All pumped up!

It's here! I'm so stoked!!! oh my goodness just look at this beauty! The first touch screen, consumer driven insulin pump on the market! I've only had this since Thursday and I already have seen and feel the difference! I'm understanding things so much better. I though insulin worked for only 2 hours.... I was so very wrong. My insulin works for about 3 hours. So when I check my blood sugar after about 2 hours and I'm already at 70, I can check my pump to see how much more insulin I have that will continue to work. So I can determine if I need something or if I need to just leave it alone. It's amazing!

So you can see the tubing that comes out of it in the above picture. It connects to a device on my stomach or wherever I place it. The insulin stays in the tube and the pump delivers micro doses every hour as a basal rate so that my blood sugars stay under control. So here's the device:

I cannot for the life of me get this to stand up.... It's right in the file that I saved, but whatever... anyway so the little triangle device is the cannula that sits there for 3 days. Then there is the tubing that reaches about 18". Which is perfect. Not too long and not too short... anyway It took me about 30 minutes the first time to put that in. The device just seemed so unnecessarily aggressive. They had me practice on a pillow first and it would snap, and snap so loudly I thought that if I had tried it on myself that I would bleed and never stop. So It took me about 30 minutes to convince myself to do it to myself. Then when I finally got the courage, it just didn't go. I tried and tried and tried until "POP"! It snapped and it was in. I felt so embarrassed  The dietitian and the representative were sitting there coaching me on and stroking me to try to calm me down. And then when it went in... it didn't even hurt and it was over! Oh how embarrassing! A grown woman that has been sticking herself with needles for the last 9 months can't get over her needle phobia to do something that didn't  even hurt! Oh well... it's all in and I survived my first change and my blood sugars are so much better controlled. Anyway YAY! this is gonna be so awesome!

An Abundance of Blessings

So I realize that it has been an extremely long time since I last wrote. Mainly because I have had some good news that I have been waiting to share, but I can't hold it in any longer...

No I'm not pregnant... yet... that's for much later and for me to know when and for you all to find out! :)

But, I went to my endocrinologist back in February and got approved to go on an insulin pump! This is a huge relief, as I hate needles and poking myself in the stomach 5-6 times a day was starting to wear on me. Especially since it seems like the nerves in my stomach have gotten significantly more sensitive lately. I can hardly find a spot on my stomach that doesn't hurt when I give myself insulin.

Anyway, so after I got the go ahead I did some research, talked with my diabetes educator, and finally narrowed it down to two choices. So I began to call around to try to get price quotes and I could not get a hold of anyone. I couldn't get a hold of my pharmacist, a new pharmacist, ... anyone. It was a VERY frustrating 4 days. Finally I was told that I would have to contact the manufacturer of a specific pump directly to get a price quote. So I filled out the paper work and faxed it over (that was the first fax I ever sent... usually I send pdf scans in an email). Anyway, I was a little afraid that they didn't get my information and that I had sent it to the wrong number. So after about two hours, I called them up to make sure that they had received it. The guy was super nice and said that he would call me back in 20 minutes after he went looking for it instead of keeping me on hold.

Not even 5 minutes later, I get a phone call from a sales rep and I was quite honestly a little afraid. I didn't want to get pushed into a pump I could afford, or that I would be making a ton of payments on. At any rate, we started to talk about insurance and all of that wonderful red tape. (side note: I have incredible insurance... so incredible in fact, that if I had gotten a pump in network it would have been free... in-network pumps are pumps that they have contracts with the manufacturers to bring the cost down so they will cover it fully... of course you may have already known that... but to those that are still young enough to not know how insurance works... there you go). She informed me that the pump was out-of-network, and that I had wonderful insurance. Then she said, "Actually, since we are trying to get a client base, we are going to be giving you the pump for your in-network price". I just about cried. I was just informed that my pump was not going to cost me a dime. The monthly supplies are a different issue, but the $4500 pump will not cost me a single penny. By the time I had gotten this answer, I was seriously about to give up, thinking it was sign that I shouldn't get a pump just yet. That it wouldn't be worth it. It would be more money down the drain, something we simply could not have afforded. But then, this happened, and I felt at peace and I was overwhelmed that I had been given this opportunity.

Now this pump is called the T:slim. It's awesome! It's the first touch screen insulin pump on the market and holy crap it's amazing. This thing doesn't look or interact like other pumps. It's much more user friendly and it has a rechargeable battery. Seriously, this is some sophisticated medical equipment for a diabetic. It was designed to adapt more into today's world and devices. It was consumer driven. I'm excited to get it tomorrow.

So that is one of many blessings that have happened over the last little while. So I've been to Disneyland for the first time. And while my first experience was much different than it would have been if I had gone for the first time without a kid, it was still remarkable. I now have high expectations for Rob to get a job at Disney, as an imagineer. I can't believe that we were blessed to be able to freely go to California and spend time with family. I mean, most people in our situations would not be able to have the means that we have had to do even half of the things we've done. I just feel so blessed.

Then there was the other day, when I was trying to fill some Insulin for the pump. I called up the pharmacy and was talking to them. I was totally expecting to have to pay around $80 for my insulin. That's at least what I did for the first time I filled insulin ever. Then, my pharmacist told me that I would have a $5 copay, but that he had a $25 coupon to cover the $5. I could hardly believe that I will not be paying an arm and a leg for insulin anymore. I realize just how lucky I am to have the most amazing insurance ever. People tell me about their insurance plans, how much they cost, their copays and deductibles, etc. and I am just appalled and humbled all at once. I feel so blessed to have the job that I do that provides Rob and I very comfortable lives as well as amazing insurance to get through this. I was freaking out so much when I first got diagnosed because insulin is not cheap. And I have only been blessed over and over and over. I truly believe that God does not give us more than we can handle. And while these last 8 or so months have been difficult, they have been made easier because of the abundance of blessings that has been poured over me.

And finally, work is a huge supporter of the March of Dimes. We do several different fundraisers throughout the first quarter to raise money for the babies. This year they held their 2nd annual "silent auction"... really more like a raffle. You buy tickets and put them into the buckets for the items you want. Then they draw a ticket for each bucket. Anyway, so they had two particular items that I wanted; a Kindle paperwhite and a Get-away trip to Park City. At the time I entered I though the Park City get-away was just a one night stay at a nice hotel, which is what I wanted. I wanted to get out of the city and just have a relaxing weekend. Well, I got a phone call on Monday morning, informing I had won the Park City get away... Needless to say I was ecstatic... However, what I did not realize is that the package included MUCH MUCH more than I had originally thought. Apparently, this was the prize to win. We won a two night stay at Hotel Park City in one of their executive suites, 2 Spa treatments (side note, I actually have never had a professional massage... so YAY!), and a $160 gift card to Ruth's Chris steakhouse... Now I didn't know what Ruth's Chris steakhouse was, but I was quickly informed that it is apparently a high end steakhouse with the most amazing meat one will ever taste.... So yeah, I think I have our anniversary covered.... Just saying...

Anyway, I feel like this could not have come at a better time. I feel blessed that I won and everything seems to be falling into place. I sure feel relief and like my burden are being lifted. What a wonderful feeling.

Now this post is not about bragging... just in case anyone was thinking that, but rather, it's an expression of gratitude to my Heavenly Father who has blessed me with such richness in my life. I will post more hopefully tomorrow with pictures of me becoming into a slight robot. Until then, I hope that you all can find the small or large blessings in your life and may they make your day brighter.