Last cannula and in London

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SB2015

SB2015

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I learnt a lot yesterday!!

First things first, I have just put in my last cannula that I have with me. If this one goes wrong I am stuck, but I am going home this evening. I am now tempted to jion FB as I think there is a bit where T1s can go HELP. Anyone know what it is and how?



An early start to get up to London to then go and see Mark Rylance in Othello at The Globe.
BG 5.7. A good start. New cannula in and primed.

So early I decided to have breakfast in the bus. (mistake no 1)
Service good and sandwich arrived with coffee, tested. BG 10.7?????
I realised at this point I had forgotten to replace the pot of strips. (mistake no 2)
Still got about 30 so fine for a couple of normal days, and I have a sensor in so should be fine.
Deliver and wait to get below 8 before I eat.............. swiped sensor, 12.6 and showing rise since
Used a precious test strip BG 14. Pump problem. Correct using pen and deal with pump.
Got pens out to do correction opened up pens there, BUT no cartridges in either pen, and no needles (mistake no 3). Changed cannula, primed, waited, hoped and sensor showed the turn in levels eventually. Once in London and very kind pharmacist contacted my GP and gave me an insulin cartridge for my pen as well as some needles.
Later levels rose again as the cannula site was now very sore. I have just put in my last cannula. If this one goes wrong I will be doing injections all day, unless anyone with a spare flexlink cannula is going anywhere near the Tate modern this afternoon!!!

I thought that I was organised. I have made plenty of mistakes with my D stuff, but these just piled up. I would like to say I won’t do that again and hope I don’t.
 
Just realised that this would have been better in pumping.
 
SB2015 said:
I learnt a lot yesterday!!

Later levels rose again as the cannula site was now very sore. I have just put in my last cannula. If this one goes wrong I will be doing injections all day, unless anyone with a spare flexlink cannula is going anywhere near the Tate modern this afternoon!!!

I thought that I was organised. I have made plenty of mistakes with my D stuff, but these just piled up. I would like to say I won’t do that again and hope I don’t.
Click to expand...

Please forgive my ignorance, but would if be possible to use a cannula from a hospital drop in phlebotomy suite,or an A&E ?
Or is it a specialised fitting ?
 
No they are special ones which are made by the pump manufacturers. They only have to go under the skin, but need to be the right size and attach to the pump tube which is quite likely a unique fitting. There might be a small chance of finding one if a hospital has a good diabetes department, they might have a few spares lying around, I don't know how you'd find out where was such a hospital though if it isn't your own!

I'd happily give you a cannula or two @SB2015 if I lived anywhere near London, sadly I don't :(
 
My Libre sensors saved me some worries.

Levels were stable so no panics this morning, but desperately hoping that nothing went awry.
Eking out test strips to last until I got home.

I was wondering around the Picasso exhibition and had two sensors visible as it was warm and I have the next one in 24 hours before I need it, so looking a bit bionic with one in each arm. I was stopped by someone who lives in SAfrica, wondering why I was wearing two. I explained, and in our conversation also asked if he was on a pump, in the vague hopes that he might have the same cannulas. No. But he did furnish me with some spare test strips for the rest of the day, so much more relaxed.

Now waiting for the bus home and confident that the cannula will survive until then. A lesson learnt and will be more organised until the next time things go wrong. Thanks for help and advice offered. I nearly jioned FB but will do it with some help from a ‘young person’ who can show me how to avoid all the stuff I don’t want, assuming that the group is still active.
 
Thanks Sally

It was a scary couple of days, but I managed to be safe and logical today and avoid issues, and kept on target. Some things to sort out before it is a problem another time, rather than wait for another hiccough.
 
bamba said:
Please forgive my ignorance, but would if be possible to use a cannula from a hospital drop in phlebotomy suite,or an A&E ?
Or is it a specialised fitting ?
Click to expand...
Thanks for the suggestion. As Sally said they are specific connectors for specific pumps. Problems avoided in the end but things to sort out before next time.
 
Glad everything worked out well in the end!

This reminds me a bit of the time the PTA of the school where I work met in a local park for a picnic and informal meeting. I work at the primary school my daughter used to attend, and at the moment there are two other children with T1 there, one I have more to do with than the other. Anyway we were about to start the picnic, daughter got her kit out to test and do her bolus, and there were only 2 strips in the pot! 😱 And we hadn't brought any spares either!

Thank heavens for the Libre, and actually we didn't have far to go home if we did need to fetch anything in an emergency. But it did make me think that if either of those other children had turned up at school with only two test strips on them, I'd have been huffing and puffing about terrible parents who don't take their children's health conditions seriously, or can't be bothered to have a quick check to make sure they've got everything they need 😳🙄. I guess we all forget sometimes!
 
Sally71 said:
Glad everything worked out well in the end!

This reminds me a bit of the time the PTA of the school where I work met in a local park for a picnic and informal meeting. I work at the primary school my daughter used to attend, and at the moment there are two other children with T1 there, one I have more to do with than the other. Anyway we were about to start the picnic, daughter got her kit out to test and do her bolus, and there were only 2 strips in the pot! 😱 And we hadn't brought any spares either!

Thank heavens for the Libre, and actually we didn't have far to go home if we did need to fetch anything in an emergency. But it did make me think that if either of those other children had turned up at school with only two test strips on them, I'd have been huffing and puffing about terrible parents who don't take their children's health conditions seriously, or can't be bothered to have a quick check to make sure they've got everything they need 😳🙄. I guess we all forget sometimes!
Click to expand...

Thanks Sally. Yup I think we all forget sometimes.
I hope it will be a while before I do that again, especially the combined mistakes.
Up in London again next week, I shall be a little more organised.
 
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