By Michelle,
Omnipod user/Podding Peer Support Participant
“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” (Winston Churchill)
For more than eight years I had one answer to the following question, “what are your thoughts on switching to a pump?”
My answer was “no”, a big flat confident “no”!
The reason for my ‘no’ has changed over the years. To start with it was because doing multiple daily injections (MDI) worked perfectly for me, why rock the boat? A few years later and my ‘no’ was because I didn’t have good control. I was not motivated to have good control, and I definitely didn’t want something attached to my body.
After burying my head in the sand for a couple of years, I knew I needed to buck my ideas up, find my motivation and take back control of my diabetes. I knew there had to be a change to break the cycle to my poor habits surrounding MDI.
So the last time that someone asked me “What are your thoughts on switching to a pump?” my answer changed to “Yes please!”
It wasn’t something I had proactively thought about prior, but in that moment I knew this was my chance to change. I wasn’t going to be a pumper, I was going to be a Podder!
Wednesday 23rd August 2023 (strange how certain dates stick in your mind) was the day I became a Podder. I had done my research; I knew what the pod looked like, roughly how it would attach to my body, its pros and cons. I wasn’t prepared for the mental shift it would cause, but I was excited about this new technology.
The initial change wasn’t easy, first came a week of hypos, followed by a week of highs which brought a drop in my motivation. “Why bother having something else attached to me if it isn’t going to help?” I thought. But then during the third week of using Omnipod was my first session with this Podding group.
I have never been in such a positive environment where diabetes was at the centre of conversation.
During week four, my motivation returned and more importantly the confidence to make those small, sometimes microscopic changes. I learnt to make one small change at a time, wait to see the results, reassess and make another change.
Learning how a new piece of technology works and how your body reacts can feel like a very lonely process. However, there is support out there and for me, the best support I received was from this group.
The monthly meetings are so welcoming, helpful, and most importantly non-judgemental. In addition, the WhatsApp group has provided me with so much reassurance. There is always someone who will provide an answer, support and advice whilst being honest and open about their own experiences.
It has taken me over eight years to realise that you can read every book related to diabetes and you can attend every NHS-run diabetes self-management education programme. But I have found that true help, support and motivation comes from those in the same situation as me.
I used to hide away from talking to people in the same situation as me, I didn’t feel supported. But this group has changed all that!
Becoming a Podder has changed my life for the better, it was a change I fought off for years, it was scary, daunting, new and unknown. But the change came at the right time for me, and just what I needed. Now my motivation has returned, and with it a desire to have the best diabetes management I can for myself.
This blog post was written by Podder Michelle (pictured left).
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