Apps I reccomend to get Money
Because what says “We live in a capitalist dystopia” like selling your bio-data for money?!
Full disclosure: Many of these apps will give me a reward/incentive for inviting people to them. If that makes this less genuine or less trustworthy to you then I fully understand, but I don’t and would not reccomend any app that doesn’t work fully. That said I’m not affiliated with any of these apps and I don’t know anything about them outside of “they give me money” so as far as trustworthiness on their part, I can’t really vouch for them. I assume the way most of these work is by collecting your data and selling it to 3rd parties, much like most things online, the only difference is with these you actually get paid lmao.
Sweatcoin: Get Paid to Walk!
This app converts your approved steps (steps you walk and not like, steps accidentally generated by your phone moving) into their own cryptocurrency called sweatcoin, which you can use to buy offers.
So this is one I have used for a while now (almost 2 years) but I never would have recommended it until now, because they have recently updated to include indoor steps, where it used to be only outside steps, making this much more user friendly and accesible.
The pros:
Getting paid to walk! You probably walk (wheelchair users this also counts steps that you roll btw, I am an intermittent wheelchair user myself and it counts it when I’m in my wheelchair) a little bit everyday, so why not get paid to do so!
New businesses are beginning to accept sweatcoin everyday, making the cryptocurrency gain credibility, which increases its value.
The offers can be of incredibly good value, which is awesome!
There are three chances daily to get extra sweatcoin by watching ads.
The cons:
The offers are not always cash
The offers change regularly which can make saving up for something difficult
The app works best when open in the background which can be annoying
There’s a limit to how many sweatcoin you can earn a day.
This app unfortunately has a lot of cons, imo, but I use it anyway because I’m desperate.
This is my referral link (i will get 5 sweatcoins and if 6 people use this I will get a $6 PayPal reward)
And this is an independent link that doesn’t count as a referral from anyone
Achievement: Get Paid to be Healthy!
This app reads your health data from any approved app you have that also reads your health data (so, for example, the Health App, Fitbit, Dexcom, myfitnesspal, etc) and rewards you with points for making healthy choices. It also has articles you can read in exchange for points and questions you can answer and health studies you can be a part of. The more apps you link to it often the more quickly you can earn points. The points can be redeemed for PayPal payouts.
Pros:
This app is passive and runs in the background, collecting your data and saving it anonymously (so your privacy is maintained)
You get points for even small things, like choosing to drink water or eating something healthy, which can be a great motivator.
Cashes out via PayPal, which is very useful and reliable
Also works with wheelchair users afaik/have experienced myself
Cons:
Bio-data collecting is still kind of... ehhh so if you have privacy concerns of any kind this probably isn’t for you ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
It’s easier to get points if you’re able to be active so it’s not always accesible to everyone
Takes 10,000 points to get $10 which can be difficult and frustrating for some people!
I use this app a lot and I have used it for far longer than I used sweatcoin so I’m a bit biased towards this one, since it works so well. I’ve gotten $20 or more from this app so far and I’m not a very active person.
Here’s my referral link (I will get 100 points for everyone I refer)
An independent link that doesn’t count as a referral from anyone
Ibotta: Get Paid to Shop!
The og money “making” app! I feel like I don’t really need to tell anyone about this app but I’m going to anyway because it’s so useful and helpful. This app, for anyone who doesn’t know, gives you cash-back coupons, which you can redeem after buying the product said coupon is for. Basically they get paid by companies to advertise products and they pay you a small cut for buying said product.
Pros:
User friendly! Just create an account and press the check button on any coupons you want to redeem, buy the product, scan the receipt, and get cash back.
Super useful if you already buy the items they are advertising. Basically you get paid to do the thing you were already doing.
Often has many coupons for healthy food items, which can be motivating
PayPal cashout is available
Has “any item” coupons so you can get paid just for being human and needing things to live
Cons:
Can be frustrating if you don’t want anything the coupons have offered
Has a $20 minimum before you cashout
Many of the products to redeem can be expensive as they’re usually name brand
Costs money to make money system isn’t exactly “making money” so much as saving money
Be sure to read the fine print on the coupons you want to use, sometimes they are “must by two” deals or “only available on products of a specific size”
Honestly ibotta has become a staple in my family for years now. It has its cons but it also is really nice if you use it passively, just every now and then. I do reccomend making a written list of the items you want, since phone signal/internet connection isn’t always reliable inside a store and it is a lot more useful to write down exactly what you want/need in order to get the reward. I also reccomend not buying things you don’t want just to get coupons, it really isn’t helpful unless you can give the items away or something.
Here’s my referral link (I get $5 for anyone who downloads the app and redeems two items)
(here’s my referral code in case the link doesn’t work: nxdsmfs )
And here is an independent link that doesn’t count as a referral from anyone
Non money making apps because I just adore these apps and highly fully recommend them! Also I hate talking about money making stuff so much!
