Scott Benner 1/8/24 Scott Benner 1/8/24

#1101 Blackjack

Kerry is 47 diagnosed at 21 years old. She was inspired by episode 531 to do an interview and better manage her type 1 diabetes.

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Scott Benner 0:00
Hello friends, welcome to episode 1101 of the Juicebox Podcast.

Today on the show I'm speaking with Carrie she's 47 years old diagnosed at 21. And she's never really had anyone to rely on for managing except for her doctors. Carrie heard Mike on episode 531 and was inspired. And now today, she's here on the Juicebox Podcast sharing her story. 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. When you place your first order for ag one with my link, you'll get five free travel packs and a free year supply of vitamin D. Drink ag one.com/juice box. If you're looking for community around type one diabetes, check out the Juicebox Podcast private Facebook group Juicebox Podcast type one diabetes, but everybody is welcome type one type two gestational loved ones. It doesn't matter to me. If you're impacted by diabetes, and you're looking for support, comfort or community check out Juicebox Podcast type one diabetes on Facebook

this episode of The Juicebox Podcast is sponsored by cozy Earth, use the offer code juice box at checkout at cozy earth.com. And you will save 40% off of your entire order. US med is sponsoring this episode of The Juicebox Podcast and we've been getting our diabetes supplies from us med for years. You can as well. Us med.com/juice box or call 888-721-1514 Use the link or the number get your free benefits check it get started today with us med

Kerry 2:16
so I'm Carrie, and events type one diabetic for 21 years now. Wow. I'm ready to get going. Let's go.

Scott Benner 2:25
You want to start talking? Yeah, let's go like it every once in a while. So I was you know, give people a little talk up the people listening to the podcast don't hear it. I'm like, you know, so just introduce yourself anyway. You want to be known, like 20 minutes later there. And then when I was in fourth grade, my God. Like I said, we gotta we know who you are. Thanks. But I like this briefer. Okay, Carrie, you know, that's a name I have trouble pronouncing because of my accent. Yeah, I

Kerry 2:50
get that a lot. So I grew up in the South. And now I live in the Midwest and have most of the folks I work with are in New England. And I'm pretty consistently told that my name is spelled incorrectly for how I say it. So.

Scott Benner 3:07
is it in your heart? Is it carry like care, but with a que? Is it curry like a hard K? Like no, it's

Kerry 3:15
like, I guess, carry? Yeah, I don't know. It's to my name.

Scott Benner 3:22
You've never even thought about it. sounds like to me, it sounds like to me, you're saying care. But with more with a case sound correct? Yes. And if I was going to say if I looked at your name, I'd say curry. Which obviously isn't correct either, because that would be cu RR y. But

Kerry 3:42
it's neither here nor well. It was named after a boy. So that makes it even more concerning. So

Scott Benner 3:46
how can we are how does that happen?

Kerry 3:49
The story that I've been told forever is that my mom thought that her sister in law's boyfriend at the time was very cute. And I think his name happened to be Carrie. So there we are. Yeah, go figure.

Scott Benner 4:06
Is there no dad in the room helping with this decision?

Kerry 4:09
Yeah, I'm not sure. I'm not sure. There was a dad. Yes. But I, you know, I'm gonna say something funny, easygoing, so he just let it fly. Fine.

Scott Benner 4:19
I'll just say something here because no one's ever gonna hear it in my family. My sister in law, once named her dog the same name as one of my nieces. And they never saw anything like, like, my sister in law was like, what? It's a great name. And I'm like, it's, it's her name. Like, you can't name your dog after her. And she's like, I'm not naming it after I just like the name. I'm like, I don't think you're seeing this from everyone's perspective. Right? So in family events, she's, you know, calling for her dog and everyone's like, Oh, yeah, that's right. Her dogs the same as that girl over there. Who had the name by the way for a very long time. And before you named your dog that it was just fast. I don't know. Yeah, that's

Kerry 5:02
uncomfortable. The boyfriend went away before I was before I was here. So yeah, that would have been weird.

Scott Benner 5:09
It wasn't still trying to date your mom. No. Well, it's

Kerry 5:13
her sister Sister. My dad's sister. So yeah, it was

Scott Benner 5:17
weird. Okay. Yeah. Okay, so you've had diabetes for 21 years. How old are you?

Kerry 5:22
I am. Gosh, this isn't very 47. I was diagnosed when I was 21. Sorry, I did the math for you there, Scott. So

Scott Benner 5:30
what happened? Did you like were you doing the math instead of just answering the question?

Kerry 5:34
No, I never know how old I am. It's like always in. Yeah. Oh, 76 is a hard year to like figure out math. So my

Scott Benner 5:43
brother was born in 76. There you go. You just asked me how old my brother was. I could have told you how old you were. Well. I find a kindred spirit with you. I I know I say it a lot. But I never like this year. I've known how old I am for some reason. But in pre in the past three years, I've never been right about my age. I don't I don't know what that is. Okay, so you've had diabetes for 21 years. You were diagnosed when you were you said you said you've had died? You said

Kerry 6:14
no. I was diagnosed when I was 21. So sorry, I messed it up all together.

Scott Benner 6:19
Because I just did the math. I added 21 and 21. And that's 42. So are you 40

Kerry 6:24
between the two of us, Scott, I don't know. We're gonna get through this.

Scott Benner 6:27
I'm gonna be fine. You're coming off like a crackpot. If

Kerry 6:31
you only do Yeah.

Scott Benner 6:34
All right. You know what? I just figured out? What's that? I don't care. So when? What makes you want to come on the

Kerry 6:43
podcast? Honestly, Mike from 531. So so how I got to this appointment with you today is you did a Facebook Live, I don't know six months ago. And Mike happened to be on and he spoke. And as soon as he spoke, it was like, oh my god, it's mine. I'm gonna start crying.

Scott Benner 7:11
Oh, Carrie, why what was so impactful about hearing Mike's voice?

Carrie, should I have joked about your age a little longer? Maybe? Sorry. That was the longest cry pause we've ever had on the podcast. I appreciate if you can shorten that if you need to. No, no, no, you're misunderstanding my perspective. This is good. Don't worry, cry more. It's

Kerry 7:38
good for and, and if you knew me that you'd know that. This is not a thing for me. So, um, so So Mike goes on. And so I immediately once I heard him talk, I reached out in the chat and I was like, Are you? Are you the mic? And he was like, yes. And so we have a little bit of back and forth. And then afterward, I reached out to you. And I was like, you know, just thank you for having that.

Scott Benner 8:08
It's okay. It's sorry. Have your feelings. We'll figure it out. Don't worry. Let me ask you why it's so important. So, you know, so what did happen? What did what what's happened in your life that hearing? Because for people who don't know, Mike's episode, is a lot about his complications of which he has, he has many. And at some point, it sounds weird for me to say it, but at some point, he explains how much the podcast has helped him and even helped slow down or put a stop to some of his progression of some of these problems. And then when you talk to Mike further, you realize that he has other issues coming and he knows it. You heard him on the podcast, is that right? Yep.

Kerry 8:51
So I started listening and fall of 2021 I guess,

Scott Benner 9:00
is that when you were 21 years old? Yeah.

Kerry 9:02
Everything is all 21 Right. So you know pandemic was going on and I've exhausted every true crime pad podcast out there in decided that, you know, maybe I should try to learn something instead of just listening to all this stuff bomb trying to work. So Google that found you. I think the I think I might have started with Episode one listened to a few and then it was like, Alright, let me just like, open this app up and and scroll around, and I saw the after dark and I was like, Well, that sounds cool. So I mean, his episode was probably like the fifth. I mean, definitely less than 10 episodes that I listened to. And, you know, he's talking and it's, it's, it's not too emotional at the beginning, but then he starts digging into it, and I was so mad because I have some of the stuff and nobody even said that it was diabetes. Nobody said, Hey, your do produce contractures is because you're not doing your shit and you're not taking care of yourself. Nobody said, Hey, your frozen shoulder, this is part of that is like, it's all separate doctors, and nobody is saying, nobody's connecting the dots.

Scott Benner 10:29
So you're having a number of issues that Mike reported having. But in your life, no one said, you know, your blood sugars are too high. That's why these things are good. No,

Kerry 10:38
no. So and you know, don't, my my issues are not to that, to his extent. And my dad also has problems with his hands that are very similar. He's never been diagnosed, not a big fan of, you know, hanging up the doctor. He's just kind of dealt with it. So it was just kind of like, well, it's just hereditary. And, you know, here's what we might can do. And so, so it is what it is with that, but and then the frozen shoulder just, you know, I, I thought I had done something to my, like, my rotator cuff or something. And I went to see someone and he looked at me, and he was like, oh, yeah, you're, you know, middle aged white woman, you have frozen shoulder. And I was like, well, thanks. Thanks for the recognition. But you know, but but nobody, nobody connected it. Yeah. And so I mean, it was like, it was a moment for me to hear that episode. And be like, what, you know, what is happening? Like, why is nobody? Why is nobody grabbing me by the shoulders and saying, What are you doing? Because at that point, I mean, I'm early for days, and I've been dealing with this for a long time, you know, and I get through, I've been on a pump for a long time, and, you know, not doing great, but just kind of floating around, bouncing off the bottom, you know, and the doctor, you know, in their defense, I guess I don't give them what they need. So they can't give me what I need. But you know, now that I'm doing better than no better, they're still not really giving me what might what I need. So I kind of took that back off my shoulders. But

Scott Benner 12:25
let me ask you a couple of questions. Sure. So you've already named the episode unless you do something better than bounce off the bottom, that was pretty good bouncing off the bottom. But how would you characterize your understanding of what your care should be like, versus what your care was, like, like, what I should be getting from the doctor, no, for you for our

Kerry 12:46
cover me out. CO so and this is, this is tough, too. Because there's, there's a lot that plays into it. But I, I would go through waves, you know, kind of, I'm going to want to grab this by the balls, you know, I'm going to I'm going to do everything I'm supposed to do, I'm going to do everything they tell me to do. And I'm going to be better and leave the office or, you know, try to start. And it's like, I only had half the information for so long. Like, here's your carb ratio, put it in, you know, for a long time, there was no talk of even Pre-Bolus thing. But the outcomes were just terrible. Like, nothing worked. Like I could do everything that I was told to do for weeks and months. And, you know, I'd have terrible lows. I'd be too high. You know, there was no rhyme or reason to it. Yeah, you know, that I could see. And no help really, you know, you go in, you hand them your pump. And they'd be like, Oh, maybe we should tweak this. But you know, I'm giving them Bush numbers, you know, what are they going to do?

Scott Benner 14:01
So you will, you're lying to them. And they they probably weren't going to be helpful, even if you're giving them the good, the good information. But tell me a little bit about the cycle out what to know about the psychology of, of lying to the doctor about things,

Kerry 14:17
you know, it goes back to, you know, first few years of diagnosis where you're taking in paper logs, and you know, it looks horrible, because I might have been, I might even though I might have been testing. I wasn't writing down and you know, the meters sucked at that point. So you couldn't even like go back in your meter. And then if you did, it was like, Oh, I don't want to tell her I hit 340 that day. So I'll just forget my meter in the car and take my forge half assed paper logs and then share that and see what happens.

Scott Benner 14:50
So so you're getting the 340 but the doctor thinks it's I don't know. What was the good what was the good lie? Was it 200 MB

Kerry 14:59
In Yeah, it wasn't anything crazy, I think, you know, the lowest number I was writing down would be, you know, 131 40.

Scott Benner 15:08
But then you ask for help, and then they, they can't base it off of anything.

Kerry 15:14
Let's be honest, I didn't really ask for help was like, just give me my prescriptions. I mean, I got to where it was like this, you know the words you hate everybody to say this is just diabetes, what is yeah, I'm gonna I'm going to do what I do you know, when you when you're going to pee and you look at the color of your PD to see if you need the Bolus is like probably not a good indicator of what needs to happen. So, especially now that I know that it really doesn't matter.

Scott Benner 15:43
A lot of times I wasn't helping either. No, no,

Kerry 15:47
but and you know, I wasn't doing terrible. I mean, the last, I would say 10 to 15 years I've been writing in anywhere from seven to eight, before I before I found you so you know not 1112 Yeah,

Scott Benner 16:05
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Kerry 17:36
My lows are pretty few and far between for a long time, actually last couple years way more lows as I tried to try to get tighter and tighter control but but yeah,

Scott Benner 17:46
so you think it was pretty accurately a seven or eight a one say you were high? Steadily high.

Kerry 17:52
So I think for years, it was more common for me during the during the day at least to be 150 to 220 to 30 ish. I feel like when I was testing in the mornings, so my my testing routine had gotten pretty pretty dialed in and that I tested in the in the morning when I woke up and then may or may not test when I got home from work and then would would pretty much always test before bed just to make sure where I was but that was it.

Scott Benner 18:26
Yeah. Were you covering meals most of the time? Okay. Yo, did you always take your Basal? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Can you Ferny? Do you have any meaningful understanding of why you weren't more focused on it?

Kerry 18:42
I've tried to go through this in my head for the last couple of years, like how did I get to where I was mentally. So I have a daughter who's who's eight, who's now 18 and been married to my husband for 23 years that math is easy.

Scott Benner 19:01
Painful years are easy to count.

Kerry 19:04
No, 2000 is easy. So he's older than I am. And you know, for a long time I made the bad joke about, you know, you're going to be you're going to be deaf, I'm going to be blind and in a wheelchair, we're going to be great together as we as we age together. And it's kinda like, it's sounds really, really horrible to say, but I kinda like just made the decision that, you know, I'm just going to catch up to him. And we're going to be old and in broke down together at the same time, even though he's 17 years older than I am. Is

Scott Benner 19:44
that just the way you Is that something you use to make yourself feel better about your trajectory?

Kerry 19:50
It's kind of just what I resolved to be like, well, it's gonna be okay, cuz we'll still you know, we'll just I I don't even know, Scott,

Scott Benner 20:01
we'll all go down together is that ability? Go down? Yeah. Yeah. So you didn't have a lot of hope for your ability to manage things. And but did you not understand it? No,

Kerry 20:16
I see that mean, I did. But so a perfect example would be when I tried to, I went on the Medtronic, The Guardian sensor, to try to, you know, figure it out, whatever, but, so, try to be super tight. And all the things that nobody talks about, like, I never didn't tell the doctor, hey, on Friday nights, you know, when I come home from work, or you're gonna go to dinner in I usually have a couple beers. If people come over on Saturday, you know, I'm, I have a couple of beers, but like, nobody really explained, ever. What alcohol did so come home, you know, few days into it. First of all, the alarms were that thing where it was a nightmare, and it hurts so bad, but I'm plowing through. And so I have fear has carbs, I Bolus that's not the right thing to do. So really bad. You know, don't even understand why this is happening. Because nobody, you know, I didn't ask, but nobody's really ever said, Hey, listen, you know, don't do this, if you do that kind of. So, you know, I feel like I thought I was doing what everybody was doing. Because that's the other thing is like, still, I don't know, anyone. There's no one in my life. That has type one. No one. No one in my family. No one that I know. So it wasn't even like, I could call up somebody and be like, dude, what is happening? Like, I just,

Scott Benner 22:00
you know, you were just existing in Yeah, in a bubble with Yeah. And you were I'm guessing, somewhere between ashamed and guilty about what you were doing. So you lied to the doctor, the doctor wasn't going to be any help, then you couldn't. There's no way to turn to. And you're alive every day. So you don't you don't really think you're doing poorly. Right? Yeah.

Kerry 22:23
And I don't I don't feel bad. I don't. You know, there are some days and tired but I don't know.

Scott Benner 22:31
This just must be what it is. Yeah. Yeah. So say you live how long like that.

Kerry 22:39
21 years. Everything.

Scott Benner 22:41
By the way? Maybe? Maybe the title was? Maybe the title should be blackjack. Maybe? notes for myself? Um,

Kerry 22:51
no, no, I would say, you know, I count the the time. When I was in the I like, I didn't I mean for 97 till 2003 2004 I guess is when I went on the pump. Try to get better control so that we could get pregnant. That MDI time period was really just like I got no idea what I'm doing but still my A onesies were I mean, I think when I first went in to start talking about pregnancy, my A onesies were stills, sevens, low eights. So

Scott Benner 23:36
I have a question. I always have the same question. When I hear this. When someone says to you, your body is not a place where we want to grow a baby because of your health. You don't think oh, I should change that for me. You think I should change that? So I have I can have a baby.

Kerry 23:54
I don't even know that. I mean, I guess it was set that way. But not that way. It was more like, alright, you can do this. We just need to get you in tighter control before you start trying. It wasn't like it was the way I hear it because I'm pretty much like a it although it might not have sounded like it so far. I'm not generally a sky as falling type person. It's just like, okay, it'll be alright. We'll get

Scott Benner 24:20
it. Okay. So your question. That's a good, that's a good thing to look at. So this sort of eternal optimism allows you to ignore things that are going wrong. Correct. Yeah. Because, because now is that ignorance like blissful ignorance? Or is that? Is that a genuine feeling of like, the sun will come out tomorrow? I'm gonna be Yeah,

Kerry 24:41
yeah. And I get that from my father. It's definitely like, we'll figure it out. Oh, it's harsh, flat. Oh, the other tires flat. Oh, I don't have a spare. I don't have a phone. It's okay. We'll figure it out.

Scott Benner 24:52
This episode of The Juicebox Podcast is sponsored by cozy Earth. And right now I'm looking at cozy earth.com to see What's going on? I got Oh, look at this bamboo pajama set for ladies. That jogger pants for ladies looks like plush lounge socks. That's one of Oprah's Favorite Things. There's the bath collection. We love the waffle towels. But there's also premium plush bath towels. Everything that you see here can be had for 40% off with the offer code juice box at checkout. Even the sheets. Now we use the bamboo sheets, you may choose different linens, I don't know what you're going to love when you get to cozier.com. But we sleep on bamboo sheets from cozy Earth, they are incredibly comfortable. And I bought them myself with my own money using my own offer code. juice box at checkout. 40% off is what I saved. You can as well at cozy earth.com My mom once said to me, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. And I said Mom, we get to that bridge. It's going to be on fire. Why don't we plan now? Yep.

Kerry 25:59
Well, in my case, we just shimmy down the side and swim swim across. It's fine. We'll get across

Scott Benner 26:05
it says it's kind of like they're different ways of thinking really? Yeah, yeah. Yep. Okay, so is there ever a moment where you say where you say to yourself? I'm not okay. Or is it literally happening when you hear Mike talking on the

Kerry 26:21
podcast? It's literally happening when Mike is talking. I say, Okay, there's a moment. It still is a moment every time I listen to it.

Scott Benner 26:30
So yeah. Do you go back and re listen to it? I have a few times. Why? What draws you back to it?

Kerry 26:36
A couple of times it was because I was sharing it. You know, I shared it with my husband. My daughters listened to it with me. Yeah, I don't know.

Scott Benner 26:47
You just like to hear it again. Yep. Does it remind you to stay focused? Or do you not have? I'm,

Kerry 26:53
I'm, I'm focused. So he just seems like a really great guy.

Scott Benner 27:02
So okay, so you hear that? Your reaction is anger first? Yes. Like, why did somebody not tell me about this? Yes. Do you then start thinking? Uh, wow, there's something I could do to impact this? Yes. All right. And then what are your What are your steps that you take them? So I

Kerry 27:20
was already pretty well, you know, only only a few episodes, you know, couple, two, three episodes. I was already like, you know, coming home and saying, Hey, I just listened to the, this is crazy, like to my husband. And I guess just to step back a little bit, like a husband and my daughter, both obviously aware of my diabetes and some of the struggles but again, it's not like a they don't know, I don't really know, they don't really know, you know, like, oh, you need some more insulin. You know, my husband could give me a Bolus on my pump if he needed to they you know, I'm not hiding anything. But it's also not like a topic of conversation. Listen to a couple of shows town Mike's episode. And then history with the doctor, you know, supposed to go every every quarter, I was going maybe twice a year, skip appointments, in my prescription would come up and be like, Well, I have to go or they're not going to write a prescription, which I find ridiculous. But listen to Mike's episode. And I would say if it wasn't the next day, it was within a week. I didn't call the doctor, I went to the doctor into the office. During code, it's still a little bit and went to the went to this to the lady and said, I need the next cancellation appointment that you have. And she's like, you have an appointment in like, two months or whatever it was. So this was September, September, October of 2021. And I was like, No, but I need to get in. I need to I need I need to get in. I need some changes. And she said okay, so she was like, You're not going to believe this. But we have an appointment this Friday. And I said, Great. I'll take it in. So I took it and I went and I walked in the office and I said I'm done with this pump. I want to Omni pod and I want to Dexcom and the first thing they said was loop is not FDA approved. And I said I didn't say loop. I said I went to Omni pod and I wanted Dexcom and she was like well, we can get you the Dexcom and then there was like silence and I said and Omni pod. And she was like, Well, I mean, have you really looked at it. And I said I was adamant like this. No, I'm telling you What I want. So she put me in touch with the local rep and get the ball rolling. But General consensus, after listening for all this time is I guess they don't bring the right bagels. I don't know what the problem is, but no love for the Omni pod in the office. So

Scott Benner 30:16
the girl that brings all the great pens, she sells the Medtronic. Right? So could you just take that, please? Because I love the way the pen writes. And it just the ink really flows out of it. Well, would you like one? Yeah, no, I have a pen from Medtronic.

Kerry 30:32
Yeah, and so just to step that back. So I was also kind of upset that I had been asked, I don't know, maybe a couple of times in the office. Do you want you know, there's a new CGM, you know, beyond a Dexcom? I would say, you know, I did the, I think it was the guardian. I can't remember the name of it. I just remember how bad it hurt is that I have that I'm good. And that was the end of the conversation. And I feel like that is not a service. There should have been more from their ends to say, like, No, you need to try it. It's different, like nothing. And it's like, Do you not want to say something? Because it doesn't hurt like the other product? Like, I don't know what, but it was like,

Scott Benner 31:21
like, you felt like they didn't want to have the conversation? Because that would be verbalizing what Yeah,

Kerry 31:27
I don't know. But it's, you know, and especially after wearing it a couple of years is like, Why did nobody know? You know, again, like, can you tell me more about except for just in passing when you're writing my prescriptions? Oh, do you want to try it next time? Yeah,

Scott Benner 31:40
I always enjoy when someone asks me a question, I have no way to know the answer to. And then when I don't know the answer, they just go. Okay. But you're not going to fill in the blanks for me? Do you? Right, you know, or is it? You know, to your point like, is this a sales thing? Are you just being sold better by one company than the other? It is it you know, there are there are offices, who won't prescribe anything but certain pumps, I believe that yeah, there's no meaningful reason for that. You know, other than they have. I'm not even saying like a financial tie to it. Just it's a, it's how they do it. You don't I mean, like, I've been doing it this way forever. And this is what we're going to go this is what we're gonna keep doing reminds me that Tony Stark quote from the first Iron Man movie, what is that? Do you know what I'm talking about? No. All right, hold on a second. We're gonna take a minute let you collect yourself. And I'm gonna do this because it's gonna stick in my head. That's that's the way dad did it. Hold on America. There's all these words in here. Let me see if I can find it. Oh, yeah, here it is. He goes. That's how dad did it. That's how America does it. And it's worked out pretty well, so far. By the way, talking about making bombs. I always think that, like it's the some version of the meatloaf story about, you know, that I think I've told on here before and you know, like, I don't know, we just do it this way. This is how we do it. Just keep doing it the way we do it for God's sake. And you're like, well, there's three other products now. They're newer, like, other people use them? Would you not want to, like make yourself aware of them. So we could have a real conversation? Nothing. Just just keep going. Do this thing.

