The Prescriptions Never End

So, basically, as a Type 1 diabetic you should have that recording at the pharmacy memorized by now: "Press 1 to refill a prescription." "Press 2 if you'd like to pick up your prescription tomorrow." "Press 3 if you'd like to add another prescription."

 

It might become a little overwhelming to keep an eye on how many supplies you have of everything you need to keep your body running every day. Syringes. Test Strips. Lancets. Insulin. Infusion sets. Tubing. Alcohol Swabs. What am I forgetting?

 

I'm definitely not as organized in this department as I'd like to be. I've been thinking a chart would be convenient. It would state when I picked up my last bottle of Lantus insulin (which lasts a month) and when I should be refilling the prescription.

 

Pump supplies are even more complicated -- at least when I used to have a pump -- because the different supplies aren't boxed in the same quantities. While you may have a box full of infusion sets, you may have run out of a few other supplies.

 

And batteries...ahhh, the fear of realizing your pump batteries are dead and you have no backup. Panic-City. (It's unneeded panic -- a quick drive to CVS and you can pick up a pack -- but either way, it's a moment of panic).

 

Genuine and justified panic, in my opinion, is when you've run out of insulin...or test strips, although that's not quite as dire.

 

I hate the idea of running out of insulin. I've cut it pretty close to running out once or twice, and man-oh-man, I don't want that to happen again.

 

To prevent this, I make a rule of always refilling my insulin prescription when I am opening the last bottle in the fridge. You open the box...then you pick up the phone. This is not hard and definitely worth working into your list of diabetic habits.

 

And of course, the same goes for test strips and lancets and syringes. Keep your supplies organized so you can see everything you have. Keep everything in a large drawer or a large box, sectioned out appropriately, and believe me, I don't have this quite as organized as it should be either...but I've seen some pretty beautifully sorted supplies at a mutual-insulin-challenged friend's house, and it didn't look like a bad idea to me.

 

Meanwhile, maybe it's time I got started on that chart....