Rug Burn Junky on 12/9/2009 at 20:42
Inline Image:
http://www.bluegrin.com/pictures/ttlg/tina.jpg..and you wouldn't want that on your conscience, would you?
While we're not supposed to spam or advertise here, I don't believe anything in TTLG's rules bans extortion or ransom demands, so I've decided to take that route instead since this issue is intensely personal for me.
As a few of you already know, my girlfriend is diabetic, diagnosed as a Type I (juvenile) diabetic at the age of 13. Had this been me, I have no doubt I would have curled up into a ball and succumbed to a Snickers induced coma soon thereafter. Not her, she never lets her condition hold her back. I'm consistently amazed at how tireless she is. At the age of 26, she's graduated from one of the top undergraduate programs in the country and already earned two masters degrees on her way towards an elite PhD in her field. All while balancing any number of other commitments - running a start-up tutoring company's NYC operations, directing personalized tours of the art museums in NYC, and now working as a research assistant for one of the most important scholars in her field.
In short, she is truly inspirational, even to a jaded cynical bastard such as myself. Everyone who's met her has been impressed by her resiliance, and she has a wider network of friends than anyone I know (I've lived in this city for 2/3s of my life, and we run into more of her friends randomly than my own). But as tough as she is, I get to see her vulnerable side: I watch her (and remind her to) test her blood sugar levels a dozen times a day; I see her wince as she changes the set for her insulin pump; I watched her get increasingly nervous over her new continuous monitor to test her blood sugar - both excited by its potential, and scared of the radical change in her routine; I've seen her anxiety before her check-ups - wondering if her doctor will detect the beginning of retinopathy or neuropathy; and I've gotten to know her blood levels simply by the way she's acting. With all that in mind, I want nothing more than to do whatever I can to help her do away with this burden.
Which brings me to my point. On October 4th, I'll be walking in the (
http://walk.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=extranet.personalpage&confirmID=87387454) JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes to raise money for research.
While the American Diabetes Association does some great work, a lot of their research and awareness goes into Type II diabetes, especially given the obesity epidemic of the past few decades. But while Type I and Type II diabetes are similar in their treatments, they are fundamentally different diseases. Type II mainly involves the body becoming desensitized to insulin, causing the mechanisms that produce insulin to become fundamentally out of whack, whereas Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease, in which the body's immune system suddenly decides to attack the cells responsible for the produciton of insulin.
The JDRF focuses exclusively on Type I diabetes research and awareness. Right now, they are getting closer and closer to not just improved treatments, but an actual cure. With recent advances in stem cell research, they've been able to regrow insulin producing cells in patients, but they haven't yet figured out a way to keep the body from attacking the cells without heavy doses of immunosuppressive drugs - which bring their own drawbacks and risks.
This disease pervades every aspect of my girlfriend's life. She still needs insulin to survive, and without it, she'll die. Just take one look at her: how could you live with yourself knowing you didn't help?
So, if you can, I'd appreciate it if you could (
http://walk.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=extranet.personalpage&confirmID=87387454) donate or help out in any way, even just a little bit.
Thanks!
Enchantermon on 12/9/2009 at 22:07
Crap...as soon as I get my new debit card, I'm in.
And hey, if MsLedd can do it, I'm sure they won't mind you doing it as well. ;)
MsLedd on 12/9/2009 at 22:19
Woo-hoo, lookit me and my bad self... I got to be the first to donate \o/
GO Ruggeh GO!!
Can't afford it, but more than that I couldn't afford not to do it. :cheeky:
Rogue Keeper on 12/9/2009 at 23:04
My conscience will do just fine. She's young, she will survive. Sorry, but I have more expenses for pills and cab drives to doctors, since my half invalid mother with pathologic depressions got a heart attack. I got a pic of her, too.
Thief13x on 12/9/2009 at 23:28
Quote Posted by Rug Burn Junky
how could you live with yourself knowing you didn't help?
doesn't change the fact that I'm perpetually broke (thanks beer!:mad:)
Also, what Rogue said
currently accepting donations for unemployment anxiety in bottles 12 oz. or greaterFafhrd on 13/9/2009 at 00:01
Wow, BR and Thief13x. You could've saved painting yourself as complete dicks by simply not posting.
Donation made. Wouldn't want to get sassed.
Renzatic on 13/9/2009 at 00:17
I'm predicting some heavy and well deserved snark getting thrown around here soon. So what if she's young and "she'll live", Type I diabetes fucking sucks for everyone, regardless of age.
Anyway, I've got too much money floating around and can't donate this weekend. But hey, just because I can't right now doesn't mean I won't. I'll try my best to send a few bucks your way here within the week.
Rogue Keeper on 13/9/2009 at 01:05
There is some nasty emotional exploitation going on in the request. Few may appreciate RBJ's sarcastic sense for a parody, more people probably don't. I don't question RBJ's intention, I question the form. MsLedd had far better sensibilities for setting up a charity thread,
without creating martyrs.
Queue on 13/9/2009 at 01:16
Quote Posted by Rug Burn Junky
... Just take one look at her: how could you live with yourself knowing you didn't help?
I dunno... I prefer redheads.
Oh what the hell. It's not like I can keep this one in the basement, too. Besides, Type I isn't something one gets just from drinking too many cokes and downing twinkies to quell the feelings of inadequacy--it deserves research funding. I'll send along some cash next week when I'za gets paid, yo.
Enchantermon on 13/9/2009 at 01:36
Quote Posted by Rogue Keeper
Few may appreciate RBJ's sarcastic sense for a parody, more people probably don't.
I think anyone with half a brain can read his post and realize that he's not
really holding her for ransom.
Quote Posted by Queue
I dunno... I prefer redheads.
You know, you seem to be a minority; unless it's just me, it seems most people prefer brunettes. But maybe it just seems like there are few who prefer redheads since redheads tend to be a minority in the US.
My two cents: I think she's gorgeous.
