Ninjabetic: diabetic

Tuesday, 23 May 2017

A letter to my parents...

Please click on this link to access my latest piece for The Diabetes Times; A letter to my parents 14 years after my diagnosis with Type 1 Diabetes.

Laura

Guest Blog - So what is a diabetic diet?

A big thanks to Dan for writing this guest post! You can check out Dan's social media platforms at the end of this blog.

How many times have you been asked the question:

"But you're a diabetic, can you eat that?"

If you're anything like me, it's been a fair few times.

I understand the well meaning of this from those who aren't familiar with diabetes. They've heard certain stories from the media and word of mouth about how diabetes is essentially a sugar related disease and they've assumed that you can't eat sugar or anything fun.

Seeing Beyond Diabetic Retinopathy

According to Time hop, five years ago today was a very important moment in my life, although at that time I couldn’t see past the fear and uncertainty I was facing. I had come to a dead end and I couldn’t see my future ahead of me...

Continue reading my column at The Diabetes Times.

Laura/Ninjabetic x

Hid-In insulin pump panties review

As some of you who follow me on twitter may have seen, I've been tweeting about my pants recently. Not because I've gone slightly mad or have become a fashion blogger (I'm still all about the betes!), but because I was sent a pair of Hid-In insulin pump pants to try out! (cont)

Guest Post - Diabetic and Proud

This is a guest post from the lovely Joe Griffiths (@VCP_Joe on twitter). Please share this with anyone who may like to read it and also give Joe and his funny stories/pictures a follow on twitter :)

Diabetic & Proud

I’m a huge Marvel nerd. No, seriously I love any kind of comic book movie or reference. The first thing I compared myself to when I was first diagnosed with my type 1 diabetes was the X-Men. I was a mutant of some sort. Not the coolest mutant, granted, but a mutant with something different about them when compared to another person.

I didn’t have bone claws, nor could I shoot red energy blasts from my eye balls when I removed my specs. Instead, I had an unquenchable thirst and a swollen bladder. Probably more Wee-Men than X-Men…

I went home from the hospital that day knowing that my body had changed. I knew I wasn’t quite right but now it was double confirmed why I was feeling so different. What would I do with these new powers then? Like any new mutant from the Marvel universe, you hide away and feel uncomfortable about your new-found abilities.

I wouldn’t talk to anyone about my diabetes. I felt embarrassed about getting my kit and my stomach out at the dinner table, always creeping off to the toilet to ‘shoot up’ like some kind of junkie. It sound’s ridiculous when looking back about it all now but it really did feel like my condition (mutant power) was something to be ashamed of.

Of course, with time I grew to understand and control my diabetes, to the point where I’m still learning new things on a weekly basis, 10 years down the line. I have the help of my health care specialist nurses and consultants for all the big and bulky stuff but there’s still that shadow looming over the emotional side of things.

Sticking with the X-Men theme here… like any lost and scared mutant, I needed mentoring. This is where Twitter takes on the guise of a bald man in a wheel chair. My Professor X was a whole community. The DOC (diabetic online community) to be precise. This band of brothers welcomed me with open arms; inviting me to take part in tweet-chats, networking events and ways to raise awareness for our condition.

Instead of shunning my powers, I embraced them. I added a simple ‘type 1 diabetic’ line into my Twitter profile and began conversations about hypos, hypers and what pumps to choose. I’ve never been very good at Twitter but since finding a reason to tweet, I’m more active than ever. Don’t drag your diabetes around with you, put it up front and make it part of your character.

I even managed to convince my boss to allow me to write an article for our website at Voucher Codes Pro. It was my first crack at raising awareness for diabetes. I felt like I owed something back to the DOC after they had been so accepting of me. With the help of the brightest bloggers and advocates from around the web, I put together something I was very proud of.

http://www.vouchercodespro.co.uk/diabetes

My name’s Joe Griffiths and I’m type 1 diabetic and proud.

64 days on MiniMed 640G: Managing my Type 1 Diabetes. Week 1

Some of you may know that I've been lucky enough to be offered a 64 day trial of the brand spanking new MiniMed 640G by Medtronic. Why 64 days? Because the number 64 is in the pumps name. Why not 640 days? Well, I asked (a few times), but sadly the answer was no. But hey-ho... I'm not complaining!

So during the 64 days I'm going to be vlogging (it's like blogging but with videos - vlogging!) on youtube about my experiences with the 640G. You'll also find two other patients with Type 1 who are also using the 640G and will also be vlogging - Dave (@SowerBee) and John (@MM640G).

