High Maintenance

Two days in and already I can tell that I am going to be more high maintenance than my pump. I tested its versatility this morning and took it out for a run. I say run, actually it was more along the lines of a slow-paced jog. Nonetheless it was exercise, and I wanted to see how my pump coped when I was running in motion.

 

I clipped it onto my hoody pocket and double checked it was securely fastened, but still couldn’t fully let go. I held it like a mother holds a newborn baby, terrified it was going to fall on the floor and take a big chunk of my skin with it. To my relief, the pump didn’t jiggle about too much and after about 10 mintues I gingerly let go and jogged like a semi-normal person. I kept a watchful eye on it the whole time, but it behaved itself and stayed inside my hoody pocket.

It’s promising to know that the pump isn’t going to restrict the amount of exercise I do, which is limited I assure you. Now that I’ve got this new companion attached to my stomach, people are going to be intrigued and start asking if they can see it. So if I’m going to get my belly out on a regular basis I should really jog a bit more in the hope that a six-pack will suddenly appear over the next couple of weeks. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

After my sweaty jog, my parents practically shoved me in the shower (my first since the pump). Whilst my pump is waterproof, I wouldn’t take it in the shower as I obviously wouldn’t have anywhere to clip it on to. The Animas trainers assured me it was OK to disconnect the pump for an hour, but no longer, and the cannula can stay attached to my stomach. After a speedy 55 minute shower (I joke, my family would kill me) I simply connected the pump back to the cannula again.

A disconnected cannula

A connected cannula

What connects me to my pump

So there you have it. I’ve exercised and showered and no harm has come to me or my pump.

Join me tomorrow as I change my cannula site and cartridge for the first time, hopefully without any hiccups.