#1757 Tandem Kids: Kate
You can always listen to the Juicebox Podcast here but the cool kids use: Apple Podcasts/iOS - Spotify - Amazon Music - Google Play/Android - iHeart Radio - Radio Public, Amazon Alexa or wherever they get audio.
Scott Benner interviews 15-year-old Kate, who discusses managing Type 1 diabetes while playing lacrosse and field hockey, using the Tandem t:slim pump, and her experience growing up in a family where multiple members have the condition.
+ Click for EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
DISCLAIMER: This text is the output of AI based transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors and should not be treated as an authoritative record. Nothing that you read here constitutes advice medical or otherwise. Always consult with a healthcare professional before making changes to a healthcare plan.
Scott Benner (0:00) I attended my first ever Friends for Life conference in July 2025. (0:05) And while I was there, I interviewed eight children of various ages, all who wear a Tandem pump. (0:10) I wanna thank Tandem Diabetes for sponsoring this short episode of the Juice Box podcast. (0:16) Check them out at tandemdiabetes.com/juicebox. (0:22) Nothing you hear on the Juice Box podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise.
Scott Benner (0:28) Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan. (0:35) The episode you're about to listen to is sponsored by Tandem Moby, the impressively small insulin pump. (0:41) Tandem Moby features Tandem's newest algorithm, Control IQ Plus technology. (0:46) It's designed for greater discretion, more freedom, and improved time and range. (0:50) Learn more and get started today at tandemdiabetes.com/juicebox.
Scott Benner (1:06) Hey. (1:07) How are you?
Kate (1:07) Good. (1:08) How are you?
Scott Benner (1:08) Excellent. (1:09) Thank you. (1:09) What's your name?
Kate (1:10) Kate. (1:11) Kate.
Scott Benner (1:11) How old are you? (1:12) 15. (1:12) 15. (1:13) How long have you got type one diabetes?
Kate (1:15) Since I was three, so twelve years.
Scott Benner (1:17) Three. (1:17) I like that you did the math for me. (1:19) I didn't have to do it. (1:20) Thank you. (1:21) Twelve years.
Scott Benner (1:22) Does it feel like it's been that long?
Kate (1:25) No. (1:25) I kinda just feel like I've had it my whole life because I don't remember, like, what it is without.
Scott Benner (1:29) Yeah. (1:30) Do you remember anything about being diagnosed?
Kate (1:32) No. (1:33) I don't.
Scott Benner (1:33) Not at all. (1:34) Do do people tell you about it?
Kate (1:36) My mom told me I was in Target when I figured out, like, I got being, like, I had to pee a lot. (1:42) I was very thirsty. (1:43) And then she was, like, kinda figured out.
Scott Benner (1:45) So your mom figured it out at Target?
Kate (1:47) Yeah.
Scott Benner (1:47) Right. (1:48) So you're, like did she tell you how? (1:50) Does she know other people that have type one?
Kate (1:52) Well, she had it. (1:53) She's had I don't know how long she's had it, but she has it and so is my brother.
Scott Benner (1:57) Oh, so your mom has type one? (1:58) Yeah. (1:59) Your brother is how old?
Kate (2:00) He's 13.
Scott Benner (2:01) How long has he had it for?
Kate (2:03) He's had antibodies since three, but he was diagnosed
Scott Benner (2:09) Recently?
Kate (2:09) Yeah. (2:10) Like, a couple years.
Scott Benner (2:11) Okay.
Kate (2:11) Like, maybe four.
Scott Benner (2:12) You don't know how old your mom was when she was diagnosed?
Kate (2:14) She was in her twenties or late teens.
Scott Benner (2:17) And how old does she now? (2:19) Interesting. (2:20) And your grandmother's phone number? (2:22) Okay. (2:23) Alright.
Scott Benner (2:24) So you don't your mom is probably in her late teens or twenties.
Kate (2:28) Yes.
Scott Benner (2:29) Right? (2:29) And you don't know how old she is now? (2:31) No. (2:31) No. (2:32) Is she in her forties, her fifties?
Kate (2:34) She's in her forties. (2:35) You sure? (2:36) Yes. (2:37) 43.
Scott Benner (2:39) Yeah. (2:39) I mean, are you asking me or are you telling me? (2:42) She's 43. (2:43) You're definitely 15, though. (2:45) Right?
Scott Benner (2:45) Yes. (2:45) How can you be certain? (2:47) Do you know your phone number?
Kate (2:49) Yes.
Scott Benner (2:49) Okay. (2:49) Alright.
Kate (2:50) Yes. (2:50) Alright.
Scott Benner (2:50) Well, okay. (2:51) So you don't remember anything about being diagnosed?
Kate (2:53) No.
Scott Benner (2:53) Alright. (2:54) That's fair. (2:55) Do you do any activities at school or sports or anything
Kate (2:57) like that? (2:58) Yes. (2:58) I've been playing field hockey and lacrosse. (3:00) I've played lacrosse since COVID, and then field hockey, I just started two years ago.
Scott Benner (3:04) Okay. (3:04) Lacrosse? (3:06) Yes. (3:06) Field hockey? (3:07) Yes.
Scott Benner (3:08) Can I ask a question?
Kate (3:09) Yeah.
Scott Benner (3:10) Wouldn't it be easier if they made the stick longer?
Kate (3:12) Yeah. (3:13) I'm too tall for field hockey.