#SelfCare App: Take Care Of Yourself
This app is my absolute favourite app on my phone and I adore it. It’s very witchy, very aesthetic, and very calming. It’s an absolute treasure of self care techniques and motivational tools. It has become a home to me in many ways, a refuge and a sanctuary that I reccomend to anyone and everyone who may have need of one.
Pros:
There’s a cat! ^_^
Tarot
Customisable!
Moon phases
Journaling
Words of affirmation
Plants
Crystals
Positivity
Supports independent creators!!!
And more!
Cons:
I would say “none” but there is a bit of a learning curve that comes with the app, I may make a post regarding this in full but it becomes intuitive very quickly and if you have questions you can ask me!
There’s no referral link or anything so this is just a link to the App Store!
And one for Android!
Fabulous app: Create a Routine
This app is also super useful and very motivating and helpful, especially since I’m autistic and struggle with creating a routine that works for me, even though I really need one.
It’s very positive and lenient, and it has a lot of motivational tools in its own right to help you create a path for yourself.
Pros:
User friendly!
Helps you create simple goals
Keeps you motivated
Has built in journeys, mediations, exercises, stretches and similar tools to help you be the best version of yourself you can
Has a lovely community and a very supportive help center
Isn’t harsh on you if you need to restart your routine and is actually very encouraging
Can go as slowly or as fast as you need it to. Your routine can be simple or more complex because it’s ultimately your’s and no one else’s.
Cons:
Premium version costs money, but you can get a couple of free trials!
There is one meditation that triggered my existential anxiety called “The Value of The Present Moment” and I reccomend anyone who deals with existential anxiety to avoid that one
Not fully accesible/not always geared or mindful towards those of us with physical health problems which can be frustrating (uses a lot of able bodied specific terms)
Again no referral code so here’s just a link to the App Store!
And for Android!
If you read this post I do hope it was informative and helpful and not too annoying! If you use my referral codes on any of these then I thank you immensely, but please don’t feel pressure to do so. ^_^ i just want to share some of the tools I use to help with money problems.
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Journey Part 5
Part 5
Jenna wakes up to a text tone coming from her phone. She quickly grabs it, worried something might be wrong. She freaks out when she sees it’s Charlotte but once she actually reads the text she calms down.
C- Your little girl is amazing. After her tough day, all her numbers improved drastically throughout the night. Her oxygen levels are the best yet and we were able to lower the amount coming through her nasal cannula. Her sugar levels seemed to be regulated very well all night. Her feedings went very well. Normal spit up. We didn’t increase them yet. We want to make sure everything stays the same before we increase again. She’s amazing!
J- Oh, that’s such good news! Thank you! We were so worried. We know she is tough but she had a lot going on yesterday. Does anyone have an idea why so much was going wrong yesterday?
C- Because she is a preemie. This happens. That fact that she recovered so quickly is a great sign.
J- Could she have gotten a virus or something to cause all the vomiting?
C- Most likely not. It would have lasted longer. She could have just been tired and couldn’t handle it all yesterday. Or she wasn’t ready for the increase in food or decrease in oxygen. It’s hard to say. But don’t worry about it and embrace this new day. She’s doing great this morning. Go have a nice breakfast or something with Val this morning. You deserve it.
J- Thank you Charlotte. Thank you for all you do for us and our sweet Nyla. Want some Starbucks? I’m thinking we’ll stop there on our way over. I’m not sure I can stay away from her much longer knowing she’s doing so well.
C- Starbucks would be great but I’m about to head out. My shift is just about over. I’ll see you tomorrow when I’m back to day shift.
J- I’ll bring it tomorrow for you then. Thank you again for all you do.
“Jen, what are you doing up? Is everything alright?”
“Good morning, honey. I woke up to a text from Charlotte.”
“Oh no.”
“No, all is good. Nyla improved a lot overnight. She is doing much better today.”
“Well let’s go see her!”
“We will. We can’t go yet. They won’t let us in. How about we go get some Starbucks before we go to the hospital. Oh, and we have to get some tomorrow before we go for Charlotte. I want to give her some after all she’s done for Nyla but her shift is over and she won’t be back until tomorrow morning.”
“Good idea. I think we should get a bunch of coffees for the nurses for today. We can do it tomorrow too.”
“Great idea! Let’s go!”
After stopping to pick up coffees and teas, they head to the hospital together in one car because Val doesn’t have to go to the studio today. Mandy had already told him to not even think about coming in. He happily said ok.
With arms full of drinks, they head up to the NICU. They laugh when they see all of the nurses faces when they see all of the drinks. Once the drinks are on the counter, they all come rushing over and grab themselves a hot drink.
Jenna and Val wash up and head into the NICU and head right over to their sweet girl. She has the least amount of tubes yet. She looks so healthy today. Jenna and Val both open a whole in the incubator lid and reach in and lay hands on Nyla.
“I swear she just smiled at us Val.”
“I think I saw it too.”
“She looks so good.”
“Charlotte said she had a great night.”
“I wish she was out of this thing so I could see her better.”
“Your wish is about to come true. Good morning. I hope you both had as good of a night as she did.”
