Monday, June 07, 2010

Veni, Vidi, Visa

(I came, I saw, I bought)


Diabetes is very expensive.Even if you have really good insurance,even if you can afford the latest & best.

Last year, I had the not-so-enviable experience of throwing my Dexcom transmitter into a Danish trashcan,which eventually made it's way to a Danish landfill. I usually put a layer of Opsite first(and then insert the sensor,snap the transmitter in place,good to go for the next two weeks) and when it's finished,I rip it off & put it all near a new sensor for the next insertion.Fine if you're not on vacation,rushed for time,and feel like crud from respiratory crud.In a fevered moment,I must have ripped it off and threw it in a trashcan(not the suitcase)5 days later(and on the other side of the Atlantic)as I'm systematically searching & triple-checking my suitcase, said transmitter was no where to be found. Dexcom,unfortuantly,does not replace them as a one time courtesy..it was $375 for a new one.It's one of those situations where you can't say no,because you NEED the darn thing.Whip out the VISA and watch the money dissapeir.(and never,ever,ever lose another one)The major mistakes of my diabetic existance usually lead to my actually learning to prevent from doing them in the future,but the list of future mistakes is endless. Diabetes is fun that way.
And so,I have baked insulin & test strips,had to buy a temporary meter(because the one you bring on vacation just has to die), drowned a pump in Betadine, and done many other things to add to the existing cost of diabetes. It just seems that there is no room for being human, in any of it.Insurance companies are so strict,& most limit you to the bare necessities.Beyond that,you can spend any amount of money on D-stuff.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

2 comments:

Cara said...

I remember 2 different times as a kid loosing my meter. And that was back in the days before $20 & free meters. It was horrible.
I also remember a family vacation that was seriously cut down in the fun factor when I broke a bottle of insulin & we had to buy a new one. :(
Diabetes can totally suck. The money we pay out just makes it worse.

Unknown said...

Ouch! I hate that our mistakes are so damn expensive!