Scott Benner 2/15/26 Scott Benner 2/15/26

#1773 Tandem Kids: Eli

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In this episode of the Juicebox Podcast, host Scott Benner interviews eight-year-old Eli at the Friends for Life conference in July 2025. Eli, who has had Type 1 diabetes for about a year and a half, shares his journey from a high-blood-sugar diagnosis to managing his condition with the latest technology.

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

Scott Benner (0:00) I attended my first ever Friends for Life conference in July 2025. (0:05) And while I was there, I interviewed eight children of various ages, all who wear a Tandem pump. (0:10) I wanna thank Tandem Diabetes for sponsoring this short episode of the Juice Box podcast. (0:16) Check them out at tandemdiabetes.com/juicebox. (0:22) Nothing you hear on the Juice Box podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise.

Scott Benner (0:28) Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan. (0:35) The episode you're about to listen to is sponsored by Tandem Moby, the impressively small insulin pump. (0:41) Tandem Moby features Tandem's newest algorithm, Control IQ Plus technology. (0:46) It's designed for greater discretion, more freedom, and improved time and range. (0:50) Learn more and get started today at tandemdiabetes.com/juicebox.

Scott Benner (1:06) You ready to go? (1:07) Okay. (1:08) How are you? (1:10) Good. (1:10) Good.

Scott Benner (1:11) What's your name?

Eli (1:11) Eli.

Scott Benner (1:12) Eli, how old

Eli (1:13) are you? (1:14) Eight.

Scott Benner (1:15) Eight. (1:16) How long have you had type one diabetes?

Eli (1:18) I'd say at least one and a half years.

Scott Benner (1:21) Okay. (1:21) Do you remember being diagnosed? (1:26) Yeah. (1:26) What do you remember about it?

Eli (1:31) I was nervous because I didn't know what was going on.

Scott Benner (1:34) Mhmm. (1:36) Did it happen in the hospital or at a doctor's office?

Eli (1:40) Oh. (1:41) So the night, I kept using the restroom. (1:47) So my mom took me into the doctors

Scott Benner (1:50) Mhmm.

Eli (1:50) To see what was going on. (1:51) It read, hi. (1:52) Got to the hospital. (1:53) I was 750.

Scott Benner (1:56) That was your blood sugar?

Eli (1:57) I think so.

Scott Benner (1:58) Yeah. (1:58) Did they say you were in DKA? (2:00) No. (2:00) You ever hear anybody say that?

Eli (2:01) I don't know.

Scott Benner (2:02) You don't know? (2:03) So you had 750 blood sugar. (2:05) You're at the hospital. (2:05) Then what happened?

Eli (2:07) They I don't remember. (2:10) All I remember is, like, them hugging me up to, like, water and

Scott Benner (2:15) Yeah. (2:16) When you left the hospital, how did you take care of your diabetes?

Eli (2:20) Well, they already put a Dexcom on me, so that was really helpful, but they were shocked. (2:28) I went and got home. (2:29) I think I had a shot because I think I wanted to eat something I don't quite remember.

Scott Benner (2:35) Right. (2:36) But So you were using pens or needles? (2:38) Do you remember?

Eli (2:40) The injector pens.

Scott Benner (2:42) The pens. (2:43) Yeah. (2:43) Do you still use those now? (2:45) No. (2:46) What do you do now?

Eli (2:47) I have a Tandem on my arm.

Scott Benner (2:49) Yeah. (2:49) Which one is it? (2:50) It's the Moby?

Eli (2:51) Yeah. (2:51) The tandem.

Scott Benner (2:52) Yeah. (2:52) You don't have to show it to me. (2:53) I believe you. (2:54) Do you like it?

Eli (2:55) Yeah.

Scott Benner (2:56) Yeah? (2:56) No. (2:57) What does it do for you that the shots didn't do? (3:00) How does it change things?

Eli (3:01) When I was high, instead of always giving me a shot, like, it'll adjust it for me, which I like that a lot.

Scott Benner (3:09) Yeah. (3:10) You prefer not having to give yourself injections.

Eli (3:12) Yeah. (3:13) Instead of because I don't like getting inject I I mean, it's fine. (3:17) It doesn't hurt, but I don't wanna do it repeatedly.

Scott Benner (3:22) Yeah. (3:23) And is this would you do you find this to be just easier?

Eli (3:26) Definitely.

Scott Benner (3:28) Yeah. (3:28) Using a pump is easier?

Eli (3:29) Yeah.

Scott Benner (3:30) Okay. (3:31) And also, you mentioned when your blood sugar tries to go up, the Mobi tries to stop it?

Eli (3:36) Yeah. (3:36) It'll like, those let's say I was, like, 200 or 230. (3:42) Mhmm. (3:42) It would do, like, let's say, point five units and try to get me down.

Scott Benner (3:48) Yeah. (3:48) Do you find that helpful?

Eli (3:50) Definitely.

Scott Benner (3:51) How come though? (3:52) Is it because you don't have to think about it as much or what, well, how does it help you?

Eli (3:55) Pretty much because, like, if I was, like, playing a game or a card game Mhmm. (4:04) Instead of having to repeatedly check my blood sugar

Scott Benner (4:08) Yeah.

Eli (4:08) It just dose for me even though I wouldn't know I was high probably.

Scott Benner (4:12) Okay.

Eli (4:13) Then instead of having to dose, like, every minute

Scott Benner (4:19) Yeah.

Eli (4:20) For ten minutes. (4:21) Instead, it'll just do it for me.

Scott Benner (4:23) Right. (4:23) Have you used another any other pumps?

Eli (4:26) I used the Omnipod because I tried the Mobi, and, of course, the next day, Omnipod came on phone.

Scott Benner (4:36) Oh, okay. (4:37) So you tried you tried Omnipod, but you ended up going back to Moby?

Eli (4:41) I no. (4:42) I originally had the Omnipod. (4:45) My friend apparently likes to try new pods, feel like.

Scott Benner (4:50) Okay.

Eli (4:51) Then when the Tandem Moby release, I asked him, like, do you like it? (4:55) Does it hurt? (4:57) He said no. (4:58) He said he liked it. (5:00) So I wanted to try it.

Scott Benner (5:01) Okay.

Eli (5:02) I tried it and I like it.

Scott Benner (5:03) Awesome. (5:04) So you tried Mobi because your friend was using it? (5:06) Yeah. (5:06) That's awesome. (5:07) You're spending all this time trying to reach people on Instagram.

Scott Benner (5:09) You hit friends to go tell each other about the Mobi. (5:12) That's awesome. (5:13) So you found a friend who also has type one diabetes. (5:16) Did that person have diabetes before you or after?

Eli (5:19) Yeah. (5:20) Before? (5:22) Definitely before me.

Scott Benner (5:23) So you were friends with this kid, he had diabetes, and then you got diagnosed? (5:27) Yeah. (5:28) Did that help finding friends that have type one? (5:30) Did it make you feel better? (5:31) Yes.

Scott Benner (5:32) How does it make you feel better?

Eli (5:34) I'd say because I don't like being the only one I know being diabetic.

Scott Benner (5:40) Yeah. (5:40) And so having a friend just makes you feel like you're part of a group?

Eli (5:43) Yeah.

Scott Benner (5:43) Yeah. (5:44) Do you think it helped him when you were diagnosed? (5:48) Yeah. (5:48) Do you guys ever talk about it?

Eli (5:51) Being diagnosed?

Scott Benner (5:53) Or having diabetes. (5:54) Do you ever talk about having diabetes with your friend?

Eli (5:56) Sometimes.

Scott Benner (5:57) Yeah. (5:57) What kind of stuff do you talk about if it's not too private?

Eli (6:02) Just like blood sugars and stuff.

Scott Benner (6:04) Do you guys share low snacks ever?

Eli (6:07) Yeah.

Scott Benner (6:08) What's your favorite?

Eli (6:10) I eat a lot at Starburst.

Scott Benner (6:12) Starburst?

Eli (6:13) Because in the school year, they had we just I basically only had Starburst.

Scott Benner (6:19) Yeah. (6:20) Can I give you a rock solid Starburst idea? (6:23) Take two different colors, put them together, then take a bite out of half of it, so you get half yellow and half red, for example. (6:29) Then you get two Starbursts that all taste different. (6:32) Have you done this?

Eli (6:34) Kinda. (6:35) I just got two Starbursts and put them both in my mouth.

Scott Benner (6:37) Oh, you go the whole thing right away? (6:39) Yeah. (6:39) Yeah. (6:39) Can't do that. (6:40) Yeah.

