[Diabetes-talk] A quick question about testing

Sun Feb 2 22:15:17 UTC 2014

Mike, very true. I actually met a sighted person who was struggling with a high A1C, saying that she just couldn’t get her numbers down. In the end, it turned out that the stress of unsuccessful testing times, then worrying about the number she got, when she got one, created enough stress to mess up her glucose levels. When she adopted a strategy like I often employ, which is to say, if there is no number after the third try, stop and go on living, her numbers came down. The other part of this was learning to stop beating herself up if she got a high number. Of course, there are days when I want to know what’s happening bad enough that I break my rules and then have to back off a bit because of the lumps on the sides of my fingers. Part of how I got myself through the burn-out phase was fussing with the lyrics of that song and they went something like this, “If you can’t be, the one you love, then love the one you’re with.” That meant myself, of course. 
I try to make my best effort for the circumstances, know what I’m aiming for, find the things that motivate or inspire me and remember to enjoy the life I’m still here to experience. 
Having said all of that, the difference is that most sighted people I know don’t go through as many extra strips because they can look and kind of know when to send that finger to the strip. I don’t say this to gain extra pity, well, not most of the time, <laughing> but to be realistic when the process isn’t working so well. There’s nothing worse than a completely unfair comparison. If I can tell myself, today I just went through strips because I went there too early, or missed a good one because I waited too long, it’s the truth and it’s just a miss and that’s how it is. Beats the heck out of oh you stupid so and so, what’s the matter with you? Anyone else would have tested and eaten lunch by now. Now, ask me how I know that phrase? <grin>
And then sometimes it works quick and great. And it’s sometimes way too easy to forget about those moments so I’ll celebrate them too. Because I can’t imagine trying to live with diabetes without having all of this information. But I’ll still strive to make it even better. So thanks to all of you for being here.
Veronica

Watch and hear The Guide Dog Glee Club sing the Star-spangled Banner at 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQNLclisGqQ
Then find more music from The Guide Dog Glee Club and Veronica Elsea at 
http://www.laurelcreekmusic.com
Veronica Elsea, Owner
Laurel Creek Music Designs
Santa Cruz, California
Phone: 831-429-6407

On Feb 1, 2014, at 3:39 PM, Mike Freeman <k7uij at panix.com> wrote:

> Amen, Veronica.
> 
> I also think that many sighted persons have testing trouble also; we just
> don't hear about it or it's passed off as burnout.
> 
> Mike
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> Veronica Elsea
> Sent: Saturday, February 01, 2014 2:21 PM
> To: 'Debbie Wunder'; 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] A quick question about testing
> 
> Thanks, all of you. Actually, about three years ago, our diabetes education
> department claimed to have a counselor available for those of us living with
> diabetes. I thought it might be useful to talk with her because I was going
> through a burn-out phase at the time. Would you believe, both appointments I
> kept started out by being required to fill out a form so they could get
> paid. The questions:
> 1. What was your blood sugar this morning?
> 2. Have you reduced your portion sizes this week?
> 3. How often are you testing?
> 
> Yeah, that's a great way to treat burn-out. On the morning of that second
> appointment, I'd gone through six strips without getting enough blood for
> any sort of reading. I tell you, I almost threw my meter at her. Instead, I
> behaved like a true adult. I cried and walked out. <grin> In the end, I got
> further using my own album to convince myself I was normal and okay and
> letting time just help me work my way through it. But good grief! I mean
> really! This woman didn't even know what my portions were, and whether or
> not I even needed to reduce them. 
> Granted, sometimes we need external help to do the things that will serve us
> in the long-run. Sometimes we need encouragement that supports whatever
> steps we have taken. And some days, I could just use a hug! Oh, and dark
> chocolate! <grin> So keep up the good work, everyone. And if you're having
> one of those days when you're ready to throw your meter as you get out the
> sixth strip, just remember that I might be doing exactly the same thing. And
> thanks so much for the company. I really do appreciate this group.
> Veronica
> 
> We woof you a Merry Christmas!
> Make the humans and dogs on your list really happy by giving them music from
> Veronica Elsea and The Guide Dog Glee Club at:
> http://www.laurelcreekmusic.com
>                 Veronica Elsea, Owner
> Laurel Creek Music Designs
> Santa Cruz, California
> Phone: 831-429-6407
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> Debbie Wunder
> Sent: Saturday, February 01, 2014 10:48 AM
> To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] A quick question about testing
> 
> Hello, I test anywhere from 4 to 6 times a day.
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
> To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, January 31, 2014 10:12 AM
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] A quick question about testing
> 
> 
>> Hi, Eileen!
>> I test four times per day with an occasional test two hours after a meal.
>> 
>> Mike Freeman
>> sent from my iPhone
>> 
>> 
>>> On Jan 31, 2014, at 8:01, Tom And Eileen Rivera Ley 
>>> <riveraley at verizon.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Question: how often do blind and visually disabled people with diabetes 
>>> test glucose each day?  More, less, or  as often as our sighted peers? 
>>> I'd love to know your experience.
>>> 
>>> Eileen Rivera Ley
>>> Baltimore, MD
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On Jan 31, 2014, at 7:00 AM, diabetes-talk-request at nfbnet.org wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Send Diabetes-talk mailing list submissions to
>>>>  diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
>>>> 
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>>>>  diabetes-talk-request at nfbnet.org
>>>> 
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>>>>  diabetes-talk-owner at nfbnet.org
>>>> 
>>>> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
>>>> than "Re: Contents of Diabetes-talk digest..."
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Today's Topics:
>>>> 
>>>> 1. Re: iBGStar (Star Gazer)
>>>> 2. {Disarmed} Fw: DrMirkin's eZine: Exercise's effect    on blood
>>>>    sugar, fish oil, more . . . (Dean Masters)
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>> 
>>>> Message: 1
>>>> Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 09:18:39 -0500
>>>> From: "Star Gazer" <pickrellrebecca at gmail.com>
>>>> To: "'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] iBGStar
>>>> Message-ID: <00ab01cf1dc6$2cb08610$86119230$@gmail.com>
>>>> Content-Type: text/plain;    charset="us-ascii"
>>>> 
>>>> Eileen, your post interests me.
>>>> I use Prodigy Voice, and I always thought when it said "blood glucose 
>>>> level
>>>> low" that the glucose was indeed low.  Am I incorrect in this? I've 
>>>> gotten
>>>> the "not enough blood" error, and I always took that to mean a different
>>>> error.
>>>> When it says "blood glucose low" I normally have other symptoms.
>>> 
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