More on TrueTrack, OneTouch, and my surgery, take 2

To the left is my toe all bandaged up. Click the photo to enlarge. For the picture after the bandage came off, click here. I promise it's not a total gross out. :) I have to soak it in warm water with Epsom salt for 10 minutes twice a day, put antibiotic ointment on it, and then cover it with a bandage. They said my portion of the cost will be $48. That means the total cost is about $245. I go back next week so the doctor can check it.

It's draining and bleeding a bit, which the doctor says is normal. He said the stuff he put on to kill the root is poison so my body will flush it out.

It hurt a little, but not too bad. All the medicine I took beforehand helped. And once the shots were over it was easy because I couldn't feel anything. I did get a little lightheaded after the shots so they leaned me back in the chair and gave me some water to drink. I was feeling better by the time the doctor came in to do the procedure. So it's all over and wasn't too bad. Thank God for Vicodin, Ibuprofen, and Advil.

I've decided that the OneTouch Ultra meter I have is a piece of shit. It consistently tests me low. I know what my fasting numbers should be (88-90) since I've been tested before at a lab. The OneTouch always has me below that (great numbers - I wish they were true!). The TrueTrack seems pretty accurate. It gives me fasting numbers between 79 and 105, but usually in the mid-80s to high-90s range.

Consequently, I'm trying to recoup some of my money by selling my OneTouch and a bunch of test strips on eBay, though I doubt anyone will buy them even at the deep loss I'm taking. I listed it on eBay.

Anyone out there want a slightly used meter and 150 test strips? $75 for the whole shebang. That's like 50 cents per strip and a free meter!

I recently read an article about the history of blood glucose meters. One of the items in there is an interview with Dr. Richard Bernstein. He said, "The LifeScan products were always mediocre in terms of accuracy. And they still are, but don't quote me. The Elite is the best one, the most accurate on the market. The Elite has been the best since the first Elite came out."

Well, OneTouch is put out by LifeScan, so this was just confirmation of what I'd already figured out - the OneTouch sucks.

He mentioned the Elite being so much better, so I hopped on eBay and typed "elite" into the search box. Up came the Ascensia Elite. So yes, I ordered yet another monitor. I opted for the Ascensia Elite XL. Click the picture to enlarge. It has a 120 test memory and a 14 day average, which the regular Elite doesn't have. I promise this is the last meter. Whether or not the Elite is accurate, I'm keeping the TrueTrack. It's basic, as is the Elite, but at least I know it's fairly accurate.

My weight is up, which means I've got to get serious about eating A LOT less calories. I was starting to get the gain off when I went and messed up yesterday by eating everything in sight. It was all low-carb, but still. :-p My blood sugar was 111 before bed and had only come down to 105 this morning. So it's time to get serious. After working out my blood sugar had dropped back into the normal range at 89.

Yes, I did work out today. I did 45 minutes of weights and 35 on the stationary bike. FitDay says I burned 247 calories. I couldn't do any other cardio exercises because of my toe. I think I will try walking around the lake with Brad tomorrow provided it isn't raining.

Technorati tagged: atkins, diet, atkins diet, low carb, weight loss, obesity, obese, overweight, fat, exercise, fitness, diabetes, glucose meter