For those who haven't heard about this pump you can find more info on a previous blog that I wrote about it. It goes into a lot more detail about the technology and the aim of the new system,

What can I tell you so far about the pump?

Ok, I'm only a few days in so I want to start with the insulin pump. It's taking some getting used to as I've been using another pump by another company for 2 years now. I found it really helpful to sit down with a cuppa after my training and just have a look around the options and settings, just taking time to get used where everything is and how to access the options I'd be using. It's important to be comfortable with medical technology - There's no set time that you should be used to it and 'flying' through the options. Everyone learns at a different pace. Asking lots of questions helps!

The pump itself - I love it!

I'm not just saying that because I'm trialling it - but I really rate it (yes rate, not hate) and after a week of using it I would be more than happy to continue using it in place of my regular insulin pump. As a stand-alone pump (forget the CGM and SmartGuard for now), it's bloody impressive! I've never used a Medtronic product before so I have no idea how similar it is to other pumps they have, but personally I think it has set the standard in terms of what's on the market at the moment.

The pump provides a vast amount of options and functions, offering much more control (in terms of diabetes management) than I'm used to. For some I can imagine that may be slightly intimidating (I was a little overwhelmed during my training session) but don't let the amount the pump can offer put you off - as a patient you are in control. Now that I've had a few days to get used to the pump I can see just how beneficial it can be to my day-to-day diabetes management. In a strange way, as much as it gives me more control, I also feel it gives me more freedom through the choices I can make.

It's the little things that have impressed me...

For example - I can flag specific events that have affected my blood glucose (BG), so if I've had a mahoosive pizza and my BG has shot up I can flag that on the pump. Similarly if I've had a post running hypo, I can flag that too. Then in my appointments when my consultant says to me...

"What happened on this day 2 months ago?"

my answer won't be...

"2 months ago? I don't remember what happened 2 hours ago!"

... but it will be flagged in my data which will give us both more insight into what actually happened, rather than guessing. We all know how hard it is to remember every little detail!

Other awesome pump things... (These aren't all of the options but they are a few of my favourites).

It has a big colourful screen - this is a huge help to me as I have retinopathy
Sexy design - It looks like an iPod and is very sleek and smooth (does that sound weird?)
The belt clip is also the key that unscrews the battery cap! (No more 5p tricks!)
It has a back button (this impressed me far too much)
The menu is incredibly easy to navigate
There are clear sections in the menu depending on which info you need - e.g. history which is broken down into sub-sections - alarm history, daily history, sensor glucose history etc.
The pump will remind you when you need to change your tubing and re-fill your reservoir (no more "when did I last do that?" moments
It has a 'reminders' section which has sub-sections that can be personalised e.g. reminders to take other medications, check your BG, a 'missed meal' reminder etc. - I really like how personal I can make this pump!

It also has the regular functions that you would expect from an insulin pump, like bolus delivery options and temporary basal rates.

Are there any cons?

One biggie that had me worried when I started using this pump was that the blood glucose meter that works with it doesn't have a bolus wizard, only the pump does.

A bolus wizard basically calculates the amount of insulin you need to take for a meal (or a correction dose) depending on your blood glucose levels, the carbohydrate content of your food (if applicable) and other factors such as exercise or illness. Now... my current BG meter has a bolus wizard which does all of this and then sends (via Bluetooth) the amount of insulin I need to my pump which then delivers it, meaning I don't need to fish around in my bra or pockets to find my pump and do this manually.

Th Contour Next meter (the one working with the 640G) doesn't have that function, meaning trips to the bathroom or a different room to pull the pump out from wherever I've hidden it in order to use the bolus wizard. There is an option on the BG meter to deliver a pre-set dose of insulin from the meter straight to the pump (no fumbling) and also to give a dose of insulin that you've decided yourself straight to the pump (also, no fumbling).

For some people this isn't a huge con, but I think it depends on how open you are about using your insulin pump - everyone is completely different. Personally, I don't mind people knowing that I have an insulin pump, however, depending on the situation (a meeting or a lecture for example) I would much prefer not to be fumbling around in my bra for my portable pancreas.

Currently this is my only con and one that I was aware of before getting the pump. But who knows... at the end of the 64 days maybe this won't be such a big deal for me! At the moment the pros certainly outweigh the cons!

I'll blog about the CGM and SmartGuard soon... I promise!

