Mom’s Status: 2009-12-03
Log
07:45 AM: I heard her moaning in pain a few times overnight and her lethargy is more pronounced since we still have no glucometer. I do hope she takes better care of the new one when it gets here. I just don’t know how many reminders she needs to experience before she really gets the idea that keeping her sugar under tight control makes all the difference in her mood and overall health.
08:30 AM: Mom needs more NPH insulin. We asked her PCP to call this into a local pharmacy. I’ll find out if that’s been done this morning.
09:40 AM: Dispensed her morning meds.
09:45 AM: I’m concerned that we’ve been unable to read her blood-sugar for going on a week now, because the new glucometer has not yet arrived. So I suggested that if the machine does not show up in the next day, that we need to head to the drug store and buy one, with cash. Of course, her response, though predictable, irritated me nonetheless, just as predictably. She said in a notably condescending tone, as though she thought that I was crazy for even making the suggestion in the first place, “I’m not buying a glucometer; they cost too much money!” Background: She gets them for free if she orders them directly through Accu-Chek. The problem with this approach however, as we’ve seen, is that it takes so long to obtain a new glucometer, when we could, within minutes, purchase one down the street. So I don’t understand why she so willingly endures the pain and lethargy we’ve observed over the past several days, just to save a few bucks. Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrgggggghhhh!
09:50 AM: You know, in my opinion, she really needs to get her priorities in order because she’s been sickly ever since she ruined her other unit late last week. She seems to deny the supreme importance of taking regular blood sugar readings, at least four times a day. Plus, she only sporadically and reluctantly acknowledges the obvious connection, between how good she feels and how well she controls her blood sugar levels. The better she controls them, the better she feels. Yet we often must remind her of this, and re argue the point besides. So, as a result, sometimes I think she’s being intentionally stupid in order to avoid spending more than absolutely necessary, for things as mundane and boring as her diabetic equipment and testing supplies. I’m highly frustrated at this recurring penny-wise, pound-foolish attitude which I frequently perceive in her. Thus, I need a little break; big time!
10:30 AM: Our primary pharmacy has not yet received the prescription for Mom’s NPH insulin. However, there is a current prescription on file at another place, which is closer to us actually. I’ll just reorder one vile there, and we’ll work on getting the prescription going at our preferred drug store in Altoona.
11:38 AM: the NPH insulin has been ordered. Otherwise, we’re well-stocked on her meds for this week.
12:15 PM: Mom is up and about and in pretty good spirits too.
12:35 PM: Mom just got off the phone with Accu-Chek about the missing glucometer. They say that it was delivered to our kitchen porch yesterday. Well, I looked out there yesterday, and again today, and I find no packages. What’s probably happened is that they delivered it to the wrong house. You think they’d have people sign for packages like this before they leave them somewhere. But often, they don’t; this has happened to us before with numerous other packages. So she’ll have to order another; once again, here we have more days without readings. Let’s just go and buy one already. 
02:15 PM: Her new glucometer arrived sometime this afternoon. I just retrieved it from the west porch. Also, it appears that her old meter works again, now that it’s dried out. So maybe now, we have a spare unit for pinch times after all.
02:30 PM: Dispensed Mom’s lunch-time meds.
02:40 PM: Blood sugar: 221. Covered this and her lunch with 18 units of log insulin.
04:00 PM: Sister Christine stopped by to visit Mom for an hour or so. We all enjoyed a nice chat.
05:40 PM: Dispensed Mom’s evening meds.
06:15 PM: Mom, sister Jojo, and I went shopping and ate at Chili’s.
10:00 PM: Covered Mom’s dinner with 20 units of log insulin.
10:05 PM: Mom was elligible for a free glucometer from Wal Mart. So we now have the backup unit I wanted. Sweet! No pun intended.
10:45 PM: Dispensed night time meds and insulin.