#1932 Smooth Blood Sugar
Smooth Blood Sugar
Elias is 10, pre-boluses like a pro, runs a 6.2 A1c, and mentors other kids as a youth ambassador. A bright, funny catch-up a year after his first visit, plus a word with his mom.
Jump to a moment
- A 10-year-old who pre-boluses on purpose. Elias times insulin ahead of meals and, when he doesn't, describes the roller-coaster in his own words: a fast spike, a sharp drop, an over-correction, then a headache. His trick for waiting is simply distraction — a game, not thinking about the food. This is a kid sharing what works for him, not medical guidance.
- He splits the work with his parents, roughly fifty-fifty. He handles carb-counting and dosing; his mom handles site and cartridge changes and overnight lows, sometimes waking him to chew a snack. His clearest message for listeners: diabetes isn't an island, and needing help — with a bolus, a low snack, a rough night — is normal.
- He connects highs to his mood, and acts on it. Over about 250 and stuck, Elias notices he gets irritable, so he runs around the yard or jumps on the trampoline to bring it down before it affects how he behaves. He frames it as something he learned over time and now applies — self-awareness most adults would envy.
- He teaches other people. A Breakthrough T1D youth ambassador, Elias speaks to adults at events, ran a diabetes-awareness presentation at school, and stays in touch with friends he met at camp and Friends for Life. He wants to be an endocrinologist — partly because his mom had her thyroid removed, so he already thinks about thyroid and type 1 together.
- A 6.2 A1c, and an easy way about him. Elias reports lows a couple of times a week, carries nasal glucagon, and manages most of his school day himself. Scott spends the back half marveling at how thoughtful and kind he is — and closes with a plan to have Elias back on when he's 16.
- Bold Beginnings series — Scott and Jenny Smith for the newly diagnosed — the series Elias's mom leaned on early on.
- Diabetes Pro Tip series — The management foundation — pre-bolusing, settings, and the tug-of-war framing — with Scott and Jenny Smith.
- Breakthrough T1D — The organization (formerly JDRF) whose youth ambassador program Elias takes part in.
Every word of the conversation
Cold open & sponsors0:00
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Elias is back — a year later1:42
Hi. I'm Elias, and I'm a type one diabetic. And I'm happy to be on the Juice Box podcast with Scott Benner.
Oh, Elias. That's very nice. How old are you, ma'am?
10.
10. And you and I have spoken in the past. Tell people.
Mhmm.
Where did we meet?
Florida. Friends for life.
Friends for life. And in are you going back to Friends for life?
No. Not this year. I'm going to Tennessee.
Tennessee for what?
Vacation.
Nice. Do you do you know about where in Tennessee?
We're gonna go to Dollywood, and then we're gonna stop in, like, Nashville and that stuff.
No kidding. Well, I am going back to Friends For Life in just a few days, actually. Guess less less than a week, I fly back. And Mhmm. Then after that, my wife and I are gonna go to Tennessee to look at houses.
It's fun.
That's kinda weird.
Yeah.
And you see any down there that you think I'll like, send them to me. Okay?
Good.
Alright. So we met last year because you were a tandem Moby wearer. Is that right?
Yeah.
And are you still wearing tandem?
Mhmm.
Excellent. Still have the Mobi?
Yeah.
Awesome. What do you think of it? It's a year later. You still having a good time with it? You think it works well?
Yeah. It works just fine. I no. Like, it's pretty cool having classmates just ask, like, what what is that? And I accept and I just, like, tell them all about the pump and that stuff.
They're interested? Mhmm. Is that everybody or just some people?
Just, like, most most of my class.
Most people are interested. And and and they're kind about it? Yeah. Yeah. Have you met people who have been unkind to you about the diabetes?
No.
That's awesome. How long have you had type one?
Two years.
So you were eight when you were diagnosed?
Yeah.
Okay. Back when we spoke the first time, did you did you and I have an opportunity to talk about your diagnosis, or did we go kinda fast back then? Because it was sort of a quicker interview. Right?
Yeah. We we went through it, but, like, it was, like, a five minute chat.
Yeah. So just let's hit it again for people just so they know. What happened what happened leading up to the diagnosis? You know, how did you guys know there was an issue?
Diagnosis after the flu4:02
So it started, like all the symptoms started, like, right after I had influenza a. And then I just started to like, my dad said, like, while I was sick, like, to keep drinking a lot. So when I started, like, drinking, like, a ton some tons in water, they he he was just like, yeah. He's listening to me, but they didn't know that it was, like, diabetes and that stuff.
Yeah. Are there other people in your family who have type one?
No. No. I'm the first ones.
How about well, the being the first is fun. Right?
Mhmm. Yeah.
Yeah. What about, like, in your extended family? Like, aunts, your uncles, cousins, people like that? No. Nobody?
Yes.
Do you have other autoimmune issues? Like, do you have hypothyroidism, or is anybody in your family celiac, anything like that?
Not that I'm aware of.
Okay. So you're the only one. And you have brothers and sisters?
Yeah. One sister.
Is she older or younger?
She's older. She's
She's older? Yeah. How do we like that?
She she's fun.
She's fun? Mhmm. Awesome. Well, that's great. How much older is she than you?
Eight years.
Oh my gosh. Your sister's 18?
Yeah.
Oh, nice. And she's fun. Mhmm. How is she fun?
She, like, try she asked for me the like, she wants me to come up for it, like, everywhere that she goes. And, like, she lets me get something whenever we go to a store or something with her.
Nice.
And, like, we always just have fun.
Yeah. You guys are, like, ride along buddies. You just, like Mhmm. Yeah. Yeah.
It's awesome. Does she does she drive too fast sometimes, but it's fun?
Yeah.
Yeah. Do do you tell your parents that? Or No. No. They're gonna hear this though.
You know that. Right?
They can only hear part of it.
Don't you think they'll listen to the recording one day? Probably. Yeah. So just you just wanna tell them that you were kidding and she's never gone over the speed limit before. Right?
They know.
They know. It's awesome. So alright, Eli. So you you you're drinking too much. You head to the hospital.
You go to the doctor. What do you guys do next? How do you remember much of that?
Not much, but I remember, like, when I fell asleep, it was, like, a weird dream. It was, like, I was eating a bunch of candy and, like, I was, like, dancing and, like, partying or something. I don't know what medicine they gave me, but it made me have a crazy dream.
No kidding. And you still remember it?
Yeah.
Wow. That's I mean, was it a fun dream?
Yeah.
Yeah? It was candy.
And then when I woke up, I I remember that I was in the hospital for something very serious.
Yeah. Yeah. Not a candy party.
Mhmm.
Yeah. That's nice. Your parents and you, do you share kind of the responsibilities to diabetes? Do they handle most of it? Do you handle most of it?
How do you guys do it?
Fifty-fifty: what he does, what his parents do7:17
It's, like, fifty fifty. I handle fifth 50%, and my parents handle the other 50%.
What do they do? Like, what what are the parts they do? Is it the stuff you don't wanna do or the stuff you don't know how to do, or is it just a situation where they're just kinda helping you by taking some of the work?
They could they like, with my it's, like, with my site changes. I don't know how to do that yet. Mhmm. Like, my cartridges, like, insulin changes and that stuff. But and, like, telling me that I'm low and, like, if I'm playing a game and I had I have headphones on and I can't hear my alarm.
Okay. Do you not feel it when you're low?
No. Not not until, like, I'm 60 to 50.
That's about when you start to feel it. So they do kind of the bigger stuff. They take care of the supplies. They help you with site changes. They help you change your CGM?
Yeah.
Is it a thing you could do, or you're not up to doing it yet?
Interesting that I could do the Dexcom, but I'm not fully, like, taught on the site changes.
Okay. But now are you counting carbs during the day and giving yourself insulin boluses?
Yeah. I do that.
How how how does it go normally for you? Like, I mean, is it a do you usually feel like, wow. That was pretty successful the way we did that, or do you get high or low? The Kontoor Nextgen blood glucose meter is sponsoring this episode of the juice box podcast, and it is entirely possible that it is less expensive in cash than you are paying right now for your meter through your insurance company. That's right.
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A 10-year-old who pre-boluses10:22
Most of the time, if, like, I just feel less, like, at the, like, the right moment, like, fifteen minutes earlier if it's, like, high sugar and, like, no protein and that stuff.
You you
You got it.
Wait. Are you pre bolus ing?
Yeah. I do pre bolus.
Oh, I hope everybody hears this, Elias. I hope the people listening here that a 10 year old is pre and that they're out here telling me that they don't know how they can't do it. They don't they forget. They don't know they're gonna eat. How do you figure?
