What passes for great

Today Arden had an appointment at CHOP to begin using her new OmniPod insulin pump.  We went in for what is called a ‘saline start’.  The pump is loaded with saline instead of insulin so that I can practice using the device - the saline start helps avoid any unpleasant on the job training mistakes.  

Cheryl, from CHOP’s Insulin Pump Team was fantastic!  I left with a firm day one understanding of the pump, it’s PDM (Personal Diabetes Manager) and the calculations that they require.  There is plenty more to learn but Cheryl did an excellent job of acclimating me with this new and different way of managing Arden’s BG.

The pump should add a level of control to Arden’s management that doesn’t exist when you inject the insulin.  If you’re interested in following Arden’s progress with the pump please visit our new OmniPod blog (link at top of page), there you’ll find photos, videos and accounts of the process and changes in management. 

Today was for a great day for Arden and her health.  I took a moment before the appointment to reflect on the last two and a half years and what it has taken to manage Arden’s moment to moment health needs.  It has been difficult and exhausting but I wouldn’t change anything about how we handled the situation.  The level of attention that it takes to manage type I diabetes in a person as young and as small as Arden is high - but the rewards are irreplaceable.  Now with a bit of luck, Arden’s pump can take over a few of the mental responsibilities that I currently have.  

Today was a great day for us but sad at the same time.  Sad because what sometimes passes for great when you have type I diabetes would be considered disastrous for someone without it.  Today I am celebrating that Arden will have a small device taped to her every moment of every day until type I is cured.  Please don’t lose sight of the fact that Arden’s diabetes is sill moving her towards the end of her life faster then she should be going and consider the JDRF when you make a charitable donation.  This pump is not a cure, it and the insulin inside are merely keeping Arden alive until a cure is found.  

As always, we appreciate your support and interest.

A Great (saline) Start

Today Arden started using her OmniPod, though it doesn’t have insulin in it just yet.  We will spend seven days using the pump as we would normally but instead of insulin, saline will be pumped under Arden’s skin.  This “practice” time is meant to get me aquatinted with the pump’s operation before I begin using it to administer Arden’s insulin.  If you’re interested, you can read more about our appointment in Daddy’s Blog. 

Check back here throughout the week for updates as I’ll be trying to keep this information fresh for not just you the reader but also for me.  I think that this blog will be a fantastic resource for people considering a pump.  I also expect it to serve as a referable diary for me.  

Seven days till ‘No more needles’!

The OmniPod arrives

Arden’s new insulin pump has arrived.  This pump will decrease Arden’s shot frequency from twenty-one times or more every three days down to once every three days! 

It should also help keep her blood glucose more stable and allow her to eat more frequently and with much more freedom!  

We have an appointment tomorrow at CHOP to attach the OmniPod (with saline, not insulin) so that we can begin a seven day training period. We will begin to use the pump exclusively on February 12th as long as everything progresses according to plan.

You can view the video on our site in a larger format here

and here on YouTube...

FedEx is here!

The FedEx driver just delivered Arden’s first supply of OmniPods today at 2:45 pm.  Arden is very excited!  Now begins our 45 day trial period.  Over the next 45 days we have to make ourselves comfortable with the pump and do a live 7 day test with saline (in place of insulin) to make sure that this pump will work for Arden.  

Please join us over the next 45 days as we figure out if we’ve made the correct choice when we picked the OmniPod.  Check back soon for pictures, video and descriptions of this very exciting process. 

Paperwork has been submitted

Well not 100% no more needles - but pretty close.  Arden will still have to take the occasional injection after we get her pump up and running smoothly.  

Kelly and I completed the test that CHOP administers to make sure that you are ready for a pump (we got a 98%) then all of the necessary information was faxed to Insulet (they makers of the OmniPod) today.  Less then 90 minutes later Insulethad verified Arden’s information, contacted our insurance provider and set up our shipment of OmniPods - they arrive early next week.  

Wow, that was fast!  Be back soon with more...

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The following are archived comments from this post. You can post new comments below.

Scott

So far the company that makes the OmniPod has been fantastic!  They were fast and friendly.  It only took them 3 hours after they received our application to verify it, contact our insurance provider and arrange for Arden to begin using the pump.  I was told that the pumps would arrive on Monday at 3pm and they were 15 minutes early.  Great first impression!

Monday, February 2, 2009 - 03:01 PM