Diabetchik

Have You Heard?

2008-03-27T17:30:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of the eleven year old diabetic girl that died because her parent's didn't seek medical attention for her because of religious reasons?

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/DiabetesResource/story?id=4536593&page=1

Now, I will not go into making judgments on religion......... whether you're an atheist, muslim, christian, etc........is your choice, but when you have a child, your first priority is to take care of that child, no matter what. Think of how many parent's lose their child to a disease that CANNOT be treated, or their child goes through some long chemo treatment, only to die? In the midst of the parent's grief, there has to be comfort in knowing that they took advantage of every medical option open to them to save their life. How can these parent's and siblings live with themselves? I try to be understanding and put myself in their shoes, but I would move hell to get my son any treatment he would need.

I find myself thinking of the past month when I've had TWO mishaps with my pump and my bloodsugar rose quickly and I developed ketones. I felt miserable................... headaches, nausea, and exhaustion. Maybe this girl's parent's need to feel the misery that ketones cause......... to walk a day in their daughter's shoes.................. to feel the misery that their prayers could never overcome. It's sad and disappointing and I will follow this to see what the police will do in this case. Is it their Constitutional right to make that choice? I'm not sure................ seems such a waste of a life.

Speaking of my Omnipod mishaps: I have found that these two instances are user errors.... my errors! On the one night, I definitely had the stomach flu that was moving it's way through our family, but it was made worse by the fact that my pump wasn't working correctly. Turns out that when I used the needle to insert my insulin into the pod, I pushed too hard and cracked the plastic front of the pod. The pod contained my insulin, but was leaking it too without my knowledge. So, I wasn't receiving all of my insulin, which is pretty awful when you're on short acting insulin only! The other time when I filled the pump, it made a weird clicking noise and I don't think that the insulin was properly in the case. The odd thing was that the alarm didn't go off, so it was only my not feeling well and blood sugar tests that indicated the problem.

Ok, enough for now!

Updates

2008-03-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

So, I have to say that the past couple of weeks have been, well......long. My son was diagnosed with a sinus infection and then last Friday, I strongly encouraged my husband to go to the doctor because he sounded awful, too. He also was diagnosed with a sinus infection and given a 3 day supply of an antibiotic that stays in the system for 10 days. That sounds good! Well, he took the meds and by Monday, he was completely confused/disoriented. We went back to the doc and he was dehydrated! Turns out he's having a reaction to the antibiotics and we'll have a few more "confused" days while the meds are making their way out of his system. Poor thing. This really has nailed him. I want spring and good health for all!!

OMNIPOD UPDATE: Ok, so I'm down to my last box of pods and knew I had to call. Remember, Omnipod was supposed to call me with an update on the GreatWest dilemma and they didn't. So, I called up and talked to a very nice service rep and updated my insurance to BCBS (since my last supply order was in December). So, she said she had to call and verify coverage (and I secretly shuttered thinking "Oh, great, another insurance debacle). So, for my own ANNOYED amusement, I asked if there was any payment showing for my pump in August or the supply order from December and the woman looked........... paused (probably stunned) and said "No, ma'am, nothing is paid for." Lovely. So, I was pissed at this point and called my assigned rep "Fernando". He sounded guarded when he heard me. He explained that the "process" was still happening with billing. I told him I wanted to talk to someone in billing, then. He was hesitant ( as I believe billing unloaded me on poor Fernando at some point). He tried to connect me and, ironically, no one was there. When he came back on the line, I asked what we were waiting for........GreatWest had told me in November and January that it was not "medically necessary" and why couldn't the default to my secondary UHC insurance at this point (since they had agreed to cover it 80/20). I explained that I don't want to indefinitely be racking up 20% charges on my orders and letting it go one indefinitely with a whopping bill waiting at the end. I also reminded Fernando that I've been through this now with him since December. He was frustrated and referred me back to billing------I actually got a voicemail, but now one that identified the woman on the other end, but I still left a terse message.

I then took matters into my own hands and called GreatWest asking them if they've made final appeal decisions. i've been blaming the insurance company all along, but I'll admit I was wrong. They were able to tell me that they did not receive the full medical notice and appeal from Omnipod until February 26th and it takes 30-45 days for the appeal process.

CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT OMNIPOD WAS DOING FROM 12/11/07-2/26/08 SINCE I HAD FAXED THEM THE DENIAL LETTER FROM GREATWEST ON 12/11/07 AND AGAIN IN LATE JANUARY??????????

Late afternoon yesterday I received two phone calls from Omnipod. The first one was from the order department stating that BCBS was going to cover my supplies at 100%, WOW. That's cool. The other phone call was the rep from Omnipod saying the paperwork wasn't processed immediately, but they did file it 2/26. At least she was honest. So, I'll have to wait until the appeal process is over.

Moral of the story: stay on top of medical companies and read everything you can about insurance coverage!!!

The feared stomach bug

2008-02-28T18:07:00.000-08:00

Greetings! So, we had heard about the horrible flu/stomach bugs lately and we were thankful that we hadn't been hit with it. Famous last words, right??!! Well, my son seemed to have it, but it was bizarre....he was 100% healthy and then he'd vomit and then go back to whatever he was doing. Yuck, I know. He did this every other day for a week..... no rhyme or reason! My husband was feeling off for about a day, but didn't actually get sick (he has a stomach of steel).

I am not 100% sure I had a stomach bug, actually. About a week ago, I noticed that the front of my PDA for my Omnipod was cracked.....everything still worked, but I was nervous about the crack. I called Omnipod and they were fantastic. They sent out a replacement PDA immediately. So, last Tuesday, I went to change my pod and programmed my new PDA at the same time. To be honest, sometimes I am stronger than I think I am and when I put the needle with insulin into the pump, I did it a little forcefully, but everything seemed fine. On Wednesday, my blood sugars we a little high, but I was attributing that more to monthly cycles than anything. By the time I got home, I felt miserable and ended up getting sick to my stomach. When I tested my blood sugar, I was over 450!! YIKES. I then went to replace my pump and when filling up the reservoir in the pod, I noticed that there was insulin in the plastic case--- I actually think that I put the needle into the pod, but pressed so hard that I believe I cracked the pod with the needle tip. There was no other way that insulin could have gotten into the container. OMG. So, I am thinking maybe there was some insulin being delivered on Wednesday, but maybe I had done the same thing?! It didn't make any sense-- my blood sugars. So, after filling ANOTHER pod, and putting in sick day basal rates, I started to recoup after about 6 hours of illness. I stayed home today and rested.........

So, I guess I"m stronger than I think I am and I"m glad to at least be aware that I have a tendency to do this. So, a little less force when filling those cute pods!!!!

Still haven't heard from Omnipod and insurance.....................
Haven't had time/strength to take on my insurance for the eye doctor.......

Stay tuned! And, stay well!!

Hello

2008-02-26T18:27:00.000-08:00

So, I got a voicemail message from Omnipod last Tuesday saying they should have a response from GreatWest last Friday and they would let me know what the outcome was. Well, lucky for the company, my son was sick and I wasn't at work even though they have my cell number.

