Dear Family and Friends,
I have been presented with an opportunity to participate in a diabetes research study at the University of Florida. They are seeking 15 newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetics. Dr. Mike Haller who is a graduate of Duke University is very excited about this opportunity and is optimistic about preserving beta cells.
I try to be as independent as possible, and in the end this my decision and my decision only. I am asking my family and friends though for advice, opinions on the study, and most of all support. If you are reading this then I obviously value your opinion and would love to hear from you. You can email me at: KDJohnson86@Gmail.com or if you have a facebook account feel free to private message me on there.
The research study takes place at Shands\University of Florida, and it lasts a total of two years. This study does not reverse diabetes and it is very clear about that. However there is a chance that it may be able to preserve some of the beta cells my body has not killed off yet and that can help me in the future from having to increase my insulin doses higher.
I feel like I have an obligation to help out in this research. I may be able to help a future diabetic and that really means a lot to me. Dr. Haller and I have been in contact over this past week and he has ensured me that I will be able to successful continue nursing school while participating in his research study.
I am going to copy and paste the information about the study below so everyone has the opportunity to read it if they wish. Like I said above please let me know what you think about it. I really need your help!
ATG/GCSF Clinical Trial
What is the ATG/GCSF Study?
This is a new interventional study for people with established type 1 diabetes (T1D). The primary purpose of the study is to determine if giving the combination therapy consisting of Thymoglobulin® (ATG) and Neulasta® (pegylated GCSF) to patients with established T1D is safe. The secondary purpose is to determine if giving ATG plus GCSF to patients with established TID will preserve insulin production.
Who can participate?
Participants must have well established T1D with a time from diagnosis of greater than 4 months but less than 2 years. The age range for participants is age 16 or greater and less than 45 years of age. The first three subjects must be at least 18 years of age and less than 45 years of age.
What do I have to do as a participant?
If you meet screening requirements (separate study visit) you will be admitted to the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) at Shands Hospital at UF for 3-4 days for the ATG infusion. The GCSF will be given beginning at the end of the infusion, and then every 2 weeks for a total of 6 doses. There are 12 follow-up visits at 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 10 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months. Beginning with the 3 month visit, a mixed meal tolerance test (except for the 9 month visit) will be done at each visit along with blood tests at all visits. All follow-up visits take place at the GCRC.
You are more than welcome to read over the consent form also, in fact I would prefer if you did. This way you can get more of an idea of what the study is about and how it can affect the participant. Visit the website at: http://diabetes.ufl.edu/files/2010/03/ATG-Consent.pdf
I am undecided about this study right now and I need some more opinions and some time to think all of it over before I can make a decision. I know the doctors and scientists at UF are a great group of people who are striving to make this world diabetes free!
I look forward to hearing from you all! Thanks again for your continued support.
Love,
Kimberlee
Monday, September 13, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
We need you to recognize
This morning I read a story that is in a way similar to other stories I have read recently. The story was about a Type 1 diabetic that became hypoglycemic. This is a woman who usually wore her diabetic identification bracelet but had misplaced it that morning. She also usually carried glucose tablets wherever she went but had forgotten to grab them on the way out the door for her morning walk.
In her story she tells about it being cold. She says that there was thick snow on the ground and that she struggled to walk through it. She started to feel as if her blood sugar was getting low and she was thankful when she saw a fire station up ahead. All she wanted was a coke, or something to raise her sugar.
When she reached the station her sugar was so low that it was hard for her to express to the fireman exactly what was happening to her body. He immediately thought she was drunk and he called the police.
The police also thought she was drunk and took her to the county jail where she was booked and spent the next 7 days. She was wearing an insulin pump that eventually ran out of insulin. She says she threw the pump out of her cell and onto the ground and begged for a doctor. They took the pump and locked it up with her belongings and told her a doctor would not be at the jail until Monday, and this was on a Thursday.
She claims that her family was there everyday pleading with the police. She says that she became so sick that she started vomiting. She refused to eat or drink while she was there because she was so scared. When the doctor finally arrived on Monday he took her out of her cell and into a private room where she could receive saline. He did not check her sugar, nor give her insulin.
After she received the saline a lawyer was finally allowed to see her. He was able to get her sent to the hospital. When she arrived someone finally checked her sugar and it was 427, high..yes, but luckily not higher. It was there that she finally received insulin and saline to rehydrate her.
I tell you this story because there are too many stories like this out there. People are uneducated about diabetes. They are not aware of the symptoms and most often mistake hypoglycemia as being intoxicated. It saddens me, and worries me that these stories exist.
I ask again that you please be aware of the signs and symptoms because you never know when you might be the one to have to save some one's life.
Hypoglycemia:
Cold sweat
Fast or pounding heartbeat
Shaking
Nervous, excited
Drowsy
Personality change
Irritability
Confusion
Poor coordination
Slurred or slow speech
If you can, take some time to familiarize yourself with these symptoms. Thank you for your time.
-Kimberlee
In her story she tells about it being cold. She says that there was thick snow on the ground and that she struggled to walk through it. She started to feel as if her blood sugar was getting low and she was thankful when she saw a fire station up ahead. All she wanted was a coke, or something to raise her sugar.
When she reached the station her sugar was so low that it was hard for her to express to the fireman exactly what was happening to her body. He immediately thought she was drunk and he called the police.
The police also thought she was drunk and took her to the county jail where she was booked and spent the next 7 days. She was wearing an insulin pump that eventually ran out of insulin. She says she threw the pump out of her cell and onto the ground and begged for a doctor. They took the pump and locked it up with her belongings and told her a doctor would not be at the jail until Monday, and this was on a Thursday.
She claims that her family was there everyday pleading with the police. She says that she became so sick that she started vomiting. She refused to eat or drink while she was there because she was so scared. When the doctor finally arrived on Monday he took her out of her cell and into a private room where she could receive saline. He did not check her sugar, nor give her insulin.
After she received the saline a lawyer was finally allowed to see her. He was able to get her sent to the hospital. When she arrived someone finally checked her sugar and it was 427, high..yes, but luckily not higher. It was there that she finally received insulin and saline to rehydrate her.
I tell you this story because there are too many stories like this out there. People are uneducated about diabetes. They are not aware of the symptoms and most often mistake hypoglycemia as being intoxicated. It saddens me, and worries me that these stories exist.
I ask again that you please be aware of the signs and symptoms because you never know when you might be the one to have to save some one's life.
Hypoglycemia:
Cold sweat
Fast or pounding heartbeat
Shaking
Nervous, excited
Drowsy
Personality change
Irritability
Confusion
Poor coordination
Slurred or slow speech
If you can, take some time to familiarize yourself with these symptoms. Thank you for your time.
-Kimberlee
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