My first pump was an Animas IR1275....it was silver and black, and I grinned from ear to ear when I received it. I was 21, in nursing school, engaged to be married...and a total badass. My CDE (whom I couldn't stand...Like literally...we used to argue) had tried desperately to have me choose a Medtronic Minimed Paradigm 515. As usual, I told her she could eat me..and to go ahead and order what I wanted. I loved my Endo at the time, and even asked Dr. C when we were dating if it would be weird if I continued to see Dr. Moore....Dr. C was less than amused.
Fast forward a few years, and in strolls a Medtronic rep. All sparkly and heaven sent. She presented me with my first demo pump. I was in love. Less button pushing and integrated CGM? I'm pretty sure I made out with her that day...or maybe I dreamed that? She was hot, either way. My Medtronic Paradigm 522 was Smoke...and on fiiiiire. When it came to portable pancreases, I was sporting a Bentley.
As many of you know, I went to work for company X in March...for 3 months. I was told I had to switch to their tubeless product if I were to work for them. I cried. Seriously. Bawled. This should have been a sign for things to come. Chronic pod errors, alarms all the time, ripped skin and bruises, pods falling off for no reason...I wanted nothing more than to be strapped to my Medtronic love, again. So when I broke it off with company X in June, I was more than happy to shove that thing in a drawer...even though the pod errors and such had improved. Most surprising? Dr. C is STILL sleeping with the enemy. He loves that damn thing. If it's tubeless, he's pumping.
After a 3 month Pumpcation, I strapped on my newest toy: Medtronic Minimed Revel 523...and...AAAAANDDDD...it was PAAAAAANK! woohoo (shout out to blog favorite, Julia Roberts!)! I have been lovingly tied up to my Revel since September, and despite the baby toes, inquisitive cats and rogue door handles, I have never been happier!
Medtronic has had a tubeless pump in the works for a couple of years...and as to whether or not I will jump back on the tubeless bandwagon is questionable. With FDA delays, and lack of technology perfection, I'm a hopeless cynic. I hosted my support group for Type 1s the other night, and out of the group of us there, 3 had tried Product X, 2 of us had returned to ole Faithful: Medtronic.
One thing DID ring true, though. All of us were pumping...and all of us would rather laugh and commiserate, than cry in solitude. Chronic diseases are no fun, y'all. And even yours truly (Goddess of all things snarky and diabetic) has a bad BS day (blood sugar...bull shit...both work). It's easy to say THIS SUCKS...and not think about your body, but then they start shoving large bore needles into your arms and lopping off your toes. My toes are insanely cute, thank you very much...so I think I'll keep em. If you're feeling down about being pancreatically challenged...talk to someone! Your Endo..CDE...BFF...anyone. Sometimes just getting it off of your chest can be cathartic.
So, to the world of auto-immune misfits: know this...you're not alone...and in this day and age, reaching out is easier than ever. Tube, no tube...pump, no pump...thyroid, no thyroid...welcome, friend....kick back and have a seat, take a load off, enjoy a (diet) soda and enjoy the proverbial ride.
Signing off,
Queen of the auto-immune, pancreatically challenged misfits with 10 toes.
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