# Grumpy from Eastbourne writes...



## Freddie99 (Dec 21, 2009)

Typical. Something good crops up int eh form of a pump clinic saying that I can start if I want to in January. Now it seems that the bloody Medtronic pump trainer is not available until March. I could start on a Roche pump like Shelley has done but why start on something I don't want. I am rather attatched to my Medtronic Veo but I'm exceptionally pissed off about having to wait an extra three months when I was told I could start in just over three weeks time. I'm almost tempted to get on the phone and give Medtronic an earful. I know it's not my teams fault but they could have been quicker with getting this sort of information to me rather than me having to get in touch with them to find this out.

The grumpy bugger has now finished until I find something else worth of my scorn and derision.


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## bev (Dec 21, 2009)

Tom,

We nearly had this problem when starting on the pump. They book up months in advance. But i found out the name of the local medtronic rep and rang her and explained we wanted it before A went back to school in september (this was end of july) and she fitted us in in august.

Try ringing them yourself and explain how desperate you are and is there any way of fitting you in.Bev


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## Freddie99 (Dec 21, 2009)

Thanks Bev, where would I be able to get the contact details for Medtronic?

Right, I'm going to drown my hatred of the NHS in booze. Lots of booze.


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## Sugarbum (Dec 21, 2009)

Thats bloody criminal.

Cant you book yourself in with Adrienne .....if only it was that simple.

Get on the phone to Medtronic......good luck.

x


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## am64 (Dec 21, 2009)

poor ole Tom ,try calling their head office to get hold of rep and explain you wanted to get sorted b4 uni starts again! good luck...with the booze aswell !


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## sofaraway (Dec 21, 2009)

Is it that your nurses are trained to start people on the Roche pumps, but as you are getting something different you need the rep to train you? 
If so could they get you sorted out by another local clinic where the nurses are trained on the medtronic pumps to get you started earlier? Just a thought not sure if it could happen.


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## rossi_mac (Dec 21, 2009)

No idea how but why not kick some ass!!


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## bev (Dec 21, 2009)

I just asked our team for the number and name so i could chase them up! The only problem with not involving your team with the pump start would be that they know all your insulin requirements and sensitivities and this will help to get a smooth start. Of course they could just do all this over the phone!

Also, if they are not familiar with the medtronic pump, then they will probably prefer to be at pump start so they can be sure they understand this particular pump etc..

I hope you get it sooner rather than later, but if not, try not to dwell on it.Bev


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## Adrienne (Dec 21, 2009)

Damn I'll train you, bet they wouldn't let me though.    I am supposed to be training as a pump trainer, our hospital are sorting it out for two of us but it is taking a long time as we are not medical people so not sure how it can work.   

It won't take long to train you either.   I would give your local Medtronic rep a ring just like Bev said and see what you can wangle.    Tell some little white ones but make sure they count.


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## Adrienne (Dec 21, 2009)

Are you under Eastbourne General?   They put adults on pumps there do they?   I am fighting the childrens department through the hospitals trust and dept of health as its an appalling state of affairs there.   I do hope the adult team are better.


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## Freddie99 (Dec 21, 2009)

Adrienne said:


> Are you under Eastbourne General?   They put adults on pumps there do they?   I am fighting the childrens department through the hospitals trust and dept of health as its an appalling state of affairs there.   I do hope the adult team are better.



The childrens clinic has gone down hill during the last sort of five or six years that I was with it due to crappy consultants. The adult clinic I must say is much better. Looking back on it I realise how poor the childrens clinic was. I mean the consultant couldn't even speak English propery and in general she ended up essentially saying "do what you find works". Pretty poor in my opinion. I love my adult clinic as I can understand better and the docs are much more down to earth with you. It helps that the two consultants are damn good.


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## Adrienne (Dec 22, 2009)

Tom Hreben said:


> The childrens clinic has gone down hill during the last sort of five or six years that I was with it due to crappy consultants. The adult clinic I must say is much better. Looking back on it I realise how poor the childrens clinic was. I mean the consultant couldn't even speak English propery and in general she ended up essentially saying "do what you find works". Pretty poor in my opinion. I love my adult clinic as I can understand better and the docs are much more down to earth with you. It helps that the two consultants are damn good.



This is the same consultant who asked a 9 year old girl 'Are you bringing your levels down, because if you don't I'll chop your legs off'.

However according to the Hospitals trusts this is a highly qualified paediatric diabetes consultant who has been audited and follows the NICE guidelines.  As you can imagine I have had a few things to say to that plus more and am awaiting a reply from the Hospitals trust.

