Was the site insertion as painful as I thought it would be?
I'll admit, when I first saw the needle that is used to insert it, I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. I was scared of the pain especially since my tummy is such a tender part of my body. I didn't let on that I was scared and I bared the "brave face". As Kristen put the site in, I didn't even feel it go in! I'm sure if I had watched then it may have been more painful but honestly I didn't even feel it. After it was in for about 5 minutes, I felt a little pain but nothing too uncomfortable and then it was gone....just a bit tender.
Did I find it uncomfortable to wear?
The first day I didn't even notice I had it on. By the second day, I knew I had it on every time I went to pee! LOL! Since I had the tubing tucked into my pocket and it wasn't connected to anything, everytime I went to the bathroom I'd forget the tube was there and it would tug on the site. After about the 8th time of tugging it, it started to get sensitive where the cannula was in. The end of the 2nd day, I was rushing about as I normally do and I snagged the tubing and I thought my skin was being ripped off!!! It had started to bleed and so I had no choice but to remove it :( I did let Kacey help me take it out and she was still very uncomfortable touching it.
Did anyone notice I was wearing it? Was I self conscious with it on?
I wasn't self conscious with it because it stayed tucked in my pocket. No one knew I had it unless I showed them. I did use it as a "teaching tool" for the school nurse. I showed her how it worked and how to disconnect and reconnect. She was able to see the difference between the site that goes straight in and the site we had that is angled.
Was the removal painful?
Not at all. It was a bit tender because I'd snagged it so much but it wasn't painful.
Do I have more respect for people using the pump and for Kacey?
ABSOLUTELY! I had respect even before this trial. The pump is alot of hard work and commitment just like shots are. Don't let anyone tell you that you can get the pump and "forget" you have diabetes. It's a constant reminder that diabetes is there BUT it's also a reminder of how well controlled your diabetes can be and the freedom you have to be just a bit more "normal". With the pump, diabetes is a little bit more hidden. You're not pulling out needles and doing injections in public like you have to do with shots. You're not getting those "weird looks" like people give us now when I pull out Kacey's case and give her a shot at the table in a restaurant. You're able to pull out a pump that looks like a cell phone to the untrained eye *wink*. So if you don't want people to know you have diabetes, then they don't have to know.
I'd do this again for Kacey in a heartbeat! I think it gave me a better understanding of what it feels like to have a site snagged and what a pain in the ass diabetes can be. ***See the pic below***
Like I said in the last post, if you are considering the pump for your child, ASK to have a site put in when they get it done. It's very important you feel what they are feeling so when they come to you and say "My pump just fell off my lap and my site pulled" and they have tears streaming down their face then you DO know how the pain of that feels and you can sympathesize a little bit more. (this happened to Kacey...her interview is tomorrow) You won't just pat them on the back and send them on their way. Even if you're scared to do it, just remind yourself if you're scared then imagine how your child is feeling and do it for them. Thanks to all the CDE's at CHKD for a great Pump Class and for giving us the chance to walk a few days in Kacey's shoes (kinda!)
1 comment:
I'm so glad you guys did this. It's such a fantastic thing.
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