Living With Diabetes

If you are using this Lens Solution go out to the website and call.  They are supposed to be sending me a return kit.  You do get a computer answered phone number and you give your address, etc.

Will let you know how it goes.

Advice for Patients With Soft Contact Lenses: Acanthamoeba Keratitis Infections Related to Complete® MoisturePlus Multi Purpose Contact Lens Solution

Source: Medical Device Safety: Advice for Patients: With Soft Contact Lenses: Acanthamoeba Keratitis Infections Related to Complete® MoisturePlus Multi Purpose Contact Lens Solution

Posted by at 3:56 PM | Permalink

I am still blow away over the charges against Flea.  In his defense, he is a pediatric pulmonary specialist but still.....

I know of several practices that do a good job of screening for diabetes.  Until I was diagnosed, my contact lens specialist not only checked blood pressure, but also checked blood sugar reading.  If you are high, she suggests that you talk to your primary care -- and in fact, she caught my high blood sugar precisely when my doctor was watching it.

I also know for a fact that Dallas ISD's Intake Center also screens for diabetes, along with TB.  Last year when I was teaching math for nonEnglish speakers, one of my babies was screen for and referred to Parkland because of a simple blood test.  Type 2, on insulin, I know because it was my job to remind her to go to the nurse.

However, my own mother was missed -- and I still don't get that.  When a 70 year patient presents with multiple infections and you can completely stop them, why did it take them over 9 months to just test her blood sugar?  You don't need to do a blod job -- you can do like my contact lens doctor does -- you keep a simple home glucose monitor there, and do a finger stick.  How hard is that?

Yeah, a few aren't going to get caught, but still.

Posted by at 9:50 AM | Permalink

I switched to a different mask last night -- new one, should leak less.  As always when making a minor change in my sleeping situation, I didn't sleep well at all, I had trouble falling asleep.  I also had trouble staying asleep

The good news, I'll be tired tonight and will have less trouble.  This is why I try not to make changes during the school year.

Posted by at 9:40 AM | Permalink

Oh man, how do I even start.  Flea was on my RSS feed for years, and I really did enjoy what he posted.

In his blog, Flea had ridiculed the plaintiff's case and the plaintiff's lawyer. He had revealed the defense strategy. He had accused members of the jury of dozing.

Source: Blogger unmasked, court case upended - The Boston Globe

But read this whole article and then come back and find out if you are as shocked as I am as to what he was charged with:

The wrongful death suit alleged that Lindeman, who works at Natick Pediatrics, failed to diagnose that Jaymes Binns had diabetes on March 11, 2002, Mulvey said in a court document. Less than six weeks later, the boy died of diabetic ketoacidosis, said Mulvey, who described the condition as "diabetes gone haywire."

I really liked what Flea had to say about the vaccine controversy and what he had to say about over treating patients.

But to think that somehow he was involved in a young child dying of diabetes in this day and age ... man it so blows me away.

I can't understand how such a diagnosis could be missed.  Of course, we probably won't know the whole story.

Posted by at 7:13 AM | Permalink

My A1c is better, I understand how to counteract exercise with my pump now, or at least I understand better.  I also know better how to use exercise to control how much insulin I use.

The bonus, is that I lost weight!

I'm not sure if my agility times have improved -- I really won't know that until Monroe -- I tried an outdoor trial but it really isn't a test, and I need to do more matches with Marcie to convince her I really am faster. 

I'm definately happy with the program and the support.  They do a good job.

My knees are better too.  Both knees have been bothering me lately but I've also learned to work through it.  Or to stop and do something else and then go back to it.

So I'm definately going to sign up for another round.

Posted by at 11:11 PM | Permalink

I am very happy to hear that charges against Doug have been dropped.

I wasn't very worked up about because I do have faith in the system, especially here in Texas. However, I wasn't too sure about California.

Hopefully everyone learns from the situation. I Know I am being more careful about being prepared.

Posted by at 6:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Saw the sleep doctor today.  I really LIKE the new CPAP, especially since it gives such good reports to the doctor.

