#1963 Irritable Uterus
Irritable Uterus
Lea is a paramedic who had gestational diabetes, was told it would resolve after delivery, and watched her blood sugar stay high anyway. A year into a type 1 diagnosis, she talks about what everyone missed.
Jump to a moment
- Gestational diabetes was the first signal, and it got filed under “resolved.” Lea was told what most people are told — that her risk of type 2 would rise, that breastfeeding and activity would help, and that it would be over once the placenta was out. She had her son at 35 weeks after an irritable uterus and bed rest, wore a Dexcom briefly around delivery, and watched her glucose climb into the 200s after a post-C-section soda and candy.
- The rise got explained away, more than once. The steroids given for her son's lung development were the first explanation, then postpartum hormones. The plan was to recheck her A1c in six months and expect it to be normal. She was banking on all of it. When she told her OB the numbers were still up, the checking had already stopped after delivery.
- She is a paramedic, and it still took a year. Like several recent guests from inside medicine, Lea describes having professional exposure to diabetes that didn't translate into recognizing it in herself. She now says the experience has changed what she notices at work.
- Her three-year-old has become part of the routine. He recognizes the Dexcom alarms, announces that his pretend sugar is low and requires a pretend snack, and asked whether her pump was ground-proof as well as waterproof. She's offered to let him help with site changes.
- She had him screened for antibodies, and wants to know. He was negative, and their pediatrician recommended rechecking every few years. Lea's reasoning for wanting to know is about preparation rather than control — she also notes that routine well-child visits don't check blood sugar, which she finds odd given everything else they draw. Screening decisions belong with your own pediatrician.
- Diabetes Pro Tip series — Episodes 1000-1025 — settings, insulin timing, and food impact.
- Bold Beginnings series — Scott and Jenny Smith for the newly diagnosed — Lea's first year, essentially.
- Juicebox Podcast Facebook group — The private community, free to join.
- Juice Cruise 2027 — The third annual Juicebox community cruise, on sale now.
Every word of the conversation
Cold open & sponsors0:04
Welcome back, my friends, to the diabetes show that never ends. Remember this, nothing you hear on the juice box podcast should be considered advice medical or otherwise. Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan or becoming bold with insulin. Are we gonna see you this year at juice Cruise twenty twenty seven? Do you like getting together in warm weather locations to have fun with others who you have a lot in common with?
Juiceboxpodcast.com/juicecruise. Go check it out now. There's no pressure from me. But if you're looking for a great getaway with absolutely fantastic people who are gonna understand your life in ways that you can't imagine right now, you want to go to juiceboxpodcast.com/juicecruise and check it out. There's pictures from last year and information about next year all on that website.
Today's podcast is sponsored by US Med and Tandem Diabetes Care. What a pair. I'm a poet and didn't even know it. This episode of the podcast is sponsored by the Tandem MOBI system, which is powered by Tandem's newest algorithm, Control IQ Plus technology. Tandem MOBI has a predictive algorithm that helps prevent highs and lows and is now available for ages two and up.
Learn more and get started today at tandemdiabetes.com/juicebox. You can get your diabetes supplies from the same place that we do. And I'm talking about all your favorites, Dexcom, Libre, Omnipod, Tandem, I let much, much more. Go to usmed.com/juicebox or call (888) 721-1514. Get your supplies the same way we do from US Med.
Nine years married, one year diagnosed1:52
Hey, everybody. I'm Lee. I am, a type one diabetic, and I was diagnosed almost a year ago.
One year ago. How old are you now?
I'm 32.
32. Okay. You got kids? Are you hitched? What's going on in your life?
Yeah. So I've been married for nine years this month, and we have a three year old son, and he is actually kind of how diabetes came to be.
Alright. We'll figure that out. My my anniversary was this month too. Happy anniversary.
Happy anniversary.
Thank you. Thirty years even though you didn't ask. Wow. That's right. Wow.
You know what that wow means for everybody listening? She's thinking of murdering her husband. It's only been nine years, and she's wondering how she's gonna make it twenty one more years. Is that what just happened in your head, Leah?
I mean, we have our days for sure.
She's like, I gotta live with this guy for twenty one more years? But your daughter, she'll be daughter. Right? Son. Son.
Your son will be twenty four one day, and you'll be like, oh my god. Like, how long have we been doing all this? Then he'll be 30, and you'll be like, it's too late now. You you know what I mean? Like, I know that.
We were just talking, last week about, like, how much life we've lived in the past nine years and how much has changed. It's really crazy when you think about it.
What's changed?
The accident that changed their perspective3:17
Well, so lots has lots have happened. My husband got burned last actually in an accident. And I feel like kind of life, our perspective has just shifted a lot, since that happened. You know, you really think about like how fragile life is.
But Leah, when you say accident, you're not making finger quotes. Right?
No. No. No.
No. No.
Definitely not.
Not you're not telling me I almost got him. What are you trying what what what happened? This is terrible.
Yeah. He he was burning yard debris. He had just gotten off a twenty four hour shift. He was a paramedic at the time and had gotten off a twenty four hour shift and had maybe gotten three hours of sleep. And he was trying to get some yard work done in the morning before it got hot.
It was summertime. It was last July. And he used gasoline to try to light it, which, you know, words to the wise don't do that. And he poured a trail so that he wouldn't be standing right beside, you know, the big fire and was standing in the middle of the trail when he lit it because he forgot where he started the trail, likely because he was very tired. And so he blew himself up.
And so he got flown to the burn center, and we spent about two weeks there. But we are very thankful that he's doing really well now. And, you know, we have been cleared from all the wound care and all that good stuff. Jesus. It definitely changes Terrible.
Your perspective. Yeah. It was rough.
A couple things that that throw me off. First of all, today, I'm doing a double recording. So I just finished a half an hour ago from a lady with a lady from London. So the accent shift is bananas right now. Okay.
But but I hear your accent, and I think these feel like people to me who should know how to burn yard debris. And, it's not it's not the case. It's it's, I could have told him. By the way, this is not advice, but you a tiny little bit in a cup, you only need the tiniest little bit, and it it's you know what I mean? Just eat you know, oh, I'm so sorry.
And the fumes are the problem because they fill the air and they lay well, he found out. Oh my god. Were his eyes okay?
So he had burns on one side of his face, but, fortunately, his I mean, his eyelashes got singed. His hair got singed, but his vision's totally fine. He had burns on his face, neck, a little bit on his back, his arms, and legs.
Any scarring? Yes.
He does have scarring. His face looks the best, and his leg looks the worst. But really, I mean, if you didn't really know, like, what happened looking at him from a distance, you would have no idea.
Wow. I have to admit though, if you were gonna make me pick between my face and my leg, I think it went the right way for him. So Yeah. Yeah. For sure.
Wow. Goodness gracious. That's and and were you home when this happened?
I was at work, and he was very calm. He called me and said, hey. I burned myself. And I was like, okay. Well, you know, if if you need to go to the hospital before I get home, you know, just call the ambulance.
And then my mom, she lives a few houses down. He called her to come over. She came over and called me and said, hey. He's saying he thinks it's, like, 30%. And I was like, oh, shit.
Well, let me just head on to the firm center because he will be definitely leaving before I can get home. So
And that's some what kind of work do you do?
Well, it's kind of a complicated question. So I am an occupational therapist, but I also have been a paramedic for ten years this year also.
Just waiting for somebody to say OnlyFans. You know what I mean? But it's not happening.
Yeah. That is not me
for It's not you for sure. No. I didn't mean it would be you. I just, like, I just keep waiting for because it's gonna I mean, someone one day is gonna be like, I make content and they're not gonna go any further. I'm gonna be like, oh, alright.
I see what's happening. Okay. So you both have, like, kind of a a a paramedic type background. And and he you said he doesn't do it anymore. Is it because his buddies made so much fun of him he couldn't stand going to work any longer, or what happened there with the job shift?
I think just, so what was kinda crazy is he had had a call just a few months before he got burned, that he said was the worst call of his life. And it was also a burn patient, and that patient was still in the burn center when he was there. And I think mentally, that was really tough, for him. Interesting. And then just kind of the anxiety of, you know, you don't ever know what you're gonna get when you're on the ambulance.
