How To Manage Your Stockpile

One time we had trouble with our refrigerator and I was worried that the insulin went bad.  It was a terrible feeling.  Up until that point, I'd started building a stockpile, but wasn't managing it well.  I made changes immediately.  Perhaps these tips will help you.

(If you missed my tips on how to build a stockpile, you can find Part 1 here and Part 2 here.)


1.  Keep an eye on expiration dates. 

This sounds like a no-brainer, but it's easy to overlook.  When you get new supplies, move any leftover supplies in your cabinet to the front and put the new supplies in the back.

At least once a year, check those items you rarely use.  Glucagon, Ketostix and such.  I think it's pretty easy to keep up with the daily supplies.  It's those I rarely use that are in risk of expiring.


2. Give some supplies to a friend.

One of your friends should have some supplies on hand in case of an emergency.  Things do happen and you can't afford to be without supplies.

My friend has several bottles of insulin, a few pods, syringes and a couple boxes of test strips.

3.  Put all prescription information in one place.

I always take care of any reordering, but I do have everything written down for Kevin, should something happen to me.  No one likes to think about these things, but I certainly want him to be prepared just in case.

We get medical supplies from several places.  Pods are ordered from a mail order pharmacy. Insulin and test strips come from a different company. Skintac and Unisolve are bought online.

It's a lot to keep up with!  Kevin would have a terrible time figuring it all out if I didn't have it organized.

Get Prepared
I hope this series has helped you.  If you're newly diagnosed, dealing with medical supplies can be overwhelming, but you'll get the hang of it in no time!


Related Posts
Should You Stockpile Medical Supplies?
How to Stockpile Medical Supplies Part 1
How to Stockpile Medical Supplies Part 2

How To Stockpile Medical Supplies: Part 2

Here are 2 more ways to stockpile medical supplies.
(If you missed the first 2 tips, find them here.)

Number Three  Order supplies the first day the script is available to reorder-even if you still have supplies left.  

Note:  This is the reason I now have extra boxes of strips in my cabinet.

The goal is to get your new supply of strips when you still have a box (or two!) in reserve.  If you're faithful with this, you'll build up a supply.

Call your insurance company and ask when you can reorder.  I know, you probably dread the thought of calling them.  I get it!  But I've actually found them very helpful when trying to figure this out.  AND it's important because every policy is different.

Some insurance companies require that you wait until 60% of your supply is used up.  Ours is a little different.  We get a 90-day supply and have to wait 68 days before another order will go through.  So once I get an order, I calculate 69 days forward and mark my calendar.  When that day arrives, reordering is my top priority!

(If you're on automatic reorder, you still need to call.  They won't always process the order on the first available day.)

Getting your order a few days sooner can make a HUGE difference when building a stockpile.  Especially if you do this faithfully with every order.  You'll have extra strips in no time.

Number Four  Get free meters whenever possible. They usually come with at least 10 test strips.  Plus, you'll have a backup meter if there's ever a problem with your main one.

Just this week CVS has a freebie!  They have the Accu-Chek Nano on sale for $9.99.  In the Sunday paper, there was a coupon for $10 off the exact same meter.  Totally free!

Sometimes your doctor will have samples of meters as well.  It never hurts to ask.  Tell your friends and family to keep their eyes out as well.

I've also heard of free deals on insulin, but I don't have any firsthand experience with that.  Please share in the comments if you have tips on this.

Start Today

What do you need to stock up on?  Call your insurance company if necessary and make a "reorder plan."  Problems do come up and you'll be thankful you're prepared!

Next week is the final part of this series:  How To Manage Your Stockpile.


Related Links:
Should You Stockpile Medical Supplies?
Stockpiling Tips: Part 1
How to Manage your Stockpile

How to Stockpile Medical Supplies: Part 1

Matthew gets 300 test strips a month and sometimes it's not enough.

When you take into account "normal" testing" plus highs, lows, activity, basal testing, sickness...it's a wonder we don't run out more often!