Scott Benner (6:41) Can. (6:41) You can knock it down, no problem. (6:42) How many Starbursts does it take to fix your low blood sugar usually?

Eli (6:45) It depends. (6:46) Like, if I'd if I was 70, it'd probably be, like, one. (6:50) Mhmm. (6:51) If I was, like, let's say 50, probably two.

Scott Benner (6:55) Okay. (6:55) Do you play any sports?

Eli (6:57) Yeah. (6:57) I play baseball.

Scott Benner (6:58) Baseball. (6:58) Where do you play on the field?

Eli (7:01) They usually just, like, mix it up.

Scott Benner (7:03) Oh, okay. (7:03) So you guys have been trying a whole bunch of different positions? (7:05) Yeah. (7:06) Do you prefer one position over the other? (7:08) You look like a second baseman.

Eli (7:10) Actually, third base.

Scott Benner (7:12) Third? (7:12) Nice. (7:12) You got quick reflexes. (7:14) Ball comes at you fast? (7:15) Yeah.

Scott Benner (7:15) Yeah. (7:16) Can you make that throw all the way across the diamond?

Eli (7:19) Definitely. (7:19) That's awesome, man.

Scott Benner (7:20) That's great. (7:21) How do you hit?

Eli (7:21) At least half of it.

Scott Benner (7:23) You can make it?

Eli (7:23) Yeah.

Scott Benner (7:24) Yeah. (7:24) You get as you get how old are you again? (7:26) Eight. (7:27) Eight. (7:27) You're gonna get bigger and bigger.

Scott Benner (7:28) It's gonna get easier and easier.

Eli (7:29) Yeah. (7:30) I'm almost taller than my mom.

Scott Benner (7:31) Yeah. (7:31) Well, your mom's pretty short, but, yeah, I get what you're saying. (7:35) You fast?

Eli (7:36) Yes.

Scott Benner (7:36) Yeah? (7:37) Awesome. (7:37) Do you enjoy baseball? (7:38) Yeah. (7:38) Awesome.

Scott Benner (7:39) When you're playing, how do you manage your diabetes? (7:42) Is there anything special you have to do?

Eli (7:46) If I was low, I'd have to quickly take us, like, juice or Starburst or something.

Scott Benner (7:53) Right. (7:53) Does that happen often?

Eli (7:56) Surprisingly, no, because actually I'm surprisingly high.

Scott Benner (8:00) You're high when you're playing? (8:01) Are you very competitive? (8:02) Do you wanna win?

Eli (8:04) No. (8:04) I just like having fun.

Scott Benner (8:05) You just like having fun. (8:06) You're having a good time. (8:06) You're excited while you're there. (8:07) Yeah. (8:08) And the pump is right?

Scott Benner (8:09) The Moby is trying to keep your blood sugar down so it's working for you while you're playing. (8:13) You keep it on while you're playing?

Eli (8:15) Yeah.

Scott Benner (8:16) Yeah. (8:16) Where do you like to wear it while you're playing?

Eli (8:20) Probably on my I'd say my arm.

Scott Benner (8:24) Yeah. (8:24) But your non throwing arm?

Eli (8:27) I don't I just want one arm, honestly.

Scott Benner (8:30) Which are you right handed or left handed? (8:33) The way you throw. (8:34) Right. (8:34) You wear your Moby on the left. (8:35) Right?

Eli (8:36) Yeah.

Scott Benner (8:36) Yeah. (8:37) Gotcha. (8:37) That's what my daughter did because she said when she was playing softball and she was throwing, she didn't like anything being on her arm while she was throwing. (8:43) Where else are you allowed to wear a mopey? (8:46) Arms.

Scott Benner (8:47) Does it have other places?

Eli (8:48) Arms and legs. (8:51) Yeah. (8:51) I tried my butt, like, once. (8:54) I didn't really like it.

Scott Benner (8:55) Yeah.

Eli (8:55) Honestly, it's just because I don't like the long tubing. (9:00) I I don't want no. (9:02) Like, it's stuck on there. (9:04) Like

Scott Benner (9:05) So do you like the Mobi because it has a short piece of tubing?

Eli (9:09) No. (9:09) Well, yeah. (9:10) Yeah.

Scott Benner (9:10) Yeah.

Eli (9:11) I like how you can swap between two of them. (9:13) When it was on my leg, I I used the, long tubing because I felt like it was easier.

Scott Benner (9:20) Okay. (9:21) And on your arm, have the shorter piece? (9:23) Yeah. (9:23) And you're using the that OnBody, like, it's stuck right on you with the the sticker. (9:28) Right?

Scott Benner (9:28) Yeah. (9:29) Yeah. (9:29) That's awesome. (9:29) You like that?

Eli (9:30) Yeah.

Scott Benner (9:31) Makes it all easier?

Eli (9:32) Yeah.

Scott Benner (9:32) That's very cool. (9:33) Okay. (9:34) I'm gonna ask you a couple more questions. (9:35) Is there anything that has happened to you in the last year about your diabetes that you've done that's made you feel proud? (9:42) Something you've accomplished or something you've done that you didn't expect that you could do?

Scott Benner (9:48) And if you can't think of anything, it's okay.

Eli (9:55) Oh, yeah.

Scott Benner (9:56) Nothing? (9:56) Oh, you had something? (9:57) Yeah. (9:57) Give it to me. (9:58) Give it

Eli (9:58) to me. (9:59) I learned how to, like, change my sights kinda.

Scott Benner (10:03) Okay.

Eli (10:04) Yeah.

Scott Benner (10:04) So you're putting your own sights on?

Eli (10:05) Yeah.

Scott Benner (10:06) Yeah. (10:07) That with, how how does it work? (10:09) Tell me how to do it.

Eli (10:10) There's like the XCon gift, it's like a circle and, like, you have to prime it Yeah. (10:18) Kinda.

Scott Benner (10:18) Okay.

Eli (10:19) And you push down, there's a white butt like a white button, click it and it inserts it.

Scott Benner (10:27) Do you do that by yourself?

Eli (10:29) Sometimes. (10:30) Yeah. (10:30) My mom supervises me.

Scott Benner (10:32) Yeah. (10:33) She helps make sure you're doing it right? (10:34) Yeah. (10:35) Do you feel confident when you're doing it? (10:36) Yeah.

Scott Benner (10:37) That's awesome. (10:37) Who helps you with your diabetes mostly? (10:40) Mom. (10:41) Your mom? (10:41) Yeah.

Eli (10:42) I do not trust my dad putting on

Scott Benner (10:44) Can you tell me why?

Eli (10:45) Moms. (10:46) Mostly because, like, my mom has done most of it, dad.

Scott Benner (10:50) Okay. (10:51) Oh, so she's got more experience?

Eli (10:53) Yeah.

Scott Benner (10:53) I gotcha.

Eli (10:53) My dad is mostly just watching baseball when he's

Scott Benner (10:57) Where are you from?

Eli (10:59) Somerville, South Carolina.

Scott Benner (11:01) South Carolina. (11:01) What baseball team does he like?

Eli (11:04) Detroit's. (11:05) Because that my dad, he was I think he was born in Detroit. (11:11) So we like Detroit lines, Detroit Baseball.

Scott Benner (11:14) And He's just watching the Tigers play? (11:16) Yeah. (11:16) How about you? (11:16) Do you like the Tigers or do have another team?

Eli (11:18) Tigers.

Scott Benner (11:19) Yeah. (11:19) Yeah. (11:20) It's not a bad baseball team at all, but, like, what do you think you like best about the movie?

Eli (11:27) How you can change tubing, definitely.

Scott Benner (11:29) You like having shorter or longer tubing?

Eli (11:31) Yeah. (11:32) Because, say, it was, like, on somewhere where it feel weird put putting the sticker, it's easy to just have the long tubing and connect it like on your shirt or belt or something.

Scott Benner (11:47) I gotcha. (11:48) Do you have a hero that has diabetes or somebody you look up to or somebody you follow?

Eli (11:55) I my I follow my friends, my uncle.

Scott Benner (11:58) Yeah. (11:58) Your uncle had diabetes? (11:59) Uh-huh. (12:00) He has type one? (12:01) Yeah.

Scott Benner (12:01) Do you know any other are you related to any other people that have type one?

Eli (12:04) Yeah.

Scott Benner (12:04) Who else?

Eli (12:06) So I probably my mom knew I was probably gonna have type one because her my uncle, which is her brother, has it, and, her dad has it too.

Scott Benner (12:19) Your uncle and her father? (12:20) Two people or one person? (12:21) Two. (12:22) Two people, okay. (12:23) Do you have any advice for other kids who have type one diabetes, anything that you found very helpful that you think would help them as well?

