I think most of us prefer to avoid changing our comfortable and familiar routines. Sometimes, changing up a routine, even briefly, can illuminate insights that the contrasting experience provides.
I’ve just gone through a significant insulin therapy change and it’s brought me a different perspective and appreciation for my preferred automated insulin dosing system.
I use the do-it-yourself system called Loop. It runs off an app on my iPhone. Five weeks ago, I found my iPhone battery bulged and pushed my phone display away from the body. Apple gave me a credit for the failed battery and I bought a new phone. Unfortunately, that meant giving up my Loop app until I could get it installed on my new phone.
In the do-it-yourself automated insulin dosing world, for legal and other reasons, each app is built and installed by the person or parent who will use it.
It’s been over two years since I originally installed Loop and I had some help doing it. With all the updating that Loop has undergone, the build/installation process has morphed some, too.
I switched over to “manual” pump therapy and met with very good results. I learned from my Loop experience and used temporary basal rates a lot. My glucose performance (I still used my CGM.) was degraded, but not much. I was surprised and pleased that I could do that well without the continuous help of Loop’s number crunching.
My procrastination was given an opening and while I initially thought I would get Loop installed on my new phone within a week, the time stretched to 3, 4, and 5 weeks.
I did have a hard deadline in that I was scheduled for a two-week tour of Scotland and really wanted Loop on-board to permit me the luxury of the social distractions. So, with the help of the community, I got back online with Loop last Friday.
My control is better and I didn’t have to pay attention as much. You sometimes don’t notice a burden until it is relieved. Off-loading that small cognitive burden onto Loop has been perceptible the last few days.
After being off it for a month, I felt shades of that rush I experienced when I first started Loop in November 2016. I have no urge to return to manual but I feel a renewed respect and appreciation for how this technology makes my life better.
I think we should all have a back-up insulin therapy plan and rehearse it from time to time. This is likely more important for those of us who depend on electronic technology.
And when you do change up your insulin therapy, does it make you appreciate your former habit more? I find the stimulation of the contrast in treatments can provide an interesting point of view.
