[Diabetes-Talk] what am I doing wrong?

Veronica Elsea veronica at laurelcreekmusic.com
Wed Jan 2 20:09:27 UTC 2019 

For me, I wouldn't necessarily say practice makes perfect. <grin> It does make improvement though. I'm one of those who often had to do 4 to 6 finger sticks per test because I just wasn't getting enough blood. Now that I'm using the Dexcom G6 and my fingers are getting a nice break, when I do need to test, I usually get it on the first try. I've used many different talking meters over the years. Anybody remember all of the LifeScan meters that required us to buy third party boxes to attach to the meters? Some of them were cute but boy did they require a lot of blood! The thing I hated about the Prodigy is that it was so easy to set it off when say, sitting on a bus. At the moment I'm fortunate that my hubby made me a talking box for the FreeStyle Lite meter. It's way smaller than the Prodigy and requires half the blood. And yes, I also pick up the meter and bring it to my finger.
Veronica


"Guide Dogs, First Hand", Veronica Elsea's classic album is now available on iTunes, along with other music from her and from the Guide Dog Glee Club. 
To learn more, visit:
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                Veronica Elsea, Owner
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Santa Cruz, California
Phone: 831-429-6407


-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bernadette Jacobs via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2019 11:11 AM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
Cc: Bernadette Jacobs
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] what am I doing wrong?

Ya know it’s funny.  Hadn’t thought about suggesting to pick up the meter.  I’ve never done it any other way and I’ve been using the Prodigy Voice since 2007.  I guess I’d been doing it so long, it’s just a habit that I never even thought about.  I not only pick my meter up, I actually use my middle finger as a sort of guide and I seem to be able to manage it just find.  Just keep in mind, practice makes perfect.  

Warmly,

Bern

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jan 2, 2019, at 1:40 PM, d m gina via Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 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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>>>> panix.com
> 
> 
>>> --
> 
> 
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> 
> 
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> 
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> 
> 
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> -- 
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