[Diabetes-talk] questions from a fairly new list subscriber

Wed Mar 4 16:44:14 UTC 2009

Dear Vince,
Thanks for replying to my email. I am grateful for the many responses I have
received from the list. I am still using the 512 but would like to upgrade
to the 522. How do you get your pump to deliver a square bolis? I use the
easy bolis feature with the beeps, but I would like to use the other bolis
options--especially since they give a person even more control. Does the
square wave bolis have to do with insulin being delivered over the course of
a few hours? I am able to fill my pump on my own. I just have a sighted
friend double check that there are no bubbles in my reservoirs. I have been
on the pump since 2004, and I went to a diabetes center in 2007 where the
nurses were willing to teach me how to draw up insulin. Before that, I
thought filling reservoirs was impossible for a blind person.
Thanks for checking on the Clever Check meter. The lady from Homecare
Solutions with whom I spoke sounded vague about it. Thanks for the
information about Advanced Diabetic Solutions! I really need that now since
I haven't gotten anywhere with Homecare Solutions. If they have already
shipped out the Clever Check today as they said they would, I will report to
the list as to what it is like.

Chanelle

-----Original Message-----
From: diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Vincent Chaney
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 9:10 PM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] questions from a fairly new list subscriber

Chanelle,

Welcome to the list...

I too am a pumper, an insulin pump user. I am using the Medtronic Minimed 
712 but require my wife to fill it due to the inaccessible menu options. 
Once it is filled I work with the beeps to deliver the "Normal" or "Squared"

bolis amounts as you probably do.
Regarding the "Clever Check", I performed a "Google" search on this and 
found no indication it included any accessibility feature. The Blog I also 
looked at noted it worked with only one button which could be used with a 
talking machine but very unlikely. I would recommend you to contact one of 
the many suppliers noted on this list who carry the "Prodigy Voice Test 
Strips". The company I work with is "Advanced Diabetic Solutions" and just 
received new strips about 10 days ago. Their Web Site is: 
http://www.advanceddiabeticsolutions.net/
Their phone number is 1-888-377-6382. Tina Rockwell, Director of Patient 
Services, is whom has helped me and the members from the Diabetes Division 
of the NFBNJ.

Vince

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chanelle Hill" <chanellemh at gmail.com>
To: <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 4:27 PM
Subject: [Diabetes-talk] questions from a fairly new list subscriber

Dear List Members,

I read an article about insulin pumps that someone from NFB wrote several
years ago, and so I thought I would join this list to see if anyone has had
improved accessibility with the pump and for other diabetes issues. I am a
Type I diabetic, and I have been using the Minimed Paradigm 512 insulin pump
and the Prodigy Voice meter. I know that NFB is heavily involved in
advocacy, but what has been done to inform insulin pump companies of the
need for more accessible pumps? Is there any way to become involved in
advocating for better accessibility? It would be wonderful to use the new
Minimed Continuous Glucose Monitoring system, but the meter needed to
calibrate the pump doesn't talk. It seems like that could easily be fixed
since there are already talking glucometers. I spoke with a rep from Minimed
about upgrading my pump and asked if Minimed was working on a pump that
would be more accessible. She thought that the company was, but no one has
gotten back to me.

It sounds like someone is having problems with the Prodigy Voice meter on
this list? After calling and waiting a few weeks to get some more strips, I
found out that Homecare Solutions is no longer carrying the strips for
Prodigy Voice and that they are carrying a new meter that is supposedly like
the Prodigy called the Clever Check. Have any of you heard of this new
meter? Hopefully it has all of the audible features and more accessible
software (that's almost too much to ask :-) ).

Finally my last question. I am checking out state rehabilitation centers in
Minnesota-one of which is Blind Inc. On the CD that SSB sent me containing a
BLIND cyber brochure, a class for diabetes management was mentioned. Do you
know if that is still taught? Apart from that, have any of you had
experience with the training programs at Blind Inc.?

Thanks in advance for answering my questions.

Chanelle

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