# 1789 Born to Run - Part 2
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Endurance runner, pharmacist, and foster dad Zach shares his adult LADA diagnosis, mastering insulin, exercise, and mindset—learning confidence, vigilance, and control just nine months into type 1.
Episode Takeaways
- Identifying Early Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms: Agatha describes her daughter Ava's T1D diagnosis story, where noticing frequent urination (even in parks) and extreme thirst led her to catch the condition early, despite initial medical dismissal based on the child "not appearing sick."
- Navigating T1D at School: A critical discussion on the friction between parents and school staff regarding "emergencies-only" management. Scott and Agatha emphasize the importance of proactive micro-bolusing to maintain time-in-range rather than reactive care.
- Global T1D Technology (Australia): Agatha shares her experience with the Ypsomed (YpsoPump) system and the Australian healthcare model, which often facilitates immediate pump training at diagnosis.
- Parent-Child Relationship Dynamics: A candid look at the "totalitarian" shift in parenting after a T1D diagnosis and the psychological weight of the constant "background noise" created by glucose monitoring during daily activities.
- Challenging the "Resilience" Narrative: Scott and Agatha explore why the word "resilient" often feels hollow to T1D families, reframing the experience as a forced endurance of difficult circumstances rather than an elective act of bravery.
Resources & Sponsors
Juicebox Content Mentioned
- • Algorithm Pumping Series: Detailed episodes on AID systems including Omnipod 5, Loop, and Medtronic 780g. (Search "Algorithm Pumping" in your player)
- • Texting Diabetes (Episode 4): Strategies for remote school management and caregiver communication.
- • Bold Beginnings & Pro Tips: Foundation series for managing Type 1 Diabetes.
- • Resilience Series: Discussions on the psychological impact and reality of T1D management.
- • Juice Cruise 2026: Community getaway for T1D families. juiceboxpodcast.com/juicecruise
Featured Sponsors
- • Contour Next Gen: Accurate and reliable blood glucose monitoring. kontoornext.com/juicebox
- • Medtronic Diabetes: Learn about the MiniMed 780g and Instinct sensor. medtronicdiabetes.com/juicebox
- • Cozy Earth: Luxury bedding and clothing. Save 20% with code JUICEBOX. cozyearth.com
Friends, we're all back together for the next episode of the Juice Box podcast. Welcome.
AgathaWell, hi, Scott. My name is Agatha. I live in Australia on the East Coast in a place called the Gold Coast, and I'm the mom to Ava who has type one.
Scott BennerCheck out my algorithm pumping series to help you make sense of automated insulin delivery systems like Omnipod five, Loop, Medtronic seven eighty g, Twist, Tandem Control IQ, and much more. Each episode will dive into the setup, features, and real world usage tips that can transform your daily type one diabetes management. We cut through the jargon, share personal experiences, and show you how these algorithms can simplify and streamline your care. If you're curious about automated insulin pumping, go find the algorithm pumping series in the Juice Box podcast. Easiest way, juiceboxpodcast.com, and go up into the menu. Click on series, and it'll be right there.
Scott BennerNothing you hear on the Juice Box podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan. This episode is sponsored by Cozy Earth. You can use my offer code juice box at checkout to save 20% off of your entire order at cozyearth.com. Everything from the joggers that I'm actually wearing right now to the sheets I sleep on, the towels I use to dry myself with, and whatever else is available at cozy earth dot com. Just use the offer code JUICEBOX at checkout. Today's episode is also sponsored by Medtronic Diabetes, who is making life with diabetes easier with the MiniMed seven eighty g system and their new sensor options, which include the Instinct sensor made by Abbott. Would you like to unleash the full potential of the mini med seven eighty g system? You can do that at my link, medtronicdiabetes.com/juicebox. Today's episode is also sponsored by the Contour Next Gen Blood Glucose Meter. This is the meter that my daughter has on her person right now. It is incredibly accurate and waiting for you at kontoornext.com/juicebox.
AgathaWell, hi, Scott. My name is Agatha. I live in Australia on the East Coast in a place called the Gold Coast, and I'm the mom to Ava who has type one.
Scott BennerI really appreciate you doing this. Thank you. We do have to tell people what time it is for you.
AgathaI thought we could avoid this. It's early. It's 03:35 in the morning.
Scott BennerThree why did you wanna avoid don't want people to think you're crazy?
AgathaYeah. Kind of. Even I think that this is a bit early. I'm I'm an early riser, I'm so not the type of person that would wanna talk to you at midnight my time. But Oh. Even 04:30 would have been slightly better.
Scott BennerI hate to say it, but we could have done it later if you wanted to.
AgathaOh god. Don't. I don't wanna hear that.
Scott BennerSorry. Okay. Okay. This was the only time I had available. There. Does that make you feel better?
AgathaOh, good. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Scott BennerYou have, how many kids?
AgathaI've got two daughters.
Scott BennerOh, awesome. How old are they?
AgathaSo Ava, she's five. She's my, my daughter with type one, and then I have another daughter, Isla, who is three.
Scott BennerOh, pretty names. Very nice. Well, of course, when people hear Gold Coast, do they immediately if they're not from there, start asking about sharks and things like that? I'm not gonna do that. I just wanna know if that's what happens.
AgathaI think when people hear that you're Australian, you get asked about sharks and scary insects and spiders and things things like that. But the Gold Coast is beautiful. It's kind of our, I guess, version of Miami. Lots of beaches and warm, and people come here for vacations. So, a lovely part of the country.
Scott BennerVery nice. Awesome. Okay. So these two little girls of yours. When was you said Ava has type one?
AgathaYes. She was two, nearly three. So April 2023. So we'll be coming up onto three years soon.
Scott BennerHow did you find out? Did someone tell you, or did you figure it out?
AgathaI figured it out. I'm I'm pretty proud of that part. We had that day being at a birthday party. One of Ava's friends, we'd just been at a park, and it was one of those places where there were no restrooms about, and she just kept needing to use the bathroom. And so we kept finding a tree that she could go and, do a weave behind, and it just struck me as really unusual that we were there for two hours, and she just kept needing to go to the bathroom. So we came home from that, and I immediately jumped onto Google and started asking questions and put in there that she'd been drinking more water and using the bathroom more, and it popped up with Type One.
Scott BennerWow. That so one day just one day's events got you right to Google? Was it just that one event? Like, did you literally figure it out from one day peeing on trees, or was there stuff before that that culminated?
AgathaI think that's kind of when it all crystallized for me. She wasn't terribly like, I listened to to your podcast, listened to stories. She wasn't, like, obviously unwell in any other way. You know, I think I had noticed that she'd been drinking more water. She just started day care. You know, it's one of those things where you rationalize behavior. Lots of kids are drinking more water. She's drinking more water. There wasn't a huge amount that I can point to that kind of felt like there was something wrong. It was really just that day. I just thought, okay. I gotta sort this out. Like, whatever's happening here, let's work it out. And so I took her to the doctor, and the doctor looked at her and said I hope this isn't type one, but, you know, I just wanted to get it checked out. The doctor said that if she had type one, she would be much sicker.
AgathaDidn't wanna finger prick her or do anything like and sort of gave me the choice as to whether we do that. And I said, well, we're here. Let's do it. Now when I think about it, it feels odd, but she finger pricked her heel even though she was I don't know. Anyway, I just now I think about it and just think I'm not sure if she had many people come in with this, but, you know, checked her blood glucose, and it was high. And then yeah. It that was it. Sent us to the ER and emergency room, and and it kind of all unraveled from there.
Scott BennerIs there, like, more to that part of the story? The doctor didn't wanna do it, but left it up to you. I always find that interesting when they say, like, well, I wouldn't do it. I don't think it's right. But if you want me to, okay. Like, what is that all about? You know what I mean?
AgathaYeah. I I don't know. I mean, she'd done a, like, a a a test. Like, we had some of her, like, weigh in a cup, and she tested it. And I don't know why it didn't show up with sugar or why she couldn't get an answer from that and then didn't wanna do the finger prick. But I don't know. I mean, she she really didn't look unwell, and I think we caught it quite early. I can't remember what her a one c was on diagnosis, but, you know, it it that was kind of one of the things that was hard about the whole whole situation is she she seemed pretty okay. Like, you I went from having a kid that was at a birthday party that was healthy and well to having a kid, you know, who wasn't, like, pretty quickly and not with, like, a lot of a lot of significant physical symptoms that showed me that something was wrong.
Scott BennerHow did that impact you and her, actually? I mean, is she she's not even, like, complaining about anything. She just peed a couple of times at a party. So, yeah, was that difficult to I mean, she was younger, but was it difficult for you to accept?
AgathaI mean, I think it was yeah. I think so. I'm grateful we didn't have the trauma of, you know, DKA and, I mean, all all this that I hear that can go wrong and and how far down it can go, but it was a real yeah. It was difficult. It was definitely difficult to just get my head around everything is different now, and we have to adjust to doing all these things we didn't have to do before and think about all these things and just kinda complicate life a little bit more. And my other daughter at the time was, I think, 10 old. So I was still kind of in that haze of looking after a newborn and trying to work out, you know, how to adjust to life with two small children.
Scott BennerYeah. But do you work full time, part time, or not at all?
AgathaI do work at the time, I was on maternity leave with my my second, but I'm a lawyer. So usually, work. And since having both girls and going back to work, I I just work part time.
Scott BennerOkay. Okay. So you had been you had the baby and you were still how long did they give you in Australia after you have a baby?
AgathaWe're we're pretty lucky here. I mean, I had I took a year off with with her and but I think I can't remember exactly how much you get paid. You you can either get paid by the government or you can get paid by your employer. Mean, the employer might give you a, you know, a better a better amount. But I think I had, like, three or six months paid off, and then the rest was just, you know, self funded 100 when you're time off with the baby.