For nearly a year, I bought extra strips on Amazon--those suckers are expensive!  We'd go through one $50 tube in 5 days.

Thankfully, I've learned how to play the game.

If you have a newly diagnosed child, I hope these tips will help.  I'll share 2 tips today and 2 more in my next post.

Some Tips To Help

Number One  How the prescription is written can change everything.  The wording is sometimes very important.

Example A  When our prescrition was written for "300 strips per month," it caused problems with our mail order company.  Our script must say "300 strips per month.  Tests up to 10 times a day."  If that "testing part" isn't in there, the mail order company balks and they delay.

Example B  Matthew uses Omnipod and we never run out of pods.  Why?  Because of the way the prescription is written.  Matthew changes his pod every 3 days.  The prescription is written that he changes the pod every 2 days.  We never run out of pods and it's a huge blessing.

Talk with your CDE about this if you're having trouble.  They should be willing to help.  And if you'e not getting the answers you need, ask another D-Mom for their input.  Those who have been in the trenches longer really do understand the system and will happily share info.

Number Two  Get a Quantity Override Form if necessary.

When Matthew was first diagnosed, the pharmacy told me "200 strips is all we can give you. Your insurance company won't let you have more."  Wrong!

Yes, many insurance companies limit the number of test strips (or other items) that you can have each month, BUT in many cases, you can have your doctor's office fill out a Quantity Override Form to increase your monthly limit.

Once our CDE did that (she was happy to help!) and we got approved for 300 strips a month.  (Of course, we still run out sometimes.  My next post will cover that.)

One Note  If you have a Quantity Override Form, find out how long it lasts.  Our insurance company requires a new form each year, but I didn't realize that until the date passed.  We had to wait weeks to go through the approval process again!  Mark your calendar and get that form faxed in early so there's no lapse in supplies.

Need More Help?

Next week I'll share my number one tip for stockpiling.

It's the only reason I finally have extra boxes of strips in my cabinet.


Related posts
Should You Stockpile Medical Supplies?
How to Stockpile Medical Supplies Part 2

Should You Stockpile Medical Supplies?

I'm so thankful for the blessing of insulin.  It's still difficult to believe that Matthew would die without it.

Truthfully, that's one of my biggest fears: What if he doesn't have access to the supplies that keep him alive?

It's a scary thought and a constant prayer of mine.

So should you stockpile medical supplies?

ABSOLUTELY!

Creating a stockpile of medical supplies should be a top priority.

I'm not saying you need to have 12 spare bottles of insulin, but you should always have at least one month of supplies in reserve. Always. 


TWO REASONS TO STOCKPILE

1.  One Day You'll Need Extra Supplies

I had trouble ordering test strips in April.  It took about 2 weeks to get it straightened out.  The only reason we made it through that period was because I had a few boxes of test strips in reserve.

We've used this mail order company for years and I've never had a problem, but guess what?  I had problems ordering again this month!  Thankfully, we still had a couple boxes of strips.

You never know when problems will arise.  Be prepared!

2.  You Can Bless Someone Else

We know a family who has a daughter with Type 1.  Last year they had trouble with their insurance company (it happens all too often!) and I was able to give them a few supplies until everything was worked out.

It was a blessing to have spare supplies to share!


BEGIN TODAY

If you don't have a stockpile of supplies, it's time to make a game plan.

My next post will have some tips to help you get started.

Related Links
How To Stockpile Medical Supplies Part 1

A Little Escape: My Stubborn Heart

Diabetes is exhausting.  And saying goodbye to my favorite furry friend is heartbreaking.


Thankfully, I had a great book to help me escape. 


Harvest House Publishers sent me My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade in exchange for my honest review.  I LOVED this book.  


Simply A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E  


It's a contemporary Christian Romance and the prelude was so cute that I was drawn in before I finished the first paragraph. No joke!  Of course, I knew "boy and girl" would get together, but I was completely intrigued with the story line and the way it was written.  Very creative!


