My Independence Day

I've been away from my vintage travels and listings for the last several weeks to take care of some medical needs. Most folks in the world either have diabetes or know someone who does. Between 5 & 10% of those diabetics are insulin dependent. I happen to be one of those people.

About 3 years ago, I suddenly developed diabetes and quickly transitioned to insulin injections. After initially being able to control my glucose numbers with injections, it soon became more of a challenge trying to maintain my hemoglobin A1C numbers close to the ADA recommended 7. My glucose readings tended to go very high after meals and keeping up with making sure my insulin was with me every time I walked out the door was difficult. I'm not whining, I'm just saying...Diabetes is a challenge.

At my last checkup, my most wonderful doctor told me I would be a good candidate for an insulin pump. He gave me some information to look at, websites to check out to help make a decision. As it turns out, it sounded perfect for me if my insurance would cover it. It took about a month to get the paperwork processed and approved before receiving the pump.

So, fast forward to the first week with the pump. My trainer went over the pump and its functions and we set up the settings with basic settings for insulin delivery. Instead of putting the patient on insulin immediately, they start you off with saline solution to allow the patient to go through the motions for a week without risking terrible mistakes. As we finished the setup, we filled the cartridge with the saline solution and got the infusion set triggered and ready to put in place. That was scary at first, but my multiple daily insulin injections were far worse in the long run.

So after changing the infusion set on my own on the third day successfully, I knew the insulin pump was a great fit for me. The following Monday, July 6th, I will forever consider my new Independence Day.

I can come and go as I please. I can turn down my basil rate if I'm active or delaying a meal. If I have an unexpected snack or my glucose reading runs high, I can give myself a quick adjustment of insulin.

If you know of anyone with insulin dependent diabetes, encourage them to explore insulin pumps with their medical caregivers... The difference in control of the disease for me was unbelievable. My numbers are much tighter immediately after switching to the pump without the constant spikes after meals and lows.

I'll be back to vintage next time.