Scott Benner (3:14) Why? (3:15) I don't understand. (3:16) Because it's always like this. (3:18) Right? (3:18) Yeah.
Scott Benner (3:19) Does it I mean, right, everybody? (3:22) Like, why is the field hockey stick not longer?
Kate (3:25) It hurts my back. (3:26) Right.
Scott Benner (3:27) But have you ever gotten whacked with a ball?
Kate (3:30) I I mean, like, on my shins and stuff, but I have shin guards.
Scott Benner (3:33) So But it would hurt otherwise? (3:35) Yes. (3:35) You ever see anybody take one in the head?
Kate (3:36) Yes. (3:37) That, like, just happened, like, three weeks ago. (3:39) She got hit right here and she had go get stitches.
Scott Benner (3:41) Unless they're crying?
Kate (3:42) Yes.
Scott Benner (3:42) Did you cry?
Kate (3:43) I would
Scott Benner (3:43) have cried. (3:43) No. (3:44) No. (3:44) I would have been like, well, there's so much. (3:45) Please stop.
Scott Benner (3:46) What's it like playing with type one? (3:48) What do you have to do to get through the game?
Kate (3:50) It's hard. (3:51) I hate when I go low because I don't really take the initiative to go out because, like, especially when we're running as a team because we're, like, for a consequence, I'm always like, oh, if I go out then, like, I'm like, I should be running because it's a consequence for the team. (4:03) So if I go out, like, I think it looks bad on me.
Scott Benner (4:06) Okay.
Kate (4:06) So sometimes
Scott Benner (4:07) So you're not taking care of your lows because you're afraid No.
Kate (4:09) No. (4:10) No. (4:10) I do.
Scott Benner (4:10) I just But but but it's you you're not as in like, you don't wanna go off the field.
Kate (4:14) Yeah. (4:14) I don't wanna.
Scott Benner (4:15) Okay.
Kate (4:15) But I do.
Scott Benner (4:16) How often does do does that happen, though, while you're playing? (4:18) It's a lot of running. (4:19) Right?
Kate (4:20) Yeah. (4:21) That's like the whole game. (4:23) I don't go low, like, a lot, but when I do, I don't like to come out.
Scott Benner (4:27) Okay. (4:27) Alright. (4:28) So what do you do?
Kate (4:30) Well, I just, like, signal my coaches and they know. (4:32) So I just come off. (4:33) I eat a pack of gummies, and I try to go back in as soon as possible.
Scott Benner (4:36) You can't, like, run down the sideline and grab something? (4:38) Like, one of runners are doing the thing.
Kate (4:40) I wish.
Scott Benner (4:41) Does your mom come to the games?
Kate (4:42) Yeah. (4:42) She comes.
Scott Benner (4:43) She's screaming and yell? (4:44) Like, happy, screaming
Kate (4:45) and yelling. (4:46) She's cheering?
Scott Benner (4:46) Yeah. (4:46) Like, she's not yelling at you. (4:47) No. (4:48) No. (4:48) No.
Scott Benner (4:48) She's better, Kate. (4:49) It's not like that. (4:50) Right? (4:50) No. (4:50) She's like, yay, Kate.
Scott Benner (4:52) What what what pump are you using?
Kate (4:54) T slim.
Scott Benner (4:54) T slim. (4:55) What made you get it?
Kate (4:57) I I thought, like, having the tube would look cool, to be honest.
Scott Benner (5:02) Really? (5:02) Yes. (5:03) Alright. (5:03) Okay.
Kate (5:04) So that was, like, the first thing. (5:05) And then I also loved having, like, my blood sugar on me while playing because I used to not have that because I was on loop. (5:11) So I would just have to feel low. (5:12) And when for me to feel low, I get into the low fifties or forties.
Scott Benner (5:16) Okay.
Kate (5:16) So I wanna catch that before that.
Scott Benner (5:18) So you like the feedback on the screen?
Kate (5:20) Yes. (5:20) I love it. (5:21) Awesome.
Scott Benner (5:21) You love it?
Kate (5:22) Yes. (5:22) Alright.
Scott Benner (5:23) Awesome. (5:23) But but going back to the other thing, you thought the tubing would look cool?
Kate (5:26) Yes.
Scott Benner (5:28) Please walk me through that.
Kate (5:29) I don't know. (5:30) I was like, I like showing it off.
Scott Benner (5:32) You do?
Kate (5:33) Yes. (5:33) How cool? (5:34) I used to not, actually.
Scott Benner (5:35) How how what do you think changed that? (5:37) So at one point, you didn't want people to know your your stuff, but now you want them to know. (5:41) What do you think changed?
Kate (5:44) I like I don't know. (5:45) I feel like just embracing it so people know because there's, like, there's all those stereotypes. (5:50) So when people ask me questions, it kinda clarifies to them, like, what type one really is and not just what they think it is.
Scott Benner (5:56) So it's important for you that other people understand the reality of it. (6:00) Mhmm. (6:00) Why do you think that's important to you?
Kate (6:03) Because I've had the stereotype said, oh, you get it from eating too much sugar, this and this. (6:08) And like, I don't let it affect me, at the end of the day, it hurts because it's not the truth. (6:12) Yeah. (6:12) So like, when I tell them that, they get clarification of what it really is. (6:16) So hopefully, they can stop saying those things.
Scott Benner (6:18) Nice. (6:18) Do you have a lot of friends? (6:19) Yes. (6:20) Did they all know about your diabetes? (6:21) Yes.
