4.0 at 4:00 p.m.

I just tested my blood sugar for TuDiabetes: 14K People Test Their Blood Sugar At The Same Time.

My result? 4.0 mmol/L at 4:00 p.m... I love it! (Actually, it was at 3:56 p.m. according to my meter but I think the time on my meter is a little off... it was 4:00 according to the clock on my computer.)

It looks like many people are on board and submitting their test results at a fierce pace based on the constant pinging of my e-mail inbox since I left my result, thanks to the feature that alerts you when others post a comment following your own.

I think I may need to turn off MSN Messenger for a while until the comments die down... but keep it up everyone, great job! :)

Ontario Assistive Devices Program (OADP)

Beginning September 2008, the Ontario government provides funding for the purchase of insulin pumps and insulin pump supplies for adults with Type 1 diabetes.

This bit of information may very well likely have already been posted by someone else from Ontario long ago, but it is something I just found out about two months ago when I had my endocrinologist appointment. My doctor told me about the new coverage through the Ontario Assistive Devices Program (OADP). It was great news for me, because our health insurance through my husband's previous employer is on the brink of cancellation. Like so many others, he was laid off back in November. His employer extended our health insurance coverage for 9 months or until he found new employment, whichever came first. He has finally found new employment, but insurance with them doesn't begin until his probationary period ends in September.

So during my appointment, my endo gave me the form for the program; I filled in my part, and left the form with him to fill in his and submit. I finally received a letter in the mail last week from OADP telling me that coverage is approved and that I will receive my first cheque in the mail sometime in the next 3 to 4 weeks.

So, great news right? The government covers my supplies and we don't have to worry about insurance coverage anymore (at least for pump supplies; we still need coverage for test strips, insulin, etc).

The problem is that I have some receipts that are in insurance limbo right now. I applied for OADP coverage slightly late because I didn't know it existed until two months ago. Without knowing that I was eligible for OADP, I had been purchasing my pump supplies as normal - I bought what I needed each month and saved the invoices, then about every four to six months I submit them all at once to my insurance company for reimbursement.

I'd been wondering why it was taking so long for my last claim to be processed, and today I got my answer. I received a letter from my insurance company stating that because OADP now covers insulin pump supplies, the last claim I had submitted to my insurance company for pump supplies from October 2008 through April 2009 was DENIED.

Six months of supplies at approx. $250 per month is $1,500. $1,500 which I may never see again because I should have applied for OADP coverage sooner.

I'm mad, but I suppose it is my own fault for not keeping myself informed. I knew that OADP coverage for insulin pump therapy had been granted in December 2006 to children age 18 and under with Type 1 diabetes. However, short of checking the Ministry of Health website on a regular basis, I'm not sure how I would have found out about adult coverage any sooner than I did. The government doesn't exactly freely advertise when they are giving away money. I suppose this is a lesson learned the hard way to keep abreast of developments in the diabetes world.

If you live in Ontario and, like me, have also been caught in OADP/insurance limbo, let me know. I'm not sure if we can resolve anything together, but it would be nice to know I'm not the only ignorant one. :)

Still trying

Okay, I know... it's been a while again.

I'd meant to post a couple of months ago after my endo appointment when my A1C miraculously came back at 6.6 - yay me. Seriously, I thought I was in for some disappointed-in-you frowns from my endo (he has an incredible way of making me feel guilty when my A1C is over 7). But instead he gave me a knowing smile and said, "Go make babies." To which I replied, "We're already trying."

Yes, I've been trying to get pregnant without the 'official' thumbs up from my doc, which I know isn't ideal. But I have been trying to do everything right - eating right, no alcohol, exercising, checking my blood sugar about a thousand times a day. It seems to all be in vain though because so far nothing has happened anyway.

I have an appointment next week with my GP to see if anything could be preventing a pregnancy. My period has been seriously messed up since I went off the pill after our wedding last year. Like, my cycle has been 6-8 weeks long instead of a standard 28-day cycle. I know it takes some time to get back in order after stopping the birth control pill, but this last stretch has me a little freaked out. It has been 12 weeks since my last period. I have taken 5 pee-stick tests and they are all clearly negative. So it's time to find out if anything else is up. I mean, I am almost 35 and trying to get pregnant for the first time.

