After about two weeks of trying the Tandem Mobi, we are back to using the Omnipod 5 as Kay’s insulin pump. As much as I loved the idea of the Mobi and the promises of a better algorithm, I could not continue knowing how much Kay was struggling with the change. My heart aches for everything she has already endured, and for what she will continue to face living with Type One Diabetes. The pain, the mood swings, the blood sugar highs and lows that make her feel sick or give her headaches. I wish I could take it all away for her.
Insulin pump changes have never been easy for Kay, but she was starting to tolerate them more, especially when I offered her a cookie as a reward afterward. She always earned it. My hope with the Mobi was that even though the process involved more steps, Kay would eventually see that it caused less pain than the Omnipod. Many people I read about and spoke with shared positive experiences and reported that it hurt less for them. Unfortunately, the extra steps required with the Mobi made the entire process overwhelming for Kay. She knew what was happening and dreaded what was coming next, which became too much for her to handle both mentally and physically.
With the Omnipod I could change her pump on my own, and although there was some resistance, it was manageable. With the Mobi, it took both of my parents helping me to hold and comfort Kay just so I could insert the pump correctly. It was not sustainable, and more importantly, it was not fair to her. My parents have their own lives and responsibilities, and it is emotionally exhausting for all of us to watch Kay become so upset. As much as I had hoped the Mobi would work for her, I had to make the difficult decision to return to what we know works best.
Last night I removed the Mobi and put on a new Omnipod for Kay. She was scared, more than usual because of all the stress she has been through recently, but she handled it better than she had with any of the Mobi changes. I felt relief knowing we could go back to what was familiar and easier for everyone. Diabetes is already such a heavy load, and I do not want to make things harder for Kay or myself. Through it all, Kay continues to be incredibly brave and strong, and that is something I remind her of every single day.