#980 Academic Advisor

Chrysten is a 29 year old T1D, diagnosed at 7. She’s an academic advisor who works with students transitioning from high school to college.

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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 980 of the Juicebox Podcast

Welcome back everyone. Today I'll be speaking with Kristen she's a 29 year old type one diagnosed at age seven. She's also an academic advisor who works with students who transition from high school to college. We're going to talk about her job and her life, how she was diagnosed, what her experiences were, and everything else. 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 health care plan. We're becoming bold with insulin. Would you like to save 40% off your entire order at cosy earth.com That'll be easy to do, just use the offer code juice box at checkout. If you'd like to save on ag one use my link drink ag one.com forward slash juice box. And of course, don't miss the private Facebook group for the Juicebox Podcast. It's called Juicebox Podcast type one diabetes. It has over 40,000 members and there are endless conversations happening right now that you'll be interested in.

This episode of The Juicebox Podcast is sponsored by Omni pod Omni pod.com forward slash juicebox. Get yourself the Omni pod dash or the automated Omni pod five with my link Omni pod.com forward slash juicebox go take that Omni pod for a test drive. The podcast is also sponsored today by Dexcom. Makers of the Dexcom G seven and Dexcom G six dexcom.com forward slash juice box you can wear the same exact Dexcom that my daughter wears the G seven or you can get yourself the G six@dexcom.com. Forward slash juicebox links in the show notes. Links at juicebox. podcast.com.

Chrysten 2:15
So I'm Kristin I'm 29. And I am currently talking to Scott.

Scott Benner 2:21
Christian, you're 29 You look like you're 12. And this photo was? Is that what you look like?

Chrysten 2:27
My whole? Yeah, I mean, that picture I think I was taking I was like 25. Really? So yeah,

Scott Benner 2:34
if you told me you were 18. And that photo, I would 100% believe you.

Chrysten 2:38
I know this is an ongoing joke. Actually. i We took headshots for my job, like a few years ago and this woman in my department was like, Are you serious? That's your photo. You look like you're in grade school. And I was like, Thank God, I'm sorry. I'm sorry about my pace. I don't know what to tell you.

Scott Benner 2:57
Does it hurt you at work? Like what can you tell me what kind of work you do without telling me where you work?

Chrysten 3:03
Oh, yeah. I'm a counselor, like an academic advisor? Does it hurt me? No, I don't think so. I mean, sometimes I'll get students who I do have some adult students. So sometimes they're older than me. So that's kind of can be kind of awkward, but we kind of roll with it. No, I wouldn't say it hurts me.

Scott Benner 3:22
Okay, bye. Good. My wife was in a position of I don't know how to say that. She She managed people, I was gonna say a position of power, which is true. But like she managed people at a young age and had a razor sharp understanding of the business. And she said that she would sit in meetings sometimes with people who were twice her age. And they would look at her like, why is this kid telling me what I have to do? And she said it were people who had it rubbed up wrong against that's why I was wondering.

Chrysten 3:53
Oh, yeah, I mean, if and when I more if if I ever moved into a management position? I know it would be that I'm sure that would happen to me. But as of right now, it's fine right now. It's

Scott Benner 4:03
not a problem.

Chrysten 4:04
Yeah, right now Well, that's a future problem. Yeah. So

Scott Benner 4:09
you see you being hopeful that you're going to continue to look like you're 12 for your whole life.

Chrysten 4:14
Like I've This has always been how I am like what am I saying? I've always looked younger than I am so I'm just like it is what it is at this point. So if everyone keeps telling me when I'm older, I'll like it but

Scott Benner 4:27
Well, I was gonna say the same thing like I can go or you can get away with way younger than I am. So it is nice for now. It's all about keeping your hair dark by the way. Really? Yeah. And keeping the wrinkles off your face that's pretty much the whole thing.

Chrysten 4:41
Well, I'll try I noticed though on Zoom now, when I'm you know, chose your camera and I have like a line in between my eyes and I'm like, oh my god, I'm getting old scruff.

Scott Benner 4:55
I have squinty eyes already. I hate that the I would like there's there's death Like a world where I would be to some flight surgery, if it was

Chrysten 5:04
low Botox here and there. If my

Scott Benner 5:06
eyes would appear open, that would be nice. And then I'd probably do some liposuction and a couple of spots. I think that'd be it. I'll meet

Chrysten 5:13
you. That'd be it. So down with liposuction, right? You know, who's got money for that?

Scott Benner 5:20
My wife's like, I'm coming up, I don't need you to come up. I need the document. I need an email me the doc, not you.

Chrysten 5:32
Well, don't ask her how she feels about liposuction.

Scott Benner 5:35
Oh, please, she doesn't care about me. Don't be insulted. Like, whatever, we don't have money for that. We do seem to have money for the things she likes, though. If I'm being honest. Yeah. Well, that's how it works. Okay, so why did you want to I'm this one specific. So let me ask why you want to come on the show.

Chrysten 5:56
So I work with students who transition from high school to college. And over and over again, I think when I emailed you was probably in the middle of our summer program. And over and over again, I have students who talk about how they had a 504 in high school, and they want to be normal in college. Right? And so I, after the 25th conversation I've had about this, I was like, You know what, that's such a thing for diabetes as well. And, and it pops up in the Facebook group from time to time about that transition from high school to college. And I also did it myself as a diabetic. So that's why

Scott Benner 6:33
that makes sense. It's and it's a great topic, honestly, what do you think they mean by normal?

Chrysten 6:38
Yeah, so a lot of times, I think they want to leave their diagnosis behind so and right. So I have students with, you know, a whole range of reasons as to why they'd have a 504. So a lot of like ADHD, and I've had some students on the autism struggle, sorry, autism spectrum or learning disabilities, things like that. And I think it's, they want to get rid of that known fact about themselves, if that makes sense. So like, you know, how in high school, they, every every teacher knows what your diagnosis is, and they want to get rid of that when they go to college and kind of start fresh is their idea, I think,

Scott Benner 7:25
is it fair to say? They just want to get rid of their normal? Yeah. A fresh start. So people not knowing. But is that conducive, though? To what? No, not at all right. Like you. Because if you get if you have in there, I think I'm right about this. If you head into college, and you have not set anything up. It's hard to settle up later.

Chrysten 7:48
Yep, that's exactly. And that's why as this happened 500,000 times, that's why I reached out to you because I was like, you know, I remember myself saying these words when I was in high school and going to college. So that's why I was like, Okay, maybe this is like a larger issue. But to your point, yes. So what happens is, they will get their accommodations, they often will crash and burn in the fall. And they'll reach out to me and like, you know, November and be like, oh, so I think I need these accommodations. I'm like, Yep, so that we have to kind of rush to get them off. And by then a lot of times, we can't get them till the spring.

Scott Benner 8:25
You work with kids who have all kinds of needs, not just diabetes.

Chrysten 8:29
Yeah, I actually worked for a program for economically disadvantaged students. And so it's a really broad spectrum of students that come through, but I haven't, I can't give you a number but a decent amount who, who have had disabilities in the past or have disabilities and want to get accommodations?

Scott Benner 8:47
In college? What, um, what does economic disadvantages? How does that How do you help those people?

Chrysten 8:54
So the program I work for it, really, I think the biggest focus is assigning them to a counselor. So myself and the other counselors in the program, and we have a smaller caseload. So what we can we can assist them more often than like a general advisor, because their their caseload is like crazy. It's like one to 700 whereas we are like 130 ish, I would say, and so we can assist them with whatever it is they need to transition. A lot of it is like, helping them with college jargon. So you know how people throw around words like that, you know, the registrar's office, that kind of stuff, right.

Scott Benner 9:36
And you're like, What the hell does that mean?

Chrysten 9:38
Right, right. Exactly. So we help them with a lot of that a lot of like, talking about how college is different than high school. Sometimes we'll connect them to services, like if they need like, additional support, like, you know, we had kids with like housing insecurity, food insecurity, stuff like that. Not that often but that just happened to you stuff like that. It's great work. I like

Scott Benner 9:59
it. Okay, so you you set those people up to understand the system they're getting involved in how to navigate it, and how to show them what's available to them and how they can ask for it. Exactly. Yeah. And there's not a lot of difference between that and medical, honestly. Right? Because it's still the same, like we didn't know right away. When Arden went to college, we're like, Well, I mean, somebody probably has to know, you know, but what do you do? And so, if you if you're not contacted by the school, what do you do you contact them and ask if there's like, who would I contact that the college to ask if I'm not hearing from them on it?

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Chrysten 14:00
Right, exactly, so it's every school has. Its sometimes now called Accessibility Services, or disability services. And those are the people who would process accommodations for college students.

Scott Benner 14:14
Okay, so we contact them and say, Hey, listen, I have type one diabetes, and I'm on my way to college. Or they're two different people, or they're the people who have accommodation set up already and want to try to transfer them. And there are I imagine people who who made it through high school without accommodations and are now thinking they might be more necessary in college.

Chrysten 14:35
Yeah, exactly. So it's definitely easier if you had like a 504 plan or a medical plan in high school, or an IEP if it's not diabetes, right. But then yes, there are people who or you could even get diagnosed with something in college, right? Or even there's like, you know, temporary stuff like you get a concussion or injury or something like that. So yeah, so there's two different like paths. Athletes I suppose to go there.

Scott Benner 15:02
Do people take advantage of this?

Chrysten 15:04
Yes and no, it it really depends from what I understand. And I'm also talking about this in the context of working out one university. Right. Yeah, of course. But yeah, I think it really depends on the school. I don't really have that answer. I also, so I don't work for Disability Services, specifically, like I'm more of like the, like, I work for that. The program I was talking about, so I don't have too much information on like, what that looks like, if that makes sense.

Scott Benner 15:31
Yeah, well, but you have type 1am i right. Yeah, yeah. How so? How old were you? And you're diagnosed? Seven. Wow. Now we know of course, you're 12. Now from your photo? And 12. You've had it for five years? Yes. So you were diagnosed at seven? Did you have accommodations in school?

Chrysten 15:50
No, I had a medical plan of some sort. And high school, I believe, but no, I never had a 504 which is interesting.

Scott Benner 15:59
Which you have an IEP? No, no. Did you note from your doctor? No. But see, this is a good point, though. Because you had it. And you don't know what it is? Yep. Right. And so when you go to college, did you try to take it with you?

Chrysten 16:17
I did, actually because my my, my mother forced me.

Scott Benner 16:21
Okay, more interesting. You didn't want to? I did not want to know, because you wanted to be normal and start over again.

Chrysten 16:29
Pretty much. I went to Penn State and I loved the idea of you know how people hate the idea of like, being just a number. I thought that was great. I was like, yeah, no one bothered me. That was my perspective. So I was like, No, I don't want to bring this up. I'm just going to school. Like, leave me alone. You know,

Scott Benner 16:48
so you like the idea of going to a big school in the middle of nowhere, and just existing for four years and doing your thing?

Chrysten 16:55
Yep. I love anonymity. Like I was all about lecture hall classes. I was like, That sounds amazing. Let's do it.

Scott Benner 17:02
I have a side note question. Why do people who have gone to Penn State act like that's where Jesus lives?

Chrysten 17:09
Because it is. Yeah, no, I'm in. I'm in the cult. I am very okay with it. It's the best place on the planet.

Scott Benner 17:19
Yeah, I don't know. i The flags that fly in front of people's houses a decade after their children have graduated. Their babies running around a little Penn State outfits. Amy? Yeah. Yeah, all that stuff went on with the football team didn't bother people at all. They're like, whatever. Penn State baby.

Chrysten 17:38
Oh, yeah. No, nobody cares. If it's, there's something about it. I don't know. It's, it's like its own little

Scott Benner 17:47
cold already. I think you were there.

Chrysten 17:51
I meant cold. I honestly meant cold. But uh, yeah, I remember my, my dad being like, are you going to college? Are you going to Disney World? Like, what is this? And I was like, it's amazing. So

Scott Benner 18:02
because you were having so much fun.

Chrysten 18:04
I loved it. Yeah. It was amazing. I was so excited to go there. Like it was it was

Scott Benner 18:09
awesome. So how did it go? being just a number like, how did that change your diabetes world?

Chrysten 18:15
I loved it. Honestly, how did it change my diabetes world? So for me, I'm very, I was always very anxious, quiet, keep to myself kind of person when I was young, which you wouldn't think now as I like, don't shut up as I'm talking to you. But so, for me, it was always very hard to advocate for myself. So like, I would be the type where if I was low, I would just take the test and not do well and not say anything about it. Yeah, so when I went to college, that stuck with me, I think I learned I definitely learned as I went through to stop doing that,

Scott Benner 18:56
though. So it's a momentary thing, then it's you, you wanted to try it, then you try it and you're like, This is not valuable for me. I'll stop doing this.

Chrysten 19:07
Yeah, essentially, after it affected my grades negatively so many times. And I was always a good student. I was like school. It started to, I was like, Alright, I gotta stop doing this. I

Scott Benner 19:20
got no, I'm sorry, God, keep talking.

Chrysten 19:23
No, I was gonna say I was thinking of a like, one time for example, I had a, I had a Medtronic pump at the time. I had that for like, a year and then I was like, after got caught on door handles us over it. But so I had a Medtronic pump, something happened with it where I think it wasn't connected or something. And I was like, 300 and this was before I had a Dexcom. So I you know, I didn't realize until I checked my, my number and I was like, oh, yikes. And I was about to go to an exam but I had to go back to my apartment and get cheese Ah, the cartridge or whatever. And so I actually ironically ran into the TA as I was walking to my apartment. And I was like, Hey, I'm so I'm in the class CTA for I know, we have an exam, I explained the insulin pump thing. I was like, I just gotta run to my house and then come back. And then so I'm going to be a little late to this exam. And she was so nice. She was like, yeah, no, don't even worry about it. She was like, I can let the professor know, you could take it another time when you're feeling better. And I went into the exam with a 300 blood sugar. Like, why? For what purpose? You don't? I mean, I would do things like that a lot. Right? You know?

Scott Benner 20:35
Is it fair to compare that feeling that you had to when a person makes a drastic change cutting their hair or changing their clothes? Or? Like you don't? I mean, like, Were you just looking for a shift? Like, let me get away from this diabetes thing for a minute? Possibly, yeah, I mean, because you haven't for we had it for like, 11 years before you went to college ish. So how would you describe living with diabetes as a kid? And then into high school? Did it go like, easily? Or was it? Is it a bad memory?

Chrysten 21:09
So I started, when I started, it was back in like, what is it mph? And the other one, regular? Yeah. And yeah, and you would like mix them in the one injection or whatever. And you had to like, eat 45 carbs a meal at specific times, and then 15 carb snacks, three a day, and you couldn't deviate from that. So that sucked. And from there, I switched to Lantis. That was a big deal to switch to Lantis when I was like, hen and around, I would say around like 11 or 12. I really did everything myself. My parents didn't help me with it, which they were, which is interesting. I think I totally lost track of your question.

Scott Benner 22:02
I'm gonna just ask another question. I'll get you back. Okay. Why was it interesting that they stopped helping?

Chrysten 22:07
Oh, why is it interesting? I mean, I'm thinking of a time like my, I was at a diabetes educator appointment. And my mom was like, my mom was like, oh, yeah, I was like, 12. And my mom was like, oh, yeah, she does everything herself. I don't know. I have no idea what she does. She just does it. And the educator was like, she's 12 I think she probably needs some help. And I was just like, okay, you know, so I, I guess,

Scott Benner 22:37
did you need help? Yeah, what was your agency ish? Like about?

