contact us

Use the form on the right to contact us.

You can edit the text in this area, and change where the contact form on the right submits to, by entering edit mode using the modes on the bottom right.​

         

123 Street Avenue, City Town, 99999

(123) 555-6789

email@address.com

 

You can set your address, phone number, email and site description in the settings tab.
Link to read me page with more information.

#941 Dog Tales

Podcast Episodes

The Juicebox Podcast is from the writer of the popular diabetes parenting blog Arden's Day and the award winning parenting memoir, 'Life Is Short, Laundry Is Eternal: Confessions of a Stay-At-Home Dad'. Hosted by Scott Benner, the show features intimate conversations of living and parenting with type I diabetes.

#941 Dog Tales

Scott Benner

Maddie has type 1 diabetes and trained her own diabetes service dog.

You can always listen to the Juicebox Podcast here but the cool kids use: Apple Podcasts/iOS - Spotify - Amazon MusicGoogle Play/Android - iHeart Radio -  Radio PublicAmazon Alexa or wherever they get audio.

+ Click for EPISODE TRANSCRIPT


DISCLAIMER: This text is the output of AI based transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors and should not be treated as an authoritative record. Nothing that you read here constitutes advice medical or otherwise. Always consult with a healthcare professional before making changes to a healthcare plan.

Scott Benner 0:00
Hello friends, and welcome to episode 941 of the Juicebox Podcast.

Today on the podcast we'll be speaking with Maddie, she's 18 years old has type one diabetes, couple other things going on, and she trained her own diabetes alert dog. Get the hell out of here, right? It's great, great way to hear how she did it. I mean after we hear her story, so we'll talk to her a little bit, we'll talk about the dogs then some other stuff. There's some joking around. You know how these go. While you're listening. Please remember that nothing you hear on the Juicebox Podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise, always consult a physician before making any changes to your healthcare plan, or becoming bold with insulin. If you're looking to save 10% off therapy, go to better help.com forward slash juicebox because at that link, you will save 10% off your first month of therapy with better help to get five free travel packs and a year supply of vitamin D with your first order. Athletic greens.com forward slash juicebox get some ad one with Scotties link. And to save 35% 35% off your entire order at cozy earth.com. Just use the offer code juice box at checkout. All right, you're ready. Couple of ads, and we're on our way. Don't skip the ads. Skip the ads. There's no podcast. This episode of The Juicebox Podcast is sponsored by us med. US med is the place where we get Arden's supplies from we get diabetes supplies, like Dexcom and Omnipod. There, but there's more. You can get tandem freestyle, and a lot more. Head over now to us med.com forward slash juice box to get your free benefits check. Or you can call my special number 888721151 for us med always provides 90 days worth of supplies and fast and free shipping, get better service and better care at us. bed.com forward slash Juicebox Podcast

Maddie 2:19
been type one diabetic for 11 years. And I'm just going to talk a little bit about self training Diabetic Alert dogs.

Scott Benner 2:28
Okay. Maddie, you being so young ruins all of my fun about your last name. You know that right? Yes, yeah. We're not going to say your last name. But let's like what's the what? Well, listen, well, we'll we'll talk about it for a second. First of all, let's let's say this first. When I was younger before I had met ladies and thought that I might actually be able to trick one of them into marrying me one day. I wanted to name a baby Madison one day. But that was the name. That was the name I had picked. It did not work for my my wife did not agree with me apparently but. But that was the name that was in my head for years when I was younger. Okay, so we're not going to say your last name Maddie. Okay, but it basically means let me think. Mostly, is that what it basically means? Probably Probably. Okay. Do you have brothers? No. Are you with your does your father live at home? Yes. Do the ladies seem to really love him? Maybe maybe, okay. Your mom and dad married? Yeah. Okay. Does your mom seem really happy?

Maddie 3:43
Well, they had their moments. My dad has a traumatic brain injury. So it's a lot.

Scott Benner 3:48
Oh my god did hit him in the head. What happened?

Maddie 3:53
He told me he was in a car accident.

Scott Benner 3:57
Oh, Maddie. I'm so sorry. This isn't fun at all. No, no. Well, at least he has that name, which I would wander. I have to tell you. My last name was your last name. When I introduced myself. I'd say my last name every time. I go when I walked into a room of people like my last name is Benner. I'd never say it because bad name. You don't I mean, actually, both of my names suck. Have you really thought about Scott terrible name? Right? It's very curt and terrible, short, meaningless. And then Benner which gets run over like, what do they say? Bent bent? What do you say Brenner? Like, that's how it goes all the time. But if I had your name, I'd walk in there might be like, Hi, I'm Scott Benner. Damnit, everybody hear it? It's a great name. I hope you have many sons. They will have amazing lives with that name. Don't take your husband's name if you get married, okay. Okay. You make him take that name. If you're getting if you're thinking that way, but that's not my business. Alright, so you are 18 you were diagnosed 11 years ago. So you were seven when you were diagnosed? Is that right?

Maddie 4:58
Oh, it's been 12 years. Well,

Scott Benner 5:00
you're an only child. Is that correct? Oh, I

Maddie 5:03
have an older sister, older sister.

Scott Benner 5:05
I just know brothers. Excuse me. How old is your sister?

Maddie 5:09
She's 25.

Scott Benner 5:11
Does she have any autoimmune stuff?

Maddie 5:13
Um, no, she, she's legally blind. But that's not an autoimmune condition.

Scott Benner 5:19
Maddie are there anybody else in your family that if I bring up you're gonna tell you something sad about them?

Maddie 5:28
Probably, really? Well, I feel everyone like my immediate family has something like something medical.

Scott Benner 5:36
No kidding. Alright, well, let's go. Oh, hold on, then. Let's pick through it for a second. You. You're Maddie. Yes. You have type one. Do you have anything else?

Maddie 5:46
I have a couple other things. Well, I have non epileptic seizures. So that's fun. I don't but nothing related. Like nothing that came off of type one.

Scott Benner 6:01
Okay, no. Non epileptic seizures.

Maddie 6:05
Yeah, that's caused by like, an over like my body over exaggerate stress anxiety. So I just go into the theater if I'm overly stressed. Okay.

Scott Benner 6:12
You shouldn't have started with the talk. You think? Probably not. Yeah. Sorry. Should we debrief together or something?

Maddie 6:23
No, it's fine. Okay,

Scott Benner 6:24
so how long have you had those?

Maddie 6:27
Since October? 2019.

Scott Benner 6:32
Oh, okay. So it's a I mean, it's three years, but it's a newer thing.

Maddie 6:35
Yeah. How? So? Trying to figure it out?

Scott Benner 6:38
Yeah. How often do they happen? Do you see? Like, can you see triggers coming? Or does it surprise you?

Maddie 6:44
Well, my only trigger that I've found a school. So my only trigger is like school. So I tried college that didn't work in high school. They were daily multiple times a day lasting upwards of an hour. Sometimes longer than that. And I just kind of learned to deal with it. That's my life. They don't happen anywhere other than school. So I just don't go to school. Problem solved. I'm

Scott Benner 7:14
mad, aren't you? I see what's happening. You I'm making air quotes that you have non epileptic seizures because, you know, you found a way to get out of school.