Its a disgrace.


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## Freddie99 (Dec 22, 2009)

Adrienne said:


> This is the same consultant who asked a 9 year old girl 'Are you bringing your levels down, because if you don't I'll chop your legs off'.



That very same consultant had an issue with my weight. One that no other Consultant ever had. I do think she was and still is useless. She could damn well start by improving her English. I speak English as my first language but imagine how hard it was for my Dad for who English is his third language. I would rather have Dr Bending or Dr Lipscomb any day of the week. If was I had to go back to her clinics again then I would make the point of transferring myself away from her care (?)


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## Freddie99 (Dec 22, 2009)

Have just written to my DSN stating that I don't want to start on a Roche pump. I've also asked for the contact details for the relevant medtronic rep so I can get hold of them and give them an earful. I've also given my team two other options - first I could go to a pump training session elsewhere if needs be or as an absolute last resort I will wait until March but that would just make life harder and more complicated for me than it need be. That's due to the fact that January is a better time for me ras the pump start date may well fall into my independent study time for exams (if I do get that) rather than the March date which will fall slap in the term when we're all in full swing with a lot of work to be getting on with. Not the ideal time or place for me to have the added stress of getting going on a pump.

Tom


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## rossi_mac (Dec 22, 2009)

Adrienne said:


> This is the same consultant who asked a 9 year old girl 'Are you bringing your levels down, because if you don't I'll chop your legs off'.



I know you're not joking, but hell are you joking? What professional would ever say that to a nine year old, I know I haven't seen much in terms of care for kids and all that but jees I'd wanna deck the doc for that, although obviously violence is no answer and not my forte!

Tom hope you get what you want soon! Oh and I hope you deal with your weight issue soon too! (What????)


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## Adrienne (Dec 22, 2009)

Some of them are getting transferred out.   They met me (!!) I introduced them to the world of pumping and carb counting and a damned good team in London and they started referring out of Eastbourne and Hastings up to London, 12 odd families so far.   Trouble is the London hospital is only so big and quite frankly they need to be sorting this out down here so that is my big project at the moment.    

They know I'm serious as I have been writing to many people and had meetings with the PCT and I'm not doing it for my daughter or me, we go to London and will never change from our lovely team so I'm only doing this for all the type 1 children down here.    They will change but it will take some time.

I hope I'm rocking the boat sufficiently that they change staff and attitudes but not to the point I get carted off to prison for libel or anything.


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## Freddie99 (Dec 22, 2009)

*The grumpy bugger writes again...*

So here's the story up to now. It seems I'm going to have to wait until March or later. I love my team but this just really does put them down in my opinion. I know that they can't really control it but ultimately I do think it does lie with them. I refuse to go onto one of the Roche pumps (which I think they would rather I went onto) even if that does get me up and running in January. I just don't like the Roche ones as much and to me they seem inferior to Medtronic ones. Ultimately I am just hugely disappointed with the way that this has run. I do think that they should have told me that I wouldn't be able to start until March rather than me having to ask this for myself. Because of that I feel a little let down.


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## rachelha (Dec 22, 2009)

That is crap I am not suprised you feel let down. I really hate it when you are told one thing, get your hopes up, plan for that and then it turns out not to be true.   Did you manage to get the contact details for the medtronic rep?


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## Freddie99 (Dec 22, 2009)

The e-mail I got from my DSN didn't give me any information on contact details. She said that it just wouldn't happen before March.


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## Adrienne (Dec 22, 2009)

Personally I would bypass the team and just ring Medtronic direct.   Ask them who the pump rep is for your area and can you have the number.   They normally give them out.   If they ask why, you can say you are going on a pump soon but have some questions that your team can't answer !!!  (this is the white lie I was talking about).


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## Sugarbum (Dec 28, 2009)

Yeah Tom, that sounds a great idea from Adrienne. I think this is disgusting mucking you about like this with no consideration that you are studying at university also, it is extremely unfair.

I wonder if it is worth contacting John Davise at INPUT on this one seeing if he can intervene? Adrienne you will know more I imagine on what sort assistsance he might be able to provide?

Tom this stinks. Im glad as well you are standing up for yourself and not being pushed into a pump that you dont want. This is a huge decision. Ultimately they are to be ashamed for pushing you towards a ump that you dont even want. This is not a seasonal fashion item you are getting, it is a pump and the most important peice of equipment you will own. It is essential you are empowered in the decision making process and that it is the one that you want.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.


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