Thursday, May 17, 2012

Dream a Little

As I read ahead in the topic list I saw that one of the topics was a diabetes dream device. I spent this week thinking of what I could have that would make diabetes 10x easier, even 1x easier would be great.  So, now that it is time to write about this diabetes dream device, Bayer, Medtronic, anyone? start taking notes.  

If only we had an insulin pump that was mini like those mini iPods.  Sometimes I get so frustrated having to shove the insulin 'box' into my bra.  Although, at times I forget it is even there, when I do know it's there, a.k.a when  it starts vibrating or digging into my chest, that is when I wish that they would just make something tiny, so that hiding the pump felt better at least.

Okay, I understand the tubeless pump that is out now, but that is too big for my liking to be attached to my arm/leg/belly. I much rather have my tubing, but with something tiny on the end of that tubing; rather than the clunker that it is.  Like cell phones I am sure pumps will get smaller, thinner, better - but right now the device that I want just isn't out there.

There are so many dream devices I could wish for, like something that checks my blood sugar for me, but better than a CGM, I don't want to EVER see blood from my finger tips EVER again.  I also wish that carb counts flashed in front of the food, so I didn't have to take the time to look or guess.  Just see the apple flashing 32 grams.   All of these devices would be wonderful, but the more I thought about my diabetes management I realized that I am okay with having to carb guess, or test my blood sugar at the moment, I just want to wear something a little smaller, after all bras were not meant for three....

But, with all that said, all the diabetes devices out there started with a dream or at least an idea. Someone looking to give diabetics a hand, an easier way of managing their diabetes.  Yes, these companies make millions and millions of dollars, but think about what they have created for us, amazing USB meters, tubeless insulin pumps and of course INSULIN!

I feel very blessed to be diagnosed when I was, the pump was already approved to be funded for adults living with type 1 and I was diagnosed at a time with amazing insulin pump choices as well as meters. I am lucky to have been diagnosed in Canada and to have such a great support system from nurses to family.   So, even though we think we are outrageous for thinking of diabetes dream devices we are actually not to far off - look how far we have come in the diabetes world and with such an avid community let's continue to dream!

Kayla


6 comments:

  1. Kayla, good for you to see you are lucky to have been diagnosed in a time where you have many, many choices and items that can help you live life to its fullest! I've been living with diabetes for 33 years and I wasn't as lucky back then, but it's ok, I'm happy to have what I do today and that's what counts, right?!:) I agree with your idea of a smaller pump, because like you said..."bras were not meant for 3..." :)

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  2. When my twin sister and I were kids (we were both diagnosed T1 before the age of 6) my dad was the one who was "in charge" of our diabetes management; our personal, take-home Endo, if you will. I remember, he always used to say, "Wouldn't it be neat if they made something that would track your numbers for you, so we wouldn't have to write it down all the time?!?" And here we are, 20 years later, and we have USB meters and such that do exactly that!

    All that to say, YES, we are SO fortunate to be in a day and age where diabetes management is SO manageable; and like you said, even more fortunate to have INSULIN!

    SO YES! Let's keep dreamin', and keep coming up with our "dream devices" because the more we dream, the more they create EXACTLY what we're dreaming of!!!

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  3. I love today's topic. Reading peoples dreams I hope the device companies are reading ;-)

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  4. love it!! I tell my daughter the exact same thing...that we are so lucky to have the technology we do and we should continu support of better diabetic management/advances as well as a cure.

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  5. LOL @ bras not meant for three

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  6. Just to put in perspective from your last point, Kayla... When I was diagnosed 20 years ago, March 1st, 1992, to be exact, take-home blood glucose meters were not available to the public yet! My parents had to test my blood sugar using chemical strips that detected the level of glucose in my urine. This method was so unrefined and unspecific, as the results just provided an estimated range, not a specific number. It wasn't until 6 months later that my parents had access to a blood glucose meter. But even at that, it took 5 minutes to get a result! Now, it only takes a mere 5 SECONDS!!!

    So needless to say, I dream. I dream a lot, as a matter of fact. I dream about leading a healthy life, absent from complications, I dream of smaller, more discrete insulin pumps and meters, and I dream of longer-lasting insulins, so that I don't have to take so many injections per day. But most of all, I dream of being cured. I don't hesitate for a second when I say that our access to science and technology is so far advanced today, that finding a cure just seems so inevitable. ... Pharmaceutical companies, I hope you're reading this, because I think I speak for many when I say, we lead our lives managing our diabetes, but if we didn't have to anymore... then THAT would be an absolute dream come true.

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