It's been a while since I've posted...again! Sorry about that. Just a busy teen over here, I guess. :P Lets see whats been going on in Malyssa's world...haha...

• School starts on Wednesday...I'm both excited, and nervous all at the same time. I'm excited because I will see everyone again, and because I'm a senior this year!! Nervous because of the anxiety problems, and...well, I really don't have any other good reasons.
• My Cozmo has been a life saver!!! I have NEVER had numbers that looked so good! I love love loveeeee my Cozmo! =)
• I have an appointment with a new endo on the first day of school, at 3:30. I don't know what to think about it yet. When we called the office, they warned us that he likes tight control, and that my A1c of 9.9 is unexceptable...no kidding! =/
• My highest blood sugar for the past week has been 190! Nice, right? Haha..now how often does that happen!?

Well, thats it for right now...I will definately post soon, and tell about my school and endo experiences! :)

Ta Ta!! :P

A post! And some good news!!

Wow. I have been so busy lately, with school comming up, my cousins engagement party, work, SAT prep...it's pretty crazy, but it's all good. Keeps my mind off of everything. And I haven't even been able to post that my Cozmo 1800 got approved!!!! Yup. I have been hooked up since Sunday morning, and I couldn't be happier. I went with the Tropical green, and he has been dubbed Fuschia Nemo, by my friend Kiersten and my little sister Kristen. Lol. Kristen came up with the Nemo, and Kiersten with the Fuschia! :P Thats right...we are expert pump namers, who are going to write a book one day, haha...seriously...we will! :P My control has been excellent since my good friend Fuschia Nemo hooked up to my side! I haven't seen a number over 191 since Saturday night at bedtime. I knew it wasnt me!! I love love love my cozmo! Really. It's the best pump ever, and NO...it's not big!! :P Lol. But, I have been getting migranes again. Bad ones. It hurts to look at the light, and to go outside in the sun is pure torture. I don't understand why i am getting these migranes again, but its bad. I can barely hold my head up...it feels so heavy. :( Well...I am off to do my first site change on my own with the Cozmo...should be interesting. Oh, and btw...I love the Cleo 90 infusion sets!!

I am having one of those days. You know the kind...the I can't take one more minute of Diabetes kind of days. I have been high all day. 429 has been the highest, 266 the lowest. Not fun. And going to work high...even worse. I'm just really down about it today, and I just wish it would go away. I'm getting tired of site changes, and testing my blood sugar, counting carbs, and bolusing. I think I'm getting a little burnt out with regards to my D care. I need a break. Anyways, just needed to vent a bit. I'm off to watch "Becoming Jane". I'll try to post soon.

stressful times

1. I have finally gotten a replacement job. I'm working at subway...not exactly what I was looking to do, but I'll take it! The people there are extremely nice, and hopefully everything will work out well. I started my training today, and I go in for more training tomorrow.
2. I am starting to worry about college...I will be a senior in high school this september. But, what happens after!? I don't know if I'll get into a good college, or if I can afford it, or even if I will be able to handle it!!! Its really stressing me out lately, and when I'm stressed, my numbers stay HIGH! Like today. I got a HI reading for about 3 hours straight. I am so nervous about all of this!!!
3. No news on the cozmo situation yet. We will call Smiths tomorrow to see how we are progressing. I'll update more on that tomorrow.
4. We are getting new insurance. Oxford (NJ). People are telling me that when it comes to cgms through them, coverage is not going to happen!! UGH! I was so happy when I found out we were getting new insurance because I wanted to get a cgms...but now, who knows what will happen...maybe the Navigator will always be a dream to me...never reality, but ya never know.

Ok, I am off to bed. I had quite a day!! So until next time...

I'll be dreamin' about the Navigator, and waiting on a cure. =)

Night!!