Chrysten 22:42
I want to say I floated in the eights. Yeah.

Unknown Speaker 22:44
So you needed help?

Chrysten 22:45
I needed help. Definitely.

Scott Benner 22:48
Let's delve into your parents for a second. Were your parents like hands off people? Or were they just under the impression that it was going okay, because you were alive.

Chrysten 22:57
My parents are not very nice people. Honestly. So they, yeah. I'm serious.

Scott Benner 23:09
Do you have a relationship with them? Yeah, yeah, that didn't sound exciting. But you go on Christmas, like, that kind of stuff.

Chrysten 23:17
It's kind of it's, they're, they're just not very nice. They're very self absorbed kind of people, you know. So I think that especially with my, my mother was so anxious. I don't think she could handle the diabetes, honestly, like, she was just like, this is another thing. I can't deal with this. So So I did it. So I you know, I kind of had a raise myself kind of childhood, you know,

Scott Benner 23:41
I say, Okay, I am. Good.

Chrysten 23:45
No, is gonna say now that I intended to delve into that. Sorry.

Scott Benner 23:48
No, no, no, I'm just I just have to tell you that. I don't have a number on this. But it's a big number. For when we get to it in the conversation where people are like, Yeah, I just did it by myself. And I'm like, that's weird. Did your parents not help you? And they, and no one just comes out and says, yeah, no, my parents just bailed on me. Like, no one ever is honest about it. Everyone defends their parents, no matter what. It's when they're being recorded. It's really interesting. By the way, it's interesting. How many people stop recording. Yeah, I couldn't tell you about my mom because it would break her heart. And I'm like, Oh, okay. But you were just like, No, they're not nice.

Chrysten 24:27
I believe they never find this.

Scott Benner 24:29
Are you? Are you nice? Yeah. Because I mean, that was pretty honest. Some might say not nice.

Chrysten 24:37
Yeah, I mean,

Scott Benner 24:40
I appreciate it. Listen, I appreciate it. If your 12 year old has a massive medical condition that includes them using a medication that if they use it incorrectly could kill them. And your idea is, she seems to be doing alright. I mean, I'm not I'm not here to judge anybody but if you put Put me in the situation where I was I be judgmental of that. So, yeah. And so I appreciate you saying that. That's all. Okay. So now I have some, I'm also trying to give people context for why their kids might want to forget about their diabetes. Sure, when they get to college, and not only diabetes, it's to be said that it is not uncommon for a kid to go to college and try to find a way to be unconscious.

Chrysten 25:26
Yeah, and, you know, I think the whole thing gives, actually, I'm glad we talked about that, because I think it gives a good context to where I was, was, when I went to college, I wanted to really start over like, I was like, I'm getting away from my parents and the whole shebang. And yeah, so I think that's why I don't know, that's, that's why I went in that direction.

Scott Benner 25:48
Listen, this isn't for this conversation. But I'm happy to have this conversation with somebody else at some point. I don't want to be overdramatic Hold on a second. I think what I was gonna say was, like, a little too overdramatic. But it's a crisis, that after spending 17 years with their parents, that a number of children's focus, they say it's about a coin flip about half f kids that go to college are going to drink by the way half of them don't. It's interesting, like how the numbers, right, but it's one in two people is thinking, I need to go somewhere and get really high or really drunk and get away from my own thoughts. I mean, that's a that's a cultural failing, if one in two people feel that way. Oh, yeah. It's interesting how it doesn't get talked about because from people who are not drinkers, using drinking as an example, they don't say anything. They're just like, I just hope my kid goes to college and doesn't fall into that. I'm just going to hope for that the other half of people are oftentimes almost proud of it. Like, oh, they're gonna go to school and get blackout drunk. Mike, is that not an issue for you? Like, you know, it's not it absolutely isn't. So then there's this competing culture, because the kid who doesn't drink also probably has some stress and anxiety and things didn't go right for them either. And those kids have no outlet. And then the other ones are using an outlet that's so big that it you know, it becomes it can become a way of life to like, we don't talk about the fact that in society, most people are anesthetized in one way or another. That's true. Yeah. We just don't talk about it from like, yeah. Anyway, are the ramifications

Chrysten 27:31
of that? No, no, I think that's a good point. And, and the ramifications of that, like socially, and, and mentally and all these different things? Absolutely. That's huge.

Scott Benner 27:40
Yeah. I mean, from like, you know, from a person, I don't know, who's an adult who's just, you know, using wind to get through the day, or, I mean, I mean, one of the Rolling Stones sang about it in the 60s, right, like just the pill, just take the edge off. And right up to like, you know, I have no trouble with the smoking weed. But if you're smoking weed all day long, because you can't function. To me, there's something's wrong, like, right, like you should be able to get through life without being altered, sometimes at the very least, anyway, and then these kids head off and wanting to kids this coin flip of who you are, some of them are going to have diabetes. And like so some of you are going to send your diabetic child off to college, and that kid's going to fall face first into a keg. The only way they're going to know my expectation to safeguard themselves from a low blood sugar is going to be to keep their blood sugar high. I mean, that's what I get from conversations I have with adults who are formerly children with diabetes. So it goes one way or the other people were just like, I don't drink it doesn't matter. So anyway, that was a bit of a soapbox for me. I did not mean to do that. Oh, it's fine for you, but about the people listening, they're like, Shut up, man. I like to drink. So it's all good. You should have grown up with my parents. You drink too, by the way, I did grow up with your parents and I have compassion. Okay. So what I wanted to tell you was that when Arden went off to college, we had a nice experience where the school, you know, designated a person to speak to us about diabetes. We had a video chat between the three of us, my wife, myself, and Arden. And the first thing you notice is you're talking to somebody who generally speaking, big surprise doesn't understand type one diabetes. Exactly. And so you have to begin to educate them without scaring them. Right. And, and so we were doing that on the call. And I said at some point during the phone call, I said, I don't know if you can tell like we're very uncomfortable with this. And she's like, how so I said, we don't want to be doing this. I said I Don't think Arden needs any of this. But if she does, I don't want for it not to be there. Right?

Chrysten 30:10
And that's how I wrap my head around it to like, it's like there's there's always that one. I'm trying to think of a nice word, and not curse. There's always that one professor, right? There's always that one person who's gonna make your life miserable for no apparent reason. And so it's just, it's really like, a catch all to make sure that you're covered is really how I think of it. But does she? Like, I mean, I would imagine Arden doesn't really need to use it often. But it's just, it's just there just in case.

Scott Benner 30:40
I don't, I don't think I'm gonna go over with you what we did. Okay, but I, I don't think with the exception of the fact that she's she has a tiny little personal refrigerator and smaller than you're imagining, like it only it would only fit maybe like three softballs inside of it. It's very small. And that's what she has her insulin in. And you had to have a an accommodation to have a refrigerator. Right for and that was a bit of a lift, because people didn't ask for it generally. So it was when you got to the person. They were like, I don't know if I'll get this done. But I can't just say yes to it. Now. It's funny, because what you just tried to artfully say a minute ago, I actually just said on the call. I said, Oh, really? Yeah, I told the person I was like, Look, this is all just here in case one of these professors is an asshole.

Chrysten 31:31
I was that was the word I was going to use. But I'll try not to curse. Oh,

Scott Benner 31:34
you're very nice. I mean, not to your parents, but to me, and I appreciate so but but I mean, in truth that's what it is. Right? Like it's a Get Out of Jail Free card in a world where you shouldn't get put in jail, but somebody might do it to you. So you get to whip it on go. You can't do that you have diabetes. So exactly, but you don't want to say it like now the person we spoke to said there are people who wear it like I don't know like they wear it right on their chest. Their every time you see them, you're going to hear I have this and I am allowed and she's like, look, we accommodate those people too. And I said you're never going to hear my daughter say she has diabetes. Like Like there's no less she's passing out and she says give me a juice I have diabetes like that. Even then we've learned people don't even know what that means. So you know anyway, so my wife and I want to get my wife full credit because let's be clear, this is well written and organized which means I had nothing to do with it. But she broke it down into categories for the school. She so the first category she has is absence lateness and scheduling. Court we of course registration, housing and medical, medical self treatment, nutrition proximity to class and food supplies and Wi Fi accessibility. That's how we have it broken down. Okay, what do you do you see anything that's missing there?

Chrysten 33:04
No, no, no. Okay.

Scott Benner 33:06
So what we we first explained it so absence lateness schedule. My wife has blood glucose levels are impacted by many variables, including but not limited to food hormones, adrenaline, temperature, physical activity, illness and stress. Each type one diabetes person responds differently to these variables are in may require flexibility around class attendance due to type one, because of things like prolonged overnight hypoglycemia, emergency room visits, hospitalization for DKA, or a hypoglycemic episode. So we listed out everything that could happen to her. But none of it do we actually expect to happen. Right, right. And then she says this is the combination we're looking for. excused absences. And lateness is for diabetes related reasons. ability to access class notes during excused absences. And lateness is for diabetes related reasons. Extra time, or ability to reschedule exams, projects, due dates, if ability to complete this, the thing is impacted by hypo or hyperglycemia. And so like, that's just one category that my wife, like, laid out. And we went through for all of them. Like, she explained how course registration could be important, just things like class time. Like it'll be it would be great for our not to have to be in a classroom at like, 8am you know, like that kind of stuff. And like, you know, blah, blah, blah housing, that she needs a refrigerator like I can't read this whole thing. I mean, I could read this whole thing to you, but I'm not going to you know, I could make it available online to be honest with you, but yeah, yeah. And so like, so we went through all that. And then the response we got back from the school was very, like, easy. Like, everything was easy after that, because and part of me thinks it's because we made that person's life easier. We explained it to them. We said look Look, this isn't we're not here to like hold you up. You know, we don't we're not asking for a, she doesn't need a puppy or a Ferris wheel. You don't I mean, or something like that. And as a matter of fact, she's probably never going to mention this to anybody. But Arden said that in her first days of every class she has someone pulls her aside and says, I got your accommodations. But she said one professor pulled her aside and said, Hey, look, we're not supposed to ask you What's up, but what's up with you? And goes, Oh, I have type one diabetes. And the woman goes, Oh, really? That it? And she goes, yeah, she goes, it's cool. It's so so hard and goes, Do you want to know anything? And she's like, No, she's like, if you need something, just do it. It's fine. Like she had a real like, adult conversation, right? And what I didn't realize was this with this person with this specific professor. I've just need to live my life. And if as long as I don't take advantage of this, somehow, this person is going to have no problem at all. And the teacher goes, like, I appreciate you sharing it with me, because some kids just have really like, scary issues. And they don't tell us exactly all the time. She's like, I want to know what to be ready for Arden goes look, the worst that might happen. She's Arden said the worst that I can imagine happening is that if one of my devices stops working, I might have to leave. And she's like, in from a safety standpoint, my blood sugar could get low. And I might need help. And like drinking juice, she's like, I have juice with me. But even some of the things that we started to set up, we found ways around like, you know, the campus is pretty spread out in this in this little city. And we were like, well, what does she do if she's across town? And her pump site fails or something like that happens, right? And so we started talking to the school were like, could we put insulin like in different locations? And the woman's like, I don't? I don't think so. Like she's like, I mean, you would need refrigeration in a building and you'd want to put a medication in there. And I'm like, Yeah, I'm like, I don't I don't see how we could do that either. And what they landed on for that is, is that Artem basically has like a super uber card. She's got a phone number, and she can call campus security. And if and they'll whisk her back to her room, wait for her and take her back to class. That's so cool. What a good idea. Yeah, if that ever happens, which by the way, it's likely never going to happen. And even Arden said like, If that really happened, she was I wouldn't do that first because I would first see if like my roommate could just bring me like a pump and some insulin or something like right in the beginning. For like the first two weeks. She carried it with her. She took like a cold thing. She put ice in it, she put her insulin in it. She took a pump, like she was ready put it in her backpack. It was like two weeks later after she was there. And I was like, Are you still carrying insulin to school? It's a class and she goes on. I stopped doing that.

Chrysten 37:59
I was gonna say that's gonna get old real quick. Yeah. Not just Yeah. Yeah, no, I mean, I've even I having been at work a couple times with a site failure. I just leave insulin in my personal and have an extra pod, like an open one.

Scott Benner 38:15
Okay. And it's been fine. Yeah. I mean, in a regular life, like you just, you know, I've talked about on here before, like, when we leave the house, there's like a distance. And that I think of, like, if we're at least as far away, bring it with you. If you're at something that you can't, like, just stop doing. And you'd have to go home and come back again. Bring it with you. But I mean, if you're going up the street to go grocery shopping, and your pump fails, then just go home. You don't I mean? So, okay, so you go into Penn State, the end all be all of higher education, where everything is amazing. Yeah. And and what's your experience? Like?

Chrysten 38:55
In terms of diabetes? Yeah. Fine. Is that a good answer? So no, I'm getting. So yeah, it was absolutely fine. I mean, I think the biggest issue I ran into was getting going low from walking so far, because the campus is so big. That was definitely an issue from time to time, I probably made some poor choices with drinking, I'm sure. And then I that's the biggest thing I can think of, I mean, I have like, I had some moments where it was stressful. You know, like, I remember taking an exam one time, and not realizing that I had to change my pod, within X amount of hours, whatever it is, and so it started beeping in the middle of an exam. And so I took it out to, to, like, you know, make the noise stop. And I remember being so nervous because I was like, this woman is gonna think that I was cheating. You know, because I took out a device and like, hit you know, hit the ball. And then put it back in my purse. So I went up to the professor afterwards and I was like, hey, just so you know, I'm a diabetic, I was not on my phone in the middle of the exam. And she's like, Oh, I don't even notice. I was like, okay, cool. So that was most of my, you know, experience, any issues I had, the professors were lovely. And I think I can think of like, maybe three times that I had to disclose to a professor about it. And that's about it. It was pretty mundane. Honestly,

Scott Benner 40:25
I remember once in high school, we went to like back to school night, I think Arden was like a freshman. You know, we did the whole thing and tell you. It's the song and dance the teacher does. And then do you have any questions? And I said, I do have questions that how do you think her diabetes plans working out? And she goes, what? And I said, Arden, like with her insulin pump and everything. Is that all been okay. And she goes real honest. And I said, sure she was until you just mentioned I forgot Arden had diabetes. Oh, Jesus. And it's funny. You think of it as like, oh, no, like she forgot. But I thought it was like, good. Like, that's cool. Like, you mean, we have it so well planned that you don't notice it at all?

Chrysten 41:06
I guess so. I guess so I just I think of it in terms of like, god forbid something happened. The teacher should have an idea. Yeah, I mean, you're younger. Yeah. And I

Scott Benner 41:15
think she knew, but like, it wasn't top of her mind when she thought about art. She didn't think about diabetes. And I thought as you were saying, yeah, yeah, I'm sure if I, you know, by the by the way, she had remembered it when I said it wasn't like she wouldn't know you're talking about the wrong kid. But I always thought that was that spoke well, of the plan we had set up and about how Arden executes the plan. And you know, and how to be honest, it stops being a plan very soon, it just becomes a way of life.

