I have been diabetic for 9 years. Mostly I was on oral medications, but was recently switched to insulin shots, and quickly have progressed to two kinds of insulin and some scary looking log book pages. About six months ago, I started trying to get myself put on an insulin pump. My family doctor doesn't know much about them, and so he decided to send me to a local endocrinologist. Meanwhile, I researched everything I could get my hands on.
After going through the motions of education classes and meeting with a dietitian and nurse, I finally got an appointment with the endocrinologist, Dr. K. As soon as I mentioned the insulin pump, I was met with hostility and angry comments. He claimed not to like pumps, yet he runs the local pump program. He insisted that if I want one, I will have to pay for it by myself; an untrue claim, and get myself referred to the pump program at a further away hospital. I managed to get myself in touch with Animas, and their local rep D. I got my paperwork done and sorted out and then started to wait.
Then I found out that I am pregnant.
Now my desire to start pumping became even greater, as my current control is not so good, and I know it's best for the baby to get it tight as fast as possible. The pump program nurses agree, and get me in to, you'll never believe this! A Gestational Diabetes Education class. Where I am retaught everything I have already known for the last nine years....
While I'm waiting to be seen, D helps me out immensely by talking to Dr.K who agrees that I should be on a pump and sets a loaner pump aside for me. Two days later is my gestational diabetes clinic day where the pump will be there waiting. I'm excited, as this is the last hoop to jump through before I can get my pump. The nurses and I talk about my new diet and we look at my insulin to carb ratio.
While I'm waiting for the other moms-to-be are seeing the dietitian, D comes down from another floor of the hospital! She lets me know that someone will call me on Monday to set up a time really soon to start the pump! I'm giddy with happiness at this.
When I get home, I take a quick nap before my daughter gets home from school. I must not have heard the phone, but the clinic called to tell me Dr. K will not be authorizing a pump until I am past my first trimester.
Now I'm fighting with nurses, my doctor and my own knowledge of pumping and insulin resistance and fetal development, but apparently nothing I say or do is going to matter because he's not going to sign the orders. I'm trying to get an appointment to see him as soon as possible, but something tells me no matter what happens, I'm going to be told to wait until I am 13 weeks, when the most of my embryo's major development is going to be done before I can get on the pump.
Meanwhile I'm struggling with shots and keeping my sugars to the targets they've set (5.2 fasting and 6.6 postprandial) for me. I am really unhappy, and thanks to these awesome hormones, I'm sobbing my eyes out.