Thursday, February 02, 2006

I love those little test strips!

I am almost out of monitor strips - uh oh. I have three left to last until after dinner tonight. It is 2:00pm. My pharmacy said they would have them ready after 2:00pm but I can't leave work to go and get them. I suppose knowing they are there if I absolutely HAVE to go get them gives me some comfort. I waited too long to call them into the pharmacy as usual. I don't know why I do this. Maybe it is because half the time there is some problem and my insurance didn't authorize the 250 strips I get each month....saying that is too many. I have to call someone at the insurance company and get it straightened out. It happens about once every 3-4 months or so.

I am drinking coffee to try and have some energy today. I don't usually like to drink caffienated coffee because it gives me a jittery feeling - kind of like the symptoms of a low sugar episode - so I end up checking my sugar more than usual. I can't do that today with only three strips left so why...........am I drinking it....???

I want to share a handy dandy item that I used while at a waterpark last year. I had to buy this item because I did not want to be without my sugar checker while waiting in line at the waterslides and didn't know what to do with it while on the slide as it would get soaked. Well, first you have to have a companion with you that wears swimming trunks so probably a man (my husband worked well!) -- the swimming trunks have to have a large enough pocket to fit your monitor in and have a velcro or some other type of secure closure. And then, go to the camping equipment aisle at most any department store and look for waterproof camping bags. I was amazed at how well these worked. The ones I bought came in three sizes and one fit my monitor nice and snug. The velcro closure on the bag and the way that you fold the top to close it was very air-tight. He just slipped it in his pocket with a couple bags of fruit snacks and we were good to go! I felt very comforted knowing I had it with me. It did fall out of his pocket one time when I forgot to get it out when he went down a MAJOR big slide (which I did not go down!) and it was floating at the bottom of the slide - but no big deal - it was fine!

I just want to mention my "everyone-has-had-one" opinion on the new inhaled insulin "Exubera". I was excited when I first heard about this, very excited. But then when I heard some of the drawbacks, that ended any and all excitement I had. I also heard that those that are around second hand smoke shouldn't use it. Well, unfortunately, my huband smokes - so I guess it wouldn't be for me anyways. And I just can see, down the road, "Exubera - now deemed unhealthy as lung damage has occured in many users." Now that HASN'T happened, it is just what I can see happening. Of coure, hopefully not and Exubera will be found to be very useful. The 4-5 shots I do each day don't really bother me too much. Every once in a while I will get a stinger.......but usually I can't even feel the needle going in. And I rotate my sites and have no bruising. I, however, know that later in life or if I can't seem to control my blood sugars with the injections...........I will join the pumpers club!

Okay, on with my day.......and my three test strips .. ugh.............

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