“We did. Thank you” Val says shaking the doctor’s hand.
“Great. Well Nyla here did fabulous last night. She corrected all that she was struggling with yesterday. The one thing that never dipped was her body temperature. She’s been keeping that regulated all on her own. We are ready to graduate her to an open bassinet.”
“Really?” Jenna says excitedly, looking up from Nyla and right at Dr. Goodwin.
“Yes. She will start off with a little warming blanket underneath her just to not give her body a shock. It will be turned down every half hour until it is completely off. She be swaddled into blankets and we may put her in an outfit…”
“But we didn’t bring any. We didn’t know and…”
“That’s ok. We have extra brand-new outfits here. You can even pick which one you want her to wear until you can bring your own.”
“We don’t have any preemie clothes anyway Jen” Val cuts in saying.
“You’ll want to get some soon. I can’t imagine your tough girl here will need to be here much longer.”
“But she had such a tough day yesterday.”
“That’s just how it goes. She is doing great.”
“What about her diabetes?”
“What about it?”
“We haven’t given any decisions to anyone on her management once we leave the hospital.”
“Right. Her specialist should be coming today. He’ll go over everything with you and you’ll be able to tell him what you would like to do.”
“Oh good” Jenna sighs.
“When do you think she might come home? Like how quickly do we need to get preemie clothes?” Val asks.
“Not sure just yet. We need to see how her feeds progress. She needs to be off the feeding tube before she goes off. She also needs to be fully breathing on her own. That should be soon. Her feedings are coming along but…”
“Not as quickly as her breathing. Yea. She’ll get it. She’s tough. Aren’t you, baby girl?” Jenna says running her thumb across Nyla’s chest.
“She sure is. Would one of you like to come pick an outfit for her?”
“You go Jen” Val says.
“Ok” Jenna says jumping up from the rocker she was sitting in and follows Dr. Goodwin towards a closet just outside the nursery.
She feels like crying when she walks into the closet that is full of baby gear. She hates to think of all the parents that donated these things when they had to leave for good without a baby. Dr. Goodwin shows her to the section of preemie clothes and then leaves her alone to pick one. She searches though all of the tiny clothes, hurting for all the littles ones that did not get to wear the clothes their parents picked out for them. She settles on a pink long sleeve and pants onesie that is a blush pink color with a white floral design. There is even a white flower headband to go along with it but she isn’t sure if she’ll end up putting that on Nyla. She brings it over to Nyla’s area and lays it on the top of the rocker. Dr. Goodwin is there and is writing something in her chart.
“Find one ok?” Dr. Goodwin asks.
“Yes. This ok?” Jenna asks holding it up.
“Perfect. Very cute. She might not tolerate the headband but we can give it a try.”
“I wasn’t sure if I wanted to put it on her but I loved the onesie.”
“Whatever you want to do is fine. Who wants to hold her while we swap out the beds?”
“Val, you hold her. You weren’t here yesterday and…”
“Ok” Val says smiling and takes a seat in the rocker. Jenna kisses his head and stands behind the chair.
A nurse that had just joined them opens the incubator and after moving the little bit of wires on Nyla, she lifts her out brings her over to Val, laying her against his chest.
“Hi baby girl” he whispers before kissing her head. “I missed you so much yesterday. Sorry I couldn’t be here but I’ll be here as long as they’ll let me today. I’m so glad you are doing better today. No more scares like that. Ok?”
The incubator is rolled away and reality hits for both Jenna and Val. Their baby girl, born ahead of time, is actually doing well. She is making great strides. She’s showing her strength in the face of adversity. Their Nyla Greys is taking the next step on this journey called life.
~
As they leave the hospital that night, big smiles are on their faces. Nyla is on the lowest level of the heating blanket and will most likely be off it when they get back to the hospital tomorrow morning. She is back to the feedings that she had moved up to before yesterday’s set back. She required minimal insulin shots.
They talked to her diabetes specialist this afternoon. After he looked at her case and numbers, he recommended getting a Dexcom machine just like they were planning anyway. He took measurements and will have a machine made up. It should arrive within the next week and when it comes he’ll be there to show them how it works and get it set up.
They have decided that they need to celebrate tonight; have that date night they were talking about. As they walk to the car hand in hand, Val can’t get his mind off of Nyla still.
“Hey babe?” Jenna says.
“Yea?”
“I know we said we wanted to have a date night and that usually means dinner, movie, or whatever but would it still count as a date night if we go out shopping for Nyla and then finish up the nursery?”
“I think so. I mean, we’ve never had a date night as parents before so I don’t think there are any rules or guidelines except that you and I are there.”
“Good thing we are following that already. You’re really ok with it though?”
“How about this? How about we go have a nice dinner. No fast food. Then after we eat we go shopping. We need to get some preemie clothes. Then if we aren’t exhausted, we can finish the nursery. If we don’t do that tonight, we can do it tomorrow.”
“That sounds perfect. Thank you.”
“We deserve it.”
“I guess.”
“Where should we eat?”
