Friday, March 27, 2009

pump

We have been wanting to get Bryce on an insulin pump for a while now.  From what we have heard, it will allow us so much more freedom.  As things are right now, he gets two shots a day.  His morning shot has two types of insulin, a short acting (Novolog) to cover breakfast and an intermediate (NPH) to cover lunch.  This means that he needs to eat lunch as close to 4 hours after his shot because that is when the NPH kicks in.  In the evening he takes another shot that has the short acting (Novolog) to cover dinner and a long term (Lantus) that lasts 24 hours.  Because of the long term insulin, he needs to get this shot at the same time every night.  This means that we have a very rigid meal schedule of when he needs to eat combined with how many carbs at those meals.  Very little leeway with regards to how hungry his is or isn't or other circumstances that come up.  With a pump, he will only be on the short acting (Novolog).  The pump will administer small doses throughout the day as a "basal" dose (much like the long term, Lantus) and when he eats, he will get a "bolus" dose to cover how ever many carbs he is going to eat.  This means if we wants a bagel one day, he can bolus for the whole thing.  If we go to a birthday party, he can have an extra cookie after eating cake and ice cream.  If he isn't hungry, we can bolus for less carbs.  We won't be stuck to a schedule.  We won't have to force him to eat when he doesn't want to.  We will still count carbs but we won't have to give him a set amount, no more, no less.  He will be able to eat like any other kid.  Freedom, peace of mind.  We can't wait!!

No comments:

Post a Comment