About that time, eh Chaps?

Righto-

Going abroad again. I leave the states in 15 days, 3 hours and 45 minutes. Woa.

For some reason this time it doesn't seem like its as big of a deal as when I went on Semester at Sea. Or maybe I'm just more pre-occupied with stuff going on right now that is not related to visas and currencies.

Anyways, I have lots of reading to do, 2 essays to write and the access to the books I need for tropical ecology has to wait on getting to Oxford and being allowed into the famous Bodleian Library (Sept 3rd). I wish a read faster...

In regards to Diabetes, I might be updating my pump to the Revel CGM system (Minimed's Website) soon before I go. That would be nice as I've heard the log-rhythms and algorithms (and all other rhythms related) are much better for the Continuous Glucose Monitor. This means that they are more accurate and closer to what the blood sugar is doing than they were before. (For those that don't know what the heck I'm talking about- a continuous glucose monitor, or CGM, has a little electrode which sits just under the skin in the subcutaneous tissue. The sensor on the electrode takes a reading of the amount of sugar in the fluid every 5 minutes, calculates/translates/predicts/transmodifies/trans... rhythms hahah, that number into a number which corresponds to what the blood sugar should be. This new number is displayed on my pump at the touch of a button and I can look at a "continuous" stream of what my blood sugar levels have been doing over the last 3-24 hours. This is all explained much more eloquently by Dr. Peter Chase in the Pink Panther Book... who's website is temporarily down) The advantages of CGM wear supplemented by regular blood glucose readings are numerous. I'm excited to have my CGM with me while traveling but it would be even better if I got the upgrade as the system which I have now has been slightly frustrating due to it not being very accurate and not very close to my actual numbers. Ergo, having more accurate portrayals of my blood sugar trends while traveling would be AWESOME. Lets all cross our fingers that I can get this upgrade within 2 weeks AND that I can pull some strings so that I don't have to pay the full price. I'm gonna start working with my hook-ups in Minimed. ;)

This blog also might soon be linked with the STOPDiabetes Website which is an ADA campaign! How cool would that be?! Otherwise its just going to be my ramblings and updates for everyone to hear about my travels/health/good times/school in the next 3 months. Let me know if there is anything else you want to hear about.

Can't wait to get this going for that will mean that I am ABROAD again. *sigh* So exciting.


... now I'm itching to pack.

15 days, 3 hours....