Insulin Pump

I've had several people ask me lately, "How does the pump work?" So I thought I'd do a post for those that are still unsure about how the pump will work for Kacey. I just spoke with Kacey when she called me at lunchtime and she was so excited about showing off her "make believe pump" and new site. She said all her friends told her they thought it was "cool". Her teacher let her show the class the site and how it disconnects. I know I've said this before, but I'm so very thankful to have such a wonderful, caring and involved teacher like Mrs. M. She's really made an impact on Kacey's life and when you have a teacher like that, you remember that teacher years down the road. Mrs. M was excited to hear all about what we learned last night. I even offered for her to borrow the CD that came with the Cozmo packet and she gladly accepted. She's also said she'd like to attend the 3hr pump class once we get Kacey's pump.

As some of you already know, we have officially decided to choose the Cozmo insulin pump. You can read all about this pump at http://www.cozmore.com/ to get a better understanding of how it works and the wonderful features it has.

The pump is a plastic case that's about the size of a deck of cards or small cell phone. It contains a reservoir that holds several days worth of insulin, a tiny battery-operated pump, and a computer chip regulating how much insulin is pumped. The infusion set is a thin plastic tube with a fine needle at the end. It carries the insulin from the pump to the site of infusion beneath your skin. It delivers insulin in two ways: continuously at a low dose and rapidly in a larger dose. The low dose is delivered every few minutes (3 minutes for the Cozmo pump) 24 hours a day to maintain a "basal" level of insulin, just like the pancreas does in people without diabetes. The larger dose, or "bolus" doses are given before meals. With the press of a button, you program how much additional insulin the pump is to release, depending on results of blood sugar and the amount of food you intend to eat. Your body is unique so you must work very closely with your doctor to get the doses just right for you. The Cozmo pump also has the glucose meter that attaches to the back of it. Kacey will never be without her meter again.

Most people quickly adapt to wearing a pump. When the infusion set is properly inserted and the skin at the site is not irritated, you should not be aware of your pump. The most common infusion site is the tummy but you can also use the hips, thighs and arms...basically the same places you use for injections. The tubing comes in lengths long enough to allow you to put the pump in your pocket or clip it on your belt. You can even get the tubing long enough to stash the pump safely in your sock. The infusion set should be changed every 3 days to avoid infection at the site area.

The Cozmo pump is waterproof but it can be put in protective cases during sports. Some pumps have a quick-release device for temporary detachment. Most patients feel that the adjustments they have to make are minor and that having their diabetes well controlled makes the effort worthwhile.

Insulin pumps have been available since 1979. They have become very popular over the past several years because of their convenience, flexibility, and ease of use. The insulin pump isn’t for everyone though. You must be willing to check your blood sugar at least four to six times a day, before each meal and before bed and remember to bolus every time before eating. Insulin pump users must also know how to count carbohydrates and should have their diabetes in control before starting the pump.

Getting "Pump" Creative

Making the transition between shots and pump is a HUGE jump. I wanted to be sure that Kacey got the full effect of what it would be like to be "hooked up". We left the Pump Class last night with a tube dangling and it's hard for an 8yr old to imagine something being connected to the other end. So the creative teacher part of me had to figure out some way to help her understand what she'd be wearing almost 24hr a day.

So....think Jill.....think....AHHHHHHHHHH :) I got it!

I went into Kayleigh's bedroom and took her old cell phone and case. Since the Cozmo is shaped like a small cell phone this was perfect! I grabbed the hammer and knocked off the antenna on the top. TA-DA! Instant "make believe" pump!

I pushed the end of the tubing into the antenna part and she's "hooked up". I slid it into the case and she is now proudly sporting a "make believe" pump. She's going to wear it for the next 3 days so she knows how it will feel to have it with her all the time. So far....she's loving it! She practiced disconnecting her tubing this morning so she could show her friends when she gets to school. I really don't think the transition will be any problem for Kacey.I'm so proud of her :)

Over the next few days I will do an interview with Frankie and Kayleigh to see how being "connected" was for them.

