Even though we hear a lot about how Your Diabetes May Vary, there’s no denying the fact that many of us living with this chronic condition experience the same happenings. And those happenings make us ask things like:
– Why, when you have to do an emergency infusion set change, it’s when you’re ready to go to bed? This happened to me the other night, and it’s happened more than once… I sat on the bed and reached around for the TV remote so I could turn the set off. As I reached around, my thumb got stuck in just the right (or the wrong) place. In a flash, my set was ripped off and I needed a new one. I was already half asleep.
– While we’re at it, why do I always need a set change either first thing in the morning or last thing at night? Can’t these things be done in the middle of the afternoon on a weekend? All the time? Guess not.
– Why does a low make me stand in front of the refrigerator looking for the one item I love best? Should it be the orange juice or the cranberry? A granola bar or chocolate? Not “you’re low, just get the fast-acting carbs in”. More like, “what is the one perfect thing that I could have without feeling any guilt whatsoever?”.
– For those of us without a waterproof insulin pump, no worries… it’s easy to remember to disconnect before getting into the shower. Unless we really like having the pump and tubing dangling at our sides. But what can I do to remember to reconnect after the shower? ‘Cause I forget that a lot.
– Finally: How many more hours could I add to the end of my life if I didn’t have to run back into the house and get the meter I forgot when I walked out the door?
I know, I should just keep an extra meter in my truck all the time. Frankly, I’m just too cheap to buy another. So I find myself wondering why I don’t sometimes, as well as wondering why I can’t get a set change in at a convenient moment (like there is one), or why I rip out a site when I really want to sleep, and why I can’t remember to reconnect my pump right away after a shower or a swim. I’ll bet you ask one of these questions now and then too. Ask any others? Have any solutions? I’d love to hear them.
Diabetes Blog - Happy-Medium.net 
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My only life hack to share as a reminder to reconnect after a shower….lay your pump on top of the clothes you plan to wear after your shower. (Assuming you set out what you’re going to wear BEFORE you hop in the shower, like I do 🙂 ) I can’t say I’ve ever forgotten to reconnect when I did that!
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Great tip Rhonda… thanks!
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Why do I irrationally think that I know better than my pump when it tells me that I should change the cartridge? “Silly pump. I’ll change that cartridge later. 20 units? That’s plenty.”
Until you realize when you are standing in the middle of a museum with your family and you run out of insulin that the pump. was. right…
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Admittedly, sometimes I like to play the “how much insulin can I squeeze out of this thing after it says “–.- units left” game. When I fail, at least I don’t get a buzz and shock like in Operation.
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I’ll weigh in on the reconnect pump issue. I wear glasses and lay all of my D stuff on top of or next to my glasses. There is no way that I’ll forget my glasses and therefore my pump, CGM receiver, glucose tabs, and Fitbit.
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Great idea Laddie… I’m slightly better at remembering to put my glasses on, so that should help.
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Speaking of showers, why does my CGM always alarm while I’m in the MIDDLE of one?
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Must be the steam heat Jen… at least if it’s a low alarm. If it’s a high alarm, blame the pump disconnection. Frustrating.
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I also do the pump/glasses trick. I have NO idea what I am going to wear before I get in the shower so I can’t lay it on top of my clothes! LOL!
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I love the glasses idea… unfortunately, with a niece at home I have to think about what to wear immediately after exiting the shower. So that’s a good idea too.
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Part of why I love the OmniPod is not having to disconnect for showers… but remembering to have my d-gear with me can be a challenge. I keep all of the stuff I need to have with my phone so if I forget one, I’ll forget all of them!
Almost all pod failures happen when I’m literally one foot out the door on my way to work. I think the goal is to have problems at the worst times!
Regarding the spare meter thing, keep an eye out for those free meter cards, ask your pharmacy if there are any free meter offers or Google what type of meter you want and maybe you can score a free spare. They make their $ on the strips.
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Great tip Rachel… Thanks!
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You forgot to mention something: we all have to deal with people who’re ignorant and judgemental.
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You’ve Got Questions, We’ve Got Answers. That title is just begging for a Home Depot commercial tagline!
– Probably because your bedclothes (whatever they are) are looser than your day/work clothes, and the tubing is more prone to tugging. Though I’ve had emergency “this site just ain’t working right anymore” changes at the office. Can’t ever remember actually ripping one out, though.
– Because we are busy and distracted during the day, and putting it off an hour or two is often an option. But before bed, you’ve got to make the decision “do I have enough juice left to get me through the morning” (with anticipated corrections) and in the morning, it’s “whew…I barely made it” (or not).
– Because it’s an opportunity to indulge in the stuff you wouldn’t normally eat, and it had better be worth it. Also, because you’re low and not thinking straight.
– Leave it on the glasses or clothes, as some suggested. Or, if you wear the same belt every day like I do, keep the holster clipped to that. Hard not to notice it when getting dressed. (Or, maybe, hang it around the bathroom doorknob?)
– Hiw many hours might you SUBTRACT from your life if you didn’t bother to go back and retrieve that meter?
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Too cheap to buy and extra meter? Damn, Stephen, want to take up a collection? Actually, just put a jar in the truck and every time you run back into the house for the meter, stuff a dollar in the jar. You’ll have your meter in no time.
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Thanks… I’m sufficiently shamed.
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🙂 Promise you’ll give me the same crap about not having an extra stash of test strips in my car?
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Not sure I could do that… I’m actually more of a “gentle suggestion” kind of guy.
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