5 Years Engaged

It's not what you're thinking! How do you choose an image to represent 5 years of engaging with other people over Diabetes? A tired looking pancreas? Not that I'm tired of the engagement! but I imagine that the penis shaped organ is somewhat weary. The penis shaped organ? Seriously, have you seen a pancreas? Take a look...

What an absolute d...

...moving on. Yes, 5 years since I decided to start talking about my T1D. When you hit 40, you do strange things. Having owned the fast cars, followed a morally questionable lifestyle and bought the leather trousers, I figured I'd give my health some attention. 

My A1c at the tail end of 2016 was 8.9%. A phone call from my GP surgery suggested that was a bit high. "Oh, it's always been a bit high, I'm alright" I said, hurriedly ending the call. Words from my eye surgeon rang loudly in "my mind's ear". It wasn't long since I had been discharged from a few years of surgeries and many visits to the eye clinic. Upon discharging me, he quietly noted; "How you look after yourself in the next 5 to 10 years will impact on how much I'll see you in the future". I guessed that he wasn't suggesting that I really let go, that he's going to miss cleaning out my gunky vitreous fluids and stitching my retina back together and so I should carry on regardless. I took that as a "get your act together".

The turning 40 moment seems to catch many. That was noted to me in a recent video consultation and I think it's a good point in life to take stock, especially if you have a family and young children. So, I did. And to take stock where do we all turn? The Internet! inject those conspiracy theories into my sub-cutaneous areas! Mmmm, yes. Also, there are many places online which are a great help when it comes to getting support and finding the right direction.

I started on YouTube. I have a great face for the radio so, it took a few takes to finally save and publish a video. I'm not great at videos but I enjoy making them and they're a good way of venting ones spleen. I still make them today, less frequently but they are generally to talk to other people with Diabetes rather than my own experiences. Engagement happened, despite the small audience and I'm still in touch with several people from the early YouTube days, today. That engagement gave me the confidence to reach out further and I found the forums. I gave them a lot of time and attention for a few months and it was a hit and miss affair. Some users were very friendly and accepting, others very militant about how to live correctly with Type 1. Somebody on the forum, in March 2017, mentioned Twitter. 

 I've been on Twitter since 2008 and actively since 2009 but not in a Diabetes capacity. It was always fun but it never occurred to me that a community based around Diabetes might exist. It did and it still does although, in 2017 GBDoc was in turmoil, following some wrong-doings and allegations made about someone who was seen as a community leader. It was interesting to observe while tentatively making connections and friendships. Because of the early drama, I didn't want to associate myself with the GBDoc community right away. That changed within a few weeks and I became very active, encouraged by the support and helpful information of my peers and the ousting of the villain. At the time, that was great, it was all I needed, my A1c was improving, I felt better, I started to use technology and most people seemed very open and friendly.

At the beginning of 2019 I was offered the chance to join the GBDoc Tweetchat team. I've been involved in Internet marketing since the mid 1990s and it seemed clear how to bring that little corner of Twitter forward. I'm proud of the early work that I put into the Tweetchats alongside many other GBDoc members. The old "chats" were poorly populated and not especially engaging. By making subtle changes, gently promoting and engaging, we managed to build a very popular weekly event. It's still going, every Weds at 9pm! and Laura is the expert custodian of that account. 

From 2020, my account on Twitter started to get noticed by many different people and organisations. I've been offered many opportunities to talk about Diabetes, to represent Diabetes companies and to meet up with hundreds of amazing people who live with the condition. The majority of those occasions have been informative and fun and friendship building. 

Now, it's 2022 and I'm as hungry for engagement as ever. I even started this blog! which recently nudged by 300,000 views - Only half of which are my mum.

5 years ago, I was finger pricking and injecting, sitting on an HbA1c of 8.9% and hiding my Diabetes.

Today, I'm pumping because of the Diabetes community.

Today, I'm using a CGM because of the Diabetes community.

Today, my HbA1c is 6.6%

I have dozens of close friends who live with T1D.

I engage with people with Diabetes each day and it's not all moans and groans! Some people (mostly me) and very funny and brilliant to talk to.

Those are my gains from engaging with others about my Diabetes. My peers have undoubtedly changed and perhaps prolonged my life and for that I cannot find the words to express my thanks. I try to give back what I've been given; support, help, signposting, friendship and honest words about our condition. I strongly encourage you to do the same.

Oh! and being engaged to be married for 5 years is absolutely fine. Take as long as you need. 

 Thank you so much for reading this blog. I do appreciate your visit and your support. As you might know, I LOVE COFFEE! So I've teamed up with a thing called Buy Me A Coffee. If you enjoy my content and appreciate the time it takes to create such things then you can buy me a coffee! If you leave your Twitter @ name when you buy me a coffee, I will personally thank you. If you'd rather be anonymous then that's totally cool. Thanks for the caffeine!

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