Eli (12:30) I, I actually, I'd recommend, I don't know if if you don't like the shots, I'd actually recommend, like, a pump or or a Mobi or something like that.

Scott Benner (12:42) Yeah. (12:42) Just because it makes everything easier.

Eli (12:44) Yeah.

Scott Benner (12:44) Yeah. (12:45) Gotcha. (12:45) I understand.

Eli (12:46) And you have to take less shots.

Scott Benner (12:48) Yeah. (12:48) Has there been anything with diabetes that you thought would be difficult that didn't end up being that hard?

Eli (12:55) Correcting highs, definitely.

Scott Benner (12:57) Yeah. (12:57) You're getting pretty good at taking care of your blood sugar? (12:59) What number do you like for your blood sugar not to go over after you eat? (13:02) What's your goal?

Eli (13:03) I'd say at least over 100.

Scott Benner (13:06) You wanna so

Eli (13:07) mean, over 200.

Scott Benner (13:08) 200. (13:09) You don't want to go over 200. (13:10) Yeah. (13:10) That's your goal? (13:11) That's a pretty good goal.

Scott Benner (13:12) You are you successful at that most times?

Eli (13:15) Most times.

Scott Benner (13:16) Yeah. (13:16) That's awesome. (13:17) What do you think the the key is to not having your blood sugar spike after meals? (13:21) Is it pre bolus thing? (13:22) Is it counting carbs well?

Scott Benner (13:24) What do you think?

Eli (13:25) Sometimes I'll, like, wait a little for my insulin to kick in. (13:30) Yep. (13:31) And then in school, we we did half before, half after.

Scott Benner (13:39) Okay. (13:40) In case because you didn't wanna get low during lunch, they were trying to be careful?

Eli (13:43) Yeah.

Scott Benner (13:43) Yeah. (13:44) Do they still do that? (13:45) Yeah. (13:46) So how do you manage at school? (13:47) You go to the nurse's office or the office?

Eli (13:49) Nurse's office. (13:50) Yeah.

Scott Benner (13:50) Okay. (13:50) Have you ever texted with your mom while you're at school about diabetes?

Eli (13:54) Sometimes if I like really, really have to.

Scott Benner (13:57) Yeah. (13:57) Do you think maybe one day you and your mom could just do it through text and you wouldn't even have to go to the nurse? (14:03) That might be nice,

Eli (14:05) maybe. (14:05) I know.

Scott Benner (14:06) Is it like a whole vibe in the nurse's office? (14:08) Are there a bunch of people there before lunch getting insulin and stuff? (14:11) Is it fun?

Eli (14:14) It's nice, but I'm the only diabetic kid in school.

Scott Benner (14:18) Okay. (14:18) You prefer to just go to lunch. (14:20) Right?

Eli (14:20) Yeah.

Scott Benner (14:21) Yeah. (14:21) Maybe you'll work it out with your mom one day and won't have to talk to the nurse anymore. (14:24) When you first got the Tandem Mobi, was it difficult to learn how to use?

Eli (14:29) The only reasons I'm saying no is because we got it from Hannah. (14:36) I think she, like, helped me with my diabetic diabetes. (14:42) Yeah. (14:42) Because I think it's, some annual check-in.

Scott Benner (14:45) So you had somebody that showed you how to use the pump? (14:48) And today, you don't have any trouble using it at all? (14:50) No. (14:51) No. (14:51) So just with some good instruction, you were able to figure it out easily.

Eli (14:54) Uh-huh.

Scott Benner (14:55) That's awesome. (14:55) Who is Hannah? (14:56) Is she, like, a doctor friend?

Eli (14:58) She's like she's a doctor. (15:00) Yeah.

Scott Benner (15:01) Yeah. (15:01) So you just met with her one time?

Eli (15:03) No. (15:03) We we met we met at least, like, five maybe times now.

Scott Benner (15:09) Okay.

Eli (15:10) Maybe more than that. (15:11) I'm not that sure.

Scott Benner (15:12) How many times was of those five times was her telling you how to use the pump?

Eli (15:16) Two only.

Scott Benner (15:17) Two. (15:18) And you Yeah. (15:18) Got

Eli (15:19) because it first, it was the Omnibod, then second, it was a Tandem.

Scott Benner (15:22) Okay. (15:23) And so you oh, I see. (15:24) So after one visit being told about how to use Mobi, you understood how to use it? (15:29) Yeah. (15:29) And you run it off of your phone?

Eli (15:31) Yeah.

Scott Benner (15:32) Yeah? (15:32) You just like, if if I asked you to tell me to explain to me how to bowl this for lunch, how would you do it? (15:37) Don't even look at your phone. (15:38) Just tell me out loud. (15:39) Do you do?

Eli (15:44) So there's a dashboard, and on the bottom, you can hit bolus.

Scott Benner (15:49) Yep.

Eli (15:50) Then you'd enter on the top, it's insulin. (15:54) Then on the bottom too, it's, like, how much it is. (15:59) Then there's enter the like, enter your cards that you're dosing for.

Scott Benner (16:04) You just push a button and it's done?

Eli (16:05) Yeah. (16:06) How

Scott Benner (16:06) long does it take? (16:07) Like, couple seconds?

Eli (16:09) Or A couple of seconds on it.

Scott Benner (16:10) Not long at all. (16:11) Yeah. (16:11) It's awesome, man. (16:13) So is this your first time at Friends four Life?

Eli (16:14) Yeah.

Scott Benner (16:15) Yeah? (16:15) What have you, enjoyed so far about being here?

Eli (16:20) I like that there's a bunch of diabetics

Scott Benner (16:23) Yeah.

Eli (16:24) That I get I can get to know.

Scott Benner (16:26) What do you like about that? (16:27) What what makes you feel good about them all being here together?

Eli (16:30) I like being in the diabetic community.

Scott Benner (16:32) Yeah. (16:33) Tell me why.

Eli (16:36) I'd probably say because it's nice knowing people that you know what they're going through and they know what you're going through.

Scott Benner (16:44) Yeah. (16:45) It just makes you feel better? (16:46) Yeah. (16:46) Yeah. (16:47) Makes you feel safe?

Eli (16:48) Yeah. (16:49) That's

Scott Benner (16:49) awesome. (16:50) You think you'll come back here again and do this again?

Eli (16:51) Definitely.

Scott Benner (16:52) Yeah. (16:52) It sounds like you're having a really good time.

Eli (16:54) I am. (16:55) That's awesome.

Scott Benner (16:55) Have you made a lot of friends?

Eli (16:57) Yeah.

Scott Benner (16:57) No kidding. (16:58) Check people you think you'll keep in touch with after you leave?

Eli (17:00) Probably. (17:01) Yeah.

Scott Benner (17:01) Yeah. (17:02) That's awesome. (17:03) That's cool. (17:03) Do you have any questions for me? (17:06) No.

Scott Benner (17:06) No? (17:07) It's fair enough. (17:08) Alright. (17:08) I really appreciate you doing this with me. (17:10) This was awesome.

Scott Benner (17:10) You were great at this. (17:12) Thank you so much. (17:13) I hope you continue to have a great time while you're here. (17:15) Mhmm. (17:16) Seriously.

Scott Benner (17:16) The podcast you just enjoyed was sponsored by Tandem Diabetes Care. (17:20) Learn more about Tandem's newest automated insulin delivery system, Tandem Mobi with Control IQ plus technology at tandemdiabetes.com/juicebox. (17:30) There are links in the show notes and links at juiceboxpodcast.com. (17:35) If you'd like to hear about diabetes management in easy to take in bits, check out the small sips. (17:41) That's the series on the Juice Box podcast that listeners are talking about like it's a cheat code.

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Scott Benner 2/15/26 Scott Benner 2/15/26

#1772 Tandem Kids: Elias

In this episode of the Juicebox Podcast, host Scott Benner interviews nine-year-old Elias from Michigan at the Friends for Life conference. Elias, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes a year and a half ago, shares his experiences with modern management technology and his life as an active student and athlete.

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Scott Benner (1:06) You ready to go? (1:07) Okay. (1:08) How are you? (1:10) Good. (1:10) Good.

Scott Benner (1:11) What's your name?

Eli (1:11) Eli.

Scott Benner (1:12) Eli, how old

Eli (1:13) are you? (1:14) Eight.

Scott Benner (1:15) Eight. (1:16) How long have you had type one diabetes?

Eli (1:18) I'd say at least one and a half years.

Scott Benner (1:21) Okay. (1:21) Do you remember being diagnosed? (1:26) Yeah. (1:26) What do you remember about it?