Chrysten 41:46
That's a good point as to, I think why kids want to get rid of their diagnosis, right? When they go to college is they don't want people thinking of that. Think of their diabetes, or what have you. About them first, right? Like, that's not the first thing I want anyone to think of me is that I have diabetes, it's all these other things about me. So, and I think that comes with time. And age, honestly. So, you know, to your point on that one? Yeah,

Scott Benner 42:17
yeah. It does shine a light on the idea that, like, look, there's no doubt that I think most people don't want to be thought of as sick. Like, I think that's just, you know, they don't want to end they don't want to go through the explanation about diabetes and autoimmune and, you know, a lifelong, like, nobody wants to say that about them. They don't want to you think it? Look, you can say all you want, the people need to do their job and be nice. And they do. And that's why there are rules in place. But the truth is, is that on a, you know, on an instinctual level, we are people who we rank people, in every situation, like in every situation, we look up and we rank people pretty to ugly, powerful to weak, smart to like, it just it's just what happens like it's is it right? It's not right, it absolutely what happens if you don't believe me read Malcolm Gladwell Bill's book about what is the one about 10,000 hours, I forget what it's called. But in the first chapter, he talks about this unconscious bias, where a kindergarten teacher on day one, I'm going to get this bastardize the story a little bit probably, but identifies the attractive children. And they are kind, they are kinder to them. They're more forgiving of them. They, they treat them better. And then you go back and interview those teachers like really like scientifically interview them, they'll just ask them like, hey, you'd be nice to the blonde kid like not like that. Right? But like, pick them apart psychologically. The teachers don't know they're doing it.

Chrysten 43:50
Oh, yeah, it's definitely unconscious. Some subconscious.

Scott Benner 43:54
Yeah. And by the way, when your daughter gets to a certain age, they could be treated poorly, by jealous people. If you're a certain way, you're smarter, you're prettier, like whatever, like whatever insecurity the teacher has, if you're the mirror image of that, like you could get treated poorly. And again, if you pulled the teacher aside said, Hey, you're being you know, you're being course to that pretty girl over there. They'd be like, No, I'm not. But talk to the talk to the girl. And they'll say no, that lady hates me.

Chrysten 44:26
It's interesting. Yeah, cuz it is interesting. Yeah. Cuz we all project our own crap, whatever it is, to people without realizing it. Yeah,

Scott Benner 44:34
absolutely. So the key is, obviously people shouldn't do that. And you should defend yourself against it. But if this is the way the world works, you can't get mired down in the fight. Like you got to find a way through my opinion. You know what I mean? Like, I'm sure that's not what I'm sure any institution would say. No, our teachers shouldn't be treating you like that and yeah, okay. And but until we find a way to make people act against their own, you know, work as enemies or angels, you have to be ready to live through that, like, so that's the thing that we talked to you about art. And I said, Look, I think generally speaking in 2023, at an art school, you are going to find a lot of very agreeable people. And they are not going to hold you up over you having diabetes or a need around it. But you might bump into somebody, and and you're going to need to know how to artfully deal with that, and not just throw the rules in their face and yell, because that person still gets to give you a grade three months from now, too. And again, they'll say, Oh, I, you know, don't worry, like, you know, you're being treated very fairly and like, Sure. So if I hold you up in the first week and get into an argument with you about something that's not going to affect me later moving forward. Right? Because there's a rule i Yeah, rules are helping everybody fix in the whole world. So I think that what may be most valuable, like we always talk about this people, like how do I get ready to send my kid to college? You know, what about taking care of themselves, it's all obvious. You take care of it before you go, if you want, if you want your kid to know how to take care of their blood sugar in college, you practice at home. If you want them to know how to get past a teacher, that's an asshole, you tell them that explain it to them and explain the world to them? And if you don't understand if you're one of those people who's like, oh, no, everything's great. And this is how people should be, then you're going to be the people that get hosts sometimes. Because there's like a real world and then there's the world you're hoping to live in? And yeah, yeah. Anyway.

Chrysten 46:33
Absolutely. No. And I think like, it's a lot of I mean, I'm not a parent, but just being a counselor, right? Like, it's a lot of knowing your kid and knowing, like, where their areas of growth are, right. So like, for me, it was, I like to not advocate for myself at all right? And so that's what I had to work on. Whereas you might have kids, like you were talking about earlier, like, the other end of the spectrum, where, you know, they're 90 Diagonal down, and they're like, I'm low, I'm gonna die. I can't go. Like that kid. That kid exists, too, you know. And so, so I think it's a lot about like, knowing, you know, knowing your kid and, and, and, or the, you know, kids, students doing themselves and where, what direction they need to push themselves. And

Scott Benner 47:21
Kristen, you're saying it without saying it, right. Like we said, most people are great, but you might run into a teacher who's an asshole. Some of your kids might be assholes. Right? And you need to know that to be honest. Right, right. Like, yeah, there's

Chrysten 47:37
some, yeah, some are gonna milk it, and some are gonna be the polar opposite end of the spectrum. You know, both directions happen, right?

Scott Benner 47:46
You're such, you're the perfect person to talk about this with because, you know, the diabetes space is, is it's great about giving people information, but a lot of the times the information is static. And it's not always as helpful as it could be. It's like perfect world information. You know what I mean? Like, set up this? I mean, look, I keep reading it to you, we did it, we did the thing. Arden is covered six ways from Sunday. Okay, on paper, and then the marching orders are, if you can help it never refer to what we did. Like there's,

Chrysten 48:21
there's, it's a catch all baseline kind

Scott Benner 48:23
of thing. We're trying to cover both realities. There's the real world where you live where nobody gives a shit if you have diabetes, and there's the, you know, collegiate world where you are able to set up this accommodation, so set it up. But if you really want to succeed in life, try hard not to lean on it, because people smell that out as as weakness. Like that. It sucks, but it's true. You know, like, not everybody. Some people are very kind. By the way, I wouldn't see you as weak if you had diabetes. I don't see it. No, I mean, obviously, my daughter has type one, like, I don't see it that way at all. But there are plenty of people who are going to see an insulin pump on your arm and right away think something's wrong with them. Right. And there are competitive people in the world that you if you're not a competitive person you don't know about those people will slice your throat to take a step ahead. Yeah, and they'll use anything. They don't even care what it is. They just they're looking to be one step ahead of the next guy. And, and that's a real thing, too. So right, you know,

Chrysten 49:25
sorry, okay, I was gonna say, right, and like those, like, some people, I think, see it and they're like, oh, that's gonna be annoying. That's gonna be a problem. Like that kind of attitude towards people with diabetes, which I think is again, like you're saying, like, really slim, but there are people are out there like that. Absolutely.

Scott Benner 49:41
Oh, there are people who don't have patience for other people who are right away going, Oh, this is going to be a thing. And there are people who have already run into someone who's who have made it a thing and they're like, Oh, here's another one of them. You know what I mean? Like you're, you're running up, you're also going to meet i Listen, I don't want anybody crying. You're also going to meet a lot of lovely people who aren't We're gonna do what my daughter's profession is like, what do you got diabetes? That's fine. You need anything from me now? All right, good. If you do, let me know. Okay, good. And then bobblehead it's on its way should never think of her like that again. And that's it. And you met somebody who was cool about you taking a test, and then you know, you will, overwhelmingly the world's full of kind people, it just, I think it's just true, you know, like, overwhelmingly, most people mean, well, and they, they, they are not actively out there trying to, like, you know, cut your throat. But there are some people that are those people are out there, too, and they exist. So, you know, it's six, a one, or you got to decide, you got to decide how you're going to handle this. And the best way, in my opinion, is to be, you know, be the master of your situation really, like, like, as best you can be on top of yourself. Like, don't leave it to somebody else's decision. It's, you know, I don't know, like, you don't want to go first in the home run competition at the All Star Game person, then because if you hit 19, the next guy is going to hit 20, you want to go last? So you're in control. So you can, it's on you, right? And this is not a thing, that if you can help it, you want to put on someone else. Now, if you are really taxed by this, and and you're the other side of this, this discussion, where you're just you're not going to make it without someone else's help, then I think you have to make that clear, and find people who will act in good faith. And that yes, you don't I mean,

Chrysten 51:40
I do. And I think I think it really comes down to like, you're the expert on you. Right? It's like, you're the one who lives with it lives with it every day, and you're the one who knows yourself best and how you're gonna react to things right, like all the different variables and whatever. And so you also exactly like, you have to recognize where it is that you need help and, and where, and know that like you're the only one who can, who can advocate for yourself the best, you know what I mean? Yeah,

Scott Benner 52:12
you got to avoid having a victim mentality. And if that's who you are right, then then work on that first, before you throw yourself into the next situation. I don't know if I'm being clear about this. But I feel like I see a small amount of people who are like, I can't function, you have to help me. And Okay, everyone, like I'm for that, by the way, like accommodations are really important. But there's a spectrum there of the accommodations that are necessary. And, you know, for the people who genuinely need them who have trouble functioning, for reasons of like, you know, high anxiety, depression, like things like that physical ailments, I don't think those people are going to be treated poorly. I think that people are going to help them and they're going to follow and it's going to go, Well, I'm talking about for the other people who are just, you know, I don't know, if I'm being clear, like, I think you have to like, you have to fight for yourself. You can't just expect that things are going to be easy because you wrote it down somewhere. I think it's the argument you see online. It's the closest thing that I can say about this is one of the most argued about things on line is whether or not a person with type one diabetes should get a pass to go through lines faster in amusement parks, I have never good.

Chrysten 53:33
I've seen it blow up so many times. Yes. Every time someone posts it, I'm like, oh, here we go. Again,

Scott Benner 53:38
say the word Disney so that I can watch you all fight for two days. Because what happens is, you get these two camps, the K we deserve help camp and I or, or I need help, like, I'm not lying to you, I can't stand in this line in this heat. And the fight for yourself, be strong. It's almost like watching. It literally is the same argument around COVID When you heard people say, like, just take your vitamins and don't be fat. And I'm like, well, that's not the whole story. If you're not old and you're not heavy, you're gonna be fine. And I'm like, Ah, that seems overly simplistic, but okay. And then and then the other side, just like help me, help me. Help me, help me help me. I don't want to help myself. And then there's everybody in between. But those two sides, they it's just interesting to watch. I know, it's a weird example. But to watch people. It's accommodations, like some people do not want to be thought of as weak.

Chrysten 54:38
No, I don't think it's a weird example at all. I think it actually really is exactly what we're talking about. Because it depends on so many things. Right. It's like, it depends on where you are in your diagnosis. I think where you are currently right because diabetes changes from week to week, you know, hour an hour, week to week. Right. And I think it also really, it comes down to the question of like, I mean, the way I think of disability right is like, we have to deal with something that some other people don't. And that's really just what it comes down to. Right. And sometimes you might need, you want to, like have equity, right and level the playing field and give you give people with diabetes or whatever Right? Was the word I'm looking for shoot the shot, like a bit. Sorry, what,

Scott Benner 55:29
like a fair shot?

Chrysten 55:31
A fair shot? Yeah. So like, the ability to Yeah, it's just a donor to take care of yourself is really it? Right. Yeah. And so yeah, I think that I get why people get all up in arms about it. But really, like, it's something that people that type one diabetes, people with type one diabetes have to deal with things that people without it, don't have to deal with? Doesn't make it, you know, and it's like, it doesn't I think it's diabetes is a weird example, though, because it doesn't affect you. Like it affects you every second of the day, but at the same time, it doesn't, right. Like, it's like my,

I don't know, what's my blood sugar right now? 108. Like, whatever it's called, leveled out, right? So it's like, right now, it's not really, like, I

don't have to think about it right, the second, but then suddenly, we're low. And then we have to think about it. You know what I mean? So does that make sense? Am I talking in circles?

Scott Benner 56:20
No, you're, you're 100% make sense? I think I understand. Like, what you're saying is 1,000,000%. Right, I stand behind it. I obviously my wife and I put together like an iron clad, ask for my daughter. And yeah, and so every, I think everyone should have that. I'm not saying otherwise. I'm also saying that you shouldn't, like fall into it, like don't fall into it like a comfy bed and be like close to school, I don't have to be a class on time, I'll just tell them my blood sugar was low. Or I can turn this in three days late, because well, diabetes, and you can argue with me because I have an accommodation. And like, because that's not good for you. Like it might get you through the class, that's not going to get you through life, you are going to get to a point where you get a job one day where you're like, I can't do this, because my blood sugar was low, and your boss is gonna go, well, I need someone who can do this. So you're fired, and or we'll move you into another, like, some states can fire you for any reason. And some and some states will say, Well, we're gonna move you into a dead end job that you'll hate. And I'm gonna put somebody who can get this job done in this position. And that might not be all above board. And you might not even hear it happening. But it's gonna happen. Like, you know, people run businesses to succeed not to, you know what I mean? Like, like, you know, not, it's not a place for you to sit and go, I couldn't write my report today, in my opinion, put your effort into figuring out how to not let your blood sugar get low all the time.

Chrysten 57:50
Exactly. Exactly. Right. It can happen. Like I mean, even like, as an adult, right? Like, I can think of maybe a couple times I had to go in to work late in whatever five years that I'm like, I'm sorry, like, I'm sorry, I cannot I'm really wrestling with this low. I'm going to be a few minutes late, right? But if I did that every day.

Scott Benner 58:12
Christian doesn't come to work. The the, the reasons almost aren't important. I saw a friend of mine. Why do simple words leave me a person who works with them? What is the person who works with you, a colleague, Jesus, oh, my God. And so yeah, my friend of mine has this colleague who has a fairly like, you know, bad, like anxiety issue. And they'll say, like, this person hasn't been in work for three months. And like, I'm all for their health and everything. But we're behind significantly now because of this. And so they bring in another person to, you know, help carry the load. And it starts going well, and then a month later, the person wants to come back to work. And they're like, I want my job back now. And they're like, Well, someone else is doing it. Now. We give you a different job, you know, and then the person is all upset. They're like, Well, you didn't hold my job for me. And they're like, No, we held your job. You know, this is your job. Still, you but you're not involved in this part of it anyway. And I was like, I'm like, what? They were mad. And she's like, Yeah, and I was like, That's interesting, isn't it? Like, because everyone just sees their own side. Like, like, the employee is not thinking about the business, and the business is doing what they're legally supposed to do. And, you know, at the business level, and in the human level, people have a ton of compassion and empathy for the colleague. And so like everybody's, and there's an example where the person just can't, there's nothing they can do about it. But if that if their anxiety was a low blood sugar because they don't know how to Bolus for dinner, but we could teach you how to Bolus for dinner, then let's put some effort into that and keep you out of this. Mr. Ghosh, which is huge, and I don't want to go into what it means right now, but it's a big mess. Okay. Like you don't like you know, Word do what? Aren't you Catholic? Yeah, I was gonna say you by the way, not to generalize but you look Catholic. I was gonna name is Catholic.

Chrysten 1:00:11
I was gonna say you could tell them Catholic.

