I'm not exactly rich, but at least I do have a pot to piss in.  A giant red specimens jar, actually.

Today I went to the hospital.  Don't panic; I'm not sick or injured!  I had to get my hospital card, the companion to my newly-arrived health insurance card.  The insurance card proves I am covered by government insurance; the hospital card carries most of the same info plus an extra number which is how they identify me (and create a folder in my name) at the local hospital and health department.  At the same time, I had to set the appointments my doctor had referred me for: one for lab tests and one with an endocrinologist.  The pancreas is part of the endocrine system, so technically diabetes falls in the domain of endocrinology.  I'll still be seeing my GP and my diabetes nurse, but now I will also have an endo for the diabetes-specific stuff that needs an MD.

The endo has a 3-month waiting list, which I am now on.  That's about what I was expecting and since it's lifelong care and general issues, and not for a specific situation, it doesn't bother me to wait.

My lab appointment is next Tuesday.  I'll have to fast starting at 8 p.m. the night before - which pretty much fits my usual routines anyway, but it will be more annoying knowing I'm not allowed to eat.  The really fun part will be the 24-hour urine test.

Diabetics normally do a lot of peeing on sticks, testing for various things.  When you're a girl, peeing on a stick is something of a sporting event (so is peeing in a cup, which we also do a lot).  So I'm not unfamiliar with peeing in or on things.  I've even done a 24-hour test once before.  Diabetics are certainly not the only people to do 24-hour tests, but we do have them a lot more than the general population.

It's basically a test of kidney function and health.  They can check a lot of things with 24 hours' worth of urine.  If you've never had one, here's how it works:  You get this big red jar to carry around with you.  You get up in the morning.  Pee.  Flush (because you can't determine exactly how long that first urine was in your bladder, you don't keep it).  Start the clock.  All the rest of the day, you pee in the jar.  Or you pee in something else and put it in the jar.  The next morning, you pee one last time in the jar and the clock stops.  You hopefully find a discreet paper bag to take your big, red jar, now full of pee, back to the lab.  It's best to do it on a day you don't have to go anywhere.

Since I don't work yet, I can do it the day before my appointment and take it with me that morning.  So Monday I will be peeing in a jar all day (plus fasting after 8 p.m.).  If I post anything on Monday, I want you all to think about the fact that somewhere in my house as I'm writing, there's a big red jar full of pee.  And then giggle, because I sure will be.  I can either be irritated or amused, and, well, hell, if peeing in a jar isn't funny, what is anymore?