Saying Goodbye To The Snap - SIGH.

Due to being sidelined with bronchitis, laryngitis and trechitis - I’m behind incredibly behind on posting about many things - And I'm sorry for that, but I was REALLY sick.  
Now I’m scrambling to play catch up now that the second round of antibiotics and the first round of steroids have kicked in. 
Here are my thoughts on Asante shutting their doors and the Snap going the way of the Deltec Cozmo. 
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I was leaving the BD Thought Leader event (more on that VERY SOON,) last Friday afternoon when I first heard the rumblings that Asante, makers of The Snap insulin pump had closed its doors - and my heart broke. 
My heart broke for the people who worked at Asante ( I was a member of their Patient Advisory Board,) and knew many of the employees by name - I’d worked with them and and I know that they had people with diabetes interests at heart. 

And now those amazing people have lost their jobs and we have lost D Advocates on the industry side -and we can't afford to lose any D Advocates.
And my heart broke for people with diabetes  - those who wore the Snap and whose lives were changed in a positive way because of The Snap.  And those who were considering and eager to trial their pump, but who have lost that opportunity forever.  
Snap’s trial allowed people to trial their pump for 1 month, without any cost to the person with diabetes - no other insulin pump company offered or offers such a trial - And I don't understand why. Christ, even car dealers allow for test drives.

And my heart breaks because another incredible insulin pump option was taken away from us - and as people living with diabetes, we need all the options we can get. 
Life and life with diabetes is all about choices (and using our collective diabetes voices,) when it comes to the treatment(s) that work best for us. “Your Diabetes May Vary,” and choices are KEY.

And I believe that more choices in diabetes technology makes all companies work harder re: tech advancements that benefit all of us living with diabetes. 

I loved The Snap pump and I saw my numbers (both my blood sugars and my daily insulin requirements went down,) improve during my 7 weeks on the Snap - And had my insurance company been a bit more liberal in their coverage, I would have committed to it. 
I hate that Asante couldn’t get the funding they needed to go public and pulled their IPO plans off the table in March and I hate that partnership opportunities fell through. Mike Hoskins over at DiabetesMine covers The Snap’s demise in detail, HERE and Christel over at a TheperfectD.com writes eloquently on the subject and about her heart snapping in two, HERE. 

I hate that we have one less diabetes option in our arsenal and that those who wore the Snap are forced to find other options and I hate that it was because of money.
If patients could believe in a product, why couldn't industry step up to the plate? 

Some pump companies are stepping up to the plate and offering “official Snap Replacement Programs.”

https://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/campaigns/Agppc.20150518/

http://www.animas.com/sites/default/files/pdf/ANM-15-4515A_Asante-Replacement-Program_v6.pdf

https://cdn.diabetesdaily.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/21/files/2015/05/AsanteWelcomeProgram_May2015.pdf

As I hear of more, I'll update the list~
But for now I'm bummed out, BIG TIME.

Sometimes My Diabetes Game Face Gets All Sorts Of Saucy - And I'm Fine With That~

I always try and educate people about diabetes and advocate for people with diabetes whenever I have the chance - ALWAYS. 
But I'm only human -and every once in a while my Game Face gets saucy - and I'm fine with that. 
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Spring has finally sprung and the weekend weather was in the mid 50’s, the sun was shinning, the air was fresh, and I was feeling all sorts of groovy. 
I texted a friend and we decided to meet up mid morning for a walk -and that's exactly what we did. 
After 45 minutes of low impact cardio, we stopped in front of a local coffee shop and ran into some people my friend knew. 
After introductions, we stood there talking outside the shop for a good 10 minutes - and when we saw an outdoor table emptying, we grabbed it. 
As the conversations continued, I nonchalantly removed the little black bag I always sling over my shoulder when I walk or ride my bike (it’s really small & just big enough to stash my phone; keys, glucose tabs, meters/strips,) and tested on what I thought was the sly. My meter flashed 97 and for a split second I felt like like a test strip ad. 
My head was letting me know that I REALLY needed an iced coffee with cream and sugar, and just as I was about to excuse myself and grab one, I heard someone say: Oh, you have diabetes? My sister-in-law has diabetes and she has it so bad that she has to wear one of those things on her waist to give her insulin.
Sidebar: My friend looked at me with her “ WTF” face combined with her "I'm so sorry face." I took a breath, put on my game face and flashed my friend and Sister Dip my dazzling smile and responded.

