JUNE 7 2017
The magnifier is working wonderfully. I can easily measure just .5 of N insulin before bed if warranted.
I just came from Dr. Graham who said my A1C was 7.5 and he's very pleased. He and I both decided that as long as I can stop any vicious (we all know how significant THAT word is) low blood sugars, especially at night, that there's no correction needed.
A doctor mentioned long ago something that I've just remembered. I always get upset when I have to cover low blood sugars with food; i.e. juice, candy, etc. . I find it's so easy to gain weight and then have to plump up the insulin to compensate for that and the domino effect begins. Well, if we use just a few ounces of a Pepsi or Coke at those times, it helps take the blood sugar up far enough to stop the reaction and also stops the after effect of high blood sugar which comes from the continual digestion of of food, jucie etc. This seems to stop the 'over compensation' affect of too much sugar ......
On that note, good night....
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
MAGNIFIER
APRIL 18, 2017
Hello. It's spring and here in Florida it doesn't make that much difference. It's beautiful and lush here most of the year, if not all of the year.
I've told you I was beginning to have some problems with my detail vision now that I've been dealing with Type I diabetes for more than 60 years. I am still driving my car locally without any problems but as I've told people, my vision problem of detail just causes me to have more trouble identifying the make and model of cars as well as 'who' is walking on the street. It's that detail thing. The only real problem has become loading my insulin syringes because sometimes I take a dose of 1.5 of (N) aat bedtime instead of 2 units . Just dealing with lines that are not 'pure' to see is a real hardship. For me, the difference of just a unit can make a terrible difference.
I began looking up magnifying instruments on the internet. I was trying to locate and price free standing magnifiers with lights. EXPENSIVE! Some ran as pricy as $300 and up. Others a little less but I wasn't satisfied.
Well, the bargain hunter became active. Actually, I happened to see an advertisement from a local fabric shop that sells sewing supplies and sewing machines and apparently magnifiers for people who were doing fine sewing work. The name of the store is JoAnne's. They showed several lamps with magnifiers at various prices in my local store ranging from $19.99 up to plus $40.00 . I went over to look at them and choose a small, white standing magnifier without a lamp for $19.99 to see what type of help it would bel.
Well, JUST AS IT IS, it works wonderfully! Because I have it sitting under my lamp where I do my insulin loading and injecting, it's perfect.
The name is OTTLITE. Some have lights and some do not but still the same brand. If you don't have a JoAnne's near you, check it out on the internet. OUTLINE is located in Tampa, Florida 33602
With love...........🔻(supposed to be a heart!)
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Quick note...Save $ on insulin......Walmart Buy 3ml.
April 5, 2017
Quick note to you............As I've said, I end up throwing out almost 3/4 of a vial of (R) insulin every month because of the small amount I use per day. It's so EXPENSIVE THAT WAY EVEN IF I'M USING WALMART...........once insulin is opened, it only has a one month 'life'.
Today when I picked up (R) insulin at Walmart, I ordered two vials so I would have 2 months' worth. Well, they had one vial of (R) @ $144.72 and it was the 10ml. that I usually get. THEN, they only had a 3 ML AVAILABLE for my second vial. The cost of that was $$43.42. Wow! That's wonderful. I would be paying far less for the amount I throw out every month.
Of course I bought both and found they do get the 3ml occasionally. I asked if I could order that size. I was told I could and 'special ordered' 5 boxes of 3ml. It will be in the refrigerator and ready for the next 6 months. I am fortunate enough to be able to buy this many. Think of how wonderful it would be for others, perhaps with scant finances, to be able to do this. To be able to buy a smaller amount at less money.
I had looked on line for this possibllity and saw it advertised in Canada and have been trying to research how to buy that way. Previously both Walgreen's and Walmart stated they did not have access to that size of insulin here in the United States.
Well, here we are. another miracle for me . I hope for others of you out there as well!
Humulin (R)...10ml......$144.72
3ml......$ 43.42 WALMART....
With love....
Quick note to you............As I've said, I end up throwing out almost 3/4 of a vial of (R) insulin every month because of the small amount I use per day. It's so EXPENSIVE THAT WAY EVEN IF I'M USING WALMART...........once insulin is opened, it only has a one month 'life'.
Today when I picked up (R) insulin at Walmart, I ordered two vials so I would have 2 months' worth. Well, they had one vial of (R) @ $144.72 and it was the 10ml. that I usually get. THEN, they only had a 3 ML AVAILABLE for my second vial. The cost of that was $$43.42. Wow! That's wonderful. I would be paying far less for the amount I throw out every month.