“Preferably somewhere where we won’t get tons of paparazzi taking pictures of us that will become a story on how ‘The new parents from Dancing with The Stars are leaving their premature daughter at the hospital to enjoy a night out on the town.’ Or even ‘The new parents are stepping out for a needed night out after being with their sick daughter all day.’ The stories they’ll come up with are endless.”
“I know. I know I said no fast food but what if we go to Fratelli’s? Paparazzi never bother us there.”
“Let’s go” Jenna says as they get into their car.
“You sure?”
“Yes. I haven’t eaten there in a while now I want it. It’s the perfect place. Not too far from shopping and no one bothers us there.”
“Alright. Fratelli’s it is.”
After a quick drive to the restaurant, they happily walk in together to one of their favorite places. Their favorite table is open and they take their seat, facing each other. It feels like the first time they’ve really sat and looked at each other’s faces since before Nyla was born. They seem to be either next to each other or one behind the other while looking down at their little girl. It almost feels like when they would come back from tours away from each other. Val almost feels like he’s discovering things about his wife again by just sitting across from her.
“I’ve missed you” Val says.
“I missed you too. Those two days were so hard.”
“They were but I feel like I’ve missed you more than that. I feel like we haven’t spent time with you in so long. I mean I know we’ve been together though every step of this journey but we’ve spend all day focusing on Nyla, and a bit of work for me, and then at night we eat and crash. I’m not really complaining. I just miss you. That’s all.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. You have nothing to be sorry about. We need to focus on Nyla but we need to find time for the two of us.”
“You’re right. We do.”
“I think we should try to have some time each day to sit across from each other like this and talk. Not next to each other. We have to be across because then we are really seeing each other.”
“I like that.”
“Me too. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
~
Having finished dinner, Jenna and Val are now out shopping for clothes for Nyla. Looking at all of the preemie clothes makes it hit home a bit more for each of them how small Nyla really is. She is growly for sure but she’s still so small. Jenna is as happy as can be as she picks out cute onesie and leggings after another. She even picks out a few dresses. Val has picked out a few things but he’s mostly along for the ride.
“Oh Val!”
“What?”
“We are going to have to get her a Halloween costume.”
“We are not taking her out trick or treating. She’s too young.”
“I know but kids come to our door. Plus, we are parents now. We have to take holiday pictures like that. It’s like an unwritten rule.”
“Fine. Just no pumpkin costume. Something different.”
“I agree.”
“We don’t need to buy it tonight.”
“I know I was just saying it out loud so that maybe I’ll actually remember it and if I don’t then you will. Don’t let us forget to get her one.”
“Ok” he laughs.
“I’m serious Valentin!”
“I know you are.”
“I think we are good for now” Jenna says looking at the cart full of clothes. “I mean, I might look online still but this will do for now.”
“Baby, you know she isn’t going to say in preemie clothes forever. She’s growing and will grow out of them soon enough.”
“I know but…”
“She’s our princess and she deserves the best. I know.”
“Plus, we can donate whatever we don’t use back to the hospital.”
“Was there not a lot in the closet?”
“More than there should be. I wanted to cry because I kept thinking about all the babies who were supposed to wear those outfits but didn’t get to. All the parents who left for good without a baby. All those babies who had a short little journey. We are so blessed she is here. It made yesterday seem like nothing.”
“Oh, I can only imagine.”
They head towards the front of the store and then check out. With a bag in each hand, Val follows Jenna out to the car. He puts the bags in the trunk and goes to get into the driver’s seat but when he gets there, Jenna is already in it and buckled in.
“I can tell you are tired so I figured I’d drive.”
“You’re the best wife ever. Thank you” he says, quickly kisses her before going around the front of the car and then climbing into the passenger door. He yawns as he buckles up.
“Sorry.”
“You’ve had a crazy few days. You have every right to be tired.”
“So do you. You’ve been through so much lately and…”
“I am tired but not as much I guess. There is one thing I want to do before we go home and go to bed.”
“What’s that?”
“Ice cream. We have gotten ice cream to end so many of our date nights that I think tonight calls for it as well.”
“I agree.”
“Good because I was going even if you didn’t agree.”
“Oh, the truth comes out. That’s really why you are driving.”
“Maybe…” she says trying not to laugh.
To wake himself up a bit, Val turns their favorite playlist up loud and they rock out to it, singing as loudly as they can for the whole ride. It’s like they are high schoolers again. They decided a long time ago that they would have been that obnoxiously annoying teenage couple if they had known each other then. But they don’t care. They love who they are together and that’s all that matters.
Soon enough they are at their favorite ice cream shop. They are just about the only ones there. There is a teenage couple in one corner, with the girl blushing away as the boy talks to her. She lets out a little giggle that Jenna can just barely hear when the boy moves some hair out of her face. Jenna knows the feeling. She still gets like that most days. It still amazes her that a man like Val could love a girl like her.
Val notices the older couple in the middle of the room. The man clearly has his hand on his wife’s thigh. Her hand is on top of his. With no phones in sight, they are so engaged in conversation that their ice creams are melting all over their hands. He pictures that be him and Jenna down the line.
