Retail Therapy: D-Style

So here it is. Just a few things I've been accumulating over the past few months in the name of diabetes and back to school preparation. Behold:

1. A diabetes bag: The Dr. Russell Journeyer

We had previously had this smallish messenger bag that we thought would be easier to carry and gender neutral, but it was way too big for Liam to carry at 4, and it was huge in my purse, and my husband usually just took what he wanted out of it when we went places. Let me disclose: I like to be prepared, so this is more than a strips and meter basic bag.

Next was the camo zippered case that we got when Liam was diagnosed. It was a good size for us, but I threw away the strap when we got home thinking we'd never use it, and the problem was more the inside. There was ONE lonely elastic strappy thing in there. we wedged our glucagon under it, but the rest of the "stuff" was just loose. I liked that the sides were more on the firm side, so that when I had to squat down in the middle of the grocery store/movie theater/public bathroom/airplane with a screaming/crying/grabbing newborn/infant/toddler strapped into a front carrier/on my lap/etc, there was a surface to work on. One of early cases was very floppy and the whole thing would just splay open and stuff was rolling everywhere. (Ever notice?: Test strip container: round. Lancet: round...) I'm just not coordinated enough and suddenly everything is all over the floor. Anyhow. So I wanted something firm.

But I also wanted something with places for all of the things. It's probably not just me, but sometimes the d-bag is closed but not zipped up, and then when you pick it up... a mess.

So I researched and found this bad boy. It's not exactly beautiful, but it isn't awful and it is supremely functional. Before I go all detail crazy and tell you why I love it let me take a second to share something else with you, lest you have a Houston moment and lose the things you need most.

See that shiny little thing hanging off the upper left hand corner of the bag? Funny story. So we were leaving a Walmart, and my husband (yep, totally his idea) saw one of those machines that will engrave a dog tag for you for about 5 bucks and decided it would be perfect to make a tag for his bag. It has Liam's name, "Diabetes supply kit" and our phone numbers with a desperate plea to return it to us. We've had it for nearly 2 years, and the thing is durable. Smart guy, huh?

Anyhow. The bag!

So on the left side, there is a loop for a small container of glucose tabs. Two secure velcro pouches (mesh) that we use for lancets, a Zofran tablet, batteries for the PDM, quarters for a snack emergency. Underneath is a zippered pouch we use to carry extra tape and tegaderm for pods and sensors that are losing their grip on life. Above, there is a pen loop, a clear ID badge area, and two wide pockets we use to carry a set of cheat sheets.

The middle has a removable bag that is made of heavy duty mesh. We carry an extra pod, a Juicy Juice box, Glucagon, blood ketone meter and strips. Underneath the mesh bag (along the spine) is a long stip of heavy duty velcro that attaches to a 7 day pill case. My five year old doesn't take a lot of pills, but I had originally planned to slap some velcro on the glucagon and put it there. It fits great in the bag, and I am lazy, so I haven't done it yet, but it is very similar in size.

This is the other side. Along the top there are several loops for test strips and insulin, and behind them is a pocket that fits a small gel pack to keep them cool. There is a perfect spot for our favorite lancing device below, and two large loops that I use for alcohol swabs and our Omnipod PDM. There is also another zippered mesh pocket below.

The thing is a beast. I can pick it up and shake it and nothing comes out. It is very well made, comes with an adjustable strap, and is smaller than a lunchbox. Check the site for dimensions. We got it because we figured it would be good to carry at school, it fits easily in my purse, and it's just pretty awesome. I'm in the market for a patch or something to spruce the front up, but I am happy to have a plain bag because it is so heavy duty and well made. We have been very happy with it.

2.  We bought this:

So that when he:

Does this:

We don't do this:

We had been shopping for a waterproof phone case since we got the Omnipod- just to have around for the PDM, and while I've seen a lot of cool ones on Amazon, it took deciding on Saturday night that we were going to go to the waterslides on Sunday morning to motivate me to do it. By then, shipping one to me was out, so I drove 30 minutes to the closest place that had one Sunday morning, and we made it to the waterpark by 11. We used it to hold his Dexcom receiver, which was in his Tallygear belt. (LOVE).

I was really nervous, but we put it inside an extra ziploc bag inside, which turned out out be unnecessary. He wore it all day while he swam and slide and ran around in the water, and not a drop got through it. We avoided the lows we ALWAYS get while swimming, and we had some peace of mind.

3.  We bought these labels:

I was looking for some to use for school anyhow, and I chose this site because in addition to sticking onto cups and clothes- no ironing needed- and having a great selection of colors/fonts/shapes they also make a specific Medical Alert label that isn't allergy specific. I couldn't find that anywhere else. The one shown above on the back of his Omnipod PDM is part of the regular school package- I just opted to list the diabetes on this style to label diabetes related things. The medical alert one has a large band through the middle that says "medical alert" and has room for instructions for care. 

4. Laminating sheets. Awesome. 

Just tilt your head a little to the side there... perfect.

Why yes, I am a nerd. I have used these for Liam's cheat sheets and sheets for teachers the last two school years, and LOVE them. They are super easy to use, require no machine, and are even more firm than normally laminated sheets in my opinion. They come in 8 x 11, 3 x 5, 4x6, and 5 x 7. They have held up great for us on instructions given to teachers, etc. They come 10 to a package, and I found these at Target. Again: LOVE.

Also: say hello to Mr. Dinosaur that Liam drew. Hi, dinosaur! I seriously thought he was lying about drawing it. It seems very detailed for a 5 year old, but alas, it is his. (Totally bragging.)

5.  

These are from Target, and are by the Crystal Light to go boxes. We avoid artificial sweeteners wherever possible, but these prove to be pretty awesome when Liam has ketones and I really want him to drink something. He loves water, but when I need to really motivate him, these do the trick. The thing I really love about these is that while they are minimally carb-y (somewhere under 4 a package, but I lost the box... oops!) they are made with Stevia, which I would rather use that some of the alternatives. The apple pear flavor is a big hit at our house. Also in this category: Hansen's Fruit Stix, which are harder to find, but still awesome.

6. Lance 100 calorie packs of Mini Peanut butter and Mini Cheese crackers.

Both come in bags of about 13 carbs, are trans fat, preservative and high fructose corn syrup free, and are just about 1 carb per cracker sandwich, which has solved my great dilemma of what to use to make up the carbs Liam doesn't finish at lunch. Easy to count, and pretty darn good. Just sayin.'

So that concludes my Very Long List of things I like, diabetes style.

Edited to add: No disclosure necessary. I bought all this stuff because I like it and I use it and nobody sent me anything or gave me anything, because who am I kidding, I blog kind of erratically.