Category: Blog

Haven't done that in years.  It's a good thing and a bad thing.

The good news is that I've got a breather from medical spending, and I spent less this year out of pocket than the last few.

I've decided to stick with the insulin pump.  I'm doing just under 50 units a day right now, with an A1C of 7.0.  Don't really want to break things.

Yes, I saw my Endo.  Had her write the script for insulin which pushed me over the out of pocket.  Also ordered infusion sets — I'm actually down to one box, but not reservoirs.  I still have quite a few boxes of them.  

Love my Endo — we had an interesting conversation about the weight loss doctor.

Pain seems to be my biggest problem.  It's hard.  My right hand has been bothering me for a year, my knees have been bothering me for a decade and plantar facistis has been bothering me off and on.

I know that weighing less might help some of it, but the pain itself is slowing me down.  It makes EVERYTHING harder.  

North Dallas Pain and Wellness is helping — they address everything at once, where no one else has.  

Unfortunately the doctor's put curses on my brace == it's an offloader and is helping.  Everything time they have asked about it, I've had an issue.  The last time the doctor mentioned that they break and don't worry, they will replace it.  Thursday evening, I took it off and it was broke!

I see them Monday morning.

Oh, and they moved — they freaked me out because they didn't tell me about the move.  I got a text message about an hour before my appointment giving me the new address.  I asked if it was for today, by texting back but they didn't answer so I called.

Not one of the best appointments — every one was so excited and they couldn't find anything.

Picked up my Dexcom G6 system.  Love it.

All the other Dexcom sensor needles got to me. I was just about to the point I couldn't use the G5 from the dread.

No issues with the G6.  No calibration.  My life is MUCH more needle free.  The sensors comes in a pod now, you press a button, a pop and you are done.  No multiple set instructions and no needle pain.

I"m also looking forward to the no finger sticks.

I'm not sure what it means but I got another — we ordered something and its on backorder message this morning.

Getting the Dexcom G6 so far has been interesting. The electronic medical record fouled things up.  I know I requested the prescription and I know that CVS did and I know I put CVS and their phone number in each message.  Nope the script was sent to Tom Thumb and they just sat on it.

Once I called, they transferred the script right away, within an hour.

The biggest thing I am looking forward to is the new application and the no finger sticks.

I get labs in the morning, see the doctor in a week. Suspect I'm sticking with my pump for now — its still under warranty — so I'll need to order supplies.  Better the devil you know.

Weight is stable — which is good.  Both Jenny Craig and the new group have stirred up my eating disorder.  I've also been a little less active because of the heat and my knee pain.

Work is kicking my butt — I have almost 30 students on my role, and we added a new course today — I have a constant stream of students entering and leaving — which is awesome.

My clients are gearing up for our big event of the year.  I spent a week on a WordPress shopping cart.  I gave recommendations on security for one and I haven't seen that happen yet.  Plus the nano-degree.  I don't have to finish it until October and I am on the last project.  I'm debating between just meeting the requirements or doing something right that I can give my clients.

I completely forgot I had a job interview — phone — this morning.  Less stress EVER, as I didn't remember from the time I put it in my calendar until the phone ran this morning.  Not a huge deal and it might not work out, but it is a part time job — around 4-8 hours of work.  They are scheduling for October and there is a 1 in 4 chance that I'll be in Portland.  But I did tell him my availability.

Physical therapy / chiropractic at North Dallas Pain and Wellness.  I was disturbed because my orthopedic practice was treating one pain at a time, and when they fixed one, another one flared up.  Currently having pain in the right wrist — which has had carpal tunnel repair, plantar fasciitis and knee pain.  All chronic issues I've been dealing with for a while, and having the whole treated rather than the part makes more sense.

Prescription issue — I am trying to get a Dexcom G6, its covered by insurance and available from the local pharmacy but the doctor's office doesn't seem to understand how to do it. I think they are fixed in the durable equipment mode rather than the prescription mode.  I do labs on Thursday and see the doctor next Thursday.  

