Tate started using his pump on Monday. We went through a 5 hour training at Children's Hospital with him with us...a little challenging to say the least, but we got through it and he, once again, did great.
They said to expect a few weeks to get everything ironed out. He started off with his glucose numbers all out of wack...highs and lows, and very different than they were. Now, on the 6th day, he has been running low. Today, I have had to prick his finger 16 times since midnight, and there will still be more tonight. No tears, though, and he says he likes his pump better than his shots. Thank goodness we have his Dexcom CGM to help us monitor his levels because it has caught all of these lows before they were really low.
So, his pump is attached just below his waist line. It is inserted with a needle, but the needle doesn't stay in. Then there is tubing that goes from the infusion site to his pump (this is how the insulin gets from the pump to his body). Then we hook the pump to his pants, but it seems to fall off a lot. I guess because of how active he is. We have to change this every 2 days. It is a little challenging right now, but I know it will get easier with practice. We do numb the site before we change it. Yesterday, he did somehow pull the infusion set (what is attached to him) out...I have no idea how. He brought it to me:) So, of course, I initially panicked because I didn't know what to do. Then I calmed myself down and realized that I would just give him a shot for his lunch carbs and then put a new one on. It all worked out. Giving him his insulin through the pump is much easier than giving him shots! I can't wait till we get all of his numbers smoothed out.
One of the toughest parts is that we have to check his glucose level every 3 hours around the clock. It gets harder and harder, the older I get, to keep getting up through the night and then function during the day. I'm glad it is summer and I don't have to go to work right now. However, I will do ANYTHING for him.
Again, through all of this, Tate is Tate...a trooper. He lets us do what we need to do when we need to do it. He now "pretends" to read the carb counts on the labels of packages. He tells people that what they are eating has carbs in it. It is hilarious! He amazes me everyday with his knowledge and his easy go attitude.
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