Like, I I want your secret. How do you handle it?
I just, like, don't think about the food. I just don't sleep in weight. Sometimes I play games, like, to distract my brain from, like, wanting to eat it.
Is it ever a problem for you? Do you ever think just, like, I don't wanna wait?
Yeah. Sometimes if I, like if I'm doing nothing and I just, like, think about it, that's when
Do you then do you eat then, or do you wait do you find a way to wait?
I find a way to wait Awesome. Most of the time. But, like, there were there's been a couple times that I have ate ate it. Like, ate this food.
Yeah. I well, I would imagine nobody's perfect. Right? Mhmm. What happens when you don't pre bolus?
I go high if it has, like, a tons of sugar. But, like, if it's protein and low sugar and, like, just high carbs, I'd probably only go to, like, the two to two twenties if I don't preach with us.
How'd you learn all this?
My mom.
Your mom taught
Yeah. I'm
You picked it up pretty quickly?
It took couple months.
Couple months?
For for everything about diabetes.
Are you a good student? Like, do you get good grades in school?
Yeah. I had all a's.
Oh, that's a good student. Yeah. Do you find school difficult or no?
No. I'm going to sixth grade.
So Sixth? Mhmm. I had a great English teacher in sixth grade.
That's nice.
Yeah. I don't remember her name, but at the end of the year, she threw a picnic at her house. We all went to her house for a picnic.
Oh, oh, that was probably fun.
It was pretty cool. They don't do stuff like that anymore.
Yeah.
Yeah. And I think now if you go to your teacher's house, it's like a we broke a law or something like that. But
Yeah.
Back in well, let's think of what year this was. So I was born in '71.
Let's do
some math real quick. So you don't go to school till you're five. I was five in kindergarten. So if it was I was born in '71. I was in kindergarten in '76?
'6.
Okay. Right. And then it took kindergarten, first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seven years for me to get to sixth grade. So '76, we had seven to that. What do we get there?
I was teasing. I already know. It's '83, but I'm not 10. Fair is fair. So 1983, in that summer, I was at my English teacher's house at a picnic.
Mhmm.
That was a great time. I still remember it. Okay. So you're in sixth grade or heading into sixth grade?
I'm heading into sixth grade.
And anything changing about your diabetes care from fifth to sixth grade, or you guys aren't gonna change anything at school? And then tell me what that's like. How do you take care of yourself during the day?
We're just gonna change my five zero four plan for, like, each in each class.
Mhmm. Why why what's what's what's changed from year to year that needs to be addressed?
I don't know.
Not a lot?
Yeah. I don't really know a lot.
A day at school, and the vanishing snack14:00
Okay. But day to day, you get up in the morning, you bolus yourself for breakfast, you you take a bus, does somebody drive you to school, do you walk?
My mom drives me to school.
Fancy. Fancy. So you drive in in what they call the drop off line. Right? Mhmm.
They they they your mom flings you out of the car. She tell you she loves you?
Yeah. But she works there. So
Oh, you guys get out of the parking lot walking together?
Yeah.
Do we like that, Elias? Is that a fun part?
Yeah.
Yeah. When does she tell you she loves you? In the parking lot or at the door?
At in, like, inside.
Oh, that's nice. That's really nice. And then, yeah, then you head off to school. And are there snacks still at your age or no? You don't eat again until lunchtime.
There were snacks in fifth grade, but there's no snacks in sixth grade.
You're going to middle school now? Is that what they call it?
Yeah.
Yeah, man. What a loss, the snack. You know what I mean? Yeah. It's a nice fifteen minute break.
Mhmm. Get to chat with people. Have a cupcake, something like that. Alright. That's fine.
You think you're have any trouble making it to lunch? No. No? Okay. So then you I'm just Go ahead.
I'm normally hungry, like, at lunch. So
Okay. So you'll be good. So you're gonna pre bolus in the class, or you're gonna pre bolus and sit in the what are you gonna do? You you, like
So so I go to the nurse, and I count the carbs before, like, a menu sheet that has all the carbs for, like, the food. Mhmm. And then you bolus, and then you could then you get the your food, and then you wait for the other people to get to lunch. And then they can eat when everybody else gets to lunch.
So you get there a little earlier than the group, and then they make
Yeah. Fifteen minutes.
And they make you sit there and wait?
Yeah. After we get the food and be bullish for it. We can start eating, like Okay. When it's close to the time.
Oh, okay. They don't make you stare at the food and wait for everybody else to get there?
No. No. You can, like, eat some of it, but, like, not, like, the high carbs.
Yeah. I see. Because you're trying to space it out for your blood sugar too.
Stay steady. Yeah.
Do you find any of this difficult or annoying?
No.
Oh, are you easy are you easy to get along with in the rest of your life too?
Yeah.
Yeah. Have you always been like that?
I don't know. I don't I can't really remember, like, before I got diagnosed.
I hear you.
Because, like, seven and six and five. Yeah.
But generally speaking, like, you're you you don't walk around upset about things or getting mad about stuff.
No. I don't walk around, like, with my arms crossed and stomping my feet.
Yeah. No. No. Well, that's awesome. Do you think you take after your mom or your dad in your personality or both?
Probably both.
They're both generally kind people? Mhmm. Yeah. And your sister is too. She's inviting you out even though you guys are, like, way way different ages.
Yeah.
This is nice. Part of the can you tell me what state you live in?
I live in Michigan.
Michigan. Alright. Well, they're doing it right up there, apparently. Do you know that you're easy to get along with? Like, is that is that a thing about your personality that you're aware of, or you just think of yourself as you?
I think that's unaware of it because I was at a diabetes camp for three days. And in, like, the first hour or two there, I made a friend.
You still friends?
Yeah. I still text them all the time.
Oh, that's awesome. Do you know other people who have type one?
Yeah. People from Friends Real Life. I still have them.
You met people last year, and you're in touch with them?
Mhmm.
And you're I guess you're in touch with me too. We just we're talking again. You know what I
mean? Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. And I can tell you're older. You're like, and it's I mean, obviously, it's a year later, but you're answering you're answering the questions more quickly than you did there. Do you know that?
No. No? Yeah. Usually, you don't know stuff like that when you mature. Okay.
Sorry. So lunchtime at school, take care of that business. Then do you guys they they let you go outside and run around, or even that's over in sixth grade. Right?
We do. We did recess in fifth grade, like, before lunch.
Oh, okay.
We did it at ten, and then, like, we did ELA for an hour until 11:30, and then that was our lunch.
What's ELA?
English language arts.
That makes sense. I thought it was Electric Light Orchestra, but then I realized that was wrong. So yeah. It's a band from the seventies, ELO.
Oh.
Not a thing you would know. So but there are old people laughing right now if we're listening, and now they're mad that I'd call them old. But they're probably madder that you can remember to pre bolus and they can't. So probably get me off the hook. You know what I mean?
Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Alright. So there's no more food at school then. Like, do you make it home and without being low?
Sometimes, like, when I have gym and I come home, I'm low, but, like, that's because I've been running around. I haven't had food in a while. Mhmm. So, usually, when I come home, I usually have a snack. And if I have baseball practice, I probably have a protein snack.
Baseball, basketball, and a big sister19:24
Okay. Oh, you play baseball? Yeah. What position?
Second and center Center. Field.
Can you make the throw from center?
Yeah.
Oh, it's awesome. But you still you're on a 200 foot field. Right? The fence is 200 feet away?
200 yards, I'm pretty sure.
Oh, trust me. It's feet. But Oh, okay. Yeah. Yeah.
But oh, that's not that's a nice sized field. You get to play on that for a couple more years. Right? Till you're 12?
Yeah.
Yeah. Do you play for your town, for your school? Do you play travel?
For school.
School's nice. It's a it's a good it's a good experience. It's little usually a little lower pressure when you're younger. Right? Just a fun time?
Yeah.
Yeah. You guys win a little bit, or how does it go?
We won. We made it to the semifinals in the playoffs, and then we lost against the the one seed. No. We were the four seed.
Are they giant kids?
Half of our team was.
I know what you're saying. I do. Some of them grow faster. Usually, the Italian boys actually get bigger faster. I don't know if he's noticed that or not.
Yeah. I do.
Yeah. Right.
I have a friend that's a I have a friend that's, like, partly Italian who needs, like, five five or something.
A monster at five five. Now Mhmm. Here's the thing. Don't tell him. He probably won't grow past five five.
You'll that's sort of a Italians listening now know. It's the curse. You you grow early, but you don't sometimes continue on. Mhmm. Not always, of course, we're generalizing.
