First Quarter 2008, Checkup

Ring, Ring,

Hello.

This is the Doctors office reminding you of your appointment tomorrow at 3:00.

OK. Bye.

I didn’t know I had an appointment. It is not on my calendar. I know I thought about adding it, but I obviously didn’t put it on my calendar. Worse, I was suppose to go in a week early and give blood for labs. I didn’t do that either.

OK, I need a new plan.

Take off from work early today and go give blood. Go to the Doctors tomorrow and beg for forgiveness on not getting the labs done on time. Try to impress the Doctor with my recent trip around the world. Maybe he will allow the oversight.

While standing in line to wait my turn to give blood, the Nurse asks. Have you been fasting? Uh, no, I answer. OK she responded. Just make sure the Doctor knows that you were not fasting. OK, I respond.

The next day I arrive at the Doctors. I have printed out the last two months of my CGM statistics from the Medtronic Carelink website.

The Doctor comes in and asks how I have been. Good, I say. You know my glucose may be off a bit, as I have spent the last two weeks traveling around the world. Did we down load your meter? The Doctor asks. No, I have these charts. I respond.

We look at the charts. The Doctor asks how I like the CGM. I love it. I used it all the time during my travels around the world. I respond. No response from the Doctor. He doesn’t seem impressed.

Let’s look at you labs. He said. OK, get the excuses ready. Before I can say anything, the Doctor said my A1C was 7. That is what it was last quarter.

Wow, I am thinking. The lab work was done in less then a day. Looks like I don’t need an excuse.

The Doctor comments that my regiment must be pretty good, as my travels did not impact my A1C. However, your bad cholesterol is higher then last time. You need to watch what you eat and get more exercise. Is the advice I am given. It must have been those croissants, I think to myself.

Oh and a 7 on you’re A1C is barely passable, so you need to focus on your glucose management a little bit more. The Doctor tells me. I knew that comment was coming.

Would I be interested in using Symlin in a pen? He asks. Yes. I would. OK, lets get you talking to an educator.

I get with the educator and I get a prescription for a Symlin pen. I now have one less syringe to carry around.