Cave tubing and diabetes?

[Chupa Cabras]

My husband is diabetic, and we are planning on doing the cave tubing when in Belize. But I'm concerned about packing testing kit and medications as well as food to take on the river. I'm wondering if they bring a tube that holds belongings so they won't get wet, or if everyone leaves their stuff in the van.

 

Anyone else had a similar situation?

[gmc1545]

We are taking our 8-year-old daughter, who has diabetes type 1, with us at the end of March on both cave tubing and zipline. I talked to a friend of mine who has gone whitewater rafting with her type 1 daughter and she said she just packed everything in regular ziplock bags! I think I will go a few steps farther to protect our stuff (I'm going to ask our endocrinologist what she recommends) but we will definitely carry meter, food, insulin, syringes, test strips etc. in some type of waterproof and cooled container with us both on the river and on the zipline. I will also leave a complete set of supplies on the ship in case we lose something. Good luck!

[vernamay]

I don't think you'll be in your tube's long enough to worry about it. We were away from our things maybe 2 and 1/2 hours. I would just leave the items on the bus (which are secure). We had someone with us with diabetes also and that's what she did. When we returned she checked herself on the bus before she ate lunch. If you have any questions or concerns just email the people you're going tubing with. We went with cave-tubing.com, Yhony can help you there. And the tubing is only Type I - no worries. Plastic bags will be okay, if you have some place to carry them on yourself.

Good luck and have fun!

[bgmtrans]

Hello ..great thread!!

 

I was also wondering the same thing about how to carry supplies.I would not be game enough to leave my supplies in the van myself and think the ziploc bags are a great idea. I also am taking an insulin pen instead of syringes and insulin.This is so much easier to carry , so portable , it is not much bigger than a large pen. Just a thought.

 

Thanks everyone

[passaporta]

My husband is diabetic, and we are planning on doing the cave tubing when in Belize. But I'm concerned about packing testing kit and medications as well as food to take on the river. I'm wondering if they bring a tube that holds belongings so they won't get wet, or if everyone leaves their stuff in the van.

 

Anyone else had a similar situation?

I read on one of these posts that they were able to leave their stuff in the bus. That is what usually happens on cruise excursions. I haven't heard of anyone loosing anything. Good luck.

 

:) :) :)

[HappyChick]

Definitely go on this excursion, you will have a blast. But, as a Certified Diabetes Educator (in a pediatric endocrinology practice), I highly recommend you take your supplies w/you. Even though you will be away from the bus for a relatively short time (and even if the bus is secure), you are going to be more active than you normally are (probably!) and you can never know if you will go low or not. You need to make sure you always have something to treat a low blood sugar, just in case. Double bagging your supplies in a ziploc bag should be just fine.

 

Have fun!!!!!!!!

[DEL67]

If you take your supplies, I would not trust zip lock bags. Not only could they leak, but you would have no way to secure them to the tube. My suggestion would be a waterproof "wallet" such as an AquaPac. AquaPac makes waterproof containers of all sizes inclding ones that are like fanny packs. You can buy them on several websites including http://www.waterproofcases.net.

 

I wear an Aquapac "key master" when I snorkel. It has a cord to hang around your neck and is just big enough to hold my ship card, id, credit card and some money. And its made of flexible pastic (Except for the water seal compartment), so its less obtrusive than the hard plastic waterproof containers.

[Chupa Cabras]

Thanks for the replies! I found the http://www.waterproofstore.com has great containers at good prices. DH uses the pen...it's the only way to go.

 

For any other diabetics out there, it's far more likely you'll go 'low' due to the exercise and schedule. For a quick fix, we carry decorative cake icing in a tube. It's easy, doesn't spoil, and if the person is really low and unresponsive, you can just stick the tube in their mouth and squirt...it dissolves quickly without worry of choking.

 

I realize now from more research that the cave tubing is more waiting, driving and changing than actual tubing. Now I'm not sure I want to spend all that money for an hour in the river. Might check out some other excursions.