Type 2 times: 2013

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Tuesday, November 05, 2013

AM score

My score of 105 at 3:28 am suggests my medications are working well.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

test of blogging

Tests of blogging from the new address...

Tuesday, October 08, 2013

For years after I was diagnosed, I was under a lot of stress at work; then *something made the boss back off shortly after I turned 60 and I am grateful for that. I didn't realize that the better control I started getting over my A1C and blood sugars was stress related.

I now routinely have much lower morning sugars and routinely come in just above the "normal" score at night. There have been a number of times I have under 125 in the evening and even lower evening scores than my morning scores.

It is nice..

Could someone have whispered "No Fear Act" to him?

Monday, September 16, 2013

Fwd: [New post] Diabetes Etiquette for PARENTS of teens

You're probably tired of getting these notes from me but I thought this will be germane in a short while (at our ages, a decade just doesn't seem that long anymore...) I wish y'all well and Rylyn would probably become Miss America and an MD if she really wanted them.

Mike

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Michael Bell <mikebell@netins.net>
Date: Sun, Sep 15, 2013 at 6:06 PM
Subject: Fwd: [New post] Diabetes Etiquette for PARENTS of teens
To: mike.bell@noaa.gov

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	[New post] Diabetes Etiquette for PARENTS of teens
Date:	Sat, 14 Sep 2013 20:53:20 +0000
From:	BPAN <donotreply@wordpress.com>
To:	mikebell@netins.net

New post on BPAN

Diabetes Etiquette for PARENTS of teens

by Dr. S. Harris

Stop trying to scare me with diabetes statistics.You've told me a million times that many years of high blood sugars can hurt me. I understand you are scared and want the best for me, but bugging me about complications just makes me want to tune you out. If I need motivation, it has to be something important to me right now, not way down the road.

When my blood sugars are high, don't assume l've done something stupid (although I may have). It may be hard to believe, but sometimes it really isn't my fault. Blood sugars can get wacky even when you do everything right. Instead of grilling me about why they are high (which may have no answer), or what I might've done wrong, let's figure out what to do now.

Please acknowledge when l'm doing something right not just when l've messed up. You may not notice it, but taking care of diabetes is a lot of hard work And it is not fun! I may not be perfect, but there are a lot of things I am doing right every day just to stay alive. A pat on the back for a job well done would be.

Don't always be in my face about diabetes, but don't leave me completely alone with it either. I know this is a tough balance. I don't want to be constantly hassled about what I should be doing I need to handle diabetes more on my own. Still, though ! hate to admit it, I am glad to know you've "got my back". Let's figure out where you can trust me to do things on my own and where I could still use your involvement.

Make the effort to understand diabetes from my point of view. If you don't have diabetes, you can't possibly know what I am going through. The reality is that diabetes is unfair, inconvenient, a lot of work, and it sucks. No need to cheer me up, or to tell me that it could all be worse. You don't have to fix it; instead, just listen when I need to vent or complain.

Don't tell everyone about my diabetes, especially not during the first minute you meet them. Do you have any idea how embarrassing this is? I know you mean well, but my goal is to fit in, not stick out. Everybody does not have to know. Give me a chance to let me tell people about diabetes when I am ready to do so.

Recognize that I am never going to be perfect with my diabetes cam, no matter how much you want this. I know it can make you nervous when you see a high blood sugar reading or notice that I haven't made the best food choice, but let`s get real. No one can manage diabetes perfectly. I`II do my best (and yes, maybe I need to do even better), but I also need to have a life.

Don't limit my activities based on diabetes. If you do, people may see me as fragile, sick, or think something is wrong with me. I can do anything those without diabetes can do, though it may require some creative problem solving. Sports, sleepovers, traveling, and parties are all things that can be done safely. Support me in figuring out a way to make it all possible

Don't be the food police. Yes, I make choices that you don't like (and sometimes aren`t so smart). But trying to control what I eat isn't going to help; instead I`II just do my best to avoid you when I eat. Remember that good diabetes control is doable even if you don't eat healthy stuff all the time.