Scott Benner (6:21) Yeah. (6:22) If somebody isn't interested in your diabetes, are you not interested in being their friend or does it not
Kate (6:27) I mean It's okay. (6:31) Mean, I don't like I don't want them to say anything bad about diabetes, but like if, like, a lot of my friends just don't they don't care that I have it. (6:40) Like, not not in the bad way, just in the good way. (6:42) They're not just like, oh, like, can you eat this? (6:44) Like, they're not worried about me.
Kate (6:45) Like, when I'm low, they are worried about me, but, like, it's not like it's not in between the friendship, if that makes sense.
Scott Benner (6:51) So you like that your friends understand it, that they're interested
Kate (6:54) Yeah.
Scott Benner (6:54) And that the people who maybe are not, like, super interested are still cool about it.
Kate (6:59) Yeah. (6:59) Like, my close friends, they all understand what it is and, like, I've told them how to use my nasal spray if I ever pass out, so they all know how to use it. (7:07) When I'm low, they're very, like, Kate, stop. (7:09) Like, stop what you're doing. (7:10) Take a break even when I don't wanna do that.
Scott Benner (7:12) Do you get giddy or weird? (7:13) Do they how do they know you're low?
Kate (7:16) They it beeps, so they hear that. (7:18) And then when I'm super low, I can get kinda rude. (7:21) So
Scott Benner (7:22) You get rude? (7:23) Yeah. (7:23) Do you curse at people? (7:24) No. (7:25) No?
Scott Benner (7:25) But you're rude.
Kate (7:26) I can be. (7:26) I can just have a little chip on my shoulder.
Scott Benner (7:28) Yeah. (7:28) Yeah. (7:29) Do you know what's happening when it's happening?
Kate (7:31) I can feel when I'm low, but like
Scott Benner (7:33) But you know what I'm saying? (7:34) Like, right now, you seem very pleasant. (7:36) Yeah. (7:36) You're generally a pleasant person?
Kate (7:37) Yeah.
Scott Benner (7:37) Right. (7:38) So you're not being rude to me right now? (7:39) No. (7:39) If you started being rude to me, you would know.
Kate (7:42) I mean, it's only to my family, to be honest. (7:44) Oh. (7:44) It's only to my family.
Scott Benner (7:45) You love. (7:46) Yeah. (7:46) Yeah. (7:47) But do but while you're saying the words, do you know it's happening? (7:50) Like, are you, like, I am being rude now or is
Kate (7:52) it No. (7:52) My mom's like, Kate, you're low. (7:54) Like, take a break.
Scott Benner (7:56) We used to tell my daughter, we're gonna test your blood sugar. (7:58) And if you're not low, you're in trouble. (8:02) Yeah. (8:03) You know what I mean? (8:03) Because I get the difference between it and Yeah.
Scott Benner (8:05) Just being a jerk. (8:06) Right. (8:07) Right. (8:08) Okay. (8:08) So you play a ton of sports.
Scott Benner (8:10) T Slim helps you with that a lot.
Kate (8:11) Yes. (8:12) A lot.
Scott Benner (8:12) That's awesome. (8:13) Okay. (8:14) Do you have any other things? (8:15) Every kid that's been here has played an instrument. (8:17) Do you play an instrument?
Kate (8:18) No. (8:18) I don't. (8:18) I used to in fifth grade, though.
Scott Benner (8:20) What'd you play?
Kate (8:21) The violin, maybe? (8:22) The violet? (8:23) One of those two.
Scott Benner (8:24) The violin, maybe?
Kate (8:25) Or the violet. (8:26) I we're but it's one they're, like, twins. (8:29) I don't know which one.
Scott Benner (8:30) I mean, I don't know. (8:31) I don't
Kate (8:32) It's the one that's deeper. (8:33) I don't know which one that is.
Scott Benner (8:35) Was it, like, the last instrument left when you were kicking?
Kate (8:38) Probably. (8:39) She
Scott Benner (8:39) gets stuck with it, like, your acoustic cage doesn't look serious about this? (8:42) Probably. (8:43) Did you hate playing it?
Kate (8:44) Yes. (8:44) I really did.
Scott Benner (8:46) Did you hate the playing it? (8:47) Did you hate the
Kate (8:47) I just hated everything
Scott Benner (8:48) about it. (8:49) Everything about playing the violet Yes. (8:51) Which I don't think is real. (8:52) I feel like you've made that up. (8:53) But, like, can someone look?
Scott Benner (8:55) Is a violet a real thing? (8:56) It's like no. (8:57) Violet looks incredibly embarrassed. (8:59) Oh, looks like calm.
Kate (9:01) Viola? (9:01) Maybe it's
Scott Benner (9:02) The viola? (9:04) The violet? (9:05) No. (9:05) There's two of them. (9:06) What's your grandmother's phone number?
Scott Benner (9:08) Yeah. (9:08) Okay. (9:09) Alright. (9:09) Alright. (9:10) Alright.
Scott Benner (9:10) Do you know any famous people have type one diabetes that you look up to?
Kate (9:15) I mean, no. (9:19) I mean, I know Charlotte, the gymnastics person.
Scott Benner (9:21) I've talked to I've interviewed Charlotte. (9:23) She's awesome.
Kate (9:23) Yeah. (9:24) Yeah. (9:24) I I mean, I look up to her.
Scott Benner (9:26) She was wasn't she trampoline? (9:28) Yeah. (9:28) I remember interviewing her and saying, like, you were in the Olympics for trampoline? (9:32) Like, that's a thing? (9:33) It was, actually.
Kate (9:34) Yes.
Scott Benner (9:35) Yeah. (9:35) She's awesome.
Kate (9:36) Yeah. (9:36) She seemed really cool.
Scott Benner (9:37) I spent a lot of time after I interviewed her, when we were done recording, talking to her and her girlfriend. (9:44) Her girlfriend's, like, famous too. (9:45) Right? (9:46) Like, she's like a gymnast that's why you said gymnastics. (9:49) I think it's she's she's a I think she's an Olympic gymnast.
Kate (9:52) Oh. (9:52) Yeah.
Scott Benner (9:53) Yeah. (9:53) So
Kate (9:53) Well, I used to I had her merch when she was in the in the Olympics.
Scott Benner (9:57) You had a what? (9:58) Her
Kate (9:58) merch. (9:58) She had, like
Scott Benner (9:59) Oh, she had bling and you were Yes.
Kate (10:01) You were I was rocking
Scott Benner (10:02) you were repping it? (10:02) Yeah. (10:02) Yeah. (10:03) Yeah. (10:03) What made you so before tandem, did you use a different pump?
Kate (10:06) Yeah. (10:06) I used lube.
Scott Benner (10:07) You were looping? (10:08) Mhmm. (10:09) Why did you switch, do you think?
Kate (10:14) It took a lot to switch, I think. (10:15) I I really liked Loop, but then I think I want something new. (10:20) I didn't really know much about t slim at the time. (10:22) Okay. (10:22) So I was just like, why not give it a shot?
Kate (10:24) And right before t slim, I was actually gonna go on Islet. (10:27) And I was on that for a week and absolutely hated it because my blood sugar was, 300 the whole time.
Scott Benner (10:33) You didn't like islet, but you were look so you were just looking for something different. (10:36) Yeah. (10:37) And then you tried something, didn't like it
Kate (10:39) Yeah.
Scott Benner (10:40) Tried again. (10:41) You're just very open.
Kate (10:42) Yeah.
Scott Benner (10:42) This was this was your mom doing this? (10:44) Like, I'm stumbling on my words. (10:45) Did your mom make this decision or was it you?
Kate (10:48) It was kind of like both of us. (10:49) My mom wants the best for me and she she knows a lot about all the pumps, so she's not gonna put me on some pump that she knows won't work for me, so she kinda let me trial them. (10:58) Okay. (10:58) And if I liked them and she thought it was good for me, we kinda both agreed on that.
Scott Benner (11:01) Nice. (11:02) Well, that's interesting. (11:03) Do you think did you, like, look at what other people were doing? (11:05) Just look online?
Kate (11:07) I think my mom just threw the idea out, and I was just like, sure. (11:10) Why not?
Scott Benner (11:10) Yeah. (11:11) So Look at why do you have such a good personality? (11:13) Like, why are you so friendly? (11:14) What's going on? (11:15) Did were you raised well?
Kate (11:17) Yes.
Scott Benner (11:18) Do you think that that's what just what she wants you to say, or do you really feel like you've you've been raised well? (11:22) No.
Kate (11:23) I have been raised well.
Scott Benner (11:24) Oh, okay. (11:24) Because you were very, like, like, engaging and, like, fresh. (11:28) You're, like, making a lot of eye contact with me.
Kate (11:30) I'm shocked I am. (11:31) I'm really bad at eye contact.
Scott Benner (11:33) No kidding. (11:33) Me too. (11:34) Did you say you had brothers and sisters or did I not ask?
Kate (11:36) Yes. (11:37) I do.
Scott Benner (11:37) Any and and brother has type one, mom has type one. (11:41) Any other autoimmune stuff in your family? (11:43) Somebody got a thyroid thing or celiac or anything like that?
Kate (11:46) So my brother, Ryan, he he would his blood well, wait. (11:52) I forget how it goes. (11:54) He he was gluten free, but he wasn't diagnosed with celiac. (11:57) His, blood test came back really high. (12:00) So we just had him, like, be on celiac, but he wasn't, like, actually diagnosed.
Kate (12:07) So he is gonna get scoped, I think, in a couple months and don't make sure it's, like, for sure. (12:13) So
Scott Benner (12:13) Does he have actual like, they they have what they call silent celiac where, like, he doesn't have any symptoms or does he have symptoms?
Kate (12:18) He doesn't have symptoms. (12:19) Apart from his blood sugar, like, in his mood. (12:22) You can see it in his mood when he has gluten. (12:24) Really? (12:24) Yeah.
Kate (12:25) Sometimes.
Scott Benner (12:25) So if you're low and he's had gluten, we're fighting. (12:29) Right?
Kate (12:29) Or if we're both low. (12:31) Yeah. (12:31) Not a good space.
Scott Benner (12:32) Oh, no kidding. (12:33) Yeah. (12:33) How do you I'm so sorry, mom. (12:35) If they're both low, how do you decide which one to go to first? (12:38) Does one of whoever's
Kate (12:40) the lowest.
Scott Benner (12:41) Is it whoever's lowest or do you trust one of them over the other ones so go to the
Kate (12:44) I actually have had twice in their lives where I treated them on the kid. (12:48) Have you actually? (12:49) Yeah. (12:50) Have I wait. (12:50) Do you do you think I'm do you think I'm moody when I'm low?
