Getting the Pump
My meeting with the nurse at the Milwaukee Diabetes Treatment Center yesterday
went well. She’s already recommended that my doctor go ahead and sign the letter
of medical necessity. It has been initially approved by my insurance, pending
receipt of the prescription and letter. If all goes well, I should be pumping
away in a few weeks.
I’ve decided on the MiniMed.
The Diabetes Treatment Center requires an overnight hospital stay for the
initial training and "installation." I guess that will be okay…is this
typical?
Jonathan Meersman
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
May 3rd, 2005 at 7:16 pm
Hi Jonathan,
I think you will enjoy going on the pump. Don’t let the fact that they are
asking you to stay overnight bother you too much. I guess that is their way
of just being thorough. I watched the videos and read a lot of literature
before I started. I actually did a couple of insertions before my initial
training (as advised from my minimed rep). There is not really any physical
aspect of the pump start that I see that would require any hospitalization.
They may just want to observe afterwards. I do not know all the answers, but
then, if I did, Life would not be much fun.
Keep your mind open. The pump has actually been quite easy. For me, it is
the diet that takes all the work.
Good Luck,
Bart
May 4th, 2005 at 5:16 am
Hi Jonathan: Depends on the endo. So groups do 4 days of outpatient in the
office, others prefer hospital stay to tend to any radical sugars…Joan:)
May 4th, 2005 at 1:03 pm
Jonathan-the reason for the overnight hospital stay is the same reason you
went in the hospital when you initially found out you were diabetic-you have
to get the right basal rate and dosage, they teach you all there is to know
about the pump, things like that. Actually, you are very lucky if you only
have to stay for one night-I had to stay in the hosptital a week to learn
carb counting and get my basal rates right! Good luck with it all!