Complacency can be dangerous

[Amy C.]

My son has been using the pump for a little more than a year. It has been going great for him -- he has had very few of the problems that are sometimes described here. It all becomes routine.

Yesterday, my son and I changed out his insulin, tubing and site. I filled the cartridge and he followed all the steps to load the cartridge, prime, and put in the site. He doesn't usually do all this -- his part is just to put in the site.

His father almost checks him during the night-- he has been doing this almost without fail for 8 years.

This morning, I woke to the pump alarming at 5 am. I stumble into his room, trying to focus and read the pump: No insulin delivery. I look back at screens and discover he has been without insulin since shortly before midnight. I prime and get the basal going again after a big bolus for the 350 blood sugar reading.

His father had not tested him. He would have caught this problem.

I had no clue what was wrong. At the end of the day, when I had some time, I spent a lot of time with Animas trying to figure this what went wrong when my son volunteers that the cartridge cap was loose this morning. He simply tightened and went on his merry way. I don't remember him saying anythng about this.

Don't forget to tighten the cartridge cap. The pumps work better that way.

Also, Animas said the pumper must disconnect if adjustments are needed to the cartridge cap. Don't do anything like that while connected. The pump could do something odd.

[jendean]

I check my son in the middle of the night most nights... If I dont do it, nobody else will. Sometimes I just go in and ask him if he feels OK. He really couldnt possibly care less if he is 350 in the middle of the night. I think that is normal. (not caring is normal, not to say 350 is normal) He is only 10.
I think that is awesome that your husband checks your son every night. He does deserve a break sometimes. Dont blame him, instead thank him for all of the other nights he has done this.
Some of us would do just about anything if our husbands agreed to do that.
Heck, a lot of us would actually like our husbands if they did that type of stuff.
Good luck to you, too bad about the cap, but one morning of 350 is probably OK in the long run. A worthwhile lesson, right? LOL
Jen

[Caynuns mom]

When the alarm goes off in the middle of the night for the nightime checks and I dont wake up to it my loving wonderful husband will roll over and let me know the alarm is going off so I can get up and check our son Isnt that soo sweet of him?:rolleyes: I have not slept 4 hours in a row since Caynuns Dx 1 1/2 years ago! Be ever soo greatful that your husband does this for you! You are luckier than you think!

[jendean]

The perfect husband would wake us up with fresh coffee every morning, and give us the newspaper, tell us the kids are having a nice hot breakfast, tell us what the AM bg is, as well as the three overnight checks he took it upon himself to do, tell us he took the liberty of putting a roast in the crock pot and will stop by the store for vegetables after work, and that he made us an appointment for a pedicure and massage so he will pick the kids up and drive them to sports, and that he got up early to go over to our moms house to fix her leaky roof.
LOL. Now that is a romance novel waiting to happen. We'd all have fifteen kids if our husbands were that cool! :)

[momofsingingdiabetic]

I'm so lucky. DH will get up if I need him too, which I normally don't. BUT...if he has to be at work to open the restaurant, he'll check her at 3:30...or if he has to close, he'll check her at 2am before he comes to bed.

He's not much on making coffee (he's used to the ease of making it at the restaurant), but he'll bring me my first cup or a refill, he cooks more than I do, and takes her to most of her endo appointments because he is off on Tuesdays and that's when we schedule her appointments if we can.

We've been married 19 years (as of this past Monday)....think I might keep him.

[Abby-Dabby-Doo]

My husband gets the weekdays (I get up earlier & go to bed later) and I get the weekends (I'm a night owl). Is it fair?! I have to remind myself who has the disease, and it's never fair.

Amy, thanks for the tip on the cap. I hope other Animas users see this.

[liasmommy2000]

Yikes, glad he's ok!

I've read over and over in the Animas book to NOT tighten the cap while connected as it can cause serious injury and death. Well the other night I was calling Lia to come in from playing outside and as she's walking towards me I see her fiddling with cartridge cap! I yelled what are you doing and she said it was loose and she was tightening it! OMG, totally freaked out!

I called Animas and they said yes, it can cause unexpected insulin delivery and to check her much more frequently. We did and she was fine. But boy was I scared! I think we made it very clear to her that she is not to do that anymore!

[Caynuns mom]

The perfect husband would wake us up with fresh coffee every morning, and give us the newspaper, tell us the kids are having a nice hot breakfast, tell us what the AM bg is, as well as the three overnight checks he took it upon himself to do, tell us he took the liberty of putting a roast in the crock pot and will stop by the store for vegetables after work, and that he made us an appointment for a pedicure and massage so he will pick the kids up and drive them to sports, and that he got up early to go over to our moms house to fix her leaky roof.
LOL. Now that is a romance novel waiting to happen. We'd all have fifteen kids if our husbands were that cool! :)

SURELY I would definately think I was in the wrong house!:D