[Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin Pumps?

Sun Feb 9 22:43:09 UTC 2014

Amen, Bern! We're all worth the fight.
Next?
Veronica

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-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bernadette Jacobs
Sent: Sunday, February 09, 2014 11:18 AM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin Pumps?

Go Mike and Bridgit!!!  You guys are "cookin' with gas!!!"  That's what 
I tell Virginia when I think she's got what I'm trying to teach her or 
she's simply got the right idea!!!

I too, do not necessarily believe the line there's more to making it 
come true than just laying down and saying so!!!  We've gotta work out a 
plan; dive in; carry out that plan and work to make it work folks!!  
Just like we always used to do.  This truly is a war and the plan should 
be to make it work instead of fumbling around with our tails between our 
legs, let's get back to the barricades and do our stuff gang!!!

Bern
On 2/7/2014 4:52 AM, Denise Robinson wrote:
> You r so correct Bill
>
> Denise M Robinson
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On Feb 6, 2014, at 9:41 PM, "Bill Lewis" <wlewis19 at cox.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi Bridgit and troops,
>>
>> As I look back over time in the history books, I notice that governments seem to do things for votes and power, while progress and innovations come from private sources.  Just think of electricity, telephone, telegraph, railroads, trains, pullman cars, dining cars.  Think of automobiles, airplanes, food fads, public health growth, insulin, penicillin, etc.  Even workable space rockets and electronic satellites, etc. have all had their beginnings and/or growth from ;private sources.
>>
>> So what does that mean for diabetes?  Same answer, in part, but what the area of diabetic advancement is a Sugar Daddy who will donate and/or financially back designated areas of research including adaptive products to make appliances work in areas they were not specifically produced.  Right? Okay; so what's your idea?  --  Bill
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message----- From: Bridgit Pollpeter
>> Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2014 4:29 AM
>> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
>> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin Pumps?
>>
>> Mike,
>>
>> I do agree with you and wasn't necessarily directing my comments to you.
>> And I also said we aren't quite at the lie down and die stage, just
>> perhaps in the beginning phases, grin.
>>
>> I've never really been an Annie Orphan just waiting for tomorrow and
>> expecting sun will shine and life will be full of rainbows and puppy
>> dogs, but I also have learned in recent years that a huge difference can
>> happen between a negative outlook and positive outlook.
>>
>> Having said that, I'm inclined to think war is what will allow for more
>> change than peace negotiations at this point. Sometimes a smile and a
>> nice pair of legs gets you in the door, but then a little hard-balling
>> is necessary to get the job done, ha-ha!
>>
>> And as I've said before, nothing will happen until more people join
>> together and demand change. We've seen it work with other minority
>> groups, and yes, often it came down to war, as you say, but obviously
>> this doesn't mean physical war but clearly putting up a strong, united
>> front not afraid to stand up against anyone or anything, and using
>> whatever is at our disposal to accomplish our goals.
>>
>> Okay, another early morning rant.
>>
>> Bridgit
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>> Of Mike Freeman
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2014 10:11 AM
>> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
>> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin
>> Pumps?
>>
>>
>> Brigit:
>>
>> Who said anything about giving up? Certainly I did not. Back in the
>> Precambrian era (starting in 1988), the NFB of Washington started
>> working on our state's "Braille Bil". We secured passage in 1996.
>> Persistence and determination are the names of the game.
>>
>> Where I believe many in the NFB become confused is when they
>> misinterpret my realism with negativism. To put it bluntly, I believe in
>> knowing one's enemies before one attacks. I am uncomfortable with ra-ra
>> "we're gonna do it" rhetoric.
>>
>> I prefer: here's what we're up against; here's what's unlikely to work
>> -- at least in the short run -- and here's how we will proceed to flank
>> the enemies' positions. If it isn't obvious already, I look upon this as
>> a war
>> -- a war in which we should expect to fight alone almost to its end when
>> others will jump on the bandwagon, saying that they were for our goals
>> all along.
>>
>> To the barricades!
>>
>> Mike Freeman
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>> Of Bridgit Pollpeter
>> Sent: Monday, February 03, 2014 11:40 PM
>> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
>> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin
>> Pumps?
>>
>> Okay, I sincerely think Mike has a point, but so do Sandy and Veronica
>> and the rest in favor of being more positive about the issue. When has
>> changed ever happened when people lay down and give up? I'm not saying
>> we are quite there yet, but I see a lot more comments implying this
>> issue will never budge so why waste the time. The reality is that blind
>> people have been working and fighting for decades for all manner of
>> issues, and while we've paved a lot of roads, there's still so much we
>> are waiting to change. Nonetheless, while I don't always agree with a
>> particular course of action the Federation takes at times, I do know
>> that the Federation, and blind people in general, are good at being
>> inventive  and innovative. What I equally observe is that sometimes we
>> have difficulty trying new things at first. Maybe our veteran and up and
>> coming great minds need to collaborate and think up new, creative ways
>> to go at the issue of accessible technology. Just saying. It's also 1:30
>> am here, so maybe none of this is coherent, grin.
>>
>> Bridgit
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>> Of Sandi
>> Sent: Monday, February 03, 2014 5:58 PM
>> To: 'Bill Lewis'; 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
>> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin
