Living with Diabetes and Lapband

The biggest thing that worries me about this trip is the lack of transportation. I'm staying in the dorms at CMU, and so no quick dashes to Walmart.

The plan is to have husband take me to the airport, fly to Pittsburg, get on a bus to CMU, and get off at the end of the line where the dorm checkin is. The workshop is going to feed us all meals except Saturday dinner which we have to find off campus. I'm also assuming lunch on Monday will also not be provided.

My aunt is picking me up on Monday, and I am flying back on Tuesday.

I've packed at least one extra days of clothing, double the amount of sets I need, and double the amount of syringes -- learned that lesson at Shawnee. I've packed travel toiletries (in zip lock bags).

I've done something different with my medications. I usually use those SMTWTFS pill organizers, and found on my first trip with them that you have to tape them shut as they open in your luggage. This time, Walgreens had pill pouches that you use a sharpee to label. While you can't tell at a glance what you've taken, like you can with the organizers, at least I shouldn't have to worry about them all dumping.

I'm taking three bags (which I'm supposed to be allotted since I am carrying medical devices. I have a carryon bags with wheels that has my clothing, my sets, and my back up test strips. I've also got my shampoo and stuff like that along with an emergency supply of carbs, all in zip lock bags in case something melts or comes open. Nightgown and robe too.

My second bag will have my CPAP machine, emergency battery, and mask.

My third bag is a large Ameribag, and will carry my two small pouches I use for a purse, and all my normal supplies that I carry just in case. Emergency sets, emergency assortment of carbs, contact lens stuff, glasses (though I don't usually carry them, usually I just have spare contacts), pills, etc. I'm also taking an extra unopened box containing Insulin and one containing Symlin.

I refuse to check any of those bags. I could possibily survive without the first one, but don't want to, especially since I'll use it to carry the rest -- I can strap the other two bags to it and have.

And on the other hand, if I show up at the airport on Friday in Dallas and there are any weird things going on with flights, I'll smile sweetly and ask for a refund on my fare. That's what I did the last time I tried a trip like this.

When the DME brought me my CPAP last Friday, I made sure that he saw my emergency backup battery and cleared it with him for use. I did a test run last night, and was able to use BOTH the CPAP and the humidifer all night on battery backup.

While Pittsburg is in the same country, I will still bring the backup battery, in fact, I might very well use it on the plane -- I did call and clear it even though the person I talked with said -- it's not a night flight so you don't need it and I didn't contradict her.

Anyway, I'm thrilled it works well with the new machine. Primarily because it cost over $250.00 I haven't used it much -- in two power outages locally and when I tried to go to Monte Carlo. There were plenty of times I wanted it before I bought it, so it's been a good purchase. I try to remember to take it on trips, since once when I went to Austin they had a power failure and I ended up driving home instead of waiting for the power to come on -- I did wait an hour.

I have to return the pump via DHL, and I always have them pick up the pump at the door, just in case...

I want a complete record from West Chester, PA, to my door and back to West Chester, PA, just in case. I don't want to have to pay for a pump!

And it's gone -- I was actually headed up the stairs to do something else when I spotted DHL colors in the drive -- walked it out to the guy and that's one issue I don't have to think about any more.

He was in the neighborhood and redelivered my pump! I am SO Happy. It pays to live on the corner of a busy street. I'm sure he did it because it wasn't out of his way.

I'm uploading the data unto the new pump as I type.

And conformation class went well. I checked my blood sugar before class -- it was 191, did NOT correct and after class was 107. That's something to remember!

This will probably work out better but darn my husband! I told him last night that I was expecting a package but had puppy class so he'd have to listen for it.

Well he apparently didn't hear the doorbell OR the dogs and did not get it.

I have told UPS to hold it and I'll pick it Monday.

I'm downloading all my data for the new pump. Sadly, I'm really good at this now. Unfortunately I'll lose some of today's data, but that can't be helped, and probably not an issue in the grand scheme of things.

I'm anxious -- puppy and I have a class in less than an hour and the pump will probably be delivered while we're out. UPS is "good" about delivering even if I'm not home, but I'm betting the regular guy isn't driving the truck today. If they don't deliver, hunting it down won't be bad, I've had to do that before and it's not like the pump is insulin or anything that needs to go to the refrig immediately. Even if I don't get it until Monday after summer school that isn't a bad thing.

I do suspet there is more going on though. I swear that I pup in insulin two different times, once on Friday and once on Thursday but it didn't get delivered to me. Would rather have too little insulin though, than too much.

I also need to remember to watch blood sugar during class. I was on the way to a crash at the end of class last week.

I'm going to actually try it out in a few minutes.

I am the proud owner (leasee) of a Respironics Remstar Auto M Series. The DME brought it by at 1:00 pm and showed me how to use it. It even works with my emergency backup battery which is a super good thing. It is definately half the size of the loaner machine.

I'm looking forward to lugging it around the airports next week.

Patterns: Sleep Proves More Elusive Than Many Believe - New York Times

Patterns: Sleep Proves More Elusive Than Many Believe

First, I'm getting my new small Responics "M" series machine on Friday. Just a week before I fly to Pittsburg. That will give me a night or two to get adjusted to it at home.

I've got only 7 more days of Summer school -- one day of that is finals -- so we're getting close and closer to the end.

Friday, day after summer school, I'm heading to Pittsburg. I have a no-stop flight from Dallas. I've got information today from Carnegie Melon and they suggest catching a bus that stops at a stop just in front of the building where I am supposed to get my room and key assignment. I'm hoping to put all clothing for the trip and all items for the trip in one bag AND pack the CPAP machine in that bag. That might be wishful thinking. I'll have another big bag that will have all my immediate emergency stuff with me. Of course it's a big bag!

The workshop is from Friday to Monday, ends aobut noon on Monday and my aunt is supposed to pick me up, and I'll spend a quick 24 hours with her. We'll probably spend most of the time talking dogs and dog agility since we have that in common.

Yes, I'm anxious!

My plan is to wear a lot of tshirt dresses since they travel well.

A1CNow � for Home HbA1c Monitoring - Medgadget - www.medgadget.com

I knew that Walmart was selling them cheap, and wondered what happened. Looks like they are being re released in a different form factor.

A1CNow �, device, designed for at-home monitoring of HbA1c--a glycosylated hemoglobin--was acquired by Bayer when it bought Metrika Inc., a company based in Sunnyvale, CA.