Progress

About 50 years ago, the first insulin pump came to life. It was huge news and a big improvement for diabetics all over the world. Of course, the device was that huge, you had to wear it on your back. But it was a start...

Over the years, insulin pumps have shrunk in size but grown larger in possibilities. It's the most accurate way to replace a pancreas that's no longer producing insulin. Every couple of minutes, the insulin pump gives our body little amounts of insulin. Insulin is a hormone we can't live without. We wouldn't live very long if we had no insulin available.

My pump is very precious to me. The first pump I got was a Deltec Cozmo, in 2006. I really loved that pump and it was pretty emotional the day the company decided to stop making insulin pumps. We had to give back our pumps to get a pump that wasn't on my wish list.. I had no choice though.. The other option was going back to syringes and that was not even an option to me.
I used that second pump - Paradigm 722 - for just one year. It was a good pump since it did what it was supposed to do: deliver insulin. But to me, it felt like I had to give in and loose the options I had with my Cozmo pump. So no, it was no improvement to me.

Wearing sensors with the Paradigm, was the only thing that excited me. It came in handy and it taught me a lot about the way my body reacts/or doesn't react to insulin. Sensors are not covered by our medical insurance, so it's not very profitable for us, since they cost around € 45 a piece. You can keep them for 3 - 5 days if you're lucky. It takes a couple of months of fulltime practice to get to know the method and how to interpret the signals the sensors give.

Last year, I changed hospitals and finally I got the insulin pump I had longed for: the Accu-Chek Combo. It's a great pump and it gives me so much freedom. It's attached to my body 24/7 but that's okay. In fact, it's become a part of my body. That's how I see it. Don't mess with my pump if you don't want to get in trouble!!! I'm very protective of my pump and I like to wear it in a special ZIPPS pocket, so it's always close to my body. Every now and then I pimp my pump and I buy new methods to keep it safe. It sure looks a whole lot better than that first insulin pump. Thank goodness..