Scott Marvel's blog

Newly Diagnosed Diabetes

Scott Marvel — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:46:15 +0000

Diabetic-Forum.net

Where to even start...?

And that is the point, you don't know where.

When someone is newly diagnosed with diabetes, where should their educational journey begin? Sure, there is the inevitable hospital stay, and the chat with a doctor, and possibly a self-injection tutorial (for the insulin requiring crowd), but what is the next step... after the hospital scene?

The OmniPod: Waterproof, Not Water Sport Proof

Scott Marvel — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:12:22 +0000

So, the OmniPods I use are listed to have an IPX8 water tight rating which means the pods will work flawlessly in eight feet of water for up to thirty minutes. This is a great feature to have during shower times, sunny-day pool ventures, and splashing around carefree in the ocean. It is one of the reasons I chose to use it, because it limits the time I need to be disconnected from an insulin source. But, since I started surfing last year, three pods have met their fate in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. I was able to keep one from polluting the ocean floor, but the other two are on their way to a rusty end. Sad.

My Diabetes...

Scott Marvel — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:39:57 +0000

TopNews Health

Finish this sentence, I was asked. "My Diabetes..." It is a playoff inspired by an NPR blogger, who was covered by his friend, Ted Koppel, in a documentary that focuses on his "My Cancer" blog. Leroy Sievers was a Peabody Award-winning journalist who detailed his inward thoughts about colon cancer in a personal online journal of sorts, helping himself and others find some comfort and knowledge while living with cancer. He aimed for everyone to learn from one another by finishing one sentence. By scouring his readers' answers, it allowed him to see if he had "missed something", and determine if there was a "lesson the disease was trying to pass on".

Dad Passes Out, Saved by Son

Scott Marvel — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 05:22:30 +0000

Yahoo News

Did you hear about this dad that found himself on the wrong side of the diabetes tracks? This may be ancient news by now, viewed from the internet eyes of the informed masses, but his story is touching and thought provoking. In North Platte, Nebraska a six year old little boy took over steering his father's vehicle after the man passed out from low blood sugar. While driving home from a restaurant dinner, the dad's blood sugar tanked and sent him slumping back into the driver's seat, without accelerating, but with the car still rolling down the road. His young son hopped on his dad's lap, grabbed the wheel and steered around until a patrolling police officer could intervene.

New OmniPod PDM on the Way

Scott Marvel — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:27:47 +0000

Diabetes Mine

Three weeks now I have been waiting for OmniPods new personal diabetes manager (PDM) to arrive. It was actually a chance phone call to OmniPods customer service number that gave me word about this new product. I was nearing the last days in my previous place of residence and called to change the address on file for my automatic pod shipments. Near the end of this phone call, the service rep mentioned a promotion for a new PDM they were launching.

Special Deliveries: Rx Needed

Scott Marvel — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:19:53 +0000

Google Images

I wonder if there is a better way. I have been using the same pharmacy for two years now and they have done a perfectly good job for me. But the rigmarole involved seems a bit much, even with all the modern conveniences involved. Every month before my Novolog and test strip stronghold runs out I go to the Longs Pharmacy website and plunk in my prescription numbers, store pick-up number, name, e-mail, phone number, and check a couple of boxes to get my online refill request sent off. Then a day or two later when I am sure they are ready for pick-up, I drive over to the pharmacy being actively aware of when they close because I inevitably need the Novolog by now, do the in-line wait, and fork over some money.

Five Years

Scott Marvel — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:10:20 +0000

This month marks my fifth year of lancing my fingers, injecting or infusing insulin, monitoring carbs, and Having Type-1 Diabetes. In some ways it seems like longer but in others, it seems like this journey is just starting. That beginning trip to the emergency room is still clear in my mind. Mostly I remember the support and attention I got from family and friends, and the uncertainness of what the diagnosis meant. But here I am, through the ups and downs, after the successes and failures, in front of diligent times and moments of negligence, still happy and healthy with a life touched by diabetes.

Songs to Diabetes

Scott Marvel — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:33:50 +0000

As if diabetes wasn’t in the back of my mind enough as it is, the music industry seems to be playing a little joke on me to keep it on my mind even more often. We all know the tools that keep us healthy are filled with wires, and electronics, and batteries, and that has been a stellar improvement on diabetes care over the decades. But with all this technological advancement comes the need for increased safety measures, including alarms that beep to proclaim an insulin pump error, a successful blood test, or a completed phase of setup. The joke becomes less funny when I am driving down the highway with some music going, focused on the road, when an identical tone comes from the stereo that sounds like my insulin pump.

A Promise Card to Save Some Money

Scott Marvel — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:16:26 +0000

The vibration of my cell phone stirred me in my seat during a less than interactive physics class. Taking a look, I see it is my go-to pharmacy calling me up. This is not a surprise to me since they call to inform me I am out of refills every now and then or that it is too soon to place a refill on a script. I let it buzz away back in my pocket and waited for class to end. Working my way into the sunshine of the outside walkway, I dialed in to listen to the pharmacy’s voicemail. This was not the message I was expecting.

Caffeinated!

Scott Marvel — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 03:43:09 +0000

Are you hooked on caffeine drinks? They are everywhere! Caffeine is littered throughout cups of coffee, doubled up in cans of energy drinks, and even spilling from D-friendly diet sodas, making it hard to get away from. Maybe this is why so many adults, and teenagers, consume the stuff at a heart-pounding rate. But have you noticed the impact on your blood glucose numbers like I have? It can spike my numbers wicked fast if I am not on top of things. Sure doesn't make my employment at Starbucks any easier, the stuff is diffused into my veins with every breath I take!