I was dreading, but also looking forward to this programme, as I was intrigued as to how they were going to  portray Diabetics, but I also knew it might anger me. I didnt actually manage to watch it on the Monday night, but managed to catch up on wednesday night.

Well to be honest I have mixed feelings about that programme. I feel they did a good job of showing the effects of bad control, but then I feel they should have worded some parts better. The programme fitted in with the whole series, including stab victims and liver damage due to alcohol abuse. Although they did portray all diabetics to be like this, and I dont feel this will help the opinions of people who already know so little about diabetes. I have often been asked if I got diabetes from eating too many sweets as a child, or if I was an obese child. I try to keep calm when someone asks me this, but obvious I just explain that the reason I have diabetes is because I had a virus and my anti-bodies attacked my pancreas cells rather than the cold virus, so basically my body malfunctioned and now I have to deal with the consequences, boo hoo!

Whilst watching that programme I did find some of the young diabetics immensely irritating and frustrating, I just wish someone could change their attitude and educate them on how to deal with their diabetes, so it wont come up and bite them in the bum in the future, which we know it will if they don’t act soon.

I did think the message from that show was strong, with the falling off toes, amputated legs and abssesseson the pregnant lady, it certainly gave me a fright! I did however feel for the medical staff, I cant imagine how much of a frustrating job it must be knowing they are trying to help, but those diabetics simply don’t want help and miss their appointments. I must admit I liked the honest doctor, he really said what he thought, and was trying to be there for them, but they clearly didn’t take him serious, I cant imagine how tiresome that makes his job.

I do feel that the programme could of thrown in a few extra facts, like the differences between type 1′s and 2′s, as they only really mentioned that one girl was type 2, but never stated that with the others.

During that whole show the one thing that really angered me, was the mum of the 15/16 year old type 1 diabetic girl. She really didn’t care about her daughter, she had no idea about the condition, I found this most upsetting and her mother should be ashamed. No wonder the girl didn’t want to deal with her condition she had no support from her mum. I was diagnosed at 8 years old, and I know that if my mum wasn’t there for me and helping me I wouldn’t of been able to do it.

Another big concern for me was the 21 year old who was admitted to the hospital with DKA, and a blood sugar level of 50mmols! This utterley shocked me, I honestly didnt even know 50mml was possible, the most I have ever had is 28mmols and that was when I was diagnosed thirteen years ago! I just cant understand how someone can ignore something like that, he is the same age as me, yet I feel so much more grown up than he is about the condition. I tend to feel abit groggy at 14mmols, let alone 50mmols, I cant imagine how he feels. I assume if he is constantly high he doesn’t have no signs of hypos of hypers.

Even though some points annoyed me slightly, I am glad I watched it, as it has made me realise how different people deal with their diabetes. I have read a few different articles and opinions about this programme, and have listed them below for anyone else to read.

Here are some other valued opinions on the programme:

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=10205

http://www.talkingbloodglucose.com/2010/08/educating-masses.html

The following charities also made statements on the programme:

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_us/News_Landing_Page/TV-programme-unhelpful-in-dispelling-diabetes-myths/

http://www.jdrf.org.uk/news.asp?itemid=1582&itemTitle=Channel+4+programme+%27The+Hospital%27&section=23&sectionTitle=News