I am really looking forward to the notion of “Better” as Chuck Eichten would say in his book.  There are a few different areas that I’m going to be focusing on in the coming months and year.  For the last 14 years I’ve been doing “good” at my diabetes management.  This year I want to take it to the next level and do better!  Here is how I plan to take things up a notch:

1. Diabetes Technology – I plan to utilize more technology to help with my diabetes management.  What I’ve been talking about for almost a year now is a CGM to help gather more data to tweak my basal, bolus and carb:insulin ratio.  I’ve been fighting this for some time now because I feel like there will be a new shiny CGM as soon as I get the current one.  It’s the whole buy today’s technology or wait just a little long for the next best thing.  Frankly, I’m tired of waiting and ready to pull the trigger.  I’m going to be working on a project to help with my decision in the coming month or so.
2. Health – In the last 30 days (started the day after Xmas) I’ve lost 11 pounds with ZERO exercise.  It’s all been done through the Dukan diet as recommended by my doctor.  This is just the start.  I’m just now starting to get back into my exercising, cardio and more of the diet.  This should help me lose more pounds to get to my goal of 190 pounds.  From there I can work on building back some lean muscle.  My biggest concern is to take it easy as to not re-injure my shoulders.
3. Blogging Diabetes – Over the last 6 months I have been dedicating a significant amount of time to the Podcast, which has been a HUGE success.  The response I’ve gotten is awesome.  In the coming months and year I’m planning on continuing the weekly diabetes podcast and adding more interviews, projects and video.  I’ll probably be investing a bit in equipment for doing more videos.  I am as focused as ever on the blog in all aspects and that’s not going to change.  More content, information, podcasts, videos, interviews, etc.
4. Family (non diabetes)- Welcoming baby #3 in June! YAY WOO HOO!  We find out on Monday if it’s a boy or girl.

As a huge supporter of DSMA (Diabetes Social Media Advocacy) this is my entry in January’s Blog Carnival found here.  As you can see, I plan to make every effort to be involved in DSMA this year.

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

DSMA – January Carnival: Blogging Diabetes in 2012 is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Here are some of the topics we covered as Brendon points out on A1c53:`

• On top of his full family and work life responsibilities, his exercise, and his new dukan diet, he blogs / podcasts / and tweets about his and others’ diabetes so that we can all learn to manage our diabetes better.
• Tony’s house near the woods and his zoo (so to speak)
• Working from home and what Tony does for a job
• How he finds time to be a type 1 diabetic on top of his busy life
• Tony’s home exercise routine
• How he treats low blood sugars
• How much carbohydrate Tony has with meals, and his new Dukan diet
• Carbohydrate counting with meals
• Tony’s eggs (aka ‘the dairy section in the grocery store’)

You can also find Brendon on twitter with the handle @A1C53.

Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments below.

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Brendon’s Interview of me on A1c53 – Little Known Facts is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

So the folks at the publishing house for Robyn’s book provided my a copy of this cookbook to try out probably because of my mad skills in the kitchen.  Yeah, that’s it.  It probably has more to do with my history of diabetes and love for cooking meals for me and my family.  To be completely transparent, this cookbook was provided to me free of charge with no strings or promises attached.  Clearly, I’m going to blog about it though, right?  Right!

I did mention it in my podcast #18 with a few initial comments.  I’m a little biased because I am very much into health, fitness and clean eating.  When I think of comfort foods, the things that come to mind first are not healthy.   The book is well written by Robyn who seems to be very qualified to write this book.  The problem I have is the link of diabetes to a certain diet or type of cooking, but that’s because I am a Type 1 diabetic.  Those with type 2 diabetes need to be more careful especially if they do not supplement with medication.  So right off the bat I’m thinking these will not be healthy, which turns me off a bit.

I was a little wrong and the recipes tend to use the lean and healthy options that I would to minimize excessive simple carbs.  Each recipe also lists the exchange amounts and nutritional facts, which is a must for a great cookbook.  Another great aspect to this book is the helpful tips throughout the book, like “how to saute the right way”.  As I flip through the cookbook it’s easy to notice the variety of recipe options that will fit into anyone’s style or preference for types of meals.

The biggest drawback to this cookbook is that each recipe does NOT have a picture.  There are only pictures on every 5 or 6 recipes or pages, which is a big turnoff.  I am a very visual person and love the meal pictures.  This is kind of a make or break deal for my staple cookbooks.  I understand that it’s probably expensive and time consuming to have an image for each recipe.  To me this is the difference between 4 stars and maybe 5 stars.  I can’t wait to try out some of the recipes. If you’re looking for some guideance towards foods to cook that may be carb friendly, this is a good buy at $13.  If you have it let me know what you think!

New Comfort Food Cookbook brings American & International Classics to People with Diabetes

Many people assume a diagnosis of diabetes means the days of celebrating the foods they love are officially over.  But sensing the need for a cookbook that brings back the pleasure of a satisfying and familiar meal – Publications is introducing its latest cookbook: The American Diabetes Association Diabetes Comfort Food Cookbook. It’s authored by a familiar person to the association, Robyn Webb. Robyn is the food editor of Diabetes Forecast® Magazine and each month Robyn writes her own column, “Healthy Eating” and is the recipe developer and tester for the magazine.

Sprinkled with helpful tips and time-saving advice, The American Diabetes Association Diabetes Comfort Food Cookbook redefines classic American and International comfort food.  It is a “go-to” collection of recipes for families that need to cook nutritionally sound and diabetes-friendly meals that will satisfy everyone at the table. The days of cooking two meals to please everyone in the household are over.

“For us, this was one of those ‘why haven’t done this already?’ type projects,” said Abe Ogden, Director, Book Publishing. “It’s a beautiful cookbook filled with amazing recipes. And to have Robyn—who we’ve worked with for a number of years and who is so involved with the Association—develop and write the book made it a no-brainer. She gave us a very nice opportunity to strengthen our cooperation with Diabetes Forecast, who put together a fantastic feature on the book for the September issue. We’re really excited.” The American Diabetes Association Diabetes Comfort Food Cookbook can be purchased at Amazon or shopdiabetes.org for around $13.

Robyn Webb, MS, LN, is an award-winning cookbook author, nutritionist, and the Food Editor of Diabetes Forecast® Magazine. She has written 14 cookbooks, including the American Diabetes Association bestseller Diabetic Meals in 30 Minutes—Or Less! She has numerous media credits, including Food Network, Martha Stewart Radio, Lifetime Television, Discovery Channel, CNN, CBS, ABC, ESPN, and many more. Her work has been highlighted in the Washington Post, Woman’s Day, USA Today, Fine Cooking, and many online health, fitness, and food websites and magazines.   Robyn can be found on Twitter at and on Facebook.

