Living with Diabetes

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  • To Dex or Not to Dex

    I’ll start this out by saying that I believe that Dexcom has the best CGMS technology available right now.

    However …

    The last two boxes of SEVEN sensors have not lasted as long as I think they should.  Oddly, I expect them to last SEVEN days.  I’ve had one person on the Dexcom list already imply it is my fault, and it might very well be part of my normal environment, though I did have a period where the SEVEN’s were working well.  That isn’t going to change. 

    Another problem is the needle pain.  It seems to get worse with each insertation.  I’m actually going longer and longer between sensor changes just because of the needle pain.

    I do have two more sensors, plus the one I’m wearing.

    I do believe I’m going to spend some time on the phone Monday, before I made a decision.  Of course, I can always change my mind and buy a box.  It’s hard to do it the other way.

  • BD Safe-Clip™ Device

    This is what I was trying to think up — there are quite a few for sell on Ebay at reasonable prices, so I bought two.

     

    BD Safe-Clip™ Device


    The BD Safe-Clip™ Needle Clipping & Storage Device removes insulin syringe needles and pen needles safely and easily.

  • Symlin Came!

    I have NO idea why I decided to check the Medco site this afternoon, as they said they weren’t sending until January 23, but I did.  Not only did it show it was on it’s way, but it had a UPS tracking number that said it was delivered.  I called, husband answered, and sure enough it was there, he just tossed the whole thing in the fridge.

     

    The pens are interesting. The 120 pen is set to give two doses, 60 units and 120 units.  It also says you can put it in either the abdomen or the thigh.  I think I like the thigh.  The needle goes in much better — I do think that stopper dulls the needle, and even though it was a dose after a prime, it didn’t burn until the very last of the push.  Thus it is MUCH less painful.

     

    I’m going to use up all my vials (I have around 4) at the house, and keep the pens for traveling about town and at school until I’m out of vials.

     

    The pen does not take up less space than the vial, but the pen needles are easier to deal with.  I do need to find a disposal method for the needles themselves.  I do have some of the needle holders, so I am going to try to snag more.

  • Symlin Pen Order Update

    Still nothing from the local pharamacy — Medco has changed their shipping day to January 23. 

  • Cleaning Service

    I’ve been feeling guilty about the cleaning service until I remembered something.  We’ve had landscaping service for years, and Rich hasn’t lifted a finger on anything.  We got it, because he drove me nuts.  I think that the grass has to be mowed every week. Unfortunately I can’t do it, because I am allergic to most of the pollen in Texas (both grass and trees).

     

    They came Tuesday — I got to be home, and they did a terrific job.  It’s very nice to have a clean house and not have to do it yourself.

     

    Please it frees me up for other projects.  Like my office.  i can actually work in here now, and I have room in the closet for storage again.  Speaking of which, if I put computer equipment out for the trash, I swear it’s gone in 5 minutes.  It[‘s really a hoot. 

     

    We’ve also had the handyman over, and he’s got my new TV mounted on the wall so it’s comfortable to watch on the treadmill.

  • Medco – Protonix arrived

    Protonix DID arrive today!  At the same time, I got an email from Medco saying I had a new order being processed and then the Medco database showed they were processing Protonix.  Oh well, they will hold until March 15.

     

    Symlin pen still hasn’t shipped.

  • New York Personal Injury Law Blog: My Interview with Robert (Dr. "Flea") Lindeman

    I am saddened everytime I read about this case.  First, I enjoyed reading Flea’s blog, very much, and feel very betrayed, sad, etc. because he was sued for malpractice.  The malpractice? The patient he had seen DIED OF UNDIAGNOSED TYPE 1 DIABETES.  I’m not sure how long ago that the child was actually not diagnosed, but surely a simple blood glucose test?  Okay, and I’m still mad that my mom was being treated for an infection that would not go away and they didn’t do a simple blood glucose test the entire year she was being treated. He was not the primary doctor on the case, but still…

     

    New York Personal Injury Law Blog: My Interview with Robert (Dr. "Flea") Lindeman


    In May 2007 Robert Lindeman, a pediatrician from the Boston area, found himself uncomfortably in the public eye when the Boston Globe exposed his pseudonymous life as a blogger in a sensational front page story.

  • Medco – Symlin

    I really thought that January 14th as a shipping date for my Symlin pens was a bit optomistic.  They are now showing a ship day of the 17th.  The good news is that the pen needles are already on their way.  They will go mule train, and the Symlin will probably come UPS, so they might arrive at the same time.

     

    It’s fun keeping watch though.  Haven’t heard from the local pharmacy, I think I’ll give them a buzz tomorrow.

  • Protonix shipped!

    YEAH!  It shipped out today!  I am so happy that battle is won — though it is not over until it arrives on my door step.

     

    Symlin is still showing will ship today (I will be amazed if that happens). 

  • Medication Update

    The Medco database was updated in the last couple of hours. 

     

    There is now an entry for my Symlin pen injector, and it shows 6 packages — that means they are sending 12 pens and a pen is supposed to last a week (22 1/2 injections, according to the math I did, which Symlin verified as correct).

     

    They are also showing a ship date of January 14 on the Symlin pens, one day before the pen needles!  I’m sure that will change though. The good news, is that I do have some pen needles hanging around the house, plus I could get Albertson’s to go ahead and fill those if the injector gets here first.

     

    The bad news is that there is no shipping date showing for the Protonix, when it did have one.