Kerry 33:30
It took a minute for her to even dig out a piece of literature to share with me. Yeah, take home. So

Scott Benner 33:38
yeah, they definitely didn't want you to have an omni pod. Right? Yeah. Yeah. I was so pressured not to get Arden and on the pod all those years ago by multiple people. Like when one person told me no, and I persisted. They brought other people to me to tell me no, and they just started saying all these, like things, none of which ever ended up being true. You can't she's too skinny for that. Right? The cannula goes into the wrong, blah, blah, blah, it's gonna fall off. It's gonna get knocked off. She's not gonna like that too. But you blew it. She's too small. She's too. Like, I am gonna try it if you don't mind. And then they're like, well, then the the other one that used to be what was the thing they used to scare you with? Oh, once you make this decision, you can't go back because you're locked in with your insurance. Right? That used to be the the old by the way now. And this isn't part of an ad for Omnipod. But now because of pharmacy benefits, you can actually Anyway, listen to it listen to you can move around a little more easily. But But I don't think it's malicious. I never once thought they were being malicious. I just thought they didn't know. Yeah,

Kerry 34:45
well, we're gonna get into more that they didn't know I guess. Okay,

Scott Benner 34:50
what else didn't they know? So I walked out I

Kerry 34:53
had they I had a I wouldn't say I got a Dexcom in the office like a sample If it wasn't that day I like came back the next day worked with the educator in is pretty much set up and ready to roll prescription set. So it took another week or so to get Omni pod. But again, once I got rolling, I was rolling. So, three months later went into the office. I think my agency, the previous visit was like seven, six or seven for when back in the office. My agency was five, seven. Well, that's better. And she was pissed.

Scott Benner 35:32
Oh, yeah. Cuz you succeeded. She didn't want

Kerry 35:35
you to have she was not happy. And I remember sitting there going, I mean, the the it had never been in the well hadn't been in the five since pregnancy. It's funny, because that whole, you know, year long period of getting pregnant and being pregnant. I was under six pretty consistently and then, you know, then it wasn't but so I was in office, she came back in and she was like, What are you basically what are you doing? You know, I was like, I can't like Why are you mad bro? Like

Scott Benner 36:10
title title? Why you mad bro?

Kerry 36:15
I mean, you should be you should we should be standing up giving each other a hug right now like not what is happening. And she called the Dexcom stop. And she was like, You are this is just too low. You can't you have to be careful. And and I'll be honest with you there. There were and I still do have lows, but it's not like I'm you know, in the 40s and ello. W I know how to correct it. I correct it quickly. You know, you know, I think even Ron in the 70s 80s She was like you can't this is not good. It's just too low. And so I left that appointment pretty mad because it's like, I think it's great. So

Scott Benner 37:05
yeah, like, if this was like a Cinemax movie, there'd be some like kissing after this.

Kerry 37:10
I mean, something like I need like somebody to give me a high five and a pat on the bottom. I felt like I was on the Chicago Bulls. I need to run through the, you know, come

Scott Benner 37:22
out through the tunnel, you're like I did everybody just line up around me five, seven, baby. If you think that they just are she thought, well, you're gonna hurt yourself. Yeah, because people don't have here's the expectation when you run into a doctor or physician or clinician like that. They don't think you're doing it in a meaningful way. They think you're just having a bunch of lows. And that's why the number looks lower. And they're worried about that. Ironically, when your agency was in the AIDS, she didn't look at it and say, Well, you're not doing this right. You're gonna kill yourself. She was like, this is fine. Die at your own pace.

Kerry 38:01
Know, yeah, so I didn't listen. I was like, whatever. You can be mad if you want. But, you know, and luckily, I have some, although I don't have any printer or know anyone who's type one. I have some friends who are registered dieticians, and one early in her career, spent some time and was exploring the CDE route. So I have some people in my corner that are checking on me that kind of know what's up. So I left that appointment and I and I texted the one friend. And you know, I got the I got the feeling that I expected from the doctor for from some other in my other people in my circle. So do

Scott Benner 38:44
you have any idea how many people text me when they leave their doctor's offices? Or hay mills? They're just like, oh my god, I'm standing in the parking lot outside of my window. This is my A one. See, you're the one I wanted to tell. And I think that's partly because they're like, Well, somebody's gonna cheat for me here. Yeah, you know,

Kerry 39:02
I posted in the Facebook group from the parking lot. Absolutely.

Scott Benner 39:07
I got angry a minute ago, not at you, but at the system. And I'm gonna expound on this a little bit. I don't understand why you're allowed to consciously kill yourself with higher blood sugars, but you're not allowed to try to be healthier. And then understand that there's a risk in there that you have to be aware of. Like, why do Why does it not matter if you're high? Like we're taking minutes off your life? If you're high? We're causing frozen shoulder the thing with the finger I can't pronounce and do pinchers? Is that it? Yep. That. You know, I can't say it makes me think of the platypus cartoon.

Kerry 39:48
Oh, yeah. Ah,

Scott Benner 39:50
Phineas and Ferb? Yeah, probably. Yeah. Phineas and Ferb. I can't say the word because my brain will run down like a Phineas Ferb rabbit hole. So I can't do that, but which I just did to myself and now it's how But, but you see what I'm saying? Like it's okay to have an eight, a nine a 10. And you know, something bad's gonna happen to you, but it will happen in the future. It won't happen now. But I don't want you to have a 5.7 a one C because what if you get low? Like, what the fuck are you talking about? Yeah, like, how about in this scenario, I've got a chance. And in that scenario, I do not have a chance. I just have a little extra time where we're all pretending it's going to be okay. And it's fascinating like, people, can I just say something? I'm going to come off poorly here. What the hell Carrie? I've been at this for a while. A lot of people can't think there are levels to thoughts. There's the thing you hear first, and then there's the implication. And then there's the other implication. And then there's a different perspective and an alternate idea. And there's a you have to be able to stand in the middle of a thought and see it all happening around you. You can't just look at the part that you thought that your little brain thought of first and expected. That's the answer. High is better than low. Why? Well, you won't have a seizure if you're high. Okay. Why later, you'll just die later. And be unhealthy the whole time that we're okay with. Hmm, fascinating. Idiots. Yep, morons. If anyone's listening and you think that and you're a doctor, you're an idiot. There. That's it. I'll just go down in flames carry what the hell? I mean, I'm with you. Think about it. Go a couple more steps into the thought. Try to problem solve, like, be helpful. You're holding people's hands into their grave, and acting like you're helping them this woman thought she was being helped. And was not fast. Oh, it's terrible. All right, now I'm upset. You're upset. Keep going. What's next? You know, most

Kerry 41:46
of the time I'm seeing the nurse practitioner I'm not seeing in though. I only see I only get to her. I guess once a year, maybe. So the next appointment is with her. And the reaction from her is slightly better. Wow. Is that really good? She held

Scott Benner 42:05
in her fear that you

Kerry 42:06
choose swallowing it pretty good. But, um, so So bottom line is I haven't had an agency above six since I started listening. Good for you. Congratulations. Good. Thank Thank you.

Scott Benner 42:19
I don't know. Well, obviously, it's I don't like to say it. But obviously I did it. But you know, I mean,

Kerry 42:24
I wouldn't. I wouldn't be that way. If it wasn't for you. I can

Scott Benner 42:28
cry. Let me say, let me say this. Let me say this. You put in a ton of hard work and overcame a significant amount of generational like in your own life, like trauma and poor expectations. So you did all the hard work. I just really just, I just like pointed a flashlight at something. I was like, look at that over there. Don't you want that? Right? Yeah, here's, here's how we can get to that. Launch it go see if you can find that. Yeah, it's all I did. I'm corresponding with a gentleman right now on Instagram. Never heard his voice. And I would say that when he first reached out to me, he was really in a dire situation. And now he's like, it's like six months later. And he's been in range, like two days in a row. And he's super excited and doing better and paying attention to things and made some adjustments to his, you know, settings. And it just occurs to me when I look back on this moment. I didn't I mean, think about this, you went and saw a medical professional. Do you know how long it takes to get a medical degree, you have to go to undergrad, then you have to go to med school. And then if you're going to be an endo, you have to go to some I'm guessing it's 10 years to be a doctor, right? And then they sit in front of you. And you are having that experience and a guy DM me on Instagram and six months later, he's okay. What does that mean? Is it am I a genius? No, no, I'm not. I just told him, you're mad. You gotta get your basil, right. And then after you do that, we're going to figure out your insulin to carb ratio. You know, make sure your Bolus in your meals correctly, need to understand how these foods are going to impact your life and then just don't sit stagnant. When you see high blood sugars. And let's not overcorrect, low blood sugars. Go do that. And then he comes back. He's like I was in range. 85% today. I was like, Yeah, because you did the thing the right way. That's and that's not because I'm like a magic person. The podcast should be one episode long. It should be like Hello, everyone and welcome to the Juicebox Podcast. Understand how insulin works. Its timing and amount. All foods aren't equal. Don't stare at high blood sugars don't overcorrect. Lowe's, I'll see you later. That should be the whole podcast. And, you know, but the problem is, is that that message reaches people in all sorts of different ways. Right. And yours. Got to you through Mike.

Kerry 44:49
Absolutely. Yeah. Well, and then I mean, that was like the catalyst and then you know, then then I'm kinda, you know, you led me to the water and then I'm just I'm drunk, right? So I'm listening to 345 episodes a day, sometimes more actively listening sometimes just in the background, as I'm working in, you know, really started digging in and the episodes with Ginny. I mean, it's it was just a lot. And I was I was at a point too, I think you have to be ready. It's, it's almost like addiction, right? Like, people can tell you things and whatever. But if you're not ready to do the work back to your point, then, you know, you can listen all day. But if you're not going to do anything as a result of that, and doesn't really matter.

Scott Benner 45:39
Yeah, you can lead a horse to water is saying for a reason. Yeah, Yep, absolutely. So the one that always strikes me is that, you know, I grew up through the time when like, really bad, like television talk shows were on. And you couldn't flip a channel without seeing a 16 year old girl holding a baby crying, you know? And I would think the same thing every time. Like, doesn't everyone know this already? Right? Like, like, which is not reasonable. You don't I mean, but like that's, that's how it would occurred to me when I was younger. Like we all saw this Maury Povich episode, when you're 16. And your boyfriend starts making a face push them off. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What do you like? Don't have a baby when you're 16. Right? Does it go? Well, for some people? Sure. But how do you not learn from this experience, and the truth is, is what you just said, you can't pre load human beings and expect them to just follow the program. They have to have experiences for themselves. And understanding that, especially around diabetes is super important. Because it stops you from writing people off, which is what the medical community does all the time. They the easiest connection I can make to it is that I know a lot of police officers, and some of them are become cynical. And there's like a 10 year lifespan before they, they kind of go through a process if you look their studies about like they start off like gung ho and like, you know, like they move through these processes. But eventually, you surround these people with enough of society that says like, they're trying to get over, they're trying to steal, they're lying to me. And before that, before too long, that becomes your expectation that everybody making face to face contact with us getting over on you somehow. And I think the same thing happens to doctors in a slightly different way. Whereas they come in gung ho, they preach, they preach, they preach, they don't realize the stuff they're preaching is not particularly helpful. And then when it doesn't change the patient's outcome, they go, oh, people don't listen. So now, after they've been in practice for a while the next patient comes in, they've written you off, when they looked at your chart, they didn't even wait to talk to you, oh, this person has this or that, or this. I know how this is gonna go. I'm not gonna waste my breath on this. They don't I don't think they think that consciously. But I think that's what happens. And you know, and what that all all that boils down to, when you're talking about the medical thing is that if they as doctors were actually doing something helpful, then people would have better outcomes, and then they would have better expectations. That's all. Yeah, yeah. It's generational. Because you mentioned it earlier. You just said something in passing, you go, Well, you know, back then I didn't test but the meter sucked anyway. So if enough people come up in that mindset, and they're in charge of telling you what to do, that's their mindset. It's what happened to you. Like, you know, technology changed, you did not change with it. Right. And so you were just like, well, this is what diabetes is, I guess I just, you know, I'll get old and that'll be great. Because I'll die on time with my older husband. I mean, that's such a sad statement. Carrie, is horrible. It really, really terrible. But the point is, it doesn't have to be that way. But you can't, every new person should get the the grace that that they deserve. And then they should get good information, which if doctors would listen closer to what I'm saying, it's not hard to explain to them. And it's not it's, you're confusing the issue, the way you talk to them, or when you grab their pump in turn a couple of hours ago, go come back. No one can do that. You can't just look at a graph and go Oh, I see the problem. You're getting high at 1am. Or you're getting low at 1am. They always do the wrong thing. No one they never think about what good ones do but most people don't think about insulin correctly. They think about like oh at 1am your low. So we'll just turn your Basal down at like midnight. But if you see the bigger picture, there was a meal at 9pm that was you know, 8pm that was Bolus for improperly. Blood sugar got really high person made a correction below at one o'clock is from the Bolus at 11 and the Bolus Sit 11 exists because of the poor Bolus at eight, you're low at 1am is because of a mistake you made at 8pm. And they don't see that stuff. They just lost your settings to try to get. That's why everybody's setting soc. Because they're, they're all patches, that people just keep patching your settings will turn your base floppy or turn it down there, do this, what do you do you run around a lot at four o'clock will do and not that some of that isn't valuable. The other day I was recording with Jenny, we're making a type two series, and we were expressing how blockages happen in arteries. I think that the way an artery gets blocked is the same way that people settings get so screwed up is that there's a little nick in it, you put a patch on it, and you put another patch on another one. And before you know it, you've got so many patches on it. And it's working for some reason, but it's not going to work like that for long, because something is gonna happen. And then everything's just screwed up. So anyway, I'm sorry. So sorry. I babble. I apologize.

Kerry 51:01
No, that's good. So digressing back to what you said about the type two, you announced that we're gonna date this episode, I guess a little bit, but you announced it last night on the on the Facebook group that was coming out. And you're like, basically, I want to hear your pissin and moanin. If you don't agree with it, keep moving. There, you're getting kicked out of the group. And the first comment that I saw was, like, said, it was pretty innocent what she said, but it was definitely like, just keep scrolling. And then here we're like, and this person is no longer in the group and is perfect. And then there was a lot of drama this weekend that needs to be happening in the group, either. It's so frustrating for those of us who come there to be in community to have people with their own agendas that you know, that I appreciate all that that you guys do you and this very small team of folks, yeah, I'm helping you with that a little bit. Do to keep that place clean? Because it's a it's a safe place for us not. You know,

Scott Benner 52:04
no, I appreciate that. Thank you. It's hard to do, because it's, so what you're saying, just in case people are listening didn't follow along with that. I knew I was putting up my first diabetes, type two diabetes pro tip the following day. And there's a small segment of people who if I say anything about type two are like, this is for type one people. And I'm like, okay, you know, I, there's so many type twos in the in the group now. And they, it turns out that they're helped by the podcast, you know, if they need medication, or, you know, and it's just an injectable, well, then they learn about, like how food impacts them. And they make decisions that way, if they're using insulin, I mean, the truth is, by the time you're type two, and you're using insulin, there's not a lot of difference between being type one and type two, if you're using insulin as a type two. So the podcast is helping them it's people losing grand amounts of weight, and a one sees coming down at lives being changed and everything. And I'm not going to let one short sighted dummy come in in the middle of it and yell like, there's places for type ones, like what are you doing? Like, you know, and even a person came into the thread and was like, you know, like, Please don't, I had to pick through what they were saying. But they were worried that because there are more people with type two in the world, that my content would help them. And then that that would stop me from making a type one podcast. That's so crazy. And I thought, wow, that's such an interesting leap. Like, I can do both things at the same time. I'm okay. You know, like, like, it's gonna be alright. But but that's self preservation that this person felt, I understood that. They were like, they were like, Look, you in this thing that you made for me, are saving my life. Don't stop doing it. Don't get like caught up in somebody else's thing. Like, stay here with me. So I just told that person. I said, Look, don't worry. Like, if that's what you're worried about, it's okay. I like that's not gonna happen. I've thought this. I've been thinking about this for years. Don't worry, I didn't just wake up today and decide to do. And so but the other person was just like, oh, like, here it comes. And I'll let these people in. You know what I mean? I'm like, Oh, my God. And then I went back to say something to them. And they had already left the group and I had the same thought you did. I was like, Okay, well, first off.

Kerry 54:29
Let's keep scrolling. Yeah, and if

Scott Benner 54:31
that person's listening, I banned your account. You can never get back in. I don't understand. Well, I do understand, but it's still baffling. To watch someone be so helped by something. And then it becomes less than perfect for them and they yank their pants down and sit on the floor and run out.

Kerry 54:51
Right? That's mine. Mine. Mine. Mine mine. You can't have any of it. Yeah, fascinating.

Scott Benner 54:55
I'm not up for that. Yeah, so So

Kerry 54:59
I do I, and that's one of the things I wanted to tell you as well as like that group means a lot. I think there's a lot of people out there like me that don't, that don't know anybody. So so that group is, is the is that connection for me, even though I'm very rarely on that site? I don't know, half a dozen times a day. So

Scott Benner 55:24
I'm aware of how it works for most people that they don't, they don't say anything. It's just there for them. Yeah, I can. It's extremely helpful. I'm glad. Thank you. I appreciate you sharing that with me. Because it was it wasn't, it wasn't my idea. And, but once I saw it working, I was like, Oh, I know how to make this bigger and better and helpful. And, you know, so. But, you know, I told people before, like, I didn't want to make a Facebook page. I got, like, browbeat into it by listeners who were like, We need a place to go. And I was like, Okay, God, I don't want to be in charge of Facebook. And

Kerry 55:59
I appreciate the you know, for the most part, when I see going on on there, you kind of let it work itself out. And I appreciate that, too. Because it's, that's good for us to see to like, okay, you know, with the stuff this past weekend, there were like people concerned, it was about a religious post this weekend. But the reactions from some of the people was like, You people are new here. And then I was kind of like that mind, mind mind mentality. Like, you don't need to be here, if you're gonna act like this.

Scott Benner 56:33
Yeah, I had to let that play out a little bit and work it out. Because it's interesting. So I, in my heart, I want people to be able to say whatever they want, right? Yeah. And so I just let it go on. And then I came in, and I said, Look, we're not going to tell people how to talk here. So, you know, you just get over it. And a person came in and said, I don't know if you all don't like really know the space well, or haven't heard the podcast. But Scott has no religious holdings whatsoever. Right. And he's in here defending these religious posts. And she's like, that's your indication that this is a good place to be. Yeah, like and and I did I let it go on forever and ever and ever. And I had no trouble with the law. I deleted anything that was due to people. I was like, No, you're not saying that. I lost listeners. People yelled at me in private messages. Oh, my God. And I'm like, Oh, my God, I wish they knew. I'm like, I read it. I'm like, I don't care about this. impacting me, if that's what you think is happening. I'm just running it in a common sense why? And then it was over. And I thought, Ah, there's another like, I have a half a dozen these days a year where I'm like, My whole day is just like teaching adults not to be children. And it was over. And then at the end of the night, someone puts up a new post and she's an rehashes it and I was I thought I saw it. I was like, You mother. Just got this out. I'm like, really? And then that person yelled at me. And then and you would think, like, I banned I didn't, I was like, Look, I understand how you feel. But this isn't what's going to happen. And so you're, you're not gonna restart this problem. Like, just, it's over now. But I thought you were talking about yesterday. This person put up a post explaining how the podcast really isn't for them. Because they have ADHD, and they can't, like keep up or I you know, to be honest with you, I was like, I started reading and I was like, Oh, great. Here's a this is lovely. Like, can you just imagine if you I don't know like pick your like, what's your favorite movie? Oh, that's a tough one TV SHOW ACTOR anything helped me carry go quickly.

Kerry 58:52
Maybe from childhood would be rocky to

Scott Benner 58:56
imagine if Sylvester Stallone was sitting at home. And someone had the ability to walk up to him knock on his window, you open the window and the guy and the guy goes, Hey, I want to tell you something. I don't like this Rocky movies. Yeah, they're just they're not for me. I think so stolen would go. Alright, man. What? What? Why are we doing this? You know what I mean? Like, like, what what is this about? And he might close the window now. Not me. I just watched the thread grow. I don't like it either. I was like, this is fun for me. I get to listen to all the people who don't like the podcast.

Kerry 59:34
Well, and then there's people that go there's a podcast. Yeah.

Scott Benner 59:38
And other people who are offended by that. It's just It's fascinating. So, but anyway, I'm gonna tell you what I think in in the grand scheme of things. At least they're talking about it. Yeah, that's all I care about. I don't know if they've ever said this on the podcast before or not, because there's like a little dicey language in it, but I wrote a book took a long time ago. And it was about being a stay at home dad. And it did well, but it didn't do great. And I wasn't famous and publishers don't help their authors unless they're famous and stuff like that. So I did some media book languished a little bit, sold, okay. And then I went on television, I somehow, like got my way onto the Katie Couric show. And part of that Katie had a blog, and she must have done business with AOL. So at some point on the front page of AOL was a story about my book. And I thought, Oh, this is great, like, the books gonna sell like crazy and nothing happened. And I was like, Oh, my God, like being on TV didn't help the sales like this article. I was just like, Oh, alright, I guess I give up, you know. And about two weeks later, I get a text from a friend. And they're like, Hey, your books number 50 in the country. And I'm like, what? That's not true. And I went on Amazon, and I was like, number 50. I was like, What in the hell people have finally realized my genius, like, yeah. And I thought, but then it turns a little went on for like, two weeks. And then suddenly it stopped. And I thought, what happened? Like, I thought this was it. And then a month later, it popped back up again. And I'm like, Oh, I'm back. And then one day, I realized, on AOL, there was a chat about the article. And people were arguing as to whether or not I was a closeted homosexual or not. Oh, my gosh. And so the, this is fantastic. I've never have I never told this on here.