Scott Benner 1:00:12
Yeah, you're like out of anxiety, anxiety. By the way, I tried to look up the Yiddish word I missed. I missed I came up with a completely different word. So I can't do it for you right now. Now I want to find it. I got it. I got I got it. All right. It's Yiddish. mishegoss craziness, senseless behavior activity. Synonyms are of course, like foolery. indulgence, lunacy, tomfoolery. I'm not saying that your thing is tomfoolery. I'm saying that if you can avoid this, then freaking avoid it. And and if you can, if you can't, then right on Lin, let's lean on it and get it like get you into a position where you can because the playing field should be level. Like I'm behind that. 100% By the way, there are plenty of people who are not behind that idea. Oh, no, I know. Yeah, absolutely. So they're gonna be in the world, too. And there are people who are just gonna see life as a race. And if you don't, if you can't run as fast as them, then you lose. And that's that. So I don't see it that way. I do think you deserve, you know, a level playing field. And,

Chrysten 1:01:22
yeah, just that and just not to get beat up by me. Like, it's like, all right. You all sit down and chill woman in and then come back? You know, I don't know. I kind of think of it that

Scott Benner 1:01:33
we don't want to graduate from college and feel like you just fought the Second World War, right? Like, you know, like, yeah, like, I went to college, it was a valuable experience for me. I had a reasonable time. Yeah, it didn't feel like somebody was fighting against you constantly. But you know, not that that has anything to do with this. But other people. I was making this point to someone last night, I hope my son doesn't mind if I share this. But he's got his first job. And he's telling me some stories about how it's going. And it's going well, he is being recognized. And they're teaching him next level things where he sees that some of the people he came in with are not being taught these things. And so everything to him is indicating that he's doing like, well, you know what I mean? And I just he tells me the story. And I said, that sounds like you're doing well. And he goes, I don't know. And I went Wait, what? He goes, I don't know, it seems like it but I'm not sure. And I really thought about that. And I realized it was from growing up playing baseball. Where it's not always about how good you are. Sometimes it's about if that kid's parents made a donation to a building? Or if that guy's dad is a coach, or owns the training facility you work at? Or is the neighbor of a guy like you have, like the politics in like kids sports is insane. And it goes right through high school and you think, Oh, I'll make it to college. It won't exist. They're both there. It's just about money. Like, you know what I mean? Like it's an and so what I realized is that my son has been taught that it doesn't matter how good he does, there could be an unseen force stopping him. A thing that he can't possibly know exists until the day he walks out on the field and says, why is that person playing? That doesn't make any sense. And then you said, Yeah, and so and it's following him into his into his adult life.

Chrysten 1:03:38
That's, that's interesting. Because when you said that, initially, I was thinking, the transition from having being in school to having your first job, I think it's tough. Also, because in school, you're graded on things, and you're constantly getting feedback. And then you go into the work working world and you're like, does anyone want to give me an A for this email that I wrote? No,

Scott Benner 1:04:01
no, my, my competitiveness runs through my children. So they're there. They're trying to win. Right? He's at his job trying to win, because he sees it as an ability to get a different job, and to win at that job so that he can like he does see the world like, to some degree that he also, by the way, isn't a person who would do something that he doesn't enjoy. He turned down a really I'm gonna go as far as they lucrative offer to do a thing that he just didn't jive with. Oh, and I was like, huh, I was really proud of him. He turned down an opportunity. Try to imagine a six figure opportunity out of college. Because he was like a 22 year old. Yeah, he ideologically did not align with what the job would have been. Wow. And he said I would rather make less money than do that. So I was very proud of him then. Yeah, you know, I grew up broke. I would have I would have If I would have done anything, I would have been like it's fine. kill puppies. Sure. Like, you know, no, I wouldn't have done that. But you don't I mean, like he. He was just like, No, I don't. It's like, I don't see myself being involved in that. And I was like, okay. Oh, yeah,

Chrysten 1:05:16
well was proud dad moment. Yeah, I think, see, I think when I was like 22, I would have had principles, but now I'm like, Nah, I would have taken them on.

Scott Benner 1:05:27
Pay me. Well, maybe. But what I also took from that was that he feels safe. Yes, yeah. Which I was also comfortable with. But then like I said, you get to this next thing, and why am I telling you the story of my son like going? I don't know, I guess I'm doing okay. It's because the system can sometimes work against you. And it sometimes will be in ways you see, and sometimes it'll be in ways you can't see, but you will feel it afterwards. And oh, yeah. And people don't deserve that. Especially if it's around a medical thing. That's just, that should not happen. And that's why you set one of these things up. So I think I've made my point at this point, person. I don't know.

Chrysten 1:06:07
No, I think I think you did. No, absolutely. It's just you know, it's just in case it's like a just in case plan is how I how I really think of it. But I don't want to be like I the vast majority of people I've interacted with have been lovely about it. Quite honestly, like, even bought like bosses and, and co workers and whatever. They've been absolutely lovely. I actually had a boss at my first job at a college we had to. I was at a high school. So we had to teach as well as counsel and I went so low. And I was like, Listen, I'm really sorry. I was like, Can you watch my class for a few minutes? Like, I got to sit? And she was so lovely. She she was like, yeah, no problem. She watched my class. And so I went back in, you know, however, many minutes later, and I'm teaching and she comes back, my boss comes back into my class, and I'm like, What's she doing here? And she hands me a juice box. And I was like, That's so nice. Like, oh, I talked to her about it afterwards. And she was like, you know, I just thought about, like, what you go through and, and I really, I thought what I needed in that moment would have been a juice. And so I just wanted to bring you a juice. That was amazing. Yeah, thank you. She was so so sweet. And so and that's been my experience with most people have been so lovely. Every once in a while, you know, you get an asshole. It's it. You know, that's the world, right? Yeah.

Scott Benner 1:07:32
What are you gonna do? Right? Listen, I feel like I've been, I feel I'm a downer here. But I want to say that I agree with you, the great many people that Arden has intersected with have been terrific. And in the vague talk, you know, few times that she's had a problem, no one has pushed back. And I think that there's, you have to look a little bit about who you are in the situation to like when artists had a real problem, even though it can't be substantiated. Nobody has said to her, I don't believe you because she's a person who generally doesn't take advantage of it and doesn't seem like somebody who would try to take advantage of their situation. And so the person who interacts with her says, Yeah, that's fine. And it's been from I mean, she told her story about having a seizure after her prom, right. And one of the first things she did when she got her wits about her was to email a teacher and say, Hey, I just had a seizure. And I don't think I'm gonna have this thing in tomorrow. And the guy? Yeah. And the guy's like, why are you? Like, why? Like, why are you beginning to tell me and I think that's why she didn't have a problem, because she's a person who, after coming out of a seizure, thought about our responsibilities. And then the teacher knows that about her. And so there's no problem. And it is as much about how you present yourself as it isn't about anything else. If you're if you come off as a problem to people all the time, then that's going to be their, that's going to be their first thought when when you intersect with them, they're going to be like, oh, here, this comes again. You know, and so, it is a little on you to it is yeah, that's how you put yourself into the world. And I mean, I think people when they see these topics, what they want is like, give me a list of things to say you don't I mean, or do or write down and a lot of times it's not that easy. Like a lot of times there's work for you to do you know and and I will like I said I'll share this document my wife put so much effort into it. It's so clear people could add from it subtract from it, they could use it as it is however they would want to do, but you know, little things like Wi Fi, here's what they don't tell you to college. You're paying them all the money in the world and they didn't spend any money on their Wi Fi system. It sucks.

Chrysten 1:09:44
The Wi Fi is horrible. Yeah, everywhere I've ever been. Yeah,

Scott Benner 1:09:46
terrible, terrible Wi Fi a college. Food is bad nutritionally.

Chrysten 1:09:53
Oh, don't get me started, right? I distinctly sidenote, I remember. I used to eat the sip. particular sandwich when I was in college and and then I noticed one day I was like, Oh, the nutrition facts are on here. I don't have to guess the carbs or whatever. I called my mother like borderline crying. I was like, Do you know how much fat is in this sandwich? Eating? Like, what? Like every other day? I was like, What is going? Yeah, it's not the food was rough

Scott Benner 1:10:18
food, the food's bad. Like it's nutritionally, like, it might even taste good. You might be like, Oh, it's amazing here, but it's not going to be like clean. And, and it's going to impact your blood sugar. Yes, you're going to be surprised that when you have a medical issue at school, they're going to tell you to go off campus to urgent care and take care of yourself. There's no school nurse sitting around waiting to help you. So that doesn't exist. And even housing. Like, I'll tell you my son was sick for his whole freshman year, and I think it was because of his housing. Oh,

Chrysten 1:10:53
yeah, absolutely. That's the that actually. Sorry, that brings to mind that there was one episode with the girl. She like went up to each of her professors and said that she was a diabetic or something. And they were all just like, okay, it was so the way she told his daughter was so funny. Like, she was just like, trying to be like, all proactive. And they were like, We don't

Scott Benner 1:11:14
care. I don't care. Yeah, yeah. Birthday. Yeah. Because people don't understand, like, half the podcast exists because people don't understand diabetes down to the people who you're sometimes counting on for medical help. Oh, yeah. And so to just go to like, I know, people want to look at somebody go, oh, that's a college professor. It's a person. You don't I mean, it's just a dude. Yeah. And you know, your doctor, a cop, your college professors, the lady at the grocery store, Donald, just people, likely 80% of them, if someone would just give them a free bag of money once a month would not show up at this thing. You know, and you're like, I have diabetes, and they're probably thinking my wife cheats on me. What do you want? Like, like, like, me, like, I got my own problems. And, and I don't like this job. And I'm doing it like you really like put yourself in other people's shoes sometimes, like, you're coming to them and giving them more to do. Yeah. And you're not offering them or you don't like, hey, great news. I have diabetes, but your pay is going up $3 an hour. They'd be like, Oh, well, right on, tell me about your hypoglycemia, you know, but we're just saying like, here's another thing to be responsible for, to be worried about. And you're not going to make another penny. And so there's certain people are going to hear that and be like, Oh, God, leave me alone. You know, and I'm just telling you, like, everybody is not Mr. Rogers.

Chrysten 1:12:42
No, no, they're not. And honestly, sometimes it's better if they're not sometimes if they're just Okay, cool. That's, that's sometimes easier, quite honestly, at least in my experience, go do your thing. Like, yeah, like, no one cares.

Scott Benner 1:12:54
I joke about this. Sometimes there's that there's that guy. It's like, really? I don't know. Obviously, I don't listen to his podcast. But like, in the zeitgeist, I'm aware of him. He's like a marine or something. Or he was a Marine. Like he says to people, like, who's who's gonna carry the boat or something? It's like a SEAL Fit. I don't know. Obviously, Chris, and I don't pick things up. His message is, I'll do it. Right, like, hard things need to be done all take care of it. Oh, I see. Yeah. Like, I'm not counting on you. Are you? Are you I'll carry the boat. like that idea. I guess the boats get carried somewhere. Again, if you were counting on me, we probably would have lost every major war. I don't know the ins and outs of the boat. Yeah, but apparently, if a boat needs to be carried somewhere, this guy is going to pick it up over his head and take off with it. I'm gonna stand in the back and go, Hey, my knee hurts. Can you guys get this? So. But the point is, is that it's that it's that idea of like, something needs to be done. I'm going to do it. Not I'm gonna wait for someone else to do it. Or I'm gonna bring them a note that explains why I don't have to do it. Like, you know what I mean? Like, and if you're, if you're in a situation where I don't know, the boat needs to be carried and you're not a good person to carry the boat, perhaps look for a different situation. You know, like, I'm not saying, you know, give up on something. Because it's hard. But I mean, if there's a reality where you don't like if you're a square peg, and you're trying to get into a round hole, like eventually you're gonna have to realize that I don't know. Is being honest. a bummer.

Chrysten 1:14:32
No, no, no, no, I think this is all like the actual reality of what it looks like. You know that you know what I mean? Like it? No, I don't think so. It is what it isn't. And not to mention, like, everybody, so many people, everybody has their shit. You know, like, it's like, I can't tell you how many kids have this disorder and this and the other thing, right? Like diabetes is just one of them. You know?

Scott Benner 1:14:59
One person said one Time, like I, I, I wanted to be a fighter pilot. I think that was the example. And they were kind of like, but I have diabetes now. So I can't do it and they were pissed. And I get them being pissed. Right. It's incredibly disappointing and like life altering and angering, and it's not like, don't get me wrong, I understand all of that. And I also understand why the government might not want you flying a $30 million jet through there. Sure, yeah. Makes sense to me. And so like, not fair, but practical, you know, like, and so, you know, and now there's better technology. And you're seeing people be pilots, like for major airlines who have type one and stuff like that. And that's all great. Like, if there's a way to do it, that's great. But prior to that, 20 years ago, you know, what people knew about diabetes is sometimes John passes out. You there's no CGM, like you don't even Oh, yeah, like, I can't put I can't let John fly the planes, like, John passes out sometimes. And now, I'm using someone's name. I don't mean to use because I think there's actually a guy named John who does this. If John, if you're listening, I didn't mean you could try to pick a generic name, Kristen. And look what happened to me. But like, now, there's now there's this stuff and like now, suddenly this, it's okay. And that's amazing. It's great. But anyway, I just, I don't know, I feel like I'm trying to defend both sides and one voice and it gets confusing that way. But you're gonna,

Chrysten 1:16:25
I don't think it's confusing. Like, it's, I mean, like, I don't know, as a counselor, like, I'm always, like, my thing I always say is, it's all about balance, right? It's like, you know, you don't want to go too far in one direction and be like, okay, little Johnny, do your, you know, you got this, do diabetes by yourself. But you also don't want to like, you know, be be a be super melodramatic about it. Right. And so yeah, no, I think it's all about balance and finding, you know, finding what works best for you.

Scott Benner 1:16:52
People Deserve support. And, yes, they deserve all that goes along with that. And people also should be practical. And this is my, just my opinion that that's all. Yeah, I agree. Yeah. And I'm assuming that when you say to somebody in your in your profession, look, we have to find balance in the back of your head, what your thinking is like, you got to figure this out for yourself. Like you have to see, like the reality of it and try to find your way through it.

Chrysten 1:17:22
Yes. And I think, you know, as a counselor, it's also like that thought, and I'm here to help you do that. You know what I mean? Like, I'm here to bring it down as much as we can with you. So that, you know, to make it easier, but you got to I tell them all the time, I'm like, You got to meet me halfway. Like I can't do all the work for you. You know?

Scott Benner 1:17:40
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Anyway, I just think that everybody doesn't fit into every situation. No, and that I have sometimes seen people say, I think it's in the pursuit of the, of the advocacy is what I mean, in the in pursuit of advocacy, and proving that anyone can do anything. That which I believe, you just, it's not everybody. It's the guy that you know what I mean, it's that girl who was on the show a few months ago, right? You know, when her legs don't function, and she's out in a wheelchair, like racing in the streets or something like that. And like, she's the one who does that. We all don't do that. You don't even like she's a special person. In that situation, the guy that picks the boat up and runs. It's not everybody, you don't I mean, and so I like it when people like, I have been at the forefront of this for 15 years with my daughter, every one of her 504 plans through school was incredibly detailed, but as streamlined as possible. It covered her for every situation that we could think of where someone or thing or the machine might come along and mess her up. But then we steadfastly tried never to use it. But that's just how we've done it the whole time. And we end because you run a risk of treating someone like they can't. And then maybe it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy to which I think you know what I mean? Like, you have to be careful of that. You have to be careful not to aim too low. I think that makes sense. Yeah.

Chrysten 1:19:18
Because no, it doesn't make sense. It's, yeah, it's like, it's like that like learned helplessness. You don't want to like make people feel like they can't do it. But you also don't want to like Like, like, like I was saying with the balance before right. But you also don't want to like miss the second half, but you also don't want to, like leave them on their own either. Right? Like it's Yeah,

Scott Benner 1:19:41
I mean, yeah, by the way, you look how smart you are. You said learned helplessness. That's like a fancy word.

Chrysten 1:19:48
That one I pulled deep from the depths of some somewhere I don't

Scott Benner 1:19:52
know right out here but like, I know this one from somewhere.

