No Cartridge No Problem

General
1

Well it was fine for a weekend get away.  So this past weekend, we left home for three days.  Typically I'm very diligent when packing my testing supplies, and pump supplies.  Well, Saturday came around and I realized I had everything but an extra insulin cartridge for my pump. 

Trip to the drug store right...... Well, I did have extra syringes (just in case my pump went hay wire or something).  Here is what I decided to try.   I used a syringe to fill up the empty cartridge that was in the pump.  Just fill up the syringe, pull back the plunger on the cartridge, and inject the insulin through the small hole in the top of the cartridge where it connects to the tubing.  I was totally scared this wouldn't work as I had never "reused" a cartridge before this.  I just had to prime out a few extra units to get the air bubbles out.

I'm sure I'll never forget my cartridges again.  And I don't imagine this is great advice.  But at least I didn't have to interupt my family's vacation this time in order to find the nearest pharmacy. 

Jason in Orlando

 

2

Something like this happened to me when I was on a school trip. We had gone to Quebec City for Carnival, and it was the last day before returning home.  I need to change my site but had forgotten my cartridges.  I ended up using my pump for the basal rate and using syringes for food.  After a seven hour bus ride home and plenty of injections later, I learned a valuable lesson double check all your supplies and I pack an extra site and cartridge in my other bag in case I run out/ forget mine.  I now do this all the time; I have a site in each of my family’s cars and in most of my various bags just in case I need it.