1 Of 10,000

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."

-Seneca

I Won! Won! I Won! Yes, I did! Are you anxious to know what I won? Are you on the edge of your seat? Are you biting your nails in anticipation? Are you thinking it might be the California Lottery? Maybe Powerball? Or it could be Carly has won the Democratic Nomination in blogging! ROFLMAO! Nah... it's nothing that amazing, really, but it was kind of fun, and it proves something, people have a certain kind of luck in their lives, good, bad, it's all in how you view things.

A few days ago, Alan came in from the mailbox, with a small square brown box, addressed to me. I hadn't ordered anything, so it was a bit of a mystery. What could possibly be in the little box? I looked it over for a return address, and there was one, but it was completely smudged, so I grabbed the scissors and cut the sides away, to find a nifty new OneTouch Ultra Mini glucose meter... in my favorite color... Pink Glow! Just like the one I got a couple week's ago as a free upgrade to my current OneTouch Ultra2 meter! LOL. It seems I had won the OneTouch Ultra 2 Colors contest, back in November, and I had NO idea. I never recieved a letter or email telling me I had won, but sometime around November I was 1 of 10,000 who did. Now I have two mini meters in Pink Glow, and one Ultra2 in the standard Navy Blue and Silver. :)

Alan and I laughed and laughed. It was only a couple week's earlier that I checked for the free upgrade, because I thought I hadn't won. It was still a fun little moment to realize I won, and it brought with it the distinct feeling of Deja vu. See, a similar thing happened back in the 90's. I was in great need of a bedside clock. I didn't want anything too fussy, but I also didn't want one that just BEEEEEEEPED either. I finally settled on a smart little woodgrain clock radio. It was small and sleek and worked really well. It was nice waking up to Sheryl Crow and Sarah McLachlan. :) Music makes me smile.

I was happy with that little clock. About a week after I purchased it, I got a call from my bank, it seems I had won a little contest I had entered to "Choose The Bank's Team Softball Colors." I picked Dark Green/Light Green... you know... like money. :) Well, other's chose that combination also, so there were multiple winners. The grand prize winner was chosen by the time of day the entry was made. But anyway, can you guess what I won? Yep, that's right, I won a nifty new clock radio, the very same clock radio I had purchased just a week earlier! LOL. I loved that clock. Actually, I loved both those clocks. Both were stolen from me, when we stored our belongings temporarily. It made me a little sad, I know it was just a clock, but it was my clock, and it helped me be on time for some important things in my life. Silly, I know, but I come by my sentimentality honestly... I am a Cancer after all.

If you look in the above photo, you will see that I once got a fortune that said, "You will be lucky in autumn." LOL. I got that fortune in the spring of 2006, and I kind of assumed it meant the Autumn of that year, but hey, that was me making an assumption. LOL. It said, "the autumn," it didn't say which autumn. LOL. So now I have a glucose meter that I can carry in both of my purses, and one that will always sit on my desk. The OneTouch company is coming out with even more colors for the OneTouch Ultra Mini, and one of them is a gorgeous purple. I might just pick that one up, when it is made available. I am such a fashion puss, and besides, purple is the hot color for spring this year! :)

-OndineMonet
"You Will Have Luck In Autumn"
Berkeley, California
Spring, 2006
Afternoon

My New Pink Glow

"Just because you are not sick, doesn't mean you are healthy."

-Unknown

I am a member of the OneTouch Gold community, and recently I decided to see if I qualified for a free upgrade of my diabetes monitor. I do. The upgrade they are currently offering is the OneTouch UltraMini, which now comes in colors. So, I chose, Pink Glow, for my new meter. It's a pretty color, very pink, which will be nice for spring, and it is a lot smaller then the one in the photo above, the OneTouch Ultra 2. It will be less to carry around with me. I like that because I like to have my meter with me when I go out with the camera. Every once in a while we grab a bite out, and I try to be good about checking my blood reading before and after each meal.

I know this is going to sound silly, but it is a nice little lift to my spirits to have something a little more feminine to check my blood with. The OneTouch Ultra 2 meter is wonderful, I am so glad that is the one my HMO gave me, but this new one almost feels more like a fashion accessory, then a blood glucose meter. There are some pluses to the new meter, such as it's pretty color and it's slender design, but a definite minus is the fact that it only saves 50 results as opposed to the OneTouch Ultra 2 which holds 500. Still, if all goes well at my upcoming appointment, I will get the all clear for testing less often. That's the goal anyway.

My next A1C test is coming up in a month. A month from today to be exact. And I think everything has been going really well. I am sure my test result will reflect how serious I have taken things, but still there is that dread of the unknown, random thing that could muck it all up. LOL. Actually, except for the occasional weird moments when my blood starts to drop for some unknown reason, I have been recording fairly consistent numbers. Here are what my current readings are...

All Results Average: 119 mg/dl

Before Meal Average: 97 (for the last 7 days)

Last 14 Days: 102

Last 30 Days: 104

After Meal Average: 135 (for the last 7 days)

Last 14 Days: 134

Last 30 Days: 130

Not bad. I have managed to keep it within 5 points up or down, but I keep working toward the lowest possible reading. It's work, especially when I am less active in the wintertime. Sigh. I am keeping my weight within boundaries, and I am always experimenting with new recipes. Alan gave me a nifty new cookbook for Christmas, that I highly recommend to all diabetics, Better Homes and Gardens,Simple Everyday Diabetic Meals. The recipes are easy, and a lot of fun, not to forget delicious. Tonight, for example, I am making "Egg and Potato Casserole", for dinner, and "Maple-Nut Baked Apples" for dessert. Yum. And don't forget the Fat-Free whipped topping on top. :) Perfect for a cold winter night. It's little things, like a guilt-free dessert, that makes a diabetics day a happy one! Especially if you have a sweet tooth like I do.

I have to send a BIG raspberry sound out to Starbuck's this week, for discontinuing their Light Blended Cream Base. What were they thinking? I was just telling you a couple weeks ago, about how delicious the Starbuck's Green Tea Light Blended Frappuccino was, and within a week I found out I can't get it any longer in it's light form. BOOOO! HISSSSS. Hopefully they will bring it back by this summer. I can order the regular version, but it wouldn't be the healthiest of choices. Sigh. Man, I really loved that drink... a lot! I wrote the company an email, telling them of my dissatisfaction, I will keep you updated if they respond.

While Starbuck's might have let me down, my new favorite website, Hungry Girl, hasn't. I look forward to my daily newsletter email from there. This is a great website with tons of resources and product updates. I tried the recipe for Pumpkin Pie made with a lighter crust option, and it was FABULOUS!! You don't have to be a diabetic to get a lot from this website, even if you are just working toward managing your current weight, it is a terrific place to get current, relevant information. Be sure to check it out.

February 29th is when I see my physician, both for my 4-month diabetes check, and for my annual breast exam and mammogram. Yes, I will be having my date with Mr. Squishy that day as well. I sure wish they had a different way to check my girls for aliens. LOL. (Rolling my eyes). I am thinking about calling Dr. "E" a week or so before my appointment and requesting she order my A1C prior to my visit, so we can discuss the results during my visit with her. It's a fasting test, and I would rather have it early in the day, rather then waiting all day to eat. I don't know about you, but I get downright weird when I don't eat. Yes... LOL... weirder then usual! LOL.

So tell me, if you are living with diabetes, which meter do you use? Are you happy with it, and what do you feel are it's pluses and minuses?

-OndineMonet
"My OneTouch Ultra2 Kit"
Berkeley, California
January 27th, 2008
Evening