Kerry 1:01:42
I haven't heard it. I've heard the Katie Couric and not

Scott Benner 1:01:47
this. So. So what ended up happening was, is they're starting to, you know, like fringe conversation. No straight man wants to stay home with their kids. Wow, this woman, this poor woman is married to a gay guy, and she doesn't even know it. And I was like, Oh, my God. And then at first, you're like, I thought, I'm not gay. But I don't care about that. Like, like that part I don't care about other people would come in. They're like, you're an idiot. People can run their lives anywhere they want. The guy's not gay because he stays home with his family and has feelings. And you know what happened? They argued with each other. So the fringes were arguing, you know what the middle was doing? Fine in the book. Why in the book I talk about Yeah. So when I see that crap on Facebook, all I think is keep going. God call me gay all you want. Better to me. People are listening to the podcast, and they're a one sees her better, and their health is better. And their variability is lower, and they're happier. And they're baba, baba, but go ahead and do your crazy fringy arguments. Who cares? You know why? Because then the algorithm says, People care about this place. And then they feed it to you. And then you come in, and instead of like, because you're a reasonable person, instead of going like, Oh, are they arguing about Jesus, or ADHD or whatever they're arguing about? You're gonna I don't want to be a part of this. Let me go check out the Pro Tip series. Right. So in the end, what people don't realize is their insanity is making the podcast more popular. Right? Yeah. So call me gay. All you want carried that should be the name of this episode. Because it helps it helps people with their diabetes, and I'm not impacted by it at all. And by the way, whether I'm gay or straight, whatever, like, you know what I mean? Like, it was it was just the act of them arguing. And what would happen was that AOL saw that people were interested in the article, so they kept putting it on the front page. So it was on the front page. Nobody looked at it. Then the argument happened, it rolled around to the front page. I sold crazy for two weeks. At the end of the month, it dropped off. And then at some point a month later, someone found the thread again, started arguing again, which made our AOL algorithm put the story back on the front page again. So anyway, that is an absolutely 1,000,000% True story. I was a best seller. I was a best seller for two weeks.

Kerry 1:04:21
Well, hey, added to the resume, right? The resume

Scott Benner 1:04:25
didn't hold. It didn't hold on long enough for me to be an actual best seller. And to be honest with you, I don't even know if that book is any good. Like, you want to hear something funny.

Kerry 1:04:34
I'm not even getting a hold of it anymore. No, I know, because

Scott Benner 1:04:37
the publisher went out of business. Yeah, and I could probably get the rights to it and just self publish it but like, it sounds like a lot of work. I would get the rights to it. Just put it online and make it free. Maybe that I should just do that. That wouldn't be a bad idea. Alright, hold on a second. I got a board here. Make a note of it. Right book rights, let's see what I can get done. But anyway, like people don't understand how things they don't understand how they're being manipulated. And they just they just don't see it. Like, like, by the way, like if people have trouble listening to the podcast because they have ADHD, like I understand. I really do. I don't understand coming to my place of like, and being like, Hey, I just came here to let you all know, I don't like the podcast.

Kerry 1:05:25
Thanks. So I go into Chick fil A and say, I hate chicken. And they're just leaving.

Scott Benner 1:05:33
I don't I don't enjoy it. By the way. It's not even I hate chicken. It would be like, hello. I don't enjoy chicken. Does everyone hear me? I just don't enjoy chicken. You not you either. Oh, no. What? Are you just having a salad? Yeah, me too. I don't like the chicken. All right, I'm gonna go now. What did that just do? Oh, so that's how I thought of it at first. But then it turned into like this kind of lovely gathering of people with ADHD. And I thought, Oh, wow, even this is going to help somebody. Right? You know, and so good. So, so I have no, by the way, I would never. I would never just, if you said something I didn't like and that Facebook group. I mean, you'd have to be like, wrong or hurtful or malicious. Right? For me to delete it. Like, I'm just like, alright, well, they don't like the podcast, whatever. But I don't know. Because then what happens is someone else comes in and says, No, you should try listening to it. It's really helpful. Or maybe there's ways for you to get the information that would be easier on your ADHD using that as an example. It would be here's another free piece of advice for content creators who are getting it all wrong. Most people would delete that. Right? You know, most people would be like, Oh, I don't want anybody to hear that. They don't like the podcast. I'm like, I don't know. I assume people don't like it. Right? Why would everybody like it?

Kerry 1:06:53
Everybody likes it? I don't think you're doing it right. When everybody started,

Scott Benner 1:06:57
like in South Park, I stopped watching it. I loved it when nobody knew but us. Anyway, it's just, we're going over and I have a really busy day. So let me make sure. I want to make sure we get all this together. So you make your adjustments, do your things. Your agency is terrific. Your variability is better. Has your shoulder gotten any better? Yeah,

Kerry 1:07:18
so I didn't. So they gave me a couple options in the office. I mean, at that point, I probably was at like 30%, maybe mobility, whatever. He was, like, you know, we could we could look at maybe a cortisone shot, or I really think he should just go to physical therapy. So that was height of COVID. So I got diagnosed with that, like, February of 2020. So it's like I Yeah, I'm good. So I did a bunch of reading online and, you know, a lot of horror stories about physical therapy, and it's like, or you could just wait it out. So I would say because the pain wasn't terrible, unless I tried to move it

Scott Benner 1:08:05
hurts when I do this? Yeah,

Kerry 1:08:07
don't do that. I'll do which was pretty much anything was my right arm. So I'm probably like, 90% back. So

Scott Benner 1:08:16
really, your blood sugar's just stabilized and lower. You're feeling better. Yeah, yeah. I spoke to somebody the other day that said that their feelings of neuropathy went away after they found the podcast. That's cool. Yeah. Pretty cool. for everybody, but like, you could have damage that can't be you know, right, walking. But yeah, it's so it's amazing. Did you ever meet Mike in person other than in the Facebook Live? Have you? Have you spoken to him online?

Kerry 1:08:46
Just during that Facebook Live?

Scott Benner 1:08:50
So he's hearing now what this all meant to him? To you? I'm sorry. He's just hearing now in this episode. What this all meant to you? Yes, that's lovely. Can you tell me why it made you cry in the beginning when you were talking about it? I don't

Kerry 1:09:05
know. Just I was just so angry. And I was just angry. And if you get me mad enough to make me cry, that's that's a lot. Like I'm, I'm angry. So it's like, well, I guess I was, and still am a little angry about it. But you know, you know better you do better. And, and that's where I'm at now. So

Scott Benner 1:09:25
good for you. Excellent. I consider therapy. Yep. The, by the way, by the time this comes out, I might be able to put a better help ad on here. They've reached out to me. That's not why I brought it

Kerry 1:09:38
up. Hey. Yeah. Yeah.

Scott Benner 1:09:43
Starting to get advertiser inquiries from companies that aren't like, diabetes specific. Yep. So the other day, um, they were like, Hey, we're reaching out on behalf of BetterHelp. And I was like, oh, that's the online therapy thing. I was like I actually thought, but that might really be helpful for People, right? You know, I was like, alright, I'll hear more about that. So we're in the process of them telling me more about it. So yeah. All right. Well, I really appreciate you doing this. This sounds strange, but I have to record again in 45 minutes. And then as soon as that's over, I have to go to the dentist. Oh, fun for you. My day sucks. Except for except for talking to you. That part's been really good. Oh, thank you. Did you get to say everything you wanted to say? Yeah, I

Kerry 1:10:24
just wanted to say one more thing that I appreciate all the discussions around eating may not have applied to me. But my, my daughter has a has had some guests or stuff. She actually had her gallbladder out this summer. And then after that, we determined that it was actually gluten all along. So she does not have celiac but just kind of listening to other people talk through and then you talking about some Ardennes things has really been beneficial as well. So I appreciate all that all those discussions. And even even when an episode is something that doesn't apply to me at all, I usually always get something. I always have a takeaway, so I appreciate it. Oh, it's my pleasure, more than more than more than anybody could ever tell you enough. There's a lot of us out there that it's just huge. So thank you,

Scott Benner 1:11:17
what would have been more meaningful? If you cried while you're saying it? But I Well, I'm

Kerry 1:11:20
fine swallowing a little bit.

Scott Benner 1:11:25
Good. I hope people understand I'm teasing. But no, that's, that's so nice. I appreciate it. I just think, you know, I have this theory about why things work and why they don't. And, you know, it's funny that it to bring back up the ADHD thread, those, a couple of those people were like, just give me the bullet points, I don't want the conversation, I don't want you to go down a rabbit hole or tell a joke in the middle I because they're because they can't, because they get lost in it when it happens. And I understand that. I wish they could understand that this is the this is just what I know how to do. And I also believe that distribution is the biggest problem. Like you can have all the good information in the world, if you can literally get it to people, it's meaningless. And I think if you look at the diabetes community, as a whole, over the last, like, over the internet age, as an example, it's full of well, meaning well educated people writing down bullet lists of what you should do. And that hasn't helped anyone. I'm sure it helps some people. But it hasn't helped the mass of people, the average agency is still too high. People still fundamentally don't understand their disease. And I think that if I keep having these conversations, that someone will take some some new person will take some new bit of information out of each one of them. Yeah, and that that, to me is a very slow and patient plan. But the other thing doesn't work. Like I wrote them all down for you just do them. Yeah. Okay. You just said earlier, like, I don't know why I didn't do the thing. Yeah, I mean, I had to have that experience for myself. And so it means a lot to me that that you say you find something in every episode, because I actually believe that, I think that if, if you just listen to this podcast, you'd be better off. And in a lot of ways that are not measurable. And in a lot of ways that you wouldn't expect. A you know, digestion as an example, like I told Arden the other day, said, I got this really lovely note from somebody, a woman in her 40s, who said that her stomach doesn't hurt for the first time in decades. And she was writing to thank Arden for letting me share our story. And I said, Isn't that nice? And artigos? Yeah, it's fine. But I still wish my stomach didn't hurt. And I was like, No, I know. I'm not saying no, yeah, fair enough. But it was one of the first times I can tell she's getting older. Because she was I want to find the right word. She seemed pleased that her story helped somebody. And and kind of grateful to know what happened. And in the past, when she was younger, she'd be like, doesn't help me, you know? And I'm like, No, I know. But by the way, she cares. That's fine. Tell my story all you want, but I'm not getting anything out of it. And I think this is the first time she realized, like helping people is nice. And you do get something out of that. Right, you know, but, but think about that that's a Arden's whole journey. us like hammering through it, trying to figure it out, coming up with this weird thing. And then me having a platform to say it, so the distribution works, because otherwise, it's just me on my Facebook page telling 12 people, which doesn't help anybody, it helps those 12 people and it dies on the vine there. Right? People need to understand how the dissemination of information works in a digital age. We need the conversations so that people keep coming back and keep listening. I can't just make cuz like, as much as I'll joke about it one episode with the secrets to life in it, nobody would listen to. And if they would, we wouldn't need new television shows because you'd also be watching mash or the hunting or the honeymooners, we'd all still be watching, right? So you need more content has to keep copying, to keep people engaged, to keep conversations going so that you can have the conversations so that the information can come out so that somebody new can take something out of it. And that is my lesson on podcast for today. That no one will listen to you all just keep doing the same stupid that you do over and over again and no one's gonna listen to your podcast, but whatever. Do what you want. I don't care, Gary. All right.

Kerry 1:15:42
Launch and get ready for the business dammit Hold

Scott Benner 1:15:44
on one second for me. Okay appreciate you doing this

Unknown Speaker 1:15:46
okay

Scott Benner 1:15:55
a huge thanks to Carrie for coming on the show. And actually Karis file got put in the wrong folder, so she had to wait a lot longer than she should have to hear her episode. So I apologize for that. This episode of The Juicebox Podcast is sponsored by cozy Earth. use the offer code juice box at checkout at cozy earth.com And you will save 40% off of your entire order. A huge thanks to us med for sponsoring this episode of The Juicebox Podcast. Don't forget us med.com/juice box this is where we get our diabetes supplies from you can as well use the link or call 888-721-1514 Use the link or call the number get your free benefits check so that you can start getting your diabetes supplies the way we do from us med if you're not already subscribed or following in your favorite audio app, please take the time now to do that. It really helps the show and get those automatic downloads set up so you never miss an episode. Thank you so much for listening. I'll be back very soon with another episode of The Juicebox Podcast. The episode you just heard was professionally edited by wrong way recording. Wrong way recording.com

#1100 After Dark: 73 Years So Far

Claudia has type 1 diabetes and is 73 years old. Today she tells me her life' story. WARNING: Sudden conversation about molestation.

+ Click for EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

Scott Benner 0:00
Hello friends, and welcome to episode 1100 of the Juicebox Podcast.

My guest today is Claudia. She is 73 years old and was diagnosed with type one diabetes when she was 40. I want to warn everybody up front that Claudia is going to tell a long story about a long life. And there are going to be shocking I don't even know how to tell you this. Claudia is going to talk at some point about a molestation that she went through as a child. And it is not something that I knew about before we started where that was planned to be spoken about. And so it's going to be during a free flowing conversation. It's just going to come up and you're not going to be ready for it when it's said. So prepare yourself now. It's a small part of a very lovely life that Claudia has led. It is not her whole story. And in fact, just a very small piece of it. 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. This show is sponsored today by the glucagon that my daughter carries G voc hypo penne Find out more at G voc glucagon.com. Forward slash juicebox. I

Claudia 1:43
am Claudia. I have type one diabetes. I was diagnosed when I'm 40 and 73. Now

Scott Benner 1:54
Wow. You were 40 when you got to type one. Yes.

Speaker 1 1:58
And so everyone said I was type two. Yeah,

Scott Benner 2:01
I bet you they did especially 33 years ago. Do you remember anything about the diagnosis? That's a long time ago is why I said

Unknown Speaker 2:13
I have a whole story about that.

Scott Benner 2:16
I would like to hear it please.

Speaker 1 2:18
Really? Yeah, of course. Okay, well, I was working as a licensed massage therapist and a Wellness Educator. In the first all female medical practice in Cincinnati was called Deaconess women's care. And so I was surrounded by five physicians to psychologists, me a whole bunch of medical staff nurses. I walked around with a large bottle of Perrier, I could not get enough to drink. And I bought Perrier by that case, because I could not get enough to drink. And I my normal weight is 115. And I weighed 85 pounds.

Scott Benner 3:13
Oh my gosh, how long do you think it took for you to lose that weight? Like over weeks or months? I'd

Speaker 1 3:20
say months. I think I would it was coming on. For a long time. I I think in paint. In college, I couldn't stay awake to study unless I stood up. So I think my blood sugar had been going up and down for years. And for years. I knew there's something wrong with me. And I stayed off we tend I did all kinds of things.

Scott Benner 3:52
So you're getting diabetes. So you cut out wheat.

Speaker 1 3:57
Doctors said to do no one checked my blood sugar. Not one single

Scott Benner 4:03
person. Yeah. And you think this went on for years? Yeah,

Speaker 1 4:07
I think I was in therapy because I knew I I knew my brain didn't work right. And I got angry and tired. And it was just so hard being me. But I I saw I went to therapy. Now I think well, I really needed insulin. But I was in therapy. I was doing the macrobiotic diet. I was.

Scott Benner 4:34
You were trying right? You were doing everything you could think to do and did my best. Yeah, no kidding. What was that? 1990 7am I right about that? No 93 So

Speaker 1 4:48
people could take blood sugar in their offices in the mid 80s. Isn't that true?

Scott Benner 4:55
Not sure. But I'm trying to do I didn't do the math but if You've had this for 33 years. This was 1990. Yeah, yeah. So type one, management was kind of just going the way of faster acting insulin in the late 80s. Testing, like in home testing was there. But it wasn't great. It was in the kind of the very beginning of like, I believe, smaller machines, because in the late 80s, my friend had a glucose monitor. I mean, I guess, if you want to call it that, that, I mean, I have a computer that's smaller than the glucose monitor he had, you know, back then. So I do wonder, but no blood work, if they didn't send you out for like a CBC, like that kind of stuff.

Speaker 1 5:45
And the same thing was also going on, through the years, more than five years. My left kidney always ached, really. And I went from doctor to doctor, the doctor, like every six months, I'd go, I can't stand this anymore, and I go to someone else. And they'd say, well take it and biotics, so I do that that, of course, just made me sicker. And I drank water. And I took one physician said, Let's do exploratory surgery. Well, at least I knew not to do that.

Scott Benner 6:28
You're like, I'm not doing that. None of you have known anything yet. I'm definitely not lying to you cut me open. So

Speaker 1 6:34
I finally decided, really, after going to, I'd say maybe six to 10 different. I would just do it on occasion, I'd say I cannot stand this. But now I think the whole time. My kidney was suffering.

Scott Benner 6:55
Yeah, it sounds like you just had like a lotta and you had a very slow onset of type one diabetes. That's terrible. And nobody know.

Speaker 1 7:04
And I think my personality really was affected. And I, I, I was married at the time. And I think that poor man, it was like living with the

Scott Benner 7:17
crazy person. And you actually thought you were having mental illness. Right?

Speaker 1 7:21
I actually thought I was crazy. I felt crazy. I bet. So that's why on the podcast, when people are saying, This is so hard, and my child, it's so hard, and I'm saying please get a hold. All I think that all I think the therapy did for me was it did give me skills in acting more normal. Like I would say to myself, what would a normal person do going on? And I would try to do that quite a bit. Do

Scott Benner 7:58
you think that after you got your blood sugar under control that those things go away? Or did you

Speaker 1 8:03
oh my god, yeah, my whole personality got, it became much easier to be myself. Sure. And I'm always still wanting to make amends to everyone. I dealt with me during those years.

Scott Benner 8:23
Yeah, but you wasn't you really?

Speaker 1 8:26
Well, it wasn't me, but it's your look like me and acted like man, I still responsible for the people and my behavior, even though Yeah, yes, my life got easier. I thought I wasn't compulsive eater. Because you know, when you're low you'll like, and even when I'm high, I want to eat. I think I was always low or high. So I was in doing Overeaters Anonymous because I was sure it was a compulsive eater. But now I never am not

Scott Benner 9:02
something, you just that fluctuation of insulin can can really impact your hunger that for a person who doesn't have diabetes, as well,

Speaker 1 9:10
it just my whole life got easier. And I just thought, Oh, my goodness.

Scott Benner 9:19
Yeah. Well, it's something how a small change can make such a big difference. I'm sitting here so I don't normally do this. In video, I don't usually talk to people where I can see them and they can see me so I doing this for you today, which I'm happy to do. But I've lost 17 pounds. And I keep I keep looking at myself in the video thinking that doesn't look like me. But it really like I'm like, I haven't looked like that since I feel like three years ago, maybe. And it's off putting like right now while you and I are talking I'm having trouble like, anyway, just this small and what was the small change? I've been talking about a little bit on the podcast, but I started taking We go V for weight loss, which is really ozempic. But rebranded and you know, allows doctors to prescribe it for weight loss. And I can't tell you like how different it feels, just to have either have a, I guess, I guess I have now the right amount of GLP, one of my system or my body's using it more effectively, one of the other, like, kind of no different than a thyroid medication like, right, like when people need thyroid medication, they're making T three, but they don't use it correctly. So you put it in an amount that kind of forces your body to take it up. And I feel like that's happening now. And just my day to day life is different. So I can't imagine you with your blood sugar, you know, bouncing up and then wondering if you're out of your mind. That's gotta be a terrible existence. And you said a man you used to be married to did this breakup your marriage?

Unknown Speaker 10:54
I believe it did. Yeah.

Scott Benner 10:56
I'm so sorry. It was a good man. Yeah. Does he know have you been able to talk to him and tell him or? No,

Speaker 1 11:03
he we were married for 20 years and I'm pretty sure most of it i Well, I'm the blood sugar's stuff started in college. So I was married. My senior year in college. She's back so sorry, requested that we not be in contact. And I thought that's the least I can do to honor him.

Scott Benner 11:31
He didn't do anything super weird digit Claudia. Did you know No. He didn't wake up one day with you hold the pair of scissors talking about something. Okay,

Speaker 1 11:41
I control my behavior. Well, that's good. But I didn't I felt weird. I felt like I could murder and kill. But I never did.

Scott Benner 11:53
How long after your marriage broke up? Did you figure out you had type one? Well,

Speaker 1 11:58
that's I think my contribution because when my former husband finally said he fell in love with someone else, and had been in love with someone else. He told me for a year and a half. So he left and I used to lie on the couch. In our big house.

Scott Benner 12:24
If you take insulin or sulfonylureas you are at risk for your blood sugar going too low. You need a safety net when it matters most. Be ready with G voc hypo pen. My daughter carries G voc hypo pen everywhere she goes because it's a ready to use rescue pen for treating very low blood sugar and people with diabetes ages two and above that I trust. Low blood sugar emergencies can happen unexpectedly and they demand quick action. Luckily, G voc hypo pen can be administered in two simple steps even by yourself in certain situations. Show those around you where you store G vo Capo pen and how to use it. They need to know how to use G Bo Capo pen before an emergency situation happens. Learn more about why G vo Capo pen is in Ardens diabetes toolkit at G voc glucagon.com/juicebox. G voc shouldn't be used if you have a tumor in the gland on the top of your kidneys called a pheochromocytoma. Or if you have a tumor in your pancreas called an insulinoma visit G voc glucagon.com/risk For safety information.

Speaker 1 13:37
Say please do not let me wake up. I just I was still undiagnosed then. Yeah. And so I just didn't know how I could continue. And but I kept waking up. So then I changed my prayer to please let me find a non violent way to commit suicide, which now I always chuckle when I hear that, that you can't commit suicide in a non violent way. Pretty

Scott Benner 14:15
much all the ways out are going to be violent one way or the other. I mean, maybe maybe pills but that's neither here nor there.

Speaker 1 14:22
No violence to your body. Of course. Yeah. But I within I never know the exact day I was diagnosed. I don't remember that. And I can't get that information. But within two, I'd say one or two months. I was diagnosed with type one diabetes which answered my prayer exactly, which is if I screwed up, I won't wake up. And with insulin, I always have a way to commit suicide that will be relatively easy. How

Scott Benner 15:03
long did you feel like that? Like, how long? How long did you feel like, oh, maybe I'll make a mistake. And this will be over.

Speaker 1 15:10
I was praying for a way out. But I didn't. I didn't know enough about anything like diabetes to pray for that specific thing.

Scott Benner 15:23
Okay. Okay.

Speaker 1 15:24
But I, my main lesson was, oh, my gosh, what I hold in my mind, I really get. I mean, now I have a way that I might not wake up. And I can leave when I want to. That's I didn't get cancer, I didn't get any of the things that under high stress, you could have gotten a diagnosis. And so Well, I'll tell you ever since then, I watch what I think you don't

Scott Benner 16:05
want to write because what if I guess what if you would have left before finding out that there was a way to honestly take care of all the problems you've been having your whole life, right? And just insulin did that for you?

