My Time in Rage over the past few days has been high; very high. That’s not a typo, I mean Rage (with a capital R). Since I published a post about airport security screening, a dozen people have messaged me with their tales of systemic failures that have left them feeling pretty damn overwhelmed. This is in addition to the myriad conversations I’ve had over the last twelve months. The situations may differ, but the underlying theme is consistent – this is a system that is not working, and people with diabetes are left exposed.
As systems break down, PWD are forced to deal with confusion, uncertainty, and a glaring lack of support. This is not confined to one specific area. I may have written about airports on Friday, but it spans across various aspects of our diabetes lives. The consequence is PWD in the firing line.
I’m forever thinking about the labour borne by people living with diabetes and how systems increasingly shift care responsibilities. Not only are we burdened with intricate care coordination and management, but also, we’re left exposed when navigating through systemic failures. Diabetes necessitates that those of us who live with the condition shoulder most of the care, but that burden shouldn’t then be compounded by systems that fail us – whether it be airport security checkpoints, or in healthcare settings.
Even worse, we know decisions are made around us, or without our direct input and when we highlight how things are not working, we are met with defensiveness and excuses. Inconsistencies, confusion, and a lack of clear communication may all be the reasons that things don’t work, but they are problems that are not ours to solve. It is not our role to make sense of chaotic labyrinths. We should not be expected to decipher the complexities behind systemic failures. Our focus should be on managing our diabetes, living our lives, and not on mitigating the fallout from systems that are supposed to support us.
I know that it can be argued that there are better ways to deal with matters than getting all rage-y. I agree with that; it’s counterproductive and draining. High Time in Range is often accompanied by distress, and hampered efforts to do diabetes well. It’s counterproductive and it’s draining. But sometimes, it really is difficult to keep that rage in check, especially when I believe that people with diabetes are getting a rough deal.
Diabetogenic 
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October 30, 2023 at 9:01 pm
Tim Brown
Hi Renza,
Thanks for your commentary on this topic, both this one and the last. So helpful in advice and information.
For me, dealing with the management and the feelings are inextricably woven together, as they evidently are for you as well. But I know when I’m very low, or very high, keeping them in harmony is that much harder.
So I’ve taken a different track at the airports to you, less principled and for me more pragmatic. I don’t have my pump out of my sight but do now take it off to make sure it doesn’t go through the screens.
So far, airport staff are compliant in Australia and elsewhere comply with me saying, I’m willing to take it off to ensure it is not damaged but my life depends on it and so I need to keep it in sight. Even in China, pre-pandemic. Sometimes, they then say please go over there and promptly pat me down.
The reason for taking this route was an experience years ago in LA rushing for a flight. Think it was the domestic terminal with a long queue checking in from the international terminal on entry to the US. I set off the standard metal detector wearing the pump (thinking at the time the standard detector was safe for the Medtronic pump). Turned out it wasn’t the pump but a 1c Australian coin that I didn’t know I had in a crevice in my trousers. But they were physically scary with me plus took ages to get me physically patted down, and we nearly missed our connection as a result.
For this reason, I go through the screens with my Dexcom G6. Yes, they could upset the transmitter, but not the sensor which is based on a chemcial reaction in the skin. But AMSL seems to be good about quick replacements if their devices fail, and the advice they say is that they haven’t tested it.
I realise this is a risk but one that I’m willing to take – if they have instances of failure documented surely Dexcom will do a trial given the size of their market.
PWDT1 is all about managing risk minute by minute isn’t it? and enjoying every moment that we are blessed to have with our loved ones,
Tim
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October 31, 2023 at 8:53 am
andrewbsoz
Not an ideal situation, but one that will work if you read the Dept of Home Affairs documentation and means pat down no questions asked and probably done quickly
I have some other health issues, one being the same as Michael Klim, CIDP (whilst I don’t need continued IVIG transfusions, I am unable to walk very far), so over the last 10 years, I use a wheelchair. Rock up to security, in a wheelchair, they often get you to come down the business security side and whisked through pretty quickly
They rarely even make you go through the metal detectors since the airport chairs are full of metal anyway. I once offered to step through the metal detector but they said, no stay seated. So have just done that from then on. Ive not flown recently, but the Dept of Home Affairs site does mention where people are unable to stand in the scanning machines, such as those in wheelchairs
Once out of sight you could probably ditch the chair, I use it through to being called for boarding. The walking from the gate to the plane (if not going via the ground) is about my limit. Though I have been pushed to the door too sometimes, and have a chair or one of the small vehicles waiting when disembarking
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October 31, 2023 at 9:28 am
RenzaS / Diabetogenic
Thanks for your comment. I love that you have worked out how to navigate security! In my previous post I linked to the Dept Home Affairs page and that has certainly helped (although not completely remedied) the situation for me.
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October 31, 2023 at 12:56 pm
Dianne Daley
Hi Renza, I can add my experience to the airport security debacle. I flew to Canberra on the weekend for a long overdue visit with my grandsons. I had read your Diabetogenic post the night before and was prepared for problems. I have a Medtronic 780G pump and the Guardian 4 sensor. The security staff at Melbourne airport insisted that it was safe to go through the scanner despite my protests. On my return the next day Canberra staff tried to assure me that it was ok, but when I said no they gave me a body pat down and swabbed my pump. Today I rang my endocrinologist’s rooms and have asked if he could provide me with a letter stating that the pump and sensor cannot go through the airport body scanner. Like you I feel that PWD have enough to manage without having to start and finish precious a family get together feeling stressed by the confusion surrounding airport security for medical devices. Keep up your great advocacy work. Regards Di Daley (jellybean Di)
Sent from my iPad
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November 6, 2023 at 9:53 pm
Frank Johnson
I have been a diabetic for over 50 yrs, travelled Australia & the world but never had difficulties in getting thru entrances where security systems operate and not experienced any problems as I ready myself to engage the security check and always have a Doctors letter to support me thru the process. Learn to support the organisation group doing the security checks.
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November 17, 2023 at 1:18 pm
RenzaS / Diabetogenic
Your experience mirrors mine prior to the pandemic. There has definitely been a shift in the way that security at Australian airports since we opened up again, as reported by many people with diabetes. Hopefully the community advocacy around this will return things to the way they were!
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