Diane Abbott T2

[bulkbiker]

she has gone 'public' now with her status and in doing so is helping raise awareness of the condition

I'm afraid I disagree as she is using it as an excuse for her lacklustre performance.. it's far more likely that she was sidelined by the party and is using her diabetes as the covering excuse.. maybe I'm cynical but she is a politician.. always known to be economical with the veracity of their statements.

 

[ickihun]

So, according to the Guardian, Diane Abbott has suffered from T2 for 2 years and this was the reason why she appears to be a complete idiot whenever she is interviewed.
Having followed her 'career' for many years I would like to know why she appeared to be an idiot before she had T2?

Perhaps she is just an idiot?

Or maybe undiagnosed so even more unwell?

 

[ickihun]

I think some people suffer worse than others with diabetes.

Is it harder for an educated person to come to terms with how diabetes affects you than for a less educated person?

Like anything about diabetes, it effects everybody differently!
I made an even worse decision due to uncontrolled diabetes and my female part-time GP at the time who rushed back from maternity advised me to resign from my job. Of course I did, when in fact I should have shared my problem with my boss, in depth.
It resulted in me losing a huge lack of confidence in myself and missing out on thousands of pounds of maternity pay. Oh yes, I was unaware of my pregnancy so diabetic pregnant hormones was rife.
I'm sorry but I went to a professional for help as I knew I was unlike myself, feeling different to my normal confident self.
Has Diane Abbott had the same lack of interest resulting in working when she should have been concentrating on her health?

 

[Juicyj]

I'm afraid I disagree as she is using it as an excuse for her lacklustre performance.. it's far more likely that she was sidelined by the party and is using her diabetes as the covering excuse.. maybe I'm cynical but she is a politician.. always known to be economical with the veracity of their statements.

Unless you know the woman personally that's a big assumption, I don't trust politicians personally but you have to give people the benefit of the doubt unless you have all the facts.

 

[Pipp]

What I am not liking about this thread, politics aside, is the juxtaposition of her T2 diabetes, and her perceived (by some) incompetence. How frequently do we see in the media the negative stereotypical image of people with T2? I am seeing undertones of that attitude here, and it is most unpleasant to think that some, as representatives of DCUK, (because that is what we are by posting here) can be viewed by all and sundry as collectively using the condition T2 to justify making an attack on someone who, as far as we know is not here to respond.
Take away from the situation that she is an MP. Whatever we think of her political performance, we have here a woman who has not been managing her T2 very well. Perhaps she has been following the advice many of us have been given to follow the NHS guidelines regarding diet. I know I did when first diagnosed. The effect of that was to cause the sort of symptoms we have seen from Ms Abbott. I was sleepy, often disorientated, and I confess not able to fully function at work.
Now I am imagining that a friendly person directed me to DCUK in order to assist me in finding out more about how to control my T2. I sign up, seek info, perhaps get the lovely welcome messages from other members, and the info from daisy1. Then I have a read around and find this thread. Would I then think this was a place that would give me and others compassionate support and encouragement?

 

[Mbaker]

What I am not liking about this thread, politics aside, is the juxtaposition of her T2 diabetes, and her perceived (by some) incompetence. How frequently do we see in the media the negative stereotypical image of people with T2? I am seeing undertones of that attitude here, and it is most unpleasant to think that some, as representatives of DCUK, (because that is what we are by posting here) can be viewed by all and sundry as collectively using the condition T2 to justify making an attack on someone who, as far as we know is not here to respond.
Take away from the situation that she is an MP. Whatever we think of her political performance, we have here a woman who has not been managing her T2 very well. Perhaps she has been following the advice many of us have been given to follow the NHS guidelines regarding diet. I know I did when first diagnosed. The effect of that was to cause the sort of symptoms we have seen from Ms Abbott. I was sleepy, often disorientated, and I confess not able to fully function at work.
Now I am imagining that a friendly person directed me to DCUK in order to assist me in finding out more about how to control my T2. I sign up, seek info, perhaps get the lovely welcome messages from other members, and the info from daisy1. Then I have a read around and find this thread. Would I then think this was a place that would give me and others compassionate support and encouragement?

I sent Diane an email yesterday which I hope will help her. I have been very disappointed with some of the posts in this thread which have left me deflated, thank you @Pipp for your timely contribution.

 

[Pipp]

I sent Diane an email yesterday which I hope will help her. I have been very disappointed with some of the posts in this thread which have left me deflated, thank you @Pipp for your timely contribution.

Yours is the sort of approach to be commended, @Mbaker. I did think it could be beneficial to offer her that sort of support, though I shudder to think how she would feel reading some of these posts. I know politicians are used to this sort of ridicule and worse on a regular basis. How useful it could be to have someone as high profile (regardless of whether or not we agree with her political affiliation) to be promoting all that is good about DCUK. I hope we haven't ruined an opportunity.

 

[lovinglife]

This thread makes me sad and a bit disappointed- how many times do we get a person joining saying "I've been diabetic for x numbers of years and it's out of control" please help - or even a long term member having the courage to pronounce they've fallen off the wagon for any number of reasons including stress ( which I'm sure Diane Abbott was experiencing in bucket loads)

How do we as a community respond? With kindness compassion and friendly support and advice - what's different here? Nothing

She is definitely not my cup of tea and not anyone I would vote for, but take away the politics and all the other guff and she is just a person struggling with diabetes- sadly for her very much in the public eye leaving her open to ridicule and perceived "fair game" - at least we had/have the luxury of anonymity in our ups and downs and a fantastic community here to help us - she should be afforded the same understanding - like I said feel sad and disappointed

 

[CherryAA]

If Diane is persuaded to come take a look and she does read this thread, she will see a small number of posters who find it hard to separate political affiliation from personal health, but she will also see very many messages of support from many of us , who are simply concerned to see that anyone at all, who would benefit from some of the concepts explained here , gets the chance to read about them and make their own decisions.

