Re: Much to be thankful for

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the words......I feel very fortunate. I have had Type II Diabetes

for 15 or 16 years and I am on many types of oral medication. The combination

of the meds, exercise, and diet have helped me keep my diabetes under very good

control.

With my new challenge of living with CML (April 30th of 2010), or opportunity,

depending upon how you view life, I am reacting very well to this wonderful

medication, Gleevec, and everything seems to be well under control.

I certainly did not mean to minimize the tests or elevated creatine levels in

the previous thread. I have been doing Triahlons for 8 years and finally

accomplished my goal of doing an Ironman Triathlon during my 50th year of life!

When I go in for my blood tests for my diabetes, I am constantly elevated in my

protein levels and I think have established a new, " normal " elevated count!

I continue to do research and educate myself on both of my diseases, but not

many physicians know about how the body reacts to the chronic disease of

Diabetes and CML, the long-term effects of the oral medications, and my chronic

obsession with exercise......as you say...Carpe Diem!

I would never wish a disease such as CML on anyone, but for me it has been a

life changing experience. I am so lucky to have Diabetes and monitor it on a

quarterly basis......otherwise, I wouldn't have found the leukemia at a fairly

early stage, and at a relatively young age (50). I am so lucky to have such a

slap in the face disease like CML in order to learn how to live life again!

When you don't know what the future holds, you are somewhat forced to live in

the moment, and what a blessing that brings to the table!

All of you are a wonderful inspiration to me! Keep on living!

>

> Thanks to Tom Ratzlaff for reminding all of us how fortunate we are. CML is

not the

> dreaded disease it once was and if people can live with diabetes (another

chronic

> disease), then we also have a fighting chance with the advent of the new TKI's

to live a fairly normal life (with added alterations of course). Skip just

reminded us of that. He is beginning his 34th year and still enjoys life and

finds things to keep busy. He has shared his poetry with us, which is quite

personal, as he has lived what he has written. Thanks for sharing more of your

poetry, Skip. He has little to no platelets, but he has managed to hang in for

all these years.

>

> I don't know how many of you are familiar with the movie with Bette

entitled " All About Eve " , where she says, " Fasten your seat belts. It's going

to be a bumpy night. "

> All these years, I was thinking she said a bumpy ride, but I don't want to

amend her quote. Come to think of it, they didn't even have seat belts in cars

back then, maybe she was referring to an airplane ride. Anyway, her quote is

quite accurate, as I'm sure we have all experienced some bumpy nights. Just

when the water seems to be the deepest and darkest, someone sends us a life

raft. I owe my longevity to support

> groups, I learned so much more about CML than I ever did in a doctor's office.

The people sitting there are clueless and the ones I started out with are no

longer here. To me that is a testament to staying informed and expecting more

than the status quo. Sometimes it is necessary to change doctors, as I did this

past year. Whatever you

> have to do, go with your gut and if you are on the inside looking out, it is

far better than

> being on the outside looking in. Here's to good health for everyone.

>

> Carpe Diem,

> Lottie Duthu

>

>

>

>

>

>

>