Red Carpet Confidence

Nothing will stop me from wearing my insulin pump. Not even the red carpet. When my twin sister offered to lend me her very expensive Tom Ford dress for the Dubai Grazia Style Awards, I couldn't say no! However, reality quickly sunk in, where on earth will I put my pump? 

For years I resisted getting a pump because I didn't want to look different. Diagnosed at the age of 14, I had other teenage issues to worry about. I always put my diabetes low on my priority list. In fact, I don't think it was even on any list for a long long long time. Fast forward to my prime age of 32, diabetes is more than just a priority, it's completely changed the way I think about food, the way I eat food and the way I manage it.

A year ago my husband and I decided we wanted to plan for a baby. That's right, I wanted to PLAN my diabetes management! I wanted my sugar levels, my diabetic management and my emotions to be somewhat aligned or better yet, stable! It was time for me to get off the diabetic roller coaster. Although getting off the roller coaster is not possible without a cure, reducing the height of the highs and the depth of lows is more achievable than I thought.

Pre-planning pregnancy was the best catalyst to getting an insulin pump. Doctors told me years ago that a pump would help me, but wearing nice dresses obviously overshadowed the benefits (how wrong I was). 

Knowing that the pump can deliver minuscule amounts of insulin, tell me how much active insulin I have remaining, calculate my bolus based on my carb ratio and much more, makes wearing the pump my best friend. I've become very inventive with where to put it. Back of the dress is always a winner if the front of the dress doesn't allow it. 

I've been asked: Am I singing tonight? Is that a pager? Is that a phone? What is that? And every time I explain it's my insulin pump and I'm diabetic and depending on their perceived level of interest, I either go into full blown diabetes teacher mode, or leave it at that. I don't have to explain myself to anyone, but awareness needs to start somewhere hey?!

I wear my pump loud and proud. Don't ever let fear of what others will think stop you on your path to a better you.

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