It showed that I sleep an average of 7 1/2 hours a day  and that I stay at "12" most of the time.  It's an auto CPAP so it adjusts and that it keeps me have having apnea events all night.  It also shows that my mask leaks 21 minutes a day on average.

I had shucked my new mask because it wasn't fitting right, and was using a REALLY REALLY old one.  Doctor fitted me for the new mask and it is a completely different size than the one I had.  I also asked for all new hoses and filters since it's been a year. 

The nurse fussed at me because it's full of dog hair, which is WHY I need the new filters.

They should be here in a few days.

Posted by at 11:15 PM | Permalink

I finally got released from school.  It's been a rough week with lots of meetings.  I've actually never had such a touch last week.

This weekend has been all about recovery and getting some rest.  I go to the sleep doctor on Tuesday, have dog classes -- they are getting rescheduled, and that's it this week.

Also playing with my convertible notebook.  I really love it, and I need to get my old notebooks organized to sell.

Posted by at 11:31 AM | Permalink

Guess what -- I have an eye infection AND am using this contact lens solution.  Though I believe my infection is isolated to the eye lid, not the eye itself.

I'm calling Monday, and want them to pay for my solution AND my current set of lens.  My new lens are $150 for 6, so tossing them isn't cheap. 

Link to Lens Solution Is Pulled Over Link to Infection - New York Times

Posted by at 7:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Long, over scheduled week.  Unfortunately I spent most of the week being a responsible adult.  Since I start getting ready for the end of the school year in April, I don't usually have much to do this week. 

Today is about getting some final stuff signed off, making sure my students grades are in the school "grade book", and going to the faculty luncheon. 

I had meetings most of the day Monday and Tuesday, and also went to the board meeting last night.  So far, there is nothing about the award in the paper.

After the board meeting, life got weirder -- we were having heavy thunderstorms -- I keep telling everyone, it's no worse than usual, we just forgot them in the drought.

Anyway, a few cars in front of me, was a white convertible.  It went out of control, and I got stopped with getting hit, but it went off the road, and landed into a drainage ditch with a huge splash.  I called 911, and reported it, but no one else stopped.  I couldn't see that they were getting any help, so I got off the road, and back on the exit.  Still no one was there and they couldn't be seen from the road at that point, though there was an Dallas Fire and Rescue unit about a mile behind me, so I stopped the safest (relatively) place from them, got out of the car, ran to where they were at, pulled off my jacket and waved DF&R down.  DF&R insisted I leave, so I took off.  Fortunately they landed wheel side down, but water was up over the door handles. 

So I feel really lucky AND sore today.  Knee is bugging me, it isn't good to run on a bad knee in the rain.

Posted by at 6:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Last night I was working on a project with someone, and I felt my cognitive abilities start to slip.  It was an hour after I normally eat. 

So I said "I have to eat now".

She wanted to keep going.

I said "No, you don't understand, I HAVE to eat NOW.  I'm diabetic".

She said, "Everyone in the world knows you are diabetic".

I acknowledged that was true -- as it is.  And left her and  ate.

I felt much better later.  But I had so many thing I wanted to say, but bit my tongue.

Yes, I'm out there with my diabetes.  Preventing complications -- which I've managed to do so far -- is number 1 with me.  It comes before my dogs, my husband, my students.  It comes before even a project I'm working on.

Why?  Because if I don't take care of it, I won't be able to do anything else.

I watched my dad die of diabetes, and it was not a fun way to go.  He made it fun, but it wasn't.  I don't want to be that way.

I want to be the woman who does a really good job running an Agility World Course with her beagle -- which I did last night.

I don't want to be house bond and on oxygen like my dad was.

Posted by at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

 This is one of the reasons why I choose insulin over an oral drug.  Also the oral medication wasn't working fast enough for me. 

More than 6 million people around the world have taken the drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) to treat Type II diabetes. But a new study published this week in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that the drug is linked to a higher risk of heart attack and death.

Source: Diabetes Drug Linked to Heart Attacks - Newsweek Health - MSNBC.com

Posted by at 8:49 AM | Permalink

Just like every other device with a color screen -- you can't see it well in direct sunlight.  It was bit disconcerning the first time I tried it, but just like the cell phone and anything else with color on a black screen, you can't see the Animas 2020 in direct sunlight.  I've had to turn up my constrast to 10, so I can.