I don't like reviews that give the plot away, but I will say that the heroine, Kate, is so cute. Quite frankly, I'd love to be friends with her.  She's funny, brave and obedient to God, even when things get tough. She's praying for God to give her a husband, but He's not answering that prayer just yet.  


When Matt enters the picture, you know somethings up.  He's battling a lot of emotional scars, but you'll quickly find yourself cheering him on to a relationship with Kate.  Of course, things are never as easy as they seem and you'll find some unexpected twists that'll keep you guessing.


If you're looking for a great summer read, don't miss this book.  It'll put a smile on your face and you might even chuckle out loud like I did! 


Just the escape I needed.  I wish Becky Wade would write faster.


Related Links
The Fiddler

Goodbye To Twister....For Now

Twister brought joy and laughter to our lives for 14 years.

She was a huge blessing!

I believe with all my heart that God has a special plan for animals and we'll get to see her again.

Oh to hold her just one more time....

Learning to Give Myself Grace

This morning I wanted to get up early and be productive.  (I'm gearing up for the new Hello Mornings Challenge where I'll be leading a group.) 


I hoped to be up at 6am, have my quiet time and workout. I even set everything out last night so I'd be all ready to go.

But last night was a long night.  Between checking Matthew and caring for our 14-year-old dog, Twister--who is not doing well at all--I was exhausted.

I reset the alarm and opted to sleep in.

There was a time when I would have felt guilty.  For not getting up early and being productive.

But this morning, I felt like God was speaking to my heart:   I know you were up last night.  I know you're up every night and  I understand.  You're willing to sacrifice sleep to care for Matthew.  And Twister.  That's why I chose you.  Go rest some more.


And I did.

I still had my quiet time. Just a little later.

The workout hasn't happened yet, but the day isn't over.

Twister asleep on my book!

American Ninja Warrior Show: Kyle Cochran

A Type 1 Ninja?

Have you been watching American Ninja Warrior?  Matthew loves this show!  At first, he was bummed because he didn't think anyone with Type 1 Diabetes would be a contestant.

But then he saw young man named Kyle.

Kyle Cochran

He's the first Type 1 to qualify for the show.  And guess what?  He's made it to finals!

Not only is Kyle a great athlete, he's also a straight-A student at San Diego State University studying physical therapy. To top it all off---he's active in his church.  Love that!

Finals Begin Sunday

Grab your Type 1 Kid and watch American Ninja Warrior this weekend.  I'm sure you'll be inspired.

And be sure to visit Kerri's blog at Six Until Me.  She has a great interview with Kyle on her website!

Counting Carbs At Our House

The first meal I cooked for Matthew after he was diagnosed with diabetes left me shaking in my Texas boots!

It was his favorite: tortellini.  (I know---clearly I had lost my mind!)  Our CDE suggested we stick with easy meals at first and I should have listened.

By the time I cooked the pasta, calculated the carbs, measured it out, checked his BG and gave the shot of insulin, I was a nervous wreck!  It was the most stressful meal I had ever made in my life!!

We're 2 years into Type 1 now and while we're definitely in a groove, I want to know how other families handle meals.  


Here's a sneak peak into what dinner looks like around here.  

Our 4-Step Process

1. About 15 minutes before dinner, I'll call Matthew to check his sugar. 
2. We'll discuss the menu.
3. He'll decide how much he wants to eat (we write that down) and he'll count the carbs.
4. He'll bolus the full amount. Sometimes he'll stay and help me dish everything up. He might measure out peas or fruit.  Sometimes I do all of it..

A Couple Notes

• After eating dinner, occasionally he'll want more food.  He just boluses again at that point, but most of the time it's done up front.
• If his sugar is high, I'll try to delay dinner.  
• If he's low, he might wait and bolus right as we sit down to eat.
• I'm a big believer in pre-bolusing, so we do that as much as possible. (This leads to my question below...)

At a Buffet Restaurant or Party

In these situations, I love for him to pre-bolus about 50 carbs.  Then he'll fix his plate and keep track as he eats more.  He'll keep bolusing as necessary.

