Comments on: A mother speaks out about her son’s need for an insulin pump.

By: BeingDiabetic.co.nz | Another great community story.

BeingDiabetic.co.nz | Another great community story. — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:39:26 +0000

[...] year in November I did a post about Natasha and her little 18 month old boy James, who needed an insulin pump to make managing [...]

By: alicia

alicia — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:45:29 +0000

Tash,
I met you at the zoo on time. I have georgia who has just turned 3 (had type 1 since 18 months old). When do you start your pump start? Or have you done it. We start on 16th december and am a tad anxious about it.
How are you finding the animas as that is what we are going for? Is he tolerating the site and tubing?
whats the hardest part. ?
alicia

By: tash

tash — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:20:47 +0000

hi every one,
yes that was a pretty big mis quote!
My have recieved some help and my parents have also offered to help out so getting James on a pump asap!
He is starting next week. The relief is incredible!
Have chosen the animas, shame they are not bringing the ping here as the remote feature would be really helpful
Tash

By: Sianne

Sianne — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:50:36 +0000

Hi Kris

Congratulations. Hope everything goes well with the pump start. What pump did you go with?

By: Kris

Kris — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:44:27 +0000

We have finally been booked in for a pump start training in March for our 7 yr old daughter – yay! We are paying for a pump ourselves because we can’t wait any longer because of the ongoing health problems. She has such erratic blood sugars that her usual regime is about 5 injections a day (including at lunchtime which I have to go to school to do – she is still on syringes because we have to mix insulins & if we didn’t her injections would jump up to about 7 a day). Having met with a pump rep yesterday we are so looking forward to it…pity that NZ doesn’t fund these items but we are lucky that we can stretch to pay for it (and forget about getting a new car for quite a while!) In Auckland the funding really is not enough for the amount of kids who need help and there is a long waiting list…so buy paying for our pump our daughter gets one quicker & the funding is left for a family who really needs it. Maybe shifting to Australia isn’t such bad advice – trouble is we love living in NZ.

By: Christine Murray

Christine Murray — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:48:51 +0000

As I understand it, the 12 shots a day is the reporter’s misinterpretation of one site change replacing 12 shots. Can I just clarify the statement in the article that suggests we might be better off here in Canterbury. We aren’t! There was a one-off contract to provide a small number of funded pumps for 0-25 years of age and provide one year’s consumables only. The contract hasn’t been renewed. As we didn’t have the staff resources to do paed pump starts, most pump recipients were in the upper age range. Almost all of our kids in Canterbury on pumps have been self funded. Diabetes Youth Canterbury raises the funds to provide some of the consumables for these families and we are now providing consumables for a couple of the young ones who received a CDHB funded pump as well. So the money is spread even thinner.

Its very easy to look at other areas and say they have it better. They don’t – they just have it different and that’s not necessarily better.

Chris

By: Jane

Jane — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:46:25 +0000

Natasha has said that “12 injections are a mis-quote”. She had said that one pump site would save him 12 injections, not 12 injections per day.

By: Jane

Jane — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:21:02 +0000

I agree entirely that all Type 1’s should be provided with insulin pumps, but I also think maybe a new insulin regimen could be in order here. I can’t imagine any Dr advocating that a wee one should have 12 injections per day.

By: Sianne

Sianne — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:47:01 +0000

http://www.times.co.nz/cms/news/2009/11/pump_to_help_adi.php

You could also approach companies for funding. see article

By: Sianne

Sianne — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:36:05 +0000

Hi Natasha

My heart goes out to you and your son. Its bad enough being an adult with Type 1 but for an 18 month old it would be awful. Poor little guy.

I would definitely like to help. Have you set up a fund/bank account for raising funds? If so let me know and I will do all that I can.

I definitely think a pump will go a long way to helping you guys out.

A couple of days ago on the blog Nic wrote about some funding from WINZ. You may be able to get some funding from them if you have not already.

Hopefully if more people speak out we can get some government action but until then good luck

Sianne