Please take this survey for pre market artificial pancreas research from the University of Virginia

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10NArdzhdzPEumWIZwnm5N9WtMfYFCKXq857qi4sDmPA/viewform?c=0&w=1

If you could choose a technology to completely manage type 1 diabetes, what would that look like?

Please take a minute to fill out this survey to help these UVA researchers.   

Why can't the news ever get anything right about Diabetes stories?

An Artificial Pancreas pump has not been released in Australia like the news reports said.  The Artificial or Bionic Pancreas is currently in patient trials in the US and it is hoped to be FDA approved within the next 8-10 years.  I hear hopes of more like 4 years, but I am trying HARD to not get too excited about that.  An artificial or bionic pancreas would not only detect an impending low but it will also treat the low, treat highs, cover carbs all without the pump wearer having to do anything besides change it out every three days and refill it with insulin and charge/change batteries.  The pump that was released in Australia is explained by Integrated Diabetes Services facebook page.

According to:

Integrated Diabetes Services

  "The Medtronic 640G insulin pump/CGM combination has been launched in Australia. (you'll notice that I don't call it an "artificial pancreas" because it's a damn long way from being an artificial pancreas)

The new system represents an important next step towards a fully-automated closed loop system. Whereas Medtronic's previous 530G system stops basal insulin delivery if the glucose sensor detects a low, the new 640G suspends basal if a low is ANTICIPATED. In other words, prevent/minimize the low rather than deal with a low that has already taken place.

Rumor has it that Medtronic is hoping to bring the device to European markets later this year and the US in 2016. Of course, hoping is one thing. Making it happen is another thing entirely."

 

FDA APPROVES Dexcom with SHARE!! = You can get Dexcom readings on your smartphone!

"Dexcom announced today that it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its Dexcom G4® PLATINUM Continuous Glucose Monitoring System with Share. The Dexcom Share receiver uses a secure wireless connection via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) between a patient's receiver and an app on the patient's smartphone to transmit glucose information to apps on the mobile devices of up to five designated recipients, or "followers," without the need for a dedicated docking cradle. These followers can remotely monitor a patient's glucose information and receive alert notifications from almost anywhere, initially via their Apple® iPhone® or iPod® touch and in the future on Android devices, giving them peace of mind and reassurance when they are apart. The "Share" and "Follower" apps will be available on the Apple App Store at no charge."

Click to read this exciting news!!

http://www.dexcom.com/news/fda-approves-dexcom-g4-platinum-continuous-glucose-monitoring-system-share

A womans battle with Diabulimia

http://insulinnation.com/living/recovering-from-diabulimia/

A womans story about her battle with Diabulimia. Its unknown by many but it is real and support is out there if you are fighting this condition. Dont struggle alone, seek online support communities, there are people who can help you.

Story of the first human to ever be injected with insulin

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/how-a-dying-boy-became-the-first-to-beat-diabetes/

The story of the first human to be injected with insulin.

Four test strips

So we switched insurance companies at my work, easy right?  Wrong. Little does the general public know (people who are healthy and have a pancreas that isn't on a permanent vacation) that insurance companies are constantly dictating which brand of insulin we can take, which brand on glucose test strips we can use and which brand of insulin pump we can use.

I personally think this is the biggest crock of shit.  Why in the hell does an insurance company even have the power to override what my DOCTOR says I should do and use to treat my, MY, Diabetes?

Too darn tired

Yesterday was my third day on my infusion set.  I knew I needed to change it but sometimes I am lazy or just dont feel like changing it on time.  I thought I could still squeeze another day or until morning to change it out.  Well I shouldnt have let it go.

Diabetes and all the blood tests

I was just talking to one of my favorite phlebotomists (she hardly ever misses and its almost painless) today briefly about a recent experience with a different medical facility and how I had to talk her into using a butterfly needle to draw my blood.

You see I have these tiny little veins and they like to roll around a bit and the one that gets used all the dang time likes to get calluses or something like that and it gets a bit tough.  Luckily it has since healed and it doesnt "pop" so hard when they poke it anymore.

New 480 unit insulin pump from Tandem Diabetes!

www.tandemdiabetes.com/tflex/

Tandem Diabetes just announced it will begin offering a 480 unit insulin pump in the Second Quarter of 2015 as it was just cleared by the FDA!!  This is very exciting news for people who need a pump with a reservoir larger than 300 units and is currently the only pump in the USA that offers that large of a capacity! Check it out, go to the link above!

Spare a Rose - Save a Child

Spare a Rose - Save a Child  You can begin giving donations on Feb 1, 2015

--I know this blog post is a bit ahead of time but I wanted to be sure to give people enough time to hear about it and be able to make a donation to a Diabetic child in need.--

SpareARose.com

Lack of access to insulin is the most common cause of death for children with diabetes in many countries around the world. In fact, in some parts of the world, the estimated life expectancy of a child who has just developed diabetes could be less than a year. *

 

This Valentine’s Day our community can continue to help change that.

 

Valentines Day, how do you participate?

What do you guys all do for Valentines Day?  It kind of feel like its a made up holiday where the price of flowers goes sky high!  Maybe I'm jaded, I don't like getting flowers, Id rather get the kind I can plant in my garden and enjoy them year after year. (Dont get me started on my gardens I had to leave behind when we moved it hurts my heart too much)  I am the kind of person who doesn't let Diabetes control what I eat (for the most part) so if I want to go buy a box of chocolate I don't let the fact that I have Diabetes stop me, but it does slow me down in the inability to inhale all of it at once like I did before I had Diabetes.  Or maybe I just like chocolate too much.

Yeah, I cant eat the whole box like you people with functioning pancreases can but I can have a couple of pieces at a time.

