Help with diabetic on pump

[njziggy]

Please help me prevent the disaster we had on our last trip. My DS is on a pump and on our last trip to WDW he would take off his pump before going on rollercoasters & leave it with a CM before getting on the ride (much like you do with a wheelchair or crutches). The problem is not all CMs will take the pump. We even went to Guest relations in Epcot & they said the CM didn't have to take the pump. They were so clueless & never had heard our need before. We are DVC members & our kids have been raised at WDW so for us not to go on rides together was a major blow!! I could not believe that Disney would have a way for people who are stupid enough to wear new shoes, wind up with blisters and used a wheelchair for the day but not my DS. At Universal they provide lockers outside many of the "intense" rides that we can leave the pump in. Anyway, it has been about a year & even though we are still bitter- the kids would like to go for Star Wars weekend. How can I prevent the disaster we had last trip. FYI- I have already talked to CM at the theme parks, at the concierge at our hotel and written a letter of complaints (with no response). Help

 

[SueM in MN]

Hopefully, you will get some replies from other pumpers - there are a few links to past threads on post 3 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread that may help you. One is specifically about pumping at WDW.

The CM at Guest Relations was correct - the ride CMs don't have to keep the pump for you. It would be very unusual to find one who would keep it. If they do, they are probably not in compliance with WDW rules for CMs.
It is different for wheelchairs and crutches. A wheelchair just needs to be parked somewhere and it will be safe. Crutches just need to be leaned against a wall. The chances of either of them getting damaged while the user is on a ride are pretty small.

Most people with pumps who have posted in the past that they would not feel comfortable leaving the pump with the CM for some of these reasons:

1. - the CMs have no safe spot to leave the pump for you and a pump could be easily damaged if dropped
2. - CMs can and do rotate to different positions frequently and the CM you gave the pump to may not be there when you get off
3. - if anything happens to the pump while you are on the ride, WDW would have no liability to replace it since it is not their policy to keep them
4. - since the CMs are not signing for it to indicate they have taken responsibility for the pump, you have no proof they even had it if it gets damaged or goes missing

Even though you could not ride as a family, one option that would be available to you would be using the Rider Swap. This is a link to the DIS page about Rider Swap. Although they do call it 'Child Swap', there is a no age limit. You could have one member of your party hold the pump while the rest ride. When that group is done, the rest of the party rides with the original 'pump holder' while someone else stays out to hold the pump.

Depending on how long the pump can be off, another option would be to leave it at First Aid - they are set up to keep medical equipment and supplies. That may not be a good option because of where First Aid is in the park and how long the pump would need to be off, but would at least be something to consider for some people, especially if you have Fastpasses for a ride so you know you won't be waiting long in line (although you do still have to consider the small possibility of being 'trapped' on a ride because of a ride breakdown).

 

[Hot Rod Momma]

Just a quick question both my DD6 and I wear pumps and we never took them off for the rides. Even the water rides as they are water proof. Were you afraid that it would fall off during the ride? Or is there another reason that you removed them. My daughter wears her pump in a waist it pouch or she uses a cell phone belt clip that it fits in perfectly, so we dont have to worry about it falling off and i wear mine in a belt clip.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I agree with Hot Rod Momma. Is there a necessity to take it off for a ride? Is there some way to make sure it is secure, such as attached to a belt or in a fanny pack? Is there anything in the manual that suggests not taking it on intense rides.

And as a CM I would never accept anything of value for holding for the reasons which Sue listed above. Actually, a CM is only allowed to accept mobility items when load and unload are at different locations and it is policy for that attraction to move wheelchairs, ECVs and crutches from load to unload.

 

[Selket]

I guess it is just a difference of opinion of this but there is NO way I would leave my son's pump with a CM - for the reasons SueM mentions. The pump is worth $5000 more or less - not that the CM has any reason to steal it but I'm sure they don't know its value. They could also do any number of things unintentionally like drop it, or damage the tubing, etc.

There is the recommendation that pumps not be around rides with strong magnets and that on rollercoasters that you simply disconnect - you don't have to take it completely off.

The Animas website says this:

Very powerful electromagnets are sometimes used on "free-fall" amusement park rides. Insulin pumps should be removed and not taken on these "free-fall" types of rides.
High gravity forces can be experienced when riding on some roller coasters. It is recommended that you disconnect (NOT suspend) the pump while on roller-coaster rides.

I asked once on the Disboards about rides with magnets: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1342313

The Children With Diabetes website (http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com) has a family conference every summer for kids with type 1 and their families and it is often held at WDW (this year at Coronado Springs). Obviously you've got hundreds of kids going to the parks with pumps during that week (and on Sat most of us go to the MK). We've had many discussions about this on the conference website, at the conference, on the CWD forums and I have yet to run into one person that had a problem with their pump on any of the rides at WDW.