Scott BennerWhen you said that everything's different now, did you mean just, you know, the nuts and bolts of diabetes is in your life, or did you mean that it's fundamentally changed other parts too?
AgathaI mean, yeah, it it's changed a lot. And, like, I don't know if that's a bad thing to admit, but it's changed the simplicity of doing things, you know, with the family. Going to a birthday party is really different now to how it was back then. All those all those little changes, and it it's I don't want to say this, but it it also kind of changes your relationship with your child in a way and not always in a positive way. And that's hard, I think, to adjust to as well, looking after her and sometimes having her do things she doesn't wanna do, that she needs to do to to look after herself or make sure that she's well, it does feel like a completely different life.
Scott BennerChanges your relationship with her because you are in more of a, like, a I don't I'm I'm gonna use the wrong word here, but, a totalitarian, like, you know, regime change kind of thing, like, where you're, like, you're telling her what to do now and it's not something you're happy about or something she's happy about? Or are you saying, like, how you see her interact with her or even feel? Or what what was it you were getting at?
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AgathaI mean, I think kind of both, to be honest. It's definitely the okay. You need to come off the playground or you need to you know, I need to change the site. It's not working. I'm gonna pop in and and and do that, and then you can go back to the thing you're doing. And, you know, there's resistance to that, but, like, she's I think, like, all these kids, I hear people use the word resilient, but they just put up with it. They accept at this age at least that, you know, you're the parent and you're telling them what to do, and they do it, and they might protest to it. Mhmm. But then, yeah, I think it's also changed the relationship with her because, you know, when I'm reading her bedtime story, I'm also just having a look at her numbers and kind of thinking, should I be bolusing now? Because when she falls asleep, she's going to start to rise, so I need to get something going now, or should I wait a bit longer, or did she did she nap today? So is she going to fall asleep? Like, it just sort of is in the back of my head all the time, and it does, I think, impact then how you are with your child or at least it does for me. And that's something that I'm trying to work on because I don't wanna put any of that on her or affect how she relates to me or relates to diabetes in a a negative way as well.
Scott BennerYeah. I'd I'd like to share with you that I I had that moment too. It took me longer maybe to figure out that you did, but Arden came home from school one day, walked through the door, and I realized that I didn't even see her. I just saw diabetes and the things that I was gonna and I, you know, I realized that every day she'd come home and I'd say, what's your blood sugar? Because there was no there was no sharing of of CGM data. And so Mhmm. I had this, like, background fear that she had left school. That was the last time I knew what her blood sugar was because she would text me before she got on the bus. Like, my blood sugar is this. I'm getting on the bus. And then, you know, it's it wasn't even that long. It was twenty minutes or so, and she got home. And that entire twenty minutes, I just thought, like, is she okay? And then when she walked in, I wanna make sure she's okay. And by the way, most days she came home, she was fine, and it still didn't take the feeling away. But then I had that thought one day. I'm like, oh my god. I'm not even seeing her. I'm seeing diabetes when she walks in the door. I I gotta stop that.
AgathaYeah. And how do you stop that? Like, that's hard.
Scott BennerYeah. I mean, I don't know. It's just time and and being aware of it and putting effort into, you know, shifting your feeling. But I honestly think moreover, it's about experience with the management and getting Mhmm. More comfortable that what you know is going to happen or what you hope is going to happen is actually happening. And then once you can feel comfortable that I made the decisions, I know how this works, I can close my eyes for twenty minutes and imagine where we are now. That was kind of how I how I tempered myself with it as I I started doing this thing where I thought, like, what do I think her blood sugar is right now based on everything I did? And the more I was correct about that when I looked, the more comfort it gave me that when I wasn't looking, what I expected was happening was happening. That makes sense?
AgathaMhmm. It does. It's tough. You know, it's funny because what you were describing, it's almost like if you if anybody's ever been in the hospital and the nurse comes in, you know, the nurse is working. They have, like, things in their head they're doing, and they're charting, they're testing things, and you start chitchatting with them. Right? And you when you look back, you realize you're not having a full conversation with that person. That's a person politely interacting with you while they're doing their job, and it that's how it made me feel. Like, you weren't really reading the book. You're politely reading a book with her while you're thinking about the diabetes, and that part makes you sad, and it should. You summarized it perfectly. This is my job.
Scott BennerSo what kind of technology did you get at diagnosis, and has any of that changed? Unlike other systems that will wait until your blood sugar is a 180 before delivering corrections, the MiniMed seven eighty g system is the only system with meal detection technology that automatically detects rising sugar levels and delivers more insulin as needed to help keep your sugar levels in range even if you're not a perfect carb counter. Today's episode of the Juice Box podcast is sponsored by Medtronic Diabetes and their MiniMed seven eighty g system, which gives you real choices because the MiniMed seven eighty g system works with the Instinct sensor made by Avid, as well as the Simplera Sync and Guardian four sensors, giving you options. The Instinct sensor is the longest wear sensor yet, lasting fifteen days and designed exclusively for the MiniMed seven eighty g. Medtronic diabetes makes technology accessible for you with comprehensive insurance support, programs to help you with your out of pocket costs or switching from other pump and CGM systems. Learn more and get started today with my link, medtronicdiabetes.com/juicebox.
AgathaWe left the hospital with the pump. We have a DexComp g six, and we have a Yipso pump, which I I I don't think is available in America, but I know Yeah. People have it. Yeah. That's the one. Yeah. I know it, but I it. Yes. So we left with that. It's sort of interesting listening to you, and you hear how lots of people have to be on shots for a period of time before they're allowed to graduate to a pump, we were never even really given the option to do shots. It was like, this is this is the way to manage, and it was more, you know, here are the the three pumps that we, you know, that we suggest you consider, and and this was the one that was recommended to us as has the best algorithm and, you know, is cutting edge and and the best one available. So, mean, it was a really uninformed decision because we didn't really know anything about what we were doing and just trusted the educator when she said pick this one. I remember at the time being a little bit I I really hated the the part of her being connected to, like, the tube in my head. Mhmm. Because it feels really medical to have the tube, but it's been a a good pump, I think. I mean, I don't have anything to compare it to, so I don't I don't really know what the alternative would be, but she's she's fine with it. It doesn't bother her, and I think it's helped us a lot. I think it's helped us kind of maybe overcome get to where we are quicker, if that makes sense.
Scott BennerCongratulations to Australia for just saying, look. Take the pump. Does the government pay for it? How does that work there?
AgathaOh, well, we have private health insurance, so I think that that helps us get the pump. So we didn't pay for it Mhmm. As far as I'm aware. And know that if if we had gone to a different hospital, we we would have had a different experience. It's just that we happen to go to one that has this particular educator, this is the way she operates.
Scott BennerIf I just, like, came into the house all Grinch style tonight and snatched up all that pump and left, would you have the first foggy idea about what to do tomorrow?
AgathaI would panic. I I have pins. I would probably YouTube it and work out how to do it. Yeah. It's it's such a good point because I feel like if you if you're gonna give the pump, you you you do need to still educate on how to do it without it. And while I have, you know, given a shot to my daughter at an appointment with our diabetes educator, like, one time, like, I can't remember now. But I have a good friend who's who's has a daughter as well who has type one, and she did that for a long time. And they're now on Omnipod, but I would probably be calling her. I'm I would be on the phone to her and say, how do I what do I do? But, yeah, I've got the Levemir in the fridge, and I'd work it out, I guess. You know? And that's, I think, this whole thing, a lot of it is, like, you just sometimes have to work it out, not get caught up in the panic of, what do I do in this situation? You just have to sort it.
Scott BennerDo you know how much basil she gets a day? About?
AgathaOh, so she goes through roughly in total between, I'm gonna say, fifteen and eighteen units a day. Basil, maybe maybe seven or eight. I'd have to check. I'd have to have a look at the statistics, like, off the top of my head.
Scott BennerThe panic would come from what? Like, because it's not is it mostly about giving the injections, you think?
AgathaI don't even think so. No. I've I've dosed I've even you know, the the mini glucagon before. Like, if I need to do it, I can do it. Yeah. What's the panic? I mean, I would hope I wouldn't panic, but I'm probably and you might have gathered this because you talk to lots of people, but I'm probably a bit of a warrior and a little bit more sort of anxious and wanna get things right. And so it would just be, you know, not stuffing it up and, you know, I don't know, priming it or doing whatever I have to do when I haven't missed a step, and I've and I've I've given the thing, and I've given the right amount. And it's just that kind of I haven't done this before and have I ticked the boxes, and it's happened the way it's meant to happen.
Scott BennerI get that when you told me you had kids and you had a female name, knew you were a warrior then. I didn't really need to talk to you after that. Keeping those kids alive and safe, but it's also sometimes I'm like, I what is happening?
Scott BennerI always contended that, like, you know what to do. It's just the delivery system's different. And, yes, the pump's doing the math, but you can look at the pump and see what the math is and just I think the the it's just the change that would be frightening. Are you the main caregiver for the diabetes?
AgathaI would say so. Yes. My husband works full time. So I've I've got the the two days with the girls and then well, with with my my youngest and then my neighbor's at school. So she's in more kindergarten. She starts school this year. So our school year starts in a few weeks. I'm the one that will go to the school if something's happening, and I'm the one that communicates with the teachers looking after her, answers their questions, or ask them to do things if they need to do things. So, yeah, it's it's mostly me. And then and then my husband, though, obviously, very capable of looking after Ava if I'm doing something or I'm away, which happens occasionally. Mostly, it does sit with me.
Scott BennerIn your note, you talk about, like, challenges of raising a young child navigating, in your words, school and friendships. Has that been a thing that you were worried about or a thing that was actually going wrong and difficult?
