[Diabetes-Talk] 530 G Pump

Mon Aug 17 23:09:09 UTC 2020

I'm getting the feeling here that someday a device will be sprung on us, and that without any input into it, we're just gonna love it! Ugh!

Sandi

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Veronica Elsea via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Monday, August 17, 2020 4:02 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Veronica Elsea <veronica at laurelcreekmusic.com>
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] 530 G Pump

Mary, I started with a Disetronic pump in 1991 and loved those big ol’ bubble buttons. The problem is, the designers and marketers are all young and think that all everyone wants is something that looks cool like their phones. Then they started adding features to the pumps to incorporate more stuff. And then, bingo! Menus and lots of questions. And of course, now they’re being incorporated into continuous glucose monitors and becoming sort of closed loop systems. Now they assume more people will be reading the screens so we’re all expected to pull out the pumps and then try to look decent in public while we shove feet of tubing back into our clothing without getting undressed in public. <grin.>  That is one good thing about the Omnipod since it has no tubing. It makes it easier to use it with an app on my phone like Seeing AI, then just toss the remote back in my pack. But this is the problem of not being on the radar in the beginning. The world has moved on and we just weren’t figured into the equation. After all, what I heard from all these companies was, because of blood testing, the number of people going blind from diabetes is way down so we don’t need to worry about it. They never did seem to get that there are many reasons people lose vision. 

So I’ll stick with my Omnipod for as long as the company still supports the older PDM.

Veronica

"Guide Dogs, First Hand", Veronica Elsea's classic album is now available on iTunes, along with other music from her and from the Guide Dog Glee Club. 

To learn more, visit:
http://www.laurelcreekmusic.com <http://www.laurelcreekmusic.com/> 
                Veronica Elsea, Owner
Laurel Creek Music Designs
Santa Cruz, California
Phone: 831-429-6407

From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Matt Davis via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Monday, August 17, 2020 8:09 AM
To: Diabetes-Talk at Nfbnet.org
Cc: Matt Davis
Subject: [Diabetes-Talk] 530 G Pump

What to do now?? 

For those of us using this pump and having spoken with the pump reps, our physicians and still continue to do so, about this dilemma without success, seems illegal for Medtronic.

Different thoughts have arisen, why can’t the company continue with this model?

Acu Chek had a pump that was designed for the sighted person to control the pump non-visually(my understanding was that the people researched wanted a pump that they could manipulate while it was in their pocket or at least under the table in order not to distract from conversation going around them)

So, my understanding was that Acu Chek designed their pumps for that reason.

and because they did, blind people could use them. 

About 23 years ago, I bought one of their pumps. We Received training from Mary Leighton, an RN at the Diabetes Education Center of the Midlands. Because of its accessibility, I was interviewed with the Omaha World Herald newspaper as being the first blind person in Nebraska to use an Acu Chek pump.  

Within the last 10 years, the company went out of business. I feared going on the Metronic pump as I knew I would not have the independence I had with the Acu Chek pump. I have been using this 530 G for a few years now. It seems that if companies could design their pumps back then to have tones and vibrations, certainly, Metronic can design one now!

My question is, “Why haven’t they?”

Sincerely,

Mary

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