From Type 1 Diabetes to a Second Chance: Robin's Journey with Islet Cell Transplant

A Misdiagnosed Beginning

• 💡 Robin was diagnosed with diabetes at age 22 while newly pregnant, but faced significant confusion and misdiagnosis, including a false positive HIV test and initial assumptions of gestational diabetes.
• ⚠️ It took three months to clear the HIV scare and another hospitalization to confirm she likely had Type 1 diabetes, though she was initially treated with oral medication and later insulin without a clear diagnosis.

Navigating Life with Type 1 Diabetes

• 💔 Robin's journey through multiple marriages was fraught with challenges, including an ex-husband with bipolar disorder who allegedly tampered with her insulin pump and another who was abusive and unfaithful.
• 🩺 Despite these personal struggles, Robin remained diligent in managing her diabetes, often using MDI (Multiple Daily Injections) until her late twenties before adopting an insulin pump.
• 📉 A significant health scare arose when her kidney function (GFR) dropped below 40, leading to a diagnosis of kidney issues, which surprisingly resolved after she left her second ex-husband.

The Path to a Transplant

• 🔬 Through her endocrinologist, Robin learned about islet cell transplant research at the University of Chicago, specifically with Dr. Coutior Wacowski.
• 🏥 After rigorous testing, she qualified for a clinical trial involving islet cells transplanted into mesh pouches in her abdomen, followed by a later transplant into her liver portal vein.
• ✨ The final transplant on October 9, 2024, resulted in her becoming diabetes-free, a profound change after living with Type 1 diabetes for 18 years.

Life After Transplant

• ✅ Robin is now on anti-rejection medication and has an A1C of 5.1, experiencing a life free from constant diabetes management and the associated anxiety.
• 🚀 While she still wears a CGM out of habit and some lingering anxiety, she can now enjoy foods she previously avoided and has experienced significant improvements in her quality of life and that of her children.
• ⚠️ Robin emphasizes that the transplant is not a magical cure and requires ongoing management of anti-rejection medications, but she would undergo the process again due to the life-altering benefits and reduced risk of complications.