Eli (1:31) I was nervous because I didn't know what was going on.

Scott Benner (1:34) Mhmm. (1:36) Did it happen in the hospital or at a doctor's office?

Eli (1:40) Oh. (1:41) So the night, I kept using the restroom. (1:47) So my mom took me into the doctors

Scott Benner (1:50) Mhmm.

Eli (1:50) To see what was going on. (1:51) It read, hi. (1:52) Got to the hospital. (1:53) I was 750.

Scott Benner (1:56) That was your blood sugar?

Eli (1:57) I think so.

Scott Benner (1:58) Yeah. (1:58) Did they say you were in DKA? (2:00) No. (2:00) You ever hear anybody say that?

Eli (2:01) I don't know.

Scott Benner (2:02) You don't know? (2:03) So you had 750 blood sugar. (2:05) You're at the hospital. (2:05) Then what happened?

Eli (2:07) They I don't remember. (2:10) All I remember is, like, them hugging me up to, like, water and

Scott Benner (2:15) Yeah. (2:16) When you left the hospital, how did you take care of your diabetes?

Scott Benner (2:35) Right. (2:36) But So you were using pens or needles? (2:38) Do you remember?

Eli (2:40) The injector pens.

Scott Benner (2:42) The pens. (2:43) Yeah. (2:43) Do you still use those now? (2:45) No. (2:46) What do you do now?

Eli (2:47) I have a Tandem on my arm.

Scott Benner (2:49) Yeah. (2:49) Which one is it? (2:50) It's the Moby?

Eli (2:51) Yeah. (2:51) The tandem.

Scott Benner (2:52) Yeah. (2:52) You don't have to show it to me. (2:53) I believe you. (2:54) Do you like it?

Eli (2:55) Yeah.

Scott Benner (2:56) Yeah? (2:56) No. (2:57) What does it do for you that the shots didn't do? (3:00) How does it change things?

Eli (3:01) When I was high, instead of always giving me a shot, like, it'll adjust it for me, which I like that a lot.

Scott Benner (3:09) Yeah. (3:10) You prefer not having to give yourself injections.

Eli (3:12) Yeah. (3:13) Instead of because I don't like getting inject I I mean, it's fine. (3:17) It doesn't hurt, but I don't wanna do it repeatedly.

Scott Benner (3:22) Yeah. (3:23) And is this would you do you find this to be just easier?

Eli (3:26) Definitely.

Scott Benner (3:28) Yeah. (3:28) Using a pump is easier?

Eli (3:29) Yeah.

Scott Benner (3:30) Okay. (3:31) And also, you mentioned when your blood sugar tries to go up, the Mobi tries to stop it?

Eli (3:36) Yeah. (3:36) It'll like, those let's say I was, like, 200 or 230. (3:42) Mhmm. (3:42) It would do, like, let's say, point five units and try to get me down.

Scott Benner (3:48) Yeah. (3:48) Do you find that helpful?

Eli (3:50) Definitely.

Scott Benner (3:51) How come though? (3:52) Is it because you don't have to think about it as much or what, well, how does it help you?

Eli (3:55) Pretty much because, like, if I was, like, playing a game or a card game Mhmm. (4:04) Instead of having to repeatedly check my blood sugar

Scott Benner (4:08) Yeah.

Eli (4:08) It just dose for me even though I wouldn't know I was high probably.

Scott Benner (4:12) Okay.

Eli (4:13) Then instead of having to dose, like, every minute

Scott Benner (4:19) Yeah.

Eli (4:20) For ten minutes. (4:21) Instead, it'll just do it for me.

Scott Benner (4:23) Right. (4:23) Have you used another any other pumps?

Eli (4:26) I used the Omnipod because I tried the Mobi, and, of course, the next day, Omnipod came on phone.

Scott Benner (4:36) Oh, okay. (4:37) So you tried you tried Omnipod, but you ended up going back to Moby?

Eli (4:41) I no. (4:42) I originally had the Omnipod. (4:45) My friend apparently likes to try new pods, feel like.

Scott Benner (4:50) Okay.

Eli (4:51) Then when the Tandem Moby release, I asked him, like, do you like it? (4:55) Does it hurt? (4:57) He said no. (4:58) He said he liked it. (5:00) So I wanted to try it.

Scott Benner (5:01) Okay.

Eli (5:02) I tried it and I like it.

Scott Benner (5:03) Awesome. (5:04) So you tried Mobi because your friend was using it? (5:06) Yeah. (5:06) That's awesome. (5:07) You're spending all this time trying to reach people on Instagram.

Eli (5:19) Yeah. (5:20) Before? (5:22) Definitely before me.

Scott Benner (5:32) How does it make you feel better?

Eli (5:34) I'd say because I don't like being the only one I know being diabetic.

Scott Benner (5:40) Yeah. (5:40) And so having a friend just makes you feel like you're part of a group?

Eli (5:43) Yeah.

Scott Benner (5:43) Yeah. (5:44) Do you think it helped him when you were diagnosed? (5:48) Yeah. (5:48) Do you guys ever talk about it?

Eli (5:51) Being diagnosed?

Scott Benner (5:53) Or having diabetes. (5:54) Do you ever talk about having diabetes with your friend?

Eli (5:56) Sometimes.

Scott Benner (5:57) Yeah. (5:57) What kind of stuff do you talk about if it's not too private?

Eli (6:02) Just like blood sugars and stuff.

Scott Benner (6:04) Do you guys share low snacks ever?

Eli (6:07) Yeah.

Scott Benner (6:08) What's your favorite?

Eli (6:10) I eat a lot at Starburst.

Scott Benner (6:12) Starburst?

Eli (6:13) Because in the school year, they had we just I basically only had Starburst.

Eli (6:34) Kinda. (6:35) I just got two Starbursts and put them both in my mouth.

Scott Benner (6:37) Oh, you go the whole thing right away? (6:39) Yeah. (6:39) Yeah. (6:39) Can't do that. (6:40) Yeah.

Scott Benner (6:41) Can. (6:41) You can knock it down, no problem. (6:42) How many Starbursts does it take to fix your low blood sugar usually?

Eli (6:45) It depends. (6:46) Like, if I'd if I was 70, it'd probably be, like, one. (6:50) Mhmm. (6:51) If I was, like, let's say 50, probably two.

Scott Benner (6:55) Okay. (6:55) Do you play any sports?

Eli (6:57) Yeah. (6:57) I play baseball.

Scott Benner (6:58) Baseball. (6:58) Where do you play on the field?

Eli (7:01) They usually just, like, mix it up.

Eli (7:10) Actually, third base.

Scott Benner (7:12) Third? (7:12) Nice. (7:12) You got quick reflexes. (7:14) Ball comes at you fast? (7:15) Yeah.

Scott Benner (7:15) Yeah. (7:16) Can you make that throw all the way across the diamond?

Eli (7:19) Definitely. (7:19) That's awesome, man.

Scott Benner (7:20) That's great. (7:21) How do you hit?

Eli (7:21) At least half of it.

Scott Benner (7:23) You can make it?

Eli (7:23) Yeah.

Scott Benner (7:24) Yeah. (7:24) You get as you get how old are you again? (7:26) Eight. (7:27) Eight. (7:27) You're gonna get bigger and bigger.

Scott Benner (7:28) It's gonna get easier and easier.

Eli (7:29) Yeah. (7:30) I'm almost taller than my mom.

Scott Benner (7:31) Yeah. (7:31) Well, your mom's pretty short, but, yeah, I get what you're saying. (7:35) You fast?

Eli (7:36) Yes.

Scott Benner (7:36) Yeah? (7:37) Awesome. (7:37) Do you enjoy baseball? (7:38) Yeah. (7:38) Awesome.

Scott Benner (7:39) When you're playing, how do you manage your diabetes? (7:42) Is there anything special you have to do?

Eli (7:46) If I was low, I'd have to quickly take us, like, juice or Starburst or something.

Scott Benner (7:53) Right. (7:53) Does that happen often?

Eli (7:56) Surprisingly, no, because actually I'm surprisingly high.

Scott Benner (8:00) You're high when you're playing? (8:01) Are you very competitive? (8:02) Do you wanna win?

Eli (8:04) No. (8:04) I just like having fun.

Scott Benner (8:05) You just like having fun. (8:06) You're having a good time. (8:06) You're excited while you're there. (8:07) Yeah. (8:08) And the pump is right?

Scott Benner (8:09) The Moby is trying to keep your blood sugar down so it's working for you while you're playing. (8:13) You keep it on while you're playing?

Eli (8:15) Yeah.