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Cookbook Geared Towards Those With Diabetes is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

My wife was flipping through the latest Take Charge publication for November and pointed out an article listing 10 (really 9) Superfoods.  Here is a list of what is in the magazine:

1. Dark Green Leafy Veggies
2. Citrus Fruit
3. Sweet Potatoes
4. Berries
5. Tomatoes
6. Fish with OMEGA-3s
7. Whole Grains
8. Nuts
9. Fat-Free Milk and Yogurt

Take Charge is published in cooperation with the medical experts of American Diabetes Association.

You know what this list reminds me of?  The foods and categories that anyone trying to be healthy should be eating on a daily basis.  There are a few overlaps between what they listed and the 7 that I included in my newsletter.  I got a little more specific than just: nuts or dark green leafy veggies, which you can see by signing up for the newsletter.  It’s absolutely free and will NOT inundate you with emails.  Best part is that you can unsubscribe with 1 click, no questions asked and will not hurt my feelings.

For those with diabetes, this is a great list to start from.  I’m not totally sold on the citrus fruits and tend to not eat as much fruit as I do other healthy categories.  There just seems to be too much natural sugar that tends to spike my blood sugar and not fill me up as much as other things.

What would you add to this list?

Oh, and in case you didn’t already know, November is Diabetes Awareness month!

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Ten “Superfoods” You Can’t Afford to Live Without is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Disclaimer: I’ve personally spoken to Anita/Molly at Glooko, discussed their mission/vision and about what these products mean to them.  They supplied me with the MeterSync Cable free of charge to try and provide feedback on.  As always I will continue to provide true feedback to both the company and community here regardless of what was given to me for free.  This is never negotiable and is always stated before anything is exchanged.

Glooko

Glooko’s mission: to help people with diabetes live life while effortlessly managing their diabetes.

Glooko has two products that will be available to the public on November 15th that consist of the Glooko iPhone App (iTunes) and Glooko MeterSync cable (Amazon).

So what does Glooko do that solves a current problem?  Glooko removes the need to manually log blood sugar tests for those with a meter that is compatible with Glooko and who have an iPhone/iPod Touch.  Per my discussion with Anita, Glooko is looking to possibly expand their offering to Android based phones and add addition blood sugar meters.  To see if your meter is supported, here is a list of ones that currently work with Glooko.

How Does Glooko Work?

So how does Glooko work?  You simply connect the cable from your compatible meter to your iPhone/Ipod Touch and go to the App. The home screen has two simple options: Sync or Add Note (food, exercise, insulin or comment).  It took about 25 seconds for me to sync 500 blood sugar readings from my OneTouch UltraLink meter.  It’s really that simple.  No more logging each individual blood sugar.  Now you have all of your data where ever you have your phone.  The App was designed to be simple and very easy to use.  You can:

• Sync data
• Add Note
• View history in either list format or by time intervals of the day
• Email a PDF or send eFax of the last 14 Days worth of readings
• Check “Opinions” on the Internet, which is like a news feature
• Adjust settings (Meter type, send feedback to Glooko right on the phone, clear data, export data to .csv and email or by a cable via Amazon)

There isn’t a whole lot of other fluff in the App to get caught up in, which makes the experience very pleasant and easy.

How To Get It

The MeterSync Cable will go on sale via Amazon on November 15th for $39.95 and the App will be free via the iTunes store.  I thought the cost was a little high at first, but after talking through it with Anita and hear about all the R&D and Royalties that are paid to Apple, it makes sense.  Similar to a lot of accessories for an iPhone, the cost over the life of the item is usually worth it and this is no exception.

***UPDATE*** MeterSync cable is NOW available.

The Good

• Simple to use
• reasonable price point for the cable and free app
• No more manually logging
• Calendar view makes it very easy to spot trends at certain times of the day
• Ability to email data in .csv or 14 Day summary in PDF format – these are awesome features
• Feedback or questions go directly to Glooko and they responded to my unannounced test within 5 minutes (though this is pre launch)
• I was able to upload data from 2 meters (work UltraLink and home UltraLink) and it integrated the data seamlessly
• Fast sync – 25 seconds to sync to my iPhone 4s 500 blood sugars
• No computer needed
• No subscription needed that incurs additional cost

The Opportunities

• Add more compatible meters
• Add Android operating system version of the App
• Provide some type of added value using the data like: average blood sugar or simple chart features
• Integrate social media that makes it fun like: Tweet or Facebook status update when a person syncs or take it one step farther and add a community feature on the website
• Person must have a smartphone (iPhone today)
• Cost reduction even if it’s to $29.95 because we all know how expensive diabetes management can be
• Possibly do something different with the Opinions page as I don’t think I would use it much – it could be replaced with more analytics features like a simple chart

My Opinion

I think there is a very large target audience where Glooko will fill a big need.  Specifically, this is perfect for those not on an insulin pump like me and use CareLink.  Since all of my blood sugar data is sent to my pump via wireless, I upload it all from my pump to CareLink where I can do a lot of in-depth analysis.  Now, for those that don’t have this option or may be T2, this is a great product because of it’s simplicity and lack of much manual work.  Being able to transfer 1000 blood sugars from my two meters to my iPhone in less than a minute is A LOT quicker than manually logging them, which would never happen.  Also, being able to send the data in PDF format to my doctor via email on my phone within a min is another big benefit.  See, Glooko not only solves a long-standing problem, it removes a lot of the excuses about a patient not having data.  Glooko will help people manage their diabetes better and easier, which could literally be a lifesaver.  I will be sharing more in this week’s upcoming podcast, so tune in on Thursday!

What Others Are Saying

• Amy’s review at Diabetesmine
• Michael’s review at Hello Cupcake It’s Me

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Glooko | Diabetes Logging Without Manual Entry is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

3 years ago today I posted the first blog post on Blogging Diabetes.  A few hundred posts, many comments and now hours worth of podcasts later – I’m having a blast!  I love helping others.  I love learning more about diabetes and enjoy sharing all my successes and failures with you along the way.

Here’s to much, much more!

Thank you for visiting my site and helping make this all possible!

Tony

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

3-Year Milestone Achieved is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

This is super cool and I’m excited to participate in Lee Ann’s postcard exchange for this year’s World Diabetes Day.   Below is the rules for the exchange and a little bit about why Lee Ann wanted to start this for WDD.  I find it really nastalgic to think back to grade school (WAY BACK) before there was e-mail and writing to pen pals.  I wonder what kids do these days, e-mail pals???  Anyway, this exchange will be a fun way to share a little bit of your diabetes with someone who gets it.  The greatest thing I have related to diabetes is the on/offline community that shares, doesn’t judge and just understands.  As of writing this, a TON of people have signed up so let’s all join together.  I signed up!

Please take a moment to let Lee Ann know you want to be involved.

