Let me start off by saying, I haven't read my manual on this part yet, we just got the itenerary for our trip so I'll be studying tonight.
My daughter has a long trip to California this weekend for a JROTC Drill Meet. One of the stops we'll be making (I'm a privledged Mom of 240 "kids") is Knotts Berry Farm. What advice can anyone give me on enjoying the rides, and keeping my pump safe?
do you have a clip to connect to your pants or bra? that i would assume would be ok since it cant fly off of you since its held on.
have fun by the way!
I just went to a theme park but luckily my teacher held my pump. Either that, or put it in a locker. Make sure this locker is locked up. I'd rather lose my phone than my pump. Have fun!
I'm not sure about others, but the Animas can't go into amusement parks. The magnets are so strong it will mess up your pump. In the manual it warns about MRI's, and at pump training they said it also applied to roller coasters. When I was going to Galaxyland at West Edmonton Mall, my parents had a plan, where they would come to me every hour (at least) to hook me back up, and bolus for my time off. Also, this way, the pump never had to enter the park. But, do whatever floats your boat.
I believe MM also gives a warning about roller coasters and magnets. I think you can be IN the park though, just not on the ride with your pump. Leave it with someone else while you do the coaster.
OK, I'm looking at pg 6 of my very dusty, and wrinkled owner's manual. It says, "VERY POWERFUL ELECTROMAGNETS ARE SOMETIMES USED ON FREE-FALL AMUSEMENT PARK RIDES. PUMPS SHOULD BE REMOVED AND NOT TAKEN ON THESE FREE-FALL TYPES OF RIDES." Then it goes on to say, "HIGH GRAVITY FORCES CAN BE EXPERIENCED WHEN RIDING ON SOME ROLLER COASTERS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU DISCONNECT (NOT SUSPEND) YOUR PUMP WHILE ON ROLLER COASTER RIDES".
This is from the ping owners manual.
Jason
Try checking in with the first aid station there. They may be able to keep your pump for you there or let you know what you can do for specific rides (like where you can leave it safely). To me, it would just be the ones that Jason noted - free falls and big coasters.
If you decided to be unhooked most of the day, you could give yourself a shot of Lantus or Levemir and only use your pump for meals - set the basal to 0% for 24 hours. No solution is perfect, but hey, you don't ride rollercoasters every day. :) Have fun!
I don't know about the pumps, but at the amusement park, you can go to the customer service/relations office and they can give your daughter a free "jump" pass, so she doesn't have to stand in too long of lines. They let my daughter and a friend "jump" to the front everytime.
Thanks everyone! I appreciate all the tips.
Jason - you're awesome for digging out your manual. I hope you didn't sneeze too much from the dust.
I think I will disconnect for the roller coasters (I'm not a fan of free-falls). There is always someone in the group who doesn't like roller coasters so I'll be able to get them to hold my pump for me.
I am so excited! I haven't been on any roller coasters, or at theme parks, since 2004. Way too long if you ask me. ;-D
I had quite the experience with a rollercoaster and my pump. Actually, I never knew until now about the magnets and gravity affecting your pump. My experience has to do with LOSING my pump while at an amusement park. It was about 6 months after I got my pump (Deltec Cozmo) and I was at Cedar Pointe (Northern Ohio). I had ridden a few rides already that day, but this one didn't agree with me and my pump. It was a fairly new and very fast ride. When the ride was over, I got off, reached into my pocket, and my pump was GONE. I panicked and starting crying immediately. Turns out the cap on the pump that keeps the resevoir in broke and my pump went flying off of me. I didn't know it during the ride. I told the security office what happened. They were very helpful. The staff searched the area that day, but didn't find anything. Luckily, I had extra insulin and syringes, so I was ok for the day. The park found my pump the next week and mailed it to me. I was able to turn it in to the Medtronic Cares program and got a free replacement, so it all worked out in the end. I definitely learned my lesson...either keep my pump EXTREMELY SAFE or just take it off!
Erica - that is my fear... it flying off. I'm glad that you were able to get it replaced easily. I'll have extra everything with me for just in case.
Thanks everyone for the advice and tips. I can't wait for my trip!!!
If the pump flying off is your greatest worry, then use a Spibelt (or other similar "fanny pack") to secure it, instead of just clipping it to your waistand.
i had a pump when i was younger through middle school! i had a leather holder for it and it clipped to pants but for rides i would clip it to the inside on my hip so it wasnt out in the open! it worked good for me!!
Knott's Berry Farm was WONDERFUL. I think my pump (if she were human) would have grumped abit about being disconnected so many times... but hey we both survived. Now I need to ride some more roller coasters.
[quote user="Lisa"]
I don't know about the pumps, but at the amusement park, you can go to the customer service/relations office and they can give your daughter a free "jump" pass, so she doesn't have to stand in too long of lines. They let my daughter and a friend "jump" to the front everytime.
[/quote]
Lisa, What was the reason you gave for your daughter needing a "jump" pass?
I just told them that she had type I and they gave her the pass. A friend of mind mentioned this to me and I figured I'd give it a try, couldn't hurt.
My experience is with Disney World (Orlando). Once at guest relations they did give me a "medical pass" to prevent standing in long lines. The other time they did not give me the pass. I guess it depends who is working at guest relations that day. None of the coasters at Disney are terrifying, so going on them with my pump has been fine. That goes for space mountain and thunder mountain.
On one hand I appreciated the fact that despite being T1, I was treated the same as everyone else. But not having to stand in line would have been good too!! Oh well.
Jason
I’m glad to say that I went to Cedar Pointe today (Sandusky, OH) and did not lose my pump! I suspended and disconnected for every single ride and checked often and everything worked out fine. My only mishap was when I went to change my site in the car on the way home. I brought all of the necessary supplies except my inserter (because it is in my normal purse, which I left at home). Overall sucessful day at the amusement park with diabetes!
I love cedar point!