Blog

  • Pumps switched

    I was ready with new infusion set, insulin, etc when the UPS guy arrived.  Good news, it was time to switch out and the sensor was only a few hours old.

    I got everything programmed except the low insulin warning, couldn't find that setting, and wasn't sure how they wanted the old pump, so called in for help.  Found the setting while we were waiting on his computer.

    Everything is up and working again, including the sensor and the old pump is dropped off at Office Depot.

    I am suspecting this is the cause of my issues.

  • Replacement pump – Medtronics,this is a bit of overkill

    So last night I got my second motor error on my Minimed Reveal pump – all while I have been learning how to do CGMS. So I called tech support and they decided to send me a new pump.

    That’s fine. Though I’m not looking forward to reprogramming a new pump (yeah, seriously). It’s not as bad as an Animas pump but up there.

    So after I got off the phone, I got an email saying that they were shipping the pump, an email on how to prevent the error, and another email saying it was coming. THEN I got a phone call this morning.

    Okay, I know its’ coming now….. The good news is that it should be here by 10:30, though the phone call said that it could take until 5:00 pm. I sure hope not.

  • The Medical Profession has been punished for killing a diabetic

    Dr Lindeman (pictured right) is the Ivy League-educated, Boston-area pediatric pulmonologist and erstwhile blogger (under the alias “Flea”) whose electronic exploits led to a large settlement in a malpractice suit brought against him last year in the case of a 12-year-old who died of diabetic ketoacidosis.

    via www.canadianmedicinenews.com

    Diabetes Mine has been blogging about families being punished by the legal system for neglecting diabetic children in their care: http://www.diabetesmine.com/2013/07/when-d-parenting-turns-to-neglect-or-so-we-may-think.html and I commented that I knew of one case where a medical practice had been successfully sued for malpractice when they missed the diagnosis of a children.  The above article is about that case, and doing a simple search on Dr. Flea will get you quick a bit of information on this.

    It happened in 2007, not that distant history, and here is not just one but a WHOLE group of doctors who missed a diabetes diagnosis so badly that the patient died.

    And while the article was written by a Canadian publication, it happened in the good old US of A.

    What has always bothered me about the case is that the above mentioned doctor has never accepted any part of his blame for the patients death.  Yes, he was a pediatric pulmonologist but still, why was this missed?

    And I did a bit more research, the doctor in question owns the practice, so yes, I do hold him responsible.

  • CGMS –Trying to save a bleeder isn’t worth it

    I had a new sensor yesterday that was a bleeder when I put it in. Theory is that I hit a capillary. Was getting wonky reading all day, was keeping me up all night and still had blood around the sensors.

    Was also getting some skin irritation from the blood under the tape.

    Noticed it was STILL bleeding – as I had switched out the tape last night.

    Next time, I’ll go on to another site.

    Also, I sure wish that the lapband surgeon hadn’t left so much scaring, limited the real estate I have for both pumping and sensors. <snarl>

  • Changed my workout

    Changed my basal so that I would get 50% of my basal during my workout – and took my normal bolus with my 40 carb drink.

    Blood sugar stayed pretty stable the whole time – better than the slight spike yesterday.

    Though I’m down to 105 now – not a bad thing just something to know, as I started the day out at 130.

    That’s even being off pump for a while during a shower and change (even forgot to take the pump off of suspend, even though I rehooked up – oops, I do that a lot with this pump, and didn’t as much with the Animas).

  • CGMS still accomplishing my goals

    Still no skin problems.

    Testing more.

    And I can see what is going on with my blood sugar by glancing at the screen.

    I wouldn’t say that my average blood sugar has gone down – but at the same time, we have data I can actually use. Notice that I have a standard deviation now, where I didn’t before, but that might be a function of the sensation, I’ll have to ask someone who knows.

    I did have a standard deviation on Saturady, Jul 6, when I had 6 finger sticks.

  • Typical Workout

    This shows a typical workout — I start out with 40 carbs, and stay on the bike for 60 minutes.

    Pretty good guessimate:

  • Day 3 on CGMS

    I’m not getting a whole lot of sleep Smile

    The first night, I was getting high alerts.  Same with the second.  Also getting some lost sensor alerts.  I’m a low alert or two last night too.

    Still no skin issues. 

    My first sensor came off after two days – and I think it was because the trainer had put it in a IV 3000 sandwich and my hot tub had messed it up.  I think a single layer of tape will do me better.

    Fortunately I have a ton of tape left over from my old days though I need to order some.

    My first two days were interesting. I don’t know if it was the mexican food from Thursday night (done all the wrong way), or a bad set, but I finally broke down and changed sets on Saturday morning and am good now.  It is so rare to have a bad Mio set, that I am very resistant to changing them.  In fact, I can’t recall every having a bad set before.

    image

    I just pulled my data off my pump and you an already see I’m doing a better job testing. 

    I’m being a good girl so far, and not relying solely on the sensor – when I see a blood sugar reading I don’t like, I test and correct. 

    And I am really glad I pulled my reports as I see I need to record the end of exercise – not just the beginning.

  • CGMS after one night

    So far no skin irritation and it survived the hot tub.

    I am finger sticking more – the first point. I have a better picture of what is going on – the second point.

    Suffering from supreme frustration as I had Mexican food last night, in a social situation – meaning I ate too many chips – and I am stuck with a high blood sugar. A dual wave bolus would have done me well. I got several high blood sugar alarms which I acted on. Blood sugar is NOT coming down, but I’m at the gym working on it.

    Nice seeing the whole picture and not guessing.

    Love having only one device, just wish the Revel pump had a bit nicer HCI.

  • CGMs, in and Calibrated

    In fact, I am at the gym, watching the screen.

    Tough needle for me. But I think I can do it, we’ll see in a few days.

    So far the sensor isn’t bothering me. I was a bit concerned because I got a lost sensor alarm, but it calibrated fine and the readings look reasonable.