Speaker 1 16:17
Insulin did that. To take care of the mood and the exhaustion and the all those consequences of high and low blood sugar. But insulin, realizing, I think that gave me the courage to start a new life. Well,

Scott Benner 16:42
yeah, maybe for the first time since you were a young girl, right? You had some stability and and you are yourself enough to think, wow, that's something. So did you. I guess, first of all, how did they start you with insulin? Was it? Were you doing regular an MPH or? No, was it No, first,

Speaker 1 17:01
they started me on Metformin. But my blood sugar only came down to 300. It was 900 Death diagnosis, gosh. And I was functioning. I mean, I was working full time and doing everything. Thriving, just feeling weird. But since I had always felt weird, I just kept going. The people around me before I was diagnosed, they said to two different people said my one friend, Mary Lynn. She said, Claudia, you are too thin. And then my other one of the nuns at work where I was a teacher said, You look like a child from Ethiopia. My ribs showed right? Why was Why did I start talking about?

Scott Benner 18:02
Well, I was wondering about what your management was like when Oh, okay. Yeah. So

Speaker 1 18:07
after they no one took a C peptide. Okay. But they just said, they concluded which I now would conclude immediately. You're a type one, but just because of my weight as well, maybe? I could be wrong about that.

Scott Benner 18:30
Yeah. But people make assumptions. So if you were super skinny, and definitely had diabetes, but they thought type two, they might say okay, well, you know, what's that old thinking would have been if they're not heavy than they don't have type two. So it must maybe it just got them thinking in the other direction. I mean, you know, also

Unknown Speaker 18:48
my age was 40. So that I think people

Scott Benner 18:54
weren't looking for type ones to be diagnosed at that age, either. You weren't. And

Speaker 1 18:58
these were my friends, these, the doctors in that practice, were my friends. They were all watching me walk around. The big joke was, like, different friends went on a road trip with me to Atlanta. We went to Bob Evans for breakfast, and I ordered a number one and number three. And then number four. They said Claude, you cannot eat that much. And I said, I'm holding back. Yeah, I could not get enough food and I could not get enough water. But I weighed 85 pounds. So even my one friend Linda, who was my doctor, she took me out to breakfast ones and she saw him much I ate she said, Claude, you're eating so much. But no one put it together.

Scott Benner 19:52
That's something. No. Well, eventually they did right. So do you start with me you start with Jack shins, do you go to an insulin pump at some point,

Speaker 1 20:03
now was a long time till I went to a pump. And I forget how many years I always did check my blood sugar at least 10 times a day. Somehow I knew I could not do it. Once I started on insulin without checking a lot I am and my doctor would only give me four strips a day. And my insurance would only pay for that much. Yeah. So I was like dealing in blood sugar strips in the back alleys. I mean, I somehow I bought enough strips to do it 10 times day.

Scott Benner 20:50
Did you really you bought them on the kind of on the black market? Bottom

Speaker 1 20:53
here and there. And I just

Scott Benner 20:57
You Don't Know What gave you that feeling? That idea? Like I need to have more data than what I have. Was it fear? I mean, I'd be if I always tried to put myself in that position. I don't know how you'd give yourself insulin without knowing what was happening. It must have been frightening.

Speaker 1 21:12
I might not have known enough to be free.

Unknown Speaker 21:16
That sounds like Yeah.

Speaker 1 21:19
At the the office where I worked medical office, when I started on insulin, they gave me a meter from the office. So I could check. Because my friend Linda, the doctor said, Claude, you have to go in the hospital. And I said, I'm not going in the hospital, the food alone, no kill you. I wouldn't go in. I said, if I'm unconscious, you can take me. But I'm up walking around doing five massages a day, doing everything I do. I'm not going in the hospital. She said, well, then find yourself another doctor. We just got into it. But in the end, she said, Call me every morning with your blood sugar. And I'll tell you how much insulin to take. Well, now I know. That was silly. I mean, I'm amazed I lived with my parents. I was Yeah,

Scott Benner 22:22
I mean, I'm looking at you now. I'm I'm very, like pleased with how healthy you appear. So do you have any side of like, side effects or anything long term complications?

Speaker 1 22:32
My feet hurt sometimes. Okay, but I don't know if that's diabetes. But that just started in the last year.

Scott Benner 22:41
My feet have been hurting for a while. But that's for other reasons. I think they're actually getting better as I lose weight, which I don't think would be surprising to anybody. My knee feels better to me. Yeah, but Okay, so do you ever remarry?

Unknown Speaker 23:00
No,

Scott Benner 23:01
did you want to?

Speaker 1 23:02
Well, I started out with the belief of now no one will ever love me with this big problem of diabetes. And my friend Linda said, Oh, you're more interesting with diabetes. Yes, yes. someone to love me. And actually, Linda love me and I'm a straight woman. But I fell in love with Linda and Linda fell in love with me. So I think that's maybe why wasn't real afraid. I have a doctor. Now. The doctor thought she was very good with diabetes. That was her reputation. I and I trusted her. I said, Oh, great. So I wasn't afraid because I as Linda,

Scott Benner 23:53
you and Linda were

Speaker 1 23:54
a couple. Yes, we turned into a couple was amazing. Oh, that's

Scott Benner 23:59
how long? How long? How old were you when that happened? And how long did you

Speaker 1 24:03
already I was 40. And it took a long time because I've only love men since and before. But I think if my mind had been you know how a orphaned baby duck will last long or what's that word glam on to the first thing they see when they love them. I think I had been feeling crummy for so long. That I didn't have a capacity to love. So now I'm on insulin. I start feeling better. There is Linda taken care me. Oh, love her.

Scott Benner 24:43
How long were you together? We

Speaker 1 24:46
were together for two years. And the the poignant part is Linda was an MD and she saw what I was doing with my body work and the different kinds of minds allergies I was using. And she started referring everyone to me. She said, Claude, I don't think I'm helping people. So she knew there was a whole part of the practice of medicine that she didn't know. And she thought I knew it. And, and I kind of did know, things she didn't know. So the two of us together, we, we were pretty good team. Yeah. And so we decided to do a study and get it published. And that's how I was diagnosed. I was already type one, but didn't know it and functioning pretty well. And we decided to do this study about depression. So the way in my modality I took care of depression is a technique called cranial sacral therapy. Because we're taught that depression is actually compression, of the bones of the skull. And if it doesn't have an external cause, if the depression isn't, by something obvious, like somebody died or something, then sometimes it is just compression of the bones of the skull. And this very gentle body work can free that. So Linda was very depressed. So she said, I want this cranial sacral therapy. And she said, If someone comes to me, and they're depressed, I take their blood sugar, and I take their thyroid. So she said, I'll take your blood sugar and thyroid, you help me with cranial sacral therapy. And that'll be the beginning of our study, is how to help depression with these two modalities. So as soon as I took the blood test, she called me at 11 o'clock that night, said, Claude, how are you doing? And I said, I'm fine. She said, Well, please come in tomorrow, even though it was my day off, because we ought to check this number. Again. This, she said, This can't be you. They just call me from the lab and said, contact this person, whoever she is, because she's probably in a coma. said, This can't be you. We must have done this wrong, but it was me. And it was hired the next day. And that's when she said, You've got to go in the hospital. And I said, Never. And so I I did whatever I did without going in the hospital.

Scott Benner 27:50
No kidding. Yeah. And so but she's prescribing, like your medication for you to as your doctor like insulin, things like that, that you need you're getting from your doctor, and you just all

Speaker 1 28:02
I got was insulin. Okay. But anyway, I got distracted because Linda had suffered from depression, her whole life. And she ended up committing suicide. Oh, I'm so sorry. Here's Yeah, it was a huge, huge sometimes. I mean, it's unspeakable really what suicide does but was also a huge gift. Because boy did I wake up about when somebody says they're suicidal. You better believe them? Yeah.

Scott Benner 28:40
So sorry. That's my still hurt even all these years later.

Speaker 1 28:48
Just gives me compassion for people. Suicide, she was suffering so much, but such a good doctor. But when people found out she committed suicide, everyone kind of was mad at her. You know, like, God. How could she do that? So many people need her and that kind of lack of awareness of if someone is even thinking about suicide, they're really suffering. Yeah. So it's just woke me up. And before one of the when we were working together and helping people and our little health center. I said, Well, Linda, tell me what vitamins to take. I mean, you're the perfect person for me and I have right now because I need help getting well. And here what's her gift? Claude, I am not trained to get you well. I am trained to keep you from dying. I mean, you'll have to get well some other way. And so that became my job, how to get well and stop relying on physicians to do for me what they're not trained

Scott Benner 30:15
to do. Yeah. That's very smart. It was

Speaker 1 30:19
her great gift to me. Now, I think some physicians now are broadening their training in their interests to help people get well. But back in that lintas day, she knew she wasn't trying to get people well. And that's why she was so depressed.

Scott Benner 30:43
Yeah, no, I mean, it's it's a cloudy, it's super. It's obvious, right? You, you have a problem. You go to a doctor, you say I'm having a problem. I'd like to not be having this problem anymore. You never go to that doctor and say, Hi, you're a cardiologist, for example, I don't ever want to have a heart attack. So how would I do that? And if you ask the cardiologist that they'd be like, you have to go talk to a nutritionist. They wouldn't they wouldn't get involved in that. It's it's really just, she's right. It's the way it's set up. And you had a gift of my life. Yeah, you have to take care of yourself. You really do. Well,

Speaker 1 31:19
you don't have enough information to do that. So we turn to that whole level of medicine and health, which are my herbal is my licensed massage therapist, my cranial sacral people, my Feldenkrais people, they're the ones who keep me well. That's

Scott Benner 31:40
something. So how do you do that for your diabetes? Now, all these years later? I mean, well, let me ask you this first, actually, what do you call? Success? Like, what are you shooting for blood sugar's variability? What are your goals?

Speaker 1 31:56
I'm shooting for and this is only because of this podcast. Oh, okay. Even though enough to shoot for this, I'm shooting for an A one C in the mid fives. 95% time and range.

Scott Benner 32:10
Are you doing that? Oh, no.

Speaker 1 32:13
I, I when I first started listening to you and heard people are going, you know, much closer to normal a onesies. I, I went, Oh, cuz I had been taught, I'm doing great at a seven. And I was like, proud of myself. I'm at a seven all these years 30 however many years that was. Now I'm here and go lower. So I go to my doctor. And I'm going to name names here. But this I was in Colorado at the time. And I was going to the Barbara Davis Clinic, which in Denver. It's a it's a well known teaching hospital or clinic for diabetes. Of course, I go into my doctor and I said, look, look, I want to be 95% time and ranging. And they went see him in the mid fives and he said that's impossible. How long ago was this? 2022

Scott Benner 33:16
Huh. That's interesting. Okay. Barbara

Unknown Speaker 33:19
Davis Clinic.

Scott Benner 33:21
Yeah, I'm not I'm not following.

Speaker 1 33:21
Oh, my gosh. So I know by then, you know, I'm not there to convince him of anything. So he just gave me mine next, whatever I was there for and but so now I'm starting to try to do it myself.

Scott Benner 33:40
For you. How are you trying to? How are you trying to accomplish that?

Speaker 1 33:43
Oh, you know, I listened to the podcast and I'm more bold with insulin and I giving myself and not letting it go so high. I do have a CGM Anna, Dex calm. Yeah, but I didn't get very good training on those. I mean, I'm just now starting to really work on my settings. And still when I eat. Oh, I'm learning the Pre-Bolus. That's thought that's my challenge. Remembering before you eat. Oh, I remember but I don't want to do it.

Scott Benner 34:24
That's very honest. Claudia. How long? How long have you been listening to me?

Speaker 1 34:30
I started listening to you when I was in Colorado. So that means a year and a half

Scott Benner 34:35
about and what was your agency a year and a half ago? It was always

Speaker 1 34:40

Now on my own, I've gotten it down to 6.20. That's amazing. I had many days, many days in the 85% range, but I even got one and the 98 Was

Scott Benner 34:59
it 85 is pretty good first of all, but you know, that's Oh, 6.2 is astonishing. Good for you. Seriously,

Speaker 1 35:08
but now I know I can get the five so, but I still it's luck. I don't really have this. I don't really can't predict. Now my settings. I know my basil is good because if I don't eat anything, I'm pretty steady. Yeah, it is I eat. I eat the same thing to let God mastered. But something's going on that I don't get. So my one of my favorite things is half an avocado on a piece of zekiel Toast. Okay, that's really solid breakfast oh, with, I make my own alfalfa spouts. So I pile loads on there. And I It told me for hours. But I ate that for like a couple of weeks because it's really working. It's 2.5 units. I wait, I eat it. And I'm Smith itself. Well, about a week ago, I stopped working. And I peeked, I spiked. Like for hours, I couldn't get down. And I thought what? So now I have a new trick. And I think I heard you say this. I raised my basil for a couple of hours. So I have a new profiles called high. And it gives me a three unit per hour. Basil. Wow. Which is a whole lot. Now I have to remember to turn that off in a half hour, or else I'm dealing with big lows later.

Scott Benner 36:54
What pump Do you have? T slim? are using control IQ or no? Yes, yeah. Oh, so you're doing can you do with Temp Basal on it temporary, so it shuts off on its own?

Speaker 1 37:06
Well, I think that would be the answer. But I don't know that yet. And I'm seeing a new Endo. I'm back in Ohio now, which is where I'm from. I'm seeing a new Endo. Tomorrow. I was going to ask her. You know, it just depends. When I go in some endos I started calling around in Ohio for a new endo because it was going to be here and I said can you help me with my goal of a one C of 5.5 time and range in the 90s? They all said to one no. That's not you'll get too many lows with that's not the way I can't find that. No, yeah, you might not I finally decided I'll just take the endo that my insurance tells me to go to. And I'm gonna have to keep doing this myself. Now if I have a lot of extra money. I would hire Jenny.

Scott Benner 38:12
Well, author,

Speaker 1 38:14
I have the amount of money I have. Yeah. And so

Scott Benner 38:22
but I mean, but clearly a 6.2 is fantastic. Like, I mean, it's really terrific. But you should be celebrating that every day. I'm not saying if you if you don't want better if you can't work on it, but you shouldn't think of this as not a success. This is very successful to me.

Speaker 1 38:42
Yeah, and I am a new regular nd and she took a seat peptidome me the other day when I told her my one seat. She didn't believe on type what's funny. She's not but she's a lovely woman, but she's not real familiar with diabetes body be

Scott Benner 39:01
carrot don't turn her. Okay. I don't you're gonna get this one too. As a as a girlfriend. Oh,

Speaker 1 39:10
I don't I just I'm not even looking for a partner right now. Because I'm, I'm having this wonderful time on my life. Well, I've had a wonderful time since I was 60. I thought honey, you are 60 Maybe you better do what you really, really want to do. I had always kind of done what I really wanted to do, but undone was I wanted to be with horses. And for some reason I had a story. There's horses out west. i There's tons of great horses and horse trainers here in Ohio. But I had a story. I had to go out west.

Scott Benner 39:53
So how long did you move out there?

Speaker 1 39:56
Well, when I 60 I just apply went for a job on a ranch at 60 with no experience who would hire me? They did.

Scott Benner 40:07
And how long were you there? Well,

Speaker 1 40:09
I would it was seasonal. Most of my jobs had been seasonal. So I just, I don't know, I wouldn't do that. Now. I don't have the energy now. But I had the idea. I just kept saying, Okay, this season's over. Where are you gonna go now? So I would find the next place. So I went, Cody, Wyoming, Nebraska, Idaho, and Colorado, and stayed and stayed and stayed till the next thing opened up. Wow.

Scott Benner 40:44
You just made me cry a little? Do you know that?

Speaker 1 40:47
The joy of my life? Yeah,

Scott Benner 40:51
that's really lovely. Good for you.

Speaker 1 40:53
I gotta tell you why it's connected with diabetes, please. And also after that time, somehow, diabetes, just, I did have a few incidents where I went low. I never needed help with lows. Until I was in my 60s. And then I did pass out. And my poor people I was living with had to call 911. And that was so stressful for them. Yeah. But anyway, I first I think got this horse going out west idea. Because when I was 10, my mom sent me out to live with my uncle, who is a forest ranger in Elko, Nevada in the Humboldt National Forest. And I was by myself. By myself, he's out doing forest ranger stuff and I'd get up and I have three Hershey bars for breakfast, then my horse tends Bob would always be saddled out there and I would climb up on him and Bri around till lunch, and I'd come in and I made this was my typical lunch. I made raw cake batter and ate the whole bowl. Amazed I didn't have diabetes, even sooner, but my mother fed us really good food. Okay, so back in Ohio, I was eating normally. But out there, man, nobody cared. I just say what I wanted. But I love being out there because I didn't really get along with my mother. I have a story. She didn't like me. And that may have been true. But so I was thrilled to be with my uncle who was nice and gave me a horse and didn't make me do any work. And I love being out there. And I think then, but the sad part was at night. There was incest. Wait, but wait, with my uncle. But even with that weird, I didn't know when interest was and I didn't know what was going on. But I liked my uncle. And he was nice to me. So every night I felt weird, but it was a trade off because he got me cowboy boots. And he let me drive this truck all around. And how, how old were you then? I was 10. And then the next year? I was 11. Wait,

Scott Benner 43:28
I'm so sorry. Claudia. Let me make sure I understand correctly. He was touching you inappropriately when you were 10. Yeah. Oh my gosh.

Speaker 1 43:36
But I didn't know. I didn't know to say I knew I didn't like that. But he was so nice, in all the other ways. And he wasn't mean like my mother. So I even wrote my mother a letter and said, I want to live with George. I don't want to come home. I want to go to the mountain city school and but Georgia never asked me to live. I wanted that. That's how much I didn't like living with my mom. How long

Scott Benner 44:07
did that go on? For

Unknown Speaker 44:08
two summers?

Scott Benner 44:10
Wow, you took me by surprise. I have to be honest. That's

Speaker 1 44:14
why I have that's why this is after dark. Yeah. Also, I mean, it may even be in midnight, it may be more than after.

Scott Benner 44:24
Honestly, Claudia, I've been thinking recently of starting up a string of episodes that you have to pay to listen to. And that would be that would be very, like just beyond what even after dark is and I don't know you might have just qualified just the first one. I swear to you like you just like I swear to God, I thought you were mispronouncing insects. I thought you were saying the only thing I didn't like weather or insects at night and I thought I misunderstood her. So I now we're talking I need to ask you, was he raping you or touching You know,

Speaker 1 45:02
I'd say what's a call when you touch inappropriately and this is hard for me to say but he is. He would ejaculated on me at night. Oh my god, I'm so sorry. And, but I didn't know what ejaculation was. So I thought I wet like I was always getting embarrassed. I'd say, oh my god, I wet my pants. I've never done that in years, and I would go to the bathroom change my wear. How are you? I was all mixed

Scott Benner 45:35
up. Listen, it's 63 years later and all but how do you have such a good? Oh, I don't understand how much

Speaker 1 45:44
therapy Yeah, I have done more therapy out the WHA hoo. And I think it really helped me but I gotta tell you this about my uncle. Because you usually ask people, does anyone in your family have type one? You didn't ask me

Scott Benner 46:01
that? Well, no, I don't know what to ask you about your family now. But go ahead, does anybody in your family

Speaker 1 46:07
was the only type one in my family, my uncle. But now through all the therapy, see, I waited to do my horse and going out west thing. And sagebrush, I love the smell of sagebrush, I think it took me that long to kind of just deal with the craziness of incest, which really makes people crazy. And remember the benefits of the gifts of that time in my life, the gifts of that time in my life were horses, sagebrush being out west. And so it made sense to me that all of a sudden at age 60, because I'm done, I in therapy, or incest doesn't wake me up at night, or I am just complete with that. And now I get to do the fun stuff I learned being at West, so I got to go. But the big trauma and this is still going on. And with me. The big trauma wasn't my uncle. It was my family. Because my uncle was the favorite uncle of our whole family. We all we have great uncles. I mean, I really, they'll never listen to this. So I'm not gonna hurt anyone's feelings. But all of our uncles are good guys. But it was the favorite. Because he was out west. And yeah, to horses. I mean, the whole story. So when I got back from being out west, and finally kind of woke up to what George was doing was not healthy. Yeah. And I started to process all that. I didn't tell anything to my family. But my family, we always tell songs and stories about George. And once I had a friend there with me, my friends all knew my incest story, but my family did not. And they said, Claudia, why is your family singing songs in front of you about the man who molested you? And I said, Well, they didn't know. So then my therapist said, well, and my friend said, Claudia, you should see yourself, you kind of shrink away that nothing. So I said, I am going to tell. So and I thought, I'm the oldest of 10, and a mom and a dad. So I thought my family would say, Oh, we're so sorry. Of course, we won't talk about that when you're there. Right? They all got mad at me said it was lying. My mother especially because it was her brother. It kept going on and on. Like I'd say just don't talk about them when I'm there. But they couldn't. For some reason, there was enough lack of respect or lack of trust in me or and so that's when I did leave my family. How old were you? When I was 60 is when it was all like, See, I don't know these years so well. But somehow it was perfect for me to go out west because I had to get away from this group of people who acted like so

Scott Benner 49:51
you're you're out west around 10 years old.

Speaker 1 49:54
That first outlet yeah till 12 But

Scott Benner 49:58
then when you ask your family not to speak about him any longer. How old? Just yeah, it was in my 50s. Really? You were an adult at that point? Oh, yeah. And

Speaker 1 50:09
my family but led by my mother. Just My poor mom. She could not find a way to remember. When I'm around. She I don't want to hear her stories about. Yeah.

Scott Benner 50:26
So help me for a minute, though. So you're for 40 years, you have this secret from your family, but you do share it with your friends. And you've talked about it in therapy. Is that right? Yeah,

Speaker 1 50:37
I was taking care of myself about that. I did. Oh, my family would be so have such a hard time with that. Yeah. But now what I really think is, it goes back to my relationship with my mother. And I think most moms would remember. Their kid was molested. And don't bring that up. She could not how old? Was she at that point? Oh, man. Um, I don't know. I mean, she's a grown up lady. Like, it's not that she has dementia, right?

Scott Benner 51:15
I mean, I'm saying if you're 50 at that point, is she 70?

Speaker 1 51:21
Right now she is 96.

Scott Benner 51:24
Okay, so she's 83. She's 23 years older than you see, she was your age when you were 50. She was 73 when you were 50. So, and she didn't want to hear about it. Was her brother still alive at that point?

Unknown Speaker 51:41
Yes.

Scott Benner 51:42
Is he now?

Unknown Speaker 51:43
Yeah, he died.

Scott Benner 51:46
Can I ask you? Did it make you feel any certain way when he passed away?

Speaker 1 51:50
No, I didn't know. I just feel kind of grateful that I got to be with horses and out west. And my uncle. He clearly had a sick piece. Yeah, yeah. Most of my experience with him was he was so much nicer to me than my mother, that I

Scott Benner 52:16
exist. So your experience at home was so terrible, that being being molested by a guy who was otherwise kind to you, was preferable to you. But trade off? Oh, my gosh. All right. Well, Claudia, I add that to the list of things I didn't think anyone would ever say to me,

Speaker 1 52:34
I wouldn't say it was a good trade off. But right now, in this moment, I don't have a screen G feeling or a stomach ache or anything when I think of it. And I also don't have that with my mother anymore. Because guess what? Now my mother does have dementia. And when I I go to see her on occasion, I'm not taking the responsibility that my siblings believe I should be taking. Yeah, I don't have a deep connection.

