Family "Hook Up"

We're home from the Pump Class and guess what.... ALL 4 of us are sporting a pump site :)... Kacey, Me, Daddy AND Big Sis!! OMG I can't even begin to tell you how much I learned during this class. It was SO informative and we got to talk to reps from Cozmo, MiniMed, Animas and OmniPod. We listened to everyone give there "spill" about each pump and all the features and I must say...Kacey's mind never changed! She's going with the Cozmo and she wants it in black (I really thought she'd pick the purple!) She had a chance to hold each pump and bolus each one and she kept going back to Cozmo. She just really likes that idea of her meter being hooked to her pump and being able to test her blood sugar no matter where she is at because it's always with her. She also liked the fact that it's shaped like a cell phone and it was easier to hold for her. She got a chuckle when she was told she could choose a name for her pump and it would show on the screen. On the way home she was already tossing around names for it but I'll save that for another post *wink*

I have several pics to share!

We got to meet up with CDE Kristen and Kacey let out a sigh of relief when she knew Kristen would be doing her site. After she got hers done, she still didn't want us to try a site but then Kristen explained to her that she thought it was a good idea and I insisted that we wanted to know how her life with diabetes felt. She agreed and I was VERY shocked when Big Sis said she wanted to try it too! I mean, this is a kid who's scared to death of needles yet she asked to have a site put in so she could feel what her sister has to go through! (***Brownie Points***) I still have nothing but wonderful things to say about the entire group of CDE's at Children's Hospital. They're all so helpful and so pleasent and it makes such a huge difference when you have that "personal" level of care. And when you walk in and you're greeted with "Hello West Family!" it just makes you feel like something more than a number!

When we got home, there were tears before bed. Kacey had a mini meltdown. I think it was a combination of getting so worked up about the pain of the site, being tired and then her site being a little tender since it's in unused territory. As she got in bed, she started to cry harder and I knelt down to ask her what was wrong and she said "Mommy, I just wish my pump was connected to this" (as she held up the tube) She then giggled because she just had a tube hanging out of her nightgown. Kayleigh had her first tube snag...haha! She was getting in bed and layed on the tubing wrong. She came in and said "OMG I haven't had this on a day and I've already snagged it and Kacey has to wear this the rest of her life!" *wink* I think her putting the site in will make her have alot more compassion and respect for what her little sister has to go through every day!

CDE Kristen putting in Kacey's very first pump site at the class

Kacey & her big sister Kayleigh showing off their pump sites. Kay made the decision to walk in her sisters shoes and see how it felt to be "diabetic" for a few days.

Time for bed...Kacey showing off her first pump site. It was a requirement by her Endo's office. No pump site trial....no pump! So she jumped at the chance :)

For our family & friends that have no clue what the pump site is... that little patch is actually a "mini IV" and Kacey will receive insulin 24 hours a day through this little site. The clear tube is what will hook to the small box called an insulin pump. We change the site every 3 days and she will no longer have to take 6-8 shots a day :)