Today’s T1D term is:

finger prick

A finger prick is poking one of your fingers with a lancet in order to draw a drop of blood for a glucose blood test.

A typical Type 1 will do as many as 12 finger pricks a day. He needs to do a finger prick to check his blood sugar before meals. He needs to do a finger prick when he feels like his blood sugar is too low. He needs to do a finger prick when he feels like his blood sugar is too high.

A finger prick is our lifeline. That one little drop of blood tells us how we can keep Luke alive, whether it’s to give more insulin or eat more sugar. And sometimes, it tells us he is right where he needs to be, between 70 and 150. We like those times the best.