Scott Benner 53:16
Yeah, I can't imagine why you wouldn't. But

Speaker 1 53:21
my siblings do not understand that or hear it? Or they they're just they have their own beliefs. Yeah.

Scott Benner 53:32
Do you think your uncle molested anyone else in your family?

Speaker 1 53:35
I asked. Because the second year I went, my little sister went with me. And I asked her directly. Did anything happen to you? And she said, No. But I was glad she went with me. Because when I first told about George, in my effort to say, Hey, don't talk about this when I'm there. And people didn't believe me. But my sister who was there by then have enough memories of things. She spoke up for me and said to my mother, it really did happen. So my mother believed my sister even though my mother never believed me. But I think that just said, When I stepped back, it's I said, if a mother could treat her daughter like that, the break in the bond happened much earlier. We just hadn't built a bond but the miracle is now when I go see my mother, she forgot she doesn't like me. Her tone of voice is loving, just like she used to speak to the other children and I I couldn't hear it was different.

Scott Benner 54:58
Yeah. So you Are your

Speaker 1 55:01
voices really kind and loving? I'm like, Oh, brother, I had to wait a long time to get apartment loves me. But here she is.

Scott Benner 55:13
I mean, it really one of the benefits of a long life, right is that you're able to have this much distance and clarity about something that I mean, you just describe something I think would mess most people up pretty, pretty badly. And I mean, it's upsetting to listen to, I don't know how it would feel to have it happen. So. But you're you feel like you're on the other side of so many things like your relationship with your mom.

Speaker 1 55:39
I'll tell you, my mother, my story, my belief, and because you never really know, maybe she did love me, but I looked like someone she didn't love or I never know. Yeah, I would not say but who knows what happened to my mother? Yeah. Well, I

Scott Benner 56:02
mean, something bad happened to your to her brother. So I would imagine some she's had an impact just the way he did. I mean, and honestly, if you're 70 Let's think about this. If you're 73 Now,

Speaker 1 56:16
what year were you born? 4949.

Scott Benner 56:20
Which makes your mom born like around the around the depression. Maybe?

Unknown Speaker 56:27
I you

Scott Benner 56:29
do the math? Well, you just said she's How old 8696 96? Jesus? Hold on a second. These are bigger numbers. I'm going to do some guesses. I got three. And then I take to your mom's 23 year old 23 years younger than you you were born in 49. Six, if she was born in 26, just after the depression, so I bet you she didn't grow up well at all. And George either or and how many kids? Do you know how many aunts and uncles High Five kids broke ass people? I bet you she went through some stuff, too. I'm not excusing anything. But I bet you they didn't grow up. Well. Did you ever have children?

Speaker 1 57:09
No. You know what? The oldest? 10 I never wanted children. I was so clear.

Scott Benner 57:16
You're the oldest of 10. Yes. Holy hell. We

Speaker 1 57:22
were tapped in. So I'm not a practicing Catholic now. But yeah,

Scott Benner 57:26
I mean, you've you've said enough that would get me away from religion too, but tend to you. Oh, oh, hold on. Do you think your mom didn't want kids? Do you think she was pissed at you for being there?

Unknown Speaker 57:36
She wanted kids she was a

Scott Benner 57:38
boy. Does she want a boy you think first?

Speaker 1 57:42
Well, I'll tell you Scott. I've taught I've trained myself to stop spending my time trying to figure out about my mother here. Because I I was really obsessed with. My mother doesn't love me, my mother. That was my dominant stress in my life. Yeah, it was much bigger than diabetes. It was much bigger than divorce. It's been the challenge of my life. But now I just am really coming to experience. My mother's beliefs and stories are not my business. Okay. Yeah. In my business, to be in this moment. And have a good life

Scott Benner 58:34
quality you are from another generation. And I am very impressed by how you handled everything in your life. We in an hour, in an hour. I started off thinking, I'm going to interview this nice older woman who likes to ride horses. That's what I thought I was going to do. Right? And then we get on you been married, divorced, had diabetes undiagnosed for so long. You thought you had mental illness. You were molested as a child. Your mother didn't love you. You I fell in love with a woman dated her for two years she took her own life. Your life essence is so jam packed with amazing stories and pain and suffering and love and forgiveness and redemption. It's just it's amazing. You're like a Hallmark movie. Plus some. Do you know that about yourself? Do you know that? Well,

Speaker 1 59:30
all I know is now and starting at age 60 When I left my mother and my family I am happy almost all the time. Please content

Scott Benner 59:45
good for you. But that's amazing. I'm so glad for you. You know like just what a wonderful I mean what uh, what the your story is built of terrible pieces, but the overall story is, is lovely. Yeah, Yeah,

Speaker 1 1:00:00
in fact, right now I get to build this wonderful little cabin and live in one of the most beautiful parts of the woods. In Ohio of all the places I've been. Ohio as the most beautiful woods.

Scott Benner 1:00:18
You're building it can't wait. You're building a cabin in the woods. Yeah,

Speaker 1 1:00:22
well, my friends are, are really building it, but I get to live in.

Scott Benner 1:00:26
Wow, Cody. Are you a hippie? You think of yourself as a hippie?

Speaker 1 1:00:31
You don't do actually kind of conservative you.

Scott Benner 1:00:36
That's amazing. Okay, it's amazing. You're terrific.

Speaker 1 1:00:42
I didn't go to Woodstock or you smoke weed. Did you know about Woodstock?

Scott Benner 1:00:50
Oh my god Woodstock. I know everything about what's probably too young. Oh, no Hendrix. Was there fish? Who else was there? Um, doesn't appeal

Speaker 1 1:00:57
to me at all. You don't like that? Okay, I would not think

Scott Benner 1:01:02
so. Wait a minute. So you don't you've never smoked weed.

Speaker 1 1:01:06
Oh, I only smoked weed for one year of my life. And that was I don't know why my husband, my former husband didn't want to have sex with me. But he didn't. And, and I loved having sex. And so I how I survived those 20 years was I had affairs and I'm not proud of that. And it was hurtful. And but what I like about myself is I had integrity. I said, I'm going to have an affair. And I say to myself now why didn't you just get divorced? But the I have enough Catholic left in me that we don't get divorced. And my former husband had that same part. Right?

Scott Benner 1:01:58
Where did the weed come in? Now? Hold on. Oh, well, anyway,

Speaker 1 1:02:01
yeah, I smoked weed for with a good friend of ours. God, I still do have a shame that I did this. But that I think took enough down of my barriers that I had an affair with. Okay,

Scott Benner 1:02:19
hey, this is an interesting question for your because of your generation. Are you more ashamed of milking weed or cheating?

Unknown Speaker 1:02:27
Oh, I'm more ashamed. There's

Scott Benner 1:02:29
cheating cheating, because it hurts somebody's shame about smoking. Weed. You didn't have any. Okay. Wow. I just want to say Claudia's getting a drink right now. And I want to put out there to anybody listening. When you come on the podcast. This is the level of honesty I'm looking for right here. This is your Can I curse? Claudia, you're amazing. I love this. I swear to God, this is the greatest, like, from my perspective, like you understand, like, I got on this morning. And I was like, Oh, 73 year old lady with diabetes. I don't know what we're gonna talk about. I didn't think we're going to talk about any of this. This is really, this. You being on the show, is what makes this show so great. So thank you so much. I mean, it's amazing. Like, like if I said to you right now, tell me a crazy story that hasn't come up yet. Just one pop into your mind. Something you've done that you think people would be like, Wow, that's astonishing.

Speaker 1 1:03:25
I know the most something I'm the most proud at. I did go ahead. And this was before I was diagnosed, but I'm sure I was already suffering. This is Claudia trying to reparent young Claudia. And I got interested in Montessori education. So I said, I need to get my Master's in Montessori. I like decided that in like one minute. I don't know how but it just was true. So I lessonly got a full scholarship at Xavier University, which is a really good Montessori training. And I was one of the staff who founded the first public Montessori school in the United States. Oh my gosh. And now here in Cincinnati, you could go to public Montessori through high school. And the big get and that's I was at the foundation of that wonderful gift to this community. And now there's public Montessori schools all over the place. Yeah. But the huge gift that came from that is my best friends. And I'm going to name names Sandy. Nancy. A Suzanne. Well, Jerry, we don't know her for Montessori, but her daughter became a Montessori teacher. Those are my family. And when my family could not understand me, and respect me, those women were my family. And the miracle is they still are. And I have that. I'm sure though I'll listen to this. And they know what we have. It's, it's the, I think some people might feel like this about their mothers, like, Who do I go to? When I really need help. And when, when Linda died, my mother said, I call my mother and I was still hoping, farmer, my mother to be like, loving to me. And I said, committed. I mean, I was like, frantic I couldn't lend a committed suicide was what I was trying to get out. And my mother said, Well, I hope you're finished with this lesbian thing now.

Scott Benner 1:06:12
Oh, my gosh.

Speaker 1 1:06:16
I call my friends. This my core group of friends, Sandy, Nancy. I said, Come over here. I can't stay. Oh, I can't stay alive through this. And they come over. And Sandy grabbed my shoulders and said, Claudia, when you need mothering, stop calling your mother. It's like, I couldn't get that I would. And that's my friend, Sandy. And she's my friend. And more whatever you call that when someone is a sister. Yeah. Lucky that now. Some of my sisters are becoming my real sisters.

Scott Benner 1:07:03
Oh, that's nice. Your family's kind of getting closer as you get older. I love it. Yeah, that's excellent. But your life, your life is a triumph. It really is like I can't I keep coming back to that word in my mind, like you just you triumphantly conquer things that I think would just stop other people. You keep going, you know? Yeah,

Speaker 1 1:07:27
I don't want to act like they didn't stop being for a long time,

Scott Benner 1:07:31
though. You were clear about it. But I mean, you're still here. And you're doing it. And you have a crystal clear attitude. And it's, it's wonderful. I mean, it's it's uplifting and hopeful.

Speaker 1 1:07:41
Yeah, I mean, now, I think, because you know, I need a kept that insulin. I feel like even if you could get well from type one, there was part of me, that said, but what if I ever need to check out? Like, what if I have to live under a bridge or I lose my feet? Or what if I can't stay? And so I thought, well, that means you can't ever get well from type one if you've got to have the story that you're getting need insulin. But now I feel like do I trust the process of life enough to trust the process of my death? Whenever that comes? Do I trust that all my needs because my my main story in my life is being amazed that all my needs are met, because I'd be out west fall of a horse broke my arm. I mean, it specially my out west adventures. I thought my needs keep being met in these odd ways by people I didn't really know. And, and so I started to believe, oh, all my needs are met. But my life is a little odd and that some people kind of know how their needs are met by their families or their husband. But I haven't done that

Scott Benner 1:09:19
people. So people have been I mean hard on you, but other people have been very kind to

Speaker 1 1:09:24
you. Oh my god, people more people have been kind extraordinarily out of their way. stunningly kind to me. And then I have a few family members who because of their own dysfunction. Want to keep talking about a child abuser in front of me. Yeah,

Scott Benner 1:09:50
I think you should expect the kindness then. It sounds to me like I

Speaker 1 1:09:54
do. Yeah, not around. There are a few family members. I will not interact with

Scott Benner 1:10:00
Yeah, I mean, that's fair. Nine, nine brothers and sisters, it's gotta be a couple clunkers in there, right.

Speaker 1 1:10:08
I actually love them too, but you don't get it back from them treated respectfully. And so I've, I've said kind of generally, I'd be loved to meet with you talk about these disagreements we have. But there must be a skillful third person there. Yeah, like a therapist, because if I have the skill to resolve things with you, I would have done it right. We wouldn't be in this spot. That's very, I don't have the skill that's very mature of you.

Scott Benner 1:10:43
Did any of them take you up on it? Yes, the miracle.

Speaker 1 1:10:45
This is the miracle of my sister Gina. And she's gonna listen to this. So she'll love that I'm honoring her. But I did. I backed off from everybody. But my sister Gina and I, we did have a pretty, I thought we had a pretty good relationship. But I also have compassion for her predicament. She's a middle child. And the middle child, their goal is you bring peace to this family. So it was very hard for my sister to take sides. And I really actually needed someone to say, Mom, stop being mean to my sister, you know, I need that. But I also now I have compassion for her her innate role as a middle child. But I was in Colorado doing my horse thing. And my sister was in California. And my sister offered to drive in did drive from California to Colorado to meet me at the equine. I was starting to study equine therapy at that time. It's a wonderful way to do therapy, you include horses, instead of office furniture.

Scott Benner 1:12:11
You are not the first person to bring up equine therapy on the podcast, which

Speaker 1 1:12:16
I'm just very excited. Yeah. combined my awareness of emotions with horses, they are much more aware than we are.

Scott Benner 1:12:27
Yeah, no, it's amazing. I heard somebody explained how they take their daughter to it, I think, um, you know, you care for the horse. And then the, I guess the idea is that the horse kind of can feel how you feel. And then you can sort of you can, you can, like work on yourself by how the energy you're getting back from the horse. Is that right? Oh,

Speaker 1 1:12:46
horses do things they cannot be trained to do in response to people. Wow. That's really, you don't know? What's going to come up. And I can tell you a whole nother podcast, of course equine therapy stories. But my sister just out of her wanting to reconnect with me, she drove and her boyfriend came to, to, he supported her. Yeah. From California, to Colorado, have the session with me paying for the session, and then started back

Scott Benner 1:13:29
to California. Very nice. That's very nice.

Speaker 1 1:13:33
So we still have some unresolved stuff. But I just say, Gina, it doesn't matter what you do from here on. Yeah, just let it go. You have money in the bank with me? Because of what you did?

Scott Benner 1:13:48
Yeah. You can just let it go. Let everything go and just move forward. Right? Well, we

Speaker 1 1:13:53
don't let it go. But we both I trust that she is not. I trust that she's on my side. Yeah. And if anything comes up, it's just one of our lack of skill. And we both have skills to talk about things. So I trust I'll do whatever it takes to reconnect with Gina because she did that for me. That's beautiful. Majan what that dedication? Yeah. No,

Scott Benner 1:14:25
I can't say enough about that. Honestly. That's wonderful.

Speaker 1 1:14:29
That's Gina. Yeah. Well, Claudia, we're over time.

Scott Benner 1:14:33
So I'm going to wrap up with you. But I can't thank you enough for sharing this story with me. It was really unexpected, and I can't it's just very nice of you to share it with everybody. You're not going to be the only person who has been through some of these things. And I think it's good for people to hear other people talk about it. So that's

Speaker 1 1:14:54
what I decided in one to contribute. And I want Especially my story of how my desperation to not live brought me type one diabetes. It seemed even though it was already coming on but felt

Scott Benner 1:15:15
like the path the path that you were on taught you something every step of the way.

Speaker 1 1:15:22
Just been one amazing lesson after another. Yeah,

Scott Benner 1:15:27
you've had a hell of a life.

Speaker 1 1:15:28
I always when the people come on and they say I hate this disease, like, it's such a, you know, all the hate about diabetes. I've never hated it. Because I feel like it. It is my life style.

Scott Benner 1:15:47
Yeah, no, I mean, you can't hate who you are. If you have diabetes, it's part of you. And you know, if you're gonna hate diabetes, you're gonna end up paying yourself. So there's a lot people can take from your, your general attitude and the way you tackle things. I'm very glad you added it to the podcast. I want to thank you very much.

Speaker 1 1:16:05
Thank you for talking with me and letting me tell my

Scott Benner 1:16:10
story. That's my pleasure. It really was Hold on one second for me.

I want to thank Claudia for coming on the show today and telling us her life story. A huge thank you to one of today's sponsors, G voc glucagon, find out more about Tchibo Capo pen at G Vogue glucagon.com Ford slash juicebox. you spell that GVOKEGLUC AG o n.com. Forward slash juicebox. If you're looking for community around type one diabetes, check out the Juicebox Podcast private Facebook group Juicebox Podcast type one diabetes, but everybody is welcome. Type one type two gestational loved ones. It doesn't matter to me. If you're impacted by diabetes, and you're looking for support, comfort or community check out Juicebox Podcast type one diabetes on Facebook. Thank you so much for listening. I'll be back soon with another episode of The Juicebox Podcast. The episode you just heard was professionally edited by wrong way recording. Wrong way recording.com

#1099 Healing Heart

Willie has type 1 diabetes and a healing heart.

+ Click for EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

Scott Benner 0:00
Hello friends, and welcome to episode 1099 of the Juicebox Podcast.

On today's show I'm going to be speaking with Willie Willie as someone who I've been trying to get on the podcast for years. You can follow him on Instagram at T one D artists. And I think you're gonna love this episode. Willie is 40 years old he was diagnosed with type one diabetes in 2003. He also has hypothyroidism fibromyalgia, frozen shoulder, restless leg syndrome, and a little bit more. What he doesn't have is a bad attitude. Willie is who I think of when I think of hope. When you place your first order for ag one with my link, you'll get five free travel packs and a free year supply of vitamin D. Drink ag one.com/juice box. 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. Don't forget to save 40% off of your entire order at cozy earth.com All you have to do is use the offer code juice box at checkout that's juice box at checkout to save 40% at cozy earth.com.

This episode of The Juicebox Podcast is sponsored by Dexcom dexcom.com/juice box get the brand new Dexcom G seven with my link and get started today. Today's episode of The Juicebox Podcast is sponsored by Omni pod and the Omni pod five. Learn more and get started today at Omni pod.com/juicebox.

Willie Streets 2:00
My name is Willie, aka Willie streets, aka the T one D artists and it's been a long time coming. In the words of my iconic hero Mr. Tupac Shakur. This won't be the real issue ever.

Scott Benner 2:16
I'm ready for that. Excellent. Willie, how long have we been interacting online? Do you think? For myself?

Willie Streets 2:22
It seems as though it's been a while. But when I go back and look at dates and whatnot, since 2020

Scott Benner 2:32
Oh, that's a reasonable amount of time. It's almost a three full years. Right. Right. Yeah. So

Willie Streets 2:38
like, right in the midst of the pain, the onset of the pandemic? Yeah,

Scott Benner 2:44
I love the podcast. You know, I hate to say and I you starting to hear people talk like this. Now the further out we get from it, you don't want to say good things that came from COVID. But it really helped the podcast. You know, people were at home and and I guess had time to consider their health then a lot of people found it. And it kind of blossomed from there was doing well. And it was growing kind of incrementally but man right around 2020 2021 It like like it took off. So yeah, so

Willie Streets 3:13
it really helped me during that time.

Scott Benner 3:17
I'm glad we'll talk about it for sure. How old are you? When were you diagnosed?

Willie Streets 3:21
I'm 40 years old. I was diagnosed March 10 2000 and 312 years? Yep, we've got 2120 years. Seven months. 22 days

Scott Benner 3:37
keeping track? Yes. That's a long time ago. 20 years a long time ago. Yeah. Were you expecting it? Was it in your family at all?

Willie Streets 3:46
When I got diagnosed? That March, I was not expecting it at all. My dad was diagnosed as a type two diabetic 1995. Okay, so I was not expecting that at all. I didn't know that I had any family history of diabetes, both type one. I had a large family history of type two. I had actual two uncles that are in both both worlds by my dad's sisters that were diagnosed as type ones. My mom's sister, my uncle, Jonas, he's passed. He was type one diabetic also. So I knew a bit about it, but didn't know of any family history. Yeah,

Scott Benner 4:36
so it was there, but not something people spoke about or didn't type to get more of the attention.

Willie Streets 4:41
It wasn't it was there. People spoke about it. But I did not know there was a difference. I just new diabetes.

Scott Benner 4:50
Oh, I got it. And you're young too. I mean, your father's diagnosed you're not maybe more than like eight or nine years old. So like you're a younger person that was a kid Yeah. I gotcha. From

Willie Streets 5:01
the beginning. Like when he there is diagnosis. Like he showed us everything, like his meter, how to use it, how to test. And it's crazy. I remember when he came home, it was like around Christmas. And he showed us actually how to use his meter and we all prick their fingers to see what our blood sugar's were. And I don't even remember chains and the lancet like we all just checked, pass it around.

Scott Benner 5:28
So he was pretty open about it than he was. Yeah. Is that a thing that you remember him working at? So

Willie Streets 5:35
my dad was always a bigger guy. So he was always working on his health. My mom was big into what was the QVC, home shopping club, all those things. So they will buy all types of gadgets, AV rollers, ad lounges, all of those things, and he will work on his his body, his weight and things of that nature. But on his diabetes, when he was actually diagnosed, he did not work on that. And he says it today, because he makes sure him and my mom make sure that my health is at the most optimal level, because he's had many complications over the years.

Scott Benner 6:17
Yeah. It's such a shame that even even 20 years ago, what what was really known about it, and even the medications that are available now that weren't available. I mean, you look at that story, and you bring it to present day and you think, Oh, he takes ozempic He probably drops all that weight and is a once he goes down and you know, he's he's doing better in a year. It's something How old is he now? How old are your parents?

Willie Streets 6:40
My dad just turned 66. And my mom will be 60 Fool in December.

Scott Benner 6:46
I mean, it sounds like at the very least he laid down a foundation for you and then took it more seriously. Isn't it interesting? It's easier to help somebody else than it is to help yourself. A lot of the times were

Willie Streets 6:57
very, my dad. Yeah, he really took it serious. Because I mean, it's because of him that I believe my life was saved upon my own diagnosis.

Scott Benner 7:08
Tell me a little bit about it. What do you recall from the time that you were diagnosed?

Willie Streets 7:11
Let me take you down this, this tunnel. So a lot of people when they speak about their diagnosis, it's usually some kind of like a physical ailment that occurs, whether it's sickness, virus, things of that nature. But all for me. It was more of a traumatic experience, more emotional. In 2003. My parents were going through a lot. My dad, my mom was on the brink of separation. Because my dad was out here in the streets doing and my parents actually lost their home. Like I remember that day. There was a sheriff's note on the door. My older brother, he's six years older than me, he went and got the U haul truck pack, the U haul truck, went and put everything in storage. We were staying at a motel was a travel Lodge, my parents were staying in one room, me and my brother, my younger brother, who's three years younger than me, we're standing in another room. I remember their neck rare for about three weeks. And me and my younger brother, we would like do whatever to uplift each other. Because I mean, that's my heart. That's my, that's my best friend always. And we would go to like this bowl of Rama and play bowl, play, shoot, shoot pool and bowling and things of that nature. And about two weeks later, my parents had got a house while it was an apartment. And that first week there that that first week there I don't know what occurred. But I remember not being able to sleep and continuously having to get up and go to the bathroom, repetitively, repetitively. And there was a McDonald's that was down the street, and I will walk to that McDonald's and fill up these big cups of lemonade. And I've spoken to other type ones recently, and they were like, you had that lemonade cream. And also, like, I did not know that was a thing. They said something with the citric acid and I've never heard that before either. That's interesting. Yeah, there's some with lemonade, vinegar. All of those things like people crave it. After a few days of not being able to sleep in going into the bathroom repetitively and drinking gallons of water on in. Like I remember sleeping in the bathroom on the floor, because I knew that I will have to get up and go back to like having to go back to the bathroom after going and laying in the bed. And my dad worked overnight. And I remember one morning it was like seven o'clock in the morning. And he was sitting on the couch. So my parents had me me men's women's Biden like they were We're all good. And I walked into the living room and I said, I don't feel good. He's like, what's wrong with you? And I said, I don't know. Like, I can't stop using the bathroom. I said, I can't stop using the bathroom. I'm so thirsty. I feel so dehydrated, like my buddy string. And he looked me straight in the eyes and said, you're a diabetic.

