Worst Case Scenario # 6 .... for pumpers

[Kate]

Here's one that got me this very day, and I thought might spawn some interesting discussion!

By the way - what is the purpose of these WCS? I am going to pull them together into a resource just as soon as we have a nice collection. So thanks for everyone's input. It's been fab! IOf you have suggestions of others, don't hesitate to email or post.

You're in a moment where the spotlight is on you, and your pump starts alarming. And keeps alarming. And to make matters worse the pump is not in standard pager position where it could be relatively subtley quietened, but requires a hand down your top or the like and then half a dozen button presses and a very red face!!

For me it was the first 10 minutes of a meeting in a new job with 2 people I'd never met before and I was right in the midst of giving a shpiel on what my project was to involve and how it was likely to impact upon them - I had their attention 110%. Pump alarms, I can't ignore it and need to a) put my hand down my top - weird. b) then pull out a device with freaky tubing everywhere c) spend the longest 30 seconds of the year cancelling the alarm and suspending pump d) Smile widely and mutter insulin pump diabetes as I shove it all back down where it came from and continue speaking.

Could be you're giving a speech at your grandma's funeral? Performing a solo violin recital on stage? In a tute at Uni/school with a new bunch of people.

What can you do? Start dancing the macarena along with the noise? Fein something - what? - and run out of the room? I dunno. Help!

[Tash]

My pump has gone off whilst in a meeting .... and I was wearing it in my bra *sigh*.... I ended up fishing it out...fixing it up and then shoving it back down there!...all the while trying to look like it was a perfectly normal thing to have to do! lol

I must confess.. that since that event..Ive stopped wearing it in my bra.. my work clothes are all pants and tops...so now it is in an ipod case and clipped to my waist.... Much easier to access.... not quite as comfy I find...but definately less embarressing when the alarms go off!

[artemis]

Hasn't happened yet, but I guess it will, given time. (And probably in the middle of a seminar given by an eminent o/s professor, or such at uni). And yes, I wear it in my bra. Note to self - turn it on to vibrate mode when at uni.

I think I'd just do the reach down the top, pull it out, suspend or whatever, and smile sweetly. (Luckily classicists/ancient historians tend to be a wee bit absent minded, and probably wouldn't think anything of it.) If it had happened when I was performing (and I did do solos with a local choir), I'd just keep singing, which is what I did once when I forgot the words of an aria - just kept on making Italian type sounds, nobody noticed. And my accompanist always played loudly. If it happened before I started, I would have excused myself for a sec, walkied off stage, fixed it, and come back on. Just a part of the rich tapestry of life.

[Kirsty]

Well, I started pumping Tuesday week ago.

I haven't had the alarms go off however being new to this and without my nite pak yet I was caught at the supermarket looking down my top at my pump which was clipped to my bra. I believe the person standing behind me could also see down my top. Anyway the lady who saw me just grinned and turned away. What could I say?

[carolyn]

I sometimes use auto off as an alarm clock, this day I'd had a big day enjoying margaritas in Mexico, got back to my cabin on the Queen Mary 2 to have a message on my phone saying had invitation to dine at Captain's table. Just over two hours to sober up and get dressed so set auto off alarm for one hour to have a quick snooze (and hopefully by then cabin will have stopped spinning). Wake to alarm, shower, do hair and make-up, put on ball gown with pump in pocket on leg strap and put remote in purse. Small bolus for pre-dinner cocktails (like I needed more) and proceed with lovely evening. Sitting next to Captain's wife when my pump auto alarm goes off as I hadn't changed it from the 1 hour setting, and I didn't realise the remote won't stop auto off alarm. Strange looks from some dinner guest as I excuse myself to go to bathroom to stop my crotch from beeping...

Lesson learnt - make sure you don't leave auto off alarm on 1 hour if using the remote.

[AdelaideChic]

How embarrassing! Hope it all went ok anyway.
I think this is the reason i have always kept my pump on vibrate. Its hard tho when the battery comes up low, and beeps to tell you so! I dont usually keep it down my top unless im in a dress, but it was once vibrating heaps when i hugged a friend. I think she was into that tho, lol.
I think i would have to say, 'sorry guys, i have a medical device, it will just take a sec and then we can forget about it!'. Then i would prob turn around, do my thing, go back, flash a smile and keep going. The longer it alarms, the more time they have to work out exactly where that beeping is coming from!
Kirsty - thats the major thing i worry bout when wearinga dress and having my pump there!!! Arghhh!!! :)

[Kate]

Hasn't happened yet, but I guess it will, given time. (And probably in the middle of a seminar given by an eminent o/s professor, or such at uni).

And what if you were the eminent professor giving the lecture when the pump goes berzerk, artemis??

[Mel]

I reckon eminent professors are allowed, nay expected to be eccentric so fishing a beeping pager out of their cleavage would be ok, it's when your'e expected to be Jo Average or business like that pulling a shrilling pager out of your bra is not a good look.

I havent' exactly had that happen but I have beeped occassionally during meetings when I'm on a temporary bolus or something and it is quite amusing to see how long people spend looking around the room for what has made the noise, sometimes they say something other times they spend half an hour scanning the walls and the floors (that' s when i get them to agree to something I want while they're distracted).

[artemis]

[And what if you were the eminent professor giving the lecture when the pump goes berzerk, artemis??

I'll let you know when I've got my honours and PhuD, Kate.

[Bella]

I'll let you know after the 9th October...... when I get my pump.

Yippee, the countdown is on!

[Kate]

So we don't really have any solutions to this? How disappointing!

[Mel]

I think the solution will depend on your personality, if you're an extravert you probably won't mind pulling the pump out and telling everyone what it is and making a few jokes whilst you're at it, if you're terribly cool you could attend to the pump whilst not missing a beat in the conversation(would like to think that would be me), if you're a bit more selfconcious you might look embarrassed and stop what you're doing or excuse yourself from the meeting mumbling something about a "minor medical emergency "and turn off the dumb alarm.

[Leni]

You could pretend it is a pager "Oh, that's my pager... I have to take this. Back in a sec" and step out to fix it.

[waifwaller]

I think i would have to say, 'sorry guys, i have a medical device, it will just take a sec and then we can forget about it!'. Then i would prob turn around, do my thing, go back, flash a smile and keep going.

I think that this is an awesome suggestion =D someone who could say this would look professional, composed and like they actually had a reason for making the noise (not just too inconsiderate or disorganised to turn off their pager).

[waifwaller]

sorry, i just realised that my message looked really harsh coming after yours Leni - i hadn't read yours yet!

[Leni]

hahaha no problem Waif. I guess it depends on how open you are about diabetes... if you didn't want these people to know you had D, then the pager suggestion, I think, would work. If you didn't care, then Adelaidechic's style is good.