AgathaIt's been difficult, but I think it's probably was always going to be difficult on some level. And when I say that, I mean, they're not in then, you know, she's not with me. She's with someone else. And the way that they wanna manage at school is having as little involvement with type one as possible so that they can focus on the teaching and the and the schooling part. Whereas when she's with me, there's a lot more happening, and it's kind of finding that balance when I'm not with her that she's still looked after and she's having good results. Because she could have bad results and not be with me, but that's not what I'm aiming for. And I guess because she's so little, you know, I can't text her and ask her to do things. I have to text the teachers. And we did have an in you know, a couple instances last year. Kind of it's the year before they start school, but they're in the uniform. They have a a, you know, a a kind of a a proper schedule to the day that kind of follows what they would do if they were at school. And and we had a couple instances where they were like, only text us in an emergency. I found that hard because I'm like, well, it's not an emergency now, but it will be an emergency in fifteen minutes potentially. And more so, I just don't want her day to be interrupted, and she has to sit down and not participate in gym class because she has to wait out a hypo rather than you just getting ahead of it now with something small Mhmm. And and and letting her continue with her day as normal. So it's that kind of balance between having them look after her, but also, you know, not just doing the bare minimum. So that's been a bit of a challenge, and and I think we do I mean, we do better when she's home than when she's at school.
Scott BennerBecause you're more proactive?
AgathaYeah. Yeah. I I I, like, I I engage with them more and I'm you know, there's more, you know, my you know, a small ball is here or or or picking up a a drop, that kind of thing. I don't know if it's the technology or if it's what it is, but, like, we we we can't go a day where I'm not having to catch a low at some point. I don't know what a typical experience is. Like, I think in an ideal world, you bowl us for the food. They eat it. The basil's right. You know? It's mostly okay, but it's just not that simple. We we if we if we wanna have numbers that are mostly in range, then it almost feels like we have to be in that situation where we're catching lows a little bit, and and that's annoying at school.
Scott BennerIs that around activity? Do you think do you think she's more active at school than she is at home?
AgathaWe always have a drop off the back of breakfast, which yeah. I know I know that I'm sure that other people have similar experiences too, but it just feels like if I if I don't bowl us enough, she goes high. The algorithm kicks in. It pushes a ton of basil on her. It drops her low. If I bolus too much, it's the same effect in that, you know, basil's not bringing her down, but the bolus eventually brings her down. She goes low. So we we always seem to have a low in and around when she's about to have morning tea at school. And we've had a year at school this year, and I haven't been able to fix it. Some days, it's okay. Other days, it's not. It's that kind of thing. And then more generally, I mean, maybe it's activity. I don't know.
Scott BennerI don't know how many people could hear through Agatha's accent where she was like, it'd be nice if these motherfuckers would just listen to me.
AgathaYeah. Totally.
Scott BennerYou're but then the algorithm then she's getting a little high, then the algorithm is pushing again, and you think the push is where the low comes from?
AgathaI think so. I think mostly. When she's been home, like, over these holidays, I might do a stronger bolus for breakfast, and then that sort of a pre bolus kind of the the snack, if that makes sense.
Scott BennerWell, that's what I was gonna ask. I was gonna say, why don't you be more aggressive with the food? But you can do it at home. You have trouble doing it and sending her away. How much does she weigh?
AgathaWearing kilos here. So she's nineteen kilos? I don't know what that is. Forty one. She's eight bags of flower. I was right.
Scott BennerDo you think she has any kind of a honeymoon going on still?
AgathaI don't think so. I don't think so. I mean, we did diluted insulin at the beginning, and and it almost feels like it was easy. It all felt like it was easier when I think she was in honeymoon. Like, everything felt a bit easier. I know people seem to have trouble with it, but it seemed easier. And then one day, it just felt harder, and, you know, we were getting more spikes. And so I don't think so. I don't think that's happening, but Okay. I don't know. I'm still new with it. So
Scott BennerNo. Yeah. I mean so what you're really if I'm hearing this through through your stories, what you're really waiting for is for her to get old enough where you can converse with her directly and start managing things between the two of you. Right?
AgathaI think so. Yeah. And I'm thinking about this stuff because we're we're Judah had a meeting about how everything's gonna look this year, and it'd just be so much easier if I could just tell her, you know, which is what I do when she's with her grandparents or or even with my husband. You know, sometimes I'll message and be like, can you do this? And it's just much easier to just do it that way rather than have this document that says treat at this number, do this at this number, here are the carbs. Okay. Bye. Like, it just seems so light touch for what it needs, really.
Scott BennerAnd tell me why that bothers you. I don't disagree with you, but I wanna hear in your words, like because she's coming home alive, obviously. Right? So, like Yeah. It's not it's not the worst thing. And you can and I think I hear in your voice you understand their perspective too. Tell me about yours. Like, why why do you dislike this this method?
AgathaMostly, it comes down to the fact that she's more likely to run higher, and the highs are not addressed as as quickly. And and I I I get nervous when I see the drops, and and I'm not there. And it just feels like we're doing too little too late on both ends. Mhmm. And it just makes it more stressful. Like, the day is much smoother when there is a little intervention here or there versus waiting for, you know, something, you know, quote, unquote, bad to happen or we're in a bad situation and then trying to address it.
Scott BennerAgatha, you're a winner, aren't you? You're a go getter. Right? Like, you get out in front of things. But they don't this is my perspective after sending my kid through school. She's out of it now. But Yeah. This wasn't about her health from their perspective. This was about not having a kid pass out at school. That's Yeah. That's really was their only goal. Like, if your kid doesn't pass out or have a seizure, then we call this a win, and we are not measuring health outcomes or happiness or anything else. Like, that's that wasn't their that but that's your pretty much your only concern. And you've Yeah. Figured out a way to, like, take care of it. And they and so they're not interested because they said you've pleased only in emergencies. If you put yourself in their position, were you being a pain in the ass from their perspective?
AgathaI think in the beginning, a little bit. Yes. Mhmm. And as soon as they pulled me up on it, I I took the feedback and was like, right. Like, in the spectrum of things I could be asking them to do, what what is, you know, an emergency or closer to an emergency. So I think I yeah. I was a little bit at the beginning and less so after that. Having said that, it is interesting of the two people looking after her. One of the teachers and all the schools here do it differently, but at my daughter's age, there's two teachers in the room. One's the assistant. One's the main teacher. The main teacher was was very, we don't wanna hear from you. But the assistant who actually did a lot of the stuff, did a lot of the bolus thing, did a lot of the, you know, hypo stuff, she would say to me separately, I actually really appreciate you texting me. I like that you're looking at it and that you see what's happening. And so I think there is an element of who is the person you get? What's their personality like? And are they more willing to come on the journey with you? And, you know, we're gonna we're going to face this every year. The way our school does it is every year, you get a new batch of people, and you have to train them up, and you start again. I have a friend, her daughter. They have one sort of assistant that just looks after the kids with with type one and will go out and and bolus and do the hypos and stays with them as they move into the different year levels. And that feels like a really good system Mhmm. Because it's continuity. It's one person knows them. You're not teaching people from the beginning. And I just feel the way we're going to be doing it is there's going to be that learning curve, and there's gonna be mistakes. And then there's me learning how they are. Some people are better at this than other people. Some people are better with tech. Some people are not as good. But I think it you know, it's it's it's probably just part and parcel of being a parent with with type one, and you have to sort out how you're going to deal with it at school. But they're there a lot. They're there a lot. Right? It's like a third of her life is at school, so it's important to get it right.
Scott BennerMhmm. No. For sure. Did does it give you any comfort that you have the whole thing figured out already? Because you're right. Like, that's all what's gonna happen. You're gonna get good ones and bad ones and some that are interested and some that aren't and some that can't grasp it. Even this example here, the person who's hands on between you and your daughter sees the bigger picture because they're involved, and the person still in the room but slightly removed from it is like, ugh, why is this happening? It almost feels like if you put put that person on the other end of the phone for a week, and they could watch a problem stopped in its tracks before it can happen, that kind of thing, that they would maybe have more perspective or and maybe it still wouldn't matter to them. Maybe that personality wise, they just don't care. Yeah. You never know who you're getting. And and the problem is, for for my perspective, is that every year, everyone smiles and looks you right in the eyes and goes, don't worry. It's gonna be fine.
AgathaYeah. Oh, I know. I hate that. I had one one teacher say to me, doesn't it make you feel good that we've all done the diabetes training? And I was like, no.
Scott BennerNo. It doesn't make me feel good when I'm taking care of her. And I care a lot. I always go back to the principal of my first child's elementary school, and I realized after a while that if the building was on fire, she'd say, don't worry. We got it. She was a politician. She wasn't even a teacher at that point. Just you could not have said anything to her that she would not have answered back with, oh, yeah. Yeah. Don't worry. We got it. Mhmm. I was like, know you don't. I know you don't. Yep. I don't got it. I don't got it. And and I love her. You're just contractually obligated to take care of her.
AgathaYeah. Exactly. Episode four of the podcast is called texting diabetes. Yeah. I've listened.
Scott BennerNot by mistake, but that was one of the first things that I thought was just transformational in how Arden's health was while she was out of the house and at school. So
AgathaYeah. Yeah. I mean, it's just baby steps. Right? Until we we get to that, and she's a bit older and, you know, she's this year, she'll have her phone on her, not all the time, but when she's out in the yard, and that's not something that we've done before. It's always been a teacher holding her phone. Mhmm. And, you know, she's we've been practicing her carrying it on her in a bag, and, you know, it's just one of the various little things we'll do is we keep moving towards it, her taking on more and more.
Scott BennerYes. You start texting her, like, from other rooms of the house or when she's outside watching a mongoose and a cobra fight or whatever happens outside. And then one day, you'll just realize like, oh, we have a little system here. It works. She's good at it, and I can trust it. And, you know, it'll it'll open up everything for you. It's a thoughtful conversation you're having. I appreciate how how granularly you're talking about and thinking about just this one aspect of it.
