phone screen? So extremely frustrating. We depend on it for so much, and yet those screens
are so fragile. What do we all of the sudden do to cope when we aren’t reachable 24/7, and
when we can’t research any topic we want within seconds to get the immediate information that
we’ve grown accustomed to having at our fingertips.
Now imagine that screen was not just the way you control communication with others, and the
plethora of other functions that our phones hold for us; but imagine that screen is controlling
how your life saving, and life dependent medication is being dosed to you.
The thing about being a type 1 diabetic is that there is much that happens during the day
requiring insulin dosing or bolusing. Eating is one of those things, and the dosing depends on
what types of food we’re having. Everybody responds differently to insulin so it’s not a one size
fits all, “take 2 and call me in the morning “, type of treatment or disease.
Type 1 diabetics are always guessing, because insulin needs change like the wind. All this is to
say, with that many decisions required in a day, we need to make things simple whenever and
wherever we can. So many aspects of life and so many decisions are critical without any
breaks. Why complicate something when we don’t need to? And truly, in our home that is how
we live. If we can simplify something, we do. If we can make something constant, not needing
ever changing adjustments, we do.
Back to the broken screen issues. The touch screen on our sons’ insulin pump is awesome. We
appreciate the display and the controls. However, in our family we have broken 4 pump screens.
Shattered completely. One time playing basketball, but another time just leaning against the end
of the couch. When the screen isn’t functional, the pump isn’t functional, and everything in our
world needs to shift quickly. Questions arise, like “how much insulin was on board”, “how much
basal has gotten in so far today”, and “do I have insulin pens and needles with me at this
moment”.
That’s not even to mention the questions of whether our pump is still under warranty or will our
insurance cover another one. One of the things diabetic families loath most is having to get on
the phone with insurance companies or medical supply companies and sometimes mediate
between the two. I, myself, have had weeks as a type 1 mama, where 50 hours have been
spent advocating, and yes, arguing with suppliers and providers trying to get my boys taken
care of. The system is not patient friendly, unfortunately, but that’s a blog for a different day.
All this is to say, for us, one of the ways we can make something simple in our lives, is to protect
that pump screen. That pump that’s worth thousands of dollars and our precious time that’s
worth even more, needs protecting. Diabetic families, our energy needs protecting. Let’s adapt
and adjust and utilize whatever can make our lives easier. That’s the heartbeat behind T1Defender Insulin Pump Case.
We needed to create something that in the long run is going to
protect our pumps, and our boys, and our time, and our energy. So essentially: our sanity.I know that may seem like an over dramatization at the importance of a pump case. But have
one of those 50 hour weeks that reaches no resolution, knowing another one awaits you, and
you’ll know that the little things protect the big things.