Insulin Pump

I had an appointment with my endocrinologist this morning. Everything checked out alright. My A1c (a blood test that gives an average of what my blood sugar level has been over the past three months) was a tad high at 8.2 mmol/L, but that includes my Christmas indiscretions, and probably that huge bag of Costco trail mix that I polished off in less than a week.

The nurse ragged on me to get back to the gym (which I haven't been to in over a year, yet am still paying for), and then she and the doctor ganged up on me for their constant mantra, "So, are you getting a pump?"

I take 4 needles a day, before meals and before bed. In and out, and it's done. A pump is stuck in your stomach or wherever else you want to put it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Of course, it can come off when I shower or when I'm swimming, and it is awfully convenient at meal time so I'm not last at the table because I'm taking a shot.

I think I'm just scared of it. I'm scared of putting on more weight with it, because with the needles, if I feel like a snack, I'd have to take another shot (not like I do, though). But with a pump, if I feel like a snack, I can just give myself more insulin. More food+more insulin=more fat.

Everyone I know that has one swears by it, though. And since the Feds finally decided they'd cover the cost of the pump, the tubing, and other stuff that goes with it (some models can run you 6 or 7 thousand dollars, plus another 3 thousand a year for the other stuff!) , they're a lot easier to get. I told the doctor I'd go to the pump information night that my clinic holds and go from there.

Needles!

Had to get my semi-annual A1c and some other blood work done this morning. At the crack of dawn, too. Okay, 8:00 isn't exactly the crack of dawn, but it was early for me since I rarely get up before noon on weekends. The clinic closes at noon on Saturdays though, so I had to get up.

Believe me, I'd love nothing more than to get this out of the way after work during the week, but most of the tests that I have to get done require me to have fasted for 8 hours or so, and that's not likely to have happened during the week.

I hate going, too. I am not a huge fan of needles. That is really strange for ME to say, since I have type 1 diabetes and give myself four needles a day, but it's not the same. I can control where I'm putting it, and my needles are a lot smaller. I'll give myself some credit though. I used to be a lot more of a chicken about it before. I used to get the sweats, and have nightmares about it, sad as that is. Now I see it as more of a chore, but I still never look when the woman comes at me with the needle. I'm just glad it only happens every six months.

Nothing beats when they put my blood on a tap when I was in the hospital getting diagnosed. They came at me every two seconds taking more blood, until they realized they were going to have to put a tap in my artery. For reals. It's like a vampire's dream come true! Looking back, I can remember feeling an apathy about getting it put in. What's another needle after the thousands I was getting jabbed with? I still cringe about it's removal though because I was still bleeding after they took it out...

Okay, I'm going to make myself sick. I like to think I have a strong stomach, but it doesn't always back that claim up.