Have put in 1 1/2 hour of work, and just received another assignment.  Plus an appointment for a one-on-one session tonight.  I'm average 19 hours a week right now, and the work hours are finally shifting from light weekdays and heavy weekends to the opposite.  I've also decided not to tell students I'm traveling.  I did that two weeks ago when I was doing the dog show thing in town and became instantly in high demand 🙂

Off to work!

After several months of trying I had to give up Jenny Craig.  I like Jenny Craig but you can only do their food for so long.

Even their menu changes don't help.

I'm in a weight loss class with Baylor Scott and White.  I had to be "admitted" by a medical doctor and I wasn't thrilled with her at all.  The first visit wasn't bad, but the second visit was a disaster.  She didn't accept that the medication was causing severe diarrhea.  Before I even saw her, the assistant tried to get me to get a tetanus shot and change to them as my primary doctor.  When I tried to leave, the assistant was on the phone and too busy to help me OR give the shot she was pushing.

I did get one with my primary care doctor.

I had a major issue with the original class.  I wanted to go at noon to downtown Dallas and they put me in the Wednesday evening class.  There was a drug addict in the class who was dominated the conversation and talked crazy talk.

I don't think the emphasis on eliminating as fat from the diet is diabetic friendly.  It's a pain to be counting carbs/calories / and fat, but myFitness pal helps.

My biggest problem right now, is that the class is getting started with 15 minutes of walking on a regular floor.  Not knee friendly.  

It's also that the group leader assumes I don't exercise — oh, I'm writing this blog post at the gym on a recumbent bike.

He reminds me of someone who has just started clicker training and doesn't quite get it.  

The assuming I don't exercise was also a drag at Jenny Craig.

A lot of that is getting the topirimate out of my system.  It was like having a gastrointestinal virus for 4 weeks.

Though I am sure that one of the biggest side effects was being dehydrated and I'm not fully hydrated yet.

I'm feeling good enough to start putting the house back together.  That stuff made me as sick as the flu, especially with the foot problems.  It still bothers me but more of a dull ache now.

I've got my mac mini up and running upstairs, and I'm still thinking about bringing up one of the older Surface PC's.

The nice thing about the Mac Mini, is that I can drop anything in it's place, including another Mac Mini.  Or a Mac Pro….

I finally got Medtronics to credit my account for an order that I had them cancel.  That was weird, because they are usually good about those things.  I'm down to 3+ boxes of infusion sets and I'll probably stay on the pump for a bit longer. I'm still on 40 units a day and that's the easiest way to do that.

The job is going great!  I'm averaging 15 hours a week, maybe a bit more.  Sadly most of that is on the weekends, but that will balance out in a few weeks.  

I start a weight loss class tomorrow.

I took a new medication — which was an old medication and it really back fired.   Literally no weight loss which was the reason even though I have severe diarrhea the entire time.  I think some of the other side effects were caused by the diarrhea, but I went off of it and am not completely over it.

I'm not thrilled with the doctor's response, she denied some of my claims as to side effects — but did agree that we should hold off on trying any new drugs until this was completely out of my system and I had completely recovered.

I don't really like her office — I have been to two of her offices — the intake for the weight loss program and her regular office, and both times arrived early and was seen way after my scheduled appointment time.  I really dislike my time not being valued.

I complained on the patient survey.

We'll see how the weight loss class goes. 

Today was change everything.

Change the infusion set, the transmitter and the sensor.  Just did the mandatory two finger sticks.

Used the same blood finger stick and get one reading at 196 and one at 217.

Really……

And am hoping to go to Dexcom G6, when the transmitter expires in three months.

About a month ago I went to an orthopedist – foot specialist and my toe is finally not hurting after a steroid shot.  I went to the Ft Worth dog show, walked for miles to get from the parking space and back and have been having heel pain ever since.

It quieted down, went walking again and it flared up again.  <Sigh>

Formally diagnosed by the orthopedist and have heel inserts, tape, stretching and keeping off of it as much as possible.  It's a bit better.