But at your age in baseball, they generally have a lot of success for that reason. Nice. Mhmm. Oh, you love baseball or you just like it?
I love baseball. I've been doing it for four years.
Oh, wow. That's awesome. I I I hope you keep playing. It's a it's a great game.
Yeah.
Any other sports?
I do basketball.
Basketball. So you got a winter sport and a summer sport at school?
Yeah.
Perfect. Perfect. Your sister do anything in school? Was she athletic?
Yeah. She did volleyball her senior year.
Oh, nice. Is she
And her freshman in middle school.
Oh, that's really nice. Did she is she off to college?
Yeah. She's going to college in August.
And is she going is she gonna live at home, or is she going away?
She's going away. She's going to Grand Rapids.
You think will you miss her?
Yeah. Probably. Yeah.
You think you'll cry when she leaves?
Probably not.
Yeah. Really? I cried when my son left. Oh. Yeah.
Like a baby.
You're you're the you're the father, so it's probably
Makes sense. Right?
Yeah.
Yeah. I appreciate you saying that. Thank you for being supportive of us.
You're welcome.
Seriously. You're a great kid.
Thanks.
No. No. It's it's a pleasure to talk to you. So okay. So we're home.
Some days, we if we have gym, maybe we're a little low, we have a snack. Heading off to baseball practice, you know, you're taking care of things the same way, but I'm interested how you how you manage baseball practice. So is it a snack first? Do you eat dinner before you play? Do you eat after?
So I kinda eat, like, a half dinner before practice. And then, like, when I'm at practice, sometimes I go low, so I have to, like, go off to the side and, like, go to the like, by the bleachers and stuff so I can, like, get some fruit snacks and eat up and get back to playing.
Mhmm. Get back in then.
Yeah.
Kids are okay with that? They're pretty supportive?
They they know they have the hypo.
Nice. And do you think your coaches understand it, or do you think they just know?
They they understand it.
Oh, wow. So they've been briefed by your mom?
Yeah. I have a coach I have a coach that's gonna coach again. He coached my 10 new teams.
Nice. So you get a little repeat. He already knows stuff.
Yeah. But this year, I didn't have the same coach because I switched to a different school.
Oh, okay.
Did you He's he's switching his because he's he switched his kid with me, but he still had his kid playing for the the old team at the other school.
Okay. And your mom got this all set up with the coaches?
Yeah. She told Good.
Elias, I cut you off. I didn't mean to. Your mom did what?
She she, like, just told them all about it after, like, the first practice or, like and, like, partly the second practice because there's a lot of stuff that you have to, like, take in.
Yeah. It's interesting, isn't it? She was really good at that. But if you just think back twenty minutes ago, how bad was she getting the computer set up?
I don't yeah.
Yeah. You're not a critical person at all. You don't even anyway, your mom was not good with the technology, and I want her to hear that so that she because she she tries harder next time. I would like her to try harder. She's like, I think it's on my watch.
Did you find any of that funny? And she was like, I I think it's or were you just nervous?
I was I was nervous, and I was and it was also funny.
Yeah.
I I I was trying not to laugh because she would probably just yell at me.
Oh, that is that how she keeps you nice? She yell at you?
Well, if I'm misbehaving, like, really bad, yes.
Yeah.
She would yell at me.
I it's I I think it's really nice that you were you paused before you said anything about even a little critical about her. It was really nice.
Yeah.
Yeah. I think you might grow up to be an excellent person. Do you have any idea what you wanna do when you're older?
Probably be a endocrinologist.
Yeah. You like do you like helping people, or is this just that you're being helped by one and you'd like to do something similar?
Well, endocrinology is the stuff, like, with type one and, like, thyroid. Because my mom got her thyroid removes removed, so I know that thyroid and type one and, like, diabetes and that stuff.
Yeah. So you might wanna do that. Mhmm. You good with science and math? Yeah.
I bet you could do it then. That'd be awesome. That's really cool. Alright. So you manage your way through school.
You manage your way through your sports. Nobody's helping you with all that, generally speaking? I mean, the nurse is helping you with the carb counts, but, like, other than that, you're pretty much staying on top of yourself.
Yeah. Basically.
It's cool. How about overnight? You get low overnight. Does your mom help you with that?
Yeah. When because usually, I'm I sleep through my alarms. So my mom has to come into my room and give me, like, snacks. Sometimes she has to wake me up so I can chew them.
Mhmm.
Because, like, if I'm not super low that I need a juice, like, she'll just give me, like, fruit snacks, and I'll have to, like, wake up, and then I'll fall back asleep after I have some.
Yeah. I gotcha. Bad parts about diabetes? Anything you can think of? You don't like slight changes or you have some
anything else? Spot the only spot that I don't really like is probably, like, the leg. Like, if if you put it on, like, the side of my leg, it, like I don't know. Like, always hits something
Mhmm.
That hurts, like, really bad.
Okay. So you just try to keep it off your thigh?
Yeah.
Okay. Fair enough. How about diabetes in general? Are you bothered by it?
No. I'm kinda used to it now.
Yeah. Used to it. Used. Alright. What is hold on a second.
What what have you been doing sorry. I I said what is and those were not the words I wanted. But I'm hearing from your mom that you've been helping other people to understand diabetes. Is that just, like, friend to friend, or is it, like, something you're doing in a bigger way?
Youth ambassador: teaching the room27:14
It's a I'm a youth ambassador, so sometimes I talk to people about it, like adults at, like, an event. And, also, I talk to my classmates about it. I did a presentation about diabetes back in November.
How did where what what was that for? Like, a school thing?
Yeah. We yeah. We do a diabetes day at our school because there's seven diabetics there.
You have seven kids with type one at your school?
Mhmm.
Wow. And so you guys do, like, a presentation?
No. I I was the only kid that did it, but there it was, like, National Diabetes Awareness Day. Yeah. And, also, it was a month, but we just did a day there.
Right. Yeah. It'd be weird if they did thirty days of diabetes awareness at your school.
Yeah.
And you'd be like, you guys are really committed to this.
Mhmm.
Yeah. Yeah. Is that back in November? It probably was.
Yeah. It was.
Yeah. Were you walking outside freezing and wondering why you live in Michigan while it was happening? Because that's probably your no brainer.
I was I I wore a blue T shirt, and I was shivering.
I bet you.
Because because you had the because, like, the theme was that you had the word blue because the blue the blue ribbon is diabetes. I I almost just said cross, but I actually
No. I understand. Like, the circle. Right?
Yeah.
Yeah. Well, that's really cool, man. And was that your idea? Did your mom help you with that?
No. That was, like, a thing that they already did, but we did that at my old school too.
Okay. Just the thing you do. How'd you get I when you said you're a youth ambassador, you mean with Breakthrough?
Yeah.
You think they appreciate that I didn't just say JD or f? Because it's still how I think about it.
Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. They probably do. They do. So you do that for breakthrough.
And you go to their events? You go to walks?
Yeah. I did the rejection walk.
Nice. Can you explain to me I know helping other people are is is something you enjoy. But for you personally, what do you get out of being a youth ambassador or taking the time at school to explain it to kids? Is it
I feel like when I explain diabetes to people, I feel like when you explain it, it's almost like you're one step closer to, like, getting people, like, to start, like, stuff for diabetes too. And then, like, more and more people, there's, like like, to join the walks even though it's like, join a team of the walk peep kids. And then, like, every time that you explain it, more people are gonna know. Like, if someone passed out and, like, you look at the bracelet and, like, it's type one, and then, like, you look in a bag for, like, the nose spray thing, then you shoot it up. You just saved the life.
Yeah. You're just trying to make advocates and make people more aware.
Mhmm.
That's wonderful, man. You proud of yourself?
Yeah.
Yeah. No. You should be. I was just wondering if you are.
Yeah.
Yeah. It's really cool. So so you play sports. You're doing the the youth ambassador stuff. I would like to know if there's any kind of, like, emotional effects of type one.
Highs, anger, and the trampoline fix30:25
Do you ever get sad or anything like that you have to deal with?
When I go high yeah. I feel like when I'm, like, over two fifty and, like, I won't come down, that's when I, like, start feeling, like, angry and that stuff. So, like so I try to I just, like, run around my yard to get it down. So, like, I don't, like, do something
Can you bad. Can you explain that a little more? So it's not it's not you're not mad that your blood sugar is high. You're acting differently because your blood sugar is high. Is that right?
Yeah.
Yeah. And you're aware of it happening or people have to tell you?
I'm, like, half aware of it. That's why I, like, start running around and, like, jump on a trampoline.