Chrysten 1:19:56
It was I might even used it wrong. So please don't

Scott Benner 1:19:59
know i It made sense to me when you said it. I just love how I was just like pulling basic words out of my mouth. You're like, yeah, learned helplessness. I'm like, Oh, that's not what that is.

Chrysten 1:20:10
I paid attention for like a day in college.

Scott Benner 1:20:12
Well, yeah, well, you know, Penn State and watching that football in the snow and drinking, there was nothing else right?

Chrysten 1:20:19
That is pretty much what I did. Yeah, but I did pay attention to the learned helplessness lecture that one day you heard that thing? That one day? Yeah. went to class.

Scott Benner 1:20:27
Weren't you trapped in a valley? Yes. No worries about that ever. No. Like, what if it snowed, you were just caught there and they couldn't get food in and y'all had to start eating yourselves like animals or something like that.

Chrysten 1:20:41
That kind of sounds like we would just drink if that happened. Yeah, if we had snow days, we would just drink all day. It was fun. Those Penn State

Scott Benner 1:20:47
flags are really they're like markers, right? People drop beer at your house. That's why they're all in front of everybody's houses.

Chrysten 1:20:54
Yeah, there's like an underground society kind of thing. And we just like, you know, we go through the tunnels and we drink

Scott Benner 1:21:00
and say it's one of those schools that if you drive too far away from here, and you say Penn State people go, I don't know what you're talking about. But if you say if you say it around here, you might think that that Harvard,

Chrysten 1:21:11
yeah. Oh, 1000 Present. You know, it's funny to like, I, it all have pens, T shirts and stuff. And if I were in Pennsylvania, you know how people say like we are, right. But someone will just say we are at me. And I'm like, hello, what? Because I forget like, because I don't live in Pennsylvania anymore. And I'm like, oh, yeah, that's I forgot that.

Scott Benner 1:21:32
We are. I'd be blowing like a like a rape. Plus, I didn't get away from me. I don't know what's happening. Crazy people.

Chrysten 1:21:41
It's always when you forget you're wearing the shirt. So I'm like, Are you talking to me? Like, what's happening? I'm so awkward to so

Scott Benner 1:21:46
you're so awkward. I've never seen people more fervently supportive of a college before. And sometimes, people who didn't even go there. Oh, yeah. 1,000% That freaks me out. I gotta be honest, that one freaks me out. Like you have a pet snake like you and nobody in your family went to Penn State. I'm like, okay.

Chrysten 1:22:07
Just Just don't you know, that's one of those. Like, if you can't beat him, join it and kind of,

Scott Benner 1:22:12
please, everyone can beat you just fine. Penn State makes low draft, low draft pick running backs. And they used to make offensive lineman. I don't even know if they do that anymore. So

Chrysten 1:22:24
I don't we haven't been so good the past couple years.

Scott Benner 1:22:27
Do you? Did you go to those games? Yeah. Did you care about football at all? Yes. Okay. I did. It was. It was amazing venue. It was like you cared about football?

Chrysten 1:22:39
Oh, no, we care very much. It was also a drink. It was. Well, that's a whole nother story. The drinking is a little alarming sometimes. But that's me as an adult. But

Scott Benner 1:22:50
that's my opinion as as an adult who has now sent two kids to college if you if what you're worried about is let me hear. Let me look if what you're worried about is the ability to take breaks during class, including during test projects to self treat, or to attend to diabetes devices. For example, an insulin pump. I think what you're, you're, I think you're I think your concern should be more about Molly. Write one of these papers for your kid and should say, Hey, don't do Molly. And don't drink so much that you forget where you are for a day and a half. Like these are the things that anyway, you get what I'm saying? Like it's a little I don't know. I'm always interested in why.

Chrysten 1:23:31
Yeah, we could probably talk about that for another two hours, honestly. But But yeah, it uh it's there's dangers involved in all these things.

Scott Benner 1:23:39
Well, do me a favor for a second year. We I've taken you over time already. But do me a favor here for a second here. Tell the people who don't know. Like, really? How much? How many days a week did you drink?

Chrysten 1:23:54
Three? Ish, I would average out I would say okay, sometimes is for

Scott Benner 1:24:01
you smoke the devil's weed at all while you were there at Penn State? No, no. Anything else? Take a Xanax. No, no little bit of code. Kirsten. No, obviously, you were pretty good. Now all those things I just mentioned. Did you see them going on around you?

Chrysten 1:24:20
Oh, sure. Did. Yeah. Okay.

Scott Benner 1:24:23
Do you remember the first time you thought oh, wow, people do heroin. That's interesting.

Chrysten 1:24:29
I didn't want it to go. It was alarming though. I was like, what? Yeah, no, I didn't dabble. Honestly, and quite honestly, because of the diabetes. I was like, I don't know what that's gonna do to that. And let's not play that

Scott Benner 1:24:42
game, but cocaine's pretty big and colleges, right. Yes, I've heard that. You've heard that. Good. You keep talking like that. Because you're in the world now. I understand. Yeah. And so it's not just like, I don't know. It's not making sure you have a mini refrigerator that won't over. It won't freeze it. So have

Chrysten 1:25:02
bigger fish to fry.

Scott Benner 1:25:04
I remember sitting in an orientation meeting for my son when he was a freshman. And this parent who obviously was very anti drinking, said, What are you going to do to make sure my kid doesn't drink? And the guy at the front of the room was like nothing? Yeah, that was like it. There's like, what do you think we're going to? What are you talking about? Like, we're not in charge of that. And a woman was like, mortified. She's like, wait, no one's gonna, like, make sure. And he's like, No, he's like, they're, you know, they're 18. It's illegal to drink, obviously. But you know, we don't police them. Right. And that's what I heard him say was if they can get it to their room and keep it quiet. That's that. And, and, yeah, she was like, Oh, okay. And then, then the then this lovely woman stepped up to the lectern. And she, that's when she gave the stats that I know what she's like, Look, if it makes you feel any better. It's about 5050. Half the kids will come here and leave and never drink once. And her woman did not look comforted by like they'd like she knew that the only thing standing between her child in Obliteration was active monitoring. And she just walked out so defeated.

Chrysten 1:26:18
And I saw that poor woman, she probably saw our life flash before us.

Scott Benner 1:26:22
I felt bad for I also know people who have had to pull their kids out of college because they couldn't stop drinking. Yeah, no, it is really serious. Yeah, it's not it's it's no like, anyway. I don't know if the fish are bigger to fry. But there are other fish to fry, you probably should think about all that. And I'm being very serious, from my perspective on the diabetes front. Like, I know that some people listen to this podcast and think that guy just took care of his daughter's diabetes, and she's going to be in so much trouble when she leaves. And by the way, that's not true. You weren't listening to the whole thing. We were very slowly giving Ardens care off to her for years. So as not to overwhelm her. She got there and she really liked picked the mantle up. And she she's running with it. Like she's doing a really good job.

Chrysten 1:27:08
I'm so happy I was I was vicariously worried. Not not worried that you just because it's new, you know. But as I was listening, I was like, she's got it. Come on,

Scott Benner 1:27:19
come on. Does it feel like this is interesting? Does it feel oddly, as a person who listens to the podcast that like if art and succeeds, then that makes all of this? Okay? And what if she failed? Like, would it feel terrible if the kid who everything I know went off to school and was like, Yeah, buy it once? He's 10? And like, would that would that be defeating as a listener? Do you think?

Chrysten 1:27:44
For me personally, no, but I'm also older. I think, I don't know. I think well, I'm also kind of like a little hippie dippie. But like, I don't know, I think like, everybody kind of goes through their own journey with it, you know what I mean? So like, maybe her journey was like, hypothetically, like, she kind of screwed up for a couple years and then got back together. Hey,

Scott Benner 1:28:05
I will tell you, from my perspective, I've always been like, this is definitely what's gonna happen, like, she's just gonna be like, going, I don't know what to do. Like it'll, but it, it worked out. And I don't want to just say it worked out like, hey, like, I threw it up to God. And it worked. You know, like, I we were very purposeful. And about it, like had a very long range view of it. I've never been a person who's like throwing things on or all at once me, like, hear you take like, your mom was like, now she's got it, don't worry. You're like, wait, what? But, but we did that very slow. There's teaching moments, we've set her up with technology as best we can, that it's going to help her and there are days as much effort as I see her putting into it. And I really do see a ton of effort from her. I still think I don't know without an algorithm. I mean, this would be a show. Like really sleeping. You don't I mean, like sleeping. Like she she has maybe a low like once or twice a month at night. And they're, they're manageable. Like, you know, I'll text her and I'll be like, Hey, are you aware of this? And she'll be like, Yeah, I just did something about it. Or, and she also this is interesting. At home, will not wake up with her blood sugar's low at college has never not woken up for her low blood. Ah, interesting. Like she said, I can feel it in my sleep. And I wonder if that wasn't like a little bit of the thrusting of that responsibility for her. Like if she did, if she didn't look at that and think, Well, who's gonna carry the boat? I guess it's me. You don't me. Right. You know, so right. I should figure out who actually said that. So I'm not like, you want to google it when they first second who

Chrysten 1:29:53
I mean? Yeah. Well, I'm curious. So you mean the person actually physically carried a boat?

Scott Benner 1:29:58
I don't think it's like Like it's not like the SS minnow. You know what I mean? Like, it's smaller than that. They're like, Alright, hold on. It's David Goggins. He's got an incredibly popular podcast. He's written books. I don't obviously don't know a lot about them, but he's like a motivational speaker. Is this from? Or is it Cameron Haynes? Oh, there's a lot of these motivational guys who could pick me up and break me in half if they needed to. I mean, there's T shirts, it says, who's going to carry the boat? So

Chrysten 1:30:30
now me,

Scott Benner 1:30:33
you're like, Get out of here. Do you want to like the boat? It looks like, uh, hold on a second. This is like we're in. We're, by the way people listening. We're done. Now. You can go if you want to. Oh, it's like so like one of those really heavy, like inflatable? Like, like six guys fit thing. But oh, okay. But it looks like it wouldn't split if you hit it with an axe. Okay, and it looks really heavy. So

Chrysten 1:31:04
I can't stop envisioning like Hercules, the cartoon character?

Scott Benner 1:31:09
By himself. Yeah, yeah, that's not this.

Chrysten 1:31:12
That's all I can picture in my head every time you said it. And and whenever you said who was going to carry the boat? I was like, I don't know. But I would definitely get someone else to do.

Scott Benner 1:31:20
Like, I mean, the guy that I call or pay? Well, hopefully, I think that if they heard that they'd be like, yeah, that's why we're here, by the way, because you know, when the hits the fan, were the only ones that are going to show up. And they're, by the way that I think they're right. I've always maintained that if I was on the Mayflower the first body of whatever we got to I'd be like, we could just live here. It's fine. I don't know how to get on the other side of that. This is this is good right here. But yeah, oh, yeah. These are like big heavy. Like boats. Oh,

Chrysten 1:31:48
that's cool. Okay, I never heard this before. This is new. I'm gonna Google it later.

Scott Benner 1:31:52
Yeah, it's for me. It's it's, I've only obviously ever heard it like, firsthand. Quite obviously. To me. That's what it means. Like, to me it means like, I have to do this. Like it. No one else is gonna do this. I'm gonna do it.

Chrysten 1:32:06
And unless it's me, and then I'm never gonna do it. No, but you did.

Scott Benner 1:32:09
You did. You carried your own boat. Right?

Chrysten 1:32:14
The metaphorical boat but the physical boat. I'm definitely getting someone else to do

Scott Benner 1:32:17
it. But you carried your I think the boat is like, you know, doesn't have Why are you giving me until I know you are but I mean, like, why are you busting my balls now? Like we've been doing?

Chrysten 1:32:30
I know. I was just like, You know what I'm gonna, I'm, you know, I was being nice. And I just professional and shit. And now

Scott Benner 1:32:36
you're like, This is where I'm putting my flag in the sand. Dammit. I can pick up a boat. Like, why are you being so literal?

Chrysten 1:32:44
Just a massive deal. I had to mess with you.

Scott Benner 1:32:46
Oh my god. That's how my wife fights don't do that. It makes it gives me odds. I'm like, Oh, we got we're gonna get literal. That's not what we were doing.

Chrysten 1:32:58
It's a full circle. You told me about that in the beginning. So yeah,

Scott Benner 1:33:01
I know. Also, I appreciate that. Oh, nothing, nothing better storytelling, then bring it all back around at the end. Is there anything we did? By the way? What in the hell did you want to come on here and talk about just this?

Chrysten 1:33:14
I guess so. Yeah, pretty much. I didn't even know. I was all I was all like feeling adamant about it in the middle of our summer program. And now it's got so hopefully it was good.

Scott Benner 1:33:24
Well, I think that's interesting, too, that at some point, when you were in the thick of it. It felt like life or death. And now six months later, you're like, I don't know. Just don't be a dick. It'll be alright.

Chrysten 1:33:36
Pretty much. And you know, it's funny, because I was like, I don't know, a couple of weeks ago. I was like, I was like, oh, yeah, I don't know what I'm going to talk about. And then I was like, someone actually posted in the Facebook group. They were like, what, what advice do you have on transitioning to college? And I was like, oh, okay, this is still relevant.

Scott Benner 1:33:52
Awesome. Oh, it's always relevant. But the advice. Here's the can I give you the man? Any short, anything you think of that you need advice for? Here's the advice. Use common sense. It doesn't make it doesn't make a good podcast, but just use your common sense. And if you're at a loss for common sense, ask a friend. And if things are always going wrong for you assume you don't have the greatest common sense. Universe is out to get you. By the way, the universe isn't out to get you you make bad decisions. It's not your

Chrysten 1:34:34
I love talking to people like that, though, when they're when you're just like, Uh huh. And and it's just like, stupid decision after stupid decision. You're like, Oh, I've been

Scott Benner 1:34:43
a problem comes up and you go, that's what you think to do when you hear that. Like, wow, okay. Like no judgment. Like, I don't know how you got here. But like, that's not that's not I mean, it's not just my opinion, like that's nowhere near right. You that I can see where that's going to lead you poorly. And and I listen, I had a private conversation with the lady that helped us set up Arden's thing. And very privately she said, like, some of these people are just I don't want to say and she she wouldn't. She just she did one of those like Homina Homina Homina. Like, I don't want to say what I'm thinking here. But a lot of these people aren't really in the situation they think they're in. And some people and some people she said, just want to be angry. And she said in some people just want to assert a dominance over the situation. Like you have to do this because I have XYZ. And these are the rules and this is your job and do what I say. She said, there's a lot of that. And, yeah, we got done. And she's She thanked us. She said, This is the easiest My job's ever been in my entire life. She said,

Chrysten 1:35:57
Yeah, I would imagine they have to they spend a lot of time like weeding through information. No, and you did it for them.

Scott Benner 1:36:05
The vibe from her was she spent a lot of her time with very difficult people. That's what that's all we all Yeah, well, that's what that's basically and by the way, not a lovelier person, but you meet and genuinely concerned for everyone and had a child and had a child of their own, who had needs. And it's their own accommodations. And so was she was genuinely empathetic and sympathetic and motivated. Like, she was great at her job. But she's still trying to tell you that there are a lot of people in here just being a pain in the ass for no real reason. Right? And, and I was like, oh, it's interesting. So she's like, so thank you for not only setting up a great plan, that I have no trouble putting into action, but for not being in here basically asking, you know, for a Ferris wheel. You know, my baby needs something unreasonable. Or you don't I mean,

Chrysten 1:37:00
blah, blah, blah. Someone to carry on and around in a boat.

