nineteen years ago today

Nineteen years ago today, I was discharged from the hospital--a five year old child, being brought home after a week spent in the hospital by parents overwhelmed with the prospect of caring for their youngest child, their daughter--a newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic.

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I called the hospital today because I've always been curious about my exact date of diagnosis. Strange--the immediate info that I can receive without the hospital having to dig medical records out of storage is that I was hospitalized from Aug. 22-Aug. 30, 1987. This puts my date of diagnosis at August 22nd, 1987. So, Happy Belated Anniversary to me.

I plan on expanding on my nineteen years with a follow-up post. But I'm mentally and physically exhausted. I spoke with the hospital, I retold my diagnosis story for the first time to a friend of 10+ years and for the first time, I asked my mom about it.

wired

Does anyone else feel like their wrapped up in wires all the time?

When my pump supplies arrive, the box contains half of the longer tubing and the other half short tubing. I haven't decided which tubing I prefer yet. The shorter tubing is a pain in situations such as sleeping, going to the bathroom, changing--pretty much any time my pump is not in my pocket or my pocket is not close to my site. The longer tubing is a pain, because it tends to poke out of clothing more often. This generally doesn't bother me, but can get frustrating after the umpteenth tuck.

Now, the problem I have isn't going to be solved by shorter tubing or longer tubing--it would be solved by no tubing at all. (Yeah, I have heard of the omnipod, but I've also seen it and it's too big! Beggars can't be choosers, I know, but I like my minimed pump, despite the last two posts). However, a couple of site changes ago, so about 6 or 9 days ago, I was sitting right here (in front of my computer). I filled the resevoir, primed it, ready for connection. Meanwhile, I'm listening to the red sox game on my mp3 player (note: not bluetooth). The future site is all swabbed up with alcohol, dried and so I stand up as is my normal procedure, use my blue doohickey (the insertion thing), removed the needle and voila, site changed.

Did you see this coming? That's right folks, I have glued (using the little medical adhesive circle) the wire from my mp3 player to my stomach. I HATE failed site changes, HATE 'EM, HATE 'EM, HATE 'EM. So I'm not easily going to give up and poke myself again--not if I don't have to anyways.

I determine that the needle has gone in, barely missing the wire to my headphones, and so the cannula should be happily in place (it's a risk I'm willing to take, if only I can finagle the wire out from under the adhesive without moving the cannula).

It took a little bit, but I managed to get it. Only had a pesky little spike afterwards, which is the usual for me lately after site changes--anyone have any tricks for this? I usually try to change my site around the time I'm eating and a lot of times that extra insulin carries me. I'm afraid to up my fixed prime anymore, because, well, it's high enough already!

MY OTHER issue with the wires is when I have my mp3 player in one pocket, my pump in the other--where is a girl to put her cell phone?

Happy Friday everyone!