[Diabetes-Talk] what am I doing wrong?

d m gina dmgina at mysero.net
Wed Jan 2 18:40:45 UTC 2019 

yay good for you,
that silly practice is what it takes loll.

Original message:
> I am also picking up my meter.
> I was able to get four readings today so that is progress. Sunday I got 
> two and yesterday I got three… So I’m getting there.


>> On Jan 1, 2019, at 9:24 PM, Jeanette Kutash via Diabetes-Talk 
>> <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

>> Jamie, I pick up my meter. I was told not to do that by a CDE, but in my
>> experimenting I found I had more control that way and ultimately more
>> success in getting blood on the strips. I started testing pre the Prodigy
>> Voice and it was infinitely harder to use previous meters. From my
>> perspective, if we all went by what sighted people thought we could or
>> couldn't do we'd be sitting home in rocking chairs. With patience,  you will
>> get this.

>> Jeanette

>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
>> Jamie Gurganus via Diabetes-Talk
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2019 2:01 PM
>> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
>> Cc: jamielgurganus at gmail.com
>> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] what am I doing wrong?

>> I totally agree with Bridget, and here is my soap box speech to those who
>> don't think blind individuals can do things like sighted people.

>> I lost my sight in 1986 in my senior year of nursing school.  I didn't let
>> that stop me and went on to obtain my BSW and Master's in Counseling.  And,
>> much of my time in college was using "ancient" forms of technology (i.e.
>> tape cassettes, dictating papers to have them typed, etc.)  Fortunately for
>> me, I met a man at Penn State who asked me if I would be willing to test out
>> the first talking computer.  I took off from there.

>> Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something.  Check out Kevin
>> Frost, the deaf/blind speed skater, Mike May, a totally blind record-holding
>> downhill speed skier and  Erik Weihenmayer, the first blind man to climb Mt.
>> Everest.  Now, those are things that I would not even want to try blind or
>> sighted, but I have mastered a lot of things that many didn't think a blind
>> person could do.  For example, having two kids, being a foster parent, being
>> a good cook and  having a huge vegetable garden, etc.  My biggest pet peeve
>> was when people would ask me on the bus who helped me take care of my baby.
>> With the support of other blind parents, I learned how to do things for my
>> children on my own.  And, I raised a child who was born extremely premature,
>> has low vision and autism.  He is now a very brilliant college student.  I
>> also had both of my children reading at high levels when they entered
>> kindergarten.

>> Today's technological advances makes it even easier to be blind in a sighted
>> world.  It is hard to imagine, but I used to draw up my insulin using
>> brailled strips on the syringe to know how far back to draw it up.  No one
>> even uses syringes today with the invention of the pens.  So, you will get
>> this.  It takes time and patience, but you will get it and then wonder why
>> you couldn't in the beginning.  I have used every device invented to
>> independently do my own blood sugars.  Each one had its challenges in
>> getting blood on the strip, but today's meters are so much better.  No one
>> else has mentioned doing this, but I have found it easier to pick up the
>> meter and touch the end of the strip to my finger.  I put a tissue down,
>> poke and then milk my finger and then pick up the meter and bring the strip
>> to my finger.  I have the most trouble getting my fingers to bleed when they
>> are cold, so I always wash my hands in warm water and milk the finger I plan
>> to poke under the water.

>> Good luck and Happy New Year!

>>                               Jamie


>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Bridgit
>> Kuenning-Pollpeter via Diabetes-Talk
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 1, 2019 9:33 AM
>> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter <bkpollpeter at gmail.com>
>> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] what am I doing wrong?

>> Plenty of totally blind people test their blood sugars with success every
>> day. Even sighted people can struggle in the beginning with testing; nurse
>> educators don't just see blind patients, grin. Sight can make it more
>> convenient in the beginning, but I don't think it's necessarily a sight vs.
>> blindness thing. Some of us don't have many problems testing nonvisually,
>> and some of us need more practice and patience. But it's the same for
>> sighted diabetics; I speak with experience here, grin. So, it's very much an
>> individual situation here and not always specific to how much or little we
>> see.

>> Amber, I'm sorry it's so frustrating right now. Perhaps using the highest
>> setting on the lancer is giving too much blood? Just keep practicing and try
>> as many methods you can think of. When you go to the endo office, they wipe
>> the finger after poking then squeeze again to try to avoid smearing, so,
>> maybe try that.

>> Bridgit

>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Jude
>> DaShiell via Diabetes-Talk
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 1, 2019 9:19 AM
>> To: Amber Wallenstein via Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: Jude DaShiell <jdashiel at panix.com>
>> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] what am I doing wrong?

>> My guess is you smeared the strip.  The blood needs to drip through the air
>> onto the strip in order for you not to smear the strip.  This is why
>> Medicare doesn't recommend totally blind people do their independent blood
>> sugar testing.  Much easier for those with sight to do this.

>> On Tue, 1 Jan 2019, Amber Wallenstein via Diabetes-Talk wrote:

>>> Date: Tue, 1 Jan 2019 09:54:30
>>> From: Amber Wallenstein via Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: Amber Wallenstein <amber.wallens at gmail.com>
>>> Subject: [Diabetes-Talk] what am I doing wrong?

>>> I got my meter on Sunday. Sunday and yesterday I did OK with it.
>>> Today,
>> however, no matter what I do it says my blood sample is not enough.  It
>> beeps like it?s going to test, and does it really quickly like I got enough
>> of a sample on the strip but no matter what it won?t do a reading.  I know
>> there is plenty of blood because I can feel it on my skin.
>>> Is something defective or am I doing something wrong?  Like I said I
>>> did
>> fine yesterday.
>>> I am finding the meter super frustrating to be honest.  But I want to
>>> be
>> able to use it successfully when needed.
>>> Amber
>>> _______________________________________________
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>> Diabetes-Talk:
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>>> panix.com


>> --


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--Dar
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