On an almost daily basis I now come across people with diabetes, who do not even have a starting concept of what a carb is - including well educated, successful , professional people who are diligently trying to do the things they are being told to do by their own medical professionals. All of the information on here was complete news to me ten months ago, yet all of it was actually relevant to the previous at least 15 years of my life during the period, I now know was inexorably leading me towards the diabetes diagnosis . I consider myself bright and well educated - yet this stuff totally escaped me - and probably many others including Diane.

 

[Pinkorchid]

What is the purpose of this post? It appears to be just a nasty rant

I would think absolutely no purpose at all

 

[Pinkorchid]

I wrote a letter to her today ( snail mail- as all emails get bounced ) explaining what we do here and how it works - referencing dietdoctor.com, diabetes.co.uk and the Tim Noakes deposition hearings with a "keto " food pyramid, just in case she's been so busy that she's delegated that part of her affairs to other who may not actually be fully enlightened yet.

Hopefully she will at least read it or have someone look at for her. In the end it may be she already knows everything we do, but I know for me personally when I was working in a stressful job, it was my tendency to delegate things to experts that I now know would have been better if I had kept control of.

I have no particular leanings left or right, but no-one should have to suffer feeling like she must have done to actually go through those interviews if there is more that could be done to help her improve her condition.

I either she or Teresa May joins the site, then I for one would be very pleased to provide any assistance possible to both of them.

Why would Dianne Abbot or Teresa May want to join here or be in need of our assistance. I am sure both of them are managing to control their diabetes very well...it is not only people on this forum who can control their diabetes we are not the chosen few. Dianne Abbots problems were obviously not eating properly during the election campaign and hopefully she is now back on track

 

[andcol]

Rather a big assumption that she isn't already a member or a frequent visitor without an account.

I understand the sentiment that we don't need to give the media more excuses that T2s are worthless and drain the tax coffers but also remember that if you haven't got anything nice to say then say nothing at all.

Would it not be better to engage and offer help so that she can take her views back to parliament and scrutinise others as without different views we would still be ruled by a king and have spears

 

[JohnEGreen]

you'd be surprised!

Nothing surprises me these days. Except that even though the lady in question managed to get into Cambridge University despite all the obstacles that she would have to have had to over come and also held down some pretty high flying jobs could still be described by some one on here as an idiot out of sheer petty prejudice.

 

[equipoise]

Nothing surprises me these days. Except that even though the lady in question managed to get into Cambridge University despite all the obstacles that she would have to have had to over come and also held down some pretty high flying jobs could still be described by some one on here as an idiot out of sheer petty prejudice.

Educated people -- indeed Oxbridge-educated people -- can say some very silly things where politics is concerned -- that is true of both Right and Left. I would unhesitatingly say that both Theresa May and Diane Abbott have said stupid things on political matters. But as far as diabetes is concerned they are my fellow-diabetics and I am behind them 100%.

 

[Ian_Laye]

Whilst if true I sympathize with Diane Abbot for having T2, but having used the excuse of being sick to avoid the Brexit vote and now after making some political gaffes is "sick" again I am very sceptical. Having type 2 doesn't stop her being an idiot. I mean what intelligent person would link their support of the IRA to having a change of hair style??????????

 

[covknit]

Whilst if true I sympathize with Diane Abbot for having T2, but having used the excuse of being sick to avoid the Brexit vote and now after making some political gaffes is "sick" again I am very sceptical. Having type 2 doesn't stop her being an idiot. I mean what intelligent person would link their support of the IRA to having a change of hair style??????????

Corbyn actually denounced both loyalist and IRA but was misquoted for whatever reason suited the editors of certain papers. Has the Diane Abbot story been factchecked or is this yet another example of parotting comic book parody? Now the DUP and their magic money tree that has apparently already paid out £5million is nothing to do with the troubles is it? Thought not. How about we all talk about Diabetes and you keep the politics for facebook and your political websites?

 

[lovinglife]

Corbyn actually denounced both loyalist and IRA but was misquoted for whatever reason suited the editors of certain papers. Has the Diane Abbot story been factchecked or is this yet another example of parotting comic book parody? Now the DUP and their magic money tree that has apparently already paid out £5million is nothing to do with the troubles is it? Thought not. How about we all talk about Diabetes and you keep the politics for facebook and your political websites?

Totally agree well said

 

[CherryAA]

Why would Dianne Abbot or Teresa May want to join here or be in need of our assistance. I am sure both of them are managing to control their diabetes very well...it is not only people on this forum who can control their diabetes we are not the chosen few. Dianne Abbots problems were obviously not eating properly during the election campaign and hopefully she is now back on track

Whilst you may well be right , and maybe she is already a member of this or getting good advice elsewhere and maybe doesn't need our or anyone else's assistance, maybe the press reports on her comments are way off base,but maybe she isn't and maybe she does. Personally I would always offer assistance if I could - if its not needed - then so much the better.

 

[ickihun]

Politics aside. Afterall a job/career can influence how well we manage our diabetes.
How many have resigned from a job because diabetes care hasnt been possible.
I'd love her to support lunch breaks as law. That alone would help hundreds of diabetics. Shift work is common with little or bad lunch breaks!
Politics is definitely shift work, the press work shift work and they are MPs biggest critics. What a life!
I think I can make a list of shift work careers which are held up by diabetic managed people, not just politics.

 

[andcol]

'd love her to support lunch breaks as law

That is already a legal requirement when you work over a certain length