I have kept up with you and your steroid injections, and your shoulder problems..... I have had
surgery on both my shoulders so do have some feeling of what you have been through.  With
multiple autoimmune diseases plus asthma, steroids have been a steady *friend* of mine for many
years.  I was already predisposed to the diabetes during that time (actually a positive ogtt
test in '72 but was not put on treatment until a few years ago by my very astute doctor I
finally found, with whom I am so pleased), and all of a sudden one day it burst forth into full
bloom.  Into the mixture is the chronic pain from the connective tissue disease and severe
polyneuropathy (peripheral, autonomic, and proximal), and you know how much the pain affects
your sugar.  It all feels like, and is, a viscous cycle.  It is manageable, though, which is
more than I can say for some of the other "ailments."   However, while I've been having the
surgical procedures for the kidney stones it *has* been  a bit harder to manage with the MDI.  I
was also very forgetful about taking my lantus shot at the exact time each day, and of course
that really would mess me up.  This is why the pump will at least help me with my basal, and
with my overall care as I learn more, and gain more experience.

I *do* know about Carelink, but with this *foggy* brain I have now, I am a bit slow in getting
from one step to another.  Thank you for the information about it.

Billie in Arkansas  :)

Thanks, Will.  I am excited about it.  Interesting story about my trip to the CDE yesterday for
my training.

We live in Blytheville, AR, about an hour and a half from my endo's office in Memphis.  While I
rest my laurels upon the couch 24/7, Jim has to do all the work, including helping me to get
dressed, and getting things ready and into the car (I have never learned to call the expedition
a *truck*).  I *did* get a bag packed with all of the *stuffings* for getting set up through my
training.  We were almost to the Mississippi river and I looked over at Jim and said (after a
quick glance towards the seat just behind us and not seeing it), "You did get the bag with the
pump stuff didn't you?"  A long thoughtful pause, and he said, "No."  I completely forgot to
pick it up and bring it to the car!"  Thankfully, since I had done a LOT of reading and watching
the 3 hour DVD that came with the pump, I felt I could still learn from the CDE anyway, and all
would not be lost.  Sure enough, even though I was the first one she could ever remember to come
in for their pump training without their PUMP!, we were able to go through things well enough
that I was able to get it started by myself last night without any problems.  I am a technology
nerd so I am having fun playing with yet another gadget.

Billie

Yes.  :)  and thanks for all your pumping input.  I have saved much of it throughout the past
year since we first put in for the pump last July.  All of a sudden my insurance approved it.

Thank you Liz.  I follow your postings on IP regularly, and really do appreciate all that you
have to say.  Thanks to IP I have come into this with more knowledge than a lot of people (been
reading and a little posting since July), and too, because I had time to read all my books (MM
and "Pumping Insulin") while I've waited for my CDE appointment yesterday, though I really do
need to read more in "PI."  My vision is not good right now, though, and reading is hard.  We
are going to be traveling from AR to OH Thursday, so that will give me some good reading time
unless I am reading the new James Patterson book instead.   :)

Please keep posting here and on IP because I surely do learn a lot from you on a practical
basis.

Billie