Maddie 7:24
Well, I, I graduated, I walked that stage. And I just I had to have a one on one to basically be there in case Oh, not in case. But when I had a seizure, they would just be there. So the class that had to be stopped.

Scott Benner 7:39
I made how often do you think that happened in total in the last three years?

Maddie 7:45
1000s upon 1000s of times. I mean, at one point, I was conscious, two to four hours a day and unconscious 20 to 22 hours a day. Whether that was sleeping or seizing, that was my life.

Scott Benner 7:59
Oh my gosh, um, have you? How have you attack this from a medical doctor? I imagine but have you seen like a therapist as well?

Maddie 8:08
Yeah, so the only treatment for it is counseling. Okay. So I've I've seen conflict since I was diagnosed with type one. So it's, you know, I've, I've had treatment for mental health related stuff since I was six. But that is really the only treatment there's some medication, but it's hit or miss. I also have vasovagal syncope. So most meds will lower my heart rate too much and that I pass out from that. So it's like I can't win with meds. So it's just for me, it's just counseling.

Scott Benner 8:52
Okay, I'm looking stuff up now. Is this called PNAS? Yes, pn es are attacks that may look like epileptic seizures, but are not epileptic and instead are caused by psychological factors. Sometimes a specific traumatic event can be identified. Do you have a trauma that you can look back and see?

Maddie 9:12
Not really, that's what makes like my exact case unique is most people have PTSD, that triggers is like that stems these attacks. But I don't. I mean, yeah, I've had some somewhat traumatic experience being diagnosed with type one. My father is correct. Those type of things. Nothing really that would relate to school being social school that I would cease.

Scott Benner 9:38
Okay. All right. Maddie, I have to tell you like 99 out of 100 times I love that. I don't know anything about people. But there's not a lot I wouldn't give right now to go back into a time machine and not start talking about your last name at the beginning. I feel so feel stupid. We're gonna get past that. I'm going to try to get past it you've seen like your past at all. But yeah, your sister who's older, legally blind, you said,

Maddie 10:04
yep. And she has autism

Scott Benner 10:06
from birth.

Maddie 10:09
Legally blind from birth and obviously awesome from birth. Yeah,

Scott Benner 10:12
I didn't mean, I appreciate. I appreciate you being like, this idiot might not understand autism, but no, I did. I didn't mean legally blind from birth. Okay, so she legally How old is she?

Maddie 10:23
She's 25. And she was diagnosed with whatever her eye condition is at three months.

Scott Benner 10:31
Gosh, your parents are together.

Maddie 10:35
Yeah, so her dad's her dad, and my mom separated. Five years later, five, six years later, then they got married and then had me a year later.

Scott Benner 10:45
Okay, so your father and her father? Two different men? Yes. Got it. Yeah, it was like, I know a lot of guys. I was like, Wait, your father stuck around? Like most guys are just hard, you know? Yeah. I mean. Yeah. So. Okay. Other people in your family? Your father has traumatic brain injury. But that's from an auto accident car accident. How about your sister's father? Does he have anything going on that you know about?

Maddie 11:15
Not I never met him. So I have no idea.

Scott Benner 11:19
Okay. Your mom.

Maddie 11:21
She has a brain tumor. Seriously, it's fun. Yeah, they found it because he had meningitis several years ago. And then that's when they found that, but it hasn't grown. So they don't think it's going to do anything. But it's definitely something that, you know, you have to watch for the target like brain scans every year to or something like that, to monitor to see if a tumor has grown or anything, which hasn't been the last. It's changed shape, but it hasn't grown at all.

Scott Benner 11:54
Okay. And does she have any ill effects from it? Or is it just there?

Maddie 11:58
No, it's just there. And her doctor said a lot of people actually, when they die, they find them. They find out that they have this tumor. But it never affected that at all in her life. But since she had meningitis, I was getting MRIs and stuff. That's what I found.

Scott Benner 12:14
I must have a stupid bone somewhere. I bet you will find that when they do an autopsy. You know what I mean? Yeah, you know, you listen to this podcast by

Maddie 12:24
not as much as I wish I did. But I do listen, like probably once or twice a month.

Scott Benner 12:31
What are you busy? You got like workers? Yeah,

Maddie 12:33
I, I work. I'm a dog groomer. And I work all the time and it's exhausting. Have you considered what when I get home, I just go just go to sleep for like three hours, wake up, eat dinner and go back to sleep and understand.

Scott Benner 12:47
Have you considered quitting your job? So you can listen to the podcast more? No, think about it. Let me know what you come up with. Yeah, I mean, not everything.

Maddie 12:57
Love the podcast? Or listen to the full episodes.

Scott Benner 13:01
That's what I'm saying. But everything's not about you. You know. So think of me once in a while. I build seriously your downloads can be the difference between me having a good day and a better day. Sorry. The handling just in your, in your immediate family, the four of you. Wow, I imagine it's been long enough now that these things are all commonplace in your life. But as they get sprinkled in one after the other, is there not the feeling of like Jesus, what's next?

Maddie 13:36
I mean, not really. Because I'm just so used to like, one after another at this point that I'm like, Well, this is my life. This is how I'm gonna live. And I'm not gonna like make like, I'm gonna make sure like, I control my life and that my illness is

Speaker 1 13:53
good for you. I'm always really uplifted when I speak to people like you. I did an episode a couple of weeks ago, it's not out yet. Doesn't matter. You will not you won't listen to it. But with a quadriplegic, who Yeah, you know, became acquired by a medical mistake, which is already just terrible. And then, and then a handful of years later gets type one diabetes.

Scott Benner 14:22
Just really, and she's got such a great attitude. And I just I look, I'm sick. Maddie, I've got like, I think I got what they call the RSV, respiratory. Something right? I am walking around this house complaining. Like someone drove a metal spike through my thigh. Get on me and I'm like, When is this gonna stop? This isn't fair. I started philosophizing with my wife the other day she's sick by the way. My poor wife has this and COVID at the same time. I think she's doubly ill. She has been ill for weeks. And I'm standing there trying to have an existential conversation about why did illnesses even exist and she's like, shut up. So, I'm assuming if any of the things that happened to the people in your life happened to me, she'd probably she probably kicked me out. Don't you think? I would never stop complaining. I just, first of all, Maddie, I love to complain like a sport. I don't I don't even complain to complain. I just love the practice of it. Some people know what I'm talking about. You're not one of them. Okay, how is it managing your type one diabetes, and I'm fascinated managing type one doesn't pressure you.

Maddie 15:32
I mean,

Scott Benner 15:34
not enough to make you have a seizure.

