And through it all, she offers me protection (An angel in disguise)

Maybe I should have! I never take the flu shot and I never get sick with the flu. I hate it when someone else controls my injections, besides I do not know for sure if what I have is the flu. I have body aches accompanied by low-grade fever occasional cough that sounds horribly like a smoker’s cough but I have not smoked a day in my life. Well just the one time in Geneva, when I thought it would make me look older and get me into that cool club, I coughed so bad after my first puff the bouncer almost called an ambulance. The symptoms have been lingering for a month now some weeks are better than others are and just when I think I have gotten better it starts all over a gain. This past weeks was one of those “I thought I was all better” “maybe not”. I have not been to see a doctor because just when I say I will go I start to feel better and think it will be a waste of both of our time and money.
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My sister had an eye doctor’s appointment first thing in the morning we decided to run to the doctor’s office. Not as long a run as we do on Saturdays but it will do, about 1K into the run I looked at the time and told my sister to run ahead, she is the faster runner and we were running short on time. I rumbled through the route directions and watched as the gap between us widened, I slowed down a bit eavesdropping on these two ladies running just ahead of me till it was time to check my blood glucose. Slowing to a stop I reached into my pump pak and all I felt was my pump hmm… no meter, no glucose tab just my pump and the bolus I take to combat my Saturday morning run high. Panic sets in what to do? Run the 2.5K back home or the 2.5K to the eye doctor’s office, a flash of anger and defiant. I can clearly see it sitting on the counter. I took the roll of Dex4 tabs out of the pak to get to the meter so I could re-check my blood glucose just before walking out the door and left both vital to my life things behind.
Angry and tired with this whole lifestyle, knowing very well the anger will do nothing to help I kept running forward stupidly challenging diabetes as if I were a teenager testing my boundaries. I reached my destination thinking to myself how childish can you really be. My sensible personality was asking my teenage rebel one, it was still early and the pharmacy in the building was not yet open. I knew there was another pharmacy in the building across the street; I love that pharmacy because they have a dedicated area and counter for diabetes. So I made my way to that one I at least remembered to bring $5.00 to get water on our way back, I could at least get something I can use to treat a hypoglycaemia if I feel one coming on. I entered the store and went straight to the diabetes counter, I looked at the name badge pinned to the woman and it had the letters RN at the end my eyes filled with tears. I tried to fight the tears as I told her I left the house for a run without my meter or glucose tabs. What meter do you have strips at home for? She asked, I told her I do not have money to buy a new meter she smiled saying “don’t look so pitiful, you were out running that is a good thing” “How are you felling now” I told her I was feeling OK on signs of hypoglycaemia, when I said those words I could not control the tears.

She reached behind the counter and gave me a new meter told me to set it up while she gets me some strips. I tested in at 5.4mmol/l (97) she also gave me a roll of glucose tabs and filled out a promotional give away form. One of these days, I have to go back as the adult I am with a thank you card for her.

Taking it to the next level – I have a dream………….

All through 2005, I dreamt of better control over my blood glucose and overall health but did the bear minimum. Most of 2006 saw me doing the same till I started literally dreaming a different kind of dream, complications, I wake up in panic from a nightmare where I loss my vision or where my limbs are being hacked up by a very mean lady who keeps singing.

Weeping will not save you
For you had time to learn
But you chose not to do so
Now you ripe what you sow

A song my dad sang to a seven year old me when I brought home a bad report card in tears, - OK I know I have daddy issues but that is a different post. After the fifth nightmare I resolved to take back the control, which eventually lead me to an Insulin Pump “Pumcy”.

My toolbox contains a number of things some of which I use and use well and others I use but not to it’s full potential. Pumcy and my blood glucose meter are the most used items in my toolbox that also holds the beautiful seawall at Stanley Park I love to run the seawall, I love the ever changing scenery, the calm I feel in the mist of a bustling park that attracts an estimated eight million visitors a year.

Then there are the ones I dream of using even as they collect dust, a set of measuring cups and a nifty nutritional scale both to aid in accurately counting carbohydrate to help tighten my overall control. Last but not least is the all important bathroom scale to help attain and maintain a healthy BMI.

I have a dream that by the end of 2007 I will be using all the tools available to me in my toolbox and will have learnt to use Pumcy and the insulin contain in it to their full potential.

BD sells blood glucose monitoring business

BD Logic and Paradigm link Blood Glucose Meter has been raised from the dead. I know some people were sad when BD announced a few months ago that they are pulling out of the glucose monitoring business.


Below is a press release from BD.


BD sells blood glucose monitoring business to Sanvita, Inc.

Important Information for BD Logic® and Paradigm Link® Users
We have some exciting news for you! There is no need to switch from using your BD blood glucose monitoring system. We are pleased to announce that BD has sold the blood glucose monitoring business to a valued business partner, Sanvita, Inc. This means that you will be able to continue to use the quality BD blood glucose monitoring system that you have been using.
Sanvita has a strong commitment to patient care, and to delivering high quality products and services. Sanvita will continue to supply test strips that work with BD Logic® and Paradigm Link® monitors through pharmacies, mail-order providers, and health plans well into the future.
This announcement is limited to BD blood glucose monitors and test strips and has no impact on other BD Diabetes Care products such as insulin syringes, pen needles, lancets, and lancing devices.

You’ve got to have faith

I took a call from a friend (L) I have not seen in over four years whom I however, speak to several times a year. We went through the obligatory pleasantry of “how have you been”, etc.

While on the phone with L my pump vibrates reminding me to check my blood sugar level, it has already been two hours since my last bolus. I naturally held the phone between my ear and should, pulled out my monitor and without missing a beat, pricked my finger. A squeeze and a little bright red dot settle on the side of my finger. I touch the tip of the strip that I had inserted into my meter, which is now begging for a drink, on the red dot and watch as the dot disappears. I licked the remaining evidence off my finger, within five short second the meter beeps at me; I glanced at the number 5.1mmol (92) and smiled.

“What was that beeping?” L asked? “My blood glucose meter” I responding and went back to talking about my recent NYC trip. Adjoa! L interrupted “Do you still have diabetes?” “Waiting for the cure,” I replied.

My Friend proceeded in telling me that there is already a cure, his mane is Jesus and that I need to find a good bible believing church to become a member of.
He goes on -------->

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” he mumbled adding “the bible says by his strips you are healed” “diabetes, like any illness is just a spirit that needs to be cast out”

“With a little faith, even one as small as a mustard seed, you will be healed”

That was when I told my friend I needed to go.

I really did not have a comeback nor do I know how to respond to something like this.