Brilliant as Tim and I are (and you’ll note, modesty is a particular strength), we don’t always find it easy to think of something entertaining and diabetes related to blog about. Writers block sometimes hits, and like a stubborn high caused by a pesky cold, it takes a while to get rid of.
So, instead of turning to insulin, we thought we’d turn to the glucose-addled brains of our readers for some help and inspiration. We have two questions for you:
Firstly, is there anything you want us to blog about?
Secondly, if you were to interview the two of us, what would you like to ask us?
As ShootUp is a benign dictatorship rather than a democracy, we will of course carefully select which questions we choose to answer in the form of a witty and entertaining blog post. But don’t let that hold you back, leave us your questions in the comments section below.
Benighn dictatorship?! Hmmm, there’s a new term for me! Seriously, I guess my first question is the extent to which Put Up or Shoot Up realizes how diabetes treatment differs even within Europe? I lived in Helsinki, Finland which has more than a few people with type 1 diabetes and found some things very similar, and others rather different. For example, in spite of being an affluent country (home to Nokia among other things), the incidence of pump usage was miniscule. Nearly everyone uses insulin pens there. By comparison, in the U.S. and Canada, while pens exist, insulin manufacturers sell most insulin volume by vials (many of which are used to fill pump reservoirs). That’s one reason it took Denmark-based Novo Nordisk so long to grow it’s market share here (it took nearly 20 years after entering North America). Second, outside of your blogging activity, do you engage in any other social media activity (Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, etc.)? The U.S. has a fairly active bunch of Twits (I mean Twitter users), and we have weekly chats on Twitter which are quite … robust (I needed the right word here)! Perhaps some weekend we could try a global chat you all would consider it!
First thought is: Diabetes in conjunction with (insert condition here).
It’s been mentioned a bit in the past, and might be tricky if you dont suffer from (insert etc), but I know there’s a load of followers (do dictatorships have followers? Maybe subjects would be better) who have a variety of health ‘issues’.
Maybe some back to basic blogs – ‘you’ve/your child’s just been diagnosed/gone on a pump, here’s what the medical profession wont tell you/doesnt know’ type things?
Body image? Its a big thing for some (particularly female) diabetics – hiding a pump, not doing injections/blood tests in public, etc.
Support groups outside of the internet? (Do they work/exist?)
Question: what’s your favourite non-diabetic related gadget?
@tim (& blog): Why do you stay soaraway, even if you shoot up continuously? @alison: How old were you when inflicting your first mum-independent injection on yourself (or have you suffered under own fire since 4?)
Uuuuuuuuummmmmm. Nope can’t think of anything… What did you think of the others in the top 10? I’ve heard the one at number 2 (stop sniggering at the back) is a bit rubbish.
How about ‘patient power’ (following from your ‘nightmare patient’ post) Hints and tips for getting the best/most out of your clinic/team. Your success at getting a pump/CGM combo funded and a pump *in SCOTLAND* are pretty interesting I think.
I know @Alison! We could hack into our readers phones for stories!
Don’t ever say I’m not new & original!
Good questions/topics, thanks.
@Tim Doesn’t that mean that after an agonising, drawn out scandal, one or both of us will have to resign and the blog will be closed down forever only to be mentioned in hushed tones?
Sounds fun to me! 😀
Where did you get the ‘benign’ bit from? 😆
@teloz – shut it, you!
Yes master! (tugs vainly at non-existent forelock) 😀
You could tug the beard, that might work…
Go, go, Mr.(goa)T! 😆
‘Tis difficult to tug on one’s beard (or indeed any other parts of one’s anatomy) and still demonstrate the necessary attitude of abject servility to our master and mistress. The thought of them donning leather undergarments (jock strap and Basque respectively) in order to administer my punishment, sends a terrifying shiver down my spine ! 😆
What? How? Why? From questions about what we should write about, how did we get on to jock straps, basques and kinky sado-masochism? Somehow I knew @Teloz would be involved though… 😀
@sstrumello – sorry Scott, I meant to reply to your comment earlier and neglected to do so. Gah! Anyway, we do have twitter and Facebook accounts (links up in the top right) but we don’t really use them all that much for discussion.
In terms of the DOC we (well I do, @Alison might be different) tend to think we’re on the periphery of it all. I set up the blog to write about diabetes because I like writing, not to campaign or raise awareness or to change the world. If any of the above have been achieved through Shoot Up then that’s purely accidental. 😉
In terms of your question about different experiences of diabetes through Europe, I’ve found that people seem to have the same old gripes with healthcare providers (whether they be nationalised like the good old NHS or insurance providers) the world around! Yay! I think.