Are you a good candidate for the pump? Of course you are.
Don’t let them tell you that you are not a good candidate for the pump. You are a candidate if you think you are. I think you are. You should think you are. The insulin pump is the best available treatment for insulin-dependent diabetes. And you, my friend, should have the best available treatment.
Think of it this way. There are basically TWO available treatments for most of us with insulin-dependent diabetes. Some variations on those, but basically two:
Option ONE, of course, is to take shots.
Option TWO is an insulin pump.
If someone says that you (or someone you love) are not a good pump candidate, then BY DEFAULT they must be saying that you ARE a GOOD CANDIDATE FOR INJECTIONS. Which, if you are paying any attention AT ALL, is complete INSANITY.
Ask anyone. They will tell you in no uncertain terms that they are not good candidates for injections. This question is like the question, “Do you want a million dollars?” –there is only one answer. ASTONISHINGLY, even if you ask a hundred thousand people –old people, young people, wise people, dull people, people from the other side of your world— “Are you a good candidate for injecting yourself with a needle several times a day?”, everyone answers the same way— “No.” Remarkable.
If you are a crappy diabetes patient now, maybe you always will be. But maybe not. Maybe you just need something that works better than poking yourself with needles all the time. Maybe you just need a little encouragement and positive reinforcement. Maybe if your diabetes was just a little better and you felt a little better and your life was a little safer maybe you would be better at managing your diabetes. And maybe then you could get off the crappy patient list.
That would be good.
It is worth a try, no?
But let’s say you are not crappy. Let’s say YOU ARE THE FINEST EXAMPLE OF A DIABETIC PATIENT EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD. Ever. And let’s say the insulin pump can only make your near-perfect life, say, 10% better overall. Is that not worth it? Is not a life 10% better more desirable than a 0% better life? When it comes to better, more better is always better than less. Consider:
Better jam on your toast?
Better sex?
Better economic forecasting?
Of course.
Imagine those first people who discovered the horse after generations of walking. Their lives were certainly better. And it was obvious. It probably wasn’t long before everyone was saying, “You can walk if you want to. I’m taking the horse.” In truth, the pump is nothing like a horse, but it can change your life like that.
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