DSMA Live: Parents Talk (feat. me) Audio

Apparently I have a lot of thoughts on a multitude of subjects and DSMA Live 'Rents, was a perfect place to share them. I'm confident that you will agree... my appearance is not as entertaining as 'The Avengers' but I can promise this, it is 200 times better, then 80% of ABC's comedy TV lineup. Enough build up, here's DSMA Live: Parents Talk from December 17, 2012.

Listen to internet radio with DiabetesSocMed on Blog Talk Radio

DSMA Live and DSMA Live Parents Talk is also available on iTunes and on the DSMA website. Please consider adding a DSMA Twibbon to your avatar and/or making a donation to help DSMA obtain tax exempt status.

Life Is Short: Leighann Wrote a Book

It all begins with Leighann Calentine writing a book...

... because her opportunity created other opportunities. Leighann's book was to have a handful of sidebars written by some DOC members. Luckily for me I had just written a piece for her blog that she wanted to include in the book. She asked, I gleefully accepted, and months later her book was about to be published.

I never submitted my bio to her publisher and so one day they contacted me for a few lines about myself to include with my sidebar. That's when I met Lynne. I'm chatty and so if you get on the phone with me, I chat. I ask questions, tell stories, don't judge... it's sometimes lonely being a Stay-At-Home Dad. Lynne and I got on right away and she seemed to be enjoying our talk. As she got more comfortable, I got more comfortable, and then I asked how a person gets the opportunity to write a book. She told me about the numerous ways that it could happen and then expressed that she enjoyed what I had written for Leighann and said, "if you ever have an idea you should tell it to me".

Well you don't say that to a man who has wanted to write a book since he was five and not expect to get pitched a book on the spot.

I began speaking in the pause Lynne created at the end of her statement and I don't think I stopped until I fully expressed my idea for a book about being a Stay-At-Home Dad. When I finished speaking I was a bit embarrassed. She hadn't asked me to pitch a book, hell I'm not even sure she wasn't just being polite when she said, "If you ever have an idea...". I spent a long few seconds imagining that I may have just burnt this bridge but I felt good that I took my shot. That book idea had been in my head forever and it was ready to be let out.

My pitch must have been pretty good becasue that phone call ended with the promise that my idea would be presented at Lynne's next pitch meeting. I couldn't believe it, I found the notion that a publisher was going to sit in a meeting and pitch my concept almost otherworldly. Her promise marks the first time this year that I have been lucky enough to say and mean, "I never hoped or expected for this to happen to me". I was grateful and excited to hear back.

I tried not to wonder that next weekend if the Friday meeting really included my idea or if anyone liked it if it did. Monday morning I woke up thinking about that meeting, wondering, but I quick put it out of my mind and began my day. No one was calling, I'm just a guy that blogs about type I diabetes, sure I have stories and yes, I think I tell them well, but what are the odds? Pipedream at best.

But then later that day Lynne called, holy crap she really called! My pitch was a hit at the meeting. "How much time would I need to submit a sample table of contents" for review? I was shocked, surprised, excited, stunned, my head was spinning. I couldn't think of my name let alone how long I'd need to write a TOC. When Lynne hung up the phone I danced around my bedroom in a way that I am quite sure was neither attractive nor dignified.

I only recently had the courage to tell Lynne this next part. I sat down two days later and wrote my table of contents in ten minutes. I already knew the story that I wanted to tell, all I had to do was give each chapter a direction. The next day I went back to my list and added a three sentence description to each. I was describing to myself what I wanted each chapter to be about. I was drawing a map that I could follow when I wrote. I read and re-read that TOC a million times before I sent it off. This was it, this was my one opportunity. No one was ever going to make me this offer again. I believed that I was benefiting greatly from being at the right place at the right time. There was no way the universe was going to line up like this for me twice. I was going to take my best shot, grab on to this moment and not let go until I had no more to give to it.

