Cracked Insulin Pump.
A few days ago, I noticed a hairline fracture in my insulin pump, starting right underneath the "Esc" button and stemming down into the insulin reservoir window.
And the day after I noticed it, the crack spidered out just a teeny bit more. It's weird - I am actually able to look at this crack and think, "Wow, how did that happen," forgetting that the insulin pump is attached to me, literally, twenty-four hours a day. I could have banged into a door jam (not that I ever do that - nope, not me), dropped the pump on the floor, jostled it against a bag or a package, or, for all I know, Siah could have gone at the thing with a hammer. No telling how this little pump ended up wounded.
I called the Minimed customer service line and pleaded my case. Thankfully, since my pump is under warranty until 2011, they said they'd overnight a new pump my way.
"It's a refurbished model," the slightly sleepy-sounding service rep told me, and I could hear her fingers tapping against her computer keyboard as she typed up our discussion.
"Not a problem. I've had one once before."
I'm all for recycling, and I also believe in the value of "certified, pre-owned" merchandise. But I thought about the places that this pump has been with me. This one insulin pump was built into my wedding dress, traveled to Spain and visited a movie set with me, and has been a part of my first pregnancy. It comes to bed with me every night and it has been tucked close against my body for countless hours at a time.
Kind of intimate for a machine, eh?
I can't help but wonder where this refurbished pump has been. Is it from across the country, maybe a California pump? Has it ever experienced a freezing cold New England winter? Has it ever been with a woman before? Can it tolerate my stupid cats? (Can it survive awkward me?)
The new pump is scheduled to arrive in about an hour, just in time for me to swap out my old pump before heading to Florida for the DRI's Diabetes 2.0 conference. And I'll send the old one back to be refurbished and distributed to another clumsy PWD.
Thanks for the quick turnaround, Minimed! I'm off to Florida!
UPDATE: Just kidding. Minimed missed the overnight and now the pump is arriving tomorrow. But I won't be able to access it until I return on Sunday afternoon. Here's hoping this cracked pump can make it until then. Minimed - FAIL.
Comments
Major suckage yo. Sorry Minimed failed you.
Travel safe and have fun.
Posted by: Crystal | November 5, 2009 01:09 PM
what happened to the animas ping? can't minimed overnight you one to FL? crossing fingers this one lasts!
Posted by: casey | November 5, 2009 01:33 PM
One thing I noticed Kerri...you are hard on your devices!!! You must keep these companies HOPPIN!
Posted by: Renata | November 5, 2009 01:36 PM
Aww, that's the worst! My son's pump broke a couple weeks ago. On Friday night. At 5 p.m. Just as the Animas shipping dept. closed. (He got a weekend full of needles and Levemir, and a new pump on Monday.)
The lady on the phone asked, "Any ideas how it might've cracked?" I answered, "Besides the fact that it's worn by a 9-year-old boy?" She just laughed and said, "That'll do it!" :-)
Posted by: Heather | November 5, 2009 01:46 PM
Renata - No harder on them than they are on me. :)
Posted by: Kerri. | November 5, 2009 02:21 PM
I have the exact same crack in my pump.
Congratulations on the pregnancy and excellent A1C! Since you have been maintaining such great control lately, would you mind sharing what you eat day to day? Providing the amount of carbs would be an appreciated bonus....
Posted by: nicole | November 5, 2009 02:47 PM
That is the exact same place that I had a crack - they replaced mine overnight as well.
Posted by: Meredith | November 5, 2009 03:42 PM
My first pump got the same crack in it. It kept working for me for five years. It actually still works, but I have it as a backup now, with the new (crack free one) as my everyday pump. With the poor design of the corners, I would expect all of them to crack at some point. I wonder how long my new one will last without a crack...I’m going to have to pay attention...when it does crack, I may even call in and get a new one :)
Thanks for all your great posts!
Posted by: Sandy | November 5, 2009 03:48 PM
I think the idea that these things will last 4 years is drug induced.
Posted by: Bennet | November 5, 2009 03:49 PM
My pump actually has had several cracks for months now and I have not had any issues.
Posted by: chris | November 5, 2009 04:09 PM
that's kinda funny-- i had that same exact crack on my last minimed pump, for i-don't-know-how-long-- i didn't even notice it until the inner equipment failed just before the warranty expiration, and i was comparing my beat-up pump to the "new" refurbished one sent to me! now i'm on an animas ping, which got totally scratched up within the first month of wear. these pumps need to keep up with our active lives :)
Posted by: corinn | November 5, 2009 04:21 PM
I had a 'hairline fracture' in my Minimed as well and used it for about 8 months...not that I'm advocating keeping a cracked pump, but hopefully reassuring you that you'll be fine for the weekend. Cheers!
