DC Type 1 Diabetes Research Summit

The Capital Chapter of the JDRF brought together a collection of professionals who shared the research they are doing.  In most cases they also shared a personal connection that drive them to try to improve the lives of people living with type 1 diabetes.

In addition to the speakers there were a number of tables where advocates, pharma and researches could present there work in a trade show like environment. The organizers had a full kids program to allow families to participate without kids becoming overwhelmed by the scholar’s presentations.

For those with the experience, it was like a day at Friends For Life where you do all the research track presentation while the kids hung out (with supervision.) There was even a similar buffet lunch experience - the kids ate chicken fingers.

There were maybe three to four hundred people there. Pretty impressive for a cold Saturday in January.

I was happy to join with a number of other bloggers and made my first feeble attempt at tweeting in real time. Here the thing, I don’t quite know how to condense complex ideas into 140 character synopsis and both convey meaning and still pay attention. I don’t think I did either well - fortunately that wasn’t the point of the day.

I was very happy to see a JDRF local chapter take on such a significant roll in supporting the families who walk for JDRF. I was some what gladly drove three hours to attend and was impressed by the researches both in their work an in their passion driven by personal connections to type 1.  I think that connection gets lost. I find it compelling to know the guy running the study at BU on the bionic pancreas is motivated to make his child life better.

It was also enlightening if not encouraging to hear about the process of working with the FDA. The FDA is cautious. They are slow. They are careful. That caution can be seen as slowing down the process of getting advances in care to the market. However I think it is important to know about how the FDA approaches risk. It is good to know the JDRF is in regular contact working with the FDA to keep the risks of simply living with diabetes on the table.

I think it is appropriate and useful for the JDRF to work in conjunction with industry to help promising advancements get through that review process. Particularly those products that focus more on the smaller part of the diabetes market, those living with type 1.  In that context events such as this help clarify why JDRF should be working with the for profit side of the industry. Advances need to come to market.

I think that understanding the process of research, commercialization and approval is important. I think good communication helps both develop support for innovation over the long term and inspiration to do better with what we have in the short term.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the scope and quality of the Capital Chapter’s Research Summit. I am thankful for their hard work. I am appreciative of the sponsors support. I think the Capital Chapter of JDRF offers a model for other chapters looking to engage with those living with type 1.

FTNW: Artificial Pancreas and Pregnancy

A report on a small AP study with pregnant T1 diabetic women.

Not many people in the study and it doesn't compare results to manually managing blood glucose but it is still an interesting read.

From: http://www.nhs.uk/news/2011/01January/Pages/artificial-pancreas-pregnant-diabetes.aspx

Jay Cutler and Diabetes Demenor by John Madden

John Madden knows his football, toughness and apparently a little bit about type 1 diabetes. Have a listen to him on Adam Schein and Rich Gannon on Sirius NFL Radio show.

Thanks http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/chicago-bears-sth/2011/01/audio-of-john-maddens-comments-about-jay-cutler.html#ixzz1Cf3tiVy7

Best Use of Pizza in a Diabetes Video

Ginger Vieira for Your Body is a Pizza Restaurant.

Good stuff. I'll have pineapple and ham.

theBetesNOW January Event

theBetesNOW event on Saturday was awesome.

Well all but the car curse.

After introductions Connor did a quick cool top three - three cool new things in the diabetes world. Having just earned a drivers license Connor talked about the freedom driving brings a teen. He also mentioned that with that mobility comes taking diabetes around with you. So the first cool thing was a gift from our good friends at Roche. Key rings that have a little holder for four gluco tabs. Everyone got a few to take home. Thanks Todd at Roche.

Connor pointed out that they can be useful and keep you from going low and hitting the house as you pull into the driveway. That happened as he came home from taking the SAT test that morning. Same car that got towed the day we had the last event. Bad karma. (get it karma - CAR-ma? ok sorry about that back to the event update.)

Ninja meters on a key chain were the number two cool item followed by... Art. Connor introduced Lee Ann Thill of Diabetes Art Day fame. Lee Ann talked briefly about how art stretches our minds to make connections out side our typical norms. She pointed out that is exactly the kind of thinking that makes diabetes care successful.

Genius.

She then led the group to stretch their brains and create some art. I brought some stuff, Colette from OmniPod brought some dummy pods and Lee Ann brought loads of supplies. A great time was had by all. The kids being more nimble both physically and mentally got right to it and created some wonderful stuff. We old folks tried to keep up.

It was hard to come back to reality. Fortunately we had Gary Scheiner there. After pulling a few tables together Gary led the adults and older teens in a round table discussion that was every bit as creative as the process of making art. He spoke briefly about CGM and pumps and then asked each person which they would choose if they could only have one. Opinions varied and this was Gary’s point. Understand what you value in your care. Don’t focus on what others think work to your own strength.


Genius again!

After some wonderful conversation we did manage to get Gary to talk a little about the the new online programs his office is offering. Called Type 1 University the program offers a variety of advance classes on different aspects of type 1 care. Both live and recorded hour long classes are offered. You can learn more by liking Type 1 University on Facebook or by visiting their web site at: http://www.type1university.com/.


