Carmen Gierhan
I was diagnosed with diabetes in 1982, when I was six years old. I've been living with the disease for 25 years.
My diagnosis was overwhelming for my mother. It was hard for her to give me injections, and hard for me to understand why I had to change my diet. Both my grandmothers were exceptional bakers, so suddenly not being allowed to eat their delicious cookies was very confusing for me.
I started with two injections a day, but eventually moved up to three, four and five. My blood sugars were all over the place, dropping or spiking very quickly. I had to be very diligent and give myself injections at the same time every day. If I didn't, my glucose levels fluctuated too much to control.
Because I had lost my warning signals, I started researching insulin pumps. I figured that if I couldn't feel the drops and spikes, I needed technology to help me. I specifically wanted the Medtronic insulin pump because the real time glucose monitoring was important to me. The glucose sensor would help me track my levels continually; it would help me know what was going on in my body.
I wish I'd switched to insulin pump therapy sooner. I can finally eat with my family, whenever they decide to sit down, rather than be tied to a strict injection-based schedule. Because I'm always getting insulin, I can work around other peoples' schedules for a change. Also, for the first time since I was six years old, I get to sleep in on Saturday mornings! I don't have to get up early to take my shot.
I've had the insulin pump for six months, and the affect it's had on my life is like night and day. The insulin pump forces me to take better care of myself; I've already lost twenty pounds. It lets me know how much insulin I need based on what I'm eating. Because it alerts me if my glucose levels are dropping or spiking, it has helped me pay better attention to my body and regain my warning signals.
The insulin pump is so small that most people don't even know I'm wearing it. It fits in my pocket or slides onto my belt. I can't believe something so small does such amazing things. I recommend insulin pump therapy for everyone who wants more freedom from diabetes.
