2013 Diabetes Blog Week - Wild Card - My Dream Fantasy Device....

"Back by popular demand, let's revisit this prompt from last year! Tell us what your fantasy diabetes device would be? Think of your dream blood glucose checker, delivery system for insulin or other meds, magic carb counter, etc etc etc. The sky is the limit – what would you love to see?"

I love Diabetes Blog Week! This is my fourth year and it's the first time I couldn't post the entire week. This weekend was horrible. I had forgotten what it's like to have extremely high BG readings and what they do to your body.

All weekend I had the highest and lowest bgs ever. I woke up in the 400+ range. Changed cartridges, changed infusion sets, changed insulin, changed everything. Nothing worked. I even supplemented the correction boluses with injected insulin (one of the reasons for the 43 low I experienced).

I had plans to host a bbq. I had to cancel. I was curled up on my couch the entire weekend because I was physically exhausted from fighting diabetes. I hated anything relating to diabetes...even my blog. I hated it all.

With that, I remembered the Wild Card prompt about what I would consider my "fantasy diabetes device".  Outside of a brand new pancreas or a recycled one that works, I've got one now......

It's one complete device:

 

It's an insulin pump that always delivers the exact amount of insulin needed.

Never gets clogged, pulls out or leaks.

Never needs to "alarm", "beep", "buzz" or "vibrate".

Small enough to hide anywhere discretely.

Checks your blood glucose continually through the same infusion point.

BG graph shown right on screen.

Maintains the perfect levels all by itself without any input from me.

 

And it tells me "You Can Do This" and "You are Beautiful" everyday! 

 

 

Now for Sunday's "Spread the Love" prompt, I have a lot of reading to catch up on so to be fair, I will post my favorites sometime during the week. I plan on reading all the posts!!! 

 

 

2013 Diabetes Blog Week - Day 5 - Freaky Friday......

"Just like in the movie, today we’re doing a swap. If you could switch chronic diseases, which one would you choose to deal with instead of diabetes? And while we’re considering other chronic conditions, do you think your participation in the DOC has affected how you treat friends and acquaintances with other medical conditions?"

The funny thing about this question is that I was surprise with my answer and how I felt. I would actually NOT want to switch! It's taken almost eight years for me to feel like I have some clue how to deal with diabetes. Another chronic condition would mean another set of circumstances. Another period of time to adjust. So, I think I would choose to stay just where I am.

Unless, I would choose a Thyroid condition, one pill a day fixes everything......but wait.....I already have that! So does that count?

2013 Diabetes Blog Week - Day 4 - Accomplishments Big or Small....

"We don’t always realize it, but each one of us had come a long way since diabetes first came into our life. It doesn’t matter if it’s been 5 weeks, 5 years or 50 years, you’ve done something outstanding diabetes-wise. So today let’s share the greatest accomplishment you've made in terms of dealing with your (or your loved one’s) diabetes. No accomplishment is too big or too small - think about self-acceptance, something you’ve mastered (pump / exercise / diet / etc.), making a tough care decision (finding a new endo or support group / choosing to use or not use a technology / etc.). (Thanks to Hilary of Rainie and Me for this topic suggestion.)"

The greatest accomplishment I have made was to finally put my health in the priority # 1 spot. My entire life was always about doing for everyone else, taking care of everyone else, being there for everyone at the expense of my own health and sanity. I never confronted situations that hurt me or exhausted me. I would just get things done, no matter the cost. No matter how I felt. No matter what it did to my health. No matter how many times I ended up with Pneumonia because of not taking care of my own needs.

Not take the advice of a doctor? No way. I would follow all instructions as if my doctor had the answer book to all things medical. I didn't trust my own instincts, I just did what I was told to do. I had never been a person to challenge the status quo.

Until I became diabetic. Until Type 1 changed my life. Now I am my own advocate. I had changed my first Endo because I believed he was killing me with his stubbornness. He refused to see why I knew I wasn't type 2, but type 1. I didn't just take his instructions, I followed through on getting to the right Endo. I have been the one who doesn't take "no" for an answer from anyone who is in charge of getting supplies....especially the insurance companies.

I've overhauled my daily diet and exercise routine, putting more effort into making sure I'm doing the best for me. I'm made changes that have inspired the rest of my family to include healthier habits. I've put my health first (not that T1D gives you much of a choice!).

I'm proud how strong I've become and how I haven't let this disease take away my power or my dreams!

2013 Diabetes Blog Week - Day 3 - Most memorable diabetes day......

"Today we’re going to share our most memorable diabetes day. You can take this anywhere.... your diagnosis or your loved one's diagnosis, a bad low, a bad high, a big success, any day that you’d like to share."

One of my most memorable diabetes day....hum.....I guess it was when I had been admitted into the hospital last September with what they thought was a TIA (mini stroke). My son brought me into the emergency room and I was immediately brought to the treatment area. He was very nervous and wouldn't leave my side (he's my rock!!)

 We had been there for a few hours when my bgs went very low. I started shaking really bad so he ran out of the ER looking for a vending machine in the waiting area so he could get me a Hershey chocolate bar. As soon as he left, a patient started acting belligerent and they "locked down" the entire treatment area, not letting anyone enter. My son started panicking because he knew I needed the chocolate bar. He kept telling the security guard that he had to go inside. He said he was running around trying to get the attention of anyone who would let him in. He was repeatedly told that the hospital rules during lock down are never broken.

Now here I am in the treatment area, shaking but being entertained by all the commotion around me, when I see a security guard smiling and waving a chocolate bar around in the air, calling my name. I raised my hand to acknowledge that I was the "Liz" he was looking for. He smiled, handed me the chocolate bar and said that "the gentleman in the waiting room was very, very concerned that there would be a tragedy if his mother didn't get this chocolate bar. He was very persistant!"

After the lock down was lifted, he returned to my bedside laughing about what he went through to get the chocolate bar to me. We had a good laugh about it!

He'll move mountains for me if he had to!!

2013 Diabetes Blog Week - Day 2 - We, The Undersigned.....

"Click for the We, The Undersigned - Tuesday 5/14 Link List
Recently various petitions have been circulating the Diabetes Online Community, so today let’s pretend to write our own. Tell us who you would write the petition to – a person, an organization, even an object (animate or inanimate) - get creative!! What are you trying to change and what have you experienced that makes you want this change? (Thanks to Briley of inDpendence for this topic suggestion.)"

A Petition for Patient Control of our Health Care System....

We, The Undersigned Type 1 Diabetics, want to take back the right to decided what is necessary for the care and treatment of our chronic disease. We want the right to the availability of devices, already FDA approved for advanced treatment, to be our decision to implement in our self-care routine.

We want the right to decide which insulin we feel is best for our needs, without the need for approval from insurance companies trying to save money by allowing only certain brands - with no regard to what's best for the patient.

We want access, regardless of ability to pay, to the insulin and devices that keep us alive. Without it we die. That should never be something only people with insurance have the right to. It should never be something that decimates the T1D's financial status. It should never be a choice between paying for insulin or putting food on the table!!! We should not have to live in fear of losing our health insurance because we could never afford what we need to survive. AND NO CHILD IN THE WORLD SHOULD DIE FROM NOT HAVING ACCESS TO INSULIN!!!

Ok, starting to go on a rant....but what needs to change is how the decision for how and what we need to stay alive should be ours. We should have access to what we need. We shouldn't have to beg, plead and fight with insurance companies.....the government......or anyone else when it comes to surviving diabetes.