I’m so lucky to have some great followers on Twitter! I have a follower that has generously donated her time, talents and story to help educate others! You can follow her on Twitter @diabeticnurslng – Here’s her story with some educational points!

I was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes in March of 2008. That day I started a 70/30 insulin mix from a vial and syringe. My doctor was OLD SCHOOL. A month later, I found a wonderful pediatric endocrinologist and she set me up on Insulin pens (Novolog and Lantus). My doctor is a strong advocate for insulin pumps, so 7 months later I got my first Medtronic pump! And that’s how I ended up here.

BS control- I don’t really remember life before the pump because being diagnosed made everything a blur for me. Now my blood sugar is pretty well controlled- last A1c was 7.6%. I aim for lower, but the stress of nursing school does NOT help blood sugars. My endo says it’s okay as long as I’m under 8% while I’m in school. After that I hope to be under 7% at all times.

Convenience of the pump- EATING! I can eat whenever I want. I don’t have to shoot up in the middle of restaurants anymore, which wasn’t a big deal, but more of a hassle. And people stared which made me angry and I’m not an angry person so it’s better this way. Also, I went from giving myself a minimum of 12 shots every 3 days to just 1 shot.

Take advantage of the 30 medication mistakes that I see in my everyday practice – a free 6 page PDF great for students and practicing healthcare professionals alike!