Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Pump Banquet....Pump Envy, & Performing

It's been a crazy week since my last post! Sorry for the delay but I am exhausted and looking at an incredibly hectic work/life schedule in the next two weeks. I have missed blogging terribly and promise not to let such a lapse go by – no matter how NUTZ my schedule might get!!

PUMP BANQUET
So, to recap: The Pump Club Banquet of Grater Philadelphia was quite a success. Gary Ssheiner/ Integrated Diabetes has been facilitating the meetings every 3 months, for the past 11 years. Basically it’s wonderful way for pump wears to congregate, learn about the latest and greatest in diabetes care, technology, and research, while having a face to face “Bitch Fest” for those of us who need to voice our frustrations regarding the Big D.


Gary had set up was also quite the history lesson/Torture Chamber in the form of a display of Diabetes aquotramont over the years. I’m talking glass syringes; fizzy pills in brown bottles, lancets made of metal and B.S machines the size of VHS tapes. God, those antiquated blood sugar machines brought back major memories of fighting with my parents. “Are you kidding, you want me to carry THAT in my backpack? NOWAY! That thing is actually bigger than my History book and just as heavy!! I won’t do it – YOU CAN’T MAKE ME! IT”S EMBARRASSING.” Ahhh...good times! What a pleasant child I was. My how times have changed – THANK GOD!

Back to the banquet: At least 100 people were in attendance (including my fellow dBlogville citizen & partner in D Crime, Hannah) and the dinner was sponsored by (and in no particular order but alphabetical) Animas, Deltec Cozmore, Insulet, & Minmed. Each company was there to answer questions and presented what we (the users) could expect in the very near future from their various companies.

PUMP ENVY
It’s wonderful to see that pump companies are taking note of what we, the consumer would like to see in our pumps design, function, durability, and usability.
While all Insulin Pumps do the same thing (deliver insulin in both a basal and bolus rate format) each pump company has it’s own unique bells and whistles regarding their brand.

What does the future of pumping hold? Miniaturization of the existing pump designs, blue tooth capabuilities, and accessories with a “MAC” influence, and customization for the individual user.

Before the dinner, I had narrowed my search for a new pump down to 2 models, now I want at least 4 different models! "THANKS GARY.'

Insulin Pump innovation makes me very excited, but also very nervous. Kind of like when u buy a new MAC Laptop. You really want to buy it, but you know the minute you purchase it, you know the next generation version of your MAC LT will be even greater.
Unlike an MAC or an Ipod, we who wear insulin pumps must wait 4 years to purchase the latest and greatest pump. "CAN YOU SAY PUMP ENVY?"

PERFORMING
As far as my performance. It was wonderful! People laughed in all the right places and afterwards I was able to dialogue with a lot of audience members, which is so important to me – just as important as the laughter. Talking with the audience after a set allows me to see what clicked with them and what situations they related to on a personal level.


This particular group really related to “The Diabetes Police,” dating issues, everything having to do with FOOD, and “Stupid People who think they know every thing about Diabetes!”

Fashion and accessories were a huge issue as well. My red and black Pump lace garter was quite the hit! Chronic disease does not equal a “Glamour Don’t" as far as I’m concerned. Diabetes can be sexy if you have the right accessories, an imagination - and alcohol helps.

All in all a great time was had by all !

CAKECAKECAKECAKECAKECAKECAKECAKECAKECAKECAKECAKE
OH YEAH _ THERE WAS A HUGE CAKE - WITH ICING AT LEAST 2 INCHES THICK, CHOCOLATE AND VANILLA CENTER - WITH A HUGE PUMP PIC ON TOP!
DELICIOUS - AND NON SUGAR FREE!!!

PICS to follow as soon as Gary sends them!

PS – Gary met almost all the demands of my Diabetesaliciousess Performance Rider…kind of.

6 comments:

Crystal said...

Whoa busy lady!

Sounds like a good time was had by all. Can't wait for the pics!

Wait, a REAL FULL OF SUGAR CAKE at a Pump Banquet? Really? Was that fair? Or even nice?????

Ha ha. Glad it was good. We ALL need to have our cake and eat it too, once in awhile.

Now everyone, let's synchronize and bolus...1...2...3.....beeeppppp! Now let's dig in! ha ha.

Thanks for the update and no need to apologize for not posting. Ya have a Life ya know. hee hee

Bernard said...

Kelly

Wow, it sounds like it was a fun evening. I wish I'd been there, I've always got some choice juicy words to say about diabetes.

I can't wait to see the pictures.

Can you tell us which pump models are on your shortlist? I hate that you get this thing that you have to wear for over 35,000 hours before you get to pick a new one.

If you were in your car 3 hours every day, this is the equivalent of hanging onto the same car for 32 years...though even then it's not comparable.

So when are you organizing the Pump Club Banquet of Greater Boston?

k2 said...

CP -
The cake was so worth the extreme amount of bolusing required afterwards!
One wonderful things about Gary's meetings is that he doesn't do "Diabetic food." He does healthy food(for the most part, sans the cake) but part of being a diabetic is eating real food in real life situations!

Bernard -
It was a wonderful evening!
As far as the pumps I'm leaning towards - I love various features of all the various pumps.
Omnipod is wireless - everyone knows about my doorbknob issues and my love of all things water related. The pod also allows the user to wear the pod on a variety of different body parts, that aren't currently possible for many of us.
Animas has the new Ping that actually communicate w/ a b.s monitor via bluetooth. The monitor can actually control the pump functions & can calculate a bolus & tell the pump to deliver it. The Animas interface screen is super easy to read, & it's a small pump.
Minimed has the CGMS feature and is coming out with some very interesting home/car/life accessories for the pump user and their family. Everything from a cgms cars to a Parents CGMS monitor.
Deltec Cozmo has some remarkably detailed features that allow for the user to customize the pump to their individual needs and has partnered with the Abbott Navigator CGM.

Now, after the banquet, I have no clue what my next pump will be as I want ALL the individual features of each pump rolled into one MEGA PUMP!
I love the car analogy Bernard - thats such a good explanation for the none diabetic!
Just so you know, the Pump Banquet was Gary's baby,as he is the Founder/ Facilitator of the "ump Club of Greater Philadelphia." I was just a member and a Performer! BUT, if you want a Pump Banquet in the Boston area, lets u and I put our heads together and make it happen! I haven't been to Bean Town in quite a while!

Unknown said...

OMG that caaaaake.

Bob Hawkinson said...

Hey Kelly, Cake at the D meeting...kinda like tanning beds at a skin cancer meeting....lol
Sounds like you had them going....By the way, I just had to note that my word verification on this comment is yvlgugva....sounds like Evil-gugva..sorry, it doesn't take much to crack me up.

Keep going...keep making 'em laugh
Evil-gugvas..Untie!!! umm..Unite!!!

k2 said...

Hannah --
Yes the cake was both mesmerizing and fantastic - and it affected me for hours afterwards! Totally worth it though!

Bob-
I see the cake as a learning experience. We all were calculating or blood sugars and carbs and checking with one another, Gary, & the other CDE's to make sure we were in the bolus ball park.
We laughed, we learned, & we got to have our cake AND eat it too!

Have a "Yvlgugva & and Evil-gugva" day!
k2