AgathaYeah. I mean, it's sort of yeah. It consumed a lot of my day because I'm trying to work or look after my other daughter and then also do this, and there's just an easy way to make it not stressful for us and for them. Do you think I don't wanna make you upset, but, like, do you think that your younger daughter is getting a bit of short shrift because of the diabetes? Are there things not happening for her that you think would have happened otherwise?
AgathaI think that that doesn't make me upset, and it is something I've thought about because, you know, it's easy to just focus on the child that has type one. I think I don't think so. I think she she I mean, she's only three, so, you know, she's she's aware, but also just, like, living life as a three year old and and easily distracted by things. So she did make a comment to me the other day, though. I said something about, you know, Eva has type type one. We need to take care of her. And she said and she's three. And she said, well, I have a peanut allergy, and you have to take care of me too. And I said, of course, I would take care of you, and I take care of Ava, and we all look after each other. So she I I don't know if there's something in that, like, you know, don't just take care of her. Take me take care of me as well. But I try to be very mindful about that. And, like, to be honest, day to day, like, if we're out doing things, it's holidays now. We're off doing various things. Like, this does not like, I'm not focusing on Ava, like, you know, so heavily in the course of the day. Like, I'm looking at my phone. I'm making decisions. I'm doing things. But, like, I'm there with both girls, and we're we're all together having a good time doing whatever it is we're doing. And it's not a thing that I feel like I'm not paying attention to one in order to address something for the other.
Scott BennerCan I give you a great piece of advice that you'll ignore? It's not gonna matter. 100%. Do the right thing because it's the right thing, but don't think that it's going to completely stop the human side of the whole thing, you know, where somebody's just gonna feel like, I remember when we stopped to do a blood sugar and I stood there for twenty minutes thinking like, I don't wanna be doing this. And, you know, and then, you know, I again, having hearing my son say we were always involved with Arden's blood sugar and her diabetes And and thinking about, like, contextually how much time and effort we put into him, I was like, ugh. That was defeating. But then to look across the room and watch Arden go, what? We were always with Cole. I was like, you've gotta be kidding me.
AgathaBut is that a bit validating? Because because you were putting an effort into both equally.
Scott BennerYeah. And neither of them thinks they were getting any effort, by the way. But look, here it is. They're not using meth, and they haven't shot anybody. So I figure, like, oh, we're done. Like, we did a good job.
Scott BennerAnd people just wanna like, I I think that you're always gonna feel that way. You know, I was telling somebody the other day, it's a weird setup for the thing, but I'm a really good dad. I'm a pretty damn good husband. Like, I'm a good provider. Like, the whole thing, I'm very focused on other people, and I have no desire for somebody to say thank you to me about it. But no one ever says thank you to me about it. Like and I wonder, like, why does no one ever say thank you? And I realized, like, I'm that's just who I am. I run around I thank people all the time. But when it comes to this, like, my goodness. Like, just every once in a while, I wish someone would go like, you know, I got a friend whose dad is cheating on my mom his mom with 13 different women, and my this guy's over here sitting with me at the table talking about life and doing stuff and and then, you know I don't know. I don't know why people's minds work that way, but I guarantee you those two girls are gonna think you paid more attention to the other one when this is all over. Have you do you have brothers and sisters?
AgathaNo. I don't. No. I'm an only child. So I'm everything about yeah. Well, yeah. I mean, there was no one else to like. So They were stuck with you one way or the other. That's it. That's it.
Scott BennerDid your husband learn about the diabetes sort of through you, or did he have his own path to figuring it out?
AgathaHe was in the hospital with me because we were juggling you know, having the baby as well. He was often there, you know, learning how to fill a cartridge and, you know, do all that kind of stuff. Not that he remembered any of it. I I laugh because I think about him watching the DA talking through it, and he's nodding. And, like, I can see that he's not taking any of it in. He doesn't do a lot of that stuff at home. I do a lot of that stuff. But in terms of learning, you know, what she needs and when she needs it, I think, yeah, we've sort of done it together, and he's around enough that he can actually, like, learn it, like, and and do it. And there are times when I'm away and he has to do it. And so he he's he's kind of we've kind of done it together, but, like, I think I've probably moved on faster than him just because I do it more often.
Scott BennerWhen you're away, are you is it like a puppermaster situation, or is he doing it, like, on his own autonomously? Are you helping and, like, filling in gaps?
AgathaNo. He mostly does it on his own. Like, I don't I don't tend to he's pretty he's pretty good like that. Like, he's like, you're you're doing the thing the work thing or the whatever thing, and and I'm doing this. So it might not look the same as if I were doing it. He also doesn't necessarily, like, bowl this dinner every night, and he doesn't know exactly the way I do it Mhmm. To get where we get to by the time she's going to bed, you know, where we wanna be, that kind of thing. So he he's sort of works it out himself, but he does a great job. He's a he's hands on and takes it on and works it out and kinda goes with it. And he's he's the calm one. Like, he's he's, you know, he's like, okay. You know, we'll this is happening. Alright. That's fine. We'll we'll address it this way. And he doesn't get too caught up in being worried or stressed or anxious about what might happen. Kind of a guy's guy about it like that.
AgathaYeah. I think so. I'm conscious he's going to listen to this. So I'm thinking of how to respond.
Scott BennerWell, hold on. Before you respond, let me say this. I don't care about how your husband manages your kid. I'm trying to get you to decide whether or not what's happening at school is okay or not.
AgathaAh, okay. I don't think that comes up always as good when he does it as when I do it, but they're not far off. Like, they're close enough. So and and, also, like, I so rarely do go away and and do do things where I need to be focusing on the other things solely, but I just accept it in those instances. Like, this is his thing. He's got it now If this is okay for two days. You know?
Scott BennerSo then my question is, is is it a management issue? Not issue, but is it is it a question of management, or is it a question of control? What a conversation to have 04:30 in the morning. I know. You're really upping my brain. But see, like, I can I'm happy to relinquish control when he's he's doing it because I trust I trust him. Mhmm. I don't really trust these people at school.
Scott BennerAh, okay. Is there a central person at school that we could make a trustworthy person? Like an overseer on-site? What about a nurse, though? Is there a nurse in the building?
AgathaSo, I mean, we're we're still new to the school, but and this sounds very different to what I think happened in The US. But I don't think the nurse I don't think the nurse looks after these kids. Like, the nurse looks after all the borders. Like, I've never met the nurse. I mean, we've been there two years, one year part time, one year full time before she's gone into sort of the junior school, so more in their kindergarten program, and I've never come across her. She's not been involved in anything. It's it's been the teachers. I think it's odd too. If anything's if if anything happens to her, I go. When I say anything, don't mean anything. Like, if if she needs a slight change, like, she's pulled out her side or something, like, I go I go do that. Or if she's running well, if I just don't like the way something looks, I go sorry. You were asking a question then.
Scott BennerNo. No. No. Hold on. I'm sorry. I think I left my phone off of silent. Listen. You're not gonna get me to judge you. I've run from the shower to the Yeah. I ain't judging you. But I was wondering, like, could the nurse not be a go between? Like, could you not go to the nurse and say, look. Here's what we're trying to accomplish. It's going really well. We just need some more touch points. The, you know, the teacher seems to feel like it's too much. I don't think it is. You know, I'm trying to I'm trying to have good health outcomes here, set up a standard for her so she feels well. Know, I'm not sure how much you understand about diabetes, but, you know, bouncing blood sugar, high blood sugar could change, you know, her the way she, you know, interprets the world and and how she learns and everything. Do you see a pathway here between this and the time when she and I can start texting directly and and take the teacher out of the loop? You know? Or is there a way maybe you could go to the teacher and explain that, like, what I'm doing is not insane unless the nurse looks at you and thinks it's insane? I'm telling you right now that that I believe that texting is the unsung part of the diabetes technology for for caregivers. That's very important because the the sooner you act, the fewer times you get low. The sooner you can bolus, the fewer times you get high. If you don't get high, you don't get low later. There's just a ton of reason to be ahead of the game just a little bit. And Yeah. That is a difficult thing to explain to a person who's just worried about you, like, falling over and not about the rest of it. But I I had an experience where when I explained the rest of it, I found some humanity. You know? And I said to people like, look, I know you think this is about today and about her not getting dizzy or passing out or having a seizure. But what I'm telling you is this is about how she feels about herself, how her body works, and what her life's gonna be like in ten, twenty, thirty, forty years. You can't just tell me I have a bunch of kids with diabetes running around the school, and they're all fine. Except I know some of them, and a lot of them are running around with nine a one c's, and that's not okay.
AgathaMhmm. Mhmm. Well, I mean, I think that broader picture of the implications beyond today, that conversation. Like, I can have that conversation when I meet with them in a couple of weeks. Mhmm. That's the teacher, and maybe it's the sort of the head of the junior school. I can ask about if the nurse gets involved. But, yeah, I think I'm just pushing for this time when, you know, I can cut these other people out. It can just be me and her. I mean, we're nowhere near it right now, but it just feels like that will be a big game changer.
Scott BennerOh, I happily agree with you. I mean, you're talking to a person who, like, put their kid on the bus and was like, I don't know who that person is driving that bus. I'm not distrustful, but, like, in in normal, like, life, I'm happy go lucky, live and let live. I'm not distrustful of anybody, really. It's when it gets around my kids' health or their safety, then I'm like, hey. I don't know where we're all coming from right now. And I don't think that's neurotic, by the way. I think that's fairly reasonable. People don't really understand it until they actually look after someone with it or have it themselves. Like, it's just not something that you can explain, and then someone really has a grasp, and they're good to go. Mhmm. Like, you know, I similarly don't trust anyone really with her If she has an extracurricular activity after school, I'm not in the room with her, but I'm in the car. Like, I'm nearby. I you know, I these teachers, they hold her phone, and they'll respond to a text that I send them to give her something, but I still don't necessarily fully trust.
