Last week I had the opportunity to see the Broadway play Mary Poppins in Chicago. I can take a play or leave a play, but I wanted to see this one because I watched the movie when I was a kid. The play was awesome (Bert walked up the side of the wall, across the ceiling on a board and down the other side during the song "Step in Time", which was by far my favorite part).
If you are familiar with Mary Poppins, you know at one point in the play/movie she pulls out tons of stuff from her bag. The stuff just keeps coming out and out, like a lamp and pillows and tons of other stuff. I think I carry a Mary Poppins bag.
A couple years ago, I was able to fit my meter, insulin pen, insulin pen cap needles, and finger poker into my ugly testing kit that comes with a meter. It worked fine. I had a snack in my backpack in case I got low, and everything was peachy.
Then, I got out of college and into the "real world." I did not have the luxury to going to my apartment in between classes if I had a problem with my pump or anything else. It was then that I upgraded from carrying a purse, to carrying my Mary Poppins bag.
I love my Mary Poppins bag (it is a Vera Bradley one with Pink Elephants that zips, although now it is really dirty..but don't worry, I just got a new purple flower Vera one). I feel like I carry so much stuff that it is ridiculous. Not only do I have a new pouch-thingy for my meter and stuff (also a Pink Elephant bag), I have to carry more stuff with the technology that I use. Just to entertain you, here are a few things in my bag:
1. Pink Elephants small bag (meter, finger poker, extra battery, dime, gauze, extra finger poker lancet cartridge, three vials of test strips)
2. box of tough-strips waterproof band-aids
3. insulin pump supplies (reservoir - 1; cording/adhesive thing that sticks to your skin - 2) and the quick set device for putting it in
4. planner, Nalgene, wallet, Tylenol, four packs of gum (sweet mint, supermint, spearmint, and peppermint), cell phone, Panera gift cards, and a book.
As I was typing the above part of this post, I thought about how lucky I am that I am a girl. Seriously...what do guys do with all of their diabetes-related stuff? How do they carry it? Maybe I should "down-size", but them I am afraid I'll have to re-do a pump site in the middle of a school day and not have my necessary supplies. Or what happens if my battery goes dead at the gym? I have to have a spare with me. Hopefully I won't have to upgrade to a suitcase in the future!
My life as a runner, perfectionist, athlete, 20-something, and type 1 diabetic.
Hi, Queenie,
ReplyDeleteI carry slightly less junk, and I stuff my pockets. I prefer to wear cargo pants with more and bigger pockets.
I carry the typical meter and lancet, with an extra pump battery in the pouch, and a tube of glucose tablets.
Queenie, I'm a man and I'm not 40. (Sorry, funny if you know the story) Anywhoo, I use a black Medport bag. In it, I keep strips, my flash meter, lancing device, extra battery, vial of insulin, Syringes, in case I have problems with my pump. I do not carry any pump supplies.
ReplyDeleteRyan
jpnairn - I think your pockets must be so full. Maybe you have a small meter? My meter is fairly big (Accu-check Compact plus) because it has the vial of strips right in it. I admire how you have mastered carrying so little.
ReplyDeleteRyan - nice reference to the Oklanhoma coach speech. It made me laugh. I used a simliar bag when I was first diagnosed and even before the pump and CGM. Then I realized that I would be happier testing if I didn't have to pull out a boring, rather ugly (sorry!) bag, which is one reason why I got my little Pink Elephant bag. I try my best to be fashionable and practical at the same time :)