Who am I?

I relied on insulin pens up until I was 26 years old. The majority of this time also included the bloodsugar meter, or as I like to call it - the BS-meter. Interpret that as you like... Luckily, I can now save my precious fingers from the ever so constant pricks (and condensending words when blood doesn't come out). When the Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) came, I started on the Freestyle Libre sensors (suitable CGM-name for a snowboarder crusing down the slope). No more BS-journaling and drawing the curves from the past week (which only happened the day before the doctor's visit)!

Following some consitent issues with high BS in the morning, my big brother inspired me to get on the same insulin-pump as he was using to manage his T1D. That is the Tandem TSlim X2 with Control IQ. My hesitency to move from pens to pump was #Fear A) I didn't want an ugly piece of plastic with a string attached to my stomach (superficial - I know) #Fear B) lack of the feeling of freedom by carrying around my diabetes in my pocket, and #Fear C) scared for the pump to break down and not being as autonomous as I am with the pen.

When I saw the incredible difference it made to my brother's BS, and to his overall wellbeing, the hesitency went away. It has had the same effect on me, and I am proud over myself that I dared to test it. It meant, however, that I had to give up the swaggy-named CGM to Dexcom G6, as this is the CGM that is compatible with the pump. You win some, you lose some.

I wanted to give you a context of my journey with diabetes gear as I have lived through the incredible T1D equipment development that has happened over the past 20 years. Another reason as to why I wanted to tell you this is because it gives people a context of all the necessary equipment that is needed to manage T1D. Whilst I'm using an insulin pump, I still needed back-up pens incase the technology breaks down (#Fear C). As such, I have listed all my equipment below

Enter #Fear D): What if the eqiupment I currently rely on won't be accessible in the UK? Will I have to pay large sums of money to get a hold of it? Or will I have to leave my beloved Tandem pump behind and start using my pens again?

At the moment, I don't know. But rest assured, when I am done with all the updates on my move to the UK I will let you know. Below you will find all the equipment that I use and will update the possibility for me to acquire them as I go along. I am sure you will find some of your Diabetes Gear there too.