I mean, you could get toe pain. You could get a cough. You could also get, you know, a severe burn. You could get something horrible. And so I think just kind of the mental toll that the burn, took on him
Well, yeah.
He just needed a change.
And how does that not that his impact isn't important, but, like, you said it changed everything. So how does that impact you and your life?
So, you know, our life has looked a little bit different. You know, right after he got burned, we had gotten out of the burn center, I think, August 1 maybe or the the very end of July. And I had my first endocrinology appointment a week and a half later and got my diagnosis. So it all kind of happened really fast. And we had planned to maybe try to have another child last year, and that kind of changed things too.
But really kind of it just changes your perspective on, you know, the value of family, the value of how you spend your time because you really never know, like, when your last day is gonna be and like that. And so I think just overall perspective shift.
Yeah. Time once you get that feeling, that that should help you. You know what I mean? Like, through life. It should be valuable for you to listen.
I've been talking about this in my personal life the last couple of days, but I think that once you get over the shock of really coming to grips with the idea that you are going to cease to exist at some point, it makes life better. I have always disliked ordering diabetes supplies, and I'm guessing you have as well. It hasn't been a problem for us though for the last few years because we began to use US Med back then, and you can too. Usmed.com/juicebox or call (888) 721-1514 to get your free benefits check. US Med has served over one million people living with diabetes since 1996.
They carry everything you need from CGMs to insulin pumps and diabetes testing supplies and even more than that. I'm talking about all the good ones, all your favorites, Libre three, Dexcom g seven, the pumps like Omnipod five, Tandem, and the Islet pump from Beta Bionics. They have even more than that. You gotta go check them out because the stuff you're looking for, they have it at US Med. (888) 721-1514.
Gestational, and what she was told10:21
Or go to usmed.com/juicebox to get started now. Use my slink. Use my slink. Use my link to support the podcast. That's usmed.com/juicebox.
Now let's talk about the Tandem Mobi insulin pump from today's sponsor, Tandem Diabetes Care. Their newest algorithm Control IQ plus technology and the new Tandem Mobi pump offer you unique opportunities to have better control. It's the only system with Autobulls that helps with missed meals and preventing hyperglycemia. The only system with a dedicated sleep setting, and the only system with off or on body wear options. Tandem Ovi gives you more discretion, freedom, and options for how to manage your diabetes.
This is their best algorithm ever, and they'd like you to check it out at tandemdiabetes.com/juicebox. When you get to my link, you're going to see integrations with Dexcom sensors and a ton of other information that's gonna help you learn about Tandem's tiny pump that's big on control. Tandem diabetes dot com slash juice box. The Tandem Mobi system is available for people ages two and up who want an automated delivery system to help them sleep better, wake up in range, and address high blood sugars with Autobolus. It just it it really does, like, help you to appreciate things, to not waste time, to see respite as valuable.
And there's a lot that comes with just giving yourself over to the idea that this doesn't last forever.
Yeah. I agree. And yeah. Yeah. It's while it was horrible and wouldn't wish it on anyone or their family, you know, just being able to have that perspective of, you know, being grateful for every day you have and Yeah.
You know, thankful for community who steps up when you need help. Yeah. We live in a really small town, and we felt so fortunate to have meals and have, you know, people got us gas cards and things traveling back and forth.
Well, that's just them trying to be funny with the gas. Tell tell them that's not okay. He must need gas. He blew all his up. You know?
I'd by the way, if I was a friend, I would have stopped by and said, hey. I got you a gas card because I know you used all yours. And that's terrible. Have you made fun of him since then about it, is it too touchy?
I can't say that I have. Look at you.
You're a good person.
Sometimes. Now he he jokes about it sometimes, but I just kinda you know, if he goes with it, I'll go with it, but I just try to, you know
Well, did it shock you? Do was it traumatic for you? Because you said it happened right before your diagnosis. Right? Well, I'm gonna shift my question.
Is there other autoimmune or type one diabetes in your family?
Not a bit. My endo asked me, like, anybody else have thyroid, diabetes, anything? And I was like, nope. And he said, well, there's always gotta be a first. I was like, okay.
That's not valuable. Wait. Listen. Celiac, vitiligo, a ton of allergies in your family. Anything, like, immune related?
Nothing. Nobody has allergies. No celiac. Nothing.
What and would you say were you really traumatized by your husband blowing himself up? Or, like, because some people talk about stress bringing it on.
You know, I it was really difficult for me, I think, because every two days, I was going back and forth from the burn center to home so I could see our son And just, you know, I think initially not knowing how bad it was, that was the worst part for me once I got there and saw him, and I was like, okay. We can handle this. And once he got through his surgery, I was good. And it was just kind of like, I shifted into kind of the health care mode, and I was like, okay. We gotta address these wounds.
You gotta be up and moving and stretching and doing all the things. Then I think maybe afterwards, it hit me a little bit more, like, emotionally.
Yeah.
But and as far as my diagnosis, like, I wasn't necessarily shocked by that because I had gestational with my son, and I really think that's kind of how it all started because
Okay. Yeah.
My OB said, you know, once your placenta is out, you know, everything should go back to normal. And that was not the case for me, so I knew something was up. I just didn't know exactly what.
Okay. I've I've one more question about about your husband, then we're gonna move on to your thing. Did it knock did it knock him off his feet?
So do you mean, like, physically Sorry.
I meant I meant literally. Did it, like, did it throw him the explosion, or did the fire just engulfed him?
So the fire kind of engulfed him for and it's crazy. Our we have, like, a ring camera on our door, and it was facing where the burn pile is. And it actually caught all of it on video, which he loved to show the nurses and the doctors at the burn center. But it, like, engulfed him for a few seconds, and then you could see him take off running. And then he was like, oh, wait.
Like, I need to to stop, you know, get the clothes off and everything. And then he came back to the house because it was, like, maybe 300 yards from the house. And he came back to the house, you know, got under the water hose, and called my mom and and called the ambulance.
Did he did he stop, drop, and roll, or did he or is that not a thing they teach the people anymore?
So it's funny. He used to be a firefighter, and so he knows he knows to do that.
And didn't do it anyway?
In the moment, he was just like, oh my god. Like, I just blew myself up. I'm in so much pain.
Goddamn right. Yeah. No kidding.
He did not stop drop and roll. But he did he did remember to, like, okay. I gotta get these burning clothes off and get under the water hose.
Leah, tell me. Is there an image of a half dressed man running back towards your your house on the the Ring camera footage or no?
So if there is, I have not seen it, but I'm sure it is on the camera.
Cut that out. He was like, listen. This is the he's like, and by the way, what about boys? He's like, hey. You guys wanna see video of me blowing myself up in the yard?
Like, you know what I mean? Like, that's not
Yes. He anybody who wanted to look, he was happy to show.
That's really something. Alright. So so you're pregnant how long ago?
Oh gosh. Making me do math. In 2022, however long that was. So, like, four years, I think.
Yeah. Before he blew himself up or there's no way you let him get you pregnant. Like, he just yeah. He would have been like, look what I picked over here. And so I'm like, so you're so 2022, you're pregnant.
The pregnancy goes on, like like, you know, where you've I guess, were you trying to get pregnant? Was it easy to get pregnant? Yeah. How long into it before you failed the glucose tolerance test, that kind of stuff?
Yeah. So it was planned. Actually had two losses prior to getting pregnant with our son. But pregnancy went off without a hitch until that dag on glucose test. And I knew that day after taking it, like, I felt so horrible.
And then I think my sugar crashed, like, two hours after I started because I was, like, shaky and feeling weak. And I was like, I don't think I can go back to work. And then I think, like, a day or two later, I got the results. And they called me, and she said, I mean, you can take the three hour, but there's really no need because it was so high that that, you know, there's really no point. Mhmm.
And I was like, well, dang it.
What
So then
What led to it? Was there some was it part of the process, like, just naturally, or did something happen that made them want to give it to you?
Yeah. So it was at, I think, like, twenty four, twenty six weeks, something like that. I had had a pretty unremarkable pregnancy up until that point.
Okay. Twenty four, twenty six weeks. And then after that, did they put you on insulin, or how do they manage it through the pregnancy?