Waiting On A Cure

• I changed the name of my blog from Determined Diabetic to Waiting On A Cure. I personally do not like the term "diabetic." It bothers me, because it makes me feel like I am a different species alltogether, rather than human, like everyone else. I prefer to be known as a "person with diabetes," because that is exactly how to describe it. I am a person, who just so happens to have type one diabetes. Diabetes will never define who I am, because I won't let it. I am more than just my disease. Diabetes is a big part of who I am, but it's not all of it! :)
• An update on the battle for a Cozmo: Sherry from Smiths called us today with yet another set-back. Our insurance company messed up...again. They keep thinking that we are appealing an OmniPod. I have no idea why they think this, because in the appeal letter, it specifically states the name "Cozmore Insulin Technology System." So, it looks like I still have a long wait until I get the final verdict. Oh, and what really boggles my mind, is that I have an OmniPod system...so, why would I want/need another one? Hmm...
• My numbers...they are just not cooperating with summer activities. I guess because with work, and such an unpredictable schedule, it's a lot harder to set my basals, because my schedule does vary so much from day to day. Whereas when I'm in school, my schedule is a lot more predictable, yet still hectic!!
• Well, thats about it for now. Just a small update on whats going on in my life.

P.S. Have you ever checked out the Children With Diabetes website...particularly the forums? Well, if you haven't, you should definately stop by. The people there are so wonderful, and always so understanding, and willing to help you through difficult times. It's a wonderful place to meet others who "get it," and for support! Ok...I'm done now... :P

http://forums.childrenwithdiabetes.com/index.php

I havent posted in quite a while, but to tell you the truth, nothing very interesting has happened.

• An update on my fight for a Cozmo: Insurance insists that they need 20 days to make a decision! 7 down...too many to go!!!
• I have a problem with swimming. Haha. Whenever I go swimming, I always go high afterwards. It never fails. I have even went back on the OmniPod, just so I wouldnt miss any basal while I swim (the MM is NOT waterproof). It didnt work. Today I went swimming, and I started at 395 mg/dL. I corrected, and put a 125% basal on... When I got out, I was 265 mg/dL. UGH! That was a lot of insulin for exercise. I will have to work on that.
• I have an endo appointment comming up in a few weeks...August 8th. Not too happy about it. I do not get along with my endo, and I think my A1c went up...A LOT!!!

Thats about all I got right now, lol. I will try to post something more interesting soon...Hopefully tomorrow!! Maybe I will hear from Smiths about the Cozmo tomorrow (that would be a miracle!!!).

• Well...I have solved my blood sugar issues. I am pretty sure the OmniPod caused my problem, as it has done so in the past. So, I am on my MM again, and my numbers are back to normal...well, as normal as they get.
• I'm still trying to get my endo to sign the appeal letter for the Cozmo. I really love the OmniPod, but its obviously not working for me. As for the MM...I would rather be on MDI. It is a great pump, but I just don't like it. That was why I switched to the OmniPod in the first place. What works for some doesnt always work for others.
• After the pump ordeal gets situated, I will be on the loooooooooooong journey of trying to obtain coverage for a CGMS. I'm trying to decide between the Navigator and the Dexcom. Navigator will one day communicate with the Cozmo, it has a built in meter, and predictive alarms. The Dex doesnt have these features. Needless to say, I'm leaning towards the Navigator.
• I got a call-back for an interview, so hopefully I will be hired so I can start saiving money for a car.

Well, now I'm off to bed. It was a long day. I'll update soon. :D

Malyssa

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I have been really busy...Heres whats been going on:

• Job on the beach didnt work out. My insulin went bad in my pump, and I ran 400mg/dL+ all day long, my highest being 525mg/dL. It wasnt a good time, thats for sure. And, despite applying sunscreen three times, I got some crazy sunburn.
• I told you all that I got the Cozmo approved. Well, it turns out I didnt. The insurance called on the 19th and said it was approved, but when we called Smiths, they said it wasnt because my oh so lovely endocrinologist REFUSED to sign the appeal!!! Boy was I mad. And to top it off, she was on vacation this past week so we couldnt do anything about it! Needless to say, my mom will have a nice heart to heart with her come Monday, and if you knew my mom when it comes to my health...I would NOT want to be in Dr. Seifers place during that conversation.
• My numbers have been outrageous. My meter average is over 300mg/dL, and despite almost doubling my insulin, I cannot get back under control...(and the endo won't sign the appeal for another pump that might benefit me...UGH!)
• My dad is due back late tonight. e was on a fishing trip in Canada for the past 9 or 10 days. I miss him, and I'm glad he's on his way home...last time he called he was in NY state, so within the next few hours he should be arriving home. =)
• The 4th of July is this Friday, and I am soooo excited! I will get to see all of my family and friends. We have a great time. My dad is on the grill all day, and everyone is swimming, eating, playing volley ball, soccer, and just hanging out all day. It really is a fun time.

Thats about it...I'll keep you all posted on the Cozmo issue, and how the talk with Dr. Seifer goes. Hope everyone is well!

Malyssa

Cozmo Got Approved

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. School's out, and I have been super busy. My job starts this Sunday, and I am very excited, though a bit nervous about how diabetes will behave. Now for the good news...My Cozmo got approved today! I just have to wait for the aproval letter that the insurance is sending in the mail, and then I can get the pump shipped. :D I am so happy. No more MM or OmniPod problems, but a nice, new, feature-rich friend to help me better manage my diabetes. I will be all hooked up by next week. And now I am off to go watch a movie with some friends. I will keep you all posted on my Cozmo Adventure! :)

Random Things

Oh boy...where to start? Lets see...my posts have been scattered about, and I havent really had much time. I had my job orientation yesterday morning, and then spent a few hours on the beach. Today was a day full of lows. I was at the nurses office during most of the school day, which wasnt good because we are starting to review for finals as they start next week! The lowest low of the day so far has been a lovely 44mg/dL...20 minutes AFTER I ate lunch, and didnt cover. Hmm...what else...my job. I am beach badge checking over in Brant Beach on LBI. I'm way excited to start later this month! It will be a very new experience for me though. I will be out walking back and forth between three blocks on the beach for six hours or so a day, for five days a week. Managing my blood sugar is going to be a challenge, a challenge that I can hopefully get a hold on so no one has to break out the glucagon! Sorry about the randomness of this post...like I said, I am all over the place...or maybe I didnt say it, but I'm saying it now, lol. Anyways, I'm off to go do some homework! Have a great afternoon, and I will try to post again soon. :) Update- My bloodsugar is 54mg/dL, which might explain some of the randomness...or not. ;)

relay for life and something you might not have known

Just got back from the Relay for Life walk, a walk for cancer survivors, their family and friends, and for the friends and family of people taken away from us because of cancer. It was very hard for me to sit through the ceremony. Both of my parents have been through cancer. When I was in second grade, my mom got colon cancer. She had to have her entire colon removed. She had colitis befor being diagnosed...her mother died of colitis when my mom was about six years old. I was only eight years old at the time, but I will never forget every Friday when my mom went to NY for chemo, and how sick she would be when she got home. And then in the summer of 2006, just 5 1/2 months after I was diagnosed with diabetes, and two days after I went on an insulin pump, my dad was diagnosed with Leukemia. It was an extremely difficult time for me, and the entire family. He was in the hospital for a month after he was diagnosed, then he was let out for two or three weeks, and then he went back for another few weeks, let back out for two, and then was on outpatient for his third round of chemo. My mom drove two hours every day to go stay with my dad in the hospital. She took my two younger sisters most of the time, and any other family members who were healthy and wanted to see him (no one with a cold or anyone in contact with a sick person could go...you had to wash your hands each time you entered his room because they wiped out his immune system, getting his white blood cell count down to almost nothing, and then slowly building it back up). I am the only one who never went to see him. I couldnt. I talked to him on the phone a few times, but I could never go. Not because I was sick, not because of diabetes...because it was my dad. My dad who I always saw as this big strong guy who could never be sick. I knew if I went I wouldnt be able to handle it, so I never did. I saw a picture of him from when he was sick, and all I could do was cry. I guess it was worse for me with him, rather than my mom because I actually understood what was going on. I was 15, and when my mom was going through it, I was only 7 or 8. Thankfully both of my parents are very healthy, and in remission. I am thankful for every day I spend with them, and I realize how important family really is, especially in a time of hardship. I may have diabetes, and I will for the rest of my life until we have a cure, but after what I have seen happen to my parents, and some close family friends, I consider myself the lucky one.

