Pancreas Transplant

I am fundraising for a pancreas transplant for myself. Most people know that I have had type 1 diabetes since 5 years old, and that type 1 diabetes is detrimental to your organs the longer you have it. What most people do not know is that diabetes is not only physically taxing, but extremely mentally taxing as well. This has been a reality for me since a young age, so much so that I used to pray that I would make it to life milestones.... driving a car, graduation, marriage, children. Instead, I put a smile on and push through every day, never actually feeling ok, just pretending. This leaves me without the mental or physical stamina to be there for my family, kids, and husband. It effects all aspects of my life. Diabetes is there 24/7, there is no "time off" or break from it. Even everyday life stressors affect my blood glucose, resulting in time away from my job, family, and friends.

One day I was running late for work, so I was able to watch Good Morning America that morning. It just so happened that they were doing a story on this man with type 1 diabetes that had recently received an islet cell transplant form this team at the University of Chicago Medicine. I felt so much of what the man said in his interview that I cried along with him. That afternoon I looked up this team at UChicago and found the doctor's email address. 48 hours later the doctor called me and my journey began. We went over my histrory/health records and he was the first person to ever give me hope for a better quality of life, telling me that I was the ideal candidate for a pancreas transplant, that patients like me are the reason he does what he does. Tears of joy and relief just flowed. I took my first plane ride up to Chicago early March to meet the transplant team and do a pre-transplant work up. I immediately knew I was exactly where I was meant to be. I knew that all of my prayers since childhood were heard and that God was answering. Everything that happend was all part of His plan.

Post transplant is what will be way beyond our financial means. I will be out of work/a paycheck for 2 months. I will have to live in Chicago for 2 months and that financial burden falls on us. Paying for a place to stay in Chicago for a month is easily twice the amount of what our mortgage is. It is extremely difficult for me to ask others for help, but I cannot allow anything to stand in the way of a second lease on life. I know without a shadow of a doubt that God will provide like He has done so many times in my life, and I feel that this platform is one of the ways to reach out for help.