Scott Benner 10:23
He recognized that from his life. Yeah, yes.

Willie Streets 10:26
He recognized. US said to him, like, I just need to go to the hospital. So he told me grandma stuff. My parents don't drive. They've never driven. I mean, lived in a city always called public transportation. We're not. So we hopped on a bus went to the local hospital. Scott, I'm going to mention where I'm from. So I'm from Wilmington, Delaware. I know we got a connection with Delaware.

Scott Benner 10:55
I could tell by your area code when you signed up to be on that. I knew where you were from that?

Willie Streets 10:59
Yeah, right. So I know about your connection with University of Delaware

Scott Benner 11:03
and my wife. My wife got her undergrad there. I spent a lot of time in Delaware. Yes,

Willie Streets 11:08
yes. Yes. So we went to a local hospital, St. Francis, a small hospital, a small private hospital. And before diagnosis, I was big into my physical well being. I'll follow this routine by a former great Philadelphia, running back where he would do 1200 Sit ups and 2100 Push Ups per day. And that was me. I would do that. Hey, are

Scott Benner 11:41
you talking about Herschel? Yeah, no, no.

Willie Streets 11:46
Yeah, he used to be my guy. But, uh, yeah, follow that routine. And I was I was fit like, I mean, I'm a little under six feet tall, 180 pounds. And when I got into that hospital, first thing they asked me to do was step on the scale. When I stepped on that scale, weigh 244 pounds. And my heart just sunk

Scott Benner 12:11
in. Okay, that's a lot of weight.

Willie Streets 12:14
And I could picture my dad sitting in the chair, but his hands like on his

Scott Benner 12:18
face, like heartbroken. Yeah,

Willie Streets 12:23
like, I'm his junior. So, you know, even like, we've had a bunch of problems growing up, as you know, boys and our fathers do. I could, I knew that his heart was broken. His soul was very broken. But yeah, that was the day I was diagnosed on a couple years ago. So right before the pandemic started, so that first February 2020, I actually contacted St. Francis Hospital, because I didn't have my parents didn't have any paperwork. I didn't have any paperwork on the grounds of my diagnosis. So I contacted them. And they told me that they get rid of medical records after 10 years. They don't have to keep them. But they do keep the intake and discharge papers. So I emailed them and fax them. And they were like, yes, shortcoming. Come and get them. So I went and got them. And on there, it says, like it tell us about my diagnosis like, Oh, he's been diagnosed as type one diabetic. My blood sugar. It said it read the max reading, which was 499, I guess the meters they had didn't pass that my agency was at a 14.7. And really,

Scott Benner 13:35
you think that the stress of you're getting out of your home and your parents fighting and all that stuff? You feel like that was part of what brought it on?

Willie Streets 13:43
I do. Get that stress in being a type one diabetic for the amount of time that I have been? I do know that certain things such as stress, so hormonal imbalances and changes do alter your blood sugar. So I do believe that it pushed forward. My diagnosis. I believe

Scott Benner 14:09
that as well. Do you think did you have to say two brothers right? older and younger? Yes.

Willie Streets 14:15
Yes. Two brothers and a sister were three years apart. 7780 83. That's

Scott Benner 14:21
a spread. Do they have any issues, any autoimmune stuff at all? They

Willie Streets 14:25
do not. My younger brother, I keep telling him he, he should go get checked. He always had stomach issues, gut issues. And a few years ago, he was like, I know what it is. I just think that I'm sensitive to dairy and so he's been popping these little dairy tablets or non stop and I'm like, You should go get checked because like I know now that like I have an aunt was diagnosed with irritable bowel disease, colitis when she was a child and In just recently, she got her thyroid removed. She has hypothyroidism. I have this is all on my mom's side. I have two aunts with rheumatoid arthritis.

Scott Benner 15:12
Yeah, there's a fair amount of autoimmune, the IBS and the RA. Maybe your brother's got celiac or digestive issue or something to that effect, right? Yeah. Yeah. I

Willie Streets 15:26
told him he should go get checked out. But he's like, people don't listen.

Scott Benner 15:33
That's why I get a tricky with this podcast and make it silly and stupid. So you're listening about your diabetes? Because it is. It's just tough man. Nobody. You know, sometimes people think they have it figured out and sometimes they don't want to hear the news. So, you know, I

Willie Streets 15:47
thought I had it figured out until the pandemic, really? Everything was cool to me. I mean, I suffered from hypoglycemia on awareness. I mean, I've had many episodes of EMTs EMS at my doorstep. waking me up. I remember a paramedic telling me that it was normal.

Scott Benner 16:12
That's because he sees it so much to probably, yeah, right.

Willie Streets 16:16
He said, he said, I see it all the time. He said, at least it's not happening every day. He said, I got a guy down the street. I'm at his door, like every day or every other day,

Scott Benner 16:24
really, as well. That's a long time between your diagnosis and Pandemic time. So how were you living through that? And you said, you felt like you had it figured out? What did that look like to you? And when did you realize it wasn't? Today's episode of The Juicebox Podcast is sponsored by Omni pod. And before I tell you about Omni pod, the device, I'd like to tell you about Omni pod, the company. I approached on the pod in 2015 and asked them to buy an ad on a podcast that I hadn't even begun to make yet. Because the podcast didn't have any listeners, all I could promise them was that I was going to try to help people living with type one diabetes. And that was enough for Omni pod. They bought their first ad. And I use that money to support myself while I was growing the Juicebox Podcast. You might even say that Omni pod is the firm foundation of the Juicebox Podcast. And it's actually the firm foundation of how my daughter manages her type one diabetes every day. Omni pod.com/juicebox whether you want the Omni pod five, or the Omni pod dash, using my link, lets Omni pod know what a good decision they made in 2015 and continue to make to this day. Omni pod is easy to use, easy to fill, easy to wear. And I know that because my daughter has been wearing one every day since she was four years old. And she will be 20 this year. There is not enough time in an ad for me to tell you everything that I know about Omni pod. But please take a look. Omni pod.com/juice box, I think Omni pod could be a good friend to you. Just like it has been to my daughter and my family.

Willie Streets 18:14
Having to figure it out for me was more so take your insulin. As long as you feel okay, you're good. That's how it was for me for too many years. Many years. I just did not know. I wasn't given the education, the resources, the guidance, the support, that I know is needed to live your best life. Oh, it was like it was skipped. Like even going back to 2003 of my diagnosis. Like looking at the discharge papers. It actually says on there that they're not sending me home with a meter. Because my dad has accucheck meter at home. Good enough.

Scott Benner 18:58
You got one. That's perfect. Yeah. Yeah. As long

Willie Streets 19:01
as he had his accucheck meter. I was okay. That's

Scott Benner 19:05
interesting. Right now, companies are giving away like candy, you know, in here, take a meter. And it's so interesting. Yeah, right. Right. Right. Right. So yeah, Willie, basically, if you're alive, and the guy in the rescue squad tells you, it's all right. You don't pass that as much as the guy up the street. You figure, this is what this is. And I'm looking forward and I'm standing up so I'm doing okay. Yeah, right.

Willie Streets 19:30
I was not doing okay. And I hope that today, the things that I wasn't given or gifted, don't come back to haunt me now. Because those, I mean, Scott, like literally, there was 15 years in between that time where for the first six or six years before I got my current general practitioner, I was on a routine of just giving thing 7030 Mix insulin 30 units before, before breakfast 15 units before dinner. And then probably a year or so later, I realized like I needed more insulin because my blood sugar was rising. So I would just manually inject that, like insulin whenever I felt high. And that created me having so many overnight loans, like our I think it was 2005 2000 fours, a girl who I used to date I was at her house, and I woke up in the bathroom, like half naked with blood all over the place. empties. I had been off half my tongue.

Scott Benner 20:47
Oh my gosh. From a low. Yeah. You mean you were using a regular an MPH for 15 years? Not

Willie Streets 20:54
for 15 years now. So I was using that from 2003 until 2009. Okay, right around that time. Yes. And when I met my general practitioner, he looked at me and said, What are you doing? And I said, What do you mean? He said, We have to get you a Basal and a Bolus insulin immediately. And he did bring eight one C checks because Scott, during this time, I didn't have I didn't get my eight one c check. I'm just wondering that, okay, I didn't at all because I was seeing my dad's doctor and my dad had an issue with him. So I had an issue with him. And I remember going in with my dad and him saying things like, telling my dad how bad he was doing and my dad cussing him out. Because my dad is no holds barred. Like, really, like my dad telling him like, Eff you. You're not gonna be saying this to me and whatnot. So I didn't want to see him. Only use them for my script. Yeah. Yeah, that I was using that for all that time. So like, I truly hope and I tell my wife this, that the things like the education I was in giving doesn't come back to haunt me. Like, really?

Scott Benner 22:09
But you got six. You mean, you have six tough years in there. But you were you were using the insulin though, right? I was using it. Yeah. And you added more when you knew your your blood sugar was high. And it led to lows overnight, but at least it was in there and it was doing something. Right. Yeah. When they finally check your agency, which I'm guessing is right, in your like, you're around 26 or 27. In that age group right there. Right. What was it? You remember?

Willie Streets 22:34
The first one was, I think it was 10 point something like, I think it was like a 10.3. Somewhere around that. So that showed that I was running in that range for all those years,

Scott Benner 22:46
likely? Yeah. Did the fast acting insulin bring that down? Yes.

Willie Streets 22:51
So I remember getting it down to the eight. And then I remember being like around 7.5 for a few years. Then in 2017 2018, I was down to about 6.7. And from that moment on, like, I looked at it, and I started learning more about insulin. And I've been able to keep it between 5.1 to 5.64. Since that time, so since about 2018 2019, my blood sugar has been my glucose levels have my agency has been between 5.1 and 5.6. That has not been above 5.6.

Scott Benner 23:32
And as well done. Good for you. It Were there a lot of lows in there while you were figuring it out.

Willie Streets 23:38
Yes, there were. I had an incident where I was at work in 2015. So I did like I worked at for a big retail company in the shipping receiving merchandising support system. And one day I was out moving something some kind of fixture and my body just started jittering. Like, out of like, I didn't feel it coming on. I've always been hypoglycemic going to where and I don't know if that's because of how was using that. That insulin before that mph and regular regular. Yeah. And all of us next thing I know, I'm on the floor like no down, and I'm shaking. And one of the managers who's working with me, he looks at me, he's like, Well, are you are you alright? And I'm like, I'm not able to talk. And next thing I know the paramedics are there. This was throughout 2015 Because my wife and I worked at the same place. That's where we met. And I remember her meeting me there at the job because she was home on maternity leave at the time. And then don't take me to that same hospital St. Francis Hospital. It was it was it was hard.

Scott Benner 24:58
And when you Have a Dexcom now I hear it so yep, yep, you heard it because my adrenaline. Yeah. Are you nervous?

Willie Streets 25:05
I'm not nervous. No, Scott is crazy. My daughter, she's in seventh grade and she plays basketball. So at a basketball game, I couldn't enter at seven. And I didn't realize this until last year, that I could sit there calm employees, but within half an hour, my blood sugar can go up 50 to 60 points. So I was set in temp basals for her basketball games. It's crazy.

Scott Benner 25:34
Listen, I sit Nicole's baseball game one day, and he hit a ball in a gap and I was screaming and when it was over, I thought I'm gonna have a heart attack watching these baseball.

Willie Streets 25:44
So look, I will go so I started going into her bad basketball games and like doing like a peaceful meditation first.

Scott Benner 25:54
You got this didn't work. When a Temp Basal work that

Willie Streets 25:57
Temp Basal work. That was just a mental thing. Yeah. So yeah. I had another incident at work where I felt my blood sugar dropping like I started getting like real, like, jittery, that's what I always call it. And I'm walking to the break room to try to get a drink. I'm dropping everything. So I ended up getting like iced tea and some peanut butter crackers. And I go and sit down. And next thing I know, I see someone running over to me. They're like, Well, are you okay? Are you okay? And I'm like, I'm just trying to eat these crackers. I'm just trying to eat these crackers. And they're like, you're it looks like you're about to have a seizure. So they're taking the crackers from you. They're like, You can't eat if you're having a seizure. I'm like, I need these crackers. I need these crackers. And they're trying to take them from me like it was crazy. So next thing you know, there there comes the ELT again.

Scott Benner 26:46
I was gonna say so you call it jittery? If you heard Arden. Describe how it felt like she was phasing in and out. Right? I have yet is that similar for you? Yes, yes. Yes.

Willie Streets 27:00
I was thinking about this last night. I recently heard a episode where a young lady was talking about a out of body experience. And I have felt those out of body experiences. Not in the sense of like, I know, she was talking about like, seeing where things think of her parents were doing crazy things to her or whatnot. But um, more so. Like with the jittery feelings, like it's like, I can't control myself, but my brain is trying to control what I'm doing. But my hands are moving a different way. My legs are shaking. My eyes are twitching. But my mind is saying you got this will you got this? Because every time the My wife has found me in the kitchen spilling glasses of juice or whatnot over the years, she's like, You always tell me you're okay. You always say I got this. And she says, I know when you say I got this. That means Oh, hell no. Like, and I say I said thank you. I said just know I never got this.

Scott Benner 28:05
100% Sure. I don't know what's going on at that point. Yeah,

Willie Streets 28:09
I you

Scott Benner 28:10
carrying glucagon nowadays, the Dexcom g7 is sponsoring this episode of The Juicebox Podcast. And it features a lightning fast 30 minute warmup time, that's right from the time you put on the Dexcom g7. Till the time you're getting readings, 30 minutes. That's pretty great. It also has a 12 hour grace period, so you can swap your sensor when it's convenient for you. All that on top of it being small, accurate, incredibly wearable, and light. These things in my opinion, make the Dexcom g7. a no brainer. The Dexcom g7 comes with way more than just this. Up to 10. People can follow you, you can use it with type one, type two, or gestational diabetes, it's covered by all sorts of insurances. And this might be the best part. It might be the best part alerts and alarms that are customizable so that you can be alerted at the levels that makes sense to you. dexcom.com/juicebox links in the show notes links at juicebox podcast.com to Dexcom at all the sponsors. When you use my links, you're supporting the production of the podcast and helping to keep it free and plentiful. Yes,

Willie Streets 29:19
yes, I do. Carry glucagon. I do not leave the house without something on me on a fast fast acting core. Even something with protein to stabilize it as as is once it does rise

Scott Benner 29:35
for you. Yeah. Hey, the lows are they as frequent now as they used to be? Or is that a thing from the past? That's

Willie Streets 29:41
a thing of the past like truly a thing of the past. So I'm currently like, my timer rings is always between like 91 94% God use Omnipod five, but I recently because of insurance is You all went back to using the original Omni pod barrel system. And it's the same like I thought I was going to have this huge like brain for going back to using that but it's the same everything's good but yeah, I don't have those loads as frequently at all. Okay, I still don't feel them much winner coming on.

Scott Benner 30:22
I mean you're using better insulin you know how to use it better now so you've got to CGM has a lot of advancements here for you really? Yeah. So

Willie Streets 30:29
yeah, I was because I was using Lance's from that initial visit with my doctor 2009 until 2021. Okay. glances and humor over and over log. And what do you use now? So, because of the honorable Scott Benner, the man behind the scene, the myth, the legend, I use Omni pod index calm. I did not know of this technology before the podcast before the podcast like I did not. I mean, I've heard of people wearing insulin pumps. My doctor offered me a FreeStyle Libre in 2017. But he never he just told me like this is this seven to 14 day thing you can wear to manage your or you can check your blood sugar. Yeah, I was like, Okay, I checked both 20 times a day with finger sticks.

Unknown Speaker 31:34
So that'd be better.

Willie Streets 31:37
Right? So yeah, the podcast told me that I

Scott Benner 31:41
have to ask you a question. I hope it's not uncomfortable.

Willie Streets 31:43
I'm comfortable in my skin. Well,

Scott Benner 31:45
I appreciate that. And I don't know, you're such a lovely person. And you're so connected to how other people feel, and giving of your time online and your desire to help other people. I'm just wondering where that comes from?

Willie Streets 31:59
Where does it come from? Scott, I've always had a heart. And I've always had a heart to heal, where that comes from. My parents don't even know where it comes from. But they said since I was a kid, I've always been like that, like with my friends. I remember sticking up for them. Like when they were bullies me always hopping in and be like, if you want to mess with them, you gotta mess with me. I've always been that person. Whether it was his school and work have always stuck up for the whether it was the less fortunate, the smaller person or wherever. Because I've never, I've never had a fear of man. I remember I used to tell people that my dad is six foot 300 pounds. If I'm not afraid of him, why would I be afraid of you? So like,

Scott Benner 32:52
I've had that thought a couple times in my life. Yeah, yeah. Just stand there. And you're like, I can take it.

Willie Streets 33:00
Yeah, right. Like, it's nothing. It's just, you're just to me, mere mere mere mortals. But

Scott Benner 33:06
that idea, though, that like being a guy in this space, there are not a lot of them to begin with. Yeah, they're not a lot of man. Oh, and let's be honest, like, there's, there's not a lot of black people in general talking about their diabetes online. And as a matter of fact, I was in Austin last weekend giving a talk. And this young lady in the back, she posed that question to me, she said, The podcast is great. Look at all these people here. And you can see how they're helping. What do you do to reach the people who aren't in this room, and I knew what she meant. I answered her for a while because it's something I've thought about for years, and I've tried, but I don't know. Like, I can't seem to break whatever that wall is. And that's why you're kind of a unicorn to me. So

Willie Streets 33:45
sky. Me being a black man who's always been about his business, always about his family all about God and protecting. I take that with everything I do. It's not just like I said in school, but every aspect of my life is using my heart first. It's crazy, because in the DLC diabetic online community, when I first got on like Instagram, I searched for type one diabetics, and I found many of them. And now everyone comes to me for like, they say, I'm like their online therapist. And I tell everyone, seriously, I'm like, if I can't help you guide you give you to get the educational resources you need, then I don't know who can because I take it upon myself to try to embody who you are. It's a great form of empathy, so that I can navigate the things that you need. Like I have a cousin, who's also a type one diabetic. I didn't realize this until more recent believe that she was a type one diabetic because we haven't spoken much over the years, like me and her brothers grew up like brothers. Like we did everything together. But she's their baby sister who's she's maybe 1014 years younger. I think she's 2627. Somewhere around there, then the youngest brother, so we didn't grow up that close. And she was diagnosed at 12 years old. She came to me in 2019. They live in North Carolina. Now, they moved there a few years ago. And she was asking me if I had any 7030 insulin because she had broke her pin or something. And I'm like, she doesn't want me use it her name. I'm like Khadija. You're still using that. 7030. And she's like, Yeah, I'm like, You need a regular. I said, you need a basil and a Bolus. She didn't know what that was. Right. So since then, like I've been helping her because she's, she may be a little older than that. 2728 And she's had the most complications. I've come across the someone so young. And she started off she told me that she had neuropathy and her foot. And like I said, it's got like, this is gonna be the realest. You ever heard one eight. So she got into Robert D and her foot because she actually got shot and her foot. And when she got shot her foot, they didn't get out the they weren't able to take out all the fragments of the Bolia her bones was crushed. And her foots never healed. Like her foots been broken for about six or seven years. Now. She's, and she has minimal movement in it like it's swollen. She has that she has written off at the she did not know she had written up the two years ago. She about her dad had told me she was like, You need to talk to Khadija. Because they said she's going blind. So I called her and she was like, yeah, they said, my left eye is completely blind. It's blocked. I can't see out of it. So I told her, I said, I reached out to people that I know online. When it comes to diabetes. There's like I can reach everyone. Like, I am a very communicative guy. Like it's easy to approach me. Yeah. And I will take my time to write down the things that you're going through and reach out to whoever or whomever you need to help better your your existence. You're

Scott Benner 37:36
acting as a bridge for people who don't know how to get to the doctors and the information and the technology.

Willie Streets 37:42
You're actually you know, why? Because I didn't have that. Yeah, no, I know, I didn't have that we

Scott Benner 37:48
kind of glossed over it before. Before you go on. You talked about having to embody the person that you're dealing with and really feel what what's happening to them so that you can actually help them. That's, yeah, that's it's very important, like a and it's hard to is Do you find it hard on you because I do it. And there are times it's hard on me. I mean, you and I have been talking for 40 minutes. I've almost cried twice while you were talking just when you were celebrating like successes in your in your life. It's

Willie Streets 38:15
not for it for me. It's not. I actually love it. Like you hear about people who hate diabetes all the time. I absolutely love it. And you're not going to hear that often. Because the reason I love it is because it gives me the opportunity to help other people heal other people like it gives me I don't it just feels so good to me. And I tell people that every day. If I checked my inbox or like Instagram, I'm pretty sure I got 20 messages right now. Yeah. Like I've created communities. I have one community. It's just Philly region Daya crew. That's what I call my communities, the dye crew. And we're about 65 deep. I have one that's all people of color, different origins. That's 80 Plus, I created one in Atlanta area because I had a young lady who reached out me reach out to me in the summertime she didn't have insulin. So I went and searched for people in Atlanta area and created a group for them. I I do that because there was a point in time when I didn't have that where I had to find out how I was going to get insulin. Join different programs such as three four UB prescription program, join different medical clinics, things of that nature. And like when I hear people talk about how they they're scared that they're going to lose their insurance and I'm never afraid of losing my insurance because I know the different resources and how to how to navigate them. I'm always okay, right

Scott Benner 40:01
340 B, solutions, pharmacy benefits, I'm looking into what it is right now. Can you explain it to me.

Willie Streets 40:10
So with the 340 B program, if you have a community health clinic, there are more so for people who meet under certain FPL federal poverty levels, you go to that clinic, and that clinic is linked with a pharmacy such as Walgreens, CVS, and it gives discounted prescriptions, okay? to persons who are in need.

Scott Benner 40:41
And you know how to get that's what you're saying is you know how to get to that. So you're comfortable, and you're teaching other people how to get to it as well and creating communities. By the way, next year, I might do a little tour sponsored by a company of like in person talks. So if I can actually make that happen. I'll contact you about doing one in Philly.

