Woot! Yea, verily, triple woot!

Today the journey has a new starting point.  I went to KU Med to see if I qualify for a research study of Type II patients, currently taking the meds I'm on and possibly adding a third.  They drew blood, did an ecg, measured, weighed and poked and prodded me.  I gave them copies of all my lab work, chart notes, etc. I met Dr. Robbins and Debbie, my new CDE.  They're both extremely nice and made me feel very comfortable.

Dr. Robbins asked me to have my Dr. order a lab test, because he can't do it as part of the study.  I asked, what test is that?  "A blood test, I'll write it down for you."  He continued, "with your atypical presentation, I'd like to confirm that you actually are a Type II."  WHAT?  Really? 

He continued to explain how the study works, praised my hard work in getting my A1c down from 13.7 to 8.3 in just 6 months, marveled at the corrections I'd been able to make to my cholesterol readings in that same 6 months and overall talked about what a healthy specimen I am.

I had mentioned to Debbie (CDE) that I could feel whenever my BG was changing.  It feels very different when it comes down than when I've just finished eating and it's headed north.  Usually, within 20-30 minutes of eating anything (and I DO mean ANYTHING) I get this strange pressure in my head, and glaze over for about 5 mins as the meal turned glucose hits my bloodstream.  After that, I can join into the conversation again. It's funny, my hubby can tell too. . and responds, with "well, there it is. . "

After a few minutes of conversation, I asked. . "what was so atypical about my presentation?"  He said that generally Type II doesn't come on so suddenly.  There's usually a time of  BG creeping up, a general sense of not feeling well.  Mine just sort of hit me all at once.  Also, he said that Type II's don't generally feel their BG rising and falling as I do.  He's asking for a GAD65 Antibody that will determine whether my body is producing antibodies that fight my Islet cells and keep me from producing enough insulin, steadily to handle what I eat.

So, the bad news is. . I may not qualify for the study, if this indeed, is the case.  The GREAT news is. . they'll know what is going on, FINALLY, and be able to treat me accordingly.  YAY!  This doesn't reduce any of the work I've put in to self-managing my condition, but, it will make that hard work much more efficient!

Here's where I give credit to @Diabetic_Iz_Me and @devilishly_diab for their apt twitter diagnostic skills. Holla!

So, as @rpederse responded on twitter this morning upon hearing the news: Woot!  Yea, verily, triple woot!  Indeed!