Hi all,
Just to share a recent experience that has reminded me of the importance of good kit supplies.
I was down in London for a meeting on Tuesday this week. When I got to Euston Station to head back north, I had about 40 mins to wait, so I went for a coffee with a colleague who had been with me at the meeting. My bag was stolen from under my chair in the Nero cafe on Euston concourse.
Mainly, I was fairly annoyed as I *almost* always tuck the strap under one leg of a chair to avoid this. A couple walked in to the cafe. The bloke stood with his back to me and 'dropped' a cash card on the floor. I leaned forward to tap him to say he had dropped it. He picked it up and patted me on the back, saying 'thanks mate'. I think either he or his accomplice took my bag then.
My bag had some work papers, a digital camera, some headphones, my work photo ID, my kindle, car, house and office keys and of course my diabetic kit. I lost the obvious stuff including my kindle (those of you who have one will know what a trauma that is!).
I discovered the theft with about 17 minutes to go before my train left. When I reported it to British Transport Police, they did tell me that I could go to University College Hospital (which is just over the road) and using the NSPIS reference number they gave me get an emergency kit with a small amount of insulin. Given the short time before my train, I thought that I would be heading a touch low and provided I ate something reasonably sized and slowish absorbing, I'd probably be okay until I got home (about a 2 and a half hour train ride, plus fifteen minutes in a taxi). 'Luckily' I didn't have to drive home as a) my car keys had gone and b) I need my pass to get the car off the car park.
On the plus side, someone found my bag in Camden about an hour and half after it had been stolen and told a police officer. It had most of the stuff in it including insulin and keys. However my meter had gone. On the down side, I had to go down to London to collect it, but luckily work stumped up for the ticket. I binned the insulin that had been in the case as a precautionary measure.
Fortunately, I had got spares for my levemir pen, cartridges, needles, apidra pen and a spare meter. I have always copied my data from my meter so I lost basically a day's worth but I think I can remember.
It's a lesson to me to make sure that you always have a spare of everything that you need. I have once or twice been caught very low on getting supplies and been touch and go whether things would come in to the chemist on time. I will ensure I keep a spare in rotation and reorder before I use the spare one. Also, the advice on getting an emergency insulin kit was useful to know and the police offices I spoke to seemed reasonably knowledgeable.
Just to share a recent experience that has reminded me of the importance of good kit supplies.
I was down in London for a meeting on Tuesday this week. When I got to Euston Station to head back north, I had about 40 mins to wait, so I went for a coffee with a colleague who had been with me at the meeting. My bag was stolen from under my chair in the Nero cafe on Euston concourse.
Mainly, I was fairly annoyed as I *almost* always tuck the strap under one leg of a chair to avoid this. A couple walked in to the cafe. The bloke stood with his back to me and 'dropped' a cash card on the floor. I leaned forward to tap him to say he had dropped it. He picked it up and patted me on the back, saying 'thanks mate'. I think either he or his accomplice took my bag then.
My bag had some work papers, a digital camera, some headphones, my work photo ID, my kindle, car, house and office keys and of course my diabetic kit. I lost the obvious stuff including my kindle (those of you who have one will know what a trauma that is!).
I discovered the theft with about 17 minutes to go before my train left. When I reported it to British Transport Police, they did tell me that I could go to University College Hospital (which is just over the road) and using the NSPIS reference number they gave me get an emergency kit with a small amount of insulin. Given the short time before my train, I thought that I would be heading a touch low and provided I ate something reasonably sized and slowish absorbing, I'd probably be okay until I got home (about a 2 and a half hour train ride, plus fifteen minutes in a taxi). 'Luckily' I didn't have to drive home as a) my car keys had gone and b) I need my pass to get the car off the car park.
On the plus side, someone found my bag in Camden about an hour and half after it had been stolen and told a police officer. It had most of the stuff in it including insulin and keys. However my meter had gone. On the down side, I had to go down to London to collect it, but luckily work stumped up for the ticket. I binned the insulin that had been in the case as a precautionary measure.
Fortunately, I had got spares for my levemir pen, cartridges, needles, apidra pen and a spare meter. I have always copied my data from my meter so I lost basically a day's worth but I think I can remember.
It's a lesson to me to make sure that you always have a spare of everything that you need. I have once or twice been caught very low on getting supplies and been touch and go whether things would come in to the chemist on time. I will ensure I keep a spare in rotation and reorder before I use the spare one. Also, the advice on getting an emergency insulin kit was useful to know and the police offices I spoke to seemed reasonably knowledgeable.