Lee Ann’s Postcard Exchange

Here are the rules (as displayed on The Butter Compartment):
1) Email your postal address to Lee Ann: leeann@thebuttercompartment.com. If you would like to be matched with an adult, child or family, another type 1 or type 2, or if you are a type 3, spouse, sibling or parent, please indicate that. I will do my absolute best to match you with someone who is similar. Otherwise, your assigned recipient will be random in that regard, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing! We’re sending old-school post office-delivered postcards, so I need your snail mail address.
2) Expect to receive an email with the name and address of your postcard recipient. I’m trying to collect a nice list of participants from many different places, and as soon as the list fills out, I’ll be sending those emails.
3) Use the WDD Blue Circle and all the creativity you can fit on a 3.5”x5” piece of cardstock.
4) On the back of the postcard, complete this mini D meme, in addition to anything else you’d like to share with your recipient:

Your name:
Where you live:
Your connection to diabetes:
Type of diabetes:
Year of diagnosis:
One thing you do to Act On Diabetes:
One Word:

5) Mail it, ideally in time for the recipient to receive it by November 14th. If you’re unable to do that, please at least have it postmarked by then.
6) Check your mailbox for a postcard from the person who was assigned your name and address.
7) If you like, post a photo of the postcard you receive on the World Diabetes Day Postcard Exchange Facebook page.

Before I proceed, let me respond to anyone who is skeptical about sharing their address. I’m very conscientious about people’s confidentiality in all realms of my life as a result of my professional responsibilities. Other than the one person who will be assigned your name and address as their postcard recipient, your address will not be distributed or abused in any way. It’s reasonable to be wary, but I want to reassure all that I have no nefarious intentions. The worst that will happen is you might get a Christmas card from me IF I get off my butt and start making some.

Lee Ann’s Vision

Creativity: Needless to say, there is some creativity required on your part. I’m predictable like that. I will have some follow-up posts here with ideas, inspiration, and just some basic practical suggestions for the making of the postcard. I know that the easier this is, the more people will participate, so I want to make it easy. If you want to get fancy-pants with your postcard, that’s up to you.

Connection: As a kid, I lived for diabetes camp. Camp Sweeney was the only place where the shame I had for having diabetes evaporated, and being able to shirk that burden for a few weeks in the summer was a gift and a life-saver. During the rest of the year, I lived to check the mail in hopes of finding a letter from my camp friends. We elaborately decorated envelopes and letters, postmarked works of love and art. Just writing about it is making me teary-eyed because long before the internet, that was my reminder that I wasn’t alone. Looking in my mailbox and finding a reminder that someone else with diabetes was thinking about me still makes my heart burst with joy. We all deserve that, and I hope you feel it too when you get your postcard.

Participation & Activism: Because of where some people are geographically, the options for connecting with others on World Diabetes Day are limited or don’t exist at all. My belief is that no matter where you live, you should be able to participate in World Diabetes Day by connecting to someone else with diabetes. It’s not the same as hanging out with people in person, but I feel like a postcard exchange will allow us all to celebrate together. Imagine postcards with bright blue circles spinning around the globe, connecting us to each other!

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

World Diabetes Postcard Exchange is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

You may recall that back in March 2011, there was a huge recall on IV Prep pads that many people with diabetes used to prep an infusion site location.  Since that recall there was a substitute that my supplier recommend that was just OK.  The Skin Prep pads were just too thin on the liquid that would make it drip when taking it out of the package.  I think the Skin Prep was somewhat effective, but I didn’t notice much difference than simply not using anything.

Fast forward to today when I called my supplier to get a re-up (“The Wire” reference) on insulin pump supplies and just happen to ask if they had IV Prep back.  Here’s how it went:

Me: “Do you have IV Prep again?”

Her: “Yes, we have it back and it’s safe to distribute.”

Me [thinking]: Uhh yeah, I don’t need to know if you have unsafe supplies just to taunt customers.

Me: “Oh great!”  “How many can I get?”

Her: “You are allowed to order 100?”

Me: “SWEET JESUS 100 BOXES????”

Her [laughing]: “Uh no, 100 or two boxes of 50.”

Me: “Yeah, that probably makes more sense huh.  Sign me up for 100.”

So there you have it.  IV Prep is back and I’m stocking up STAT.  I’m totally out of Skin Prep and IV Prep, so it comes at a great time.  I actually called my supplier simply to get more Skin Prep and came out with IV Prep.  Sweet!

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

IV Prep Is Back! is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Diabetic Skillet

I have been happily using the Diabetic Skillet website for some time now, not solely because the recipes are geared towards diabetics, but because they are healthy and good.  It’s just a plus that many of the dishes maximize vegetables instead of simple carbs.  The founder, Chris Louie, also started Simple Skillet, a recipe site geared towards easy and family oriented meals.

The website is free to use and Chris also has a newsletter that delivers recipes to your inbox if you prefer.  The paid app is ad free and makes shopping for recipes extremely easy and keeps you from going end-to-end of the grocery store five times like I usually do.  Check out the video and see for yourself.

Cost

$5.99 in App Store on iTunes for ipad or iphone

My take on paid apps is that I will gladly pay for them, which are usually less than a cup of Starbucks coffee for the ability to have no ads and use them forever.  It’s not cheap to have a developer create them and to get an ad free version that makes part of your life easier is definitely worth the few dollars.

***I have 2 FREE Promo codes to the first 2 people who write a comment below asking for them – you just need an iphone or ipad***

Disclaimer: I was given a free version of this app to try out, but that doesn’t change or sway my opinion.

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Diabetic Skillet App for Delicious Recipes is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

9/11/2001 is a day I will never forget. I was sitting in my dentist chair when the new flash came on the TV with the first tower on fire.  The rest is history…

Where were you on 9/11/2001 when the world changed?  Is your diabetes where you expected it would be thinking ahead 10 years ago?

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Ten Years Later – How’s Your Diabetes Changed? is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Vitamin D

For about 4 years now my doctor has been checking my vitamin D level and has me on supplementation to keep my level as close to optimal as possible.  For those that spend the majority of our day indoors, there is typically a vitamin D deficiency.  My doctor wants my level between his preferred range of 40-70 ng/ml.  I find my levels are best during the summer months when I tend to get more sun – obviously.  I’m not a doctor, but would recommend you discuss this area with your regular physician because it could help you too.

Here are some recent articles that support optimal vitamin D levels:

[Men's Health] According to the July/Aug issue of Men’s Health, a study suggested that people with low blood levels of vitamin D are 47% more likely to develop prediabetes.

[Reuters] “Lower levels of vitamin D circulating in the bloodstream are tied to a higher risk of developing diabetes…[type 2]”

[Yahoo News] “For every 5 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) increase in vitamin D levels, the risk of developing diabetes [type 2] dropped by 8%.”

Some Possible Benefits of Vitamin D

• Improved balance
• Stronger & healthy bones
• Improved muscle strength
• May lower risk of some cancers
• Decreased risk of osteoporosis
• Less tooth loss
• Better thinking
• Boosts immunity
• Improved Insulin sensitivity

Some of these claims may be stronger than others, but there is evidence of each to some extent.  Do a simple Google search and you will see for yourself.  With all of these possible benefits and almost no downside, why not take vitamin D supplements?  I simply take 1 pill twice a week and it brought my level from the 20s to 50.  With an Rx from my doctor I get a strong dose that is a generic and very low cost.  Seriously, I can’t afford to NOT take more vitamin D.

