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Driving Licence Suspended

Hi everyone,

First of all thanks for the continued interest from everyone, I haven't been online today very much as I've been running around a lot (life without a car is tough!). Big news is that I was invited to do an interview by Andrew Bonner for Granada Reports (Northwest ITV news program). The interview focused upon my situation and the petition to some extent (personal stories make better TV) but tried to get all important messages across and mention the petition. It will be shown at 18:00 on Monday, 22/04/2013 so I hope those who can see it will tune in and have a blimp at me trying to explain why the EU is backwards!

Diabetes UK's "Advocay" group is also backing me 100% with the petition and my application as is my consultant and nurse specialist, all good news on that front!

Petition was retweeted today by JDRF UK today (a type 1 diabetes charity) and Kevin Simm (singer in Liberty X, he's the borther of a friend of mine). Various media types have also been following me and chatting on Twitter, I'm also setting up a meeting with my MP soon. All is going well!

Just updated the petition news too if anybody wants to watch?

Love to all, thank you for your continued support. Please keep sharing and raising awareness, we're starting to make a real impact!

Best,

- Martyn
 
Martyn

Can you repost the link to petition please?

On my iphone I can't get the first page to come up of your posting..

Thnx
DD
 
Fair play to you. People in general are great for giving out about things but to actually be so proactive about this is very inspirational. A lot of people owe you a lot of thanks for the effort you are making on this. Well done and best of luck.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Fair play to you. People in general are great for giving out about things but to actually be so proactive about this is very inspirational. A lot of people owe you a lot of thanks for the effort you are making on this. Well done and best of luck.
Click to expand...

Let it never be said that I'm one of those "like this picture on Facebook and hope the world changes" types. The people in charge are just people and challenging them is not difficult, neither should it be shied away from. I'm just hoping the inspiration catches and motivates others to help out or start their own petitions regarding this in other areas Thank you very much for the acknowledgement, the congratulations and the well wishes. I really hope this changes things for us diabetics in a positive way and helps to increase understanding of a complex condition.

Best,

- Martyn
 
Martyn.. Hi

Signed petition..

On it.. It mentions standard deviation of 5.1.
Is that your standard deviation on an hba1c of 8.8?

Only reason I ask is that I've always been told as a pump user that I should try and get a standard deviation of under 3.0 as proof that my levels are not swinging high and lows....
DD
 

Many thanks! That's correct, I use a pen rather than a pump (tried a saline pump for a day, hated it!) and I know the medics are keen to get your results more concentrated around a particular mean. I take it you understand what standard deviation is? You sound like a smart guy/girl

- Martyn
 
Oh also, the 8.8 doesn't refer to a hba1c (I think they're out of date now actually), its just the average of my readings from 90 days worth of results!

- Martyn
 
I know that when my hba1c was around 7.7 on my pump meter and my standard deviation was 1.7, my background retinopathy in one eye disappeared.

My knowledge on s/d was only gained from my previous pump consultant.

I do try to keep my 90day s/d on my pump meter as close to 2 as I can, and a 90day reading of 7-8.

I do compare the 90 day readings to my hba1c and the hba1c's come in at 1-1.5 lower than my 90day average.

Good luck with petition.. Lady by the way...
 
New video update is up!


Wow, I didn't realise it would have so much of an effect, I was always under the impression that retinopathy, when fully developed, was irreversible! Good going anyway with the readings and getting rid of the retinopathy

Good luck with petition.. Lady by the way...
Click to expand...

Thank you very much, I never assume, just in case!
 
It was only background retinopathy, and at the time I slao had a use of a Navigator CGM, before the screen imploded on itself! Amazing though that less seings in blood for me and it ckeared!
 
Hi everyone,

I have just written to George Howarth MP asking if he wouold consider meeting with me to dicuss where this petition should be heading to make the biggest impact and to raise awareness for it in the public-eye. I'll keep you all updated with regards to this.

I'm also asking for all those who have had their licences suspended by the DVLA due to the "2 hypo tick box" to consider telling me about their experience. This will help to provide evidence for the unnecessary detrimental effect the EU directive and the DVLA's enforcement of it has upon people's lives. These testimonials can obviously done by private channels if necessary but as a consequence of thinking about this I am looking to create a centralised web-site (I'm a web programmer so I suppose I should earn my keep) where I can organise everything and spread awareness. It doesn't help that the URL for the petition is so long, I don't think there is a way to change this either. The site itself would allow others to submit their experiences and stories, comment upon the issue and provide an easy to remember URL that the petition can be accessed from.

I would love to hear any feedback on this idea and if anyone knows of any graphic designers who would be willing to design a neat layout then I would be most appreciative. If anyone is also well versed in coding (I'm thinking of using CakePHP as I use this in my job and its excellent for database integration, which will be required) then please get in touch as I will be using Git and GitHub to develop the site so we can all contribute. Furthermore, if anyone knows of any cheap hosting available for sites with integrated MySQL administration tools then details of these would be fantastic.

Thank you all once again for your support, please keep sharing the petition! https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/ ... -diabetics

Best,

- Martyn
 
Hi

I also had my driving licience revoked in January 2010 and i was told i had to go 3 months without a low sugar or HYPO which to be honest is not easy for a type 1 who has lost awareness.

To be honest at first i was upset about it but now i don't miss driving at all, because of this i applied to the council and recieved a concessionary bus pass which is worth it weight in gold to me obviously your doctor will have to confirm your diabetes and sign the form

tracey167
 
I think a nice idea... But will just add in another warning on 2 aspects..

To really go ahead with publishing anything from an individual, you have to be able to quantify stories as much as possible, and really to be able to interpret medical data...

I actually worry that you are leaving yourself 'open' advertising thatyou have an s/d of 5.1 etc... That does not indicate well controlled diabetes....

You really should seek advice from a legal person before possibly 'publishing' stories and the legailties of it.. The CAB may be able to help.

People are also scared of being identified.. I know that dvla and any hcp could identify me from my postings, and my forum name... Easy, peasy... Everything I post here, I consider to be true.. Every referral to any of my hcp teams... I know they can read, even to the failed Navigator CGM by Abbott... I know they can read my postings... But at the end of the day... I know i write pure honest truth... AS I INTERPRET IT!!! That does not mean I have interpreted as they meant it.

Please be careful..
 
Hello everyone,

Apologies for being a bit off the radar yesterday, I've been busy putting my web design skills to good use!

I've now created a centralised web site where I can contact people in a much quicker way, the site isn't online yet as I'm waiting for my hosting request to be validated then I need to get the site online etc. That shouldn't take too long after the hosting account activation however.

Will keep you all posted!

Best,

- Martyn
 
Well done for doing something about this. You will find many posts on this site from people having similar problems. I have been waiting for nearly a year now for my licence to be renewed (see post 'Drivers Medical Appraisal'). At least I have a covering letter.
For information, the way that this has been enforced appears to be purely a UK interpretation of the EU directive, otherwise how is it that my brother (T1 like myself) currently living and working in Germany, has been told that he only has to have an eye test to get his driving licence renewed. Germany was in the EU last time I looked, the German authorities appear to trust their doctors to advise if they have concerns about somebody's ability to drive.
I will certainly be signing the petition
 
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