Kate (12:53) Okay. (12:54) I was making sure I'm
Scott Benner (12:54) So you're telling me that there's been a time where you've gone into Kate's room, jammed a juice box in her face, and then realized her brother was low, not her. (13:01) That's an awesome story. (13:03) That's where you can come on the podcast whenever you want. (13:06) That's awesome. (13:07) Oh my god.
Scott Benner (13:08) So and then she gets so now you're treating him, then you gotta come back in and give her insulin, and you're up for three hours after that, just beating yourself up the whole time. (13:17) While are you married? (13:18) Yeah. (13:18) While your husband's sound asleep? (13:20) Yeah.
Scott Benner (13:20) Yeah.
Kate (13:20) Yeah. (13:20) Yeah. (13:21) Yeah.
Scott Benner (13:21) I gotcha. (13:22) I know how this all works. (13:23) Awesome. (13:24) You're very friendly.
Kate (13:25) Thanks.
Scott Benner (13:27) Do people like her? (13:28) They do. (13:29) Right? (13:30) Yeah. (13:30) You're very likable.
Scott Benner (13:31) Do you know that about yourself?
Kate (13:33) I mean, I hope so.
Scott Benner (13:34) No. (13:35) No. (13:35) No. (13:35) Stop it. (13:36) Do you know that about yourself?
Kate (13:37) I don't know.
Scott Benner (13:38) Wait. (13:38) Stop. (13:39) Like, forget what you think people think. (13:41) Like, when you think of yourself in the world, do you think I'm a friendly person, people like me? (13:45) Yeah.
Scott Benner (13:45) Yeah. (13:45) You like that about yourself?
Kate (13:47) Yeah. (13:47) Of course.
Scott Benner (13:47) Okay. (13:48) Do you take this attitude into your diabetes? (13:51) Like, do you, like, gleefully pre bolus your meals without being
Kate (13:54) No.
Scott Benner (13:54) No. (13:55) Does she yell at you all day long? (13:57) Pre bolus. (13:58) You have to pre bolus.
Kate (13:59) I'll I'll, like, eat, like, dinner or lunch or something, and I'll, like, go up high. (14:03) And she's like, okay. (14:04) Did you cover ten minutes before? (14:05) I'm like, I covered while I was eating.
Scott Benner (14:06) While you were eating? (14:08) But do you pre bolus? (14:10) No. (14:10) Of course not. (14:10) Nobody does.
Scott Benner (14:11) It's very hard to for nobody to do it. (14:12) Yes. (14:12) But so she doesn't pre bolus and she tells you to do
Kate (14:14) it. (14:15) Basically.
Scott Benner (14:15) They call it hypocrisy. (14:17) You know that. (14:17) Right?
Kate (14:18) Yes.
Scott Benner (14:18) Yeah. (14:18) Do you ever throw it back in her face?
Kate (14:20) No. (14:20) Because I I thought she actually prebolist.
Scott Benner (14:22) Oh, we've learned something today. (14:24) Hey. (14:24) Listen. (14:24) The last kid's getting a puppy out of me, so just be happy. (14:27) This is all that's happening right now.
Scott Benner (14:29) Like, two kids ago. (14:30) Alright. (14:31) Let's slow down a second. (14:32) We're having too much fun. (14:33) Do you understand?
Scott Benner (14:34) We're not getting to other questions. (14:37) You don't have a hero with diabetes, but you've met but you yeah. (14:40) You have
Kate (14:41) strong hero.
Scott Benner (14:42) But you're look at you. (14:44) Do you mean that?
Kate (14:45) I swear.
Scott Benner (14:45) Say it again. (14:46) Who's your your hero? (14:47) My mom. (14:48) Why?
Kate (14:48) Because she has diabetes, she always has my back, and she's just, like, a bigger role model, and I just always look up to her.
Scott Benner (14:54) Oh, you're trying to make me cry? (14:57) Well, I'm misty now. (15:00) My family tells me that if one tear comes out, it's crying. (15:02) I say it's getting welled up, but apparently, that's not a a great stuff, but you really just made me feel very emotional. (15:10) Aw.
Scott Benner (15:10) Aw. (15:11) Do you think it made your mom feel emotional? (15:13) Aw.
Kate (15:13) You know that.
Scott Benner (15:15) Do you know? (15:16) Yeah? (15:17) Aw. (15:18) Look at this. (15:18) This is so nice.
Scott Benner (15:19) I'm warm now. (15:23) These are all the things that when I make the podcast, nobody sees where I'm, like, visually fanning myself, trying not to cry and stuff like that. (15:29) She was so nice. (15:31) Have you ever told her that before?
Kate (15:33) Yeah. (15:33) I mean, when people ask me, like, in school and stuff, they're like, oh, write someone to, like, mister Herrera. (15:39) I was like, write to her.
Scott Benner (15:40) Oh, that's really lovely. (15:41) Yeah. (15:42) You've made my day. (15:43) Thank you. (15:44) Are you doing here at at the event?
Scott Benner (15:46) Are you, like I I it's called Friends for Life. (15:49) Do you come often or is this your first time?
Kate (15:51) So I've been to, Florida last year, and then before that, I've been to, like, their mini conferences, like like, around where they have them.
Scott Benner (15:59) Yeah. (15:59) Where are you from?
Kate (16:00) Pennsylvania.
Scott Benner (16:01) Oh, stop. (16:02) This is why we're getting along so well. (16:04) Where where like, I'm from Philly.
Kate (16:05) I'm near the Hershey area in Harrisburg.
