Category Archives: General

My Fours Meme

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Sue B_Head SquareSince I have run out of things to say on a blogpost, this is a great way to let everyone know that I’m still here. Thanks to Laddie who sent the idea to me and Kelly Kunik of Diabetesaliciousness from whom I got the questions. Kelly mentions other D-bloggers who posted a Meme of Fours and be sure to follow those links to read their blogposts.

1. Four names people call me other than my real name:

  1. Mom
  2. MomMom
  3. Susie the B
  4. Susie Q

2. Four jobs I’ve had:

  1. Legal Secretary
  2. Owner of a Wig Shop
  3. Owner of a Hobby Shop
  4. Owner of an Italian Ice and Ice Cream Shop

3. Four movies I’ve watched more than once:

  1. Dirty Dancing
  2. Top Gun
  3. Waterboy
  4. Die Hard

Meme of Fours_SueB4. Four Books I’d Recommend:

  1. Roots
  2. A Time to Kill
  3. Anything by Faye Kellerman
  4. Sotah

5. Four Places I’ve Lived:

  1. Philadelphia, PA
  2. Los Angeles, CA
  3. Trenton, NJ
  4. Harrisburg, PA

6. Four Places I’ve Visited:

  1. Nassau
  2. Puerto Rico
  3. Grand Cayman
  4. Grand Turks

7. Four Things I Prefer Not to Eat:

  1. Ham
  2. Sushi
  3. Salmon
  4. Frog Legs

8. Four of My Favorite Foods:

  1. Spaghetti & Meatballs
  2. Hot and Sour Soup
  3. Boneless Spareribs
  4. Peanut M & M’s

9. Four TV Shows I Watch:

  1. All the NCIS shows
  2. Law & Order SVU
  3. Revenge
  4. Walking Dead

10. Four Things I’m Looking Forward to This Year:

  1. Seeing my kids in Atlanta
  2. Lunching with Friends
  3. House Hunting with my son
  4. Spring (this winter has been the pits)

11. Four Things I’m Always Saying:

  1. I love you
  2. Isn’t it a good day
  3. I’ve never felt better
  4. Geez, it’s so cold outside

My Meme of Fours

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Laddie_Head SquareI have plenty of ideas for blogposts but am suffering from an extended bout of laziness. The Meme of Fours is right up my alley because it is easy and fun to do. Plus, I hope that I can convince my co-bloggers Sue from New York and Sue from Pennsylvania to chime in with their own Meme of Fours.

Thanks to:

    1. k2
    2. Kunik
    3. KellyK
    4. Kel and Kel-Bel

or Kelly Kunik of Diabetesaliciousness from whom I got the questions. She mentions other D-bloggers who posted a list of fours and be sure to follow those links to read their posts.

1. Four names people call me other than my real name:

  1. Mom
  2. Grandma
  3. Ma’am
  4. The nicest bossy person I know

2. Four jobs I’ve had:

  1. Accountant
  2. Stay-at-home Mom
  3. Accompanist—piano and organ
  4. Do-it-all at Kinkos/Fedex Office

3. Four movies I’ve watched more than once:

  1. The Sound of Music
  2. Tin Cup
  3. Dreamgirls
  4. Frozen

Meme of Fours4. Four books I’d recommend

  1. Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes
  2. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
  3. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande
  4. American Assassin by Vince Flynn

5. Four places I’ve lived:

  1. Greenville, SC
  2. Princeton, NJ
  3. Minneapolis, MN
  4. Rio Verde, AZ

6. Four places I’ve visited:

  1. St. Andrews, Scotland
  2. St. Moritz, Switzerland
  3. Grand Canyon, Arizona
  4. Disney World, Florida

7. Four things I prefer not to eat:

  1. Live baby octopus (Thanks for the video, Mike!)
  2. Sushi and anything uncooked
  3. Meat with lots of gristle
  4. All things delicious because I have diabetes… Not!

