Includes artwork: Books on a shelf
Inclusion of materials in this publication is for information only and does not imply endorsement by the Diabetes Action Network of the NFB.
Diabetes Education Control Diabetes Services offers something we all need -- good diabetes education. Too many people are given their diagnosis, and a handful of syringes or pills, and left to sort it out by themselves. We all need to be shown the right way, so we don't "reinvent the wheel," making old mistakes over and over again.
Many health plans now cover the cost of diabetes education programs like this one. "A little education can go a long way," they say -- a long way toward helping you learn to manage this disease. Contact: Control Diabetes Services; telephone: 1-800-729-0114; Web site: www.control-diabetes.com
DS Medical Supply is a full-service supplier with a catalog of more than 55,000 items, dealing with diabetes, its complications, and many other medical supplies, delivered to your home. Diabetes products range from glucose monitors by Bayer and LifeScan, and the AccuChek VoiceMate talking glucose monitor, strips, lancets and other supplies, to diabetic orthotics/foot care items, and much more. They accept Medicare, private insurance, some HMOs, and, in most states, direct or crossover Medicaid. Contact: DS Medical, 2105 Newport Place, Suite 600, Lawrenceville, GA 30043-5561; telephone: 1-800-722-2604, Web site: www.dsmedical.com
On July 6, 2002, at our annual Diabetes Action Network seminar, held in Louisville, Kentucky, as part of the annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind, podiatrist Kenneth B. Rehm, DPM, gave the keynote address, titled: "The Importance of Treating Diabetic Feet." Dr. Rehm limits his practice to the diabetic foot, and he had a great deal of useful information to impart. We recorded his speech, and it is now available, on normal-speed audiocassette, for $2 per copy, from: National Federation of the Blind, Materials Center, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, MD 21230; telephone: (410) 659-9314; Web site: www.nfb.org
Based on the proven Accu-Chek Advantage meter, the Roche Diagnostics Accu-Chek Voicemate provides the following: Clear, high-quality speech synthesis, talking the user through preparations, test procedures, and results, without the need for sighted assistance; an "insulin vial identifier" which reads Eli Lilly insulin vials and speaks their type, as a safety aid in tactile insulin mixing; a new, improved, "touchable" test strip -- the Accu-Chek Comfort Curve (no more "hanging drop of blood" needed!); no meter cleaning required; and a tactile "code-key" system for programming test strip codes. The Voicemate is the most "blind-friendly" talking glucose monitor available today, and the only one whose regular operations require no sighted assistance at all.
The Voicemate comes with an adjustable over-the-shoulder carrying case, with meter, voice box, battery, adapter cord, 10 Comfort Curve strips, earphone, insulin check-vial, manual and quick-reference guide (in print), and instructions on audiocassette. The meter (catalog #2030802) can now be ordered through any pharmacy (suggested retail price $495-525). To do so, have your pharmacist contact Roche Diagnostics, 9115 Hague Road, Indianapolis, IN 46250; telephone: 1-800-428-5074. For direct purchase, and a price below $500, contact any of the following retailers: BeyondSight, Inc., Littleton, CO: 303-795-6455 ($498); Independent Living Aids, Inc., Plainview, NY ($495): 1-800-537-2118; or the National Federation of the Blind Materials Center, Baltimore, MD ($475): 410 659-9314.
American Diabetic Supply, Inc., will ship your diabetes supplies to your door. They handle all insurance claims and provide free delivery. Folks with Medicare and/or private insurance (no HMOs) may receive supplies at no further cost. For information, contact: American Diabetic Supply, Inc., 400 S. Atlantic Ave., Suite 108, Ormond Beach, FL 32176; telephone: 1-800-453-9033.
LANTUS (Insulin Glargine Rdna), from Aventis Pharmaceuticals, is very different from the "rapid acting" insulins types you hear so much about today. How is this insulin different? LANTUS is a very slow insulin. The company describes it as a "long-acting basal insulin ... providing a relatively constant profile with no pronounced peak, and a glucose-lowering effect for over 24 hours." Company literature states LANTUS is for once-a-day administration, at bedtime, to treat adult patients with type 2 or type 1 diabetes, who require "basal" insulin.