Sometimes he'll just dish up his food, count the carbs and bolus per plate. (This is my big question: Do you handle all meals like this, instead of bolusing up front?)

One Last Note

When eating at home, we try to be as exact as possible with the carb count.  We weigh or measure every single bite that Matthew eats.

I find this gives us more freedom when we eat out.  We just SWAG and feel more relaxed about it.

Please share what dinner looks like at your house.  I'd love to see other perspectives and get some tips!  And if you decide to write your own post, let me know and I'll link to you.

Vacation Bible School and Diabetes--Progress!

This was Matthew's 3rd year having diabetes at Vacation Bible School.  The progress I've seen in him over the past few years is nothing short of amazing.

Matthew is such a smart kid.  Fabulous grades, avid reader, and---perhaps best of all---he's a rule follower.   Very important when you have diabetes!

BUT, before you jump to the conclusion that I have the perfect child, you need to know that Matthew is much more interested in robots than diabetes.

He would rather play Minecraft than count carbs.  The child would rather do anything besides think about diabetes!

Which is why it's such a blessing to see him taking over more of his diabetes management.

VBS and Diabetes Three Years Ago

I would hunt Matthew down at snack time.  Whenever I asked how many carbs he thought it was, he would say "10" every single time.  He wasn't thinking about the carbs at all, "10" was just the magic number for him.  I would help him get a more accurate count, give him a shot and leave.

Fast Forward to VBS This Year

We would start each morning with a visit the church kitchen.  Once we found out what the snack would be, we'd discuss it, make a plan, and he was on his own for the rest of the morning.  He had his phone and could call me if he needed to, but he never did.

He was amazing.  Even the day his group got a different snack than what was planned!

He rolled with the punches.

Made a good carb guess.  Bolused.

His BG was right where it should have been at lunchtime.  I couldn't have done better myself!

Some days I think he'll never learn to take over his diabetes care, but clearly he's getting it and I'm so grateful.

Related Links
Giving Myself Grace
School Year Wrap-Up

Favorite Websites for Saving Money

When Matthew was diagnosed with diabetes, I worried about giving him shots.  I worried about pricking his finger.  I worried about counting carbs and giving the correct amount of insulin at every meal.  

But one thing I didn't worry about?  The cost of diabetes.  I had no idea that this disease would be so expensive.

So what's a D-Mom to do? Try to save as much as money as you can elsewhere.

A Way to Save Money

Several months ago, I discovered a great website that's helped me build a budget, save money and get myself a little better organized. Financially, physically, and around the home .

Best of all? It's just an ordinary website with no fees. Years ago I did the Grocery Game, but there was a monthly charge and I was tired of paying to save money.

The website is called Money Saving Mom and it's truly fantastic. You'll find tips on grocery store sales. Drugstore deals. Every week there are links to several freebies that you can sign up for. There are even tons of great recipes.

Just this week on her website, I discover that the Apple Store has FREE Apple Camp for kids ages 8-12.  They learn to make movies!  Matthew's going to love it!  Many of the classes are filling up, but you still might snag a spot.

So pop over and visit Crystal, from Money Saving Mom.  It'll be worth it!

FYI...I have no connection with her. I just love the website!

How do you save money?

Do you have a favorite website that helps you pinch pennies?  I'd love to hear about it in the comment section.

Focused Summer Fun

Vacation Bible School. Swimming lessons. Diabetes Camp.  For the entire month of June, we have only ONE free day.

All the activities are great, but truthfully June is so busy that "fun" isn't how I would describe it.  "Hectic" might be a better word, but "hectic" isn't the kind of summer I long for.

Focused Fun

This year, I just want to enjoy time together, so we made a list of fun things to do.  Each week we pick an idea and get busy!

Here's our list:

Invent a board game
Eat ice cream once a month
Candy Kiss Memory Game *
Tissue Box Monster*
Make a new recipe
Krispy Kreme for breakfast!
Make a bird feeder*
Plant flowers
Family Hike
Surprise Dad at work for dinner
Sock Fight
Make Monster Bookmarks*
Make a soap cloud*
Adventure bike ride

(Those with an asterisk are from Pinterest.  If you click over, most of them are on the Matthew board.)

