WHAT YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW
BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO ASK
(Resource Column)

Inclusion of materials in this publication is for information only and does not imply endorsement by the Diabetes Action Network of the NFB.

DIABETIC HEALTHCARE SERVICES

Diabetic Healthcare Services will take your order for Diabetes supplies (including prescription medications), by mail or phone, and file all your necessary forms for you. The accent is on speed and convenience; their paperwork takes little time, and they offer same-day shipping. All items come with a 30-day money-back guarantee! They direct-bill your insurance carrier, or Medicare, and they wait for your insurance payment. For details, contact: Diabetic Healthcare Services, PO Box 309, Hudson, OH 44236-0309; telephone: 1-800-353-7318.

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 with 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.

NEW LANCETS

Can-Am Care, supplier of diabetes care products, announces a new, thinner-gauge lancet. The Monolet Thin lancet works just like the Monolet Original, but consumers with sensitive fingers, or who easily produce the small sample of blood they need, will appreciate its finer-gauge needle, while consumers with thick, callused fingertips, or who have difficulty getting sufficient blood for a test, will prefer Monolet Originals.

For information about these, or Can-Am's many other diabetes care products, contact: Can-Am Care Corporation, Cimetra Industrial Park, Box 98, Chazy, NY 12921-0098; telephone: 1-800-461-7448.

DIABETIC SKIN CARE PRODUCTS

The Anastasia Marie Diabetic Pure Skin Therapy Total Skin Care System for Face & Body is a complete line of products specifically formulated for diabetic dry skin, including: Diapedic Foot Cream, Hand and Body Cream, Azulene Night Repair, and Day Protection Formula SPF 15. These products should be available at pharmacies nationwide. For more information or ordering assistance call: Consumers Choice Systems, Inc., Bellvue, WA 98005; telephone: 1-800-479-5232.

DIABETES SUPPLIES

Heritage Diabetic Supply is a small, personalized source for your diabetes needs (insulin included), offering reasonable prices and one-on-one service. If you need something hard to find (like Diascan test strips), they will get it for you. Heritage handles Medicare and private insurance paperwork (no HMOs), and offers a free RSG glucose monitor just for signing up! Contact: Heritage Diabetic Supply, PO Box 1270, Marion, NC 28752; telephone: 1-800-267-6509.

TALKING COMPUTERS

Henter-Joyce, Inc., maker of the "JAWS" series of computer screen readers, offers screen-to-speech software including "JAWS For WINDOWS" (JFW 3.0), now capable of reading WINDOWS 95. The company also produces "JAWS for WINDOWS NT," and software for the DECtalk speech synthesizer. Find out more at their website: http://www.hj.com, or contact them for information: Henter-Joyce, Inc., 11800 31st Court North, St. Petersburg, FL 33716-1805; telephone: 1-800-336-5658 or (813) 803-8000; fax: (813) 803-8001; email: [email protected]

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES

Comprehensive Health Services, Inc., offers a customer direct diabetic supply program. They stock glucose monitors for the sighted and visually impaired, test strips, syringes, and other diabetic products. Medicare and private insurance accepted; free and convenient home delivery; 24-hour toll-free telephone; training and emergency customer support. Guaranteed full refund on supplies returned within 30 days of purchase. To qualifying customers, no "out of pocket" cost for diabetes supplies; no insurance paperwork to fill out.

For information, call: 1-800-795-6167, or contact: Comprehensive Health Services, 221 N. Front St., Suite 203, Wilmington, NC 28401.

SKIN CARE PRODUCTS

FROM THE EDITOR: MI FINE SKIN is a line of skin care products of interest to diabetics. The line includes a cream, a lotion, and a soap-free cleanser, all appropriate for the dry skin we face as a consequence of our diabetes. I've used the lotion and the cream, and highly approve of them both. The cream is especially appropriate for our dry feet, and has been endorsed by diabetes educators and podiatrists as appropriate for diabetic foot care (a useful "diabetic foot care" pamphlet is furnished with the cream). I tried the cream on my feet; it's not greasy, and it works!

The soap-free cleanser comes in two varieties: "for normal, dry, or sensitive skin" (16-oz. bottle) and "for oily skin" (8-oz. bottle). The face and body lotion comes in an 8-oz. bottle, and the cream is packed in a 4-oz. jar.