I put that effort into my pitch, my TOC and if someone at Spry Publishing actually wanted to take a flyer on me, I was going to pour every ounce of who I was and what I had to offer into writing the best book that I could.

In the next installment Life Is Short: Where do I Sign you'll find out if they said yes to my TOC (spoilers, they do), I'll talk about my nerves and how I overcame my self doubt so I could began writing.

Life Is Short, Laundry Is Eternal has it's own FaceBook page, you can visit it at this link or like it with the button below.  

Update on Monday, December 10, 2012 at 2:43PM by Scott Benner

This was part two of my 'Life Is Short: Book Blog'. Part one can be found here.

Update on Friday, January 4, 2013 at 3:53PM by Scott Benner

Entry # 3 - Life Is Short: Where Do I Sign

Oh Canada, I have new OmniPod info

Over the weekend I received more then a few queries from fellow OmniPodders that live in Canada. All were wondering when they can expect the smaller OmniPod to arrive north of the border. So I tied a tiny electronic note to a digital sparrow and released him into the Internet. This encouraging bit of news is what came back...

"With U.S. FDA approval now in hand, we can move forward with our regulatory filings in Canada. We hope that we would begin selling the new OmniPod in Canada later in 2013." - Brian Roberts, CFO, Insulet

There you have it Canada, I hope that this was the kind of news that you were all hoping for. It's not concrete but Insulet is willing to tie themselves to a date, however vague, and I think that is worth be optimistic about. I'll let you know more when I do.

Oh, you know what, while you're here. I've been wondering this my entire adult life... What's a Canuck? Seriously, is it a bird, plant, slang or none of the above? I need to know, please. Thanks!

New OmniPod Pictures and Information

It's official! The next generation of the OmniPod Insulin Management System has been approved by the FDA!

I've just finished speaking with Sean Gallagher, Senior Director, Marketing for Insulet, person living with type I diabetes and OmniPod user. We spoke for a bit this afternoon and I have some fresh information about the new Pods and PDM to share.

The name remains the same: You won't be wearing the OmniPod G2 or OmniPod Lite. Just good old OmniPod.

Pricing: There will be no price increase for the new system.

Transition: Insulet has been working for "18 months" to make the transition to the new smaller pod "easy" and fast for us the users.

How the upgrade happens: Current OmniPod users will receive an email stating that upgrading is possible. All you have to do is contact them back to get the ball rolling. Sean stresses that the process will be super easy, fast and efficient. They are working hard to make the transition a pleasure.

When? When can I get them?: There is some training of staff, endos and the like that's happening now. Expectations are that those steps will be finished and the new Pods will begin being delivered in the first quarter of 2013. I know you feel like you've heard that before but this time the ball is completely in Insulet's court, they have control, I'd bet anything that this time frame is accurate.

More when: For customers that are currently under warrantee. Your new Pods will arrive after you've exhausted the stock that you have in your home. Upgrades will happen at re-order only.

Any insurance stuff to worry about?: Simply, no. If you happen to be outside of your warrantee there will be some steps to take between Insult and your insurance company but Sean assures me that most of that process will happen on their side of the equation, requiring only a minor amount of effort on your part. The man said, "easy" is their goal, I believe him.

Interesting technical stuff

• The insulin reservoir capacity remains the same even though the pod is smaller.


• I asked Sean, "how did your R&D people accomplish the size reduction?" He responded simply by saying, "they're brilliant!". The slightly more technical reasons however include, the insulin reservoir shape has been changed to an oval and flattened. Plus the new Pods require only three, instead of four batteries because of enhancements that lessened power requirements.


• The new PDM has a dramatically improved stated signal range of five feet, but between you and me, I've seen and used one during FDA required Human Factor Testing... I'd try backing up if I was you.


• The smaller Pods have a new feature called a 'pink slide.' When the cannula deploys correctly, it pushes a piece of pink plastic to be visible through a new, second window on the top of the pod's surface. You can use this together with the regular viewing window for additional confirmation of insertion. - Info and picture added at 5 pm on 12/14 after second conversation with Insulet.

