When I was younger and healthier, I used to donate my time and my body to my doctors/researchers for medical studies. Unless there were guinea pigs out there, I knew there would never be better treatments nor a hope for a cure for CF in anyone’s future. So I took an active role.
But anyway, during one of these studies I needed a CAT-scan done of my lungs. It just so happened that the scan went down far enough to see my pancreas, or so where it was supposed to be. Turns out that my pancreas, due to CF, had auto-digested. Being quite a self-renowned geek, I found this fascinating.

Auto-digested pancreas?? Yes, the pancreas is the body’s supplier of digestive juices (and insulin). This is where one of the first complications of CF rears it’s ugly head. The thick sticky mucus that CF is infamous for clogs up the tubes between the pancreas and the intestines causing the digestive juices to stay in the pancreas. This causes it to digest it’s self! Crazy isn’t it?! On my CAT-scan the radiologist noticed my pancreas had partially auto-digested and was replaced by a sort of fatty deposit. Uck.

This threw on the warning lights to my doctors and they tested me for diabetes, as the insulin from my pancreas may not be enough for my body’s needs. Along with the knowledge that I had unusual cravings for Noodles & Co. day and night, popcorn and candy, they were pretty sure I had developed diabetes.

Not long after my CAT-scan discovery I had a glucose tolerance test. Where I took a fasting blood sugar test (which was already high), drank the sweetest sugary orange soda like drink (actually didn’t taste that bad), and took several more blood sugar tests over the course of several hours. The results? Yep, diabetes.

I was a little upset, but I was more thankful I had an explanation of why I had not been feeling well. My undiagnosed, untreated, diabetes caused me to feel very very tired, it actually lowered my lung functions, and I was always feeling super dehydrated. I am always thankful for answers.