10 Years living with diabetes!
It’s been exactly one decade since my immune system accused the poor innocent pancreas of treason and executed it without a trial :) I don’t celebrate this date, but I find it interesting to look back on the previous twelve months and reflect on what changed, what I learned and what I contributed to the community of “pancreatically challenged people”.
I can’t think of a particualrily horrible diabetes-related moment that happened. Actually I feel that I have my blood glucose levels and other related aspects to it under much better control than ever before. No complications either: kidneys are fine, eyes are good and I can still feel all ten toes :P
MedAngel, that little hobby project I started a little while ago to help keep my insulin at the right temperature evolved into a flourishing commercial product with a wonderful team supporting its development and growth.
There is still a long way before calling it a proper commercial success, claiming that we made medications storage and usage safer and less stressful for people worldwide, but I am really proud with what my team and I achieved with very little resources: a fully tested, fully operational sensor in a professional package, fulfilling high quality requirements, great app and UX and being distrubuted by other companies on many continents!
It is so fulfilling to go to work everyday, and spend time with great, smart people on a solution that makes real impact on other people’s lives. We become more experienced the topics of medications use and storage, diabetes and digital health. We are learning so much, so fast. Some days I feel exhausted of the amount of learning, but the more I learn, the more I want to know and spread this knowledge to other who need it.
I am not really waiting for a cure for diabetes, I can live a nice, fulfilled life with very little compromises with what exists now, but of course I’d be delighted to get rid of it or put it on autopilot.
We saw many exiting releases and news for diabetes in 2016 like the near closed loop system, promising breakthroughs that may help find a cure. That’s great, but the more I learn about the state of diabetes around me and in the world, the more I become focused on the immediate challenges, injustices and inefficiencies.
It is outrageous to see people fight to access insulin and other supplies, or having to spend considerable portions of their income to afford them. There is also a massive lack of education both by individuals and healthcare professionals. The knowledge about diabetes is very advanced, but very poorly distributed (especially in less-favored communities).
I personally decided to do my very best to spread awareness about safe storage and use of insulin and other drugs as much as I can, not to promote my product, but because I feel it is my duty to share this knowledge with everyone who needs it.
Finally, I am ending this year 2016 with a massive challenge related to my insulin, as my favourite (and life-changing) insulin Tresiba is pulled out of the German market over a pricing dispute. Going back to Lantus is a big downgrade (less flat profile, more severe hypos) but I keep telling myself that it’s temporary and that I will have my dear Tresiba back :