Maddie 15:36
Yeah, but like, my seizures are definitely like, there's a certain type of stress at tourism. It's not like, oh, I my budget is so high. I don't know why and like, there's a shuffle. It's not like that. It's like, the most random stupid thing that you wouldn't think would trigger someone to have any anxiety or like that severe of anxiety. Like, the squander will just too many stimuli around me and everything like that, like that's what triggered me. So like, Mandarin type one doesn't. I mean, I lived with it more than half my life. I mean, 12 years. So I'm just so used to it by now that I know, like, just not really what to expect. Because obviously, you'd never really know what to expect day by day, but I just deal with it how I have to, and Sundays that's sitting in my room crying because I don't want to be type on anymore. And other days that's doing like public speeches on different like, I did a public speech at a library, no one showed up. But that's not the point. I went there, and I had everything ready. And I did a presentation to the person that organized it. And it was about service dogs and disability awareness. And so that's like, doing those sort of things is my outlet. And that's like helping helping other people's base my outlet. Yeah. So yeah.

Scott Benner 17:12
Are you trying to be my favorite person because I am on a lot of cold medicine right now. But you You made me cry. That was really lovely. I commend you for showing up at that event. And, and giving your presentation to one person. That's really, it's really wonderful. Oh my god, you're gonna make me cry. Oh, hold on. I need that time machine. We got to stop the to go back and cut that stuff out. Cheese. Do you think the whole person's making me weepy? What's going on? What's that Advil cold and sinus? You know, you can't buy that much of it because they think you're making meth with it. Yeah, you gotta give me your driver's license. Yeah, it'd be Id just hurry. Yeah, but but if you buy one tablet and one liquid gel, they don't bother you. But you can't buy two tablets. Interesting, huh? Yeah. Do people do you think people are like, wait, you can make mathematical medicine? Or people hearing this for the first time? Some of them I imagine. Right? Probably a few people anyway, that's why you have to give your your ID when you buy certain medications at a pharmacy because they want to make sure you're not breaking bad somewhere. Is that an old reference or to Breaking Bad holed up in Netflix?

Maddie 18:24
I never watched it. So

Scott Benner 18:26
apparently, it's a terrible reference. Okay. If I asked you questions about school, and what makes the seizures you can answer the questions right now. They wouldn't bother you.

Maddie 18:43
Yeah, I mean, I don't really have answers for you though. Because we don't even know what exactly triggered them at school. Yeah, no, I'm not gonna go schools.

Scott Benner 18:53
I'm sorry. Maybe I'm not gonna ask you the questions. I just wanted to know like, if I started grilling you like hey, so when did when does it happen when you get there when you saw certain teacher when you're in it, like you'd be able to talk about it right now. You wouldn't have any trouble? Yeah, that's fascinating. Okay. You said that when you were younger, you had some other psychological illness that you were dealing with what was that

US med takes over 800 private insurances and Medicare nationwide. They have an A plus rating with the Better Business Bureau and they're the place that Arden gets her supplies from art and gets her on the pod dash and her Dexcom G seven from us med but they also carry on the pod five tandem T slim x two FreeStyle Libre two and libre three and the Dexcom G six. Holy Hannah. They also have syringes and insulin and testing supplies at US med they're the number one distributor for FreeStyle Libre systems nationwide, the number one specialty distributor for us The PA dash, the number one fastest growing tandem distributor. And the number one rated distributor index. com customer satisfaction surveys. Holy moly, better service and better care at us med.com forward slash juicebox. US med has get this listen to what I'm gonna say. US Matt has helped over 1 million people with diabetes since 1996. And they'd love to help you to call 888-721-1514 or go to the link us med.com forward slash juicebox. Use the phone number or the link to get your free benefits check. And then you'll be on your way to getting your supplies just like art from us med. Are you looking for somewhere online to talk with other people who have type one diabetes, maybe some type twos, maybe some people have gestational, or I don't know they're the parents of kids with diabetes. I've got the spot for you. Juicebox Podcast, type one diabetes on Facebook, it's a private group with 40,000 members to a wonderful place. And I think you'll enjoy it. Check it out. It's completely free. As is everything with the Podcast, the podcast shouldn't cost your money. The Facebook group shouldn't cost you money. We don't give you a little bit of information in an episode and then send you to another place to pay for more later. We don't do that crap. This Facebook group is terrific. Juicebox Podcast type one diabetes on Facebook. It's a private group. So you answer a couple of questions that prove you're a person. And the next thing you know, you're having conversations or reading conversations about the things that matter to you most. There are links to us med the private Facebook group and all the sponsors in the show notes of the podcast player you're listening in right now. Or you can find those same links at juicebox podcast.com. Let's get back to Maddie and find out how she trained that dog by herself.

Maddie 21:57
I don't know

Scott Benner 21:59
is that oh, then I miss her. Again the golden sinus. I thought you said that earlier. When you were younger. You had something else you were dealing with? I'm sorry.

Maddie 22:08
Just being diagnosed with type one and then my dad's Correct.

Scott Benner 22:12
Okay, those things? Well, those are those are big things. Was your father in the hospital a long time after his accident?

Maddie 22:18
He was in a coma for five weeks and rehab for six weeks.

Scott Benner 22:22
Did you? How old were you when that happened?

Maddie 22:24
I was four. Okay,

Scott Benner 22:26
we're still pretty young. Were they preparing?

Maddie 22:29
For a ton of it. But um, they the hospital basically told my mom one day that you might want to go home with her children that they don't have a dad anymore because your your husband's brain dead. And then she's like, well, that's happening because he's not brain dead. And Tara, the doctors surprised he wasn't actually brain dead. And they don't know why. First, like whatever they do is check that they don't know why that came back as he was brain dead. But he's back to work full time doing what he used to do. before his accident, he just no longer has his own company, huge company. He works for someone else now. But he's still doing what he loved to do.

Scott Benner 23:10
So that's amazing. So I mean, it's like he went from Hey, this guy's never waken up to like functioning in his life again.

Maddie 23:19
Yeah. And they everything that they said that he did the opposite. So like, they will they basically said, you know, he's never gonna learn, like, he's never gonna know how to be a master electrician. Again, he's gonna have to learn, you know, basic, like basic, basic stuff. And yes, he didn't have to learn how to like brush his teeth, comb his hair, walk, get dressed, like do those basic things. But then he had like Job, coach, people come to the house and basically show him how to go on interviews and get hired and then go on jobs. And he was like, this is easy, I can do this. And he's back working as a full time master electrician.

Scott Benner 24:00
That's good money, by the way for anybody listening. If you're growing up and don't know what to do, right, Maddie, like, electricians get paid? Well. Yeah, you're like it's not helping me. I'm still working. Okay. Do you date

Maddie 24:18
lottery now?

Scott Benner 24:19
You have in the past or you're open to dating. I'm trying to find out what's going on with you stops you from wanting to interact with people like that. What do you mean? Well, I don't know. Like, I don't know I'm trying to learn about you. So I'm trying to find out if you're, if your self confidence is good, if you're like if the things that are up with you diabetes, this disorder, etc. If these are things that hold you back and keep you private, or if you're still out

Maddie 24:44
nothing, nothing really holds him back. I like showing off my pump I've always had like showing off my diabetes I'm I'd like to say I'm a pretty confident person. Others me Are you on that? But I think I'm confident. Because, I mean, I, at my school, in eighth grade, I did a talent show. And I played ukulele and I sang in front of 2000 people. And not many people can say they did that.

Scott Benner 25:17
That's pretty easy to stand up in front of that many people, isn't it?

