Diabetes Reversed

     It is reported from out of Ottawa Canada that Canadian and U.S. scientists have " reversed" type-1 diabetes in mice

    In a phone interview with Reuters,  Dr. Hans Michael Dosch of the University of Toronto explained that Injecting a piece of protein, or peptide, to repair the defect cured diabetic mice "overnight."  More

                                ----------------------------------------------------

    This appears to be some promising research with these mice. Let us hope that it is as successful on humans when the test are finally under way! Those of you that do not have this disease cannot appreciate what news such as this does for a diabetic, especially type-1.

    I have been injecting insulin for 35 years because of this disease and nothing on this earth would make me happier than never having to stick a needle in my arms or legs again.

    Not to mention the fact that this disease is a lifelong killer of an individual. Diabetes ravishes your entire body slowly leading to blindness, amputation, and a host of others.

    A few facts from Diabetes

    Diabetes was the sixth leading cause of death listed on U.S. death certificates in 2002. This ranking is based on the 73,249 death certificates in which diabetes was listed as the underlying cause of death. According to death certificate reports, diabetes contributed to a total of 224,092 deaths.

Diabetes is likely to be underreported as a cause of death. Studies have found that only about 35 to 40 percent of decedents with diabetes have diabetes listed anywhere on the death certificate and only about 10 to15 percent had it listed as the underlying cause of death.

   Overall, the risk for death among people with diabetes is about twice that of people without diabetes of similar age.

 

Complications of Diabetes in the United States

Heart disease and stroke

• Heart disease and stroke account for about 65 percent of deaths in people with diabetes.
• Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about 2 to 4 times higher than adults without diabetes.
• The risk for stroke is 2 to 4 times higher among people with diabetes.

High blood pressure

• About 73 percent of adults with diabetes have blood pressure greater than or equal to 130/80 mm Hg or use prescription medications for hypertension.

Blindness

• Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 20 to 74 years.
• Diabetic retinopathy causes 12,000 to 24,000 new cases of blindness each year.               More Info HERE

More Troops in Iraq

   According to an administration official, Mr. Bush is more than likely going to boost troops levels in Iraq by as much as 25,000  to try to stop the violence. 

    Also, the U.S. military may be sending The 2nd Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division into Kuwait after the new year. A senior Defense Department official told the Associated Press  that The 2nd Brigade, made up of around 3500 troops,would be deployed in Iraq early next year if needed.

   As much as I would like to see our men and women come home sooner rather than later, if the government is sending in more troops, this should have been done at least a year ago! It would have been nice if we had sent in enough to do the job right at the beginning of what has become our worst nightmare! Face the facts! Mr. Bush and company have pretty much started a civil war in Iraq!