Scott Benner (16:07) No kidding.
Kate (16:08) In that area.
Scott Benner (16:09) My son went to college out that way.
Kate (16:10) Oh.
Scott Benner (16:10) Yeah. (16:11) I don't want you all to know where my son went to college, but, like, yeah, right out there. (16:15) So this is interesting. (16:17) You're right in the middle.
Kate (16:18) Yeah.
Scott Benner (16:19) Eagles, Steelers.
Kate (16:21) What if I told you Ravens?
Scott Benner (16:23) It's fine with me. (16:24) It's right there. (16:25) Right?
Kate (16:25) Yeah.
Scott Benner (16:26) Pirates, Phillies?
Kate (16:27) I don't not really. (16:29) Yeah.
Scott Benner (16:30) Alright. (16:30) Do you wanna go to college and take that stick and hit girls in college with it?
Kate (16:33) Lacrosse. (16:34) Yes. (16:34) Yeah. (16:35) I I look to do that Yeah. (16:37) Hopefully.
Scott Benner (16:38) So we don't hit
Kate (16:40) We don't hit them. (16:41) We hit the goalie.
Scott Benner (16:41) Do you you whack, like, a little bit, though. (16:43) Right? (16:43) I
Kate (16:44) can. (16:44) I can hit their stick
Scott Benner (16:45) Yeah.
Kate (16:45) As long as they have it low enough.
Scott Benner (16:47) Do you love it? (16:47) Like, do you love, like, the hitting?
Kate (16:49) I mean, it's like the accomplishment of smacking the ball out of their stick and my coach cheering. (16:53) So Yeah. (16:54) That's what keeps me going.
Scott Benner (16:55) That's oh, so you're very competitive. (16:58) No? (16:58) Does your blood sugar go up while you're playing? (17:00) Like
Kate (17:01) Yeah. (17:01) Yeah.
Scott Benner (17:01) Because your adrenaline gets going?
Kate (17:02) I I see that a lot, actually.
Scott Benner (17:04) Right. (17:04) After the game, do you get a big drop off afterwards or does the
Kate (17:08) After a little bit, like, feel like right after the game, I'm like double up and it's like, really? (17:12) Wow. (17:13) But then I do come spiking down once I go to sleep.
Scott Benner (17:15) So you are like competitive. (17:18) Yeah. (17:18) That's how we figured out my daughter was. (17:20) We used to when we, we learned that we had to bolus before a sporting event if she felt competitive.
Kate (17:26) Had she felt fit?
Scott Benner (17:27) So here's what would happen. (17:29) We learned this during basketball when she was, like, young. (17:32) We'd show up at this, like, wreck basketball game And some days, her blood sugar would shoot up and some days, it wouldn't.
Kate (17:37) Mhmm.
Scott Benner (17:37) And so we finally figured out, like, a lot of trial and error. (17:41) Like, eventually, the first thing we did was we just bolus no matter what.
Kate (17:45) Yeah.
Scott Benner (17:45) And then if she started to get low, we just basically, we'd bolus the equivalent of a juice box. (17:50) That would stop the spike. (17:52) But if she didn't need it, then we just like, it was like pre bolus in the juice box in Allstate. (17:57) Then we figured out one day that she was super competitive and if she got there and the girls on the other team looked like little killers, that she got ramped up. (18:07) But if she thought she was gonna run them over, her blood sugar didn't go up.
Kate (18:10) That's crazy.
Scott Benner (18:10) Like, that literally worked out. (18:12) So then we'd show up. (18:13) I feel bad saying this. (18:14) We'd show up at the game, look at the other team. (18:16) If they look like marshmallows, we didn't bowl us.
Scott Benner (18:18) And if they look like killers, we'd give her insulin. (18:20) And that actually worked.
Kate (18:22) That's cool, though.
Scott Benner (18:23) Yeah. (18:23) Yeah. (18:23) Yeah. (18:23) Marshmallow is marshmallows the way to say, like, soft, I guess. (18:26) Right?
Scott Benner (18:26) They just didn't look like they were gonna put up a You know? (18:29) And they they like, their parents drug them to basketball.
Kate (18:31) Yeah. (18:31) And they didn't I get what that looks like.
Scott Benner (18:33) Yeah. (18:33) What what kind what do you wanna do in college?
Kate (18:36) It's so hard to say. (18:37) Like, I'm like I was looking at, like, I love kids. (18:40) I love I have two younger brothers. (18:42) One's four and one's two.
Scott Benner (18:43) Yeah.
Kate (18:43) And I just love working with kids, but then it's I I volunteered at preschool and I've seen how hard that is. (18:51) I'm just like Yeah. (18:51) Straining.
Scott Benner (18:52) Yeah.
Kate (18:52) And it just kinda put a new perspective, like, through my eyes. (18:55) I'm like, do I really wanna work with kids in the water?
Scott Benner (18:57) You ever have a puppy?
Kate (18:58) I've had one. (18:59) I mean, he's older now.
Scott Benner (19:00) It's hard too. (19:01) Right? (19:01) Yeah. (19:01) Kids are, like, a thousand times harder than that, and they yell at you sometimes. (19:05) Oh, yeah.
Scott Benner (19:05) Yeah. (19:05) Yeah. (19:06) Yeah. (19:06) It's hard.
Kate (19:06) I get that with my brother. (19:07) Yeah? (19:08) Yes. (19:08) It's like it's like arguing with, like, a 15 year old kid.