Of course I bought both and found they do get the 3ml occasionally. I asked if I could order that size. I was told I could and 'special ordered' 5 boxes of 3ml. It will be in the refrigerator and ready for the next 6 months. I am fortunate enough to be able to buy this many. Think of how wonderful it would be for others, perhaps with scant finances, to be able to do this. To be able to buy a smaller amount at less money.
I had looked on line for this possibllity and saw it advertised in Canada and have been trying to research how to buy that way. Previously both Walgreen's and Walmart stated they did not have access to that size of insulin here in the United States.
Well, here we are. another miracle for me . I hope for others of you out there as well!
Humulin (R)...10ml......$144.72
3ml......$ 43.42 WALMART....
With love....
Friday, February 24, 2017
About vials of insulin
February 24, 2017
I'm sure I mentioned to you that I've gone back to taking injections during the day instead of being on the pump. After using the pump for plus 20 years, it seemed as though my body was not absorbing as well as before. It also was becoming painful and arduous for me to change my sites every other day or so. So.....................back to 4 insulin injections a day; before meals and at bedtime.
I also believe I mentioned the good control I've gotten and how much better I feel much of the time. Never feeling as well as when I was young but that's the age thing. A whole other story!
I was surprised that the actual insulin vials (although I used them with the pump as well) has,
1. Become so expensive and 2. That at one month, regardless of how much you have left in the vial, you must throw it away and start another bottle. I had not been doing that with the pump and I wonder if that is why I thought I was not absorbing well and my current injections are giving me more control.
As a little girl (remember, I told you I've been doing this for 72 years!) the insulin in the vials was manufactured from cows and pigs that had been slaughtered. You could be placed on just prok insulin or beef insulin. I remember my doctor and mother discussing that I seemed to do well on 'pork insulin'. I did not have to change the vial until it was almost gone and with the small amount that I used, it was doable. The biggest expense was buying new needles that we boiled up every morning or whenever you had to take an injection, along with a new glass syringe. The needles would get dull after using them so many times. You would pray not to drop a glass syringe each time you boiled it up, cooled it and then set up the injection. The very best invention was the disposable syringes with attached needle that was used only once. They were already sterile with no more boiling etc. Miracle for me!
In my young married years, the manufacturers came up with "synthetic insulin It was stated that it would be less costly to make. It worked as the beef and pork had so thought nothing of it.
CHEAPER? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Now I pay $200 for vials EACH MONTH! And that's for the (R) insulin made in the USA by Lily. The (N) insulin is made in Denmark and is $24.00. I take the (N) before I go to bed to keep my blood sugar low enough during sleep.
I did take my prescription to Walmart instead of Walgreen's and that has helped. That was after I checked out the prices in Canada.
Just thought I'd put it out there..........
Next time.........
I'm sure I mentioned to you that I've gone back to taking injections during the day instead of being on the pump. After using the pump for plus 20 years, it seemed as though my body was not absorbing as well as before. It also was becoming painful and arduous for me to change my sites every other day or so. So.....................back to 4 insulin injections a day; before meals and at bedtime.
I also believe I mentioned the good control I've gotten and how much better I feel much of the time. Never feeling as well as when I was young but that's the age thing. A whole other story!
I was surprised that the actual insulin vials (although I used them with the pump as well) has,
1. Become so expensive and 2. That at one month, regardless of how much you have left in the vial, you must throw it away and start another bottle. I had not been doing that with the pump and I wonder if that is why I thought I was not absorbing well and my current injections are giving me more control.
As a little girl (remember, I told you I've been doing this for 72 years!) the insulin in the vials was manufactured from cows and pigs that had been slaughtered. You could be placed on just prok insulin or beef insulin. I remember my doctor and mother discussing that I seemed to do well on 'pork insulin'. I did not have to change the vial until it was almost gone and with the small amount that I used, it was doable. The biggest expense was buying new needles that we boiled up every morning or whenever you had to take an injection, along with a new glass syringe. The needles would get dull after using them so many times. You would pray not to drop a glass syringe each time you boiled it up, cooled it and then set up the injection. The very best invention was the disposable syringes with attached needle that was used only once. They were already sterile with no more boiling etc. Miracle for me!
In my young married years, the manufacturers came up with "synthetic insulin It was stated that it would be less costly to make. It worked as the beef and pork had so thought nothing of it.
CHEAPER? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Now I pay $200 for vials EACH MONTH! And that's for the (R) insulin made in the USA by Lily. The (N) insulin is made in Denmark and is $24.00. I take the (N) before I go to bed to keep my blood sugar low enough during sleep.
