Clearly, jet lag, daylight saving and time zone confusions have meant that any creativity left in my pea-sized brain has been zapped to non-existence. As has the ability to order the million things that I have read in the last couple of days.

So, with a slight inability to organise my thoughts clearly, here are some things on my mind today.

Stephanie Rice is not a medical professional (that piece of information is more for her than anyone else)

Yes, another C grade celebrity has been at it again: providing medical advice and pretending to be an expert of everything. Aussie Olympic swimmer, Stephanie Rice, has come under fire for starting a Q&A style section on her Facebook page, where readers could seek medical advice.

Now, part of me wants to say that if you think that asking an Olympic swimmer for anything other than advice about, I don’t know, swimming, you get what you get and you don’t get upset. But this isn’t really about Rice’s readers. This is about the arrogance that she is demonstrating in thinking that she actually has anything to offer here.

I was talking about this yesterday with someone and she looked a little surprised at how annoyed I sounded. ‘But isn’t that kind of what you do on your blog,’ I she asked.

I would like credit here for the incredible restraint I demonstrated in not stabbing her with a (blunt) lancet. I would also like credit for speaking to her with respect as I pointed out that no, this is no what I do here.

What I do here is talk about my experiences (such as my experience of getting annoyed at swimmers who think that you shouldn’t have a medically-prescribed MRI because ‘there is so much radiation’), but never, ever telling people what they should do (such as suggesting that you shouldn’t have a medically-prescribed MRO because ‘there is so much radiation).

Of course, Rice responded with an ‘I’m hurt – I’m only trying to share what I have learnt and how much I now know’ post that is defensive and naïve.

Also, it is where she has it wrong. And it’s where Sarah Wilson and her ‘I-live-with-autoimmune-disease-(as if it is a singular thing)-and-therefore-can-give-medical-advice’ also gets it wrong.

Your advice is worthless. You have no qualifications in medicine, so stop giving medical counsel.

What does have some worth, however, is sharing your story. People connect with that. They hear what you are going through and feel supported. It makes them feel less alone. It is not your job – any more than it is my job – to provide medical information to people.

So stop it. Just stop it.

Live longer

Yesterday, MJA (The Medical Journal of Australia) published an article – Recent advances in type 1 diabetes – authored by some of Australia’s leading clinical experts in type 1 diabetes.

There were some really interesting points mentioned including that, in Australia, the incidence of type 1 diabetes has doubled over the past 20 years.

But for me, the most interesting and hopeful point (which was also the focus of the media release) was the following statement:

Although T1D is still associated with considerable premature mortality, recent findings show that a significant improvement in life expectancy has occurred.

I have always had in the back of my head that my life expectancy will be shortened by fifteen years due to my diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. It’s not all roses and I am not in denial that there will be challenges as my diabetes – and I – get older. But there is some good news in here. And for that, I do have some hope.

Do this survey

Abbott Australia has a series of surveys live at the moment for adults with type 1 and insulin-using type 2 diabetes.

YourSAY (Self-management And You) asks what it is like to live with diabetes each day, specifically looking at the behaviours and attitudes to diabetes self-management and glucose monitoring.

The survey takes about twenty minutes to complete and is open to anyone who meets the following criteria:

  • Live in Australia
  • Be aged 18-70 years.
  • Have been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes
  • Be currently using insulin injections or an insulin pump
  • Not currently be using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM)

Sound like you? Then hop to it by clicking here.

New look

Go check out The Parents’ Voice. Here, you’ll find the new name and new look of The Parents’ Jury. And while you’re there, considering signing up and becoming a member. The Parents’ Voice is all about improving the food and activity environments of Australian children.

#DOCtober

Grab your phone – or, if you’re old school, a camera – and join this month’s #DOCtober photo challenge. Kerri Sparling is documenting the month in photos on Instagram and on her blog and is asking you to join in. The idea is to find something diabetes-related and post it in social media land for all to see.

I’ve been pretty lax…as in have not posted a single thing…but here is my contribution for today. This is my desk at work with all the found objects from EASD.

DOCtober

Things I’m missing about Scandinavia

Cinnamon buns. Recipe found; baking planned. As soon as the weather cools down and I can consider turning on the oven!

Tick tock

As I’ve mentioned before, I often use the stat that we spend approximately six hours a year with HCPs working on managing our diabetes. It works out to about 0.07% of the year.

On his blog, Manny Hernadez has broken it down and  wrote this great piece. He reckons that it is even less, with his calculations coming in at 0.007% of the year.

Whichever what you look at it, it’s not much time at all! And, it serves as a reminder of just how much little time we have professional assistance when dealing with diabetes.

So, remind me again who the expert is?

That’s cruel

I wore a green dress yesterday.

NotARealGreenDressThatsCruel

So have been listening to the Bare Naked Ladies ever since.