April 23, 2001

Nine years ago today, my life changed. (for the better)

I don't have my Minimed 508 anymore,lent it to a friend & presumably, they'll probably use it until it dies. I didn't even know they made supplies for it anymore, but I guess they must.(the person does not want to switch,& it's their choice,I'm glad they're getting some usage out of it.)

I had received my 508 in January 2001, but I couldn't open the box until my insurance company actually approved it. And that took another month. Scheduling a start date was another 2 months, the d-clinic was extremely backed up. Insurance finally approved on Feb.26,2001; but (later) Minimed denied my eligibility for an upgrade to the 511(?) , apparently two days too early to get in on that deal. If I wanted the upgrade, I'd have to pay for the new pump.I was so upset at this that I vowed it would be my last MM pump,it was a great pump but the customer service was non-existent at that company. Like I can control when my insurance company approves something. I never won that battle,& its all water under the bridge now,but they lost me as a customer when they did that.

On the morning of April 23,2001, my dad drove me to the diabetes clinic for pump training.(a parent had to be there,though I was an adult,it was a pediatric clinic)I got set up on the pump, received the new Ultra (which I drooled over..making the quantum leap from 45 sec Accuchek to 5 second Ultra was amazing) while the other trainee(a young teen) screamed bloody murder as the Silhouette was inserted.(yes,sils can hurt,but I think it was just nerves,she stopped screaming when it finally got in) I then gathered up all my supplies,etc.and followed the CDE over to the cafeteria where a younger dietician met me & we did practice bolusing for lunch. That finished, I followed her up to the pediatric ward where I spent the next 24 hours on observation status. My blood sugars stayed like a literal rock the entire night,varying by about 6 points,but when morning came they skyrocketed up to the 300's. That was the day of a class final exam,and I had a presentation to give that evening(an hour away). They finally let me out late afternoon and I barely got to my class in time,but proudly sporting my 508 (in public) for the first time. The one thing I never liked about the 508 was its propensity for the cartridge door to pop open and the cartridge to come flying out(it once gave me an accidental bolus). But otherwise,it was a great pump,& it definatly improved my control. It got me off the Lente rollarcoaster..and not having to stuff down carbs every couple hours helped me lose excess weight.