[shot caller]

I don't have diabetes but I am interested in learning more about this condition (the fact that I'm crazy about a girl who has type 1 may have helped somewhat ). anyway, this forum has been very helpful in providing un-biased information about diabetes unlike most of the frequently visited sites. at the risk of sounding overly optimistic, i'm assuming that there is a solution to most of the complications of diabetes. for instance an eye transplant, kidney transplant or a heart transplant can be done if the organs fail. an artifical limb or foot can be used if amputation is required. like i said earlier, i might be sounding very optimistic but if anyone can provide some input on the above, it could get a good discussion going.

[andypoo]

Thank goodness you are optomistic.That is very cool. You are an open minded individual who's interested in a girl that's diabetic and that's cool,too. If she watches and takes care of herself.she won't necesarilly have these problems. Sometimes though they come along with the territory,but yes they can be medically taken care of. Diabetics can live long,healthy,happy,normal lives and become contributing persons to society,just like any body else.And maybe even be more health consious than most. I think it's totally awesome that you took the time in coming on this forum,you must really care for this girl. Let her know you support her in her diabetes,but more important than that is that she take full responsibility for it,herself. I've had The big D for 38yrs. and I have had some problems,but I'm happy and content with my life,I have been married for 38 yrs.and my husband has always supported me,but ultimately it is the diabetic who must take hold of their own health.The medical field has come a long way and have made many improvements with the treatment of this disease.

[princesslinda]

Shot Caller:
Lucky girl to have someone such as yourself in her corner. I have a man at home who's crazy about me, too, and it has definitely made my life with diabetes much easier. I think it's great that you want to learn so much about it for her (and yourself).

I think it's logical to be optimistic about what the future holds for diabetes, as well as many other illness. With as many diabetics as there are and as many as there are predicted to be in the future, science will most surely be trying to find ways of better management. As for transplants and the like, such things were unheard of in the not so distant past. Look how far we've come medically and technicologically in a very short time.

I still think the best way to avoid potential complications is to have regular medical f/u and to strive for the best control possible, whatever you have to do to get that control. That way, hopefully we won't need the transplants at all.

[shot caller]

Thanks for the support. I am not trying to sound optimistic or anything of that sort. I've read posts about type 1s becoming blind or the kidney's failing so I wondered if there was a solution to their problems, ie translplants. 10-15 years ago, things were difficult for transplants bu nowadays, it's become a routine operation. anyone have anything to say in reponse to this?

[shot caller]

dudes and dudettes, i'm sure that someone can contribute to this thread and hopefully clear some misconceptions about complications.. for example, there is a thread about your biggest fear running at the moment. people are mentioning goig blind, kidney failure, etc. fine, this may happen but is there a solution to it, even if it does cost money.

[cheryl]

Hi shot caller,

First, call my hubby up and tell him how to be a real man Secondly, if your girl goes and get's her eyes checked every year like she should then they will pick up on anything that might be happening and there are treatments so we don't go blind....key hear is to keep going for the anuals, and trying to keep sugars as stable as possible. My bg's were all over forever, I have one broken vessel, no where near, my optical nerver or whatever he said.......so my eyes are still cool.....

Kidneys, same thing, they do blood work and such at dr's visits, keep um flushed with plenty of water, and also keeping sugars stable, then it is a higher percentage that their won't be complications either. Keeping an eye on things too, is the best bet to catch something early enough too......

By the way your a great guy "oh sigh", some girls are so lucky

Cheryl

[princesslinda]

Diabetes is a disease with the potential to affect every system in the body. T1 or T2, our goal is to avoid these complications for as long as possible by maintaining as tight a control on our blood sugar levels as possible through diet and/or excercise and/or meds and regular medical f/u. There are no guarantees that we won't develop complications at some point. We control what variables we can control and the rest is up to God. I think money might make it easier to buy supplies, better food and medical care, but money is not going to make you complication-free...any more than money insuring you will live to be 100 or never develop cancer/heart attack or stroke.

If $$ was the solution to being complication-free, Luther Vandross and other "rich" people would still be alive today.

[shot caller]

Great Guy!! Lol. Seriously, i'll only be a great guy if i decide to be with her and support her no matter what happens. otherwise, i'm no different than any other guy (just a bit informed about diabetes but that's it). I know that controlling bg levels is not a guarantee to a complication-free life but there's no guarantee in life. what i want to know is that in case complications do develop and if money is no object, can transplants or other treatments be used to solve or reverse the complication?

[cheryl]

Yes it can be used to resolve or reverse problems but only short term if the person going thru all that is not keeping there blood sugars controlled other wise it will be an ongoing battle.....

cheryl

[LancetChick]

It isn't as cut and dried as kidney-poops-out-get-new-one. If your girlfriend's blood sugars are so poorly controlled that she goes blind, has kidney failure or needs a foot amputation, then that will certainly not be her only problem. Uncontrolled blood sugars mean the complications just keep on coming unless you really start managing things more strictly. I think I recall you saying on another thread that your girlfriend's last A1c was 6.9 (?), which in my opinion is not good control, although many would argue with that. I say that because I started developing complications with an A1c in the low 6's. If she does start to develop complications, she can reverse them before they get to the extremes you're talking about, if she's willing to tighten her control. If she is willing, then you're wasting your time worrying about kidney transplants.