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We hear it over and over again: delays in seeking medical treatment are responsible for huge numbers of preventable deaths each year. Sometimes the delays are financial: not having the money to pay the doctor, buy the medication, schedule the procedure. Sometimes they are logistical: unable to get time off work, car isn't working (or a driver isn't available), or there isn't an available doctor or treatment facility space within the necessary timeframe. Then there are the diagnostic delays -- often because life-threatening medical conditions don't show symptoms until they reach emergency status, but sometimes because the condition is difficult for one's healthcare team to diagnose.

In this case, though, the expression is idiomatic, and the cause, meteorological. At least, that's what I'm going with.

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In the past month, I have spent quite a bit of money on medical bills. $296 for a dental nightguard to save my teeth. $50 for my endo appointment, another $50 for my eye exam. $45 for my birth control. $412 for 6 months of contacts and a new pair of glasses (this was even on sale). And so many other odds and ends like a blood pressure cuff, miscellaneous prescriptions, and vitamins. Not to mention the $50 per visit copays to a new therapist.

I can't afford this. Right now, I'm making decent money for my field and my insurance is free of charge. But I still struggle when prescriptions come due or miscellaneous expenses come around. It becomes burdensome to order insulin, strips, and other diabetes supplies. It becomes outrageous to buy these extra necessities like glasses, dental issues, or therapy.

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I'm not talking about the temporary states of anxiety or paranoia, lassitude or somnolescence, that accompany our glycemic highs and lows, but the long-term, "you should get psychological help for this" effects of living with chronic disease in general, and diabetes in particular.

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In the waiting room, a boy Charlie's age walked over and sat next him, peeking over his shoulder to see what game Charlie was playing on his Touch.

He spotted Charlie's pump.

"Hey! You're a diabetic? So am I!"

It was sort of sweet, but I hated the way it sounded. Diabetic. I would have much preferred that the boy notice Charlie's shirt and say, "Hey! You're a hockey player?" Diabetic sounds too much like an inferior species. Lumped in there somewhere between fungi and arachnids.

Charlie didn't really react to the question. Maybe just a slight shy nod of the head. He's never in his life referred to himself as diabetic.

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When I have checkups with my endo I typically don't have questions. Usually it's more or less an in-and-out-how-are-your-blood-sugars type appointment.

But things are chaning in the world of health insurance and I have tons of questions for my apointment next week. (Which is a follow up from barely two months ago when bloodwork showed that my thyroid had decided to take a vacation. We increased my thyroid meds; bloodwork this Wednesday; actual appointment next week.) I have received three letters in the last month or so from my insurance company telling me that the Novolog I use is now going to be a Tier 3 prescription (i.e, the highest co-pay) and that the number of test strips I can get will now be limited.

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Today marked both the beginning of November and the beginning of Diabetes Awareness Month. There are a boat load of different activities scheduled throughout the month, and while I would love to participate in each and every one of them, I know it’s just not humanly possible. So, I’ve put together a list of the activities to which I’ll devote some time and effort.

First and foremost is the Going Blue initiative I started over on my blog, My Diabetic Heart. I draped the site in Diabetes Blue and will leave it that way until the end of November. Fellow D-Bloggers were invited to do the same.

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2010 is going to be a crazy year. It's my last semester here at college, which means that come May I will be a university graduate with a bachelor's degree in Sociology and a minor in Women's & Gender Studies and an emphasis in Health. After that, my life will be completely changed.

I'll be moving from the town I'm currently in...unsure where I'm going at the moment. I'll be settling into a career, most likely. I'll be taking on new responsibilities like car insurance and all my expenses. Everything is going to change.

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It's my time...to rejuvenate my life.

November is always a crazy month for me. First, it's my birthday month. Second, it's also like 5 of my friends' birthday month. Third, it's Thanksgiving! Fourth, it's the busiest month in school as projects, papers, and exams take place all right before final exam season in December. Fifth, it's American Diabetes Month!

So here we are at the 2nd already...wasn't it just September last week? Sheesh...this year is flying by faster than I can even say it's flying by. I have lots of plans for American Diabetes Month. And I'm definitely excited to start checking some things off the list while exploring some new fun ideas.

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I feel like I'm in an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants.

OK first let me say that I really don't like feeling like this. If I could ban SpongeBob from my house I would. When I'm surfing the channels for the kids (man is it hard to please a 9 year old, 6 year old and 3 year old at the same time!) I have to force myself to not scream "Over my dead body!" when they all scream/chant "SpongeBob! SpongeBob! SpongeBob!"

I get that we all need a little mindless entertainment at times (which is why I often choose solitaire over a game of hearts with the computer because solitaire takes fewer brain cells) but my God I just want to poke SpongeBob in the eye. And Patrick.

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