I have type 1 diabetes during my first NHS appointment I go into the doctor’s
NHS appointment I go into the doctor’s
NHS appointment I go into the doctor’s office and I see that he has already
office and I see that he has already
office and I see that he has already reviewed my blood test result so I sat
reviewed my blood test result so I sat
reviewed my blood test result so I sat down and the first thing he says to me
down and the first thing he says to me
down and the first thing he says to me is if you don’t keep up a good blood
is if you don’t keep up a good blood
is if you don’t keep up a good blood glucose average I’m going to have to
glucose average I’m going to have to
glucose average I’m going to have to take your pump away I was shocked
take your pump away I was shocked
take your pump away I was shocked stunned that he was threatening to take
stunned that he was threatening to take
stunned that he was threatening to take away the very technology I need to stay
away the very technology I need to stay
away the very technology I need to stay alive by doing so that is akin to
alive by doing so that is akin to
alive by doing so that is akin to blaming me for how my body reacts to my
blaming me for how my body reacts to my
blaming me for how my body reacts to my daily management the nature of chronic
daily management the nature of chronic
daily management the nature of chronic illness means that the person will have
illness means that the person will have
illness means that the person will have to live with it for the rest of their
to live with it for the rest of their
to live with it for the rest of their life sure we hear heroic stories of
life sure we hear heroic stories of
life sure we hear heroic stories of people climbing Mount Everest excelling
people climbing Mount Everest excelling
people climbing Mount Everest excelling in music really beating the odds to
in music really beating the odds to
in music really beating the odds to overcome the challenges that their body
overcome the challenges that their body
overcome the challenges that their body puts in their way but I guarantee you
puts in their way but I guarantee you
puts in their way but I guarantee you that every single one of them have at
that every single one of them have at
that every single one of them have at one point blame themselves for not
one point blame themselves for not
one point blame themselves for not making the right decision when it came
making the right decision when it came
making the right decision when it came to their illness day in day out people
to their illness day in day out people
to their illness day in day out people with chronic illnesses have to engage in
with chronic illnesses have to engage in
with chronic illnesses have to engage in daily self-care whether its asthma
daily self-care whether its asthma
daily self-care whether its asthma epilepsy or diabetes we don’t get to
epilepsy or diabetes we don’t get to
epilepsy or diabetes we don’t get to clock off our self-care the way that
clock off our self-care the way that
clock off our self-care the way that others clock off work now I’m sure
others clock off work now I’m sure
others clock off work now I’m sure everyone here has felt burnout before
everyone here has felt burnout before
everyone here has felt burnout before yeah the mental exhaustion from
yeah the mental exhaustion from
yeah the mental exhaustion from academics or social life and whilst you
academics or social life and whilst you
academics or social life and whilst you get to go home and recharge your energy
get to go home and recharge your energy
get to go home and recharge your energy for the next day people with chronic
for the next day people with chronic
for the next day people with chronic illnesses don’t have that luxury
illnesses don’t have that luxury
illnesses don’t have that luxury but that doesn’t mean we don’t get tired
but that doesn’t mean we don’t get tired
but that doesn’t mean we don’t get tired in fact some of our worst days aren’t
in fact some of our worst days aren’t
in fact some of our worst days aren’t spent in the hospital they’re spent at
spent in the hospital they’re spent at
spent in the hospital they’re spent at home frustrated with what our bodies
home frustrated with what our bodies
home frustrated with what our bodies fail to do and trying to fix problems we
fail to do and trying to fix problems we
fail to do and trying to fix problems we will have to spend the rest of our lives
will have to spend the rest of our lives
will have to spend the rest of our lives with some people sink deeper and deeper
with some people sink deeper and deeper
with some people sink deeper and deeper into exhaustion up to the point where
into exhaustion up to the point where
into exhaustion up to the point where they don’t see the value in self-care
they don’t see the value in self-care
they don’t see the value in self-care anymore this is what burnout means for
anymore this is what burnout means for
anymore this is what burnout means for chronic illness and the long-term health
chronic illness and the long-term health
chronic illness and the long-term health consequences are detrimental amputations
consequences are detrimental amputations
consequences are detrimental amputations blindness being hooked on marijuana just
blindness being hooked on marijuana just
blindness being hooked on marijuana just to keep the excruciating pain of failing
to keep the excruciating pain of failing
to keep the excruciating pain of failing organs at bay ladies and gentlemen we
organs at bay ladies and gentlemen we
organs at bay ladies and gentlemen we are on the brink of chronic burnout when
are on the brink of chronic burnout when
are on the brink of chronic burnout when you opened your Instagram today I bet
you opened your Instagram today I bet
you opened your Instagram today I bet you saw a whole newsfeed of beautiful
you saw a whole newsfeed of beautiful
you saw a whole newsfeed of beautiful raw sexy dishes right yeah beautiful
raw sexy dishes right yeah beautiful
raw sexy dishes right yeah beautiful breakfast bowls waiting to be eaten
breakfast bowls waiting to be eaten
breakfast bowls waiting to be eaten every day we are bombarded with messages
every day we are bombarded with messages
every day we are bombarded with messages that we could be doing more to achieve
that we could be doing more to achieve
that we could be doing more to achieve better health that good health is
better health that good health is
better health that good health is defined as the actions you decide to
