[acb-diabetics] tips on testing blood

[Veronica Elsea]

I am now really having trouble with my finger sticks. From all the 
years of multiple sticks, I now have giant lumps that according to my 
endo, will only go away with time of not being used. I've tried going 
further down the finger, only to realize that I've already been 
there. I think that all of the imune suppressants I take probably 
aren't working in my favor either. I'm almost beginning to wonder if 
I should just use the lancett and ditch the lancing device. It's 
getting hard to get the device in contact with a part of my finger 
that isn't the big lump. Not very thrilling, for sure. That's what I 
get for trying to be so good back in the days when we needed a ton of 
blood each time we wanted a number. Sheesh!
I do worry a bit about the alternate site testing not being quite as 
accurate. However, having said that, my absolute favorite meter, in 
terms of easy use, had to be the Softact. Man, you couldn't goof that 
thing! Of course, it didn't talk. But I managed to connect it up to 
my laptop and do a memory dump. But it had a vacuum system built in. 
You just put the strip in, put the stabber in, closed the lid, held 
the thing up to the part of the hand, arm or whatever you chose and 
pushed the button. The sound of that thing is all over my CD and it 
is also on my web site. When it got enough blood, it would just 
release and it would beep when there was a number. The display was 
huge, as were the numbers. I actually tried to read it with my 
optacon and the numbers were almost too big for that. One of the 
things I really liked about this meter was that you could preload a 
strip, take the meter with you and just quickly stop and do the blood 
test when you wanted with no fussing around. That made it really nice 
when traveling and stopping in at restaurants. But alas, this meter 
doesn't exist any more. People wanted smaller meters. But boy, it 
sure had its advantages.
Oh well, back to the here and now. Until I figure out a different 
solution, I'll just stick to my current plan of five tries, then I go 
on with life till my next chance to get a number. Not ideal, but 
that's how it is for the moment.
Take care; talk to ya soon.

Veronica
Watch and hear Veronica Elsea's Prayer for a Soldier at 
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		Veronica Elsea, Owner
Laurel Creek Music Designs
Santa Cruz, California
831-429-6407