What are some things that have happened to you when your blood sugar is higher that you didn't
know? I I kicked the ball super hard that it popped because it hit it hit the it hit my fence. Like, I have, a top the top of my fence is, like, kinda sharp, and it, like, perfectly hit the top and it popped. Mhmm. And, like
You're just kinda angry and you kicked the ball?
Yeah.
Like, the Hulk?
Yeah. Basically.
I gotcha. So you're like the yeah. I gotcha. And you don't wanna be that way? No.
Is that why
wanna be that way.
Is that why you think you worked so hard at the pre ball thing?
Yeah.
Yeah. And then is that a lesson you learned over time?
Yes.
And then you apply it now in your regular life?
Mhmm.
That's really great. Oh, man. I'd like you to I'd like you to figure out how you did that exactly. Write down instructions for people or or put it in a spray or something. Bottle it up.
Help them out.
I could I could write an essay on the computer.
Yeah? You could write an essay on pre ballistic?
Yeah.
You do that. I'll put it on my website.
Mhmm.
Alright. Deal?
Yeah.
Yeah. Just it's a it's some people find it to be a difficult thing to do. And for good reasons. Like, you know, they're busy or, you know, just kinda don't wanna have to be thinking about this stuff ahead of time. And and then often it kinda starts off that, like, chain.
So tell me what happens if you don't pre bolus. What's the chain of events that happens afterwards?
So if if I don't pre bolus and I eat something with, like, sugar and, like, high carbs, I'll start going, like, up super fast. And then, like, when I I don't know. I'm gonna, like, stay high for a while, and then I'm gonna drop sharply, and then I'm gonna go low. And then if I overcorrect, I'm just gonna go up high again, then I'm probably gonna stay high. And I'm gonna go down and just start a roller coaster.
Yeah. Then you start having that feeling you don't feel well and all that stuff.
Mhmm. Headaches.
Yeah. How about that? Alright. Well, I'm I'm interested to hear your your essay, your theories on how to accomplish this.
Okay.
Take your time. There's no pressure. You know, when you have it done, you have your mom email it to me.
Okay? Alright.
Alright. Put in a nice photo of yourself too so I can put the photo in there.
Okay.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And, nope, again, if you don't wanna do it, don't I'm not making you. But if you're
might only just be a paragraph because I don't have, like, a lot of reasons.
I understand. Yeah. You don't wanna pontificate. You know what I mean? Mhmm.
Because then people leave reviews and say that your thing is full of fluff, and you don't want that.
Yeah. Because, like Good. People like, they're not if you, like, write, like, a five paragraph essay, it's probably not people are really not gonna read all of that because their brain is just gonna get bored for, like, the fifth sentence.
You think people get bored that quickly when they're reading?
If they, like, if they don't have, like, enough concentration. Yeah.
You know, man, it used to be people had to write to each other all the time. And then they'd read those letters, and they were happy to get them. I guess no more.
Yeah.
Yeah. The Internet took care of that. Mhmm. You don't even think of it as the Internet, you? You think of it as, like, your phone.
Yeah. I think well, when I'm, like, on the Internet, I think of it, like, as a database and, like, that stuff.
Wait a minute. What do you what is it you what is the Internet? Explain it to me.
So the Internet is, like, a place where, like, you can look up stuff. Like, it's an online network that you can you can, like, play games on it. You can you can watch videos, make a TikTok dance or something.
How he learned it — and the internet34:55
How does it accomplish that? Do you know the technical aspect of how they connect?
No. I haven't learned that yet.
That's okay. The Internet's just basically a thing that connects other computers out in the world so they can talk to each other. So if there's, like, a website on my computer, you can see it through the Internet. Does that make sense?
Yeah.
Yeah. Why do you know all that? Do you like coding? Are you gonna do stuff like that?
No. I've never known coding. I just, like, know this stuff.
Yeah. You just know it.
I just I don't know where I've learned it, but I just, like it's, like, memorized into my brain.
Explain Wi Fi to me. How does Wi Fi work? If you don't know, it's fine. But give me your best estimation.
Always give my my best guess. So, like, Wi Fi is, like, a network that, like, gives you, like, a connection to, like, something that's, like, across the country or something instead of, like like, if you have no Wi Fi and, like, if it says, like, you have to have Wi Fi for a game, it's like the power?
Yeah. So there's a signal. It's it's wireless Wi Fi. Right? So there's a signal in the air that your phone or maybe your computer or even your game console might pick up.
And
then that signal gives the device connection to the Internet. And then through the Internet, it goes to another server or computer to get the information that it wants. So Wi Fi is just a way to connect to the Internet without wires.
Instead of, like, having a 40 inch computer that's, like, a bunch of wires are hooked up. Like, you don't know which wire is which, and then, like, you don't accidentally unplug the wire that it's, like, the whole power system.
Yeah. Exactly. You don't wanna have to have a bunch of wires. And if your phone has access to Wi Fi, usually, that's a quicker connection. When it doesn't, it uses the cell phone signal actually to connect to a tower.
That tower, I'm gonna guess, connects to probably a satellite and Mhmm. Or to a wired system or something like that. And then that gets you to the to the to the phone company server, which gives you access to texting or phone calls and even, you know, the Internet itself
Mhmm.
For web pages and apps.
Yeah.
Yeah. And you just learn that stuff by paying attention? You think it's just something people talk about and you just pick it up?
Yeah.
Do you think you learned about the diabetes the same way, or was it more really sitting down with your mom and going over it, or is it maybe a mix?
No. It was like I saw some videos about it, and then, like, it was like my mom did it. It was, like, part like, it wasn't, like, a sit down, like, everything gone in, like, two hours sit down talk. It was, like, spacious stuff because, like, when we first got diagnosed, I would, like, listen in on what the doctor was saying. Mhmm.
Then I would learn off the doctor, and then my mom would, like, reexplain it, like, in a simpler eight year old way.
Yeah. And then you figure it out and then and then had some experiences applied it over and over again. Now you understand. Mhmm. Wow.
That's awesome, man. Do you listen to this at all? Do you ever listen to the podcast, or you just wanted to be on it?
I mean, last year when, like, we were still learning this stuff, we my mom listened to it a lot about, like, all the was, like pros
and things, stuff like that? Yeah. Yeah. Bold beginnings, those those series.
Mhmm.
Gotcha. Yeah. Yeah. Well, you guys really picked it up quickly. What do you know your a one c?
What?
Do you know what your a one c is?
It was, like, 6.2.
Man, that's freaking great. That's really wonderful. Congratulations.
Thanks.
Yeah. You're welcome. Not a lot up and down and a 6.2 a one c. How often do you think you're low where you need to, like, rescue with something, like juice or candy or something?
I'm low. Like, I'd say 15% of the time.
Oh, I didn't know you're gonna break it down to percentages. A couple times a week?
Yeah. A couple times a week, I'm low.
And not too, like, aggressive? Like, are you ever in a situation where you think you can't help yourself?
No. Not really.
But you carry glucagon just in case?
Yeah. I do.
What do you got? The the Baqsimi, the nose powder, or you got the
It's nose powder.
You got the powder? Okay. Okay. Jeez. This is a very successful story.
Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You you foresee a time where your mom is not involved at all?
Probably when I'm at school, she doesn't have to worry about me.
You think college?
College. Yeah.
Yeah. When you said it's oh, when you think during the day when you're at school, she doesn't worry about you?
No. Not much. I'm not just like I text or something.
Okay.
Because I'm allowed to. So
Yeah. No. Yeah. You get to have a phone and use it because of diabetes, so it's one of the perks. Mhmm.
Yeah. Do you ever break the rules and use it for something else?
No. Never done that.
I know you don't realize. I can tell by talking to you. You're a great kid.
Yeah.
Yeah. I wish I had a 10 year old daughter. I'd wait ten years and hook you guys up. You know what I mean?
Yeah.
You like girls at all or not really?
I'm not really interested right now. I I'm gonna focus more on sports and schools.
I think that's what you should be doing at your age.
Mhmm.
Are the girls a what you call a problem, or you like them, but we're not we're not worried about, like, girlfriends and stuff like that?
Not worried about girlfriends, but most of them are drama queens right now. So
Oh, really? A lot of them. A lot of big feelings? You know what I mean?
No.
No? What what do you mean by drama queens?
They, like like they, like, start lies about somebody then, like, those lies get told to the person, then that person wants to start a fight with that with person a. And then person b, the one that got lied to, they wanna start a fight with person a. And then when they fight, they get suspended. But then when they come back, they fight again and just like a never ending fight.
