[Z-man]

Well, after months of delays, as of 7am today, I am on an insulin pump! It's a Minimed Paradigm 700. My One-Touch Ultra Link wirelessly communicates with this device, and will allow me to upload all my information to the computer. More importantly, this pump will help me manage my diabetes and get my A1-C where it needs to be.

This after 27 years of getting insulin into my body the 'old fashioned' way - as in 4 shots a day. Now, I just need to replace my infusion set every three days.

I was diagnosed as a diabetic back in 1981. Things were quite different back then - the first couple of years, blood test machines weren't even widely used - you would pee on a stick it get some vague idea of where your sugars are. In about a month (giving me some time to get used to my new pump), I'll have a inter-tissue glucose sensor that will communicate with my pump and measure my sugar levels every 5 minutes! This will greatly help those times when my sugar takes a nose-dive, or when I start climbing fast.

Some of you here encouraged me to go forward with getting the pump -- I greatly appreciate your comments and helping me find the courage to take the plunge! My initial fears have been replaced with a desire to get under control, and a hope for the future. Thank you.

-Z-man.