Worst experiences with beeping pods
A while ago, my boyfriend gave me a list of reasons that he loves me. One was, "I love you because of your commitment to manage your diabetes better even though you do tend to beep a lot."
What a sweetie. :)
He and I have plenty of stories about pods beeping in private, but what are some of your stories about pods beeping in public settings? Here are a couple of mine:
--The first time I beeped in public was one of the worst! I'd been on the pod for about 10 days and was out of town for a Very Important Conference for my company's Most Important Customers at a swanky resort. As the marketing manager, I made a Big Presentation . . . and of course I started beeping about half an hour into it. My face turned bright red and the only thing I could think to do was to simply stop, walk over to my purse, open it up, get the PDM and press the "OK" button, then go back to the podium and continue as if nothing happened. Not a single person asked me about it ever. :)
--During a particularly intense 12-step meeting -- and, of course, during a moment of silence -- my pod started beeping. I was horrified and embarrassed to disrupt the meeting that way. To me, it felt worse than when someone's cell phone rings (which I hate!). Again, I didn't say anything and simply took care of business. After the meeting, one of the other members talked to me privately because it turns out that she was diabetic, too, and considering the OmniPod. She had seen the OmniPod logo on the case when I pulled it out of my purse. :)
Your turn!
What a sweetie. :)
He and I have plenty of stories about pods beeping in private, but what are some of your stories about pods beeping in public settings? Here are a couple of mine:
--The first time I beeped in public was one of the worst! I'd been on the pod for about 10 days and was out of town for a Very Important Conference for my company's Most Important Customers at a swanky resort. As the marketing manager, I made a Big Presentation . . . and of course I started beeping about half an hour into it. My face turned bright red and the only thing I could think to do was to simply stop, walk over to my purse, open it up, get the PDM and press the "OK" button, then go back to the podium and continue as if nothing happened. Not a single person asked me about it ever. :)
--During a particularly intense 12-step meeting -- and, of course, during a moment of silence -- my pod started beeping. I was horrified and embarrassed to disrupt the meeting that way. To me, it felt worse than when someone's cell phone rings (which I hate!). Again, I didn't say anything and simply took care of business. After the meeting, one of the other members talked to me privately because it turns out that she was diabetic, too, and considering the OmniPod. She had seen the OmniPod logo on the case when I pulled it out of my purse. :)
Your turn!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Janice L Cotton on -
Imagine this...returning to the church that you had previously attended for nearly 20 years...everyone is already checking you out...during the devotional part of the service a deacon is well into a several minute long prayer when....yes that's right, beeping pod!!!! Maybe it's just my sense of humor, but I wasn't at all embarrassed. It was as if "that's enough..God already knows our needs before we ask and you've asked and said plenty." There were quite a few snickers and some out right laughs!
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Permalink Reply by Sherry Ann on -
Thankfully, in the five months that I have been on the Pod, my Pod has never beeped in an inappropriate place. However, taking a cue from Lauren's Hope (a company that manufactures medical ID bracelets), I had my jeweler order me a medical ID with loops on both sides. I make my own beaded bracelet attachments, so I probably have about 30 bracelets right now which color-coordinate with whatever I am wearing.
I teach at a local college, and during class this past semester I was gesturing during a lecture and the tiny crimp bead that secures the internal wire in the bracelet I was wearing came loose. Beads went flying everywhere! Thankfully, the beads I was wearing were quite large, so they were all easy to find. They also were bright green, so that helped me locate them on the floor. I just said, "Oops! My medical ID bracelet just broke. Hang on folks." Then I picked up the beads, put them in my jacket pocket, and went on with my lecture. The students just laughed, and we went on with class. They all know I am diabetic (and a little crazy), so no one made a big deal out of it all. -
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Permalink Reply by Katsz on -
My son and I are sensitve to medical tape. He is on his third day of the demo pod. I am afraid if he goes on the pod he will be allergic to the adhesive as well. How bad does that get for you?