AgathaBut, you know, then it's just this bout like, it's it's just a lot. Right? Like, working and doing that and having another child. Like, it's like a lot on the plate to kind of get through and juggle it all. And then also, like, try to preserve Ava's mental health in all this and not push worry onto her and make her hers too.
Scott BennerLike, that's too late for that. You're fighting too many wars on too many fronts is what ends up happening. Yeah. You get stretched too thin, and you can't do a good job at any of them. And you don't know who you're gonna bump into when you explain this whole thing. Like I said, you might somebody who's like, oh, I get it. Yeah. Right on. Let's do it. And you might get somebody that looks seeing and waits for you to walk out of the room because this one's out of her mind. And, also, it it occurs to me that you have another concern that didn't occur to me right away, but you also run the risk of leaving the room and having somebody go, oh, lady lawyer's pushing us around. Do you worry about that too? Like, the idea of, like because when I'm pushy, it's assertive, and when women are pushy, it's bitchy. Or bossy or whatever. Right? And then and on top of that, you're an attorney. So people already don't like you.
AgathaNo. I'm aware. You know, I don't I don't even really know if the teachers that I'm dealing with, like, that context or the the dance teacher or the whoever even knows that about me, to be honest. Like, I'm not it's not a thing I open with or a thing that I drop into the conversation. Like, I'm just Ava's mom and probably annoying. I don't make a habit of it, really. So I don't know. I think I think I mean, moms in general, I think, like, the same way we worry, and we can also be pushy and be pushing whatever it is we wanna push in relation to our kids. So I probably just fall into the same bucket as any other mom who's wanting a particular outcome for their child and and persistent about getting that outcome. So, yeah, I'm not sure if it's worked against me. Maybe it's helped a little bit when I'm having a, you know, shall we call it, discussion about things. But on the whole yeah. I'll use what I can to help me, but I'm not sure I'm not sure if all that much is helpful sometimes in the conversations.
Scott BennerThe more conversations I have like this over the years, the more I'm certain that thing that helped me the most is crazy to say, but they missed something and Arden got really low on the playground when she was young. I think that bought me the latitude I needed to put everything else into place. And without that, I probably would have been stuck in this argument forever because, you know, I mean, fair to say I was fairly ahead of the curve on how people thought about type one diabetes, you know, fifteen, twenty years ago. And so Yeah. You know, like, they really were. The entire answer I would get was, hey. We have a bunch of kids in this school with diabetes, a lot of them have come and gone. They're all fine. I'm like, do you know any of them anymore? And they're like, no. I'm like, how do you know they're fine? Mhmm. You just mean they didn't die that day. Right? Like, is that what you mean? Because, you know, I know another person in this building, and the kids a one c is high, and I'm not okay with that. And, you know Yeah. And that they didn't care about that. It was the day that they that the system they put in place failed that I was able to raise a hand and go, I told you. Now now we're gonna do it my way.
AgathaWe've had a bit of that. We have had a couple instances where something like the wrong amount's being bolus, like double the amount that's meant to be bolus Mhmm. For something. Like and but I've not made a huge fuss about it, but it has helped me get leverage with the teacher that's maybe been involved in that particular thing. And then they're then then I think that's helped them then listen to me and kinda go, okay. You know, I'm listening to you. Like, I'm glad you're watching this. I'm glad you're involved. But maybe it's a thought about whether it's something to escalate. Like, it's it's it's all you know, there's, like, politics in this too. You don't wanna put people offside. I don't want people to be like, oh god. Here comes this, like, this woman who's Mhmm. Difficult and painful. But, equally, I want people to do what I say. So where do you where do you, you know, where do you find that balance?
Scott BennerI mean, I if I do it the way I do everything else is the realization that everything is power and a negotiate a long negotiation. I'm in I'm in a I'm in a long protracted slow chess game with somebody. I that probably sounds so cynical. Do I just think that, you know, we whether you're considering your relationship between you and your kid's teacher or how you feel about global politics or anything in between, everything's pretty much power. It's power and it's who puts things in in position to work for them and you can't rush it. It has to go slowly. There's a give and a take and you can't out yourself as a lunatic while any of it's happening. So it it's it's just slow and steady and and try to stay stay a little ahead and a little on top. Every relationship you're having, people listening, whether it's between you and your mailman or you and your husband or anywhere in between, this is going on in in micro ways that you might not even or you may be completely aware of. So I mean, my wife beat me years ago. Like, I she she got ahead, and I was like, oh, hell. I lost the high ground. I guess I'm the grocery bitch. Okay. I'll go get the grocery. I said, you know, I thought I was just being nice. I didn't realize she was setting a standard. Damn it. Mhmm. Anyway, I like how reserved, but in in the I I feel like if you and I weren't being recorded, you'd be a completely different person.
AgathaI do think so too. It's hard. Yeah. No. I don't think so. I mean, I just wanted to also mention because I love how you do all those series on all the different pumps and things like that. And I guess because the one that Ava's on isn't as represented in The US, we don't hear as much about it. But I just wanted to, you know, mention that one as well, the the Ypsomed pump and and ask if you'd ever think about, you know, putting anything together about, you know, how to use that and how to set that up. I don't know if that's possible.
Scott BennerWell, it's not not possible. I would just have to reach somebody at the company. I actually just got done recording with Tandem about one of their device well, their device. And because it's more about their algorithm, really. But hold on. Yep. So I'll I'll see if I can find somebody. Because, I mean, the podcast is I sound like I'm I sound like I'm blowing my own horn here, but it's it's a pretty global event, this podcast. Alright. Let me see if I can reach out and find somebody that's willing to come on and talk about it. Alright?
AgathaYeah. It'd be great. Like, just to learn a bit more about how the algorithm works and I mean, I've you know, I'm on Facebook, and there's groups, and and people share things, but it is such good information that you put out there around how the different technology works and how you can optimize it and think about things. It would be it would be brilliant for for this one as well. Looks like it's a company out of Switzerland. Like, I know there's huge uptake of it in Europe and The UK, and it's pretty popular here in Australia. So but I think that that's right. I think it's somewhere in Europe.
Scott BennerOkay. Well, I'm on their media page. I'll find, I'll find an email address and reach out to somebody. Let's see let's see how far, this this thing, works. Fine. Like, take it out for a ride and see what I got. Well, first of all, listen. You're very thoughtful. I really appreciate the conversation. Cannot tell you enough. Like, what did you do? Go to bed at, 09:00 and then get up at, like, three or something? What'd you do?
AgathaYeah. I did. I think I went to bed at, like, 09:30 or ten, and then, yeah, I was up at three. No. Thank you. I'm I'm so pleased that I got the chance to speak to you. I put out a question on there was a it doesn't exist anymore, but there was a Facebook page of, like, mom's little lawyers. And I thought, these women, they're educated. They'll know, you know, can anyone recommend a good podcast? And yours came up, and and I've I've just been listening since then. And I I've probably emailed you a couple of times in in the last couple of years as well saying thank you. But it's been hugely helpful to us and really, like, supplemented what we've learned with our educators here who I think are good. Like, I think compared to what I hear of being people being told in The US sometimes about how things work. You know, we we left the hospital knowing we had to pre bolus like it was never a question. Even a a little two year old, right, we were pre bolus ing, that kind of thing. But really learning about how insulin works, how food work, how food hits, how it all interacts, like, to work out what my algorithm is doing. Like, I got that from from your podcast.
Scott BennerOh, that's lovely. I I can't tell you how warm that makes me feel to just know that it's been helpful for you. I'm actually when I get off with you, like, I've been talking about on the podcast, but I've been going back and forth about telling people where they can find a calculator on my website that literally just takes your weight and breaks down what your starting settings might be. And then another calculator there that could take those settings and, you know, with a little bit of carb information, protein fat, give you a a reasonable pathway on how to bolus, and it's all there. And I just I I keep going back and forth about whether I wanna, you know, how do I present it, put it out. Like, I've, you know, written disclaimers around that. I'm not worried about that. It's I mean, they're similar calculators you can find anywhere online, but it still gives me pause. And then I saw a woman today online asking, like, she's, desperately, I've gotta reset my kid's settings and I don't know what to do. And I thought I'm gonna get a letter to see that thing and see if it helps her. So at this point, I don't even know how I see myself exactly, but I just feel like I'm drawing the conversations in and you guys are the ones helping everybody. I'm just sort of the I don't know. I've just got the the bullhorn at this point. You know? So it's pretty cool.
AgathaGot the experience. Yeah. We're talking to all these people too, you know, to bring it into the other conversations you have. It's it's been really useful, I think, and I think a lot of people get a lot of value out of it. And, hopefully, you keep making these for a long time. Because I know this conversation you and I have had is one that you had very early on in your podcast. Like, I was listening from the beginning. And, you know, people who are going through what we're going through now are thinking about these issues now. And, hopefully I mean, I'm not sure there's necessarily anything useful in this, but, you know, it's everyone's kind of cycling through these same issues just at different points in their lives with their kids, with their teenagers, with you know, as adults, and it it continues to move, and it's useful to hear these fresh conversations about how people are thinking about it.
