Many eons ago when I really started the push to get a DexCom, my rep asked me how often I test every day. I didn't have a hard-and-fast number to give him.

"Um... between four and 10," I said.

"That's quite a range," he joked.

Since then, I've become obsessive about checking my sugar, which is a state I haven't been through in a long time. Part of the reason is because I really love to eat. So instead of waiting for two-hours after a meal to eat, sometimes lunch carries on throughout the afternoon. Which makes me think that I don't need to test.

I've gotten to the point lately where I've told myself that I need to test two hours after lunch started, even if I threw a mini Mr. Goodbar or some crackers and hummus in there somewhere. I need a reference point. I need to know if I bolused right for lunch. Or if I've guessed right for whatever holiday treats were getting passed around.

I think I first really related to the term "obsessive" several weeks ago when I watched dLife founder Howard Steinberg on MSNBC talking about the cost of diabetes. The interview lasted nearly 4 minutes and Howard said he had checked his sugar prior to coming on stage and would check again upon leaving.

That's what I've started to do. Not checking every four minutes, but checking often during situations that require it (like monitoring a correction bolus for a high, or monitoring after Thanksgiving dinner, or watching to make sure a low comes up) and making sure I check before and after meals.

I know this sounds elementary, but being obsessive is not something I've excelled at in the past. Sometimes you have to take a step back in order to advance. And, frankly, while I know I sound like a broken record, having a CGM will allow me to be obsessive without sticking myself every 10 minutes and accounting for a margin of error because there are times when I just want a quick look to see if I'm going up or down. Just a quick look.