Diabetes advocate Michelle Law spoke recently at the Association of British HealthTech Industries Annual Parliamentary Reception the other week on the value of technology in diabetes management.
In her speech, she used only two props: Her insulin pump and a copy of her favorite “operating manual” for diabetes self-care, Think Like A Pancreas.
Here’s the text from Michelle’s LinkedIn post reflecting on the event:
“Imagine needing an operating manual for one of your organs…”
This was the opening line of my speech at the ABHI Parliamentary Reception this week to give a patient perspective on how health tech has affected my life.
I talked about what managing diabetes was like when I was diagnosed 18 years ago, how challenging it is to live with type one diabetes, and how the addition of an insulin pump, a CGM and now the Medtronic 780G hybrid closed loop has helped to relieve a lot of the mental burden.
For me, it’s been like going from driving blindfolded to having a self driving car. I don’t have to spend as much time “thinking like a pancreas” because my pump now does a lot of the work for me.
It was an honour to speak at the same podium as Rt. Hon. Wes Streeting MP the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and I was encouraged by his clear enthusiasm for tech and innovation in the health service. I couldn’t help but give a shout out to Partha S Kar for showing what’s possible when tech champions care about getting devices into people’s hands.
One of the highlights of the evening was the networking after the speeches when I found myself surrounded by people with a connection to diabetes – spouses, parents, other people with diabetes, people working in diabetes tech. Those conversations are the best conversations.
I enjoyed hearing from all the other speakers too: Glindon Mary MP the host of the event, Peter Ellingworth from ABHI and Dr Vin Diwakar from NHS England.
All in all a great evening. Thanks to the ABHI for inviting me to speak, and to Medtronic Diabetes for introducing us.
Well said, Michelle! Cheers to you.
Michelle shares her thoughts on “A Woman’s Life With Type-1 Diabetes” here: https://www.pumpsandpricks.com/
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2 Responses
My best blood sugars have been when I used my own formulas and I used Microsoft Excel to continually correct my correction boluses and using only the Medtronic 770G however because my blood sugars are so high from 3 PM on that I literally have to give myself about 25 units to make my blood sugar go down even using the correction Bolus 1/50 for years now but my program is showing 1/57 for correction and 1/13.5 as carb ratio throughout a 24hr day yet the pump changes per 5 or 6 hour intervals different values for the basal rates and carb ratios my program gives me what the basal rates should be but my doctor’s values are different than what my averages show in my program. I’m really getting tired of accepting my doctor’s prognosis by saying you’re all over the place you don’t know what your doing and now I have to go back to the diabetes school 2nd time now and learn how to count carbs when my program already calculates it for me. My program uses square Bolus readings to correct for excessive amounts of protein and fats over a longer period of time based on carbohydrates, proteins and fats readings from my foods eaten per meal. I’ve had type 1 diabetes since age 12 and I’m 72 years old now I feel very energetic and I don’t sleep often for days but when my blood sugars continually high especially 300-HI it affects my body so I compensate by just giving myself 25U from 300 readings incrementing by 5 units every 100 units above 300 units along with what ever the pump is giving me and this seems to work better cause I’ve told the doctor what I’m doing but she says I don’t know what I’m doing you’re all over the place instead of believing in what I’m telling her. There are other issues with the pump in price for needed items that before we’re covered by my insurance in the last 30 years that are not covered any more Medicaid stopped supposedly so now I’ll have to go back to syringes and instead of pump cause I can’t afford per month charges I’m faced with and then I still have to have a certain amount of insulin to cover a 24 hour basal insulin amount that doesn’t work cause per doctor I don’t know what I’m doing! But I totally understand exactly what I’m doing. Medicare makes you have to do what the doctor requires. Catch 22.!!!!!!!!!!!! Right now Acidosis is going to kill me if I can’t get ahold of myself and quit eating food but my wife’s asking me to just do what you need to do to get it under control but the doctors says it’s my fault!
Hi Monte,
It sounds like your prescriber is looking for you to meet them in the middle, your way of managing is very intense and not something they are able to actually guide or really participate in in any meaningful way.
Perhaps scheduling an extended appointment so take time to fully discuss how you are managing and why,
then discuss their goals and where they have concerns
Also be open to their concerns about stress management, mental health in general, restrictive or obsessive behaviors or risks. Diabetes management is not just about our blood sugars.
Your message here is very high stress and loaded with a lot of issues in a lot of directions. Working with a therapist to really get to the root of your needs that are not being met and streamline your communication could really help you a lot.
not eating is not an option. WE have to eat to survive, we have to take insulin to survive. Even if blood sugars are in range we have to have insulin to keep our bodies functioning. That all or nothing thought pattern indicates that you could use some help sorting through your thoughts and feelings to allow you to better work with your care team.
I hope you are able to get that assistance and remain safe and healthy.