Scott Benner (8:16) Yeah. (8:16) Where do you like to wear it while you're playing?

Eli (8:20) Probably on my I'd say my arm.

Scott Benner (8:24) Yeah. (8:24) But your non throwing arm?

Eli (8:27) I don't I just want one arm, honestly.

Scott Benner (8:30) Which are you right handed or left handed? (8:33) The way you throw. (8:34) Right. (8:34) You wear your Moby on the left. (8:35) Right?

Eli (8:36) Yeah.

Scott Benner (8:47) Does it have other places?

Eli (8:48) Arms and legs. (8:51) Yeah. (8:51) I tried my butt, like, once. (8:54) I didn't really like it.

Scott Benner (8:55) Yeah.

Eli (8:55) Honestly, it's just because I don't like the long tubing. (9:00) I I don't want no. (9:02) Like, it's stuck on there. (9:04) Like

Scott Benner (9:05) So do you like the Mobi because it has a short piece of tubing?

Eli (9:09) No. (9:09) Well, yeah. (9:10) Yeah.

Scott Benner (9:10) Yeah.

Eli (9:11) I like how you can swap between two of them. (9:13) When it was on my leg, I I used the, long tubing because I felt like it was easier.

Scott Benner (9:20) Okay. (9:21) And on your arm, have the shorter piece? (9:23) Yeah. (9:23) And you're using the that OnBody, like, it's stuck right on you with the the sticker. (9:28) Right?

Scott Benner (9:28) Yeah. (9:29) Yeah. (9:29) That's awesome. (9:29) You like that?

Eli (9:30) Yeah.

Scott Benner (9:31) Makes it all easier?

Eli (9:32) Yeah.

Scott Benner (9:48) And if you can't think of anything, it's okay.

Eli (9:55) Oh, yeah.

Scott Benner (9:56) Nothing? (9:56) Oh, you had something? (9:57) Yeah. (9:57) Give it to me. (9:58) Give it

Eli (9:58) to me. (9:59) I learned how to, like, change my sights kinda.

Scott Benner (10:03) Okay.

Eli (10:04) Yeah.

Scott Benner (10:04) So you're putting your own sights on?

Eli (10:05) Yeah.

Scott Benner (10:06) Yeah. (10:07) That with, how how does it work? (10:09) Tell me how to do it.

Eli (10:10) There's like the XCon gift, it's like a circle and, like, you have to prime it Yeah. (10:18) Kinda.

Scott Benner (10:18) Okay.

Eli (10:19) And you push down, there's a white butt like a white button, click it and it inserts it.

Scott Benner (10:27) Do you do that by yourself?

Eli (10:29) Sometimes. (10:30) Yeah. (10:30) My mom supervises me.

Scott Benner (10:32) Yeah. (10:33) She helps make sure you're doing it right? (10:34) Yeah. (10:35) Do you feel confident when you're doing it? (10:36) Yeah.

Scott Benner (10:37) That's awesome. (10:37) Who helps you with your diabetes mostly? (10:40) Mom. (10:41) Your mom? (10:41) Yeah.

Eli (10:42) I do not trust my dad putting on

Scott Benner (10:44) Can you tell me why?

Eli (10:45) Moms. (10:46) Mostly because, like, my mom has done most of it, dad.

Scott Benner (10:50) Okay. (10:51) Oh, so she's got more experience?

Eli (10:53) Yeah.

Scott Benner (10:53) I gotcha.

Eli (10:53) My dad is mostly just watching baseball when he's

Scott Benner (10:57) Where are you from?

Eli (10:59) Somerville, South Carolina.

Scott Benner (11:01) South Carolina. (11:01) What baseball team does he like?

Eli (11:04) Detroit's. (11:05) Because that my dad, he was I think he was born in Detroit. (11:11) So we like Detroit lines, Detroit Baseball.

Scott Benner (11:14) And He's just watching the Tigers play? (11:16) Yeah. (11:16) How about you? (11:16) Do you like the Tigers or do have another team?

Eli (11:18) Tigers.

Scott Benner (11:19) Yeah. (11:19) Yeah. (11:20) It's not a bad baseball team at all, but, like, what do you think you like best about the movie?

Eli (11:27) How you can change tubing, definitely.

Scott Benner (11:29) You like having shorter or longer tubing?

Scott Benner (11:47) I gotcha. (11:48) Do you have a hero that has diabetes or somebody you look up to or somebody you follow?

Eli (11:55) I my I follow my friends, my uncle.

Scott Benner (11:58) Yeah. (11:58) Your uncle had diabetes? (11:59) Uh-huh. (12:00) He has type one? (12:01) Yeah.

Scott Benner (12:01) Do you know any other are you related to any other people that have type one?

Eli (12:04) Yeah.

Scott Benner (12:04) Who else?

Eli (12:06) So I probably my mom knew I was probably gonna have type one because her my uncle, which is her brother, has it, and, her dad has it too.

Eli (12:30) I, I actually, I'd recommend, I don't know if if you don't like the shots, I'd actually recommend, like, a pump or or a Mobi or something like that.

Scott Benner (12:42) Yeah. (12:42) Just because it makes everything easier.

Eli (12:44) Yeah.

Scott Benner (12:44) Yeah. (12:45) Gotcha. (12:45) I understand.

Eli (12:46) And you have to take less shots.

Scott Benner (12:48) Yeah. (12:48) Has there been anything with diabetes that you thought would be difficult that didn't end up being that hard?

Eli (12:55) Correcting highs, definitely.

Eli (13:03) I'd say at least over 100.

Scott Benner (13:06) You wanna so

Eli (13:07) mean, over 200.

Scott Benner (13:08) 200. (13:09) You don't want to go over 200. (13:10) Yeah. (13:10) That's your goal? (13:11) That's a pretty good goal.

Scott Benner (13:12) You are you successful at that most times?

Eli (13:15) Most times.

Scott Benner (13:24) What do you think?

Eli (13:25) Sometimes I'll, like, wait a little for my insulin to kick in. (13:30) Yep. (13:31) And then in school, we we did half before, half after.

Scott Benner (13:39) Okay. (13:40) In case because you didn't wanna get low during lunch, they were trying to be careful?

Eli (13:43) Yeah.

Scott Benner (13:43) Yeah. (13:44) Do they still do that? (13:45) Yeah. (13:46) So how do you manage at school? (13:47) You go to the nurse's office or the office?

Eli (13:49) Nurse's office. (13:50) Yeah.

Scott Benner (13:50) Okay. (13:50) Have you ever texted with your mom while you're at school about diabetes?

Eli (13:54) Sometimes if I like really, really have to.

Scott Benner (13:57) Yeah. (13:57) Do you think maybe one day you and your mom could just do it through text and you wouldn't even have to go to the nurse? (14:03) That might be nice,

Eli (14:05) maybe. (14:05) I know.

Scott Benner (14:06) Is it like a whole vibe in the nurse's office? (14:08) Are there a bunch of people there before lunch getting insulin and stuff? (14:11) Is it fun?

Eli (14:14) It's nice, but I'm the only diabetic kid in school.

Scott Benner (14:18) Okay. (14:18) You prefer to just go to lunch. (14:20) Right?

Eli (14:20) Yeah.

Eli (14:54) Uh-huh.

Scott Benner (14:55) That's awesome. (14:55) Who is Hannah? (14:56) Is she, like, a doctor friend?

Eli (14:58) She's like she's a doctor. (15:00) Yeah.

Scott Benner (15:01) Yeah. (15:01) So you just met with her one time?

Eli (15:03) No. (15:03) We we met we met at least, like, five maybe times now.

Scott Benner (15:09) Okay.

Eli (15:10) Maybe more than that. (15:11) I'm not that sure.

Scott Benner (15:12) How many times was of those five times was her telling you how to use the pump?

Eli (15:16) Two only.

Scott Benner (15:17) Two. (15:18) And you Yeah. (15:18) Got

Eli (15:19) because it first, it was the Omnibod, then second, it was a Tandem.

Eli (15:31) Yeah.

Eli (15:44) So there's a dashboard, and on the bottom, you can hit bolus.

Scott Benner (15:49) Yep.

Eli (15:50) Then you'd enter on the top, it's insulin. (15:54) Then on the bottom too, it's, like, how much it is. (15:59) Then there's enter the like, enter your cards that you're dosing for.

Scott Benner (16:04) And you just push a button and it's done?

Eli (16:05) Yeah. (16:06) How

Scott Benner (16:06) long does it take? (16:07) Like, couple seconds?

Eli (16:09) Or A couple of seconds on it.

