I Am Eighteen

I don’t think I want a transplant. My sister got one and can’t go near anyone with a cold because of her immune system has to be repressed for fear of rejecting the new pancreas! I can do just what I like. But it’s a lot of work, testing bg, calculating carbs. Loads of work but I am top notch healthy!

I know several people with various organ transplants who do very well and the anti-rejection medication is much better than years ago and less worries. But, that is current technology, just give it a few more years, it will be far better.

I know. It’s amazing. Sometimes I get frustrated because I am hypo and I think life isn’t worth living and then I am cross with myself because if I lived last century I would be dead by now. I mean if I had lived at my age now 100 years ago. Ok I hope you understand what I am saying because I don’t! @samueltyler2

@Hepsie You are right. Just about 100 years ago insulin was isolated

Yes. By Dr Lawrence and Dr Best. But for them I wouldn’t be alive now. @samueltyler2

@Hepsie wasn't it Banting and Best?

Look up Dr Lawrence. He is our saviour. The stories I have heard. But we know him as Dr Lawrence. Maybe it is his first name. I don’t know. Like Rev Sulin. It’s her first name! @samueltyler2

Dr Frederick Banting was a Canadian physician and Best a medical student in his lab. They did not share the Nobel prize for their funding, but it was given to Banting and Macleod in whoseblab the work was done. banting was so upset that he gave 1/2 of the money to Charles Best. Macleod then did the same.

@samueltyler2 Dr Lawrence is credited with the discovery of how insulin actually binds to the receptor and allows it to do its function. It is hoped that his breakthrough will lead to better efficiency.

It has. My appointment last week revealed that my long term blood glucose was normal, my bp was 136 over 58, 75% of my ten or more daily blood tests were in normal range, my cholesterol was 4.2 but 3.3 good cholesterol. @samueltyler2

@Hepsie hemoglobin A1c?

Normal! 75 per cent of blood tests in range! @samueltyler2

@Hepsie so your hemoglobin A1C is less than 6? what about the other 25% of tests?

Oh. You have no idea! If 50% are in range you are doing well! The doctor turned to the student and said That’s well controlled! @samueltyler2

@Hepsie That is always nice to hear. I have never told a patient though, that 75% of their laboratory results are within normal, I would know that they would jump on me about the other 25%

I know that is difficult to achieve! @samueltyler2

@Hepsie was it a male or female student? Medical student I assume? What medical school is the physician associated with?

First did you know that 50 per cent in range is exceptional? We were all girls! Girls have time of month too! @samueltyler2

As I said, I never heard of that terminology. We don't use that in the US.

You have a female physician and it was a female student? That would be unusual here as well.

Why? @samueltyler2

@Hepsie in the US we have just managed to hit about 50 percent female medical students.

They are mostly girls here! At least in Diabetic Medicine! @samueltyler2

@Hepsie that is interesting. I wonder why?

Maybe because in UK we have been encouraged! @samueltyler2

@Hepsie in many ways I suppose, economically as well. When I studied at St Thomas in London in the summer of 1967, It was all male and all rich.

I sent you a pm