Tip: Vitamin D supplements are much better than ultraviolet rays (sunshine/tanning booth)

Blood Test: You can suggest to your doctor to test your vitamin D, by checking your 25-hydroxy D

What have you heard about vitamin D?

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Playing Defense Against Diabetes is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

My Medtronic Pump

I have been using a Medtronic Minimed 715 insulin pump for the last 5.5 years.  I believe the warranty is only for 3 or 4 years, which means if mine breaks now I need to pay for a new one (insurance copay).  If it was under warranty I would probably be able to get a new one from Medtronic at zero cost.  The Rep for Medtronic told me that it’s beneficial to have the pump under warranty in the event it breaks I can get a new one a little quicker due to paperwork that will be needed.  I get that and haven’t wanted to spend the money on a new pump since mine works perfectly fine and it’s over a grand for a new one.

Decision

I am starting to plan for 2012 and potentially using my Flexible Spending account to get a new pump.  I’ve really been thinking through what pump I want to get and it hasn’t been easy.  For the record, I’m still undecided and don’t know which way I will go at this point.  Here are the features that I like/dislike about each that are factoring into my decision.

Animas Ping

I’ve really been looking hard at the Ping.  The big features I like about the Ping is that A) It’s waterproof – like really waterproof to the point where I could jump in a pool fully submerged without issue. B) It’s pretty cool looking with a color screen (lower on my priority list) and finally C) They are working on integration with DexCom a leader in the continuous glucose monitor (CGM) market.  I might take the plunge down the road on a CGM and I think I would prefer a Dexcom over the Medtronic CGM.

I know it sounds weird, but the waterproof feature is almost a game-changer for me.  I don’t go on vacation or to the pool often, but it would be SO NICE to not have to disconnect my infusion set each time I went in the pool.  That also means more checking, tweaking of bolus/basal for time disconnected.  The waterproof feature is big to me.  Note, the Medtronic Rep made a good point to combat the fact that their pump is NOT waterproof.  He said, do you really want to take the chance with a $6,000 medical device?  They focus on features that will help patients manage their diabetes versus making it waterproof.

Medtronic Revel

Now with Medtronic, I get a company that is focused and built a strong reputation with it’s insulin pump.  My pump has worked very well for 5+ years and when I did have an issue, Medtronic responded quickly and resolved the situation perfectly.  I also have CareLink, my web-based program that has tracked my diabetes data for a long time now and works well.  My doctor likes the reports it produces and I like studying them for potential changes.

I have all the infusion sets and reservoirs that are for Medtronic, which isn’t a huge issue but a pain for timing a change.  The downside is that the Revel and CGM from Medtronic is not as good as the Dexcom from what I’ve heard.  They are working on changes and making the sensor more comfortable for insertion, but not there yet.  With a somewhat lean body type and goal of getting leaner, the size of the needle can be an issue.

Summary

As I previously wrote, it’s difficult to get an unbiased comparison from a pump manufacturer.  This is a pretty tough decision because it’s one I will have to live with for probably at least 5 more years.  Which company do I think will be better over those 5 years, what product will have better support and what will I be happier with?  Basically I am weighing the waterproof and change aspect of the Animas Ping against the proven support and product quality of Medtronic.  It’s a tough decision that I will continue to think through over the coming months.

Ping

+ Waterproof, CGM Integration coming and looks

- Untested/unknown customer support, change from what I’m use to, 2 devices if I want a CGM now

Revel

+ Proven performance, customer support, Carelink reporting, CGM integrated with pump

- Not waterproof, CGM inferior

Any suggestions, info or thoughts would be greatly appreciated – please leave your thoughts below.

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Medtronic or Animas Insulin Pump is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

• Blogging Diabetes
• Me totally losing my thought
• My diagnosis
• Sponsorship on the blog
• Life as a husband and father with diabetes
• My podcast
• My error in saying that I’ve had this website since ’98 instead of ’08
• Shoutouts to: Kerri, Pat and Cliff

Just Talking Podcast <—– Click on the link to listen to Chris’ interview of me on his podcast/site.

I’ve been listening to Chris’ podcasts for some time now and enjoyed being his guest.  It’s also great to catch up live with Chris who I’ve talked to on Twitter for a long time now.

Check out his podcast and leave him a comment if you enjoyed the “episode” as much as I did recording it with Chris!

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Interviewed by Chris from Just Talking Podcast is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

I was thinking about puncturing my skin like another 10 times to get a nose and mouth for a smiley face or frown face based on my blood sugar at the time.  The things I do or at least think about for the blog…

Check me out on the new Google+

Hope you have a great weekend!

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Diabetes Ghost is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Last week I went to Philly to see the U2 show that was postponed from last July due to Bono’s back surgery.  This was my first time at Lincoln Financial field and all I could think about was the Patriots beating Philly in the Super Bowl 39.  I sure was glad I wasn’t rolling in any Boston gear.  It was about 6+ years since I saw U2 at the Wachovia Center for the Elevation tour.

The drive wasn’t bad at all and I met my friends easily for a beer before the show.  I checked my sugar just before leaving to go into the concert and it was good at 150.  I didn’t want to take any chances with it being too low because it was a hike to get from my truck to the seats inside. I threw down a quick Larabar just for safe measure so I wouldn’t be hungry inside and also to give me some energy.  I did not take my meter with me as I knew I wasn’t going to be drinking much (had to drive home) and probably not eating (got dinner in route to Philly).

Inside the stadium I had one more beer that lasted the whole show and no other food.  After the show was over I trekked back to my truck, checked my blood sugar and it was 118 around midnight.  Knowing it was about 2 hours to get home, I ate a Raw Bar, took a few units of insulin from my pump and headed home.  The traffic wasn’t bad at all and I got back around 2:30 AM.  Totally worth it, had a great time and my diabetes wasn’t a factor.  Here are some photos from the concert.

Bono

Edge

Question – So what do you do if you’re having a low blood sugar and are close to the stage among thousands of other fans that are packed in like sardines?

Stage Pre Show

For those taking score, the Philly fans/crowd blew away the fans at Fedex Field in D.C. over a year ago when I went.  This crowd was up the whole time and having a blast.  D.C. was full of people just sitting and watching the show like a movie…

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Diabetes with U2 is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

This past January I hit my 5 year anniversary for being on an insulin pump.  Yes, there are advantages and disadvantages to being on an insulin pump, but I don’t want to get rid of mine anytime soon.  I’m starting to think about my next pump as mine is currently out of warranty and I’m dedicating some time to really thinking  through what company I want to go with.  For the purposes of this post, I’m only considering three companies: Animas, Medtronic and OmniPod.  I’m not making my final decision for some time as I will probably use my flexible spending account in 2012 to get my next one so I save about 1/3 of the cost through tax savings.

