I was diagnosed with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus on March 24, 1986. At that time I had no idea what diabetes was or why I had to go to the hospital immediately.
Since I got diabetes when I was young, it was easier for me to accept it and the responsibilities because I remembered very little of life before it. I quickly grew accustomed to the shots and the fact that I could not eat sugar continuously.
For the next two years I did extremely well on only two shots a day. Sometime between '88 and '89, though, I started taking three shots a day. By '91 my glycohemoglobins were fairly high and a fourth shot was added in an attempt to lower my blood sugars.
During the next two years I rode a virtual roller coaster of highs and lows. Finally, in December of '92, I'd had enough of shots and I got a Minimed insulin pump.
I never felt abnormal because I had diabetes, and in most instances the fact that I did rarely came up. The only times I had any problems was after I got the insulin pump.
In middle and high school, I had the constant problem of everyone thinking my pump was a beeper . . . the teachers included. There were occurrences where other students tried to steal the pump from me since they were under the impression that it was a beeper.
Another problem I've had to resolve with the pump is what to do on the occasion that I was exercising and not wearing the pump. After a period of trial and error, however, I discovered the method I needed to use to keep my blood sugar at a constant level.
The main problem I had after getting the insulin pump was proclaiming that I could tell what my blood sugar was without testing it and bolus accordingly (the ironic part is that I could acually tell what it was without doing it); but that proved to be a costly mistake in the end. Let me digress a moment to say that if any diabetics are reading this, please, please, do not just bolus insulin without testing your blood sugar--even if you do know what it is without testing it.
In the end, I lost the ability to tell what my blood sugar was. 300 feels like 150 to me; sometimes I'm low and I feel high. The only way I really know my blood sugar is low is by testing it. Once, I did my blood sugar and the meter said I was 40; I didn't believe it because I didn't feel low. I retested on the same machine and it said the same thing; but I still didn't believe it. I went and used a different machine . . . and received the same blood sugar. Only then was I completely convinced. That is how you can tell that you no longer know what your blood sugar is: all numbers between 50 and 400 feel exactly the same.
In December of '99 I received a Disetronic H-TRON plus, instead of the Minimed 507. There are many differences between Disetronic and Minimed pumps, and, in the end, it comes down to personal preference. With the Minimed, you have to take the pump out of your pocket in order to give a bolus; the Disetronic pump you just press a certain button until you reach the desired amount of insulin. As for being waterproof, all you have to do is snap on this little red cap (which is smaller than a dime across) over part of the pump, and then it is completely waterproof. There is also the option for setting a basal rate for each hour of the day, whereas the Minimed 506 (not sure about 507) you can only set six.
One thing that is harder to do with the Disetronic is fill the syringe and put it in the pump. You have to remove the plunger rod from the syringe and replace it with a piston rod--then you can put it in the pump. Another problem someone may have with the Disetronic is that it is in military time; therefore, if you don't know it, you have to learn it.
Overall, when I compare the two, I like the Disetronic better. And I can say that objectively because I wore the Minimed 506 for seven years before getting the Disetronic.