Hey. I don't wanna break your heart, but some of those people grow up to be adults that do that stuff. Oh. Yeah. It's not a lot of fun.
No no wonder Eminem's raps are so good. Look what's going on in Michigan. You know what I mean? Yeah. Is Eminem, like, a cultural hero in Michigan?
He's not He's part of, like, the rap culture, but, like, not, like, Michael Jackson level.
Oh, I see. Do you listen to any Eminem songs?
I used to. It's I'm not really interested anymore.
Really? You're away from this. Now what are we listening to now?
I listen to, like like, Michael Jackson type songs.
You you know, more like classic
Pop. Yeah.
Pop pop music? Yeah? Yeah. Quickly, two of your favorite Michael Jackson songs. I have mine already.
I've pressured you. I
didn't Bad and thriller.
Thriller and bad? Mhmm. You know about black
or Yeah. I know black or white. White?
Yeah. And hold on a second. It's escaping me right now. My go to Michael Jackson song is, like, right out of my head.
I'm gonna You know what the letter it starts with?
I I like how you wanna work it through, but I'm really just gonna cheat and use the Internet. So hold on one second. Okay.
Okay.
Yeah. People are like, what's the letter? We could play 20 questions, but I think the part you're not knowing about me is that I'll never remember. I can need to see the word. I think your brain and my brain probably work a little differently.
Okay. So Michael Jackson, I'm gonna be to it in two seconds, and then I'm gonna give you where is it? Okay. So this isn't it, but I'm a fan of remember the time as well.
Mhmm. Wait. Is it from that album?
Remember the time we fell in I can't sing, but you know what I'm talking about?
Yeah. I know. That's a song.
You're with me. You said thriller.
Yeah.
Right? I like that one. That's a good one, of course. Have you ever seen the video?
Yeah. I've seen the video a bunch of times.
When I was a kid, there used to be a thing called MTV.
I don't what MTV is.
Wait. You yeah. But back when I was a kid, it it it worked differently.
Like, with DVDs?
It was just videos. Just music videos that ran over and over and over again in a line. Oh. Okay? Mhmm.
Smooth Criminal might be one of my favorite Michael Jackson songs.
Smooth Criminal is a good song.
It's a very good song. Anyway, so these these music videos would just run one after another.
Mhmm.
And then VJs, video disc jockeys, would, like, walk out once in a while and, like, you know, say a little something, and then they'd play another video. But twenty four hours a day, there were just always videos on. When thrill when thriller came out, it was it was like a cultural phenomenon.
Oh.
It was crazy. And you'd, like, leave MTV running all day on your television just in case it came on so you could stop and watch it.
Mhmm.
The world used to be a different place.
I bet it did.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's gonna be interesting for you. What Let's kinda ask you a couple of questions about how you do school.
You guys have computers?
Yeah. We use Chromebooks.
Chromebooks. Are you guys using any AI? No. No. Are older kids using it?
Christmas lists, cars, and getting older44:51
Probably.
Probably. Okay. So you're not hearing anybody talk about it. Do you use it at home in your life?
No. I don't I've never I only think I do chat DBT for is, like, Christmas Christmas wish ideas.
Oh, you you couldn't figure out what you wanted, so you asked it what you wanted?
Yeah.
Did it come up with anything you liked?
Yeah. I was told about my personality and that stuff.
You told ChatGPT about your personality and they gave you ideas of things you might want for Christmas.
Yeah.
Did you get any of those things for Christmas?
I got most of the stuff.
Did they end up being things that you enjoyed and used? Mhmm. It fair to say that ChatGPT knows you better than you know yourself?
Definitely not. I'm not.
That's that's good. But it was able to figure this stuff out. Right?
Mhmm.
That's really interesting. So when you said this was your idea, like, you said I'm gonna go ask chat GPT what I should get for Christmas?
Yeah. Because I I had I had like, it was getting close to Christmas time. Like, I still hadn't figured out, like, what, like, I should, like, get for Christmas, like, a wish list or something. Mhmm. So, like, I just don't get, like, random stuff that I didn't want, and then, like, I never use it.
Like, just a waste of time.
Yeah. Was your mom pressuring you for a list?
No. No. She was just, like, reminding me.
Okay. Like, hey. Don't forget. I gotta go Christmas shop and that kind of stuff.
Mhmm.
Alright. And you were like, I'll ask Chad GPT. Now did it ask did did you say to it, hey. What do I want for Christmas? And it said, tell me something about yourself, or did you sit down and say, let me tell you something about myself so you can figure out what I might like for Christmas?
I, like, told it about, like, the stuff that I watch and like and, like, what I'm interested in. And then, like, it, like, came up with ideas that I would, like, want.
Nice. Do you ever do it for have you ever considered using it for other stuff in your life? Learning how to hit a curveball or something like that?
No. I have watched videos of, like, how to do stuff.
Yeah. So YouTube?
Mhmm. YouTube and, like, Google.
Mhmm. That's awesome.
That stuff.
So if you needed to learn how to I don't know. If you needed to learn how to park a car, you'd think to go to YouTube.
I think probably to go to, like, somebody who knows how to drive, like, really good, and then, like, get lessons for in in person because I feel like I learn better that way.
Okay. But if those people didn't exist, I'm saying you would consider YouTube as a way to learn something. Maybe the drive is a bit okay. You think that'll continue as you get older?
I mean, unless there's a new platform that's better than YouTube. You know?
Yeah. I love that you know the word platform in your 10. Yeah. No. I would I would imagine like, I I've probably said this on here before, but when my son was learning to drive, he had to go get his test the next day.
Mhmm.
We just went out one more time to practice in this, like, parking lot.
And then
it just I was a a bad dad. I forgot that he was gonna have to park as part of the test. And I said, oh, gosh. You're gonna have to you're gonna have to back into a parking spot. Like, you're gonna have to parallel park.
And we didn't we didn't practice that at all. And then I tried to show him a little bit, he stopped me and went on YouTube, watched the video, then did it perfectly. Like, in one try.
That's crazy.
Yeah. I think it's because you guys play video games. Because he also doesn't he doesn't use the mirrors. He uses the cameras.
Oh.
But we're older and, like, I still well, I'm getting better at it now. But I watch my wife, like, look at she uses the mirrors when she backs up, but my kids never look at the mirrors. Like, I don't even think their cars need mirrors.
They don't some just in case the cameras break, you probably do need the mirrors.
I hear what you're saying, but you know what I mean. Like, the Yeah. Everything's going okay. Like, they really don't look at them.
Mhmm.
Interesting. You guys are gonna learn in a completely different way.
You never know what cars are gonna look like when I'm 16 because they they're already work there's already a flying car, but it just looks like a helicopter.
Yeah. Well, that's called a helicopter.
Yeah. I know.
I'm teasing you, but you know what I'm saying. And Yeah. Wow. When you're 16 oh god. Do you know how old I'll be when you're 60?
I shouldn't even say it. People stop listening to the podcast. When you're 16, I'll be 61.
That ain't that bad.
Yeah. You don't think so. I'd rather be 16. But fair enough. I'll be so you'll be getting your driver's license when you're 16, like your learner's permit.
Mhmm.
Some states are different ages. I got mine when I was 16. Day of my sixteenth birthday, I was in line getting my driver's license. I'll be 61.
Mhmm.
Possible I'll be getting ready to retire in a couple of years.
Oh, no.
Yeah. I know. Right? Well, don't worry. I can keep making the podcast.
That's that's fine. But, like, I mean, like, bigger stuff. You know I mean?
Oh, yeah. Like, going to like, going all the way down to Florida for friends for life.
Yeah. Right. Because I'm old. I won't be able to move around. I'll be like, I can't come because my thing hurts, whatever, my leg.
You you know? And but I could probably keep doing stuff like that. I'm just talking about, like, advertisers and, like, the work part of this. Mhmm.
Maybe we're Moving around carrying, like, heavy items to, like, a stand that you had to set up.
Yeah. Exactly. You really do understand my life. Thank you. Maybe I'll just do more like I just got back from the cruise.
That went really well. Maybe I'll do, like, more cruises and, like, some podcasts, but not as many. And I don't have to get maybe I wouldn't have to have advertisers anymore. Not that I don't love the advertisers, but it's a lot of work doing the advertising part. Yeah.
Yeah. And then yeah. It might be nice. Alright. I'll think it through.
And you'll be 16?
Yeah.
Oh, wow. You excited to be older?
I don't wanna have to deal with taxes, but, yeah, partly.
Well, you're right. I I mean, the taxes are a bad part of the whole thing. I can't believe that's what you thought of.
It's the most.
Yeah.