Being a parent to a teen with diabetes can be a tough, frustrating job. You must walk a difficult path between taking good care of your teen while also encouraging independence. You need to care, but not care too much.

We hope this card will give you and your teen some new ideas about how to survive diabetes together. No need to follow all of these etiquette points, and give yourself a pat on the back if you are doing any of them!

Let this be the start of a conversation, a new beginning for you and your teen.

Dr. S. Harris | September 14, 2013 at 8:53 pm | URL: http://wp.me/p3N4dq-83

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Wednesday, August 28, 2013

SHARPs

SHARPS Containment

Thursday, July 18, 2013

latest scores

My morning scores have been a bit higher than of late and I hope this isn't hosing my A1C

3/19/2013	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
11/20/2012	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
9/20/2012	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
5/30/2012	07:45 AM - 01:30 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Double Red Cell
1/25/2012	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Double Red Cell
7/27/2011	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
5/18/2011	01:00 PM - 04:45 PM	Dodge City Public Library	1001 North 2nd Ave Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
1/25/2011	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Double Red Cell
9/28/2010	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Double Red Cell
7/27/2010	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
3/16/2010	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801
11/19/2009	07:45 AM - 01:30 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
7/22/2009	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
5/26/2009	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
3/23/2009	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
1/20/2009	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
11/24/2008	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
9/23/2008	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
7/29/2008	07:45 AM - 01:30 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
5/28/2008	07:45 AM - 01:30 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
3/31/2008	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
1/30/2008	07:45 AM - 01:30 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
12/3/2007	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
5/16/2007	-		,
2/13/2007	-		,	Blood
12/13/2006	-		,	Blood
9/19/2006	-		,	Blood
7/24/2006	-		,	Blood
5/23/2006	-		,	Blood
1/17/2006	-		,	Blood
11/14/2005	-		,	Blood
6/30/2005	-		,	Blood
5/3/2005	-		,	Blood
12/15/2004	-		,	Blood
9/22/2004	-		,	Blood
5/17/2004	-		,
3/15/2004	-		,	Blood
11/3/2003	-		,	Blood
8/18/2003	-		,	Blood
6/16/2003	-		,	Blood
3/4/2003	-		,	Blood
10/3/2002	-		,	Blood
8/5/2002	-		,	Blood
6/3/2002	-		,	Blood
11/2/2001	-		,	Blood
3/19/2001	-		,	Blood
10/16/2000	-		,	Blood
8/7/2000	-		,	Blood
2/22/2000	-		,	Blood

August medical joys...

Kathie,

We've got the physicals coming up and I've got a dental appointment and a Red Cross blood drive. I'll have to check with Dr. Copeland to see when my next dilated eye exam is going to be...(Oh, joy

Mike

Saturday, May 04, 2013

My DDC blood drive history...

3/19/2013	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
11/20/2012	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
9/20/2012	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
5/30/2012	07:45 AM - 01:30 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Double Red Cell
1/25/2012	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Double Red Cell
7/27/2011	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
5/18/2011	01:00 PM - 04:45 PM	Dodge City Public Library	1001 North 2nd Ave Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
1/25/2011	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Double Red Cell
9/28/2010	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Double Red Cell
7/27/2010	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
3/16/2010	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801
11/19/2009	07:45 AM - 01:30 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
7/22/2009	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
5/26/2009	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
3/23/2009	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
1/20/2009	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
11/24/2008	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
9/23/2008	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
7/29/2008	07:45 AM - 01:30 PM	Senior Center	2408 Central Ave. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
5/28/2008	07:45 AM - 01:30 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
3/31/2008	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
1/30/2008	07:45 AM - 01:30 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
12/3/2007	12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Knights of Columbus	800 W Frontview St. Dodge City, KS67801	Blood
5/16/2007	-		,
2/13/2007	-		,	Blood
12/13/2006	-		,	Blood
9/19/2006	-		,	Blood
7/24/2006	-		,	Blood
5/23/2006	-		,	Blood
1/17/2006	-		,	Blood
11/14/2005	-		,	Blood
6/30/2005	-		,	Blood
5/3/2005	-		,	Blood
12/15/2004	-		,	Blood
9/22/2004	-		,	Blood
5/17/2004	-		,
3/15/2004	-		,	Blood
11/3/2003	-		,	Blood
8/18/2003	-		,	Blood
6/16/2003	-		,	Blood
3/4/2003	-		,	Blood
10/3/2002	-		,	Blood
8/5/2002	-		,	Blood
6/3/2002	-		,	Blood
11/2/2001	-		,	Blood
3/19/2001	-		,	Blood
10/16/2000	-		,	Blood
8/7/2000	-		,	Blood
2/22/2000	-		,	Blood

