I wrote a while ago about my growing collection of glucose meters. I’ve planned all along to donate them to my vet for her to give to people just starting out. A consolation prize, of sorts. Your cat has an expensive, chronic disease. Here’s a parting gift.
Anyway, with that in mind, I typed up a little information sheet called “Feline Diabetes Hints, Tips, and Tricks.” I sewed up some ear-warming rice bags (in very pretty purple fabric) and I gathered up some cute little gift bags.
Then I discovered that not all of the meter kits met my very stringent standards: Three of my spare kits did not come with a starting supply of test strips.
Now, understand that the test strips are the priciest part of diabetes management. (Well, except for trips to the emergency vet, but we won’t go into that just now.) Odds are that the person who receives this wee kit will get it along with a rather big vet bill, so the last thing I want is for them to have to run to Walgreens and fork out another 50 or 100 bucks to get going.
That means, by my standards, three of my spare kits are useless and only one was up to snuff. I didn’t want to bring the vet only one kit, that seemed cheap. So I went back into hunting mode and scored two more meters – with strips – the last of which arrived in the mail last weekend.
Now I’m good to go. I have three fully-equipped meter kits. I have three rice bags. Three “tips & tricks” sheets. Two cute gift bags.
Uh oh. Two.
It turns out I have standards about the bags too. I want nice plain bags in a solid color. No holiday motif. No birthday hats. No fish. Rummaging through my supply of bags I turned up a two-tone silver bag that will have to do. It’s not the same size as the others, which bugs me, but I’m trying to cope.
Now, each bag is cheerfully marked “Diabetes Starter Kit” and stocked with the stuff. They sit lined up and ready to go to the vet’s office tomorrow.
In the meantime, does anyone want a glucose meter kit without strips? I might just have something you’d like…
Anyway, with that in mind, I typed up a little information sheet called “Feline Diabetes Hints, Tips, and Tricks.” I sewed up some ear-warming rice bags (in very pretty purple fabric) and I gathered up some cute little gift bags.
Then I discovered that not all of the meter kits met my very stringent standards: Three of my spare kits did not come with a starting supply of test strips.
Now, understand that the test strips are the priciest part of diabetes management. (Well, except for trips to the emergency vet, but we won’t go into that just now.) Odds are that the person who receives this wee kit will get it along with a rather big vet bill, so the last thing I want is for them to have to run to Walgreens and fork out another 50 or 100 bucks to get going.
That means, by my standards, three of my spare kits are useless and only one was up to snuff. I didn’t want to bring the vet only one kit, that seemed cheap. So I went back into hunting mode and scored two more meters – with strips – the last of which arrived in the mail last weekend.
Now I’m good to go. I have three fully-equipped meter kits. I have three rice bags. Three “tips & tricks” sheets. Two cute gift bags.
Uh oh. Two.
It turns out I have standards about the bags too. I want nice plain bags in a solid color. No holiday motif. No birthday hats. No fish. Rummaging through my supply of bags I turned up a two-tone silver bag that will have to do. It’s not the same size as the others, which bugs me, but I’m trying to cope.
Now, each bag is cheerfully marked “Diabetes Starter Kit” and stocked with the stuff. They sit lined up and ready to go to the vet’s office tomorrow.
In the meantime, does anyone want a glucose meter kit without strips? I might just have something you’d like…
4 comments:
Right there with ya! I think I have around 40 meters now to donate. Wish somebody wanted them!
Nancy,
Great idea!
Feel free to include the "Sugar Cat" brochure and/or the "About Us" brochure from Feline Outreach.
http://www.felineoutreach.org/Education.asp
Lynette
I would love to get some glucometers. We have a client who is in desperate need for one and she doesn't have a lot of money. So I have been trying to do some research on how to get these glucometers. Any help would be grateful.
Samantha -- if you go to the Feline Diabetes Message Board (there's a link on the right side of the blog) and post a message that you need a starter kit, you'll get MANY offers. The ones I have now don't have strips -- a bad bet for someone starting out who doesn't have much $$. Just post a message on the main health board.
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