I saw my retinopathist a few weeks ago and got a "clear" from him for the next three months, but he also wanted to take some photos of my eye, This was fine and easy--- something I had had done before. What I didn't anticipate as that insurance would, once again, set me over the edge. To be honest, I got the mail yesterday from the office and I opeend the bill and it was just for $780. It didn't explain if EITHER of my insurance companies were contacted, etc., but it just frustrated me. If I pay TWO premiums, why do I continue to have to do their jobs for them?! I don't blame the doctor's office because I didn't have my insurance card for my primary insurance with me at the time of the appointment, but I did call that afternoon with all the information. My secondary insurance hasn't changed in the past two years, so I'm baffled. I"m assuming that it wasn't submitted correctly since I haven't received the annoying "statement of benefits" from either insurance, so I guess it's just another day dealing with insurance.

My version of the commercial:

Handling a full-time career.....
Handling being a mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend.......

Having to continuously address hellish insurance questions.......
PRICELESS.

OMNIPOD and insurance... the saga drags on......

2008-02-09T19:42:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I will admit I am a fan of ABC soap operas (guilty pleasure), but I do feel like I'm trapped in a bad soap opera episode that won't end! So, on Thursday, I got yet another DENIAL letter from GreatWest insurance for my 9/07 Omnipod pump (just for a cross-reference, this is for the supplies + the PDA-- no one has said anything about the 12/07 supplies that I ordered!). I was annoyed, but I tried to keep an open mind when I called my Omnipod rep "Fernando". He was nice and said he had talked to GreatWest and gave them all the information they requested (proof I've lowered my A1c, proof from my doctor, etc...) and they seemed satisfied, so he was "very suprised" to hear of the denial.
Now, really, I have to admit that I am kind of over this situation so I told the rep that I had been through this with him on 12/11/07 and he had instructed me to not worry and be patient. I think I've been beyond patient and I know it's not his fault, but since he hadn't touched base with my in the past two months, I wanted to be more involved in this process. He asked me to fax the letter again and he'd take care of it. I thanked him and decided to do as he asked, but, I also wrote a note on the fax cover letting him know that I expected to hear from him early next week with an update on my case.

And you may wonder why I want universal health care? I am REALLY OVER someone at an insurance company (not qualified as a doctor) handling my paperwork and making decisions for my long term health. Are there cheaper pumps out there??-- yes, BUT most pump companies now have the pump and CGM, which is just as expensive as my cordless pump. What's the point? What's the sense in this?

GO BARACK!

Insurance incentive programs?

2008-02-06T18:32:00.000-08:00

So, I am covered through my own insurance at work as my primary care insurance, but I am also covered through my husband's insurance for secondary insurance. On the secondary insurance, there is an "incentive" program which saves the family money by offering a rebate if you participate in some health programs. While I am all for saving money on healthcare, I'm not so sure that I want to jump on board with these incentive programs.
The program wants you to fill out a survey about your health issues and will give you feedback on how to better your overall health. It also provides a nurse that will 'coach' you through dealing with any chronic health issues that may come to light. My first reaction was F**K OFF! because I already see my endo every three months (sooner if needed) and my retinopathist every 6weeks-3 months, so why do I need a nurse. And, a bigger concern was what information that I will provide a third party vendor that will crunch a plan to increase my health will be given to my husband's employer. There was no clear "WE DO NOT SHARE INFO WIHT EMPLOYER" on their forms initially. My husband emailed HR and they assured him that no personal information is provided to the employer, but statistics (like the number of people who have high cholesterol) will be provided so that the employer can offer programming for the population as a whole to address health concerns in a group setting. Doesn't sound entirely bad, but that is based on a person trusting that people are honest and discrimination doesn't happen............ I am NOT one of those people!

Anyone participate in one of these programs and have feedback to provide? Any insight or thoughts?

Let me know!

State of the Union

2008-01-28T18:09:00.000-08:00

Ah, as I write this, the President is on TV for the last time................... thank goodness! I can't criticize because I don't plan on tuning in and listening to him mispronounce "nuclear" for the zillionth time. HA. If he was going to talk about the issues really facing America truthfully (hey, someone want to clue the guy in that we ARE in a recession??)--- economy with the worst level of selling homes that surpassed the housing crisis of the early '80s (you know, the recession that people actually admitted we were having). Honestly, I can't say that those times truly affected my life because I was like 5-6 years old at the time, but I know my family lived in a 2 bedroom apartment (5 of us) in a city because we had moved for my dad's job and we couldn't sell our house in our old city. We eventually had to move back to the area to our house because it wouldn't sell and my dad commuted for at least an hour each way......... but, I digress.

So, anyone doing the JDRF walk this year? My family is participating again and I have to start hitting people up for money soon. I was holding off because I thought we might be starting a different family process that would cost significant funds and would lead us to ask our family for some financial assistance, but I don't think we'll be doing that plan so now I'm trying to think of creative ways to hit up my new company to sponsor my team, but I'm not real familiar with "corporate culture" on this. I'll probably just bite the bullet and ask our CEO outright. Hey, why not? He's met me once or twice!!!! HA. I'm even looking into being a family volunteer for the organization to give advice/support to newly diagnosed families.

For some reason I'm ready to burrow in for a long winter's night even though it's not nearly as cold as it was last week.

BTW: GO OBAMA!!! hahahahahahahahahhaaha.

Weekend Review

2008-01-27T05:41:00.000-08:00

So, we went to Juno! It was great. I am already totally addicted to the sound track (which one of my friends predicted it would be up my alley). The movie was really good--- interesting how they weave in a lot of concepts without making outright political statements (abortion, divorced families, teenage secrecy, relationships and infertility). I really liked how it all played out, but I'm not sure how "normal" one's life could be after enduring her path. I'd be interested to see how people act between generations because I think that teenagers really could be nonchalant about being pregnant (you hear stories of it on the news all the time) and I think older generations (60+) might think that a young person couldn't move forward without guilt, etc. Following up on the concept of teens and pregnancy, a both BBC and NBC will are doing a show called "Baby Borrowers" where teens get hands on action of being a parent/family with a live baby. Apparently the BBC version was able to gain support among teens that they did not want to be parents and the series is used in some schools........... we'll have to wait and see what will happen with American viewers.

Speaking about parenting, my 4 year old is officially driving me bonkers! We're going through a phase of not listening, telling us that he doesn't want to do certain things, and challenging us when he doesn't want to do things. What happened to the little guy that used to want to cuddle??! Of course, as I write this, he just enthusiastically told his father "It's Sunday, we get to stay home together!!!". He does love his Saturdays and Sundays, but he also does fine at school. I don't know if it's because a fire alarm was pulled at his school (for no reason), but he's also regressed to the theory that he has to be by our side 24/7. I had been so happy to move out of that phase about 4 months ago! Ah, patience is needed, right?!?!?! Good thing he is really cute :)

Before I go, I must say GO OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WoooHoooo!

2008-01-24T17:53:00.001-08:00

So, today was my appointment at the retinopathist. I was holding my breath as my eyes dilated and I waited for the doctor to come in. I always feel sort of funny being in the office because it is typically me (at 33) and about four other people that are at least 30 years older than me (and are often accompanied by someone my age!). The good thing is that I really trust my doc and he gave me an "all clear" for the next three months. Yes, I do go frequently because in 2007, I think I had about 5-6 treatments on my retinopathy, so I was hoping this year would be better. I don't know if it's just in my head or not, but I think that being happier with my work (new job last July) does have a positive outlook on my personal diabetic care. So, no need for laser surgery in the next three months and THAT is great news to me!