Maddie 25:21
No, but it's what I enjoy it for whatever reason. People think I'm crazy when I say to public speak, and I like to, you know, be like out there and open and do well, like the things I like to do. People look at me like three heads, like you actually enjoy public speaking, you actually enjoy performing in front of people. But I like to do in somewhat confident in.

Scott Benner 25:45
That's excellent. I feel the same way. I don't speak in public as much as I used to. But there's something like wonderful about it, like you walk into a room. It's like this big room, there's all these chairs set up. And the first thing I think is, oh, I hope I hope they all come in like I want I want as many people to come in as possible. I want a big like lively crowd. And then you get up on stage and you think I'm gonna try to say something that these people will enjoy. That they'll find interesting. That'll be helpful to them. And then, you know, after that, I don't remember anything. I have such a good time doing it. Yeah. Is that how it felt for you?

Maddie 26:25
Yeah, I'm like, when so my I have a service. That's what the whole thing kind of about

Scott Benner 26:34
Mati. I'll just, this whole thing's about okay, but, but yeah, I do want to talk about your service dog. Yeah. How did you end up

Maddie 26:43
but with she has a bass that actually flat out. So dog, and I have countless people come up to me. That's so cool. So my, you know, my cousin type one, or my daughter was type one or my, you know, whoever's whoever they know, is type one. And they're like, how can I get the service? They, I think they need one. And so I basically talk to them for 1015 minutes, just about, like my experience and know how I went about, what about it? And could no service is that cheap? Yeah. They're pretty expensive for your average household. And so was medical costs on top of a service, that's nine times out of 10. not doable for most people. So I actually, you know, I had a dog in front of me, I'm like, let's try that. Let's try. She's trying her potential. She's wicked smart. She's a poodle mix. So in poodle, the second smartest dog in the world, behind Border Collies, and so I like, let's just try this. Let's see where this goes. Doesn't work. It doesn't work. And oh, well, but it worked. And, yeah,

Scott Benner 27:52
that's amazing. You're just like, well, this is the dog we have. I'll give it a shot. Yeah, what led to that? Well, I meaning Were you having trouble?

Maddie 28:01
Um, I Not, not like I was never hypoglycemic and aware. But, I mean, I eventually, after getting her started to, for whatever reason, I just started not recognizing blood sugars until they were like, 40 Oh, gosh, 40s. But like, the other time, I'm like, 70, like, Oh, I feel like I'm dying. So it's hit or miss one. And I know if I'm overnight after I trained her, but are so we have a German shepherd. And when we got her within six months, she just started alerting to my blood sugars. Like naturally we didn't know why. Like, why she just finally one day woke up and started learning my blood sugar's but she basically has, she would never work as a service like, she is aggressive towards men. Like she will attack them if they walk near her. Because she was abused by men when he got her so that it all makes sense. And she the way she loads, although you could shape the alert on meaning you can change the way that they are. She just would her being aggressive towards men, it wouldn't be worth training her to shake dealer into something that wasn't pulling on your shirt and being obnoxious. And so then I had a dog when I was in fifth grade. He got out was hit by a car and 2018 and shortly after that, I got my my now service dog. She was just sending a pet. She wasn't going to be anything fancy. But she showed her potential she I basically from day one, we just did basic obedience. And we've built that for a year then December 26 2018 2019. Sorry was it Just one year after I got her, I started centering. And she picked it up really fast by about late January, early February, she did her first live load ledger alert.

Scott Benner 30:12
Tell me about the scent training. How does that go.

Maddie 30:15
So I take saliva samples. So when I'm low, as long as I haven't eaten anything within 30 to 45 minutes, in our drinking anything, even if even if it was just water, I don't take a sample as I haven't had anything in my mouth. And so I will suck on a few pieces of like, sterile gauze type stuff, or paper towel that's ever been opened, or like open a new roll of paper towels and use that only for to take samples, I stuck on it for like, three to four minutes. And I spit it in these little tiny bags. And you can freeze them for three months. They're good in the freezer for three months, good in the fridge for three days and good out of the fridge for three hours. So I use the 333 rule. And with those samples, you basically so if you want your dog to alert to you under, if you're under 80, you start taking samples, when you're like in this 50s or 60s, that something really strong, you can build up until you get to that exact number that you want to reach. So mine is shorts between under 80. And above 180. I just find that the best, like range for me, right. And so you, it's kind of hard to explain without being like, demonstrate. But you basically I have these little tiny metal tins with holes in the top and my dad drilled out for me. And these tins have, I put the sample and screw lid on hold up my hand. And with that I just in the very, very beginning, I just had a smell at the second shoe smell that I use a clicker clicked and rewarded with a treat. And we built that up to her pi me. And then eventually her using a thing called a brindle, which is basically they're just a paracord tab that hangs on her collar or a Biothane tab. And when I'm low, she'll she'll call me I'll say hi, hello. And then that was a garbage truck. But so just grab the brindle if I'm low. And that's how she can tell me the difference between high or low.

Scott Benner 32:35
Wow. So you could that's a lot. I guess my first question is, where did you learn this.

Maddie 32:42
So there's, I've read the book called The pain project. I read that before I even got this before I got my current dog. I read that when we had when we had the German shepherd that was alerting, but we didn't know what to we didn't know she was like that aggressive in the beginning. And that couldn't be trained on her. Um, and so with that I had like, I love training dogs, I actually train like do dog training on the side. And so I have basic dog training node. And I found this lovely organization called MD dogs.org. And it stands for medical detection dogs. And she has a free downloadable book. Or you can pay for the updated version through like Amazon or whatever. And she has step by step like steps one through like 20 something or whatever how far it goes about, you know, every little, little tiny steps of progressing from just smelling the tin to smelling and then giving you an alert to the tin to that I'm actually getting away from the samples and doing live alerts to then going out in public and doing all that type of stuff. So she really breaks it down and that's what I followed I just found out the easiest to understand that was even more understandable than the pain project which I thought at the time was really very nice.

Scott Benner 34:08
Maddie the pain is the pain project. P A.

Maddie 34:13
The Ping p i like the endless ping.

Scott Benner 34:16
Yeah. Got it. No, I understand. Sorry. Yeah. She's just like, use Google to do this. You bought a dog or you bought a book. You got a dog you were looking at it like this dog smarter able to do it. You grabbed a book you looked online you found an organization you took some direction and it took you three months to train the dog to do this

Maddie 34:41
well for her to get the first alert got was about three months for just sent work. Geez. Um, but then once the thing you gotta keep up on it and you're reinforced that behavior. So in total from start to finish between just Start finish training because training never really ends. But that initial training to where I would say she graduated from the in training phase to a full, fully trained service dog was about two to two and a half years. From basic obedience day one, when I got her to the time, I felt confident that she was capable of being in public without the entraining patches.

Scott Benner 35:22
Gotcha. Does she ever approached another person whose blood sugar's off? Where's the she has?

