OmniPod: Airports

I thought I'd post what has been my experience with getting through airport security now that I'm wearing the OmniPod.  The same exact procedure played out in the following airports: Minneapolis, Raleigh and Nashville, so I'm fairly certain it's happening this way at many airports across the country.

Personally, I choose to not announce to TSA that I am wearing medical devices.  My personal approach to getting through security is as follows:

-Place both my DexCom receiver and OmniPod PDM in the tray along with all my other belongings
-Say nothing to TSA
-Proceed through either metal detector or full body scan like everyone else

The Results:

If going through old school medical detector - neither the DexCom sensor or OmniPod gets picked up and I continue on as if nothing occurred.

If going through full body scanner (the one where you stand with feet spread and arms up as a thing whirls around your body) - the DexCom sensor never gets picked up, however, the OmniPod (and I'm wearing the new, smaller pods) does register on their computer screen.

After getting out of the machine I will tell TSA I have diabetes and I am wearing an insulin pump.  The TSA agent then immediately walks me over to a device that tests the pump to make sure it's not a bomb.  This test is performed by first having me touch the pod with my bare hand.  Then the TSA agent wipes my hand with a dry, white, small square piece of cloth.  This cloth is then put into a machine and about 30 seconds later a message will pop up on the screen saying "not an explosive" <---thankfully, this has always been the result.  I am then free to go back and get my belongings off the belt.  This entire experience takes less than 5 minutes.

If you've not flown with the OmniPod, just be prepared that this might happen to you, but it's no big deal (to me, at least).

DexCom G4: Don't Forget About the Transmitter

I've had a few issues with the DexCom G4 receiver (#1 and #2) that I completely forgot I needed to think about the transmitter.  Word on the street is that the difference between the Seven Plus and the G4 is that they moved the "brain" of the DexCom out of the receiver and into the transmitter.  This is why the transmitter on the G4 is slightly bulkier.  This is based completely on Internet gossip, but it made sense to me when I read it.

As a reminder, this is what the transmitter looks like:

Transmitter

The deal with the transmitter is that DexCom only keeps it under warranty for 6 months.  In other words, they have designed it to last at least 6 months and if it doesn't last that long they will replace it for free.  However, if you reach 6 months and 1 day, it's on you to replace (~$599 w/o insurance...that's a really expensive battery that only lasts 6 months).  This isn't a "maybe you'll need to replace it", it's a "the battery will die one day and you will have to buy a new one."  When the battery life is running low, a "low battery" alert is supposed to appear on your receiver.  However, my receiver never displayed that warning, so don't put all your eggs in that basket.  (see page 14 of the DexCom G4 user guide for more details)

What did happen to me is that on Thursday I lost signal from 7:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.  All day I had the "out of range" icon on the receiver.  I assumed it was a faulty sensor, not a transmitter issue, so I called DexCom technical support once I got home from work.  After describing the problem the rep immediately said, "sounds like you have a dead transmitter".  She then went on to explain that I needed to go through the same vendor that supplies my sensors for a new transmitter since I wasn't under warranty anymore (mine was 7 months old).  For me, that's Diabetes Specialty Center.  (If you buy your supplies directly from DexCom then just call DexCom.)

Diabetes Specialty Center is actually really great to work with (thank GOD) so I called them next, but that's when I learned I needed a prescription from my doctor in order for them to submit an order for a new transmitter through insurance.  I also learned that transmitters are shipped ground and to overnight it would cost around $32.00.

Luckily, it was shortly after this call that my transmitter came back from the dead and I started getting readings again.  As of right now, Diabetes Specialty Center is working through all the nonsense and if all goes well I should have a new transmitter by early next week (I'm paying for the overnight shipping).  However, I'm on edge because if this transmitter dies again I'll be without Dex.  As a 100%, bonafide DexCom addict I do not like the idea of that.

So, if you'd like to avoid the "mad scramble to get a new transmitter" that I am currently going through, here are some key points to consider.

Key Points-

-Order a new transmitter once your current one is over 6 months old - I'm of the mindset that I'd rather have it on hand than be scrambling

-Again, prior to it being the 11th hour, confirm with your supplier if they need to obtain a script for the transmitter and get that on file

-Don't pull the sensor out as your DexCom may come back to life!