No update as of yet on my insurance and the Omnipod. I go back and forth whether I should proactively call Francisco, my newly appointed person at Insulet, or wait until some other issue comes forth and then I have to call and "bts" (my friendly, shortened term for bi**h slapping) someone. I'll probably go with the latter. All I have to say is do everything in writing!!! It is really helpful when you can be on the phone and say "On November 5, I wrote an email to so and so and she said this". I am still really enjoying the Omnipod and I find it so much easier to bring one black bag with me everywhere--- and to be completely honest, I test more frequently using this machine.

Tomorrow night, I think I've convinced my husband to go to the movies (we have drastically different tastes-- he likes Sci-Fi and I like "chick flicks"--- but we both tend to like politically motivated movies). Anyways, he did express interest in "Juno" so I think that we will see that while our little guy heads to an evening pizza party. Two movies in a week is virtually unheard of in my life, so I am a happy woman!

Random Stuff

2008-01-20T04:58:00.001-08:00

So, I went to the movies in the theater yesterday with my friend (college roommate) and it was really nice to be there. I love movies, but my husband and I have drastically different tastes in movies, so we often don't go.......ironically, I think the last movie we saw together was Michael Moore's "Sicko" (a great film, I might add). It was nice to hang out without kids and enjoy a "chick flick". I'd like to see Juno, too.

I believe I have to go to the retinopathist this week for my check up---- always provides a lot of stress for me since I've come to expect the worst news. 2007 was a downer year since I had a lot of laser down on my left eye, but I'm hoping this year starts off better! I do like my retinopathist a lot-- he's really nice and really in tune with his patients (even though I tend to be the youngest one there by at least 25 years!). Let's just hope it all goes well! We'll know Thursday!

Well, I best test my blood sugar and start the morning right! Hope you're all having a nice weekend...............

Insurance surprise!

2008-01-09T19:13:00.000-08:00

Well, my husband's work stuck with the status quo of UHC for their insurance coverage, but my work ditched GreatWest (no love loss there) and switched to CareFirst (Blue Cross/ Blue Shield). I wasn't sure how this coverage would be, but I was pleasantly surprised that all my current doctors were part of the PPO program. I am NOT willing to switch my endo or my retinopathist (mostly I won't switch my retina guy because I trust him with my eyesight). Yeah, they are all "in network".

Surprise of all surprises was that my husband picked up my test strips this evening and I had NO deductible!! I normally pay $20 co-pay on it, but because I'm covered by both, it rang up to $0.00. Can you believe it? In my 27 years of diabetes, I don't believe I've ever had my pharmacy bill come to zero.

Now, if we could only solve that Omnipod insurance problem!!! My rep, Francisco, at Insulet told me not to worry and I'm not going to.........I got my supplies mailed to me and that was a worry since my first round hadn't been covered yet, but I keep using it. Seriously, the Omnipod is so easy to use. And, even better, Insulet has made a deal with Dexcom for a development agreement to work on a CGM system and pump, all cordless. NICE.

ObamaClintonHuckabeeRomney

2008-01-07T18:28:00.000-08:00

Ah, the joys of our changing political structure. Who would have guessed a month ago that what occurred in Iowa may again happen in New Hampshire. Ironically, it was less than a month ago when my office department sat around a table at our 'holiday' lunch (8 of us) and we all had to make predictions on who would be on the ticket for President. Shamefully, I didn't say what I hoped, I said what I thought was really going to happen (Clinton/Romney) and boy, I was wrong...... but, I'm not sad. While I do admire Mrs. Clinton and would like to see a woman win office, I don't necessarily agree that SHE is the right woman. I do think that she's an opportunist and very calculated........so, don't count her out quite yet. On the other hand, there's the man I do admire, Mr. Obama. I don't like that he's accepting TONS of money from insurance agencies (which ultimately will put a hold on moving forward with a universal healthcare plan), it is somewhat the necessary evil to be elected in this day and age.

What I do hope Mr. Obama hangs on to is his dedication to his own sense of individuality, his love for his family, and his personality. His charisma is what draws me to him and I'm in the process of reading his book as well as reviewing all the candidates to see what aligns most with what I hope our country can move towards......

World Peace
Healthcare for all
Homes for all neglected children

and, hell.......... stem cell research for a cure for diabetes!!!!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-06T13:33:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm not one that believes in "resolutions" because they are so easy to break...... I have goals of what I'd like to do this year, but those remain to be completed (it's only the 6th day of the year!).

So far, the year has begun well. I was lucky enough to start the New Year in a great way-- celebrating with my husband, son and friends early into the morning and then going to two different friend's homes on New Year's day for lunch and dinner! Of course, I have bronchitis now, but it's totally worth it!!

So far, no insurance company has paid for my Omnipod....... I've been wearing it since September and totally loving it, but I've also gone a few rounds with Insulet (makers of Omnipod). I'm concerned that I'll be stuck paying for the whole thing and threatened to stop using it, but the rep (and I've now been assigned to one man, thankfully) insists that this is "typical" and the insurance companies will work it out sooner or later. I really dislike (I can't say "hate" because we're trying to teach our son NOT to use that.....) insurance companies!!!

Any political candidates out there that are ready to take on the insurance companies? and the lobbyists that limit scientific research??

Happy New Year!

Possible medical complaint?

2007-10-29T19:21:00.000-07:00

Ok, so after reading some reviews online, I chose a new obgyn to go to for that fun yearly exam. There's nothing major to it, but who looks forward to these visits?! I completed the 4 page medical history and even made a copy of my most recent blood work done earlier this month from my endo--- quite proactive, I thought. The office staff was really nice and all seemed well.

I met with the doctor who was nice, somewhat quiet and reserved. She looked over my bloodwork and asked questions-- who was my endo? What was I here to see her for other than a yearly exam? and so on. When I mentioned my endo doctor's name, I noticed a slight side glance that I didn't really pay attention to until I was rethinking the whole appointment. So, we're in the middle of the exam and she asked me how many pregnancies I had-- one. She asked what "barrier method" we were using to prevent more pregnancies and I said bc, but I wanted to talk to her about the difference between name brand and generic since I had been using generic. She didn't even respond..... her first response was "I don't like subscribing bc for my diabetic patients." This caught me a little off gaurd.... especially since I've had doctors affiliated with Georgetown University and Stanford University and they've always known ALL medications I've been on.

So, she went on to say "I assume that you won't have any more children and I think the best option for you is sterilization." Ok, I'm not exaggerating and she used THAT word, NOT "tubal ligation". And, what's up with her assumption-- thanks for asking!!!! I was dumbfounded. She went on to tell me to google statistics about bc and cholesterol and diabetes and that I'd see that it isn't good for me. She then suggested that my husband have a vasectomy and, the third option, was to use a non-hormonal IUD. She again reiterated that sterilization would solve any issues. I told her that when I switched all my prescriptions over to mail order, my endo wrote them out (since everything is diabetes related except for bc)-- my endo is qualified for reproductive endocrinology, so she can prescribe bc. She did me the favor of writing all the meds together to submit to insurance. This doctor made a face after I told her that my endo knew I was on them because she prescribed them. She said she wanted me to go home and research bc and diabetes and if I came back and told her that I wanted the bc, then she'd consider it.

I left this office stunned. Going in for a yearly exam and coming out with the recommendation to be "sterilized"--- not a fun morning. I called my husband and broke down and cried. I tried to keep an open mind with her 'concern' and googled the information---- yes, there are risks to bc for everyone, but my docs regularly test and review my blood work and monitor all things. Ironically, my endo called me that night on my cell phone about my on-going issues with insurance and the Omnipod. I replayed the conversation for my endo and she couldn't believe the doc used the word 'sterilization' and reassured me she meant tubal ligation. She also said that IUD's run the risk of infection so it is just as much a calculated risk as bc. She reassured me that I don't have to change my current medications unless I want to.

