Tag Archives: diabetes

Investigations.

May 3, 2012 – 10:56 am

I’ll begin and end this post with some disclosure: None of the companies noted in this post have been charged or convicted of any wrongdoing in the current investigations.

I waited a week to write this post for two reasons. First, at this time last week, I was praising at least one of these companies for helping to make my life livable. I’m grateful for that, and I didn’t want to appear to be flip-flopping so quickly. I stand by what I said last week.

Second, I have to admit that when I first read about this, I started to get pissed. Had I written about this then, you might have seen quite a different post.

So having a week to reflect, I think that with the investigations ongoing, I just need to give the facts.

According to a report from Fortune, (part of the CNN© family), there are at least 81 public companies under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Department of Justice, for possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.. Among other things, the Act makes bribery, to either obtain business or retain business in foreign countries, punishable in the United States. Among the 81 listed on an FCPA blog post,there are 12 companies who operate in the Medical Technology, Pharmaceuticals, Medical Specialties, or Biotechnology industries. Here’s the list:

AstraZeneca PLC
Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc.
Bristol Myers Squibb
Covidien PLC
Eli Lilly
GlaxoSmithKline
Grifols SA
Medtronic
Merck
Pfizer
Sciclone Pharmaceuticals
Zimmer Holdings

I did a little looking around online, and I found that almost all of these companies have at least a page dedicated to Corporate Citizenship or Corporate Responsibility. Some have very detailed statements of corporate responsibility. Feel free to check them out if you like.

Going forward, I will try to give the facts as they come out. I hope it’s all good news. But right now I have a skeptical eye turned toward these companies. I hope my skepticism is misguided.

Again, disclosure: None of the companies noted in this post have been charged or convicted of any wrongdoing in the current investigations.

By StephenS | Posted in Diabetes | Also tagged | Comments (0)

Like these links.

May 2, 2012 – 12:53 pm

Happy Wednesday! Here are some interesting posts that spoke to me in the past few days:

Scott at Scott’s Web Log has a sensational, informative post asking:  Do YOU know how to check the FDA’s website for recalls?
http://blog.sstrumello.com/2012/04/do-you-know-how-to-check-fdas-website.html

 

Mike Hoskins owns up to being a Tom Petty fan, and shares how a moment of serendipity helps remind him that when one door closes, another opens:
http://www.thediabeticscornerbooth.com/2012/04/beat-goes-on.html

 

And if you need more inspiration, check out the Best of the ‘Betes blogs listed at Me and D:
http://www.meanddblog.com/2012/05/best-of-betes-blogs-april-2012.html
Enjoy!

By StephenS | Posted in Like these links | Also tagged , | Comments (0)

Superstitions.

May 1, 2012 – 11:16 am

I have another word for superstition:  habit.

Often, we get so used to doing something in a such a specific way, it seems unnatural to do it any other way.  When I was younger, I played a lot of baseball.  And then softball.  And I subscribed to every last superstition.  Don’t touch the baselines, don’t mention a streak or a no-hitter in progress or you’ll jinx it.  Take the same number of practice swings before each at-bat.  Oh, I had a superstition for everything.

Well, today I’m not a big fan of that.  In fact, I enjoy doing things differently.  I like variety.  I dig changing things up now and then.

But I do have a few habits when it comes to my life with diabetes.

Prior to my pump, I used to hold the syringe exactly the same way before each injection.  I tapped the syringe the same number of times before getting down to business, whether it was necessary or not.  And you can bet that I had my favorite injection sites, and used them more often than I probably should have.

Do I have my favorite infusion sites today?  On my sides, although I’m a side sleeper, so I have to be careful.  I also like to keep the pump clipped right in the middle at night.  At least while I’m sleeping…

I also have my favorite fingers to test on (the ring fingers).  I almost never use my index fingers.  Why?  I’m not sure I can tell you.  I think it has to do with the clunky lancet devices back in the early nineties that made my fingers feel like they were being pricked by a dull icepick, with the force of a cannon blast.  Doing that, and then using a computer mouse or holding a pen was actually painful back then.

I have a couple of pills that I take, plus a couple of vitamins each day.  And you know what?  I take them in exactly the same order every day.

Looking back on it now, I think I should change up some of those routines.  Don’t want to get into a rut.  But I also have to realize that I should do what works best for me.  Because right now, things are working pretty well.

Do you have superstitions?  Or are they habits?  Whatever they are, I say go for what works for you.  But don’t be afraid to change it up!  You might find a new habit that works just as well.

By StephenS | Posted in Diabetes | Also tagged , | Comments (0)

Recipe!

April 30, 2012 – 11:24 am

Ramen with a little extra...

It was a little cold this weekend, so I got out one of the old reliables to warm me up.  Everyone has their version of kicked-up Asian noodles, and this was my version on Saturday:

First, instead of water, I used chicken stock.  If I don’t have that, I’ll throw a bullion cube in the water while it heats up.  While the water is heating, I look for any leftovers in the fridge.  Onions, tomatoes, whatever I’ve got.  Once I got to the step where you boil the noodles, I added:

1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

If I’ve got that much in it, I don’t even need the little seasoning packet.  So I threw it away.  I didn’t have any onion, which would have been nice.  But I did have some tomato, which I threw in once the noodles were finished.  I topped it with some leftover broccoli slaw.  And I had a little bit of Iberico cheese left (Iberico is made from a combination of cow, sheep, and goat’s milk), so I grated that on top.  Certainly warmed me up on a cold afternoon.

Estimated carbohydrate count:  34g (if you eat half and share the other half with someone… or eat the other half later).  Most of it is from the noodles, and a little from the tomato.

Disclosure: Carbohydrate counts are estimates only. Check with a registered dietician to find out what a healthy carb count is for you.

By StephenS | Posted in Recipes! | Also tagged , | Comments (1)

Fridays.

April 27, 2012 – 11:12 am

WARNING. This post has nearly nothing to do with diabetes. We all need a break sometimes.

Never get tired of Fridays. Even if there’s nothing to look forward to. Fortunately, this weekend, there’s a lot… if the weather holds.

Saturday or Sunday, I should finally get my vegetable garden planted. Can’t wait for the fresh lettuce in about 7 or 8 weeks! Then green beans, then peppers, then tomatoes, then potatoes (yes, that’s the correct spelling… I’m not Dan Quayle). If I’m lucky, I’ll get a few strawberries and blackberries before the birds get them. This will be the 15th summer that we’ve been at this house, and I never get tired of planting, tending, and harvesting a garden. And this will be the 10th year for the pond on the other side of the yard (did I mention that we have a really small yard?). Every spring I have to drain it, clean it, and fill it up again. I’m hoping to get that in this weekend too. It’s very fun to enjoy a Sunday afternoon by the pond with a cold malt beverage and some jazz or a ballgame on the radio. Simple pleasures.

On Saturday we’re looking forward to seeing our friend Christine in her first appearance singing with her new band. We haven’t been out for a while. We need to shake off the winter rust. This should do the trick.

Wherever you are, I hope your weekends are fun… and I hope you have someone fun to spend it with. And stay safe, and keep those BGs in line you knuckleheads!

Happy Friday

By StephenS | Posted in Additional Inspiration | Also tagged , | Comments (0)