Ninjabetic x

Helpful links

Medtronic

MiniMed 640G

MiniMed Infusion Sets

MiniMed e-shop

Diabetes – My Beautiful Disaster

There is no knowing when you hear those words spoken,

“Your body, we can’t repair, you will remain broken.”

What this would touch was a mystery to me,

They said it may disable or kill… we shall see.

The years, they slipped by and yet there was nothing,

The admissions, the warnings, they must have been bluffing.

I’m invincible you see, with a layer so strong,

You can tear it down, but I will build it up, though I know that it’s wrong.

“She won’t accept or apply or attend” they said,

“This girl, she’s too stubborn and full of neglect.”

But what clouded my thoughts were those words once spoken,

“Your body, we can’t repair, you will remain broken.”

More years, more admissions, more avoiding the concern,

Then one day it hit, it was time for my turn.

“You’ll be blind within the year” they said, as I lay on a table,

Their masked faces above me, poised with tools, I was unstable.

I drifted away, sleeping soundly as they worked,

Waking to the pain, and a weak voice that once lurked.

“You need to control this, you need to get better,”

“Don’t hold yourself back, it’s now or never.”

Alongside that voice was another much stronger,

“Don’t let them control you, you’ll be free no longer”.

Remember those words that were once spoken,

“Your body, we can’t repair, you will remain broken.”

Why try, why fight, why bring myself pain,
This life thrust upon me, I had nothing to gain.
They said it themselves, there was nothing to give
The fight it would take, would it help me to live.

The months, they passed by, I was reluctant at first,

It’s not fair, why me, why had I been cursed.

I resented my body, my thoughts and my actions,

But I needed to fight, face my fears, escape distractions.

The years they passed by, no blindness in sight,

Had I won a small battle, had I lead the fight.

The fear resides inside me, the tales spoke the truth,

I wish I’d acted sooner, before exhausting my youth.

I took a stormy journey, filled with disappointment and blows,

But on the other side of this disaster is a beauty that grows.

And so, to those words that were once spoken,

It’s my body, it’s my fight and your words… they can be broken.

Ninjabetic x

A very British hypo

Just as I was about to leave the library today the lights suddenly dimmed. Before I could even look up, a tingling sensation rippled from my head all the way down to my toes.

Ahh - not an electrical issue, but a hypo. No problem I thought as I reached into my bag to find blood glucose machine and jelly babies. "Brilliant" I sighed as I realised I only had 4 babies left.

No problem I thought again as I munched on the babies and headed into the corridor to the vending machine to buy a Coke. "Friggin' brilliant" I muttered as I saw an 'Out Of Order' sign attached to the glass front.

Next option was to walk to the University shop. Only a 5 minute walk and hopefully by the time I make it there the babies would have kicked in a little.

"Oh just brilliant!" I exclaimed as I saw the queue and realised it was lunch time. I counted the students ahead of me... 22 of them. At this point my head had gone a little foggy and I couldn't decide what to do.

Don't queue up, just explain what's happening and head to the front - the rational part of my brain thought.

I can't do that! I'm British, this is what we do - thought the silly and irrational hypo part of my brain.

Push in and get to the front - thought the sensible part again.

No, I couldn't possibly, what would people think?! - thought hypo brain.

Drink it while you're queuing and pay for it when you get to the till - rational brain.

Shut up brain, people might think that's rude... you're not helping - thought hypo brain.

Eventually I made it to the front of the queue! Hooray!

"Just this please" I said as I tripped over my own feet.

"Do you have the right change? My till is low" said the cashier.

Your till isn't the only one that's low I thought to myself.

"Uhmm, I'll check" I said as I put my £5 note away and rummaged around, counting my change.

After a few seconds I heard the cashier tut.

"Sorry" I said. Why was I saying sorry??

"I don't have the right change I'm afraid"

"Do you have the 5p then?"

At this point my brain (sensible and hypo parts) had given up. I was feeling desperate for sugar now... My lips hands and arms were feeling numb.

"No, but please do take this note and don't worry about giving me the change"

"I can't do that, I'll have to call my manager to get some change"

Forgetting all about being polite and British I grabbed the Coke, slammed the money in the checkout and walked out.

Feeling incredibly guilty 15 minutes later (and also wondering if I'd just shoplifted!) I went back into the shop and apologised. I even queued up again to do it!