Leaking Resevoir...no pump?

Where to begin...well, I was high all day. I started the day off at 377. Corrected, no breakfast and a bottle of water. Negative ketones (thank goodness). Second period at school this morning I test because I'm still feeling lousy- 289. Another correction and downed two bottles of water. Fourth period, lunch. I test-still 289!! Another correction plus coverage for lunch, a 12gm carb fruit cup and another bottle of water. Still no ketones at this point. Sixth period I go back to test as requested by the nurse-364! Correct again and drink yet another bottle of water. Go back to class after getting the OK from mom (she usually never lets me go when I'm this high, but I didnt want to miss the test review). Go through sixth period trying my best to concentrate, then off to chemistry, we had lab today-double period. After the lab, which was the middle of eighth period I went back to the nurse-361. Another correction and another bottle of water. I sat there for the last half hour of the day with the nurse, and another diabetic (who was 484 at the time!!!). We were both sharing diabetes-related stories, laughing, and downing water, and of course, testing every 10-15 minutes. So after I stayed afterschool to make up some French work, I come home and do a site change. When I take the cartridge out of my pump, its soaked with insulin, as is the resevoir compartment in the pump. Instead of getting all of my corrections and boluses, they leaked out into my pump. So, my mom calls MiniMed to see if we can get a new pump sent out as this is the second time this has happened. They won't send us another pump. They told me it was the resevoir, not the pump, and that there was no need to worry about it. Well, I DO WORRY ABOUT IT!!! Thats my health, and I take it seriously. Would it hurt to just swap the pump for a refurb? I am so unhappy with the way MiniMed treats us. Their product/company may be the leaders in technology, but their costomer service is something to be desired. I will not reccomend this pump to anyone if they ask me...I will give my honest opinion. Animas keeps looking better and better to me...Their 2020 has the same features plus more. A food database, more presise dosing, color screen, waterproof, smaller size, leur lock infusion sites, and wonderful costomer service! And, to top it off, they are partnering with dexcom, and are expected to have a cgms-pump combo (like MM) by 2009/early 2010. And, if you have seen the insertion needle for the Minilink...oh boy, that is NOT coming near me. I would much rather wait a little while for the Dexcom (or even get it now) until they are integrated.

My Cozmo pump should have been on its way this week...it's not. Insulet is driving me crazy! They are trying to negotiate with our insurance now, and its becoming a hassle for me. I am back on my MM722, and I am really not happy. I had run out of pods, so I had to switch back or go back to shots. So, after all the fighting, they sent us pods. We got them in the mail today. I can't keep switching back and forth like this, my blood sugars are going nuts! So our insurance company is still trying to get another pump approved for me. I am having second thoughts about the cozmo now. I am trialing an Animas 2020, and I really love it. It's green, lol. I never thought I would want to go on an Animas pump, but I fell in love with this one. It has the SAME features of the MM, plus an added food database. It has smaller dosing, and a wonderful screen, plus, its waterproof and its pretty tiny compared to my 722. Does anyone have any comments on any of the Animas pumps? Did you switch from a MM to an Animas? If you are on the Animas, would you choose their pump again when the warranty expires?

Summer Job

School lets out for me on June 16th. I can't wait, as this year has been extremely tough on me. And on June 22nd, I will be starting my summer job as a beach badge checker! Thats right, I will be getting paid for walking back and forth between three blocks on the beach and checking badges! I am so excited! I love the ocean, and being there six days a week will be wonderful. Now to figure out how I will carry extra pump supplies, insulin, strips, and my meter, all while keepingg them at a safe temperature... Anyways, just wanted to share the news!

