Adoption update & 3 years pancreas-free!

I have exciting news to share now and in the near future. I don't want YOU to miss out! Please, please, please become a companion dancer (aka a follower of this blog. When you sign up, you will receive a message directly in your email alerting you about new posts).

First of all, last month marked three years of being pancreas-free! This past year has certainly been the easiest post-surgery year and has gone by the fastest.

Some noteworthy progress:

• no pancreas related ER visits in the past twelve months (only ER trip was for a kidney stone)

• 21 months since I last needed insulin

• I am working part-time as a math tutor at a local community college and absolutely love it! (My body still requires at least an hour nap each day. However, I am extremely grateful for the strength to work and a job I am passionate about. Having a routine is also nice.)

I completed the first draft of my memoir. My goal is to publish by the end of 2016. Another good reason to become a follower is so you stay in the know.

Lastly, and what I think is the most exciting news, is our adoption journey update. God has continued to open and close doors. We now feel called to become foster parents (which are now called resource parents). While I can't post a picture or provide a ton of details, I can let you know when we receive our first foster child.

Have you signed up to be a follower to this page? What are you waiting for?

My prayer requests are:

1) For God's help to celebrate each day (it is easy to focus on the future and become anxious).

2) For God's wisdom and discernment with future publishing and parenting decisions.

How can I pray for you? It is always my honor to pray for others. Let me know if anything is heavy on your heart.

Stay tuned for more praises and answers to prayer!

Hope you have a great leap year day!

Encouraging news for those considering the TP/AIT

Reading blogs and talking to a woman who had the Total Pancreatectomy with Auto Islet Transplant (TP/AIT) surgery has provided me a lot of insight and encouragement. I want to pay it forward.

I am now three years pancreas-free and have some good news to share!

1) My endocrinologist commented this month that she couldn't believe how well I am doing considering how long ago I had the surgery. Most patients doing this well have had the surgery more recently. I see this as a clear indicator of continued progress and improvements in the medical field.

2) I have been wondering about how long my islet cells might continue to produce insulin. I asked members of a private Facebook page for individuals without a pancreas to let me know if they had the surgery before 2013 and what their insulin use was like. I had several responses, including one individual who is 7 years out and does not need insulin every day. Woohoo! It is unknown how long the islet cells will work in the liver, but I take this as very encouraging news.

3) Starting January 1, 2016 I completely removed gluten from my diet and my issues with diarrhea ended. I am overall feeling much better with significantly less bloating and gas. I love bread, so this was a hard decision. However, with all of the gluten-free products in the grocery store I don't feel deprived.