Over the weekend I did a “test drive” of my insulin pump with saline water. And early this morning the real ‘juice’ went into my body. No more needles stuck every few hours into my stomach, but a stick-on cannulae, which can stay there for 2 to 3 days.
My diabetes specialist had figured out the amount of insulin I need during the day, from the lists I left with her the week before. The basal [24 hour] intake was set on 3 mmol/L, and the bolus on 15 mmol/L. But the last also has to do with what I’ll eat, so it can go up or down. The pump warns me when I need to check my blood-glucose again after 2 hours, just to see if all went okay. The BG-meter connects wireless with the pump so when the glucose levels are too low, it stops sending insulin to the body, something that can come in handy during the night. Normally when I have a hypo [too low blood-sugar level] I wake up with a cramped stomach, luckily it doesn’t happen often, same goes for a hyper [too high BG level].
Later tonite another specialist will call me to hear if I’m okay, and tomorrow morning the diabetes specialist will do the same. For the next 10 days, or when all goes well a shorter period, they keep this check-up routine. In case of emergency, I’ve got a list of things to do or not to do, including their cell numbers so I can reach them.
