Data Thirst

Soooo I am considering Dexcom.

From what I gather, there seem to some annoying points about the dex, mostly that I have to stab myself with something else and that I will have one more thing to carry in the monitor. However, I am currently testing my blood sugar 10-18 times per day, depending on what and how I am doing. So the idea of seeing where my blood sugar is going when is pretty enticing!

Today, when I was riding between 40 and 60 mg/dL most of the morning, while teaching 4th grade, it sure would have been nice to know a little sooner. Then, when I thought I had corrected with enough GlucoLift tabs, learning that I was still at a 54 an hour and a half later, it again would have been nice to know! I mean, I  really couldn't even feel it anymore. How long had I been low?

Teaching is honestly one of the least good places to be diabetic. I mean, only jobs that require extended time sans civilization or extreme levels of exercise can be worse. I just have no time!! Sometimes I feel like my job does require me to spend time in the jungle - these kids are like wild animals some (read: a lot) of the time. Then, as a substitute, I have almost no consistency in my schedule. I go from teaching a class where I eat at 11, to 12:45 the next day, to no prep periods, no time to go to the bathroom, no think time all within days or weeks or hours! It's crazy (but I do love teaching! Jobs for me, anyone, jobs??).

Then, there is the insurance issues to consider. I have Aetna, and have no idea how much or when or how my insurance will cover for dex. Considering I am fairly poor, due to this whole "no real teaching job" thing, really good coverage would be lovely.

Soooo dexcom. Thinking, have to talk to endo when I go in a few weeks. What. To. Do.

Advice, suggestions, information all welcome!!

Praise Pod

It has been a very long time since I posted on here. Maybe that's because there have been a fair amount of d-related changes in my life, maybe it's just because I've been busy. I am not sure, but I can say this, as far as D is concerned, I am fairly happy right now. 

I switched to the Omnipod in mid-June (it arrived June 14th, to be exact, and I popped my first pod on immediately after returning home from celebrating my sister's high school graduation). 

left arm took the first hit

Here I am after my first insert, super happy with myself. I did not wait to go through any training, and I did not meet any Insulet CDEs before "installation". I am impatient, and it was going to be another week. And I had been on a Minimed for over 5 years, damnit! Between my brain and the book, I can figure this out. And I did, and it worked, and it was awesome!

Fast-forward one month exactly to when Drew and I were leaving for our much awaited honeymoon to Hawaii (Oahu), and I took my pods on vacation. And, for the first time, I didn't worry about water, or sand, or heat, or detach-reattach. I took diabetes to the beach, in Hawaii, for 13 days and 12 nights. And I can count on one hand the number of times I was high while there (granted, it might take me 5 hands to count all the lows, but that's beside the point!). 

"diabetes on the beach"

Now, it is September, almost the middle of it already, actually, and I am still quite happy with my Omnipod. When I met with my CDE (post-training, I got switched between a few people, I think I'm set now, though), I told him that I had been thinking about the Omnipod sort of passively for almost a year before I switched. Then, when I finally saw an endo for the first time in two years, I was in such a bad place d-wise, that when I was told that I could upgrade my Minimed, I was psyched. I mean, something new (who doesn't like new?), so I just assumed it would fix everything. Plus, it just sort of happened, like "oh your old pump is kind of breaking, oh you're way past the 4 year mark, oh let's upgraded you now!" so very fast, that it was over and done and I had a Revel before I really had time to think about it. When I did, I suddenly realized, "Wait a minute, I don't think I wanted this. I think I had another plan!" Luckily, Insulet and Omnipod sort of have a helpful plan and people for when that happens, and luckily for me, they were awesome enough to help and do it quickly.

So, I have cut the cord. It may not be right for everyone, which is cool. But I love wearing dresses now, and jumping in the pool, and thinking about how I don't have to think about the physicality of my pod. So, Omnipod, you are just right for me. You are the best D decision that I have ever made. 

Pod Man to the rescue