Last year I got in touch with TrialNet researchers enrolling individuals at high risk for type 1 diabetes in an attempt to prevent or delay the onset of T1 with one-a-day insulin capsules.

A principal investigator in the study explained if you have all three islet cell autoantibodies in your blood, and a strong genetic history, you have a greater than 50 percent chance of developing T1 within five years.

Wow. At the time I wondered if any autoantibodies were having a little party in my body. I already qualified for the strong genetic component -- actually an unusually strong genetic component -- both my brothers and my parents are T1.

Well, I got as far as calling TrialNet, answering screening questions, then receiving a msg on my answering machine a couple weeks later from a nearby hospital to book a blood draw. I called them back and left a message on their answering machine to make the appointment..

They didn't call back. Neither did I. It ended there.

I guess I didn't really want to know if there were autoantibodies in my blood. My inaction said it all.

I think I'd rather live each day to the fullest with my currently operating pancreas and say a gratitude prayer each night for my health.  I will continue to pray for all those facing diabetes.

If you could test for a potential disease, would you want to know? It's a really personal question, yielding differing reactions. I totally understand.