Val slips his hand into Jenna’s as they look over their ice cream options. She gives his hand a squeeze. Jenna ends up ordering moose tracks and Val gets vanilla peanut butter. They pick a table that is in between the two other couples in the room. Val is facing the older couple and Jenna the younger.
“That’s us over there. Us in the past that didn’t happen. The us if we met in high school. She can’t stop blushing. He is being so gentle and sweet. He’s moving her hair, listening intently to everything she says while staring so hard at her, trying to learn every part of her. She’s acting like she doesn’t want to look at him but she keeps stealing glances and getting caught. That’s us.”
“And these guys are us in the future. Still so in love that they are touching whenever possible. There is nothing more important than the other, so much so that their ice cream is melting all over. They notice each other’s mess and clean it up without seeing their own. He’s still got stars in his eyes when he looks at her. She’s still got the blush. They radiate love all around. That’s going to be us.”
“Past, present and future Valenna all in one room.”
“I can’t wait to bring Nyla here one day. Think she’ll love ice cream as much as we do?” Val asks.
“Yes! I mean, we’ll have to keep an eye on her intake and sugars but I bet she’ll love it.”
“True. I also can’t wait to take her to the studio. I want to show her where we feel back in love. I wish we could go to where it first all started but we can just tell her about that.”
“I want to take her to that hotel room where we found out I was pregnant with her” Jenna smiles.
“That would be great. We should do that one day. Do you remember what number room we were in?”
“409.”
“Don’t forget that” Val laughs.
“Oh, I won’t. I have a picture of the number sign and the address of the hotel. I never wanted to forget.”
“You’re so smart.”
“Excuse me. Sorry to interrupt. We just wanted to say how much you remind us of ourselves when we were first married. The way you look at each other like your worlds revolve around each other. Your love for each other is so evident” the older man says. He and his wife are now standing right next to Jenna and Val’s table.
“We were saying the same things about you. We were saying how much we imagine we will be like you two. Your love is so evident.”
“Why thank you. I’ve got one amazing woman here. She’s such a joy to be married to. How long have you been married?”
“1 and a half years” Jenna says with a smile.
“Aw, newlyweds” the husband says.
“I figured so” the wife says. “We’ve been married for 45 years now. Feels like just yesterday most days.”
“45 years and 5 kids later, we’re still going strong.”
“Wow. 5 kids. We just had our first.”
“Oh, first night out?” the wife asks.
“Kind of. Our daughter Nyla was born at 29 weeks. She’s still in the NICU. We’ve been spending all our time with her. She is improving and we hope she won’t be there for much longer. We realized we needed a night where we don’t go home and eat and crash. We needed a night to reconnect. I’m so glad we did it.”
“Oh bless you. Our oldest son’s son was born at 29 weeks as well. He spent a while in the hospital and had many struggles. Make sure you take time for yourselves. You need to take care of yourselves so you can take care of her.”
“We’re trying.”
“We’re Ted and Wendy by the way” Ted says.
“I’m Val and this is my wife Jenna.”
“It was so nice to meet you both” Wendy says. “Can we take a picture with you? We’d like to pray for you and your daughter and it will be easier if we have your picture to pray over.”
“Of course” Jenna smiles. “We would love that.”
“Young man” Ted calls out, trying to get the attention of the teenage boy a few tables down. The teen looks around confused.
“Yes sir?” the boy says.
“Sorry to bother you but can you take a picture of the 4 of us please.”
“Oh, sure” he says and comes over, taking Ted’s phone that he is holding out. Jenna and Val stand up and gather with Ted and Wendy for a picture.
“Ok, I took a few so you can pick which ones you like.”
“Thank you, young man. Keep treating that young lady right.”
“I will sir.”
“One more of just you two?” Ted asks.
“Sure” Val says pulling Jenna to his side, earning a big smile from her.
“Got it. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Think you can send those to me Ted?”
“Of course. You just add your number in here and I’ll send them to you later.”
“Thank you.”
When Val gives Ted back his phone and hugs for all, Ted and Wendy leave and Jenna and Val get back to their ice cream. When they are about to leave, Jenna reaches into her wallet and pulls out a 20-dollar bill. Val looks at her confused.
“I’m going to give it to them.”
“Well then here” Val says, reaching into his wallet and pulls out another 20. With a smile, Jenna leans in and kisses him after taking the bill.
She walks over to the young couple and place the 20s on the table in. They both look away from each other, look at the money and then up at Jenna.
“You two remind us of younger versions of ourselves. Consider your next date on us” she says and then walks away.
“Thank you” the girl calls out after them.
~
Val wakes up the next morning after having the best night’s sleep since Nyla was born. He actually feels refreshed. Ignoring his phone, Val heads to make breakfast. He whips up some pancakes, eggs, and fruit and brings it upstairs to eat in bed with Jenna. She’s still asleep so he puts the trays for food on the dresser and gently wakes her up.
