[Diabetes-talk] pumps

Sat Mar 14 03:03:57 UTC 2009

Hello Mike and everyone,
Mike hit the nail right on the head. I have spoken with a number of people
who are employed by Minimed and they all say the same thing, we are not a
large enough segment of the diabetic population to warrant the investment at
this time.

As Mike has said below, it all boils down to economics. The pump
manufacturers are going to update their pumps with the new features that
will earn them the most money. It's an unfortunate situation, but it sounds
like Mike has found a company who is possibly willing to help. We all just
need to get behind this effort, when the time comes, and support it to the
best of our ability.

Hang in there, it will happen one day,

Dave

-----Original Message-----
From: diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mike Freeman
Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:24 PM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] pumps

WE've made some contacts. However, the problem is one of economics. In the
view of pump manufacturers, we just aren't a large enough segment of the
market to warrant the engineering and design expense of coming up with an
accessible pump. I have been in contact with one company, however, that
expressed some interest.

Mike

----- Original Message -----
From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2009 2:59 AM
Subject: [Diabetes-talk] pumps

I am wondering if there is any way we can work with the pump companies 
to
make an accessible pump

Cheryl Echevarria

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Vincent Chaney" <vgc732 at optonline.net>
To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 11, 2009 6:30 PM
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] questions from a fairly new list subscriber