8. Four of my favorite foods:

  1. Chicken chili
  2. Stir-fried chicken and veggies
  3. Mixed nuts
  4. Cantaloupe

9. Four TV shows I watch:

  1. Big Bang Theory
  2. NCIS
  3. NBC Nightly News before the Brian Williams fiasco
  4. CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley

10. Four things I’m looking forward to this year:

  1. Every hike I go on In Arizona
  2. The UnConference
  3. My son and family visiting in late March
  4. Visiting my other son and family in Annapolis

11. Four things I’m always saying

  1. Golf is a stupid game.
  2. Life is Good.
  3. Enjoy today.
  4. You can do this.

Two Life Hacks and a Story

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Laddie_Head SquareGoing Home with an Animas Ping/Vibe:  I have been using an Animas Ping pump for over two years and still go crazy with the convoluted menu system. One of the most frustrating things is the lack of an Escape or Back button and I have b*tched about that more than once, twice, ten times, a hundred times. Many bloggers reviewing the just-released Animas Vibe complained about the same thing.

in the Animas Users Group at TuDiabetes, a Norwegian Vibe user with the screen name of Siri (not my iPhone Siri) told me about a shortcut to escape the endless menus of Animas pumps and return to the home screen. Just press the Audio Bolus button on the right side of the pump. Then press the OK button or any key on the front of the pump. You will be returned to the home screen. Siri learned this from her Animas Rep.

With this trick, I will probably save an inconsequential 5 minutes a year, but I will save myself oodles of frustration. Honestly I have to admit that in the last couple of months, I have become so adept with my Ping that I really don’t hate it anymore…. I am definitely looking forward to receiving my Vibe:-)

iPhone trick:  Younger readers of this blog who have grown up texting probably know about keyboard shortcuts. Even I knew about them and had seen the “omg” already programmed into my iPhone and iPad. Because I text like an “old person” and type out exactly what I want to say, I never bothered using shortcuts and never programmed any into my phone. A couple months ago after being annoyed about having to type my email address into so many online forms, it dawned on me that I could use a keyboard shortcut for my email address. Therefore I programmed “mgm” into my phone as a keyboard shortcut for my gmail account.  I set up “mcm” for an alternative Comcast email account. “tgg” enters my blog web address. These shortcuts work on most websites and blogs and save me a lot of error-filled typing.

To set up a keyboard shortcut, go to Settings/General/Keyboard/Shortcuts. Click on the + in the upper right hand corner. Enter your email address as the phrase and a series of letters for your shortcut. One glitch is that a space is automatically entered after your email address when you press the space bar to use your shortcut. That is great for emails and texts, but most website forms interpret this space as meaningful and will reject your address. So after the email populates itself, you may have to backspace before entering your password. Keyboard shortcuts entered on one device automatically show up on your other Apple devices.

If you decide to give this a try and like it, just remember that you learned this from a 62-year old woman. It is never too late for this old dog to learn new tricks!

A Story:  Last Wednesday I hiked in the morning with a group of friends. I came home, cleaned up a bit, and had lunch. The refrigerator was empty so I went to “town” to shop. In the winter I live in the boondocks of Arizona and have a 20+ minute drive to the grocery store. Although I had drunk a lot of water on my hike, I was still thirsty and grabbed a can of carbonated water for the road.

I went to the hardware store, took Abby the Black Lab to the dog park for tennis ball retrieving on grass, and went to Safeway to buy food (low carb of course!). I was still thirsty so stopped by the adjacent convenience store to buy an unsweetened iced tea to carry me through the afternoon.Bud Light Box I grabbed the almost empty can of carbonated water to throw away and gasped as I saw it was a can of Bud Light! I had been driving around town drinking beer. Arizona has no-tolerance laws for alcohol and driving and I think that I would have been thrown in jail had a policeman seen me chugging beer as I completed my errands.

Bud Light in cans is not our beer of choice. I think this can was 3-4 years old and a remnant of the last time my husband entertained Minnesota golfing buddies in our winter paradise. Because I try to avoid Diet Coke, I drink enough weirdly-flavored carbonated water and iced tea drinks that a flat, tasteless beer didn’t register as something I shouldn’t be drinking.

I’ve told this story to many of my local friends. Everyone proclaimed that I was the last person that they would have envisioned drinking and driving at lunchtime. They also swore that they would have visited me in jail. It is a funny story that is actually quite terrifying.

When I got home, I checked my refrigerator’s “canned water” bin and there were no other cans of beer. I wish that I had checked the date on the beer can to see how old it was. At the same time I am glad that this is just a funny story told from the safety of my living room. Because I was totally unaware of what was going on, I have no idea how I would have tried to explain this to a policeman.

