Bill, it is most appreciated if you allow this in the list.  If not, I
most certainly understand.  After all, I don't want to take away from the
ferrets, either.  But...
 
[Moderator's note: Right.  Hi, Sonya (sorry about the name yesterday!) --
I think this post does have some info pertinent to fuzzbeans but don't want
to open the forum to the discussion of general human heath care practices
either, of course.  Let's hope the post is useful for some (ferrets :-))
without starting a debate... BIG]
 
Diabetes, whether Type I or II, IS well funded because of the "repeat"
business, as BIG pointed out.  Either one is, at some point, debilitating.
MANY serious and secondary complications eventually occur in affected
individuals.  The damage caused is usually silent for many years before
being "caught".  Type I is an autoimmune disease, while Type II can be
caused by hereditary and/or lifestyle choices.  Type I requires multiple
insulin injections, daily.  Type II can usually be managed with diet,
exercise and oral medication.
 
I won't go into it here, but VERY little is allotted toward research for
a cure, for Type I.  And... there is one!!!!  I'm not referring to
transplants, either.  Even though annual treatment costs far exceed those
for breast cancer and AIDS combined.  Most of the manufacturers of the
supplies and medications do not want a cure.  IF anyone is interested, you
can check out www.insulin-free.org for these statistics and more.
 
This also reminds me of something having to do with ferrets and too clean
of an environment, which was posted by Sukie around Sept/Oct.  A study
involving different living conditions and exposure to illnesses, viruses,
bacteria etc. was done regarding Type I.  It suggested that too clean of
an environment can play a part in developing the disease.  Hence, the
immune system hasn't had to deal with very much or work very hard, prior
to being challenged by something so serious.
 
BTW, my transplant was in Jan. of 99.  When Renny, directly and indirectly,
helped me make it through.  I needed her then, just as much as I do now.
Sure wish she was here.
 
Sonya
(NOT Robert)
[Posted in FML issue 2921]