Scott Benner (16:10) Not long at all. (16:11) Yeah. (16:11) It's awesome, man. (16:13) So is this your first time at Friends four Life?

Eli (16:14) Yeah.

Scott Benner (16:15) Yeah? (16:15) What have you, enjoyed so far about being here?

Eli (16:20) I like that there's a bunch of diabetics

Scott Benner (16:23) Yeah.

Eli (16:24) That I get I can get to know.

Scott Benner (16:26) What do you like about that? (16:27) What what makes you feel good about them all being here together?

Eli (16:30) I like being in the diabetic community.

Scott Benner (16:32) Yeah. (16:33) Tell me why.

Eli (16:36) I'd probably say because it's nice knowing people that you know what they're going through and they know what you're going through.

Scott Benner (16:44) Yeah. (16:45) It just makes you feel better? (16:46) Yeah. (16:46) Yeah. (16:47) Makes you feel safe?

Eli (16:48) Yeah. (16:49) That's

Scott Benner (16:49) awesome. (16:50) You think you'll come back here again and do this again?

Eli (16:51) Definitely.

Scott Benner (16:52) Yeah. (16:52) It sounds like you're having a really good time.

Eli (16:54) I am. (16:55) That's awesome.

Scott Benner (16:55) Have you made a lot of friends?

Eli (16:57) Yeah.

Scott Benner (16:57) No kidding. (16:58) Check people you think you'll keep in touch with after you leave?

Eli (17:00) Probably. (17:01) Yeah.

Scott Benner (17:01) Yeah. (17:02) That's awesome. (17:03) That's cool. (17:03) Do you have any questions for me? (17:06) No.

Scott Benner (17:06) No? (17:07) It's fair enough. (17:08) Alright. (17:08) I really appreciate you doing this with me. (17:10) This was awesome.

Scott Benner (17:10) You were great at this. (17:12) Thank you so much. (17:13) I hope you continue to have a great time while you're here. (17:15) Mhmm. (17:16) Seriously.

Scott Benner (18:22) Search for the Juice Box podcast, small sips, wherever you get audio.

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Scott Benner 2/14/26 Scott Benner 2/14/26

#1771 Defining Diabetes: Temp Basal

In this episode of the Juicebox Podcast, "temp basal" (temporary basal) is the primary term being defined.

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Scott Benner (0:28) Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan. (0:35) The episode you're about to listen to is sponsored by Tandem Moby, the impressively small insulin pump. (0:41) Tandem Mobi features Tandem's newest algorithm, Control IQ Plus technology. (0:46) It's designed for greater discretion, more freedom, and improved time and range. (0:50) Learn more and get started today at tandemdiabetes.com/juicebox.

Scott Benner (1:06) Ready?

Elias (1:06) Yeah.

Scott Benner (1:07) Hey, Elias. (1:08) I'm Scott. (1:09) Where are you from?

Elias (1:11) I'm from Michigan.

Scott Benner (1:12) Michigan. (1:12) How old are you? (1:13) Nine. (1:14) Nine. (1:14) Tell me your name again.

Elias (1:16) I'm Elias.

Scott Benner (1:16) Elias. (1:17) Excellent. (1:18) Elias, do you have type one diabetes? (1:20) Yes. (1:20) No kidding.

Scott Benner (1:21) How long have you had it?

Elias (1:22) A year and a half.

Scott Benner (1:24) Just a year and a half? (1:25) Mhmm. (1:25) It's pretty new for you still or does it feel like you're getting used to it?

Elias (1:28) I'm getting used to it.

Scott Benner (1:29) Getting used to it. (1:30) Yeah. (1:30) And you told me you have an older sister?

Elias (1:32) Yes.

Scott Benner (1:32) Does she have diabetes? (1:33) No. (1:34) No. (1:34) Anybody else in your family have it? (1:36) No.

Scott Benner (1:36) No? (1:37) Not so far? (1:38) Yeah. (1:38) Yeah? (1:39) Okay.

Scott Benner (1:40) What was it like being diagnosed? (1:41) Do you remember the day it happened? (1:43) Yeah.

Elias (1:45) It was on 04/10/2024. (1:48) Mhmm. (1:49) I was in the ER, and then the doctors came in, and they were thinking about what I could have, and then they were thinking about type one.

Scott Benner (2:00) Okay. (2:01) Do you remember feeling sick leading up to that, or did your parents tell you you had to go to the hospital? (2:05) What what got you to the hospital?

Elias (2:07) I was peeing and drinking a ton.

Scott Benner (2:09) A lot. (2:10) Yeah.

Elias (2:10) And we did blood work, my blood sugar was 365.

Scott Benner (2:16) Oh, they caught it pretty early then. (2:18) Mhmm. (2:18) Yeah. (2:18) You weren't in DKA? (2:19) No.

Scott Benner (2:20) No? (2:20) That's good. (2:21) That's awesome. (2:21) So your parents were paying attention? (2:23) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (2:23) It's nice to know that they're paying attention to you. (2:25) Right?

Elias (2:25) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (2:26) Yeah. (2:26) Absolutely. (2:26) So were you in the hospital just for a day or did they keep you for a couple days?

Elias (2:29) It was three days.

Scott Benner (2:31) Three days. (2:31) When you left, did you leave with insulin pens? (2:34) Did you get a CGM? (2:36) What did they give you?

Elias (2:36) They gave they gave me a finger poke around insulin pens.

Scott Benner (2:41) Insulin pens. (2:42) And today, do you wear a CGM?

Elias (2:44) Mhmm. (2:44) I wear a CGM and a pump.

Scott Benner (2:46) Oh, what pump do you have?

Elias (2:48) Mobi.

Scott Benner (2:49) Mobi? (2:49) Mhmm. (2:49) Oh, where are you you don't have to show me, but where are you wearing it?

Elias (2:52) My leg.

Scott Benner (2:53) On your leg. (2:53) Do you like it? (2:54) Mhmm. (2:54) Yeah. (2:55) What do you like about it?

Elias (2:56) It lets me up my basal, and then they have Control IQ that help lowers and ups my basal if I'm high or low too. (3:06) Right. (3:06) You can also manually up the basal and set it down too.

Scott Benner (3:10) Yeah.

Elias (3:10) And then it's doesn't hurt a lot.

Scott Benner (3:14) Is it better than injections for you?

Elias (3:16) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (3:17) Yeah. (3:17) You didn't like the injections?

Elias (3:18) No. (3:19) I didn't really like them.

Scott Benner (3:20) Yeah. (3:20) My daughter doesn't like them either. (3:22) She, she doesn't like them at all, actually. (3:24) So your pump helps you not get as many injections.

Elias (3:28) Mhmm. (3:28) You can

Scott Benner (3:28) control your insulin better. (3:30) Right? (3:30) You're doing your bases. (3:31) Your mom and dad doing that? (3:32) Are you doing that?

Elias (3:33) I do it most of it, but they help out.

Scott Benner (3:36) You make you make adjustments to your insulin?

Elias (3:38) Yeah. (3:38) Awesome. (3:39) Most of it, actually.

Scott Benner (3:40) They do most of it? (3:41) But you're learning?

Elias (3:42) Yeah.

Scott Benner (3:42) Yeah. (3:43) So do you count your carbs?

Elias (3:45) Yeah.

Scott Benner (3:47) Yeah? (3:48) What what do you like to eat that you need that you know how to bolus for really well?

Elias (3:53) Protein bar.

Scott Benner (3:54) Yeah. (3:54) So you know, like, what's the bolus for your protein bar?

Elias (3:57) 16 carbs.

Scott Benner (3:59) 16 carbs. (4:00) And you get a nice do you get a nice, like, flat line? (4:02) Do you go up?

Elias (4:04) I go up a little bit and then I kinda go down.

Scott Benner (4:07) Okay. (4:07) It's not bad though. (4:09) Right?

Elias (4:09) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (4:09) Yeah. (4:10) Do you get low at the end or no?

Elias (4:12) I think because I don't really eat until lunch, so I go low from not eating.

Scott Benner (4:17) Oh, so you do what do you do? (4:18) Protein bars at breakfast?

Elias (4:20) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (4:20) Yeah. (4:20) And then you have lunch at school?

Elias (4:22) Yeah.

Scott Benner (4:22) How do you do the lunch bowls at school? (4:24) Do go to the nurse or do do it, like, through text with your mom?

Elias (4:27) I do it with the office.

Scott Benner (4:31) Yeah. (4:31) You go into the office and they help you? (4:33) But do you have, like, carbs written down and they

Elias (4:36) Yeah.

