On Advocating for Yourself

Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows at least three things about me: –

1. I’m a depressive
2. I’m knocked up
3. I have diabetes

Its this third one that is the subject today.

You see, I belong to Diabetes UK.  Its the one and only charity that Simon and I give money to on a yearly basis, in the form of my membership fee.

Diabetes UK has been around for 75 years and has been instrumental in some major advances in diabetes care world wide.  This includes research for a cure, for better treatment and for advocacy with the NHS and World Health Organization for better diabetes care.

Every two months I get their magazine, as a ‘perk’ of my membership.  And almost every month it pisses me off.

Not because of their articles, those are quite good.  Because of the letters page.  Of the 20 or so letters that they publish every other month, at least 5 of them are from people who are bitching about their level of diabetes care.  And this pisses me off.  Not because they aren’t getting better care (although I find some levels of care at some NHS Trusts to be appalling) but because they just accept this horrible level of care.

The one thing I have learned in my 2.5 years of being a diabetic and my nearly 20 years of being a depressive is that you must speak up. If you are not satisfied with the answers you get from a medical professional, ask again.  Keep asking until you understand.  Keep asking until you get the treatment you are entitled to.

When I went for my Glucose Tolerance Test it was a nurse who said to me ‘you have diabetes’ after only looking at my blood results.  I was angry. It was not her place to tell me, or to tell me so bluntly and it was certainly not her place to tell me in the middle of the treatment room (nothing but fabric wall between me and the world) and after only one set of tests were back.  And so, I complained to my GP when I saw her for my official diagnosis.  My GP agreed with me, that was completely inappropriate and promised me she’d speak to the Nursing Sister in charge of the treatment room.  And she did.  And that nurse has never treated me again (although she’s still around).

If you don’t speak up, nothing will change.  If you don’t ask questions, you’ll never get answers.

So, please, I beg you, be your own advocate. In your health.  In your job. In your life.  And especially for your children.

Thank you.