So, she told me initially to, you know, how to check my blood sugar and then, to try to, like, limit my carb intake, you know, you can have 30 to 45 grams of carbs with meals and then no more than 15 for snack. And I got set up with the dietitian. I worked at a hospital at the time, and so I just went and saw the dietitian there And, you know, got all the the details on carbs and and different types of carbs and, you know, protein and all all that good stuff. And then I was still having trouble keeping my numbers kind of under control. And so she put me on metformin.
I didn't really see much of a difference, but I had to eat super, super low carb, to keep my my numbers where they wanted them. And I had a lot of feelings about my gestational diagnosis. I was mad, angry. I was like, I've already lost two pregnancies. Like, why did this have to happen to me?
It's not fair. And I think the day after my I got my diagnosis, it was rehab week, and I'm an occupational therapist. And so, of course, there's sweets everywhere. I remember that box of doughnuts, and I just remember staring down all of my friends that I worked with. And I was like, you enjoy your doughnuts.
I'm sitting over here not able to eat. Like, I was so angry, and I couldn't have a doughnut. I will never forget that box of doughnuts.
Bed rest, and a thirty-five week baby20:08
You sons of bitches. You're all just gonna eat those doughnuts in front of me?
Right in front of me. Oh, so angry.
Oh my god. Do you still feel that way when people have, like, food around that you're trying to avoid? I mean, are you trying to avoid it or no?
So now that I'm on insulin, like, now I have my type one diagnosis and I'm on insulin, I'm the kind of person that if I want something, I'm gonna dose for it and I'm gonna have it. Like, I because I went through such a hard, like, time around food when I had gestational diabetes that I, you know, I don't try to restrict myself. Do try to eat relatively healthy. You know, if there's a box of donuts for rehab week, I'm going to have one.
Having a donut. Damn it. You've been at it for three years now?
So after do you mean, like, the diabetes?
Yeah. Type one, like, diagnosis.
So after I had my son, I still had, like, one or two Dexcoms. And so my OB was like, well, you can just wear them and you should see your numbers go back to normal. Well, they did not at all. And so they kinda followed me and trended my a one c, you know, every, like, six months. And they put me back on metformin, upped my dose of metformin, and my a one c was always, like, in the prediabetic range.
But I was like, something is just not right. At the time, I think I was, like, a hundred and four pounds, and I'm five four. Mhmm. So I was very, very thin. And I was like, this is just not making sense.
And so finally, I I asked. I was like, can I just, like, get a referral to Endo and maybe there's something that that we're not seeing? And so right when he got out of the perm center, I had my appointment, and they they drew my C peptide, and it was low. And she was like, well, you are insulin deficient. So this kind of explains why your blood sugar never went back to normal Okay.
After having your son.
Hey. Quickly, Leah. I'm sorry. Do you have a fan on behind you or something like that?
I do not.
No? There's no noise in the room that you can tell? It's okay if you don't hear anything.
I don't.
That's okay.
I mean, our our air conditioning is on.
I think that's all. I'm hearing. That's fine. Okay. Yeah.
I don't want you to die. So, like, you can leave on your air conditioning.
Yeah. It's, it's hot outside.
Can you imagine? Although, no pressure, but a lady did do it in her car one time, and she was on fire while it was happening. And I, remember thinking, like, wow. She really wanted to be on the podcast. That was cool.
But Yeah. That's
more than
that's a little too hot
for that. Leah's like, listen. If that's the if if that's the line, I gotta go. Okay? So Yeah.
Nevertheless. Okay. So you I mean, what's your expectation during the pregnancy? Like, I'm gonna deliver the baby and this is gonna go away.
Yes. And that's what I had been told. They're like, you know, your risk of type two goes up if you have gestational, but breastfeeding will help and, you know, making sure you're active and all of this kind of stuff. And so I was like, okay. Great.
Like, I'm gonna have him, and then this part of my life is gonna be over with.
Mhmm.
“This part of my life will be over”23:31
And that was not the case. I did have him a little bit early. I had what they call an irritable uterus. So I was having contractions from thirty weeks until I had him at 35. And so I went on bed rest and had all the NSTs and all the things.
But I had him at thirty five weeks. We had a relatively short NICU stay. And then I just, you know, wore those couple of Dexcoms right after I had him. And, of course, right after having my C section, I was like, James, I want you to get me a soda. I want M and M's.
I want all the things I couldn't have. And then I saw my blood sugar skyrocket, and I was like, oh, dear. This was probably not a good choice. So
Does that immediately make you think I have type one diabetes? Or how does how does that experience strike you?
It did not. Know, I was kind of like, I was blaming it on you know, I had steroids for his his lung development, and I was like, it's gotta be the steroids. Like, that's what it is, and that's what my doctor thought it was too. And so I was just like, it'll eventually even out. And then they're like, maybe, you know, we'll come back in six months later and draw your a one c and just, you know, see.
It should be totally back to normal. You know, your hormones are wacky. I mean, all the things. And so I was banking on all of that stuff. Had to have been the reason.
A t-shirt idea25:04
Where do you stand on you and I starting a t shirt company called irritable uterus? And I feel like we could sell a just a 100,000 of those. Don't you? Yeah. Think some I think some ladies would buy it to to, you know, self describe, and I think it would make a joke if that a lot of people would buy towards the end of their marriage.
And I just I I really genuinely feel like this is a good idea. I've had this idea in the past. I didn't go with it. There was an unfortunate thing with a teacher and a dog at Penn State University once. Don't Google it.
And I really wanted to make t shirts and sell them. I thought we were gonna be wealthy. No one in my family would get behind it. Yeah. Don't Google I'll support you.
Don't Google what I just said. That's important.
Well, you know I'm going
to No.
After we get off.
Do not Google professor Penn State University dog. Just don't do it. Okay? Okay. Alright.
Thank you. But I had an idea about t shirts that I thought would really have I thought I could have sold one to everyone on campus. But now here's my new idea for Penn State University, not picking on them. Don't know if you saw this or not. They just busted up a cocaine ring being run out of one of the frat houses.
Oh, man.
Ain't that crazy? And they had the, apparently, some of the pledges, they had them, like, cutting and packaging and distributing the Coke. I don't know how they didn't think they weren't gonna get caught. I gotta look into this one more. I've only recently heard about it.
But, but they called one of the kids I think they called him Pablo Pledgekabar because you none of that's funny. So you get to that story right there. Also, this is not these kids are gonna go to prison. Like, this is no, like Yeah. Yeah.
This ain't like, oh, fun time. You're in trouble. Nevertheless, don't Google Penn State University professor dog. Now No. So, Leah, I'm telling you, I'm stealing your idea.
I a 100% because I think it's probably a medical term, so I don't really have to attribute it to you whatsoever. Get to keep a 100% of the money myself, and I'm gonna just make sure it's say irritable uterus on it.
Well, when you do, let me
know, and I'll
I will be your first customer. No.
No. No. You get one for free. Okay.
Oh, excellent.
Oh, so okay. So you you so you alright. Listen. You had that bad experience with the doughnuts. You're like, hey, buddy.
Head out now and buy me, the whole aisle at 07:11. Bring it back. And your blood sugar shoots up, stays up for a long time or comes back
down quickly? So it and I wouldn't say, like, a long long time, but it definitely, like, stayed in the two hundreds for a little while. Mhmm. And and I was like, man, something's probably not exactly right here. Because I thought once this placenta was out, I was supposed to be good.
And, clearly, that's not happening.
Telling the OB the numbers stayed up28:02
Did you tell a nurse?
So I told my OB. I was like, hey. My blood sugar's like because they stopped checking after delivery. Mhmm. And I was like, hey.
My blood sugar's, like, in the two hundreds. And she was like, well, we'll get a finger stick. And I think when they came in to do the finger stick, it was like one ninety eight or something like that. And she, you know, she said, you know, maybe it's the steroids that can elevate your blood sugar. You know, maybe it's the hormones.
Like, we'll just follow-up, you know, in clinic. So nobody was really worried about it except for me. Yeah.
Because of the donut. Like, what the hell? Yeah. Yeah. But so it stuck in your head.
You didn't let go of the idea?
I did not. Okay. So kind of over the course of a couple years, I, you know, kept a check on my blood sugar. I think there's, like, an over the counter, CGM that I purchased a couple of times just to kinda keep a watch on it. And I realized, like, if I ate anything that, you know, was had a lot of carbs, my blood sugar would spike.
