To all of my friends that I’ve met and those I’ve yet to meet. I have read your posts, tips, suggestions, moral support and at times more than I could process. I’ve been officially on a pump (POD) for about 60 hours and just went thru my first POD change this morning (changed it early as wanted to get on a am change routine). I have to say that the first few days and the first change went off without a hitch. I even let my little guy hit the “launch” button as we are calling it—he thought that was cool!
So here’s my story: Spent about 2.5 hrs training and going over the functions of the POD & PDM. Practiced filling one with saline and running thru the steps to activate, prime, fake apply and finally the “Launch” sequence as I like to call it! So we go thru these steps, my trainer & Doc both have a PDM that they are running thru the steps with me and I have my PDM that we set up the parameters, limits and other stuff like time, alarms. The whole time I find myself trying to jump ahead as I’ve read so much, went over the training that I was just like “let’s get this party started!” Every time the trainer would ask do you think you can do this on your own and I’d be like “Yeah—I got that” Then came the real thing, and I’ve got these 2 ladies helping me as I prime my first POD and apply and I told them I hope “I don’t jump or or yelp like a wimp” in front of these to girls! So my doc’s holding my sleeve up as I applied the pod. It’s stuck on good and my trainer shows me how to pinch up the skin and reach for the button with my other hand…I think I’m sweating a bit now!! So I’m trying to hit the button…it pushes harder than you’d think…trying to think of something else and biting my teeth, just don’t jump! Pushed the button, hear the confirmation…hang on…”SNAP!” That’s it. I didn’t feel it. Whew…I didn’t jump it front of the girls…Happy!!
So I get done and they send me on my way…quick stop to pick up strips and insulin at the local Wal-mart and head home. I hadn’t taken any lantus for about 36 hrs before training and hadn’t eaten much as I was scared to let my BG’s get to far up. I tested when I left and was at about 85. So I get home and it’s almost 6:30pm and I’m hungry and need to eat as I can feel the basal rate starting to bring me down! Ok, let’s do this…So I get my meal together, count the carbs at 34, pull out my pdm, now what screen is that again, oh yea, need to test which I did…At 80 ! Crap, this is for real, this things really stuck on me…Let’s think, um what’s next, oh yea! There it is just hit the next button key, read what’s on the screen, let the pdm figure it out. It looks good and hit the confirm key…beep! Had to raise the pod up next to my ear, can hear the little clicks, yep I think it’s working. Wait 2 hrs and test…What 80!..Can that be right!! Get my other meter poke a different finger and test again…82! I’m still not believing, I wait a bit…test again with my old meter…79! Ok…I need to eat as now I’m afraid to fall asleep with this thing still pumping into me. I eat some popcorn and stay up to test at 10:30pm at 105. Ok, feel better and it’s only about an hour after I ate so should still be climbing a bit…Safe to sleep! Set my alarm for 1am, get up test at 120. Back to sleep. Wake up at 111…made it thru my first night!
Well I have to say it’s been easy for me to this point, maybe to easy! I had this thing on for about 3 days now… changed my POD, have not had any alarms or errors and would have to say it gave me this kind a cyborg type feeling at first but I have to say that’s gone already. So my results have been this: I’ve eaten between 30-45 carbs for each meal, splurged once with 52. Had Subway the other day (steak n cheese on 6” wheat) and ate the whole thing, ate a cheeseburger the other night and had both sides of the bun. Usually I limited myself to about 20 carbs a meal. But I would have to say my ah-hah moment was my first glass of milk in 2 years…yum! Grew up on a farm and boy did I miss having a glass of milk with my meals! My numbers have been good—3 day avg is 97 and I’ve hit my range 87% of the time (set for 80-120) had a high of 152 and I when I go back to my doc I already know she’s going yell that I need to eat more and watch about being to low…but I’m very insulin sensitive and very strict with my eating. But hey…food is not my enemy anymore…haven’t had dessert yet…Think today I will….my little guy is going thru First Communion today…Today I have a piece of cake
Summary: It’s early and I think some struggles lie ahead but these words are echoing in my head “ Omni-Podd…making Diabetes a smaller part of your Life!” Thank you all again—it’s been a wild ride of emotions for the past week but the rollercoaster ride’s over and as I’m on this new path again with the “D” but I think I’m in the driver’s seat now! If you want to talk or your going on the POD, let me know if I can answer any questions…Be happy to “Pay it forward” !!