My son is younger but has ridden every ride and coaster except RnRC and ToT and he had his pump on (so BTMRR, TT, EE, Soarin, Splash, etc).

I can't speak to the rides at Universal at all.

Our plan if we HAD to take it off is to do a sort of "baby swap" with it - an adult holds the pump while the other adult and child go on the ride. Then when we get back we take the "baby" (the pump) and the other adult can go on the ride (again with the child I guess but at least the adult could go). I think the CM would certainly allow that if you truly do not want to take it on the ride.

We've been to WDW numerous times since he was dx'd and started wearing a pump (when he was 2 years old) and Disney has been wonderful for us. I think your problem is solved if you don't need to take off the pump - just disconnect - and if you are worried about a magnetic field - do the baby swap thing with it (though I know many have taken it on all the rides mentioned with magnetic fields and coasters at WDW and had no problem).

Do check out the CWD site for the Friends for Life conference and join us in July!

 

[njziggy]

Thanks for all your insight guys.
Our insurance company works with Smith Medical & they won't replace the pump if it is damaged while on a ride & even go as far as to say NOT to take it on a ride. Being that we didn't have to pay OOP for the pump, I consider myself lucky. We are even able to get an extra pump to take with us on vacation in case something happens to our original pump. We are just trying to abide by our insurance company & try to maintain the "normal" trip to WDW. My DS feels so bad that someone has to wait while he goes on the ride. He wound up not going on rides for the rest of the trip. We have been trying best we can to show him that diabetes doesn't stop him from doing anything. Our first trip was a challenge for us because we realized how carb challenging WDW can be but, at that time he wasn't on the pump yet.

 

[Selket]

Our insurance company works with Smith Medical & they won't replace the pump if it is damaged while on a ride & even go as far as to say NOT to take it on a ride. .

Is that actually in writing that Smiths won't replace it if it becomes damaged on a ride? The pump company replaces the pump if it becomes faulty and not the insurance company. I couldn't find anything in the Model 1800 manual about rides at all.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

A former attractions CM here:

I have never had anybody request such a thing and I'm sure that I had plenty of people come with pumps on my rides. If they had requested it I absolutely would point blank refuse:

-As stated we have no safe area to put it. Perhaps the panel, but most panels are sloped and maybe have one small falt part. Most things that are put on the panel fall off.

-We rotate constantly. It is extremely possible that the CM who takes the pump is not the same CM who you left the pump with. There is a high probability of something walking off or getting lost at that time since as stated we do not have a safe place to put it.

- If something happens to it, guess what? I'm out of my job. It is absolutely forbidden for us to hold valuable items for guests (for the aforementioned reason). I feel for your situation, but it's not worth risking my job over. I hope that doesn't sound harsh, but that's the way it is.

I know a lot of people on pumps who wear them on the rides. Is it possible that you could use the "back up pump' on the ride os that way you don't have to worry about your main pump being damaged?

 

[Selket]

Is it possible that you could use the "back up pump' on the ride os that way you don't have to worry about your main pump being damaged?

I don't know about Cozmo but Animas sends the backup pump in a sealed container and asks that you notify them if you need to open it - the assumption being that you would not open it unless your pump breaks.

When a pump has a malfunction or a problem you can send it back and the pump company replaces it at no charge - the pump has a 4 year warranty and insurance companies routinely allow a person to get a new pump every 4 years. Unless it is specifically in the cozmo warranty that you can't take it on a roller coaster or rides then they would replace it if it was broken. If you drop it in the lake and it sinks to the bottom or you lose it in the ocean - you're out of luck with the pump company replacing it. The insurance company has nothing to do with replacing the pump if it malfunctions.

I know lots of people with all 3 of the major pump brands (minimed, cozmo and animas) and have never heard of any of them saying you could not take the pump on roller coasters. What the OP is saying does not make sense to me so I'm

 

[welovedisneyx4]

We are going to DW in April and I hadn't thought about this for this trip. This will be our 1st time to DW since DS was diagnosed.

We have however, been to Busch Gardens Wmsburg 3 or 4 times and DS has not taken his pump off for any rides. He has done the Big Bad Wolf and Lock Ness Monster and just about every other ride except for the biggest coasters (Alpengiest, Griffin and Apolos Chariot).

Surprisingly, on all these trips, even when we were at BG in July and it was 100 degrees, DS's sugar levels were excellent!! I am just hoping we have the same luck in Disney.

Selket, how did you get your back up pump? Do you just call the company and ask for one b/c you are going on vacation?

 

[Selket]

Selket, how did you get your back up pump? Do you just call the company and ask for one b/c you are going on vacation?

Pretty much that is it - they call it a loaner pump at Animas. I think the other companies do it too but I'm not sure.

Funny...the heat is the hardest thing for my son - the heat, exercise and all the food are all factors - but it seems his numbers are all over the place when it is hot.

