Clean out my refigerator!

We need help cleaning out my refrigerator.

We've got the normal food and drink in our refrigerator. We've also got something you probably don't have in your 'dairy' section. You would probably put eggs or a butter dish in here.

In our frig, this is where we keep insulin.

Lantus and Humalog Insulins - fresh and cold

Insulin is hormone that in a healthy person is made in the pancreas. In a person with Type 1 diabetes - the pancreas no longer makes insulin. In the body, insulin acts as a key that unlocks the cells doors allowing them to use glucose as energy. Without insulin, the glucose cannot get from the bloodstream into the body's cells. As the blood glucose level rises, the kidneys work hard to extract out the excess glucose. This causes excessive trips to the restroom and a great thirst as soon much water is being removed from the body.

Since insulin is a protein, a type 1 diabetic cannot take a pill or drink a solution of insulin. The insulin would be digested and never reach the bloodstream. Diabetics must take insulin subcutaneously using needles. The bottles of insulin a diabetic is using should only be at room temperature for about a month. So the future bottles of insulin that will be needed are kept cool in a refrigerator.

There is currently no cure for diabetes. Diabetics must manage their blood sugar levels by balancing the amount of food they eat, the amount of exercise they get, and the amount of insulin they inject. This process is like those performers who balance multiple plates on sticks. Sometimes it seems like everything is going well and no great effort is needed to keep them spinning. But then a little something happens - like a breeze blows by, the performer gives a little too much spin, maybe they bump the table, or something unexplainable happens and a plate just falls.

Diabetes management is just like this. For days everything can be going well - blood sugars are in the normal range, insulin injections are timed perfectly with meals, exercise is normal, and the body is healthy. Throw in a late meal, a missed insulin dose or maybe mismeasured dose, a little bit more effort in an exercise routine or soccer practice, a restaurant that serves up a regular Coke instead of a diet Coke (no joke - this has happened more than once), coming down with a cold....or something else that you'll never figure out. Soon there can be high blood sugars causing discomfort in the muscles or low blood sugars risking the possibility of becoming disoriented or passing out.

After all that is over - well - you keep on doing it. This is not a disease that can be cured. You don't go to the doctor's visits to get well - you go to see how well you are managing a process that your body should be doing on its own. Four (or more) shots of insulin a day. Eight (or more) finger pricks to get out the blood to be tested. Carbohydrates to count on everything you eat. Guessing how much less insulin you need for those 15 minutes of exercise. Fighting with the insurance company over the most absurb things (how can they be so incredibly blind? Oh wait...I forgot. It's a profit thing.) Diabetes is a real thing. Concentration is always needed. No time off. Not for birthday parties with cake. Not for Halloween. Not for midnight snacks (unless you wake up incoherent due to low blood sugar). No vacation days from diabetes.

So how can you help us? How about donating to the American Diabetes Association (ADA)? The ADA is involved in efforts to improve diabetes care - and efforts to find a cure. There are many research programs in need of money. Our family is participating in one of the fundraisers again this year. The Tour de Cure is a series of bike riding events all over the USA. Bike riders pay a small fee to register, then go out and raise money to support the ADA. Last year our team of riders raised $8,340. We'd like to raise that much or more again - but the donations this year are coming in very slowly... It is disappointing - but I realize people just may not have that much extra money. Maybe if you can't donate - help spread the work. Pass along this posting and our donation page URL. http://tour.diabetes.org/goto/TeamTegan2009 Or you could join our team and raise some money yourself. We are looking for some more riders...

If you want to donate - head on over the the Tour de Cure page and go to the Portland, Oregon event. We'd love it if you donated to (or joined!) Team Tegan and Her Daddy - but anyone registered would love your support. Check out the ride in Minneapolis - Uncle Kevin, Auntie Paula, and cousins Jake, Luke, and Kyle have their own team - Tegan Power. Sponsor them! Both Tegan and Her Daddy (that's me!) would be very grateful.



Help clean out our refrigerator.