Because you because if you buy a house, you have to pay off, like, this stuff. The interest And then you also have to pay taxes while you're paying off the stuff.
Oh, I know, man. It's the worst. It really is bad. I think I think the government should give you one year off every ten years where you don't have to pay taxes.
Or if, like, if you, like, served in the army or something, you should get, like, a discount or something Yeah. Off of, like
That's a good idea. Have you thought about trying to be a senator?
I'm not really into, like, politics. Yeah. But I do I I have learned about it.
You do like to help people, though, don't you?
Mhmm.
Yeah. Do you have any idea why that is? Why do you see problems and want them to be better?
If I, like, see a problem, it's usually, like, when they're younger, like, seven, six, five years old.
Mhmm.
Like, you've had to, like, you have to give them, like, discipline. So, like, they're a well behaved, like, adult and kid.
Yeah. Okay.
Not physical, but, like
Understand. We're not gonna be be beating anybody up, but, like, make sure they know the rules, they stick to them, stuff like that.
Mhmm.
Yeah. Think you could do that as a senator?
Probably. But standing in, like, a crowd of, like, thousands and thousands of people, like, giving a speech or something that
That makes you nervous.
Yeah. Mhmm. And I've I've did a speech probably in front of a 100 people, but that's nowhere near, like, tens and thousands of people.
100 people is a lot of people.
Yeah.
It really is. I I think them I would say I think the most people I've ever spoken in front of was probably at Touched by Type one last year.
Oh my
I don't know.
I mean,
it was such a big room. And if I had to guess like, you know, those big round tables and, like, when at a wedding or something that hold, like, ten, twelve people?
Mhmm.
There had to have been god. I'm I'm guessing. But there there had to be, I I I would think, eight across in the room and maybe 10 or 20 10 or 15 deep maybe. And almost almost the whole thing was full. There's so many people.
Yeah. There's so many people in that room.
So, like, 6,000 people?
No. I think more like maybe 1,500, something like that. Like, 80 times ten, eighty.
Was it only you up there, or was there other people?
Sometimes it was me. And one time, I did it with a friend of mine named Jenny. We were up there at the same time. Yeah. What was funny about that?
I'm sorry.
I was just thinking about how nervous the other person was. Because if you've already, like, done it a bunch of times, you're probably not as nervous.
I wasn't nervous. I don't think Jenny was nervous. She she's she's pretty good at talking to people too. Oh. But but I was I was not I don't get nervous about stuff like that.
Get nervous about other stuff.
Mhmm.
Like like when you said earlier, I don't think my mom worries about me when I'm at school.
Mhmm.
I thought, oh, I bet you she does. But I didn't want I didn't wanna make you feel bad. But I I bet you she thinks about you all the time.
I mean, I would hope so.
Yeah. But what else is she doing? You know?
She's probably dealing with kids in the middle school and high school.
Is she a teacher?
No. She's a parrot pro.
Oh, Jesus. Kids. Are some of them a problem?
Yeah. There's a lot of kids that are a problem, like sixth grade, seventh, seventh, eighth.
A lot of unruly sixth graders?
Yeah. Seventh graders.
What are they doing? Are they are they smoking?
No.
No. Too young for the that you're not seeing the vapes or anything like that. Right?
No.
Yes. Don't do that, by the way. Okay? And
I didn't plan on doing it.
I didn't think you did. I was just just checking in. And Yeah. So was it, like, behavior, like, causing problems between each other? They fight?
Well, the boys, like, mess around, fight, but the girls, like they, like, fight over a boy. Like, in seventh grade, there's there's, like, a whole group of girls that were fighting over a boy.
They hit they don't hit each other. Right? It's more like verbal fighting?
No. They hit each other. They hit each other, then one girl, like like, pulled like, one girl had a ponytail and, like, they pulled her, like, they pulled her hair. Like, they tugged their hair and she, like, fell backwards.
Michael Jackson and the title bit55:42
Oh, I I have to tell you something, Elias. The most aggressive fistfight I was ever witnessed to in my life was between two girls.
I don't know which
They they have a lot of energy.
Mhmm.
Yeah. Yeah. I don't even wanna you're so young. It would make you upset, but that one girl just took the other girl's hair and just smacked her face on a tree. I was like, my goodness.
That's crazy. No cameras back then.
Was it over a boy?
I don't know what they were fighting about, but they weren't messing around. I'll tell you that much. It was, like, it was way before UFC, but it's what it looked like.
It
was terrible. You like that UFC fighting?
No. I've never watched UFC.
Watched it. You know, like the kickboxing and the wrestling and all that stuff.
No. I'm not very aggressive.
No. I can tell that about you. You watch any television, or you don't care about that?
I watch television sometimes, and it's mostly, like, TikTok and YouTube
That's where
you like, my phone.
Okay. Most of your video stuff back from?
Yeah.
Can I ask you a question?
Yeah.
Would you listen to a song if it was a short song about a diabetes idea? Like, just one single idea. Would that be a way that you would be able to learn an idea, or would you prefer it in a video, but a short video? Like, let's say let's pick something concrete. Let's say you didn't understand pre ballsing as well as you do.
Would you like do you think if you needed to explain to you, you'd rather have, like, a face talking to you to tell you? Do you think you'd rather have a song that explains it? Do you think you'd rather read something? What would you be your preferred way to learn that thing?
So what I would choose probably it would be, like, a video of, like, a rhyme or something. It's, like, something unrelated and, like, something related, like, to keep your brain focused on, like, the important and, like, keeping your brain, like like, funds. Like, something fun. You still like, it would keep it in your mind.
Mhmm.
And, like, you could, like, just remember it.
Ryan, could I get you to look at something on my website later and try it and tell me what you think of it?
Yeah.
Okay. Alright. I'll I'll give you I'll give you the link when we're done. Okay?
Okay.
And get your get your opinion. You're a you're a you're a thoughtful kid. I'd I'm interested in what you think. So you could be a focus group. You're a one man focus group.
You know what that is? You walk through the do they have malls anymore?
Yeah. They have malls in Michigan, but, like, only, like, big malls are, like, standing.
I gotcha. We used to do this thing in a mall where, like, a person with a clipboard would come up to you and say, like, can I ask you some questions for a survey? And then they'd pay you money to take the survey. So you'd go into this very strange little room in the side of the mall, usually down by the bathroom. And then they'd put you in a seat, ask you a bunch of questions, write down your answers, and give you a finski, you know, what a $5 is.
Right? And they throw a 5 on you, and you'd be on your way right out to the food court to get something to eat. And and then that's how they used to figure out what people thought. That's a focus like like, a one person focus group, which is what you'll be. But I will not be sending you $5, fish wonder.
Okay. Okay?
Oh, man. I really wanted it.
I know.
I'm just kidding.
No. No. It's not happening. It's not. I heard you can just ask chatty t p t for something, like, your mom gets it for you.
So I I'm not I don't think you're in a struggling situation. You don't need my phone.
That was only for that was only for Christmas.
Christmas is coming again. It'll be here in six months. Relax. You'll be yeah. Okay.
What is it you're looking for for Christmas this year?
Probably, like, get, like, some nice clothes, like, bigger clothes because I'm getting taller and pretty fast. So, like, I'm probably gonna need new clothes for, like, winter and that stuff.
Nice. Yay. Plus you wanna look nice. They say look good, feel good. Ever heard that?
Yeah. I've heard that before.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think you've heard everything before. What's your do you read?
No. I only read, like, in school.
Okay.
Like, when we're when I'm doing anything, I just started reading.
But you wouldn't pick up a book?
I mean, I would, like, if, like, there was nothing else to do. Like, no like, there was no upside or, like, no playing basketball or baseball or that stuff.
You might find it. Yeah. But you prefer TikTok what do you like on TikTok? It's is it, like, funny stuff? Is it educational?
Like, what what are you scrolling?
I'm like it's like it's like it's like a mixture of everything.
Okay.
It's like funny, like scary stuff, and then learning, and then, like, learning funny scary stuff.
You like it when people fall?
Like, fall?
Yeah. Like, videos when people fall over.
That's it's kinda classic, but, yeah, I still laugh at that.
I like that you called it classic and said I still laugh at it. I love watching people fall. I don't know why and when babies, like, curse, who doesn't love a baby cursing? You know what I mean?
Yeah.
Or, like, when they you ever see the moms, they take their daughters into or their sons into a room, like, with a mirror, and they, like, say, look. Gonna leave the room and you can say whatever you want for a minute. So if you wanna curse, you can do it now.
Yeah.
