In the News: Long Island Hospital Admits to Improper Insulin Practices
CBS New York is reporting that the South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, NY is contacting patients who received insulin injections from a pen reservoir that might have been used with more than one patient.
from CBS New York
"More than 4,000 patients have received, or may soon receive, a disturbing letter in the mail about the risk.
The component that might have been reused was the reservoir – the part of the insulin pen where the hormone is held until injection — and not the single-use needle, the statement said.
The pens each contain multiple insulin doses with disposable needles. While nurses used new needles for each patient, they did not use a fresh pen.
Blood may have back-flowed into the chamber contaminating the insulin, the hospital warned.
The hospital said while the testing process is voluntary, it is recommended. The hospital will be offering the patients free and confidential blood testing services, and asked patients to schedule a blood test within 60 days of receiving the letter."
Weekend Roundup
Happy Blue Friday, I hope you enjoy the weekend and a few of these initiatives, stories and a giveaway.
You take the quiz and a diabetes charity that we all love gets money - nice!
When you take this two minute quiz Novo Nordisk will make a donation to the Diabetes Hands Foundation.
Help Strip Safely to effect real change in the FDA's meter rules.
from strip safely: "FDA has two draft guidance documents about blood glucose meters that are open for comment until April 7, 2014. A “draft guidance” is basically a preview of what standards the FDA is considering requiring in order for blood glucose meters to be cleared — the law requires that FDA open its draft guidance documents up for comment before publishing a final version. FDA welcomes comments from the public, and so we highly encourage everyone affected by diabetes to submit their considered thoughts." - I did it last night, it's easy and important. Go take a look.
This week on Arden's Day
We are giving away a pair of diabetes circles shoelaces - easy to enter
This simple pancake recipe is easy on Arden's BGs
Does your DexCom make you sing?
I wrote a piece for Disney about spousal engagement and your child's diabetes management
Name that Tune: Diabetes Edition
You know how hearing a certain sound or word can make music begin to play in your head, sometimes you are even prompted to sing out loud? That happens around here more than you would expect and almost always because of diabetes.
You know how hearing a certain sound or word can make music begin to play in your head, sometimes you are even prompted to sing out loud? That happens around here more than you would expect and almost always because of diabetes.
Available on iTunes
This first one always gets me and most times I can't stop myself from singing out loud. When Arden's BG gets low, her DexCom G4 'beeps' three times... BEEP, BEEP, BEEP...
As soon as the tones stop, I sing, "Everybody get up...".
Check out the music, see if you hear it too.
Available on iTunes
Arden has said in the past that she can "feel the fall". What she means is that when a high BG is beginning to come down, before her meter or CGM can even tell what's going on; she can sense that it's happening.
She'll look at me very seriously as she tries to make sense of the sensation. Then she looks right into my eyes and says, "I think I'm falling...". There is something about Arden's phrasing that makes us all sing-along with Ms. Alicia Keys.
Also on iTunes
It's a simple question that gets asked about thirty minutes after we bolus for an elevated blood glucose,
"Arden, is that insulin working... check your CGM" - When everything is going as planned Arden answers, "It's going down" and the entire house sings...
"I'm yelling timber!"
On iTunes
More music courtesy of the DexCom G4. Two beeps can indicate a high or rising BG. In this house they are also an excuse to sing the theme from Rocky 3.
Rising up!
We listen to all kinds of different music but I there is just something about diabetes that makes catchy pop songs jump into our heads. I'd love to know if this happens in your homes, I think if it did... I may feel less weird the next time I belt out, "Everybody get up!". I can't wait for the next wave of summertime radio to arrive so we can replace a few of these songs, I need a new diabetes playlist - this one is so 2013. Don't worry, I'm keeping 'Eye of the Tiger'
Hey, Hey, Hey
A Pancake Recipe for the Ages
Arden stumbled onto a simple pancake recipe that doesn't seem to effect her blood glucose adversely - After making them a number of times... I just had to share it with you to see if you have similar results.
Until now, every pancake recipe, box mix and restaurant pancake that we've tried has sent Arden's BG sky-high. A few weeks ago, Arden found a recipe in a Williams-Sonoma book that we've had for years. I can't vouch for the other recipes in the book, but these pancakes are light, tasty and don't make Arden's BGs spike or rebound.
There is nothing special about the recipe or the ingredients, and I have no way to be sure that your experience will be the same as ours, but if you love pancakes and have trouble eating them without a huge spike or a high or low rebound BG... this recipe is definitely worth a try.
Ingredients
All-purpose Flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 tablespoons
Baking powder - 2 teaspoons
Baking soda - 1 teaspoon
Salt - 1 pinch
Milk - 1 cup (I use 1%, recipe isn't specific)
Large egg - 1
Unsalted butter - 2 tablespoons, melted (I use salted when I have to)
Vanilla extract - 1/4 teaspoon
Nutritional Information and Insulin
This recipe did not include nutritional information so I was forced to guess about the carbohydrates when I administered Arden's insulin. I made the pancakes approximately 4-5 inches in diameter and, almost randomly, assigned a 15g carb value to each. I've made this recipe multiple times and each time Arden's CGM line, post-meal, was incredibly steady and she did not require additional insulin or food to keep the line steady. I think you'll agree, that is a huge success after pancakes.
Pre bolus as you normally would.
Directions
Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and set aside.
In another bowl, whisk milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry, and stir until the lumps are not visible.
Cook pancakes on a griddle or frying pan. The recipe suggests canola oil to coat the pan, but I've also used a cooking spray with the same results.
I adjust the consistency when necessary with flour - (Probably thin because I use 1% milk).
Arden uses sugar-free syrup and butter on her pancakes.
Scott on Disney's Spoonful
I hear from mothers a lot about a perceived lack of engagement with diabetes from their husbands...
so when Disney asked me to write about being the father of a child with type I diabetes... I used the opportunity to explore that issue in a way that I thought you guys would appreciate and benefit from - sorry you have to click to another site for this article, but unlike the deals I've been able to make with my other freelance work, I can't repost this one on Arden's Day.
I do think that you'll find it a worthwhile read and the site doesn't have ads or try to sell you anything (though your brain will read the post in Donald Duck's voice). Spoonful is a Disney/Lilly Diabetes initiative and they do a great job of offering content that I think you may enjoy and find useful - I tried to add to that tradition with 'Dads and Diabetes'. I sincerely hope that you like the piece and that it sheds some light on why your spouse may not be as involved with your child's type I caregiving in the way that you want.
For transparency: I was compensated, with a standard fee, for the article.
