Yet again, Law and Order SVU is using diabetes in there storyline. This time the perp had such bad sugar control that he lost 3 fingers. Just thought everyone should know.
Thinking of forming PETROD - People for the Ethical Representation of Diabetics. Has a nice ring.
By the way: one of the other assistant coaches and I are tyring to fundraise at Lafayette College. We are holding a 3 on 3 charity basketball tournament for the benefit of dystonia and diabetes. The website is www.hill2themill.com
Friday, February 22, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Of Mice and Men?
Read the New York Times article here:
Stem Cell Therapy Controls Diabetes in Mice
All the more reason to vote for someone who supports stem cell research in November...
Stem Cell Therapy Controls Diabetes in Mice
All the more reason to vote for someone who supports stem cell research in November...
Friday, February 8, 2008
New Study
A new study reported by the New York Times today suggests that, in Type 2 diabetics, more rigidly controlled diabetes led to a high death rate. Out of two different groups, one that kept strict control of their diabetes – a hemoglobin A1C of 6.0 or below – had 54 more deaths than the group that had a much looser regime – a hemoglobin A1C of around 7.0. If you are not as surprised as I am at this finding, well then you just don’t check your blood sugars.
There are a couple of things that should be taken into account in the study. First, there is quite a bit a medication mixing going on. Many of the people in the study were on insulin as well as blood sugar controlling pills. A host of those same people were also taking cholesterol and heart medication. The researchers believed that there was no correlation between the combinations of medications. In risk of it being too soon I would like to disclaimer my next statement by saying it is only in a scientific reference, but I can’t believe that finding in the light of Heath Legder’s death.
The study did believe that the rate at which the blood sugars were lowered may have had an effect. The average age of the study was 62 and had been diabetic for 10 years. The report stated: “Years ago, researchers discovered that lowering blood sugar very quickly in diabetes could actually worsen blood vessel disease in the eyes, he said. But reducing levels more slowly protected those blood vessels.” This may certainly be true. I’m no doctor but someone who is elderly, and who’s body has been accustomed to running a certain way, may place extra stress on their organs with sudden changes.
It should be noted that most of the deaths were heart disease related.
One thing that is certain – at least according to the New York Times – “Clearly, people without diabetes are different from people who have diabetes and get their blood sugar low.” No kidding. Would never have guessed. Can you smell a Pulitzer?
What does this mean? Well for me, a Type 1 diabetic (a juvenile if you will), I’m still going to check and monitor my sugars closely. I don’t see any reason to change what I’ve been doing, certainly in light of the fact that I don’t want to get to the point where I might have to be on heart or kidney medication later on in life.
Again, non of these people were Type 1, and many of them had previous conditions that could have proved to be fatal – which more than likely were a direct link to their having diabetes (i.e. heart, kidney, and cholesterol problems). Don’t let the problems get to a point where there is already damage. An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.
And if you are of age, get out and vote so that medical professionals can do their job and help find a cure.
On a lighter note just watch this. It’s beyond explanation.
There are a couple of things that should be taken into account in the study. First, there is quite a bit a medication mixing going on. Many of the people in the study were on insulin as well as blood sugar controlling pills. A host of those same people were also taking cholesterol and heart medication. The researchers believed that there was no correlation between the combinations of medications. In risk of it being too soon I would like to disclaimer my next statement by saying it is only in a scientific reference, but I can’t believe that finding in the light of Heath Legder’s death.
The study did believe that the rate at which the blood sugars were lowered may have had an effect. The average age of the study was 62 and had been diabetic for 10 years. The report stated: “Years ago, researchers discovered that lowering blood sugar very quickly in diabetes could actually worsen blood vessel disease in the eyes, he said. But reducing levels more slowly protected those blood vessels.” This may certainly be true. I’m no doctor but someone who is elderly, and who’s body has been accustomed to running a certain way, may place extra stress on their organs with sudden changes.
It should be noted that most of the deaths were heart disease related.
