Wednesday, July 24, 2013

15 Reasons Why I Don't Have a Pump.

So I've realized I haven't posted a complete Diabetes Related post since my Diagnosis Story, and thought it would be time for another one!

This topic came to me the other day, when I saw a someone at a Restaurant in NYC (the owner actually) with an Insulin Pump.

I DO NOT HAVE AN INSULIN PUMP.<------My Diabetic Peeps ask me all the time  
why not??

It wasn't until this year at the Students with Diabetes (SWD) Conference , that I really realized that there are not many people who still take Multiple Daily Injections (MDI) with pens or syringes nowadays. Everyone uses a Pump, and a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) to help them manage their diabetes. I do not recall meeting anyone else, at least at the leadership conference part of SWD conference that had never been on the pump. Most people had been on it for a little while at least. I was the only one never to try it.

My older brother (also a T1D), doesn't have the pump either, and so I was naive, and never realized how many diabetics are actually on the pump until this year. I even attended Diabetes Camp for a year, and even there, I never realized how many people had pumps.

Now...to the 15 reasons why I don't want or have the Insulin Pump.

1. I said my brother doesn't have a pump currently, but that doesn't mean he never did. My brother had the pump when I was diagnosed with Diabetes. So you might say, "oh you saw how wonderful it was right?" Nope! My brother's Pump gave him the worst of trouble.
    •  After he made a site change, he would be in pain & on the couch for hours on end. 
    • He was also in Wrestling at the time, and his site would rip off during meets, and he had issues because he never knew for sure when he would be in the ring, and had to be ready at a moments notice, so he would be off his pump for hours on end. (Back then, the pump wasn't easy to disconnect)
    • He could never really go swimming because of his pump, especially on site change days (back then, they weren't water proof).
    • He had major reactions to the adhesive, and it left giant welts on his body, which were there many years after he stopped the pump.
 2. I played a lot of sports growing up, and at the time, didn't want to have to worry about dealing with the extra pressure of Diabetes while on the pump and playing sports.
    • Someone could pull the tubing during basketball,  
    • The pump could be hit with a soccer ball and break
    • How do you run track or cross country with the pump bouncing on your side, or between the female body parts?
    • What if, during volleyball, I would be jumping up for a spike or block, and my pump fall out of my spandex and hit the floor, causing the game to pause, and/or my site ripping out?
3. I hate adhesives/sticky things. Pumps require Adhesives to keep the insertion site in the body, and extra adhesive would have to be applied if swimming, or exercising to keep the site on.
    • I don't like stickers, they are great for envelopes but not on human skin.
    •  I don't like tape, it is fine when wrapping something.
    • I haven't worn a band-aid in probably 4 years, just suck it up I say. 
4. I sweat a lot when exercising, therefore I would need extra tape to keep my sites on. (See above)

5. I toss in my sleep. Why is this a problem?
    • I would probably get wrapped up in the cord, and pull out the site if it was just laying next to me on the bed.
    • If it was in my pant pocket..
      • It is impossible to find female PJ's with pockets,
      • I would end up sleeping on it, and probably giving myself 100 extra units of insulin (unless I locked it first)
6. How about the OmniPod (cordless pump) then?
    • Because it's still big and bulky, and I would always have to have it on my butt at night.Why?
      • I'm a stomach and side sleeper, and I couldn't sleep on something that big, it's like sleeping on an old fashioned cell phone.
7. I have a pretty good A1C, and my doctor doesn't force me to get the pump, because I am taking pretty good care of myself.

8. With a pump, you have to carry even more Diabetic supplies.
    • Now my purse contains: An insulin pen, a few pen caps, my checker with strips, a few extra lancets, food, and other normal purse items.
    • W/pump: (Depending on type,) a transmitter, extra reservoir, extra site, insertion elements, possible numbing cream, syringes, backup insulin pen, a few pen caps, my check with strips, a few extra lancets, food, and other normal purse items.....
      • NO THANK YOU. I enjoy the fact I can take a small purse with me where ever I go.
9. I would have to relearn everything!
    • I love learning new things, but this is one thing that I would be relearning. 
    • I'd have to learn more diabetes related terms, such as bolus and basil rate, which I don't currently use in normal Diabetes conversation. 
    • I've known about diabetes my entire life, so when I was diagnosed, and in the hospital for one night, I was ready to go the next day, and started taking care of my own diabetes from then forth, with a pump, I'd have to actually have the learning education normally that occurs at diagnosis (which I kinda skipped)
    • The one time I mentioned getting a pump to my Endocrinologist, I received a pile of papers/booklets about each type, that I was supposed to read up on, and then once I chose a pump, I would then be required to come back to the office for learning workshops on how to use the pump. These workshops were to be 5 hours long, and occur for three days. When I had asked about this, this timing issue was not acceptable, I had a full-time summer job, that I couldn't take that much time away from for education workshops. I'd prefer to just be given the pump, and "have at it." Let me learn by doing!
10. Where to wear the pump?! (This isn't a big reason, just a small one)
    • A day doesn't go by when I don't hear the question or see something about where females wear their pumps. I like not having to worry about where to put my pump with every outfit. Gives me more freedom to wear what I want, when I wont. It's one area that my diabetes can't dictate my life.
11. I don't want to be a cyborg, a bionic person, a robot, a machine, for the rest of my life. I enjoy my individuality. I'm not ready to have a machine run my life.

12. Currently, on MDI, I can have the out of site, out of mindset. There wouldn't be something connected to me every moment of my life reminding me I have diabetes.
    • I can live my life how I want it, with no limitations from Diabetes.
13. I travel...a lot. 
    • I hear the question everyday about travelling with the pump. Not only would that mean taking even more supplies on my trips, but it also would mean having to determine how to go through airport security.
      • Do I wear it through the body scanner, 
      • Place it in the X-Ray machine?
      • Ask for a Pat Down?
    • At the present time, I have never been stopped, or questioned when going through secuirty at airports. 
14. I don't mind taking shots, actually I kinda enjoy it ;)
    • Ok, enjoy it is a stretch. I don't mind it, I can tolerate it. yes it hurts, but the pains done in .3 seconds. 
    • I see photos every day of people's giant bruises from the pump, and right now, I have small bruises yes, but nothing so terribly noticeable
    • With shots, I am able to have a broader range of my site locations. 
      • I don't have to worry about sitting on my pump site, if I place it on my butt. 
      • I can shoot myself almost anywhere, and I believe I've avoided major tissue damage/build up this way. 
15. I am healthier on MDI.
    • Being on MDI, when I see something that I want, and probably shouldn't have, I don't eat it, because I'd have to take an extra shot. Therefore less daily snacking. 
    • I currently eat at my major meal times, when I'm low, or if I'm extremely hungry. . 

I know that is 15..but I thought of one more.....

16. I know this one is going to sound Vain, but...
    • I love seeing the looks on people's faces when I'm "shootin up"
    • The pump doesn't require "shooting up", just "dialing in", which is not as much fun to yell in public.
Now these reasons are not to say that I will never get the Insulin Pump, or that no one should have the pump. I know plenty of people who LOVE their insulin pumps, and it has saved their lives countless number of times. Each person is different, I prefer MDI, while my friend DiabeticDanica is on the Pump.
Someday, I might look back at this post, and laugh at myself, for the reasons why I don't want or have an Insulin Pump, but for now, I'll stick to shootin up!


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