Not About Me

This post isn’t about what I want for a pump or what company I’m going to go with in 2012.  This post is about the biased representation that each of the three companies below show when trying to sell their pump.  Let me give you my two cents, there is no perfect pump or perfect CGM.  It really comes down to personal preference and what’s the most important feature you need and which one provides it for you. 

Medtronic Revel

The first comparison I looked at was on Medtronic’s Minimed site.   At first glance, the Revel pump looks amazing, especially if it’s for a child or teenager because you get the “Pediatric Friendly Features”. What the heck does “limited” actually mean for the Ping pump in this category?  For the OmniPod, this comparison looks like they don’t offer much, right?  If you click on the source below the image you can scroll to see some additional comparisons.  One that made me laugh is where the Revel and Ping are approved for active lifestyles, but not the OmniPod, which is ridiculous.  I know a few young adults/kids with this pump and it works out great for them.

Question – Why doesn’t Medtronic list if their pump is waterproof? That’s because it isn’t and the others are.  Biased and not objective.

[Source: Minimed site]

Animas Ping

The next site is Animas who makes the Ping pump.  Look at their picture to the left where they SELL the fact that their pump is waterproof.  Let’s look at the other two pumps in terms of waterproofing.  Minimed is splash resistent.  What the hell does that mean?  Can it get rained on?  What if I get squirted by a water gun?  Can I jump in the pool? Can I shower with it on?  I really have no idea and still don’t know the limitations of my pump after 5 years.  For OmniPod, it says it’s “watertight up to 25 ft for 60 mins”.  Isn’t that the same thing as waterproof?  What happens if you’re in the pool for 61 minutes?

I can’t speak to the Revel, but my Minimed pump runs on super lithium batteries and they last for at least 6 weeks.  Yet this comparison shows only the Ping taking Lithium batteries. Huh?

[Source: Animas site]

OmniPod

The big plus to OmniPod is that it’s wireless.  Trust me, if you’ve ever been on a pump before you will know that doorknobs attract infusion set tubing like bees to honey.   But now let’s look at the “Auto Insertion” option.  Again, I can’t speak to the others, but my Minimed pump comes with an auto inserter that pushes the infusion set into my skin with the push of a button.  I guess you do actually see a needle and have to somewhat handle it, but it’s a little misleading.   Another interesting comparison is the last one where I guess only the OmniPod is small and lightweight.  How do they actually define what is considered small and lightweight?  That seems to be pretty subjective in my opinion.

[Source: OmniPod Site]

Conclusion

The point here is that each company is going to market their best options and show how their pump is “better” than the others who do not have these great options.  The reality is you may need to talk to actual people who have the pump and see what they like and dislike.  The only word of caution there is that those people may actually be biased based on what they own.  I know a few people who are the type that everything they own is the best.

QOTP (question of the post) – What resource would you use to help pick your next or first insulin pump?

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

The Truth About Insulin Pump Comparisons is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Since being diagnosed with diabetes back in 1998, I have lived in 4 different cities in three different states.  So over the last 13 years I’ve had 5 different Endocrinologists to oversee my diabetes management.  When I’ve moved to a different area, I’ve typically looked for a doctor based on three criteria:

1. Does the doctor accept new patients (some do not)
2. Does the practice accept my insurance
3. How close is the practice to my house/office

Each of the five different doctors had their good and bad aspects.  Some had great manners, were more easy going and worked like a team while others had been stern and insensitive.  I’ve never really shopped around to see what other doctors are like to see if there is a better match.  I feel like I know my body and treatment needed to get excellent blood sugar control.  It would be a different story if the doctor actually followed me around and slapped my hand whenever I tried to grab a cookie or do something stupid like forget to bolus (take my insulin).

I’ve done some research and found a few resources that might just help you uncover details about your current doctor or help you find a new doctor.  One note of caution when it comes to reviews, it’s typical for someone with a bad experience to leave a very bad review, but less likely for someone with a great experience to leave a review at all.

Rate Medical Doctors

Rate MDs is a site where most doctors are listed and people can write a review about their experience.  In the screenshot below, you can see an example (click on it to zoom in) of my doctor.  Some of the information I would typically look for is listed on this site like, accepting new patients.  You can also see how long the doctor has been practicing and where s/he went to medical school.  Also, there are reviews on punctuality, helpfulness, knowledge and overall quality.  Note, my doctor was rated fairly low on punctuality, but 4.5 out of 5 overall.  Not bad.  If I was a doctor I would be doing a search on myself to see where I can improve and what patients were saying about me.  Another caution is that anyone can rate a doctor with just a few clicks and no checks.

Vitals – Where Doctors are Examined

This site is pretty neat because it contains a lot of the same information as RateMDs, but also shows what insurance the doctor accepts, what ranking his medical school is and what the average wait time is for those that have posted a review.  With this site you have to enter your email address to post a review, but it doesn’t appear to be shown or made visible.  The site states that the average wait time for my doctor is about 35 minutes.  In the doctor world, 35 minutes is probably acceptable.  Anyone else catch the article on CNN about charging doctors for wasted time beyond when an appointment was scheduled?  Wouldn’t that be nice to keep them “honest”.

Maryland Board of Physicians

This last site is specific to the state of Maryland in the U.S.A., but is probably the same for each state.  One could do an Internet search on [state] Board of Physicians.  From that page locate the section where you can look up a doctor.  This site contains information not in the other two like, Post Graduate training locations and concentration in medical school.  You can also see what area the doctor is licensed to practice in or certified.   Finally, the last part of this site contains any disciplinary action taken by the state medical board on the doctor.  I think it would be nice to know this type of information especially if it were a doctor that may be scheduled to do a surgery on me or even my general doctor.

I hope this information helps.  Are there any other sites that you use or know of to help get information about current or potential doctors?

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

3 Resources to Find Out Secrets About Your Doctor is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

[sorry this is a poor photo, but it's all I had from the Embassy]

A few weeks ago my wife and I were invited to celebrate National Day of Italy at the Italian Embassy in D.C.  At first I thought it was a sit down dinner, but later learned it was more like a social event with tables setup with all sorts of food and wine.  It was a pretty formal event, so we locked in a babysitter for our kids and decided to go and celebrate.  I got all dress up and made sure to keep my suit jacket in the black suit bag while I drove to D.C. so it didn’t get all wrinkled or dirty.

GPS Cant’ Account for Everything

I check my GPS ahead of time to learn it was only about 40 minutes to the Embassy where I could find on-street parking.  I later learned that 40 minutes was in pristine conditions when all of the moons were aligned and not during rush hour traffic or hundreds of others also attending this event.  Almost 2 hours later, I met my wife on a side street where we found parking.  I opened my suit bag thinking, that jacket looks almost navy [I'm wearing black pants] #@#$.  I actually contemplated just rolling with it because nobody would notice a blue jacket with black pants, right?  I could just say I was color blind.  Finally, I got some sense back and just left the jacket becoming on of the only ones there not in a suit.  At least I wasn’t the guy in jeans and a t-shirt.  The only saving grace is that it was around 95 degrees that day and I welcomed no jacket.