Scott Benner (19:11) How old is he?
Kate (19:12) He's four.
Scott Benner (19:13) Why is it, like, arguing with a 15 year old? (19:16) Because he doesn't give up?
Kate (19:16) First of all, he always gets his way. (19:20) Mom.
Scott Benner (19:21) Go ahead.
Kate (19:23) And Your
Scott Benner (19:24) mom's just tired. (19:24) You know that. (19:25) Right?
Kate (19:26) Well, she's like, you're the bigger person. (19:28) Why are you arguing with a four year old kid? (19:30) And I'm like
Scott Benner (19:32) Anytime she says something from now on, you should go, why don't you pre bolus? (19:36) I'm going to. (19:37) There you are.
Kate (19:38) He just, like, he just steps on my toes. (19:39) It's like, he just messes with me.
Scott Benner (19:42) Yeah. (19:42) On purpose. (19:43) Yeah. (19:43) Yeah. (19:44) Yeah.
Scott Benner (19:44) They have a lot of energy. (19:45) Like puppies.
Kate (19:46) I love them, though.
Scott Benner (19:46) Yeah? (19:47) Yes. (19:47) That's nice to hear.
Kate (19:48) Yes. (19:48) I I swear. (19:49) I love all my brothers.
Scott Benner (19:50) You're the only girl?
Kate (19:51) Yes.
Scott Benner (19:52) Is that how do you feel like more of, like, because there's all boys around you, is it make is it does it do you wish you had a sister, I guess?
Kate (20:00) No. (20:01) No. (20:01) So when there's a big age gap, obviously. (20:04) So when my mom told us she was pregnant with the with Leith, my four year old brother, I was like, oh, I wanted to be a girl. (20:10) Like, come on, like, girl, but it wasn't.
Kate (20:12) Yeah. (20:12) And then when Zayd came around, the two year old, I was like, no girl.
Scott Benner (20:16) No girl.
Kate (20:16) I was like, I just wanna I like being a only girl. (20:19) Yeah. (20:19) It's like it's a special connection with my mom
Scott Benner (20:21) Oh.
Kate (20:21) That I get to share.
Scott Benner (20:22) That's nice. (20:23) Do you you mean that? (20:23) You're not just trying to
Kate (20:24) I swear I'm your I swear.
Scott Benner (20:25) Oh, that's lovely. (20:26) I feel like you have this thing. (20:27) Yeah. (20:28) Okay. (20:29) If you so you have three people in your house have type one.
Scott Benner (20:32) What's a great piece of advice for another kid with type one diabetes?
Kate (20:36) Don't let it, like, take too much of your life. (20:39) Like, live your life how you, like, want to. (20:42) Don't let it be such a block in it. (20:44) Yes. (20:44) It's hard to do that, but I sometimes just try to, like, not ignore it, but just, like, do things I really wanna do without it getting in my way.
Scott Benner (20:53) You want it be in the background.
Kate (20:54) Kinda.
Scott Benner (20:55) But you need to so how do you keep the balance? (20:57) Like, because you have to be focused on it to some degree, but you don't wanna be overwhelmed by it. (21:01) Yeah. (21:01) How do you find the balance?
Kate (21:03) Wait. (21:03) Hold on.
Scott Benner (21:04) You understand the question? (21:05) Alright.
Kate (21:06) Yeah. (21:06) I get I gotta find the balance.
Scott Benner (21:08) Like, I
Kate (21:12) think it's just like
Scott Benner (21:15) I don't know
Kate (21:16) how to answer that.
Scott Benner (21:16) I know it's hard. (21:17) I don't think there's an answer. (21:18) I think it's, I think your personality does it. (21:22) Yeah. (21:22) Right?
Scott Benner (21:22) Like like, what I've noticed when I'm talking to people is that some people are a little more drugged down by it and some people are a little less. (21:30) I don't think it's up to them. (21:31) I don't don't think it's a decision they make. (21:33) I just think sometimes your personality just sees it as like, I can do this and you kinda stay lighthearted about it.
Kate (21:39) Yeah. (21:39) Right? (21:40) Well, like, if my blood sugar is, like, good, then I just, like, like, push it behind. (21:44) Like, don't worry about it.
Scott Benner (21:45) Yeah.
Kate (21:45) But if it's high or low, I obviously have to worry about. (21:48) So I'll keep my own eye on it until it gets, like, in the good range and then I can just ignore it.
Scott Benner (21:53) I tell people that I think one of the ways that my family deals well with it is that we wake up every day hopeful.
Kate (22:00) Yes.
Scott Benner (22:00) Like, we just kinda start over again. (22:02) Mhmm. (22:02) You know what I mean? (22:02) Like, some days are great. (22:03) Some days you don't even think about it.
Scott Benner (22:05) Some days you're just like
Kate (22:07) Draining.
Scott Benner (22:07) This was terrible. (22:08) Like, it just takes it completely out of you, but you can't take the bad experience and drag it into the next day. (22:13) Yeah. (22:13) Probably a good piece of life advice though.
Kate (22:15) Yes. (22:15) It is.
Scott Benner (22:15) Yeah. (22:16) So earlier you mentioned that you wanted tubing on your pump.
Kate (22:19) Mhmm.
Scott Benner (22:20) A lot of people would say, I don't want tubing, but why do you think that's not a problem?
