Finally. Anyone who has followed this blog for a long time will remember I’ve been waiting on this for YEARS. If it is cost competive, I will try it.
Quoted from http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNews/idUSN1327658820080313:
UPDATE 1-Abbott gets FDA OK on glucose monitoring system | Reuters
Abbott Laboratories Inc (ABT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday it won U.S. regulatory approval for its continuous glucose monitoring system for people with diabetes.
I went to the Endo,the Gynocoloist and the Contact doctor today.
The endo was a followup from last time, and he agreed I was better. We decided to tweak the morning settings a bit more. I see him again in June.
The gynocologist was just for a Depo shot, just in and out.
The contact lens was a followup, my vision has been off since my blood sugar has been out of control, but she said everything was the same. I am trying monovision again, which drives me a bit nuts but is cheaper.
Weirdly, I got a defective lens, decided to try a new pair of my bifocal lenses, and the right was torn.
All in all, not a bad set of spring break visits.Oh, and I also have a call out to my CPA supplier. I am due for a new mask so I can going to try the other brand my doctor suggested on my last visit.
I am not sure I like the new location — but I didn’t like the one before that either. I really liked it when they were here in Farmers Branch.
The people I saw today were good though. The PA noted that I was carrying at least 5-10 pounds of fluid, heard my heart mummer, etc. Plans are to do an ultra sound of my heart and to do a stress test, on my next free day which looks like June 5. I might have to take a sick day, but I’d rather not for a while.
My next trip is to San Antonio — the last day of June. I am going to CSTA which is a one day event, breakfast and registraton at 8:00, first session at 8:45. I’m kicking around the idea of flying in that day — first flight in is at 7:55 and the hotel is 7 miles from the airport, and both are on a major highway.
If i do that, I do not have to travel with my CPAP machine, making the whole trip much more TSA friendly.
Any thoughts?
If I had to do things over again, I would have taken two checked bags. That would have been less stressful, especially packing on the way home. My bag was stretched to the max, and they gave us stuff to bring back. It worked out okay, but it would have been better.
Things I did right: ending up taking a larger carry on bag. The dogs really did me a favor in a way by tearing up my leather bag. The microfiber Ameribag I took is a large, and works better on a trip, though doesn’t look as good.
The last thing I should have done better was to put the insulin in the carry on bag. Though the dogs would have torn up the plastic bag, I would have remembered to bring it, and would not have had to come back.
Well, and I should have put the carry on bag up higher in the first place, then I would have had time to get breakfast and would have remember the insulin.
Also, getting the travel cubes was a really good idea. They kept things organized throughout the trip, and much eadier to deal with.
I’m back, and I have some tips to share…
Using the medication bottles Medco sent me wasn’t that bad. I’ve got them set aside in a big plastic bag for the next trip, and plan to rotate them out with empty bottles. By the way, no one wanted to see them.
See my earlier notes on traveling with the CPAP and TSA. I want to find a better way to handle that, especially since next trip is on the train. I was able to consolidate everything into two bags for the trip back and that was easier.
Be assertive when it comes to assistance, and sitting near the restroom IS a good thing.
Extra sets are a good idea, and having extra sets with you, not in checked baggage is good. I went through 3 sets on the first day of traveling, but it got better later.
My biggest problem on the ship was going low. Have all the locations for quick food in your mind. I ended up eating some things I wouldn’t have otherwise if I had not gone low. You do a LOT of walking, especially if you are doing a conference like I did. My room and the restaurants were in the front end of the ship, my sessions were all in the back end.
Traveling isn’t as intimidating now, and I think I can handle it.
Did I over pack? I had two more dressy dreses than I needed, one less pair of panties, and one more exercise outfit than it needed. In the scheme of things, I don’t think I over packed, the stuff I didn’t use did not take up that much room.
I absolutely despise articles like these …
Elizabeth Soto used to say no when her husband suggested they go dancing. “I didn’t want to go,” she would say. “I felt tired and ugly.” She also was carrying 314 pounds on her 5-7 frame and had Type 2 diabetes
One of my dear friends brought this article to school for me.
Of course, she couldn’t answer the two most important questions about the surgery:
a) How is the complication rate and in particular the death rate?
b) How much will it cost?
Well the biggest answer is that our insurance won’t cover it, last time I looked.
And the complication rate scares the heck out of me.
Besides if my pancreatis hadn’t been damaged, going on the nuitrion protocol would probably make me not need insulin too.
None of the above was in the article at all.
I have emailed TSA and complained, but I had problems both in Dallas
leaving for my cruise and in Miami, returning.
In Dallas, TSA managed to disconnect my insulin and in my stress, I
didn’t realize it until two meals later. I was NOT feeling well.
Both Miami and Dallas has the same problem though — since I am
required to travel with an insulin pump, a CPAP machine and a
computer, I end up putting very valuable equipment in about 5 bins.
That takes up a lot of conveyor space. Once my Dexcom Seven system
set off the metal detector, I have to be screened and was put in a
glass "cage" with no access to my items. HOWEVER, other passengers
have access and did mess with the items in both cases.
I am sure they were just trying to get to their stuff, but their
bodies were blocking my view so I could not see what exactly they were
doing and a woman in Miami put her hands ON my CPAP machine. This did
not make me a happy camper. After I alerted the TSA agent twice (in
both cases), they picked up my bins and put them somewhere out of
access of passengers but still within my site.
I have suggested that as soon as they put a passenger in the box, that
the move that passenger’s bins to a secure area. Hopefully they will
listen.
It is going to take a long time to catch up, both when it comes to blogging, but also grading, etc. The grading thing is the most important, since my deadline is 4:00 pm today. When I get that task done, I’ll blog.
I have been blogging now for 5 years. Not every day but I have.
I have learned a lot and not just about diabetes.
I am slowly coming to the realization that I am a good technical and educational writer. I am really good at writing grants and filling out state forms.
I have learned I am a good teacher. The kids I teach do not always learn what I think they should but they do usually get what they want out of my class. I wish I could fix that more. it is a tough balance to teach an elective – you have to do it in such a way to attract the masses so that the few who really want what I teach can even have me.
I have also learned that diabetes is a small female beage who won’t grow up to be a good dog – in other words a real bitch….
You can not let you guard for a moment as when you do it all goes to hell.