How does one contain those little droplets that get everywhere? For a while I stashed a tissue in my meter case, ripping off small pieces to wipe my fingertips after each test. Yes, it worked. But yes, I also started to find tiny messy tissue shards everywhere. So I was intrigued when an email from Diabetic Dabs landed in my inbox.
Diabetic Dabs are small pads of absorbent sheets to wipe up those little blood droplets. Here’s a bit of background from the company:
“Liz Sacco, the founder and inventor of Diabetic Dabs, is a mother to four boys, including David who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2011. While helping David with his blood glucose tests, Liz realized there was a constant struggle to find a clean and easy way for her son to wipe off the excess blood from his finger, and prevent him from wiping the blood on his pants. Two years later, Liz developed Diabetic Dabs.
Diabetic Dabs are non-toxic, highly absorbent sheets that are designed to fit conveniently into any blood glucose testing kit. With Diabetic Dabs, David’s daily testing process got easier, and his clothes stayed blood-free.
Liz believes that if she can relieve just one worry from the lives of diabetics or their parents, she’s succeeded.”
I was intrigued, so I happily accepted a sample to test out and TWO MORE TO GIVE AWAY! Let me tell you, for someone as OCD about wiping her blood as I am, these Dabs are a dream come true. They suck up those droplets like nobody’s business, leaving my clothes (and cat) blood stain free. They are generously sized to even handle those gushers. For a normal finger prick I find ripping off about a fourth of the sheet is very easy and absorbs perfectly - without leaving behind that pesky tissue shard fuzz. Each pad of Dabs comes with an adhesive backing so you can stick it right to your meter case (as shown below). I don’t use a conventional meter case but the pad of Dabs is sized perfectly to slip into my meter’s pouch.
I’m now a big fan of Diabetic Dabs, and was thrilled to hear that the company donates some of the proceeds to diabetes research:
“One thing we're very dedicated to is that we donate a part of all net profits from Diabetic Dabs back to diabetic research, specifically the American Diabetes Association. We love that it provides not only ourselves but our customers an avenue to be able to pour back into an organization dedicated to helping take care of a community we're an integral part of. “So what do you say? Would you like to try out Diabetic Dabs for yourself? You can order them here, but I also have two boxes to give away! Each box contains four packets of Dabs, for a total of 200 absorbant little sheets per winner. To enter for your chance to win, just leave me a comment and tell me how you, or your loved one with diabetes, currently deals with those little droplets everywhere. I’ll close the contest at midnight EST tomorrow, Jan. 30th, and announce the two winners on Friday.
Well as not nice as it might sound, half the time I just lick that little drop of blood off my finger. Another thing I would do is take a few tri-fold paper towels and cut them up into small squares to keep in my kit to wipe the blood am then wrap my test strip in.
ReplyDeleteYour method of ripping off a bit of tissue is the height of hygiene compared to my daughter's system. She has a whole tissue in her meter case which she reuses until there are no white spots left. It's gross!
ReplyDeleteI just wipe the blood on the inside of my meter case and/or lick it off. Not interested in yet another step/product for something I do 10+/day.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter also creates pointillism blood drawings on a single tissue, until I find it and toss it out. I would LOVE to win this!
ReplyDeleteI carry tissue paper in my meter case and use it until it gets gross aka there is no clean spot left or just wipe on the case itself. I tried licking it once... no thanks, the taste is terrible!
ReplyDeleteI usually do the gross finger in the mouth thing or dab it on whatever tissue of napkin I have near me (typically there's a napkin under the edge of my mug at work because I'm messy). I hate when I've bled on my keyboard or paperwork!
ReplyDeleteWhen I did the Chemstrip "large-hanging-drop" thing, I kept a tissue in with my kit and reused it until it fell to shreds, then reused it some more. Now I just use my tongue, and put that blood back in the body from where it came. (I'm quite happy with that method, by the way, so with all due respect to the Diabetic Dabs people, please do not enter me in the contest and instead award it to someone who can really appreciate it.)
ReplyDeleteI wipe it on my pants and I hate doing it because then my pants dont look nice anymore. I would love Diabetic Dabs so i can stop ruining my pants!
ReplyDeleteMy 80 year old Dad is type 2, and I'm type 1. I'm a compulsive hand washer, though if I'm not near a sick I will guiltily stick my finger in my mouth until I can get to the sink. My Dad, however, leaves a trail of blood-dabbed paper towels wherever he goes. I'd love to be able to try these. Thanks so much for letting us know about them.
ReplyDeleteI first heard about the dabs at the Joslin Innovation Summit. I reacted to it very much like some of the commenters here. I am a licker too and couldn't find sense in buying something else. With that said, I DO know a lot of individuals who think licking is really nasty and I do understand. I think this product is important for many in that way. It's an alternative and slightly more hygienic. Thank you for sharing Karen. :-)
ReplyDeleteI just knew someone would invent these eventually! If I'm not near tissues, I use the inside of the cuff of my pants. If I am near tissues, it seems like such a waste to use an entire tissue for just one little drop. Sandra and I are definitely going to try these out.
ReplyDeleteI tend to lick my finger, which seems totally normal to me but grosses my family out. The dabs sounds like a great idea. I'd love to try them.
ReplyDeleteFor my daughter, I take a paper towel(one of those half- sized ones) , fold it in half long-ways, then tear that in half and then half again so that what I'm left with is 4 little folded pieces of paper towel. I put a stack of 6-8 of those in her case every day. These "Dabs" would be great to try!!
ReplyDeleteI will usually wipe my finger on the bottom of my shoe. As I sit here and type that out, I realize how disgusting that sounds. If I don't use my shoe, I will use an inconspicuous area of my pants (that I may be wearing at the time), or any other item of clothing that is waiting to go through the laundry cycle. *wonk wonk*
ReplyDeleteBecause it is blood from my body, I simply lick the finger that I have used. The "prick" mark seems to immediately become invisible!
ReplyDeleteI'm another finger-licker. Although there was awhile I was mistakenly given 30 ga. lancets and I found sometimes the one lick method didn't cut it for those gaping wounds. Back on 33 ga. and finger-licking good again! No need for the Dabs, thanks.
ReplyDeleteha ha ha! a cat is the ORIGINAL blood dab--they probably like licking your blood off of their fur.
ReplyDeletethis is a great product idea!
we know a kid who keeps a square of cotton (AKA eye makeup-remover pad) in his test kit. that thing is covered with dried brown polka dots. (gross!)our current method seems to be wiping it on one's own hand and rubbing until it magically disappears. (truly gross!)
I'd love to try this..I used to be a finger licker but since working in the healthcare field and seeing all sorts of things I don't do that anymore. Even if it's just my blood.
ReplyDeleteI am T1D for 8 years and for 8 years I've kept a kleenex/tissue in the "pocket" of the meter case. Not the same kleenex (ew!) but a new one every week or two. It's my own blood so all do after a test is shove my "pricked" finger into the little kleenex pocket and it keeps it in there and keeps my finger blood free. I also drop the used strip in there and once that pocket gets "full-ish" I dump out the used strips and the kleenex. Always feels like a nice clean start. :)
ReplyDelete