TPN pumps broken ...

well i had a leaking cassette in my pump friday night.. soaked the pump and floor and pole etc... sorted out the pump like it did a few years ago.. didnt worry too much cause i have a backup pump. that was rebuilt after the last timwe this happened. and had hardly been used since. so i got it out last night and set the program etc.. but i kept getting and error code, for no backup power. wouldnt hold the program. so icalled the 800 # for urgent tech help. can barely hear the guy on the phone. then he says hey you woke me up give me a minute... so when hes coherant, i tell him my problem and he says how long you have those? i say well these particular ones about 8-9 years. he says we dont support those anymore . we dont even have manuals for them. sorry.. bye.. so no food last night or tonight . i will go to the VA in the morning and get there newer pumps. i dont like change, im used to these they are easy to use and reliable.. any way as it turns out i have the manuals for them myself so today i look it up and the code is for the Litium backup battery. it must be dead after all this time and wont take a recharge... did i mention i hate change!!! ;o)

WHAT?!!! HE REFUSED TO HELP YOU?!!

That's appalling, Randy. That's not on at all.

I'm shocked. Truly.

VA pumps, if it ain't broke don't fix it.
Glad to hear you got it sorted out, but sorry that there is a change up in your routine.

That guy at 800# sounded like a jerk. Which part of URGENT did he not get?
Anyway, if that ever happens again, can you go to the hospital to be hooked up to one of their machines even temporarily?

Sorry to hear of your problems. I sure hope you are able to stay hydrated while you work your way through this bump in the road.

So the home infusion service that does your TPN formulation doesn't help in situations like this? No temporary loaner to tide you over? Or is that who you called?

I would have thought they would be pro-active in recommending a new pump when yours are that old.

Even the VA must be using the newer pumps that are lighter and easier to use. My gosh someone on DP says their kid's pump is about the size of a cell phone! Hope you get one of those.

Sure hope you don't run into more difficulties.

Patricia

i got 2 pumps today at the VA . used but servicable for now.. dropped off the old ones at the prosthetics office to try and order new ones or get them fixed.. we will see. my old tubing was 110 inches which when all hooked up gave me 84 inches of movement. the longest they had for these other replacements is 40 inches! ill be yanking them all night. anyhooo all should be ok i did get a little dizzy today...

yes i eat regular food and drink, just doesent stay in there long.;o) i dont have enough intestine to absorb enough nutrients or fluid.. will keep ya posted...

May i ask how long you have been on TPN??

so far so good, new pump running properly... ;o) mmmm food!

Can you do an extension to get another few inches?

I know my sister's line is pretty short too - not sure if it's 40 inches but I don't think it's more than 50.

She says they won't give her a longer one because of concerns about it getting caught on something and pulled out and/or more likely to get damaged. I guess she has learned to live with it.

Patricia

I know he won't mind me saying... He eats most anything he wants, but he doesn't absorb it. It goes
straight through, that's the reason for TPN!!

Um, TPN and pumps, I am a little lost.  I don't know what that means.

Sorry you had such a tough time.  Could you not have found replacement batteries instead of whole new units.  Batteries Plus sells just about any variety.

Glad you are up and running again!

It looks like they would keep track of who has which pumps in order to exchange them when they are too old or no one knows how to fix them.

Randy, you should write a book.