FREE SAMPLES OF THE CREAM AND LOTION ARE AVAILABLE.

For information, or to obtain a free sample, contact: MI SKIN, INC., 3645 Warrensville Center Road, Suite 321, Shaker Heights, OH 44122; telephone: 1-800-754-6066.

DIABETES SUPPLIES

Diabetic Supply of Southwest Florida (formerly Medi-Mail, Inc.), of Naples, Florida, is a new, small diabetes supply company offering a high level of customer service. They bill Medicare and secondary insurance carriers, accept assignment, and carry sometimes-hard-to-find items like Diascan test strips. They carry diabetes literature and information, and all their employees have received instruction from diabetes educators. For information contact: Diabetic Supply of SW Florida, Inc., 1594 Northgate Drive, Naples, FL 33942; telephone: 1-800-883-9146 or (941) 435-1101.

DIABETIC DIET HELP

Doctors and dietitians tell us in microscopic detail just what we should and should not eat. The problem is following their instructions, on a daily basis. Keeping track of what you should eat, what you've already had, and what's not in your meal plan is easier now, with the Diabetic Tracking System.

The Diabetic Tracking System is a set of color-coded cards, labeled in large print (Braille headers available) divided into the different food groups (starch, vegetables, fruit, protein, milk/yogurt, fats). Each card represents one serving. Once you and your doctor or nutritionist have determined how many and which of the cards you should use, start each day with all your cards in the NOT USED stack, and when you eat, move the cards that represent the foods eaten to the USED stack.

To order a set of Diabetic Tracking System cards, in large print, or in large print with Braille headers, send check or money order for $17.95 (plus $2.95 shipping) to: Diabetic Tracking System, PO Box 506, Cypress, TX 77410-0506.

LIFESCAN PROFILE TALK BOX

Science Products, maker of many adaptive products for the blind, announces a new speech synthesizer for the LifeScan Profile blood glucose monitor. Joining their lineup, which already includes "talk boxes" for the old LifeScan One Touch II, and the Mini Digi-Voice for the Profile, is a new version of the Digi-Voice Deluxe. Priced at $275, similar to the old Deluxe module for the One Touch II, the new Deluxe, like the Mini Digi-Voice, is electronically incompatible with the older monitor. Be sure to specify which LifeScan meter you use! Science Products is offering a $25 discount on the Deluxe module, for NFB members—for information on membership (at NO COST!), contact the VOICE office. To order a Digi-Voice module, or a catalog of their other adaptive products, contact: Science Products, Box 888, Southeastern, PA 19399; telephone: 1-800-888-7400.

DIABETIC COOKBOOK

"Healthy and Hearty Diabetic Cooking," a cookbook produced by the Canadian Diabetes Association, has been updated by the editors of "Diabetes Self-Management" magazine. The book's more than 200 recipes are designed to be lowfat, low salt, low sugar, low calories, and high on flavor. Acknowledging today's realities, the recipes are designed to be quick and easy to prepare. Many are microwaveable. The book has a substitution chart, and every recipe comes with complete nutritional analysis.

The book is priced at $23.97, plus shipping and handling, and the order includes a freebie: the three part recipe set "Secrets of Great Diabetic Cooking." The book is available from: "Healthy and Hearty Diabetic Cooking," PO Box 11477, Des Moines, IA 50380-1477.

NEW DIABETES RESOURCES

The Diabetes Action Network of the National Federation of the Blind will soon have, "Diabetes Resources: Equipment, Services and Information," a comprehensive list of resources for diabetics. The new list should be available by the end of January 1998.

"Diabetes Resources" will be 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 will be arranged under subject categories including: Diabetes Literature, Personal Identification, General and Miscellaneous, Automatic Insulin Injection Systems, Skin Moisturizers, Sugar-Free Foods, Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems, Magnification Devices, Insulin Pumps, and Large Distributors of Diabetes Equipment and/or Supplies.

Blind diabetics can and do accurately draw up insulin, monitor blood glucose, and perform the other tasks of independent self-management. By using alternative techniques and products, they 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.

The new "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 Materials Center is open weekdays 12:30pm to 5:00pm Eastern time.