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As seen in this patient insert at http://www.symlin.com/PDF/HCP/SYMLIN-pi-combined.pdf -- we're making progress. It indicates that a Symlin pen injector is available. However, I called to ask another question today, and the respresentative on the phone indicated that they were not shipping yet, but that I should contact my pharmacy. They are hoping for mid January. I think I'll last that long.
I got myself a Christmas present, but it's been a lot of work even getting ready. On the heavy urging of one of my co-workers, I've hired "The Maids" to come in and clean house. I've been spending the week decluttering ever since. 8 trash bags later...
They arrived at 9:10, and they came with a crew of 4 (as advertised). They have a crew chief, who wears a white shirt, and the rest are in yellow, and they arrived in a yellow PT Cruiser. Cute car, but not a lot of room in them -- okay, I couldn't fit my three dogs in cages in one.
Dogs of course are upset because they are caged, but much easier than trying to keep track of them. Seems everytime someone comes and works, one escapes.
Their manager showed up about 9:30. She seems very good too.
When I worked a "real" job, with a "real" salary, I did have a maid come in every week. It was very nice. What I would really like right now, would be to find someone local, who would come in work for an hour in the middle of the day and let the dogs out. I doubt with gas prices the way they are, I could find anyone willing to do that. And sorry, other teachers who might be offended, but 16 years ago, I left a $45,000 a year job, to teach at $22,000.
I am going to see about having them come back next Friday and then make a decision on that point as to whether I want to continue.
Right now, we're over an hour into cleaning, and the kitchen is looking good, and so is the master suite. However, not much else is done.
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We're at hour two now, and not done. They did estimate just under 2 hours. I suspect they do that on purpose.
The biggest holdup is the vacuumer. He started out the job by throwing up in the bathroom. Shortly after the owner of the franchise showed up.
I can't figure him out. I think he has vacuumed the upper part and one pass on the rooms upstairs, but not sure. He certainly isn't done upstairs.
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We're coming up close on my 3 hour time limit, and vacuum boy is FINALLY getting to the floors. The bathrooms look good but they are still working on them. The kitchen is great. There is at least another hours work to be done but I really don't know that I want to go there.
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Well, the whole house is not perfect. Right now, I can't decide -- everyone was great but vacuumer. Again, he started out sick, which wasn't impressive. But I'm glad I did use them.
The Protonix is still scheduled for shipping on January 3 -- the best news is that it is listed as 180 tablets at 40 mg. So now I just watch and wait.
The endo's office is closed and doctor is out until the 8th. I've been told to call next week and see if they have samples. I'll do the same with the gastro's office next week too. The good news is that I'm off next week so I can run errands like that.
Nice idea BUT too much information at once. We still need individual cards, citing individual abuses. I will buy a few though.
Naturally, there was just a bit too much good advice to fit on a standard wallet-sized business card, so they made it accordion-style:
There is a script in the Medco system, dated today, listed by my doctor, and says will ship on January 3. I should be fine if the date is correct. I have 1 1/2 weeks of medication. The good news, is that the doctor is very good at the Medco jumping through hoop progress.
I've got an email out to the endo about samples, my primary care physician's office said they didn't have any and I'll try Bellachandra's office tomorrow.
Odd to have to be on pins and needles over reflux medication -- but Medco puts me through this periodically.
Quoted from http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2007/12/26/so-how-much-generic-protonix-is-out-there/:
Health Blog : How Much Generic Protonix is Out There?
Teva’s aggressive launch of a generic competitor to Wyeth’s reflux blockbuster Protonix is on temporary hiatus as the two companies try to work out a deal.
I think they call today Boxing Day.
Several times I thought about posting -- but I'll be honest, I was pretending not to be a diabetic yesterday. Not real hard -- but skipped some boluses and ate some things without counting calories.
Blood sugar was 130 this morning, and I went no carb for breakfast, so I'm doing good by now.
Usually on holidays, I pretend the holiday doesn't exist so this was a refreshing change of pace.
Hope everyone else had a quiet, enjoyable day yesterday too.
I've been going along for months, using Medco for all of my scripts when they go and throw a wrench in the works. The second most important drug for me, is Protonix and I noticed that I was almost out of Protonix. No renewal notices have shown up though.
So I took a look at the Medco site, and it was filled on September 22, and the system says it's eligible for refill on February 08. Okay, so I did the math and it's supposed to be refilled on December 22, not February 8! Not only that, but this week is Christmas week and next week is New Year's so that the chances that it will be refilled in the next two weeks is slim to none.
So I email Medco and tell them the problem with the dates. I get an email back telling me that it is eligible (I knew that) and how to get a script (I knew that too). Nothing about the problem on the dates.
So I email them back and tell them about the date thing again. This time they tell me that the doctor hadn't called in the refill and here's one to refill it (yeah, I knew both of that too). Again nothing on the dates.
So on the third email I wrote in all caps do you even bother to read these, and wow, they did. Probably won't fix their software but I've already seen some indicators that they don't hire the sharpest programming crayons in the box.
I also think I know why they are notifying me that the script is changed -- a generic is coming out -- post coming.
