Acknowledgments

Tools to manage type 1 diabetes in the mid-1960s were rather primitive compared to the technology of the 21st century. As children (ages 8 and 11) growing up with diabetes hundreds of miles apart, we shared a common bond—the quest for knowledge and the skills to better manage our disease. We were perhaps more fortunate than others who were diagnosed with diabetes at a young age. Both of us benefited from strong support systems, including concerned and interested parents, physicians, teachers, and friends. And, unlike many other children, we lived within a day’s drive to recognized “diabetes doctors” (i.e., experts in the care and management of children with what was then called “juvenile diabetes”). We were encouraged to learn all that we could about diabetes and to fit diabetes into our lives rather than focus our lives around a challenging and debilitating disease. Years later, insulin pump therapy made life with diabetes much easier, and so we hope that others can benefit from our collective experience.

We envisioned this updated third edition of Putting Your Patients on the Pump to be a compilation of practical experience and guidance from healthcare professionals who work with prospective and experienced pump patients and, particularly for us and contributor Gary Scheiner, MS, CDCES, who also live successfully with type 1 diabetes managed with an insulin pump. We provide personal and professional information that will benefit healthcare professionals and patients alike. And together with our experience and the knowledge and expertise of the contributors (i.e., Rebecca Allen, MS, RD, LD, BC-ADM, CDCES; Joni Beck, PharmD, BC-ADM, CDCES; Fran Cogen, MD, CDCES; and Gary), we hope this resource assists the novice insulin pump healthcare professional develop confidence in implementing and managing insulin pump therapy.

Many people have had an impact on our careers as well as our lives with diabetes. We are indebted to the many colleagues from whom we learned the finer points of diabetes management. Their collective knowledge, kindness, skillful care for patients, and wisdom are infinite. And we are honored that one of our esteemed colleagues, James H. Mersey, MD, FACP, FACE, agreed to write the Foreword to this book.

And to the patients and physicians who influenced our own personal decision to begin pump therapy and help others make the same decision, we extend our generous gratitude.

A special thank you goes out to the reviewers, Mark Corriere, MD, FACP, James H. Mersey, MD, FACP, FACE, and Laura Hieronymus, DNP, RN, MLDE, BC-ADM, CDCES, FADCES, for kindly providing their time and expertise.

We thank the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for encouraging us to write the third edition of this book. We are especially indebted to Victor Van Beuren, Director, ADA Book Operations, for his guidance, wisdom, and unending support, and John Clark, Managing Editor, ADA Books, for his dedicated work.

And lastly but most of all, we extend our appreciation to the countless pump patients with whom we have had the privilege, honor, and pleasure to work; we have learned from and been inspired by these patients. Their contribution to our knowledge of diabetes has been of untold value, and for that, we are most grateful.