As I typed the blog title I had a moment of panic. Who knows what a title like this will garner for my search list. I mean I’m sure someone will type in naked and end up on my blog. This could be interesting. However, this title is one that I feel strongly connected to.

Last week I posted this picture.

My CGM has gone to the shiny tech giant in the sky. I have been without it ever since. I have been naked so to speak and I don’t like this feeling AT ALL. The simple answer is to replace the CGM, but I have been having issues so to speak, with getting it replaced.

Two weeks before. B.A.S.C. died on me, I was contacted by my medical device supplier telling me the receiver was about to go out of warranty and the transmitter was out of warranty 6 months ago. They said they were just informing me so if I wanted to I could get things rolling for a new reorder. Being proactive I told the rep to go ahead and start the paper work and do the insurance verification and stuff like that so things could be ready when the warranty actually expired. I was told it would take about two weeks for everything. Last, last Thursday I woke up at 5:00 AM to a buzzing sound and saw the top screen on my CGM, saying the battery was gonna go on me. So I called the medical device company on that Friday. The following Monday I heard nothing back from them, so I called again on Tuesday. This time I was told, now that I am offically out of warranty they can begin the paperwork. Seriously?! I was annoyed. It would take about a day for the insurance verification, etc, but all of the other paperwork was good. Great.

Wednesday the Dexcom died. So I got about a week from warning till death. I called the company again and was given a different representative to talk to. She was very nice, but I was told it would take TWO days to get the insurance paperwork and the forms were still needed from my endocrinologists office. So I called back on Thursday. Spoke to person number three. This time I was told oh we got everything from your doctor, but half the fax did not come through we are still needing that to fill the order.

“Okay, listen, my Dexcom is dead, I leave for vacation on Monday what exactly are you expecting me to do here. I cannot be traveling without this device.” “Oh okay. Let me see if we can get everything overnighted to you either Friday or Saturday.” Great. I get a call back late Thursday night, “we just got the paperwork from your doctor. We should be able to handle everything for you Friday.” Friday they call me back in the middle of a meeting, tell me they can’t overnight anything, but would I like to send the system to a different address. I ask if I can call back in 10 minutes so I can finish up the meeting. Sure, here’s our number and extension. Guess who I haven’t heard from since my call back??? Yep that self same company.

Thankfully, I have a backup plan in order, where I have been able to secure a loaner transmitter that will last me through my vacation. But I am not a happy camper at all. In fact I am quite annoyed. I still haven’t heard from the medical device supplier. They are getting a call in a few minutes. Once I finish this rant.

I have been very uncomfortable for the past few days. I didn’t realize how reliant I had become on the information that my CGM gave me. The ability to adjust and correct things on the fly was great. The alarms were amazing, but I could check things so much more. The first two Dexcomless days I went through about 30 test strips. That’s how crazy I am. Yet I am not happy with this feeling. I truly feel naked, not having the receiver in my pocket to check. Not knowing or seeing the patterns to know if the 140 post breakfast spike is because I am still going up and I misbolused or I am on my way down to normal range. To seeing the effects of the pizza I ate and making sure I got that cheese fat all sorted out. NOTHING.

It is amazing how reliant I have become on this one small piece of technology.  Last night, I was assaulted by a mind numbing low when I was on the phone. Just lost the ability to form a coherent thought. So I took care of it, but there was no warning. I had a weird dream later in the night. It included Heather and Becca and a bunch of random people. In the dream Becca, Heather’s DAD, was nuzzling my hand, circling me, and yipping at me. I woke up from that dream and figured I should test. 54. Great so a DAD from Minneapolis is invading my dreams and alerting me in absence of my Dexcom. That’s just messed up.

I’m a mess right now. My numbers are pretty okay, but I am not comfortable and honestly so paranoid it’s not even funny. However, I am doing what I can with what I have.

Now that this rant is over, I am off to bitch out a medical device supply company and finish packing for my trip out west.

Have a great week. And HAPPY DAM MONTH. DAM, still makes me giggle.

**UPDATE** At 6:00 PM the company (not Dexcom) finally called me back. Two minutes before I was supposed to be boarding a plane and shutting my phone down. Everything is squared away. I should see everything on Thursday… Oh wait I’m not there. Sigh.