One of the best things we've done so far is visit a local mosaic shop to get crafty. Look at this great sword that Matthew made!

Great sword, but he doesn't look very fierce with that big smile!

Kevin made a sunset!

And I made a gecko!

It was a great way to spend Kevin's birthday and we created some fun memories.

Your Turn

It's not too late to start your own Summer Fun List.  Jot down some thoughts.  Ask your kids for ideas and then be sure to share in the comments. I'd love to hear what you're planning!  And I'll probably add them to my list!

How to Chop Onions without Tears

Tuesday Tip of the Day returns.

Don't you hate it when you chop onions and your eyes start to sting?

Storing onions in the refrigerator never worked for me.  But finally, after about 15 years, I figured out a solution!

The Secret

Chew gum while you chop up that onion.  Your eyes won't burn!

A Recipe:  Chicken Tetrazzini

Since I'm writing about onions, I thought you might enjoy a recipe.  For D-Moms with a gram scale, I've included the weights.  Our carb count is listed below.

Ingredients:
Spaghetti Noodles, 8oz, 283g
Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom Soup, 1 Can
Flour, 1/4 cup, 30g
Shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup, 104g
Chicken broth, 1 can
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup butter (I never use that much)
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
Cooked chicken. (I usually get a rotisserie chicken.)

Directions:

1.  Cook noodles for 10 minutes.
2.  In skillet, mix together the chicken broth and flour. Slowly add in the remaining ingredients, except for the cheese.
3.  When noodles are ready, put everything into a greased glass pan.
4.  Top with cheese.
5.  Bake at 350 for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

This recipe makes 8 servings and each serving is about 22 carbs, depending on your particular ingredients.  Enjoy!

Related Links:
How to Store Strawberries
How to Store Celery

A Book Review: The Fiddler

Bethany House Publishers sent me a free copy of The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis, in exchange for my honest review.


And honestly--I loved it!  Beverly Lewis never disappoints!  

This story begins with an accidental meeting.  

Amelia DeVries is an acclaimed violinist and also a "secret" country music fiddler.  She gets caught in a storm and meets Michael Hostetler, a young Amish man struggling with the decision to be baptized into the Amish faith or "go fancy."

Both characters are facing the same dilemma.  They want to respect and "obey" their parents, but at the same time, Amelia and Michael have their own dreams that are very different from what their parents expect.

If you've never read Amish fiction, the Home to Hickory Hollow series would be a perfect place to start.   I enjoyed reading about the Amish lifestyle with a contemporary twist.  

And since I'm a piano teacher, I loved the music aspect as well.

Book 2, The Bridesmaid, comes out in September.  

It's definitely on my wishlist!

Related Links
My Stubborn Heart

School Year Wrap-Up

I meant to do a school-year wrap up.  Honestly I did!

But life happens and quite frankly...I've been trying to spend less time on the computer. (It's been nice!)

It was, however, a great school year for Matthew!  Another year with fabulous grades and he won the spelling bee again.  He even got to dress up like Leonardo DaVinci.  I need to post a picture!!

In the area of diabetes, he was amazing! You might remember that there's no nurse at his school.

(There's a teacher who's a D-Mom  and she was helping him when needed.What a blessing!)

But this year was "transition year" for Matthew and by the end of the school year, he was handling everything on his own.   (During school hours).

It was a rare day that he hard to call for help.

It was a big accomplishment.

He did it!

Now....6th grade, here we come!

How to Store Strawberries

If you're a strawberry lover like me, then you're going to love this storage tip!

First, get a plastic container or glass bowl that has a lid.  Line the bottom and sides of the container with paper towels.

Toss the unwashed strawberries into the bowl and cover them with additional paper towels.

Make sure the berries are COMPLETELY covered up with the paper towels.  You should not see the strawberries at this point.