I did take my prescription to Walmart instead of Walgreen's and that has helped. That was after I checked out the prices in Canada.
Just thought I'd put it out there..........
Next time.........
Saturday, January 21, 2017
SUCH ASPIRATIONS
NOVEMB3R 20, 2016
Well, I find I'm not a super blogger or a big discoverer of anything but mundane stuff. I really thought when I started this I'd become famous? No, not that but at least be instrumental in bringing new thoughts 'out there', wherever 'there' is. You know, like the invisible 'they'.? Not happening. All because I can't seem to do it every day. Or maybe, it's just that in doing this life with this body every day, I'm not doing more than just living it. I apologize and think I'll just take this into 'diary mode' because......I just feel like it.
Life as an older person, despite being a diabetic, is quite humerous. My brother who is older than I, shasres these thoughts with me. He lives in DC and I'm in Florida but whenever we speak and discuss what's happening in our lives, we end up laughing hysterically regarding what's happening personally to ourselves and our bodies!
Now that I've been living in this wonderful apartment for a little over a year, I've recovered in some way. When I first moved here, I was experiencing so much weakness that I couldn't even make the bed in the morning. There were even nights when I slept on top of the then made bed with just a cover over me. I couldn't manage to handle the bedding. Times have gotten much better. Now I can get up in the morning and (after stretching as much as possible) do small chores.
No one would believe the challanges because I always say "I'm fine" and no one sees these times. I've even entertained with 'dessert parties' (sure a lot of quotation marks!) and everyone would bring a dessert. I just had the space for it. It was so good for me to have friends around me at that time and they never even understood how valuable they were, or the healing. they were providing.
I believe a lot of the 'recovery' is from getting my blood sugar much lower; from 8 to 7.4. It requires taking 4 injections a day but as much as I SO hate it and getting ready to do so makes my feet and legs feel 'electrified' from anxiety, it's only a few minutes and things are still better. Of course there's the measuring of every, single morsel of food I place in my mouth.
Since I live alone and do not have 'blood sons or grandsons' around, I have the blessings to have some people who have 'adopted' me. A young woman who lived next door to me when she was a child has two sons who call me 'Grandma'. They come occasionally even though it's a 2 plus hour drive for them to help me with some things such as moving a bed or putting a seat up or down in my car; stuff like that. We went to the pool one day and the 4 of us; their mother, the boys and I had SUCH a good time. I always feel renewed.
My DC family is also a great presence in my life. They call to check on me when hurricaines are coming (not often) and just to see how life is. My nephew as well as his partner have stopped in or come to take me out to dinner, separately or together and made me feel very loved.
My son and his family have moved to Florida but they have a really full plate that I am happy that I can see them a few times a year. My beloved grandson, Andrew is wonderful.
Now I must rely on help as I'm older. I was so smart and with more energy that after a year of being here, wanted to move the mattress on my full size bed. I knew there was no way I could lift it or anything so just 'turned it'. Not OV ER, but just put the bottom end up on the top now. Well....I forgot about the dust ruffle. It is so screwed up that it's just hanging all wrong. I can't fix it so have to disguise it. I do use the quilt hat I can now handle, to cover the side that can be seen. A few years ago, I would just have flipped it around and fixed it in a few minutes. Awful. also quite humerous. When I die, some may come in and say,
"Gee, she didn't care about .....such and such. Well. That's the way it goes.
My next blog will be starting to laugh about all the ridiculous things an older person has to do just to OPEN A BOX or even a jar! Believe me, you'll laugh WITH me!
Blessings..............
Well, I find I'm not a super blogger or a big discoverer of anything but mundane stuff. I really thought when I started this I'd become famous? No, not that but at least be instrumental in bringing new thoughts 'out there', wherever 'there' is. You know, like the invisible 'they'.? Not happening. All because I can't seem to do it every day. Or maybe, it's just that in doing this life with this body every day, I'm not doing more than just living it. I apologize and think I'll just take this into 'diary mode' because......I just feel like it.
Life as an older person, despite being a diabetic, is quite humerous. My brother who is older than I, shasres these thoughts with me. He lives in DC and I'm in Florida but whenever we speak and discuss what's happening in our lives, we end up laughing hysterically regarding what's happening personally to ourselves and our bodies!
Now that I've been living in this wonderful apartment for a little over a year, I've recovered in some way. When I first moved here, I was experiencing so much weakness that I couldn't even make the bed in the morning. There were even nights when I slept on top of the then made bed with just a cover over me. I couldn't manage to handle the bedding. Times have gotten much better. Now I can get up in the morning and (after stretching as much as possible) do small chores.
