Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Disaster Avoided

Yesterday was a site and sensor change day. At around 7:30PM, off came the old site and sensor and inserted were fresh new ones. About two hours later the sensor was calibrated and Vince was good to go for aprox 6 hours until the next calibration time. Around 3:30AM I awoke to the beeps. I nudged Vince to tend to the alarm but he was too drowsy so he asked for my help. I got up, turned on the light and saw it was asking for a meter BG. This means a finger stick reading to calibrate the new sensor. I stuck his finger and a 46 appeared on the screen. CRAP! We were not alerted to the potential low because it was calibration time and we were sleeping through the alarm for a little while. I asked Vince if he felt low and he said no. I gave him some iced tea and some candy fruit slices and we went back to bed. Sometime later after calming my nerves, I fell asleep, only to be awoken again by the alarm which still thought he was low. I tested him again at 6:30AM before I went to work and he was 189. It calibrated again. He should be good now I thought.
What would have happened if he didn’t have the sensor on? What if the beeping didn’t wake us? Even though it didn’t wake us to tell us that he was low, it still woke us up enough to figure it out. Would this have been a potential disaster night? Would he have had a night like before the sensor and passed out from the low? Could have been.

2 comments:

  1. Oh, CGMs... for all your headaches and hassles (inaccuracy, ahem), you do tend to save lives every now and then. A love-hate relationship, indeed. Thanks for sharing this Sandy. Glad the potentially potential Low disaster was avoided.

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  2. Sandy, I swear - if Vince had to PAY you for everything you do, he couldn't afford you! (I know whereof I speak, because if he gets SSDI, I have a rough idea of how much that pays young workers - I spent 30 years' hard time in Social Security offices.)

    You are worth more than your weight in gold, even at todays' prices!! And just for the record, I love to read your posts. They are such an inspiration!

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