whine whine whine whine

For the past few days, my pump site has been really sore. I figured it was just the aftermath of attempting to get it in with the stupid cover on, but when it KEPT hurting, I gave up the ghost, and changed my site. I was treated to a red, slightly bruised and swollen site! ICK!

So, today, I'm on my way to the doc's office, because I want this sucker looked at. It may be nothing, but the swollen nature of this thing is kinda scary. I don't want to take any chances with my awesome lifeline!

SOO, wish me luck. I'm off to the doc's this afternoon to make sure this is nothing and I'm adequately getting my meds!

No, it's not an MP3 player, cell phone or other item. It's an INSULIN PUMP!

I was at wal mart today, when my pump did its little vibrate thing. I think it was time for me to check my glucose. Didn't want to break out the finger stick kit in line, so I figured I'd just turn off the reminder and wait to get done with the line and get into the car to do the deed. No biggie.

So, the person behind me in line gave an audible sigh. She mentioned something about my generation not being able to unplug from our devices for even a few minutes to check out with groceries.

Umm. Yeah. Right.

So, I whip around and say:

"if you must know, this is an insulin pump. Right now, it's vibrating for me to check my sugar. If I don't turn it off, it will vibrate every 3 minutes until I turn it off."

I turned around and went back to unloading my groceries onto the belt.

Wonder how red she was when she found out what I was really doing....

And some days, I have to dress up. I don't want to clip my pump to the outside of things. Not a chance! So, Doug got me a pump case that's an MP3 player case. Much better than getting a real, honest to goodness pump case, because those are like 30.00. This case? 12.00. So, to make sure that I liked it and it would fit, I was trying my pump in all of the cases. I had a woman look at me and say...

"you know, it would be easier if you just took the phone off of your body and tried it that way..."

*sigh*

again-I had to enlighten this person that this is NOT a phone or other device like that...it was an insulin pump and was NOT to be disconnected from my body.

ARGH.

Infusion sets and the common idiot, otherwise known as me

When I got the pump, I took a shot in the dark and got the sure-T infusion sets. I had read they were the easiest and didn't require an inserter. I figured that it would be hard enough to learn to use the pump to manage things, and throwing an inserter on top of it would make my life a nightmare. I wanted something that would just go in by hand if I was out and about.

It was working ok,but the adhesive on one side was always coming off, and I just would bump it too much to be effective. My educator thought I was going to lose my sites to scar tissue and all of that happy stuff. Not something I want to do. I want to keep all of my sites as viable as possible!

So, while in her office on Monday, we went over a few different options and she reccommended the Shillouette. Totally interesting, as I'd really not looked at these before. It's a one shot deal, none of the double adhesive, but it requires a fixed prime...

SOOO, when they arrived after yet ANOTHER Edgepark debacle (I'll detail that another time) I made a call to Medtronics to find out about the fixed prime and what it takes to prime this set. The other set was just a simple connect it all and run some insulin through it, done. This set, because it has an inserter, I wasn't sure what the dealio was.

I get on the phone with medtronics and get through the first section of the prime and then I was told to insert the cannula and all of that...and then we'd start the fixed prime.

I was attempting to insert the dang thing and wondering WHY this sucker wasn't going in at all....

Then, I heard the voice on the other end of the phone (I had put it down) say something. I picked it up...and the medtronics rep said...

"don't forget to take the needle guard off.."

I hadn't thought of that.

Yeah, I was sitting there trying to jam the sucker into my body WITH THE STUPID NEEDLE GUARD on it. What an idiot I am!!

after that, it was all good.

I swear. I got a scratched up tummy just for being an idiot.

Wonder what I'll do next...

Ya ever have someone...

Who wasn't supportive of your choice to pump?

I've got one! I've got one!

and it's not who you'd think...

it's...

MY MOM!

The other night when we were at my son's hockey league's pasta dinner fundraiser, I whipped out my pump and was bolusing for the meal, and she said this:

"I don't know why you like that thing. It seems like such a hassle. I just don't get it."

She went on to say that she didn't understand how I could have this thing hooked to me all day and all night and do what I needed to do.

I tried to explain to her that it's really not an issue. You'd never know I had it on, and it makes my glucose control a total breeze. It's my external pancreas. I just have to tell it what to do sometimes!

Personally, I don't think she understands the sheer joy of pumping-no 5-6 shots a day for me, no worrying if I have the right kind of insulin, or even doing what I did the first week I was on insulin-grabbing the wrong kind and shooting myself full of humalog instead of lantus. YIKES. That was one heck of a night. Not one I'd like to repeat.

Do I like all of the choices she's made? No. Not at all, but do I support her? Totally. I just don't understand why she has to make these comments and be a total piece of work while I'm trying to get it all together.

It boils down to this-if you can't say anything nice and supportive, don't say anything at all.

Hi. I'm Laura. I've got an insuiln pump...

It all started when I had a Mirena IUD removed in the operating room. Only I could have this whole debacle happen-the sucker malfunctioned. My Ob/GYN, who actually caught my diabetes in the first place via a fluke, noticed the war zone from the 5 -6 shots a day on my tummy. At the post op appointment, she asked me if I'd ever thought of getting a pump.

No, never had. Not until she mentioned it.

She demanded I have a chat with my endocrinologist, and I, being the well behaved (ok, sorta) person I am, said OK.

Even though this may seem kinda wrong, I haven't seen a doctor at my endocrine office. I've seen nurse practictioners and PA's as well as the CDE's. I figure if I'm improving, and they see no need to kick me over to the doc himself, then I'm all set.

So, when I went in to see the PA, Tom, we were going over everything and he was loving on my numbers...that's when I dropped the bomb. I told him I was being a good girl (he laughed) and told him about my other doc's request to have me ask about a pump. He thought for a few minutes and tinked with the computer that they keep all of our records on...and said "Sure! You can have one! I'm easy, but I'm not cheap."

This started my pump journey. I was in the one CDE's office later that afternoon, talking pumps and playing with the fake, but freaky belly. I debated the minimed, omnipod and ping.

Honestly, I thought the omnipod looked like a leech. Seriously. A leech. I liked the ping, but didn't think it had a large enough insulin resivoir,because when I get sick, I end up on steroids and I need more insulin than meets the eye. So, Minimed paradigm 722 it is!

I filled out the paperwork, and then waited...and waited...and after the 72 hours that they legally have to make a choice, the insurance decided to ask for more information! WHAT?

So, I faxed them 2 months worth of glucose logs and pushed, and pushed and fought them to make a decision. Normally, I wouldn't care, but I was running low on insulin in my pens, because I was told it wouldn't be that long to wait to get the pump.

I got my purple lifesaver the day before Thanksgiving, and went live with it that day! I was really thrilled to get it attached to me and go from there.

This is my pump diary. I'll be talking pump and more pump here. I have this space so I can say these things without fear of retribution as well as the "ickies" of the world mucking up my personal blog.

If you want to know more about me...come on over to My 3 Ring Circus of A Life and see all things NOT pump related.