LANTUS is a recombinant dna insulin analog specifically formulated to provide a long, flat response. Because of its special formulation, LANTUS cannot be mixed in a syringe with any other insulin; so if you wished to take it with Regular, Humalog, or Novolog, you'd have to take two injections.
LANTUS insulin is available now. To find out more, contact: Aventis Pharmaceuticals; telephone: 1-866-452-6887; Web site: http://www.lantus.com
If you want to prepare healthy diabetic meals, but find most cookbooks just too complicated, you need Linda Coffee and Emily Cale's The Diabetic 4 Ingredient Cookbook. There are over 200 recipes, in all food categories, with complete nutritional and exchange information, each one using four ingredients. The book costs $9.95 (+$2.95 shipping), from: Coffee and Cale, PO Box 2121, Kerrville, TX 78029; telephone: 1-800-757-0838.
Pharmacist Bryan Luna, Rph, offers diabetes supplies, including glucose monitors, online at www.diabeticsupplies.com. This convenient Web site is simply laid out, and can be accessed in large print, too. For those without the internet, telephone: 1-877-787-7543. They will file your Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance forms. Free product catalog; 30-day, money-back guarantee.
GW Micro now offers WINDOW-EYES Version 4.2 with Braille Support, a screen reader program that also supports Microsoft WINDOWS ME, WINDOWS 95, WINDOWS 98, WINDOWS 2000 and WINDOWS XP. Once equipped with a voice synthesizer such as the Dectalk (your standard soundcard won't do), any computer that can run WINDOWS can run WINDOW-EYES. WINDOW-EYES reads the internet too, and provides you both speech and Braille output! A free demo disk is available, or you may download the demo program from the Internet. The WINDOW-EYES program is available from: GW Micro, 725 Airport North Office Park, Fort Wayne, IN 46825; telephone: (260) 489?3671; fax: (260) 489-2608, e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.gwmicro.com
The National Federation of the Blind maintains an extensive
literature collection, with free materials on many subjects, available in a
variety of formats. The articles listed below make up one part of the collection,
the "diabetes" category:
"Arthritis and Diabetes: A Common Association," "Blind Diabetics
Can Draw Insulin Without Difficulty," "Can I Eat Sugar?," "Cardiovascular
Health: Bypass May Be Better for Diabetics," "Check Your Hemoglobin
A1c I.Q." "Diabetic Eye Disease," "Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy,"
"Diabetics, Don't Give Up on Braille," "The Emotional Side,"
"Finger-Sticking Techniques," "How I Went Blind...And Then What,"
"Hypoglycemia - Low Blood Sugar," "Insulin Measurement Devices,"
"Insulin Types: A Review "Keeping Your Feet," "Kidney Disease:
Prevention, Dialysis, and Transplantation," "Male Sexual Dysfunction,"
"Many Blind Diabetics Successfully Use Insulin Pumps," "New Dietary
Guidelines for Diabetes Management," "Oral Diabetes Medications Update,"
"Talking Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems," and "What Is Diabetes
Mellitus?".
A volume of these articles is available in large print, and four-track audiocassette for the blind (all the diabetes articles together), titled: "Diabetes Action Network Articles"). Both formats are free of charge. To order, or to request a complete NFB literature catalog, contact: NFB Materials Center, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, MD 21230; telephone: 410-659-9314. You may also order by e-mail: [email protected]. The Materials Center is open 8:30 am to 5 pm, EST, weekdays.
Access Diabetic Supply promises free delivery, no paperwork, and free in-home training in the use of blood glucose testing devices. Your private insurance is welcome, and they accept Medicare, too. They offer free blood glucose monitors to folks who sign up. Check them out online: www.diabeticsupply.com or call: 1-800-276-5712.
At this year's NFB national convention in Louisville, Kentucky, elections were held for the 2002-2003 Diabetes Action Network Board. Here are the results:
President: Ed Bryant, Columbia, MO
First Vice President: Eric Woods, Denver, CO
Second Vice President: Sandie Addy, Prescott Valley, AZ
Secretary: Lois Williams, Huntsville, AL
Treasurer: Bruce Peters, Akron, OH
Board Members: Paul Price, Valley Center, CA, Dawnelle Cruze, Portsmouth, VA, and Sally York, Castro Valley, CA.
We congratulate out new board!