The other day I saw an article in Time saying that The United States is the most expensive place in the world to live with type 2 diabetes. It got me thinking that I haven’t discussed the financial burden that comes with being diabetic.
This is a standard bottle of insulin. Everyone’s usage varies, but I usually use 1 bottle per month. Being type 1 diabetic, I must take insulin every single day or I will die. So how much does insulin cost?
My brain likes to categorize my memories. When I think back on my life, it is split into time periods. I have middle school, high school, senior year (it has its own category because I changed so much that year), the early days of my and Allen’s relationship / university, then married life / community college. That is all part of a larger category called Before. Then the next segment is simply called After. It’s the part of my life after college, but more importantly, After Diagnosis.
Earlier this week, my husband picked me up from work with a surprise – he was taking me to the hot tub place about an hour away for an evening of relaxation. I was thrilled! But it was our first time going since I began using the pump, and I knew it would be an experience to remember.
Now, it needs to be noted that diabetics are advised AGAINST using hot tubs, among other things (you’ll see why soon). However I like to live on the edge and also I feel confident in both myself and my husband’s capabilities to care for me.
I had been fighting a relentless high all day, and when I settled in the tub to begin the hour long soak, I was at about 160. After only 20 minutes, I got out of the tub because it was hard for me to speak. My CGM was reading 126. A finger poke showed I had actually dropped to 55. That’s 105 points in 20 minutes. Of course, the CGM can’t even come close to catching a drop like that fast enough. Luckily I had trusted my instincts and knew to watch for signs of my sugar dropping.
So how did this happen? The heat from the hot water causes insulin to work faster, meaning the glucose in my blood was being taken into my cells at an accellerated rate. I didn’t feel the 55 like I normally can feel my lows due to my senses being overwhelmed by steam and heat and bubbles which is why I only noticed I was low when it was suddenly difficult to form a coherent thought.
All is good though. I enjoyed some relaxation, even when I had to stuff three rolls of smarties in my mouth while sitting in the tub. Tis the life of a diabetic.
photograbetic 