death of a pancreas

Could it be?  Is this really it?  Is it possible that 207 days post diagnosis Ellie's pancreas has finally stopped sputtering random doses of insulin?

Obituary of an Organ:


Ellie's pancreas, age 8 years 7 months, died sometime during the 3rd week in April; the probable cause being Type 1 Diabetes, an autoimmune disorder occurring deep in the Islets of Langerhans.
 Born June 8, 2002, in Des Moines, Iowa, Ellie's pancreas was healthy and strong; happily secreting hormones until an illness or environmental factor 'woke up' sleeping auto antibodies. These nasty cells were on a one way mission to seek out, wreak havoc and ultimately destroy the insulin producing beta cells of Ellie's now defunct pancreas.

Survivors include her longtime companion, the stomach, and her trusty sidekick, the small intestines. Ellie's pancreas was preceded in death by 8 baby teeth and too numerous to count hair follicles.

Neither a viewing or funeral services will not be held since Ellie's pancreas must remain in her body to provide various digestive juices as part of the exocrine system. The digestive 'team' is ever so thankful for this honorable contribution.

Memorial contributions are welcome and should be mailed to the researcher who is closest to finding a cure for Type 1 Diabetes

My hope, very truly, is that the rollarcoaster ride of Ellie's 'honeymoon' period of pancreatic functions are now kaput. 


The last couple of weeks required a decrease in Lantus (after months of .5 unit increment raises slowly spread out over weeks at a time), as her lows were begging to be lifted.  Slowly, ever so slyly, her blood sugars rose and remained stubbornly high until we tentatively began the process of increasing her basal insulin . . . now by full units at a time.

I can feel it.  The death of Ellie's pancreas is upon us and we are c-e-l-e-b-r-a-t-i-n-g the milestone with balloons and beef sticks.


Bu-Bye rollarcoaster of not-for-any-good-reason-but-a-sputtering-pancreas blood sugars!  Wish I could say I am going to miss you . . . . no, not really.

photo collage created by me; images lifted from DiabeTees

By the way, have you seen the T-shirts produced by DiabeTees?  Oh my.  How have I missed this site of awschumness?  Leave it to a UK business to come up with these fabulously snarky tees. (Hi Jules!)  How ace of 'em.  I am so daft when it comes to slang!

Off to bake a cake, or more apropos . . .  a beefcake, to celebrate the changing of the guards from Ellie's pancreas to whoever wishes to step in and save the insulin crisis.