Review of 2010

By | 17 December, 2010
A diabetic is punished by their DSN for re-using a needle

A diabetic is punished by their DSN for re-using a needle

Everyone hates the end of the year and those endless “review of the year” articles. They’re tedious, lazy, annoying and irritate readers. Not being one to shy away from annoying our readers, here’s your soaraway Shoot Up’s review of 2010.

We started off the year in combative mood, asking “Why are insulin pens so ugly” http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/01/why-are-insulin-pens-so-ugly/, frenzied debate ensued and we first found out about the vast quantities of insulin our beloved regular Terry shoves in every day. Clue – a lot. We also discussed diabetic terrorists (http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/01/diabetic-terrorists/) and I got eggy about built in obsolescence in test strips (http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/01/built-in-obsolescence/), but the article only attracted 6 comments so obviously no-one else cared as much as I did!

In the spring, Alison wrote a whimsical article about how Disney would do diabetes (http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/02/if-disney-did-diabetes%E2%80%A6/) which was knocked up in ten minutes and turned out to be one of our most read, shared, Twittered and Facebooked articles of 2010, which goes to show something or other. I burbled on about the perils of alternative site testing (http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/02/the-perils-of-alternative-site-testing/) resulting in bloody forearms which made me look like I’d been self-harming. Never again readers, never again.

March also saw the introduction of our latest look with the natty smartness of the Buddypress’s default colour scheme (I put so much effort into how the blog looks, I really do), the new forums and inter-user messaging and other such goodies. I also discovered that dancing like a loon and drinking “Satan Red” beer led to perfectly balanced blood glucose levels (http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/03/partying-with-humalog/).

The summer kicked off with me revealing my A1C results in a typically shy and retiring article entitled “Bathe in my munificent glory” http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/05/bathe-in-my-munificent-glory/. I also advocated tormenting your MP about diabetes issues (http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/05/tormenting-your-mp/) – a campaign which resulted in a few letters being sent to our representatives in parliament and not the rioting and civil disobedience I’d hoped for. Hey hum.

I also reported on my trip to Switzerland courtesy of the puppy-drowners at Medtronic (http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/06/medtronic-internet-forum/) and Alison covered off the intricacies of managing her diabetes while under the knife (http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/06/diabetic-days-on-the-operating-table/).

Late summer saw Neville the Newshound joining the ranks of Shoot Up writers with his snippets of diabetes-related news and a writing style that’s remarkably similar to mine. Hmm. I also appeared on our first Vblog (http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/07/review-%E2%80%93-bayer-contour-usb/) with a very poorly researched (actually substitute “poor” with “none”) review of the Contour USB glucose monitor, which for some reason has garnered over 1,000 views already. Odd, very odd.

We also had our holidays, with Alison reporting on the things she learnt while away http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/08/things-i-learnt-on-holiday/ and I published an article accompanied, inexplicably, with a picture of a Highland cow (http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/08/holidays/).

We headed into the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness with the forum thread that just keeps on giving – the infamous diabetes limericks thread http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/groups/shoot-up/forum/topic/diabetes-limericks/. We look forward to seeing more and more of them in 2011. Honest.

I finally started on an insulin pump which was ridiculously dubbed “Englebert Pumperdinck” http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/10/introducing-engelbert-pumperdinck/ and I wrote about my expectations of it (http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/10/great-expectations/) and how I thought it would help with my diabetes control and quality of life. Alison’s pump kindly wrote an open letter to mine (http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/10/from-one-pump-to-another/) with some top advice and kindly words of support.

A scene one might, or might not, see on holiday

We polished off the year with Alison complaining that her pancreas was terribly rude (http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/11/dear-pancreas-i-think-youre-frightfully-rude-old-chap/) and I reminded us all that diabetes isn’t the only chronic illness (http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2010/11/diabetes-isnt-the-only-chronic-illness/), just in case we had forgotten.

So there we have it – a summary of Shoot Up’s 109 articles that we published in 2010. If you haven’t already done so, do check out the archives as there’s some great stuff there (even though I say so myself). You can still comment on old articles, so do pitch in and chat away on the posts or on the forums.

Finally, just to say that it really is our beloved readers that give us the enthusiasm and energy to write for and maintain this damned web site. So a warm and lovely thank you to everyone who has contributed to Shoot Up with their comments & views and who have offered welcome advice and support to the members of the really lovely little community we’ve created here. Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year to you all!

Tim & Alison
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About Tim

Diagnosed with Type One when he was 28, Tim founded Shoot Up in 2009. For the diabetes geeks, he wears a Medtronic 640G insulin pump filled with Humalog and uses Abbott's Libre flash glucose monitor.

8 thoughts on “Review of 2010

  1. Cecile

    Encore! Encore!
    This Shoot Up junkie wants some more…
    So you’re closing up shop
    And withholding our slop
    Right when we’re most in need of some stabilizing lore?

    Reply
  2. Hairy Gnome

    Energising, entertaining, informative; it could have been all of these things, but…

    …it was all of those and more! 😀 Got you there Tim and Alison! Thank you for another year of your delightfully dotty digital diary. Guaranteed to raise a smile on the dullest day.

    A peaceful and joyous Winter Solstice to one and all, and may the next year be filled with love and laughter for everyone.

    Reply
  3. jason fielden

    Thanks for a great website and wishing you a truly bolus worthy Christmas and New Year! 🙂

    Reply
  4. Dawn Brock

    I also wanted to say thanks for a terrific site – I don’t have diabetes, my 14 year old daughter does (6 years now) and your writing has given me a lot of information and opinions, and also ALWAYS makes me smile. Thanks, and I’m looking forward to reading this again next year 🙂

    Reply

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