Result 77

So, I checked my blood sugar the other day with one of M's old meters (not the one connected to her insulin pump).

I had never done it before.

Here is what I learned:

1) Those lancets sting like nobody's business, and the holes they make in your finger sting for a while after you think they should be over it by now. I've had bad paper cuts that have stopped hurting before these pricked holes did.

2) Squeezing out enough blood to satisfy your thirsty test strip takes talent. I had to make four, FOUR different holes in my finger and throw away two test strips before I could finally get a reading.

3) Even though the holes won't bleed enough to give you enough blood before the test strip times out, it won't stop bleeding for a couple of minutes. M simply licks her finger and wipes it on her jeans after a stabbing. I don't know what she does if it keeps bleeding, but I found myself sucking on my finger for a few minutes to both alleviate the sting and avoid having to put on a Band Aid.

4) The sides of your fingers are your preferred target for a lancing, because it won't interfere with the use of your finger pads. After all, we type, dial, text, and play instruments with those fingers. If they sting, it will make life a little less convenient. But the problem is that the pad is the easiest place from which to procure blood.

5) If your lancing hole isn't deep enough, no amount of squeezing and rolling your skin around will force out the appropriate amount of blood in time.

6) Get your big drop of blood out and sitting on your finger before inserting the test strip. Then there is not stress about timing.

7) I have a deeper respect for my daughter, who has clearly mastered this skill and endures the discomfort 5-7 times per day in order to better maintain her health. She almost never gets error messages on her meter! When she has trouble squeezing out blood, I will endeavor to be more patient, even if we are waiting for critical information from her meter.

I feel like a complete wimp.

Even so, like any parent of a child with diabetes, I would trade places with her if I could.

You look deceivingly small, but you don't fool me any more!