It has been hot here for most of July which is greatly appreciated when you realize that some areas in our province had record snow on the Victoria Day long weekend in May. Because of the heat, yesterday I finally broke out my insulated eco-bag. It's not often that I have to use it. I bought it to bring home fish and berries that last time I was home in Western Canada. Since then it has basically sat in my closet looking neat and clean.
Yesterday was different however. I had to run out and buy milk and then was invited out to dinner. There was no time to drop off the milk in between nor could I buy it after. Well I suppose that I could have but I decided to use my eco bag instead!
I pulled it down off of the top shelf of my closet and was shocked to find the skidoo boot liner that had been missing since October! I had torn apart the house looking for it to no avail and there it was quietly tucked away in my cooler bag! I took out the liner to return it to its rightful owner and came across something that made my heart sink. There, in the bottom of the bag, were not one but TWO pristine vials of insulin. They were still in their boxes. They had a lovely little pharmacy label on them stating that they were two of three.
I wanted to cry. They had been in the bag for at least nine months! Insulin is only good at room temperature for 30 days. I felt horrible. How many people struggle to pay for a vial of insulin and I had wasted two of three!? How many dollars was I going to have to throw away? How did that happen?
I know that I am not the first person to lose vials of insulin. I know that I am not the first person who has had to throw unused insulin out--when my son was first diagnosed, we would throw away half a vial of insulin every month because his needs were so small. It still hurts to think of that life-saving elixir being tossed however.
Please forgive me Mr. Banting! I will try to be much more careful with your gift from now on. 
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