"I could NEVER do that!"

It seems like every week someone new wants to know about my "devices"and today a colleague of mine had lots of questions during lunch. She was asking me about when I was diagnosed, how it even happens that people get diabetes, how my machines work, and so on and so on. I actually tend to really like these conversations because it gives me a chance to educate others on something that not a lot of people know about. I take that back, I like these conversations until I get the following statements:

"My grandpa has diabetes" or "Everyone in my family has diabetes"

... and in today's case, "They test me all the time for diabetes and I'm so worried I'm going to get it."

... and then to top it off, "I could never do that!"

 I can usually manage the conversations about how Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are different. And generally I am pretty forgiving when people don't know a lot about what I have to go through on a day to day basis. I can even tell when people don't quite understand WHY I have to do what I do, but ultimately I appreciate their taking the time to try and understand by asking questions and doing their best to be empathetic. To me it can all be so simple, although, again, I understand that an explanation of blood sugars, insulin, and carbs can sound like a foreign language to some people.

Today though it really struck a chord when this particular person flat out exclaimed, "I could never do that!" while I was answering her questions about my daily regime. Despite my original annoyances against some of her previous statements, I was really trying my best not to let my feelings get in the way of a totally teachable moment. I did however have several thoughts about this particular statement ...

Diabetes is not a choice. I did not choose this for my life nor would I wish for anyone to HAVE to choose this for their life, because let's be honest, living with diabetes is a challenge, to say the least. I didn't have the choice of "Should I do this?" I was forced to do this. The only other option: Not to do "this" and end up with a slew of medical problems and ultimately death if I CHOSE not to do anything. When faced with the news of a diagnosis that will ultimately follow me the rest of my life, to me there was no other option than to hook up machines to my body and do my best to keep my blood sugars decent. And I gaurentee that while probably every person faced with this diagnosis is going to deal with some type of stress, negative emotion, frustration, etc, a lot of us would choose life over "never doing this."

This conversation has really got me thinking about things I have said "I could never do this" to. Wearing an insulin pump was probably one of them, and look at me now. I'm attached to TWO wireless machines that I couldn't imagine my life without. Giving birth .... freaks me out! Will I ever do it? Hopefully some day.... The list of fears could probably go on and on, but surprising myself by doing those things has been enlightening to say the least.

It takes a strong person to really manage Type 1 diabetes. Diabetes takes it's toll physically and emotionally. I work every. single. day. 24 hours a day to manage my blood sugars. If you had asked me 5-10 years ago if I could get my blood sugars down to an average of 100 every day, my answer probably would have been, "I could never do that!" Well, guess what ... I AM doing it! The moral of the story here is, we're stronger than we think. I didn't choose this, but I chose a life of health and happiness ... and a life of "I can do this!"

Sorry, but I'm not really that impressed ...

This morning I woke up like any normal Monday morning and after showering and getting ready for work I found my husband sitting on the couch catching up on his daily (sports) news on the lap top. I started making my normal breakfast when he said to me, "Sweetie, you have to come read this news article." I feel bad, but the answer in my head went a little something like this: What sports article does he want me to see now? Did Tiger Woods get caught again?? 

At any rate, I apologized to him in my head when I found out he had actually been perusing CNN (which he does every day as well), and found this article about Type 1 diabetes and the ariticial pancreas:

CNN link to articifial pancreas article

The article talks about an artificial pancreas that sits on the outside of the body. Currently this device has two tubes that are implanted under the skin, one that tests blood sugars and another that injects insulin (to lower blood sugars) and glucagon (to raise dangerously low blood sugars). In theory, this new invention eliminates the need to do a finger prick to test blood sugars and also allows a diabetic to eat a large amount of carbs per meal (we're talking 70-100 carbs in one sitting), to name a few "benefits." The laptop size machine that is hooked up to the patient does all of the "thinking" and calibrating on it's own, without the need for a person to do much of anything. Currently this option is only in testing phases and the FDA will not allow anyone hooked up to this device to leave the hospital with it on. The article also says this could be a viable option for the public in approximately 4 years, although my guess would be more like 10-15.

