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I’ve been sick for a week and a half, maybe two weeks. I had been putting off going to my primary care doctor, because going to one has always been a pain. Not this time!

I called yesterday morning and asked for the first appointment I could get without missing school – I could have gotten one an hour later, but took 5:15 Thursday evening. The waiting room was empty, was greeted promptly, checked in quickly and didn’t have to wait long at all.

Was taken right in (though was told by the nurse that she didn’t really like beagles because they were loud and demanding, the opposite of Dulce but describes Maggie and Macy to a tee). Vitals taken and only had to wait a moment for the doctor.

She diagnosed a sinus infection and prescribed antibiotics.

Was out 5 minutes after the appointment but I got there 20 minutes early. Frankly, the pharmacy was more of a pain.

NICE!

None of old primary care physician was never like this. Though I always enjoyed seeing Dr. Sikora.

I have had some upper respiratory thing for the last week. I was out last Tuesday because I was coughing and sneezing so hard that I was not leaving the restroom for long. Not good when you are a teacher.

I finally broke down and got a doctor’s appointment for after school tomorrow so I am probably going to wake up fine.

While I like my endocrinologist, I find going to his office stressful. Today has been no exception. There is an emergency patient here and they needed to be seen first.

All my numbers are going in the right direction or we already in the right direction. Especially my weight. He tweaked some pump numbers and I’m back in at the end of June.

Dulce and he had a nice visit. All in all a good quiet visit.

Not sure why I haven’t shared my latest ordeal, maybe because I somehow blamed myself for the mess.

Back in August, I started getting emails from Animas that my pump warranty was expiring so I started looking at insulin pumps. Haven’t been happy with animas as they have done aero technology enhancements since the pump came in my possession. Ezmanager was still at Windows XP, no changes in the Ping Remote, etc.

Had an appointment with the endo in October and he agreed, in fact, he said he was only doing Medtronic or Omnipod. Talked with both reps but the omnipod was out since I spend time in our hot tub.

I really like the local Medtronics people, both the sales rep and the trainer. I know I told everyone down the line when the pump expired, etc.

Pump was shipped the weekend before     Thanksgiving, which meant no one involved was reachable, and I also assumed everyone knew what they were doing. Imagine my shock when I get a bill for $6000 + dollars.

Yeah, a bit of a major freak out.

This happened in January. I am also now assuming supplies are no longer covered.

First calls out are to Medtronics billing who threaten to take back their pump. Oh, I had already sent in my Animas pump in their trade in deal.

Sales rep calmed me down and said that I wouldn’t be left pumpless.

Next was Blue Cross Blue Shield. First, they said they only cover one pump unless the first pump breaks or the doctor articulates the need for a new one, none of the “automatic replacement because of out warranty” that I had been given for two pump cycles.

BCBS did say I could keep the pump without paying for it but that didn’t seem right. Best news was that my supplies were still covered so that wasn’t an issue.

The fun part was that Medtronics was sending the wrong paperwork and asking the wrong questions. I got the right information and got the pump covered though technically I didn’t have to, but then again would they cover the warranty and would I get another pump ever again?

What gets me, is that everyone else I deal with pre authorizes, except them. Doctors, pharmacy, cpap supplier, you name, know my coverage before I hit the door. Weird.

I’ve a full time classroom teacher and Dulce and I spend most of our time being pretty serious. We both have our moments though….

Yesterday morning she decided that she needed to demonstrate that she didn’t have to know how to walk on a leash. She had one of my coworkers in complete stitches because she first wrapped herself leash around one of my legs, not once but TWICE. Then she had the leash wrapped her body.

Now Dulce is completely capable of untangling herself. All of my beagles have obtained that talent from puppyhood.

In fact, as soon as my coworker was out of the hall, Dulce untangled herself. But when she spotted her again, she was back tangled.

Guess a laugh was needed for the start of the day.

It was here in Dallas – we came around a blind turn into the baggage area and guide dog for the blind (he was wearing that cape), drug his handler straight for us.

The handler obviously thought the dog was dragging him to someone he knew. I didn’t really have time to react.

Dulce wasn’t a bit happy with the whole affair and before I knew it, the dog was in her face. She took any action a smaller dog would take when a big dog is in hers and she can’t get away, she snarled and snapped at him.

I told the handler that he’d been drug into my service dog, drug Dulce off the other way and no one seemed worse for wear.

Not sure what the dog told his handler what happened.

As my husband said (though he said innocents not Americans).

I flew out of DFW today with Dulce and once again had to get “close and personal” with a TSA agent. Honestly it doesn’t bother me, but the prep I have to go through to get anywhere I want does.

For example, I flew with two phones, an iPod Touch, an Amazon Fire, a Surface and a laptop (you don’t), all in one bag, and the TSA agent asked: you have “some” electronics? My response: “some”…..

Hey, I left the Google Tablet and two laptops at home, please. Besides, I’m only traveling for a two day trip.

And yes, I’ve used the phone, the surface, the laptop and the Amazon tablet since I’ve been here.

Still not great, but slowing going down. I knew that from how I have been dealing with stress and how I have been managing my diabetes. Still keeping my blood sugar too high.

Not sure why I had a stress attack yesterday but woke up with a really high blood sugar, in fact, so high I couldn’t wake up, didn’t feel competent enough to operate a motor vehicle and ended up calling in sick. Ate as few carbs as possible today, and still not going down. Not sure my sites are working, two have pulled off – one was an old site, time to change it, and one a new.

We’ll see how the latest site goes.

Not completely new, I've seen it before but it's been a while.

Had one of those days on Thursday and it was a bit stressful.  Late in the afternoon, Dulce started whining and I thought — just what I need, she wants to go out.

But I checked my blood sugar first, and I'd had a 30 point raise in about an hour, meter / pump wanted more insulin, so I praised her, gave myself insulin and her a treat, all in that order.

Did the treat, as she didn't let out aother peep, I didn't have other issues the rest of the day, and all was good.

GOOD DOG!

This morning, I was trying to unload my truck, get my dog, and keep from spilling my morning concoction of caffeine when a neighbor of the school decided his two large dogs needed to visit Dulce.

Please! I swear the guy and his dog were related to the guy who wrote Marley and me….

I kept telling him that she was working and that she didn’t need to be bothered.

Fortunately we got into the building with everything intact and not spilled, even managed to help the juice guy with the door, but please, keep your dogs away from service dogs. We don’t need the extra distractions.