Put the lid on the bowl and place the container in the fridge.

Those strawberries will last for AT LEAST a week.

When you notice that the paper towels are getting damp, just replace them with dry paper towels and you're all set.

Now, go find some strawberries on sale!  : )

Mission Accomplished!

I mentioned back in November that I was embarking on a big project:  memorizing the entire chapter of Romans 8.   It was part of a challenge with the ladies from Do Not Depart.

Well, here I am, about 5 months later and I did it! So many times, I wanted to give up, but I'm so glad I didn't.  It feels really good to have spent time on something truly worthwhile.

There's another challenge beginning in a few weeks.





Won't you join me?  You only memorized 2 verses each week.

Let's do it together!

My New Addiction

Who has time to blog when there's Pinterest?

Tuesday Tip of the Day! The BEST Cookie Recipe

You know how homemade cookies look so....homemade?

That is NOT the case with the cookie I'm sharing with you today.

My boys LOVE the way these taste, but honestly, I love how they look.  Just look at these pretty cookies!

Perfect if you need to bake something for school or church or whatever.  I'm betting you'll find any excuse to whip up these babies!!

One warning:  They're not healthy.  So don't freak out when you see how much oil is in the recipe.  The goal is a pretty and wonderful tasting cookie.  Keep that in mind.

For those of you who use a gram scale, I'm including all the weights for you.  Hope that makes the recipe even sweeter for you!

Carb count information at the bottom.

Tracy's Terrific Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 cups of flour, weight of 360g
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups Quaker Old Fashion oatmeal, not quick 1 minute, weight of 240g
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar, weight of 200g
1 cup dark brown sugar, weight of 220g
1 cup of mini chocolate chips, weight of 165g (You can use regular chocolate chips, but your cookie will not be as pretty.  One secret to a pretty cookie is using mini chocolate chips.)
1 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375.
2. Get a LARGE bowl.  This recipe makes about 70 cookies!
3. Mix all ingredients.  Keep scooping up the flour in the bottom of the bowl.  It will a while to get it all mixed in, just keep at it!  
4. Line cookie pans with foil and spray with Pam.  (See tip below)
5. Drop small amounts of dough on the cookie sheet.  Smaller amounts of dough will give you a prettier cookie.
6. Bake for about 9 minutes.  Don't bake too long and don't worry if they look a touch underdone.  They are fine. Check because your oven make cook different.
7. Let cookies cool for a few minutes.  They will look very puffy at first, but will "settle down" within a few minutes.  Transfer to a cooling rack.

Tip:  I prepare 3 cookie pans with foil.  While pan #1 is in the oven, I get pan #2 ready with dough.  Cookie pan #1 comes out of the oven to cool.  Pan #2 goes in oven to Bake.  Now I get pan #3 ready.

The goal is to make sure you put dough on a cool cookie sheet. Very important!

Carb Info:  Your ingredients may be slightly different, but I'll share my carb count information.  If you follow the directions, your cookies should be similar.  For me, one batch of dough is 938 carbs.  I make small cookies, so I usually get about 70 cookies.   That makes each cookie about 13 carbs. Of course, some are bigger and some are smaller.  You know the routine!   The carb factor is .60  Hope that helps.

Now, go make your family happy with some yummy cookies!

I'm Making Progress

Kevin and I love to watch The Biggest Loser.  Although truthfully, the contestants are so nasty this year that it isn't as good.

Anyhoo....after Matthew was diagnosed with diabetes, I would watch the weigh-in part of the show and this would happen:

321
289
178
302
221

On the show, they were weighing people, but all I saw was Matthew's blood sugar.

Every single time.

Until last night.

A 234 popped up and I realized that I didn't think of Matthew's BG.

Oh, I still think about diabetes a lot---that's a requirement of being a d-mom.  It's the first thing I think of in the morning and the last thing I pray about at night.  I've accepted that part of my life.

But at least I can enjoy a show with my husband and not think about it for while.

Progress!