So, here are my thoughts: the doctor made an assumption that I would not have any more children without even asking my plans. The doctor showed obvious dislike for my current endo. The doctor made it blatantly clear that the "best" option for me was to gaurantee I'd permanently prevent myself from passing on my genes. I'm thinking that maybe she has some strong feelings about eugenics and passing on what she deems as insufficient genetics. I'm also thinking that maybe there's some cultural differences since she and my endo are from countries in the Middle East that haven't always gotten along. Her method of discussing options was quite offensive, too---- start with the most dramatic options before moving back to more reasonable alternatives.

All I have to say is that I wouldn't want anyone else to suffer through the humiliation and shame she made me feel in going in for a simple yearly appointment. Still haven't quite decided it this warrants a complaint to the medical board...........

Omipod, DIsney World, Birthdays and Halloween......

2007-10-20T16:51:00.000-07:00

So, the Omnipod is still working great and I've noticed another great advantage--- because it is mandatory and I change the pod every three days, there are no more little red marks on my belly from the insertion set! Woohoo.

So, my guys and I went to Disney World last week and we loved it. Yes, my son definitely tried our patience (a lot of "I don't want to do that), but also a lot of "WOW" after we forced him to do things!! We made it on to some of the rides, went to the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, and met up with a ton of characters. I think that my son's favorite was seeing Lightning McQueen in person (I was very impressed by this car, too!). I personally loved Epcot because I could feel I traveled all over the world! Personal favorite--- Morocco. Some day, my guys and I will go to Morocco.

So, both of my men were born in October. Hubby isn't gung-ho about birthdays, so that was pretty low key. This week will be celebratory for my son. A lot to look forward to and a lot to reminisce about. I can't believe he'll be four. It took me five days of labor to get him here, but those five days seem like nothing compared to the amazing things he has taught us about living each day and enjoying the simple things around us.

Halloween is around the corner and despite my personal dislike of it --nothing religious based at all---- I just haven't been fond of it because it rots to collect pillow cases of candy and not be able to eat it!, but my son and husband's enthusiasm for it has turned me towards enjoying the holiday. With and Omnipod, hey.... I may snag some butterfingers or snickers from my son's loot!!!!

The love affair contines.....

2007-10-07T19:14:00.000-07:00

So, I'm still in love with my husband (we just celebrated seven years of marriage) and my Omnipod. It's almost been three weeks that I've been using the Ominpod and I am truly loving it. The only thing that I've noticed that I have not liked is that I can't access immediately how much of my reservoir is left at one push. Of course, that's just me being lazy-- it will tell you how much basal and bolus you've used in a day and you can always subtract that from the 200 units you've filled. The pods automatically deactivate every three days, so you know when you put the reservoir in. I LOVE having the meter built in to the PDM-- a lot less to carry around and worry about.

My affair with Minimed has officially ended. I called the company and cancelled my automatic shipping and that was liberating. Of course, there was a trap that I was caught in because they company got in the habit of billing me (like in 2003) before it got fully processed through our insurance, so I actually have a credit of $250 with the company. Awhile back, I just asked them to issue me a check, but they said it was a credit and I could call everytime I was billed for supplies and instruct them to deduct it from my credit (a royal PITA). I did it, but once my supplies were officially closed, I insisted they mail me my check. Of course, this will take 3-4 weeks. Mind you, this call was on October 5th and we'll see how long it really takes.........

A few more days, my two favorite men and I will be dancing in DISNEY!!!!! VACATION!

I'm cool....

2007-09-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

in the eyes of my son. So, every morning, he likes to bring one of his toys with him to school to share with his friends (or, in the life of a 3 year old, show it while holding it with a death grip). Trying to explain/teach my son to be gentle with my insulin pump site has always been challenging since he forgets about it easily and he is only three.

So, with my new Omnipod, I've shown him the new pump and said "no more cords to worry about." He was mildly impressed with this fact, but since the actually insertion site is larger than before, he seemed intrigued with that. Well, this morning he saw that I was changing my site. I told him (as I try to remember to do) that the site is now on my left side of my stomach and he nodded his head. He then turned to the table where the old pod was sitting. With a twinkle in his eye, he asked if he could look at it. I told him that was fine and he was so excited--- he put it on his belly and said "I have a pod!" (Secretly, I was thinking "I hope never, big guy!"). Then he stopped and said "only mommies have these, right?" I corrected him that anyone with diabetes could have one and he seemed ok with that. He then went off while I finished things up still holding my old Omnipod. When I went into the living room, he had it inside his secret treasure chest (with other secret things, including shells and rocks he's collected himself) and said "I can't wait to show my friends my secret treasure chest stuff!"

Ok, so I'm not the drop dead gorgeous mom, but for now, he thinks I"m cool!!!

NEW TV SEASON!

2007-09-27T19:05:00.000-07:00

Ok, we probably have the TV on way too much (I use it a ton for background noise and don't even watch) but I LOVE Thursdays and TIVO!! One of my favorite shows is Ugly Betty (whch I'm currently watching over TIVO) with my husband and my cat, Fudge (yes, the diabetic has 2 cats: Candy and Fudge-- we adopted them with those names!!)

So, update on Omnipod. Things still going well, but I do have to admit that I find myself trying to tuck in a non-existant cord in my pants after using the bathroom! Old habits die slowly, I guess. I also have a problem that I never wore a watch before because my pump was already attached to me---- now I don't have one! I can check it with my handheld device.

I did change my pod tonight on my own for the first time and it failed! Crisis!! But, I just didn't have it attached in a good spot for the pod to insert! All was fixed and pumping away without a cord. We took the pod that was on me and opened it up--- there really was this cute circuit board, spring to shoot the tubing in for insulin distribution, and 4 little batteries. Totally cool (and I'm a "tech-tard" as my husband would say).

Ok, time to focus on Ugly Betty!!!

I'm Cordless!

2007-09-25T18:53:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it--- I am cordless! I am now hooked up to the Omnipod pump and it's surreal.

I met with the CDE tonight (which was a condensed training since I've already been on a pump) and within one hour, I had the Omnipod on my stomach and inserted without my giving any shot. The pod attaches like a large band-aid and isn't as heavy as you might think. Then your little PDM (about the size of a Treo phone) allows you to "connect the pod" (side note: in reviewing my description, I feel like I'm starring in a sci-fi movie!!). There was a little click noise and then a tiny prick (like tesing your bloodsugar) and it was done. Amazing! No needle for me to insert into my skin. AND, the PDM has a built in freestyle meter where you can store all blood sugars, carbs, bolus' and basal rates.

I'll be my endocrinologist's dream........ ok, I won't get ahead of myself. The dream will shatter after she sees numbers :)

WOOOHOOOO!

24 hours and counting!

2007-09-24T18:46:00.000-07:00

So, by this time tomorrow night, I should be on my cordless Omnipod. I hope that meeting with the CDE (someone I've never met before) goes smoothly. I'm not really good at transitions and I'd rather my specialist teach me how to do it all, but she is way too busy to do informational sessions.

I'm excited about the new pump, but scared too. I guess I'm not that great with change, either! HA. Who knew a pump change could enlighten myself on so many of my own weaknesses!