And then the kids are, like, sometimes they just say, like, the, like, cutest little things that aren't really curses, but some of the kids are, like, viciously cursing. You've seen those?
Yeah. I've seen those before.
It is funny. Right?
Mhmm.
Yeah. So this one little girl, she just gave her she just gave the finger to the mirror. She was, like, so, like, defiant about it. Very funny. You don't do that, I imagine.
No. I don't I don't even know if, like, when I was born, like, when I was a baby, I don't think we had we only had, like, a camera, like, an actual, like, camera that, like, would print the photos there.
My man. Sure. Yeah. You mean, like, like, cameras on phones didn't, like, do all this back then?
Yeah. I don't know. Because, like, my mom wanted baby photos, like, that she could keep with me.
Yeah.
Instead of me just taking a selfie and, like, posting it on Instagram, like, it like, you'll never find it again.
It is kind of great. Is she interrupting? Tell her, get get out. We're doing it. We're having fun.
We don't need her. What's going
on? No?
Tell her same same Scott said we're not done. We'll call you. So she's checking on you because it's been an hour?
No.
No? What was that noise I heard in the background?
Yeah. My AC turning off.
Oh, I thought it was your mom. Sorry.
Mhmm. It's okay.
I was having a good time with you. Yeah. Let me let me ask one last question, then I'm gonna ask you to finish up with telling me some stuff that you think people should know about diabetes. Okay? Okay.
What he wants people to know1:02:30
Summertime, lot of good movies coming out this summer. Are you interested? Do you go to the theater?
I went I went to the Michael Jackson movie in April, but that technically wasn't summer. But that was a really good movie. Mhmm. And I went to choice to revive movie. That was really good.
I do recommend watching it.
Okay. I've heard that.
And I'm a I I wanna watch the new minions movie. I don't know if it's still in theaters or it's in theaters right now.
Mhmm. Where we at is Spider Man?
Yeah. I I don't I'm not really interested in spire Spider Man, like, superhero stuff.
Okay. Okay. Okay. Do you like those, like, movies about like, do like, older movies? Like, people for like like, I don't know.
Like, aliens are coming, that kind of stuff?
Yeah. Like, I forgot its name. It was just, like, a huge alien mothership that, like it's, like, a size of, like, half of the city.
Mhmm.
I don't know what it's called.
It's a movie you've already seen or one that's coming out now?
It's a movie that I've already seen. And my dad likes it a lot, so I watched it one time with him. I really liked it.
Independence Day?
Yeah. Independence Day.
With Big Willie, Will Smith in it?
Mhmm.
Mhmm. You don't know you don't know Will Smith from the singing. Right? You know him from movies.
I know him from the Will Smith like, the slap thing.
Oh, that's how you know Will Smith? Hi, Will. That's funny. You were Big Willie style, and now you're that terrible. I couldn't believe he hit hit Chris Rock like that.
Yeah. Terrible. Right?
Yeah.
Yeah. No call for that at all.
Mhmm.
Alright. Gotta control yourself. Okay. Alright. So movies, not so much.
Now when you're at the theater, do you have any trouble bolusing for the popcorn and the candy, or you're pretty good at it?
I go high because I don't pre bolus at the movies because I'm, like, so locked in in the movie. I completely forget that I have to pre bolus, and then, like, I start eating and then, like, I just shoot up.
Yep.
And, like, the movie, I can't remember anything about it. So, like
Gotta pre bolus while you're in line getting the food.
Mhmm.
That's that's your good timing right there for that.
I'll I'll try to remember that next time I go to the movies.
I hope you do. That's awesome. You go with the fam usually? You guys all go together?
Yeah. But I I saw the Michael Jackson movie just with my sister because we're we're the only two that likes Michael Jackson in our family.
Yeah. Maybe we should call this episode smooth criminal. Right? What do you
think?
I mean, you love Michael Jackson, obviously.
Smooth blood sugar?
Smooth blood sugar? I'll get you trying to get fancy on me. Hold on a second. We should ask ChatGPT. I'll do that.
When I'm all done, I'll put this in you know what? In honor of you, I'm gonna put this I'll put this transcript into ChatGPT, and I'll say, you now know all about Elias. What Michael Jackson themed title should we call this episode? Mhmm. Alright?
Whatever it comes up with is what I'll I'll call it. Okay?
Okay.
Alright. So what I'm gonna let you go in a minute. But just if you had an opportunity to talk to people with type one diabetes, kids, adults, parents who are helping kids, anybody at all, what would you want them to know? What do you think would be valuable for them?
I would want them to know that, like, diabetes isn't just, like, a an island. Like, we need people to help us. Like, sometimes you're you're gonna need we're gonna need help, like, bolusing, low snacks. And we, like, we really, like we just need, like, some help sometimes.
Yeah. Just like the rest of life, really. Mhmm. Yeah. Some it's hard.
You know? Life's easier when you have people around you being supportive. Mhmm. And when you let those people support you too. Is it always easy to allow people to help you, or just sometimes you feel
Sometimes it's, like, almost like I'm being, like, taught again how to do it, but I'm just teaching them.
Yeah.
It's almost like
You don't mind when people are helping you. You appreciate it.
Yeah. I appreciate people helping you.
I hope all you adults are listening. The ones that I interview don't want people helping and can't find a way to prevulse. Elias is just out there kicking your ass all over the place with diabetes, just so you know. You think this is gonna be able to be sustainable, Elias? You think you'll be able to keep this going as you get older?
Yeah. Probably.
Don't see any reason why not?
Yeah. I don't see any reason why not.
Yeah. Set a nice expectation for yourself. You know? Mhmm. You're terrific.
You got any pets?
Yeah. I have two dogs that are jumping right behind me right now.
What kind of dogs?
Australian shepherd, then a border collie, and Australian shepherd mix.
Nice. Do have any smaller animals in your house?
Yeah. Have a cat.
Cat? A cat is smaller than a dog. I meant more like a fish or a gerbil or
No. No.
Nothing like that. While I'm talking to you, I'm watching four emerald tree skinks run around like little they just they're, like, little lunatics. They're the most they're just so visually interesting. Ever watch a fish tank and something's always moving around? Mhmm.
These little lizards are like that. They never stop. They just jump from place to place and run around, and they eat like crazy. I'm gonna have to go give them something to murder in a second. Okay.
I'll let you choose. Do you wanna give them super worms or crickets?
Crickets.
Crickets. Alright. Well, when I'm done here, I'm gonna give them a couple of crickets. They will saw them in half. It's, horrifying.
But, but they seem to really enjoy it.
Mhmm.
I don't the cricket seems to enjoy it less as you can probably imagine.
Mhmm.
Yeah. Alright, man. Listen. You've answered all my questions. You've given good advice to people.
You've been a really good conversationalist. How about I try to keep this thing going till I'm 61?
Mhmm.
And you when you're 16, you come back and do it again.
Yeah.
Would you do that?
Yeah. I'd do that.
Alright. I need incentive to keep going. And talking to you again would be good incentive.
Mhmm.
Do do you think your mom thinks you're as awesome as I think you are?
I would hope so, but, yeah, probably.
Probably? If I hit pause here for a second, we said goodbye, would you go grab your mom for me so I could talk to her for half a second?
Yeah. Mom, come here.
So she's gonna need the earphones, Elias. So let me say goodbye to you, man. I really appreciate your time. Thank you.
Alright. Goodbye.
Bye. This is awesome.
Alright.
Hey. Put those in. I wanna talk to you for a second.
Alright.
You okay to be recorded?
Yeah.
Okay. Tell me when you're ready.
I'm ready.
A word with Elias's mom1:09:29
Alright. So I asked Elias, after watching your mom be so bad at hooking up the computer, isn't it amazing that she's good at other stuff? He wouldn't even say anything bad about you.
I know. That's because he's a good kid.
He really is. Is the girl that good?
Yes. I'm lucky. Both my kids are good.
Are same dad? Because they're eight years apart. That's why I asked.
Nope. My daughter has a different father.
Okay. I figured that right out. Yeah. Yeah. I I nobody waits eight years and thinks, oh, we should have another second kid.
But that's not how that works at all.
Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. So he loves her too.
Yes. They they are really close.
I asked him
For being eight years apart, they're very close.
Yeah. No. He said they, like, they they drive around. She speeds sometimes. They have a lot of fun.
That makes sense. She does drive like me. So
I asked if he thought he'd cry when she left for college, and he was like, no. Why would I? And I was like, I mean, I I cried when my son left for college. And he goes, well, you know, you're his dad. That makes sense.
He's incredibly sensible.
Yes. He is.
What do you think his IQ is? Do you think it's in the one forties?