Ninjabetic x

DKA - Crash Bang Wallop

Perhaps I tempted fate 4 weeks ago with my proud celebration of going 2 years without DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis). Maybe I should have prepared better for when it hit again. I just didn't expect it so soon... not when I had everything under control.

It all happened so suddenly - One minute I was in bed, listening to friends drunkenly singing along to a guitar downstairs as I drifted off to sleep, the next I was stumbling around getting dressed and launching myself out of my partner’s house, clutching my stomach and telling him not to stop me from leaving.

Somehow I made it home and crawled to the bathroom on the ground floor. My mum slept soundly two floors above me and couldn’t hear me vomiting crying or reassuring myself that the sickness would pass. At that stage DKA hadn’t crossed my mind – I thought it was a stomach bug, but as the hours went by the vomiting continued. 5, 10, 15, 20 + times… each time I was feeling more dehydrated, finding it harder to catch my breath and I was becoming weaker.

At 6am I accepted that I couldn’t get through this on my own (even with Iain the pump chugging away). I fell into my mum’s room and she immediately called an ambulance.

The next 24 hours were a blur – I went to A&E and was taken to resus so I could have my own nurse. The intensive care team came to asses me and made plans for another move.

On admission I was leaning towards DKA - Blood sugars were 20.4 ketones were 3.5 and PH levels were 7.33 However IV fluids and insulin were not correcting my levels and after an hour or so this resulted in sugars of 30, ketones of 4.9 and PH levels of 7.21 - I was later told this was because the first response who had initially cannulated me had some difficulty, leading to fluid collecting in the tissue of my hand and arm instead of doing its job sufficiently, causing cellulitis – bring on the Simpson style chubbiness and days of IV antibiotics to correct it.

Cannula number 2 of 6

One of my biggest worries was what to do with Iain the pump. I’d only had it for just over 3 weeks and I didn’t know what to do regarding sickness and temp basal rates (TBR) yet. I’d increased the TBR to 130% the night I became ill (this was a guesstimate) and I’d left it at that rate ever since. No one that was looking after me knew what to do with an insulin pump, but what worried me the most was that I wasn’t given any direction with it at all. Should I leave it on or take it off? No one knew! A sliding scale had been set up with 9 units of insulin an hour and Iain was still pumping away at 130%

Dangerous? Yes I’m sure it was but I was barely conscious and couldn’t make the decision for myself. The staff were concerned, I could see that, but I could also see that they weren’t confident in giving me pump advice – it was a treatment that they didn’t come across often.

After having 13 litres of IV fluids pumped through me I woke up the next day to sugars of 5.5 and I turned Iain’s TBR down to 50% (again a guess) as my sliding scale was still up. My diabetes team came to see me and advised me to stop the pump. Hurrah for people who knew about pumps!

My arms & hands took a needle battering so the Drs had to cannulate my feet instead!! Ouch!!

The next day I was told that I was out of DKA but I was still acidotic and as I was still vomiting the sliding scale stayed for a further 4 days. I spent the rest of my time on a ward and I was told that I had food poisoning. I was completely exhausted and I felt worse than I ever had done with DKA – not just physically but emotionally. I barely spoke to anyone but was comforted by the fact that Partha (a consultant from my d team) came to see me every day. Although I haven’t been under his care for 2 years now he still came by every morning and checked on me, he sat at the end of my bed when I had my head in my hands and tears in my eyes, he told me that it wasn’t my fault and that I would get better again… It was nice to get that extra mile… that verbal hug.

I’m home now and feeling a lot better than I did. I ate solid food for the first time yesterday but I still feel like my tummy has been run over… reversed on and run over again. Iain the pump is happily pumping away and my sugars have settled nicely back into their target of 5-10.

My mood is lifting as I’m getting better but I have the worry of DKA’s on my mind now. Call me naive but I thought this would stop… now that I’m looking after myself I thought I’d seen the end of my hospital admissions. I thought about giving up... I felt that I'd let myself down by being sick... let my diabetes team down... I'd become an unplanned admission statistic that they try so hard to combat. Then I realised how much I'd be letting myself and others down if I didn't get back up, dust myself off and try again. There's always something to come back and fight for, even if I couldn't see it at the time.

Ninjabetic x

What a difference two years makes....

After Hannah and I were asked to speak at the Diabetes UK Professional Conference in March this year, it really hit home how much has happened in the last 2 years. Looking back I can’t believe where I am today and how I got here.