One thing that is certain – at least according to the New York Times – “Clearly, people without diabetes are different from people who have diabetes and get their blood sugar low.” No kidding. Would never have guessed. Can you smell a Pulitzer?
What does this mean? Well for me, a Type 1 diabetic (a juvenile if you will), I’m still going to check and monitor my sugars closely. I don’t see any reason to change what I’ve been doing, certainly in light of the fact that I don’t want to get to the point where I might have to be on heart or kidney medication later on in life.
Again, non of these people were Type 1, and many of them had previous conditions that could have proved to be fatal – which more than likely were a direct link to their having diabetes (i.e. heart, kidney, and cholesterol problems). Don’t let the problems get to a point where there is already damage. An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.
And if you are of age, get out and vote so that medical professionals can do their job and help find a cure.
On a lighter note just watch this. It’s beyond explanation.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Film and Diabetes
Alright, so I'm sitting on my Wal-Mart futon (don't pretend like you guys don't know exactly what I'm talking about), and I'm watching Law and Order: SVU - the best kind of Law and Order. There is a lady on the show who is not only paralyzed from the waist down, but a diabetic. For some reason, even with full use of her arms, the lady is unable to give herself insulin shots. She is (apparently) unable to administer the shots herself, and relies totally upon her husband to give them to her. As it turns out her husband is being framed, someone is trying to get rid of him. If the husband goes down, then the paralyzed diabetic won't be able to take care of herself and she too will surely perish. I honestly don't understand it; a grown woman can't take care of her own diabetes? At least at the halfway point of the show that's how it's shaking down.
This sort of logic in film really pisses me off. It's as if no one in Hollywood has a clue about diabetes. Does no one in LA LA land have it? Doesn't Halle Berry? Kevin Klein's son? I mean most of the residents probably only eat about 50 grams of carbs a day, so iI can understand if Paris Hilton doesn't know too much about it...
But think about it. The first movie I can remember watching with erroneous diabetes facts after my diagnosis was Con Air. Yeah, you know it. Nick Cage. His hands are registered weapons. He kills someone while defending his wife but still goes to prison. He's about to be released from prison, but has to get aboard a plane with a whole bunch of nasty boys who are just being moved to the maximum security Louisiana prison. Among them is a diabetic, who's insulin breaks on the chaotic plane ride. Within 12 hrs, the diabetic is about to go comatose because his blood sugar is way too high - even though they've only had one on board meal.
And then there was Panic Room. You know this one, too. Jodi Foster. Gets a house with a panic room so that in case of an emergency her daughter would be safe. Bad guys come after the house....
Hold on, the lady on SVU now needs her insulin, just a shot, but she was about to pass out because she wasn't going to get her one shot. I mean...come on... That is really really really bad control....
OK, Jodi Foster and bad guys. Well, Jodi Foster's daughter has diabetes and when the bad guys come, they forget her insulin and glucagon shot. The daughter's BS level starts to drop and she is about to go into a seizure, but Jodi Foster talks, yes talks, her out of it. Now to be honest I'm not completely unsure of the fact that you can talk someone out of a low insulin reaction. But really. The girl was in it, man. She was seizing already.
But despite that, the diabetes portrayal wasn't the worst part of the film. No, that would have to go to Jared Leto's cornrows.
The way that diabetics are portrayed in movies and television is honestly, ridiculous.
Case in point, the lady on SVU just seized during trial. She was not sweating, she was not acting bizarre at all. There was no sign of her going too low. She was actually taking notes on the trial, and whamo...she's on the floor.
Let's get on the ball Hollywood. Come on Halle Berry, get the writer's (if they ever come back) to get it right.
And by the way, diabeteshappens. Writer's strikes shouldn't. Give them their money, and let's get Brothers and Sisters back on the boob tube.
This sort of logic in film really pisses me off. It's as if no one in Hollywood has a clue about diabetes. Does no one in LA LA land have it? Doesn't Halle Berry? Kevin Klein's son? I mean most of the residents probably only eat about 50 grams of carbs a day, so iI can understand if Paris Hilton doesn't know too much about it...