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 :)

The BIG Day!

Today is the BIG day...we go to Children's Hospital for the Pump Class to choose Kacey's pump. She's so excited and it's sent her blood sugars through the roof. I've done all my "homework" and now I just need to listen to the pump reps tell me all about each pump and make our final decision. Kacey is still saying she wants the Cozmo and I'm almost certain that's what we will go with but I want to listen to what features they tell us about first.

She will also get to have a site put in. She's scared and nervous but only about the pain compared to shots. We were also given the option to have a site put in so we could see how it feels. When I told Kacey this she started to cry and said "Mommy please don't get one because I don't want you to have diabetes." That brought immediate tears to my eyes. I choked through them and reassured her that just because I had a site didn't mean I'd get diabetes, it meant that I wanted to feel the pain she would be feeling so I could better understand how it feels. She still insisted that I NOT get one. So I'm hoping she will change her mind and I'm leaving it up to her because I don't want her feeling anymore upset emotion than she has to.

I'll update after we get home tonight or tomorrow morning. The class is from 5:30-8:30pm so depending on how tired we are, I'll try and get on :)

Wednesday Funny

A man observed a woman in the grocery store with a three year old girl in her basket. As they passed the cookie section, the child asked for cookies and her mother told her "no." The little girl immediately began to whine and fuss, and the mother said quietly, "Now Ellen, we just have half of the aisles left to go through; don't be upset. It won't be long." He passed the Mother again in the candy aisle. Of course, the little girl began to shout for candy. When she was told she couldn't have any, she began to cry. The mother said, "There, there, Ellen, don't cry. Only two more aisles to go, and then we'll be checking out." The man again happened to be behind the pair at the check-out, where the little girl immediately began to clamor for gum and burst into a terrible tantrum upon discovering there would be no gum purchased today. The mother patiently said, "Ellen, we'll be through this ch eck out stand in five minutes, and then you can go home and have a nice nap." The man followed them out to the parking lot and stopped the woman to compliment her. "I couldn't help noticing how patient you were with little Ellen..." The mother broke in, "My little girl's name is Tammy... I'm Ellen."

Renewed Faith

I've never been a very religious person. I believe in God. I pray. But I've never really found a church home that we've stayed in.

I grew up with a Catholic mother and a Baptist father. They were married Catholic and I attended a Catholic church until I was 8. I made my First Communion and then we moved off the military base we lived on and the church was "too far to drive to on a Sunday" (according to my father) We lived in a county with only one Catholic church and my parents didn't like that one so we never went back. It wasn't until I met Frankie in 1996 that I wanted to go back to church. Kayleigh was 2 and I remember how much I loved church as a child. We chose a local Methodist church. Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian...what religion the church was wasn't an issue with me....I just wanted some place I could go on Sunday and worship the Lord. Frankie and I were married in that church in 1999. About 6 months after we married, the pastor got a job in another state and a new pastor took over. I felt "lost" again. The new pastor talked in monotone and it was everything I could do to make it through an hour service. We eventually stopped going. Every Sunday I would wish I was with a "church family" or doing things with the church. Then one Saturday in 2001, we were driving home from a day out and we passed the little country church 1/4 mile from our house. I turned to Frankie and said "I wonder whats inside there?" He wasn't sure what I was talking about at first and I replied with "that little country church". He smiled and said "I don't know but we could find out tomorrow morning!" And that's exactly what we did. We got up early that next morning and dressed for church. Kayleigh was 6 and Kacey was 1. When I walked through those doors, it was the prettiest country church I'd ever seen. I looked around and noticed we were the youngest couple sitting there and there were no other children. Was this the right place for us? We were welcomed with open arms by members old enough to be our parents and grandparents. They were so nice and very thrilled to see "young" people in the church. We eventually became members, all 4 of us were baptised there and then in 2006 we stopped going again. The church went through some "political turmoil" and there was a lot of tension that was feeding through to the members and I wasn't comfortable there anymore. Over those few years, I taught Sunday school and was very involved with trying to get children in the church but we couldn't get them to come regularly. So, we haven't been involved with any church since then. But that doesn't mean I don't believe in God. It doesn't mean I don't pray. It doesn't mean I don't talk to my girls about God and the importance of prayer. I still do all of those things.