No one would believe the challanges because I always say "I'm fine" and no one sees these times. I've even entertained with 'dessert parties' (sure a lot of quotation marks!) and everyone would bring a dessert. I just had the space for it. It was so good for me to have friends around me at that time and they never even understood how valuable they were, or the healing. they were providing.
I believe a lot of the 'recovery' is from getting my blood sugar much lower; from 8 to 7.4. It requires taking 4 injections a day but as much as I SO hate it and getting ready to do so makes my feet and legs feel 'electrified' from anxiety, it's only a few minutes and things are still better. Of course there's the measuring of every, single morsel of food I place in my mouth.
Since I live alone and do not have 'blood sons or grandsons' around, I have the blessings to have some people who have 'adopted' me. A young woman who lived next door to me when she was a child has two sons who call me 'Grandma'. They come occasionally even though it's a 2 plus hour drive for them to help me with some things such as moving a bed or putting a seat up or down in my car; stuff like that. We went to the pool one day and the 4 of us; their mother, the boys and I had SUCH a good time. I always feel renewed.
My DC family is also a great presence in my life. They call to check on me when hurricaines are coming (not often) and just to see how life is. My nephew as well as his partner have stopped in or come to take me out to dinner, separately or together and made me feel very loved.
My son and his family have moved to Florida but they have a really full plate that I am happy that I can see them a few times a year. My beloved grandson, Andrew is wonderful.
Now I must rely on help as I'm older. I was so smart and with more energy that after a year of being here, wanted to move the mattress on my full size bed. I knew there was no way I could lift it or anything so just 'turned it'. Not OV ER, but just put the bottom end up on the top now. Well....I forgot about the dust ruffle. It is so screwed up that it's just hanging all wrong. I can't fix it so have to disguise it. I do use the quilt hat I can now handle, to cover the side that can be seen. A few years ago, I would just have flipped it around and fixed it in a few minutes. Awful. also quite humerous. When I die, some may come in and say,
"Gee, she didn't care about .....such and such. Well. That's the way it goes.
My next blog will be starting to laugh about all the ridiculous things an older person has to do just to OPEN A BOX or even a jar! Believe me, you'll laugh WITH me!
Blessings..............
Diabetes is NOT a "horrible disease".
January 21, 2017
have
The other day on Face Book I saw a posting from a mother of a 19 year old young man with type I diabetes. He apparently was handling this quite well and even put a tattoo (fancy one) on his arm stating "Type I Diabetes". But......she then stated, "I hope we can find a cure for this horrible disease".
I personally feel that I have been blessed by BEING a diabetic.
1. I've had to watch ever morsal of food I eat.
a. I don't gain too much weight like some I know who have become morbidly obese.
b. I'm living a better life in many ways because I don't drink or smoke.
c. I usually feel as though I'm taking care of my "spirit within". Similar to that book written regarding "The Child Within" or something like that, I feel my spirit is housed in this temple and I'm taking care of her.
It's quite interesting to me that I'm beginning to see people of my age dying earlier than I. I'm the one who was told in the 1940's that I live to around 30 years of age. I'm about to be 77 this year on 7/7/1917! And doing WELL compared to my peers!
I'm telling you, discipline is the key! Just DO IT!
With love to my fierce warriors, diabetic or not, who are practicing discipline because they care for the temples that our Heavenly Father gave us. These temples , the housing for our soul and spirits are a gift. How dare we not take care of them.
With love to you all walking this road with me....
have
The other day on Face Book I saw a posting from a mother of a 19 year old young man with type I diabetes. He apparently was handling this quite well and even put a tattoo (fancy one) on his arm stating "Type I Diabetes". But......she then stated, "I hope we can find a cure for this horrible disease".
I personally feel that I have been blessed by BEING a diabetic.
1. I've had to watch ever morsal of food I eat.
a. I don't gain too much weight like some I know who have become morbidly obese.
b. I'm living a better life in many ways because I don't drink or smoke.
c. I usually feel as though I'm taking care of my "spirit within". Similar to that book written regarding "The Child Within" or something like that, I feel my spirit is housed in this temple and I'm taking care of her.
It's quite interesting to me that I'm beginning to see people of my age dying earlier than I. I'm the one who was told in the 1940's that I live to around 30 years of age. I'm about to be 77 this year on 7/7/1917! And doing WELL compared to my peers!
I'm telling you, discipline is the key! Just DO IT!
