I Don't Care What You Smell
My wife's car has seen better days and so we ventured out last Saturday to browse a few lots. We didn't have a lot of time, the day was busy and so we only had a few hours in between Arden's early basketball game and her afternoon softball practice.
first we needed to get a bite to eat
It was still early but we located a restaurant that was serving lunch. We parked the car and were heading inside when Arden stopped walking. Kelly and I turned to see why she dropped back and saw the most disappointed look on her face and her hand searching in her purse for her OmniPod PDM.
"what's wrong?"
Arden began to tell us that her pod just experienced and error and shut off, "we have to go home to change my pod...". It was only then that I realized how excited Arden was to test drive a car. She looked completely bummed.
It took us a second to get our bearings but in a moment we were able to relieve Arden's concerns. Turns out that her OmniPod wasn't alarming, nothing shut off, the beeping was coming from a nearby cardboard recycling dumpster that was signaling an all clear to nearby workers.
That's not your pod Arden... that's the dumpster!
Belly laughs ensued... and we added 'dumpster' to the list of mechanical things that we've mistaken for Arden's insulin pump.
Miss Manners
I don't react to every moronic thing that is said about diabetes, because if I did - this blog would be one constant rebuttal.
The other night during the DSMA Twitter chat I kept seeing people referencing Miss Manners in a less than flattering way. When I looked into the hubbub I found that she had given, what I considered to be, thoughtless and damaging advice to a reader that described himself as an "Insulin dependent diabetic".
It was too late in the evening to commit my thoughts to a blog so I waited until the next day. When I finished writing and was about to post my thoughts, I realized something.
This is one of those things. It's a bubble issue. That is, people who live inside of the diabetes bubble will be rightfully angered, they'll speak out, demand change, and then - nothing will happen. Why? Not because the incident doesn't warrant, not because our message isn't well delivered - but because we are mainly talking to each other. It's the proverbial choir being preached to.
I found Judith Martin's (Miss Manners) advice (Her complete remarks are below) to be particularly reprehensible and more than a diabetes issue - Maybe you will too. So, I contacted my Huffington Post editor* to see if there was interest in the piece. My hope was that they would like it and help it to find a broader audience. Lots of people blog on HuffPost but their writing is often limited to being seen by their community and social media circle. I think we all want these types of stories to find the mainstream, at least that's what I hope for. I want diabetes to be taken seriously and given it's space on a national stage. Not the stories that get sensationalized, but real stories about how the disease effects you.
I'll eventually post the article here for posterity but for now please head over to Huffington Post and give it a read, if you're of like-mind - share share share. The more Facebook 'likes', shares and comments that HuffPost sees, they more they get behind the story in their social media channels and when they do, stories find a life of their own. That's the game, like it or not, if we want to get these stories to a place where they will impact larges groups then IMO, we need to suit up and play.
Direct link to the story
Link to my Huffington Post story archive
Best,
Scott
* I am not compensated for my writing on Huffington Post in anyway. They do provide an Amazon link to my book, 'Life Is Short, Laundry Is Eternal' but no one clicks on it. Even if they did, no one is getting rich writing a book. Hell, no one is making enough to pay their electric bill writing a book... except for that Harry Potter lady and a few others.
This is the complete text (link included) from the Miss Manners article found on Washington Post and other outlets.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am a businessman who frequently flies both domestically and internationally. I also happen to be an insulin-dependent diabetic.
I currently do my glucose testing in my seat. It does involve using a lancet device to get a drop of blood to test, but is fairly unobtrusive. Of course, all lancets, alcohol preps and test strips are stored in my test kit for proper disposal later.
Am I being rude to perform this test next to a stranger? Injections I perform privately in the plane’s lavatory. In the airport, I use the counter by the wash basin, since most water closets have no room for insulin vials and other supplies.
Many people seem to stare and resent the fact of performing such a function in this space. I have also had children ask, “What is that man doing? Isn’t that a bad thing?” (They’re obviously thinking of their drug education classes.) Am I too self-conscious?
GENTLE READER: Absent an emergency, medical applications (like bodily functions and grooming) are properly done out of sight — meaning in private or in a restroom — unless they can be done so surreptitiously as to be unrecognizable as such. Miss Manners does not object to a pill taken at dinner, so long as it is not accompanied by a dissertation on your cholesterol.
The technology associated with diabetes is fast approaching this standard, although Miss Manners draws the line at drawing blood. Restrooms exist to provide a proper location for such necessary activities when away from home, and those who use them have no business monitoring the respectable, if sometimes unaesthetic, activities of others.
You may chose to tell children that it is a medical procedure, or ignore them and let their parents do that. Miss Manners would hope that any parents present would also resolve to teach their children to be more discreet with their curiosity.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/miss-manners-future-grandchild-is-worth-chilly-reception-at-shower/2014/02/04/470657d0-8a98-11e3-833c-33098f9e5267_story.html
Urgent Product Recall: FreeStyle® Blood Glucose with OmniPod PDM
Due to the important nature of this information, I'll be posting the entire press release from Abbott's site without their prior permission. I am not sure what prompted this recall but I'm working to find out.
