We are in Minnesota getting ready to leave for Florida! The visit here was spectacular! Three years ago we came here with fear and uncertainty and today we have joy and excitement.
The visit started out with blood work. Lots of lab specimens. The clinic at the hospital is very efficient and this year very careful because of the covid. Masks are required and social distancing the rule. After the blood draw, up to the third floor to drink boost (2 bottles of it), this test was to determine how good the islet cells are performing. Over the next two hours, it was back to the lab so the vampires and take more blood. The first hour should show a rise in blood sugar and the second hour it dropping back to normal. While waiting Sue was able to see the results from her first labs. Everything was on the button. PERFECT! It made for a slow day as we waited for the second blood draw. as time passed more blood work results became available. A1C was 5.7 – Excellent. Then it happened… The C-peptides which tell the function of islet cells first showed .07. Utoh! She thought the islet cells were dead! Sue was totally distraught.
We went out for lunch. Three blocks away was University Ave with lots of food shops. We went to a bagel shop got some bagels which sufficed for lunch. We walked around a little. It was Thursday and that evening was the season-opening football game for the University of Minnesota Gophers. It was kinda neat to be there among the excitement of the first football game of the year and the expectation by the students of their team’s anticipated win.
It was back to the clinic for a scheduled bone density test. This became another disappointment. The test could not be done. The Dexcom device that Sue has that monitors her sugar levels would most likely be damaged during the test, and she just put it on the day before, with no others to put on if this one was damaged meant the test could not be done. Now, this was getting to Sue. She spoke to her mother to tell her how things were going and together they pronounced the islet cells dead and buried. What was she going to do now, how will her life change yet again? So, to confirm her beliefs that the islet cells were indeed dead, Sue has been having serious lows with her blood sugars, like 40’s and a 38 for the past two weeks, and lows in the 50’s and 60’s for the past 2 months. So, they are dead, done deal… The afternoon stretched on more test results were coming in and the C-peptides second reading was 2.5. I did some research and found out that the range was from .05 to 2.7. Now we really need a doctor to explain this. Time ticked by, Sue was depressed and the next event which was the last for the day was late in the afternoon to see Doctor Beilman.
We were in the examining room. This organization is amazing. The family is welcome to accompany the patient(within reason I am sure). It supports the patient and eases the mind of the family knowing what’s going on and how things are. Doctor Beilman came in. It was so exhilarating and uplifting because he was just as excited to see Sue as we were to see him. Hugs all around (I know social distancing but at the moment…) and “so glad to see you’s” and the next thing Dr. Beilman said was Sue you look GREAT! Tears of joy filled Sue’s eyes. Then he said tell me how your life is going. Ok, this would turn into a book if I detailed this so for that I will leave it to Sue to write about in her own time. Sue filled Dr. Beilman in on everything. Low blood sugars, difficulties with her digestive tract, some pains here and there, and the hernia surgery. “Is that all? That doesn’t seem like a long list to me,” was Dr. Beilman’s exclamation with a smile behind the mask I am sure. Dr. Bielman examined Sue (see the picture) and then looked over her test results. The pains are normal as long as they are not in conjunction with constipation, the hernia is doing well and the fluid will go away. She can only lift a maximum of 25-30 from now on, but that’s ok, and then the C-peptides! The dead islet cells! Sue was tearing up, but to her surprise, Dr. Beilman told her they were excellent! Just what he expected. “You had a good load of islet cells and it looks like they are doing very well.” Tears of joy from Sue as relief overcame her got her another hug from Dr. Bielman. He knew she was so worried and that made the day. To help, Louise, one of Dr. Beilman’s coordinators was trying to set up an appointment with Dr. Bellin the endocrinologist to see about the sugar lows, but Dr. Beilman expected that lowering the Lantis (the long-acting insulin) would probably do the trick but he would let Dr. Bellin make the call. The data from the Dexcom was sent to her. That turned the day from sadness to complete happiness. The visit lasted 30 to 40 minutes but those were the best minutes of the day. We missed Emily, Dr. Beilman’s surgical coordinator, she was away for family reasons but we understand. Together Dr. Beilman, his medical staff of associate doctors, Louise and Emily are the greatest team. Team Beilman!
It was time to part. Again hugs all around and Dr. Beilman said he would like to see Sue again next year. Monitoring her progress I am sure is a good feeling for Dr. Beilman as well. To see how well Sue is doing is a great reward for him, as well.
The reason I write this much detail is because it is hard to find such a good doctor and Dr. Beilman is the best by all means. He knows what he is doing he takes so much interest in the patient and their lives as well as their illnesses and it is clear it helps him determining how he can best help the patient.
Doctor Bellin reached out to Louise and she, in turn, reached out to Sue to lower the Lantis by two units to 6 units per day. A remarkably low amount and a great indication of how well this TP-IAT is going.
So tomorrow we go home and Sue will be enjoying many good things each day worrying a little less because her islet cells are doing, great!
One sad note, the Gophers lost that night…
Dr. Beilman checking the surgical area.
The UofM Health Clinic.
