When resources are scarce, it is human nature to try to prioritize and cut back until the situation improves. Usually, these are either short-term or seasonal shortages, giving us some idea of how long we will need to endure -- a sort of "countdown" calendar to work against. When we don't know how long the shortages will last, when necessities such as food, water, and medicine will return, we hunker down into what is called a "siege mentality". The problem with a siege mentality is that it can lead into a downward spiral, with the shortages getting more and more pronounced, until it seems impossible that there will be an outlet or that it will arrive in time... or until the besieged die.

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It seems like we're going to be without insurance for a couple of months.  The cost of going on now is astronomical but if we wait three months, the company starts to pick up half.  I have an application in for MassHealth for Olivia, but it's going to take a few weeks to kick in, provided they approve it.  Of course, in that time, we're going to need test strips again.  (I have some extra insulin, thanks to Heidi, over at the D-Log Cabin - thank you, Heidi!!)

I've been checking around and it seems that Wal-Mart carries something called Reli-On strips and meters.  Do any of you use these?  They are far less expensive than the One Touch Olivia currently uses, which will be a big help as far as costs go.  

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Olivia told me the other day that she was nearly out of test strips. I dutifully called in the refill and went to pick them up today.

When I got to the pharmacy, I gave him Olivia's insurance card. O is on her father's soon-to-be-ex-wife's insurance.

I know, it's confusing, but I don't really want to get into all of that garbage on here. Suffice it to say, her dad's not really, uh, involved in Olivia's life. It's been a year and a half since he's seen her. He lives an hour away. Somehow, there's always something more important. It's beyond infuriating. But I digress.
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Uncle P. watched the kids for us last weekend so that we wouldn’t have to drag the kids to a funeral service.

The service was pretty horrible. On the faces of the family was grief in the rawest form. The faces were the definition of grief. Though often a cliché, a piece of them was clearly missing. They were empty.

We got into the car and drove home, exhaling and shaking our heads. I loosened my tie.

"It’s different though," I said, in response to Susanne.

"We’ll keep Charlie healthy. We’ll keep his A1c under control. He’ll always be active."

"It’s still diabetes," Susanne said soberly.

"Type 2," I said.

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Greg Woodhouse

On average, I test seven times a day. It can range from five to twelve, depending on activity, emotions, symptoms, and my memory.

Today, I've already tested four times and I'm only half way through the day. Yesterday, I tested nine times. The day before, I tested eight.

Obviously, I go through bottles of strips quickly. Twenty-five to a container doesn't make it very far. Sometimes two days, sometimes four. (READ MORE)

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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