From AbbottDiabetesCare.com
IMPORTANT: URGENT PRODUCT RECALL
FreeStyle® Blood Glucose Monitoring System
February 19, 2014
Dear Valued OmniPod® Customer,
Recently, it has come to our attention that FreeStyle® Blood Glucose Test Strips may produce erroneously low blood glucose results when using the FreeStyle® blood glucose meter built into the OmniPod® Insulin Management System. Erroneously low blood glucose results that are not recognized may pose significant risks to your health.
Please take the following steps:
1. If you are using the FreeStyle® Blood Glucose Meter built into the OmniPod Personal Diabetes Manager (PDM), you must discontinue use of any FreeStyle® Blood Glucose Test Strips you may have until you obtain replacement strips from Abbott Diabetes Care. To receive replacement strips at no cost contact Abbott Diabetes Care Customer Service at 1-877-584-5159.
2. Continue using your OmniPod Insulin Management System (OmniPod) to deliver your insulin therapy. While waiting for your replacement strips to arrive, use the FreeStyle® Freedom blood glucose meter that you may have previously received with your welcome pack. FreeStyle® test strips when used the FreeStyle® Freedom blood glucose meter will produce accurate blood glucose results.
If you would like to continue using the OmniPod system to recommend dosing, follow your OmniPod® Insulin Management System instructions for manually entering blood glucose readings.
As always, control solution should be used to check the performance of your test strips and meter until you receive your replacement test strips. If any reading from a strip appears lower than you would expect or does not seem to match the way you are feeling, you should contact your health care provider immediately. Pay special attention to signs and symptoms of high blood sugar (hyperglycemia).
Symptoms of high blood sugar may include: Excessive thirst, excessive urination, blurred vision, weakness, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms or are not feeling well, contact your health care professional immediately.
3. Abbott Diabetes Care will provide further information when you call on the process to obtain your test strips going forward.
FreeStyle® Blood Glucose Test Strips are the only strip type that is approved for use with your OmniPod® Insulin Management System. Please read your product information booklet and test strip insert carefully to ensure that you are using the correct test strip type for your OmniPod® Insulin Management system. OmniPod® Insulin Management System is not labeled for use with FreeStyle Lite® Blood Glucose Test Strips.
We recognize the importance of blood glucose testing and are committed to responding quickly to customers' requests for replacement test strips.
We want to assure you that our first priority is you, our customer. We sincerely regret any inconvenience this situation may cause. If you have any further questions, please call Abbott Diabetes Care Customer Service.
Sincerely,
Kelly E. Duffy Division Vice President, Quality Assurance and Compliance Abbott Diabetes Care
As the Diabetes Turns
See this picture? I think this was about three weeks ago, may have been a little less but I can't be sure - because I'm exhausted. Anyway, a few weeks ago I was awoken by a screeching DexCom G4 that had this to show me. Since this night, Arden's BGs have been anomalous. They are low for no reason, our insulin to carb ratios aren't correct and every management tool that we use is backfiring. For example, last night Arden ate an entire bagel that didn't require insulin but we of course would have never eaten a bagel without insulin - so her BG got very low. Last Saturday after Arden's basketball game, her BG was 24, yea that was a little scary. We bolus the equivalent of a juice box prior to Arden's participation in competitive sports to combat her adrenaline, basketball is interesting because without the bolus before the game she gets very high but with the bolus, her level (During the game) stays very stable but she needs to eat the minute the adrenaline is gone or the bolus will cause her to get a little low (In the 70s) . Last Saturday however... 24.
Arden has been low each afternoon following lunch and no, before bed BG, seems trustworthy. I've been up all night for, well, I think about three weeks. I'm beginning to get foggy and I can't escape feeling drained and endlessly tired.
Arden isn't sick, her diet hasn't changed and she hasn't lost weight. Same insulin, same everything - I'm at a complete loss
This will make you laugh. Recently I explained to Arden that one day her hormone levels will change and that her blood glucose will be effected by the change. We spoke about fluctuations that may happen during that time and how we'd handle them.
So the other day she is drinking a juice box for a BG in the 60's that wouldn't budge, when she looks at me super-serioulsy and deadpans, "Maybe its the hormones". I think she was joking...
I'll keep making temporary adjustments to basal rates and boluses until this passes and I don't want to overdo it because you know this is all going to revert back in the blink of an eye. It's like someone sat on the remote and we are stuck watching a bad soap opera until we can figure out whose leg the remote is under.
The BG of 24 is it's own blog post, I'll write that as soon as I can get some rest. Excuse any typos, odd commas or strange turns of phrase... my eyes were closed during much of this.
Kris Freeman, "I probably skied my last race of this Olympics yesterday"
Image from krisfreeman.net
“I want to be clear that I do not believe my subpar performances here were attributable to diabetes”
Shortly after competing in his second Olympic event in Sochi, Kris Freeman posted a 'Thank you' on his blog where he announced that his 2014 Olympic pursuits are "probably" over and that, "I am clearly far from my best right now and it would be fair to give fresher teammates a chance in the later races".
Kris speaks at length in his open letter about his training plan for the games, that he is looking forward to competing in next year's World Championships, but most of all - he wants you to know that his performance had nothing to do with his type I diabetes.
Please take a moment and go to Kris's blog to read his full message.
“I will have to adjust my training to allow for more recovery in the future”
Everyone in our family is proud of Kris and we look forward to supporting him in the future. I hope Kris knows just how much his presence at the games has meant to Arden. Such a huge inspiration!