6 years on the pump

Today marks day 2193 on the pump. Pretty fitting considering I'm starting a CGM full time tomorrow.

My change to the pump happened when I was 15. I'd not yet had T1 for a full year but I'd decided that injecting in public was just too embarrassing for a teenager. I named my first blue Medtronic Paradigm pump Dobby. Unfortunately he's not pictured below as I had to swap him for Severus after I put him through an x-ray in 2014. Now for the past 2 years I've been using Tonks, the Medtronic 640G which is so much better than the Paradigm. 




Truth be told, I hated that pump for the first few weeks. It was awful. I couldn't take in all the information and I kept getting things wrong. It felt weird to have something attached to me all the time. My carb counting had to change. The set changes hurt.

It sucked.

But then it was suddenly amazing. I finally got the hang of it and had all this newfound freedom. I could wake up whenever I wanted (I was a teenager, I liked to hibernate). I could eat whenever I wanted without having to think about injections. I could bring down high sugars with a correction, which you can do with injections but I was still quite new at it. The best part? I didn't have to inject in front of people any more. My fragile teenage dignity was preserved.

I love being on the pump and for me it's the best way to manage my diabetes. That's a comforting thought considering it started tough and I was incredibly nervous about it. I feel the same way about the CGM. It's new, bulky, fiddly, and expensive. I'm worried I'll hate it despite all the amazing things it can do.

But tomorrow is just day 1. Who knows, one day I might find myself at day 2193 on the CGM wondering what on earth I was worrying about. 


Comments

  1. Rick Phillips11 January 2017 at 13:05

    I hope you enjoy the CGM. I view it as more essential than the pump.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bec11 January 2017 at 13:06

      Thanks Rick, that predictive low suspend is one thing I am REALLY looking forward to.

      Delete
  2. Ashleigh11 January 2017 at 23:20

    OMG, Dobby, severus & Tonks. So much yes for those names!

    You will in all likelihood hate CGM for the first few weeks....maybe even month....but love it at the same time. Then it changes to 'This is Awesome'. CGM is quite tricky to use at the start, but like the pump once you're used to it and knowing how it works with you and your body it is the greatest!

    I'm afraid of how addicted I'll be if I ever reach day 2193 of CGM.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bec12 January 2017 at 08:40

      I thought you'd approve ;)
      7 years of the betes and I remain a strong potter nerd throughout.

      Thanks for sharing that. Sometimes when you hate something that everyone loves at the start it's tricky! So it's good to know it might feel like crap for a while.

      Delete
  3. Ramblings 8 May 2017 at 19:27

    Just wondering how you're going with CGM? I hated it at first and I've had an extended break so slowly getting back into it lol. I feel like chucking it out of the window when it beeps in the night but the realise it's probably a good thing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bec8 May 2017 at 20:47

      Absolutely love it after detesting it at first. Once I got it in the right spot it's been brilliant. Really helps shut the betes brain off a bit. If theres a problem I know it will beep. Totally get you on the chucking it out the window part! My method of choice was going to be a nice hot volcano ;)

      Delete

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