Glucometers! We keep all our diabetes supplies in a closet in my room and I recently went on a cleaning/organizing spree and cleaned out everything in my room. I went through that closet and as I was cleaning it I decided to count how many meters I found. Guess how many meters I have in my house? 20. 20 meters and two more arrived in the mail today and we are getting two more sometime this week. Is that not insane??? We just get these coupons from our doctor and stuff giving us free meters and we use all the coupons and now we have an excessive amount of them. By the end of this week I will be able to test my blood 6 times a day for 4 days straight without ever having to use the same use the same meter twice. Thats CRAZY!
Does anyone else have an excessive amount of some diabetes supply??
Can't we arrange to donate these things to third-world countries or low-income communities or something?!? I've got a couple of extra meters lying around (snort). Can't SOMEONE use them?
Mo
P.S. Isn't this part of that "cutting waste in healthcare" thing?
Thats whatwe were thinking. But we cant find anyone to donate them to. If anyone knows of a place that will take them PLEASE let me know! i could really use the extra closet space :)
yes! i just got a new shipment of minimed supplies right when i switched to animas and cant use the 4-5 boxes of sure-t sets and resevoirs. i have no idea what to do with them and they take up space
Hmmm...you know what? thats a really good idea. Maybe we can start some kind of organization that collects extra supplies that haven't been used and gives them to people who don't have insurance to pay for them or something like that. I don't know I'm just brainstorming but I think it could work.
In the "old" days meters would come with a sample bottle of at least ten test strips so you got something you didn't have, and could use, with each new meter. Now each manufacturer basically gives you their latest meter so you'll buy their test strips. We all recognize this as "razor - blades marketing." A lot of good 20 meters will do you if you run out of test strips or the battery goes dead on a Sunday night in the only one for which you have test strips. How about a "green" solar-powered meter... or perhaps one that doesn't need test strips? Don't worry... you'll never see that one :)
You can usually give them to your doctor or diabetic educator. They have a pretty good idea on who might need some supplies. I just took a box of reservoirs to them this week. Does anyone have a picture of their dia-organizing? (I just made up that word.)
There are also groups on Facebook that are a “pay it forward” type group. Most of them have to approve you to be a member, but it’s all members helping members. Or perhaps the ADA would have a place you could donate them?
(I just made up that word.)