Scott Benner (4:36) Yeah. (4:37) So do you give your Moby pump to the office person or do they just watch you do it?

Elias (4:41) Yeah. (4:41) They watch meatballs.

Scott Benner (4:43) Is it easy?

Elias (4:43) Yeah.

Scott Benner (4:44) Yeah. (4:45) Controlling it is like, how do you control it? (4:47) Do you control it on the pump? (4:48) Do you control it on a phone? (4:49) How do you do it?

Elias (4:50) You control it on a phone.

Scott Benner (4:52) On the phone? (4:53) What's your favorite snack when you're low?

Elias (4:55) Fruit snacks and juices.

Scott Benner (4:57) Juice boxes and, like like like what what kind of fruit snacks? (5:00) Do you have a favorite or does it not matter?

Elias (5:02) I can't have any other brand other than the organic fruit snacks.

Scott Benner (5:07) Organic? (5:07) That's smart.

Elias (5:08) I'm allergic to red forty. (5:10) Really? (5:10) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (5:10) No kidding. (5:11) How'd you find that out?

Elias (5:12) I I had a ton of Kool Aid, like, when I was five, and then I threw up all over.

Scott Benner (5:20) Wow. (5:20) That's how you found out? (5:21) Oh, so you but you have a fruit snack that works good for you?

Elias (5:24) Yeah.

Scott Benner (5:24) Awesome. (5:25) That's very cool. (5:28) Have you ever done anything that's made you feel really proud? (5:31) Anything with diabetes that you thought, like, I couldn't do this, but you did and then you were just proud of yourself?

Elias (5:36) Polishing myself for the first time.

Scott Benner (5:39) Yeah. (5:40) With your new pump?

Elias (5:41) Yeah.

Scott Benner (5:42) Yeah. (5:43) That that made you feel like, I can probably do

Elias (5:45) this? (5:45) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (5:45) Yeah. (5:45) And now it's going well. (5:46) Right?

Elias (5:47) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (5:47) Yeah. (5:47) That's awesome. (5:48) So you feel really comfortable with diabetes?

Elias (5:50) Yeah.

Scott Benner (5:50) That's right. (5:51) Who do you think has been helping you? (5:53) Is it mostly your mom, mostly your dad, or do they do it together?

Elias (5:55) The my whole family helps me.

Scott Benner (5:57) Oh, that's awesome. (5:58) Your sister too?

Elias (5:59) Yeah. (5:59) A little bit.

Scott Benner (6:00) A little bit? (6:01) So do you feel very supported by that? (6:03) Mhmm. (6:03) Can you tell me how that makes you feel knowing everybody's got your back?

Elias (6:07) It may just makes me feel comfortable with diabetes.

Scott Benner (6:10) Yeah. (6:11) That's awesome. (6:11) That really is great. (6:13) Do you play any sports or do have any activities you do?

Elias (6:15) Yeah. (6:15) I play baseball and basketball.

Scott Benner (6:18) Oh, awesome. (6:18) Where do you play on the field in baseball?

Elias (6:21) Left center, right center, all of the outfield, then I do third, second, shortstop.

Scott Benner (6:30) You've been trying the whole thing? (6:31) Yeah. (6:32) Listen. (6:32) I'm gonna tell you what my son would tell you. (6:34) Okay?

Scott Benner (6:34) When you get older, the outfield is a ton of fun. (6:38) When you're younger, it's not quite as much fun. (6:40) But as soon as the kids start hitting the ball a little farther, outfield turns into a real good kick. (6:45) So you'll like it if you if you end up in the outfield. (6:47) Are you fast?

Elias (6:48) Yeah.

Scott Benner (6:49) Gotta be fast to play in the outfield. (6:50) Right? (6:50) Mhmm. (6:51) How do you hit? (6:51) Left or right?

Elias (6:52) I'm a lefty.

Scott Benner (6:53) Yeah. (6:53) How do you you you yeah. (6:55) You you're doing well hitting the ball?

Elias (6:57) Yeah. (6:57) I actually hit, like, four 13 times.

Scott Benner (7:01) No kidding. (7:01) You've been getting on base?

Elias (7:03) Yeah.

Scott Benner (7:03) Yeah. (7:03) Where do you play? (7:04) For, like, Little League or

Elias (7:06) your Ten

Scott Benner (7:07) Ten u? (7:08) You guys you're hoping to go to the Little League World Series one day?

Elias (7:11) Yeah.

Scott Benner (7:12) Yeah? (7:13) It's pretty cool. (7:14) Son never made it. (7:14) He got three games away from it one time. (7:16) My daughter got closer.

Scott Benner (7:17) My daughter is type one. (7:18) She played softball. (7:19) They were two wins away from going to the Little League World Series when she was 12. (7:23) It was pretty cool. (7:24) Maybe you'll get to do that one day.

Scott Benner (7:26) It's a lot of fun. (7:28) When you switched from injections to a pump, you went right to the Mobi?

Elias (7:33) No. (7:34) We we first had an Omnipod.

Scott Benner (7:36) Okay. (7:36) And then what made you switch from Omnipod to Tandem?

Elias (7:39) My mom was looking on social media, and then she found out that Tandem the Mobi controls your blood sugar better without you having to do all the stuff.

Scott Benner (7:51) Okay. (7:52) And what's and did that end up being what happened for you?

Elias (7:54) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (7:55) Awesome. (7:55) What's your a one c? (7:56) Do you know?

Elias (7:57) It was 6.1 because we had, like, a bad month, but You it should start going back down.

Scott Benner (8:03) We're calling 6.1 a bad month? (8:05) Yeah. (8:05) Oh, you're doing great then, aren't you?

Elias (8:07) We were just at 5.5.

Scott Benner (8:09) Five five? (8:10) Mhmm. (8:10) Wow. (8:10) That's awesome, man. (8:11) It it how are you doing that, do you think?

Elias (8:15) I don't know. (8:15) We just keep good control on my blood sugar levels.

Scott Benner (8:18) The pump helps?

Elias (8:19) Oh, yeah.

Scott Benner (8:20) Yeah. (8:21) And your mom? (8:22) Is your mom up all night? (8:23) She's not you're not up all night, are you? (8:24) She's we need you to sleep a little bit.

Scott Benner (8:26) So She sleeps

Elias (8:28) a lot.

Scott Benner (8:28) She's fine. (8:29) Don't worry about her. (8:30) Yeah.

Elias (8:31) She slept perfectly last night.

Scott Benner (8:33) Oh.

Elias (8:33) I had no lows, no nothing. (8:35) That is true.

Scott Benner (8:36) Nice. (8:36) All night. (8:37) So you've been running around here in Florida, and you don't have any lows last night? (8:40) No. (8:41) That's awesome.

Scott Benner (8:41) What'd you eat yesterday?

Elias (8:43) I ate Raisin Cane's Brew.

Scott Benner (8:47) You had a burger?

Elias (8:49) No. (8:49) I had chicken.

Scott Benner (8:50) Chicken.

Elias (8:51) And then at lunch, I the lunch.

Scott Benner (8:57) You don't remember?

Elias (8:58) I thought it might have been Chick fil A or Wawa. (9:02) Wawa. (9:03) Yeah.

Scott Benner (9:03) Wawa. (9:03) There's Wawa's in Florida?

Elias (9:04) Yeah.

Scott Benner (9:05) Oh, no kidding. (9:06) Where are you from again? (9:07) Where did you say?

Elias (9:07) Michigan.

Scott Benner (9:08) Michigan. (9:08) You got Wawa in Michigan?

Elias (9:10) No. (9:10) We only we don't even have seven Elevens around our area.

Scott Benner (9:13) What the heck? (9:15) I grew up around Wawa. (9:16) I grew up in Philly. (9:16) I was probably near the first Wawa.

Elias (9:18) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (9:18) Yeah. (9:20) You ever get a hoagie?

Elias (9:22) A what?

Scott Benner (9:22) A hoe. (9:23) Yeah. (9:23) You don't know hoagie. (9:24) Right? (9:24) No.

Scott Benner (9:25) No. (9:25) Have you ever had a real soft pretzel? (9:27) Oh my god. (9:27) You have you ever had good pizza? (9:29) Has he ever had good pizza?

Scott Benner (9:30) Where would you do you do you like pizza? (9:33) Pizza. (9:33) No. (9:34) I gotta get you a better place. (9:35) Alright.

Scott Benner (9:35) I'm gonna hook you up with some places to get pizza. (9:37) Are you driving home or flying?

Elias (9:39) I'm flying.

Scott Benner (9:40) Okay. (9:40) Well, you can't pull the plane over. (9:41) That's not gonna work. (9:43) Do you have any heroes with diabetes? (9:44) Any famous people or people that you follow or you look up to?

