Today I finally got some blood work done. Oddly enough, they just wanted me to get blood drawn for a glucose sometime when i was high, cause for some odd reason they have absolutely no proof I have diabetes (I guess besides the fact that I'm on insulin- WTF?). Sometimes my healthcare amazes me. All they needed me to do was go sometime when my bs was above 200. I was 200 when I got home from school today, so I went. I got the blood drawn, then went out to my car and clocked in at 198. Whoops- maybe they will decide I don't have diabetes? I gave myself 4 units and was 130 by dinner. Yay!
Anyways, I decided it's time to get a pro-pump endo. A person I go to school with has a pump, but she still goes to her peds endocrinologist, so she couldn't really help me. Minimed.com has a section on finding a doctor, and there is one whole doctor listed in my area, so that made the decision easy ;) I called and turns out it's a whole practice, so I asked to see the nicest, pro-pumpist doctor right away. Receptionist blurted out immediately, "Oh, you want to see Dr. C" Okay, that was encouraging. SO I see Dr. C is 4 weeks.
Right now my main goal in my diabetes care is getting a pump. I see so many advantages- different basal rates, square boluses to help cope with gastroparesis, and smaller dosing (so I can actually dose for something below 15 grams of carb)! I'm seriously so excited.
So to help with this process, I'm doing everything I can do to speed up the process. I've researched ad nauseaum, and decided with the Animas or the Deltec, I can't decide which. So I'm going to bring the paper work with me for both companies, with the health history section filled out with the stuff I know I can fill out, and ask endo if he has a preference. Since this is a whole diabetes center, I know they have CDEs, and I might even be able to see them there. I have seen the animas and minimed, and like the way both look (but I limited minimed for not being waterproof), but I want to see the Deltec up close and personal.
I also have revamped my logging. I now am logging all insulin doses, all carbs, all exercise, and all blood sugars on a chart. I'm going to make copies to give new endo.
Finally, I am having all my blood work sent to me so I can bring copies with me.
I'm going to put blood work results, logs, pump paperwork, and a list of ways a pump would benefit me in a folder to give to new endo. I hope it goes well!
Can anyone think of anything else I can do to speed things up? My insurance changes in July, and my pump co-pay will jump for $10 to $1200 then, so time is of the essence.
About Me
- Christine
- I'm a 20-something year old working as an RN. I'm also in graduate school obtaining my masters degree. I bought my first house just over a year ago. I'm always looking for a way to save some change!
4 comments:
Hi Megan,
Nice blog you've got here. Man, the logging's a bitch! I'm trying to get back into it after boycotting for 2 months. Aaack!
Anyway, take care!
Hey Megan,
That's just crazy to think that they want your blood work done when you are high! I swear, you can seriously tell that a non-diabetic makes these rules.
I think you have an excellent plan laid out. I would just be sure to explain the time constraints to the endo and get him/her on board asap. If the Dr. office cooperates on the paperwork, it can happen in just a matter of a couple days.
And, by the way, George over at The B.A.D. Blog is not pumping quite yet, so there's still time! :-) You can poke fun at him for being the last one in the club!
Actually, I say that all with tongue in cheek. There's a lot of folks in the OC who are not pumping. I know Johnboy is not, and I can't be sure (just don't remember), but I don't think Keith is either.
So, it's always a "YMMV" type of thing - and for those folks there are reasons they are not pumping, and they are getting along just swell.
I look forward to answering any questions that come up as you investigate your pumping options - as I tell George, just post the Q up on your blog and there will be swarms of your OC buddies to answer them.
You can go ahead and contact the pump companies you are interested in and ask for their info packets and to meet a sales rep. The pump companies will also contact your insurance to see what you need to do (some want 3 mos of blood sugars, all will want a statement form from your doc, some just need a sign off from your doc). They will also determine your copay - the insurance price is never the same as the retail price, so it varies.
Good luck!
In addition to what Kassie said, call the doctor EVERYDAY to make sure they've faxed the paperwork to the pump company when you've decided which one you'll choose. And if the doctor's office said they did it, call the pump company to make sure they've received it. Don't rely on anybody's word.
The process will go quickly if everything runs smoothly.
Brendon uses the Cozmo. We asked his nurse educator to recommend which pump would be best for him and she said Cozmo.
My point is that we chose what his team was more enthusiastic about because I felt they'd tend to know more about that particular pump.
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