I know a lot of us get these emails, however, I wanted to make sure everyone had seen the site and I am asking everyone to participate.
http://takeaction.jdrf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=CGMInsuranceCoverageSurvey_TellYourStory
Cheers!
A-D
P.S.
For anyone who is wondering what I wrote:
To Whom It May Concern:
My name is [name - lol posted it once] and I am a Type 1 diabetic. I was diagnosed in April of 1983. I am in fairly good control of the disease, though I do experience a fair number of low blood sugars. Most of the doctors’ offices I’ve visited where they treat diabetics have these charts that talk about how you can identify hypoglycemia (more commonly known as low blood sugar and referred to by many of us with the disease, as “lows”). Being diligent about my blood sugars has had what, as I understand it, is a common side effect, I am hypoglycemia unaware. This means that the chart, that medical document that tells me exactly how my body will let me know when I am getting in trouble doesn’t actually apply to me. What kind of trouble? This is the almost laughable sequence of events that happens when the body has too little sugar. You see, the brain cells are without enough fuel (see sugar) to function correctly so to help out, the body is supposed to produce adrenaline and kick off a host of other processes to release what sugar you have stored. Me? I start to lose mental function, get tired, sometimes belligerent and often do not test until I am experiencing significant impairment (that impairment is often the only thing letting me know my sugar is not right). So, what if I test and my sugar is okay? Well that may be fine. I tested just now, before lunch and my sugar was 83. That is a good number, in range. Of course, if my sugar is going down, I could be in danger in the next half hour. How will I know? Well, hopefully I will remember to test again as I proof this letter.
I met a young lady, fell in love got married and had a son (he is now a little over two years of age). Why mention this in a letter about diabetes and continuous monitoring? As it turns out, having a child has put me in a position where I am responsible for a curious, active, intent young life, while I am, at the same time, in a position of being concerned about temporary lapses in cognition and ability. I’ve never yet put him in danger, I watch my blood sugars carefully (testing 7-12 times per day) and my wife and other relatives are around often (he is, after all, the first grandchild on both sides).
I will be safer with a CGM. It will be safer for me, or anyone who is hypoglycemia unaware to drive with a CGM. I will be a safer parent with a CGM. I will be a safer pedestrian with a CGM and I will be a more productive employee and a less concerning member of my family. I am quite certain my wife would rather wake up to beeping than a sweating-convulsing mass on the mattress next to her – I would rather wake up to beeping than to paramedics or the frightened look on my wife's and child’s face.
We have another child on the way. For those who are willing to use this technology, please, help us be better, more productive and safer parents, employees, drivers, neighbors and (in short) people. These tools are here, they are safe and they can be life changing. Please support us in using them.
I am grateful for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
[me]