Pump Demo

This last Monday I went to the Utah Diabetes Center at the UofU in Salt Lake City. My appointment was supposed to be just for a consultation about the pros and cons of insulin pumps. They were sitting down with me to explain the different types of pumps/name brands that are available to diabetics like me.

I met with a wonderful gal named Dez. She took the time to really answer my questions. I decided that though I had been vehemently against the idea of getting a pump in the past, I would go in to this appointment with an open mind, and plenty of questions.

There were 3 kinds of pumps shown to me. There were the OmniPod, the Animas, and the Medtronic pumps. The OmniPod is a tubeless pump that has a casing where the insulin is located and sticks to your body with adhesive and is controlled by a fancy-pants glucometer. Basically you program the glucometer to administer insulin. Both the Animas and the Medtronic pumps require tubing and are about the size of a pager.

After all three devices were explained to me, Dez asked which one I would want to try for what they call a "demo" or a week long trial of working with a pump knowing only the basics. I chose the Medtronic. She suggested that we schedule another appointment for me to come down so she could help me learn the basics, how to set the pump up etc. I asked if she had any free time that day, because it's a 40+ minute drive down to Salt Lake City from where I live, and she said I could wait around while she worked with another patient.

To make a long story short, I am now in the middle of this pump demo and loving it. It's so nice to not feel like a walking pin cushion with sticking myself EVERY SINGLE TIME I eat. It's a more precise science, in that it calculates how much insulin I should give myself according to my insulin to carb ratios. It elminates the guessing game of how much I calculate in my head and helps reduce the likelihood of lows.

It's been a little adjustment to wearing the pump, but I disconnect it for taking showers, swimming, etc. I have absolutely no complaints whatsoever. Yet. We'll just have to see.