“Jenna, baby, wake up.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I just made breakfast.”
“Oh, thank you” she smiles.
“You’re welcome. It’s another date night tradition. Breakfast in bed the next morning.”
“Well we didn’t end our date night like we usually do last night so I didn’t think you would make breakfast.”
“That doesn’t matter. Now sit up and I’ll bring it over.”
Jenna sits herself up and leans against the headboard. Val puts her tray on her legs and then grabs his and puts it on his night stand while he climbs back into bed. With nothing on in the background, they eat in silence.
“Thank you, honey. This is delicious as usual.”
“Hey, it one of the only breakfasts I’m good at making.”
“No hotdogs this time” she laughs.
“Shut up. You know you liked it.”
“It was still funny. And then you went and posted it online; that’s just asking for it to be a running joke.”
“I know, not my smartest post.”
“We learn from our mistakes.”
Val just shakes his head knowing that if he says anything else he’ll be encouraging her to continue this conversation that he is very ready to be done. He just takes another bite, a rather big bite, while Jenna laughs at him. He loves hearing that laugh. He misses it.
“Have you heard anything from Mandy?”
“I haven’t checked my phone yet.”
“Val!”
“What? It isn’t my top priority.”
“But that’s your job. You have to see when your call time is.”
“Fine.”
Val reaches for his phone and sees a few other notifications as well as a text from Mandy. He sighs and slides on the text notification so it opens up.
M- Hey Val. Hope all is well. For this week, I have you in only 1 bumper and the opening. They will both be towards the beginning of the show so after you dance them both, you could head out if you want to. Does that sound ok?
V- That sounds great Mandy. Thank you. Nyla is really starting to improve so we’ll be having more meetings with doctors in the days to come that’ll I’ll need to be there for. What time would you like me in today?
M- Oh that’s so good to hear! So strong like her Mommy and Daddy. What would be better for you? A quick session in the morning to learn the bumper or later at night?
“Jenna, would you rather me have a morning call at the studio or night?”
“If you do night I can come with you.”
“Really? You want to go?”
“Yes. I miss everyone.”
“Ok. I’ll tell her night then.”
“Don’t tell her I’m coming.”
“But this would just be a bumper so not everyone will be there. Maybe I can convince her to do the opening dance then.”
“Do it.”
V- Night is probably better. Think we could do the opening though? I’ve got something I want to show everyone and if we do the opening, more people will be there.
M- You got it. I’ll let everyone know. How does 7pm sound?
V- You rock. 7 is great. See you tonight. Let me know if anything changes.
“She said she’ll switch it to opening number rehearsal. I said I have something I want to show everyone.”
“She’s the best.”
“She is. I’m so excited you are coming to the studio tonight. It’s been so weird without you there. It was like the season you took off. That sucked.”
“I know.”
“We should get going soon. She says 7pm so we’ll have to leave the hospital earlier so we can eat and still get there in time.”
“I say we roll in right around 7 so that no one suspects anything or sees me.”
“I think we should plan to be there at like 6:45 at least so we don’t cut into too much of the rehearsal time with all the excitement over you.”
“That’s probably a good idea. We should go now then so we have plenty of time with Nyla today.”
“Go get dressed then.”
~
“You ready Jen?” Val asks as she looks over Nyla sleeping in her bassinet.
“Yea, I guess so. Sorry we are leaving so early today, lovey. We’ll be back early tomorrow. We love you, big girl. Get lots of rest and keep grow. We can hardly wait until you are home with us.” Jenna kisses Nyla’s head and tugs on her little onesie a bit until it lays nicer.
“I love you, Nyla girl. Sweet dreams.” He kisses Nyla and then takes Jenna’s hand and follows her out of the hospital. They feel so much better know that one of their favorite nurses, Ellie is working tonight.
“What do you want to pick up for dinner?” Val asks.
“Can we do fast food tonight?”
“I mean, that’s kinda what I was thinking so…”
“Good. I want In and Out. I want a milk shake. Strawberry.”
“That’s perfect. It’s along the way.”
“Thank you” she smiles at him.
“Who do you think will have the best reaction?”
“Mandy. Or maybe Linds, or Emma. Sharna to probably. Ok, I don’t know. I think they’ll all freak out a bit.”
“Yea, you’re right. Alan’s gonna be excited.”
“Good old Alan” Jenna laughs.
~
Having finished eating their dinner on the drive to the studio, all Jenna and Val have to grab when they get to the studio is Val’s dance bag, Jenna’s purse, and her milkshake that she’s barely touched so far.
“Is it not good” he says motioning to the milkshake.
“It’s fine. I just wanted to safe it for when I watch you guys dance. I’m going to need something to keep me from getting up to join you all. I’m hoping this will help.”
“You can dance with us.”
“No, I can’t. I’m not really cleared for that. Plus, I don’t want to get in the way.”
“You won’t. I bet Mandy will get you to help her choreograph with her.”
“No doubt. I’m not going to the show Monday though.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I need to be with Nyla.”
“I know. Now, come on. Let’s go inside. I think we’ve been sitting in our car for long enough.”