In January 2011 I’d had diabetes for 9 years. Diagnosed at the age of 16 I didn’t know anyone who had diabetes. I didn’t know what it was, what it meant or how it could affect me. It was a completely new world to me… a world that scared me. I thought it would take away my independence, my friends, my future… and myself.

For nine years I refused anything and everything to do with my diabetes. Injections, blood glucose testing, HbA1c tests, appointments with health care professionals… I pretended I didn’t have diabetes… though I knew it was always lurking in the shadows, waiting to catch up with me.

2 years ago my HbA1c was around 15 and that was the lowest it had ever been.

2 years ago I was in A&E again with DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis).

2 years ago I was diagnosed with stage 4 retinopathy and told I would lose my sight.

2 years ago I’d never met anyone else with diabetes.

2 years ago I regretted every single day that I hadn’t looked after myself and my diabetes.

But no more!

Today my HbA1c is 7.8

Today it has been 20 months since my last admission with DKA.

Today my retinopathy has halted in my left eye and is slowing in my right.

Today I’ve met amazing and inspiring people who have diabetes.

Today I still regret every single mistake that I made… but I hope others can learn from them.

“A dead end can never be a one way street; you can always turn around and take another road.”

It’s not easy… if it was then I wouldn’t have ignored it for such a long time. But for me, anything that I do on a daily basis for my diabetes has now become second nature. I barely think when I’m reaching into my bag for my blood glucose meter. I don’t flinch when I see a needle going into my skin anymore. Carb counting has become easier now that apps are available at the touch of a button. Appointments are something that I look forward to, because I get so much out of them. I lap up the information that I’m given by my consultant instead of just smiling and nodding like I used to. I ask questions constantly, I challenge methods of treatment and changes to my regime because I realise now just how precious my health is.

Now that I my health and my life back I want to make every option and opportunity work for me if I feel it’s right.

On top of daily diabetes management I study Monday - Friday, volunteer, work long evening and weekend shifts and involve myself with as many diabetes projects as I can… conferences, events, meetings, more volunteering, research projects, writing etc. Then I look at other people who also do so much on top of their daily diabetes lives and it makes me smile to think of what can be achieved and how diabetes doesn’t hold people back. It’s definitely worth the work and it really does pay off.

This blog is to demonstrate to anyone who is struggling that they can accept their diabetes and find a positive and healthy way to manage it. There is always a way out, there are always people to help and guide us, and there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. If I can do it then I think anyone can!

Hannah's story....

on the 26^th November I got an early Christmas present. For a long time me and Laura (aka ninjabetic) had been asking , ok more like annoying, our leader at diabetes uk to be allowed to attend the diabetes uk professional conference in March . on the 26^th Alex came back with some even better news - we were being invited to speak at it! So on the 14^th march me Alex and Laura will be speaking to hopefully a number of hcp about our work as young leaders and the use of social media. Frankly I’m a little scared about this but it did make me realise how far I’ve come in the past 2 years with some sheer determination, some great friends and a pretty awesome (and very patient) diabetes team.

2 years ago this month I was at rock bottom with my diabetes and self-confidence I was sat in the hospital with my a1c at 10.5 % I was on a very slippery slope with my diabetes. The way I was going I would have had severe complications by my 20s and wouldn’t of made my 40^th . I was doing maybe one bloodcount a day, was skipping injections and the injections I was doing I was guessing the dose of. All the locums I’d had previously had written me off as non compliant and didn’t even bother trying to get through to me .I’d had several scary hypos but nothing would get through to me every time my doctor or nurse would try to convince me to do things properly it would go in one ear and straight out the other. Then I got told if I didn’t sort myself out I wouldn’t make my 40^th suddenly the reality hit me that I needed to take care of my diabetes

2 years later I’m a young leader for diabetes uk mentoring teens and annoying , sorry advising , doctors on trying to improve care for type 1 whilst studying for my a levels in the hopes of being a children’s nurse. 2 years later I’ve met some of the most amazing friends I could of wished for and been given opportunities I could never of imagined when I was rebelling. i confess I don’t work anywhere near as hard as Laura does on ninjabetic because my blog was never set up to be a support site (I love that teens will come and talk to me though!) it was set up to provide a very unsugarcoated account of what it’s like to live with type 1 as a teenager, the good parts and the bad. 2 years on from my a1c of 10.5 im on an insulin pump testing seven times a day with an average bg of 7.8 (just after exams it will get better) and with less hypos.