Food & Wine

The food was absolutely amazing and they cooked it in masses because the Embassy was PACKED.  I mean wall to wall people and a line to get any food or drinks.  What’s great about an event at the Italian Embassy is that the bottles of wine they were serving were no $5 wine from a box.  It was legit, $40-50 bottles, like my favorite Barolo, and they were going through it like water.  We were able to get some food, wine and gelato that was amazing.

Point of this Story

I left my house at 5:00 on the dot thinking that around 6:00 I would be eating.  So my sugar was well positioned around 130.  After almost 2 hours just to get to the point where I met my wife, I was feeling a little woozy.  Luckily I have some glucose tablets in my suv that came in handy, but I was also starving.  Then after waiting in line for 30 minutes to go through security, I was FAMISHED.  So now we’re almost 3 hours later and I scarf down some pasta, gelato and prosciutto along with a few pieces of bread.  Finally, I was able to eat something that would bring my blood sugar up…

You never know what might happen.  I feel like I’m addicted to food because, like a bathroom, I always need to know where I can find some if needed.  I always need to pack something to eat and correct a low blood sugar or can’t stray far away from the security of some food source.   Like the Boy-scouts, I always need to be prepared.  Formal events can be the worst for someone with diabetes because you never know what’s going to be served, carb content or if there will be any food even left.  Maybe next year I can ask my 2 year old if the jacket and pants match, because I surely can’t be trusted.

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Diabetes and Formal Events is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Tonight’s dinner was some Nature’s Promise whole wheat pasta with eggplant and a bit of four cheese sauce.  Typically I try to stay away from pasta because of how it impacts my blood sugar, but sometimes it’s just a nice treat.  I go for the whole grain and usually organic versions to try and be extra healthy.  The image below is my base layer of pasta that will be underneath the eggplant.   To me this seems like a good amount of pasta and isn’t like Maggiano’s serving size or anything.  So this begs the question…

How many carbohydrates do you think are in the pasta dish below?

Here is a pic of the brand that I sometimes get from Giant (Stop & Shop).

Just for fun, post your guess as to how many carbs appear in my dish of Rotini below in the comments section.

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Can You Guess How Many Carbs? is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Hypoglycemic (Low Blood Sugar) Incident

Just last week I was up in the middle of the night with a 48 mg/dl (low or hypo) and headed for the pantry.  During the next 20 minutes I came up with the idea for this post when two things collided.  These two things are what I would call the “Perfect Storm” with diabetes.  It’s actually not the first time this has happened to me and I’m sure it won’t be the last.  In the diabetes community, they will probably say that a low blood sugar is the worst feeling in the world and something that scares the heck out of me.

Lowest Low

I can vividly recall my lowest blood sugar ever that was around 8-9 years ago.  When I tested I was in the 20s and thought I wasn’t going to make it.  I was literally crawling on the floor and hyperventilating to the point where I thought I would pass out.  That was scary and something I don’t want to happen again, yet it probably will.  To get that low I think I got complacent and took 20 units of Humalog (fast acting insulin) when I meant to take Lantus (slow acting).  At the time I was pretty much in range, so that much fast acting insulin was a VERY BAD thing.  Needless to say I never made that mistake again and I strongly urge you to highly differentiate between the insulin bottles.  So what could be worse than a low?

2 Things Collide

Whenever I wake up in the middle of the night with a low there’s usually something else present.  That thing is: HUNGER!  When you are experiencing the scariness of a low and the shakes from lack of sugar in your bloodstream, it’s super scary.  BUT, when you are low AND hungry at the same time it usually makes for the dreaded: ~40 t0 300 rollercoaster.  This means you wake up low or let’s say 40 and starving.  You head to the pantry with a laser-like focus on treating the low and getting rid of the hunger.  Problem is that it can take 20 minutes or so for your body to absorb the sugar you ingest.  That translates to about 15 minutes of gorging.

In talking to others with diabetes, I know I’m not alone here.  It’s called over treating a low.  I usually don’t have a problem treating a low without over doing it unless… I’m starving.  Some in the Diabetes community refer to this as:

Treating a low while simultaneously treating the upcoming high blood sugar.  This means eating/drinking carbs to correct the low and then taking insulin to correct the over correction.

Ever done this before?

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Something Worse Than A Low (Hypo) is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

[source]

Almost a month ago now, I wrote that I was a little disappointed in my first 90 days with P90x as it relates to my A1C.  I definitely saw results in my weight, body fat loss and all around health.  However, this is only half the battle, right?  Not only was my goal to lose some pounds and look and feel better, but I wanted to improve my A1C.  You know, the dream to hover in the 6′s.

Challenge

With P90x or Insanity, they are both intense workouts that push you to the limit and burn calories.  Don’t believe me? Check out youtube or search the internet for either and you will find a massive amount of videos showing great results and people soaked in sweat.  When I would get ready to do a workout I would always check my sugar before starting.  My optimal blood sugar was  around 180 if I was going to do a more cardio intense workout.  Now from one of my last posts, that 180 would translate to around a 7.4 A1C.  If my goal is to get into the 6′s then bringing my sugar up to 180 isn’t helping.

My A1C

I posted the last 10 years of my A1C numbers in a recent newsletter article and got some great feedback.  Most recently, I dropped my A1C by .2%.  The frustrating part is that I literally busted my ass for nearly 3 months of working out around an hour each night.  Sometimes I would be working out doing P90x at 11:30 at night.  I could have done a bit better on my diet, but I was fairly strict.  So to only drop my A1c by .2% with all that effort was definitely discouraging.  Again, if your goal is to lose weight/body fat and gain muscle, then the programs are excellent.  If your goal is to lower your A1C, maybe these workouts aren’t for you or at least the way I approached it.

Exercise <>Lower A1C

We all know exercise is good for us in terms of our overall health in so many ways.  But killing ourselves to drop 10 lbs in 30 days will not help your A1C, I almost guarantee it.  In order to burn enough calories, you have to simply run high on blood sugars too often, which I don’t recommend.  A regular routine of moderate exercise is probably much better for staying healthy and maintaining a good average blood sugar or A1C.

Learning

Instead of me starting my exercise a little high, I think I would have done much better to add carbs during my workout.  I could have done this by adding some regular sports drink, like Gatorade instead of drinking water.  This way the sugar from the drink would help me maintain a level blood sugar instead of dropping low or starting too high.   Remember, a smooth line (in range) is always optimal when it comes to diabetes.  That line would have little dispersion unlike the image above and would look more like a line.  So just because you may be hitting the gym hard, don’t expect to see a dramatic drop in your A1C just because you’re putting in the time and burning calories.  Show me an extremely fit person with washboard abs and I could show you an A1C in the 9′s.  So just because someone is in shape doesn’t necessarily mean their diabetes is in excellent control.