Scott Benner 1:37:05
What we need it for guys are with Arden wants to approve of them first. And they they should be shirtless constantly. She said, Isn't that interesting? And she wants them to put her in a rubber boat and carrier from class to class. And you have to do this because she could get low if she walks too much. Yeah, and yeah, there was nothing out of bounds or crazy or over the top that was asked for just you know. Anyway, all right, we're done. You were great. Thank you. I talked too much.

Let's thank Kristin for coming on the show today and sharing all of her knowledge and her story. And of course, we're gonna thank Omni pod makers of the Omni pod five, and the Omni pod dash Omni pod.com forward slash juice box, use my link support the podcast. And Dexcom was the sponsor today. So let's say thank you to them for making that Dexcom G seven, and the G six dexcom.com forward slash juice box head over now and get started today with two amazing devices, ones that we've been using here forever and ever. links in the show notes links at juicebox podcast.com to Dexcom Omni pod at all the sponsors be click on my links. We're supporting the show.

A diabetes diagnosis comes with a lot of new terminology. And that's why I've created the defining diabetes series. These are short episodes where Jenny Smith and I go over all of the terms that you're going to hear living with diabetes, and some of them that you might not hear every day, from the very simple Bolus up to feed on the floor. Don't know the difference between hypo and hyper will explain it to you. These are short episodes, they are not boring. They're fun, and they're informative. It's not just us reading to you out of the dictionary, we take the time to chat about all of these different words. Maybe you don't know what a CU small respiration is, you will when you're done. Ever heard of glycemic index and load haven't doesn't matter. You will know after you listen to the defining diabetes series. Now, how do you find it, you go to juicebox podcast.com up top to the menu and click on defining diabetes. You'll be able to listen right there in your browser. Or you'll see the full list of the episodes and be able to go into an audio app like Apple podcasts or Spotify and listen to them at your pace. Download them into your phone and listen when you can. The defining diabetes series is made up of 51 short episodes that will fast forward your knowledge of diabetes terminology

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#979 Weight Loss Diary: Five

Scott is taking Wegovy for weight loss. This is diary number five.

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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, welcome to episode 979 of the Juicebox Podcast

Welcome back everybody to another episode of my week go V diary, it's been another month. So you're getting another update, we're gonna find out if I lost weight, how it went if I can poop and stuff like that. 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 health care plan. Or you know, any of that stuff. Really just talk to a doctor. Save 40% off your entire purchase at cozy earth.com When you use the offer code juicebox. Get a free year supply of vitamin D and five free travel packs when you get your first order at drink a G one.com forward slash juice box. Don't forget to check out the private Facebook group. If you'd like to ask me questions about we go V post them there, I'll do my best to answer and tell you more about my experience. What else do I have for you? Oh, if you're looking for diabetes content, the diabetes Pro Tip series begins at episode 210. And you can see a complete list of all the episodes at diabetes pro tip.com worth the top of juicebox podcast.com. And if you're in the private Facebook group, just check the feature tab for lists of all the series. If you have type two or pre diabetes, that type two diabetes Pro Tip series from the Juicebox Podcast is exactly what you're looking for. Do you have a friend or a family member who is struggling to understand their type two and how to manage it? This series is for them seven episodes to get you on track and up to speed. Episode 860 series intro 864 guilt and shame episode 869 medical team 874 fueling plan, Episode 880 diabetes technology episode 85 GLP ones metformin and insulin and an episode 889. We talk about movement. This episode is with me and Jenny Smith. Of course, you know Jenny is a Certified diabetes Care and Education Specialist. She's a registered and licensed dietitian and Jenny has had type one diabetes for over 30 years. Too many people don't understand their type two diabetes. And this series aims to fix that. Share it with a friend or get started today. Hey there cats and kittens. It's a July 18th. Tuesday again, time for Oh, no more 1.7 Time for 2.4 milligrams of weego V this is the highest dose. So this is the dose I will be on moving forward. How did the week go? You may remember from the last week Ovie diary, that I was a little constipated. And I was adding little fiber that was helping keeping up with magnesium oxide. So this week was interesting. In so much as that things were moving, but not up to standards. You don't I mean, like you're a little life, huh? Was that it? Okay. I feel like there could be more that it was that sort of a situation but things were happening. The thing I'm going to take away from this past week, though, is that I don't think I'm eating enough food now. So I have to start eating more. Going back to the 11. The last time I made this recording. I was two Oh 8.4. This morning, I was two Oh 7.2. So I mean, in a week I've lost 1.2 pounds, which is terrific. But two days ago. No three days ago, excuse me. On the 15th I was two Oh 5.6. I went from two Oh 7.4 on the 14th to two Oh 5.6 on the 15th. But now I've put back to a 6.6 like a pound and a half ish. Because I think as I'm looking back over this and by the way, making this diary was really helpful for me because I can makes me go over the whole thing. But I think the day before the weight loss, I had a big meal. That was it. I ate a lot of ate more food than I've been eating. Not a huge meal by the way. We just We went out to a good Chinese restaurant and I had a little fried rice. I had shrimp I had a little chicken at a fortune cookie. And then the next day I woke up. I use the bathroom. Then the next day I woke up and I was a lot lighter. But then I cut back on food again. By the way I'm not cutting back on food. Please understand. I'm just not hungry. I need a drink. Sorry. I'm not hungry, and I'm forgetting to eat. And I think maybe the constipation not hungry, forgetting to eat thing might be a cycle. So I'm going to finish this. I'm gonna go downstairs and make a breakfast for myself. Okay, well, without any further chit chatter you do 2.4 milligrams of weego V semaglutide injection it says right on a single dose prefilled pen pop off the cap. All right, sticking with the stomach because it works

okay, I don't have much more to say, I'm very happy with how this is all going. I am, let's see 26.2 pounds lighter than when I started as of today. That's amazing. I have a feeling like this is going to start happening. I just like again, like another movement of the number, just have to put all the pieces together, I think the fiber supplements and now I'm going to add more food like consciously more food. I think we're gonna have a better outcome next week, I'm gonna make a prediction. I've never done this before. By the way, also, I'm getting my toe fixed. I just got that this morning. Very excited. I went to see a surgeon. I don't know I've mentioned this on here. I think anyway, my toe is almost set a bad word, but it's really messed up. And I can't really exercise or walk or ride a bike or anything. So I went to a surgeon yesterday. And they actually got me on the schedule for the 25th. So believe it or not, believe it or not, I will get my toe fixed next week, in the morning and then make my next injection recording in the afternoon. So I'll tell you about the surgery next time. And then they say it's just a very quick recovery process. And then I'm going to be able to add some exercise which will be terrific. But anyway, my prediction. What is my prediction? A month from now? A month from now. Two Oh 7.2 This morning. I'm gonna make a bold prediction. A month from now I'm gonna be 199 and a half. That's my bold prediction. Okay, I am back July 25. I had surgery on my toe this morning. It hurts. But we're still going to make the recording and inject the 2.4 milligrams if we go away. Here's the thing. I gained like almost a pound and a half this week. The eating more thing didn't go as well as I wanted it to. So you know, I will persist the and then the surgery right? I had to like do a weird fasting overnight for the surgery the next day. I'm probably like they gave me a what's his name and IV so like I don't know if I'm super hydrated or too hydrated at the moment or I can't really tell you doesn't matter point is my weights up like a point 1.4 pounds since the last time I made this recording. I am undeterred. I will continue to try to eat better. Meaning more, I'm gonna go back to the food schedule that I was on. When I first started doing this like like the the food decisions I was making, I want to go back to those. I think I might have gotten in the in the situation where I was losing weight no matter what was happening. And maybe I got it into my head like I'm just going to lose weight. So I'm going to go back to the things that I was doing in the beginning egg in a wrap in the morning, some mushrooms that kind of stuff. Yogurt, my, my my athletic greens, which are they're not calling Athletic Greens anymore. Drink ag one I'll drink my ag one in the morning like I always do the egg wrap the yogurt boom breakfast. And then I'm going to be going with more kind of like seafood in the evenings and try to get back to eating a little earlier in the evening that I was. So those are today's marching orders for this week. Not a whole lot else going on my toe surgery actually went really well. They told me it was going to be a bunch of arthritis and a bone spur But doctor called me later in the evening to say that it really wasn't much arthritis at all. It was like a torn piece of cartilage that was causing the pain and he took it off and they gave me what they called microfracture like a microfracture procedure to try to get the cartilage to grow back. Anyway it hurts like hell right now. But I I'll be okay. It's gonna it's probably to take a couple of days to feel better. That's it right let's we go via 2.4 milligrams every week, I think I'm just gonna put it somewhere different than I stomach but then I go there. And then I just put in my stomach

Alright, Everybody cross your fingers, that I get on back onto a better elimination schedule. How's that? It's a nice way of saying all right. I will talk to you next week. Hey there, kids. It's Scott. I'm back. August 1, pulling out my app. August 1. I'll tell you, this has been an interesting week with Do we go V. We get a drink. Okay. So, back on the 23rd Is that the last time I recorded? Yes. I was two Oh, 8.6. And I was having a little trouble going potty. You remember? While we got that worked out? We I got that worked out. Took a little fiber supplement. Once or twice, twice, I think. And then I ate a half a cheeseburger. I thought this will help. And boy did it. So on. 27th I was two Oh 7.6 on the 29th I was two Oh 5.2. So I thought that was the fiber. Then the burger. Oh my goodness. I woke up the day after the burger. The burger incident we should call it 203.6 pounds. Holy Hanna Barbera, am I right? It that burger went in there. My body was like I have not had a cheeseburger in quite some time. Whoosh. It was not pleasant. We should not be talking about it. But it happened. So I'm telling you. Now, I think that next day, I was a little dehydrated and bereft of anything in my body perhaps the wrong word. There was nothing in my body. So two or 3.6 I was like this is not a weight that's going to stay I actually could tell I was dehydrated. My wedding ring was like slipping off. So I'm like this is not my real weight. But anyway, it is what I weighed in at on the 30th of July. Next day 31st Two Oh 4.8 Got a little rehydrated now this morning, two Oh 6.2. And I have to tell you after seeing the two or three number I was like, Oh man, come on. But retrospectively I look back two oh 6.2 Is a 2.4 ounce. Or excuse me a two pound four ounce weight loss over the 30 over over the my my weight on the 26th. So I've lost 2.4 pounds. It's great. I love it. I'm in I'm now cats and kittens. Things are happening. Scotty told you I'd start losing weight again. Still feel great. I'm not having any trouble eating. I actually went to a bar where I got the burger. And it's usually if I go there during this week, everything I would usually get seafood just like kind of some light meat, crab or maybe a boiled shrimp. But instead I went with this burger. I mean it was a real burger. had cheese had a crab cake on top of it these people but crab cakes on top of cheeseburgers. I didn't. I cut it in half. I ate half of it. I was stuffed when it was over. It was hard for me to get half of it in. I brought the other half home with me and I've had no inclination to eat it whatsoever. Just interesting little side note, anyway. I wasn't nauseated or anything like that. I was still able to eat half the cheeseburger but I was it I kind of was like oh this as much as I can do. Anyway, we are of course 2.4 milligrams of we go V I am excited things are moving. I my foot surgery went okay. Well, it's been a week since that happened since I talked to you. It's filled throbs a little bit when I sit here, I actually just recorded an episode that you won't hear for like six months, but I had to record it with my foot up on the table here so I could I could get through it without the throbbing. I'm going to do my injection every week, I think let me put it somewhere different than my stomach just for fun. Like I don't even know why that would matter. But I'm just gonna do my stomach honestly. I can go through some of the other numbers with you in a second but Let's inject this first cap off click it in the belly. Nice spot

nice, just hold it for another couple seconds. Cuz why not? Let's fucking go V All right. What else am I noticing? I don't have any reflux, which I did have for a little while but that's been okay like you know a couple episodes back. I haven't had that in a while I don't have that high up and nausea feeling that like, like I've described in the past it almost felt like my esophagus was full of food like he felt like full a pie in my almost to my chest and my sternum. I haven't had that. I can eat, like, if I want to. So but I'm still not hungry. I don't have like that crazy hunger. The one thing my wife and I are both noticing is that food feels like it tastes different. Now. I don't know if that's the week govi or if that's just getting the sugar and the carbs out of you or what that is. But um, last night, Arden was like on board. And I was like, Alright, well let's do something. And I was working. So I stopped working. And I came down and I was like, What do you want to do? I said, Hey, you want to go get water ice? And she's like, Yeah, cool. So we went off and got these little water ices. And I ate that, like no problem. I couldn't finish mine, but I ate it. It was fine. But it wasn't like it didn't hit me as sweet as it usually is. So I don't know what that is. But my wife talks about food tasting differently. I have noticed that with some things. Sweet doesn't taste as sweet. Maybe savory doesn't taste as savory. I don't know why. Like I don't I'm not saying that's the medication or not. It's just something I've noticed. Other than that, I'm feeling good. I'm excited for my toe to feel better so I can start exercising. I think that's really when this is gonna like come together for me. Weight loss. I mean 2.4 pounds in a week is terrific. Using this I started this 233.4 pounds on the 28th of March. And today is August 1. And I weighed two Oh 6.2. I honestly still think I'm going to be under 200 soon. My BMI is 30.5 Right now it started at 34.6. My body fat is 28.9 down from 35. I mean that's crazy, right? My body water is good. My skeletal muscle mass is holding this is all based on this some the scale I'm using the Renfrow scale. Couple of you have bought it I guess after hearing me talk about it. My fat free bodyweight holding pretty steady. subcutaneous fat holding steady, visceral fat holding steady. My muscle mass increased a little bit this week. That's cool. And my bone mass has gone up. It's nice. Yeah, my metabolic gauge is still not going down. But I losing weight and I feel better. I was I was at I took a day off this weekend, I didn't make any podcasts or anything I went, I sat in the Sun at a family member's house around a pool. My foot hurts, obviously. So I couldn't get in the water, all that stuff. But I sat like up in this kind of like Bartok chair. And I had another one across from me to keep my foot up on so it wouldn't throb. And at one point, I've kind of pulled my knees back to myself. And I was like, I don't know how to put that, like I was sitting in the chair, but my feet were back by my butt. And I thought this is not a thing I could have done before. Okay, I don't sit like this usually. And it's because my stomach is gone. It's really wonderful. Honestly, super excited. I'm starting to see some more muscle tone in my arms and my legs. I can't wait to start exercising. I know this one's going on for a little bit. I'm sorry, I'm babbling a little here. But I think my point is just that it's going well, and that losing weight is valuable. I didn't know that I'd feel this good about it, honestly. And it's teaching me about patients in a different way to like I always thought I was a patient person to begin with. But a pound or two a week, you know, seven days to lose a pound. Seems like oh, it's not worth it. But it really is. And you just you know, because of the medication I'm able to stick with it. Not like haven't had one moment of like a binging or an overeating This whole time I've been doing this and I do credit that we go before that, I'm certain I would have like fallen off the wagon if I tried to do this on my on my own. But like actually being able to stick with it for this long time, and seeing the benefits, it's not something that you can understand if you just dieting for a week or two or, you know, changed your fueling plan for a month, it really does take this amount of time for you to really get perspective on what's happening and how valuable it is. So I don't know what my message is there. But stick to it is, is what I'm noticing, just sticking to it and being patient. It has been really valuable. Alright, I'm gonna go. I will talk to you soon. I'll be back next week when I checked it again. I am so grateful for this little week over the blog. And I'll tell you why. Because it's August 8. And I weighed myself this morning. I haven't weighed myself in a couple of days weighed myself this morning, because I was going to make this recording. And I weighed 204.4 pounds, and I was pissed. It's like, you've got to be kidding me. And why do you say that? Right? Why am I telling you I'm mad at two? Oh, 4.4 when just a moment ago, on August 1, I was two Oh 6.2. I've lost two pounds this week, basically? Well, it's because three days ago, when I weighed myself, I was two or 3.4. And I thought I was gonna get three, I thought I was gonna get a three pound weight loss this week. I was genuinely upset for just a moment. I saw the scale and I was like, damn it. Now. Here's the stuff you don't know. I didn't have to go to the bathroom when I got up this morning. So fair enough. Not that I was going to add that I was going to eliminate a pound. But my body's in a weird shift at the moment. I didn't use the bathroom this morning. Whatever. I was a little nauseous this morning. NOT want to call it nausea. You'll get the wrong idea. It just it's not good. But it's not good. Because I think two things I worked late last night. So I ate late. That was a mistake. I had like this just small little wrap with a few shrimp in it. But at like nine o'clock, I think that was my mistake. And and I need to go I feel like I need to go to the bathroom. It's not happening. So that's the feeling I'm having right now. It's very specific to being on Weibo V. Not away I felt prior to being on it. What else I am getting a lot of great. My brother is using ozempic At the same time. And he's getting starting to see some real results and a lot of happy texts from him. My wife who is also using weego V. The other day when we Saturday's the day she injects today's Tuesday. So she was injecting on Saturday, she jumped on the scale, she only gets to the scale once a week. And she'd lost pounds. And she and I literally both like I'd lost 30 pounds and she'd lost like 30 Water, something like that. So happy for I'm back actually back to 29. Now because of this one pound thing that we've heard about no big deal. I think that's it for today. This is my fourth injection of 2.4. So they're all 2.4 Moving forward, but this is my fourth one. I've been doing this for a month now. And I think we should take a second to see where we started the month and where we're ending it. So we pop back into the app. So when did when was 30 days ago? Probably like probably like July. Scrolling. Scrolling. Okay, well, on July 8, I was 209.2 pounds. And today I am 24.4 So 2056789 I lost about five pounds this month. I have to tell you, that's amazing.

