Endo Appointment – Check; Upload – Check

It’s that time again…the three-month check-in/check-up at the doctor’s office. Time to get everything together: logbook, refills needed, questions or concerns jotted down.

The part I used to dread was the most was the logbook part. Making sure I had the right cables for the right devices, uploading three devices (meter, pump and CGM) and praying my printer would work to print off the needed reports. If not, then I would be up the creek without a paddle because my endo’s office requires paper copies of my log sheets for insurance purposes. Found that out the hard way when I tried to bring them in on my laptop instead since my printer wouldn’t print. I had to send them in later after I had gone to work and could upload again to another computer, print them and fax them in. It was a load of wasted time and paper.

Before, a typical “getting-ready-for-the-endo-visit” routine would go like this: I would try to get things together the night before, but since adjusting to having a baby, it just never would work out. My nights are scheduled as much as they can be with a new baby. By the time I would get him down for the night, I would be so tired, and it wouldn’t take much to convince me that I could do what I needed to in the morning before he woke up. Then, morning would come way too fast, the snooze would be hit one too many times, and I would get up when the baby did, so uploading and printing would have to wait until he was changed, fed, and happy. Oh, and after I got my shower and got ready.

And, of course, by then, I’m stressed because of time and the baby is stressed because, well, as any of you know – your baby tends to feed off of you and how you act – so he would get cranky. All of this leaving little time and patience for everything that had to be done just to get three sheets of paper for the doctor to look at.

Since getting the Paradigm Revel, it’s been much easier. Because the pump wirelessly connects to the computer via the USB dongle, I just have to keep up with that one piece, not a gazillion cables (not to mention making sure those cables are long enough!). Gone are the days of opening one software, plugging in one cable, suspending the pump, praying it connects and downloads, then plugging in another cable, and crossing all fingers and toes that my meter uploads, and last but not least, using yet another software and cable to upload the final device. Oh, and did I mention the two separate reports from the two different software’s needing to be printed? Now, all I do is plug in the dongle, pull up the CareLink site, log-in, and upload my pump, which includes the pump, CGM and meter information. Easy as pie! I still had to print my reports before, but as of recently, my endo’s office now uses CareLink as well, so I’m totally psyched about that!

So, now, if I put off uploading my pump until the morning of the appointment, it’s no biggie. I can simply leave my pump at the computer to upload while I’m in the shower. When I’m done, I just reconnect and go. So simple! And what rushed mom doesn’t love things to be simple?

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

CareLink® Therapy Management Software for Diabetes is intended to be used together with advice from a healthcare professional familiar with the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes. Do not make any changes to treatment without talking to a healthcare professional first. Please visit http://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/important-safety-information for complete details.

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