Wednesday, June 26, 2013

All you need is gum... and a whole bunch of love

The other day we had a particularly bad CGM insertion.  Elise flinched as I pressed in the plunger, and then started to cry.  Something that is unheard of around here.

Upon closer inspection, I found out why... a small dot of red began to bloom.  Then seep,  And drip.

Aw, crap.

We removed it ASAP and I gave up on any chance of her wanting another one any time soon. We've been having some problem areas and I've been depending on the CGM to help us pinpoint exactly what is going on.

I came downstairs after nursing Lucas when Elise ran up to me and said, "I'm ready to try again!"

So we did... this time it went just fine.  I looked at Elise and told her that I was so proud and amazed by her bravery.

She hugged me and said, "Oh thank you Mama!  All you really need is some gum.  And a whole bunch of love.  Thank you for giving me both."

Swoon... I love that girl.

*we always give her gum to chew during pod changes and CGM insertions.  She swears it takes away the pain.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Yes Elise, there really is a smaller pod

About 5 minutes after I hit "publish" on my last post, a medium sized brown box appeared on our doorstep.

From my blog, to UPS's ears... am I right?

The next day, I called OP and they overnighted the PDM to me.

We are excited to give these a go, but we have a box or so of the old pods to get through first.

But they're here.

And she's ready. 

Giddy up.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Rock, meet hard place

Have you heard the big news?  Omnipod has started transitioning existing customers to the new pod.

I mean, apparently.  I have heard such stirrings in the DOC, but like the mythical Loch Ness Monster and Big Foot, I haven't seen it with mine own eyes.

I have made several calls to everyone I can think of, trying to find out when Elise's turn is.  You see, we are running out of pods, and I'll be damned if I'm going to order another shipment of the old ones.

I've been told that our turn will come when it's time for our next automatic reorder.  And that's where we fall through the cracks.  For some reason, the company we order from can't seem to get us on auto-ship. No biggie... before now, I'd just make a note on my calendar and order when our time came.

We had enough pods to skip an order, so I did just that.  Worried that we'd be forgotten, I put calls in to OP, and our supplier; only to get the run-around that is leaving me exhausted.

According to our supplier, they will not ship out the new pods until OP has sent us an email and the new PDM with instructions for training.  And according to OP, they won't send the PDM until we get our new shipment of pods from the supplier.  Calls back and forth to each company, gave me no resolution, and although I love making numerous phone calls a day in between the laundry, cleaning, butt wiping, meal preparing, diaper changing, nursing, baby food making, bathing, dressing, refereeing, bill paying crap (not to mention diabetes related care); it was getting ridiculous.

It was a very frustrating case of "Chicken or the Egg".  And last week, finally, I had enough.

I called our supplier and told them that I would not be hanging up until someone there would send me a shipment of the new pods, thankyouverymuch.

After pleading my case, finally I was rewarded with a yes!  YES!

Of course our prescription had expired, and they needed new paperwork from our insurance... but all that has now been taken care of and apparently the pods are in the mail.

But... like everything on this journey to the new pods, I'll believe it when I see it.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Things Diabetes has taught me this month... May edition

-Nothing can cause me to spew expletives like an alarming pod/PDM.  Especially when it happens at bedtime. And because of a malfunctioning PDM that we were given the wrong information about. A few weeks ago, our PDM went crazy when I tired to set a temp basal.  When I called OP, I was told it was because the batteries were too low. I had one bar left, and I knew I had set a temp basal with the battery flashing before, but whatever. Because the PDM went crazy, I had to also replace the pod.

Fast forward a week and it's bedtime.  I need to set a temp basal again.  What I didn't notice is that the battery was again low, and of course, the PDM started howling at me.  Fred walked in as I was about to hurl it at the wall.  I smiled politely at Elise, then stomped downstairs to collect all the pod change necessities, hissing the f-word through my teeth as I tried to keep my head from exploding.  I was coo-coo-for-cocoa-puffs angry, mostly because I HAD JUST PUT A POD ON THAT DAY. When I called OP again about the problem, I was told the PDM should not do that.  I love getting two different answers to the same question. We ended ed up getting the PDM replaced. Le sigh.

-Because of this, I now know how to reset a PDM... yay me!

-Sometimes it feels like diabetes was easier when Elise was younger. Because these days she notices everything that diabetes affects and it makes her so sad. From not getting to eat when she's high, to getting a much smaller piece of cake at a birthday party (something I only noticed after she had been served). She has really been battling the diabetes blues this past month, and it's killing me. The cake thing happened at a birthday party.  Mattias was sitting right next to her and his piece was almost twice the size.  Elise kept looking back and forth between their plates.  Later she asked me if it was because of her diabetes. Obviously I lied and told her no.

Blergh.