Inevitability

This is a very curious topic to discuss on a blog. As I continue to tweak and manage this disease it seems like my current methods show their age. With the Dexcom (aka Hal Jordan) at my side I’ve been exposed to a wealth of knowledge that simply wasn’t possible through normal blood glucose monitoring. It’s a shame that some people have to juggle flaming bowling pins while balancing on a peanut shell to try to get these devices only to be rejected by insurance companies not finding significant “medical necessity”. (Steps away from soap box). Now that I have a marginally clearer idea of what I need to do to maintain proper glucose levels it seems I have even more to contemplate.

I recently added a snooze alarm to Hal Jordan’s vocabulary. If I’m still above my high threshold (currently 200 mg/dL) I receive another “Uh Dude?! You might want to look at this” alert. Depending on the circumstances, the corrective action can be insulin, retesting my blood glucose, or simply waiting because I know the insulin I’ve already injected hasn’t had enough time to do its thing. Most of the time I rarely get hit by the snooze alarm but no two days are similar with this disease – one day at a time and all that jazz – so I do what I can to stay on top of things.

Since I’ve started using the snooze I’ve noticed my highs, while they still happen, have a much shorter duration. Right now a 1-hour snooze at 200 is great, but now I’m thinking about a half-hour at 180. I don’t have to be a BG Nazi about this, but fewer highs means less risk for complications. Yes, it will also mean a lower A1c (it is an average after all) but I’m thinking big picture. But, since highs happen, so must corrections.

Correcting with an insulin pen sucks. In my world, I only deal with whole numbers. No .5u to correct. No ability to play with precise insulin amounts. In a much broader scope, no extended boluses. No basal rates (but no basal testing!). Depending on who you are and what your experience with Diabetes is, you’re probably guessing where all of this is going.

With the direction that I am taking my Diabetes management, a pump is more and more likely to be joining my side.

It feels like an inevitability right now. I’m changing lots of aspects of my Diabetes management but with the tools at my disposal it is becoming more exhaustive each day. Each time I use a pen needle for a 2u correction and not for a meal it feels like a waste of resources.

For the record, I’m not against getting a pump. I know on paper my management isn’t terrible and I’m eagerly anticipating my appointment with Not House in a week+. I have high hopes for a huge impact on my A1c and overall health since joining the Dexcom Revolution. All of those things are great, but if they can be better I have to be realistic about exploring new opportunities.

And who knows, new opportunities might include a new endocrinologist. It seems to be working out well for our favorite Ninja.