Please, Remind Me

She’s with me, so I say to Grace, “Please remind me to put my insulin pump back on.”

We were at the rink, getting ready to go out on the ice after both tying on our skates and me checking my blood sugar. It was a lovely 115, and I knew I would need no additional insulin for an hour, so why not just take off the pump and feel truly unencumbered, really flying? I disconnected, wrapped the tubing around the ballistic-proof case, and put it in my gear bag. Then I asked Grace to remind me.

“Mom!” She looked worried. “It’s not fair! I can’t be relied on to remember such an important thing!”

She’s right: It’s not her job.

Her retort, though, made me realize this: It’s such a huge responsibility to remember everything related to the care of my diabetes, all the time, and this is something no person can help me with.

Could technology help me, though? On my wish list: a pump, meter, and/or app to remind me to DO stuff.

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Image, “string on finger,” by Mary Woodward on Flickr via a Creative Common license.

Jane Kokernak

Jane Kokernak teaches in Northeastern University’s College of Computer and Information Science as communications specialist, working with graduate students and faculty on writing and speaking to different audiences. She lives with her family and dog near Boston. In 1992, as an adult, she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes; in 2003, she switched from multiple daily injections to an insulin pump and has stayed with it. A contributing writer to ASweetLife since 2010, she is especially interested in how having a chronic illness affects self identity and perceptions of health.

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Jane Kokernak

Jane Kokernak teaches in Northeastern University’s College of Computer and Information Science as communications specialist, working with graduate students and faculty on writing and speaking to different audiences. She lives with her family and dog near Boston. In 1992, as an adult, she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes; in 2003, she switched from multiple daily injections to an insulin pump and has stayed with it. A contributing writer to ASweetLife since 2010, she is especially interested in how having a chronic illness affects self identity and perceptions of health.