"Choosing insulin pump therapy for management of my type 1 diabetes is the best health care decision I
ever made."
– Michael Bailey

"Choosing insulin pump therapy for management of my type 1 diabetes is the best healthcare decision I ever made," says Michael Bailey. Bailey, now 50 years old, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age
of 18.

"Every single component of my health has improved since my pump therapy was started in November 2007," says Bailey. "I can honestly say that the insulin pump, the Diabetes Program and the pump training have given me my life back and possibly added some years to it. Every goal I set during the pump education has been achieved."

On the Road to Recovery
In late 2007, Bailey was hospitalized at San Jacinto Methodist Hospital after he suffered a heart attack. While hospitalized, he received diabetes education from the Diabetes Self-Management Program. Kristen Constable, MS, RD, BC-ADM, with the Diabetes Self- Management Program, assessed Bailey's teaching needs and provided him with information about continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) or commonly referred to as "insulin pump therapy" as an option for managing his diabetes and insulin.

Bailey researched CSII with several insulin pump companies and was very interested in the Medtronic MiniMed insulin pump. CSII is a prescription through the physician and in Bailey's case, the Medtronic MiniMed pump was ordered by his family practitioner. Constable is also a Certified Trainer with Medtronic MiniMed and provided Bailey's pump training. The Diabetes Program became certified as a pump training center in September 2007 and continues to provide insulin pump training.

"It is so exciting for me to be a part of helping these patients achieve their goals," says Constable. "Michael's A1C in November 2007 at initiation of CSII was
9.3 percent and in May 2008 was 6.1 percent, reflecting a near normal blood
sugar range."

Educating Our Patients
"It is not a matter of just 'hooking up' the patient and then being done," says Carolyn Rogers, RN, CDE, Diabetes Supervisor and Nurse Educator. "The educator and patient must work closely together with frequent communication of blood glucoses – first for the patient to learn the basics and then to take full advantage of the more advanced features the pump offers."

Patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes can benefit from CSII and can be prescribed by endocrinologists, internists and family medicine providers.