> Chanelle,
>
> I will have been on the pump for 10 years this September. My first
> interaction with someone who was blind and using the pump was with Tom 
> Ley
> in the middle of a National Federation of the Blind Convention Exhibit
> Hall.
> Tom spoke of the positiveness of using the pump and I totally agree of 
> the
> major improvement of control and the quality of life I have gotten 
> with
> its
> use.
> Using the Medtronic 712 my button configuration appears different than
> what
> Dave Anspach noted in his description, though the logic is the same to 
> use
> the bolus wizard. I prefer not to use the bolus wizard though as what 
> we
> all
> have to do is a memory game and if my sugars rise above 240 the wizard 
> in
> the Medtronic Minimed (Paradigm) 712 pump gives pop-up messages that 
> have
> to
> be okayed before continuing. The message involves a note to check for
> Ketoacidosis and that a correction bolis may be required. In the 712, 
> you
> have to clear out the messages to continue with the bolus wizard. One
> other
> quick point and if anyone has a question dealing with the duration of
> insulin while using Humalog, please post any questions. The default 
> time
> setting in the bolus wizard does not match my body either. The hard 
> set
> time
> factor of 8 hours in the pump for the insulin that has been delivered 
> is
> not
> equal to my body's
> duration of 4 hours. Quickly for everyone, the 712 pump is using 8 
> hours
> of
> time when insulin is delivered and if I require to administer through 
> the
> wizard in less than 8 hours, the pump subtracts the amount it 
> calculates
> to
> be still active in my body. In this miss calculation, any pump 
> calculation
> after 4 hours is wrong for me. The pumps after the 712, which have
> included
> the Minimed 715 and afterward, have an adjustable setting for the time
> factor of the insulin activity.
> Fortunately I'm very good with math an numbers and can calculate my 
> bolus
> or
> a square wave bolus accurately in my head and have done the job of the
> wizard.
> Please don't let this information scare anyone away from the pump if
> you're
> considering to work with an insulin pump. Like any new thing we do, 
> our
> first step with a cane, the first time you walk following a dog guide,
> your
> knowledge grows with every day of life.
> Now to answer Chanelle's question on the square wave bolus, if I 
> haven't
> lost everyone (smile). What I do to figure how much insulin and how 
> long
> is
> a procedure I use. First I consider what type of protein or slow 
> digestion
> food I'm calculating for. If I eat chicken, turkey or fish, I know the
> digestion rate is quicker than for beef and slower if for pork/ham. I
> generally use a half unit per hour for beef and ham and a 0.4 unit for
> fish
> and poultry. The amount and length of time is relative to the quantity 
> I
> have eaten. I usually take 2.5 units for 5 hours and sometimes 3 units 
> for
> 6
> hours. But with most models of control for each of us, this is my 
> controls
> and likely not to match anyone else. I'll also check my sugar at 2 and 
> 4
> hours to determine where I stand. If I'm at my 100 goal at 4 hours 
> I'll
> also
> check near the end of the square too if I may need to stop the square
> early
> or when it is done if I need to continue for any longer.
> As I have had diabetes for over 46 years, and have been advised to 
> limit
> my
> protein intake to the RDA amounts,
> it is only in the meals with the added protein from meats or cheeses 
> that
> I
> include the square wave bolus with my delivery.
>
> Vince,
> Vincent Chaney, President
> Diabetes Division of the National Federation of the Blind of New 
> Jersey
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Ed Bryant" <ebryant at socket.net>
> To: "'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 2:42 PM
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] questions from a fairly new list 
> subscriber
>
>
> Hi Chanelle,
> WELCOME ABOARD!  We all work together to provide each other support
> and information.
> I suggest you contact Tom Ley with your insulin pump questions.  He
> is totally blind and has been on a pump for several years.  Tom lives 
> in
> Baltimore and you can reach him at: RiveraLey at Verizon.net.
>
> Best Regards,
> Ed Bryant
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Chanelle Hill
> Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 10:44 AM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] questions from a fairly new list 
> subscriber
>
> Dear Vince,
> Thanks for replying to my email. I am grateful for the many responses 
> I
> have
> received from the list. I am still using the 512 but would like to 
> upgrade
> to the 522. How do you get your pump to deliver a square bolis? I use 
> the
> easy bolis feature with the beeps, but I would like to use the other 
> bolis
> options--especially since they give a person even more control. Does 
> the
> square wave bolis have to do with insulin being delivered over the 
> course
> of
> a few hours? I am able to fill my pump on my own. I just have a 
> sighted
> friend double check that there are no bubbles in my reservoirs. I have
> been
> on the pump since 2004, and I went to a diabetes center in 2007 where 
> the
> nurses were willing to teach me how to draw up insulin. Before that, I
> thought filling reservoirs was impossible for a blind person.
> Thanks for checking on the Clever Check meter. The lady from Homecare
> Solutions with whom I spoke sounded vague about it. Thanks for the
> information about Advanced Diabetic Solutions! I really need that now
> since
> I haven't gotten anywhere with Homecare Solutions. If they have 
> already
> shipped out the Clever Check today as they said they would, I will 
> report
> to
> the list as to what it is like.
>
> Chanelle
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Vincent Chaney
> Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 9:10 PM
> To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] questions from a fairly new list 
> subscriber
>
> Chanelle,
>
> Welcome to the list...
>
> I too am a pumper, an insulin pump user. I am using the Medtronic 
> Minimed
> 712 but require my wife to fill it due to the inaccessible menu 
> options.
> Once it is filled I work with the beeps to deliver the "Normal" or
> "Squared"
>
> bolis amounts as you probably do.
> Regarding the "Clever Check", I performed a "Google" search on this 
> and
> found no indication it included any accessibility feature. The Blog I 
> also
> looked at noted it worked with only one button which could be used 
> with a
> talking machine but very unlikely. I would recommend you to contact 
> one of
> the many suppliers noted on this list who carry the "Prodigy Voice 
> Test
> Strips". The company I work with is "Advanced Diabetic Solutions" and 
> just
> received new strips about 10 days ago. Their Web Site is:
> http://www.advanceddiabeticsolutions.net/
> Their phone number is 1-888-377-6382. Tina Rockwell, Director of 
> Patient
> Services, is whom has helped me and the members from the Diabetes 
> Division
> of the NFBNJ.
>
> Vince
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Chanelle Hill" <chanellemh at gmail.com>
> To: <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 4:27 PM
> Subject: [Diabetes-talk] questions from a fairly new list subscriber
>
>
> Dear List Members,
>
> I read an article about insulin pumps that someone from NFB wrote 
> several
> years ago, and so I thought I would join this list to see if anyone 
> has
> had
> improved accessibility with the pump and for other diabetes issues. I 
> am a
> Type I diabetic, and I have been using the Minimed Paradigm 512 
> insulin
> pump
> and the Prodigy Voice meter. I know that NFB is heavily involved in
> advocacy, but what has been done to inform insulin pump companies of 
> the
> need for more accessible pumps? Is there any way to become involved in
> advocating for better accessibility? It would be wonderful to use the 
> new
> Minimed Continuous Glucose Monitoring system, but the meter needed to
> calibrate the pump doesn't talk. It seems like that could easily be 
> fixed
> since there are already talking glucometers. I spoke with a rep from
> Minimed
> about upgrading my pump and asked if Minimed was working on a pump 
> that
> would be more accessible. She thought that the company was, but no one 
> has
> gotten back to me.
>
> It sounds like someone is having problems with the Prodigy Voice meter 
> on
> this list? After calling and waiting a few weeks to get some more 
> strips,
> I
> found out that Homecare Solutions is no longer carrying the strips for
> Prodigy Voice and that they are carrying a new meter that is 
> supposedly
> like
> the Prodigy called the Clever Check. Have any of you heard of this new
> meter? Hopefully it has all of the audible features and more 
> accessible
> software (that's almost too much to ask :-) ).
>
> Finally my last question. I am checking out state rehabilitation 
> centers
> in
> Minnesota-one of which is Blind Inc. On the CD that SSB sent me 
> containing
> a
> BLIND cyber brochure, a class for diabetes management was mentioned. 
> Do
> you
> know if that is still taught? Apart from that, have any of you had
> experience with the training programs at Blind Inc.?
>
> Thanks in advance for answering my questions.
>
>
>
> Chanelle
>
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