There is one thing for black on green screens -- they don't wash out.

And still no Ezmanager.

Posted by at 6:44 AM | Permalink

 I go to the school board on Thursday to be recognized.  I'm very excited!

Texas Instruments Innovations in STEM Teaching Award 2007

Source: Dallas Education Foundation-Programs

Posted by at 6:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Good article on the different insulins. 

Let us now delineate the different types of insulin available for treatment to suit the specific needs of patients.

Source: Insulin therapy for diabetes - 2

Posted by at 3:45 PM | Permalink

No one I've talked to or emailed at Animas has a ship date for the new EzManager.  I'm really hooked on downloading my pump and analyzing what is going on, so not having a full picture is extremely annoying and disappointing.

I'd love to know what the hold up is, because they DID get FDA approval for a new version last month.

Posted by at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I drive about 90 minutes to dog agility and about 40 minutes back.  That amount varies according to traffic.  Why?  She's the best instructor for my dogs.

I've been taking Maggie and Marcie on Mondays, and Macy on Tuesdays.  That eats up a lot of evenings, and FUEL! 

Lately, Macy has been bored with the Tuesday night class.  She can do 10 obstacles, no problem, provided I have cookies in my hand, I make enough noise, and I move fast enough.  The other dogs have problems with 3.

Concidently, I have a really good friend who trains with the same instructor and her dog was having similar problems with the early Monday night class.

Her dog was moved up to Maggie's class and Macy got her dog's slot.

I even had a bit of a stress attack over this -- but we did fine.  Macy even managed to figure out the dog walk even though we had not done it before.

So I trained Macy from 6:50 until 7:45, Maggie from 7:45 until 8:40, and then Marcie from 8:40 on.

Maybe we'll make it through the Sanctioned Match on Saturday!

Posted by at 3:00 PM | Permalink

I've polled a few people in my building, both adults and students.  Of course, those students are computer science students.

All say that the pump looks "cool".  They like the screen, but didn't remember the old one.  Fortunately the UltraSmart II screen is similar to the old one, so they can compare.

So, it's definately cool, both with the screen on and off.

Posted by at 10:17 AM | Permalink

Just got off the phone with Animas.  They verified that I cannot retrieve carb and blood sugar information from the pump itself, but that it is downloadable with Ezmanager.

No release date.

I do have an email out to ezmanager support, so we'll see what they say.

Posted by at 7:56 AM | Permalink

The last two weekends were about increasing my aerobic ability and dropping my TDD.  This weekend, because I wasn't sleeping well last week, has been about catching up on sleep.  I'm also focusing on getting my house back together.

I only got 2 20 minute sessions done on the treadmill, yesterday, but my TDD was still around 40 units. 

I also have good news.  I saw a new low weight yesterday for a weight loss of 7 pounds!  I didn't see it again today, but that's normal for me.  I'll see a 2-3 pound fluxation from day to day.  Some of that is due to water retention.

All in all, I'm still very very happy with fitness for diabetics and even planning to sign up for another intensive 4 month session.

Posted by at 9:34 AM | Permalink

The new screen is nice.

The new way of doing carb ratios and insulin sensitivity is nice.

But here's why I am disappointed -- while the ad says that the pump stores the blood sugar and carb information on the pump, I have no way of retrieving that information right now!  And that's why I wanted the upgrade.

Hopefully they will have it fixed soon -- I know the FDA approval went through a few weeks ago.

Posted by at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It definately stops during basal download -- the bolus's show up on the pump but my TDD isn't showing up.  Guess I'm just going to have to be patient.

A commenter asked about EzManager, and I'm sure I have posted about it in the past.  Check the software category.

I first started using EzManager BEFORE I got a pump.  In fact, EzManager may be one of the reasons I got my first Animas pump.

The current version of EzManager works very well with either a Palm device or with an UltraSmart meter.  I will have to review the new version of EzManager when it comes.

