I hate to say this, but a large
percentage of people with diabetes do not read or are afraid of
reading. Why do I make this statement? I am constantly surprised
what people do with their test strips. A few days ago, I was invited
to a get together for several people that I knew were people with
diabetes. The person being surprised was a type 1 (Lilly) and her
parents had planned this.
I knew most of the people present, but
I was in for a few surprises myself. We had been in the game room
when we were asked to come to the dining room for some treats. I was
not planning on food and let the hostess know this. I had thought to
wash my hands and used paper towels to dry them. I had not seen Max
and Allen arrive, but I was not surprised to see them as we came
through the kitchen.
After we were all seated, the food was
explained to us and we could tell that the mother had done the
preparation as each was labeled with the grams of carbohydrates. For
those that had doubts, the recipe was listed and the servings for
each and the nutrition data. The mother said that the serving size
was accurate to the gram so they knew that the carbohydrates were
also correct. Max said he could vouch for them, as living across the
alley; they often compared notes on recipes. He added that they had
borrowed his gram scale for this as well.
At that point, we were given permission
to test and go to different areas if we wanted privacy for injecting
insulin. Out came the testing supplies. Allen and I both looked at
each other as we watched some of the testing. We were done before
most and Allen asked me if we should comment. I agreed and said to
wait until we had finished at the table.
When everyone was finished, one fellow
that had heard Allen and me talking asked what we had to say. I said
that we had noticed habits that we felt should be educated for, if
they had no objections. No one objected and Allen asked if anyone
had read the instructions that came with their test strip box. No
answers and Allen asked me to explain part of what we had noticed. I
commented that I had not witnessed anyone washing their hands.
Several said they had not seen me wash mine. I said that I had used
the washroom on the lower level and Allen said he had washed his
before arriving. The daughter said she had seen me use the washroom
before coming upstairs to the kitchen.
Allen commented that several had test
strips in unapproved containers or in paper towels. Others had
dumped several test strips onto the table before testing. I
continued that several had been eating fruit before being called up
for the food and before testing. If they had cleaned their finger
with alcohol pads as we had seen several do, we would bet that they
would have hypoglycemia shortly. One of the people with type 1
diabetes laughed and said listen to the type 2's talk.
Allen said he knew that he had an
insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) on as his
equipment. I asked him to look at his CGM for about 20 minutes
earlier and compare this to his meter reading. The other person with
type 1 diabetes did look at his CGM and commented that he would
probably have a low, as his meter was higher by quite a bit than his
CGM. This caused the second person to look and he admitted that was
the case for him as well.
I said that the alcohol pads did not
remove the fruit sugar from their fingers and that was why they
should have washed their hands with soap and water and dried their
hands carefully. Allen has the same meter as I have and had just
opened a new box, took his instructions out, and asked the daughter
to read some of the instructions. She read the part about washing
the hands with soap and water.
Next, Allen asked her to read the
instructions for keeping the test strips in the container they came
in and she read this. She knew to continue reading about using the
test strip removed from the container as soon as possible, keeping it
out of direct sunlight, and not handling it with wet hands. It also
said to close the lid after removing a test strip.
Allen commented about those that were
used from other containers and paper towels could not be relied on as
being accurate and people were wasting money when they dumped three
or four test strips on the table and did not return them to the
container as soon as possible, but did after they were done with
testing. The daughter continued reading about this and carefully
read the part about not damaging test strips by removing too many and
putting them back in the container or transferring them between
containers.
One of the people with type 2 diabetes
had his instructions for his test strips and read them to himself
while we were discussing our instructions. He commented that his
instructions were almost the same, but said to only remove one test
strip and close the lid immediately, carefully insert the strip in
the meter, and then prick the finger.
The one person with type 1 diabetes
said he had never read about washing with soap and water and had been
taught to clean his fingers with an alcohol pad. I asked him if he
had trouble with his fingers cracking and having pain in testing. He
said he always wears gloves when outside and used a lotion to keep
his fingers from cracking. Allen suggested that he take time to read
the instructions that come with his test strips and the instructions
with his meter if he still had them.
The rest of the party was rather
somber, but when I said something to the mother, she said that was
why she enjoyed having people with type 2 around. Her daughter
always learned more from people with type 2 diabetes than from the
people with type 1 diabetes. Her husband said we always seemed more
concerned and caring than the few with type 1 diabetes. He realized
that there was a difference between the two types, but the members of
the type 2 group were always willing to advise her to talk with the
endocrinologist for most things instead to saying his daughter must
do this or do that. He said he and his wife always appreciated
that.
Allen stated this is always best and
their daughter needs to trust the endocrinologist. Then Allen added
that we may know some things, but if we speak out against something
the endocrinologist says we are undermining the endocrinologist. The
mother said that is why when we have parties, we make sure that
several of you are present. She said that her daughter learned quite
a lot today and said that with her being the one reading the
instructions, and having the same meter, she knows that you are
right. Today was a good lesson for her and she will remember that
you were not putting the rest down, just correcting their poor
examples. With her about ready to have a pump, she said I am happy
you took the time to point her in the right direction.
With that I needed to go home and Allen
was ready to leave.
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