Scott BennerYeah. Million percent. Don't don't think twice about that because a couple of different things. So even if I've had this conversation two years ago, I've also had 600 since then, and I might interact with you differently, see a different side of it. You might say something differently, bring up a different perspective. And most of the people that heard the one two years ago aren't gonna hear it. Yeah. Those people are either gone and there's new people here and they're they're never gonna hear it. Like, that's the you know, it's not a you know, the podcast isn't a brain download. Right? So, like, you have to be an active listener when things pop up except for the you know, some of the stuff like pro tips and bold beginnings and stuff like that. Like, that people go find, but no one's going to find even a conversation from, like, you know what? Here's how I'll end. You brought something up earlier. The one thing I didn't think to bring up today that I really appreciate and I agree with. You said everybody calls the kids resilient, but you don't like that. I have the same feeling. And I think of it too when people say, oh, you're so brave. Like, I don't think anybody wants to be brave. I think bravery is the thing you're thrust into when you do or you die, so you act brave. But that that's not a decision, you know, that in these scenarios people make, not wantingly most of the time. And so telling people, oh my god. Kids are so resilient. I think it's a weird message. It to me, it falls on the same lines of, you know, god gave your kid diabetes because they knew you could handle. Like, oh, awesome. Thanks. It god. I hope that's not true. But at the same time, I understand the value in telling people kids are brave, kids are resilient, people are resilient. I think you're right, but I I I think it ignores the idea that you're being put through something that you would never in a million years choose to do. And if you had any way out of it, you certainly would get out of it. I don't know if it just rings hollow when people say it sometimes or if it's just the thing that maybe you say to make yourself feel better about what you're witnessing another person go through.
Scott BennerI think that about the whole podcast. Like, it's impossible for me to just come out every day into the world and go, oh my god. Here's all the stuff you should be listening to. Like, I can't do that. The only answer is fresh conversations. It's it's the only answer. It's what makes the whole thing going. So when you see someone online go, don't ask that question. It's been asked already. I'm like, woah. You do not fundamentally understand what makes this group valuable or the podcast. You want to continue to say this stuff. It's never gonna be out of style. So, anyway, I appreciate that you like it. Thank you. It's my pleasure. You were so measured in this conversation. Even if you gushed, I wouldn't even know. I can't wait to hear you stop, but I think you're gonna, like, curse for ten minutes and tell me, like, some crazy story. But thank you very much for doing this. I really do appreciate it.
Scott BennerI'd like to remind you again about the MiniMed seven eighty g automated insulin delivery system, which of course anticipates, adjusts, and corrects every five minutes twenty four seven. It works around the clock so you can focus on what matters. To learn more about how you can spend less time and effort managing your diabetes, visit my link, medtronicdiabetes.com/juicebox. Today's episode is also sponsored by the Contour Next Gen Blood Glucose Meter. kontoornext.com/juicebox. Head over there now. Headquarters, cozyearth.com. Support the podcast. Cozyearth.com. Use the offer code juice box at checkout.
Scott BennerIf you're looking for community around type one diabetes, check out the juice box podcast private Facebook group. Juice box 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 Juice Box podcast, type one diabetes on Facebook. Join me on Juice Cruise twenty twenty six. It's a week long cruise designed specifically for people and families living with type one diabetes. It's not just a vacation. It's a chance to relax, connect, and feel understood in a way that is hard to find elsewhere. We're gonna sail out of Miami, and the cruise includes stops in CocoCay, San Juan, Saint Kitts, And Nevis aboard the stunning Celebrity Beyond. Your kids can be supervised and there's teen programs so everyone gets time to recharge. There's gonna be zero judgment, real connections, and a whole lot of sun and fun on Juice Cruise twenty twenty six. Please come with me. juiceboxpodcast.com/juicecruise. Suzanne at cruise planners will take care of everything. Wrongwayrecording.com.
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#1788 Born to Run - Part 1
You can always listen to the Juicebox Podcast here but the cool kids use: Apple Podcasts/iOS - Spotify - Amazon Music - Google Play/Android - iHeart Radio - Radio Public, Amazon Alexa or wherever they get audio.
Endurance runner, pharmacist, and foster dad Zach shares his adult LADA diagnosis, mastering insulin, exercise, and mindset—learning confidence, vigilance, and control just nine months into type 1.
Key Takeaways
- Fostering and Love: Zach describes the unique bond with his foster child as an unconditional, "agape" type of love, driven by a deep desire to give to a child in need, recognizing that reunification with the biological family is often the primary goal of the foster system.
- The Morning Struggle: Scott shares his feelings of "resentment" towards diabetes, discussing the early mornings spent standing quietly in his house, unable to fully engage in tasks or leave for fear of an unexpected low blood sugar.
- Empathy Through Listening: The podcast has fostered profound empathy; Scott emphasizes how hearing the experiences of those living with diabetes, such as the anxiety surrounding pre-bolusing, has deeply informed his perspective and the content he creates.
- The Complexity of Weight Management: The discussion touches on the multifaceted nature of obesity and metabolic issues, acknowledging that environmental, cultural, and behavioral factors play significant roles alongside personal responsibility, with GLP medications offering a potential avenue for addressing these systemic challenges.
- Choosing the Right Pump: Zach emphasizes the importance of patients independently researching insulin pumps to find the system that best fits their lifestyle, which ultimately leads to better buy-in and satisfaction.
Resources Mentioned
- • Juice Cruise 2026: juiceboxpodcast.com/juicecruise
- • Eversense 365: eversensecgm.com/juicebox
- • Tandem Mobi: tandemdiabetes.com/juicebox
- • Touched by Type One: touchedbytype1.org
- • Wrong Way Recording: wrongwayrecording.com
Introduction
Scott BennerWelcome back, friends. You are listening to the Juice Box podcast.
ZachMy name is Zach. I'm 36 years old. Professionally, I'm a pharmacist, educator, and researcher at a university. And personally, I'm a husband, a dad, an endurance runner, and a foster parent. And as of about nine months ago, I joined the type one club after being diagnosed with LADA.
Scott BennerHow would you like to share a type one diabetes getaway like no other? Join me on Juice Cruise twenty twenty six. You may be asking, what is Juice Cruise? It's a week long cruise designed specifically for people and families living with type one diabetes. It's not just a vacation. It's a chance to relax, connect, and feel understood in a way that is hard to find elsewhere. We're gonna sail out of Miami, and the cruise includes stops in CocoCay, San Juan, Saint Kitts, Nevis aboard the stunning Celebrity Beyond. This ship is chosen for its comfort, accessibility, and exceptional amenities. You're gonna enjoy a welcoming environment surrounded by others who get life with type one diabetes. I'm gonna host diabetes focused conversations and meetups on the days at sea. There's thoughtfully designed spaces, incredible dining, and modern amenities all throughout the celebrity beyond. Your kids can be supervised, and there's teen programs so everyone gets time to recharge. Not just the the kids going on vacation, but maybe you get the kickback a little bit too. There's gonna be zero judgment, real connections, and a whole lot of sun and fun on Juice Cruise 2026. Please come with me. You're going to have a terrific time. You can learn more or set up your deposit at juiceboxpodcast.com/juicecruise. Get ahold of Suzanne at cruise planners. She will take care of everything. Link's in the show notes. Link's at juiceboxpodcast.com. If you're looking for community around type one diabetes, check out the juice box podcast private Facebook group. Juice box 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 Juice Box podcast, type one diabetes on Facebook. Nothing you hear on the Juice Box podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan. This episode of the Juice Box podcast is sponsored by Omnipod five. Omnipod five is a tube free automated insulin delivery system that's been shown to significantly improve a one c and time and range for people with type one diabetes when they've switched from daily injections. Learn more and get started today at omnipod.com/juicebox. At my link, you can get a free starter kit right now. Terms and conditions apply. Eligibility may vary. Full terms and conditions can be found at omnipod.com/juicebox. Today's episode is also sponsored by Dexcom, the Dexcom g seven, the same CGM that my daughter wears. You can learn more and get started today at my link, dexcom.com/juicebox.
ZachMy name is Zach. I'm 36 years old. Professionally, I'm a pharmacist, educator, and researcher at a university. And personally, I'm a husband, a dad, an endurance runner, and a foster parent. And as of about nine months ago, I joined the type one club after being diagnosed with LADA.
Scott BennerI'm gonna pat myself on the back to start off, Zach. Long time listeners are not a surprise to people who just started listening or wondering what's wrong with me, but that's okay. I looked at my calendar last night before I went to bed because I had to set my alarm. And I said to myself, I'm recording at 9AM tomorrow. 9AM? Nobody picks 9AM. Right? And then I thought swear to god, my next thought was, what's this gonna be? Some super healthy person or something?
ZachOh my gosh. Oh, man.
Scott BennerAnd then you pop up like, I'm an endurance runner. And, by the way, you're a go getter. Like, how many kids do you have?
ZachI have two biological kids, and we have a foster child.
Scott BennerThat's my point. And if that wasn't enough, you were like, hey. I'll take another one. Send it over. No problem. I was like, of course, you're up at 9AM working. You're a go get you are you are. Right, Zach?
ZachI am an early riser. I try to get up before everyone, because that's the only way I can get some stuff done by myself, and I get into the office early. It's true.
Scott BennerYeah. I just I'll tell you right now. I knew all that by the fact that we were recording at 9AM.
ZachHey. Had you had 7AM, I probably would have taken it.
Scott BennerWell, that's why it's not there. Okay. Even as I get older, surprised at how my family's vibe for not going to bed early has not changed. Like, I'm 12:30, 01:00 is about when I go to bed.
ZachNo. It's not.
Scott BennerYeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's pretty much it. And if I have I have to get up early, just get up early.
ZachYeah. Wow.
Scott BennerLike, I had take my son to the airport yesterday.
ZachUh-huh.
Scott Benner05:00. He's like he's like, what did he say? We gotta leave by 05:30. I was like, we? Like, alright. And he's like, do you want me to have to pay for parking at the airport? I was like, well, no. Not really. So I'm like, oh my okay. So I I set my alarm at five, but then I don't know. I live my life. I do my stuff. Like, I make the podcast during the day, but I also cook in the house, and I'm also the did somebody call me recently? They'll laugh. I'm the grocery bitch. So, you know, if, like, if somebody runs out of something, I'm the one at the store. And then I come home, I work a little more, the the website and, you know, the Facebook stuff and everything. And then I don't have any time for myself, so my time for myself comes at, like, really late at night. Yeah. But I like getting
Zachthat late at night? Do you read? Do you do you veg out on Netflix? What do you do?