>> Pumps?
>>
>>
>> Perhaps you need to say more.  Things change, and in this world of small
>> technology and much-improved speech, I think it's likely that it
>> wouldn't have to cost as much.  And if they built it into each meter and
>> charged a couple of extra bucks to everyone, instead of heaping it all
>> on us, I think it could be done reasonably.  Or at least I think we need
>> to check it out. Things that are don't remain static.
>>
>> Sandi
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>> Of Bill Lewis
>> Sent: Monday, February 3, 2014 5:01 PM
>> To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
>> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin
>> Pumps?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Sandy, do you remember several years ago, when someone talked with a rep
>> from Abbott Laboratories about voice-added on meters, and was told that
>> to break even on cost, other expenses, and make it economical, they
>> would have to sell 20,000 units per day.  Need I say more?  --  Bill
>> Lewis
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Sandi
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2014 6:51 PM
>> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
>> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin
>> Pumps?
>>
>> I agree, Bridget.  It would be handy to have at least the Diabetes
>> Action Network working on putting a face to the problem.  I know what
>> the manufacturers think, and all their excuses for not making technology
>> accessible.  I also know we're a minority.  But there are people out
>> there who care that everyone has access to health care, and I think we
>> could act as a collective and accomplish something.
>>
>> Sandi
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>> Of Bridgit Pollpeter
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2014 1:58 PM
>> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
>> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin
>> Pumps?
>>
>> But what also are we doing about it? I mean, as far as I know, there's
>> no real initiative, no organized group of us going out there and giving
>> a voice to this problem. I'm not so naïve to think that if we act more
>> as a collective on this issue medical devices, including pumps, will
>> magically be developed with accessibility in mind, but it puts a face
>> and a voice to the issue. I understand this is not the most important
>> issue blind people face, so groups like the NFB don't take it up as an
>> individual cause or action, but when we face similar issues, often task
>> forces are developed, or we connect with other organizations to create a
>> louder voice. Braille, websites, education, employment, other types of
>> technology, the Federation is pretty good about taking action and as a
>> collective, we present our case to the group or company in question. I'm
>> not saying this need become a a Federation cause the entire organization
>> acts upon, but right now, especially in terms of accessible pumps, it
>> seems like individuals are taking up the torch and we are not working as
>> a collective in any shape or form. I don't know the answers or even how
>> to make this suggestion a reality, but if we had more of a collective
>> voice showing up to medical conferences, visiting with companies and the
>> medical community, doing it on a somewhat larger scale than we currently
>> are, perhaps we will at least be listened too. When we do this as a
>> single person, it doesn't make very big ripples in the pond, but if we
>> had more manpower behind us, maybe a bigger splash will be noticed. Just
>> talking, or writing rather, out loud, grin.
>>
>> Bridgit
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>> Of Mike Freeman
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2014 11:59 AM
>> To: 'Everett Gavel'; 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
>> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin
>> Pumps?
>>
>>
>> Hi, Everett.
>>
>> I'm afraid the likelihood is damned near nil. You may remember that
>> Prodigy was supposedly working on an accessible insulin pump a few years
>> ago but, for all practical purposes, dropped the project. I suspect the
>> reason was very simple: the development process plus the cost of getting
>> a pump FDA
>> 510(k) certified so that it could be marketed/sold in the U.s. was too
>> great for the number of accessible pumps that might be sold.
>>
>> Moreover, there is in prototype already such a device -- the Pump-mate,
>> developed by James Kubel of Access Solutions (we gave him a Bolotin
>> award last year). Take a look at http://www.pump-mate.com to read about
>> it. At one time, Medtronics engineers were working with him to perfect
>> the device but said engineers are no longer working for Medtronics and
>> it won't give Mr. Kubel the time of day anymore. I suspect the reason is
>> exactly the same -- too costly to develop and get a system certified for
>> the revenue that would be generated.
>>
>> I realize that no one wants to hear/read this but I think we should
>> confront reality head-on: this is part of what it means to be a minority
>> (remember, we've said from the days of Kenneth Jernigan onward that the
>> blind are a minority).
>>
>> I wish things would change but there's no easy fix.
>>
>> Mike Freeman
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>> Of Everett Gavel
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2014 9:19 AM
>> To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: [Diabetes-talk] What About Prodigy Working with Insulin Pumps?
>>
>> Hi Mike, and all,
>>
>> I've signed on recently for a Medtronic pump, though the actual name
>> escapes me as i write this. Sorry about that. However, despite the beeps
>> and bops it makes audibly, it's not, of course, actually accessible as
>> we know accessibility.
>>
>> It comes with it's own glucose meter, and my question (if not more a
>> suggestion to the industry) is, what is the likelihood of Prodigy, which
>> makes an accessible, talking glucose meter (which I absolutely love),
>> working with pump makers to incorporate their prodigy meter to work with
>> pumps instead of these inaccessible models now being used?
>>
>> Just an idea to throw out there, I guess.
>>
>>
>> Strive On!
>> Everett
>>
>>
>>
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