I stopped to rest and check my blood sugar by Alpine Falls only to find that my BS tester wasn't working. I've had this happen to me before, so I just checked the code chip and reinserted a test strip. Still no dice. So I checked the battery in the back and still it just reported error. So I gave up.
I'd hiked about 6 miles in and I had rode my bike about 5 miles the evening before, so I deserved these Peanut M&Ms despite a blood sugar reading or not. Funny thing was that when I was zipping my tester closed, I noticed some dates on the test strip bottle. So I pulled them out and noticed an expiration date. I though to myself "You must be having a low right now because that's crazy". Test strips with and expiration date! What in the hell.
But even after sitting there eating (and enjoying thoroughly) some M&Ms, I was right. These damned test strips had an expiration date on them!
This is a new meter that I've been trying out and I've liked it very much. It gets me a reading in about 4 seconds and it's fairly compact and very much like my old meter. But I am also an independent person who does not let anything limit him. I only encourage friends to get up early and go snowboarding or hiking or climbing before I head home to rest before getting up and going solo. I don't mind going the extra distance, even if it is by myself. But I've always expected my expensive meters and medication to work. I've always needed them too.
But not today. These new test strips stopped working after a certain date (just like my pancreas) while my diabetes continued on with me in the woods by myself. Luckily I was only 6 miles from my car and this was an extremely easy morning hike. I hadn't set out to go for a big peak in the area because I had been riding my road bike so much.
And apparently it was a good call on my part. I made it back to my car fine and when I got home I immediately sat down to write Accu-Check a letter voicing my concern and disappointment.
It's been two weeks now and I still haven't heard anything from them. I made it to Hyalite Lake that day and it was beautiful. I was glad to be alive, just not stoked to be diabetic.