Book Review: Cheating Destiny

This is a book that my mother suggested after hearing about it on a program on the radio. Sounded interesting. I decided to redirect some of my medical research for a bit. This time researching dh's disease. Though, as I read through the book, not only did I gain a lot of insight into his illness, I was struck by a lot of parallels to our other autoimmune disorder, Autism, and the treatment and research.

This was a good read. I enjoyed getting a chance to see into his world a bit and gain some more understanding about what he is dealing with. It has prompted me and reminded me to be a bit more proactive with his health as well as the children's. It takes a lot of support to deal with a chronic disease and I have kind of fallen into the habit of just letting him handle it.

The book is written by a man who has had Type 1 Diabetes for almost three decades, has a brother with Type 1 who is a doctor in the field, and who's three year old son has just been diagnosed. The book tells his and his son's story and how they deal with mananaging their blood sugars. It gives lots of history into the disease. The early starvation diet treatment, the discovery of insulin, new technology in pumps and monitors and research into a cure. Many stories of those who have lived with the disease and how they have beaten the odds or helped further awareness.

Some quotes that struck me. When his son is released from the hospital, newly diagnosed and is handed his insulin regiment, Mr. Hirsh notices that they have mixed up the order of his fast acting Humalog and slow acting, night time NPH and questions the nurse who takes it back and gets it corrected. He is later told by a ped endocronologist that "hospitals commit more serious errors on insulin than any other medication." It reminded me of when dh was in the hospital with pneumonia. The insurance company had him in as "out of control diabetes." Hmm, when you can't eat for days due to pneumonia, your blood sugars will be off! Though he did adjust his doages. Nurse gave him fast acting insulin an hour before the food arrived. By the time it arrived he was very low. He commented he would have been more in control at home! We did not allow them to give him any more shots until the food was in sight!

I was very interested in the point of view that would be presented on stem cell research. I was hoping he would give a balanced view. Nope. You know, I kind of got the feeling that people who's children have diabetes are more agressive toward it than patients, I don't know. At least that was their excuse. But they were very pro embryonic stem cells. The researcher (with two diabetic children) said that he believed it was a "waste of precious time and effort" to work with adult stem cells and that others are "spending huge amounts of money on things that are really just a shot in the dark." Hmmm, that's my opinion of his work. So far no one has done anything with embryonic stem cells, but adult stem cells have been proven to be useful.

I was equally disturbed a few pages later when the inevitable happened, they started working with cloning to get the cure they are looking for. Exactly we voted no against this kind of research. Not only is it murder, it leads to even more unethical practices.

As Maria C. Parker testified, stating that though her father died from diabetes he would have been against these practices, "science doesn't have to kill in order to cure." Of course when you take into account the animals that die, I don't think that is entirely true. There would be no insulin without death. But, we don't have to kill humans.

I found the research into figuring out the autoimmunity aspect fascinating. Not only does it not involve murder to kill, it seems to be the more sensible thing to do. Even the stem cell guy admits that creating new Beta cells is only half the cure. If the body is just going to kill them back off, what have you gained? Denise Faustman has cured diabetes in mice, by killing the defective cells that attacked the Beta cells. In the process, an unexpected thing occurred. The Beta cells actually regenerated after autoimmune problem was removed.

She battled for a long time to get the funding for the research that was approved by the FDA, to test this on humans. The big time Diabetes organizations fought her and tried to discredit her. Apparently they didn't like her making the other research useless! Apparently money and reputation are big factors in diabetes just like in Autism. Finding a cure is not always the goal. They presented the thought that some think that there is actually a cure out there already, but all the insulin and monitor manufactors don't want to not be needed anymore. Wow! That is a powerful charge! But given how much traditional medicine has faught biomedical treatment for Autism, it's not entirely out of the question. Anyway, thanks to Lee Iaccoca, she did finally get her funding and I am anxious to see what comes of it.

Tonight, I was thinking on another book that my mother showed me about this guy who claims that all diseases are spiritually based and he can cure anything by finding the spiritual problem underlying it. He has some bizzare thoughts and yet it is an interesting concept to explore. I was surprised at how spot on some of his observations where with different issues that people have with certain diseases. But is it a chicken or egg issue? Which came first, etc. Anyway, I was thinking about how dh is skeptical of anything that claims it can reverse Type 1 diabetes. Saying that the Beta cells can't suddenly start working. I have always agreed. Until this research. If the Beta cells will rejuvinate after the attack is gone, then it IS possible for the pancreas to heal! What if her approach is not the only way? Maybe other things can trigger rejuvination. Apparently the body has an amazing compacity to heal. If we can use biomedical treatment on Autism, why couldn't we also do biomedical treatment on other autoimmune diseases? I don't know, but I am no longer convinced that it is impossible to restore the beta cell function.

Which leads me to another question he raised? Why do the cells just attack the Beta Cells? Why in an autoimmune disease are only certain organs attacked? I guess some diseases are more widespread, but why do some only pick certain cells?

And I wonder too, as I think about the fact that autoimmune disorders are triggered by some environmental impact if the increase in young diabetic children is related to the increase autism. Why are so many children getting these diseases? What is happening to make their bodies work against them at such a young age?

Lots of mysteries.

Anyway, I could so relate to his complaining about sugary snacks being everywhere and parents having to deal with all the times their kids are tempted and offered forbidden treats. That's a road we have been on for the past year. Always having to refuse lollipops and rewards, and such. Society has really got a love affair with food and treats that is hard for people on restrictive diets to live with.
(Review written June 2007)