Wish me luck.

Updates... Updates!

2007-09-23T05:10:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I did indicate at one time I can be a bit lazy (my references to hating exercise), but I have been really busy in the past month. I have had good intentions of coming and posting, but blah blah blah :)

It's another one of those nice Sunday mornings.......relaxing. My son is currently sitting on my lap quietly watching some cartoon about racing cars and the less-spastic cat is sitting next to me, too. Hubby is getting some sleep-in time, but he's a night owl and I'm the morning person.

Guess what is sitting on the floor next to me? MY OMNIPOD. Turns out that Great West insurance decined coverage (in their opinion, it wasn't a "medical necessity" to have this pump), but it was worked out that UHC would pay in-network prices for the punp. So, I still have to pay 10% of it but it's better than not having it. I have training with a CDE on Tuesday night and she said because I'm already on a pump, I will leave her office on Tuesday wearing my new pump. I'm hoping that this is a one night training session since I have an appointment with my own endo in two weeks.

Interesting note- we went to a JDRF recognition lunch from the walk we did back in May and met some of the people running the Chapter. Our family team was able to raise $1,800 for the cause, so that was pretty cool. We talked to the woman who coordinates the walks and volunteers and I finally made my point (being slightly irritated at the walk) that I understood that the 3 year paraded out in front of the crowds made an impact and pulled heartstrings to raise money..... who wants a three year old to be pricked by blood sugar tests and multiple shots/pump configurations? However, it bothered me that their example of Type 1 stopped at a 13 year old. So, I pointed out that while it is important to show the little ones living with the disease, these little ones turn into adults (like me) and still have to live with the disease. They listened and said they were working on marketing ideas to get the attention of Type 1 adullts, so let's wait and see!

Two Cheers for Me!

2007-08-13T18:23:00.001-07:00

Ok, I hate exercising. Any excuse that I can think of to deter myself from doing it, I do. But, I had made a promise to myself (another thing I'm not good at keeping) when I took this new job that I would get up earlier and make the effort to get my life on track on all levels. Now that I"m comfortable with the new job expectations (more or less!!!), it was time to take the inevitable step.

I went to the gym located in the building I work in (it's free!!) and walked for 30 minutes. Yes, I know it's not 3 miles and it's not for 1 hour, but dammit, I was exercising! I need to stay focused to do this multiple times a week.

Truth be told, it wasn't that bad!

Diabetchik v. UHC v. Omnipod

2007-08-10T18:43:00.000-07:00

So.... I called Insulet (Omnipod company) on Monday and left a message stating I didn't know what information they needed. I left the same information for the UHC representative. Here I was totally bad-mouthing the insurance company when it turned out that I wasn't hearing from the Omnipod company. Ugh. I heard from the 3rd party appeal people and they said they needed a letter of necessity (in addition to the medical necessity paperwork my doctor already filled out!) and the billing codes for the supplies. Seemed easy enough IF I could hear back from the Omnipod company rep. I called twice and my 3rd party unbiased insurance person left 3 messages there. Hmmmm... not a resounding approval for Omnipod customer service.

But..... at a fundraising walk we did, I was able to meet a local rep for the Omnipod company and, after living with this damn disease for so long, I figured what the hell, I had nothing to lose and I called her for help. I explained that the customer service rep for her company wasn't calling me back and I really wanted to be on this pump. I also explained that I had additional (new) insurance information (which I had left on my voicemail to the Omnipod rep before). The local rep was AWESOME. Probably because, like me, she is also a Juvenile Diabetic and has lived through the annoyance of insurance hell. She got on the ball, asked me to fax my additional information to her, and she'd work her angle.

Surprise, surprise..... the Omnipod rep called me today. She didn't address the last phone calls I made, she just wanted to verify that she had my new insurance information. Gee, think someone is breathing down her neck?!

Don't get me wrong....... I'm not out to give any customer service rep a hard time because that is a thankless job, but you kind of want to remind them that this is someones life they are handling and it's pretty time sensitive to me.

Oh, by the way...called Minimed today to update personal information. Turns out that I owe them $41.60 for my last box of supplies, but they OWE ME a credit of $317.42. They overcharged my supplies from Nov. 2006. I was told that when I owed money for supplies, I had to call and instruct them to deduct it from my credit-- their billing department couldn't automatically do that. HOW INSANE. I think they were just hoping I wouldn't notice that they owed me money.

Maybe a call to the better business bureau is in order..........

A Moment to Reflect

2007-08-05T07:32:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday Morning!

Well, I am sitting on my couch with my laptop with the sound of Spongebob Squarepants playing beside me. My cat, Candy, and my son are lying on the couch next to me. Candy is ignoring both Spongebob and my typing, but is purring loudly while my son seems to be fascinated with Spongebob. More than half the time he's asking "what did he just say?" and he's not really following the story (thankfully), but we're relaxing and THAT is a nice thing!

I did receive a letter from UHC. They have sent my Ominpod request to a third party to verify my information. I read the information twice only to realize that they have denied my request because they "need more medical information" and that I should phone the info or fax this info into this third party, do this within 30 days, but they don't tell me exactly what information they need!!! Yet another round of phone calls await me on Monday!

DENIED

2007-08-02T17:08:00.000-07:00

Update: I received a phone mesage from Insulet (Omnipod) that my insurance (UHC PPO) has DENIED my application to change my insulin pump from a Medtronic to the Omnipod. I am frustrated to say the least.

The woman told me that the insurance has denied the application, but it appeared like they wanted more "medical information", so the representative was going to contact my insurance company and my doctor to see if they could appeal the decision. Part of me is grateful that someone is trying to 'advocate' for me, but on the other hand, is the Insulet company promising my liver in exchange for coverage?!?!

I think it boils down to the insurance company looking at it and saying "hey, she's had this pump for 5 years and she's fine. There's no medical need to replace it." Of course, they are not counting that I'm no longer under warranty.... but, the insurance company, I assume, reasons "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". So, I guess I can't have a new pump (even though I'd find it easier to be CORD FREE with a three year old) until there's a crisis and the pump malfunctions/breaks.

Can you feel my love for our healthcare system right now?

Michael Moore...................save me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2 Weeks... Omnipod, where are you?!

2007-08-01T18:27:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

Ok, so two weeks ago today, I faxed in my registration for an Omnipod and heard that my insurance would need to be contacted for approval. This could take up to 4-6 weeks. Ugh.... you have to love PPO insurance, eh?!

On more positive notes, I would have to say that if you're in a rut about diabetes in general, it most likely affects all other aspects of your life. Sometimes counseling helps.... in my case, when I did it years ago, it didn't really help all that much. Yes, it's good not to pent things up, but I found myself talking and realizing that as much as I talked about my hatred of living with this disease, it wasn't going anywhere. Talking wasn't curing and I felt more frustration with cyclical talk. I do have to say that sometimes changing an aspect in one's life might help. I started a new job recently and it's been like a rebirth in overall focus.

Perspective is improving, but the insurance quandary still pisses me off :)

Insurance hell and other life stories

2007-07-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! This past week, I've been enjoying time to myself as I start a new job on Monday. I've realized that I would actually love being rich and being able to do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. Ah..... I lived it this week. Slept when I wanted to, read when I wanted to, had a massage, and yes, my son went to daycare! (snickering of 'bad mother' out there?!?!?!)

