Hey all!!!

After over 32 years of finger pokes, needles, carb counting, endless worry and frustration, I am hopefully going to get it to go away!!!

Type 1 Diabetes is luckily not a death sentence. However, it does come with a multitude of risks (hypoglycemia leading to coma and death, hyperglycemia leading to complications, hospital admission and coma) and complications (kidney failure, blindness, neuropathy, infection, amputations, heart disease and 10 - 15 year decreased life expectancy). It can be controlled, which is a daunting 24/7 never ending task to help mitigate complications, but sometimes they just happen anyways.

I have done well, seeing some of the complications (luckily mild end), but done well despite the mental burnout defined as "diabetes distress".

There have been great improvements in diabetic care over the years and I would probably not be here if it weren't for them. Continuous glucose monitoring devices I quite frankly believe have kept me alive. I don't know when my glucose is low, I rely on this device to alert me, and at night when I'm too sleepy to acknowledge it then rely on Shane waking me up to deal with it. A low glucose is below 4.0mmol/L and needs to be treated, with risk of seizures and coma in the 2.3 - 2.7 mmol/L range (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1838950/).https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1838950/

I too frequently dance with the devil as I have seen as low as 1.9mmol/L on my reader and rarely feel the symptoms of hypoglycemia anymore (hypoglycemia unawareness).

I originally applied for Islet Cell Transplant which then led to the road of Pancreas Transplant which I have been approved for and this month (October 20th) my name is being placed on an organ recipient list for a pancreas!!!

Yup!!!

Organ Transplant!!

I have my go bag packed (as transplant is not done in Calgary and I will be out of Calgary for up to 3 months). I have my list of helpers. I have my flow sheets prepped based on all possible scenarios. We have NO idea when this could happen! It could even be a "dry run" where I get as far as prepped in the OR then the organ that was going to be procured was deemed inadequate so I would leave the OR and come back home.

I will be off work for up to 6-12 months.

Although I/we have planned and prepped for this, I/we are asking for help (this is not an easy thing to do).

There will be lots of driving back and forth between Calgary and Edmonton as well as extra costs of living while I stay in Edmonton as unpredictable how long I will need to be super close to the hospital for.

The help I am asking for would go towards gas, hotels, VRBO's, skip the dishes, babysitters, Ubers (can't drive for 6 weeks) etc.

Essentially the means to assist myself and my family with daily living while I am down and out.

We are prepped but we are also prepping for "worst case scenarios".

I will have a separate "pancreas account" that the funds will go into and sit until I get "THE CALL".

It is truly all an unknown, however once back on my feet and back to work, any funds leftover will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

I want to make it clear that this is NOT a matter of life or death. This is a choice I have sought out and been medically cleared for. My name going on the list is not monetary dependent, however would help offset extra costs and stress.

If you can and want to help this way I greatly appreciate it.

Well wishes are also helpful if that is the way in which you are able to offer help. Or if you have any good mocktail recipes then please send my way!!! Not a drip of alcohol while on list and VERY limited post transplant.

Thanks for reading and here we go.

PANCREAS FOR THE WIN!!!