So I tried to stay kind of lowish carb. And, you know, I followed up and followed up, and they were like, well, not really sure why your a one c keeps going up. You know, we've doubled your dose of metformin, and it's still going up. So, you know, we'll definitely refer you to endo. And then that's kinda when I got my diagnosis a year ago.
When they put you on say I met you were on metformin for almost two years?
Yeah.
Yeah. And were they telling you you were prediabetic?
Yes.
I gotcha. Interesting. Hey. Before we get too far away from something you said earlier, it struck me really strangely, but I looked and not only were you right, but I wanna highlight it for people. Breastfeeding after pregnancy complicated by gestational diabetes appears to lower the mother's later risk of developing type two.
It does not eliminate the risk, but the evidence suggests a meaningful protective effect, especially with longer breastfeeding duration. That's that's NIH. One large NIH supported study followed more than 4,000 women who had gestational diabetes for up to twenty five years. They followed them for twenty five years. Sorry.
Compared with women who did not breastfeed, the risk of later type two diabetes was about nine percent lower with six to twelve months of breastfeeding, fifteen percent lower than one to two years, and twenty seven percent lower if you breastfeed the kid till he goes to school. I'm just kidding. Two years. And then if you breastfeed him into their teens, you actually you age backwards, apparently.
Completely eliminate the risk.
You turn into a small child again. There are several plausible reasons lactation uses substantial amount of glucose and energy can improve insulin sensitivity, glucose met metabolism postpartum, and may help reset some of the metabolic changes that occur during pregnancy. It's crazy.
Yeah. And that's another reason why I was like, this does not make sense because I did breastfeed my son for two and a half years. And I was like, why is my a one c continuing to go up? And I have been, you know, breastfeeding. I've been doing all the things.
But I also wonder if maybe my diagnosis got delayed because I was breastfeeding because it does use so much glucose.
Maybe it's mastered for a while for
Yeah. That's kind of my theory.
Did you breastfeed that long because of the guidance you got, or was that a thing you were planning to do anyway?
I was planning to go to a year, and then, you know, I was like, well, you know, he'll wean when he's ready. Well, he was never ready. And so finally, I was like, I am over it. I'm ready to be done. And so I just weaned it myself.
But I was just I was planning to get to a year one because and this sounds crazy, and maybe it is. But with all of those kind of factors that were out of my control during pregnancy, I was like, this is the one thing that I feel like I can control
Mhmm.
And this is what I want to do. And so and also because of lowering the risk of type two later on.
Yeah. Also, at that age, you don't have to wean him. You can just explain it to him. He's like a grown person. You could be like, listen, buddy.
You and I have had a good run, but this part's over now. You know?
Yeah.
It's not me. It's you. Get out of here. Yeah. I know.
Usually, people say it's not you. It's me. But in this situation, I'm I'm tired of
this. Yeah.
Was it was it, like, bothersome at some point? Like, were you, like, you'd were you flipping out of that shirt being like, oh, I can't believe I'm still doing this, or was it an enjoyable experience?
So for the most part, it was it was really enjoyable. I think up until, like, the two year mark, you know, everything was good. And then right there, I was like, I'm kinda ready to be done. And so and probably the last year of breastfeeding was only, like, maybe morning and nighttime. So it wasn't, you know, around the clock all the time.
But I was just kinda ready to be done. It's really a long time. Know, you grow them for a couple months and then, you know, they're still half attached to you. Mhmm. So yeah.
Was just just ready to be done.
So I gotcha.
But it was overall really positive experience for me.
Do you think it, chain do you guys have a bond that that you think has something to do with that by any chance?
I mean, he is definitely a mama's boy. He actually told my husband today, trying to remember exactly what he said, but he said, mommy is mine, not yours.
Awesome. Your
husband's gotta
be thrilled. Yeah. Yeah. No. No.
Hey. Tell him tell him that was gonna happen one way or the other. But I like that he, like, stood his ground and set set a barrier for your husband. He's like, listen. Back up off my lady.
Okay?
Yeah. Yeah. He's definitely he's definitely a mama's boy, which I love. I know it won't be that way forever, but, I'm enjoying it while I have it. So
Listen. My son is 26, and my wife says to me the other day, Cole came downstairs and asked me to scratch his back. She was so thrilled. I'm like, what is wrong with you? I was like, I was like, what is why are you she's so she's so happy.
She's like, she'll tell me, like, at the end of the day, like, I I scratched Cole's back today. I'm like, oh, good. He asked me to rub his head. I was like, yeah. Okay.
I I no one's rubbed my head in twenty years. I was like, what are we talking about? My head's like, I I would like I see you running fingers to people's hair. It looks enjoyable. You know?
But I figured out that kid came out, and right away, I was like, oh, oh, okay. That's her boyfriend now. I'm like the guy Yeah. You you you were
immediately replaced.
Yeah. I'm the guy who takes care of them. I see. Like, I was like, I'm like, I'm that kid's major domo. You you know what I mean?
Like, just he just picked up a that's a is that a lion where would people know that phrase from? From lion king maybe. Right? Kunumatata. Alright.
Getting to the real diagnosis35:02
So so they say no more metformin. Do they they test you and go, yo, you have type one, or does the how does that whole part work right there?
Yeah. So she when I walked in, you know, she's like, so tell me kind of why you got referred. And I told my whole story. And she was like, well, we're gonna run your antibodies and your c peptide and just kinda see. She said, but if you're, you know, having high fastings, high post meal, you know, readings, then you probably my guess is if the metformin is not helping, then let's try some insulin.
And so she drew my labs that day, and they called me, I think, like, two weeks later. My antibody panel was negative. They ran four out of the five. It was all negative, but my CPAP tab was low. And so, she was like, well, you're insulin deficient.
So then I got put on Atlantis and NovoLog, and started with MDI.
Jeez. That's gotta be shocking. Yeah.
It was you know, part of me was not happy about it because, I mean, nobody wants diabetes. But then part of me was like, well, this finally gives me an answer as to, you know, why I've been, you know, having elevated blood sugars, you know, for the past, you know, almost three years.
Consist So
it was kind of a mixed bag.
Yeah. Consistent I I'd say consistently, Leah. That's the message I hear from people. Right? Which is just the I don't want this, but I'm so happy to have an answer and to have a path and maybe a way to, like, not feel like this.
So Yeah. I guess at some point, you just you get sick and tired of being sick and tired. And, you know, that's that's what happened. So you do you still do MDI? How do you manage today?
After about three months, I got really sick of sticking myself all the time. And so I asked about going on a pump, and she recommended the Omnipod. And so I got on the Omnipod five, I think, in December of that year, so December of last year. Mhmm. And so I'm still on Omnipod, and I have the Dexcom g seven.
Okay. And is it a a constant struggle? Are you still getting used to it? Is it a thing you kinda gave yourself over to? Like, can you describe the process of being, like, you know, diagnosed as an adult like that?
Yeah. So pretty immediately after my diagnosis, I kind of jumped in and was looking on Facebook for groups, and that's actually how I found the podcast. I found your group first, and then that led me to the podcast. And I have a friend who's also a paramedic who's a type one, and so I asked her lots of questions, and, she's been helpful and kinda dove in headfirst initially to get all the kind of information. And that's actually how I learned about the Omnipod and some of the pumps by listening to the series on the pumps and, you know, got the courage to ask about it at that appointment.
And my last a one c was a 5.1, so I feel like I'm doing pretty well. But, yeah, just I tried to learn as much, and I still listen to the podcast, like, to and from work. And if there's yeah. I really I think the episode I listened to yesterday was, the part two of of the firefighter, the career firefighter. Yeah.
And, yeah, I really enjoy and I think everybody's perspective is super helpful. And I really love, like, the bolus four episodes. And, so I feel like I learn something every time I listen, and that's been super helpful for me in my journey.
I have to tell you, I'm so happy when people mention that series is bolus for as an example because and I know I've said this before, but, like, sometimes Jenny's like, are we still making these? Like, didn't we explain how to bolus? And I'm like, no. They wanna hear about the exact like, the the food, like, source. Like, the like, whatever exact food item.
It's not like it's not just about, like, the carbs, the fat, and the protein. I'm like, they like to hear about the food. And she's like, I don't understand. I was like, I'm like, Jenny, shut up. This is a conversation we have before we make it.
