Becoming More Bionic
Today has turned into a pretty damned good day, all around.
I returned from lunch to find flowers delivered from the Puddin'. He is so sweet. My whole office smells like a garden now and it brightened an already improving day compared to yesterday.
I talked to Joan at Minimed and we picked out my new infusion set and pump and monitor. All my supplies should arrive at the office on Thursday. I'm so excited. And I get a $500 credit for my current pump so that saves me a good chunk of change. For less than $500 out of pocket, I've got a new pump, supplies, blood glucose meter, and software to make charts of my blood sugar and insulin readings. It's too good to be true. Plus I get a trainer to come and go over the new pump with me, so I should be able to ask him/her about recommendations for a new doctor.
My current doc wants to put me on Diovan, supposedly to help "take pressure off" my kidneys. But he can't explain why I need to take this medicine when I didn't before. And he says there's nothing wrong with my kidneys now. And reading about it, it says that it reduces your blood pressure, but my blood pressure is fine, so will it then make it too low? Nevermind that the symptoms of low blood sugar and low blood pressure can overlap. I'm probably just being paranoid, but I'm not trusting anything the doc says until I verify it. He used to be so good, but that was really closer to ten years ago. I guess I'm just skeptical since I'm a minority within a minority (only 10% of diabetics in the US are Type I). Really Type II and Type I shouldn't be called the same disease, as far as I'm concerned. And then I'm a minority within Type I diabetics in that I use an insulin pump. I think my doc has just been overwhelmed by old people and has forgotten how younger diabetics work. I still respect him for all the help he was to me and my family when I was first diagnosed. But I think he's just tired and ready to retire and I need a doctor that's a little more "gung ho."
The new meter "talks" to the insulin pump over radio frequencies and I can program the pump via a USB port. It's still not to the point I hoped it would be by now back in 2000 when I got my first insulin pump, but it's a hell of a lot better than injections. There's still no way to have the pump check your blood for you and know what to do, but at least my new blood meter only requires a third of the amount of blood the old one does. Baby steps ...
I rushed home this evening to clean out my old insulin pump supplies to ship back to the company. Out with the old and in with the new. Sarah and I took a lengthy walk this evening. I've been trying to walk more when I get home from work. It helps me put a barrier between the crap that goes on at the office and the good things that should be happening at home. So far so good. And Sarah has a grand time prancing around the neighborhood. Someone called her a "beautiful dog" tonight and she wagged her tail with glee.
Mom fed me free dinner while I was out. And I burned some cd's for her in return. I filled out my taxes and should be getting a sizeable refund from the federal government. Hooray me! Better than my fears of owing thousands of dollars. Good thing Mom and I estimated my taxes conservatively back in the summer.
And I've found the floor of my sewing room again. With any luck, I'll have fabric sorted and put away within a week. I'm not holding my breath, but it's looking good so far. All my laundry is out of a pile that was in the middle of the floor and back in the appropriate closets and drawers.
So I've ordered a new insulin pump, received gorgeous flowers, walked my dog, eaten free food and found money in the form of refunds. All in all a good day indeed.