defined as the actions you decide to
defined as the actions you decide to take the decision you make when you
take the decision you make when you
take the decision you make when you choose that morning run over finishing
choose that morning run over finishing
choose that morning run over finishing yesterday’s leftover cake but doesn’t
yesterday’s leftover cake but doesn’t
yesterday’s leftover cake but doesn’t help then become commodified it’s a
help then become commodified it’s a
help then become commodified it’s a prize to be won if you buckle down and
prize to be won if you buckle down and
prize to be won if you buckle down and work for it
work for it
work for it because in our capitalist liberalist
because in our capitalist liberalist
because in our capitalist liberalist system doesn’t hard work and
system doesn’t hard work and
system doesn’t hard work and determination always pay off I’m not
determination always pay off I’m not
determination always pay off I’m not saying this with any sarcasm
saying this with any sarcasm
saying this with any sarcasm think about the times when you didn’t
think about the times when you didn’t
think about the times when you didn’t try your best and you failed so you look
try your best and you failed so you look
try your best and you failed so you look back on the result and you think fair
back on the result and you think fair
back on the result and you think fair enough if I had done this and this or
enough if I had done this and this or
enough if I had done this and this or this then yes I would have succeeded in
this then yes I would have succeeded in
this then yes I would have succeeded in the world of health it’s no different
the world of health it’s no different
the world of health it’s no different it’s not uncommon for elderly people to
it’s not uncommon for elderly people to
it’s not uncommon for elderly people to go to the doctor and hear things like if
go to the doctor and hear things like if
go to the doctor and hear things like if you hadn’t eaten this if you had done
you hadn’t eaten this if you had done
you hadn’t eaten this if you had done more exercise then yes your cholesterol
more exercise then yes your cholesterol
more exercise then yes your cholesterol wouldn’t be so high your blood pressure
wouldn’t be so high your blood pressure
wouldn’t be so high your blood pressure wouldn’t be so high now what this trains
wouldn’t be so high now what this trains
wouldn’t be so high now what this trains people with chronic illnesses to believe
people with chronic illnesses to believe
people with chronic illnesses to believe is that they are to blame for the
is that they are to blame for the
is that they are to blame for the mismanagement of their conditions for
mismanagement of their conditions for
mismanagement of their conditions for what their body does or doesn’t do but
what their body does or doesn’t do but
what their body does or doesn’t do but why is that we’re always taught that
why is that we’re always taught that
why is that we’re always taught that accountability
accountability
accountability necessitates personal responsibility so
necessitates personal responsibility so
necessitates personal responsibility so I grew up always thinking that I’m
I grew up always thinking that I’m
I grew up always thinking that I’m accountable for my blood glucose levels
accountable for my blood glucose levels
accountable for my blood glucose levels I mean after all I’m responsible for
I mean after all I’m responsible for
I mean after all I’m responsible for what I eat how much I exercise even when
what I eat how much I exercise even when
what I eat how much I exercise even when I exercised just like how you are
I exercised just like how you are
I exercised just like how you are accountable for your work or your grades
accountable for your work or your grades
accountable for your work or your grades because you’re responsible for how you
because you’re responsible for how you
because you’re responsible for how you organize your time so when my blood
organize your time so when my blood
organize your time so when my blood glucose levels weren’t in range I blame
glucose levels weren’t in range I blame
glucose levels weren’t in range I blame myself essentially I felt guilty for not
myself essentially I felt guilty for not
myself essentially I felt guilty for not taking care of myself the way that a
taking care of myself the way that a
taking care of myself the way that a normal pancreas would have automatically
normal pancreas would have automatically
normal pancreas would have automatically done for me it took me a long time to
done for me it took me a long time to
done for me it took me a long time to realize that there are actually many
realize that there are actually many
realize that there are actually many biological factors out of my control
biological factors out of my control
biological factors out of my control things like the amount of stress the
things like the amount of stress the
things like the amount of stress the effect of strong emotions even you know
effect of strong emotions even you know
effect of strong emotions even you know when I got sick non-diabetics can’t
when I got sick non-diabetics can’t
when I got sick non-diabetics can’t predict their reactions to the
predict their reactions to the
predict their reactions to the so why should I be able to this
so why should I be able to this
so why should I be able to this realization though didn’t stop
realization though didn’t stop
realization though didn’t stop self-blame the fact that this was my
self-blame the fact that this was my
self-blame the fact that this was my body and my disease I felt responsible
body and my disease I felt responsible
body and my disease I felt responsible for the consequences of its management
but in this realm accountability and
but in this realm accountability and responsibility are not the same thing
responsibility are not the same thing
responsibility are not the same thing let’s think about it this doesn’t just
let’s think about it this doesn’t just
let’s think about it this doesn’t just apply to diabetes I mean we can look at
apply to diabetes I mean we can look at
apply to diabetes I mean we can look at other examples a pregnant woman is
other examples a pregnant woman is
other examples a pregnant woman is accountable for her decision to adopt a
accountable for her decision to adopt a
accountable for her decision to adopt a healthy diet she’s not responsible if
healthy diet she’s not responsible if