She goes and she'll be like, it's all the same. And I was like, well, I know that. You know that. I was like, but, like, in your life, I don't think that matters. Like, I think it's nice to hear, like, oh, you know, I don't know.
Like, you know, here's a piece of broccoli with a piece of chicken. This is how you bowl this for it. Here's a Cinnabon. This is how you bowl this for it. This is the conversation around it.
She's like, okay. She's not like I don't want anybody to think she's, like, like, angry. But, like, she's like, we should only have to do one of these. And I was like, I I know, Jackie. I'm like, but I said, people really like it.
Let's just keep making them. She's like, alright. Well, if people like them. And now we're gonna do it on stage. So
Oh, really?
Yeah. We're at touched by type one. I don't know where you're at. You're in the South, obviously. I'm thinking Alabama ish around there.
I can't I'm not great with southern accents.
That's okay. I'm I'm Eastern North Carolina.
North Carolina. Oh, I'm thinking of moving to Tennessee. We might be in
the office. North Carolina is a great place to live. We have beach and mountains within a day's drive.
So You don't have no state income tax. I'm sorry. So, you lose.
Yeah. Sorry about that.
But but nevertheless, we're going to touch by type one in Orlando in September. And Jenny and I are gonna speak together, and we usually, like, do a little thing. We're we're good. We do a little thing. Right?
And I said, hey. This year, let's do bolus four live on the stage. And she goes, yeah. And I'm like, I said it's gonna be great. Like, so we actually just made an episode last week where we talked about what we're gonna do on stage.
We went through the whole thing. I'm gonna post that episode right before the event so that people who go to the event can go check it out. And the people who listen who can't be there can kinda get an idea of what we're doing while we're there. But we're gonna do it right on stage, like, you know, with graphics and everything and talk our way through a meal and, like, some extra stuff. And we chose foods that we thought were kind of, like, local to, like, the Florida area.
So Oh, cool.
Yeah. It's fun. I'm glad you like it. Diabetes, married, is is that do you come home and say, hey, I need help or do you have that, like, like, stay out of it feeling for your husband? Like, what's the measure of the mix there?
So I I mean, I haven't necessarily shared, a lot with him about it. He he does follow my Dexcom and so does my mom only because my husband is a very deep sleeper. And I just want to make sure if I ever don't wake up to my alarm that somebody knows that I'm, you know, low or whatever. But other than that, I pretty much manage it on my own. So Well But, I mean, I do I do share my frustrations with him.
You know, I'm like, my blood sugar was you know, whatever it was today, I was so frustrated. Or yesterday, I was low half the morning at work, and I was so frustrated about it. And he's he texted me. He's like, are you okay, or has your Dex come off? And I was like, no.
I'm low. I'm fine. I'm just pissed about it.
What do your your voice slowed down, and you sounded sad. Do you feel alone?
I wouldn't necessarily say that. I think I'm kind of at the point, like, you know, I've been diagnosed almost a year, and I feel like, you know, it's like just when you feel like you have things figured out, something changes or, you know, you have a day where, you know, you're much more active than normal and you don't think about it. So like, I think yesterday, bowl was like I normally would for breakfast, but I had a very busy morning at work, lots of movement, and I didn't necessarily expect that. And so I think I was just low all morning, and I was so frustrated because my pod kept beeping, my my phone kept beeping, and everybody would look at me. And I was like, sorry, guys.
A paramedic learning it from the inside43:25
Doing my best over here. And so I think, you know, I'm feeling a little more frustrated when I have days where, you know, my sugar is not where I want it. But I also know that that's just part of diabetes and something I just have to you know, you treat it and you learn from it and you move on.
Why don't you just yell eyes forward, mind your own business one time? Yeah. Snap those people in this place, and then maybe they won't look up again. Is it that do you feel like you're bothering them, or do you not like that they're looking?
I think so one of one of the times yesterday, I was in a meeting, and I think there was maybe seven of us in a meeting. And loudly, my pod is screaming because I'm I think my sugar was 52 at the time. And because I had been low for a while, my Dexcom, like, it gets louder and louder and louder. Mhmm. And and I was like, sorry, guys.
My blood sugar's low. And they were like, oh, do you need anything? I was like, I'm good. I've got, you know, snacks. But I think it's, like, a little bit of embarrassment maybe, and I know I shouldn't be.
But in the in the moment, like, you know, it's embarrassing to have your phone go off in the middle of a meeting.
Yeah. No. I hear. Well, I I mean, listen. I I'd be worried about it.
I'm not I I can't lie. I would I would tell my daughter, don't worry about it. Go be you. But I would worry about it if it was me. I'd be like, oh, these people are judging me or one day I'm gonna get a a review that says she's not focused or something like that or who knows exactly.
You know what I mean? Plus, you know, when your blood sugar's low, I don't know how valuable you are in that meeting to begin with. Right? So
Yeah. I was I was not feeling great. And I was like, if we can just get out of this meeting and I can just go get some lunch.
And then next week, everyone's sitting at the follow-up meeting. They're like, hey. Why did we agree to build a rocket ship? And was that oh, that was Leah's idea. Leah, why did you mention we should fly to Uranus?
And you're like, I don't know. I don't remember any of that. Like so, like, who knows what you're gonna say? Actually, somebody talked about this recently with me in a meeting where said that we're in a business meeting and just started saying gibberish. And people were trying to, like, follow along with what he was saying.
Then they were like, wait. What's happening? So, you know, I I I take your point, but do you need somebody to talk to? I mean, I just got done talking to another person who talked you know, who was speaking about community and being around somebody who understands. So you either, like, in my opinion, like, either need to make your husband into a, like, a like, a a rock solid confidant who understands what's going on and will take the conversation.
Or maybe you can meet somebody or just do people online fill that need for you. How do you how do you, like, fill that gap up?
Yeah. I think, the Facebook group has been really helpful. Just being able to read that other people are going through the same thing is really helpful. And I do have that friend who has type one.
Right.
And interestingly enough, my best friend in elementary school, which we don't talk on a regular basis now, but she had type one. And I was like, her, I don't know what she would call it, but if I ever noticed she was acting weird or, if she ever needed anything, like, I would go get her meter or juice or whatever for her. And so, like, I had knowledge around type one, and kind of her frustrations and struggles with it as a child. And I know she'd be more than willing to talk to me. And then one of, the PT students that I worked with, a few years ago, he has type one, and I didn't even know.
And so I have lots of folks that I know that I could talk to. But I think for now, like, the Facebook group and just listening to the podcast helps me feel a sense of community.
Good.
Even though, you know, I don't necessarily have people, like, in my inner circle necessarily
Yeah. That
I talk to about it.
It's a bit about what we were talking about in my other conversation where the person was like, I don't really feel like my kids looking to, like, you know, walk down the street with seven other people who all have diabetes and, like, to turn it into her whole, like, you know, existence. And be because she doesn't see herself that way generally speaking and doesn't spend a lot of time thinking about diabetes, etcetera. And I said, I I I take your point. I also think that the the connections and you seem like you have plenty, but, like, those connections are are valuable too even if it's not your whole thing. I I wouldn't you know, what I said to her was is like, I I feel weird saying this, but I don't exactly understand the whole diabetes influencer thing.
Like, I don't like, I get I guess I know what they're doing on the influencer side. I and I imagine their whole life isn't about their their diabetes. But when you're doing when you're making content that's just about diabetes, it feels like everything you do is about your pump and your numbers and your what am I eating and what's happening? And and it it feels like a lot to me. I'm not gonna lie.
So
Yeah. Yeah. Anyway. Yeah. I can definitely see that.
And, you know, there's so much more to life than than just being, you know, worried about diabetes. I mean, obviously, it takes up a lot of mental space because you have to constantly be kinda thinking about it in the back of your mind. But, you know, working, volunteering, having a family, all of those things, like, I want those to be the things that I'm really focused on. Some days, diabetes, you know, wrecks that plan. But, yeah, I don't I don't wanna have to think about it all the time necessarily.
I just interviewed do you remember Katie I'm sorry. It sounds like the a seven forty seven is landing behind you. I just wanna wait for a second till that ends. Just your air conditioner. Can we get that filter clean today?
