Test Strips

Toes
Originally uploaded by amberthyme.

I think we used 400 test strips in one month.
It took 3 test strips to get her number in this particular instance.
I'm not sure how that happened. I keep checking the cabinets thinking, "Maybe I missed a spot." I haven't. I know she's had a lot of lows lately and we test a lot when that happens. We've also experienced some meter errors but I 'm not sure that that would be enough to suck up 400 test strips. I just hope we didn't throw a box (or two) away by accident.

O.K. math is not my best subject so I broke out the calculator. It's been exactly 46 days and 400 divided by 46 = 8.69.... I looked back through her logbook and we've been testing Brenna between 6 and 12 times a day. I guess we did use that many strips. Considering that it's about $1 per strip I am VERY thankful for insurance. Brenna's diabetes educator is wonderful. She said that she'd order a batch of 600 for her. That ought to throw the pharmacy for a loop! I just went to link to that story and it wasn't there! I guess I'll have to write it again.

Last time I went to pick up her test strips from the pharmacy they gave me one box of 100. It wasn't my usual pharmacy guy who knows Brenna and has seen me about monthly since last August - he'd know better. This pharmacy is almost directly across the street from the Library where I work & I can usually pop across the street during my 15 minute break to pick up prescriptions. Here's the conversation (at least how I remember it):

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Me: "Excuse me, can you tell me why there is only one box?"

Lady:"Looks like the tag says 100 test strips and that's how many are in the box. It must be how many your doctor ordered for you."

Me:"Humm, that's funny. This is a reorder. I used the lable on the box when I placed the order online and there were 4 boxes in the last prescription."

Lady:"That does sound strange. Let me check with the Pharmacist."

Me: "Thanks"

Lady: "She wants to know if you really need that many test strips."

Me: "Wow, really? Well, my 2 year old daughter has type 1 diabetes and we test her at least 6 to 8 times a day --even more if she has a hypoglycemic episode. If she goes low we test her every 15 minutes until her numbers are back to normal. I'll take the 100 strips but it won't last very long. I've got to get back to work soon, I'm only on a break."

Lady:"Thanks If you can wait a few more minutes we'll have those other boxes ready for you."

Me: "Thank you for your help, but my break is over. I'll be back during my lunch time."

So now the Pharmacist is second guessing the doctor? Or did she just think I was lying? The clerk seemed very friendly but I thought it was bizarre that the pharmacist didn't even come out to speak to me personally. Wierd. It was a very nice day for walking and I actually had an hour lunch that day. They had all 400 strips ready and waiting when I got there. I was glad that I didn't get ticked off especially since it wasn't the clerks fault. Boy, won't they be surprised when they get an order for 600! He he he! If they question me I'll have them call Brenna's diabetes educator.

Computer Problems

Or, more accurately internet conection problems. I called my brother and I didn't even get to try what he suggested and my internet works again! Yay! Lets just hope it keeps going. If not . . . pull out my bag of tricks.

In Grampa's Pond

What you can't see is a little bitty whirlpool in the pond.

Something that's been bugging me

I work at a library. No matter where you work it can be very stressful. It's budget time again and everyone that has to put together a budget (or two, or three) is a little cranky. Actually, yesterday should end that in some circles since it was the day to turn them in to Management. Even though there is stress and crankiness everyone is usually kind in other ways. Everyday someone not the same person everyday but someone will ask how Brenna is doing or how all the kids are doing. Depending on how I feel they may accidentally get too much information about the latest illness going around the house and what it is doing to Brenna's numbers or how crusty Rowan's nose is . . . well, you see what I mean. All of you get that info and more but if you didn't want to know you wouldn't be here right?

Last week Brenna was sick. When I'm worried that it might be something serious I usually clam up and don't talk to anyone at work about it until I know I won't be crying all over the place. Anyhow, I don't remember if I volunteered the information because I got a doctor's appointment for Brenna or whether she actually asked how the kids were doing or because I needed to let her know I'd be leaving early that day to get her to the appointment on time but I told this person that Brenna was up all night coughing. I didn't go into detail telling her how the cough sounded slimy and wet not croupy or dry and that she was coughing so hard that her face would turn red and and she'd inhale like she had been holding her breath for two minutes after her coughing fit was over. I just said "Brenna's sick, she was coughing all night, and I have to leave at 2 to get pick her up in time so I don't disrupt the kids afternoon routine". I don't know if I did anything to provoke this or not but this person responded, "Well, life is hard." with a get used to it kind of tone. Well, no shit. My response to that was "Too bad Brenna has to learn about it so soon". Most of the time I hold it together really well inspite of sleep deprivation and all the other stuff that happens. This episode didn't bother me until later, I was more worried about Brenna than my co-worker's attitude. Now, I can't seem to let it go. So here I am blogging about it. Sometimes I DO give to much info but I usually catch myself before I go to far. Or so I thought. Maybe I've been complaining a lot lately. I know I've been rather gloomy. I even went to a happiness workshop in an effort to feel better. What I didn't tell her is that I have heard of a lot of kids in this area getting pnumonia and I know that our area has a higher number of pnumonia related deaths compared to other places. There was even an article in our local paper today. I was scared she might be really sick, her numbers were in the 400's that day and the 300's the day before. I really try hard to just keep things brief. If you work with me and are lurking I'd appreciate feedback to see if I'm actually talking more about my woes than I think I am. I don't believe I deserved that kind of brush off attitude. If she didn't care she could have just said, "O.K. see you later." I deliberately kept the info to a minimum and still got a negative attitude. Grrr.

It's been a long time

I haven't posted much lately. I haven't really felt like I had anything interesting to say. It's not that there hasn't been anything worth ranting about (cancelled IEP, fluctuating numbers, heavy antibiotics, pinkeye, budget time at work, etc.) I just don't feel like I have anything interesting to say. I feel kind of blah. I have several posts that I've started and saved to drafts -- maybe I'll finish them someday.

I did it!

Brenna put this shirt on all by herself!

And now for something completely different. . .

When I was little I lived in San Diego. I remember that we had passes to the Wild Animal Park and Sea World because we went all the time but I can't remember if we had annual passes to the San Diego Zoo. It was so much fun. Mom, Brenna, and I will be going to the CWD Pumping Confrence in San Diego in April so I decided to take an peek at some of my favorite places online.
One of the cool things I discovered while poking around was the Shamu Cam I am actually watching two killer whales swimming around right now. It is so cool. Mind you, I watched a lot of empty tank time too today before I figured that I could shrink my widows enough to display the Shamu Cam. If you follow the link it takes you to a cool animation that looks very real but to get the Shamu Cam you'll have to follow their link at the bottom of the page. Apparantly San Diego has a lot of streaming video cams all over. It is way cool but seems to be rather big brotherish. There are a couple of Zoo cams so if you like Pandas, Apes, Elephants, or Polar Bears take a look.