healthy diet she’s not responsible if her body decides to miscarry a
her body decides to miscarry a
her body decides to miscarry a grandfather with dementia is accountable
grandfather with dementia is accountable
grandfather with dementia is accountable for how he plays with his grandchildren
for how he plays with his grandchildren
for how he plays with his grandchildren he’s not responsible if he forgets who
he’s not responsible if he forgets who
he’s not responsible if he forgets who they are an hour later and I am
they are an hour later and I am
they are an hour later and I am accountable for how much insulin I
accountable for how much insulin I
accountable for how much insulin I administer but I’m not responsible for
administer but I’m not responsible for
administer but I’m not responsible for how my body reacts to this along with
how my body reacts to this along with
how my body reacts to this along with other external factors out of my control
other external factors out of my control
other external factors out of my control you see being accountable for something
you see being accountable for something
you see being accountable for something doesn’t necessarily mean you’re
doesn’t necessarily mean you’re
doesn’t necessarily mean you’re responsible yet medical professionals
responsible yet medical professionals
responsible yet medical professionals are being taught the exact opposite I
are being taught the exact opposite I
are being taught the exact opposite I feel we need to question this link for
feel we need to question this link for
feel we need to question this link for it is precisely why we see people with
it is precisely why we see people with
it is precisely why we see people with men with chronic illnesses burnout
you’re probably wondering how this
you’re probably wondering how this simple mindset change this disconnecting
simple mindset change this disconnecting
simple mindset change this disconnecting of accountability and responsibility can
of accountability and responsibility can
of accountability and responsibility can revolutionize global health the World
revolutionize global health the World
revolutionize global health the World Health Organization has projected that
Health Organization has projected that
Health Organization has projected that by 2020 seventy-five percent of total
by 2020 seventy-five percent of total
by 2020 seventy-five percent of total deaths worldwide will be attributable to
deaths worldwide will be attributable to
deaths worldwide will be attributable to chronic illness now given how many
chronic illness now given how many
chronic illness now given how many external factors there are out of the
external factors there are out of the
external factors there are out of the patients control do we really want to be
patients control do we really want to be
patients control do we really want to be telling the 43 million people who will
telling the 43 million people who will
telling the 43 million people who will be at serious risk of chronic illness
be at serious risk of chronic illness
be at serious risk of chronic illness that the burden of self-care rests
that the burden of self-care rests
that the burden of self-care rests solely on them good self-care is very
solely on them good self-care is very
solely on them good self-care is very difficult to achieve independently in
difficult to achieve independently in
difficult to achieve independently in fact I think it would make their burnout
fact I think it would make their burnout
fact I think it would make their burnout worse now the prevalence of chronic
worse now the prevalence of chronic
worse now the prevalence of chronic illness is only set to increase as we
illness is only set to increase as we
illness is only set to increase as we face more and more globalization and
face more and more globalization and
face more and more globalization and urbanization so slowly but steadily we
urbanization so slowly but steadily we
urbanization so slowly but steadily we are approaching the brink of chronic
are approaching the brink of chronic
are approaching the brink of chronic burnout unless we challenge this link
burnout unless we challenge this link
burnout unless we challenge this link between accountability and
between accountability and
between accountability and responsibility by commodifying health we
responsibility by commodifying health we
responsibility by commodifying health we are guilt-tripping those who are
are guilt-tripping those who are
are guilt-tripping those who are naturally disadvantaged in achieving
naturally disadvantaged in achieving
naturally disadvantaged in achieving this ideal remember the doctor that
this ideal remember the doctor that
this ideal remember the doctor that threatened to take my pump away what if
threatened to take my pump away what if
threatened to take my pump away what if he chose to communicate his
he chose to communicate his
he chose to communicate his encouragement in different way now I’m
encouragement in different way now I’m
encouragement in different way now I’m sure he’s provided many patients with
sure he’s provided many patients with
sure he’s provided many patients with valuable life-saving advice before but
valuable life-saving advice before but
valuable life-saving advice before but on that night he was not saving mine and
on that night he was not saving mine and
on that night he was not saving mine and that is because the medical profession
that is because the medical profession
that is because the medical profession hasn’t realized that being accountable
hasn’t realized that being accountable
hasn’t realized that being accountable for something doesn’t necessarily
for something doesn’t necessarily
for something doesn’t necessarily you’re responsible so I urge you to
you’re responsible so I urge you to
you’re responsible so I urge you to challenge this link to make this mindset
challenge this link to make this mindset
challenge this link to make this mindset change right here right now in this very
change right here right now in this very
change right here right now in this very theater
it only takes 12 minutes how long I’ve
it only takes 12 minutes how long I’ve been speaking to you for but the impact
been speaking to you for but the impact
been speaking to you for but the impact this will have on our approach to
this will have on our approach to
this will have on our approach to chronic illness will be enormous thank
chronic illness will be enormous thank
chronic illness will be enormous thank you
”
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