Let's get in there. Okay? Do you remember Katie Beth Han? She's in the Eladon trial. She was, like, patient number nine.
Yeah. She was on the podcast. I had her back on the other day, so we were kinda catching up. And a lot of her free time is now spent going to all these different events telling people about her story. She doesn't get paid to do it, and she still has a full time job and four kids and a husband and, like, everything else.
And I thought, like, oh god. That's gonna like, she's gonna burn out on that. Like, I like that she's out there sharing her story. I hope she can keep doing it. But if somebody's not gonna pay her to do it, like, if it it's gotta be her secondary job.
You know what I mean? I was like, I don't know how long could she possibly do that for.
Yeah. Yeah.
That's tough. I It's a lot. I couldn't if if I I'll just be completely candid. If the podcast didn't have ads and didn't make money, I couldn't do this. Like, I don't know.
I wouldn't I would have no idea how to accomplish this in my free time if I was, you know, up in the morning and off to work and coming home in the afternoon and, like, living my life. I I don't know. When the hell would I do this? You know?
So Yeah. Yeah. You gotta have time for you and and your family.
Yeah. A 100%. So, your son, does he have you explained the diabetes to him? Are you concerned that he might have it one day? Like, where's that whole thing going?
A three-year-old who knows the alarms50:41
Yeah. So he he know I mean, to be three, he's pretty knowledgeable. Like, if he hears my Dexcom alarm, he's so funny. He'll say, your sugar's low. I think my pretend sugar is low.
I need a pretend snack too. Like, you know
He's snacking on your beeps? That's nice.
He is enjoying every time, you know, I have to get a little snack or some juice. He wants to come and do it, but he recognizes the alarms. And, you know, I offered to let him help me change my pump and things like that. And he asked me the other day, he was like, you know, why don't you get in the shower with your pump on? And I said, well, it's waterproof, buddy.
I can get in the shower. I can go swimming. And he was like, oh, is it ground proof? And I was like, I don't know about that. But, I mean, he's he's very curious, and he understands.
We did have him tested for the antibodies, I think, at the beginning of the year, and he was negative. I talked to his pediatrician about it and and wanted to get his thoughts on that. And he said, yeah. You know, we would recommend the antibody testing because the sooner you kind of know, you kind of know to be looking for it. And, you know, they don't regularly check blood sugars at, well child checks, which I think is kinda crazy because it's just a little simple finger stick when they're already checking for, you know, the CBC or, you know, the lead level and things like that.
But, so he said, I think the recommendation is every every few years just to recheck. So Okay. But as of right now, no antibodies. So
But you would like to know if it's coming?
I would like to know. Yes.
What about your personality? Makes it that way. Because some people are like, I don't wanna know. I know what to look for. I have it.
I'll know it when I see it. I don't need to worry. Like, why why does that not seem that way to you?
I don't know. I feel like I just want to maybe have the knowledge and be able to even though it's out of my control, to make me feel like I have a little bit of control to just know. I'm the person that just wants to know. So I think that's why for me.
Wanting to know what’s coming52:57
Sorry with me. I just I wonder all the time, like, why people have one feeling or the other. Some people are very adamant. Like, do not tell me. It'll ruin my life.
I'll think about it all the time. And some people like, is it a control thing or is it a preparation
think so. I don't think it's a control thing for me. Yeah.
Leah, let's talk about that for a second. Are we do we have a do we have a problem?
I mean, probably, if we're being honest.
If we're being honest, I might have a problem. Is everything in the kitchen exactly where you want it to be?
Oh, definitely not. Yeah. Definitely not. I wouldn't say I'm, like, type a in that way. But I think when it comes to, like, medical things
There you are.
And I don't know if it if it has to do with, like, my knowledge as a paramedic or, you know, like, the pregnancy feeling like so much was out of my control. I'm not really sure kind of the root of it, but I do think I want to know.
Yeah. Fair enough. You're looking for you're looking for, like like, some feeling of stability and consistency somewhere.
Yeah. Yeah.
Well, makes sense to me. I is it working?
I wouldn't necessarily say that. But and I think I do, I think, have some anxiety kind of just in general, just some generalized anxiety. But I feel like having a kid maybe and having some life experience maybe makes me less anxious than I was. I was very anxious in college, but I was also a perfectionist. Like, couldn't make a be that kind of person, but I've definitely let go of some of that as I've gotten older.
Is it so it's lifelong. You've let go of it as you've gotten older. Do you think of yourself as an anxious person today, or do you think of yourself as a person who had anxious moments when they were younger and you have, like, skills that have like, how do you mean you've let go of it, I guess?
I think maybe just life experiences, like, you know, the burn and things like that have kind of made me realize that I don't have as much control of things as maybe I want to have. And then I think just being a mom, like, initially when I got out of the you know, my kids' NICU baby, it's in the middle of flu and COVID and RSV season. And once I got past that, because I was very, nobody's coming to visit. You're wearing a mask, sanitizing your hands. Like, I do not want this baby to be sick.
But once I got past that, and I did do some therapy for a while to kinda help me get some of those skills to be able to let some of those things go. Good. I think that's been been helpful.
Yeah. I I mean, listen. I don't wanna ruin it for any of you, but you're not in control of anything. Nobody is. And Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. You can put things in place, and sometimes those things end up getting you, you know, about to where you wanna be. But when you're talking about big stuff or, you know, the world or life, that kind of stuff, like, I'm not saying you can't make impacts on it, but to say that you could make everything go exactly the way you want to is I mean, that's that will make you crazy. That's for sure.
Yeah. For sure. Well, I'm glad you're it like, a little work in progress that's going well, and you're only in your thirties.
Yeah. Yeah.
Shit's going okay, Leah.
I mean, you know Feel like I by day.
Feel like I have diabetes. My husband blew himself up. I don't know what you're talking about. Everything is a mess. But it's not though, is it, really?
Be honest. You've.
Yeah. I mean, really, you know, thinking about it. I have a great family, lots of support. You know? I have a career, meaningful volunteer stuff.
You know? I think all in all, I've got a pretty good life. So I really I can't complain too much.
What would make it better?
I don't even know. I mean, I think I enjoy I enjoy the way life is going right now, so I can't even say, like, one or two things that would make it better. I think things are pretty good.
It's interesting, isn't it? Like, money, happiness, that kind of stuff. People always say, like, I don't know. It could be better. There's more about them.
When they stop and think about it, they never they can never come up with anything. Like, I've never once had somebody say, you know what I need, Scott? I need a yacht. You know what I mean? Like, I would just be happy if I just had, you know, a Bentley.
I've never actually heard anyone say that before. It almost feels like that stuff you do when you have so much money that you'd need to do something. You don't.
Yeah. You don't know what else to do
with it. When there's an accountant calling you going, we have to spend money. Like, you know, you go, I guess I'll do this. Like, I I I I think about this a lot. Like, if I was wealthy, what would change about my life?
And I think very little. Like, I can't really imagine what that would like, if you just said to me, Scott. There's a pile of money. It doesn't run out. Make decision.
You have to spend some today. Like, you ever see that movie, Brewster's Millions with Richard Pryor? Of course, you haven't. You have it. Yeah.
It's a terrible movie from the eighties. There's no reason why you would say it. But, I think he has to spend a certain amount of money to inherit even more money. And I think he and he works it out where he has to spend a certain amount every day and it's almost impossible to accomplish. And you would think like on day one, you're like, woo hoo.
Let's go. And then by the time you're a couple days into it, you're like, I don't know what to do with all this. Like, it's just it it's so, like, you know, would it be cool if somebody came in the house and, like, cleaned it really, like, once a month maybe? Yeah. I guess that'd be cool.
Like, I I guess I'd love not to do my own laundry, but, like, it's more it's more like stuff like that. I'm not thinking, like, you know, like, oh, I'll get on a private jet and go to France. Like, mean, I guess I'd get to it eventually, but, like, when you ask me, like, what do you wanna do today? I always think the same thing. I think, oh, I'd I'd get a place for us all to meet.
I'd fly my entire family together. I'd say, look. I just got access to more money than I know what to do with. It's a pile of money. It never disappears.
Let's all get everybody's health together. And, like like, let's get you guys all set up with private doctors and testing, and let's make sure everybody lives a good long time. And at the same time, when I think that, I think, I wonder how many of them would look at me and go, oh, well, that's very presumptuous. I don't need that. And, like, and, like, you know I mean?