My medical team finds the daily graph a bit confusing and they prefer to get the log output.  I do better with the daily graph.

EzManger will track whatever you put in it, and you can either enter food data and exercise data through the Palm or Ultra Smart, or through EzManager itself.

The biggest problem I have had with EzManager, is with the food database.  You can not edit food database entries, and you can only delete entries by using a Palm device. 

Everything else works well.

Posted by at 5:33 AM | Permalink

As you can tell from the entry time, I'm not sleeping right now.  I haven't been sleeping well all week again.

What woke me up?

A bit of gastric reflux, dogs and the lights from our local police car at a traffic stop in front of the house.  And maybe my pump alarm.

I WAS sleeping pretty good.  Until last Friday night when the A/C went out and I had to deal with it, and the finances surrounding acquiring A/C.  Friday night I couldn't sleep because I was too hot and for worrying about money and getting it all done.

Slept all night on Saturday but couldn't sleep at all Sunday night.  So every night, I don't sleep my pain gets a little worse.  I wake up more easily etc.  The only way to fix it is to sleep it out.

That means when I finish this post, I go back to bed, and sleep as late as I can.  And if I wake up before 9:00 am, I mess around again like I am doing now, and then go back to bed again.  It also means maybe taking a nap or two, but making sure I get enough sleep so I can sleep all night on Sunday.

It might even mean taking some Sonata.  Which I probably should have days again, but I don't like the way I feel if I don't get enough sleep when I take it.

Posted by at 5:10 AM | Permalink

UPS had tried to deliver while I was at school, so I made arrangements to pick it up from the local UPS center, about 5 miles from the house.

They have an interesting system, they have everyone who is picking up packages come in the building and they start calling names -- mine was the second name called that had a person, and about the 10th name called.

The first thing I did was to pop a battery in the pump.  Man, the screen is extremely bright, but then again, I have it set on constrast 7 (I just thought of that), and it is much easier to read.

The first disappointment came when I tried to upload my pump settings.  My current version of EzManager doesn't work with the new pump for setup -- though that makes sense because the set up screens are different.  Of course that just occured to me.

I do wish I had a way to program the pump remotely -- it took a good 20 minutes to program mys settings.

I'm not sure if I can download anything until the new software comes -- I tried, but it seemed to stop at 40%.  Anyone know when they are shipping?

The package they sent is the standard, new pump package, with a sample of the comfort and inset infusion sets, IV prep and IV Barrier tape.  Also shipped with a cartridge. extra battery cap, leather case, and a new Animas medallion. 

I really like the new programming options -- you can now program your own times (with 30 minute increments) for ISF and for Corrections.  I'm trying something different -- the time frames I usually eat, I'm using my Symlin settings so I don't have to do as much math.  Right now, I eat lunch after 12:30 so from 12:30 to 1:00 I have it programmed to do a 20 ISF instead of a 10.  I'm also trying to find a way to enter the carbs without putting in a ISF for my evening timeframe, since I don't need bolus insulin them.

I'm still trying to figure out if entering Carbs in the evening but no insulin will let me log though carbs, and I might not know what until the new version of EzManager comes.

Posted by at 9:58 PM | Permalink

Yesterday I finished my 5th week of working out with Fitness4Diabetics.

Things are going well.  My TDD has gone from 80 units a day to just about 45 units a day.  I have increased my walking from 10 minutes straight to 20 minutes.  I think I've lost about 5 pounds.

My average blood sugar accoding to my meter went from 171 to 148.

All in all not bad.

And I really didn't expect to lose any weight.

Posted by at 9:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

My new Animas pump should be arriving tomorrow.  It's the 2020.  It will be interesting -- I hear that the EzManager software is behind the pump when it comes to current release.  It will be interesting to see what that means.

Posted by at 6:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Had an excellent day (my Fitness 4 Diabetes coach even says so....

I got up, ran Marcie up to the vet for phenobarbal levels which are good.

Then when over to school, sat down and made sub notes, and made sure I had everything for field testing on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Picked up Diet Gourmet food and ran by Office Depot because I was out of ink and paper and it's 10% off teacher appreciate week.