Final Word

Don’t let this article discourage you from working out, trying an extreme workout or exercising in any way.  The benefits of regular exercise are just too important.   I feel so much better about myself after working out and while maintaining a regular workout schedule.  When I feel better and have more energy, I tend to eat less garbage, sleep better and be less irritable.

When you think of someone with excellent blood sugar control, do you immediately think of a very fit person?

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

More Exercise Doesn’t Always Mean A Lower A1c is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

[Source]

The A1C

Most people with diabetes or those that have a friend or family member with diabetes probably already knows that the A1C percentage is a measure of the average blood glucose over the last 2-3 months.  In the diabetes world, an A1c is the most prevalent measure of blood sugar control that most doctors routinely measure.  This test is typically done a few times each year for those with type 1 diabetes.  The American Diabetes Association relates the A1C test to a Baseball Player’s batting average, if you are a baseball fan.  It’s the one objective measure that is scientifically based to see how someone with diabetes is doing.  A patient can lie and say their blood sugar has been 120 every day, but the A1C will bring out the truth or at least be more accurate and unbiased.

My Last A1C

I dropped .2% in my A1c, which probably translates to an average blood sugar difference of 10 MG/DL over the 3 month period.  I worked quite hard and was a bit disappointed as I recently discussed in my newsletter.  I was doing P90X and started up my new site: www.eatcleanstayfit.com that came from my motivation to keep eating healthy.  I did have some slip-ups and wasn’t monitoring my blood sugar via CareLink like I should have been.  Below I share the translation of what each A1C percent is in terms of average blood sugar.

[Source]

Blood Sugar Alternate View

Here’s a challenge for you.  Click on the image above and print it out.  Maybe even laminate it and keep it where you mainly test your blood sugar.  Whenever you test, translate the MG/DL number to what the A1C percentage would be.  I guarantee that if you look at a 350 as a 12% A1C, it will help motivate you to do better.  If you are like me and want an A1C in the 6′s, that means your average blood sugar needs to be less than 170.  So any blood sugars that come back 170+ are going to push my average up and cause for much dissatisfaction at my next doctor’s appointment.

Warning

This is where I temporarily get on my soapbox.  Be careful of getting obsessed with the A1C.  It’s pretty common to hear that most people with diabetes want an A1C in the 6′s.  My goal is to be in the high sixes each and every time I get tested.  I’ve said this before and want to say it again.  It’s near impossible to have a perfect A1C with diabetes.  In order to average out your blood sugar to <6% A1C you will probably have too many dangerous lows.  So BE CAREFUL.  My doctor says that an A1C below 8% is “good” control.  Anything over 8% is where the chance of complications start to climb dramatically.  I would say anything under 7 is Excellent control.  <– Again, my opinion.  Many recommend an A1C that is 6% or lower, which, quite frankly, is bullshit.  I think they recommend 6% because they know it’s a stretch goal and many are around 7%.  If they recommended 7%, then people would be happy at 8%.  Though everyone is different.  Someone who has already started with complications would do better to have a lower A1C.  I’ve heard that kids are safer to run a little higher.  Though, they have the longest runway with diabetes so any improvement could mean a big difference way down the road.

Want to Know More

I’ve decided to post my A1C trend over the last 12 years in an upcoming newsletter article.  I sifted through all of my old medical records and recorded each A1c, cholesterol, Kidney, etc. results in a spreadsheet.  The data is very interesting and I would think that many can relate to my results.  So if you haven’t already, sign up for the FREE newsletter where I share tips, ideas and data that isn’t available anywhere on this site.  The subscribers are amazing and I’ve had some awesome feedback and shared information with many folks on a personal level.

My Opinion

Over the last 13 years I’ve noticed a trend when I get my A1C tested.  This is purely my observation and not based on facts or anything scientific.  Ever notice that your A1C seems to be lower when your blood sugar is almost perfect at the time your blood is drawn for the A1C test?  I’ve notice this over the years.  Has anyone else noticed this?  I always try to have a near perfect blood sugar when I go for my test just in case.

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

A1C: Some Key Facts You May Not Know is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

Magic Kingdom

If you’ve never been to Disney’s Magic Kingdom, I highly recommend it.  Don’t have any children.  I STILL recommend it.  Children are all grown up and it’s been decades since you brought them there.  You guessed it, I still recommend going back.  I can honestly say it is truly a magical place.  Not to get all dramatic, but watching my young girls react to the events, rides, fireworks, animation show and characters was an awesome experience.  Some think the ticket price is high.  I would have paid triple what I did without even blinking to bring my girls back.  I can’t put a dollar value on the moments we shared, fun we had and smiles that will be imbedded in my head forever.

I would never admit this in real life, but I got choked up a bit watching my oldest daughter be in absolute awe during the fireworks/animation show. The show was amazing and better than most 4th of July fireworks I’ve seen.  The whole theme is about dreams coming true and the magic of Disney.  As a child the world is pure, life is fun, there are no bad things/people in the world.  We adults know better, yet we still dream.  Everyone should dream and Disney reminded me that life is bigger than a job, house, car, Rolex, jewelry (my wife may disagree with this one) or other “stuff”.  Life is about happiness, passions, family and living the dream.  I give kudos to Disney for recognizing this and reminded me what’s REALLY important in life.  Thankfully, I had 3 of the best decisions in my life with me that night enjoying the fireworks and magic of it all.

Best Tip I Ever Received

Over on facebook, Fiona gave me one of the best tips I’ve ever gotten before I left.  She told me to go directly to Guest Services at the Magic Kingdom to get a pass that avoids having to wait in long lines at the rides because someone in my party (me) has T1 Diabetes.  I was reluctant at first because I’m not one to take shortcuts, handouts or freebies and never cut a line.  I want to EARN it.  After being talked into it by my wife, I went in and asked what they could offer.

Without question the girl gave me the card below that provided me with an “Alternate Entrance” to each ride.  I basically went up to the handicap entrance for each ride and was put on the very next one without ever waiting more than 5-10 minutes at most.  This was a HUGE benefit because some of the lines were probably an hour long for a ride that lasted a few short minutes.  I felt funny using the pass, but with each use it became easier and easier.  This saved me and my party a TON of time and allowed us to enjoy almost all of the rides.

My advice to anyone who has T1 or T2 in their party is to get one of these passes.  After seeing how valuable it was, I’d probably pay a few hunj to buy one of these if it was offered.   I guess diabetes does have some perks, which reminds me of the Desperate Housewives episode where Susan uses her failed Kidney to get out of a speeding ticket and cut lines – not that I watch the show; it’s just what my wife told me.

Funny Story (Now)

As promised in my last post, I wanted to share a story that almost led to my wife beating my ass.  We leave Orlando after our flight was delayed about 2 hours due to weather.  So our little girls are exhausted and an airport is not a fun place for them nor a cramped plane.  We land in Baltimore and sit on the tarmac for 30 minutes because there wasn’t a gate available to park the plane.  We waited till all the luggage was out only to find our car-seat must have arrived early and was sitting in a different area looking abandoned.  Lot’s of irritation at this point and 3 extremely exhausted girls.  So the stage is set, right?  Approx. 10PM and tired.