Why the long wait:

I expressed to Sean that the long wait for the newer, smaller, lighter OmniPod made me wonder if they were ever going to see the light of day in the U.S.

Sean indicated that the Human Factor Testing requirement from the FDA was in it's infancy (my word) when they were seeking approval and that both sides lived through a learning curve. He did stress that he genuinly belives that the "process is valuable" and when I asked if it was fair to say that the process provided me (and you) with a better, safer insulin pump, he did not hesitate to say, "yes".

Sean closed out our discussion with two thoughts that I will share.

He hopes, for two reasons, that those of you that may be preparing to begin pumping with OmniPod don't feel as though you should wait for the new Pods to become available. His first point (that I can completely agree with) was simple. The current version is a great device. I can't argue with that. If you start today you will be using a wonderful insulin pump, one that has benefited many including Arden for years. His second point was a reminder that the transition to the new Pods will be so easy that it won't even cause a blip in your day to day life. So there's no reason to wait.

I'm choosing to include his thoughts, that you may read as marketing (and perhaps it is) not just because I believe in the company, but also because I know that Insulet is a small company. I don't know for sure, but I'm willing to guess that they wouldn't do well financially with a less then normal amount of new customers over the next three or so months. That's my honest take on this issue, I make no secret that I'd like Insulet and OmniPod to thrive, it's good for my daughter and for all of you that wear the pump.

Lastly:

Sean wanted all of us to know that he and Insulet appreciate all of our paitence during this long journey. He is thrilled by the reception that OmniPod receives in our community and is touched by the eagerness that the new generation OmniPod is being greeted with. He said, "I am happy and excited to put the new OmniPod into hands".

Now for the pictures, you know you want to see the pictures!

Hi-Res version are available in the Visual Record section of the blog.

Update on Monday, December 17, 2012 at 12:46PM by Scott Benner

I have good news about the new OmniPod for my Canadian friends right here

BREAKING NEWS: Smaller OmniPods approved by FDA!

From Insulet

"The new OmniPod System, comprised of a smaller Pod and an updated PDM, has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means Insulet can begin manufacturing and selling the new OmniPod in the U.S. The new OmniPod insulin pump is more than one-third smaller and one-quarter lighter than the original model, while maintaining the same 200-unit insulin reservoir capacity and easy-to-use features."

more from Insulet here

Insulet's investor statement is here

More statements of interest from Insulet/OmniPod

"Preparations are underway to launch the new OmniPod, including training of healthcare professionals and transitioning the rest of our manufacturing production," said Mr. DeSisto. "We expect that these initiatives will take approximately two to three months to complete and anticipate our first shipments in the U.S. to occur in late Q1 2013..."

"If you are currently an OmniPod wearer, you don't have to do anything right now. We will reach out to you when it's time for you to convert to the new OmniPod and give you all the information you'll need. Converting to the new OmniPod will be EASY! And you can be confident that we'll give you plenty of notice before your new OmniPod is shipped."

Well, it took wayyyyy longer then any of use could have predicted or hoped but all of that is behind us now! Whose excited?!?! I for one can not wait to tell Arden, she is going to be so happy. 

Update on Friday, December 14, 2012 at 12:45PM by Scott Benner

@diaTribeNews is reporting via their twitter feed about the new OmniPod:

"Insulet upgrading all current OmniPod users free! New PDM/pods come 2 US early '13. New pod rocking in EU, upgrades done in next 60 days"

"For people new to OmniPod - very nice that the new PDM will cost exactly the same as old one - no price increases for a better product."

If you've never visted http://diatribe.us you should!

Update on Friday, December 14, 2012 at 2:55PM by Scott Benner

Check out my latest post about the NEW OmniPod complete with information and pictures I bet you haven't seen before!

http://www.ardensday.com/main/2012/12/14/new-omnipod-pictures-and-information.html