“I’m so excited” she says grabbing her shake and her purse before climbing out of the car. She meets Val at the front of the car and they head inside together, completely ignoring the few paps still outside of the studio.
Have already gotten the text that said what studio they’d be in, Val leads Jenna past the front desk and back to the biggest studio room. The room is empty so they both go and take a seat on the steps in the back of the studio.
“Where is everyone?”
“They’ll be here Jen.”
“I want to go find Mandy.”
“Have patience Jenna. She’ll be here soon.”
“But…”
The door to the studio opens and in walks Mandy. Mandy freezes in the door way, still holding the door. Her jaw drops. When Jenna stands up, Mandy lets go of the door and lets out a squeal.
“You’re here!” Mandy squeals excitedly and rushes over to Jenna, wrapping her in a hug.
“Surprise” Jenna laughs.
“Is this what you wanted to show everyone?” Mandy says as she pulls out of the hug and looks at Val.
“Yes. Like it?”
“I love it! You can help me with this dance!”
Jenna and Val look at each other and start laughing. Mandy looks at them confused.
“What did I miss?”
“We knew you’d say that.”
“Oh my goodness, I can’t believe you are here. How is Nyla?”
“She’s doing great. She had her best day yet. She’s controlling her body temperature all on her own. She’s on the lowest amount of oxygen you can get. Her feedings still need work but she’s getting there. We need her to take all her feedings by bottle before she can come home.”
“That’s so exciting.”
The door opens again and in walks Alan and Gleb, laughing about something only they know. Alan stops laughing as soon as he sees Jenna. A big smile grows on his face. He walks over to Jenna and pulls her into a hug. They’ve always been like siblings.
“What are you doing here?”
“I can to surprise everyone.”
“I miss you around here.”
“I miss being around here.”
“Welcome back Jen. It’s great to see you” Gleb says.
“Thanks Gleb.”
“I could have sworn I heard…” Jenna hears Lindsay saying and then she appears in the room. “Jenna!” both Lindsay and Sharna yell at the same time and come running towards them. She opens her arms to both, happy to hug them both again.
“Hi” Jenna says happily.
“Hi! Oh it’s so good to hug you again” Lindsay says.
“How’s Nyla?” Sharna asks.
“Great. She’s so strong. Want to see pictures?”
“Yes!” everyone says.
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Dexcom's New G4 — Is Now the Time to Buy?
New Post has been published on http://type2diabetestreatment.net/diabetes-mellitus/dexcoms-new-g4-is-now-the-time-to-buy/
Dexcom's New G4 — Is Now the Time to Buy?
Editor's Note: I'm expecting a new G4 unit of my own any day now. I plan to post my own review, and my opinions may differ from our correspondent's here. We're all for diversity of viewpoints. -AmyT
Last month, Dexcom's fourth-generation Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) was FDA approved, much faster than anyone — even the folks at Dexcom— expected. Fifteen days later, I was opening a FedEx box from Dexcom and have been wearing the G4 Platinum 24-7-19 since then. Wait a minute...19?
Yeah, I added nineteen to the name 'cause, you know, as of today, that's how many days I've had it. You can't be 24-7-365 until you've worn it for a year, right? But nearly three weeks is long enough to begin to learn its personality, its strengths, its weaknesses. To judge how much of an improvement it is over its predecessor, and to and help you answer the question: Is it right for me?
What to Love
Let's face it, she has a pretty face. The G4 has an appealing form factor that can be appreciated in isolation, but it really shines when compared to the squashed football look of previous Dexcom receivers. But is the beauty only skin deep? Is this just the same old CGM in a pretty new box?
Not hardly.
The new sensor is better, both in size and accuracy. The new transmitter has a much longer range. The alarm volume options are better. The user interface is better, especially in the display of blood sugar readings. And that's just the beginning. All better. But how much impact will these changes really make on your day to day life?
The sensor itself is supposed to be 60% smaller, but frankly, a 60% smaller fishing line is still a fishing line. I couldn't tell any difference, but I never found the Seven Plus sensor to be painful to insert or to wear. Where I could see a difference, however, was in how well the sensor works and how long it works.
The improvements are subtle, but I'm seeing better accuracy with the G4. It's probably the best of any of the eight different CGM systems I've worn. The G4 catches lows more nimbly than its predecessor, and it's less likely to tell me that I'm low when I'm not. Beyond that, the accuracy doesn't wane with time. Thirteen days was the longest my skin could handle having a sensor in one spot, but it was working just fine when I pulled it.
Not Tickled Pink
Color, color, everywhere color. Breaking from the past three systems, which were all T-Ford black, the new G4 comes in three colors, showing that Dexcom is paying attention to consumer tastes and trends. But to be honest, I personally can't get excited about the new colors. If you put your receiver in a case (they're all black) then you can't see the color anyway, and if you don't use a case you'll eventually use a skin. There aren't any skins available yet, but I'd put money on the fact there will be soon. So the receiver colors — black, ocean blue, and tickled pink — are a marketing tool at best.
