My name is Clemma and I am writing about my experience with the Dexcom Seven continuous glucose monitoring system. I live in Minneapolis with my young son and my not so young husband. I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 11 years ago, when I was almost 21 years old. I started pumping 7 years ago, first with a Minimed 508, then an Animas IR1200, and now with the OmniPod. Friday, June 29 I hooked up to my newest constant companion, the one and only Comrade Dex...

Monday, October 22, 2007

Stupid User Experience: Changing insulin pump site

Here is a tidbit of advice. When you are in a hurry to change your insulin pump setting, take the time to LOOK at it before you reach down and pull it out. Examine the site. Verify that there is a tube leading from the site you are about to rip out, and that this tube is attached to your insulin pump. If there is no tubing, and if there is a small black transmitter where no small black transmitter should be, this means you had better stop your hand before you make an expensive mistake. Yesterday I was in a rush, reached down and ripped out the site with nary a glance. You guessed it, it took my addled brain a few seconds to realize that I had just ripped out my Dexcom sensor, only on day 3 and until that moment functioning very well with excellent accuracy. "Ooops" does not describe the extent of my self-loathing for the next 30 minutes. I have one more sensor left and currently cannot afford to re-order. I haven't decided yet if I will put the new one in now, or wait the remaining 7-9 days I expected to get out of the poor sensor that died an untimely death.

Moral of this story: Look before you rip.

Friday, October 19, 2007

Houseguests and broken cables

Obviously I took some time off from posting here. We had unexpected houseguests - my sister's friend and her 18 month-old son. They stayed with us for 4 1/2 weeks of my life that I will never get back. Personal computing time was non-existent. I have to say, I used to think my child was loud, but after a month with Evil Houseguest Child, I know realize that Adrian's noise level is like a gentle lilting breeze. Lest I sound unduly harsh, let me add that Evil Houseguest Child bites people. His favorite victim is my 2 year-old son. Luckily the houseguests are gone now, Adrian's welts are fading to bruises, and I am starting to feel like my old self again.

I also took a Dexcom break. I had a couple bad sensors, and then my calibration cable broke. After they replaced the sensors and the cable I just didn't get around to starting again. I put in a new sensor at work this morning and realized I forgot the transmitter at home, but I'll be initializing it tonight. I was surprised to have two bad sensors in a row. I think my next post should be about when sensors fail. The Dexcom manual kind of glosses over that, if I remember correctly.