I've now been using my insulin pump for a month. Although there have been some difficult moments, I really do mean it when I say I wouldn't hand it back for anything!
Testing, testing.
The focus during this first month has been on basal testing and making sure my insulin to carbohydrate ratios are correct. I really hate basal testing, but I fasted during all the relevant time periods (well, I had carb-free (fun-free?!) foods) to make sure my basal insulin was correct, made changes with my DSN, which I'm now beginning to understand (yay!), and I'm pretty certain I now have my insulin to carb ratios sorted as well! It's been intense, but I'm now hoping that, with those foundations in place, I can start fitting the pump around my life, and not my life around the pump!
Wearing an insulin pump.
I do a lot of volunteer work with kids. And I have a three-year-old, Spiderman-obsessed Godson. And I swear I have the longest tubing ever at 50cm (which is effing long when you also factor in that I'm 5ft1"). So I quickly learnt "tricks" when it came to wearing, and hiding, the pump, thanks to the DOC (doctor may have told me how to use the pump, but the DOC have been integral in showing me how to wear, and "own", it.)
I've cut holes in pretty much all of my trouser pockets that I can feed the tubing through. I can no longer put change in my pockets, but it sure makes life easier when it comes to keeping excess tubing tucked away! I was also given a bra-clip-type-thing, which is useful. As well, I bought an insulin pump garter (not being asked to advertise, but I like the product, so I've included the link to the site I bought it from). It's not something I use often, but has come in useful on the rare occasion I wear a skirt or dress and want the pump concealed.
Getting the bloomin' cannulas to stick!
Surgical (micro-porous) tape is my best friend right now! Without it, I would probably be changing cannulas every day! Am currently awaiting the arrival on the Accu-Chek Link Assist to try the Flex-Link Cannulas. I've been told the stick much better than the steel cannulas I'm currently using. I guess I'll find out soon enough!
Cartridge changes.
I'm getting better. And quicker. And I don't have to declare war on quite so many air bubbles. Progress!
Reading.
Allison Nimlos (blogs at The Blood Sugar Whisperer) kindly recommended a couple of books to me now that I'm using an insulin pump. One of them was Think Like A Pancreas by Gary Schiener, which I actually downloaded when I was on my year abroad, and the other was Pumping Insulin by John Walsh. I'm currently looking back over Think Like A Pancreas as I definitely remember skipping the pump-related sections, as they weren't applicable at the time, and I'm definitely going to look into reading Pumping Insulin.
Think that just about sums everything up!
Happy Tuesday!
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