I’m not really needle averse, but poking my finger 4+ times a day is not my idea of a good time. And I had a rough experience at the lab with the blood draws for the glucose screening tests that left one of my arms bruised for weeks to really add insult to injury for the diagnosis.

Although the meter, test strips and lancets are self-explanatory and I had great instruction from the Woman’s Diabetes Center nurse educator, I still had some trial-and-error to get the testing correct. My first time testing on my own I had trouble getting enough blood on the strip so I wasted three or four. Now I rarely make that mistake, and just re-stab myself if I can’t get enough blood from the first prick. I haven’t run out of strips yet so I hope they factor in a few error strips in each vial.

Even when I know that my food intake is within the approved plan I still get nervous with every test as the meter counts down from 5. I’ve got an established rhythm and can test rather quickly, but I still hate to look at the screen every time!

I’ve had to test in some odd places so far. I am a rule follower so I have yet to skip a testing time. (The nurse educator told me the most important test is the morning fasting one so never skip that one.) The crazy places I’ve tested include: in line for Boo at the Zoo, in the dark in the movies (definitely the toughest to do), in the pew at church, in the eye doctor’s exam room, at a stoplight, in Target while pushing my cart and in the pew at church. I’m sure by the time all is said and done I’ll have a few more weird testing places to add to that list.