It's easy to live a Flexible Life
..with Medtronic Insulin Pump Therapy

Ambassador : Valma Datson

Hello, I am 52 years old and have had Type 1 diabetes since I was 9. Also 4 years ago I was diagnosed with celiac disease which means no wheat, oats, rye or barley. This of course means huge challenges in healthy food choices as the grains which are left & the breads I can eat are mainly high GI.

I am using my second Medtronic insulin pump, so have been pumping for about 5 years. This time I also purchased a continuous glucose sensor that communicates with the pump. I think they are terrific and my HbA1c’s are always between 6 & 7 now. The pump gives me such flexibility in a busy working & personal life.

The continuous glucose sensor was really useful recently when I broke bones in my foot & basically had to just sit & rest for a month. Using the sensor I was able to adjust my insulin doses so they were still in a healthy range.

Favourite story:
I was travelling in relatively remote parts of Alaska 10 years ago. I was using insulin pens 5 times a day. Whilst on a small boat cruise in the Inland Passage we were moored at Sitka. A group of us rushed from the ship after lunch to get to the famous US Raptor Rehabilitation Centre. This is where injured birds of prey from all over America are rushed to be treated. We were watching through a glass screen while a bald eagle was being operated on when “Uh oh” I felt very thirsty – yes, you guessed it - I had completely forgotten to have my lunchtime insulin! I (of course) had also forgotten to put my trusty insulin pen back in my bag, but luckily my brother had some emergency insulin in his backpack. How to inject it? Ask one of the veterinary surgeons for a syringe, of course! They were very surprised, but obliged and thought it a novelty to treat a human! They won’t forget those Australians who visited their centre in a hurry! We diabetics certainly have had to learn how to think quickly on our feet. Of course this would never have happened if I’d been wearing an insulin pump then.

Apart from this more passive gourmet cruise, I have trekked the Himalayas, sailed around the Greek Islands & white water rafted in Canada and Australia.