So I can guess what you all are thinking, and I don't blame you if it goes something like this: THAT'S SO GREAT! or This is exciting! or Wow, a cure! and Aren't you excited Danielle? Well, I hate to burst your bubble but honestly I am not all that impressed with this option. If you look at the pictures and and watch the video, the tubing and machinery and monitoring involved with this whole process just seems REALLY extensive. I know the whole thing will probably be the size of a cell phone by the time this could actually be a feasible option for the public, but I really don't see how it's any different than what I am doing now?! Do I have a machine that tests my blood sugar every 5 minutes? Yes. Does this machine also tell me if my blood sugar is going up or down? Yes. Do I have a machine that injects insulin into my body without me having to do anything? Yes. Do both of these machines also wirelessly 'talk" to sensors injected under my skin at all times that test blood sugar and inject insulin? Yes.

The article talks about how "lucky" this 12 year old girl was to be able to test the artificial pancreas for a few days, without having to "worry" about her diabetes. Actually, the phrase they used was that she got to take a "vacation" from her diabetes.  Well if the artifical pancreas she tried for a few days was a "vacation" from her diabetes, then what I am doing now must be like living on a beach in the Carribean indefinitely. I'm a lucky girl.


... as a side note, I will say that the increasing amount of medical technology in this field is absolutely amazing and I appreciate all of the efforts that go into finding a cure for diabetes. There are several of us who would not be as healthy as we are without these outstanding accomplishments.

Omni Pod Check In

So I've had the Omni Pod (insulin pump) for over a month now and I told myself when I first got it that I would give it some time and then really make up my mind about how I felt about it all. Well, the jury has reached their decision and .... I. LOVE. IT. Of course there are pros and cons, but in my case the pros totally outweigh anything negative that I have to say about it.

There are lots of things I love about the Omni Pod pump. I love the flexibility it gives me to eat whenever and wherever. If I am out in public I no longer have to worry about getting out a needle and pulling out a piece of skin from my stomach, arm, or leg to inject. Talk about minimizing exposure in public! Now all I do is press a button on my Omni Pod and just like that insulin is being injected into my body and no one else has to know or see the process happening.

I also love that I can change my basal rates throughout the day. Typically, a non-diabetic produces insulin 24 hours a day to keep blood sugars stable and then more is produced when you eat. Depending on the time of day and your activity level, any person is likely to need a different basal rate of insulin throughout the day. Before the Omni Pod I gave myself 1 injection a day of an insulin called Lantus that would work for 24 hours, slowing releasing insulin into my body at a consistent rate. Now, the Omni Pod does the same but as it turns out at certain points of the day I need more or less of this basal insulin, and the insulin pump allows me to do that. In turn I have experienced so many less high and low blood sugars.

My favorite part of the Omni Pod though has been sharing my experiences with family and friends. I had been really worried about attaching this "thing" to my body and having to explain it, but it has actually turned out to be a neat experience to share with so many people. My two favorite reactions have been from my Dad and from a child at the Child Development Center I work with.

When my dad was here a few weekends ago I offered to show him how I change the pod and we even dissected an old pod to see the components inside. We were both intrigued by the engineering of the pod and it sparked a lot of dialogue between the two of us. I appreciated so much his interest in this part of my life. It's nice to know that something that can be such a pain in my life can bring me closer to people I love.

And then just yesterday I was in a 3-year old classroom helping a teacher give a little boy some asthma medicine. He was very apprehensive about using the inhaler in front of his friends and I decided to show him my "medicine" and took off the sleeve of my jacket to show him the pod attached to my arm. I told him how I needed medicine every day and how it helped me feel better, even though no one else I knew had to use medicine like this. He didn't really say much but the look in his eyes and the smile in his face said it all ... and he took his asthma meds like a champ after that.

While this disease has so many physical components to it, it's really the emotional side that needs tending to on a regular basis as well. Today is a good day and I am feeling so confident in the decision my husband and I made to try the Omni Pod.