 

[Bsbllmom]

We are ap holders at Disneyland and my son is on a pump. He uses a SPIbelt and he never takes the pump off for anything except swimming and shower. He just disconnects at the park and has never had a problem.

 

[buffettgirl]

Thanks for all your insight guys.
Our insurance company works with Smith Medical & they won't replace the pump if it is damaged while on a ride & even go as far as to say NOT to take it on a ride. Being that we didn't have to pay OOP for the pump, I consider myself lucky. We are even able to get an extra pump to take with us on vacation in case something happens to our original pump. We are just trying to abide by our insurance company & try to maintain the "normal" trip to WDW. My DS feels so bad that someone has to wait while he goes on the ride. He wound up not going on rides for the rest of the trip. We have been trying best we can to show him that diabetes doesn't stop him from doing anything. Our first trip was a challenge for us because we realized how carb challenging WDW can be but, at that time he wasn't on the pump yet.

Is that actually in writing that Smiths won't replace it if it becomes damaged on a ride? The pump company replaces the pump if it becomes faulty and not the insurance company. I couldn't find anything in the Model 1800 manual about rides at all.

I agree with Carol here - the insurance company really has no say in this. Your warranty from Cozmo is what's matters. Sounds like your insurance company is just being difficult. If your pump breaks (which it's more likely to do from a playing child over a ride) then it will be replaced. Rest assured.

I know a lot of people on pumps who wear them on the rides. Is it possible that you could use the "back up pump' on the ride os that way you don't have to worry about your main pump being damaged?

it's not really that easy. You have to program the pump, fill the pump cartridge with insulin and get it ready to wear - it's not like you can switch them out. And like Carol said, you aren't supposed to use the back up pump. Cozmo doesn't come sealed but they would know if you used it.

For us - other than RnRC (which my son won't ride anyway) I don't see us taking off the pump - maybe disconnecting, but I don't think we'll even do that -he'll be 9. Mission space (the spinning side) I think I'd 100% disconnect. Last time we were at disney we weren't pumping yet and trutfully, I cannot WAIT to do disney while pumping. can't wait!

Like everyone else has said, I would not under any circumstances hand off my son's pump to a stranger. No way, no how.

 

[Selket]

Mission space (the spinning side) I think I'd 100% disconnect.

This is one ride we did remove the pump and gave it to my husband to hold because he won't ride this ride anyway. My post about magnetic forces on rides didn't cover this ride - I have no idea how it works. I think at minimum it it worth disconnecting for. He rode this when he was 5 or 6 - the high speed version.

If I didn't have a non-rider with us I would do the "baby swap" with the pump as a baby. I haven't had to try it but I think a CM would allow it.

 

[Bsbllmom]

This is one ride we did remove the pump and gave it to my husband to hold because he won't ride this ride anyway. My post about magnetic forces on rides didn't cover this ride - I have no idea how it works. I think at minimum it it worth disconnecting for. He rode this when he was 5 or 6 - the high speed version.

If I didn't have a non-rider with us I would do the "baby swap" with the pump as a baby. I haven't had to try it but I think a CM would allow it.

I think they would allow it also. I would just never, never hand over a pump to anyone, CM or not.

My son disconnects for all high speed rides.

 

[trekkie2]

I have a pump and during my last trip I had read some concerns about pumps on ride, I checked with Medtronics and was assured that the motion and gravity rides would not change my settings (as I had read on several sites) the only concern was having my pump come loose and go flying. I just tucked my pump backwards into my waistband and that keept it secure during all the rides. good luck!

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Thanks for clarifying the part about the back up pump. I'm not on insulin/pumping at this time so I'm not entirely sure how it works, just what I have read.

OP: I hope these responses clarified some things and gave you some ideas for what you can do on the rides.

 

[lesjewel]

we are leaving an sept 21. to go to wdw. my son just started pump 6 wks ago. his nurse told us that she has had families who went to guest services and explained that he cannot wait in long lines while pump is disconnected and that disney would let him go through the disabled line? has anyone heard of this?

 

[welovedisneyx4]

I don't know that his pump would need to be disconnected. DS went on all rides, including RNR, SM, TOT and Mt. Everest w/ his pump on and we had no problems w/ this. He has also been on all but the biggest coasters at Busch Gardens Wmsburg w/ his pump on. He just always made sure it was secure before getting on a ride.

I thought about getting a GAC, but never really had a specific reason to. If something had come up while we were there, I might have tried.

 

[famgel]

My DD19 has had a pump for 7 yrs, does not normally take off pump (Mini Med 722) for a ride, exception to this rule was "Krakin" at Sea World. If you are worried about it coming off she sticks it in the front, bellow belly button, so it really does not move. But "Krakin" is a inverted, upside-down loops and we took turns holding pump for her. Hopes this helps! I wouldn't trust anyone I don't know with holding this pump, since it costs around $8,000!!!!