Summary: One diabetes hint, one iPhone hint, and a story about drinking and driving. Sounds like a great blogpost to me:-)

Making Memories

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Sue B_Head SquareMy husband Marc is a Type 1 diabetic with hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia unawareness. Before going on Medicare in June of 2012, he had been using a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) with full coverage by private insurance. As most of you know, Medicare does not cover the CGM. We spent almost two years going through the Medicare Appeals process and lost at every level. As we were deciding whether or not to go further (Federal Court), a night in shining amour came through for Marc in the form of the Veterans Administration. He had applied for VA benefits two years ago and that’s how long it took to get his application processed. Once it was processed, things moved quickly and in less then a month after his initial meeting with an endocrinologist, Marc was notified that a CGM and sensors were on their way. Since that day, the VA has sent all the supplies free of charge and for that we are very grateful. I use the word “we” throughout the blogs that I’ve done on our two year journey to get the CGM because I became Marc’s advocate and did all the blogging, letters to everyone I thought could help us, and made many connections with other people with diabetes. Although I do not have diabetes, I immersed myself into the cause to get Medicare to change their guideline for the CGM and will continue to do so.

The intention of this blog is not to be about diabetes. It’s about making memories. On Friday, December 19, Marc and I will leave for Florida. On Saturday, the 20th, our children and grandchild will meet us in Florida and on the 21st, we are going to board the Carnival Conquest for a 7-day cruise. This is in celebration of Marc’s and my Making Memories45th wedding anniversary. Marc and I did the same thing for our 40th anniversary and the memories we made during that cruise were invaluable. My daughter Robin, her husband Greg and our granddaughter Bailey live in Atlanta, as does our son Jason.  Marc and I live in Pennsylvania. There are over 800 miles between us and we don’t get to see our Atlanta family as often as we would like. When we did our 40th anniversary cruise, Bailey was only 5 and it was priceless seeing her delight during the entire cruise. She, as well as all of us except Greg, did a zip line. Together with her parents she went on a riverboat ride, and we all enjoyed the beaches in all the ports we went to and life aboard the ship. Bailey had ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner which is something that would never be allowed at home. Marc and Jason snorkeled and Jason jet skied. We all had new and adventurous experiences and had a great time being together. Now that Bailey is 10 and we are so looking forward to her new experiences and ours as well.

In the past few years, we have lost many friends to various diseases. One passed away from ALS and another died after a major heart attack. A few friends died from various types of cancer or have cancer presently and are going through treatment. My brother has had health issues and recently had two surgeries. And of course, for us, living with diabetes is always a presence in our lives. It’s a blessing when we have the opportunity to do things with our family and create memories that we can always pull out when times get rough.

At the age that Marc and I are at now, we want to make memories with our children and granddaughter that we can all cherish for many years to come. We know they also feel the same way. This is what is really important in life. The love you have for your family. The love they feel for you and all the happy moments that can be captured. It’s what makes life worth living.

A Twofer

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Laddie_Head SquareToday’s post is a twofer. Two topics for the price of one. Short and sweet so we can concentrate on more fun activities during this week of Christmas.

Diabetes complications come in many forms. Some problems are serious and even life-threatening. Some are minor but annoying. Today I am looking for sympathy for a crack in my thumb that is sore and resistant to healing. The cold weather in Minnesota and the lack of humidity in Arizona make me vulnerable to skin cracks like this especially since I have horrible fingernails that do not protect my fingertips.

And why am I calling this a complication of diabetes? Am I usually slow to heal? No. Do I have neuropathy in my hands? No. Is my circulation impaired from diabetes? No. Is my Hand Roundskin dry because of erratic blood sugars? Not really. This stupid crack is related to diabetes because I keep using this thumb to squeeze drops of blood from my cold Minnesota fingers which tend to be stingy in the cold weather.

I put bandaids and Aquaphor on the thumb and it starts to improve. And then boom! I forget about the almost-healed crack and squeeze a frigid finger on my left hand. If I didn’t have to test my BG, this thumb would be perfectly fine. Darn you, diabetes!

My current solution as seen in the photo is a trimmed gel toe protector. (These little stretchy gizmos are great for hiking and help minimize injuries to vulnerable toes from long hikes on rocky trails with lots of ups and downs.) It has more cushioning than a bandaid and stays on well. Plus you can take it off to wash your hands. Since I just thought of this today, we’ll see how it works:-)

The second topic of this post is to wish you a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, or just a good day depending on your beliefs and traditions. I am looking forward to a visit from my New York son and his family and to spending time with my Minnesota son and his family. On Christmas Eve we will celebrate with four grandchildren aged six and under and life will be busy and chaotic. I can’t wait!

