Clinic and Pump Start

[Monica]

Carol had annual clinic appointment yesterday. They took some blood to test and she had her feet checked. Her feet are fine. Her HbA1C was 7.7% or in new money 61. As Carol is now 14 they also gave her leaflets about alcohol, smoking and sex plus a couple more about sick days etc. We didn't discuss the blood test readings from home, as Carol is STARTING WITH THE PUMP ON MONDAY! YAY!

Actually, we will see the dietician at 9am for another carb counting session, showing us how to do it a different way to how we're doing it now. Then at 11am we're going to meet up with DSN (and hopefully the rep, which hasn't been confirmed) to put Carol on SALINE at first, until tuesday 21st June when she'll go on insulin.

I am really scared though that Carol will think it's an easy way out of doing injections and won't put in the effort needed. The DSN looked a bit worried yesterday. Carol will have to sign a "contract", which states that she will have to do as she's told and make an effort, otherwise they will take it off her again. In return they will do everything they can to help.

 

[novorapidboi26]

The time has finally come eh, I wish carol the best of luck with her pump, I am sure she will put all the work in just fine........

What differences in carb counting will she be taught........you probably dont know yet, but I would be interested in hearing them.....

Congrats to her on the good HbA1c, I am sure she is in for much better ones when settled in........

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Fantastic news Monica.

I hope Carol will do brilliantly on the pump, and feel it releases her from some of the uncertainty/restriction of MDI. That in itself will make her want to put in the necessary effort I'd have thought.

M

 

[Monica]

What differences in carb counting will she be taught........you probably dont know yet, but I would be interested in hearing them.....

QUOTE]

Yes, I do know - For example: You add up all the carbs eg. 65.7 carbs, divide that by 5 (thats 1:2 in old ways- 2units/10g) =13.14 units. With a pump, I think I can include that .14 somehow.

the old way - 65.7 carbs = 6.5 cp x 2 = 13

I hope you understand this explanation 🙂

 

[Caroline]

Great news, I'm sure Carol will do very well with the pump too.

 

[novorapidboi26]

Yes, I do know - For example: You add up all the carbs eg. 65.7 carbs, divide that by 5 (thats 1:2 in old ways- 2units/10g) =13.14 units. With a pump, I think I can include that .14 somehow.

the old way - 65.7 carbs = 6.5 cp x 2 = 13

I hope you understand this explanation 🙂

lol, I think so, so instead of rounding up or down, you can count your carbs with the decimal points and dose it with them............

 

[Monica]

lol, I think so, so instead of rounding up or down, you can count your carbs with the decimal points and dose it with them............

Yep that's right, you can be far more accurate too, especially if you had a ratio of 1 1/4 per 1CP, in new terms that would be carbs total :8 🙂

 

[trophywench]

I never ever caught onto CPs anyway. I started off in 1972 with Portions - we used to have either Portions, Rations or Lines in those days! - all synonymous with 10g CHO. Then when I started carb counting I always said eg 1u per 10g CHO rather than 1u per 1CP. So I don't have any prob whatsoever knowing I need 4.1u for 41g ..... but still have a sandwich and say that's 4u instead of saying it's 3.8 !

 

[bigpurpleduck]

Excellent news that Carol's getting her pump!

For me, the pump is hard work but I don't mind because my control is better, but also flexibility of life. Take the concert you mentioned in your other thread - with the pump the injection wouldn't be a problem, and you could always set a temporary basal if worried about hypos with all the jumping around, or highs with the adrenaline. It's much easier to eat more than usual (or skip a meal), it's easier to eat something unexpectedly because your friends fancied a snack, exercise is far easier to deal with... The list goes on and on. I get the impression Carol wants to be just like her friends and not have to turn down food, or hide in the corner to do an injection (I know I felt that way at her age). The pump will help with these things tremendously as it's far more versatile than MDI. So hopefully, if the better control doesn't motivate her to do her tests and work at it, the flexibility and quality of life will.

Best of luck with it - you know where we are 🙂

 

[Monica]

Excellent news that Carol's getting her pump!

I get the impression Carol wants to be just like her friends and not have to turn down food, or hide in the corner to do an injection (I know I felt that way at her age). 🙂

You hit the nail on the head there! Everyone has a snack at 11am at school, so of course she wants one too. She usually eats her crisps ( betw. 9g and 12g carbs) without injecting, but she will have the insulin for that at 1pm. She hates injecting in public. But I'm very proud of her actually doing it on the train sitting next to a stranger ( Carol insisted that I warned the lady though). Carol was wearing ripped jeans, so she could inject through the hole, otherwise she'd have fought her way to the toilet (the train contained 3 times as many people it should have. Fiona sat/laid underneath the seats that were back to back)
So, hopefully she will realise it's better even with more test and having to take control herself instead of me doing everything for her

 

[Steff]

Brillaint news Mon, i wish carole every sucsess on her journey with the pump x

 

[casey]

Great news, i just want to wish Carol the best of luck with her new pump. Hope it all goes well.

 

[Phil65]

Good news about the pump.......hope it goes well. I am sure you will have ups and downs.....but sooooo much better than MDI. Basals are delivered so much more effectively....when you have worked out your hourly measures!! And temporary basal rates are a fantastic tool!!