Willie Streets 41:01
Yes, sir. Let's, let's make it happen. I have events coming up this week. Next week in Philly, do you write for the paradise film, I have a event coming up on November the 14th. At the in theater, where like, I reached out to someone who was like, I want to do this, because I wanted to host an event T one d plus love, which means is type one diabetics plus people who they love people who mean everything to the people who shouldn't know. So we're hosting that event. And you bring people bringing their significant others, partners, family members, so that they can sit down and learn more,

Scott Benner 41:45
Willie, you're the you're the answer to a question that I've watched people ask over and over again. So I'll share some behind the scenes stuff here with what's that question, I'll share some behind the scenes stuff here. And like the diabetes space, when you talk about companies and stuff like that, I've watched and you've probably seen this too, about once a year, they get it into their head that they are going to you've seen it, they're going to help black people, right. And they started push, and it never goes anywhere. And then they let it go. And I've watched it happen time and time again over the years. And just not six weeks ago, I was on a call with somebody. And she says to me, Oh, we have a big initiative coming up, we're gonna really reach out to the black, the black and brown community and I laughed at her, I was like you doing this again? Like, I might because you keep doing it the same way. And it keeps not reaching people. And I mean, not for nothing between you and me, what it feels like is a bunch of like, I don't know, another way to say it is it feels like a bunch of white ladies trying to help and they don't know what to do. They want to help. And they have great intentions and they have resources, but they don't know how to reach people. And I think once they reach them, the people that are reaching might look up and think, you know, I'd be more comfortable. If this was Willie reaching out to me. That's the thing I don't understand. I don't understand why they never find a person like you to spearhead this kind of stuff. Because that makes sense to me. Because I feel like with some resources, I mean, look what you're doing by yourself. You know, like, I feel like with some resources you could really, like get that movement moving like that girl talking to me last weekend. I'm not gonna be the one to do it. Like you're a unicorn Willie, that you listen to my podcast seriously. And

Willie Streets 43:24
now and when you were saying that about the girl, all I'm doing is I got this Rolodex in my head. And I'm trying to I'm thinking like, do I know who that is? Because I know people in the Austin area. That whole Dallas Fort Worth area. Like I know people will over write all over the world,

Scott Benner 43:40
Scott. Yeah, no, I mean, man, listen, I've cracked a couple of social circles. I didn't expect to the podcast is big in India. I didn't expect that one. And it actually does pretty well in sort of the United Arab Emirates, like that part of the country as well. Like, there's places where I've found different cultures and they've they've jived with the podcast, but I don't make inroads in the black community. I just don't. And I can't, I mean, I'm just me, you don't I mean, like, I'm doing the thing I do, and it hits the people that hit but I've tried having guys on, I've tried to have a women on, you know, I'm not usually a person who points out the color of your skin while you're talking. So there's been a number of people on here I've been I've never mentioned it, like as we're going but I bring it up with you specifically, because you are so adept at gathering people together and getting them good information. You know,

Willie Streets 44:32
think who was there during the beginning of the pandemic. I'm very grateful to date. I was diagnosed with something called hassle when I'm going to younger, highly superior autobiographical memory, really believe it was August 2020. And you had a guess it was like August September, Cameron. Oh, Cameron. Yeah. He was terrific. So Cameron's a great friend. Yeah, yeah, we formed We begin to die crew together. You had you were talking to him about those types of things.

Scott Benner 45:05
I recall going on a hell of a rant when I was talking to Cameron. And

Willie Streets 45:09
yes, you did. I remember like it was yesterday. I

Scott Benner 45:13
remember feeling bad when it was over. I was like, oh, man,

Willie Streets 45:15
I talked about it. But um, it was needed. That's what I always tell people. Yeah, voices are needed.

Scott Benner 45:21
Yeah. They're not just saying they want to be helpful. I talked to them. I know them personally. Some of them, they really do it. They're not just trying to look like they're doing something they really when it doesn't work, they're defeated. Like, they really want it to work. But I just don't see how a 45 year old white lady who lives on the main line is going to reach you know, somebody in somewhere else who they don't have anything culturally, you know, in common. Nothing. I don't know, I just I wish one of them would just see somebody like you and say, This is the person, like we need to hire this person and let them do the thing that they're already doing and just support it instead of trying to do it themselves. But when they know damn, well, it's not gonna work, you know?

Willie Streets 46:05
Right? Because when they do reach me, I try to help them as much as I can. Yeah. So like, even a few weeks ago, I had a young lady from University of Chicago reached me about a research study they're going on, they're doing with T one DS, a black tea, Wendy's, and they couldn't really find anyone. Yeah, it's hard. Someone had someone had sent her my when I told her, I said, I'm willing to help. And I said, I have a community that I'm willing to share the information with. So we did like a 45 minute conversation, and they just wanted to know how to reach people, but not and I told them, I'm the guy. I'm the link.

Scott Benner 46:41
Yeah, no, I have 1,000,000%. I believe it completely. Is it cultural? Why can't they find people?

Willie Streets 46:46
I wouldn't say cultural. But I know for a fact that when we say the word diabetes, it gets ignored. It's not like many people say, it's the sugar everyone like people, you get the sugars. It's more so any disease, any chronic illness is hidden from like, my dad has stage five, kidney disease. And I've been advocating for him, my younger brother has signed up to actually give him his kidney. But my dad is he has to go through all these like, what I consider like pre prerequisites to make sure that everything is good, because he's getting older, right? And I remember telling him to reach out to his nieces and nephews, everyone, because like, they're very close. But he's like, Nah, I'm not going to do that. Because they're not going to help me. I know, they're not going to help me. And we hear that often. I don't know if it's because of the things that we've been through as a community as people that because of these things that when it comes to things such as health, we don't speak about them. Are

Scott Benner 48:07
you saying that a quiet struggle is a is a learned? Response?

Willie Streets 48:12
Yes. So if someone asks for money for a bill, like someone say, I can't pay my electric bill, someone will be like, okay, here are the resources for it, or I can help you or whatnot. But that same person, if they're in need of, like I said, like a kidney or whatever, they won't reach out to those resource those people, those family members, those friends. And it's, it's crazy. Like, I don't understand why.

Scott Benner 48:41
Well, that's even a severe example, like, I'm just talking about knowing that your health isn't optimal. And how can i Is there a way for me to fix this, but you know, that also, this is, it's also a little silly to talk about it in this light, because there are plenty of white people who don't know that their, their health could be better either. It starts with your doctor, having the knowledge and passing it to you and giving you the idea that there's better out there, I can go find it. And the truth is, I don't think many physicians are in that position. And do that. It's, you know, it's sad, but how is that not the case? Like how was everyone walking in? I mean, look at you had a 10.3 and a 275. Is that, you know, no one ever says to you, hey, you know, geez, if you're a one sees 10, maybe do this. You got one doctor who said use us better insulin. That's all you need it all you need it to get you on the path of doing better with somebody to say, hey, there are better tools than the ones you have right now. And

Willie Streets 49:41
at the moment, I stepped into an endocrinologist office, my endocrinologist who's like, do you want to join our team? We need you. Yeah. Because my doctor and my nurse practitioner are both women of color. And they're both like we need you because there are so many People that don't know that they can better manage to live their most optimal lives. So they're like we need you in this space. So that's a few years ago, I have made a post on the Juicebox Podcast Facebook group about taking the steps to becoming certified diabetes educator. And I started that process during the pandemic. I paused that and started doing a MPH program, because I saw that it wasn't diabetes that I needed to help navigate through, it was more of a public help. Yeah, it's

Scott Benner 50:43
right. Yeah. If you know how to get people to services, then you can do that in every space, not just in a diabetes, because I didn't know you were trying to get an MPH. Yes. Oh, that's good for you, man. That's terrific. How many kids do you have?

Willie Streets 50:58
I have three kids. So they are? Well, my oldest is about the 15th, November 23. My daughter will be 13 November 10. And my nine year old His birthday is in February, February sixth

Scott Benner 51:10
beautiful, congratulations. That's lovely. They're

Willie Streets 51:13
the best. And, you know, you raise to two wonderful children. And I tell my children every day that we prepare to take over and just to take on the world, like my kids are absolutely amazing. My oldest, he has highly functional autism, Asperger's. Okay, you're 50. And yes, something we've recognized is he was younger. So he was diagnosed with like, ADHD and stuff, but so with him, mom and I, or practicing to be able to somehow support him into adulthood, because we know that he's going to need more resources or whatnot. Yeah. My daughter. She's just like this life, wildfire. Who's ready to take over the world. She's like, she already she's in seventh grade. But she already knows where she's going to college. She already knows where she's gonna live. She already like she knows everything. She doesn't know the steps in between. So figure that part out. My nine year old, he's considered a child prodigy. He is the absolute smartest, most brilliant person that I know, like, serious Scott,

Scott Benner 52:34
like real academic, or is it very, like just aware of the world? academic

Willie Streets 52:38
world? Everything? If I asked him, or if you set to mention to him any animal, he could tell you where like, is that that tension is nation of origin, all of those things? Chemicals, biology, plants, world history, anything cultural world history, like he could tell you about every dynasty. Anything very

Scott Benner 53:07
curious, knows about the things that he reads about afterwards. That's very cool.

Willie Streets 53:11
It's excellent. Yes. And his math skills every like, he's been like, we've been talking to him and other people have also about skipping ahead and whatnot. He's like, I will never ever skip a grade because I need every every grade. He's like, he loves education. He loves his schooling.

Scott Benner 53:27
That's beautiful. That's wonderful. Yeah. Wow. How long have you and your wife been together?

Willie Streets 53:32
We've been together since 2010. So, yeah, that math doesn't add up with your oldest. Yes, because, um, I actually took March 24 2010, his biological father was was murdered. Oh, my gosh, like in front of his home. And my wife. And I, like I said previously, we've worked together since 2006. And, I mean, we've always been cool, and like close or whatnot. So I remember telling her during that time that she was going through the storm, that I will be there to help her and her baby. Make it through Willie, and

Scott Benner 54:24
your wife's son, her oldest, your oldest son is hers from another relationship. And that gentleman was murdered, and you stepped in and helped her? Yes. And that's how you guys got together after being friends? Yes.

Willie Streets 54:40
I've never any and just the other day, I got a call from his school. Because, like, I told you that as far as like, keep going, take off his hood or whatever. And I showed up at the school. And a guy who knows his uncle, his biological uncle, like as we're leaving, he goes, Man, he's like, you're gonna Great, awesome job. And I said, What do you mean? He said, Because you stepped up. I said, I did not step up. And he's like, but you did. I said, That's my child. Yeah. Yeah, I'm the only father. He knows him. But like, I make sure that he knows about his biological father. He has a relationship with his grandmother and his uncle and stuff. But um, I told him like, I'm like, Yeah, I'm going with a father does were his children, my

Scott Benner 55:29
brother's stepfather to two kids, and there's no way to discern that he's not there. Their father? Think, you know, he doesn't think about that way. He doesn't talk about that way. None of his actions would tell you that. It's really it is it is, it is a wonderful thing. You know, but I take it from your point, you don't see it as a stepping up, you just see it as this is how it is because that's my son.

Willie Streets 55:53
That's my oldest. That's what I told him. I said, That's my oldest. Yeah, he's he shook my hand was like, I appreciate you.

Scott Benner 56:00
But really, you're just, you're just a different person than like, it's like,

Willie Streets 56:03
that's what I was telling you. Like, I've always been this person. Yeah. You know, something that oh, it's not fabricated. It's like, like, my iconic hero was to Baltimore, Chicago. And he was the realist. He never held his tongue. He always he was, he was trained in political warfare, political climate. But at the same time, he was innate to his community, his upbringing, those types of things. And I'm deeply rooted there, whether

Scott Benner 56:36
you're not giving yourself enough credit, though, like Willie, the other night, you sent me an image, my mom passed away this year. And when I realized that that was going to get around the internet, I kind of got ahead of it by putting her eulogy, you know, up on the Facebook group, because I realized that my people are going to know and then it's going to be 1000 questions, I thought, maybe I'll just keep them all in this one post so that it doesn't get overwhelming. But I used an old photo of my mom that I actually have hanging up behind me when I when I make the podcast, and the other day you sent me out of nowhere, you're recreating the picture in a painting. And I don't like that's beautiful. I just I mean, I can't tell you so many people have done nice things for me over the years. But it was stunning, and absolutely lovely and unexpected. But when I saw it, if anyone else would have sent it to me, really, I would have been like what's happening. But when it was you, I thought, this completely checks out. You just have such a big heart. And I've never met you in person. I know that to be true.

Willie Streets 57:34
Scott, that's my gift to you. Because I don't think you know, the things that you do. Well, I know, you know, but the impact and influence. I just wanted to give you your flowers. That's really never in a person's lifetime, do they ever think that the influence from experience they share will become impactful. Your life truly is meaningful. And the things you do are important and impactful. Thank

Scott Benner 58:04
you. I don't know what else to say. But thank you, but I really do appreciate it. It is hard to know, when you're doing something, it's hard to know who it's reaching. Or you know, like even doing that, that in person thing. I've done a couple of them recently. And it's you look out on the crowd and you realize like all of these people listen to that podcast. It's crazy to me still, you know what I mean? Because I'm isolated when I mean I'm in a room, like I'm just in a small room with some equipment and doing this thing. And if I don't get that feedback, I'm left to just imagine that it's going well like you wouldn't know this but last night I port Isabel Isabel helps me with the Facebook group at Port Isabel endured about 45 minutes of like self loathing texts from me about how I'm not doing well enough. And I'm not growing the podcast fast enough. And I'm letting people down. Like, you know, like, like, I just had a moment where I was like, I could be doing more with all this. And

Willie Streets 59:06
you know what I'm gonna say about that. Look back at 2015

Scott Benner 59:10
No, I know. I know. But it's hard to when you're when you're in it. Like when you're in it. And it's it's like well, we I think we're going to do maybe five 6 million downloads this year. And we did like four and a half last year and I think it's not a very big leap four and a half to six it which is ridiculous. I know. It's ridiculous. Well, I don't worry. But every once in a while. I don't want to call it pressure because I don't feel like pressure. But that feeling that I know I have something and I've seen it help this many people. Why am I not reaching more people? How come I can't find a way into a black and brown community? Like why am I like why am i It feels like you know what I mean? It feels like you have the answer and you can't get it to the people with a question.

Willie Streets 59:54
But I think everyone that does this type of impactful work. Think that That way, like, every, every day, I'm helping someone navigate. So like, even like I've created a hub where I get supplies. And I reach in, like, if I see someone there need, like, I'll share the supplies with them. I had a mom, two weeks ago drive up from Cherry Hill area to meet me in a parking lot in New Castle Delaware, so that I can give her daughter some some insulin.

Scott Benner 1:00:31
So lovely like, and you're kind of creating that network where you can actually help people.

Willie Streets 1:00:36
Right? Yeah, that's we have to do because, look, I have, like I told you about my cousin, who's a type one diabetic. But everything that I do is to make my grandma's proud. Like, I look at them all the time with the visions that are secure in my head. Because in 2003, during that traumatic experience, my grandma was diagnosed with cancer. Going through her treatment, she was diagnosed with diabetes. I remember her at the time, even being more advanced than me, she was using Lantis because I remember going over to her house and she had a box of them. She used to use Atlantis and when say humor log at that time, and they said that her diabetes was offset from her treatment. And then this past year, I had me and my brother, I think like Thanksgiving last year, we started looking into our family ancestry. And the one person we wanted to look into was our great grandmother because even my parents, my grandma, my mom and her sisters and brothers never met her she passed in 1954. My great grandma Viola, okay. And we were always told that she had an indigenous upbringing that she was a native woman I want to say of the Susquehanna hawks, and that she was abandoned as an infant. And she was taken in by a family in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. So I look at her death certificate because my grandma was only 19 when she passed, and they always said that Viola passed from they said that she had became varietals that was frail, thin, and like she was dehydrated and whatnot before passing. So I look up her death certificate, Scott, you know what it reads, as diabetes, every Viola was tended to from January 19. Until February 3 by a nurse, it says it says she became frail, thin, she's always small out. So she became frail, thin, and on the death certificate every eat death due to acidosis. What year is this? 1954? Before they should have known what to do, and they lived in a rural area?

Scott Benner 1:03:04
Yeah. You know, the Egyptians, they think called diabetes, the great drain, because they believed you urinated yourself to death. Right? Yeah. That's a similar description, honestly.

Willie Streets 1:03:16
So a lot of the things I do always look and say, I just want to make my grandma's supper. Yeah. Me, Viola didn't have the best upbringing. She, I mean, she was abandoned as an infant. But she was raised by a great woman, just like just like yourself. Yeah. She raised my grandma, who was a great woman.

Scott Benner 1:03:36
I think about that all the time, that I'm just, you know, when when somebody gives you up for adoption, or abandons or whatever you're just left up to its randomness at that point, like, who lands on you and helps if anybody, and hard not to see my mom at the end of her life and realize that, you know, just this thing of her wanting to have a baby, this lady in Pennsylvania, you know, is the reason where I, you know, why I grew up where I did and how I did and all the little things that go into who you are. And it just, it's random, like the next person could have got me like they, it was actually really, the adoption agency called my mom and dad, and told them if you want the baby have to come today, or he'll go to somebody else, but there was she raised the issue. Yeah, but there was incredibly bad weather. Not normal for the area was there was a hurricane. And, and my mom and dad, like, thought through that got to me anyway and grabbed me because they said, If you don't come today, he'll go to somebody else. And that's just, you know, even that little decision, because, you know, you never know somebody could say, well, it's a hurricane. That's scary. We'll wait for the next baby. It could be that easy. So yeah, I've always thought about that. It's nice that you're thinking back on those people and still trying to be representative of

Willie Streets 1:04:56
them. It's really nice. They needed you and you needed them.

Scott Benner 1:05:00
I hope so. I hope I helped them somehow, you know? Yeah, but I have the same dude, I have the same feeling you do. Like I very much want to help people. I know about that joy that you're talking about, about how it fills you up. When you when you do that for somebody, it's undescribable. Everyone should try it if they haven't worked

Willie Streets 1:05:21
really, really good. And when I hear about people sitting there, like they're going through diabetes, burnout or whatnot, like, I did go through a burnout when I transitioned from, from MDI, to a pump, but that was about it. Because the community that I've built and how I help people that alleviates any stress for me, like it feels good. I actually, like it feels so good. Yeah,

Scott Benner 1:05:48
I don't know how to, I mean, I guess people learn it in their own time. And hopefully, they come across it in their life by really, you know, like, I tell, I'm pretty honest here, like, I'm not a religious person. But being in service to other people is incredibly filling, it very much helps you, I usually the way I usually say it on the podcast is you guys might not believe this, but this podcast helps me way more than it helps you. So and I think, and

Willie Streets 1:06:14
I've listened to every single episode many, five, five times over. And I know you've seen like, like I've shared many episodes, but I've never spoke about how how fast you got, I know we're winding down to time, you're fine. The way I found you, Scott was, again, during the pandemic, was listening to a few podcasts. And I'm trying to during the pandemic, you keep seeing all these things pop up about diabetes, and the virus, and whatnot. And I said, I need to buckle down, I got to do everything I can to make sure that I'm going to be here for my children, for my family, for my wife for life. I did a Google search of podcasts, and diabetes. And you know, what came up first hope it

Scott Benner 1:07:04
was me, or my SEO sucks.

Willie Streets 1:07:07
You know, you know, some say your top 10 medically but I say number one in my heart, like for real. So the it came up and I started listening. I took a break for about two months. And then like I began, I started, I started going on these walks with my pup. And on his walks, I would just plug you in, tune you in and started from episode one. And I went through every single episode because I just wanted to, I liked seeing the evolvement of people. And I just I can't Can't hear you reaching more, getting more articulate in your speech and how you were able to break down things. But it felt good knowing how it started naturally. And I know today because of the algorithm pumping and whatnot. Like it's less technical when it comes to like management. And I've heard this like throughout the podcast. But knowing the incremental steps you took the measurable steps you took to help people like I knew that this guy was real. Like, you're you and Orton did something for this world that one day she will recognize right now she's living her best life as she deserves. But she will recognize that one day, and I am sure you recognize it. With the 20 million plus downloads to impact.

Scott Benner 1:08:40
I feel it now. I didn't like before I was hard to accept but I'm okay with it now. And that's the wrong phrasing I maybe it's not, maybe I do maybe I accept it now. And it's just, I don't know, like, like I said it just now it just feels like an imperative to reach more people and, and to move on I and I take your point, by the way about watching me evolve in it can kind of give you the feeling like Oh, I could evolve through this too. And yes, sir. Yeah, it's a leading by example thing not you know, it's funny, Billy person probably doesn't know that. I'm not gonna mention them by name. But I, Somebody, please no one else do this. But somebody reached out to me recently. And I was doing like an Ask Me Anything on the Facebook page. And this one person was like, Would you listen to my podcast? And I did. And then I, you know, we spent maybe an hour on the phone afterwards. And I gave gave her my feedback about it. And the one thing I kept telling her was, is you have to stop explaining your story. And just tell it, you just tell it Yeah. And like I said, like you're telling me why this is an important story. I said if it's if it's a well told story. I'll know it's important when it's over. Like you don't either.

Willie Streets 1:09:56
There will be a continuation of it. Yeah,

Scott Benner 1:09:59
you don't have to tell For me, it doesn't have to be repetitive. Yeah, it's beautiful. And I got a nice note back from her. And she's like, that was really great advice. And she's like, I think it might be good advice for my life as well and start talking about how she finds herself justifying herself sometimes. And I said, Oh, that's exactly it. I'm like, you're explaining to me why it's okay that you tell your story. Just tell it. You know, and that's something that I've learned, like, making the podcast that, you know, you put yourself out there and, and it's, it's picked up by the people who, who needed or wanted. And for those who don't need it, or don't want it or don't like you, for whatever reason, that's fine. Like, just, it's not meant for everybody. It's meant for the people that will intersect well with it. Yeah, it's just

Willie Streets 1:10:44
like, I'm not into, like, always mentioned reinventing the wheel. So even before us, search for your podcast, like I had some people lined up that I was going to record with that I was going to create a pocket. And then once I found yours, I said, I'm not reinventing the wheel, because this is amazing. Like, this is the need. And I'm going to continue to share this with everyone. Thank you. Right? It

Scott Benner 1:11:15
is true. I heard somebody say it, who was I listening to the other day? I forget, they were talking about businesses, and how hard it is, once someone has the momentum, it's almost impossible to take it from them. And, and I do think that sometimes I see people going out there and doing something and they have all this desire to help. And I'm like, don't beat your head against this wall. I got this like, like, I don't I hope that doesn't sound terrible. But like, I'm dominating this space, you can't get into it now. Like I have the momentum. And it's not that you shouldn't try if you want to. I'm not saying that like absolutely do. I'm not trying to dissuade anybody from doing anything. But if you really have this heart to, you know, help, there are probably avenues that are better suited for you that you'll have a better opportunity of getting into. And I know that probably sounds pompous, but trust me, it's not like you're not going to, like if you woke up this morning and decided you wanted to make an electric car. You too late. Tesla did it. Like they did that already. So put that effort in. It's something where you can really like shine is kind of what I mean, it's a weird thought. And maybe only a few people get to have that perspective. But it is very also just in credibly intelligent of you to like, have that thought. Like, seriously, your your your I love you, man, like you're fantastic.