So all that being said, yesterday I was having a bit of a rocky morning. Kacey woke up with a tummy ache...blood sugar was only a 164. She was grumpy and I knew I had errands to run and then be back to her school to decorate and hang the backdrop for the Spring Musical tonight. I finally get her motivated and she eats breakfast. I threw on some jeans and a worn tshirt (since I knew I was going to be decorating). We get to school at 8:30am....she goes to class and I leave to go to the bank and to make that dreaded house payment. As I'm driving, I end up having a Mommy Meltdown. Sometimes I find myself trying so hard to maintain a perfect balance in my life and please everyone around me that I forget to think about myself. I go to the bank...make the house payment...and as I'm driving back home I start getting this really discouraged feeling. I went through all the crap getting certified to be a substitute in Kacey's school but I still had not been called to sub. I had spoke to one of the other girls who happens to be a VERY good friend of mine before I dropped Kacey off at school and she went on to explain to me that the jobs that she is doing now are ones she had lined up over a month ago and it's taken her a solid year to really get going and gain confidence to speak up for the jobs. But still....I was discouraged. I've had a relationship with this school for 10 years now. I volunteer about 10-15 hours a week (sometimes more). But I still had not been asked to sub. I end up at the stoplight and I'm looking up at the sun that is just beginning to peek through the clouds and outloud I say .... "Lord, I've worked so hard all my life. I've struggled through some rough times. I've done everything ever asked of me and I'm feeling very discouraged right now. All I want is to try and work at least 5 days a month. Those 5 days would give me the freedom to never have to worry about us not being able to afford Kacey's insulin and diabetes supplies. My biggest fear is not having enough money to cover those and that is the ONLY reason I want to work." As I talked to God, I cried. I cried because I'm scared. I cried because I'm worried about financial stability. I cried because I really have worked hard to be who I am today and I don't want to have to struggle and have the worry and stress. I cried because I'm just frustrated. "Please God, lay your hand upon me and take this worry off my heart. I'm giving everything over to you and I have faith you will hear my prayer. Amen." The light turned green and I drove about 2 miles. As I passed Kacey's school, my phone rang. I didn't recognize the number and I almost hit the silent button until something said "Answer it!" When I answered it said "Hello, this is Subfinder. Please enter your PIN now. We have a job opening today from 10am-4pm." I looked at the clock... 9:30am. OMG! I clicked accept and raced home to change clothes. As I was driving, it smacked me like a cast iron frying pan....my prayer was heard!!! This is my first sub job!! I was back at the school by 10am, ready to start the day! I was given the sub notebook, spent the day with a wonderful Kindergarten teacher & class and when it was time for me to go one of the other teachers asked me if I would be willing to work 3 days for her toward the end of the month. HOLY COW! Talk about a blessing! That will give me 4 days for Feb :) Renewed faith? You bet! I can't tell you how many times I said a "Thank You" yesterday. As for the decorating and the backdrop....it did get done thanks to Lyn & Deanna and I didn't have to stress over it because I knew it would get done with no complaints by either of them! (They're great!)

Some people might call that "Coincidence" ....but I call it "An answered prayer"!

Will He See His Shadow?

Happy Groundhog Day!

Will "Phil" see his shadow? Let's hope we don't get 6 more weeks of bad weather! I'm ready for spring :)

Science Fair Project Complete

Kacey got the grade back from her Science Project.... 100% A+