The process of getting an insulin pump took many, many months. I had decided on getting an insulin pump in January and finally received one in July. I had to do pump classes and also be approved from my doctor. The process may have taken 7 months, but it was worth the wait.
Being on an insulin pump means a lot to me because no longer do I have to give myself four needles a day. I don't have to get my blue pouch out, screw on a needle, dial the amount of insulin I need and then give myself the needle. All I have to do now is check my sugar, count the carbs and punch in the number of carbs I am eating and then I am done!
The site I have which is located on my stomach has to be changed every three days. That means that for two days I go absolutely needle free! I can only imagine how amazing this insulin pump must have been for those who were on needles for many, many years. Luckily for me I only had to have approximately 2060 needles before I was given the insulin pump!
The only process that I go through now is when I have to change my site. So the site is the white patch that is seen on my stomach. The tubing runs from inside my stomach into the insulin pump. When I have to change my site I have to fill up the reservoir with the appropriate amount of insulin. For me I am using 100 units of insulin - that way I am not throwing away a lot of insulin. I found out through trial and error that daily I use about 25 units of insulin.
I have to then put in a brand new tube. So in order to do this I have to give myself a needle on an angle and then pull out the needle - this will leave the tubing inside my stomach in order to deliever the insulin for the next three days. Once this is done I simply have to rewind and prime the pump and then I can attach the pump to myself and fix prime it.
Once this process is done I should bolus (give myself insulin for a meal) to ensure that I have put the pump on correctly. Right now the process is a little slow going for me because I am trying to remember to do everything. The first time I had to change my site Mitch came over to help me. Today I did it all by myself!
Soon enough I will be doing it in no time! It seems like a big process, but it beats giving myself four needles a day - that's for sure!
Kayla
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