Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family.
Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one....Jane Howard
"Your most important friendships should be with your own brothers and sisters and with your father and mother. Love your family. Be loyal to them. Have a genuine concern for your brothers and sisters. Help carry their load so you can say, like the lyrics of that song, 'He ain't heavy; he's my brother.' " Ezra Taft Benson

Sunday, June 7, 2009

The Day Has Come.......and None Too Soon

The day arrived that we were to go to Salt Lake to Zach's Dr appointment with his endocrinologist. Doc said that Zach was doing great and his hba1c looked really good. Love it when he gives good news. Zach was also told to check his blood more often and count his carbs better....after all he was being trained on how to use his pump that afternoon!!!!


We had Audrey come with us to learn the pump since she knows how to take care of Zach when we are away....Awaiting the time to start...



Nurse Carol had Zach get the pump out and get started.....
After sitting for a minute she decided we needed to move the table out so we could all get around it.




Here she is showing Zach how to put insulin in the cartridge....I loved it how she talked directly to Zach teaching him. We also had a practice pump we passed around so we could figure out how to work it as well.




These next pictures are of Zach putting the needle together and filling up the cartridge.....








Got it all in the pump now.....



Yep, that's me figuring out how to put the needle on the cartridge to fill it up.....



Zach was then taught how to clean the skin so he could put the needle in. He loved slouching and sticking his stomach out....
Now there are different ways to do the site for the pump.....the doctor wants Zach to use the needle and put it in at a 45 degree angle. There are others we can use later that triggers the site onto you....the way he has to start with looks more painful, but he told me that it is much better to have one painful shot then at least 9 others he was doing with the needles everyday....



the nurse showing Zach what angle to use....


Gotta take the protective sleeve off of the needle



In it goes....






It's on!!!!!



This is the needle that went in Zach.....Not the whole thing, but bigger then his shot needles. The catheter stays in and the needle is pulled back out...


The pump is plugged in and working!!
He sure is a happy boy!!


Shirt down and on our way!!!

We spent a couple of hours being trained. Not only on how to load the pump and insert it, but how the pump works.... not a lot of buttons, but so many features.

Zach is doing fabulous!!!! He loves having a pump and the freedom it has brought him. Since he can eat when ever he wants now, he is hoping he doesn't get fat he said. One afternoon he had an ice cream cone, popcorn, different treats and on and on......he would have had several shots for it before, not now....only a bolus on the pump!!

5 comments:

Glenna & Kevin said...

That is totally awesome!!! Have fun eating!!! I don't think you will have to worry about getting fat Zach!

Suzie said...

That's great! Torrie, use this for your tutorial. I love how he tied his shirt all up... too funny!

Audrey said...

My dad made him do the shirt thing. I personally think it looks like a bikini top! Just kidding!

jessica said...

Fantastic!!! Oh the things you'll eat...or is that supposed to be the places you'll go...oh have fun with the menus!

Torrie said...

I'm so glad Zach loves his pump, that is so fun he can eat all that food now. Yeah, success, I agree with Audrey on the bikini top, lol.