Pump Questions

Over the past 2 weeks, I've been getting asked lots and lots of question about my insulin pump. and I love questions, I really do. I'd prefer someone ask me a question and allow me to give them the correct/real answer than them just going on assuming weird/wrong/crazy things.

and since we all know that:

     1) There is no such thing as a bad or stupid question (Not true. There is such thing) and
     2) If one person has a question then 20,000,000 other people also have the same question

I am going to answer some of those questions here in photographic detail. Cause words are only so fun. Pictures are where the party's at. You're welcome.

Question: What is actually in you? How big is the tube?

This is all that's in my body. A little cannula. Look hard, it's tiny. It's very flexible and I can't technically feel the tube in me. If I feel anything, it's usually just tenderness or a little soreness.

Question: So how does the tube get put in your body?

I put a new infusion site (little cannula (picture above) attached to tubing that's attached to the actual insulin pump) in myself every 2-3 days. With this thing:

Short story is, I load that thing up and pull a little lever thing back and put it against my skin (where I want a new site) and squeeze the sides and BAM! It sends a needle that has the tube wrapped around it into my skin. I pull the needle out and the little tube gets left in. and stays there for about 3 days till I rip it out and do it all over again in another location on my body. It sounds scary. and it is. But really it barely hurts.

Question: How do you take a shower or go swimming?

I just disconnect my pump. It takes half a second.

That pink thing just clips off. and I'm just left with this...

It's just like a round band-aid. I can do anything you can do. Only better. Just kidding. Not really. No I'm kidding. Kinda. I kid. I kid. But I can keep my pump disconnected for about an hour and do all types of crazzzzy stuff.

Question: What's left when you take out an old tube or change the site?

Nothing. I just rip off. Just like a band-aid. and I'm left with this.

A little dot. A well earned battle with type 1 scar.

Question: Does it just put insulin into your body on it's own when you need it? Do you still have to prick your fingers?

I wish the pump did all that by itself. I have to tell it when to give me insulin and I still have to check my blood sugar all the live long day to make sure my body is as "normal" as possible. Hopefully one day research will result in that kind of technology where I pretty much have an artificial pancreas that does everything on its on. Fingers crossed!