Obsessive?

Blood glucose: 10.7mmol/l (193mg/dl)

I've decided to dedicate today to a topic very close to my heart.

In order to successfully manage MY diabetes, I need to test 10-15 times per day. Perhaps others need to test less. I don't know. I've never had anybody else's body. But from my experience, my reaction to food and insulin varies so unpredictably by the day (and even by the minute) that I simply cannot get by on the 4 tests per day that was at first recommended by my diabetes nurse.

Personally, I test (on school days):
1AM (if I wake up to the alarm);
Before breakfast;
Two hours after breakfast (when school begins);
Three hours after breakfast (at break time);
(Four hours after breakfast);
Before lunch (five hours after breakfast);
Two hours after lunch;
Three hours after lunch (before walking to town to catch my bus home);
(When I get to my bus stop (40 minutes later));
(When I get home (an hour later));
Before dinner (an hour after that);
Two hours after dinner;
Before bed (two hours later).

The tests in brackets happen about 50% of the time. I also test when I suspect I might be high or low, before driving, before exercise, before any snacks, whenever something unusual is about to happen... etc.

All of these tests seem necessary to me, and I have reasons for carrying out every one of them.

Several weeks ago, I spoke at a conference of doctors about the benefits to the patient of using an insulin pump. After being asked, I told the doctors that I tested my BG around 12 times per day. There were shocked gasps and, I have to admit, some muttering. I understand that each test strip I use costs the national health service a little over 50 pence. Trust me, I do appreciate that, I do think about that, and I often feel angry that this is what I have to do. But the fact is, that it IS what I have to do.

At the end of my speech, another lady told me (not in private, as a public comment) that I seemed "devoted, if a little obsessive" to my diabetes.

Devoted? Really? No. I'm devoted to my religion. I'm devoted to many things. I'm devoted to staying alive. But devoted to diabetes? I hate diabetes (and I'm not ashamed to say it). It makes me angry every day. Devotion involves love.

Obsessive... Well, that is a different matter. But, really, are not most people obsessive about their life? I know I wouldn't walk across a road without checking for cars, so why would I go to sleep without checking that my BG is in a safe range (especially since I lost hypo awareness), let alone get behind the wheel.

So, in spirit of my continuing diabetes devotion and obsession, I am desperately trying to get a continuous glucose monitoring system. Hopefully then I will be able to reduce my BG tests to below 6 a day. Won't that be a happy day for my fingers!