Posted by: Jacque | November 5, 2009 04:34 PM
Minimed Fail is my new band name. Or tattoo.
Posted by: Jacquie | November 5, 2009 05:17 PM
oh bummer! sorry your pump is broken...I aLOL when you wondered if the new pump had ever been with a girl LOL.
heather - that's exactly the conversation I had with the cozmo people "has it been dropped ?" I said "he's 9...he drops, it drops".
Posted by: Michelle | November 5, 2009 06:07 PM
Kerri, Have a wonderful time in Florida. I am anxious to read your blog about your visit. I wish I was able to go.
Dr Jay Skyler was my endo 30 years ago when I was pregnanet. In those days it was all about the glucose meter coming about. How things have changed. Pumps CGMS
Tell him thanks for me.
Posted by: dargirl | November 5, 2009 06:59 PM
I just noticed the exact same crack in mine!
Posted by: Laura | November 5, 2009 07:44 PM
Kerri you have really made me think and get sad about my old insulin pump from that post. To think about everything that I went through with the old pump that I got rid of back in March. I wasn't asked to send mine back though, guess they don't want my old P.O.S. back. See you Saturday.
Posted by: Chris Stocker | November 5, 2009 08:30 PM
Egad! I had my first minimed pump for... gosh, at least 3 years. 4 maybe? That is rough. I have a skin on mine now. not even sure if I would see a crack in it if there was one there. :) Maybe the skin reinforces it?? LOL Nothing like 3M to make ya feel better. LOL
Posted by: Bethanne | November 5, 2009 08:51 PM
I had that same crack, too. Like a lot of others here my pump was fine for several months, so I think you'll be okay. Just don't drop it while you're changing the battery, that's how I finally finished mine off.
Posted by: sara | November 6, 2009 12:19 AM
I know what you mean about an intimate machine! My blue minimed has a name: Steve. Once when I was visiting home, I went to take a shower and sat it on the kitchen table. When I came out of the bathroom, found my younger sister had cleared it and my pump was no where to be seen. Frantically I said "Where's Steve?" and she was like "who?"
So I get where you are coming from. It is hard to damage them, and I figured out a way to prevent it a little bit!
Off to blog about damage prevention now!
Posted by: Jamie | November 6, 2009 01:04 AM
You know what would be cool? If there was a website like Where's George, so that you could enter the serial number of your pump and see where it lived before you got it...
Posted by: Brett | November 6, 2009 09:31 AM
i just read your post and decided to give my MM a quick once over. i just noticed a small crack along the seam below the reservoir window. damn.
Posted by: Kirk | November 6, 2009 12:48 PM
I had 3 or 4 Minimed pumps get cracks in the identical location as your crack. Since I'm a middle-aged woman who treats her pump quite gently, it didn't make sense. Finally it was figured out that it was related to the belt clip for the 522. I always used the belt clip and kept the pump clipped to my waistband. There must have been some sort of torquing gong on. Now I keep the pump in my pocket and use no cases or clips. I've gone over 2 years without a cracked pump.
So if you use the belt clip, that might be the root of your problem.
Posted by: Casabby | November 6, 2009 07:28 PM
Oh your poor little pump. It's been with you through a lot, hasn't it? I'd be nostalgic about it too.
Actually, I do get VERY attached to things. So I was surprised that I didn't feel sad replacing my very first pump when it died last month. I think I was just so freaked out about going through my first pump failure that I didn't even give my little pump a second thought.
Oh and BOO to Minimed for not getting the pump to you before you left. Or maybe BOO to the delivery service? Heck, let's just BOO them both!!
Posted by: Karen | November 7, 2009 11:40 AM
I am on my third pump in 2.5 years, same stress fractures. Every once and a while the pump beeps but no message like; "low battery". Now my current pump has 4 "cracks" or "stress fractures" I am off to call Mini Med again. Why are they still on backorder for the reservoirs? Every time I order 4 boxes I get one, the rest are backordered.
Posted by: diana | February 10, 2010 07:46 PM
I'm agree with Kirk. My pump has the exact same crack, although it's on the opposite side as well as a crack where the battery cover screws in (NOW I know not to over tighten it).
I think it has something to do with keeping it in the holster, or using a belt clip. I use the holster for mine when I need to clip it on pajamas or elastic waist pants. I probably bumped into a doorway, causing it to crack.
I've ordered the neoprene cases and a leather case for my new pump. I won't go back to the holster or belt clip!
Posted by: Jennifer | February 21, 2011 10:41 PM