What is Wrong With the Pump?

We did not visit a doctor or a hospital. Shortly after arriving at Hotel Villa Kiin, Deb's blood sugars started to climb. Most readings were between 25 and 30 (5 is the ideal). Because we did not trust the pump (hose), we dealt with this by using needles to administer boluses for two days. The needles brought the blood sugar levels down each time, but never enough. They rebounded to unacceptable levels because we were relying on the pump between needles. For those two days, we were testing and administering insulin every two or three hours. It was not helping so we started to make plans for a return to Canada. We both know that extended high readings bring a risk of falling into a diabetic coma, for which hospitalization would definitely be required.

Deb spent most of this time in bed.

Then we both realized at about the same time that the pump did not seem to be providing the continuous basal rate of insulin necessary to keep the blood sugar relatively constant. I checked the pump menu to find that it still contained 49 units of insulin. Deb took a more direct route and actually removed the insulin cartridge. It was empty.

For two days, the pump thought it was giving her insulin, but it was not.  It was an error in the pump itself.

Deb refilled the pump and it started working correctly. Her readings came down to normal levels and she immediately started to feel better. In the end she was able to reuse the hoses without any problem. She has an appointment with her diabetic team shortly after our return home. Then maybe we will figure out what happened to the pump.

Now, about a month later, the pump has been working perfectly. She recently changed the insulin cartridge in her pump. To do so she has to draw the insulin from a full insulin vial, which is exactly what she thought she was doing. In truth, she was drawing the insulin from an empty vial and couldn’t see the difference. She filled the pump with air and it didn’t working correctly.

She now believes thet this is exactly what happened when we were away. The pump was not to blame. Her vision was at fault.