Simcoe County Insulin Pumpers' Minutes:  February 10, 2003

This message is being distributed to all who left their email address on the
sign-in sheet.  A notice of the next meeting is below. We hope you will come
again and in the meantime spread the word about the group and bring another
pumper or interested person(s) with you.



Meeting Location: Zehrs (Community room upstairs) 472 Bayfield Street North,
Barrie



Next Meeting: Monday, March 10, 2003	7:00 pm  9:30 pm  (A presentation of
the D-Tron Pump!)



See our (your) website for Simcoe County Insulin Pumpers for meeting information
etc.:

http://homepage.mac.com/dp66/SCIP




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SIMCOE COUNTY INSULIN PUMPERS MEETING # 7 February 10, 2003  7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Another wonderful, energy-charged meeting!  We had a total of 21 people attend. 
As always there were refreshments and snacks. Thanks once again to Zehr's for
their kind use of their Community Room!



Feature Speaker:  Will Sparling of Medtronic MiniMed:

Will showed us MiniMed's latest pump, the Paradigm and their Continuous Blood
Glucose Monitor!


Features of the Paradigm discussed were the improved water resistance now
certified to be "water proof" for up to 8 feet deep for 24 hours!  Great news
for us boaters!  Also this pump does not make "clicks" like the older models. 
It uses one AAA battery which has a shorter life span than the 357's but is more
readily available and easier to change.  The new cartridge carries 176 units of
insulin instead of the traditional 300 units.  It also has a special lure-lock
available only form MiniMed.  This is a result of the measures taken to ensure
better water resistance.  One cool feature of this pump is the ability of it to
"vibrate" (like many pagers and cell phones) instead of using an audible beep or
alarm!

Upgrades for current users of the MM508 etc were asked about.  Will stated that
MiniMed is currently doing the upgrades by region and should be in our area in
the not too distant future.  he is unable to get a firm date form his superiors
though.

The Continuous Blood Glucose Monitor was perhaps the star of the evening!  This
was the first time many of us has seen one.  Will explained it and how is to be
used.  Currently it is available only to doctors and Diabetes Education Centres
for loan to patients.  There is also a severe shortage of these useful devices
in Ontario!  Ask and pressure your doc or CDE or politician, people!  Apparently
there is one CBGM in Orillia and none as of yet in Barrie!

The device is used by the patient for about 72 hours and is worn like a pump
with an electrode placed in the flesh.  It takes samples to compile bg readings
once every five minutes over three days.  This clearly shows the "trends" which
are so important to us pumpers!

The CBGM is not a replacement for traditional bg testing with knife and dagger! 
In fact in order to properly calibrate the CGBM's output to the computer in the
CDE's office, one must have several old - style lance and dagger tests on hand
taken during the period the CBGM was worn!

Thank you, Will, for the great presentation and info!




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Further Discussions:

- Dextrosol:  This has disappeared from store shelves in recent months.  Robin
reports that the reason is that the product is being distributed by a new
company and if you ask your pharmacy to contact the new supplier, the product
can once again be stocked:  New supplier is:  McKesson in Newmarket Ont.



- One parent of a nine year old who is in his first year of using the pump asked
about sand and water at the beach.  This is one seasonal topic we cover each May
or June.  In large part the resistance to sand and water depends on the model of
pump.  Many newer models are more resistant than some of the older models.

Discussion ensued and most agreed that one should disconnect and keep the pump
out of sun light (as this will ruin the insulin) and cool.   Reconnect once an
hour to bolus for the missed amount of insulin during the time disconnected.

Another mention is that one should clearly label the pump and the "box" it is
stored in at the beach as "Medical equipment".  This may prevent people from
stealing the pump if they think it's a pager etc.



- Many other topics were discussed in small groups and in larger ones as we said
our goodnights.  Feedback clearly Indicates that the new Monday night time slot
works better for most people.




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Ideas, topics, issues for future meetings?  email us: 
<mailto:insulinpumper@sympatico.ca>insulinpumper@sympatico.ca


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Diabetes Advocacy:

Paul Beckwith is very active in advocacy.  Paul is trying to get the Provincial
Government to cover diabetes management supplies including pumps.  If so covered
this will make life easier for many of us who do not have private healthcare
insurance and save the government billions in healthcare costs for diabetes
complications down the road In addition please get a copy of his Petition
<http://homepage.mac.com/dp66/SCIP>(from our website) and get it signed and
returned to him!

If you have a few spare hours next year; please contact Paul - he needs your
help!

Paul:  <mailto:p.c.beckwith.sympatico.ca>p.c.beckwith@sympatico.ca



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Thanks once again to Zehr's for their kind use of their Community Room!


Please feel free to volunteer your own special talent to this growing group!  
Drop me or Paul an email  if you want to help, out for a few minutes a month!


Please spread the word about our (your) group!


CONTACTS:

Paul Beckwith:   p.c.beckwith@sympatico.ca

Darrin Parker:   insulinpumper@sympatico.ca

Website:  http://homepage.mac.com/dp66/SCIP


Note:  Simcoe County Insulin Pump Group and it's organizers makes no warranty
nor implied warranty for any of the contents and information understood from
it's meetings, speakers nor for anything contained within it's correspondence
nor opinions expressed herein nor otherwise and does not intend for any
information provided by it's presenters or participants at it's meetings and
within it's correspondence to supercede in any way any advice from healthcare
professionals.  Simcoe County Insulin Pump Group does not endorse any brand,
model nor manufacturer of Diabetes Management equipment nor supplies.

-- __________

Darrin Parker Web Master Simcoe County Insulin Pumpers
http://homepage.mac.com/dp66/SCIP