My New Purple Friend.....Is Not a Dinosaur

Nope, my new friend is not a big purple dinosaur named Barney. It’s my new purple Minimed Pardigm insulin pump.

 Now I know what you’re thinking, it’s only been a year since I’ve been on a pump how do I have a new one already? Well, here is why......

Pete, as I named my original smoky grey pump, yes I did name it but have never called him by his name out loud, only in my mind. No I’m not crazy. You try having a couple of medical devices that help keep you alive and take the place of a dead organ that floats around inside your body and see if you end up naming them. Anyway, that’s beside the point. I noticed last week when I was changing Pete’s reservoir out that it wouldn’t go in very smoothly but it was in a dimly light room and I just chalked it up to the reservoir/infusion set. Then on Tuesday of this week when I changed it out at work there is a little plastic piece on the top of the infusion set that connects to the reservoir that broke off and flew across my desk. I started looking at my pump more closely and in better lighting and noticed a hairline crack looked like it was starting at the rim of where the reservoir is inserted.

As I looked more closely and took the belt clip off of the pump I noticed a little crack in the plastic on each side where the belt clip goes. Then I took the cap off of where the battery goes and there is what looks like the slightest little cracking going on there as well. 

For all I know these may be no big deal but better to be safe than sorry, especially since this is after all dealing with my health and potentially my life. I called Medtronic right away expecting to be given a pitch about upgrading to the new Minimed Enlight and their sensor and all that mumbo jumbo. I was prepared to put up a fight if I was told that I had to upgrade that they no longer supplied Minimed Paradigm pumps. I’ve heard/read that some people have had that issue when they have called to get a replacement pump when still under warranty and they were given no choice but to go with the new one. I was very surprised that I wasn’t given any kind of pitch like that and it wasn’t even mentioned. Thank the good Lord for that! I’m perfectly happy with the one I have now as well as my Dexcom CGM and have no desire for a Medtronic pump sensor combo or their pump that suspends when a low blood sugar is detected. Anyway, the nice girl helped me out, said that it was a really good thing that I called because even the slightest hairline crack can make the pump susceptible to water damage. Even sweat or humidity can be an issue. Wowza! Okay. I was also pleasantly surprised that I wasn’t questioned up and down as to any sports that could have damaged it or if I had dropped it or anything else. I have to say I am surprised that Pete developed these cracked because the most I do is house/yard work and 2 mile or so walks as often as I can. Sports are nowhere in my life and as clumsy as I can be I have never dropped it. I may have walked into a door jam a time or two, I’m sure I have but other than that, that’s it.  So they overnighted  me a replacement  pump.

 They did not have black or clear left, my only options were blue, pink and purple. So purple was really the only option for me. Green is my favorite so if they had a green one I totally would have been all over it, but purple is my next fav. Whenever if God ever decides to bless us with a little one I’ve already got the nursery planned out in my head. Girl: Grey, white and purple; Boy: Grey, white and green. I’m already in love with the nursery…. We just need the wee one for it…… Anyway…………

So here they are Pete will be going back, cracks and all. Maybe they will fix him and he will go to another loving owner, maybe it’s the end of his short life span. I really don’t know. I’ve decided on the name Layla for my new purple pancreatic replacement. I really don't know what my deal is with L names.  Lexie my CGM and now Layla.  It won’t be Barney, I think Lexie my CGM needs another girl friend. Hopefully she will be a little tougher than Pete was.