[Diabetes-talk] A quick question about testing

Mon Feb 3 18:16:03 UTC 2014

Hi Folks, Bill Lewis here.  I  want to share just an observation:

  There is no free lunch or free seminar for diabetics either.  Such things 
are paid for from -somewhere.  When I was first diagnosed with diabetes-2 I 
was told about a Diabetes Seminar and Program for diabetics, new and old 
timers.

The program was staffed by professionals, discussings diabetes from numerous 
points of view -- exercise, diet, medications, insulin use, and emotional 
responses and techniques for coping with negative emotions.  Dealing with 
burnout was a subject near the end of the workshop, combined with the 
emotional responses section.  The workshop hours were from 8:30 a.m. to 
3:p.sp.m.  Monday through Friday for one week.

In this case, the workshop was invaluable, because all the books and 
magazines I have read in the years since then covered the same subjects 
touched on by the workshop.

And that's where the problem comes in.  The thoroughness and effectiveness 
of such wworkshops depends on the quality of the teaching.  This particular 
diabetes seminar was financed by a federal grant.  When I checked on it some 
years later, I notice the hospital no longer can offer it.  There is, 
though, one diabetes dietition who offers two-hour question and answer 
meetings with patients, upon request and without charge.  Hospitals 
havetheir own dietitions and nurses to discuss diabetes with in-house 
patients and for a few hours as home care follow-up.  But I haven't heard in 
recent years of workshops for groups of diabetes over days, but there may be 
a one-time seminar scheduled somewhere in the evenings or afternoons.

I believe American Diabetes Association does not do enough fund-raising 
nationally, so they can afford to sponser workshops.

The Muscular Distrophy Foundation, on whose Governing board I once belonged, 
finances monthly M.D. Evaluation clinics in selected hospitals around the 
country to evaluate newly diagnosed patients and evaluate the ongoing 
treatment of patients over time, and no charge to the patients.  The 
evaluation and treatment team usually consists of a physician, psychologist, 
social worker, physical therapist, occupational therapist, and sometimes a 
speech therapist, along with home-based follow-up, if required.

In my view, that's the way even a diabetes clinic should be staffed; but 
there's no money to pay for the resources and staffing.  Maybe someday . .

Hope this email input was not too long.   Bill

-----Original Message----- 
From: Star Gazer
Sent: Saturday, February 01, 2014 5:13 PM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] A quick question about testing

The counselor wasn't there to help you she was there to tell the department 
what they wanted to hear. She was seeking out clients not the other way 
around which means she didn't give a fig about anybody she saw. I am sorry 
you went through this.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 1, 2014, at 5:21 PM, "Veronica Elsea" 
> <veronica at laurelcreekmusic.com> wrote:
>
> 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
>>>>
>>>> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
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>>>> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
>>>>  diabetes-talk-request at nfbnet.org
>>>>
>>>> You can reach the person managing the list at
>>>>  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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