I know. I think I think what this has done for me more than anything has given me a perspective about time. Because I think if you would have told me in the past, Scott, you're gonna lose five pounds this month, I would have thought oh my god, a whole month to lose five pounds terrible, like you know, would have seen which is what doesn't seem good to me. And now I'm thinking it's amazing, because what am I now 204 something if you're telling me that a month from now, a month, which is if I'm lucky and stay alive, it's gonna pass anyway, if you're telling me a month from now, I'm going to be 199 pounds. That's insane. Like really just didn't feel I started at 233 something. I'm gonna get to 199 I haven't been under 200 pounds and forever. I think the last time I was I think I was 205 I actually do want to hold on a second. I'm gonna pause and pull up a thing. And I'll be right back. I found some notes I made over the years. So back in 2019 on January 20 2019, I started Wow, at 233 pounds. I did something called the baked potato diet, which was not pleasant. And I lost 10 pounds in like six days that I stuck with something. And over the next three months, January, getting into the middle of April, I got down to 218 pounds. So back in 2018, I was to 18. Now in 2018, I did this as well. How about that? In 2018 and September starting at 236 pounds. I went on some sort of weight loss journey, who knows. And I stayed with it through September, October, November. And on November 12, I was 216. Wow. So on November 12, I was to 16. December, January, two months later, in January, I was back to 233. So I lost 20 pounds. And then 26 And then I put almost all that back on and two months. Isn't that interesting. And then I did the big potato thing that I got back down to 18. So the lowest weight I've had in Gs 23 In five years was 218. And today on 204. And we have every reason to think I might be 199 a month I don't know why this works. I really don't. This week I had this week somebody brought me ice cream. I had ice cream this week, I have not had ice cream since I started doing we go V was a pint of Ben and Jerry's that stayed in the house for four or five days. And over four or five days, I ate pretty much the entire pint of ice cream. And I still lost weight this week. I had wraps for dinner breakfast, I'm never hungry. I'm very happy. I don't know what's in. I don't know what's in the cards for moving forward. I don't know if I would just stop using this. If I would just put this weight back on. I really don't know. But what I can tell you is my life is is very much better right now. And I appreciate you guys going on this this little journey with me which I feel like an idiot Saint journey but learn a lot about myself and learning a lot about eating. And I am healthier and healthier as I go. I actually saw myself in the mirror the other day. And I thought oh, I don't I don't look bad. That's not my face. My wife was poking at my double chin the other day and she goes, this thing's really going away. I was like, Oh, this is fun. This foreplay. What are we doing right now? It was not by the way. Let's do this. We go we shall we 2.4 fourth one. We are right here in my stomach, which is getting smaller and smaller. And here's the losing five more pounds this month.

I like to hold on for a couple extra seconds. I don't want to waste any. All right, guys. So I might have been a little off on my 199 at the beginning of this episode. But still 2042 or three 199. I mean, now it's just the process, right? Just a very slow process that is consistently moving in the right direction. And I think that's all that matters. Honestly, for more months, could I be 20 pounds lighter? I do I want to be 20 pounds lighter. I'm not even sure I have to be perfectly honest with you. I don't even know what my good weight is going to be. What I can tell you is, is that my toe surgery is getting better and better. I have just a couple of more days to visit doctor. Let me tell you when that is actually, oh, this Friday, one to like three more days and I get to go back to the doctor where he will hopefully tell me I can take a regular person shower and not a shower with a bag on my foot. It feels much better. I'm going to be able to get back to exercising, we're going to see what the impact of that is going to be. I don't know there's nothing but goodness in front of me. So I'm excited. If you want to hear details about some of the other series in the podcast. Keep listening for another couple of minutes. And if you don't, you're pretty much done. But don't forget to check out the private Facebook group Juicebox Podcast type one diabetes and follow the public page as well. juicebox Podcast on Facebook. I'm on Instagram Tik Tok. Anywhere you want to be actually think I have a Twitter? I definitely do. It's at Juicebox Podcast. Yeah. See, I got all that stuff. What else? What else? What else? There was something else I wanted to tell you. Damn it all the hell? Oh yeah, here it is. Thank you, the podcast continues to grow. And it's because of you. It's because you're listening. It's because I'll tell you why. When you listen, download the show or stream it. It ranks higher in podcast charts that allows other people to see the show and go, Oh, this must be a reasonable thing I could try listening to when you subscribe in a podcast player like Apple podcasts or Spotify or anywhere like that, that raises the profile, again of the podcast, it pushes it up on charts, and allows other people to see it. When you tell your doctor, a friend, someone on Facebook online about the podcast, it gets bigger and bigger and bigger, reaches more and more people, it helps more and more people. And it allows me to sell ads to advertisers, which keeps the podcast happening. It's all just the circle of life kind of thing that you guys are the driving engine of and I really appreciate that. Alright, so now I'll say thank you so much for listening. I'll be back very soon with another episode of The Juicebox Podcast. A diabetes diagnosis comes with a lot of new terminology. And that's why I've created the defining diabetes series. These are short episodes, where Jenny Smith and I go over all of the terms that you're going to hear living with diabetes, and some of them that you might not hear every day, from the very simple Bolus up to feed on the floor. Don't know the difference between hypo and hyper, we'll explain it to you. These are short episodes, they are not boring. They're fun, and they're informative. It's not just us reading to you out of the dictionary, we take the time to chat about all of these different words. Maybe you don't know what a cool small respiration is, you will when you're done. Ever heard of a glycemic index and load haven't doesn't matter. You'll know after you listen to the defining diabetes series. Now, how do you find it, you go to juicebox podcast.com up top to the menu and click on defining diabetes. You'll be able to listen right there in your browser. Or you'll see the full list of the episodes and be able to go into an audio app like Apple podcasts or Spotify and listen to them at your pace. Download them into your phone and listen when you can. The defining diabetes series is made up of 51 short episodes that will fast forward your knowledge of diabetes terminology. If you're a loved one has been diagnosed with type one diabetes, the bold beginnings series from the Juicebox Podcast is a terrific place to begin listening. In this series, Jenny Smith and I will go over the questions most often asked at the beginning of type one. Jenny is a certified diabetes care and education specialist who is also a registered and licensed dietitian and Jenny has had type one diabetes for 35 years. My name is Scott Benner and I am the father of a child who has type one diabetes. Our daughter Arden was diagnosed in 2006 at the age of two. I believe that at the core of diabetes management, understanding how insulin works, and how food and other variables impact your system is of the utmost importance. The bold beginning series will lead you down the path of understanding. The series is made up of 24 episodes. And it begins that episode 698 In your podcast, or audio player. I'll list those episodes at the end of this to listen, you can go to juicebox podcast.com. Go up to the menu at the top and choose bold beginnings. Or go into any audio app like Apple podcasts, or Spotify. And then find the episodes that correspond with the series. Those lists again are at Juicebox Podcast up in the menu or if you're in the private Facebook group. In the featured tab. The private Facebook group has over 40,000 members. There are conversations happening right now and 24 hours a day that you'd be incredibly interested in. So don't wait. So don't wait. Check out the bulk beginning series today and get started on your journey. Episode 698 defines the bowl beginning series 702, honeymooning 706 adult diagnosis 711 and 712 go over diabetes terminologies. In episode 715 We talk about fear of insulin in 719 the 1515 rule episode 723 long acting insulin 727 target range 731 food choices 135 Pre-Bolus 739 carbs 743 stacking 747 flexibility in Episode 751 We discussed school in Episode 755 Exercise 759 guilt, fears, hope and expectations. In episode 763 of the bold beginning series. We talked about community 772 journaling, 776 technology and medical supplies, Episode 780, treating low blood glucose, Episode 784 dealing with insurance 788 talking to your family and episode 805 illness and ketone management. Check it out. It will change your Life

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#978 Diabetes Myths: Dos and Don'ts

A brand new series examining the myths surrounding diabetes.

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

+ Click for EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

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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 973 of the Juicebox Podcast

just like that Jenny's back, and we're gonna do another diabetes myth today, today's myth is that there's a cure and they're hiding it. They, whoever they are, are hiding the cure from you. They have it, but they won't let you see it. We're gonna talk about that today. 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 health care plan, or becoming bold with insulin. Save 40% off your entire order at cosy earth.com and use the offer code juicebox. Get a free year's supply of vitamin D and five free travel packs with your first order at drink ag one.com forward slash juicebox and please don't forget to use the links for on the pod decks comm us med all the sponsors. They're right there in the show notes of your podcast player and at juicebox podcast.com. Jenny Smith works at Integrated diabetes and you can hire her at integrated diabetes.com Don't forget to check out the private Facebook group Juicebox Podcast type one diabetes doesn't matter if you have type one, type two Lada doesn't matter how you eat, everyone is welcome. Great conversations happening right now. This episode of The Juicebox Podcast is sponsored by touched by type one, and I'm about to speak at the next live touched by type one event. Sometime during this episode. I'm gonna give you all the details about that free event that's coming up soon in September of 2023. Come out and see me while you touched by type one.org. Okay, we are recording. Alright, Jenny, we are back to do another diabetes myth. And because yeah, you and I were just chit chatting. I don't have the document open. So just give me a second here to open that up. And let's see what we have done so far. A lot. We have done. We have we're getting through it. We're doing we're doing well. We did last week we did. The big one was that there are no diet restrict or excuse me that diet type ones have a specific diet restriction. And we talked all through that. So then we did complications are inevitable that blood sugars don't alter how you think. So today? Oh, you're ready to be snarky. Huh, good. I think we're gonna have to be a little snarky during this one. Okay. That there is a cure for diabetes, and it's being hidden from us.

Jennifer Smith, CDE 2:55
Oh, yeah. So that's such a hard one. Yes, honestly. And I don't I mean, it's, it's like a deep, dark, scary rabbit hole. If you're going to go down and talk about that. I mean, we know what we know. What I find astounding, personally, and kind of professionally or clinically, is that there are really cool things that come out, right? Like if this proved to be beneficial, yes, rats, or whatever they're studying it in. But we're planning to move into human trials. And you never end up hearing about those. And where did where did this product go to? Or where did this, you know, procedure? Where did it end up? Why is it not going any further. And there may be a very good reason that it never went to human trial that it never went any further and thus we never hear about it again. Right? But I think that's where maybe the myth comes from is, you hear something here like, wow, that's gonna be awesome. And then five years later, it's gone. It's a poof, gone. Where did the person disappear to?

Scott Benner 4:11
So what it reminds me of, and so I listen, I'll just say right now. That's it. That's a conspiracy theory. Right? Like, that's genuinely what that is and letter of the law. None of us know for sure. Maybe there are five really wealthy people who have been cured of their type one diabetes, we wouldn't know about it if that had happened. But it seems unlikely to me. But I think it gets perpetuated. First of all, because I think people's minds, like thinking about conspiracy stuff. I think it's kind of fun, right? But there's that story. I think everyone's heard a version of a story like this growing up. The one that was told to me was that, you know, decades ago, a guy invented a light bulb that never burned out. And he was super excited. And so he took it to a big probably General Electric or something like that went into a meeting. I had all this stuff, they're here with my light bulb samples, here's my, my work all my notes. I've made a light bulb that won't burn out. And they said, thank you very much, wrote him a check, took all this stuff and lit it on fire in front of him. Right, right. So that's the story that they told. And it's a, I don't know if it's a real story, or if it's a wives tale, but it's the idea of like, why would the company make light bulbs that don't burn out, they sell, they sell light bulbs, they want to keep making light bulbs. And then that's what happens around this. Why would a pharma company, you know, put themselves out of business, they're selling insulin. But here's the here's the thing, though, the people who sell the insulin, they're not the people who are looking for ways to cure diseases. That's not That's not the job's not the business they're in. Right, right. Now, somebody's gonna say, Okay, well, yeah, but they pay it off people and they're doing I don't know if that's happening or not. Let's be honest, that nobody knows for sure. But the way I always end up thinking about it is is that I don't know, when large amounts of people are involved in the conspiracy. It's difficult to keep it quiet. Like, you know what I mean? Like, do you think if there was a way to think about it? Yeah. Like, if there was really a cure for diabetes? Someone wouldn't whistleblow that. You know what I mean? Like, it would just take one guy with type one to know that to be like, Yo, and then I don't know.

Jennifer Smith, CDE 6:24
No, I yeah, I, I can see both sides. Yeah, I really can see both sides, I can see the standpoint of, as you said, the person or the business side of it selling, not really having any idea what's going on in the research side, they're just selling a product. I mean, it is a business, right? Well, whether it's technology or a medication or whatever, it's a business, sell the medication, right, get more users of this brand of insulin versus that brand of insulin, right. And I don't think any company wants to put themselves out of business. But that doesn't mean that they're going behind the scenes necessarily, and preventing research that could prove to many, many people an increase in quality of life from not having to manage like we do

Scott Benner 7:22
so. So oil companies aren't trying to figure out how to make electric cars, for example, but that doesn't mean that they're falsely propping up the gasoline industry. They're just that's not where they're putting their efforts. So that's the one thing so you know, people said, Hey, there's a secret cure, and Big Pharma doesn't want you to know about it. This is the thing that comes up so frequently online, like people, there are a number of people who are ultra sure that this is being kept from, it's why I put it in here, and I brought it up. Now, the next person says that it's even a myth that they're even working on a cure. And they say they again, like who the hell help, as you know,

Unknown Speaker 8:03
they right.

