Will there ever be a cure?

Will there ever be a cure?


It's a hot topic on D forums and blogs.  I think I most often see people say something like, "Probably, but not in my lifetime."

I'm not a naive and wishful thinker, but I'm not as jaded as a lot of veteran PWDs yet.  I haven't heard the repeated "just 5 more years" from multiple doctors.  In fact, I haven't heard that even once from a doctor (and I'm glad, because I don't think there's any way they can promise something like that right now).

My point is, I think it'll happen.  I don't actually know when, but I wouldn't be shocked at all if it happens in my lifetime.  (Not shocked, but ecstatic!)  If an actual cure doesn't happen, I am confident that diabetes care will be improved so significantly that it will almost be as good as a cure.  Maybe we won't get our beta cells back, but maybe we'll only have to give ourselves one or two injections a day to achieve healthy, steady blood sugar levels.  (I'm looking at you, SmartCells Inc.)  Or maybe someone will figure out how we can be given new beta cells that our immune systems won't attack on sight. (Russia, bravo for fearlessly exploring that frontier!  And you scientists at Washington School of Medicine, keep it up!!!)  Or maybe after the artificial pancreas becomes a reality that can be continually improved upon, someone will also develop an even faster acting insulin to pair with it, and that artificial pancreas will be developed to the point where it can function real-time based entirely on the rise and fall of blood glucose (with no need to enter carb values or temporary basal rates).

I just see so many promising ideas.  Any of these could be the development to change the lives of PWDs forever.  Maybe no one is going to hand me a pill that will cure my diabetes next year, but I do think I'll be given some life-changing treatment options in my lifetime.

Diabetic Super Hero at the State Fair

I went to the State Fair on Thursday evening. And about the State Fair, let me say:

OMG Funnel cake and fried cheese!!!!!

Neither of which I ate this time around. I opted, instead, for fried shrimp on a stick. Not significantly healthier than fried cheese, but I could judge the carbs much more easily. I may not have been able to even resist the fried cheese though, except I made sure not to go hungry.

Me: Let me eat something before we go, so I don't eat a bunch of junk.
Chad: Will it bother you if I eat a bunch of junk?
Me: Nope. In fact, I may have a bite of your junk... Oh my god! I did not just say that!!!
Chad: Oh my god! I am so tweeting that, right now!

So, after about 5 minutes of uncontrolable laughter, I ate a whole-wheat Lean Pocket and we left for the fair.... which involved sitting in a very long line of cars, and then standing in a very long line of ticket-buyers.

But I had one of my proudest diabetic moments in that long ticket line. A girl, probably around 18, was walking up and down talking to people. As she got closer to us, I heard her say, "Do you have any candy? Anything? My friend's blood sugar is getting low."

At which point, as she turned away from someone with a look of clear concern, I made a B-line straight for her.

Me: Your friend's blood sugar is low?
Her: *With her face brightening.* Yeah!
Me: I have glucose tabs.
Her: Oh, great! Hey, *whatever her name was*, hey! She has glucose tabs!

We walked over to a group of teenage girls and the group parted as one stepped forward with both of her hands held out in a gesture of questioning, and with an expression of embarrassment on her face.

Me: Is it your blood sugar that's low?
Her: *nodding*
Me: *Pulling out my tube of glucose tabs.* Here, I have glucose.
Her: Oh my gosh, could I have one, please??? I mean, two... I mean, can I have...
Me: Of course, here.

I plunked a few tabs into her hand, received thanks from her and her friends, and I smiled as I walked back to Chad... who welcomed me back with a fist-bump.

I don't know if she was actually diabetic or just having a serious sugar crash, but I felt so awesome for being able to help. Like a diabetic superhero!