Maddie 35:28
Well, she's, like, approached them, but she's alerted me to other people. One time I was in a restaurant, and I saw someone right in front of me like one table in front. And she alerts me and I look, I check, because with what the guidelines are delegation never go off your Dexcom number should always go fingerprick. And that's just because taxon cannot obviously be off. So you always want to double check for the fingerprick it was reading 130. So like, Okay, we'll check in 10 minutes, maybe you're cutting a rapid rise or rapid drop. I check again, I'm like, in the 120s or so I'm like, Okay, you're, you're not right, like you're, there's something going on here. And then eventually, the woman got up to leave. And I was like, Hey, I just have a question. I see. You're typing out. I am, too. So I got the alert dog. What is your blood sugar high or low? Because she's alerting me and I think she's learning you. And she goes, Oh my God, my blood sugar is just in the 60s. Like, that's so cool. My dog just alerted me to your blood sugar, even though I had no idea that you were alone.

Scott Benner 36:32
It's amazing. And that's really amazing. Yeah. I mean, it's amazing. We did it. It's amazing that it works. It's amazing that the dog does it with such consistency. Are there ever times where you're low and the dog just does not say anything to you or no.

Maddie 36:45
There has been a handful of times a past three, three years that we've done, that she's been doing some work. But she has a 96% accuracy. Last time I checked, it was 96%, meaning she got 96 over 100 alerts. Um, she missed two alerts, and she falsely learned to two. Wow, that's pretty interesting. Taylor, but there was nothing wrong.

Scott Benner 37:12
How often does she you're wearing a CGM? He said,

Maddie 37:16
Yeah, I read it next time. And I also had the tandem. Okay,

Scott Benner 37:18
so how often do you like when she alerts you? Do you look at your gear and go yep, she's right. Like she does she matched the gear or she ahead of it? Or how does that work? She's

Maddie 37:29
normally a little bit ahead of it if I'm low. And if like if I'm already high, and she's alerting again, I'm like, like, say, say like 200 and she alert so like, Oh, great. And when my Dexcom catches up and says that 200 and Schallert within like 30 minutes to an hour later if I'm still high, she'll figure your blood sugar out get that I don't like this not

Scott Benner 37:53
because I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cut you off.

Maddie 37:56
Because to a dog. They don't love the smell. They hate this all low blood sugar kind of. But I've been told it sounds like is like a strong acetone snow. So they like to them they don't like that smell. So they basically like especially when I'm low my dad would just keep alerting me because he like fix your fix your snow. You know, it's alright, I don't like it. So she'll just keep telling me which is also leads me into why some dogs don't work out at seven o'clock dogs is simply because they can't they shy away from the smell. I've heard cases of like dogs that are trying to train their dog to eat at their dog and it just flat out don't like the small hides away from the person that's low.

Scott Benner 38:40
So they understand the smells wrong, but instead of coming to you away from it, yeah, yeah. Also dogs could just not be capable, right? Like my dog is stupid. He couldn't do it. I know for sure.

Maddie 38:51
Like a lot of dogs. They might be able to like be like, oh, something's wrong, but not have the drive to tell you. Or the cat was saying the why dog might not work out or dog.

Scott Benner 39:04
Every time basil sits down. When his butt hits the floor. He turns over shoulder very quickly. Like he's astonished at something touched his butt every time. I think is brightness the size of a walnut. So he definitely couldn't do this. I mean, he's surprised by his ass touching the floor when he sits down. Do you see what I'm saying? Yeah, yeah. It actually happens. His butt hits the floor and it's like, what's that? It's your butt on the floor just like it was three seconds ago. Okay, so I don't have the right dog for it. Can you snooze them? Like what if you have a high blood sugar's last thing ours is the dog just up you're tugging on you and pulling you the entire time.

Maddie 39:48
In my experience, I basically just have a train and all done command. Which just means you've told me we're all done. No more treats and they're like getting in every word. And then if you Let me like an hour or so I'll get virtually all done. And so is that consistent, like she's constantly telling me for the two or three hours, that could be High Plus, but she will relearn every couple of every hour. So

Scott Benner 40:18
that's it. That's really insane. So the dog doesn't. I don't mean it this way, but the dog doesn't really care about you. It cares about the treat, it can pay it cares about completing the cycle, right? Yeah, okay.

Maddie 40:30
Yeah, he cares about Oh, I smell this as a total add to tell Maddie that. I smell the smell. Right? She'll give me a treat. And then I can continue on with my life.

Scott Benner 40:40
So she's sort of like, Oh, the smell lady has the food. And then, yeah, beats you up until you give her the food. And that's it. Oh, well, that makes sense. I don't know what I was expecting. But that totally makes sense. What's that word? When you give animals human features in your mind? Hold on Anna. I'm gonna think of it. You don't? You're obviously you don't know. So like, as you're just like, there's a lot of density. Okay, so animal, I'm gonna get this it's like you project human feelings on to animals. There's a word for it. When people do it.

Maddie 41:25
There is a word that I

Scott Benner 41:26
use it yesterday and I'm more poor for dinner

I'm gonna get my Google food was I got it back. I just like I said, I'm sorry, I have it and throw more anthro Jesus, and throw poem. morphism is defined as the tendency to attribute human forms and behaviors and emotions to non human animals or objects. It's key, it's particularly relevant for companion animals. Some practices can be beneficial, while others can be either that doesn't. So it's basically like when someone says, you know, oh, the dog misses me. Or I can tell ya, you know, like that kind of stuff. Like you you give human traits to the way your dog's acting like I you know, people ever hear people say my dog is spiteful. Because you're a nice person. That's why, but like, there are some people who think like, oh, the dog peed on the floor is it's out of spite. He's mad. I'm like, That's the dogs that the dogs, I don't think that the dog doesn't have the the brainpower to be angry. You don't even think he could process anger? Like what do you think,

Maddie 42:42
are some breeds that are more prone to like holding grudges against certain things. So there's, there's actually like when you're what like when you're looking at a puppy to become a service, like you do think you can do a temperament test. And one of the things in the test is seeing if they will. Like if they're holding a grudge against you, if you like, cause some slight discomfort. So it's, the whole test is like 10 different, like, elements. And basically each one and all that sort as well. So threes and fours. It's called the vole hard puppy test. And that's just a test to see what the ultimate like temperament should be of this dog. And it should be performed at seven weeks, but you can, like that's when you get the best results. But obviously, if you don't have a dog, like if you don't have a breeder for a dog, and when the dog is seven weeks old, obviously you can't do that test.

Scott Benner 43:43
I'm not saying that dogs don't have different temperaments. I'm saying that your dog is not looking at you right now planning your demise. You know, like when, when, when Arden says to me, how do you think basil feels right now? I'm like, I don't think he feels like anything good. Like, what? What do you think Basal is thinking? Um, I think he's thinking pant, pant, pant, pant pant. There's the tall thing that brings food. You don't I mean, like, I don't think he's having any, like, deep philosophical conversations. Yes. That's all. Like, like when it rains. Here's one that's funny for you. When it rains, Basil won't won't defecate on the grass. So he does it on our driveway. We're a sidewalk. That's just you know what he does? Yeah, but there are people who would look at that and say the dogs being defiant or something like that. Like he just doesn't like the wet grass poking his butthole Maddie that's really Yes. Yeah, trust me. I've watched it closely. Anyway. Alright. So your dog is amazing. You trained him her Excuse me? Have you have do you have any idea for if this animal came to you pre trained from a company how much that would have cost you?

