Category: Blog

I wrote about a little gal in my class I was worried about and I have some good news.

During “Meet the Teacher” I had a few minutes with momma and I told her that I was worried since her daughter had shared her blood sugar with me.  I told her when I was diagnosed, I felt very ill, was very hard to get along with and was fairly certain that the daughter felt the same way. 

Well that Friday and the next Monday, my student was absent.  When she came back on Tuesday she let the whole class know she had been in the hospital and knew all about diabetes now and was on insulin.

Apparently if you are diagnosed Type 2, they put you on insulin probably because they are not real sure what the oral medications will due to teenagers.  She’s the second kid I’ve had from the Parkland Diabetes clinic who was a Type 2 and both were put on insulin.

I really do think she feels better already.

Except for today and this sensor, I’ve only been finger sticking with the Dexcom wants a calibration — well, I take that back, the two finger sticks I’ve done today was because Dexcom said he wanted them.

It will be interesting to see an A1C.  In fact, I am thinking about seeing if I can get an extra A1C before my doctor’s visit. 

Since before school started I’ve been relying 100% on the Dexcom sensors. 

And it’s been working well.  It’s caught a few unexpected highs, and a few unexpected lows, but for the most part, I’ve been having very stable blood sugars.

Diabetes care is undergoing a transformation: Thousands of patients are switching from a few finger-pricks a day to track their disease to new sensors that keep guard around the clock.

Diabetics swap finger pricks for sensors – Diabetes – MSNBC.com

This would be me.

However, we’ve got a LONG, LONG way to go before I’d ever go with a closed loop system.

Guess I’ve seen too many problems with all ends of the system.

First, I undestand people are getting a CGI error when they post comments.  Would someone please email me at kathleen at gmail and let me know what it is.  A screen shot would be terrific.

The good news, is that the comment gets posted, but delayed because I have to approve it.

Next, life has been very full since school started.  I have about twice the number of students as last year which doesn’t affect set up time, but does mean that grading takes up lots more time. 

I really haven’t had time or energy to do anything in front of a computer but school stuff.  Hopefully that will change soon.

DexCom SEVEN: Taking a break from the Dex

Funny, I feel the opposite, I don’t feel diabetic when I’m using Dex, but do when I am finger sticking.

If you have diabetes, you should have a flu shot every year. And with the shortage of flu vaccines that we’ve had in recent years you can’t start thinking about this too early.

Bernard’s Diabetes Blog: Time to start thinking about….Flu Shots

Though I really believe if you have insurance, use your doctor’s office.  I never have to wait in line when it is just a flu shot.

If you have diabetes, you should have a flu shot every year. And with the shortage of flu vaccines that we’ve had in recent years you can’t start thinking about this too early.

Bernard’s Diabetes Blog: Time to start thinking about….Flu Shots

Though I really believe if you have insurance, use your doctor’s office.  I never have to wait in line when it is just a flu shot.

If you have diabetes, you should have a flu shot every year. And with the shortage of flu vaccines that we’ve had in recent years you can’t start thinking about this too early.

Bernard’s Diabetes Blog: Time to start thinking about….Flu Shots

Though I really believe if you have insurance, use your doctor’s office.  I never have to wait in line when it is just a flu shot.

Time to blog about my yearly eye exam again.  It amazes me that there are not more Optomap Retinal scanning devices out there and being used.  My eye doctor — Kay Willis at Contact Lens Center in Dallas swears by it.  Pearl Vision Center has also been advertising it, but they only have too.

Cool gadget, you sit down on a stool with a remote control, the tech lines you up, and it takes a picture of your retina.  Even better, the doctor saves a copy of it.  My doctor now has several pictures over several years to compare.

No dilation, no pain, and better yet there is a record of what is going on with your eyes.

And so far … no problems!

I knew there had to be more to that study!

Now a lengthy study in the British Medical Journal has delved into the reasons why meters are often not used effectively by people with type 2. And it has concluded that the problem lies, first, in caregivers’ failure to educate type 2s about how to respond to blood sugar readings, and, second, in an apparent disinterest in meter readings on the part of healthcare professionals.

Blood Glucose Meters For Type 2s: Why Aren’t They More Useful? – Diabetes Health

Of course the insurance companies and the PBM’s are going to ignore this one, and focus on the first.