It’s fair to say that after living with type 1 and using multiple daily injections for around 15 years, I found that getting an insulin pump really changed my outlook on diabetes and provided me with significantly more freedom, positivity and willingness to talk about life with type 1 diabetes.
I got my Medtronic Veo in May 2012 and was an immediate convert and I found the benefits that are so often listed in BIG BOLD TEXT in insulin pump marketing material were true. But the main thing for me was a sense that finally I was in charge of my diabetes, rather than diabetes dictating what I did or didn’t do.
So, a close friend soon asked me how I was going with my newly acquired gadget. My response?
“I have no idea why I didn’t get a pump sooner. The only thing that would make my insulin pump any cooler would be if it had Tetris on it. Insulin pumps need Tetris”.
Tetris was to my generation what Angry Birds is to the current. Tetris made the Nintendo Gameboy what it was.
In late November, I was fortunate enough to attend Australia’s inaugural diabetes social media summit, coordinated by Diabetes Australia – Victoria. Some super awesome bloggers were at this event, including Simon, Renza, Jo aka Fingerpricker, Georgie, Ashley, Brent, and the brilliant special guest from Rhode Island, Kerri Morrone Sparling – one of the pioneers of diabetes blogging. I’d always resisted starting up a blog because I didn’t have a semi-humourous name for it. After having far more coffees than anyone should probably ever consume, I got talking about insulin pumps and Tetris again, and so it stuck.
I reckon insulin pumps are awesome and I’m a terrible diabetes gadget fiend. I can think of lots more features that insulin pumps should and I’m sure will have into the future, but at the end of the day, it’s been a massive change in my thinking towards diabetes and I’m eternally grateful that I had the opportunity to do so.
I just wish insulin pumps had Tetris…
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I’d love my pump to have PacMan and be able to make me a perfect coffee. Loving your blog, Matt!
Thanks Renza – just making it up as I go along but enjoying it. Would be good if I could get it to sync with my Nespresso machine. Ha!
I would love mine to have the old ‘Nokia’ SNAKE! It would so pass the time, riding a train,in flight, waiting for an appointment and just generally passing time! Good job Matt
Thanks mate. Hope all is well!
This (this pump needs Tetris) was exactly what my son said when he was handed his first pump last year!
Hi Jenny. That’s brilliant! Great minds think alike and so forth. Hope he is enjoying his insulin pump, despite the lack of Tetris.
One day…!
So looking forward to getting my pump on tuesday after years of injecting in all sorts of places. I was down at the beach one day sitting in my car when two little old ladies pulled up next to me. The driver got out and was looking into my car as I injected. They walked away talking and looking back at me, I was expecting to see the police come by to see what I was doing. I now have heavily tinted windows. Overall very few people have bothered about me injecting in public as I tend to look for places that provide some privacy.
Good luck with it Kevin. There is no question the pump reduced my variable BGL’s, makes life a lot more flexible and the sheer reduction in needles is an added bonus. I find that despite having a portable, electronic pancreas, I find life a lot more “normal”. Very easy to press a few buttons with no one noticing!