Artwork: Hand pulling book off shelf.
Inclusion of materials in this publication is for information only and does
not imply endorsement by the Diabetes Action Network of the NFB.
Full Service Diabetes Supplier
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, website: www.dsmedical.com
Talking Computer
The VoiceNote, from HumanWare, is a laptop note-taker/organizer for blind individuals and those losing vision. It combines the familiar MicroSoft WINDOWS CE operating system, and standard computer keyboard, with voice access. You can create MS Word documents, access your e-mail, transfer documents to and from a standard PC computer, use your VoiceNote as a speech synthesizer for another computer, and access a number of planning and scheduling tools. For more information, about the VoiceNote or their many other products, contact: HumanWare, 6246 King Road, Loomis, CA 95650; telephone: 1-800-722-3393; website: www.humanware.com
Diabetes Supplies
Inverness Medical Corporation carries a full line of discount-priced diabetes supplies, including: Dex-4 glucose tablets, skin cream, and Excel test strips for the Glucometer Elite monitor. The company also markets the Monoject line of insulin syringes and lancets. Many Inverness (formerly Can-Am) products are also sold as "house brand" at major pharmacy chains. Their low price in no way compromises their high quality.
For information, contact: Inverness Medical Corporation, 200 Prospect Street, Waltham, MA 02453; telephone: 1-800-461-7448.
Insulin Pumps and Supplies
MiniMed is one of the world's leading manufacturers of insulin pumps -- those precision microdevices that are the closest thing to an artificial pancreas we have. If you are an insulin-dependent diabetic, talk to your doctor about pump therapy -- you might find the MiniMed 508 pump right for you. If you need pump/infusion supplies, Minimed offers a complete line. Minimed also offers (for doctor's use) the Continuous Glucose Monitor -- which can precisely chart three-days' sugars, as an aid to establishing better control. And Minimed has the (still investigational) 2007 Implantable Insulin Pump. For information contact: MiniMed, Inc., 18000 Devonshire Street, Northridge, CA 91325-1219; telephone: 1-800-646-4633; website: www.minimed.com
Adaptive Computing Equipment
Freedom Scientific is a powerhouse adaptive equipment maker for the blind and visually impaired computer user. A union of Arkenstone, Blazie Engineering, and Henter-Joyce, Freedom Scientific offers screen magnifiers, talking attachments (voice synthesizers) for your computer, Braille printers and much more. Whether you need adaptive software or hardware, check them out: Freedom Scientific; telephone: 1-800-444-4443; website: www.freedomscientific.com
Diabetes Supplies
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.
Easy Diabetic Cookbook
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, P.O. Box 2121, Kerrville, TX 78029; telephone: 1-800-757-0838.
Diabetes Resource List
The Diabetes Action Network of the National Federation of the Blind now offers Diabetes Resources: Equipment, Services and Information, a comprehensive list of resources for diabetics. Diabetes Resources is a compilation of companies and individuals offering products and/or information to help diabetics, especially those who are blind or are losing vision, to self-manage their diabetes. The list contains the following subject categories: General and Miscellaneous, Insulin Measurement Devices, Talking Prescription Systems, Insulin Syringe Magnifiers, Insulin Injection Systems, Diabetic Foot Care, Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems, Insulin Pumps, Products for the Blind, Food and Diet, Literature and Information, Internet Resources, Distributors of Diabetes Equipment and Supplies, and Medication Assistance.
By using alternative techniques and products, blind diabetics can continue being independent, and control their diabetes as efficiently as do their sighted peers. Limitations are usually self-imposed—often all that is needed to overcome negative thinking is simply to know where to go for information.
Diabetes Resources: Equipment, Services, and Information costs $5 per copy and is available in Braille, large print, and audiocassette (recorded at 15/16 IPS for the blind). Please order from: National Federation of the Blind, Materials Center, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, MD 21230; telephone: (410) 659-9314. Note: the NFB Materials Center is open weekdays 12:30pm to 5:00pm Eastern time.
Diabetes Supplies
Diabetic Supply Distributors, Inc., helps you save four ways with your diabetes supplies:
1. Insurance billing. They file the claim, and they pay for delivery. No advance payment needed -- and THEY do the paperwork.
2. Medicare billing. Medicare pays for approved diabetes supplies (and, since last July, that list has covered type 2 diabetics!). Diabetic Supply will handle the details.
3. Free, fast home delivery. Your order comes quickly to your door.
4. Friendly personal service. You're not talking to a computer.
Contact: Diabetic Supply Distributors, Inc., P.O. Box 1820, Laurel Springs, NJ 08021; telephone: 1-800-962-8098.
Change Your Ways
Good diabetes management is a lifestyle. Although doctors can prescribe medication and recommend changes, sometimes "changing your ways," adapting/adopting a healthy lifestyle, can be a lot of work -- for there is so much to learn.
The NEWSTART Lifestyle Center offers 12- and 18-day in-house, physician-supervised intensive education programs, that emphasize permanent lifestyle changes designed to help the participant lose weight, maintain health, and adopt healthier habits in nutrition, cooking, exercise, and stress management.
Contact: Weimar Institute; telephone: 1-800-525-9192; e-mail: [email protected]
WINDOWS Screen Reader
GW Micro now offers WINDOW-EYES Version 4 with Braille Support, a screen reader program that also supports Microsoft WINDOWS ME, WINDOWS 95 and WINDOWS 98 (support for WINDOWS 2000 will follow later this year). 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: (219) 489-3671; fax: (219) 489-2608; e-mail: [email protected]; website: http://www.gwmicro.com
Diabetes Supplies
When you need it, you need it. When it's time
to test, when it's time for medication, you need it already there. Diabetic
Care Center will ship your diabetes supplies to your door, and they do the
paperwork. No forms, no trips to the pharmacy. Medicare and most private insurance
accepted. Call the Diabetic Care Center, telephone: 1-800-633-7167; website:
http://www.diabeticare.com
Treat Male Impotence
For men who've had diabetes many years, one possible ramification is impotence, the inability to sustain an erection. This can be treated in a number of ways, but the least invasive is vacuum therapy.
The Vet-Co Vacuum Therapy System for male impotence is FDA-approved, safe, non-invasive, and easy to use. For information, call: Coast To Coast Home Medical; telephone: 1-800-330-6316.
Diabetic Supplies On Line
Pharmacist Bryan Luna, Rph, offers diabetes supplies, including glucose monitors, on line at www.diabeticsupplies.com. This convenient website 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.
New Talking Blood Glucose Monitor
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 (English- or Spanish-speaking voice now available), 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 large print), and
instructions on audiocassette. The new meter (catalog #2030802 - English,
or #3040208 - Spanish) 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.