Category: Blog

I should have posted this first.

All in all, I did well diabetes wise on the trip. 

I drove from Dallas to Brandon Mississippi in the RAIN!  Then I drove to Virginia and stopped at Chilhowie.  I also stopped for an afternoon in West Virginia to get my car maintenance done.  That’s done, so I don’t have to worry about it for a time.  Then I drove to Pittsburgh.

I was in Pittsburgh for a teacher workshop that started Saturday night, and ran all day Sunday through Thursday.  Then it was a half day on Friday.

I drove to Effingham Illinois, spent the night with family, and then yesterday drove from Effingham to Dallas.  Yeah, that as a far piece.  I left at 10:00 am and arrived about 11:00 pm.

I’m really glad to be home and am finally able to start summer.  I don’t have to work or do any more staff development until school starts.

My Dexcom Seven is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday.  I emailed them last week when I saw Bernard’s post that it was on backorder.  Apparently that was new customers.

I do have two 3 day sensors left.  I went ahead and pulled my sensor last night, even though it was working because I wanted to give my self and my skin a break.

I’ll confess, I did some dosing based on the Dexcom yesterday rather than finger sticks.  However, I think it’s best to wait until Seven is come and I understand it AND I’m on a stable schedule.

I am still pleased with the original Dexcom system.  And I love their technical support.

I’m going home after the first workshop tomorrow and I am SO happy.  I have loaded everything in the truck I don’t need tomorrow or tonight, except for my cooler, and that will be my last load tomorrow.  I should be on the road by noon.

I am SO happy.

And I’m also getting the Dexcom Seven on Tuesday.

The workshop I am in, ends tomorrow.  Another workshop that I’ve signed up for starts tomorrow evening.

I’m trying to decide if I want to go home or stay.

The other workshop cost only $25.00 and includes everything for the three days.  So if I leave I don’t lose anything. In fact, I could leave at any point.

I miss my dogs and I miss my house.  It would be nice to be home to do dog agility on Monday.  However, Elizabeth might be able to work one or more dogs in next week.

I’ve done 2 1/2 days of web mastering staff development.  The AP Workshop gives me 5 1/2 days of computer science workshop.  I’m doing an online workshop that should also give me credit.  I’m supposed to do 3 days of staff development in my content area this year.  If anyone thinks I haven’t done enough staff development, and wants me to do more, I’ll find ways to be very evil to them.

I have my room until Monday noon.  It doesn’t cost any more or less to leave earlier.

There are some really good things in the next workshop.  I’d like to see it.

Can’t decide.  In a way, it’s easier to stay.  But I really want to go home and have a normal life again.

I almost forgot — the person who ruined summer in June will be at the workshop, most probably.

The sensor I have in right now is my favorite.  Last sensor was good but would go off and drift, especially high.  I did find calibrating would stop the drift.

This sensor has not drifted, and when I’ve checked, it’s been within 10% of the One Touch.  I still wouldn’t dose off the sensor, but maybe sometime day, and maybe with Dexcom7. 

Right now I have one sensor left and I’m praying that it lasts until at least Friday.  I think I put it in on Monday — remember, I only think today is Wednesday, I’m not sure.

The problem with the food here at CMU is the amount and the cost.  For example, I paid $8.00 for a baked Ziti, coke and a salad.  I kind of have it ingrained that I need/want to eat more than one things, and one of them should be some kind of salad.  I would have been happy with half of the Ziti, all was a bit too much, but there wasn’t any thing to do with the half.

Yesterday’s lunch was better, half a sandwich for $4.50.  It was a big half of a sandwich and was good.

We have a cafeteria in our dorm.  It’s $6.00 for breakfast, $8.00 for dinner and all you can eat.  I don’t want to eat all you can eat.  I want to pay $3.00 for a couple of orders of scrambled eggs and an order for bacon like I do ate home at Grandy’s.

I have food in my dorm room, but I have to walk there to get there.  I should run by the grocery store and get sandwich bags and why did I take them out of the truck?  Oh I usually use them for dog stuff and this wasn’t a dog trip.

Can you tell I’m a bit bored.

Here’s more already — The fun part is that they used the Glucowatch (Biographer by Animas) versus the Minimed.  I assuming they were using Dexcom.  Guess what, I think that the Dexcom is more accurate.  PLUS, who wants to use the Biographer!  I hope they paid them well. 

A comparison of 2 minimally invasive continuous blood glucose monitoring (CBGM) devices indicates that neither machine is significantly better than either controls or the other device in helping to achieve long-term glucose control in insulin-treated patients with diabetes mellitus.

Continuous Blood Glucose Monitoring Shows No Effect on Glucose Control

This doesn’t look good for insurance coverage.  I do however, think it might help.  More later. 

A comparison of 2 minimally invasive continuous blood glucose monitoring (CBGM) devices indicates that neither machine is significantly better than either controls or the other device in helping to achieve long-term glucose control in insulin-treated patients with diabetes mellitus.

Continuous Blood Glucose Monitoring Shows No Effect on Glucose Control

Great article on Verplank, but I sure wish they would have emphasized wining the Byron Nelson more.  That’s is definitely the highlight of his career. 

Verplank doesn’t consider himself a role model. He categorizes himself as just a regular guy. Everybody faces obstacles, and he’s merely managing the challenges of everyday life just like everybody else.

DREW SHARP: Golfer Verplank an inspiration to fellow diabetics

So today I have experienced some coolness between the workshop I’m in, the pizza they fed us, and the Dexcom.

As most diabetics know, pizza is hard.  Sitting still all day is also hard when it come to diabetes.

We were fed Papa John’s pizza today.  I was good, I had two pieces of “The Works”.  I looked up the carb count and got 38 (I think).  Did a Symlin shot, and did an extended bolus — 50% now and 50% over 4 hours.  I’ve never gotten this thing right.

Here’s the cool part, Dexcom so far is showing a nice steady rise peaking about an hour ago, and now showing a nice steady fall.

Onetouch is matching Dexcom within 20%.

IS THAT COOL OR WHAT?

And I haven’t fallen asleep yet, even on about 3 hours of sleep!