Dropped that stuff off, went over to City Hall and voted in early voting.

Got back to meet A/C people at 11:00.  They sent out a guy to start tearing stuff out at 11:00 and the actual unit came at 1:00 pm just as they said they would on Saturday.

They were wonderful -- though next time, I'll go get the dog when the vet calls at 3:15.  They said we'd have cold air in an hour and figured that meant they would be done then.

They got done at 5:15. Just enough time to get Marcie at the vets and get to agility class 45 minutes early, even though we stopped and hung out at Petsmart for a few minutes -- FYI if you have to get your dog pills they make a dog food flavored thing you can hide the pills in.  It's the one thing I've found that the beagles won't eat while spitting out the pills.

Even hit the hot tub.

Man, it's nice to sleep in a cool, dry (it's been humid) house.

Posted by at 11:23 PM | Permalink

Interesting story line on NCIS last week -- blind photographer follows "fruity smell" taking photographs and discovered a dead guy. 

At the end of the show, the photographer smells it again -- on Ducky's assistant's breath.  The killer was diabetic and was exhibiting the same fruity smell.

Interestingly insulin, they had a Byetta pen, I believe instead of insulin.

Posted by at 4:32 PM | Permalink

The house has not gotten cool enough for me to sleep well tonight.  I went to bed before 10:30, but kept waking up.  Finally got up for a while at 4:30, then went back to bed.

Sure hope we do get the A/C in today, because I don't see it getting done before Thursday otherwise.

Posted by at 6:17 AM | Permalink

14-day average of between 150-155 mg/dl, with 6 tests a day and no more than 7 blood sugars over 250 mg/dl. I'm lowering your max number because you rarely if ever hit 300, and I think having a lower target might help keep your standard deviation down.

Posted by at 6:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I think I've lost 5 pounds in the 5 weeks I've been working with them.  It's hard for me to know for sure as my weight varies so much.

Posted by at 9:47 AM | Permalink

I had several people come out to the house, and I found someone who could replace the entire system for $4800.  I'm going to have someone cover my class from 12:00 pm on tomorrow and meet them at the house.  I want to make sure they do replace what I think I am paying for.

I don't trust my husband making sure of that.  We had problems before with workers when I made the arrangements and he let them in.

I can't wait.  Yesterday we didn't get TOO hot, but I have trouble sleeping with the street noise.

Posted by at 9:45 AM | Permalink

I did 80 minutes today -- about 20 minutes every time I ate something plus 20 minutes. It's the most I've walked in a long time. I still do the Symlin, but that means no bolus insulin. Or at least very little. My blood sugar has stayed between 135 and 180 all day.

I'm looking forward to my TDD going down some more -- it did last week after last week's experiment. Not a lot, but a nice steady pace. I'm definately at 50 units average TDD right now, and often see a TDD in the low 40s.

I'm also doing lasix, though I don't see the weight loss like I did before (though I'll see tomorrow).

Right now, I'm waiting for a guy to come and give me a second quote on A/C. I got one this morning which we can do, but I'm hoping this one is more doable and hoping he can get it done on Monday.

Thankfully we've had slow rain and overcast all day so we can have the windows open though it is VERY noisy. And humid.

Posted by at 6:04 PM | Permalink

To begin with, I may be canceling my pump upgrade on Monday.  Going to give myself time to digest everything.

Had some stuff going on at school today, that just left me drained a bit more than usual.  Normal end of the year stuff, and getting ready for next year, plus something else that just added on to it.  Unfortunately nothing I feel free to talk about -- but basically it's kind of hard when you get what you want and the people around you aren't.  Especially when I was there for a couple of years -- and I'm not entirely sure I'm getting what I want this year.  Remember the old saying about be careful for what you ask for.

That being said -- came home and started on my Fitness4Diabetes workout, but before I actually got started, I noticed the house was a bit warm, looked at the thermostat, saw it was 80 but attributed that to outside being hot and muggy.

After I finished, I realized I was REALLY hot.  Looked at the thermostat, and saw 81.  Like blood sugar, it was supposed be going down, not up, so took a look at the circuit breaking thinking with the storms we have had, maybe the breaker was off.  It wasn't off, but it wasn't on either.