We take the shuttle to the parking garage that is about 8 stories and decent size.  We go up to the 4th floor and as we exit the elevator, I proceed to tell my wife, “I have absolutely no idea where the car is”.   I hit the panic button on my keychain . . . Nothing.  I start walking the 4th floor hitting my unlock button over and over… and over.  No car.  I get a little panicked and go to the 3rd floor, nothing.  5th floor, nothing. I hit the 6th and 5th floor again.  NOTHING.  My wife is calling my cell phone and literally screaming.  I’m pissed, she’s pissed and the girls are beyond the tipping point.  A nice Police officer patrolling the garage picked me up and I explained what happened.  He nicely took me to each floor going up and down EACH row starting on the 8th floor or top.

Guess where my car was…

On the 4th floor about 150 feet from where my wife, the kids, a million bags, stroller and car-seats were impatiently waiting for me.  The kicker is that I prepaid my parking and when I went to leave they charged me another 3 dollars for the 1.5 hrs I spent looking for my car.  I quietly paid it and looked at it like an idiot tax.  Then she told me I should have called the help phone because they take images of each parking spot and could locate my car in minutes.  I grumbled something along the lines of “it aint ever happening again” and sped off. I only felt slightly better when the police officer told me it happens ALL THE TIME.

Learning: I’m going to take a picture with my phone of my car in it’s spot before each trip.

Would you have used the pass to skip waiting in the long lines?

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

How I Went to the Front of the Line and Made a Fool of Myself is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

What goes up….usually comes DOWN [read on...]

Baltimore Airport

Last week was my first air travel since all the new security measure were put into place as the family and I went to Disney for a week.  As I went through security with my 5 year old and 2 year old the only thing they did was ask if I had a phone in my pocket.  I politely told them that it was my insulin pump and they waved me through.  No questions asked, no “step aside”, no fondling, nodda.  I passed through the metal detector and whisked away my children.  There wasn’t even any sign of a body scanner.  Oh well, seemed to be business as usual to me.  Maybe since Bin Laden has been dead they eased up a bit.

Orlando Airport

I have a new love for the Orlando airport after having to travel with my family, a bazillion bags, stroller, diaper bag, 2 car seats, and backpacks.  It’s a nightmare to go even 100 feet with all this stuff because my wife and I just don’t have enough hands.  So when arriving to Orlando to find the car rental area attached to the airport and not a shuttle ride away, was a pleasant surprise.  I gladly paid the $4 for a cart and piled it up like a circus show.  Easy in, on time via AirTran and on our way to the resort.

Arriving at the Resort

We get to the Marriott resort that was right up the street from SeaWorld and start unloading the bags.  Out comes a nasty low that caused me to run to the vending machine because we hadn’t gotten groceries yet and the snacks I had weren’t going to cut it.  Our friends arrived shortly after and I felt like an ass because I didn’t offer to help them bring their bags to their suite because I was low.  Not wanting to get into it with them, I just took it easy until my sugar was up.

Enjoying Vacation

Almost the entire vacation I found myself going from 50 to 30o.  I was eating a lot of garbage food including high fatty foods that can caused delayed absorption and highs.  So I would test and be in the zone and a few hours later I would be 300.  It was frustrating.  On top of that I was visiting parks and spending obscene amounts of time in the pool and at the water-park on slides.  So I had long durations of disconnect from my pump.  The lack of true waterproofing from Medtronic is almost enough for me to want to change.  The parks had me doing a lot of walking and totally off my diabetes/eating routine.  I ran a little high not wanting to pass out in the park and ruin the trip.  Plus, it was in the mid 90s most of the time so dealing with the hotness and kids was enough work.

Leaving Orlando

I had much of the same experience leaving Orlando with going through security. Although, I did get to use the employee line when going through security where they helped me with the kids, stroller, bags, etc.  No scanner, no pat down, not even a question about the pump in my pocket this time.  Maybe this isn’t a good thing, but I was relieved that I didn’t have to deal with 2 young kids and a fiasco getting through security.

I guess I’m probably not alone in that traveling with diabetes is a challenge because it takes you out of your routine and comfort zone.  Routines and consistent meals are definitely key when it comes to diabetes management.  Fo’ sure.

More to come on Thursday – I pay it forward by passing on one of the greatest tips I’ve even gotten by a reader!  I’m also going to share a rather funny story (not funny at the time).

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I want to sincerely thank you for your continued support. This blog is better because of you.

Traveling with Diabetes Sucks Because… is a post from: Blogging Diabetes

The longer my tenure with diabetes goes, the more I think about the point when it’s all going to catch up to me.  Besides the finger pricks, highs/lows, Endo visits and pump/syringes, I’ve led a pretty normal last 13 years or so with diabetes.  I haven’t let this disease take away anything that I’ve wanted to do.  Each visit with my doctor I hear things like, you’re doing good.  You’re young and have no problems or complications.  I haven’t lost feeling in my feet or lost any sort of vision, which is normally really good.  Nothing so far, nadda, zip.

Eye Exam Tech

A few months ago I went for my regular yearly eye exam.  I’m really not happy with the place I go to, but they seem to do a good job and it’s close and convenient.  It’s the technician that needs to go.  She flat out sucks.  Wouldn’t doubt it if she sucks at life either.  Miserable person who has zero patient manners.  She puts the numbing drops in and then proceeds to put that blue halo thingy directly into my eye ball.  THEN, she gets exasperated when I flinch because something bright and foreign is physically touching my eye.  Go figure, right?

Eye Doctor

The actual doctor that checks my eyes is very good and pleasant.  Year after year, I’ve prided myself on having maintained good eyes and vision.  To me that’s my barometer on how I’ve been managing my diabetes and blood sugars besides my A1c.  This visit was no different in that I have slightly better than 20/20 vision and absolutely no signs of complications in my eyes.  Me = Winning.

Then the doctor drops the bomb… He says right after telling me there’s no problems at this time, “but you’ve recently crossed the 10 year mark with diabetes.”  Me: “Um, what does that mean?”  He said that there usually aren’t any signs of issues with diabetes in the first 10 years of being diagnosed in the eyes for most cases.  It’s more the long term effects that add up over time and will gradually get worse.

What I Heard

I left this exam feeling good that I made it another year (kinda like my 6 month dentist visits) with no issues (cavities).   But this time I was thinking that everything so far didn’t really matter anyway and my honeymoon period was over.  The shit could hit the fan anytime now and it would be all downhill with no way to reverse the effects.  All those visits that I left feeling good were all erased with this one statement by the doctor.

So this begs the question

At what point do all of those 200s, 300s and 400s catch up to you and there’s no turning back?  At what point do you realize and accept the fact that the damage is done, there’s no turning back and you are now a patient with “complications“?

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Diabetes Day of Reckoning is a post from: Blogging Diabetes