With love to my fierce warriors, diabetic or not, who are practicing discipline because they care for the temples that our Heavenly Father gave us. These temples , the housing for our soul and spirits are a gift. How dare we not take care of them.
With love to you all walking this road with me....
Monday, September 5, 2016
DISCIPLINE IS WORTH IT..
MONDAY, September 5, 2016
Last time I wrote, I was hoping you'd wish me good luck regarding my concern for my eyes. It's just amazing what the body can do.
I am not scheduled to see my 'eye guy' for a few more months and I am not having any more concerns than reported last time. However.....
I think my vision is improving or at least seeming a little clearer. I can see better for reading. Of course because of the 'jelly falling off of the back of the retina" there are a few spots missing in the vision but.....I am able to drive, read,and identify a little better than I have been. This is good. If I can keep THIS, it will be a blessing. I do have what I call 'retina fatigue' which means I'm able to see very clearly for a few hours of reading or driving. That's why I can't make any long trips Or....DRIVE for more than 45 minutes or so without being compromised.
As you kniw, I've been doing this 'diabetic run' for most of my life; 71 years. I STILL have an awful time NOT eating too much when I'm experiencing an insulin reaction, especially in the middle of the night. My blood sugars spike because as my doctor states,
"You're overcorrecting".
I absolutely KNOW that. I don't think at this stage, I can change it. It is such a terrible feeling of 'dying, fainting, sweating, shaking' and feeling as though my eyes go white. Because of the length time of being a diabetic, m nervous system doesn't warn me as well and gosh, my blood sugar goes so far down, (50 or less) that it is just awful. I do have one warning that , thank goodness, actually wakes me up. My left hand goes numb. No one can explain that but it works. I think that is why I've never succumbed to shock (except one time at age 5 in the beginning of all this). I consider that a blessing. I also find that if I can not go to sleep easily, I have to check my blood sugar and usually need about 4 oz. of milk in order to boost that.
Apparently going back to the discipline of "old school" is working presently. It's worth (even though annoying and uncomfortable) taking an injection of Regular insulin before every meal and then N insulin at night at bedtime. I also have very few insulin reactions. When I do have low blood sugars, believe it or not, there is no reason. Ate meals, did what I'm supposed to do but as one doctor told me years ago...
"Sometimes you do everything right and it doesn't work!"
Well friends.....life is good. discipline is working and I'm still o.k.
Thank you for your thoughts and good wishes as I do for you as well.
See you next time.....
Last time I wrote, I was hoping you'd wish me good luck regarding my concern for my eyes. It's just amazing what the body can do.
I am not scheduled to see my 'eye guy' for a few more months and I am not having any more concerns than reported last time. However.....
I think my vision is improving or at least seeming a little clearer. I can see better for reading. Of course because of the 'jelly falling off of the back of the retina" there are a few spots missing in the vision but.....I am able to drive, read,and identify a little better than I have been. This is good. If I can keep THIS, it will be a blessing. I do have what I call 'retina fatigue' which means I'm able to see very clearly for a few hours of reading or driving. That's why I can't make any long trips Or....DRIVE for more than 45 minutes or so without being compromised.
As you kniw, I've been doing this 'diabetic run' for most of my life; 71 years. I STILL have an awful time NOT eating too much when I'm experiencing an insulin reaction, especially in the middle of the night. My blood sugars spike because as my doctor states,
"You're overcorrecting".
I absolutely KNOW that. I don't think at this stage, I can change it. It is such a terrible feeling of 'dying, fainting, sweating, shaking' and feeling as though my eyes go white. Because of the length time of being a diabetic, m nervous system doesn't warn me as well and gosh, my blood sugar goes so far down, (50 or less) that it is just awful. I do have one warning that , thank goodness, actually wakes me up. My left hand goes numb. No one can explain that but it works. I think that is why I've never succumbed to shock (except one time at age 5 in the beginning of all this). I consider that a blessing. I also find that if I can not go to sleep easily, I have to check my blood sugar and usually need about 4 oz. of milk in order to boost that.
Apparently going back to the discipline of "old school" is working presently. It's worth (even though annoying and uncomfortable) taking an injection of Regular insulin before every meal and then N insulin at night at bedtime. I also have very few insulin reactions. When I do have low blood sugars, believe it or not, there is no reason. Ate meals, did what I'm supposed to do but as one doctor told me years ago...
"Sometimes you do everything right and it doesn't work!"
Well friends.....life is good. discipline is working and I'm still o.k.
Thank you for your thoughts and good wishes as I do for you as well.
See you next time.....
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