Anyways, last Thursday, I had laser surgery done for the umpteenth time on my left eye. Some of my vessels had grown close to a nerve, so it was more painful than I expected. My doc was patient and reassuring, but I was definitely over that situation. I went home with a headache that felt like a hangover without the benefits of having some nice fruity drinks beforehand!

On another note, my endocrinologist signed off on my Omnipod registration. Wooohooo. I faxed it the day she signed it to the Insulet company and was hoping to do training this week since I've been off. WAY TOO optimistic of me. I got a call from Omnipod saying they received my paperwork and were now talking to my insurance.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, no. The damn insurance companies. So, I tried to wait a day or so, but then couldn't hold back--- I called Insulet and the nice representative told me it usually takes 6-8 weeks before I'll hear from them while insurance reviews it.

Are you kidding me???? I already have a pump..... it is a medical necessity... but, the pessimist in me kept thinking "they're going to find a way NOT to cover it". I kept thinking of Michael Moore's movie, SICKO, where insurance companies did everything they could to find a loophole NOT to cover expensive things. I tried to reassure myself that we have very good insurance, so I kept my fingers crossed.

I have received a call from a very nice "benefits representative" from Insulet. She said she was currently reviewing my case and working with the insurance company and had noticed that I had checked off that my current pump was out of warranty. I said yes, that Minimed had been calling me for the last month to "upgrade" me. She asked me if I had any current problems with my pump and I told her I didn't think so, BUT, it was out of warranty...... Murphy's Law.... something WILL happen. She asked again if I had any noticeable problems with my pump, battery, etc. I told her that I was changing my battery more frequently than I remembered, but it appeared to be working. That seemed to be all she needed and then she said "Well, insurance companies typically don't want to replace something even if it's out of warranty until it becomes broken."

Ah, thank you for my very expensive health insurance. The future of my care and flexibility is now in the hands of people that have never lived with this disease and don't know the consequences of not taking the best care possible.

Apidra?

2007-07-18T11:16:00.000-07:00

Anyone ever heard of this insulin? Or, better yet, anybody on this insulin that uses a pump? I was in a conversation with my endocrinologist this morning and she mentioned this insulin. I hadn't heard of it, but I am a Humulog user and have been since my days of beef/pork injections!

All feedback welcome!! Please comment...........

Last Tuesday.....

2007-07-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

So, in the middle of all my ranting about health care and retinopathy, I forgot to mention that my days at my current job are limited. This is a good thing as I feel that I've exhausted the learning curve here. I will start a new job with a trade association in August and I am soooo ready for a week off! I plan on relaxing, reading, and possibly a massage. So, today is my last Tuesday in my current position.

On other fronts, I went to my retinopathist last Thursday. The dreaded words of "we have to do more laser" were spoken, but I expected those. I knew that the swelling would go down, but there would still be vessels back there that shouldn't be. Unfortunately, my doc also told me he found new places. SH*T!! That's all I could think (since I have a knack for profanity in times of crisis). So, in my typical fashion of trying to cover my feelings, I thanked the doctor and said that he really wasn't telling me anything I didn't expect..... under it all, I wanted to cry. But, I didn't. Ok, I did........ but that was three hours later when I was alone at my desk at work.

So, in my selfish quest to have my week between jobs be stress-free and totally revolving around me, I scheduled my eye surgery for Thursday afternoon. Hey, I've got about seven days of PTO stored, so I can take the afternoon off. Not to mention that tomorrow I'm going to see my diabetic specialist about my Omnipod.

Actually, not only am I going to talk about the Omnipod, I'm going to talk about my last A1c, which I opt not to tell you the number because it's higher than I'd like it to be. Why? I don't know. Life is full of stress. Maybe I don't manage mine well......... I think I do........ I appear to manage it to others (besides my husband who sees the true me, mostly). Can you just walk into the docs office and say " I don't know what went wrong in the past few months? I just want a holiday from it all?" Actually, with my doc, you probably can and I probably will. I've learned from past experience, it's better to try to be as honest as you can with the endocrinologist. I do hope that she views the Omnipod as a good change for me. I do.

So, that's a brief wrap up from where I am now. Oh, I have implemented the "bad bag" at home with my son. I don't know what it is, but he is totally learning some habits that change him from the world's cutest little kid into a raving maniac. He is fond of saying no, but he's yelling, too. I can tolerate some of it, but I also don't want to have the teachers complaining about it. The "bad bag" is a brown paper bag where I place one of his coveted matchbox cars in if I get a report of yelling at school or if he does it at home. We've told him he can earn the cars back if he behaves better. Will this work? I don't know. There already has been one car casualty to the "bad bag"!!!!

Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

2007-07-11T13:01:00.001-07:00

Sounds scary, doesn't it? It is. It is, sometimes. I have retinopathy in both eyes ( I attribute to working a p/t job in a cookie store in high school..... definitely NOT one of my best choices ). I had treatment in my right eye back in 1995 and was headed to do treatment in my left eye in 1996, but everything "stabilized". I attribute my stabilization to scaring the living bejesus out of myself the first three treatments in my right eye!!

Alas, in 2006, things went sour and after putting it off for 11 years, I began treatment in my left eye because it had "come to that point." I, thankfully, have a great doctor who is of Syrian descent and once he knew I had taken Arabic classes, he promised to teach me all the bad words in Arabic ( I still have to hold him to this promise!!) He's a great doctor....totally listened to my fears (the eye numbing shot under the eyeball that I wanted to avoid at all costs) and has worked with me. He is somewhat stupefied by one section of my eye because I've had 2500 ZAPS (technically known as photocoagulations) and I have one stubborn section where there is still blood flow despite my zaps. It doesn't surprise me....... I'm Irish, I'm stubborn :)

I think I've had 4-5 treatments so far on my left eye to acquire 2500 zaps. Tomorrow I go in for a second follow up...... the blood flow was still there 6 weeks ago when I went in for the follow up to my last treatment, but the doctor wanted to wait another 6 weeks to see if more swelling and scar tissue disappeared. I think I've come to the point where I will agree to get the dreaded shot near my eye to numb the damn thing in order to laser it more because I'm at my breaking point of patience.......... I kind of want this to be over with.

Frankly, I'm feeling like I'd like all the diabetes hoopla to be over with. I'd like a "diabetes holiday" where I could go to Dunkin Donuts in the morning and have a caramel coolatta and chocolate covered glazed donut for breakfast, have a twinkie for snack, eat a plain hamburger happy meal super sized (ok, I'd stick with the diet soda out of sheer habit), and then for dinner, I'd just go to Friendly's and eat a sundae for dinner!! HA. I've thought a little too much about this, haven't I?!

Wish me luck tomorrow................. at least I know that my doctor is within 10 years of my own age, has a child the same age as mine, and enjoys my sarcasm. (Hey, it's hard not to like the patient who is the youngest one in your office by at least 30 years!!!)

2007-07-10T07:45:00.000-07:00

So, it's Tuesday and I've had 3 days to think about "SICKO", re-hash it, resist the urge to quit my job and move to Cuba, France, or the UK.............

I did like the part in the movie where Michael Moore said something like "The United States (and I'm paraphrasing, I think) is a country of we, not a country of me." Or, he'd like it to be that way and so would I. Yes, I am very familiar that universal health care isn't the BEST system in the world either..... I've had people tell me that people die in France waiting to get treatment for prostrate cancer, a treatment that they can get immediately here. So, yes, I like the expediancy of our system. However, I pointed out to this same individual that this fast treatment can also bankrupt an individual, ruin a family......... forcing the sick individual to feel guilt..... is this what we're striving for??

