No pig cell trials for youuuuu.

19 November 2008
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Just this minute got a call from Dr Baker’s team at Middlemore – the people who are carrying out NZ’s pig cell trials.

Unfortunately I am too young to be included in the entry criteria for the pig cell transplant trials – they are looking for type ones aged 35-65. They are doing pre-screening now, apparently – aiming to get underway ‘very soon’.

GOOD LUCK to those of you who meet the criteria and get chosen! Please email me and tell me how you’re getting on!

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By Nic on 19 November 2008 at 3.15 pm
Posted in Science & Research
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Bring on the artificial pancreata!

18 November 2008
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I was talking to our resident guest blogger Aaron the other day and wondering aloud what the plural of pancreas is. Look no further people, it’s the Italian dessert-sounding pancreata.

Anyway, that’s not what this post is about. This post is about a new study which is being done into creating an artificial pancreas, which responds in an intelligent way just like friends and families’ pancreases (pancreataaaah) do. WICKED!!

Five type ones have already been experimented on at the University of Virginia. Check it out here.

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By Nic on 18 November 2008 at 6.32 pm
Posted in Science & Research
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Yay! I don’t have diabetes!

18 November 2008
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If you read this and took a double take, you were right to – unfortunately I still have diabetes and the title of this post is about what other people have been saying to me lately.

I hate to moan, but last night I woke up in the night at 2.4, stumbled downstairs, ate some glucose, got up in the morning with a 15.4 (overdid the glucose I’m thinking) then went to the gym and had to keep an eye on my glucose all the way through class after taking a correction, then tried some new things with my pump (in relation to the exercise) all day, and now at 7pm I’ve taken 12 tests and had one recent hypo…

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By Nic on 18 November 2008 at 6.03 pm
Posted in Exercise, Hypos & Hypers, Pregnancy
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Guest Blog: Out the other side?

17 November 2008
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In belated celebration of world diabetes day my friend and I decided to plonk ourselves on my back lawn in the sunshine on Saturday over looking my daisy infested lawn and knock back a glass or two with some nice cheese and a baguette. One thing turned into another (i.e. one bottle turned into two) and we ended up getting slightly rouge as well as a little merry.

Inevitably, about 2 hours after she arrived we turned to the topic of diabetes (having done the CHO count of the baguette we had just demolished with an entire slab of Boursin) and it struck me just how far we’d come in such a short period. It felt like…

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By Aaron on 17 November 2008 at 1.56 pm
Posted in Slice of Life
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Welcome to Diabetes Awareness Week.

17 November 2008
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I’m sure that if you are reading this blog, you are already well aware of diabetes: whether it’s your own, someone in your family’s, or your patients’. However, this week is the chance to spread that awareness, help people out who might be in the dark, and hopefully raise some money which will either help New Zealanders get what they need for their diabetes, or help in the race to find a cure.

I don’t think I’ve ever actually observed this week. In my mind it was always just a bunch of old biddies down at the Diabetes Society selling cakes and handing out pamphlets. This year I’m going to actually judge for myself – I’ve taken a day off…

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By Nic on 17 November 2008 at 6.21 am
Posted in Community
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