Angie Boyle's Blog   My Journey of a Pancreatectomy and Islet Autotransplantation

Wow, How time flies!  Its hard to believe that 2 years ago to the day I had an Islet-Auto transplant. Its a day for celebrating my new life.  2 years ago I was so ill and looking for a miracle.  A miracle that would make me better and give me chance at life again.  God answered my prayers with this surgery.

Although recovery was long and hard, it was worth it.  2 years ago I had extreme pain, could barely get off the couch, and wasn’t able to eat.  I also was having surgery every 4 to 6 weeks and taking a ton of pain medication. Today is completely different!  I am able to eat anything which is amazing.  I have no pain and I am off the couch. I am nearly off all medications.  I continue to gain strength and my outlook on life is incredible.

I am completely diabetes free. What a miracle!  My islets (Insulin cells) are doing exactly what they should.  I still check my blood sugar daily.  The reason for this is to make sure my blood sugar doesn’t get too high.  If my blood sugar did get to high it would mean my liver is no longer producing islets. But my blood sugar is absolutely normal!  

Today my journey is to live life.

Thanks to prayers being answered and the wonderful skills and gifts that the Lord gave my surgeons, doctors, and nurses who cared for me and believed in me. 

Today is a day for celebration! I’m so excited to say today is one year to the day of my Islet-Auto Transplant.  It has been a long and challenging year. I am truly blessed that god has given me a second chance on life. He’s so go! Through prayers and support by my family and friends I have made it a year.  It has not been easy, but its nice to truly mean” I feel good” for the first time in eight years.  If it wasn’t for the University of Minnesota Fairview Hospital I wouldn’t have this second chance on life. I want to thank Dr. Ty Dunn, Dr. Melina Belin, and Dr. Borja for their incredible talent and compassion.

This year has gone so fast and yet so slow.  Its only been the last three months that I have actually had energy and started to enjoy life and what this surgery has given me.  Its so great to enjoy food again. I have no pain what so ever while I eat or after . I never thought that would happen.  I still struggle with exhaustion and constipation from time to time, but its getting better each day. I’m so blessed to be able to share my journey with all of you! If it wasn’t for prayers and my faith I don’t know if I would have recovered so well. I hope my journey can help others.

I leave for U of M on Aug, 18 2012 for my one year check up. My appointments are on Aug 20, 21 st. I look forward to seeing my doctors and what they think when they see me. I hope they are impressed just as much as they were at my 6 month check up.  I aslo will be filiming with the public relations and marketing department while I’m there. I’m going to be a spokes person for Islet-Auto Transplant program. What an honor this will be. I will let you know when the video will be posted and when it goes on You Tube.

Have Fatih…Expect Miracles

Wow, so much has changed since the last time I posted any new information. Can you believe its been 8 months to the day since my surgery. It seems like time has flown by for the most part.

On December 4,2011 the day of my birthday I received the best news ever.  I woke up in the morning and did my normal blood sugar test, results showed 78 on my blood glucose meter. So I called my endocrinologist to see if we were going to lower my insulin and hopefully increase my carb in-take.  Dr. Bellin asked where I was at with my insulin, which she thought I was on 3 units of long lasting insulin. However I was only on 1 unit of insulin and 90 grams of carbs. So she told me to try going insulin free and stop counting carbs.  I couldn’t believe what she was saying, I asked if she was sure. I have been insulin free ever since. Doctors told me that I wouldn’t be insulin free for at least 6 months. That means I was 2 months ahead of schedule! Talk about the Best birthday news ever!  Its so nice to know that the Islet-Auto Transplant actually worked! God has given me and my family such a miracle. Praise God, he’s so good!

So my prayers were finally answered yesterday evening. I got the go head to remove my J-tube (feeding tube) at last. So my mom with assistance from a PA she works with at the hospital removed my tube.  I thought it was going to be very painful, but it wasn’t at all. The anticipation was way worse than the tube coming out.  It was actually more painful with the tube in than it coming out, but it did feel very weird.  The tube was a lot longer than I thought it was going to be. I will have a picture to show you in the next few days.  Praise the lord at 2 months too the day all of my tubes are finally gone.  I’m tube free at last!!!

Hey Everybody,

Sorry it’s been nine days since i’ve blogged.  Trying to adapt to being back home, getting caught up, and adapting to a new daily routine.  Being newly and hopefully temporarily diabetic is very challenging.  Between taking Lantus (Long acting insulin) once a day at noon, and doing corrections with Novalog (Regular or short acting ) after meals and snacks, it keeps you on a non-stop learning curve.  Being diabetic, counting carbs is essential since carbs directly effect your blood sugar.  Once i get to 45 carbs i have to take an extra unit of insulin to help keep my sugars normal.  Good news is we started correcting after 15 carbs so we are making headway.  Counting Carbs involves looking at the “Total Carbs” on the label and not the sugar.  Carbs are basically all foods except fats, proteins and oils.  Now I understand why so many diabetics struggle maintaining their diabetes, it’s like a full time job, lol.  I’ve had to check my blood sugars before meals and two hours after, usually 6-8 times a day.  My goal range for my blood sugar 80-120.  If i get lower than 80 i need sugar and if i go above 120 i need insulin.  Adjusting to this new routine has been very challenging, remembering everything is difficult.

Been having good days, but for every couple good days there has been a bad day, because of being tired and sore.  Unfortunately  still have my feeding tube but I am eating on my own.  Hopefully we will find out some time this week if we can take it out, i’ll keep you posted.

Talk to you soon,

Have faith expect miracles.

Made it home Wednesday afternoon after a long day of packing and traveling.  We barely had room to pack, when your gone somewhere for 50 days you accumulate a lot of stuff!  6 Bags plus two packages fed-exed home.  Needless to say after packing and traveling i was very sore and exhausted.  The Day after coming back was kinda rough, a lot of pain, weakness and exhaustion from the trip.  Seems like traveling takes a bigger toll when your not feeling well.  It still doesn’t seem real to be home.  My kitties were very upset but got over it quickly, thankfully.  It’s so good to be home and we were greeted with a big welcome!  Pictures coming this weekend.  And more updates………. 🙂

Angie