Amy - Tampa, FL
The following story tells the individual experience of someone using insulin pump therapy and frequent blood sugar monitoring to manage his/her diabetes. As you read, please remember that the experience is specific to the individual. While clinical studies support pump therapy and frequent testing as effective tools for controlling blood sugars, results may vary, and not every response will be the same.
Next week, I will celebrate my two-year anniversary with my MiniMed Paradigm pump. I want to send my thanks to all of you at Medtronic who were involved in the development of this wonderful technology. Thank you for enabling me to avoid daily shots, for A1Cs consistently below 6.2, and for the ability to enjoy some of my favorite treats. In a way, I'm thanking you for giving me my life back.
When I was first diagnosed on May 10, 2002, it came as a great shock. I had just celebrated my 40th birthday and accepted a new job in a new city on that milestone day. I didn't look like a diabetic nor was type 1 present in my immediate family. Six weeks into a new job in a new city, I didn't realize at first that all of my classic diabetes symptoms were not relocation-related stress. But I soon learned what an A1C of 14.7 meant.
I also learned about the inconvenience of lugging around insulin and the discomfort of taking shots. I learned about the emotional consequences of highs and lows, restricted food choices and having to eat on a strict schedule. And, the literature about the long-term complications was enough to scare me straight—to my endocrinologist to talk about getting
on the insulin pump. Fortunately, I found a great doctor, Howard Lilienfeld at the Diabetes Care Institute, who supported me in taking control.
I quickly learned about the options for insulin pump care. I chose MiniMed. And, I was so encouraged by your leading role in developing new solutions through technology for diabetics that I bought stock in your company. So I now have a vested interest in your company for two very important reasons—my health and my pocketbook.
I still crave some forbidden treats and miss my days of carefree 15-mile runs. Yet, I cannot imagine what life was like for diabetics before this technology.
I also can't imagine how I would have been able to function and excel at my job. Recently I received a prestigious award in my industry. The reason I'm mentioning this is because I proudly wore my pump when I accepted the award. I didn't hide it at the awards ceremony nor do I hide it any other time. By making it visible, I have made it easy for other diabetics to approach me to talk about the pump, and I tell them the story that I am sharing with you.
I realize you might have days on the job when you feel overworked or stressed out. But don't ever feel that your work doesn't matter. You aren't just creating new products. You're giving us the next best thing to a cure. Until then, keep thinking big and bringing those new technologies to market as soon as you can.
Amy
To find out if intensive diabetes management using insulin pump therapy and frequent blood sugar monitoring is right for you, call 1-866-948-6633 (toll-free) for a referral to a diabetes specialist.
