Sunday, July 24, 2016

Six

It's been six years since I started on my Medtronic insulin pump, meaning I have racked up over 52,000+ hours on this.  Tethered to my stomach, lower back, arms or legs, I carry my pump with me everywhere I go. The only place it is left behind is on the bathroom counter as I take a shower or in my beach bag as I take a dip in the water.   Other than that, my insulin pump has been on all kinds of adventures, from 19,341 feet high on Mount Kilimanjaro to the white sand beaches of Barbados.

When I decided to go on an insulin pump I was unsure about my choice. I feared that my freedom would be gone. I would forever be stuck to a box controlling me, and preventing me from doing things that I love.  While I must admit I have had my moments of anger towards my pump, overall this pump has given me a lot more freedom and if anything has given me more opportunities than I ever could have imagined. I appreciate the technology and hard work that goes into diabetes care. Not that long ago people were given one option, syringes.  Now we have amazing insulin pumps that work alongside great technology like wireless meters, and continuous glucose monitors.  For someone who travels often, the insulin pump has been one of the biggest tools in my success in diabetes management.

While the six years seem to have flown by, it's hard to imagine myself without my pump. My pump has become a part of my body and at that, a very helpful tool for me.   I know that technology is headed in the right direction for those living with diabetes and I look forward to the future and to the many more adventures my pump will travel!

Kayla

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