As the President of the company I appreciate your help in understanding what to build and how to make things better. This is not a commercial plug but a conversation among a few people with a shared interest in making things better (type 1 in my family).
I really appreciate the interest level. It's great insight into what's missing from our website description so thanks. I'll post a testimonial from one of our subscribers as that's really the best description. To the questions raised on this forum here goes:
- Several kids use the GlucoMESSENGER as primary and their cell phone as secondary. Easier typing, better reception, guaranteed delivery, recently expanded to offer unlimited messaging at same price.
- We're in clinical trials testing for the virtual logbook using the GlucoMESSENGER as part of our GlucoDYNAMIX system. It's the fastest and easiest way to keep a logbook for people who would want to do anything beyond an isolated paper log since it is collated and easily shared through the automated system. (
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00297635) It's really funny to watch a race between three people as they log their data: one person with Ultra Smart, one with cell phone and another with the GlucoMESSENGER. Guess who wins.
- Of course the occassional discussion is needed and that's not why people use the GlucoMESSENGER. Kids are also sensitive to being different. The discreet nature of typing avoids the calls to mommy which kids absolutely hate to do when in earshot of other kids. Even walking out into the hall is a similar uncomfortable thing let alone walking to the office.
- And the not so obvious value of customer support that understands the customer.
Here's what one of our moms has to say about it:
Our son, Malcolm (dx 06/07/1994) was diagnosed with diabetes when he was two years old. He is now a 6th grader in a medium size middle school.
Throughout our 10 years living with diabetes one of the major challenges has been monitoring Malcolm’s blood sugar testing and insulin intake when he is not with us. Diabetes is a 24/7 disease – blood sugar checks 3 plus times during the school day – insulin dosing whenever carbohydrates are ingested – and throw in high blood sugars and low blood sugars and the action needed to correct these situations – one can see the real need for real time communication.
Using the Diabetech technology Malcolm is able to communicate with us in real time no matter where we are – and it also allows us to communicate with him. Malcolm is able to communicate with me several times during the school day without going to the office and without missing classroom time – he simply emails me his blood sugar number or what he has eaten and how much insulin he has given to himself, I then reply with any instructions or a simple ‘thanks for remembering – good job’. If I have not heard from him then I email him and remind him with a message like ‘bg?” or ‘insulin?’ and he is then reminded to either check himself or give insulin.
Besides being cool to have such an email device at school what has this meant to his diabetes control in real life? Since using this device Malcolm has only forgotten to give himself insulin for lunch on one or two occasions (when he left the communicator at home!) this means that his blood sugars stay in target through out the afternoon, that translates in being able to stay focused and do better in school – he also checks himself more often at school because I am able to remind him to do so – and this means tighter control. His A1Cs have dropped from 8.1 to 7.6. A child living with diabetes has more on their plate then the regular stresses and strains of growing up. Trying to keep yourself healthy and feeling good is hard work when you have diabetes no matter what your age – the use of real time communication technology has allowed our son to not only keep himself healthier but has also given him comfort in knowing that we are making sure he is ok during the day – that he does not have to draw attention to himself by leaving class to manage his diabetes – and that he can ask questions about any situation that arises and I will be able to help him make the correct choice for his diabetes care.
We whole heartedly endorse the Diabetech technology and can say, with out a doubt, that it has improved the management of our son’s type one diabetes.
Barbi Lazarow
Laura Anne 
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