Living with Diabetes

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  • Dexcom Seven

    I “installed” my first Dexcom Seven sensor. 

    Hint:  I’m keeping the whole assembly at least this round until I know everything is working okay.  Makes it easier if you have a sensor failure to return things.

    My last STS-3 sensor failed in the shower today.  It was working fine, and I think that the weatherproofing finally went away.  I could try drying everything out and resetting but I just don’t think it’s worth it.  This sensor did last more than a week.  And I do think it’s time to send the system back.  One less thing to keep up with.  I’m doing my last download of data now.

    There lots to like about the Dexcom Seven.  One really big plus is the warm-up progress screen.  I was never really sure that the old system was warming up, and couldn’t remember when I started it exactly. 

    Insertion is a bit harder.  I think that is to insure waterproofing.

  • Diabetic and Determined – New York Times

    Great article — and enough some information on Fitness4Diabetics 

    Today athletes with Type 1 diabetes are blasting out of the starting gate in full force. Because of new technology, the emergence of companies that help them manage their illness, the rise of successful role models and sheer determination, they are running marathons, doing 100-mile bike rides, completing Ironmen — many with their doctor’s blessing.

    Diabetic and Determined – New York Times

  • Diabetes Mine: Seven Days with DexCom SEVEN

    Amy has been trying the DexCom SEVEN and writes about it: 

    It’s just that I’m still a little disgruntled from my first experience. 

    Diabetes Mine: Seven Days with DexCom SEVEN

    Funny, but I’m had a completely opposite experience with the 3-day system.  In fact, this sensor I have in right now is working so well, I’m just not ready to go to SEVEN.

    First, I haven’t needed the shower caps — I use them sometimes when I soak in the hot tub but haven’t needed to, in fact, I just got out of the shower, and while I missed the readings while I was in the shower, I am getting readings again, and they are within 5 points of the Dexcom.

    I’ve even left a shower cover on over night — forgot to take it off, with no adverse results. 

    The only reason I missed the readings in the shower, is because I left the receiver here in my office.

    One other thing — i am just not as body conscious as Amy is.  I wear a one piece suit and get over it.  Occasionally someone else ask questions, and it’s often a good educational moment.  In fact, we had a lot of fun with it at my teacher workshop — but then we’re all computer teachers and are into geek things.

    In other words, I still think Dexcom is very very cool.

  • Bad Girl Yesterday

    After seeing 2 readings right on the money between the CGMS and the meter, I decided to stop finger testing and dosing off of CGMS.  Note:  I don’t recommend it.

    It was a nice break from finger testing. 

    At the end of the day and the next morning, I didn’t see any difference.

    However, when I calibrated I did see that I had a “drift” in the high direction.  The CGMS said I was going up while I had obviously gone down.

    That’s the biggest issue I’ve seen with the Dexcom meter — drift, either a drift to the low where the CGMS says I’m still low but the meter says I’m not, OR  a high drift.  They are fairly easy to stop and calibrating usually solves the problem.

    I’m still on the three day system and I’ve just reset this sensor for the third time.

    I love data, and I hate those two hours where I don’t have it.  Yes, I’m hooked.

  • Dexcom has been invaluable

    I just can’t express how having the Dexcom made a difference this week.

    I would not have been able to search for Marcie the way I did if I did not have the Dexcom to rely on. 

    I really can’t wait to try the Seven system, as I really feel that it will be more accurate since the regular system has been.

  • Petfinder

    The website that I used to find Marcie is http://www.petfinder.com — I would have found her the next morning because of the shelter, but I did get some peace of mind.

  • Marcie is home and out of jail

    The dog listed in Petfinders WAS Marcie.  The good news is that the Farmers Branch Animal Control was trying to reach me while I was dealing with Carrollton AND let me know they sent her to Carrollton (Carrollton is a nicer, bigger facility — though they said we were getting a new one).

  • Medpundit writes about restless leg

     Okay, I was diagnosed with restless leg during a sleep study and I thought the doctor made it up.  That’s what the leg electrodes are.  Oh, that and no one will sleep with me including my husband of 20 years (though is it the CPAP, the insulin pump, Dexcom OR the fact that I sleep totally different hours than he does).

    “Often disregarded as a fake illness.”

    Medpundit

    I even went on Mirapex, even though the pharmacy inserts freaked me out since it said it was a Parkinson’s drug.  Funny, she just wrote how computer generated pharmacy notes freak out patients too ….

    I didn’t believe until I went on Requip — and fortunately neither has made me gamble though I wonder about my husband….

    Since I’ve been on Requip, I do sleep better, when my dog isn’t sleeping in jail.

    Oh, and I almost forgot — I was listening to Dr Dean Udell (sp), and he told some idiot woman than her mother-in-law’s restless leg was all her mother-in-law’s head.

  • Can’t sleep — Marcie is in jail — I hope

    We got new telephone / Internet service today.

    I am not going to blame anyone person, especially both my husband and I are also responsible.  As the U-Verse tech was leaving, the Orkin guy came by, so it could be him too.

    After the install, I let the girls out and then back in.  Then I loaded up and took the boxes back to Time Warner.

    Husband came in while I was out and let the girls out too.  When we let them back in, there were only two beagles.  The best beagle, oldest, best trained and most wonderful was missing.  Marcie.  http://www.kweaver.org/photos if anyone cares.

    We walked up and down the street and through the neighborhood.  Couldn’t find her.  Finally at 8:00 pm I came home and looked her up on petfinders and found:

    I found a sweet older female beagle playing on Josey Ln between Valwood & Valley View. The poor thing nearly got hit during 5:00 traffic, so I stopped & picked her up. I drove around trying to see if anyone was looking for her…no luck so I brought her home. She was wearing a yellow collar with a black & white checkered pattern on it. I had to take her to the Carrollton Shelter…I hope you find her!

    That has to be her.  Just has to.   I’m going to bail her out of jail in the morning and probably can’t sleep until she’s in my bedroom.

  • Animas – Ezmanager Frustrations

    I am really upset with Animas right now.  The good news for them, is that I hate Minimed and Smith is out of network, but if I were getting a new pump today, I wouldn’t be happy buying from them.

    Here’s the deal.  When I got my IR1250 (back when they first shipped), they had a software issue in the food database and had to recall the pump.

    So I upgraded to the IR2020 last spring when I could get the chance.  I believe I was the first upgrade, if not, certainly one of the first.

    However, EzManager doesn’t work with the IR2020, so every since I got it, I’ve been stuck with their food database.  Plus I haven’t been able to upload data.  Okay, I can get bolus history and basal history, but I can’t upload and save pump settings, etc.  Nor do I have it in hard copy to double check. 

    Every time I’ve asked they have said they were shipping soon.  In June I called and they said July.  I finally called yesterday and now they at least gave a date, August 1.

    Yeah, two weeks away.  I really wish they had told me when they shipped the pump that EzManager wasn’t ready.  I am pretty sure I would have said — fine, wait and ship the pump when the software ready.  In fact, I asked that they switch pumps until the software was ready yesterday and they refused. 

    If I don’t see it on August 1st, I think I’m going to start getting real hard to get along with.