But the G4's color isn't just skin deep after all.
The new receiver also boasts a color screen, and I think it's the first diabetes device to use color intelligently. Both the Animas Ping and the OneTouch Verio have color screens, but the use of color by both devices seems to me much like Dexcom's use of surface color: It does no more than let the companies boast that they have used color screens. The G4's color screen, on the other hand, uses a coordinated color scheme where things related to lows are red, highs are yellow, and situation normal is white.
This color scheme carries across alarms, system status, and more importantly to the ever-updating trace lines that show your recent blood sugar readings. The lines change color when you cross your high and low junctures. A glance at the screen shows you how long you've been low or high.
While the receiver status icons are a bit crowded at the top of the screen — a departure from previous models where this info was on the right-hand side — I find the monitor easier to read and I find the "trace" lines of my recent blood sugar meanderings cleaner-looking and easier to view.
But given the battery-sucking reputation of color monitors, what does this color screen cost us in terms of battery life? Like it's father and grandfather, the G4's receiver is rechargeable. Surprisingly, unlike previous Dexcom CGMs, the charge actually holds for a decent period of time — well over seven days per charge for me so far.
What to Hate
In the minus column, the new G4 has some disappointments, most of which are things that are missing, rather than things done poorly.
Chief among the things missing is the lack of time-based alarm thresholds, so we can have different high and low alarms at different times of day, and the lack of predictive alarms.
The Medtronic Revel and Guardian CGM systems have this pair of features. But they also have a much larger and less accurate sensor, with a three-day wear indication, and an almost inaudible alarm tone. Even so, these two features combined are so powerful that if you can hear the Medtronic alarms at night, you're probably better off using their system. Had Dex adopted this pair of features, they would've blown Medtronic out of the water, IMHO.
Dexcom also continues its tradition of lousy cases for their great gear. You would think people that smart could come up with a good case. Or why not do away with the case altogether? Why didn't they design the G4 with an optional belt clip like an insulin pump?
And lastly, in a case of evolution running backwards, the G4's transmitter is actually larger than its predecessor and its charge lasts only half as long. That said, I think it's worth the cost in both size and longevity, as it has bought us a quadrupling of the telemetry range between the sensor and the receiver. The old Seven Plus had an official range of five feet. In the open air, if you were naked, it was a bit better (yes, tested!). But wrapped in blankets on a cold night, it often couldn't communicate between a PWD and his or her nightstand. The G4 boasts an official range of 20 feet, and to be honest, my house apparently isn't big enough to trigger any separation anxiety between the two parts of the system.
What Stays the Same... Sort of
Hello. Haven't we met before? Yes, in a police lineup, you'd be very hard pressed to pick out the G4's sensor inserter from the old one. Same dental tool from hell.
Another thing that stays the same, but can be altered, is the receiver's voice. The Dexcom G4 is still noisy, if you want it to be. I've always been in favor of a CGM so loud it will wake the dead so that you don't join them, but not everyone agrees with me.
The G4 has five different noise-making "profiles" to choose from, that range in both volume and in length of tone. I'm also happy to say the G4 makes very different noises for different situations. It speaks a language you (and your loved ones) can quickly learn, and its new voices give it personality.
Should You Get Out Your Wallet?
If you're a Dex Seven user, should you upgrade? Let me be clear: You'll have to. Eventually. The Seven is dead and buried and the only real question is how long Dexcom will support it. Obviously, it won't go away overnight, but I doubt they'll sell any more transmitters. Will they sell sensors for the old system for one or two years? The new sensors and the old are not compatible.
So I guess the question really is: should you upgrade now?
If you're out of warranty and insured, your insurance company will buy you a new system, and you should do it. The G4 boasts a mildly more accurate sensor, a smaller receiver, and a transmitter with greater range. Any of those three would make the upgrade worth the effort for most CGMers. But you get all three.
On the other hand, the upgrade for an in-warranty system is about 400 bucks. I think if you've got more than six months to go, you should get out your wallet. It'll be worth it for the improvements, and the cost averages out to about $65 per month. Hell, run one sensor for two weeks during that time and you've just paid for it.
But if you've only got a few months left on your current warranty, and you're more-or-less happy with the Seven Plus, I'd wait. The G4 is better across the board, but the improvements are all incremental. Sadly, it's not a quantum leap. There aren't any truly mind-boggling improvements — except maybe for the transmitter range.
In short, is the G4 system all it could be? No. Not hardly. Are there things I'd change? Always. But is the G4 better than the Seven Plus? Absofreakinlutely. Is it massively better? No, not on any individual metric; but collectively the improvements add up. Whether you upgrade now or later, it'll put a smile on your face.
Disclaimer: Content created by the Diabetes Mine team. For more details click here.
Disclaimer
This content is created for Diabetes Mine, a consumer health blog focused on the diabetes community. The content is not medically reviewed and doesn't adhere to Healthline's editorial guidelines. For more information about Healthline's partnership with Diabetes Mine, please click here.
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