The Corner Booth

Here we are, at the end of 2016. And with that, I've made a decision: No more insulin pumping for me. For most of this past year, I've been disconnected from my pump, which is unusual for me since I have pumped since the middle of 2001, taking only an occasional short break (or pump hiatus) over the years -- but always eventually reconnecting the device under my skin. That was even the case this past Spring when I decided to unplug, after becoming a disgruntled Medtronic customer and deciding to test the waters of Multiple Daily Dosing (MDD) once again. But over this year's Holiday season, I've been doing a lot of reflecting on how far we've come and where we are going in this world of diabetes technology. As we start 2017, I've made a decision that we are so close to the so-called Artificial Pancreas that I am not interested in finding another device to hold me over until the AP hits the market. Hell, we're going to be at that point inside of two years,...

For the past five months, I've been unconnected to my insulin pump and have been doing daily injections and inhaled insulin to keep my blood sugars in check. All is well on that front, and at this point I have no plans to go back to insulin pumping in the near future. As some may remember, I've been on a pump break since mid-May -- mostly because of my need to mix it up in my diabetes management, to motivate myself to get back in gear. But also, because of my frustration and disappointment in Medtronic Diabetes and their business decision-making that I, personally, do not feel best represents the D-Community. Anyhow, with that being said... I'm still perfectly happy " playing darts ." This is a phrase my Loving and Supporting D-Spouse uses to describe my insulin injections. Whenever I ask for her help in doing a shot in the arm, she jokes that it's time to "play darts." No, she doesn't actually toss the needle at me. It's just a ...

A month ago, I decided to step away from my Medtronic insulin pump. This was long overdue, a needed change that I needed to revisit in order to get my diabetes back in line. Yet, I had been putting this off and it wasn't until Medtronic's business decision to screw with patient choice and access that I made the final personal decision to disconnect from my pump and go back on injections like I've done a few times in the past. My first pump vacation lasted for about five months in 2010, and led to a 1.1% drop in my A1C. The later vacations also saw smaller drops, but still they helped me re-focus on D-management. And so, that's what I set out to achieve in the here and now.  After my first month of this #PumpHiatus , my BGs have been phenomenal compared to how they were before. Glucose variability is hella better, and my A1C dropped from 8.4% in February to 7.6% in early June! This was also down from my A1C last Fall where it rang in at 9.1 -- so progress conti...

We were watching the disaster-themed movie marathon on Sci Fi recently, and a crazy D-scenario came to mind: What if THAT particular apocalyptic situation played out and those of us People With Diabetes had to maneuver our own survival? Hmm. This particular flick was a 2009 TV-movie Polar Storm , with the plot basically being that a comet collides with Earth and knocks the planet of its axis, throwing off its magnetic field and causing some crazy EMP bursts that randomly appear and short any electronic device going at the time. So, any cars or cell phones - and anyone touching those at the time of the burst - would pretty much be out of luck. ( Disclaimer: the fact that I was actually watching this movie should in no way signal my endorsement for others to watch it, or hint that my thumbs are in any way pointing upwards when describing the quality of this screen-writing... It was just a way to pass some time without having to exercise the mind. Seriously. ) Anyhow. As some of ...

A recent discussion over at the Children With Diabetes forums got me thinking about whether I'd want to have the option to start insulin pumping at the time of my diagnosis. Granted, I was diagnosed back in 1984 when pumping just wasn't mainstream like it is today. I spent the first 17 years of my D-Life on insulin injections, ranging from one or two a day to four or five, before the carb counting days when MDI became the norm. Personally, I've always appreciated the fact that I spent considerable time on injections before getting the pump. To me, this allowed me to more appreciate the "freedom" and "flexibility" of an insulin pump as I specifically recall what it was like NOT being on the pump. On that note, I have long-felt that newly-diagnosed Ds - whether children or teens or adults - should stay on injections for some decent length of time. Without any rationale for choosing this number, that period in my head has been 1 or 2 years. Why a year...

The time is drawing near. Birthday? Christmas? Hockey season? World Domination By The Cats? Celebratory running down the street naked while wearing only a feather boa... ( hmm )? No, none of those. We are talking about The End of My Pump Hiatus. You may recall that this little vacation has been underway since late March, when I opted to venture back into the world of Multiple Daily Injections after nine consecutive years of pumping. A personal choice not to infer any unhappiness or success with pumping. Just a way to let the body heal, recoup, remember what it's like to not be Mr. Bionic Limb every hour of every day. It's been a grand adventure, reminding me of why I went on the pump in the first place. However, this journey has led me to an unmistakable discovery that the mental rigors of MDI do work and it can succeed - in fact, I dropped my A1c from 8.8% to 7.7% between March and June. That ultimately led to my continuing the Pump Hiatus throughout the summer, since...

The most recent annual camping adventure took me up to Interlochen, Michigan for a week and allows me to trade in the real life stresses and online universe for much-needed relaxation outdoors. Here's a Friday Lite post with some snippets of My D-Life Around The Campfire and nearby places. Moonlight, Campfire, & The Darkness Outdoors: This was my 5th year in the past decade on a summer camping adventure, and the the third straight in late July heading up to the northern part of Lower Michigan with friends. But it was my first where I wasn't pumping, but rather endured Multiple Daily Injections. My sugars were pretty steady or even slightly Low a majority of the time, and only a few times did they rise Higher when overeating and not compensating with enough insulin. Daytime was easy enough. But after dark presented some challenges. Being at a Michigan state park helped, as there were lighted restrooms, showers, running water and electricity. Washing the hands was easy eno...