Elias (9:48) I don't know any people who have any.

Scott Benner (9:51) That's interesting. (9:52) Yeah. (9:52) There's a lot of people. (9:53) A lot of professional baseball players have type one. (9:55) The general manager of the Phillies has diabetes.

Scott Benner (9:58) Yeah. (9:58) There's been a lot of type one pitchers. (10:00) There's a guy right now throwing for the, athletics. (10:03) Mhmm. (10:03) He throws, like, a 100 miles an hour.

Scott Benner (10:05) He has type one diabetes. (10:06) Can you imagine throwing a ball a 100 miles an hour?

Elias (10:08) It's that has to take so much power.

Scott Benner (10:11) Yeah. (10:11) He's a big guy. (10:12) I can't think of his name right now. (10:14) I'm sure he's real appreciative of that. (10:16) What else?

Scott Benner (10:17) The tight end for the the Chiefs? (10:19) Do you like football?

Elias (10:21) I don't watch it, but my parents do.

Scott Benner (10:23) Okay. (10:24) Noah Gray plays tight end for the Chiefs. (10:26) He wears a tandem pump just like you. (10:27) Mhmm. (10:28) Ain't that cool?

Scott Benner (10:28) Yeah. (10:29) Yeah. (10:29) There's plenty of guys. (10:30) Tight end for the Ravens. (10:31) Who else?

Scott Benner (10:32) Anybody wanna help me here? (10:33) Chad Muma. (10:33) Chad Muma. (10:34) He believes there's a lot of football players. (10:36) Here today.

Scott Benner (10:37) Oh, wow. (10:37) There's gonna be football players here today that that that wear a pump. (10:40) You gotta check them out?

Elias (10:42) Yeah.

Scott Benner (10:42) Yeah? (10:43) What else you go ahead.

Elias (10:44) You can hear my parents screaming at the TV.

Scott Benner (10:47) They yell at football? (10:48) Yeah. (10:49) Well, Michigan, what are watching? (10:50) The Lions?

Elias (10:51) Yeah.

Scott Benner (10:51) Yeah. (10:52) See, what happened there, Lions, if you don't mind me telling you, is it looks so promising, but then it fell apart so majestically, they're probably upset. (10:59) That's all. (11:00) Yeah. (11:01) They didn't get to live in Philadelphia like me and really enjoy what football should be, you know.

Scott Benner (11:05) But they were this close to it, and it was probably really, really upsetting. (11:08) So you gotta cut them a break. (11:09) You know what I mean? (11:10) Plus the baseball is sketchy at best. (11:12) So there's not a lot to do out there.

Scott Benner (11:14) You say you play basketball too though. (11:16) Right? (11:16) Yeah. (11:16) You like playing defense? (11:17) You like shooting?

Elias (11:19) I like shooting, but I'm mostly defense still.

Scott Benner (11:24) Yeah. (11:24) It's important. (11:25) If you watch professional basketball, there needs to be more people playing defense, so I'm glad you're doing that. (11:30) You're doing so well with your diabetes. (11:31) Do you have any advice for other kids that have type one?

Scott Benner (11:34) What do you think what do you think one of the things is that you do every day that leads to that grade a one c and your stability that you have?

Elias (11:41) Exercise, drink.

Scott Benner (11:44) Yeah. (11:44) Stay hydrated? (11:45) Mhmm. (11:45) And exercise. (11:46) You exercise every day?

Elias (11:48) Yeah.

Scott Benner (11:49) It's a big part of it, actually. (11:50) I'm I'm very proud of you. (11:52) That's what you said. (11:53) I did not expect you to say that. (11:54) That's a great answer and really true.

Elias (11:56) I actually need to drink more yesterday.

Scott Benner (11:59) Yeah. (11:59) You didn't drink enough?

Elias (12:00) No.

Scott Benner (12:01) Me either. (12:01) How'd you know you didn't drink enough?

Elias (12:06) Dizzy. (12:07) Like, really dizzy.

Scott Benner (12:08) You were dizzy?

Elias (12:09) Yeah.

Scott Benner (12:10) You're getting really comfortable now, aren't Mhmm. (12:12) Yeah. (12:12) You're all chilling out. (12:13) You got your feet up. (12:13) I should put my feet up.

Scott Benner (12:15) This looks better. (12:15) How come I haven't been doing this all week? (12:17) So this is your first time at Friends for Life.

Elias (12:20) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (12:20) And you're seeing all kinds of people wearing what? (12:23) Pumps like yours, CGMs like yours. (12:26) How does that make you feel?

Elias (12:28) Welcome.

Scott Benner (12:29) It makes you feel welcomed? (12:30) Mhmm. (12:30) That's awesome. (12:31) Do you think you'd come back and do something like this again?

Elias (12:33) Yeah.

Scott Benner (12:34) Yeah? (12:34) How what what are you what are you enjoying about it right now?

Elias (12:39) Swimming.

Scott Benner (12:40) Swimming. (12:41) My wife has been in a pool for the last two days. (12:44) She never comes with me on stuff like this, and she's like, I'm coming. (12:47) I'm swimming. (12:48) It's all she's done so far.

Scott Benner (12:49) She's turning brown. (12:51) You must put a lot of suntan lotion on your you got a little pale here. (12:54) Right? (12:54) You don't wanna burn. (12:55) Is mom blushing you

Elias (12:56) up? (12:57) Yeah? (12:57) Yeah. (12:58) Yeah? (12:58) Probably.

Scott Benner (12:59) You look good. (13:00) Mhmm. (13:00) Yeah. (13:00) You didn't burn or anything. (13:02) So you're here.

Scott Benner (13:03) You've seen all these people. (13:04) Mhmm. (13:04) Makes you feel welcomed. (13:06) Mhmm. (13:06) Have you gone and talked to people?

Scott Benner (13:08) Have you made friends?

Elias (13:09) Yeah. (13:10) There's this kid. (13:12) He doesn't have type one diabetes. (13:14) He he's a he has a sister that has type one, but he's actually really cool.

Scott Benner (13:21) So What what did you guys have in common?

Elias (13:25) We we play the same sports.

Scott Benner (13:28) Yeah.

Elias (13:29) We live in the same state.

Scott Benner (13:30) No kidding. (13:31) You came all the way to Florida to meet a guy from Michigan?

Elias (13:33) Yeah.

Scott Benner (13:34) Yeah. (13:34) That's cool. (13:36) And at home, do you know a lot of kids with type one at home?

Elias (13:39) Mhmm. (13:40) Well, friends. (13:41) But

Scott Benner (13:41) People you know? (13:42) Yeah. (13:43) So is there a feeling that you have here that you don't get at home?

Elias (13:47) No. (13:48) It's kinda like the same, but it's just more type one people.

Scott Benner (13:51) Just more people here.

Elias (13:52) Yeah.

Scott Benner (13:52) And and that makes you feel comfortable and well.

Elias (13:54) Yeah.

Scott Benner (13:55) That's awesome.

Elias (13:55) It also feels I feel welcome at home too. (13:58) You do. (13:58) Makes me feel more Yeah. (14:00) Welcome then.

Scott Benner (14:01) Awesome. (14:01) And that was great. (14:02) You were terrific. (14:03) I really appreciate you doing this with me. (14:05) Thank you so much.

Scott Benner (14:05) I hope you have a great time. (14:07) The podcast you just enjoyed was sponsored by Tandem Diabetes Care. (14:11) Learn more about Tandem's newest automated insulin delivery system, Tandem Mobi with Control IQ plus technology at tandemdiabetes.com/juicebox. (14:21) There are links in the show notes and links at juiceboxpodcast.com. (14:25) If you'd like to hear about diabetes management in easy to take in bits, check out the small sips.

Scott Benner (14:31) That's the series on the juice box podcast that listeners are talking about like it's a cheat code. (14:37) These are perfect little bursts of clarity, one person said. (14:40) I finally understood things I've heard a 100 times. (14:43) Short, simple, and somehow exactly what I needed. (14:46) People say small sips feels like someone pulling up a chair, sliding a cup across the table, and giving you one clean idea at a time.

Scott Benner (14:54) Nothing overwhelming. (14:55) No fire hose of information. (14:57) Just steady helpful nudges that actually stick. (15:00) People listen in their car, on walks, or rather actually bolus ing anytime that they need a quick shot of perspective. (15:07) And the reviews, they all say the same thing.

Scott Benner (15:10) Small sips makes diabetes make sense. (15:13) Search for the Juice Box podcast, small sips, wherever you get audio.