Quoted from http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/122107dnmetwaxlawsuit.245849f.html:
But the response the 52-year-old diabetic from Waxahachie received one morning this April was humiliating, discriminatory because of his race and excessive, the man's attorney said.
This IS cool. Last night I ran across a blog post by Alfred Thompson about teacher workshop in February. It's on the Celebrity Century and I am SO excited. Microsoft is footing half the bill.
I have NEVER been on a cruise, so feel free to give me diabetic and CPAP hints. I already know to take a loaner pump. I'm going to check to see if that is possible or if there are other better arrangements.
It's not like they can FedEx something to a ship.
It's a short one -- 5 days, and we stop at Key West and Cousomel.
I'm 48 -- the age my father was when he died.
The good news:
I'm running dog agility and teaching a full load of classes. He was at home, on oxygen and couldn't leave the house. Also couldn't eat in the same 4 hours as he took a shower.
Bad news:
I wish I was in better shape.
Working on it though.
You have to sign up for a magazine, but when you get done, they also say they will send a Multi-clix lancing device for free. Long mine, so I asked for another.
Quoted from https://www.accu-chek.com/promo/us/drtvpromo.htm:
Completing the Circle of Care
The magazine for better diabetes self-management!
Don't forget about Fit4D -- Fitness for Diabetics. I've been using them over half a year and really find their help valuable.
A team of diabetes educators including CDEs, exercise physiologists and nutritionists provides information and answers questions on how to stay healthy with diabetes during one-hour interactive FREE web seminars sponsored by Fit4D™.
Saw the sleep doctor today. He agreed that the fit on my CPAP was not right and ordered a new one. I took a small on the one I knew, but had the option for another brand. I might try that one next time, but right now, I know that switching masks will bother me and I think it will be better to go with the smaller change. Maybe spring break I'll try a new one.
Said another the only other thing that would help right now is having more hours in the day. Apparently I really need the 10 hours of sleep. The good news, is maybe I can get some sleep in the bank during winter break.
I said goodbye about 9 years ago. At the time, she didn't remember me. She was still living alone and driving a car but I didn't think it was a good idea. Shortly after the family did move her to a facility I'm not sure what kind but my other grandmother lived then until she died.
My aunt Vera and her daughter Kris made most of the decisions, and handled most of her care with help from my aunt Susan. My mother and I didn't agree with their decisions, but then we weren't there day to day.
My husband doesn't think I should go, most of the way is either frozen over or close to it and I hate driving in ice. Not sure you even can. And I'm not sure I should drive that much just because of the sleep depreviation. I also think my students need me, even though I would only be gone three days max.
We are sad though. She had a good full life, except for the last full years, and is probably responsible for us all be disfunctional.
I did have a bit of trouble actually getting to bed. While trying to get comfortable, I pulled out my insertion set. However, once I got that fixed, I didn't have any trouble.
Woke up once and had to go to the bathroom.
Woke up about 5:00 and rolled over and went back to sleep, after adjusting my mask.
However, I did wake up tired and really want to go back to bed. Part of it could be my blood sugar, though the high blood sugar could be a result of not sleeping well enough.
I'm leaning towards getting a sub for tomorrow. That way I can get another good night of sleep.
Saturday,I stayed asleep until my alarms went off and I was able to turn them off, fix my mask one go back to sleep after eight. I feel good, not tired.
The rest of the good news is that I have been able to go to sleep easily.Hopefully, I am "fixed".
The two days have been typical.
I can go to sleep on time with little problem. However, I woke up at 3:00 am on Friday and 4:00 am on Saturday. Not a problem on either day as I could sleep in so both times I got up for about an hour and then went back to bed with no problem.
However, on the days I can't get up as I have school the next day, I toss and turn until the alarm clock rings and I feel like I've been in a car wreck the next day.
I started having trouble sleeping again. Thanksgiving week it stated and I attributed some to fatigue due to working out so more more than usual.
I got to the point Wednesday of last week that I called the doctor. They did not call back.
So I called again Monday and the first appointment available was next Tuesday. Then I talked to them on Wednesday and they gave me an appointment for this morning.
Then the nurse called Thursday evening to say doctor was sick so was canceling Friday appointments but might see patients Friday afternoon and they would call. I'm waiting now. I even asked if someone else could see me. Nurse said the doctor would not do that.
Well I did take some of the matter in my own hands and called the durable equipment people who handle my mask and CPAP equipment.
I am going to talk to the doctor about backup plan and have wanted to since my call was not returned.
The DME people decided I had lost enough weight that my mask was not fitting well enough. Hopefully-that will fix the problem.
Unique Accessories has a lot of good stuff. I've got several of their regular t-shirts for working out in, but their sleep T's are fabulous for sleeping in, especially with the cool nights we've been having in Dallas.
TShirts
The great thing about our T-shirts is, the pump is inserted into the pocket from the inside of the shirt, with complete access from the outside for bolusing. All tubing stays underneath and out of your way. We use pre-shrunk, Hanes Beefy-T’s. Pocket stays securely shut with a Velcro closure.