Maddie 44:55
Probably? Well, if each company does it Little like prices are right below the fray. But MD dogs, because they also produce adequate dogs. But just one woman doing it, she goes like a dog or two every year. But she priced it out around 18,000. Yeah, I've seen, like different organizations priced in upwards of 25,000. So it's a lot. And that's why a lot of people are trained, but some people just aren't, you know, capable, they don't have the knowledge or they don't have well, resources to train themselves. And then second disposition, I really need this, I really needed to have a go dog, but I can't, you know, I can't go 25 or upwards of $25,000 for a dog. And so, you know, that's where people like me come into play where I want to start a business training you guy by their dogs for as little as possible.

Scott Benner 45:56
You'd like to do that as a business. Yeah, like

Maddie 45:59
as a full time career.

Scott Benner 46:00
Is that reasonable to do? Do you think you think you could make a living at it?

Maddie 46:05
I mean, I, how I would go about it is I would start like training all types of dogs, kind of what I'm doing now on what I'm doing on the side. But I would love to eventually, you know, open up a storefront and train dogs. Like, for anything for like, basically beans and stuff. And then do like data for dogs on the side.

Scott Benner 46:27
Well pay for tax purposes. May I suggest working out of your home? Are you gonna be better? Yeah, yeah. But we have four dogs.

Maddie 46:33
So that's a little bit. Like how

Scott Benner 46:35
do you afford dogs? Yeah, I have to. And everyone in the house is sick right now. Maddie, like, I'm somehow the least sick of the three of us that are here. Yeah. And I got up the other morning and had to go let the dogs out. It was time to let the dogs out. And I said to my wife. Well, here's a decision we made 15 years ago coming back to bite me. And they asked, because I was so sick. And the last thing I wanted to do was get up. I was just like, I want to I need to lay here, but I have to go downstairs and take care of the dogs. So I did, because I'm a good person. But, but I actually found myself thinking, I wish at this moment I didn't have a dog. I was so sick. Anyway, I feel better now. Although talking to you is making me warm. Because I don't know if anybody else has had this yet. But I woke up this morning and I was like, Oh, I'm fine. Like I'm back to good. This is perfect. Heads clear. Chest is clear. I'm good to go. I'm gonna talk to Maddie Babak. I walked downstairs to make myself a cup of tea, because I don't want my throat to get scratchy. While I'm doing this. And the process of like warming the tea. I'm like, Oh, I'm feverish. Like it just came right back. And then the other day I was recording something for a company. So it's on the schedule, and I couldn't move it. And I sat down I was like, Look, don't anyone be scared. There's a blanket next to me, you might see me wrap it around myself during this but don't worry, like it won't come through on the recording. And instead sweating like a fire hose while they were talking. Like I looked like I was kicking meth or heroin. Maddie okay, like, they must have been like, Who did we hire for this thing? Because I was sweating like in sheets of water. And I thought for sure I was going to be freezing like that. It's just, it's it's so crazy the way it goes back and forth. I have a question for you. What made you feel like I need a diabetic alert dog?

Maddie 48:34
There's, that's a difficult question. There's not like one thing as like, this is like this is what I need. But I'd say you know having really, really like dangerous like under 20 low blood sugars, like blood 20 as the blood sugar

Scott Benner 48:57
and that happened, how frequently.

Maddie 49:01
Um It happened probably two times in the year before I decided like, like within a year that I had my dog. Before I did I did centering and make her into a diabetic. Gotcha. I remember the one that stands out to me the most is I was in the car. I felt fine. I was out to eat like a really sugary cookie like I might as well just double check make sure my leg sounds right before I get too much insulin check and we're driving our mom's driving home and I look at says lo like oh that's not good. So I just started doubting do this cookie and I'm like well this is let's help I survive this because I don't feel well but I'm under 20 But I found reading like AB something. But you know I fully trust my meter over the axon because the at the time is G five and i i I don't want to go off I've been treating this I'm not. I definitely and then one time, like, right when I started doing the site training, or maybe like the month before, like just looking into like, the, the, like, the likelihood of this working out I was just sitting in the living room not thinking anything of it. And I felt low but not like as that was on me, I was like in the 60s, I was 32. Like, this isn't good, like, and I had like a lot of insulin on board and and this was not fun. And I feel like I'm dying. And so I was like, let's just try to train her as a diabetic, right? Like it would save a save. She saved my life more times than I can count. There's been a lot of lows i She learned to a treat, and up lower. So I'm very thankful that she was there to catch it before I got too dangerous. Like, you know, and I had to use like glucagon or something. And so, and then there's often times before I got her where I was in DK, I was in DK three times. My whole life, I was never new kit diagnosis, but then in 2015, December 2015, June 2016. I was in the hospital twice with DK three times.

Scott Benner 51:24
Maddie are using control IQ from tandem. Yes, you are. And so today modern time like not going back in your life. But right now. Yes, your blood sugar bounce around like that still?

Maddie 51:38
Yeah, it does. Especially because I just started this my current job as a dog groomer. So I'm still getting used to how to manage, like how to figure out my exact ratios for like basil and carbs and stuff while at work. Because it's way more physically demanding. And I'm used to. So like, I've been having a lot more loads lately. Yeah. But, um, yeah, there's never really a time in my life where, like, from now until, like, from prior three or four years ago, till now where my lectures have been perfectly like not perfect, but like, stable or than they are now. Like, there's never been a time where they're stable. And I don't have to worry too much like controller keys just never really worked that well for me.

Scott Benner 52:28
Maddie, can we talk about this for a minute? Are you okay with that? Yeah. Okay. Can I ask how much you weigh? 130 Okay, can I ask what your Basal is.

Maddie 52:42
fluctuates by hour but I can look like right now. It's increased let me go see, because spoken to like he's working. But normally

Scott Benner 52:54
in settings. Yeah, normally,

Maddie 52:57
like right now it would normally be 1.1. Okay. It goes up to like 1.3 Depending on the hour. Point nine.

Scott Benner 53:05
Yeah, that's that's fine. Yeah, the your insulin to carb ratio. One to nine all day, one to nine. What's your correction factor?

Maddie 53:17
One to 50 Most of the time except for overnight 140.

Scott Benner 53:24
That's pretty aggressive. Okay. And overnight, you don't have stability.

Maddie 53:33
overnight. So anytime I'm somewhat stable. Oftentimes, I wake up low. I'll go to bed my lunch will be like in the 200. And I'll wake up in like the 60s.

Scott Benner 53:43
Or lows most of you issue.

Maddie 53:45
And highs are more by issue. When I correct it, they go low

Scott Benner 53:50
highs after food though.

Maddie 53:53
I'm, if I'm giving the full dose then I go low. If I don't give the full dose for the food, like I take say half a unit off and I am stable or like I don't go too high and I don't go low. But then if I you know, gas on food, I'm always high after

Scott Benner 54:14
what would you say? Give me Give me some examples of of like average meals you have during the course of a week.

Maddie 54:23
Well, so I don't eat fruit, vegetables or meat. So I eat a lot of like carbs. So pastas like peanut butter sandwiches. More pastas like mac and cheese.