As you celebrate (or try to survive) this holiday season, may your blood sugars be stable and your days filled with joy!Happy Holidays 2014

Eight Days of Hanukkah

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Sue B_Head SquareSince I celebrate Hanukkah, I decided to take each day of our eight day celebration and write what I am most grateful for.

On the 1st day of Hanukkah, I am very, very grateful for my husband Marc.  He is my rock and has been for over 45 years.

On the 2nd day of Hanukkah, I am grateful for my children: my son Jason, my daughter Robin and her husband Greg and my granddaughter Bailey.  They are the loves of my life.

On the 3rd day of Hanukkah, I am grateful for my friends.  Most of them have been in my life for over 35 years and since most of us live away from our immediate families, we have become family to each other.

On the 4th day of Hanukkah, I am grateful for my love of doing things with my hands.  I Menorah2014love crafting especially knitting and beadwork.  I especially love knitting afghans for our friends’ children who are getting married and for the babies when they come.

On the 5th day of Hanukkah, I am grateful for my love of reading.  I have traveled to different places and learned so much because I love to read everything and anything and have always, since early childhood loved the written word.

On the 6th day of Hanukkah, I am very grateful that we have a wonderful Hanukkah gift of a cruise for our entire family.  Since we haven’t seen sun here for the past five days (Harrisburg, PA), it will be wonderful to be in the sunshine and warmth of the Caribbean.

On the 7th day of Hanukkah, I am extremely grateful to the Veterans Administration for supplying a Continuous Glucose Monitor  (CGM) to my Type 1 diabetic husband Marc.  After a 2 year fight with Medicare that was frustrating and going nowhere, the VA is supplying the monitor and sensors free of charge.

On the 8th day of Hanukkah, I am very grateful to myself for having the tenacity to decide to fight for the CGM.  I learned so much about myself during this journey.  I never knew I had it in me to blog, to do a Podcast, to speak to so many people across the United States who were in the same predicament as Marc and make so many new friends.

So to everyone who reads my blogs, I wish you all a Merry Christmas (or Hanukkah) and a very Happy and Healthy New Year.

What I Listen To

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Laddie_Head SquareI spend a lot of time walking. For years and years I listened to music on every walk. First I had a Walkman tape player and FM radio, then a CD Walkman followed by my son’s old Dell DJ. I followed with a succession of iPod Nanos, an Android phone or two, and now an iPhone. The type of music I listen to hasn’t changed much from device to device and I enjoy rock, pop, country, classical, alternative, jazz, and show tunes. My iTunes library also stores much of the music that my young grandchildren listen to. Therefore when I listen to songs on the shuffle setting, I am apt to move from John Mayer to the Messiah to Cookie Monster and Big Bird.

My listening habits changed significantly in early 2013 when I started listening to DSMA Live, a podcast about diabetes produced by DCAF (Diabetes Community Advocacy Foundation). Abby the Black Lab introduced herself to Test Guess and Go readers in May 2013 and explained the hows and whys of our DSMA walks. It took six months and 447 miles of walking to listen to the entire archives of DSMA which was at that point 149 shows. Almost two years later I still listen to every DSMA show although I have long since lost count of how many episodes there have been.

Once I became current with DSMA, I had to find something else to listen to. All of a sudden music became boring while I walked and worked out and I was much more interested in podcasts. Currently these are the podcasts I listen to regularly:

DSMA Live: On iTunes you’ll find all three of the DSMA podcasts (Live, ‘Rents, and en Vivo!) under the umbrella of DSMA Live. The accompanying iTunes description indicates that the aim of these interviews and discussions is to “empower, connect, support people affected by diabetes.” You’ll definitely learn everything you need to know about diabetes news and the people in the diabetes online community by listening regularly to these programs.

Just Talking:  A weekly podcast by Chris Snider in which he interviews guests about various topics such as diabetes, Medicine X, and video games. Chris’ interviews are unscripted and he describes them as “free-flowing but with a purpose.” His guest list is diverse and the show is always interesting.  Because my fascination with video games ended in the 1980’s on about Level 5 of Super Mario Brothers, I tend to skip the video game episodes. His podcast earlier this week was an interview with Amy Tenderich and three scholarship recipients from the recent 4th Annual DiabetesMine Innovation Summit.

NPR: TED Radio Hour:  Each week’s show has a theme and incorporates portions of relevant talks from the TED (Technology, Education, Design) Stage and interviews with Podcastssome of the speakers. Titles of recent shows have been The Source of Creativity, the Balance within Us, The Edge, and The next Greatest Generation?. The topics are always interesting and this podcast exposes me to lots of ideas and subjects that I might otherwise know nothing about.

