Baby Got Back (For 24 Hours)

In an effort to give my tummy a break and a little healing time, I tried a “flank” pump site Monday morning.  Yep, my back.  I know people wear insulin pump sites there.  Its an approved spot on those pump site diagrams.  I have attempted this before without success.  Animas (Unimedical) blue 6mm cannula and I was ready to go.  It’s a little strange to rotate around to do the insertion BUT it’s a spring loaded site inserter and I suspect that makes it a hell-of-a-mucho more manageable.

*BAM*.  I was good to go and made sure to wear jeans yesterday that were far lower than the site spot.  I was aware that the site hurt.  It didn’t hurt like a tummy site that gets all crazy stabby immediately upon insertion and you just know you have to yank it out and then you’re either prepared for a geyser or your cursing at yourself because you have blood tie-dying your clothing AND you SHOULD have been prepared.  Nope, the flank was not that kind of pain.  Just irritating.

back site 2

 

Mind over matter?  I was busy all day but it hurt.  A bit stingy.  A bit itchy.  The insulin absorption from the site seemed off, but eventually worked (although slower than usual).  I went out to dinner and sat on a bench type seat (I happened to be on a boat which was lovely) so my back was never pressed against the back of a chair and I avoided that irritation completely.  Getting ready for bed, I kept thinking it felt stingy-itchy, but I needed to stick (pun intended) it out.

I woke up in the wee morning hours when I felt the Dexcom site pull off my thigh.  Seriously? I had IV3000’d the hell out of it right before my Gilligan’s Island dinner tour and the IV tape somehow dislodged from me in bed, got slightly stuck on the sheets and when I rolled to the side, I ripped that Dexcom site right out.  BG was in the 120s, so back to sleep.

Early gym morning.  Replaced Dexcom and slathered the new one with SkinTac.  Good to go.  Pulled on my gym pants and felt something move on my back.  Well those gym pants are tough.  So incredibly tough that they *flicked* the pump site right off me.  Put a new site on my tummy and was off to the gym.  My phantom back site still hurt.  Ouch.

back site re

So what’s the deal?  Am I really the only one who can’t get these flank sites to work?  The pant flicking was unfortunate BUT that site was still hurting and I don’t think I would have made it the full day with that stabby site.  Thank you gym pants.  Well done.  All sarcasm aside (there is no such thing, so some sarcasm aside), does anyone have a flank site recommendation?  I had previously tried the 9mm and thought the 6mm would be the solution.  Nope.  Does this need to be a two man operation and I just need to get further back on my back?  Should I be going to yoga to get better contortionist moves?  Do I just have it in the wrong spot?  Anyone?

Updates, Cussing and Such

Busy, busy, busy so a quick update (also I have another post after this one):

  • I never finished the post about my eye doctor appointment.  So here’s the short summary.  I am fine.  I took lots of pics at the office.  I was there for HOURS.  Is anyone losing sleep at night because I never wrote the down and deep about my eye doctor appoint?  No?  Okay, let’s move on and I’ll get info together for another time.
  • I read this earlier today:  “To strengthen the muscles of your heart, the best exercise is lifting someone else’s spirit whenever you can.” – Dodinsky.  Do Good, Feel Good.

    Brooklyn heart

    Found on Sunday in Brooklyn Heights

  • My ongoing issues with my pump sites going bad immediately after inserting and blood bath moments in my bathroom have remained but I have had 2 good sites in a row so that’s encouraging.  The discouraging part is my insurance won’t budge on my allotment of sites.  I went through 6 in a weekend.  I will be completely screwed towards the end of this 3 month prescription and forced to either leave in sites too long or switch back to shots.  No way Jose.  I’m an Inset kinda girl.  I like awesome packaging the doubles as the inserter.  I like pink and blue sites (I’m totally anti green though.  TOTALLY).  Today I was able to try out the Inset 30.  Things have changed since I used the equivalent version (Silhouettes) back in my MiniMed pumping days.  Although the needle still looks obnoxiously rude (like it’s going to spew curse words I’ve never even heard at me), there is now an inserter.  Yeah, I was nervous putting it in but not that pale, sweaty way that used to happen as my hands shook back in my manual insertion days.  It’s funny though that just looking at this new (well new to me) site took me right back to my first NYC apartment and pep talking myself as my hands shook trying to get those damn sites in.  So, I am currently wearing my old blue Inset (I can’t risk another blood bath at work.  Mint green pants and a white lace shirt SO does NOT go with my ruby red blood).  I also have my Dexcom on my tummy.  I am one hot stuff robot lady today.  Woo Wee. (I can’t show the Dexcom because  I’m keeping SurfaceFine PG… well for today). 

    2 sites.  1 tummy.

    2 sites. 1 tummy.

  • I have finally finished my JDRF Walk letter.  I wrote an earlier version that I tried out on a few people last week.  It had one of 2 reactions.  It either made people cry, like really cry and hug me or TOTAL radio silence.  Like no email, text, IM silence.  Oh well.  My new letter is a bit long but it touches on what I think is important.  Once I clean it up a bit, I’ll post it here. 
  • I need to stop cussing so much.  I’m not sure if this is diabetes related or not.  F*ck Diabetes?  Yeah, totally diabetes related.  Oh and PG is over now.