Category: Blog

UPS had tried to deliver while I was at school, so I made arrangements to pick it up from the local UPS center, about 5 miles from the house.

They have an interesting system, they have everyone who is picking up packages come in the building and they start calling names — mine was the second name called that had a person, and about the 10th name called.

The first thing I did was to pop a battery in the pump.  Man, the screen is extremely bright, but then again, I have it set on constrast 7 (I just thought of that), and it is much easier to read.

The first disappointment came when I tried to upload my pump settings.  My current version of EzManager doesn’t work with the new pump for setup — though that makes sense because the set up screens are different.  Of course that just occured to me.

I do wish I had a way to program the pump remotely — it took a good 20 minutes to program mys settings.

I’m not sure if I can download anything until the new software comes — I tried, but it seemed to stop at 40%.  Anyone know when they are shipping?

The package they sent is the standard, new pump package, with a sample of the comfort and inset infusion sets, IV prep and IV Barrier tape.  Also shipped with a cartridge. extra battery cap, leather case, and a new Animas medallion. 

I really like the new programming options — you can now program your own times (with 30 minute increments) for ISF and for Corrections.  I’m trying something different — the time frames I usually eat, I’m using my Symlin settings so I don’t have to do as much math.  Right now, I eat lunch after 12:30 so from 12:30 to 1:00 I have it programmed to do a 20 ISF instead of a 10.  I’m also trying to find a way to enter the carbs without putting in a ISF for my evening timeframe, since I don’t need bolus insulin them.

I’m still trying to figure out if entering Carbs in the evening but no insulin will let me log though carbs, and I might not know what until the new version of EzManager comes.

Interesting story line on NCIS last week — blind photographer follows “fruity smell” taking photographs and discovered a dead guy. 

At the end of the show, the photographer smells it again — on Ducky’s assistant’s breath.  The killer was diabetic and was exhibiting the same fruity smell.

Interestingly insulin, they had a Byetta pen, I believe instead of insulin.

The house has not gotten cool enough for me to sleep well tonight.  I went to bed before 10:30, but kept waking up.  Finally got up for a while at 4:30, then went back to bed.

Sure hope we do get the A/C in today, because I don’t see it getting done before Thursday otherwise.

14-day average of between 150-155 mg/dl, with 6 tests a day and no more than 7 blood sugars over 250 mg/dl. I’m lowering your max number because you rarely if ever hit 300, and I think having a lower target might help keep your standard deviation down.

Yes, 6.9 isn’t bad — however, my best is 6.0 — yes, without lows.  And I’m usually in the under 6.5 range.

So the 6.9 was a bit upsetting.

Especially when my meter hasn’t been reflecting that.

He noticed the edema and thought that taking Lasix twice a week probably wouldn’t be a bad idea.  He also changed my blood pressure medcation to a new, kinder diuretic that will work better.

Also thought adding Symlin at 5 units back to my evening meal wouldn’t be a bad idea — so of course, when I got home and ate, I did 10 units <rilling eyes>  At least i remembered after.

Also tweaked my morning basal rate some more because I always spend my mornings high.

Not a bad visit. 

Oh, and if you want a Multiclix Lancing device, ask your endo for an Aviva meter — they come with.  And the devices are $30 bugs now!  I lost my spare — $37.00 at the pharmacist where the endo is at!

You can occasionally snag them on Ebay.

I suspect sitting still for most of 4 days had something to do with it — we’ve been TAKS testing (state mandated tests) — but the edema is back and back in full force to the point my shoes are hurting in the evening.

I asked the fitness4diabetics wellness coach about trying it again — I’d done what the cardiologist nurse said to do, which was to be on it for a wekk — though I quit after 5 days when the blood sugar shot up.  She asked if it was a comfort issue or a health issue and I think it’s a bit of both.  Here’s why.

I took a Lasix yesterday morning after weighing myself.  In 24 hours I lost 2 pounds!  Surely lugging around two extra pounds of water weight isn’t good healthwise.

The good news is my blood sugar was 101 this morning so I didn’t get the blood sugar effects — yet.

As to the weight thing — since I started and weighed for fitness4diabetics at the end of my last lasix experiment, I’ve lost 5 pounds not just 3.  That might be magical thinking and the 2 pounds will probably be back by the end of the week, but it helps.

 It will be interesting to see what does happen to the weight — and as tempting as it is, I’m NOT taking another one until next Saturday.

Need idea — not the only one out there, but a slightly different implementation.

It’s designed to hold and protect vials.  One of the big problems when having to use insulin, symlin or any other product available only in a vial, is that they are breakable.  In fact, I’ve dropped and broken two vials.

That’s where Secutee Blanket comes in.  They kindly sent me a free one for Novolag and for Symlin.  They are nice.  They are made of that rubberized fabric used for wet suits, which makes them protective from drops and easy to grip. 

Very nice, and very nice packaging.  I’m wishing them good luck in marketing as it a product that needs to be out there.  I assume they are available on Ebay as that is how they reached me.

One other family also produces an similar item, also sold on Ebay.  Either device works equally well.

I haven’t been sleeping well — some out and out heart burn attacks, but mostly just uncomfortable and waking up a lot.

Last night, I slept all night, without waking up until the alarm clock went off.  Very unusual.

Horrible day yesterday too.  Forgot my breakfast insulin dose which ruins my whole day as it always takes longer for my blood sugar to go down when it is messed up in the morning.  Very weird, but my metabolism is very sluggish until about 11:00 am or later.

I am anxiously awaiting Thursday fitness4diabetes email as they are going to crank the fitness up a notch.

First — SEE you don’t need Embroyic Stem Cells.

Second — of course, it probably won’t help me or most Type 2’s.  But it will be really great if it will eliminate Type 1s! 

Thirteen young diabetics in Brazil have ditched their insulin shots and need no other medication thanks to a risky, but promising treatment with their own stem cells — apparently the first time such a feat has been accomplished.

Source: Stem cell experiment lets diabetics forgo insulin – Diabetes – MSNBC.com