Like, I would prefer this. And I'm like, oh, that's not what I'm offering you. And then I just feel like it would go to hell. So so but but it's my inclination that I would want first, wanna make everybody as healthy and long lived as possible because but then I don't know where to go from there.
Yeah. Yeah. I could I could see that.
I don't
I don't know if I came into a ton of money what I would necessarily spend it on. I mean, a couple a couple of projects around the house.
Yeah. Or yeah. Maybe you'd upgrade upgrade your car, get a better sofa. I'm like, alright. But then what?
Like Yeah. I just don't know what that you know? Anyway, happiness is is is is weird because I think we measure it in ways that don't have a lot to do with happiness. Mhmm. You know, I think we conflate the two things.
You like you said, your husband, your your kid, you're good. You know what I mean? Nine years, nobody smothered anybody with a pillow yet. That's That's
hey. That's a win. It's a pretty
good start. You know what I mean? Yeah. By the way, technically, I think, with the numbers, you have, like, six six more or seven more years. Like, I think if you don't get divorced the next handful of years, you'll probably go forever.
It's how the numbers go. Although, can I tell you? Don't I think I'm allowed to say who said this to me. I'm trying to I was interviewed in private. Let's just say I won't say who said it was.
But I was interviewing this person in their mid eighties who said they have friends who are getting divorced.
Really?
Yeah. They've been married, like, fifty some years. They're like, that's enough.
Man, that's
It made me laugh, and they're both amicable about it. They're like, they're so old. They're like, yeah. Like, we know we're not gonna live that much longer, but we're getting divorced. And I was like, that's insane to me.
That is crazy. Yeah. That's crazy.
Although, it it makes me think there's still plenty of time for Kelly to get rid of me then. I thought I, like, hit a number. I'd be okay. You know? But now I'm like, I heard that story.
Was like, oh god. Can you imagine? I know you can't imagine it because I couldn't wrap my head around it either. Like, what's the point? No?
I don't know. Okay. You're you can't figure it out. You're like, wait. They're in their mid eighties, and they're gonna get divorced.
Yeah. I I don't know what the the benefit to that would be. I mean
Where are they what do
they a lot of work.
Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Like, I would just think, like, who's gonna move all this stuff out of here? I
Yeah. And then paperwork and yeah.
It would be so easy to abuse me because I'd be like, well, my stuff's on my desk. I don't wanna leave. But you're I I I'm so lazy. Anyway alright. What have we not talked about that we should have?
Like, was there something on your list that you were like, I know this is gonna go weirdly and he's gonna not talk about the right things, so I made a list?
I mean, I think maybe the only other, you know, thing for me is, like, as an occupational therapist and as a paramedic, you know, you see people with who are well, some young folks really, but then you've got some older people who have, like, lots of complications, amputations, you know, heart disease, strokes, all the things. And it can really kinda scare you. But then when you kind of you look at, okay. Well, why have they had those complications? It's, you know, lack of good control or lack of access to medications or doctors or things like that.
And so, you know, I think if you just look and you see especially if you work in health care and you see, and especially, you know, here in North Carolina, you know, in the South in general, you've got lots of people who have other chronic conditions and you see kind of those complications. And then you're like, oh, man, like, is this what my future is gonna look like? But then knowing, you know, if you keep good control, if you take your medicine like you're supposed to and all of those things, really, most of those things can be avoided. But it can be scary. You know, I remember my first job as an OT.
I saw so many double amputees, people who are blind, and just lots of really tough things to see, especially as a new grad. And then it can be scary when you hear, you know, the word diabetes and, you know, what that can mean and having a little bit of knowledge about the complications. But I think, you know, just remembering and using all the resources because there are a ton of resources and technology is so amazing. I know online people see lots of things that pop up about how horrible Dexcom is or, you know, how bad the algorithm on the Omnipod is. But, you know, you can make adjustments and and use those things, and they can be really super helpful, and keep in keep in good control.
Yeah. It's so interesting you brought that up because I was yesterday kinda putting the final touches on a series I wanna do with Erica about I wanna dig deeper into there's been studies about why people with diabetes don't take better care of themselves when they don't. And it does boil down to a certain grouping of ideas. And I kinda put them together, like, by episode, and I'm actually pitching it to Erica on Friday to see what she thinks of the idea. But it's really you know, it it it kind of breaks down into, like, people stop looking, they avoid it, they have inattention, and then there's a reason why that happens.
Settings, and what works now1:05:03
There's a fatalism that, you know, this the the studies show that there are plenty of people who just think, like, it's not gonna matter anyway. There's low self efficacy. People think they're too far behind to get started. Stigma, they don't want anybody to know about it. There's information overload.
There's, like, a trust thing that let's see. They they kind of it's hard to put into words, I guess. Like, it it anyway, I there's that. There's a trust issue that I'm I'm hoping to dig through. They dread going to their doctors, and there's disagreeing with the doctor that turns into a breakup of some kind.
And then there's the, like, I'm fine. It's fine feeling. Like, don't worry about it. I'm fine. It's fine.
Burnout, depression, and then that some of them just never get the tools so that nobody told them what to do so they don't do it. But you're saying that in your line of work, the I mean, obviously, people are calling for an ambulance when they you know, it's it's either an emergent thing. Right? Like, they just blew themselves up in the yard or it's a thing that's been drifting into into a bad place for a long time and they finally can't do anything about it anymore. Is that about right?
Yeah. I mean, you have people who use the the ER because maybe they don't have insurance and they can't go to the doctor, so they use them use it for, you know, transportation to get medications and things like that. God. There are people you see.
There are people called the rescue squad to get a ride to the hospital.
Oh, yeah. Oh. Yes. They are.
That's fun. Is that expensive, or does Medicaid pay for it or something like that?
Well so, yes, ambulances are expensive. The ED is expensive, but, you know, what are you gonna do? What are they gonna do if you don't pay your bill? It's not like you call 911 and we're not gonna come. You know what I mean?
Yeah. So yeah. A lot of lot of misuse of the 911 system. But, yeah, you see a lot of people who really should have called a week ago or, you know, there's there's obviously those emergencies, the heart attacks, the strokes, things like that. You see a little bit of everything, I think.
Yeah. It's it's it's upsetting when you only see, like, the things that people are struggling with. Isn't that a hard job?
Yeah. Mean, I don't I don't do it as a career anymore. I just volunteer with my local fire department as a first responder, but I did for a while get paid to to ride on an ambulance. But, you know, what's really sad, like, when you think about it is, you know, lack of access and poor health literacy, people not understanding their medical conditions. You know, that's really hard.
And then, you know, things like you've got COPD and you're on oxygen, but you're still smoking. Like, you are killing your lungs, and now you can't breathe, and it's a real emergency. And I'm having to give you every medication that I have in the truck to try to keep you alive to get to the hospital. You know, I think especially in the South, we have a lot of poor health literacy and and lack of access and and things like that. And especially living in a rural area, people who don't have transportation can't get to the specialist and things like that.
So, you know, it's tough to see and it can be sad at times.
Yeah. Can you say why you think that's you you said this a couple of times now, especially in the South. Like, what do you think is specific about that?
I think just because everything is so spread out, like, in my county, we just have a little community hospital. A lot of people joke and say, like, it's a band aid station. You know, if there's anything really wrong with you, they're gonna ship you out an hour and a half away, to one of the trauma centers, the specialty hospitals. But transportation, lots of low income families and situations, and we have lots of farmland around here. And so we have lots of migrant workers who may not have insurance.
And then there's the language barrier that's, you know, also a big challenge too. So I think there's just a lot of factors around here that can make health care really challenging.
Yeah. It's I mean, it's obviously upsetting, but I I I don't know what I don't know that anybody knows what to do about it. It's just
Yeah.
Yeah. It's it some of it is I mean, I spend a lot of time talking to people, obviously, and I I don't ever make an issue of, like, their education or their intellect or anything like that. I just talk to people for who they are. And you see a wide you know, it's a rainbow of of understanding and and ability. It's funny to me though that, like, you know, when you specifically talk about diabetes, it doesn't seem to matter any that part never matters.
It it affects people almost always the same. You know what I mean? Like, you talk to somebody who's like, I'm a professor at a college. Don't understand my kid's type one. I dropped out of school in eighth grade.
