Unfortunately, the previous post was not the only incident relating to the malfunction of my pump. I will preface this post by saying that I do still love my Omnipod but we haven't been on the best of terms these past 2 months. He's (I'm not sure why it's automatically a "he" but it is) been redeeming himself these past couple of weeks but it's going to take a lot to regain my trust again.
Make a long story short - the previous post was followed by many, MANY more malfunctioning pods. Beeps here, beeps there, pods were beeping everywhere. Not only was I beeping everywhere I went, when I wasn't beeping, I thought I was beeping. I was constantly unzipping my bag and taking the pods out to my ear, lifting up my shirt in public places to see if it was coming from me. Half the time there was no beep, it had just become so the norm that there was a constant ringing in my ear. It's difficult to write a paper, watch TV, and have a conversation when I have to keep checking on insulin delivery. However, it did make the Saigon Grill protestors seem less annoying..
Each time a pod beeps, you need to open it up and sort of puncture it in this specific spot with something steady and sharp (a tool that has been very hard to find so all suggestions are welcomed-pens, needles, knives have all been tried) so the beeping stops. It doesn't always work though. And sometimes it just makes the beep louder. The two suggestions I got from the pod reps were to either do what I just described, or stick it in the freezer until the battery dies. I've done both. One night I was so fed up that I took a hammer and smashed it:
After that, I threw it out on my balcony to join it's brothers:
They were a symphony of sounds: high beeps, low beeps, the ones that turn into clicks once they are tired of beeping - keeping up the beat I guess.
It was all too much. If you haven't gathered this about my personality so far - there was A LOT of crying. Cries of frustration, fear, anger. I felt horrible each time I called my mom with the same story because I know she shares this frustration, maybe not equally, but just about - but I couldn't help myself.
Each time a pod fails, you call up Omnipod and give them the Lot and sequence number so they can put a replacement pod in your next shipment. But my pod supply was dwindling.
I arrived at work one morning only to hear that dreaded beep. I laughed. I checked the one on my first to make sure it wasn't ME.. PHEW, it's the one in my bag. But wait, that sounds like a duet. Not only was the my backup pod beeping, but the backup for the backup was beeping as well! So basically, the pod I am wearing better not die on me because all my safety's have basically betrayed me. I shoved them at the bottom of my bag and threw my coat on top of them so that the beep wouldn't be as loud. I then proceeded with the routine of calling up customer service and speaking to one of their "robots" (as my mother so wittily named them. "That sounds really frustrating ma'am"... ME: FRUSTRATING?? YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I AM GOING THROUGH AND HOW SCARY THIS IS. "Yes ma'am, that sounds really difficult." WAHHHH... Without continuing with the back and forth, they agreed to overnight me a box of pods instead of waiting for the next scheduled shipment, since I explained to them that to wait until I'm down to two pods, like they suggested, before calling up and saying I need a box overnighted is ludicrous considering two failed in my bag that morning. How could I responsibly wait until I had two left to request an overnight shipment?? A supervisor in the background must have heard me through the phone because all of a sudden the robot interrupted my rant and said that he would overnight me a box and have a "manager" contact me to "troubleshoot" this issue. Collectively, my mother, the manager, and I agreed that I unfortunately got a defected box of pods as my first box with the Omnipod. They wanted to sent me a totally new box and for me to Fedex them all the unopened pods with the labels they would send me. Only of course, they overnighted everything to my house in West Hempstead after I repeatedly told them that I live in Manhattan and gave them that shipping address. My mom was afraid to tell me when the box arrived to the house in W.H... and rightfully so because of course, the tears just came pouring out when she told me. Luckily, I was going home for the weekend and it was Wednesday night so only two more days until I can open up my new gift! It wasn't wrapped up with a bow, but it was exciting enough.
Anyways, I went home for the weekend, got my pods, came back and the cycle started again! Was it another bad box? Who knows. The robots heard from us numerous times and again told me that I would be hearing from a "manager".
I was in school on a Thursday during my break before our 4 PM class. I was sitting with S in the lounge when he called. "Is this a bad time?", he asked. No, it's fine, just in school - giving him the same obnoxious attitude I give the rest of them, that none of them deserve but who else can I take this out on. "I hear you've been having some problems, let me make sure I'm up to date on your situation".. and he continued to describe what I had been going through since January when I got on the pump not missing a single detail. But my mood did not change. I sounded irritable with my short answers and bad attitude and he knew it. "I know this must be really hard for you and this is not supposed to be happening. I've been on the Omnipod for three years now and... " - "You're on the Omnipod???", I immediately interrupted him. "Yes ma'am, but I don't get any special discounts for working at Omnipod." He too had Type 1 diabetes and proceeded to tell me a bit about his transition from injections to the pump, but fortunately had not had to experience the same mishaps as me. We ended up having a very comforting conversation, leaving me with a better feeling about the whole situation. He left me with his personal line at the office in case I have any questions or just need some "TLC" and don't want to go through all the prompts and robots.
The fear and frustration is not gone, but like everything else - it happens once, or in this case, around 17 times.. and when it happens again it's more of a chuckle - YOU AGAIN! I'm realizing there is just too much else going on - good and bad, to be stressing about something that I actually can control. Easier said than done - but that's the plan.
And I will leave you with this adorable video that I came across during one of my feeling bad for myself nights which made me feel sad and confident at the same time. Enjoy.
