Finlay's Latest Sports Gear?

An insulin pump is not an everyday item for most people so quite often we'll get questions about what the little device with the tube attached to Finlay is. Sometimes they'll guess that it's medical, other times they'll come up with some stranger conclusions, quite often they'll think it's an MP3 player. We're getting used to the horrified stares from concerned people thinking what dreadful parents we are letting such a young child damage his ears listening to music! Usually a brief explanation allays their fears. Today was a new one for me though...

The New Zealand National Road Cycling Championships were being held close to where we live this weekend so we popped along to see the best cyclists in the country compete against each other. There was quite a crowd near the top of the hill section of the race enjoying the atmosphere and the glorious summer weather.

There were lots of very fit-looking lycra-clad spectators with all the latest high performance gadgets. Another family was watching beside us and the father noticed the pump Back Buddy on my three year old and the tube coming out of it and asked me, "Is that a mini Camelbak?" (For those not obsessed with sport a Camelbak is a backpack containing a bladder and drinking tube that can be filled with water for running, cycling or walking)

"Sorry?" I said, not quite sure of what I'd heard.

"Is that a Camelbak?"

Partly taken aback and partly amused I replied, "Yeah, I forced him to run up the hill to get here," quickly adding "no, it's an insulin pump. He's diabetic"

"Oh right"

At this point his embarrassed wife slaps his arm in admonishment, not quite believing what her husband had just said.

I think she was relieved to see a grin on my face and I explained that it was often confused for other things like MP3 players. But this was a new one for us.

Finlay and his brothers make some noise as the cyclists tackle the climb