Just for a quick update on what is going on... I worked this last weekend in PI and then yesterday and today in the endocrine clinic. I've been very busy and sleep deprived and now (on my Friday) I am so tired! But things are moving forward... life just doesn't stop for work! :o) Today I spoke with Kathryn at Medtronic who is going to assist me in processing my CGMS (although I learned that my current insurance has never approved at CGMS- yikes!). I am also working on using the Pathway program to process an upgrade to the new Revel pump so that I will have a larger insulin resevior for those days of insulin resistance that I hope are in my future (what a weird thing to say!). I am putting on an ipro tomorrow to wear for a week and I'm hoping that with that information plus the Carelink reports I have will help make a case for my CGMS. I have an appointment with my usual OB/GYN for next Thursday for what is called a "pre-pregnancy counseling" appointment. I need help coming up with questions for her. I know I won't be able to use her for my delivering OB and that makes me really sad, because I love her. I know she is going to "get on to me" for my weight. I am technically overweight according to my BMI and she likes to point that out. So... anyways... things are moving forward, and I will keep you all updated. I also "met" someone through http://www.diabeticmommy.com/ who is my age from Birmingham so I am looking so forward to hearing from her about her experience with UAB hospital and the OB she used.
Now... for something totally unrelated to my diabetes, TTC journey, or anything in the blog. A strange occurrence of selflessness and giving happened in my life this week thanks to my friend Jill. I am completely a self proclaimed cynic. I have worked in ICU for almost 5 years and let's just say I've seen how cruel some people can be. I've also just lived in B'ham for a while and I've seen the same homeless people give the same story over and over again to beg for money, but my eyes were opened a little wider this week and it gave me a new perspective. I would like to share this with any fellow cynics out there. Jill and I went to lunch Monday at McAllister's and on our way back to clinic we were stopped by this 30's-something black man pushing a what-looked-like 1 year old boy in a stroller. He walked up to us and ask us for 75 cents in order for him to catch the bus. (Here is where I will say that I would have given him the change if I had it, but I didn't have any change or cash on me, just a debit card) Well Jill and I both said no-that all we had was a card. Then, when he walked off she was very upset. She felt like she couldn't live with herself without helping him out, so we went after him. When we got up to where he was there was a lady giving the man a dollar. (Which I made sure to point out to Jill - cynic me) She walks up to him and tells him to wait on her- she is going to go to the ATM across the street and get him money. He said he would wait and stood on the corner of the street in the shade with his baby. He gave the baby a bottle and pulled out his cell phone and his cigarettes. We went off across the street!
Jill pulled $20 out of her bank account and took it back across the street to the man. (While on the way across the street I pointed out to her that he was smoking and obviously wasn't to poor to buy cigarettes or a cell phone- cynic) When we got up to him, she started up a conversation with him. She ask where he lived- the projects, which he talked about wanting to get out of. He talked about his other two daughters, the bad living conditions he lived in, selling his food stamps to pay bills, not having enough money to buy food for his kids, not having any money to pay bills, etc. He said he was going to catch the bus to go to his mom's to ask her for money to pay his $155 light bill. Jill mentioned that she went to a church that had programs in place to assist people like him. He talked about how he had gone to a church as a kid, but not anymore. His phone rang, he answered, and he told us thank you, and God bless you girls.
We walked off and Jill said she wished she had the $155 to give him to pay his bill. She said that even if he spent the money on something bad she was glad she was able to help him. She said that she has been guided by her pastor to be giving and not judge. I've never seen such an example of not judging. I'm not saying that I don't help out people, or believe in the "What you do for the least of us, you do for me" philosophy, but me and Adam have always been the if you're hungry, we'll give you food people. This whole experience opened my eyes to the idea that maybe all people should at least be heard... maybe I shouldn't be so quick to judge... maybe we all should lend an ear, a hand, some acts of kindness, some money if we have it. I don't know, but I think I can feel the tough, hard shell around my heart cracking... don't think that shell is going anywhere anytime soon, but she cracked it. Just some food for thought. Have a good day everybody!
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