First off, I've started on the MiniMed 670G! I got the pump back in January and started wearing it, and then got trained on the new sensors and auto mode just a couple of weeks ago. It has been a learning curve, but I will say this: I am sleeping more peacefully most nights. Almost no overnight alarms.
Day times are still a little rough, but I've been told it takes a while for the system to "learn" your body. And I have a couple of friends who are on the system and are in LOVE with it. They both have told me that once it learns you, it is so much easier. I'm crossing my fingers for that. I have great hope for this hybrid-closed loop system.
I had another blood draw/visit at my Celiac doctor to see how things were going. Truthfully, I don't know that I'm ever going to get used to the lack of immediate numbers in Celiac disease (more on that later). All of my blood tests are still positive, but the one that I get that has numbers does show a drastic drop (in a good way) of antibodies. It was previously 1:160. Recently it was 1:80. That's amazing, but still not less than 1:10, which is what the ultimate goal is. It isn't perfect, but it does make me feel like I'm on the right track.
I also attended the JDRF Middle Tennessee Type One Summit in January. I love that this is an event that happens every year. It's a chance to be around others like me. And it's a chance to learn some things. I always enjoy learning new things, and I truly appreciate the effort that JDRF Middle Tennessee does to make sessions for both families of those with children with diabetes, as well as adults with diabetes. It was the first time I hadn't done social media for the event in a few years, so it was kind of cool to sit through an entire session and not pop from one to another to try to document as much as possible. That said, I've always enjoyed doing social media for the event in the past as well.
I've been chatting with a friend about rebranding my blog, which is another huge thing happening around my world. Not sure if or when it's going to happen, but it's something that might happen. I'd like to find others with Celiac, others with Diabetes, and others with AND (there are so many people out there with multiple auto-immune diseases.
I also made a costly investment related to my Celiac, but I felt like it was something I needed to do. A company called Nima makes a sensor that can detect gluten in food. In other words, it's like a blood sugar meter for food. Down sides: It's takes several minutes, it's expensive, it isn't covered by insurance, and it only gives you a "gluten found" or a happy face if no gluten.
Each capsule to detect food (like test strips) is between $5-$7 and they are one time use capsules. Obviously, I can't use them on everything I eat, but they could come in handy when I'm suspicious or am eating somewhere new.
So far I have only used three capsules. One I messed up, one I found out that the food I've been eating a restaurant up the street isn't gluten free, and one I used at a place that wasn't on any of my apps and turns out their steak fajitas were safe.
I'm looking forward to seeing where this technology goes. Perhaps someday insurance will cover them, we'll be able to reuse capsules, and the technology will be quicker, smaller, etc. I feel like this may be what people felt like when the first blood sugar meters were coming out. I remember my meters from the mid 80s and they were crazy and took forever and took SO much blood.
I'll take it as a good step forward. I love it because with no gastrointestinal symptoms, I don't know when I'm getting glutened. This could help with that.
On that note, those with peanut allergies, Nima is releasing a similar system to detect peanuts. Who knows what's next!?
Here's to seeing what the next several months holds and seeing what life brings my way.
1 comment:
It's nice to read something from you again.
Post a Comment