Sunday, April 28, 2013

my meds effective 28 April 2013

Vitamin C - 1000 mg

Vitamin E - 200 IU

Beta Carotene 25,000 IU

Postassium 99 mg

Garlic 4000 mg (2000 mg twice a day)

Vitamin B complex

B1 - 50 mg
B2 - 12.5 mg
B3 - 50 mg
B6 -12.5 mg
Folic Acid - 50 mcg
B12 - 12.5 mcg
Biotin - 25 mcg
Pantogthenic Acid - 50 mg
Calcium - 118 mg

Glucosamine - 3000 mg (1500 mg twice a day)

Condroitin - 2400 mg (1200 mg twice a day)
________________________________________
Current prescriptions effective 5 May 2011

Glyburide 5mg take in morning

HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE 25mg (water pill) morning increased blood sugar

Januvia 100mg (diabetes) evening

METFORMIN HCL 1000mg (diabetes) 2/day

OMEPRAZOLE 20mg (stomach) ½ hour before breakfast

ProAir HFA (albuterol sulfate) (inhaller) as needed

SIMVASTATIN 20mg (anti-cholesterol) before bed time

________________________________________

I have given this drug list to Dr. Robert W. Hostetler, M.D.
620.227.1371
800.279.0429
fax: 620.227.1208

My drugs as of 28 April 2013

Vitamin C - 1000 mg

Vitamin E - 200 IU

Beta Carotene 25,000 IU

Postassium 99 mg

Garlic 4000 mg (2000 mg twice a day)

Vitamin B complex

     B1 - 50 mg
     B2 - 12.5 mg
     B3 - 50 mg
     B6 -12.5 mg
     Folic Acid - 50 mcg
     B12 - 12.5 mcg
     Biotin - 25 mcg
     Pantogthenic Acid - 50 mg
     Calcium - 118 mg

Glucosamine - 3000 mg (1500 mg twice a day)

Condroitin - 2400 mg (1200 mg twice a day)
________________________________________
Current prescriptions effective 5 May 2011

Glyburide 5mg take in morning

HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE 25mg (water pill) morning increased blood sugar

Januvia 100mg (diabetes) evening

METFORMIN HCL 1000mg (diabetes) 2/day

OMEPRAZOLE 20mg (stomach) ½ hour before breakfast

ProAir HFA (albuterol sulfate) (inhaller) as needed

SIMVASTATIN 20mg (anti-cholesterol) before bed time

________________________________________

I have given this drug list to Dr. Robert W. Hostetler, M.D.
620.227.1371
800.279.0429
fax: 620.227.1208

Sunday, March 17, 2013

¿Moderation?

There are way too many folks who believe this!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

some comments on juvenile onset type 1

My wife and I went to the Lone Star in Garden City, Kansas, with another couple (Sheryl and Larry).

My wife and I took our evening pills and I remarked "I have to check my blood when we get home."
Sheryl asked: "Are you a diabetic?"
"Yes".
"So is Larry."

I had no idea that he was diabetic. Larry and I both said we were type 2 and we discussed the pills we are on, We are both on metformin and glyburide and one or two other drugs as well.