Endo Appointment

I had my quarterly endocrinologist appointment yesterday. It went way better than expected, and I had a wonderful drop in my a1c. Back in February my a1c was 10 thanks to my battle with anxiety and my MM722 insulin pump. Yesterday, it was a 7.8!!! Not perfect, but way better than a ten. I have worked really hard these past three months to get there too. I have been exercising 3-5 times a week, I have been eating better, and in general just payed more attention to my diabetes care. And, I went off of my MM722, and onto the OmniPod, which is soon going to change. I have decided to go with the Deltec Cozmo for sure. I looked at the Animas, but I decided that it just wasn't for me, so my Pacific Blue Cozmo should be arriving this week some time. I am very excited about getting the Cozmo because of the features, and the fact that I will be able to choose an infusion set from anyone (unlike MM or OmniPod). Anyways, my next endo appointment is on Auguust 8th. I am excited and ready to work to get my a1c back under 7, with my new PIC (Partner In Crime), cozmo, my stationary bike, my eating habits, and a positive attitude!

Wow. Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I have been way busy with end of the year school projects and the such. Anyways... Tomorrow is my endo appointment. It always seems that every time I have an endo appointment coming up, my numbers go haywire about a week or two beforehand. I don't know why, but it always happens. Crazy numbers, and pump problems have been my battle of the week. Needless to say, I am not looking foward to the appointment. I will be back with the results tomorrow. Wish me luck, lol.

endo appointments + A1c = anxiety

Diabetes is hard. It is hard to control, and hard to deal with emotionally, and physically for some. My last endo appointment was in February. Overall, it just was not a good visit. My A1c reached a whopping 10. My endo was not upset, as there were many contributing factors, mainly anxiety (and some major pump issues). Back between September - early November, I couldn't even ride past my high school without having a panic attack. These panic attacks caused my blood sugars to skyrocket. The first time I walked into the school after all of this happened, my blood sugar shot up to 500mg/dL. Before I went in I was 140mg/dL. This happened every time. It took many months for me to learn to control this, with the help of counseling and the such. Thankfully, I am back in school now, full time. At first I would only go in for a few classes at a time, until I worked my way backwards into a full day. It was difficult, and I spent many nights lying awake in bed just thinking about how stupid I was being, and how much I was going to ruin my future...how I was never going to get into the college of my dreams (Rutgers). I would have never thought that I would ever be back in a classroom, even to this day. Things have gotten better diabetes wise. My control has been wonderful since my last appointment, especially this past month. I am eating healthier, keeping better logs of my blood sugars, and carb and insulin intake, exercising almost daily, and even wearing my medical id. I feel like a new person, and I hope all of the hard work shows at my next endo appointment (Friday 5/23). I am both excited and nervous about this next visit. Mostly about what my A1c will be. I am hoping for anything under 8, and I will work my way down from there. Hopefully my transition to the cozmo wont cause any blood sugar issues, and I can continue on with my good control...I need to stop worrying and believe that I have done enough, and have tried my hardest.

As you know from my earlier post, I am getting a Detec Cozmo insulin pump. I am having an extremely difficult time picking out a color!!! I have narrowed it down to tropical green or pacific blue. The volcano black is just not my style...it seems kind of brick-like to me. I know it sounds weird, but this seems like one of the hardest choices, lol. My first MM was blue, and I didnt really like it, so when it failed I got a clear one. So, I have been taking votes of which color to get. So far its 4.5 for blue, 2.5 for green (yes, my friend cannot decide either). I need to decide by tomorrow/friday-ish. What do you all think I should go for? Oh yeah...I am planing on going to Rutgers for college. Their colors are scarlet and white aka scarlet knights. So, either I look like an American flag, or a Christmas decoration, lol. ;)

MM 722, Omnipod, & CoZmo?