Recently Added

Good Mythical Morning (Audio only): I learn a lot from Katy at Bigfoot Child Have Diabetes. Some of it is important and some of it is a bit odd, but oddness is the spice of life. Along that lines I was introduced to this show in Katy’s blogpost yesterday titled “Will It Pumpkin Spice?”  She provided a link to comic duo Rhett & Link’s YouTube video of the same title. I don’t know whether the audio-only version of their show will be as funny as the YouTube videos, but it’s worth a try.  How can you not want to listen to podcasts such as “Making a Dog Yawn”, “Facon Bacon Taste Test”, and “Wrapping a Cat for Christmas”?

Recently Deleted

NPR: Car Talk: I have no interest in cars but have listened to Tom and Ray Magliozzi, (aka Click and Clack, the Tappert Brothers) discuss cars, interpersonal relationships, and life in general for years. The show is no longer in production and Tom Magliozzi passed away in November 2014. An episode from the archives is released every week on NPR and the humor is timeless. Warning: you might embarrass yourself in front of your neighbors as you walk down the street laughing out loud at this podcast. Because I have listened to the show for so many years, I decided to take a break. It’s still a favorite!

NPR: Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!: This is a weekly comedy show camouflaged as a current events quiz. It can be very funny but I got tired of the same format week after week. So it’s off my list for now. However, the two guests last week were Itzhak Perlman and Amy Schumer. That episode might be worth a listen.

The Atlantic Voice:  The subtitle for this podcast is “3000 Miles of Opinion” and features Eric and Zeff, one who lives in the USA and the other in Great Britain. I found it engaging for a while, but not enough to keep me from exploring other options. After all, there is only so much time to listen to podcasts every week.

I use iTunes to search for and subscribe to podcasts. It’s easy to do and my selections magically show up on my iPhone. I’m sure that Android users have a similar way to do this, but I am an iPhone user because I don’t want to have to figure things out….

I am always open to trying out new podcasts. If you have a favorite, please share it in the comment section.

Update on My CPAP Therapy

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Sue May 2013_Head SquareIn my last blogpost titled Good Grief! Another Device to Wear at Night?! I recounted my journey from discovering I have OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) to wearing a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) mask at night. It has now been almost two months since I started wearing the sleep mask and I am happy to report the results.

Before wearing the sleep mask, I would frequently go to bed late and wake up around 2 am. Unable to return to sleep, I would get up and get on the laptop or tablet, reading or passing time playing Words with Friends. Once after taking my turn with Laddie, the next day she texted me, “Do you ever sleep?” I replied offhand, “Not if I can help it!” That was my reality. At the time I didn’t realize that I had an actual physical reason why I wasn’t sleeping and it wasn’t just a norm for post menopausal life.

Now I go to sleep with the mask on, and when I do wake up during the night, I am able to return to sleep and feel more refreshed in the morning. My CPAP pressure has been increased once in the past month, from 6 to 11 cm, and that increase has reduced my AHI (Apnea Hypopnea Index) range from Moderate: AHI ≥ 15, but < 30 (events of stopped breathing) per hour to Mild: AHI ≥ 5, but < 15 per hour.

When I had my checkup in December and my doctor recommended I have a sleep study, he said that when I went on the CPAP therapy I would lose weight. I am happy to A Healthy Equationreport that I started using the My Fitness Pal app seriously in January and have so far lost 12 pounds. Sue from Pennsylvania, a fellow contributing blogger here, has been a tremendous help to me, giving me suggestions and encouragement. I don’t think I would have lost this much if not for her help. I also believe that a side benefit of better quality sleep has helped fulfill my doctor’s prophesy. I hope to follow in Sue’s footsteps by continuing to lose weight, getting to my goal, and keeping the weight off. Sue has successfully done all of this by using My Fitness Pal for 680 days in a row! Bravo Sue!!

A Springtime Walk in Arizona

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I just couldn’t do diabetes today. As much as I like blogging, sometimes I think it is a bit twisted to write long posts about diabetes a couple times a week. So today I am expanding my WordPress skills and for the first time using a photo gallery in a blogpost.

After sending my husband off to the airport this morning to head back to Minnesota, I took Abby the Black Lab for a walk around my Arizona neighborhood. I hope the beautiful photos I took will brighten the day of those of you in northern climates. If it’s too painful to watch, keep in mind for next year that I have a guest room.