Sheryl said they had a 38 year old son, who is a type 1 from the age of seven. He had "tried to be good" for many years but had "fallen off the [diabetic] wagon". Finally got a nice job, in his field (high class piano player for ballet), with medical and dental insurance. Then, he got talked into moving in with a friend in a different city. He gave up this good job and health insurance. He got a not so nice job with piss poor medical insurance and then his friend lost his job and could not pay his share of the rent. So, the son lost his apartment and had to move back in with Mom and Dad.

He ate the wrong meal choices, drank sugar drinks, smoked and drank too much. He went into a bar one night and only remembers entering the bar. He woke up in the center of a busy street with "paramedics working over him". He was extremely lucky that he was not run over. He spent three days in hospital being treated for hypoglycemia and this cost him like $8,000.

He recently got a good job with medical, dental and glasses insurance. When we heard this, Kathie and I both said "tell him to keep the job!" Sheryl said "we did". Unfortunately, this company decided they could cut costs by leaving Blue Cross for another insurance "provider". His costs have gone up and his coverage is worst. Still, he has medical coverage...

This sounds like my youngest brother Charlie's story. Charlie got fired from a good job and could not get another good job after that. He kept taking jobs with either piss poor medical insurance or no medical insurance. He went via ambulance to the emergency room and then checked himself into the diabetic ward. Of the three "visits" I know of, he owed $96,000 to one Portland, Oregon, hospital. (This hospital wrote off the debt as noncollectable. I had not expected such compassion or good sense from a hospital!) He ate a lot of pizza, drank Coca Cola or Budweiser and my wife once found a used insulin syringe in a pan of brownies. (A photo of this would have been an excellent example of irony.,)

Charlie finally got accepted by medicare and was accepted for Social Security payment for those who can not work.

Sheryl said she had given up on her son and did not want to know what he was doing, My Mother got the same type of despair about her youngest child and did not want to her about his health.

My brother, Charles Andrew Bell died of congestive heart failure at age 44 years, 1 month, 8 days on 10 December 2009. I still haven't gotten over his death...

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

screening bus

The Dodge City Lions are holding a District Convention Friday and Saturday at the new special events center. We are bringing in the state screening bus and will provide the following free screening on Saturday for:

"Vision: basic visual acuity and field of vision
Hearing: audiometer
Blood sugar
Blood pressure"

I think you will be impressed with this screening bus and will find the test results helpful.

http://www.bcbsks.com/AboutUs/Foundation/lions_mobile_screening_unit.htm

Saturday, February 09, 2013

injecting insulin in the head (toilet)

I saw a sad sight when I was leaving the Men's Room at the local IHOP this morning: a Father and Son were standing in front of the sinks. The Father was holding a insulin pen and was about to inject the boy. He said something that finished with "let the insulin work properly". The boy was in his early teens and much calmer than his Father. I watched the Father give his son insulin in the right bicep and I can understand why they did this in the "privacy" of the Men's Room.An injection at a table would have drawn unwanted attention and might upset other diners; as it was, it got my attention as I was leaving. (I still wonder what the boy could have done that would prevent the insulin from "doing it's work properly"?)

I fear he also makes the boy check his blood sugar in the Men's Room, which is too dirty a place for something as potentially dangerous as blood testing. The boy should be allowed to test at the dining table (screw the other customers if they are offended) or find some private table. Regardless, he should not blood test in a toilet room. In fact, his parents should have quietly rigged the insulin pen and let the boy give himself a shot in the belly at the dining room table. He should not care if the other customers are offended! (Perhaps the boy simply could not inject himself and needed the help? There were times when my Father and my youngest brother could not bring themselves to inject with the huge needles common in the 1980s and 1990s.)

I will admit it took me a long time to get used to openly checking my blood sugar at work and I am still successful in fending off the insulin needle! To be candid, I don't know if I would be any more sanguine about openly injecting insulin.

It helps that I have a co-worker who openly test her blood and injects at the kitchen table at lunch. I know other diabetics who inject at the table and this simply is not a big deal. I am willing to put off finding out for myself!

As I have commented in one of the American Diabetic Association talk pages, diabetics are simply too secretive about their condition.

Type 2 times