I don't understand my kid's type one. Mhmm. It's I don't know how that's I I mean, it's such a big problem, like, Leah, like, a like a big idea. Like, obviously, we've been at this for a pretty long time now. You know, there's been modern medicine now for a number of decades.
Like, this is not trickled down to people at all. And Yeah. Which would tell me that it's not going to. And that something else has to happen where you either I I mean, I it doesn't seem reasonable to me that you're gonna, like, fast forward educate people. So I think something's gotta get in between them and the decision making and help them with the decision or you're just gonna continue to have these outcomes.
Like, I don't think people are gonna magically level up is what I'm saying. Yeah.
And I think that's one of the values of, you know, the Facebook group and the podcast is, especially with the podcast, it breaks things down like into bite sized pieces for people. So even if you just focus on one part of your management and you kind of focus on that, you know, that can help improve your outcomes if you can just get one part down. You know, you can just pre bolus. You can learn about that concept or, you know, you can learn about settings on your pump or about, you know, the impact of different foods. You know, even just picking one thing to help.
And then the Facebook group, having access to all these folks who are living with type one or helping take care of a kid with type one, you know, or even there's health care professionals in there who have experience, you know, being able to ask a specific question and no one you're gonna have people to respond. I think that's really valuable in social media. So broad and wide these days. You know, most people do have access, and I think that's really beneficial and helps fill a little bit of the gap that maybe you don't get from, you know, going to your doctor every couple of months.
Where she is a year in1:12:11
It makes me feel good because I I do spend a fair amount of time wondering how to, like, improve this or, you know, change it or add to it or whatnot. But there are then other times where I think, I think I might have just gotten it right at the beginning. Like, break it down into these simple ideas, make those ideas easy to remember, give them somewhere to go ask somebody about it. That's I it really might be that simple. I and it's not gonna touch everybody, but if there's a way to get to that other person who's outside of that sphere, I I haven't been able to figure out what it is yet.
Like, I I'm wondering about, like, the people you see on that rig. Right? Like, how am I, like, how am supposed to get to them? If they're having a diabetes issue, for example, and they're they're living in a rural place where they have, you know, a language barrier or whatever, like, I mean, am I you know what I mean? Like, am I even gonna be palatable to a person who has a lower level of education or a higher level?
Like, I don't know. Do you know what I mean? It's
Yeah. And I think, like, that's one thing I wish we did more of in EMS is just education. Like, you know, we're our training is you go in, you pick them up, you fix the immediate problem, you take them to the hospital, and your job is done. But I really wish, you know, we did a better job of, you know, let's say it's not life threatening. Let's say, you know, maybe their blood sugar is elevated and we just we're treating them for a different problem.
But if you have a twenty or thirty minute ride to the hospital, that's a prime time for a little bit of education. And I think we don't do enough a good enough job with that. And even with patients we go to all the time who've fallen, you know, just a little bit of education about, okay, how can we prevent some of these falls in your house? Because all it takes is one fall when you break a hip, and now you've got to spend a month in a nursing home before you can come home. You know?
I think there's definitely a lack in EMS of good education when we have the opportunity to provide it, and I wish that's something we did a little bit more. But I think, you know, what you're doing is is fabulous, and it certainly helped me. And I've put some friends on onto the Facebook group and and let them know about the podcast just because I think it is so helpful and and valuable, and you can find at least one valuable thing in it for everybody.
Yeah. No. I'm I'm glad to hear that, and I appreciate you saying that very much. Thank you. Well, I can't tell you, like, I'm really grateful for you coming on and sharing your story and, you know, even telling us stuff that we didn't expect to hear about.
And tell your husband, I said, I I maybe he has he seen a therapist to get rid of his ther his trauma? Because it sounds like he might still yeah. That's good. Yeah. I I bet you that's a I mean, I I can't imagine, obviously, but I've you know, I I know you said that he was a a fireman and you volunteer.
I did that when I was younger. And I've been in a few burning buildings, and I was in them, like, completely geared up, breathing through a tank, holding a giant hose, and it's still an incredibly frightening thing. Like, I don't really know another you it's hard to explain to somebody, but I've been in a room where all four walls, the ceiling and the floor were covered in fire. And it's not a thing you forget. So Yeah.
And and I didn't come out of it injured. So yeah. I would think
got no interest of, of fighting fire anymore.
I bet
you know. Fair. I can't blame him.
Yeah. Jesus. Nobody's roasting marshmallows at your house. Also, how is there 300 yards of space in the front of your house? What are you, wealthy?
What's going on there? Is that just the
road thing? So the road we live on used to be all family land, farmland, that kind of stuff. And the house we live in now, I bought from or we bought from my parents when my grandfather died. They moved into his house and kept my childhood home hoping that maybe me or my brother would would come back one day. And and so when I was ready to move home after I got married, we bought it from them.
And so it's just rural very rural. You know, we've got a field on one side, a pond on the other. So just lots of space.
Yeah. No. No. I'm with you. But I
would I would not say we're
I'm take listen. Two weeks from now, I'm driving my wife south just so she can stand out of house and go and feel what I felt when I stood outside of it to see if it's a thing that strikes her the same way. Because I stood there and I thought, oh, all I can see is a tree. This is good. Yeah.
Yeah. You know?
Yeah. It's it's really nice to to have space and, you know, we lived in a bigger city for a while when I was in college and and after we got married and, you know, we had a neighbor, you know, you walk outside and and you see your neighbor's house and you can see your neighbor and they can see you and everything you're doing. And having grown up in a small town, that was just not the life that I wanted. And so, you know, you can let your kid run around outside and and not have to worry about being in the road. And so, yeah, it's it's definitely the life for me, and and I enjoy it.
We'll see what my We'll what my
lady My family close is
nice. Yeah.
Well, hope she likes it.
Well, the problem is gonna be is that, like, everybody's not gonna wanna move, and then that's that's gonna be a problem. So so we'll see. But anyway alright. Hold on one second for me. I'm gonna I might have to ask you one other thing while I stop recording.
But I I appreciate you doing this very much.
Yeah. Thanks so much. I enjoyed it.
Oh, good. I'm glad. It seems that the podcast you just enjoyed was sponsored by Tandem Diabetes Care. Learn more about Tandem's newest automated insulin delivery system, Tandem Mobi with Control IQ plus technology at tandemdiabetes.com/juicebox. There are links in the show notes and links at juiceboxpodcast.com to Tandem and US Med, who also sponsored this episode of the juice box podcast.
Get started with US Med at usmed.com/juicebox or call (888) 721-1514. Get your free benefits checked and get started today with US Med, the same place that we get our diabetes supplies. Usmed.com/juicebox. Links in the show notes. Links at juiceboxpodcast.com.
Click on those links, baby. Support the podcast. The juice box podcast has been in production since January 2015. And in that time, I have amassed just a fantastic catalog of information for you. Defining diabetes, bold beginnings, the diabetes pro tip series, small sips, Fat and Protein, Algorithm Pumping, Mental Wellness, Ask Scott and Jenny, the diabetes variables defining thyroid after dark.
There's even an Omnipod five pro tip series. Come on. Pregnancy, how we eat, grand rounds, cold wind, GLP meds. What else do you want from me? And if you'd like to get going now with this podcast, boy, oh, boy, you have not picked a better time.
You haven't because we have a diabetes myth series, and there's even a type two pro tip series. All of this all of this is free. Free. That's right, Scott. Free at juiceboxpodcast.com.
Go up to the menu, click on a series, they're all right there. But you, of course, could use your Apple podcast app, Spotify, or wherever you get audio. Every episode is listed on the website along with its episode number so you can search for it in one of those apps. I've done everything I can do, baby. There's transcripts.
You wanna read the podcast? Go read it. What do I care? I'm not your mother. You do whatever you want.
Juiceboxpodcast.com, Apple podcast, Spotify, wherever you get your audio, baby. Go get your audio. Why'd I say baby so much? I'm just realizing now this all seems like it's something you can't believe, but I swear to you, it's a great podcast. You'll really like it.
If you want, go to juiceboxpodcast.com/reviews and read what other people have written.
Read the full disclaimer
© 2007–2026 Juicebox Podcast. All rights reserved.
