So the blizzard conditions in the northeast has me wondering, what do us PWD’s do to prepare in case we are stuck somewhere or snowed in with limited access to the supplies we need?As some of you know, I recently went on the pump.And with the pump there are many supplies that come with it such as the cartridge, the infusion set, and the all important insulin. I have these supplies at work and home, but I have to confess, I don’t bring an extra set with me in my bag for emergencies. To be honest, I find it cumbersome to bring all these things with me in addition to my meter and the One touch Ping. My endo also recently gave me a prescription for NPH pens in case my pump malfunctions. So I wonder, should I start bringing an extra supply of my pump supplies and the NPH/needles in case something happens? I really don’t want to bring all this extra stuff with me but I guess it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Just curious, what do you do? Do you bring extra supplies with you at all times?
YES! Always schlep around extra supplies. I found out the hard way…
http://katieshealthjourney.blogspot.com/2009/10/when-experiments-go-awry.html
You might need a larger purse.
But it’s worth it to have those supplies on hand. You never know when you might need them. Don’t forget, you’ll need the fast acting insulin if you need the NPH. Don’t forget it!
I blogged about this very thing yesterday. I was told to always carry a syringe and can draw insulin out of the reservoir if the pump stops working (but I use minimed, unsure about ping) and I do have lantus and novolog pens at my house. I think I will just always take an extra vial with me with syringes for long term issues.
I’m guilty of not carrying around extra supplies with me a lot of times too. Like you, I have extra supplies in my desk at work but I don’t carry any with me to and from. My commute is only about 45 minutes to an hour so in my head I think that I should be ok until I get home. But I don’t often think about what if something happens that gets me stuck on the way home? Obviously that could turn into an issue. I do however carry extra supplies with me on other occasions, like on the weekends. I guess generally speaking, it would be better to have supplies on you at all times.
I only carry around extra supplies if getting home in a reasonable amount of time is an impossibility. It’s rare enough that I don’t want my shoulder aching from having to carry around a bunch of stuff. As for at home, I always have stuff in stock, so that hasn’t been an issue. But if I was going somewhere really far, like 1+ hour from home, I would try to make sure I was fully stocked with stuff. You can survive pretty much anything for a short period of time.
Bonjour Genevieve – I always have a spare battery, pen needle incase pump goes in la-la-land (let’s pray this doesn’t occur too often or at all). Also, BG meter, something for hypos, water. I’m usually within 1 hours drive from home, but luckily I work from home now, so I guess I’m kind of spoiled (tho’ I do miss the gossip at coffee time – only have Twitter / Facebook to keep me “amused”). I guess we should all really “get with it” and make up some sort of tick off list so we’re prepared for anything. Yes Sir!!!
Wow I guess a snowstorm brings similar thoughts for PWDs!! I was wondering the same thing about what I’d do in a blizzard-diabetes emergency. I carry humalog pens, my quikset, and an extra infusion set. I should probably start carrying around a battery too… It is annoying, but after just forgetting once and ripping out my set it feels worthwhile.
I always carry an extra battery and a needle, Novolog and multiple fixes for hypos on me at all times. If I am going to be out more than an hour I always have my travel pump case in the car. It contains two complete set changes, insulin and needles. I do keep Lantus at home and only take it with me when going out overnight. I think it is important to be prepared. I would rather carry more with me than be forced to go home early.
Treat yourself to a wonderful large lether bag. I have been a type 1 for 44 years. I presently use a pump & sensor. ALWAYS carry extra supplies. Cause when the pump malfunctions & no insulin is delivered, you feel bad quickly. When traveling, I take 1.5 to 2 times the supplies that I need, depends on the length of the trip. One winter I was stuck a week before I could get another flight back home due to bad weather – before the days of the pump… then I could go to a pharmacy & get diabetic supplies, luckily in a state that did not require prescriptions. Pump & sensor supplies, I understand aren’t yet available at every pharmacy.