In Michael's typical fashion, he uses sarcasm (and, boy, I LOVE THAT) to get points across. He uses the most dramatic situations to prove a point. Is he stating that universal healthcare is the end all, be all? No.... I took away from that there are advantages to the system ( a more holistic approach that deals with the person and not with a pharmaceutical company, an insurance company, or law makers) and there are advantages to our system. Can't there be a compromise??

So, I give Michael Moore gold stars for his movie. I didn't doubt that I would love the movie. I was surprised that I cried at how utterly pathetic we can be towards each other in the middle of health crisis' though.

And, my final note (for now) is that I looked at my husband after the movie and said "You know, in my 27+ years of having diabetes, the best health care I ever received was when I went to a doctor that didn't accept any insurance." Meaning, I had to pay the doctor visit upfront and then take on responsibility myself to submit it and deal with the insurance. It was worth it to have the undivided attention and focus of my doctor treating me as a human being............ and she helped me have a beautiful son in the process!

Lunch today

2007-07-06T11:36:00.000-07:00

So, I had lunch today with two of my co-workers (because it was my bday!!) and one of them asked what I was doing this weekend. I told them that I was going to see SICKO tomorrow night (woohoo, finally, I got myself organized). We all started talking about our own health care experiences.

I talked about how I kept paying my Medtronic pump supply bills when they came in only to find out in a phone call with Medtronic that the bills they were sending weren't completely processed through my insurance and I actually had a $300.00 credit. I was mildly annoyed at that point, but when I told them I assumed I wouldn't be getting any more bills in the next few months, the representative (and she was nice) said "Oh, no, you'll have to call and let us know to deduct it from your overpayment because our billing program doesn't do that". You have got to be kidding me.

Take the example of my co-worker who had to take her son for a normal doctor visit only to have a few tests done. When she read through her "explanation of benefits", she saw that the doctor office had billed the insurance for tests that weren't done..... to the tune of $2,500. When she called the doctor's office, they were nonchalant and said "Oh, alright, we'll submit that to the insurance to be reimbursed from our office." When she went on to question the doctors office on when her insurance company (not even her!!) could expect to be reimbursed, the doctor's office said "a couple months".

Who has the time to read through all the medical jargon on those "explanation of benefits" to protect ourselves and the insurance companies?? Why should it be the consumer who PAYS for the "good insurance" we have to spend hours on the phone clearing an overpayment or to take on an over-zealous doctor's office who has billed the patient BEFORE waiting to see what the insurance will and won't pay for??

Note to all of you out there: if you don't read the medical bills (which, I will admit, I tend not to), you could be paying for the surgery that removed a pitchfork from your left toenail!!!!

Ah, God Bless the great insurance companies and medical billing departments we have out there to prove if we can rip each other off, we will..........

Michael Moore! Michael Moore!

2007-06-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

Ok, slight snag in my earlier plans... the babysitter had to go to a family obligation and had to back out! Oh, no! So, I read some early reviews and the run the gammit of "excellent" to "sensationalist... this is all lies". Granted, I have not seen the movie yet, but I've seen clips of what he has put in there and I would imagine we all know the frustration of living with a chronic illness in this society...... you can't make life choices without factoring in health care because the cost of our disease.

I only ask that people try to keep an open mind and watch the movie. Life isn't fair, but isn't it time we start caring a little for each other REGARDLESS of job, religion, class, race, etc................ I'd hope that some of our Congressional folk watch this and really advocate for us, the people they serve.

Let's hope I can get the babysitter some other time this weekend!

Diabetic Lingo

2007-06-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

Are there certain terms or vernacular that you've come up with to describe life with diabetes? How about some of these......

"How low can you go?"
-- the song played in your head during a meeting when you debate how long you can stay in a meeting with a low blood sugar

"Pumper"
-- no, not a woman breastfeeding, but a woman who has her pump in her bra

"Lassoed"
-- when you walk by a doorway with the pump in your hand and the cord gets hooked on the doorknob

"P-Cup"
--Bra size for those of us who carry a third "girl" around in the bra.

"Autolet-ic"
--Person who just can't change their autolet more than once a year

Got any more to add to the list? Post a comment!

Why I love Michael Moore

2007-06-14T17:38:00.000-07:00

Most people either love him or hate him.....

I happen to love him (shhh.......don't tell my husband, but I think he'd understand). Yes, I will admit that there is the "shock jock" part of him and the times when he crosses over the inevitable line (most of which I laugh at, especially when he targets the political party I rarely agree with), but in the end, I truly believe that under all that media coverage, he believes that the average American can read between the lines of sarcasm and exaggeration and get the point that he's trying to make within his movies.

I believe he's trying to get all us to step out of the web we've all woven around us in our daily lives and look at things from a different perspective from our own. I don't believe most people do that.... and I wonder if some even have the capability to step into the dreaded "unknown".

I already have a babysitter lined up for June 29th despite not knowing if the film will even premier in a theater near me...... it's the thought that I want to be there and see the movie that I am glad someone is addressing-- the beloved healthcare iindustry. The land of "where's your insurance card?" and "we'll have to get pre-authorization for that"..... the land where we are all supposed to have access to great healthcare, but I just heard that a woman DIED in the lobby of an ER room waiting to be helped (and, I'll admit to not knowing the full story as of yet, but someone told me people in the ER waiting room were calling 911 to help her EVEN THOUGH they were at the hospital). Is this the care we should all be so thankful for?

I am thankful for the doctors I have currently. I am thankful that I have good insurance where I can choose the doctor I want to see. I am NOT thankful that the government has made it virtually impossible to find a cure for my disease by limiting stem cell research...... I am NOT thankful that I have to choose between family vacation time or another day for laser surgery BECAUSE of a disease that I did not choose to have. I am NOT thankful that my husband and I have to choose employment very carefully to ensure we have the best healthcare available.

I am thankful....... VERY THANKFUL.... that Michael Moore focused his newest documentary on us--- the people who DO have access to this "great" healthcare and can give people a real taste of the beauracracy and red tape that line the doorways of doctor's offices. What happened to the doctor' offices who sat down and asked you how you were feeling BEFORE asking for how you were going to pay for the visit?

Juvenile Diabetes......

2007-06-05T18:52:00.000-07:00

My family and I recently did a walk to raise money for research relating to Type 1/ Juvenile Diabetes. This was positive- I felt good about raising money and I was proud that after all this time, I'm not sooo jaded that I don't believe a cure isn't out there.

However, I had a different annoyance with the walk. At the kickoff, there were a lot of guest speakers and all of them (except for one teenager) were small children. Yes, I am fully aware that their stories of being four and having to give multiple shots daily are the stories that move people to donate. Who wants a small child to suffer throught this disease? Certainly not me. But, there was a point where I was getting the "warning" glances from my more patient husband as I was becoming more tweaked with the speakers. Everything focused on the children. THAT is a problem with awareness of this disease--- yes, it is Juvenile Diabetes, BUT it doesn't just affect children.

There was the more adventuresome voice in my head urging me to grab the microphone to say "Yes, this little girl was diagnosed a year ago and it's dreadful that she has to give four shots a day and watch what she eats........ BUT, I've been doing this for over 27 years. Everyone here has to realize that the small children we're listening to here today to raise awareness will become ADULTS some day...... stuck with the same disease." However, I restrained from making a speech I wasn't asked to do, which was probably good.