Scott BennerRead. Zach, listen. You're lovely. Okay? I read one book about Randall Cunningham about forty years ago and a couple of other books. My reading list is very strange. Like, I've read meditations. I've read I love a little book that's not really a book, called This Is Water. I read that a fair amount. I'm I'm not a reader.
ZachOkay.
Scott BennerI just thought it doesn't I don't it takes so damn long. It's I do walk any part of the day where I'm not speaking to a family member or making this podcast. I am listening to somebody explain something to me in my ears.
ZachOkay. Do you listen to it on normal speed or one what's your preferred speed rate?
Scott BennerNormal speed because I also enjoy it as entertainment.
ZachI love that. Yeah. That's, that's good advice.
Scott BennerI also, oddly enough, don't like books on tape.
ZachOkay. No audiobooks
Scott Bennerfor you. I don't want somebody reading to me.
ZachOkay.
Scott BennerDamn it. I can't read. I don't deserve it. You understand? But but nevertheless, later at night, it depends on what time of the year it
Zachis. Okay.
Scott BennerBecause if it's a certain time of year, then the I will put a baseball game on somewhere.
ZachYeah. But
Scott Bennerthen I'll sit with my laptop and make something for the podcast or the website or something like that too. My life is definitely going by too quickly. Something's wrong. But you're but I still feel like I'm cramming a lot into it. Like, I feel good about it. Like, I how about you? At the end of the day, do you feel like I'm exhausted, but in a good way, but I'm I'm sad to go to sleep? Do you have that feeling ever?
ZachI have had that feeling at moments in my life. In the current season, most of the time when I I hit the pillow at night, I am ready to hit the pillow at night, Scott.
Scott BennerHow old are those kids?
ZachSo eight, seven, and then our foster child is nine months old.
Scott BennerOh my goodness. Yeah. Is that like a helping a friend thing, or were you in the system and somebody called you?
ZachYou know, it it has been a kind of long time just desire for my wife and I. And about a year and a half ago, embarked on the the journey to become foster parents. And we had a couple of, families that we helped out for, like, a weekend and things like that, but, our current foster child is our first long term placement. So it's been a a relatively recent, endeavor.
Scott BennerI'm gonna enjoy this conversation, I think, for a number of reasons, but one, because you started interviewing me right away. I'm gonna I'm gonna figure out why that's your inclination. But first, how old were you now when you were diagnosed?
ZachSure. So, I was diagnosed actually just nine months ago. I was 30 when I first noted something was off, but, nine months ago was my diagnosis.
Scott BennerWow. Maybe that was your payback for fostering a baby.
ZachYeah. You know what's funny? I got diagnosed, then two weeks later, we got our foster child. So it it was a it was a very full 2025 for us.
Scott BennerNo kidding. And you hadn't had a baby in five years at least. Right? So that's
ZachSeven years. Yeah.
Scott BennerYeah. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Okay. Well, what did you notice first? How did you figure out you had type one?
ZachYeah. So the first thing I noticed was actually just my lab work. I was 30. I was a hundred thirty five pounds running marathons, and my a one c went from five to 5.7. So I think most would look at and think, oh, you know, no big deal. But, technically, it's prediabetic, and I'm I'm in the health field and knew enough to be concerned. And so that was my first kind of cue ever since then. My wife and I have joked that I was on the fast track to diabetes, not knowing that it would actually come to to fruition. But what really kind of clued me in from a symptom standpoint was about a a few months prior to my diagnosis, I noticed myself getting up three, four times a night to use the bathroom, usually before midnight, constantly fatigued, which I attributed just to to children, but in hindsight, it certainly wasn't.
Scott BennerYeah.
ZachAnd so kind of the classic symptoms, to be honest with you. I got kind of fed up with it after I did a I did a race locally, and I felt terrible during the the event. My heart rate shot up to over 200, and I just something wasn't right. The following weekend, I told my wife, I said, I'm gonna order a glucometer and test strips and see what my glucose is. And I enjoyed my favorite Thai meal that evening, which is chicken pad c u. And two hours later, checked my glucose, and it was four fifty nine. Jesus. So at that moment, I knew I had diabetes.
Scott BennerNo kidding. Hey. The week between the race and the bind the meter, was that your like like, were you getting your head right? What was that week for?
ZachYeah. It was it was me connecting all the dots and being like, no. Like, I need I'm something's not right. I can remember journaling just around that time that I was gonna stop eating snacks late at night. So I thought, oh, well, maybe that's what's causing my symptoms. And in hindsight, I'm like, that was so foolish. So in some ways, Scott, you're right. It was me kinda getting my head right and and just coming to the conclusion that something's not right. It's not just me, you know, eating too many sweets at night.
Scott BennerYou pull that meter out the first time and and the blood drop comes out. As you're reaching for your for the drop with the meter, you know it's gonna be high?
ZachYeah. I thought it would be around one fifty, one eighty because I just had, you know, this huge timing. And when I saw four fifty nine, I gasped. My kids were watching a movie. They thought I'd hurt myself. They didn't know what was going on.
Scott BennerReally? Audibly. Audibly, they get it shocked you. Yeah. Yeah. Which you go into the hospital, or did you wait to call the doctor the next day?
ZachNo. I didn't. So, actually, I had a couple colleagues who are also pharmacists and specialize in the diabetes space. And I talked with them about it. After I got off the phone with them, I decided I would check my ketones. So I I got some keto strips from Walmart and checked my ketones. They were negative. And so I felt comfortable just waiting it out so I could get to my primary care the next day.
Scott BennerYeah. Your vision was still okay, everything like that?
ZachYou know, Scott, that was one of the things that after my diagnosis, I looked back on was like, oh my goodness. That's why every afternoon after lunch, I could hardly see the screen. My vision was blurry. I was like, I don't know what's going on. I'm getting old here, Scott. And lo and behold, like, it was just I could trace it all back to the hypoglycemia.
Scott BennerOkay. Yeah. Well, no. It's not not, not unexpected. Out on a limb here, you eat pretty well, I imagine.
ZachI mean, I I think it's relative. I will say that my wife makes sure I eat well. She has a a a plant based diet, and so I'm the kind of indirect, beneficiary of her diet. She does most of the cooking in our house, and so whatever she makes, I eat, and it's usually pretty, pretty healthy.
Scott BennerVery amenable. That's nice.
ZachYeah.
Scott BennerYeah. You don't need to I
Zachwill say
Scott BennerDid you fight back at all when it started?
ZachNo. Oh, I did. I did absolutely fight back. Yes.
Scott BennerLike, that's just a carrot. I I I
ZachRight. Yeah. I I was definitely opposed at first, but over time, she's kind of, helping for me with some of the evidence, but also I can I can see the the benefits myself on this side of my diagnosis?
Scott BennerListen. I'm aware of some people who are, like, real, like, legit vegans who are super healthy and Mhmm. You know, save themselves from a a number of different ailments along the way. Yeah. Yeah. Well, okay. So you go to the primary, they set you all up. Now, I guess, the the way your mind works and, you know, I'm assuming you're a dedicated, structured, scheduled person. I mean, you're writing you're journaling. And so and you're you're a runner. So are you a runner because you love running or, you know, Zach, it's time to be honest. Are you out of your mind and you're trying to keep the voices down or what's the running about? You can manage diabetes confidently with the powerfully simple Dexcom g seven, dexcom.com/juicebox. The Dexcom g seven is the CGM that my daughter is wearing. The g seven is a simple CGM system that delivers real time glucose numbers to your smartphone or smartwatch. The g seven is made for all types of diabetes, type one and type two, but also people experiencing gestational diabetes. The Dexcom g seven can help you spend more time in range, is proven to lower a one c. The more time you spend in range, the better and healthier you feel. And with the Dexcom Clarity app, you can track your glucose trends, and the app will also provide you with a projected a one c in as little as two weeks. If you're looking for clarity around your diabetes, you're looking for Dexcom. Dexcom.com/juicebox. When you use my link, you're supporting the podcast. Dexcom.com/juicebox. Head over there now. Today's episode is brought to you by Omnipod. We talk a lot about ways to lower your a one c on this podcast. Did you know that the Omnipod five was shown to lower a one c? That's right. Omnipod five is a tube free automated insulin delivery system, and it was shown to significantly improve a one c and time and range for people with type one diabetes when they switched from daily injections. My daughter is about to turn 21 years old, and she has been wearing an Omnipod every day since she was four. It has been a friend to our family, and I think it could be a friend to yours. If you're ready to try Omnipod five for yourself or your family, use my link now to get started. Omnipod.com/juicebox. Get that free Omnipod five starter kit today. Terms and conditions apply. Eligibility may vary. Full terms and conditions can be found at omnipod.com/juicebox. Are you out of your mind and you're trying to keep the voices down, or what's the running about?
ZachYou know, I started running in high school. And if I'm being honest, when I started running, I realized I was kinda good at it in high school Mhmm. And ended up running in college at a a d one university. And ever since then, I've just kinda continued it as a way to kinda stay sane, have some time to myself, and stay healthy. I view it a little bit differently on this side of the diagnosis, but, for the longest time, it was just I I think it's good to do hard things. And for me, running was one of those hard things that helped me grow kind of mentally and gave me a space to, do something therapeutic for
Scott Bennermyself. That's awesome. Yeah. You you ran in college?
ZachI did. Yeah.