As for the car, it is fine. It’s a 1988 Olds 98. Cars were made of steel back then not tin foil. The house has vinyl siding. Minor repairs to the siding will be needed when it is warmer.

Your Diabetes Science Experiment

Woot Check out what came in the mail! Ginger's book!



I will have a review as soon as I can read it.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Son of a Bong: Inhaled Insulin II

Dr. Alfred Mann of Mannkind Corp talks about inhaled insulin.

(you are going to see Market Watch's ad, YDMV etc.)

Wish you were here George

We have holiday traditions. I have to have sinckerdoodles, Mom’s Birthday (aka Christmas Eve) is the best meal of the year and having a big home cooked breakfast Christmas morning are all traditions. 

It is just that this last breakfast tradition is only a year old. It started last year, kinda a reaction to teens who would be just as happy sleeping in. This year we added bacon to the tradition. It not that we didn’t make bacon before. It just wasn’t “officially” tradition. All that changed this year. We bought some Nueskes bacon online.

It was spectacular. It was bacon only it wasn’t. It was like anything I had ever had before. The smell of truly apple wood smoked bacon was intoxicating. The single best sent I have smelled in the house and that was before cooking it.

Typically I turn the fan ON before I start cooking. Now, when I cook this bacon, I don’t. I let the smoke  cooking fill the house. This may be the single most perfect tasting item in history including great bourbon and sinckerdoodles.

Awesome!

Wish you were here George.

Happy Holidaze

I love the Holidays. Seriously who doesn’t love a surprise?

Connor had a couple of wrestling match two days before the school break. He is new to wrestling and the first match was against the other team’s captain. He managed to get both crushed and a muscle strain in short order. For the match the next day the flu that was getting around got him and while he was winning for the first two periods he ran out of gas and lost on points.

Then he through-up for hours.

Apparently throwing up all the fluids you have had leads to dehydration. That, the muscle strain and the possible bug de-jour help spill keynotes. The next day he was too dizzy to do much of anything but he had a performing arts recital that night an managed to pull it off. Helpfully he didn’t have to stand up a whole lot on stage. The next day Kimball took him to see the doctor who then decided he should be taken to the ER for further testing.

They hung two litters of saline and ran a host of blood tests. Somewhere else in the ER the cops had someone they wanted to book later so they put the place was in lockdown. Naturally Connor’s hoodie wearing friends managed to just walk right in for a visit eliminating the possibility that the cops had one of them.

They brought him sugar free Reeses cups and some other get well gifts in the kind of poor taste that only hooded teenage boys can think of and left. The Reeses were vile and we contemplated keeping them and force feeding them to the guys who bought them. However that would have been a violation of the Geneva Convention so we tossed them out when he was released.

That was Friday night. Blair was scheduled into the same hospital Monday morning for a spinal surgery. He had been dealing with pain and decreased movement for a while. The common perception was it was some kind of muscle issue since it was manifesting itself as leg pain and stiffness. Finally some doctor called for an MRI and found he had a herniated disk, probably for some time.

We (a word that hear means I) had scheduled the surgery for the start of the Christmas break to minimize the time away from school. The date was set to do the surgery and get a follow visit around the  doctor’s time off. I hadn’t taken into consideration that Kimball had a final exam that same morning and was in hot water for that.

Blair and Mom both got thorough the morning as did I. In the process I learned something beyond the knowledge that you get one whole dollar off parking if you get the surgery desk to validate your parking ticket.

Meanwhile Delaney’s meters were tossing off errors and her iron levels were tanking like bank stock prices following a burst housing bubble. So while the boys were going in and out of the hospital she was at Quest every few days getting progressively more specific blood test drawn. Blood draws, just what a kid who test her blood all day anyway wants to do. The good news is that we were able to rule out a number of concerns and she doesn’t hate eating baby spinach in a salad.

I still love the holidays but come to think of it I can do without the surprises.

Passing this on for travelers with pumps:

From Medtronic:

Insulin Pumps/Medical Devices and Airport Security

We have conducted official testing on the effects of the new full body scanners at airports with Medtronic medical devices. Since the new scanners include X-ray, remove your insulin pump, Guardian monitor, sensor, transmitter, meter and remote (refer to the User Safety section of your device user guide) before going through the scanner.

If you do not wish to remove your Medtronic devices, ask TSA personnel that your medical devices cannot go through the scanner and alternative (pat-down) screening is needed.

As a reminder, it is safe to go through the airport metal detectors with your Medtronic devices.

Taking of CGM Transmitter sounds a lot easier than I think it will be in practice. Good luck travelers.

Editors note:
Sara - Thanks for the comment. I called Dexcom. They don't have a similar press release / statement. They have not done testing. They have not had negative comments from users or staff that have traveled wearing a Dexcom sensor. They pointed out that taking the transmitter off sensor has a fairly good chance of dislodging the sensor wire - YDMV.