Me: Oh, you mean an insulin pump, like this - And I grabbed the Asante Snap insulin pump I’ve been trialing from my waist and held it in my hand. 

Sister Dip: Ohhhhhhh...., you wear one, too.
Then she turned red and said: Well you look really good.

FTR, I'd just walked 45 minutes against the wind, I looked like a wind blown hot mess.  

Me: Thanks, today I feel great. Look, wearing an insulin pump doesn’t mean you have diabetes "SO BAD.” It means that you’ve found a piece of diabetes technology that works for you and helps you manage your diabetes. Some people prefer to do that with injections and some people prefer to do it with a robotic pancreas clipped to their hip.

Sister Dip: No, she has it bad. She has to test her blood sugar like 7 times a day - sometimes more.  And she goes low or high sometimes for no reason at all. 
Yep, I took another deep breath before I responded.

Me: Yeah, me too - that’s life with diabetes. Lots of testing blood sugars, counting carbs, figuring things out and trying to roll with it when diabetes decides to flip out because it can. 

Sister Dip: But she has to wear that thing like 24 hours a day!!

Me: Yep, I know she does. That’s how it works. 
And I didn’t even go into explaining the whys of short acting insulin or the hows of long acting insulin or how you can do everything right , theoretically - and diabetes still can screw with you.  

Sister Dip: What do you do when you shower or swim? What do you do when you have sex!!!! 
Sidebar: The first part of the question she said in a low voice, but the second half of the question was dialed up to 11 and everyone sitting outside turned and looked at me. 
Also, did I mention that  I'd literally just met her? 
I have absolutely no problem discussing diabetes and sex, or sex for that matter - It's not what you say, it's how you say it. And Sister Dip was REALLY getting on my last nerve. 
Me: I take my pump off when I shower or swim and then I put it back on afterwards. 
As far as sex - that depends on my mood and sometimes it depends on the circumstances. But for the most part, sometimes I leave it on, sometimes I take it off.....What do you do when you have sex?? 

Sister Dip: I don’t wear a pump. 

Me: Oh, you should try it - It really spices things up!!! ;) 
And then she looked at me like I had three heads and I laughed a big belly laugh and grabbed my card from my bag.


Me: Give your sister -in-law my info, I'd love to connect with her. 
OK, I REALLY need an iced coffee, I'll be right back - you guys need anything?  

And then I went and grabbed my friend & I our iced coffees and when I came back, the discussion had changed to Game of Thrones. 
And I was glad. 
And I really felt bad for her sister-in-law. 

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: #Snap #SpareARose

I started my 30 day, Asante Snap insulin pump trial towards the end of 
last week - And so far, so good.
I'll keep you "posted," (see what I did there,) and write about my experience in more detail after I complete my 30 day trial - And maybe even during.
You can sign up for your free 30 day Snap trial any time you'd like and via their website: http://www.snappump.com  
AND if you click HERE and sign up before the month of February ends, Asante Solutions will make a donation to SpareARose.org  
Kerri has the results to date for the 2015 #SpareARose campaign, HERE 
and it's beautiful & inspiring. 

Sidebar: Yes, I'm wearing crazy fuzzy PJ's in the above picture & make no apologies.  They are warm; cute, toasty and it was 7 degrees on Saturday morning. 

*Full disclosure: I sit on Asante Solutions Patient Advisory Board, but all thoughts on the Asante Snap (and everything else on my blog, twitter, Facebook and Instagram) are mine and mine alone.