Politics and Diabetes
I know this is off topic — and I’m willing to take the hit.
Last week, George Bush vetoed the embryonic stem cell legislation. He
felt it better that unused embryos be sent to the garbage than used
for research. There were not enough votes to override this first Bush
veto.
Stem cell research holds so much promise for disease cures that its
supporters are called "pro-cure".
As this political season heats up, I beseech all of you to remember
this issue, along with the other issues you consider in deciding for
whom to vote. The results of stem cell research could save your life,
or that of someone you love. While stem cell research would likely
benefit Type 1 diabetics more than type 2s, the potential is still
there. But a lot of the secondary complications of both types of
diabetes (stroke, heart disease, neuropathy, etc) could be treated if
the research panned out.
If you don’t know how your reps voted, you can check on house dot gov
and senate dot gov.
You didn’t get diabetes because of politics, but your future due to
diabetes can well be influenced by the politics of stem cell research.
Jessica
March 27th, 2005 at 4:28 am
I don’t think this issue is off-topic as it is so
related to diabetes. If Andrew approves, I think we
can discuss stem cell research so long as we don’t get
into bashing certain politicians/political parties.
My father is totally blind as a result of diabetic
retinopathy. My retinologist, who is also a
researcher at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston,
said that the only help for my dad at this stage is
stem cell research. Since my dad is 80, it may not be
available under the best of circumstances in time to
help him but I sure hope it is.
By the way, my retinologist said so long as I maintain
good BG and BP and see him regularly so we can catch
things as they occur, there is little chance I will go
blind. (I have non-proliferative retinopathy.) New
treatments are being approved all the time.
March 27th, 2005 at 1:53 pm
No –I’ll take the hit for it — I knew the rule and my heart
overwhelmed my head.
March 28th, 2005 at 7:14 am
YOu are very correct that it is off topic and probably better not to
start a discussion as it is a very personal matter and could get
really nasty really fast.
Please dont start answering this as it will only be reduced to a
political war which we dont need here.
Thanks in Advance
Ruby
Co-Mod
–
"Tread with gentleness and respect on the Sacred Land: within it are
March 29th, 2005 at 6:37 pm
Andrew, do you remember the name of the drug? ~Janie
> I don’t know if it applies to your father, but I heard on NPR
March 30th, 2005 at 2:08 pm
Andrew:
I am in Houston. Thanks for the info on the new
potential treatment.
Are you still walking several miles a day? How to
manage in this heat? I go inside in the summer to a
recumbent bike.