Kate (22:26) I honestly think it depends on the age because I totally get the feeling I'm just wanting to hide it. (22:31) I like, when I was little, I but I didn't want anyone to know that I had diabetes. (22:35) I didn't even want the question to be brought up about it. (22:37) And now I just have it and I embrace it. (22:40) I see, like, when I'm at the pool, can just and I'm wearing, I can just everyone looks at it.
Kate (22:45) Right. (22:46) It's obvious. (22:47) So it's just I like embracing it so people can ask me questions about it and they know I have it because I, like, I don't wanna hide it anymore.
Scott Benner (22:54) So do you think this was, like, like, a coming out kind of a thing? (22:57) Do you think, like, I wanted this tubing. (22:59) I want people to see this. (23:00) I want this conversation now. (23:01) Yeah.
Scott Benner (23:02) And when you were younger, you didn't want it. (23:03) Yeah. (23:03) So it's not functional. (23:04) It doesn't stop you lacrosse or life wise. (23:08) Like, you know, some people are like, oh, how do you sleep with it if it has a tubing?
Scott Benner (23:12) None of that's a problem for you.
Kate (23:13) No. (23:13) I mean, doesn't get caught on things and that really hurts, but But that's my own fault because I'm not putting I'm not, like, tucking it in. (23:19) I just, like, sometimes just let it out.
Scott Benner (23:20) Sometimes you just forget to do it. (23:21) Yeah. (23:22) Okay. (23:23) But this is really interesting. (23:24) We should talk for fifteen minutes about this, but I don't think we have the time.
Scott Benner (23:27) Like, you got to how old were you when you decided I want people to see this?
Kate (23:31) I think it was, like, right when I got, like, t slim. (23:33) I think it was in, like maybe when I was, like, 12. (23:37) I just kinda was, you know what? (23:38) It's part of me. (23:39) Like, I can't just keep ignoring it
Scott Benner (23:41) Yeah.
Kate (23:41) And letting people just not realize I had it.
Scott Benner (23:43) You got the t slim and then you just you became braver.
Kate (23:46) Kinda.
Scott Benner (23:46) Wow. (23:47) That's awesome.
Kate (23:48) Yeah.
Scott Benner (23:48) Seriously. (23:49) What does your mom wear the same pump?
Kate (23:51) No. (23:51) She wears eyelet.
Scott Benner (23:52) Oh.
Kate (23:52) That's why I was gonna go on that one originally. (23:54) Oh, I Wait. (23:55) No. (23:55) You're not on eyelet anymore. (23:56) You just swept.
Kate (23:57) Just kidding. (23:57) She's on loop now.
Scott Benner (23:58) Oh, you're looping with an Omnipod? (24:01) Mhmm. (24:01) Yeah. (24:02) What about your son? (24:03) Tandem.
Scott Benner (24:04) So your brother wears? (24:06) Mhmm. (24:06) Does he wear the Moby or does he wear
Kate (24:08) He wears the the one I have.
Scott Benner (24:09) Yeah.
Kate (24:10) T Slim. (24:10) He just he I got it first and then he got it. (24:13) He was like, actually, now I want it. (24:14) I'm like
Scott Benner (24:15) Oh, that's how it works apparently. (24:17) Yeah. (24:17) Yeah. (24:17) You get He
Kate (24:18) likes copying me.
Scott Benner (24:19) I get a T Slim. (24:19) You get a T Slim. (24:20) We all get a T Slim. (24:21) Yeah. (24:21) Like
Kate (24:21) Your turn, mom.
Scott Benner (24:22) Yeah. (24:22) Yeah. (24:23) Did you wanna ask me anything? (24:27) No. (24:27) Okay.
Scott Benner (24:28) That's fair enough.
Kate (24:29) And I have any questions.
Scott Benner (24:30) Do you think we've talked about everything? (24:32) Like, if you walk away right now where you think, oh, I wish people would have known this and I didn't say it?
Kate (24:37) No. (24:37) I think you added everything.
Scott Benner (24:38) Awesome. (24:38) That was great. (24:39) Thank you so much.
Kate (24:40) Thank you.
Scott Benner (24:40) This was lovely. (24:41) The podcast you just enjoyed was sponsored by Tandem Diabetes Care. (24:45) Learn more about Tandem's newest automated insulin delivery system, Tandem Mobi with Control IQ plus technology at tandemdiabetes.com/juicebox. (24:55) There are links in the show notes and links at juiceboxpodcast.com. (24:59) If you'd like to hear about diabetes management in easy to take in bits, check out the small sips.
Scott Benner (25:06) That's the series on the Juice Box podcast that listeners are talking about like it's a cheat code. (25:11) These are perfect little bursts of clarity, one person said. (25:14) I finally understood things I've heard a 100 times. (25:17) Short, simple, and somehow exactly what I needed. (25:20) People say small sips feels like someone pulling up a chair, sliding a cup across the table, and giving you one clean idea at a time.
Scott Benner (25:28) Nothing overwhelming. (25:30) No fire hose of information. (25:31) Just steady helpful nudges that actually stick. (25:34) People listen in their car, on walks, or rather actually bolus ing anytime that they need a quick shot of perspective. (25:41) And the reviews, they all say the same thing.
Scott Benner (25:44) Small sips makes diabetes make sense. (25:47) Search for the Juice Box podcast, small sips, wherever you get audio.
Please support the sponsors
The Juicebox Podcast is a free show, but if you'd like to support the podcast directly, you can make a gift here. Recent donations were used to pay for podcast hosting fees. Thank you to all who have sent 5, 10 and 20 dollars!
