MAY 4, 2009
HI EVERYONE,
I'M 54 YEARS OLD AND HAD A PANCREAS TRANSPLANT FEBRUARY 16,2008. I'M STILL CONSIDERED A DIABETIC EVEN THOUGH THE TRANSPLANT HAS BEEN CONSIDERED A SUCCESS. I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE HAD DIABETES LONGER THAN ME AND I HAVE A HISTORY OF IT FOR 38 YEARS! I NO LONGER USE AN INSULIN PUMP NOR ANY DIABETES MEDICATIONS. THE GREAT PART IS THAT I DON'T HAVE ANY HYPOGLYCEMIA UNAWARENESS OR HYPERGLYCEMIA. I HAD SO MUCH HYPOGLYCEMIA UNAWARENESS THAT I TOTALLY LOST MY INDEPENDENCE AND IT'S NOT A FUN WAY TO LIVE. TWO YEARS PRIOR TO MY TRANSPLANT I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND TOTALLED MY TRUCK AND ACTUALLY COULD HAVE HURT SOMEONE...I WAS LUCKY AND HIT A POLE AND POWER WAS OUT FOR A FEW HOURS. I WAS IN THE ER AND COULDN'T REMEMBER MY HUSBAND'S NAME OR ANYTHING FOR QUITE A WHILE. I BELIEVE YOU MAY BE SAYING TO YOURSELF..WHY DIDN'T YOU DO THIS...HYPOGLYCEMIA UNAWARENESS CAN HAPPEN TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE TOO MANY LOW BLOOD SUGARS AND THEIR BODY BECOMES IMMUNE TO THEM OR USED TO THEM AND DON'T RECOGNIZE THE SYMPTOMS...SOMETIMES A PERSON CAN CHECK A BLOOD SUGAR BUT WILL GO DOWN TOO QUICKLY. ANYWAY, I HAD THE PANCREAS TRANSPLANT AND AM DOING WELL BUT I HAVE A NEED TO TALK WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THEM. WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCES WERE AND ARE NOW. SO IF ANYONE FEELS LIKE WRITING, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. MY TRANSPLANT WAS DONE AT UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA/FAIRVIEW IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. IT'S A GREAT PLACE AND THE FIRST ONES IN THE UNITED STATES TO DO THE PANCREAS TRANSPLANT. PLEASE LET ME HEAR FROM YOU. THANK YOU. DONNAH
HI EVERYONE,
I'M 54 YEARS OLD AND HAD A PANCREAS TRANSPLANT FEBRUARY 16,2008. I'M STILL CONSIDERED A DIABETIC EVEN THOUGH THE TRANSPLANT HAS BEEN CONSIDERED A SUCCESS. I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE HAD DIABETES LONGER THAN ME AND I HAVE A HISTORY OF IT FOR 38 YEARS! I NO LONGER USE AN INSULIN PUMP NOR ANY DIABETES MEDICATIONS. THE GREAT PART IS THAT I DON'T HAVE ANY HYPOGLYCEMIA UNAWARENESS OR HYPERGLYCEMIA. I HAD SO MUCH HYPOGLYCEMIA UNAWARENESS THAT I TOTALLY LOST MY INDEPENDENCE AND IT'S NOT A FUN WAY TO LIVE. TWO YEARS PRIOR TO MY TRANSPLANT I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND TOTALLED MY TRUCK AND ACTUALLY COULD HAVE HURT SOMEONE...I WAS LUCKY AND HIT A POLE AND POWER WAS OUT FOR A FEW HOURS. I WAS IN THE ER AND COULDN'T REMEMBER MY HUSBAND'S NAME OR ANYTHING FOR QUITE A WHILE. I BELIEVE YOU MAY BE SAYING TO YOURSELF..WHY DIDN'T YOU DO THIS...HYPOGLYCEMIA UNAWARENESS CAN HAPPEN TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE TOO MANY LOW BLOOD SUGARS AND THEIR BODY BECOMES IMMUNE TO THEM OR USED TO THEM AND DON'T RECOGNIZE THE SYMPTOMS...SOMETIMES A PERSON CAN CHECK A BLOOD SUGAR BUT WILL GO DOWN TOO QUICKLY. ANYWAY, I HAD THE PANCREAS TRANSPLANT AND AM DOING WELL BUT I HAVE A NEED TO TALK WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THEM. WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCES WERE AND ARE NOW. SO IF ANYONE FEELS LIKE WRITING, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. MY TRANSPLANT WAS DONE AT UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA/FAIRVIEW IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. IT'S A GREAT PLACE AND THE FIRST ONES IN THE UNITED STATES TO DO THE PANCREAS TRANSPLANT. PLEASE LET ME HEAR FROM YOU. THANK YOU. DONNAH
