# Naming your insulin pump?



## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 9, 2020)

It has only struck me today that I am yet to settle on a nickname for my new insulin pump.

In the past I’ve found this makes any frustrating interactions more tolerable, as I can see it as a personality quirk of my robot companion, rather than simply an annoying bit of tech.

First I had my Minimed Veo which I called Artoo (R2P2 - Replacement To my Pancreas #2) with MDI having been replacement #1.

Then for my MM640G I used Threepio (3PO - Third Pancreas Object)

So now I have an altogether smarter and soon-to-be more automated hybrid-closed-loop Control IQ enabled Tandem TSlim

I’m tempted with ‘Hal‘ (after 2001 and at a stretch Hybrid Automatic Loop), but I’ve not quite decided.

Anyone else name theirs?

PS shouting “You useless piece of junk” at it doesn’t count


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## Sally71 (Aug 9, 2020)

My daughter was 6 when she got the first pump and it just became known as Pumpum.  The second one at 10 years old was Pumpo.  As you can see, we are not very inventive!  We have a yellow cuddly toy “pump” thing with a smiley face and a pocket in which was supplied by Roche and is for children to put their pumps in at night if they so wish, he is called Pumpy and has just this week seen the inside of the washing machine for the first time in 8 years and is now yellow again instead of grey 
Daughter wanted him to be nice and clean for the new pump!

We too were desperately trying to think of a name for the new pump and were trying to think of something beginning with T to go with t-slim.  I've just read your message to daughter though and she loves all your names and has decided to follow on with your robot theme and name hers Marvin after the Paranoid Android in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.  Because he is a bit paranoid because after everything you do he he keeps checking that you definitely wanted to do it!

Many thanks for the inspiration!


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## martindt1606 (Aug 9, 2020)

The Dexcom is..............*Steve*
The Tslim is...................*Austin*


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## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 9, 2020)

Sally71 said:


> Marvin after the Paranoid Android in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Because he is a bit paranoid because after everything you do he he keeps checking that you definitely wanted to do it!



Haha! brilliant!

_Here I am, brain the size of a planet and they ask me how many units for a ham sandwich...

The first 10,000 boluses were the worst. And the second 10,000 boluses, they were the worst too. The third 10,000 boluses I didn’t enjoy at all... After that I went into a bit of a decline._

There’s a reason why much as I might have wanted to, that’s not a name I have available to me...


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## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 9, 2020)

martindt1606 said:


> The Dexcom is..............*Steve*
> The Tslim is...................*Austin*



I’m making the clicky-crackly-juddery noise in my head RIGHT NOW!


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## Sally71 (Aug 9, 2020)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Haha! brilliant!
> 
> _Here I am, brain the size of a planet and they ask me how many units for a ham sandwich...
> 
> The first 10,000 boluses were the worst. And the second 10,000 boluses, they were the worst too. The third 10,000 boluses I didn’t enjoy at all... After that I went into a bit of a decline._


Oh I wish I could “Like” that more than once!
“Here I am, brain the size of a planet and all they want me to do is deliver 5.34 units over a period of an hour...”

All our Dexcoms are going to be called Dexter!

Your Marvin is cuter than ours


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## SB2015 (Aug 9, 2020)

My combos have all been known as Pumpy, but being somewhat older than Charlie @Sally71 i was never offered a container for it.  I think I shall look to something more inventive.

My Diabetes has the name Deirdre.  A VERY irritating friend who just will not go away. (Thanks @trophywench for that’s useful idea)   I have an image of her with long plaits, white ankle socks with Rosamund sandals (hands up if you are old enough to remember those).  A real know it all who does everything right, and sometimes I just want her to go away.  Naming her allows me to be really rude to her at times!  Where as my pump I think of as a friend who just does what I need at any time.


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## trophywench (Aug 9, 2020)

I'm a boring old fart and called the Combo, El Pumpo, a sort of Mexican Mafia boss !

I'm awfully sorry, sandals and all other shoes were either Clarks Clarks or Clarks in the ankle sock days.


