- Messages
- 2,161
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Pump
So, after much faffing and cursing under my breath I am actually going to be getting a pump 
It has been a bit of a challenge though, this is what has happened:
1. End of Oct: Persuaded the consultant I needed a pump (mainly due to my dawn phenomenon) - he said to book in to get a pump assessment meeting in 4 weeks
2. Talked to the nurses about 20 mins after said consultants appointment (I have to go through the nurses for this) - appointments all booked up til the end of the year and they couldn't book any new ones cos they didn't have their new paper diary yet!!!! (talk about the dark ages!!!)
3. Some time in Nov: got an appointment booked for the middle of January - ok, so a bit longer than 4 weeks huh! (they still didn't have their new diary yet - but put it on a bit of paper at the back of their current diary ...)
4 Appointment in Jan - they said yes a pump would work for me but since I wanted one with sensors (my DP can be a bit variable - get it about 75% of the time, so extra insulin at 3am would cause issues if my DP didn't happen) I'd need a funding request which means I've got to see the consultant again - but but but, my consultant appt isn't til March/April ...
5. Early Feb - on a Monday I morning rang up at just the right time to get an appointment that had been cancelled for later that day
6. Consultant agreed that a Medtronic pump would be a good idea but to try without sensors for the time being (the default pump my hospital offers cant use sensors - and they only have one default choice - well its not so much a choice!) to see if it helps. Said the nurses would ring me back to tell me when to come in (he reckoned I could be on the pump in about a month). I think the plan for getting it without sensors first would be cos it'd be easier to persuade the CCG to pay for that and then add the sensors later if required.
7. Rang them yesterday to see what was going on, apparently they haven't even ordered the pump yet ... (the consultant agreed to it 3 weeks ago!)
8. So, they've now provisionally booked me in for about 3-4 weeks from now, but it may need to be cancelled if the pump hasn't turned up by then and if it hasn't it will be late April instead as Medtronic only come to my hospital once a month
So yeah, a lot of faffing and trying not to make comments about incompetancy at certain points in time, but finally I'll get there
Admittedly whilst I'm already excited about it and trying not to think it'll definitely happen in March, I realise it may not, but I'm crossing all my fingers.
PS. Sorry if it sounded a bit like a rant, some of it has been frustrating to say the least
It has been a bit of a challenge though, this is what has happened:1. End of Oct: Persuaded the consultant I needed a pump (mainly due to my dawn phenomenon) - he said to book in to get a pump assessment meeting in 4 weeks
2. Talked to the nurses about 20 mins after said consultants appointment (I have to go through the nurses for this) - appointments all booked up til the end of the year and they couldn't book any new ones cos they didn't have their new paper diary yet!!!! (talk about the dark ages!!!)
3. Some time in Nov: got an appointment booked for the middle of January - ok, so a bit longer than 4 weeks huh! (they still didn't have their new diary yet - but put it on a bit of paper at the back of their current diary ...)
4 Appointment in Jan - they said yes a pump would work for me but since I wanted one with sensors (my DP can be a bit variable - get it about 75% of the time, so extra insulin at 3am would cause issues if my DP didn't happen) I'd need a funding request which means I've got to see the consultant again - but but but, my consultant appt isn't til March/April ...
5. Early Feb - on a Monday I morning rang up at just the right time to get an appointment that had been cancelled for later that day
6. Consultant agreed that a Medtronic pump would be a good idea but to try without sensors for the time being (the default pump my hospital offers cant use sensors - and they only have one default choice - well its not so much a choice!) to see if it helps. Said the nurses would ring me back to tell me when to come in (he reckoned I could be on the pump in about a month). I think the plan for getting it without sensors first would be cos it'd be easier to persuade the CCG to pay for that and then add the sensors later if required.
7. Rang them yesterday to see what was going on, apparently they haven't even ordered the pump yet ... (the consultant agreed to it 3 weeks ago!)
8. So, they've now provisionally booked me in for about 3-4 weeks from now, but it may need to be cancelled if the pump hasn't turned up by then and if it hasn't it will be late April instead as Medtronic only come to my hospital once a month
So yeah, a lot of faffing and trying not to make comments about incompetancy at certain points in time, but finally I'll get there
Admittedly whilst I'm already excited about it and trying not to think it'll definitely happen in March, I realise it may not, but I'm crossing all my fingers.
PS. Sorry if it sounded a bit like a rant, some of it has been frustrating to say the least
Last edited:
