Great Products too Late!

I am a fun of Roche’s Accu-Chek product line I do not have the Accu-Chek Spirit Pump I choose the Animas over it for personal reasons - best left for another post.
The old Accu-Chek Complete, some people may remember it in the late nineties, it was huge big and it took 26 seconds to produce a test result, Oh and the big blob of blood it took.

However, although it would not have won any design awards it was one of the best made truly complete meters of its generation in my humble opinion. It was the first meter to have inbuilt diabetes management software, stored and analyzed up to 1000 values, plus you could add information on insulin, activities, meals etc. The first of its kind on the market I believe it did not succeed because of its lack of appeal or let’s say design.

Accu-Chek seems to be missing its mark lately, don’t get me wrong, they still make great products and management software nevertheless, these products get into the hands of the consumers (me) a little too late. Point in case I have been waiting for their not so new to Europe – Accu-Chek Smart Pix for some time now unfortunately for Accu-Chek I have since upgraded to vista and it will be out in North America late May appearing to not be vista compatible.

The Accu-Chek Smart Pix is a Device Reader is a small, but smart device which imports and displays data from Accu-Chek blood glucose meters, Accu-Chek software for handhelds, and Accu-Chek insulin pumps, via a built-in infrared interface. A plug’n play functionality that connects to you PC via USB, most importantly data can be seen and manipulated in HTML, XML, BMP, PNG etc.

Here is to hoping it becomes vista compatible before I move on to a newest Operating system.

Wake up....... please!

I have “dreams”, maybe nightmares about flying over traumatic events in these nightmares I am not in control of my abilities to fly and I am forced to witness these traumatic events. This reoccurring dream has been happening since I was about six years old. I have developed the super ability however, to tell myself during these nightmares that it is a dream and am able to wake myself up from them. Often going back to sleep means going back to my nightmare meaning I will have night where the nightmare is repeated over and over as I keep waking myself up over and over.


I hope writing this will be the real life equivalent of waking myself up from a “dream” maybe depression.


I take it so personally when my blood sugar is high; I search for days, weeks even months for the answer or the reason why it was? This maybe because I thrive and part myself on the back for all the good numbers, I learn from them and try to stick with the winning formulas. But……….


I love science, it works and can be proven, and one plus one equals two was very exciting to me when I learnt it. I was in heaven the day I was taught “Newton’s Laws of Motion” my favourite is the second law it’s just beautiful and with it, a tried and true formula F=ma or F=mv please let’s not forget the third law – “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”


I remember at twelve years old pointing out a huge ship on the ocean to my mom, saying, “did you know that if you collect all the water being displaced by that ship it would weigh in at exactly the same weight of the ship?”


Diabetes is not science, the formula works most times and sometimes it just does not work. When this happens, as it is happening now with my fasting blood glucose readings I get a little depressed and angry. I am letting it get to me and I am being stubborn about testing my nighttimes basal insulin rate. See I tested it several times previously it worked a formula was set and tried, which worked beautiful.


I am watching a traumatic event happen while I fly above it, I am possible watching diabetes complications lay its foundation as I stew in my own high fasting blood glucose in anger and stubbornness just a little bite depressed.


Wake up Adjoa, you can wake up from this, its just another nightmare come back into reality and you will be save again. But………. for how long?

Forgive me father, for I am sick

I am sick and hating every minute of it, I feel like I have been run over by a truck my body aches and I have a fever. This is a vase improvement from the way I felt last week my body ached, touch made it worse and I was constantly having weird dreams.

One particular dream was about my insulin pump. I dreamt I was at a Diabetes Expo and there was a pump spa booth, I stopped at the booth for some TLC for pumcy. I thought it was the least I could do for such a hard working pump, the lady at the booth took pumcy through the pump spa routine and handed it over back to me. Although identical in every way, I could just tell that it was not pumcy, it did not feel like pumcy I started crying begging the lady to give me back my real pump. She tried consoling me while telling me that was my real pump, reasoning with me, “you were standing here the whole time watching me, that is your pump” But I knew it was not my beloved pumcy, basal rates and insulin to carb ratios were all the same but it still was not pumcy and I could not stop crying. I looked around to get someone to help but it did not look like an Expo anymore it was just the lady and I, I woke up anxiously reaching for my pump. Crazy huh!

I got up Saturday morning and went for a run; yes I did, while sick. Why? Because I needed to get out of the apartment and secondly walking would have taken too long and I just wanted to be back in bed as soon as possible. Lastly, I could hear my mom’s voice telling me “you need to get up and get some vigorous physical activity or you will never get better” These are words I heard growing up. Mom believes you are allowed a day or at most two days sick after which you need to get back to your normal level of activity this she use to tell me is the last piece of the healing process, it what your body needs to help the medication and nutrients kill what ills you. I am still not 100% and my body ache is now not intensifying by touch.

Typing this reminded me of the day my Mom explained her healing theory to me. I was in grade one, a month before my older brother and I had survived being caught in a cross fire of a violent coup d’état (mini civil war). Mom used the coup as an education moment each fraction representing either medication, nutrition or exercise together bring an outcome. The violence of a civil war she said is the same as the fight happening in the body the symptoms of illness she said was the excuses given to justify the evil that is the sickness. The strangest thing is it all made sense to me back then.