Scott Benner 54:39
We figured out we figured out the problematic things the Bolus for Yeah. Are these pastas you buy at home or in our store. Right Yeah, restaurant I make at home. Okay. And same with the sandwiches and stuff like that. Yeah, can I make tiny suggestions for you that might make this easier? Um, mean you care not gonna tell you to eat differently? And I'm not going to be like, You know what, Maddie, you should have some Qianlong. I'm not gonna say that, because I don't think either of us know what it is. But little things when you go to the grocery store and you buy pasta Yeah, look for a brand by a company called dreamfields. Okay, it took me a little while to find dreamfields pasta, it impacts Arden's blood sugar significantly less than other storebought pasta, and she went off to college and I saw her with a plate of like bowtie pasta the other day. He crushed it crushed her because the pasta she was used to eating was had less glycemic impact. Same thing for your bread. When you buy bread make sure it doesn't have high fructose corn syrup in it. Like get get a bread that says no high fructose corn syrup. These are like little things you can do to make your your eating style more manageable. Because what it sounds like is happening. Is that your Well let me ask you a question before I say what it sounds like is happening. What happens when you just eat like a regular? Not supercar B thing must happen once in a while right? Does your insulin to carb ratio work pretty well then?

Maddie 56:19
No, I never eat like not high carb count. So I can

Scott Benner 56:28
just a salad for one day or Bolus. I don't eat vegetables because they touched her.

Maddie 56:34
No, because I have this thing called arfid. Restricted food. What is the call? avoidant restrictive food intake disorder? Oh. type of eating disorder basically.

Scott Benner 56:50
How long have you had that? Since I was two. How does it present when you're too?

Maddie 56:58
Extreme egg peeling to the extreme.

Scott Benner 57:01
Say that again? I didn't hear you.

Maddie 57:04
picky eating to the extreme skiing

Scott Benner 57:06
avoidant restrictive food intake disorder arfid arfid. Yes. It's a fun name. arfid. You should name the dog arpha. That would have been hilarious. No, nevermind. Hold on a second, um, people with autism spectrum conditions are more likely to arfid as are those with ADHD and other disabilities, you have ADHD? Yes. Because you don't have intellectual disabilities, because you've figured out how to train that frequent service dog with it with the internet. That's amazing. When children don't outgrow picky eating, okay, so there's a significant amount of foods you're just not up for. So yeah, no, thank you. So then that's fine. But let's try to find the healthiest versions of the karbi food. That's all I'm saying. And so like I'm saying simple steps, no high fructose corn syrup and your food. Places that hides where you wouldn't expect it is bread, pasta, things like that dreamfields Pasta if you eat a lot of pasta, try that brand. It's a black box. I'm going to find it for you because it's going to make a big difference for you, I believe. Hold on dreamfields pasta, I'm trying to get the box up a picture so I can describe it to you. It's like a black box. It has this like little circle logo that says dreamfields in it. There's like some wheat inside of the circle. Yeah, and there's some bread in the box too. Like a red stripe. I'm telling you, if you eat that much pasta is switched to this brand. There's also a way to cook pasta coolit and reheat it where it doesn't impact your blood sugar the same way so a little bit of prep work if you can't find the dreamfields might help as well. But that's it like just try to get healthier versions of the karbi food if you can just with as little processed crap in it and but the high fructose corn syrup is a big piece of it squeezed because now that we've talked about that, like what it seems like to me because your basil can't be I don't think your basil is bad. Right? So you're bouncing around all the time then what I'm imagining is happening is you're counting carbs. But the are you Pre-Bolus thing

Maddie 59:34
I do most of the time when you

Scott Benner 59:37
don't you definitely spike right.

Maddie 59:40
Typically, sometimes I don't like it's it's weird. Like it's weird how it all works. Like sometimes I like Bolus as an eating right after and I don't go up like hardly at all. Is that

Scott Benner 59:51
I wonder if that would be after like long periods of work where you're working hard like a lot of activity maybe? Or something like that. Like, try to look at that like sometimes like, am I getting? Yeah, like is my insulin seem like it's working better after a long day of work than it would if I was sitting around all day? That kind of an idea? Yeah, that might help you a little bit. So because you're you're putting in I mean, you're covering the carbs the way you want with one to nine, one to nine is not a good I don't know what your carb ratio should be you understand, but one to nine is not. Yeah, crazy. It's, you know, it's a little aggressive. But you're also a girl, you get a period, right? Yeah. So there's all that going on, has a lot of hormonal impact your correction factors. What happens if you made that correction factor? I mean, one to 40 is pretty aggressive one to 50 is too but that's where audiences. So it's not crazy. Are you having Maddie, can I ask you if like your periods are normal and stuff? Do you have any weird hormonal stuff going on? Yeah, good. I know, acne? Can't get rid of? Not really not really. Okay. Sorry, I didn't mean to ask you about that. But if you were having something, there's ways to try to get ahead of that game because it could be causing you to use more insulin. Because of that, but it doesn't sound like you're having an issue with that. Does your whole system work? Well, like does the food go in and come back out? Every day? Yeah. I mean, yeah. Okay. All right. That's good to have good digestion. I think there's, I think you could probably make a big impact. by just doing what we said about the food. Yeah, give it a shot. See what happens. If you do it, would you let me know? Yeah, yeah, you would like to send me an email and be like, Hey, I started using dreamfields pasta in my life is better or something like that? Yeah, I can do that. Alright. Do you know about bolusing for fat and protein? No. Okay, so you're not eating? Well, you probably even fat though, right? The pasta has like sauce on it. Not normally. No, just the butter. We're dry.

Maddie 1:02:00
Just butter and salt. I have a high salt diet. Because I pass out without like, because I need a higher blood pressure. So I don't have to so often.

Scott Benner 1:02:09
Okay. Oh, that's interesting. So need more. So yeah, everybody else was trying to avoid it. You're the lucky one that gets stuff more.

Maddie 1:02:16
Like cardiologist like you need extra salt.

Scott Benner 1:02:19
How many people you know many people are finally Maddie, a medical thing of yours that other people are jealous of their like, oh, I would love to put Meursault on my phone. I don't know. I mean, it's obviously it's a lot do you help? Do you get help from other people with your medical stuff? Are you on your own a little bit?

Maddie 1:02:37
My mom's my biggest support. She has helped me since day one of diagnosis. And I'm not in college. So I live at home with her so I'm not really like completely just on my own. Yes, I'm like very independent, and I can make my doctor's appointments like column like prescriptions and stuff. But your condo hasn't been refilled. But those like she still helps me when I need it.

Scott Benner 1:03:08
So tell me what you don't eat again.

Maddie 1:03:12
vegetables or meat of any kind.

Scott Benner 1:03:15
When you say vegetables, does that include french fries? Or do they get past that? That rule?

Maddie 1:03:21
It can only be McDonald's franchise

Scott Benner 1:03:23
so that those happen fairly frequently.

Maddie 1:03:26
Not that frequently. Maybe like a couple of times a month.

Scott Benner 1:03:30
Okay, so how about deep fried things? Do you have a lot of deep fried stuff?