-Check transmitter life by going to "Setting" --> "Device Info".  Transmitter Battery should say "ok".  When mine died it just had 3 dots "..." instead of "ok".

P.S. If the sensor that I have on is still working when my transmitter finally kicks the bucket, I'm going to attempt just putting the new transmitter into the old sensor and going through the 2 hr. calibration.  If I end up doing this I'll let you know how it goes.

Got the "all clear" on the eyeballs

This Tuesday I had my annual eye exam.  I'd say for the first 15 years of living with diabetes I didn't get too worked up about the appointment.  However, something happened around the 15 year mark where now every time I go in I'm holding my breath waiting for the doctor to say, "sorry kid, you had a good run."  I figure it's inevitable I will develop some sort of diabetes related eye complication <--- THIS IS NOT FACT, JUST DIABETES ANXIETY.

Happy to report that everything came back looking perfect; no signs of complications.

The poor guy really does do a good job of putting up with me because I always ask, "if you did not know I had diabetes would you look at these results and think, "oh, this person definitely has diabetes". <--- I'm sure this is how it's phrased in medical textbooks.  To which he says, "I don't see any indication of diabetes and your eyes are as healthy as any other person without diabetes."  Then I want to leap up and hug him, but I just say, "well, you've made my year!"

Healthy eyes = Happy Katie

Non-Diabetes Related Side Effects of Pre-Bolusing

I have never been a morning person.  To me, a morning person is someone who gets up THE FIRST TIME their alarm goes off, or even better, doesn't need an alarm at all.  A morning person is someone who would rather have personal, quiet time at 5:30 a.m. vs. midnight.  I am not this person.

What this means is that I often feel stressed and rushed in the morning.  Even though I'd prep my coffee and make my lunch the night before it was always a mad dash to get to work before noon (slight exaggeration).  I am salaried so I technically don't have a time I have to be at work, but I don't like being the last one to arrive.

Around the time that I started experimenting with pre-bolusing I also made it a goal to be at work by 8:30 a.m.  What I wasn't expecting, and am very happily surprised by, is that pre-bolusing is the #1 reason this is actually happening!  In order to get to work by 8:30 a.m. the latest I can physically get out of bed is 7:30 a.m. (morning people never know this drop dead time).  A 7:30 a.m. wake-up is just to do the basics, so no hot breakfast.  If I want to have breakfast at home that wake-up gets pushed back to about 7 a.m.

But Katie, don't forget to bake in the 20 minute pre-bolus window!

Yes, exactly.  If I want to eat breakfast at home AND pre-bolus I now have to get up around 6:40-6:45 a.m.  And you know what, pre-bolusing makes that big of a difference that I'm actually doing it!  This means I'm waking up waaaaaay before my drop dead time and therefore, getting ready for work at a much more comfortable and relaxed pace.  When I arrive at work I'm not already feeling stressed and behind.  It's remarkable!

If you need further proof of the power of pre-bolusing, consider this: I wrote an entire post prior to leaving for work today!

P.S. My apologies for the "research paper sounding" post title.  Just because I'm up doesn't mean I'm firing on all cylinders.

Cheers!

My blog is 6 months old and recently reached 10,000 hits!  To celebrate I popped the cork on a delicious mini-bottle of champagne a friend had given me for my 30th birthday.

Thanks, Jenn!

Writing this blog has given me tremendous joy and a sense of belonging I could not have imagined.  I used to think I only knew a handful of people with diabetes and now I feel like I could be dropped in almost any state in the country (soon to be any country) and have a blogging friend to call on.  I thank you for your support, comments and friendship.  You truly make my life better than it was before and you ease the fear and pain of my journey of living with diabetes.  Now for some stats...

Audience Sources - All Time

United States - 7,809

China - 554

Russia - 220

Germany - 149

Canada - 140

Israel - 112

United Kingdom - 72

France - 65

Ukraine - 53

Netherlands - 47 (my favorite number; go Netherlands!) 

Most popular post: DexCom G4: Tips & Tricks

Some of my favorites posts to write: A Prayer to the A1c Gods, Sibling Rivalry and Insulin CANNOT be Absorbed Through Skin

Number of published posts = 87

Number of posts in "draft" = 5

Published comments = 174

Cheers!