Willie Streets 1:12:38
So fully understood. And

Scott Benner 1:12:41
that's, that's just the exact right thought to have in that situation. I'm going to do this. Well, somebody's doing it already. How am I going to? How am I going to break through? I don't know, some people might hear that and think, no, try anyway. And I'll get old one day and one of you will do it. But like, you know, in the moment, makes a lot of sense. That probably sounded terrible. But I really do believe that. So I

Willie Streets 1:13:03
know where I come from. I'm not from a place or a town where everything is available for me. So I'll come from a disenfranchised community of black and brown people. So I know that it's harder for someone on the outside to reach in. But like when I first heard your voice and realize, like I said, I got a connection with this guy. I said because he's from the Philly area. And I spent most of my life in the Philadelphia area. So and I know that when it comes to like cultural barriers, if you can make it in Philly, you can make it anywhere. Yeah, that's true. You know, that, like, just walking the streets, like whether you're in fish town, Center City, like anywhere.

Scott Benner 1:13:53
I remember seeing on this podcast once. If you want to know what it's like to be from Philadelphia. Imagine you're walking down the sidewalk and you fall over. First, everyone's gonna laugh at you. And then they're gonna check to make sure you're okay. And then if you're okay, they're gonna break your balls while you're walking away. It's like, it's crazy. Yeah, if you can live through that, you'd be fine. You know? Yeah, it's it's a wonderful area. I just I know somebody who's getting ready to move here now, who you know is from the south and said, You know, I really am attracted to Philadelphia. I'm gonna move up here. I was like, You should like it's, I think that for five seconds back when media was very focused on just a certain few things. We got hit pretty hard because somebody did throw D size batteries and Santa Claus and an Eagles game one time and I think that were snowballs or something like that. I think that you know, gave everybody a bad taste, but maybe even with sports, that's going to change now because all of a sudden, you know, if you're a professional baseball player, build off is one of the places you want to play now. And through the Yeah, and the Eagles are fantastic. And you can see those guys bring in another guy You know, we just the Eagles just picked up a safety from what Tennessee the other day and came up here. And what did what did AJ brown tell him like when he got there? He told him like, Hey, you're a winner now? Like, right like, and that's the vibe that's around Philadelphia sports, not the flyers there. It's that rocky mentality. Yeah. But it finally exists in a way that people see it and see that oh, yeah, exactly. Right.

Willie Streets 1:15:25
We got rid of James Harden other day. We're all winning.

Scott Benner 1:15:29
Really, I can't tell you, I woke up and James Harden was gone. And I was like, Oh, my God.

Willie Streets 1:15:35
It was too much going on about that conversation. Like, let's just move past it. Seriously, just

Scott Benner 1:15:41
that guy. The minute we got him. I was like, this is going to end poorly. Like, it's like, it's like when you see your buddy dating the girl and you're like, Man, that's gonna end with your shirt on fire in the street. Like,

Willie Streets 1:15:52
I told my brother that he's like, he's gonna be this. He's got them. Like, no,

Scott Benner 1:15:56
my son did the same thing. He's like, No, he's great. Two years later by kids like, Oh, thank God. Like, yeah, no, James Harden is a hot girl burns your clothes at the end. That's exactly what

Willie Streets 1:16:10
he sees. He sees something different.

Scott Benner 1:16:12
No kidding. That's hilarious. Something different.

Willie Streets 1:16:14
He's become a persona that can nobody meet.

Scott Benner 1:16:19
Yeah, and interesting enough when he decides to when he turns it on. Do you think that's one of the best basketball players on the planet? It's crazy. Yeah.

Willie Streets 1:16:26
He's very, very gifted. Yeah, no kidding.

Scott Benner 1:16:29
Anyway, all right. are we covering everything that we wanted to? I want to make sure we're not missing anything. Look,

Willie Streets 1:16:33
I had a bunch of things. Yeah, I have. I have some notes. Some bullets. But um, for the most part, yeah. We didn't delve into I do have some some complications. Well, I'm gonna consider him really complications, like I don't have any diabetes related complications. But talking about the pandemic 2020. I caught COVID Like that early, solid, two years without catching COVID until 2022. July 30. I mean, these dates are remember more. And after that, I started getting this crazy brain fog. Yeah. Where I couldn't remember. Like, from point A to point B, what was I doing? And coming from knowing that guy had the superior memory, like I had to like really, like look into like, what's going on scary. Like I was diagnosed Previously, I had high blood. I have hypothyroidism also, you know, I've got my levels below. too. Nice. On top of that, like I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, because I've always like I've had I have this chronic pain, especially at these different points, like my knees, my back, my shoulders. Like I went 12 years with being told that I had a torn rotator cuff, getting injections or whatnot, come to find out. There shoulder to shoulder many times older calcific tendinitis. So I had start seeing a physical therapist for that I have more or less, which is restless leg syndrome, Polly Orthology, which is a chronic arthritis. I've been tested for you, but it's, it always comes up negative. Well,

Scott Benner 1:18:22
you gotta be careful that ra thing you can come up negative and still have it. It's right, you are describing it, maybe they're calling the RA Fibro, is that possible? Possible.

Willie Streets 1:18:32
But like when they connect, they connected with the neural, neurological in differences there like it seems more like Fibro if not Fibro. So I have a appointment with a neurologist in March to get screened for Ms.

Scott Benner 1:18:53
Really?

Willie Streets 1:18:54
Yes.

Scott Benner 1:18:55
Do you think that's possible? I do. How come? What are you saying?

Willie Streets 1:19:00
It's more like the brain. The main reason why I continue to do as much as I can in the community is because I have to put it out there before it goes away. That's why I finally decided I needed to be on a Juicebox Podcast is because I did not want to lose the gift that I have of giving your flowers sharing insight and education. I did not want to lose that in my brain where I was able to put it out there. Even though they say things such as Fibro and a mess that they say it doesn't get worse. It just it just there. Yeah.

Scott Benner 1:19:43
See, I've always wondered because you're one of the people I've been trying to like I've been saying forever, like she'll come on the podcast and you're always like, no, no, there'll be a time there'll be a time I never knew what that meant. I don't pry like you know what I mean? Like I figured you had your reasons, but I'm thrilled that you that you want to I just remember you like coming at me one then you're like, I'm gonna, I'm gonna get on the podcast now. I'm like, I'm gonna use that link and get on. I was like, Oh, great. That's fantastic. I didn't know this is why though. That's kind of a little sad, but you're telling me yes. But

Willie Streets 1:20:10
I have a friend, a close friend in the diabetic online community. And she's always like, that's your car, you gotta get on there. You gotta get on there. So I sent her a message the other day. And I said, I'm getting on. And she was like, for real? She's like, okay, like,

Scott Benner 1:20:28
I'm so happy. No, I'm thrilled you're here, I really am. So when you go to this appointment, they're gonna give you testing. And they're going to tell you more about, about what maybe can be done or

Willie Streets 1:20:37
very, right. So I have no fears, none at all. And I'm okay with that, it's better to be diagnosed, than to just sit there in a waiting, like, trying to manage Interborough life.

Scott Benner 1:20:54
Yeah, Willie, thank you for saying that. Like, that's the thing that I, it breaks your heart over and over again. And you've told you're telling the story for the last hour and a half of people who need help. And just for whatever reason, decide, I'm just going to silently go down with the ship instead of like, stepping forward and trying to, like, make things better for themselves. I just wish more people would, would do that. And you know, have that opinion of like, I, there's got to be something out there I could do and try and go after it. Like, don't just give up the first time somebody says Now there's nothing you can do. You know, like, just really work towards it. I do that with my kids. And my, you know, myself and my wife, like I don't give up like, I started using that we go V for weight loss. And I look at oh my god, like

Willie Streets 1:21:44
look at your brain and get out there with coal and catch that ball.

Scott Benner 1:21:48
I could do it now.

Willie Streets 1:21:51
It's not gonna knock you over this. Well, now

Scott Benner 1:21:53
I don't want anything. No, my Oh, my. But no, like, that's the like when I had that thought. I'm like, What's, like, why are people afraid? Like, I'm going to try this thing. Maybe it'll make my life better. And look, now, it's 10 months later, not even. And it is better. I weighed 40 pounds less. I'm like, in a significantly better healthy situation. And, you know, people are like, what are you going to do? Like, you know, do you keep taking the injection? I'm like, I don't know, I'm going to do whatever I need to do. But I'm not. I'm not sitting back. Like, I really thought about your dad when you started talking hour and a half ago. And I thought that poor bastard. Like if he just had this pen I have sitting here. He probably because really I haven't. I don't know what I talked about on here sometimes. But my brother has type two diabetes. And he and I were just texting the other day, seven, eight to a five six on weego V and hasn't really gotten his diet together yet. He lost. He's lost like 35 pounds. And his a once he dropped to full points. That's just awful. We go we just while he's ozempic? Because it's type two. Same, same drug. Yeah. And so that's significant. And you say that out into the world. And somebody goes, Oh, I tried it. It made me nauseous. I don't like okay, if it's not for you, it's not for you. But don't get swayed everybody else from thinking about it. Like know

Willie Streets 1:23:18
what I say about that? Like, I'm like how you say what you're like you try to your brother tried into things that it doesn't benefit you. Yeah, I've looked at the advent of insulin. I mean, we're in year 101. Just think of how it's going from, or is no pork, to beef. to regular. We got fast acting ultra fast acting like, yeah, exactly. Things that things change. Things evolve to, like medicine, science, like they do things like that. We didn't think that were once capable, right? Like, these things are here. And they're making lives better.

Scott Benner 1:24:01
Yeah, you need attitudes that say, Oh, what's that about? Let's see what that does. Let's see where that goes. Not, not the like, Oh, you want to lose weight? You should exercise. You think I didn't exercise. It didn't work for me. Sometimes you get influencers online and they're, you know, rock solid and they're like, all you got to do is sit up and I'm like yeah, I did a sit up I'd never ended up looking like you. So I you know, I don't know what to tell you. But I need this thing. And your point of what's going to happen next is huge. I'm texting last night with a woman who I don't think would want to be identified but it might come on the show. Eventually he talks about her like 13 year old daughter who doesn't have a lot of weight to lose or anything like that. But he's the type one and was able to get we go V because she had a couple of pounds over whatever you know, the the chart said so it got through insurance. But how about the kids barely using any insulin now and not seeing crazy spikes from food? Like I think there's a world where you're gonna see GLP medications on people with type two and type one type one. Yeah, and I think you're good Gonna see it significantly shift, not just the community of health, but maybe the world's health. You know, I say that now I'll sound crazy to people. But you might look back 20 years and go, Wow, we don't have the same problem with food that we did 20 years ago, because this medication came along help people's brains not be so like, you know, ravenous for carbohydrates and stuff like that. So

Willie Streets 1:25:24
we made life less complicated. And speaking order. I did want to, as I give you your flowers, I wanted to give flowers to someone else, please. My number one episode that I've listened to where there's two 371 explaining type one, I've shared that with the feels like 1000s of people on your journey, but there's another one. Number 531 Mike Green. Yeah, wasn't my wonderful after dark complications. Yeah, Mike pulled me in. I said tears will Mike. But Mike kept saying, like he, as I rephrase, he kept saying, like, like, he kept putting in a but like, I've been through this, but it's not the end of me. I can do this still never give up. He kept on saying there are better things out better insulins. I wasn't given this information previously. But now that I have it, I know what I can do. And he was like, now parents of young children, they have these things at their fingertips. And they can use them now. He kept embodying that and it like it spoke to me like, like, like, he's like, like, I've never been big into religion, church or whatever. But impactful speeches where you can feel like someone is pouring their heart into it. Like I felt that from Mike. And I still feel that. So even in preparation of today. You know what I did this morning?

Scott Benner 1:27:11
Did you listen to him again, Scott,

Willie Streets 1:27:13
me and my pup, after I dropped my daughter off to school, got back to the house, put on his leash harness. tuned into Mike.

Scott Benner 1:27:21
It's one of the best episodes of the podcast. It really is he he did a favor for people with diabetes that they'll never appreciate fully. Maybe it sounds like you do. But he got on here and laid out his life. And what happened to him? And

Willie Streets 1:27:39
I believe he was the first after dark episode.

Scott Benner 1:27:42
He's one of them. He's up there. I think the first one was drinking. And then we did and I don't know where it went after that. I forget. It was somewhere around yeah. But he was in the he was towards the beginning of it. And he just he's got a similar heart as yours. Like he really does want. What happened to him to help other people?

Willie Streets 1:28:00
And it does. Yeah, no,

Scott Benner 1:28:02
it very much does. It's one of the hardest things about social media making the podcast is there is part of me, who just everyday wants to say, hey, you should check out this one and this one. But I know if you don't feed people new content, then your thing kind of withers away. So like there, it's just it's overwhelming. So you pump out new content so that people have a choice during the week. And hopefully they stay with the podcast, and then you hope they find their way back to stuff like that. Because even the Pro Tip series feels like that, to me, there's part of me that thinks I should just put the Pro Tip series out every day. And that that might be the best way to handle except that's not how this medium works. So it's it's you know, content content content, and then mix in hey, don't forget about this, or you should go check out that it's a it's hard to get people back to those episodes. But there's so many of them that are valuable, you know, for more than just sometimes it's just entertaining or, I mean, how about that lady? You talked about her kid being diagnosed on an airplane while they were like going from country to country? Like that's horrifying, you know? But yeah, Mike, Mike does a real solid for people with type one. And that was even harder for me because my friend's name was Mike. He passed away from type one a number of years ago now. And to hear him to hear another man named Mike and have to interact with him with his name. It was almost like he was speaking to you. It was terrible for me, like it really was hard. And, you know, I don't bring my friend Mike up a whole lot because his story is not mine to tell. And you know, he's not here to tell it anymore. You know, he's just one of those people who didn't come along. He was he had everybody else's story. They put him on regular and mph and they left them there forever. And he had a doctor who didn't help him and he was standing up and moving forward. So he thought he was okay, except that entire time his body was deteriorating, you know, and then by the time he bumps into it Doctor Who says, Hey, this is no vlog and this is Lantus. He doesn't know what he's doing. He's making himself low all the time. And he's got a story he told me once about crashing his car from a low blood sugar, because they moved him from regular and mph to fast acting, but didn't really tell them how to use it. So he shot is fast acting the way he would have shot his regular and then got caught up in a conversation then realized he had to go eat gotten his car. And the police reports of the crash or he wasn't hurt somehow. But the police reports of the crash are horrifying. And he doesn't remember any of it. He fell out of bed from a low blood sugar, broke his arm, and then eventually ended up on dialysis and, and then eventually had a heart attack. And that's all from not having the right tools.

Willie Streets 1:30:46
And you know, it's crazy. But again, I have I have a story. Similar to that crash, Nicole are not knowing what happened. Crashing into a telephone pole.

Scott Benner 1:30:57
I bet they you sound like you got low quite a bit. Yeah. You're lucky to be alright, after something like that happens to you.

Willie Streets 1:31:04
You know what change that it made me get on the route on more? My daughter as seven years old? 2018? Yeah, we purchase our house 2090. So yeah, my wife was at work. And I'm at home with the kids instead of summertime. She finds me in the bed, I mean, a bathroom, laid out. And my wife is trying to call she's not getting getting me. So she brushed his home. And my daughter at seven years old tells him my wife, Mommy, I don't know what I would do. If I lost him. He's like, I don't know what I would do. And she's like, I was so scared. And like, when I came to him, my wife told me that my heart just dropped. And I said, That was 2013 2018. So from that moment on, I opened up the books, and figured out how am I going to live my best life. For myself first and for my family.

Scott Benner 1:32:11
Yeah, it's what it takes man. I mean, it's one of the things I've learned talking to people over and over again, is that just, it's just a very human thing. People take care of themselves for other people. It's very infrequently for themselves. So, you know, when my friend didn't have kids, and maybe if he did, I don't know, maybe he would have had that thought, you know, like, I gotta be here. But instead, you know, instead, I'm left behind to tell you all that, you know, to take care of yourself, and you have to keep up with the times and you have to understand the tools that are available to you. And you need to know what diabetes can and, and is doing to you if you're not on top of it, because, you know, keep

Willie Streets 1:32:55
on telling us? Yes,

Scott Benner 1:32:57
I'm trying,

Willie Streets 1:32:58
I hear I hear and I share that. I

Scott Benner 1:33:01
appreciate it very much, man. I you stayed very long with me. I appreciate that. So, thank you. I mean, I'm gonna take back what I said earlier, you ought to go record yourself. Just do it. You know, I could easily see you sitting down and doing 15 minute episodes, where you just chat through your day about diabetes and, and get it out into, you know, into a community that I maybe I can't find as easily. And maybe you could maybe you could be that bridge there and and get this information to people I can't find it. Oh,

Willie Streets 1:33:33
Scott, look out for me on World diabetes there in November 14. Oh, yeah, I have something that I'm releasing that. I tell everyone. That's a part of it. We're going to take on and over the world.

Scott Benner 1:33:47
Nice. That's excellent. Where will people find that? You

Willie Streets 1:33:51
can find it on my Instagram, at my Instagram to indie artists. And everyone's going to share. So I have a huge community that came together as I just reached out to people one time, and they're like, I got you Well, great.

Scott Benner 1:34:09
Well, I can't wait to find out what it is actually, when I stopped recording. I'm gonna ask you so you can tell me privately, although, well, this will come out after that. So I know you were just telling me.

Willie Streets 1:34:20
So you asked how do we reach the community people of color? Oh, well Black, Brown community so I guess I am that link to previous years 2001 2014 and 2022. On World diabetes, they released a video or like 15 people stating their diagnosis and things about diabetes was like 20 seconds. So this year, I said we got to change this up a bit. Because in this space, everything is looking the same. So I asked myself, I said, How many type ones do I know of color? And when I went into looking at like my followers and stuff, and people I follow, I said, Wow, I did not realize I had this, this amount. Okay, so I created this, this chat with people with persons and I reached out to each of them individually. I said, Can you shoot me a 45 second clip of telling you who you are, where you're from, how long you've had diabetes, something you want to share with the world. And I got, like, 80 responses back. It's excellent. And I created a video that has 50 plus people on it. And they're all sharing a bit of their story. And how they're basically telling people like you can live with this. Some people were stating the obvious facts of the complications, the risks, but it's more so about the reward of community. And we're going to release that on World diabetes de 2023. To take the take on and take over the world. If

Scott Benner 1:36:21
I were you, I would love to share that as well. And I would ask you to put it in the in the group too.

Willie Streets 1:36:26
And it's not just people here in the US. These people are from all over people from the UK, people from India. I even got some people from the Middle East. I've got persons from that are actually going through war right now along the Gaza Strip. I told them, I'm not going to hold off on their videos. Because right now, during this time, many of them are basically fighting for survival. Yeah. And don't. Don't don't want to. Yeah, no, I

Scott Benner 1:37:01
understand that I actually, behind the scenes, I've been trying to get supplies sent to that area. And I'm not having a lot of luck with it. I reached out to some people who I thought could come through and so gets up into those companies and the, you know, pretty big machine. It's hard to I think they say it's hard to turn the Titanic, it kind of feels like that sometimes we

Willie Streets 1:37:23
get so many different communities organizations that say they're doing that, but yeah, until you actually see it there. You'll notice actually bring Yeah,

Scott Benner 1:37:33
it didn't happen until it happened. So people like Oh, I think we could do that. And I'm like, great, and then you kind of don't hear back from them. And you know, anyway, I'm still trying on that one. It's, it's not easy to get anything to move. So when you get something accomplished like that, it's a big deal to get all those people to send their videos that put them together and everything. People don't know man until you try to do something like this. Getting content to people or creating something every day or every week it's it's an insane amount of time and effort and even dude, if you're watching some guy on Twitch like play a game they're putting 50 hours a week into bringing that video to you like you don't you don't realize that but it's it's tough. Hey um can I call this episode heart to heal

Willie Streets 1:38:15
and call it whatever you want Scott because I feel like if I'm gonna hit the hill to your to your

Scott Benner 1:38:21
very nice man, you're one of the kindest people I've ever virtually met. Willie I sincerely mean that. I appreciate you coming on the show and, and, and sharing all this with everybody. Thank you.

Willie Streets 1:38:31
I appreciate you brother.

Scott Benner 1:38:33
I know you do. Thank you

think it was well worth the wait to have Willie on the show. Thank you so much Willie for coming on the podcast and adding your story to all the others. Today's episode of The Juicebox Podcast is sponsored by the Dexcom G seven which now integrates with a tandem T slim x two system. Learn more and get started today at dexcom.com/juice box. If you'd like to wear the same insulin pump that Arden does, all you have to do is go to Omni pod.com/juice box that's it. Head over now and get started today and you'll be wearing the same tubeless insulin pump that Arden has been wearing since she was four years old

don't forget to check out Willie on Instagram at T one D artist Willie sent me this just after we recorded I hope you enjoy it.

Speaker 2 1:39:36
I'm trying to think out of the box but willingness stop. I was a kid for 20 years and that the blink of an eye all that just stop. And as I went from boy to a man, I sweat out when it was cold. I remember looking in the mirror like damn Lou. Is this the end of the row Because I haven't been through a lot, but I'm noticing the plot of how my story got told. So I switched up the game. Got my mind a little clearer. Got a little bow instantly. It's crazy how that one phrase help erase the fear, had the grasp and think fast, leave my pen passed in the rear. Whether we're starting over or getting bolder, knocking this chip off my shoulder, I buckled down and got my mind clear. jotted down some key points and added some more detail scarf real and that you truly know what you got here. And if anybody ever asked, I don't gotta boast nor brag considering my pass. But let me magnify and clarify Benner, you're the real deal. And not only as a stamp have been signed, tagged, and Sue, Sincerely yours, Willy Street.

Scott Benner 1:41:04
If you're looking for community around type one diabetes, check out the Juicebox Podcast private Facebook group Juicebox Podcast type one diabetes, but everybody is welcome type one type two gestational loved ones. It doesn't matter to me. If you're impacted by diabetes, and you're looking for support, comfort or community, check out Juicebox Podcast type one diabetes on Facebook. If you're not already subscribed or following in your favorite audio app, please take the time now to do that. It really helps the show and get those automatic downloads set up so you never miss an episode. Thank you so much for listening. I'll be back very soon with another episode of The Juicebox Podcast.