Maddie 1:03:35
mozzarella sticks?

Scott Benner 1:03:37
Do you notice about that? Do you notice a spike that it's hard to control after months or all six?

Maddie 1:03:43
No, actually. Um, I mean, I like I don't have like I I make them in the oven. So if that changes anything, but I never noticed, I guess like I spoke more than normal. When that?

Scott Benner 1:04:01
Well the oven is the key factor if you're not deep fried. If you're not deep frying them then you wouldn't see a fat rise later. Okay, a lot of pizza.

Maddie 1:04:10
Not not like a ton. I mean, maybe like no, that's for like special occasion. Just like randomly here or there. There's a year

Scott Benner 1:04:20
Interesting. Okay, well, I mean just starting with like trying to cut high fructose corn syrup out and switching to a pasta that would be easier on I'd love to hear what happens. Be careful. Because you know, the first couple of times you may not need as much insulin as you've been needing. I don't want to see you get really low afterwards. Yeah, all right. No matter you have to go to work so I feel that you go Yeah, I'm sorry about that. But this is your life is fascinating. I'm sure not to you well to you. You're probably like a lot of pain, but a pain in the ass right? But I'm really there's a lot here that's that's incredibly interesting. You're doing How do you feel like you're doing? I guess?

Maddie 1:05:03
I mean, I feel like this has been my best year with like medical stuff, medical wise. And just like, personal life wise, like my agency's role was it's ever been since diagnosis by doctors kind of, well, my old doctors have neglected me. For a long time, my agency is unreadable for years, like off the chart unreadable for years. And then they just said, Well, you must be doing something wrong. And then they look my company like, well, you know, you're filing everything like we told you to do, but we don't know what's wrong. So we're not going to fix it. So I went to doctors, about an hour and a half, two hours away. So I had to go to every three months, and they literally the first appointment to second appointment, my ASE dropped them to actually readable. So that was great.

Scott Benner 1:05:55
Wow, that's amazing. But what was it when they when you got it down low enough to be read?

Maddie 1:06:01
Um, I believe it went from unreasonable to like, well over 11 point from the owner call point. Something's amazing.

Scott Benner 1:06:08
And that was just the last one that you got.

Maddie 1:06:11
No, that was a couple years ago. Couple years ago. I got was 7.10. My

Scott Benner 1:06:16
gosh. Isn't that great? Yeah. Yeah. That's amazing. I

Maddie 1:06:21
feel like I've done anything different. Well, that was way lower. So like, clearly doing something right.

Scott Benner 1:06:27
You definitely are, I think. I think your next step is just to try to get rid of the lows, like the variability. You don't want to be bouncing around. Yes, yeah. Yeah. Okay, so Maddie, I know you don't have a ton of time to listen to the podcast. But would you listen to just like there's a Pro Tip series that might help you with your insulin. Would you be interested in that? Yeah. All right. I'm gonna do me to send you a list because you're not in the Facebook group. Are you? Oh, you are? Oh, hold on a second. Yeah. I didn't know that. Not under this name that I'm looking at now, though. No. Okay. See? Hold on a second. I can figure things out. I'm smart.

Maddie 1:07:07
I private message. So the fold with insulin, Facebook page. So Monday, Sunday, Sunday.

Scott Benner 1:07:16
So you're in the private group? Yes. Well, I'll just block it out. What's your name in the group? I won't let anybody here. Be? I'm just good. I cut it up. Okay, I got you.

You're not on the pot anymore, right?

Maddie 1:07:38
No, I was from March of 2022. September 2021.

Scott Benner 1:07:47
Do you want me to? I'll find a way to get you this this list of of episodes that I think might help you, like manage your insulin differently? Yeah, and I think that'd be a big deal for you. I think if you stop the bouncing around, that'd be pretty amazing. Okay. All right. Well, if you don't feel any pressure, I just, I'm happy to share it with you. And if it helps you, I you know, I'm happy that it helps. Yeah, I appreciate you doing this with me. Is there anything that we haven't talked about that you wanted to?

Maddie 1:08:15
Um, yeah, actually, just for like, in the US for diabetic alert dogs and service dogs in general. There is no certification. I just want to put that out there. Because a lot of people like businesses especially are like, well, where's your Where's her papers? I'm like, go there. Is that because we're in the United States? And that's not that's first of all, turning the question on, they're legally allowed to ask, but also, that's not a thing. That's like the legit thing. What's actually most websites was trying to scam you out, like skin you for your money and give you this certificate. That means literally nothing, it helps no legal anything. Okay. So, the only two questions is a lot of assets. Is that a service? Are you required by a disability? And what tasks or tasks to change to perform?

Scott Benner 1:09:04
Does that mean that the people who are training them are not regulated at all?

Maddie 1:09:09
Correct, there is what there's one type of like business certification, or whatever that you can get. That basically, is whatever is like, what can regulate the, like, the, whatever my brands aren't working. But it just kind of like regulates the field I guess, but I don't recall it's like something we're in a, like three letters at Stanford or something, but it's basically just to set some sort of standard kind of rule like it kind of like goes through. If a company doesn't have it, then they might be more like they might try to scam you out of your money. versus a company that does have a background check that there are legit place.

Scott Benner 1:10:05
Okay, thank you. We don't want people getting ripped off because they could get the idea that you get the idea that there's a better dog somewhere than another dog. Yeah, and the truth is the dogs either can do the job or they can't. Yeah, okay. All right. I understand. I just sent you the list through the messenger. So you have it. Okay. All right. It's only like, I don't know how many episodes since there's a lot of them. But you if you can find a little time to listen, he'll be alright. I really appreciate you doing this. Thank you so much. This was wonderful. You know, my only regret about this is you. Do you know what it is? What? I can't call the episode mostly. Because yeah, I mean, you have the greatest last name. Sir. Say yes. I swear to you. I think it's fantastic. You hate it. Yeah, I bet you do. Yeah. Is it you're

Maddie 1:10:56
trying to get my mom to get my father to change his last name before they got married?

Scott Benner 1:11:00
Yeah, I bet you and he didn't. He wasn't up for that.

Maddie 1:11:03
Well, he was like, Well, my mom won't like that. And I was like, well, your mother wouldn't have to know. And then he never did.

Scott Benner 1:11:11
He never did. It's a it is a it's a different name. I listen, I don't have to live with it. I think it's amazing. So alright, yeah. Thank you so much for doing this hold on one second for me.

Hey, first of all, huge thanks to Maddie. 18 years old. She did such a good job today on the show. She's terrific. And I thank her. I also want to thank us med remind you to go to us med.com forward slash juice box or call 888-721-1514 To get your free benefits check. And don't forget the private Facebook group Juicebox Podcast type one diabetes, go check it out. It's really It's terrific. Honestly, I think you're going to be pleasantly surprised. Thank you so much for listening. I'll be back soon with another episode of The Juicebox Podcast.


Please support the sponsors

The Juicebox Podcast is a free show, but if you'd like to support the podcast directly, you can make a gift here. Recent donations were used to pay for podcast hosting fees. Thank you to all who have sent 5, 10 and 20 dollars!

Donate