Diabetic Warrior Dexcom and Opsite Flexifix tutorial

Time and time again I read about Dexcom'ers not being able to keep their Dexcom stuck down or they have NEVER heard of Smith and Nephew Opsite Flexifix.  I had never heard of it either until I read about it from other Dexcom'ers!  It is amazing stuff and I personally love it.  I do know some people are allergic to it or hate the way it feels, so please only get ONE roll to try it.  I get the 2 inch wide roll and it is 11 yards long.  It will last a LONG time.  I know some people like to use 1 piece and get the 4 inch wide but for me and my husband the 2 inch roll works better and is easier to handle.  Plus I don't feel that there is enough extra tape over the edge of the white Dexcom tape when using the 4 inch wide roll.

I did not make a video, I am still too chicken to make a video and post it online for the entire world to see.


This is what the box looks like.










Here is the white back paper. This is the part you take half off at a time when applying it to your skin.






Here is the green grid side.  This is the side you take off last.

I use paper plates to make my templates.  It makes it easy and quick and I made a new one last night just so you can see how I do it. First I trace the edges of the 2 inch wide tape then draw around the sensor and make it wider than the sensor tape itself for extra grip past the white tape.  Then I cut the oval out.

This is what it looks like cut out and how it is larger than the white Dexcom tape.  I personally prep my skin with alcohol wipes, about 2-3 of them to make sure I get all lotion or skin oils off my skin so the tape will stick well.  ALSO a major tip, do not shower right before or after you put this tape on.  I personally get the best results a few hours before bed, I shower in the morning, so it has all night long to get a good bond to my skin before showering in the morning.  Also the first day you apply this tape it the easiest time to accidentally rip it off.  Dress and shower carefully so you dont yank it off. 

Keep in mind my husband does my Dexcom changes for me, I really have no way possible to do this procedure myself, I just cant reach and the tape ends up a wrinkled mess of disasterness.   To make it a bit more simple he peels off one side of the white backing paper, and puts it on my arm to help it remain smooth. Then he folds it back over itself, removes other side and smooths it down carefully.  Then rub it on a little bit and then carefully remove the green grid plastic covering.  Sometimes holding your hand over the tape for a few minutes does help it get good and stuck down because it warms it up.  I do NOT cut a hole for the sensor wire, just shoot right through it.

Just for fun here is the applicator on my arm and after putting the transmitter on.  This is actually the first time we have found the "sweet" spot on my left arm, it typically hurts for a while but this time we missed the muscle in my arm! I went farther back towards the inside of my arm.

My arm looks really crazy in the left picture, so I tried to get a better one with my arm straight and flexing the muscle so you can see I went much below my tricep.  I cannot do arm sites with the wire going up, it stabs the living daylights out of my muscle every darn time.  I don't have a lot of extra tissue/padding on my arms. 

Here are the pieces of paper and plastic you have left over after you
have applied the tape to your skin.

For extra added security you can also put tape over top the white Dexcom tape.  This is how I do that.  I did not put any over top my sensor last night so you wont see it over the other tape on this pics.  This one was on my side and I posted these pics originally a few months ago.  The white piece is my pattern I made out of a paper plate, again of course.  Also I curve the edges as I find that is stays down much better instead of a sharp corner edge. 



The two pieces of Opsite cut out and a test fit over my old sensor I pulled out.  To apply this tape be sure to make the little legs pieces on the smaller side of the tape and cut up to the line of where the white backing paper peels off. Also take the white paper off the little leg pieces first and apply it to your skin, then fold it back and take the the white paper off the other half and press it down onto your skin.  Then take your other piece do the same and butt it up to your sensor as close as you can get it and they will overlap to provide you with good coverage and stick down well.

As you can see the two inch wide roll gives you a large section of
tape much over the edge of the white Dexcom tape.  These two taping methods together is super awesome for me and a must on my side sites since they get rubbed much  more than my arm sites, from clothing, carrying my child, getting dressed etc etc.  Also another downfall of not putting Opsite down FIRST is that for me the sensor white tape will start to worm its way out of the tiny gap next to the built in purple plastic and sometimes will come loose from my body but still be taped down. This keeps the wire and white tape stuck down first against my skin and keeps my sensor accurate for longer.

I really hope this helps more of you to figure out how to use this tape.  It can be tricky and sometimes will make you crazy after you goof up a few pieces.  I believe most insurance companies will cover this and I personally get 3 rolls when I do a 3 month order.  You can also buy it on Amazon if you have to pay cash.    Let me know if this helped you so I know I am doing someone a bit of good!  =D

The double taping method will keep my sensor on past the accuracy of it.  It can easily last a month with this tape but after 2-3 weeks I am typically just tired of it being there and I switch it out or it starts throwing out crazy numbers and I just yank it. Sometimes though it wont be bothering me at all and still completely accurate so I will leave it and I have gone 5 weeks max I think.

Also this tape is very flexible, hence its name and it does dry out pretty quickly after showers.  The white tape dries fairly fast and double taping makes it dry even faster.  Sweat does not pool under this tape nor does it hold scent/sweat smell like some tapes can.

I have been  unable to peel this tape off to put down new without it taking the sensor with it.  You can however trim off the parts that do peel up and put down a new fresh layer of tape.  I don't feel as though this tape gets gross looking after any time period of wear because when it starts to peel you can take scissors and trim those pieces off.

Stupid potato

Never again will I attempt a baked potato from Arthurs. Stupid, it was just stupid. I sure do wish I could just eat freakn food and not worry about the stupid ramifications on my blood sugar. 14 years...Im so sick of this disease with a name that confuses people, they dont understand it, dont care to understand it nor know there are two types and so much stigma and misunderstanding of each type. Now I will wait to go to bed because I ate a stupid baked potato and way under estimated the stupid carbs. I hate you, you stupid damn Diabetes. Rant over.