Victory - United Nations adopts diabetes resolution

A United Nations Resolution on Diabetes was formally adopted yesterday, making it the first time ever for a non-communicable disease. This will also mandate Governments around the world to establish national policies on the treatment, prevention and care of diabetes within the sustainable development of each Government’s healthcare system.

"Today the United Nations has recognized diabetes as a global pandemic.The adoption of the Resolution affirms the belief that access to properPrevention and management is a human right which should not be ignored," says
Michael Howlett, President and CEO of the Canadian Diabetes Association.

Diabetes - it’s with you always

I arrived at work yesterday to find our power out the generator had kicked in however we needed that juice to run the data center to keep all the other employees around the world working. After a couple of idle hours and electricians with blank look on their faces, we were asked to go home.

I decided to take the opportunity to start my Christmas shopping being that there is only three days to Christmas I headed to Metropolis at Metrotown. A one stop shopping Mecca, with close to 500 stores, this is the perfect place to find the perfect gifts.
Christmas cheers that have eluded me so far this year enveloped me as I walked into the mall. It was packed with people some happy and cheerful and some looked stressed, people carrying bags upon bags of stuff. I methodically went form one favourite store to another picking up presents and then headed to the gift-wrapping station to drop them off. I was filled with excitement and could picture facial expressions when those gifts are opened. I continued with my shopping, I felt a little hungry but ignored both the hunger and the fact that this could very well be a warning sign my body was trying to give me.
I was headed back to the wrapping station when I saw the food court sign, my brain translated the sign to “check blood glucose” a light bulb went off in my head. I have been walking probably for miles in this huge mall - oops I am diabetic I did not make arrangement for all this walking I did not reduce my basal insulin nor did I eat extra carbohydrates. Just as fast as I had been bath with the seasons cheers it was gone again as I stopped tested and treated the low.
Days like this I think I really need a CGMS.

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.

One World One Hope – Unite for diabetes

I try to work hard on my health knowing that I am lucky. I am also very thankful for the advancements in medical and technology that aid me stay alive and healthy with type 1 diabetes.

Insulin is not a cure, however insulin keeps us alive and healthy. Without insulin, diabetes is a death sentence.

Diabetes is a pain to manage, its like a cruel joke that does not end, a forced marriage that did not take what you want or need into consideration, and a spouse who takes “till death do us part” very seriously. However I am still very lucky, because available to me are all these wonderful tools that enable me to cope.

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) knows that not all of us are as lucky, and that diabetes kills more people than it is necessary. A United Nations Resolution on Diabetes has been drafted, when passed will be the first time ever for a non-communicable disease. This will also mandate Governments around the world to establish national policies on the treatment, prevention and care of diabetes within the sustainable development of each Government’s healthcare system.


Go sign and write a message of support for this resolution unite for diabetes

For many people and in many parts of the world a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes is still a death sentence today.

After the rain the sun... it’s a beaut here!

I hate the gym with a passion, I try my hardest not to go to the gym, so naturally I have been bummed out by how unusually stormy it has been in Vancouver lately. Last night I come up with the brilliant ideal of running up and down our 12 stories apartment building stairs for a workout.

First of all I do not like “climbing” of any kind I would rather walk an extra mile to get to point “A” than climb a little hill to get there. Secondly I do not think I get the same workout on a treadmill as I do outdoor.

Delusional? Whatever, I live in my own special world anyway.

My stairs workout, while good did not meet the goal I set for myself, my sister ended up laughing so hard at my initial goal as she asked – You just said “up and down 10times” just for my sake right? This was after the fifth set when I was huffing and puffing with complains of my legs shaking.

This afternoon, the clouds parted a bit, the sun is fighting to shine and my spirit is lifted, I am in love with my city again. I cannot wait to get off work, and then I remembered I am set to meet these two Internet buds at an event this afternoon an indoor event :-)

Sorry guys, I know I am being selfish since you both have to be at this event and I don’t but I would rather go out running.

My mental health and my diabetes really need me to run outdoors the way God intended me to run. Besides just take a look at how beautiful the neighbourhood is when it is not raining who can resist.

Hope you understand since “they” are calling for storms again.

Brothers and Sisters and Diabetes

Currently my favourite TV show is Brothers and Sisters, it airs on ABC Sundays at 9pm.

The show is about a multi-generation family that work to balance their personal life and work life. Sounds familiar?

If you have never seen the show the first episode started off with an “idyllic family”, having a party during which the father has a heart attack and dies. The heart attack was witness by his granddaughter.

After the father’s death the family was force to face new realities, discovering that their idyllic family was just a façade under which laid secrets that will either tear the family apart or bring them closer together. There are many levels and many interesting stories woven into the show. One storyline I find myself captivated by is about the granddaughter.

The stress of witnessing her granddad’s heart attack and subsequently his death brought on her type 1 diabetes. The writers so far, do a great job in just weaving the diabetes storyline into the show just as we diabetics weave diabetes into our life.

Last night’s episode had a scene where the little girls mom administers her night time insulin and the girl says something about when she gets well. With a heavy heart her mother tells her she will always have diabetes. The scene brought tear to my eyes knowing that my own mother must have felt this way and still feels this way.

I was a little disappointed that there was no promise of a cure. But I could see how the mother did not want to make a promise that was not within her control.