Because you know I'm all about that pump

All About That Cure | JDRF

AHHHH how cute is this?! Its one of my favorite things! I just wanted to hop on real quick to share how I feel about medical technology (the Omnipod. specifically). I remember feeling so left out when I was first diagnosed because I didn't have all the fancy medical devices that everyone else had. 

Now that I have had those devices, and am unable to use them currently, I have my own opinions. 

I really loved/still love omnipod. I never experienced a tether pump, and I'd like to some time, but ominpod was/is truly awesome. When my insurance stuff got jacked up and I was no longer able to get medical equipment, I still had about 10 pods left. I have kept them and used them on occasion when I've felt burnt out. I have, in recent weeks, lost a lot of my appetite, but I think I've discovered the main cause of this- I'm lazy. 

Here is the succession of events for eating for me during quarantine:

1.  Decide if I am eating carbs 
2.  Make food
3.  Go hunt down my insulin pen or a syringe and vial of insulin (this is sometimes a daunting task, as I have been leaving stuff laying all over creation since I've been home all the time)
4.  Change my needle (maybe or not)
5.  Calculate carbs
6.  Take a shot
7.  Eat

Its honestly exhausting 😆 And I'm honestly just lazy. Plus, I've forgotten my insulin once or twice on the occasions when I have gone out, just because I got used to being at home where everything was readily available. 

So, I put on a leftover pod a couple days ago. HALLELUJAH FREEDOM. Oh man it was nice. Press a couple buttons and BAM insulin on the way and I can go about my life.  

My Endo recently told me that pumps are a "lifestyle" not really a medical necessity. Which I totally get. We decided that I cant wear a pump without wasting 20-30 units of insulin each time I wear one, because I cant use up the minimum amount required for a site change. I really felt like that was my answer on a pump- if it wastes insulin, its not worth it. 

But HOLY SMOKES its just so much easier 😩

I almost feel like my mental sanity is worth that 20-30 unit insulin waste if I ever get good incurance again. 

What are your thoughts?

A Bloody Mess

The title pretty much sums up my day yesterday. I'm not going to lie- it was kinda a rough day diabetes-wise.
*Disclaimer* This post contains girl-stuff and a lovely little pic of my bloody back (per a failed dexcom sensor), so to all you dudes out there- might wanna skip this one.
Okay so, first: That smoothie I drank night before last? I majorly over-bolused for it and ended up with a low that dropped from 66 to 53, even after I treated. I was a little freaked out by that, ended up eating half the kitchen, and had a high BG from 12-4am (in the 200s) according to my dex. *Insert non-paid promotion here* That dex was a life-saver. I would've went to bed with a BG of 106 (what my glucometer read) if I hadn't seen the arrow pointing straight down on my receiver.
So, needless to say, it was a bit of a rough night. Morning dawned with a good BG and I headed out to school. I stopped by work to grab a biscuit, which shot my BG up to the 200's and left it there until lunch time (around lunch time I discovered mother nature had left me her present for the month-possibly the cause of those higher BGs). I took extra insulin for lunch and was still high until I accidentally ripped off my receiver (which still had two more days) and had to change my dexcom site.

Now you see that picture? And where that little girl's transmitter is?

Yeah that didn't really work out for me. Maybe because my skin is thinner there because of stretch-marks from that rapid growth spurt (more like weight gain) of my preteen years. 

So I ripped that site out after I realized the little window had filled up with blood. Ouch. And I wasted a dex transmitter which makes me sad, because I only have three more.

Theeeeen last night the site where I did my Lantus injection bled and I was just like...

Oh well! After all, that's life, right? 

My day diabetes-aside was fine. I got to have lunch with my parents and actually clocked out of work on time. Plus- everyday with Jesus is a good day!

 So don't think I'm trying to be a negative Nancy- just trynna keep it real. 

~Realistic T1D

Identify Yourself

Identify Yourself (Imagine deep male voice at the end of a commercial...). Ive been meaning to write a review on this company and haven't gotten around to it (I know I haven't gotten around to anything on here lately, sorry y'all. More on that later). But new experiences with this company and their customer service has motivated me to finally do this! (*DISCLAIMER* this is not a payed for or promoted review. Its just my honest opinion on a product!)

First, lets talk about ID bracelets for a sec... starting with a list of reasons why I wear one:

1. My mom FREAKS out if I'm not wearing one
2. It decreases my mom's stress levels
3. My mom MAKES me

Okay, okay, those may all be true but here are some legit reasons ;)

1. I have an hour commute to school, one way, at least 2-3 times a week- and I don't always remember to eat breakfast (bad Kelby). In the event of a hypo, I may or may not drive like a drunk. And if I'm driving like that, how in the name of Pete am I going to be able to explain why I am driving like that if I get pulled over? Hopefully, before the cop pulls me out of my car and tries to make me walk the line, he (the cop) will take notice of the giant red Medical Alert symbol on my wrist and NOT arrest me (although, if we are being honest, that would make a TERRIFIC story..*evil laugh*)
2. What if I just randomly pass out in the mall (Or anywhere) when I'm by myself...? O.O

So see, really, my mom is just SMART.

My first medical alert bracelet was green- and awesome. You may remember here where I told y'all how I lost it. So we ordered  new one, complete with a set of interchangeable colorful bands. That worked great! Until the faceplate got so scratched you couldn't even read my name.. a lot of good that would do if I passed out. We discovered it was because my bands were too loose, which caused the bracelet to slide around a lot and get hit on stuff. So my mom (beautiful soul that she is <3) emailed the company to ask why the bracelet was so scratched. They asked us to send it back and then promptly returned a new one with a set of smaller bands FOR FREE. 

Yup. 35 bucks out of their pocket. Well this all would have been great, but the new bands were too small and practically cut off my circulation, so I just stopped wearing it. Which didn't make my mom very happy...so she emailed them once again to figure out how we could fix the problem. Mind you, she never asked them to send us free stuff. At least, not that I know of :b They didn't have any bands that were my exact measurement, so they ended making a bigger plate to compensate for the shorter bands. They sent this plate, in a higher quality metal so it is less likely to get scratched, along with TWO sets of bands (long and short) to me, once again, FOR FREE. Now tell me that's not customer service?! 

Moral of the story?

Check out American Medical ID.

You wont be sorry!

~Satisfied T1D Customer

(All pics are of the newest bracelet, which fits like a charm! Ha, get it, charm?)