Blogaversary 2 on World Diabetes Day 2014

Spinnaker Tower on World Diabetes DayIt’s hard to believe yet another year has gone by in the Diabetes world, here’s a little bit about what’s been going on.

But first, it’s my blog’s birthday; 2 years old today (well actually yesterday but let’s not worry about that minor fib). Its visits have doubled since the first year’s statistics: I’m pretty darn amazed with that. What really pleases me is that I can see from the stats that people have searched Google and found the answers in my site, that’s kind of why I started it in the first place.

In December 2013 my daughter Emilia decided to take part in the TrialNet study at Bournemouth. It was two long months before we found out her results (and mine) were negative which pleased us, although we were saddened to hear that a friend’s result was positive.

Christmas and Amy’s Diaversary (29th Dec) came and went and her 6 month old Animas Vibe insulin pump made life easier during the festive period.

Amy and KevEarly in the new year I started my shifts as a national peer supporter for Diabetes UK, answering phone calls once a week and helping people find solutions to problems, or giving them ideas from the experiences we’ve had in the family. It’s proved to be really rewarding.

AccuChekInsight1March was a whirlwind on a particular day, the 15th, which saw us have two back-to-back diabetes events, doing their impressions of buses and policemen (none around, then there’s two). The first was an education day held by the local Type 1 families group Seahawks where amongst many other things I got to check out Roche’s latest pump, the Insight. It a great event and I was sad to rush away from just after lunch. But rush we must as Amy was doing a sponsored Indoor Skydiving in aid of JDRF along with lots of kids we knew pretty well; she loved it, every minute of it.

dblogweek squareIn May I joined in with blog week and I remember how nervous I felt when releasing my poem for Tuesday’s entry: A Childhood All Gone. It turns out I needn’t have been so nervous and I think that’s turned out to be my most favourited/Retweeted/Liked blog post ever.

flatline-dayEarlier in March Animas got the green light for use of the Vibe pump with Dexcom CGM for children, something we’d be waiting for since June the previous year. One year after getting her pump Amy went live with CGM and what an eye-opener that turned out to be.

twitteravatarJune also saw me cycling 100km around London overnight with a group of friends in the Nightrider charity event, where my local group of 8 raised £2700 for JDRF. On the plus side the training for it and switching to a healthier diet has also seen me shed 1.5 stone.

My personal highlights for this last year though involve each one of my kids. First Amy spoke in front of hundreds of Paediatric Health Care Professionals in a transition chat set up by the wonderful Dr Kar from QA Hospital in Portsmouth. Secondly, it was Emilia’s prom and a combination of pride and tiredness (from Dad-taxi pick ups at 3am) made me quite reflective: The Forgotten Sibling.

TrialNet – an eagerly awaited result

On December 3rd last year, Emilia and I signed up for TrialNet, giving a small blood sample at the Bournemouth Diabetes and Endocrine Centre. We were quite nervous about the day and even more nervous about the result which we wouldn’t find out for ages.
It could take up to three months, it took almost that.

The results arrived yesterday by letter.
Both of us are negative; that’s a good thing.

Affecting the whole family

Only yesterday did I understand the full impact of the anticipation of the result.
Jane text me to let me know the letters had arrived so I’d already figured out that we’d both be negative, otherwise we’d have had a phone call to discuss the results. Arriving home I opened the letters to check and took Emilia’s result to show her, but I bumped into Amy first. Amy read the letter and the look of relief of her face surprised me, she was so relieved that her sister was in the clear for at least a while longer. I don’t know why I never realised how much this would affect Amy, I wish I had as we could have discussed her worries.
Emilia whilst pleased with the result said that it just meant she had a year of not worrying, that she’d have to go again in a year. Clearly no celebration as such, just a mild relief, but we discussed that she doesn’t have to go every year, unless she chooses to. I think she will.

What’s next in the trial?

As part of the trial they’d like to retest Emilia in December, one year after her last test.
For me it’s all over as in December I’ll be too old to take any further part in the trial.

Want to find out more about TrialNet

If you want to find out more about TrialNet visit the UK web site here.

TrialNet – Do I really want to know if I may get Type 1 Diabetes?

Today, Emilia, myself and a friend are taking our first steps into clinical trials called TrialNet to see if it’s likely that we may develop Type 1 Diabetes soon.
I think it’s fair to say that we’re all slightly nervous.

What it TrialNet?

TrialNet is a global research project into how Type 1 Diabetes occurs. There are centres in many countries, with Bristol being the main one in the UK but with others joining in including Bournemouth where we’re going today. I believe Portsmouth which is also local to us will be joining in soon.
I first found out about TrialNet via the #DOC (diabetes online community) but it was only following a talk by Dr Kathleen Gillispie at the JDRF Discovery Day in Bristol in April that I started looking into it properly.

Do I really want to know?

Once I started looking at TrialNet the question arose of whether I really wanted to know the answer it might provide.
Quite simply the answer is ‘yes’, although it’s taken me months of questioning myself to make sure I’m sure about this.
The result could go either way but it’s more likely Emilia and I will get the all clear and that would save a few years of worrying. If it turns out either of us are positive for the antibodies then we can proceed on to Stage 2 of the trial, if we choose. It’s important to note that we can opt out at any time.
Initially I signed up, hoping that Emilia might choose to but not really expecting that to happen. I’m pleased that she’s decided to come too as I’m sure she’s been silently worrying about her chances of getting Type 1.

The ‘Natural History Study’ trial

We’re taking part in the Natural History Study where anyone between 5-45 (yes I am young enough, just) with a parent, sibling or child can take part. It’s also open people aged 5-20 who have a cousin, aunt, niece, nephew or grandchild. Quite how a twenty year old can end up with a grandchild with Type 1 I can’t quite work out but presumably if a grandparent has Type 1 and the parents are too old to take part any grandchild can.
We’re visiting the Bournemouth Diabetes and Endocrine Centre today as it’s only 45 minutes drive away but if you don’t have a local centre then you can send your blood sample via post; contact your nearest TrialNet centre to discuss the options.

Helping each other

I know very little about clinical trials but I’ve always imagined that they’re all about the research and little about the person taking part. With TrialNet this definitely isn’t the case as all three of us will ultimately find out whether we’re likely to develop Type 1 Diabetes soon or not.
More importantly we’re helping the trial and I feel this is vitally important to help the scientists learn more and ultimately find a cure or preventative medicine.

Want to find out more about TrialNet

If you want to find out more about TrialNet visit the UK web site here: http://www.bris.ac.uk/trialnet-uk/index.html.