So I lifted them and they stayed in the same state.  Went back to the A/C, turned it on, flipped the breakers, and waited a while.  Checked the outside unit and it wasn't on.

Called the people I have a maintenance agreement with, they came out (eventually), and said that the compressor was grounded and said he needed to write a estimate for a new compressor.

Well, I immediately got sick to my stomach.  This spring hasn't been good with an unexpected tax bill of over $4000.  Which shouldn't have been unexpected, though we'd fixed it but then my husband discovered payroll did do what we asked them to do last year -- hopefully it's fixed now, on my paycheck end instead of his, because it's easier -- I just had to fill out a page on a website.

Well, the estimate was for over $5000 but he said we really needed to get one of their "comfort experts" out and get the whole system evaluated.  We both agree but I want A/C now.

My plan right now is to get a second opinion and do some shopping around.  Also get them to come out and do an estimate on Monday with Rich.  My next early week is full -- Marcie needs phenobartibal levels checked on Monday, and I have some field testing I have to do on Tuesday and Thursday.

So the house is not, but at least we have power, which not everyone in the region has.

The whole A/C thing though reminds me of diabetes.  You go through life, making it each day one at a time, and everything is going okay.  Then all of a sudden, something unexpected comes alone and throws you for a complete loop.

I battling a bit of depression -- something I've been fighting ever since we got the tax bill. 

Oh and some anxiety -- which the seniors are giving me.  We do the WEIRDEST thing.  We still have three weeks of school, but next week is the last week for the seniors.  It's gets weird.  First AP Tests starts on Monday.  Second, we have a MANDATORY Senior meeting on Monday -- yeah, it was on the schedule that way.

Yeah, it gets weirder.

So Tuesday is the last day for 5th, 6th, and 7th period -- they meet 1st through 4th, but have finals 5th, 6th, and 7th -- the good news, is my kids get their room, so they can still do the final.

After that it gets fuzzy, but basically their last day is Thursday.  Then graduation is the weekend after.  One reason we do this, is that if a kid hasn't met graduation requirements, they can make up work.  I've had seniors holed up in my room for 2 days in the past, making up assignments.

Seriously, isn't this weird? 

So I've got a senior who I can NG.  Means she has more than 10 absenses.  And she hasn't done all of her work.  It gets better -- she doesn't have a passing grade.  It gets even better -- she came to class yesterday and asked to go to the restroom.  I told her she could, but she had to wait for the pass to come back.  Two minutes later she gets up and walks out.  AND SHE NEVER CAME BACK.  She's even gone today.  And I went looking for her yesterday. 

Who wants to bet she's going to be holed up in my room at the end of the week -- or next week.

As she wouldn't be back in my room this year if she didn't need a technology credit to graduation.

Yeah, and the Mavericks suck too.

Posted by at 1:01 AM | Permalink

Amy is writing about the Super Bolus.  I freely admit, I've just never gotten the Super Bolus -- but then I also have problems with extended boluses.  

Not entirely new, but totally worth revisiting: pumping aficionado John Walsh's "Super Bolus" method for smacking down high post-prandial glucose levels even before they hit.

Source: Diabetes Mine: Don't Just Bolus, SUPER BOLUS

Here's my whole problem with the concept -- I'm a math teacher AND a computer sicence teacher, and I haven't been able to wrap my head around the math.  I also haven't been able to wrap my head around programming my pump to do all that.

The good news, being a Type 2, I think I have a bit of cushion about the effects of those things.  I also try really had not to get into those situations.

I will say that Amy's explaination makes more sense to me but maybe it's just seeing it one more time.

Posted by at 12:40 AM | Permalink

Yes, 6.9 isn't bad -- however, my best is 6.0 -- yes, without lows.  And I'm usually in the under 6.5 range.

So the 6.9 was a bit upsetting.

Especially when my meter hasn't been reflecting that.

Posted by at 11:05 PM | Permalink

Not the greatest -- 6.9

Posted by at 11:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)