Scott Benner 8:04
But there are plenty of researchers out there working on cures for all kinds of things. Do they think they're going to come up with one? I don't know. I really don't know. Maybe they're just dorky lab, people who are going to make a living off of working on stuff for a lifetime. And maybe they literally think they're gonna get to it and etc. But it's happening. I've actually spoken to the people who are doing it like there are people working on it. I don't know that that means they're gonna figure it out. Right. And so I think that where that kind of comes like to ahead is the thing that almost everybody has been told, right. And I mean, I'm sure somebody said it to you and you were diagnosed, they said it to me when Arden was diagnosed, don't worry, a cure is like five years away. Touched by type one is a longtime sponsor of the Juicebox Podcast. And they are the people who gave me my very first chance to speak live to people living with diabetes. And I'm back at their event again, this year. Now go to touched by type one.org. Click on programs, then go to annual conference. And you're going to see that our free conference for individuals of all ages and backgrounds is coming up on September 16 2023. And the registration is open. The button is here and you can click it click on it. Click. I did it. It's free. What'd I just say? Registration is free. The entire day is free. I think they even feed you touched by type one.org. And I'm going to be there giving my talk he talks and guess who else I hear is going to be there. A little bird told me Jenny Smith is going to be there and know what is this? Jenny and Scott in Orlando on September 16 2023 for free. Are you kidding me? What are you people doing still listen been touched by type one.org. Get over there. It can it fill up? I think it could you know what I'm saying? Like don't wait. Yes. Do we know where that number came from?

Jennifer Smith, CDE 10:15
That's, I have. I've looked, honestly, I've looked where did it because when I was diagnosed, so many years ago, it was five to seven. That's what they're saying. That was the consistent thing that I heard all the way up until the point that I left for college. I heard five to seven years, five to seven years. So where did this random like? And where's their research? Like? Where are they getting it from? to actually pull a number like five to seven years? We're going to have a cure? I don't know. Yeah, they pulled it out of the atmosphere is? That's my honest belief. So

Scott Benner 10:55
my, my expectation is, it's an amalgam of things. So at some time, somebody must have said, well, there's this thing we're working on. And when we get over this last problem, it'll take us about five more years to get it out to the general public, right? And then someone hears that and goes, Oh, it's five years away. Correct. And then it's whisper down the lane. And then before you know it, you're in a room with a nurse who has been a nurse for two weeks, and she wants to be comforting to you, I guess it could be He, they want to be comforting to you. And they say a thing. This is where I think this comes from, I think it's meant to be comforting. That's really what I think, you know, yes. So

Jennifer Smith, CDE 11:33
absolutely. No, that's a very valid point. I think that's also what my, what my doctor, when I was first diagnosed, was probably trying to comfort my parents. And, you know, I was old enough at that point, to also have an understanding of what life with diabetes was going to look like and was in, you know, what I had to do. And so maybe it was also for my earshot, to hear something that was good. Like, you're not going to have to deal with this forever, just hunker down, and do what we're telling you do for a little bit of time. And then you'll get here, right?

Scott Benner 12:11
And then five years from now will tell you just it's probably just five more years like that. Yeah. Now the unintended, like significant health consequence of telling a person that this thing they were just diagnosed with, is going to go away in five years. Do you? Are you thinking the same thing? I'm thinking it's people then don't take care of themselves? Because they think it's temporary?

Jennifer Smith, CDE 12:32
Could be Yeah, absolutely. And I think that's the reason that when I heard that, from the beginning, I never really, I never took that, despite it coming from a clinician in a white coat in a very professional, you know, office space, my age, I just didn't take it for anything. I was like, I hear this great, whatever. But mom and dad are taking all the education that they were putting in, you know, to effect and teaching me how to use it incorporate into my life. And that was, that was what I did. The idea of something that was so unknown in what it could potentially be five to seven years from now. I don't think I even really considered that it was just do this, do this. And it means that I can do the other things in life that I've always been doing, and that I always want to do. But I think you're right. If somebody hears that in just a short time, maybe I don't have to really pay attention, because eventually, something's going to take care of this for me. So I just have to make it through enough.

Scott Benner 13:41
I've heard that from a number of people I've interviewed, it's one of the sadder things like Oh, it got away from me because I thought it wasn't going to be forever and then my health got worse and that and I didn't know really how to take care of it. So it all snowballed from there. Listen, generally speaking, I think people would think of me as cynical. I'm not cynical, I think of myself as realistic. Except this got the better of me when art was first diagnosed. So in a normal situation, if you told me don't worry, people are going to come up with a matte like they're going to, like, make a thing on the Earth that doesn't exist anymore, I'd say probably not. You know, like, as a species, we're not running around, inventing things constantly and making diseases go away. I wouldn't believe that. But when Arlen was diagnosed, and she was just a baby, the first time I saw one of those, those online things about a mice, you know, we cured a mouse and we're gonna move to human trials. We just have to fundraise a little bit like you know, it made it sound like they were just a check away from it happening. I went to my wife and another room, I was crying. Like I said, I said to her, how lucky are we that Arden was diagnosed with type one diabetes just a year before it was going to be cured? And that's actually how it felt. And so I for years, I go online around that time of year when everybody's out fundraising and I remind people this is just just this is them doing business, they're trying to make money to keep their lab going. They are not almost to a cure.

Jennifer Smith, CDE 15:06
Right, which is, I think it's fair and very important, to be honest about that, to be honest about we are fundraising for the company is the labs that are actually doing the work. We don't know how far they are in their work, but we have to continue their work. So your donations, your fundraising, will allow them to keep moving further in their research. But it doesn't mean that anything is right around the corner. No. And I think that's the hard thing. That's the hard thing to swallow, when you may be writing a cheque that you think is going to further it by leaps and bounds or sooner,

Scott Benner 15:48
yeah, plus, you have to make a decision about where to send that money, because and all those people are involved in a sales, that's a sales job to them, but they don't say come up with an idea. They think if we can put enough money into this, and time and effort, we're gonna get to something, most of them are going to be wrong. Like most of them are going to get to the end of their research and go up that didn't work. This didn't work or something else is going to come out of it. I think it's it's funny, though, because as I looked through people's comments, you know, 10 years ago, somebody told me 10 years, that was an 87, this person says 63 years, I've had type one diabetes, and people have been telling me since I was a teenager, it's gonna go away. Right? But where I get like, kind of sad, is that this person writes that a curious five years away, please stop blowing smoke up my ass, right? And you think, Okay, this is a person in line with what you and I are talking about. But then the rest of what they say My husband used to say there's no money in a cure. And I think that's how people feel. I don't honestly think that's right, though. I think if you could cure type one diabetes, there's money to be had. And, and my example will be prevention bio. Came up with tz yield, right? Yes. Which just is at this point, they just think it slows the onset of type one diabetes, right? By a fair amount? Yeah, no, no, it's exciting. But that's not my point. My point is that prevention BIOS sold themselves to Sanofi diabetes for $3 billion. That's money it like, I don't know, I don't have a billion dollars. So like, so there is money in that kind of stuff. Right? You know what I mean? Like it's, and I that's, I think,

Jennifer Smith, CDE 17:29
the point that you're also making is that it's not a fault of the company to further what they're trying to do and who they're trying to reach, there is still there's a goodness component there to what they're trying to do. And just because they sold and made money on it from a business side, they also sold to a much larger company that could potentially potentially propel it forward with much more strength than the small little company could potentially do

Scott Benner 18:00
those people, we're never going to be able to move it like that. Yeah, it's you need big entities that have the pockets to say, let's take a shot at this and see what we can do a company that if it doesn't go right, isn't going to fold for the $3 billion that they spent, which is crazy, right? But which

Jennifer Smith, CDE 18:15
then folds everything that they have worked to put together thus

Scott Benner 18:19
far. They also make insulin and other things. And I think similarly, in that vein, like, Listen, I'm, I'm not a cheerleader for the JDRF one way or the other. But when they started saying, you know that they were focusing on supporting people with diabetes, and helping them be healthy. I thought that was terrific. But that was met with a lot of backlash from people who were like, No, you promised a cure. Right? Like and that and they said, look, I mean, we're gonna start putting money into other things. And that made people upset, but some of the money they put into it led to some of these algorithms and to see GMs and great, not on this curse, but a lot of good stuff. Yeah,

Jennifer Smith, CDE 18:58
absolutely. Yeah, I was gonna say the same thing. I mean, in terms of fundraising, fundraising, can go many different avenues, right, it can go for more money to a particular scientists doing something that's really proving to be valuable thus far, and some of the money might go to support programs that bring families together so that you get to know other people who have diabetes, as well. And some of the money might go to, you know, underserved in a way that gives them more education and gives them more opportunity to understand and live well. So you have to look at the broad scope of where donations may go is not all going in one direction, nor do I think it should.

Scott Benner 19:44
But I just listen I personally believe that you know, I hear people sometimes complain about like, oh, the CEO of this company, they give you seen how much money they make, and I'm like that's, that's the person you want in charge of this. Like a person who wants to make money knows how to make The Business powerful so that it can make money like you want what the good that comes from that, that, you know, in health, but you can't have like some, like, you know, some lady smelling like petroleum oil can't, it might isn't going to make the whole thing happy. She was like, I want everybody to have everything for free. That's great. We got to build an infrastructure, we gotta hire people, we need to sell something so we can afford to keep the lights on like that all has to happen to right. But you know, back to the idea of the cure thing. And I get it. Like I get when people say that I get when people speak the way I talk, I'm not like, I'm not defending it one way or the other. I started off by saying, that wouldn't surprise me if there were aliens in a bunker somewhere. And that fiber optics were from something we learned from a spaceship and that Bigfoot didn't exist in Canada and etc, and so on. Like, if you showed me that stuff, I'd be like, ah, that's crazy. But yeah, okay. Yeah, I totally get it. Right. Yeah. And by the way, if those things don't exist, I get I get the flux that we're in here. But right, my bigger point, I think, is that for your overall health and happiness, whether it's true one way or the other, it's not healthy for you to sit around angry thinking, someone's keeping this from me. Because if they are, you're not getting it anyway. And if they're not, you're just worried about something, you're

Jennifer Smith, CDE 21:20
worried about something. And I, you know, I think the first time I can remember, like in my life, or my history with diabetes, of thinking down this conspiracy Avenue, was when I went to a, it was like a science based presentation. The JDRF had a group that provided new new technology information and what could be coming down the pipeline. It also had new scientific, like exploration into not necessarily cures, but more therapeutic kinds of things. And there was a scientist who came, and he presented on something that I think it was called smart insulin. And he, his presentation was phenomenal. To me, it was the idea of taking like an injection of Day of one kind of insulin that based on almost like a almost like a thermometer gauge in your body, the insulin would turn on at a certain level of glucose saturation. And it would turn off its effect based on a lower level of glucose in in the body, right? And it my first consideration to where did this go, because he had really good research. And then a year out, I went back and I remembered the presentation, I looked up information and like, where's the Cisco? Like, it's gone, like, go thinking, well, either somebody like stomped on this, or it proved to not be beneficial. So they didn't get to go forward with it. But I don't know. Like, where did it go? Who knows? So that was my first thought into.

Scott Benner 23:05
But some of the people here are thinking, yeah, yeah, well, it showed some promise. And one of the big insulin manufacturers came in and bought it and set it on fire because they don't want that. Meanwhile, you could sell smart insulin the same way you would sell other right. But anyway, I all finished with this. nearly 15 years ago, I did an interview when I only had a blog with a company who was working on implanting cells in a pouch and the pouch would stop your immune system from getting to the cells and attacking it. They make this little insertion put the pouch under you and it would this thing would act like a like a pancreas. Right? And when I was interviewing them, I said, so I said, just pretend for a minute. We got it all figured out today, right today. When do we see this? And he's and he really thought and he goes have 15 years maybe? And I was like I'm like, Wait, not what I meant was all the science is done. It's good. When do people hold it in their hands? He goes, Yeah, about 15 years. And he's like, you know, manufacturing, procuring the cells he'd like we'd have to start places to, you know, make the cells like all this stuff. And by the way, that thing still exists. I interviewed somebody in a trial for that recently. It was a blind study. So she wasn't sure if she got like, they cut her open, they cut some people are gonna put fake pouches in them, right? Because that's how the studies were. But she's like, I had the cells, I was barely using any insulin a couple months into it. So so it was working. And now other companies are figuring out ways to do that. And like, I mean, one of the big ideas there, the problem was at first, like your immune system would come after the cells. So they actually made a mesh that your immune system kind of like couldn't see through. But the cells could work to get out. I mean, I don't know all the technical words, but But point is is that it takes So long as time. And so like, I don't,

Jennifer Smith, CDE 25:03
not to mention approval, I mean, you have a, you have to have enough data points of information to even submit for potential approval for something like this. I mean, you know, things like insulin pumps outside the body or one thing, something that you're actually having to be invasive and cut into somebody, which could potentially trigger a reaction that you don't know is coming from that individual, you're gonna you have to have enough research that says in, you know, 99.9% of people, it has no detrimental effect

Scott Benner 25:36
also, no, it's not a forever thing, you have to get opened up, and it has to come out and they have to replace it sometimes. So like, there's a lot there. But and it's funny at the time, I asked my daughter, what would you think of that? And she said, I wouldn't do that. And I was like, okay, she goes, I don't want to go to a doctor's office every six months and have an incision made to like, she's like, I don't think I would do that. The first I would agree with her. And the person who had it done said it was fantastic. So even like, can you imagine working for 25 years to come up with something, you bring it to market? And people go? No, no, thanks. Anyway, I don't know what's real and what's not. But what I think is that you don't do yourself any favors by torturing yourself about one way or the other. Correct. What I usually tell people is that when they asked me if I think there'll be a cure for diabetes, which is a question that oddly, I get asked a lot. I say, I don't think there will ever be a cure in my lifetime. But I live like, there. I live like there won't be I hope, like there will be. So I take care of my daughter as if this is what that what it is. This is what it is. Yeah. And but I don't ever lose hope of it. Like it wouldn't surprise me. You know, like if somebody figured something out eventually. But you know, in a world where, you know, people have inflammation and they have joint pain from inflammation, and we can't figure out how to stop that. Like, this seems like a much bigger problem to me. So Correct. Anyway, yeah. Appreciate you doing this with me.

Jennifer Smith, CDE 27:05
Of course, yes.

Scott Benner 27:11
Jennifer Smith works at integrated diabetes.com. Go check her out, will you won't you, won't you please. I don't even I don't even know what I meant to say there. And don't forget touched by type one.org. The big event is coming up on September 16. It is free for everyone who lives with or is touched by type one. Head over there now and get your spot. Go hit that Register Now button. Do not wait. It will fill up. It has amazing speakers at it. I mean, of course it's gonna fill up. Wait, do you see when we're all in a room together? How much fun is going to be touched by type one.org I'm going to ask you to check out the private Facebook group Juicebox Podcast type one diabetes, go become a member get involved in the conversation. Thank you so much for listening. I'll be back very soon with another episode of The Juicebox Podcast. When you support the Juicebox Podcast by clicking on the advertisers links, you are helping to keep the show free and plentiful. I am certainly not asking you to buy something that you don't want. But if you're going to buy something, or use the device from one of the advertisers, getting your purchases set up through my links is incredibly helpful. So if you have the desire or the need, please consider using Juicebox Podcast links to make your purchases

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