Giveaway! Blue Circle Shoelaces and Signed Books
What do you say we honor Diabetes Awareness Month by giving away some fresh diabetes swag?!
the giveaway items
Five pairs of those swanky blue circle shoelaces that you see all of the cool diabetes advocates wearing – courtesy of Novo Nordisk.
One signed copy of my book, Life Is Short, Laundry Is Eternal: Confessions of a Stay-At-Home Dad
One signed copy of Moira McCarthy's book, Raising Teens with Diabetes
how to enter
Complete as many entry options as you want using the Rafflecopter app below, each option gives you a different number of chances to win and some options can be performed daily.
choosing winners and other stuff you should know
Giveaway is only open to folks with US and Canadian addresses (I'm paying for shipping). Contest ends 11/30/2014 at midnight EST. Winners will be drawn at random by the Rafflecopter app. One prize per household.
Happy Diabetes Awareness Month!
JDRF Children's Congress: Apply Now
There is still time to apply!
from JDRF.org:
JDRF 2015 Children’s Congress will take place on July 13–15, 2015, in Washington, D.C.
Every two years, more than 150 children living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) gather in Washington, D.C., to meet face-to-face with some of the top decision-makers in the U.S. government. The children, ages 4 to 17, represent all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The delegates in JDRF’s Children’s Congress enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help Members of Congress understand what life with T1D is like and why research to fund life-changing therapies until a cure can be found is so critical. They speak up on behalf of the millions of people living with T1D and the families and friends who love them.
Apply now for JDRF 2015 Children’s Congress.
Dexcom's New 505 Software Review and How To
The (Algo) Rhythm is Gonna Get You!
Last week the good folks at the FDA approved Dexcom's latest software for use in your G4 continues glucose monitor. Let's talk about what you'll need to know about installing the software on your receiver and if I saw a difference after upgrading.
What you need to upgrade?
A Dexcom G4 adult receiver (The company has announced that they will submit the software to the FDA in 2014 for approval in their pediatric receiver).
A Windows computer with Internet access
The charging cable from your Dex, minus the electric adapter, so USB to Dexcom
A few minutes
What to do...
Go to Dexcom's website and click on the "Download NEW Software 505" link. You will need to login to the Dexcom site, if you do not have an online account on their site, you can quickly make one.
A downloader program is installed on your computer. After launch it will ask for you to connect your receiver to the computer and the rest happens in short order. Please note TWO important things. The process will revert your receiver back to it's factory specs. Make notes of all your settings and be prepared to reconfigure the receiver (takes a few minutes) after installation. Also, you will have to restart your sensor session after the update, so you won't be getting any of that good BG data during those two hours - plan accordingly.
You don't have to wait until it's time to put on a new sensor to upgrade! Just choose 'Stop Sensor' on your receiver's menu and then restart the receiver after the software upgrade has finished. You DO NOT have to change your sensor site to do a sensor stop/start.
Should I do it?
Yes, here's why...
Dexcom is reporting that the MARD (mean absolute relative difference) will increase by 4%. In plain language, your Platinum G4 without the new algorithm has a 13% MARD , the new software clocks in at 9% MARD - a lower MARD is more accurate.
Did you know? The new 505 software is the version currently being used in artificial pancreas trials!
What did I see after the upgrade?
We upgraded Arden's receiver and have been running it for a week in conjunction with another G4 receiver that is using the previous software. My in a nutshell review -- the new software has been consistently closer to our finger stick checks than the previous software. We use the OmniPod meter with Freestyle strips. This is not to say that the previous software is always farther off then that of the newer version - at times it has been and at times it hasn't. The newer version (505) has been consistent with my prior expectations or better, never worse. But when it is appreciably better, it is 20 - 30 points more accurate and that's worth upgrading for in my opinion. It also seems to deliver more accurate fall and rise rates that don't linger after the change in BG has leveled.
Here's some side-by-side pics...
The first four images show a BG rise (I confirmed with a meter not pictured). You can see that the previous software lagged behind the rise and never reached the actual BG which topped out at 213 (on meter). The fifth image is an example of no significant difference between 505, previous and meter. The last image shows a metered 68 that registered as a 6o with the new software but an alarming 46 with the previous version. After testing and calibration the previous version adjusted to 60, the new version adjusted to 66.
Conclusion...
Obviously my observations are just that, observations. Nothing very scientific was done and I am not a doctor as my disclaimer mentions. The upgrade is fast and simple but Mac users will have to bum a Windows machine from a friend.
The 505 software is currently not approved for the pediatric version of the G4 but Dexcom announced that they will be applying with the FDA in the last quarter of 2014 - that's any day.
The upgrade is free, better and the next step toward CGM data that perhaps one day you'll be able to dose insulin from - might as well do it... I don't see any downside.
Managing type 1 Diabetes just got a little bit easier in my opinion and I expect to see a difference in Arden's A1c after a full three months with the new software - time will tell.
Ardens 9th JDRF Walk
Arden was diagnosed in August of 2006 and we participated in our first JDRF Walk two months later. Yesterday was Arden's ninth consecutive walk, and this year we did things a little differently.
We tried not to squint but the sun was strong!
In the past our group has been seventy people strong, other times we've walked with a dozen friends, six people came one year, we usually have team shirts – yesterday it was just us. We didn't invite family or close friends, never sent an email or made a post on Facebook announcing the walk, heck our son even had something to do and couldn't make it for the first time.
Yesterday Kelly, Arden, myself and one of Arden's friends (Hi Jamiee) made our way on a windy and cold morning to the take the walk that has meant many different things over the years.
The first year we were still in shock from Arden's recent diagnosis when we went to the walk out of, what could be described as, a manic desperation to cure our daughter. Year two felt like giving back to the people who were diagnosed after Arden and we put so much effort into fund raising for the first five years. Over time the walk has been a celebration, a call to arms, always an opportunity to spread awareness, but yesterday I found myself reflecting for the first time.
Arden and Jaimee
"Can you believe this is our ninth walk?", I asked Kelly. See replied, "Can you believe Arden is ten years old... and how is our son fourteen!?". Time certainly does fly!
Here's Arden in 2006 at her first walk
The walk began on Sunday, as it always does, with a slow descent down a hill that this year was lined with signs that were adjourned with kid's faces and the details of their length of time with diabetes. When we reached Arden's sign my heart filled with an odd blend of pride and sadness. I wondered to myself how it was possible that in just one more year, we'd be doing this for a tenth time. After we took a picture of Arden's sign, she and Jaimee spent the walk on their scooters as Kelly and I strolled behind them enjoying the fall air (except for when a girl in front of us lit a cigarette - why?) and chatting. Early in the walk I shared with Kelly that I almost cried thinking about how long we've been at this diabetes thing and Kelly reminded me of the year that Arden wouldn't accept being held because she thought she would have to refund her donations if she didn't finish on her own. Overall I tried not to give type I too much of my attention, opting to enjoy our time together in the beautiful park.
Kelly and Arden
Kelly and I did talk for a while about the possibility of making Arden's tenth walk into an event. It was nice to have this year to quietly walk alone, but I'm hopeful that next year will find us back with a huge, raucous group, because despite enjoying the low key nature of our morning - we missed everyone.
Maybe we'll see you next year for Arden's 10th JDRF walk!