Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Podding: It's a Family Affair

Waaaaayyyyyy back last fall I was cleaning out our diabetes closet and I ran across an old demo pod that we had never used. 

And I wondered... "What would Sweets think if I were to wear one?"

So I asked her.  And she thought that ME wearing a pod was the COOLEST thing ever.

 So, in honor of World Diabetes Day, I slapped on a pod!  And I wore it for a week or so. J also joined in the fun.  We found an old pod that still had the adhesive on it (It must have been one that didn't work...  It's rare for us to get a dud.  In almost a year, we have only had a few.) and he put it on and wore it, too!

I put mine on my backside - lower hip region.  J put his on his stomach.  Sweets spent the week lifting our shirts to see our pods... and smiling!  She grinned like a Chesire Cat all week long!  She told our family and friends and probably a random stranger or two that "Mom and Dad are wearing pods!  Just like me!" 
She also thought it was pretty funny when J went to take his off... and it hurt!  His had adhered to some hair... that was pretty painful! 

I have to say... I thought it was pretty cool! The pod was not heavy.  And most of the time I forgot it was there.  I showered with it on.  I slept with it on.  I was pleased with how comfortable it was. 

But it did make itself known from time to time.  If I wasn't aware when I was getting dressed and undressed ... or using the bathroom...my clothes would hook on it and pull.  And there was one occasion where it made a noticeable bump under my clothing... J kept getting his caught under his desk at work!  If he really had to wear one... it would have a learning experience on placement! 

Of course, wearing it for a week is different than wearing it always.  But I was glad to be able to do it to show some solidarity and make Sweets smile!

It just so happened that I was talking with our rep at a vendor fair and I was able to snag another demo pod - just in time for her diaversary!  So, in honor of her day, I wore another pod. 

This time, Sweets wanted to put it on me.  She picked the right place and stuck it on.  (After poking around and making me feel so great by saying, "Hmmm.... I think YOU have enough fat that YOU could wear it on your belly.  See??" poke, poke, poke....) But the best part was the other night.  We had just gotten home and we were all in the kitchen unloading our crap.  And we heard "screaming". 

A screaming pod... GREAT. 

But we couldn't figure out where it was coming from!

 It sounds a lot like the alarm on our fridge if we leave it open.  But it wasn't that. 

We stick our ears next to Sweets rump and it wasn't her.  (Big sigh of relief!) 

It didn't seem to be coming from the box of used ones we keep for art projects. 

It was ME!  MY pod was screaming!  Sweets LOVED that!  And she proceeded to rip that little sucker off of me and throw it in the freezer!

I don't have any pictures to share.... I am most certainly NOT putting a picture of MY rear on the internet!  You'll just have to take my word for it!

Wearing pods was a fun little thing to do ...  And I'd do it again anytime!

Of course, I'd do anything to make this journey a little easier for her.  I'd wear a pod all the time if it would help her feel better about life with diabetes. Heck, I'd even post my own pod pics if it meant finding the cure!  (Which it won't - so don't even try...  And trust me.... You don't want to see it anyway!)

7 comments:

  1. I've worn them on my arm, and always start off smacking door jams. I do eventually compensate. How funny to hear Sweets get a kick out of your Pod screeching. I am certain is was a HUGE sigh of relief for it not to be hers! Beeps of any kind always make me tense up. :)

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  2. What a cool thing to do for Sweets! Anything to make the journey more enjoyable..

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  3. We feel the same way in our family about doing whatever we can to make Lexi feel like we support her. We give each other pokes with syringes and test our blood. She loves it too.
    Sweets is using the Omni pod right? We just got our Demo in the mail and are crossing our fingers that it works out. She wants to try a pump but she wants to be tube free. She our free free free spirit!

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  4. We feel the same way in our family about doing whatever we can to let Lexi know we support her. We give each other pokes with syringes and test our blood ( sometimes just the finger poking).
    Sweets uses the Omni pod? We just got our Demo Kit in the mail. We are hoping that Lexi will like it as she is finally willing to try a pump and wants to be tube free. Oh our free free free spirit.
    ( We are getting a lot of push from the doc toward a medtronic but really -- I think she won't wear tubing!)

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  5. woohoo! go mom and dad! that is SO GREAT that you guys wore pods.

    i don't think my parents ever put in a pump set, but i remember stabbing them with syringes full of saline after i was diagnosed. parents are great like that. :)

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  6. OMG, you throw your screamers in the freezer too? That is too funny!

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  7. I love your family's approach to making Sweets feel more comfortable and less different (or making her parents ALSO feel different, as she does!) Good luck with Podding. The OmniPod was my first-ever pump, back in 2007. I wore it successfully for 6 months. Then I started having very scratchy skin (I think it's because I have sensitive skin and the skin could not breathe under the adhesive and the plastic, especially in hot, humid NJ summers. Ultimately, I started having way too many site absorption issues. I'm glad you use her buttocks for Pod insertion, but I pray you are rotating like crazy. My first OmniPod trainer, I'm afraid, did not emphasize rotation enough. Now I'm having trouble with scarring at my (traditional) pump infusion sites, and since I'm slender there aren't any more to choose from. I wear my CGM sensors in my buttocks, so I can't infuse there. I'm about to go on what is likely to be a very extended "pump vacation," as I cannot bear to watch my A1C keep on rising because of poor absorption.

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