Thanks Clifford, Not quite a complete recovery yet, I still get a pretty sore ankle & foot from time-to-time, they figure because the breaks were so close to the ankle I may well have increasing arthritic pain for the rest of my life but we will see about that.
There is presently work being done on optically analyzing blood sugar by use of some sort of LASER technology. It is hoped that this would be used to regulate Insulin pumps for Insulin dependent diabetics. There is an electronic system too used on a wrist watch sort of device, none talk as far as I know but the method too is fairly unreliable, there are a wide range of factors which alter electric skin resistance so this isn't promising. I don't know how much research is going into continuous monitoring like the LASER and I can't imagine any manufacturing motivation for a supplies free system with no ongoing consumables to purchase. Eventually it will happen probably out of a university laboratory with public funding though. Otherwise I am unaware of any bloodless testing method presently available. That doesn't mean it isn't available just that I am unaware of it. Regardless of the short comings of the Prodigy Autocode Talking Glucometer it is small, pretty darn accurate, easy to use and of similar price to those used by sighted folk. We don't get access to all functions but what it does for us it does well. Once I passed an undetected kidney stone about the size of a kernel of corn my blood sugar has been coming steadily down I have reduced my Metformin to three half tablets a day and looks like I will be able to drop it some more. I am off to Timmins early tomorrow morning for two days of the North-Eastern Ontario Stroke Network stroke convention. I am only moderately interested in the programme this year but like to support the group and it will give an opportunity to network with other professionals in this region which is about 1500 square miles. We don't get together too often. Dale Leavens, Cochrane Ontario Canada [EMAIL PROTECTED] Skype DaleLeavens Come and meet Aurora, Nakita and Nanook at our polar bear habitat. ----- Original Message ----- From: clifford To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 7:59 PM Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] Re: Prodegy Autocode Glucometer [was] New Tool Review Dear Dale: Thanks for this information. I will investigate further. I trust that you have made a complete recovery from your fall? Yours Truly, Clifford Wilson ----- Original Message ----- From: Dale Leavens To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 6:51 PM Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Re: Prodegy Autocode Glucometer [was] New Tool Review Good evening Cliff, Actually it was Suzy who put me onto the glucometer. Finding a source though turned out to be more challenging. Many places sell it but most through insurance companies. The hook is that you are stuck with their test strips. The next thing was finding someone who will send to Canada. I began buying from LS&S I think it is called Learning Sight and Sound or something like that but I can't use their Web site to order from Canada and their toll free number doesn't cross the boarder and it seems their Fax doesn't work either. Because they are only open when I work I now find it inconvenient to phone them on their regular number during my work day. I have just discovered that Independent Living Aides (ILA) now carry and sell the device to the individual consumer. There may be others. The glucometer is the Prodigy Autocode Talking Glucometer made by DDI (Diagnostic Devices Inc.). It uses only a tiny drop of blood usually taken from the finger but you can use other body parts just be aware that the capillary blood in other areas is a little different, I believe the consensus is about 15% but the Autocode is claimed to be useable for that. There is a slightly older version of the Prodigy Talking Glucometer so be sure you get the Autocode one. This is important otherwise you will have to enter a code number off of the container to calibrate the meter and you will need eyes for that. This unit is very small, it is not however perfect. There is a series of settings you can't do when you first set it up and possibly after you change batteries I am not sure, things like selecting the language, English or Spanish, which scale it uses, the British and Canadians and probably the rest of the world use Millimoles per litre The American scale is milligrams per decalitre, the temperature scale and setting the time. There are some other modes too and if you miss the announcement there is no way to make it repeat the display. Janet generally finds something to ask me or a pan to drop on the floor when the measure is announced. You will want a bottle of control to test the unit for calibration. Actually there should be two, don't know why this unit doesn't have that, usually you test high and low by using control solution of a known value. There is a cable which does not come with the unit and so far I have not been able to find anyone who sells it, it is a USB cable and some software to download up to 450 data samples to a computer. Sighted people can read this history data off of the screen but one would probably prefer computer download, I certainly would and will when I find a source for the cable. For more information try http://www.diagnosticdevicesinc.com/home.cfm?htmlFlag=1 LS&S is a little cheaper than ILA and it probably will work well enough for you. Hope this is helpful. Dale Leavens, Cochrane Ontario Canada [EMAIL PROTECTED] Skype DaleLeavens Come and meet Aurora, Nakita and Nanook at our polar bear habitat. ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 7:41 AM Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] New Tool Review Dear Dale: I am just now in the market for a talking glucometer, and when I saw your comment about a thirty dollar glucometer, my interest was peaked. Could you give me the name of this meter? I own an older model which cost ten times that much, but it has developed problems and I thought I would check around for a more modern unit and hopefully one which will allow me to avoid sticking the fingers. Yours Truly, Clifford Wilson ----- Original Message ----- From: Dale Leavens To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 9:13 PM Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] New Tool Review Hi Tom, Surely there is a more convenient and economical way of doing this than an outboard synth? I mean, there will have to be some supporting electronics to drive a serial port already. If a tire gauge can talk for ten bucks and a glucometer for 30 bucks and a multifunction multimeter for 40 bucks and some of those clocks for under 20 bucks then how difficult can it be? Certainly there is a cost/volume issue and I expect he already has quite a bit tied up in current development and production. Dale Leavens, Cochrane Ontario Canada [EMAIL PROTECTED] Skype DaleLeavens Come and meet Aurora, Nakita and Nanook at our polar bear habitat. ----- Original Message ----- From: Tom Fowle To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 6:26 PM Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] New Tool Review I've had a reply from Barry Wixey and he seems pretty positive. His plan would be to add a serial port at a standard baud rate etc. so folks with speech enabled portable computers, BNS and the like should have no problem accessing it. He's a mechanical guy so depends on "chinese electrical engineers' and is struggling just to pay the bills, so much overhead isn't desirable Will keep you all posted as things move along. Tom P.S. don't have a BNS or similar, buy a doubletalk LT I'd push for a setup that'd hook directly to such a synthesizer. cause you can buy one right now. 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