Thursday's Schedule

8:00 Breakfast - We started Thursday morning with a wonderful breakfast.  There were buffet lines in the hall & then large rooms with tables for 10 so that you could visit with other families as you ate.  Of course, we take up 7 of the 10 chairs, so we always met couples with only one child.  I enjoyed each and every conversation.

9:00 Opening Keynote Richard Rubin & Oliver Double on "The Importance of Humor".  Oliver Double's song "Think Like A Pancreas" was hilarious & one of Andrew's favorite parts of the entire conference.  I wish I could find it on youtube! 

10:00 Break;  Ben and Ryan had reported to classes at 9:00, but Kaitlyn, Andrew, and Will found their classes after the break.  Kaitlyn & Andrew were Tweens & Will was an elementary student.

10:45  DRI Research Update 1: Stem Cells: New Sources, More Options
We could choose from lots of sessions.  This is the one Gene and I both chose.  I'll write about what I learned in this session in its own post.

During this session, Will was running with his nametag on, when it swung up and hit him in the ... EYE!  It was really hurting, but I was hoping it would go away over lunch...

12:00  Lunch Buffet
After lunch, Will wasn't feeling any better.  There was an eye doctor doing retinal screenings for the type 1's, so I took Will there.  They checked Will's eye & said they didn't think he had scratched the retina, but that with it still bothering him, he should go rest in the dark.

1:30 Will & I go to the hotel room;  Gene attends "The Artificial Pancreas Project."

2:45  Snack Break - Ben loved the Mickey Bars! 

3:30  DRI Research Update 2: Tissue Engineering & Immunology:  New Ways To Protect Islets.  Will felt well enough to return to his class.  Yeah!

6:30  Family & Friends Banquet with Crystal Bowersox - we didn't go!  Tickets were $25 each for seven of us.  We were already getting Disney tickets, so it was easier to add an extra ticket for everyone.  So we headed to EPCOT!