Her words hit his heart like pure joyful music.  Original Source , before adaption. You would have thought she'd just told him the greatest news on earth. His eyes lit up. Like a small child hearing the world-changing news that he'd get to run through a candy store with unlimited purchasing power and no parents to limit the candy intake. This was the scene in my Endo's office during my three-month visit on Tuesday. It was like a Kid With Diabetes being given access to a Sugar Free Candy Store, just like when Charlie found the final Golden Ticket to Willy Wonka's candy-land. For me, my Golden Ticket came in the form of an impressive A1C figure, which had dropped from 8.8% in March to 7.7% now. A not-so-impressive number, but an impressive 1.1% drop in just three months. Heck, this was better than any Golden Ticket - this was a pathway to better D-Management paved in gold. Or something along those lines. A smile graced not only my face, but...

He sits on a ledge on the second floor of my home, each day peering over the side and pondering whether he should plummet to the carpeted stairs below. A suicide leap, as it might be. The reasons are probably what many face at down-times in their lives: feelings of being all alone, abandoned, not loved or appreciated by anyone. Simply, they have nowhere to turn and it all seems like too much to handle. During the past two months, that's been the case in my house. We have a possible jumper, and those thoughts of being abandonment likely flood the system despite the reality that I do, in fact, have nothing but love and respect and appreciation for this wonderous creation of God. Who do I speak of, you ask? You may know him by other names or even the opposite gender, but in my household we know him by the name of Bacon Gibbs . Yep, my Minimed 722 insulin pump. Who has the name honoring both the wonders of those meaty strips as well as the NCIS character we all love by the name o...

Three years ago, I posed a question: Does Size Matter? You may not recall this, as it was roughly two and half years before my activity in the Diabetes Online Community became regular. At the time, I was a D-Lurker learning the ropes and reading the great words of those who fellow D-Bloggers. Today, I revisit that 3-year-old question and am armed with an answer: Yes, Size Does Matter. As it relates to Diabetes Supplies such as Syringes and Insulin Pumps, of course. (C'mon, people. Focus. Here, not on the Mind Gutter.) P luto knows it, after being demoted a couple years ago to the dismay of millions of former schoolchildren who had their childhood foundations shattered. But the question lingered as it related to my diabetes on several fronts. Most recently, my answer arrived in the 4th week of my Pump Hiatus , which you'll remember I began to help my war-torn infusion site riddled body heal a bit. A new reality has evolved with Multiple Daily Injections, one that I'...

At the end of March, I started a Pump Hiatus that was my first break from insulin pumping since I'd began it nine years earlier. This was a chance to help my war-torn body and infusion sites heal some. This in no way signalled any unhappiness with the concept of pumping, which was a life-changing experience in June 2001 and has allowed flexibility and better health in the near-decade since then. Now, it's the end of April. I've been doing at least two shots a day in that time, sometimes as many as six depending on how many times I eat or correct in a day. I've written some in the first month, such as a post about my Raspberry Jammed Diabetes trending without a pump. Overall, my verdict after a month: I miss my pump and all the benefits brought into my world. Life just hasn't been the same. My definition of "normal" has changed, and it's not a change I'm too enthused about on reflection. The Minimed 722 (who we'll fondly refer to by the pro...

You may know that I'm a fan of 80s movies. Particularly comedies such as Caddyshack, Weird Science, the Breakfast Club and Others that offered humor as an outlet. These helped shape my earlier years, and now they offer some mindless release and laughs into an often sobering adult life. Another favorite is Spaceballs, a 1987 sci fi parody that mocks movies like Star Wars and Star Trek and has become a cult classic. This movie goes beyond greatness and is simply a stellar creation of the highest form, fitting right into the Hoskins Hall of Movie AWEsomeNess. So on that movie homage note, I honor Spaceballs with my analysis of some recent D-Life happenings as it relates to the first 10 days or so of my continuing Pump Hiatus . You may recall my most recent post on Good Friday about My Burning Bush Toe , or the neuropathy-impacted body part that's become a radar-like tool in my D-Management. Over time, I've noticed that when my ...

My eyes opened. Groggy, barely able to take in the morning sunlight streaming in through the bedroom window. Kicked the covers off my body, lifting myself up and swinging my feet toward the side of the bed to stand up and welcome the new day. The dog appeared, wagging her tale and putting her front paws on the bedside to greet me with a wet nose and good morning kiss. As I stood, my hands habitually went to my waistline to feel for my Minimed Paradigm 722 at its usual spot. Nothing. Eyes only slightly ajar, my hands surveyed the bed and felt underneath the pillow in search of the stray pump. All while I gained my footing, and prepared to take the first step away from the bed. Still nothing, and the thought of my pump tubing becoming taught and pulling loose my sight entered my mind. Panic. Eyes opened fully, and I scanned my surroundings in search of my missing lifeline. That’s when it hit me: There’s no connection. For the first time in 9 years, I am not attached to any insulin pump...