As I mentioned in my first post, I am on an insulin pump. About 5 1/2 months after I was diagnosed with diabetes, I started pumping. My mom wanted me to go on the MM 722, so I agreed because I was tired of MDI and just wanted a pump. I liked for the first month or so, but then I started to regret ever going on an insulin pump...site changes were painful and left me bruised, and delivery of insulin stung so much, that I would avoid eating, or just not cover a meal. I found the people at MM to be extremely rude to us, and very unhelpful. I had many problems with their pump, and they were very unwilling to help at times. Needless to say, my A1c went from a 6.4 to an 8.1 during my first few months of pumping, and then to a 10!!! I was tired of the pump, and I wanted to go back to MDI. That's when I heard about the OmniPod, and I fell in love. My mom and I battled the insurance company to get the OmniPod since my MM was only a year and a half into it's warranty, but we got them to approve it after about a months time. I was so excited, and extremely happy. I have been on the OmniPod since December. But I have run into a problem...Insulet (makers of OmniPod) refuses to ship us pods because they want the money upfront every month, and insurance doesn't pay until the end of the month! My parents don't have 500 dollars to put out every three months for supplies!!! I came home to my mom crying over the whole ordeal. I have four pods left. My insurance agreed to pay for another pump, and since MM and Insulet are out of the question, I have chosen to go with the Deltec Cozmo 1800. I am actually very excited, despite the fact that I will have tubing again. This will be my third pump, and third pump company in less than two years. If anyone has any opinions about the Cozmo pump, and the company itself, please share them with me, as I would love to hear.

sick

It started around 1am. I woke up coughing, sore throat, pounding head, and to add to that, a blood sugar of 194. Perfect. Do a correction of 1.15 units, and try to get back to sleep. I never really did. My alarm went off at 5:30am, like it always does on a weekday, so I shut it off and fell asleep. My mom comes in at 6, yelling for me to get out of bed, so I force myself up out of bed and test my blood sugar; 150, and make my way downstairs. My mom makes a comment that my eyes look bloodshot, so I told her in a raspy voice what was going on. She let me go back to bed after eating breakfast. At 9:30 I had a doctors appointment...wheezing, throat very red, ears don't look good either. I have bronchitis. They have me on an inhaler, and an antibiotic. The inhaler is killing my blood sugars...Overall, just a rainy, cold, and for me, sick day. I'm off to make some hot tea, and relax a little.

Mothers Day

Happy Mothers Day!!! To be a mother, it takes a strong, wonderful person, but to be a mother of a person with diabetes takes an even stronger, more wonderful person. Not many moms can do what a mom of a child with diabetes can do. They watch us give ourselves shots, or give them to us when we're younger, help us with site changes, and they stay strong for us, even though it kills them inside to watch us go through life with diabetes. They stay up with us when we're low at night, make sure we drink lots of water when we're high, get up in the middle of the night when we're young to test our blood sugars, and drive us to our endo appointments. I don't know what I would do without the help from my mom. She has helped me greatly in dealing with diabetes over the last two and a half years, and for that, I can never thank her enough. This disease has made me realize many things, many important things. One of those things is how much I appreciate my mom. I have realized that she is not only my mom, but my best friend. Thank you mom, and thank you to all the moms, especially the moms of a child with diabetes.

First Post

My name is Malyssa. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes a few years back as a freshman in high school; I was 14 at the time. I am now 17, and I have been battling this disease for almost two and a half years. I have been on two different insulin pumps so far, soon to be three. First a MM 722, and now an OmniPod (soon to be changing because of issues with Insulet). I have been reading blogs written by people with diabetes for well over a year now, and I have finally gotten up the courage to make one myself. I have two younger sisters, and a wonderful mother and father. I hope that by creating this blog, I can help others, as other bloggers have helped me. I will share my experience as a teen with type 1, and probably ramble on about random things as well. I am very excited to start this blog, and become a part of the online blogging community!