[RSeymour]

I'm a type 1 diabetic, I had JD for 26 years with little or no problems at all, then one day in 2002 I found out that my kidney function was at 80%, by September of 2002 I was at 23%, by October I was learning about dialysis using a perennial catheter, on Thanksgiving Day of 2003 I received a live kidney transplant at UVA Hospital, a year later in November of 2004 I received a pancreas from a young man who had died in an automobile accident the day before Thanksgiving and UVA called an told me that his parents had given permission to use his organs to give those in need a second chance of living a healthier life, I received his pancreas, every Thanksgiving and every day I say a special prayer for that family for their kindness for that special gift that I received that day that gave me a chance to be a dad again for my kids, to be there for them. This November it would have been 8 years ago I received that transplant, but unfortunately in October of 2013 my pancreas failed I was in the hospital for a week for pancreatitis, "pancreas failure", I'm thankful for those 8 wonder years of enjoying a life of experiencing foods, sweets and other great things that as a type 1 I could never taste, but believe it or not I felt guilty after the pancreas transplant of eating things that I was told in the beginning not to eat. Well now I'm back as a type 1 again and it's like riding a bicycle I never forgot what I was taught and boy have things really have changed, the new advances in medicines, the new glucose meters and I'm getting excited about getting an insulin pump, wow have they changed, I still have my old ones that I got a long time ago, holly cow that technology didn't exist back then, wow it blows me away to see all that technology put into a small device. Again a special prayer to that special family who gave me that gift 8 years ago, I will never forget and I will forever keep you in my prayers and thoughts for your kindness, may God bless you this holiday and ever day for the gift that I received from your son.

[dano]

Welcome to the Forum!

Thanks for sharing your story. Good luck with your control and management.