Pump Vacation

Dear Insulin Pump,

I need to start seeing other diabetic supplies. Like a 'bottle of Lantus and a Novolog Pen...' (to quote the lyrical genius of Bee Murabito). It's not you. It's your expensive taste. Don't cry, I'll be back. Like I said, I think we just need a break from each other.

Love, Emily


For Diabetic Christmas I got about 2 1/2 years worth of Lantus, AKA 'the poor woman's pump'. So there you go. It's actually really weird to not have a pump on. I've been wearing one around the clock- except for showering, swimming, and that one time I went to work without it- since Sept. 2000. That's a long time to be connected to something. I keep reaching back to check the time on it... Looks like I might need to get a watch. Wanna know how it works? Magic... Or science. Don't wanna know how it works? Fine. Don't read this:

INSULIN 101:

An insulin pump uses one type of fast-acting insulin in two ways. 1. It pumps a small amount continuously to take care of the glucose your liver is always producing. Even your liver, betcha didn't know that. That's what we call a 'basal' rate in the biz. 2. It pumps out more insulin when you tell it that you've eaten carbohydrates. Carbs turn into glucose... which can only be used for energy if there's insulin involved. So that's yer 'bolus'. With me? Good.

Now I'm going to use Lantus in place of pump function #1. It's a small, constant level of insulin for 24 hours (basal). And I'll have to take a shot of fast acting insulin when I eat carbs (bolus). The silver lining to this is that I think I'm going to have to be much more conscious about what I'm eating. Every time I eat I need a shot. I mean eating from boredom is tedious if you have to take an injection every time...




The last month or so of my life has been great... I've gotten to do a bunch of geekin' out. Geekin' out about diabetes, geekin' out about bikes. Oh yeah... Bikes! Until next time...

'betes Camp.

Holy crap. Diabetes camp is more fun than your body has room for. Really. Don't believe me? When was the last time you laughed so hard you thought you were going to pee? Or vomit? That's what I thought...

Seriously. Camp was fun, and crazy, and exhausting. My cabin was hands down the best cabin I've ever had. My co-counselors were off the Rad-ness chart.

Here's the cabin on "What I want to be when I grow up day".
Conveniently I'd like to be a bike mechanic.

I ate my body weight in Teddy Grahams, swam across Merrymeeting Lake (twice), got proposed to (it was fake), participated in a cabin debate about said proposal (really, girls, it was fake...), forgot about diabetes, hunted vampires, built rockets, thought about diabetes, told jokes, went on some top secret ninja/robin hooding missions, respected tradition, gave a boatload of hugs, fell asleep on the dock, woke up at 2:00am, woke up at 4:45am, woke up at 6:00am, filled out paperwork, complained about paperwork, felt normal, and the list goes on... I'm sure you all will be forced to hear about it in the months to come.

Notice that "planning for the future" is not on the list. I'm really enjoying not having a job, or anything in particular to do. I know I can't keep it up forever, but... Right now I'm at a coffee shop using the internet and eavesdropping on a conversation between a middle-aged man and his music teacher about his experience at "euphonium camp". Jealous? You should be.

I'm going to pick up JeffThib from the airport tomorrow, now that he's back from a little place I like to call Australia. Then I'm going to head north to anticipate becoming an aunt (probably within the week!). I'm pretty stoked. I'm going to spoil the $#*! out of that baby... And then give her back to her mom when she gets cranky. Stay posted for aunt-hood and other important(ish) updates...