He he I would assume it's high.
Yeah. But he's but he's also articulate and, like, he's a casual speaker too.
Yes.
He's not like He No offense to all you really smart, weird people, but he's not weird. Not that I think that's something there's any problem with that. You know what I mean? Like, he's socially, like, smooth.
Yes. No. He and he's very intelligent beyond his years. He always has been even this when he was little, though.
Be super serious, though. Are you? No. No. I mean, I heard you kinda put it
up the computer now. He's definitely smarter than you.
And then, like, what about the what about the dad, the the guy that you allowed to move into the house?
Kind of.
He he I'm taking that as a no.
Mean, like, it depends on what you're talking about. Like, sports, yes. He's very smart. Other things, not so much.
This is like when two ugly people have a hot kid.
Yes. Yes. Most definitely. Sorry. Nope.
Nope. Completely. I get it, and I agree completely.
I swear to god. I see my daughter sometimes, and I'm like, I have no idea how any of that happened. Like, I I don't think I have an unpleasant face, and my wife is certainly pretty. But my goodness. Like, Arden looks like a supermodel.
Yes. And I don't know how that happens. You you know?
I have no idea how he got he's good at sports, Andy Smart, and that is definitely not me.
If if you saw my son do anything athletic, you and then looked at me, you'd go, what did they steal that kid out of a mall or something? Like, you'd have you'd no idea. I've said mall twice now. Say that's ridiculous. But yeah.
I I don't know how that happens. But, anyway, back to him. Is it hard to parent a kid who is that thoughtful and bright, or is it just easier? Or
No. I think it's harder sometimes for sure.
Do you actually have moments when you think, shit. He might be smarter than me?
Yes. Yeah. That's He's definitely gonna be smarter than me without even a doubt.
I swear I have the same feeling when I'm talking to my kids. I'm like I'm like, what is going on? Like, are you gonna make me feel bad on top of everything else? You know what I mean? Like because Yeah.
He is.
I don't think he'd do it on purpose, but wow. I mean, he said he wanted to be a doctor, and I thought I think he could be.
Yeah. He's he's always said that he wanted to be an endocrinologist now since he was diagnosed.
Yeah. My goodness. He's awesome.
And his sister's going to be an RN.
Is she? I would, a 100%, steal him from you if I could. Like, I think I seriously, I I think he's gonna be an earner. You know what I mean? Like, I'd like to lock him up now.
Like, I'm thinking of him as, like, a low stock guy could get cheap. Think
I keep I keep trying to I'm like, people he's like, he enjoys talking to people. He's smart.
I don't know that it's crazy to do a VC, a little venture capital, like, you know, growth thing for him. May maybe have a have ten, twenty people throw in $20 on him and tell him you'll pay him back off earnings first five years. Think I think you could I think I might throw in a little money on that. He's like he really seems like a safe bet is what I'm saying.
Yeah. Wow. No. He's definitely and he does, like like, the breakthrough stuff. He's telling me.
He's he enjoys doing all of that.
He's thoughtful about it.
We're sad we couldn't go to Friends for Life this year, but it just was not in budget.
Why are you going to Tennessee?
Yes. We are.
Yeah. I know. I got the whole thing. I I mean, you know, he's my goodness. Dollywood.
We are actually not going to Dollywood.
He thinks you are, so be careful.
Yeah. No. Uh-huh. We we changed our minds. Or he might be talking.
We're gonna stop at the
Grand Ole Opry?
No. Dolly just opened up a new gas station thing
Oh, yeah. She did a Dolly Buc ee's.
Yes. Yes. And so we're gonna stop there. And, of course, we're going to Buc ee's too. That's on our list.
Oh, I mean, if you're not gonna vacation to the gas station, what are you doing, Roy? And so and then what into Nashville?
Yep. We're gonna stay a day in Nashville, and then we're going two days down to Gatlinburg. Well, we're staying in Knoxville. But
Okay. Gatlinburg. So for the mountains? Yep.
Yeah. Yep. We're gonna go drive through the mountains. We're gonna go across the bridge.
I think there's a cable car you can take to the top of one of those mountains. Pretty cool.
Yes. We're doing that, and then we're going to the the Titanic Museum.
There's a The Titanic Museum in Tennessee?
Yes. White white. It is awesome. Like, you get to feel the water of, like, what the temperature was when the Titanic went down. We went like, Elias was only, like, three or four
Going back again.
When we went the last time. So
You guys are terrific. I I hope there's more people out there like him. Sorry. Well, what's happened? Are you is there a chicken in the room?
What's that noise?
Oh, no. My dog my daughter walked in from outside.
Oh, don't be. Don't be.
And so my dog assumes that there's somebody running into our house.
Oh, I think your noise canceling headphones made it sound like a chicken. It went buck buck buck. I was like, jeez.
Nope. That was our dog.
Okay. Awesome. Like, you guys are terrific. I I I I think we should whatever you're doing, what I I think you should be in charge of making 30 more babies like him.
Oh, heck no.
Spreading them. You're like, no. It's okay. I'm good.
I'm done. Two is enough.
Hey. No autoimmune in your family?
I have thyroid issues, so that was like and then my grandma had lupus, but that's, like, the only connection to diabetes or to, like, autoimmune in our family.
Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Hey. Listen.
I told him I'll keep doing this for six more years so we can do this when he gets his driver's license again. I did tell him I'm gonna be 61 when that happens, but he seemed to be okay with it.
Yeah. He's probably like, okay. Sounds good. Whatever.
Yeah. I I I have this feeling it's on his calendar right now. What do you think of that?
Yeah. He might he he does not forget things. Do not let him fool you. He will act like he forgot something, but he does not forget anything.
I told him if I had a 10 year old daughter, I'd wait ten years and hook him up with her. But he's not interested in girls, by the way, so you know, right now.
Yeah. That's a lie too. He's had girlfriends already this year.
He said there's a lot of drama with him.
There is. He and that's why he stays away from them now because they are drama.
Yeah. I I tried, but I the the the one the one I have is lives in my house, so there's not a lot I
can do about it. You know what I mean? So
Yeah. Girls are just naturally that way.
I don't think you're supposed to say that out loud.
Well, it's I mean, it's the truth.
Boys play
Boys are just more chill. Yeah. They just, like, are like, okay.
Until they start hitting each other, and then who knows? Anyway, Alright. Listen. You guys are absolutely terrific. I'm so happy we met and that you got Elias back on so I could talk to him a little longer.
You can tell how much more mature he is even just a year later from talking to him the first time.
Yeah. And he loves doing that stuff. Like He's
really impressive little kid. Seriously.
Talking to people. And I keep trying to make them get him on Facebook, but we never had the time to make the videos. He used to do TikTok. We don't do TikTok anymore. We do Facebook and Instagram now.
Yeah. He talked to me a little bit about all that. I asked him how he would learn. I also actually asked him if he would listen to some of kids songs and tell me if he thought they were any good for learning. So and or or just I just wanted his feedback.
I was like, you're like a great focus group. I I literally wanna hear what you have to say about this.
Oh, and he'd tell you straight up. He's very honest.
Well, give him the link. Do you know what I'm talking about? Juice It's boxpodcast.com/jukebox.
Okay.
And there's songs for really little kids, and then there's songs for kinda tween kids. He I'm not asking him to listen to them all, but ask him to pop around through a couple of songs, and then tell him he can send me his thoughts. He also told me he wants to write an essay about pre ballsing for the website.
Oh, perfect.
Yeah. So give him all that stuff to do. Keep him busy.
I will. And I will have him look at listen to a couple of those songs too.
Thank you. I have no idea how you raised a 10 year old boy who doesn't care about the Spider Man movie, but I think I think maybe you might have a parenting book in you.
So Yeah. He just he's very chill.
Would your parenting book be have Elias and then it's not so hard?
Yeah. Someday. Someday. Oh, listen.
Everybody's got a moment. Anyway, Miranda, I really appreciate you doing this with me. Thank you so much. I
And thank you for having him on Oh, of course. Again.
No. He was terrific. He really was. I'm gonna put a Tandem Moby ad on this one so people can see, like, what terrific kids wear Tandem Moby.
Oh, yeah. Yeah. No. We love the MOBI too.
I know you do. Tandemdiabetes.com/juicebox. Use the link. Support the show.
Quit trying to take my headphones out. He's trying to listen still. He's hoping to try to take it out to hear what's being said. No.
No. No.
You're good. Tell him I'm gonna let you go. There's nothing left to do. Alright.
Thank you so much. You. Thank for having us. We appreciate it. Bye bye.
Bye.
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