But think about it. The first movie I can remember watching with erroneous diabetes facts after my diagnosis was Con Air. Yeah, you know it. Nick Cage. His hands are registered weapons. He kills someone while defending his wife but still goes to prison. He's about to be released from prison, but has to get aboard a plane with a whole bunch of nasty boys who are just being moved to the maximum security Louisiana prison. Among them is a diabetic, who's insulin breaks on the chaotic plane ride. Within 12 hrs, the diabetic is about to go comatose because his blood sugar is way too high - even though they've only had one on board meal.
And then there was Panic Room. You know this one, too. Jodi Foster. Gets a house with a panic room so that in case of an emergency her daughter would be safe. Bad guys come after the house....
Hold on, the lady on SVU now needs her insulin, just a shot, but she was about to pass out because she wasn't going to get her one shot. I mean...come on... That is really really really bad control....
OK, Jodi Foster and bad guys. Well, Jodi Foster's daughter has diabetes and when the bad guys come, they forget her insulin and glucagon shot. The daughter's BS level starts to drop and she is about to go into a seizure, but Jodi Foster talks, yes talks, her out of it. Now to be honest I'm not completely unsure of the fact that you can talk someone out of a low insulin reaction. But really. The girl was in it, man. She was seizing already.
But despite that, the diabetes portrayal wasn't the worst part of the film. No, that would have to go to Jared Leto's cornrows.
The way that diabetics are portrayed in movies and television is honestly, ridiculous.
Case in point, the lady on SVU just seized during trial. She was not sweating, she was not acting bizarre at all. There was no sign of her going too low. She was actually taking notes on the trial, and whamo...she's on the floor.
Let's get on the ball Hollywood. Come on Halle Berry, get the writer's (if they ever come back) to get it right.
And by the way, diabeteshappens. Writer's strikes shouldn't. Give them their money, and let's get Brothers and Sisters back on the boob tube.
Friday, February 1, 2008
PUMP IT UP
As a diabetic, I try to stay in tune with new developments that can help me operate as normally as possible. As such, the insulin pump has been a device that I’ve been told I have to try; it will change my life for the better. There are a couple of reasons why I haven’t switched over (yep, still a proud insulin pen user – Humalog and Lantus – you’re my dawgs).
First, I don’t like the idea of having a machine connected to my body. It makes my stomach turn a little bit. The wires from machine to body make the pump seem way closer to the Terminator than something to make me healthier. The other complaint is a bit more sartorial: I just don’t like the fact that most pumps look like a pager (plus wires) hanging on a belt clip. Sorry, I like to look good and dress well, and having a pager stuck on my belt line just isn’t helping me out.
Now there have been a lot of changes, and the FDA has even approved wireless insulin pumps which are way less T1000, but no where near 007 enough.
Not that some people haven’t done wonders: Jim Bukvald made a great effort, but I think there’s still some wire issues. And the Omnipod actually looks nice, and conveniently the pod itself is separate and can just slide into your pocket, in my opinion it’s the best thing out there right now in terms of functionality and style. But things could still be better.
What if Apple and their iPod geniuses tackled the insulin pump? I’m definitely not the first person to talk about this. In fact, Amy Tenderich has already posted an online plea to Steve Jobs asking that very question:
And there is a great market for this sort of thinking: 20 million Americans have diabetes (hey, it happens), and thousands of clinics and hospitals across the country help those 20 millions manage the condition. If Apple were to create a new pump, with software to go with their new MacBook Air to help individual users as well as hospitals and clinics follow, monitor, and chart sugar levels, insulin doses, and carb intake, all through the use of a simple USB plug, I believe that not only would the sale of the iPump be incredible, but Apple would also see general sales go up.
And what young diabetic wouldn’t be way more involved in their glucose numbers if while their information was downloading for the iPump, they could be downloading the new Akon song?
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