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## Inka (Aug 9, 2020)

I’ve had a lot of pumps of various makes so I’ve tended to keep to a different theme per make, eg my first pumps were all called after Hollywood film stars, alternating between male and female. Then I moved onto female rock stars (no idea why   ).

My current pump is called a name relating to her colour (yes, she’s a She, thank you very much  )

My diabetes doesn’t have a name. At least not one I can write here!!


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## SB2015 (Aug 23, 2020)

I think my change of manufacturer, and going over to auto mode, will deserve a naming ceremony for my pump.  I have time to think about this as it will not be until Feb 2021.


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## H3llsBells (Sep 29, 2020)

This thread made me smile so much - thought it was just me that named my tool kit to manage diabetes!  Libre reader is called Frank (because I zap myself constantly therefore after Frank Zappa) and the OmniPod became Alter short for Alternative Pancreas I guess.  Definitely helps to swear at Frank and Alter from time to time.... but wouldn't be without them.


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## helli (Sep 29, 2020)

My pump names have been very unoriginal.
The first, an Animas Vibe, was called Pumpy.
My latest, a tubeless Medtrum, is called Patch. However, I don't use his (definitely a "He") name often. I don't know whether this is because I am more comfortable with having a pump, now, or whether it is because it is hidden so he doesn't need a name. 
It is most certainly not because I am now more grown up!


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## everydayupsanddowns (Sep 29, 2020)

Love it! @H3llsBells @helli


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## trophywench (Sep 30, 2020)

My pump is male - can you imagine any reasonable woman being happy to work 24/7 for over 4 years at a stretch only doing what someone else has instructed her to do and NEVER losing concentration or trying to improve something or at least - change it a bit to relieve the sheer boredom of the employment?

I damnwell couldn't!


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## helli (Sep 30, 2020)

trophywench said:


> My pump is male - can you imagine any reasonable woman being happy to work 24/7 for over 4 years at a stretch only doing what someone else has instructed her to do and NEVER losing concentration or trying to improve something or at least - change it a bit to relieve the sheer boredom of the employment?


As an engineer, most of my colleagues are men. I couldn't imagine any of them do that either. 
But I still think of my pump(s) as male.


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## trophywench (Sep 30, 2020)

I expect they in common with all bits of machinery are all neuter if I really consider it, and TBH there are different occasions when I'm having some difficulty or another when my brain has had to remind itself that the stupid lump of plastic wires and associated junk SOLELY responds to whatever The Operator has told it to do - so The Operator better just damnwell get on with doing that, if she wants anything whatsoever different to ensue.  

Main prob has always been according to one 100% true senior school report that, 'If Jennifer spent more time on her work than chatting to her friends etcetera she could achieve far better results' - and still is.  

Deep sigh.


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## SB2015 (Sep 30, 2020)

trophywench said:


> I'm a boring old fart and called the Combo, El Pumpo, a sort of Mexican Mafia boss !
> 
> I'm awfully sorry, sandals and all other shoes were either Clarks Clarks or Clarks in the ankle sock days.


Exactly.  The Clarks Rosamunde sandals were the T strap with a buckle.
My sandals were one of the few things that were not hand me downs from my older brothers!


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## pottersusan (Oct 2, 2020)

SB2015 said:


> My combos have all been known as Pumpy, but being somewhat older than Charlie @Sally71 i was never offered a container for it.  I think I shall look to something more inventive.
> 
> My Diabetes has the name Deirdre.  A VERY irritating friend who just will not go away. (Thanks @trophywench for that’s useful idea)   I have an image of her with long plaits, white ankle socks with Rosamund sandals (hands up if you are old enough to remember those).  A real know it all who does everything right, and sometimes I just want her to go away.  Naming her allows me to be really rude to her at times!  Where as my pump I think of as a friend who just does what I need at any time.


That reminds me of when I got my cancer diagnosis and was told the tumour was the size of a grapefruit. I bought a grapefruit which as called Spit. I then jabbed it with pins voodoo style. After a few months it did go very peculiar and was thrown in the bin with great force
Apart from '****** thing' when it wakes me in the night (I know I should be grateful, but...) its called Millie, for no reason at all


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