Another Site Change Twofer


As a rule, we have very few site change issues, and very few sites which conk out on us.  We had gone for many months with nary a hint of a problem.  Then we apparently entered the dark hole of terrible site issues.  Last week's glitch-ridden site change seemed like maybe it should fulfill our mishap quotient for a while?

Alas, somehow the diabetes gods did not get the memo.

Yesterday started as just a run-of-the-mill, because it was time, site change day.  The old site came out fine, and all of the pump-related tasks were uneventful.  Finding a new site is more challenging in swimming season since she really likes it to be under her bathing suit.  An acceptable spot was negotiated.  The 'o.k.' was given.  I squeezed the inserter, and it popped in.  Sort-of.

The tape bunched up into layers which I had to very carefully unstick before I could pull the inserter out again.  A closer look left me wondering.

"I think it's in."

"Whaddaya mean, you think it's in?"

Well, I can see a little more of the tubing than usual, but it's definitely in...does it feel in?"

"Yeah...I mean I think so?  Can you push it further in?"

"No...the tape's all stuck down.  And anyway...I'm not sure if that even could work?"

"I think it's o.k."

We finished the post-insertion details and headed upstairs.  Periodic questions about how the site felt were met with one word answers such as "fine" or "o.k."

Two hours later, just as I'm finishing  dinner, "I think we should change this site."

It was tempting to blurt out, "you're telling me this now???"  I'm certain my face said it, even though I held my tongue.  The rational side of my brain urged me to keep calm, to be proud of her for still thinking about it and recognizing the need to act.  Regardless of the timing, bolusing for a carb-heavy dinner with a questionable site seemed like a bad idea.  I did my best to put dinner prep into suspended animation and we headed back to site change central. 

The old one (from 2 hours before) was bloody and awful.  The new one went in better. While the tape bunched again (atmospheric conditions? any ideas?) the cannula was definitely all the way in and it felt 'great.'  High praise indeed.

I hope we've now fulfilled whatever diabetes karma debt we were up against.

1 comment:

  1. I was *JUST* thinking about how long, long, long it has been since we've had a kinked or otherwise dud site. I'll continue to count my lucky stars and not take them for granted.

    Blood's the worst. Or any ooze. Ugh. Godspeed.

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