This is something to consider. I was diagnosed at five, but I know a ton of people that have been diagnosed at eighteen, twenty five and so on with Juvenile Diabetes.

I guess this is why I'm more prone to calling it Type 1 Diabetes :)

Juvenile Diabetic for 27+ years

2007-06-01T19:07:00.000-07:00

I've recently discovered that living with Type 1 Diabetes isn't all bad. I'm actually lucky when I reflect on my life. When I was first diagnosed at five years old, blood sugar testers did not exist. To test one's sugar, you had to do the old fashioned peeing in a cup and waiting to see what color the pill turned when put into a test tube. I also was injecting insulin from a pig and cow mixture into myself. And, I must admit, I still have my Juvenile Diabetes Foundation shirt with a picture of a pig on it saying "Pigs are Precious"--- they sure are--- they saved my life for at least 10 years!

Doctors opinions and knowledge have also evolved. When younger, a doctor said I probably couldn't/shouldn't have children. This didn't bother me so much because I figured I'd go the route of adoption if I got married.

I now write this as my own biological child is asleep upstairs in his bad, I have just tested my blood sugar within 5 seconds and I'm currently hooked up to my insulin pump....

Life is grand!

Omnipod v. Medtronic

2007-05-31T13:00:00.000-07:00

So, are any of you out there (and I hope there are some people reading) users of the Omnipod pump or the Medtronic pump? There's a lot of debate out there about the advantages and disadvantages of both pumps..... I've read the "Diabetesmine" blog which references some disadvantages of the Omnipod.

My situation is that I have the earliest version of the Paradigm--- I moved up from the Medtronic 508 because I wanted to be able to wear the pump in the water/pool. Well, that "promise" changed within a year with Medtronic asking all users to sign a legal document that they are advising you NOT to wear it in the water due to cracking/leaking issues. I also currently HATE the fact that the pump only has 150 unit reservoir. Yes, you're supposed to change everything out every 2 days...... honestly, I don't. I'm sick of hearing the warning beeps that my insulin in the reservoir is below 30 units (and I"m sure my co-workers are sick of hearing it, too!).

So, I'm looking seriously at the Omnipod. The cordless feature looks very enticing. However, this is relatively new and I figure as soon as I decide to change and buy it, some new component will come out and leave me, once again, in the pump ice ages. My endocrinologist said to me that if I wanted the future--- where pumps are really heading technology-wise, than the Omnipod is the way to go.

Should I or shouldn't I??? Any users out there to offer advice?

Blog Hell

2007-05-29T19:31:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I will admit that I'm in blogging hell. I want to be successful at this computer blogging thing...... yet, I'm not a "computer" person technically. People say that anyone can blog, but I have not gotten one comment.

What am I doing wrong? I've now registered for technorati to see if that boosts things. I want to generate humor, discussion, and frankly.... honesty about life with diabetes. The good, the bad and definitely, the ugly.

Stand by..... maybe I need to get more graphic with my posts.

Technorati

2007-05-29T19:01:00.000-07:00

Technorati Profile

3 year old versus the insulin pump

2007-05-22T13:17:00.000-07:00

So, I have this little boy who I love very much..... he cracks me up with his little "shaky dances" to Akon (the clean version) and Dave Matthews... however, he just doesn't quite get the "don't pull the rope" (HAHAHA-- for those who have watched 15 thousand episode of the Doodlebops!) concept of insulin pumps.

Ok, I will admit that I'm a complete clutz and I'm only five feet two inches tall, so...... the tubing from my pump to my body is extremely long. This is to allow for my clutziness when I have the pump connected to me and it's sitting on the sink and I frantically turn around to grab my towel in the bathroom........ the pump falls (and, thankfully, so far.... does not break) because there is enough tubing there for my height..................

Well, in fits of laughter and tickling each other, my son inadvertantly will come up and pull on my shirt....... not bad, if there is nothing but SKIN under your shirt!! For me, he doesn't mean to..... but, he rips the tubing out of my stomach. It hurts, but short lived .... kind of like a band-aid being ripped off without warning. Have I yelled at my son for this? YES..... is it his fault, no.........................

Ah...... as I write this blog, I dream of the Omnipod insulin pump system........... no cords!!!!

I also realize that with 70% of the things right now, the three year old wins in the competition between the three year old versus the insulin pump.

(I'll have to remember to tell him that he won the Piston Cup today for a competition he didn't even know he was in!!)

Type 1 or Type 2? The "low down"

2007-05-18T18:48:00.000-07:00

So, you're a friend/partner/co-worker or relative of someone that just said to you "I'm diabetic". What does that mean? Better, yet..... what do you say?

Well, let me give it to you from an insider's point of view..... and, yes, take this with a grain of salt that I am a Type 1 (aka) Juvenile Diabetic of 27 years (note: I AM biased/pretty empathetic towards Type 1 people)....

In layman's terms (meaning, you are not an endocrinologist/ diabetologist or any other kind of medical personnel), Diabetes is really two different diseases. The common idea/ thought is that sugar is a big no-no for anyone diabetic and that's how we all got lumped together as one big happy family.

From the "diabetchik's" perspective, this is my "low down"( for legal purpose-- I AM NOT A DOCTOR, don't pretend to be one, nor have I ever played one on TV) : With Type 1 diabetes, your little pancreas (some organ you've never heard of before that now becomes the organ between life and death) decides it will produce little or no insulin, a hormone needed to breakdown the carbs/sugars we eat in every day food for our cells to use properly. So, without this hormone, we become sluggish, tired, drink too much (of any type of beverage we can get or hands on) and visit the bathroom WAY too much! Once diagnosed, your only option to live is to inject insulin with a needle or go on an insulin pump (meaning you are constantly connected to a little beeper sized device that will continuously pump insulin into you--- act as an external pancreas). In short, you HAVE to give shots with Type 1 diabetes.

With Type 2 diabetes, it used to be that it only affected "older" people...... however, with the ever-expanding waist line of our youth, it's now the phenomenon that children are diagnosed with Type 2. The diabetchik's "low down" on Type 2..... for example, say you are a five foot two woman and weigh roughly 130 pounds (pretty average)...... that's ok for your body frame. However, this same five foot two woman gains 40 pounds for a myriad of reasons, but her body focuses in prime condition at a weight for 130 pounds, meaning that only enough insulin will be released by her pancreas for 130 pounds. Well, when you weigh more, you tend to eat more and there's just not enough insulin being produced........ solution here typically is the doctor advising one to go on a diet and lose the weight and if that doesn't work, then they prescribe pills to take. If the person cannot lose the weight or if the variety of Type 2 medications that exist out there doesn't work for the individual, they MAY have to go on shots.

Hmmmm..... same disease????? Ya think? Behind door number one...... diet/exercise. Behind door number two................ 1-2 pills a day. Behind door number three.......... 3-4 shots a day or constant connection to a beeper-sized device. Which would you chose????

In later posts, I'll go into the expense of it all...... bet you can't wait, can you?!

Welcome!

2007-05-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

Looking for open discussion with a "diabetchik"---
a woman living with Type 1 (aka) Juvenile Diabetes for over 27 years.........
a supporter of Democratic ideals.........
a love for learning about cultures and religions.................
a mom who deeply loves and is equally frustrated by her three year old...........
or just some good old fashion sarcasm????

You have found the right place!!