I’ve already been told that my team will be on the front row and also my pump rep.the fight for the insulin pump was something that took nearly 2 years and was so so worth the fight. I went from having to be completely obsessive over my diabetes to actually being able to relax a bit. It’s not perfect I can still have phases where I have 3 or 4 hypos a day or sometimes be hypo for up to 3 hours. The pump gave me my life back and that may sound like an over exaggeration but it really isn’t for me. Before the pump I was spending every minute trying to control my volatile bloodcounts the pump has let me be a teen again.

4 years ago when I first heard about the professional conference I dreamt that I could speak at it speak about what its really like to be a teenager with type 1. I never thought I’d actually reach that dream , at the time it seemed so unrealistic but with the help of diabetes uk I am gonna reach that goal.

Bloggers Unite for Diabetes

This week I had the honour of attending the European Association for the Study of Diabetes conference in Berlin. The three day trip was organised by animas, as the diabetes community had fed back to them the need to attend industry events such as EASD.

The first day was a "get to know you" day where I met bloggers from around the globe, people who I had only ever spoken to before in 140 characters via twitter. They were people who shared the same enthusiasm and belief's as I did and saw the bigger picture. The food and drink were in full flow as England, Germany, America, Sweden, Australia and Italy came together for a night of story telling connecting and bonding. I have to say that it was one of the best nights that I've had in a long time, laughing chatting and making new friends. I even attempted to calculate Frederik Debong's insulin dose for him on the mySugr app that he created! After I'd had two glasses of wine he had to take over... unfortunately.

On the second day we got to work and attended a 'bloggers summit' held by the German animas team. Kerri Sparling kicked off the session with a presentation of her blog - Six Until Me. Kerri spoke about her childhood and growing up with diabetes, how she found that blogging had helped her and motivated her, how she had started a family against the stigma of being pregnant and having diabetes. This lead on to a Q&A session where we networked and learnt from each other.

Next up was Dr. Brian Levey, Medical Director at Animas. Dr. Levey is leading the artificial pancreas project and gave a presentation on his journey and the creation of the artificial pancreas. The overall intention is an understandable one... safety for the patient. Reducing high and low blood sugars during sleep and exercise as well as keeping a steady balance day and night. There will be many more benefits to this product, much like with the insulin pump and the overall reaction throughout the room was hugely positive.

Then we came to the presentation stage where I learnt from blogs websites and platforms which I hadn't come across before. We were introduced to individual and group projects which were hugely inspirational and motivating to see. Everyone spoke of a journey that they were on, had a story to tell and a smile on their face as they shared that with the room.

Here's a list of blogs and websites which I didn't know about until now:

That afternoon we took off to the EASD conference to wander around the up and coming diabetes technologies and products that were on display. I was amazed at the pumps and how they all worked as this is a treatment which I have never really looked into before. I've been on MDI for 10.5 years now and after this trip I'm finally swaying towards pump therapy! Exciting times! I was like a kid in a candy store bouncing from stall to stall with fellow tweeter Danie. We both grabbed freebies and confused those who were running the stalls when they asked where we worked. The answer; "we're patients" mostly got an "oh" reply and seemed to throw them off balance. But I still got a lot of information out of the stalls, and being a patient I think I took more away and had more interest than the health care professionals would have!

The finale to my experience came that evening when we met with the UK animas team for drinks and a chat. I admit that I was nervous... these were the top dogs who had made it possible for us to be there. I needed to be on my best behaviour and also make sure that I didn't spill anything on anyone! Luckily the whole team were a delight to be with! I spent the evening chatting to the regional business manager, Simon, and his colleague, Ben. I gave Simon a speed lesson in tweeting while he joked about stalkbook and laughed at me sneaking cookies while no one was looking. What amazed me was that Simon talked to me about my needle phobia; he put my mind at rest. A complete stranger who was there for a drink and to relax took time to talk me through the process and to help me when he didn't need to. So many people made me smile inside and out that day.

I nattered to Ben and the rest of the team about my dreams of becoming a diabetes specialist nurse and suddenly it was time to leave... lack of sleep and too much excitement had caught up with me.

What I took away from this overall experience is that people need to be empowered and that can be done by setting good examples, which also need to be real. We need to test theories and not just take peoples word. Good examples will always be found in text books or leaflets lying around waiting rooms, but they aren't always coming from a real experience. Sticking to one way of treating diabetes just does not work and we all know that, so growing your voice to say "I'm going to try a different approach" could be just what is needed. We need more people to get their voices out there and to be heard... so put your bloggers hats on and unite with us for diabetes!