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Permalink Reply by Alesha McElvogue-Calonkey on -
I haven't been embarrased by the pod beeping or not, I just don't think that should embarrass anyone!!
Whenever mine beeps for instance if I'm with my family they usually say someone is beeping or you are beeping, lol as if I didn't know it!! -
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Permalink Reply by Janet on -
Lee, would you feel that way even in a business situation when you're making a presentation to your company's top clients? My embarrassment was about calling attention to myself in the middle of a presentation for VIPs, which was focused on them. At that moment and in that context, diabetes seemed private and irrelevant to what was going on.
You wouldn't have felt embarrassed -- just 10 days after starting on the OmniPod? Would you really have stopped everything to tell the audience what it was?
I know that my questions probably come off as critical of you but that's not my intent. I'm genuinely curious about your frame of mind and would like to learn from you. -
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Permalink Reply by Wendella Type 1 on -
I was at Union Sq. Barnes & Noble to hear Nick Cave read from his book Bunny Munro. They had made several announcements about turning off cell phones / pagers, and the place was standing room only, packed with hipsters and cool people off all ages. I tested before the reading, and was heading a little low, so I suspended insulin delivery for an hour since I knew I wouldn't be eating until later. Well, once the hour was up, the darn thing started beeping, and wouldn't stop! first, i just clicked "OK" but then it started up again,.........and again,,,,,,,,,, until I finally yanked the batteries out to make it shut up.
Now I've learned that in this situation it's better to do an "OFF" with a temporary basal set at "OFF" instead of a "suspend" , becuase when you do a temp. basal, it just turns itself on again when the time is up, instead of beeping continuously until you set it to resume!!! I;ve also learned that before inserting myself into a room of cool good looking people that I dont want dirty looks from, i will turn "all alarms off" on my settings.
It is embarrassing! I'm pretty private and dont like announcing things like that to the general public. -
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Permalink Reply by Natasha Bowlds on -
Well, this isn't so much embarassing, but my son was devastated last week when his beeping pod "totally ruined" his "amazing" hiding place while playing hide and seek in the dark with his cousins. Luckily they thought it was funny, which changed his perspective around too. It's good to have supportive people around!
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Permalink Reply by Janet on
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What a good reminder to keep a sense of humor about diabetes and to make sure that you're surrounded by friends and family who have a sense of humor about it, too. :)
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Permalink Reply by Knox's Dad on -
Janet -
First of all he sounds like a keeper!
As many have stated keep a positive perspective and a keen sense of humor about this. Remember a malfunction never ,ever happens at a convenient time! If these darn things only broke down while we were reading the Sunday paper or watching a DVD movie at home there would be to much balance!! LOL!
Best tip..... keep a paperclip handy, at all times, in your carry case. There is a picture and explanation in the manual on how to silence the pods with a paperclip or call the tech people and ask for assistance. Practice it on already used pods just to get a good idea on location so you become a quick mover on this. It does work pretty easily. The key is to bend the tip of the paperclip so it looks a bit like a dental tool. Keep a couple of these with your cas/supplies for those times that you WILL NEED them!
est of luck to you......... -
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Permalink Reply by David Eddy on
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The little beeps, I can handle....
Two nights ago, I live in NH by the way, a pod that I had accidently knocked off 4 hours ago, began to beep constantly. I tried the little paperclip deal, no luck. I finally threw it out the window into the snow.
The following morning, found it in the snow...Still beeping! I brought it to work and hit it twice with a hammer. No more beeping. Priceless. -
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Permalink Reply by Natasha Bowlds on
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The people at Omnipod have told me to put them in my freezer. They told me that it wouldn't actually do anything about the pods beeping, but at least you can't hear them as well - and to leave it in the freezer until the batteries died. The only problem is that when they stop beeping, and i take them out of the freezer, they eventually thaw and start beeping again. So we have a small collection of pods in the freezer. I am very tempted to send a screaming pod back to Insulet but I have a feeling I'd be apprehended for sending something "potentially hazardous" through the mail.
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