If the short slideshow does not begin automatically, hover your mouse over the photo and click the arrow. When you can’t stand it anymore and want to return to your world of cold and slush, click on pause.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Good Grief! Another Device to Wear at Night?!

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Sue May 2013_Head SquareOn December 30 I saw my PCP for my checkup visit. He went over the results of my blood work which were excellent. He asked me how I was feeling overall and I replied that I wake up every night around 2 am, but otherwise I’m fine. He then asked me if I wanted a sleep study done. He followed that question by saying I would lose weight using a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) mask. I said sign me up!

On January 6, I went to the Sleep Disorders Center for a consultation with Carla, the nurse practitioner. She had me fill out their questionnaire to get a general idea of my symptoms and asked me questions about my sleep patterns. She explained that Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a fairly common problem in which air cannot flow normally into the lungs during sleep. It is usually caused by the collapse of the soft tissues in the back of the throat and tongue. Carla said that when you stop breathing, your brain wakes you and you gasp for air, fall back asleep, and the cycle continues. I learned that when this happens you don’t get the restorative sleep your body requires, and that OSA increases your risk for many health problems including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, brain damage, depression, type 2 diabetes, obesity and mortality. She then explained what a sleep study involved and scheduled me to return on January 8 at 8 pm for the study.

On January 8 I returned to the Sleep Disorders Center where I met Lisa, my sleep technician. She escorted me to my room which looked like a nice hotel room with an attached bathroom. She explained that during the study my breathing, heart rate, sleep state, and oxygen levels will be monitored. She told me to change into my sleepwear, and at 10 pm she returned and led me to another room where she placed electrodes attached to long wires on my head and two bands on my stomach to monitor my breathing. The study began at 11 pm when Lisa plugged the wires into the wall and I went to bed. She retreated to another room where she monitored my sleep throughout the night. I lay awake tossing and turning for several hours and finally fell asleep. I awoke at 6 am when the study was completed. I felt like a failure, but Lisa assured me that I had slept enough for a successful sleep study.

I returned to see Carla on January 27 to get the results of the study. I was informed that I have moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea. During the study I slept a total of 268 minutes; during that time my airway was partially or completely blocked off 127 times. I also learned that during one REM (rapid eye movement) episode I stopped breathing 90 times in one hour. That alarmed me.

On January 29 I was back at the Sleep Disorders Center, this time to sleep with a CPAP mask that covered my nose. I was once again fitted with electrodes and stomach bands to monitor my sleep. Lisa retreated to her office to monitor me and make gradual adjustments during the night to the H2O pressure in the machine. This time I fell right asleep, waking only once during the night.

Data collected during every study is reviewed and evaluated by a board-certified Sleep Medicine Specialist MD, who then prescribes a CPAP if determined appropriate. Carla told me during the follow-up visit that their doctor, whom I never did meet, had prescribed CPAP therapy for me.

On February 11 I met with Amy, a registered respiratory therapist. We first discussed the nose-only mask that I had used during the study and how I didn’t like the rush of air I got when I opened my mouth. Based on that feedback, Amy set me up with a full-face mask, tubing to deliver the air, and a CPAP machine with an attached humidifier. She explained that my insurance would cover 80% of the cost and I would be allowed to pay the other 20% over a period of 10 months. My insurance requires that I become compliant with my physician’s orders by using my device a minimum of 4 hours a night, 22 out of 30 days. The machine has a memory card and a transmitter that sends the information collected to the home care agency that Amy works for. The first night that I Robot Girl2wore the CPAP was a little awkward, but I gradually got used to it and now I sleep all night with the mask on. Carla had previously told me that people who do well with the mask are determined to make it work because they feel so much better using it.

So now at night I wear my insulin pump, my continuous glucose monitor (CGM), a dental mouth guard to prevent teeth grinding, and the newest device, a CPAP mask. I still wake up when my CGM beeps to alert me of high or low blood sugar, but I return to sleep faster and sleep better. I feel rested, refreshed and more alert in the morning, and my eyes no longer have dark bags under them. And yes, I am losing weight with additional help from My Fitness Pal, a great free app that keeps track of my calories and exercise.

If you are interested in learning more about sleep studies and the decision to use or not use a CPAP machine, please check out Rhonda’s post dated 1/16/14 and another one dated 3/4/14 at her blog Fifteen Wait Fifteen.