Wow, Have We Come A Long Way!

Tolerating the Sweet Life was written/published by Janet Elliott Hughey in 2005. It chronicles her life with Type 1 DM since 1950 with lots of info of T-1 & T-2, pump and insulin info, lots of humor, tips/hints, a few low-carb recipes. Foreword by Miss America 1999. LARGER PRINT, BOLD. Ask your library to stock it. A portion of the proceeds is shared between www.insulin-pumpers.org and JDRF

The information provided for our pages about “The Evolution of Pumps” is the property of Jan Elliott Hughey and is used with her permission! Thank you Jan for allowing us to bring this story to our diabetes community. Visit Jan’s website for more information and ordering of her book Tolerating the Sweet Life: http://maxpages.com/TSLandCLIP

*Artificial Pancreas* '79

Snipped from an article in Time Magazine, June 25, 1979: Responding to shifting levels of sugar in the blood, the pancreas constantly adjusts its secretion of insulin, delivering more during meals, when larger quantities are needed, less during exercise or sleep. Daily insulin injections can correct a deficiency, but are not the whole answer: often the insulin level is above or below what it should be, and the blood's sugar fluctuates wildly, probably aggravating the diabetic's other problems. Yale's Philip Felig and other doctors are now helping nature by fitting juvenile diabetics with miniature battery-powered pumps that continuously trickle insulin into their bodies. Weighing barely a POUND, the artificial pancreases are worn on the belt or carried in a shoulder bag. The pumps tap a 24-hr insulin supply, feeding it at a slow, steady rate via a thin tube that ends in a needle inserted under the skin of the abdomen or thigh. Before meals, patients can override the pre-set instructions and briefly step up the dosage by pressing a button. One incidental benefit, reports Felig: Blood fats, including cholesterol, seem to return to normal during treatment. +++ There were no other specifications included for this pump, including manufacturer or model name. FOR MORE ABOUT PUMPING: www.insulin-pumpers.org

1979 is really was not that long ago the advances the insulin pump companies have made in that time are unbelievable. We have seen amazing technology and watched new insulin pump companies develop while others have left us.

So thankful to the dedication of the pump companies that continue to strive in perfecting the perfect insulin pump. Keep them coming!