Thank you American Diabetes Wholesale

So, when this project started I knew that 1) I would have to test more (while I run, bike, swim) and 2) my insurance would be difficult about it. I am a teacher in NC so I have Blue Cross / Blue Shield - they say that my plan only allows for 150 tests (strips) per month - (450/90 days). Well that works out to around 5 tests per day. Now that I am exercising I find that I can blow through 5 in a single long run. I'm low a lot and there are many times when I'll be exercising and I'll ask myself "am I just getting tired or am I crashing?". Well now I test to find out. The problem is that BY TAKING BETTER CARE OF MYSELF, I HAVE GONE OVER WHAT MY INSURANCE ALLOWS. Oh, by the way - my doctor wants me to test more and has written a prescription for more....which my insurance won't accept.

So I was on the phone for 45 minutes with the insurance company 2 nights ago trying to figure out how to get my prescription filled. I have been talking with my benefits coordinator. And I have been planning on how to make it the next 3 weeks on 25 strips. It was rather discouraging. While talking to the insurance company - I got the video camera set up to document the nightmare - (but couldn't find the power cable - its all set up for the next round of talks, however).

Well, this morning I get an email from Nate saying that he has found someone to donate all our test strips for the whole project (until next September!). It was just out of the blue like that. The Universe, or God, or whatever you want to refer to it as, apparently thinks that the TRIABETES project is a decent endeavor. However my guess is that when I call on it again during the Ironman (like at mile 130) - I will simply get the reply "suck it up, chump! and test your blood sugar!"

Thank you Mr. Chris Stocker at American Diabetes Wholesale (http:// www.americandiabeteswholesale.com/) I will get all my diabetes stuff through you as long as you are in business. He has a belief that socioeconomic factors shouldn't prohibit access to the medical supplies they need. Amen. Perhaps this guy should work on National Health Care....

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