people's lives?

[Sionnach Glic]

That sucks, Mikey, you have my best wishes.

[Mikey]

Thanks, everyone. I'm probably being overly pessimistic; but a highly shortened life expectancy a/o the possibility of digital amputation are certainly there. My eyes, interistingly enough, have so far shown no sign of negative reaction to my diabetes.

Of course, the possibility does exist that with continued strict control I could live to be 100 just to spite everyone that I don't like.

[Tsukiyumi]

That's the way! Chin up. Like I said, stem-cells are promising, for sure.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Thank G-d we've moved on, because I couldn't even bring myself to reply to some of those points.

Anyway, as far as what's new: I've been exhibiting symptoms of diabetic neuropathy lately, despite my constant efforts to control my blood sugar. The appearance of neuropathy MAY be an indicator of a much shorter-than-average life expectancy. If I'm VERY lucky, I might live to see my daughter graduate college.

I hope you're all right, Mikey.

[Mikey]

Well, even without stem-cell research, there is research going on into the feasability of transplanting Island of Langerhans tissues. Full pancreatic transplants have been something of a bust so far; even in the small percentage of cases in which they've been successful, they still tend to quit in two to three years, and still require a constant daily regimen of immunosuppresants, etc. - not really an incentive to trade the daily insulin regimen that I'm already on WITHOUT having to undergo the surgery or heightened immune risk.

[Tsukiyumi]

Yeah, that doesn't sound like a fun option at all.

[Mikey]

Yeah, if they ever turned out to be a permanent solution, I'd still only consider it as an alternative to a daily drug regimen, not as a reason to take on a different one.

[Teaos]

You can have one of my pancreaces, I have 3 anyway.

[Tsukiyumi]

Wait. Are you a computer program, or a genetically altered super-human? I'm having trouble keeping track with all the herm cat-taurs, rogue mainframes, mechanically-augmented tribbles, assorted nuts, and whatever the hell Seafort is supposed to be.

[IanKennedy]

Yeah, if they ever turned out to be a permanent solution, I'd still only consider it as an alternative to a daily drug regimen, not as a reason to take on a different one.

We're getting better at this all the time. Once of the two islet cell isolation facilities in the UK is in our building. They're getting better and better at transplanting them. They even found a method of transplanting that causes a much lower immune system impact. Give them a five years and you should have something that might work quite well. In the mean time the better you can control you glucose levels the better your odds are of not getting the complications.

The neuropathy issue is a bad one which I hope turns out to be OK for you. If you do start loosing sensation in your feet then daily inspections to spot any sores are a must, the amputations come because of the ulcers and bruising because of knocks that you just don't notice. The lack of sensation in other areas can be a real bummer also, if you know what I mean.

[Teaos]

We need an emoticon for topics that are way over you head.

[IanKennedy]

We need an emoticon for topics that are way over you head.

Not to put too fine a point on this, but neuropathy causes lack of sensation in the nerves of your body, because of that you loose feeling, to varying degrees, in appendages. Lets just say feet and hands are not the only place where the sensation of touch is important (he says spelling very carefully).

[Mikey]

Believe me, if been tracking as well as I can advances in islet transplantation. Nice to know that some of the research is being done at a place that employs a guy with Spock as his av.

And what's been funny is that I've developed neuropathic symptoms in the last two fingers of my left hand - not in the feet, or anywhere else - but during a stretch that has seen my sugar at consistently helathy levels. I have an appointment early next week - because of that last fact, it might not be diabetic neuropathy at all, although that's what the symptoms indicate.

[IanKennedy]

Believe me, if been tracking as well as I can advances in islet transplantation. Nice to know that some of the research is being done at a place that employs a guy with Spock as his av.

And what's been funny is that I've developed neuropathic symptoms in the last two fingers of my left hand - not in the feet, or anywhere else - but during a stretch that has seen my sugar at consistently helathy levels. I have an appointment early next week - because of that last fact, it might not be diabetic neuropathy at all, although that's what the symptoms indicate.

It's not the individual glucoses that are the issue, it's more the long term exposure over time that's more important. However, there's lots of things that can cause a lack of sensation or even tingling in the fingers. For example sleeping on you hand without noticing it, or a simple trapped nerve. Hopefully it's as simple as that.

[MetalHead]

*slightly over eager man hug for mikey*