Influenced not Influenza. Get your Flu jabs!
Now that's off my chest, on with the blog and let's get straight to the point - I've been... "labelled"? as a Diabetes Influencer but it's not as bad as it sounds. I won't be found posing on Instagram (more than usual) in photographs wearing my Mankini, trying to sell the benefits of a cinnamon-based diabetes cure. No, it's in regard to diabetes conversations on Twitter.
I like Twitter. I especially like the #GBDoc community and those who use it and the hashtag to give and gain support. It has undoubtedly improved my T1D management and opened many doors for me. My favourite door is the huge increase in new friends and, remarkably, they've all got T1D! So, I guess I talk about living with diabetes a lot, especially on the tweet. Never the less, I was rather surprised to be tagged into a tweet which led to this web page:
https://creation.co/knowledge/key-influencers-and-topics-in-the-online-uk-diabetes-conversation/
Yeah, there I am in that mostly illustrious list of people with diabetes, who talk about diabetes to other people living with diabetes, on Twitter.
How I make such lists? I don't know. Although! I once won the funniest diabetes tweet of the year. 2018, I think. I'm still proud of that one although I can't remember the tweet. Don't joke about diabetes, though. It's not funny.
I'm really not THAT funny and I certainly don't feel like I influence anybody. Others, it seems, think differently. That's fine. I'm happy to use my Twitter account to retweet good info and help raise the profiles of other, good causes. Twitter has scratched my back many times. It seems only fair to scratch it back, now and again.
I like to think I'm supportive of the diabetes community on Twitter. I answer my messages and cries for help, I acknowledge or reply to tweets to me, I take part in most of the tweetchats, quizzes and other "spin off" activities which are related to #GBDoc. I see myself as a supporter. I get it, mostly and when I don't get it I try to understand. Influencing seems a dangerous activity when the subject is health related. Diabetes varies so much from person to person. To offer general advice or solutions seems like dodgy ground. Remember, It's All About You
If influencing is your thing and your job or your sideline then cool. It's not for me. You drank your four cups of coffee today, didn't you!?