* * * * *
On another note, it's been like a wonderful diabetes Christmas-in-July this week! I registered both of my Contour glucometers a few weeks ago (my Contour Link and regular, old Contour which is my backup), and today I received my matching pump and glucometer skins AND a fancy-shmancy carrying case for my glucometer. It's, well... LARGE. I'm not sure whether or not I'll use it, but it really is very pretty and matches my pump skins quite nicely.




p.s. It is berry season. My mother-in-law brought me a big bowl of strawberries last night so I made my Berry Muffins this morning. See here if you missed the recipe the first time.

Where I've Been

Wow, I can't believe it has been a year since I last wrote here. It's been so long that I actually forgot my Blogger password and had to do the password e-mail dance this morning, begging for entry.

So, where have I been? In a nutshell, I graduated in June with my education degree and am now officially a teacher of grades kindergarten to six. I had an interview with the local school board last month for their supply list and I am just waiting for a phone call to go and fill in paper work to officially become a board employee.

Oh, and I got married last month. August 9 to be exact. It was a perfect day from beginning to end. It was raining in the morning as we were getting ready, but I was uncharacteristically calm throughout my hair and make-up session and kept saying, "I know it's going to stop." And sure enough it did stop raining about an hour before the ceremony and stayed clear just long enough for outdoor pictures afterward. I wore my pump under my gown and used my remote control to bolus throughout the day and no one was any the wiser; although I have to say that using the washroom was comical, trying to keep the skirt and train of my dress AND the pump out of the way.

And we had an amazing honeymoon in Mexico, despite it being ridiculously hot and humid at this time of year. We spent most of our time by the pool, which was another interesting pump adventure for me being that it was my first time in a bathing suit since I started using my pump two years ago. Also, I think my insulin went funky in the heat on our third day there. I had perfect bg in the morning, then all of a sudden after lunch it spiked to 26 (468) and I couldn't do anything to bring it back down. When I had an inkling that it might be overheated insulin, I changed my set and reservoir and by late evening it settled back down to where it should be. An annoying disturbance, but our vacation was still fantastic overall!

Now, you may be wondering why am I back here posting all of a sudden after such a prolonged absence. Actually, there were many times throughout the past year that I meant to write something, then a pesky school assignment or lesson planning would get in the way, so it was always put on the back burner. But now that we are back from our honeymoon and settling back into "real life", we are planning for the next step in our future... expanding our little family.

I guess I am here to reach out to those in the Diabetes OC who have experienced pregnancy as a diabetic - and I want to be clear, I want to hear both sides, the good AND not-so-good. I have read all the articles about what to do before getting pregnant; have a good A1C and maintain it, yadda yadda yadda... I suppose I just want to hear more "real" stories about how it really went down for some women, not just doctors spouting what should be done.

I know I haven't been around in a while and most of you have likely forgotten who the heck I am, but I know there are some great people out there with sound words of advice, so this is the first place I'm turning to. What do you have to say, Diabetes OC?

Diabetic teachers

I've been using my pump for just over 14 months now. I am one of the few people with diabetes in my community who is on pump therapy. The local diabetes clinic has not had the funding nor staff to support a pump program.

Needless to say, it's an exciting day when I meet someone new and discover that s/he is a pumper. Until this week, I've only had one such experience.

On Tuesday, as my "section" waited in the hallway for our Educational Psychology class (we travel together as a group from class to class each day, similar to the way elementary school students would be in the same classes all day) , I noticed one of my classmates fiddling with a device encased in black leather clipped to his belt. At first I assumed it was a cell phone, but then I noticed the familiar narrow tube peeking out from under his shirt. I went over to him and exclaimed, "Hey! I have one too!" and flipped open the cover of my own leather-bound pump. Of course, d-talk ensued and various pump stories were exchanged.

Another classmate overheard our conversation and interjected, stating that she'd met a student in another section who also has an insulin pump, and later introduced me to her as we happened to pass by each other in the hallway. I thought to myself, wow... two pumpers in one day!

I exchanged more stories with the second pumper, and as we said our goodbyes, I told her how surprised I was to meet two pumpers in one day. She answered that she actually wasn't all that surprised. She thinks that our experiences as diabetics place us in a natural role as teachers. We are constantly educating the people around us about diabetes, whether we realize it or not. And we tend to be more sympathetic, because at one time or another we've felt even the most minor forms of discrimination.

I hadn't thought of that before. What do you think?