Hooking up

Monday morning started like most Monday mornings. I woke up at 4:20 a.m. and was out the door at 5:15 a.m. to meet my running group. We ran hills and since it was difficult and I was tired, I didn’t think much about anything during the hour and a half (11+ miles) session. Towards the end of the workout the coach asked me when I was getting my pump. “Today,” I said. And went on to talk about other things.

At noon I arrived at the diabetes clinic where I met Karen, the representative from the pump company, who, with the help of the diabetes nurse, got my pump set up. They programmed the dosing according to the endocrinologist’s instructions and programmed two basal settings to help me cope with my morning highs – 0.45 units an hour during the day and from midnight to 5:00 a.m. 0.65 units.

Karen explained how the pump works, how to change the basal, how to calculate a bolus, and practiced with me a few times to see that I really understood. She also showed me how to use the infusion set and connect to the pump. It was all simple enough but when it came time to actually insert the needle my heart started to race. I could feel it pounding in my chest. It wasn’t because I was scared of the tiny needle, but because the moment had arrived. I had thought about this moment for a long time and now with no festivities or drum rolls it was here. I took the infusion set and inserted the needle as I was instructed. It didn’t hurt at all. I hardly felt it. I attached the pump and that was it. I was pumping. The whole thing took less than an hour.

I went home and showed the pump to Jess and the boys. Jess asked if I was okay. Guy said “cool” and that was it.

I spent the rest of the day doing all the usual things, aware of the pump but not bothered by it at all. The only pump related worry I had was, how will I sleep with this thing?

Showering was easy enough. Although I was told it was fine to disconnect for an hour, I took a quick shower thinking it was better to get back on the pump as quickly as possible. It seems, however, I was a little too quick. When I reattached, still naked, pump in hand, I found myself wondering what to do with it. So now I know it’s better to put on some clothes before reattaching. I put on a pair of boxers and hooked the pump onto them.

I was happy when I checked my blood sugar before going to bed. I had bolused correctly using much less insulin than usual. I was very happy not to inject before going to bed and I was happiest when I woke up in the morning and checked my blood sugar. It was 99 (much better than the previous morning’s 180).