Scott BennerSo a friend of my son's was, like, a prototype. He looked like I don't know how to put this. He they look like they build him in a Russian lab for an eighties movie. Do know what I mean? And Yeah. Long but strong, gliding, you know, just so fast. He went off to college, you know, got picked up by a big school. He couldn't even make the team. And it was, like, tenths of seconds. It was it was it was insane. Like, you know, I still see him now. It's gotta be seven years since they left for college in their back end. He still as he runs through the town, I think he's just there to make people feel bad about themselves. You know? Seriously. I'm like, is he gonna go fight Rocky after this? It's it's really something. But you what kind of running did you do? Were you a sprinter? Did you distance?
ZachYeah. I was long distance runner. I don't know how familiar you are with, the steeplechase, but it's a a long distance hurdling event. People know it by, you know, you kinda YouTube steeplechase falls, and you'll see some pretty epic falls that, most people remember the race by.
Scott BennerZach, why did I think of a fake rabbit being chased by dogs when you said that?
ZachYou know, I'm really not sure, Scotch.
Scott BennerOkay. My brain put the wrong words together with pictures. I was like, that's not right. Okay. So we understand how you eat. We understand how you, like, kinda how you run your life and everything. Was diabetes, like, one of those things? Like, are you gonna be the story where you're like, I met the challenge, Scott. I figured it all out, and everything's fine, or did you struggle with it? Or how how's the last nine months gone?
ZachI would say the the last nine months have they've certainly been formative, Scott. I have embraced it. I you know, some people, I think, have a really hard time embracing the life change that comes with it. I think because I'm in the health care and because and I had some some prior knowledge about diabetes and diabetes management, I I kind of knew a lot of what to do. I just lacked the confidence of doing it. I have to give a little bit of credit to you in the Juice Box podcast because some of that confidence building came from hearing experiences, from you and and some of the people you have on the show. So a lot of it over the last nine months has just been confidence building, and, you know, so much of diabetes is trial and error, figuring out what works, how much insulin to do for what meals and when, those sorts of things.
Scott BennerK.
ZachAnd then relearning exercise. That's probably been the the single biggest change for me is relearning how I exercise and how I can do it safely. But, honestly, you know, when I look back on it, I feel like I'm in a pretty good spot now. My a one c is 5.4%, most recently, and I feel like I'm I'm kind of getting into the the groove of things.
Scott BennerOkay. Well, I wanna hear about the confidence in the exercise, but first, I'm gonna share this with you. I just went to click on your intake form so that I could just see what you wrote, you know, when you were signing up to be on. But I clicked on yesterday by mistake, and I didn't realize I clicked on yesterday by mistake. When I started reading, I wanna talk about the stress of coming out as a gay woman. And I thought, how is this gonna be Zach's story? This is insane. And for a half a second, I was super excited. I was like, oh my god. This thing's gonna take such a turn. It's soon And I was like
ZachI'm sorry, Scott.
Scott BennerDon't be sorry, Zach. And then I was like, no. Wait. That was yesterday.
ZachYou know, Scott, the number of listeners are gonna be way less with my story as
Scott BennerWell, I mean, listen. Imagine if you could tell a story about how you came out as a gay woman. That would really have, like, lit this on fire. But instead, let's talk about how you built your confidence up and then how you use that to I mean, relearn relearning exercise is a big thing. And if you think you figured it out in nine months, I wanna hear that story, like, front to back.
ZachOkay. Alright. Well, I'd say, biggest confidence builders for me were so bump and nudge, listen to some of your all's comments around kind of small movements, getting the, getting things moving in the right direction as opposed to larger just focusing on, you know, single boluses. So the bump and nudge concept really stuck with me. Prebolising. So, you know, as a health care provider, I know how to counsel my patients to prebolise, but as someone with diabetes taking insulin, it scared me. And so hearing, just stories about prebolising and the impact, that that has had and how to do it successfully was really, real important for building my my confidence. K. And then just hearing stories about people that were able to just attain really good glucose control and doing it safely. You know, we hear about the a one c goals of six and a half percent or 7%, and that's great. But it was also really good to hear stories of people achieving, an a one c of less than 6% and and being able to do so, responsibly and safely.
Scott BennerOkay. Yeah. So confidence comes from hearing other people accomplishing a thing that at the time is frightening to you because it seems very unknown?
ZachYeah. Absolutely. That's a really good way of putting it.
Scott BennerIt's funny. I'm listening to you and thinking about having made that that thing. Like, I don't know the first time listen. I if people listen for any length of time, this is not surprising to But, like, I didn't sit down and think, I have to come up with a phrase that allows people to understand that, like, small amounts of insulin make small movements. I just said I don't know. I just bump it around. Sometimes I nudge it. Like, you know what mean? Like, and it just I I really wish there was more to it than that. And but I have seen it help people exactly the way you've described. And I realized as you were talking about, I'm like, oh, it's like the rule of small numbers is what I'm talking about. But I had no idea that that's what I was talking about when it occurred to me originally, if that makes sense. Yeah. But I really do sometimes think that the benefit of me not having a classic education or a classic or or or an an an educated ability to reach for other words. I think that just proved that out just now in the last sentence because I was looking for vocabulary and it came out as 17 other words.
ZachYeah.
Scott BennerI think that because I didn't I don't have that, but I was having the experiences. Like, I had to force myself to explain them to myself. And then when I said them out loud to people, I had to explain them that way. And I think that's what dumbs them down. Like and I and that's not the right phrasing, but I think that's what makes it accessible for people.
ZachScott, it's so true. Yeah. One of the things that we as as health care providers, are kinda fall victim of is this notion of, I mean, an expert blind spot, meaning that as you learn something and as you kind of live that experience and you gain a knowledge in it, it becomes a kind of automated thought process for you. And you forget those intermediate steps that are needed to arrive at a similar conclusion. And what you're describing, Scott, is you don't have that background knowledge, so you're describing it step by step and in simple terms. And in so many ways, that is actually more effective in terms of of educating others. So thanks for what you do, and what you said is spot on.
Scott BennerNo. I appreciate it. I'm I'm basically, I'm captain exposition for diabetes. Like, don't know if people know that. I said that to I said that in in my in front of my family the other day. I was like, no one knows that phrase? And I'm like, it's the person on your television show who has no value in the story except to come on the screen and tell you all who are watching what's about to happen or why things are happening. They lay out the exposition because they don't have time to act it out. So Yeah. So I'm explaining that and I could watch Arden go, oh my god. I'm like, yeah. That's where that, like, not too handsome, but not ugly character who's pleasant enough comes on screen, looks in the camera, and goes, do you mean that happened because the car was red and they stole the money from the bank? And you go, that is why it happened. And, like, like, they're not actors. They're they're the guy off stage, you know, given the the screen direction. And so that you can hear it is that they I think that might be what I'm doing.
ZachThat's a great analogy.
Scott BennerIt just occurred to me just now. Was like, oh my god. Is that what I'm doing? I'll tell you what makes me pleased is that a person like yourself I mean, did you say you're a pharmacist?
ZachI am. Yeah.
Scott BennerA fair amount of education there and and a lot of science and that and that your brain and my brain probably, you know, don't work exactly alike. That you heard the thing I said and that it was valuable for you, that makes me happy because it's been my intention all along to not leave anyone behind across the spectrum with what I'm saying. I feel like I may I I feel pretty comfortable that I've accomplished that. It's a nice feeling.
ZachAwesome.
Scott BennerYou understand how to time your insulin. You understand about using the right amount and not just, like, blindly put in this much because the thing says so or whatever, you know, not to let things drift away. You can bounce them back, get them back again. But then you go out to run, I'm imagining, what do you low immediately?
ZachYeah. I remember shortly after my diagnosis, I had just started, basal insulin with meals, and I had a really small bowl of spaghetti, like, maybe 60 grams of carbs. And, normally, I would have way more. You can imagine as a runner, I I consume quite a matter of of carbs and calories. And so I was trying to figure things out, but I went with a small bowl of spaghetti. I bolus for it, and I ended up over 400, which I could not believe, and I was furious about it, Scott.
Scott BennerYeah.
ZachAnd in my kind of anger in the moment, I told my wife, I'm like, I gotta go run off some glucose. And I went for a run expecting my glucose to drop from maybe 400 to 300. And, Scott, within twenty minutes of starting my run, I went from 400 to under 200. And by the time I finished my forty minute run, was I sitting at one forty. And that was kind of an moment for me. I realized that not it's not an additive effect of insulin and exercise. It's really a synergistic effect, almost like a multiplicative effect when you combine the two. So I realized it was a powerful tool, but I also, in that moment, realized, like, holy cow. This could get dangerous really quick if you're not careful.
Scott BennerYeah. And you can manipulate it. Like, you know, like, I'm assuming now you run with no active insulin?
ZachThat's exactly right. Yeah. I run only fasted in the morning.
Scott BennerYeah. Right. So you you saw what was happening, and you thought, like, okay. I see how this touches this and that touches that. What do I take out of this equation so that the other thing doesn't move? It was that simple. Right? Exactly. Yeah.
ZachYep. Yeah. I mean
Scott BennerTough to wrap your head around sometimes. But
ZachIt is. And there's so many moving kind of variables within the equation. You know, I do endurance running or aerobic longer, durations of running, but others might walk and do shorter durations or do high intensity training, and each of those influences it so much differently. And so while I feel like I have gotten it down for what I do, if you were to take me and put it in a a different scenario where I was doing, let's say, a high intensity interval workout Mhmm. Well, that would change the the dynamic of things pretty quickly.
Scott BennerYeah. Plenty of people bolus to lift.
ZachYeah.
Scott BennerYeah. Yeah. You start building muscle, and and people are needing insulin during that time.
ZachMhmm.
Scott BennerAnd yeah. And if that listen. And when you leave the hospital and the entirety of your direction is like, count these carbs to put in this insulin and eat, and you're gonna get high anyway because nobody told you you're pre bolus. Everything's already off kilter. You don't understand what it's very difficult to cause and affect things if you take out the all the inputs that the doctor gave you as things that are possible to be changed. Like, because I think that is what goes wrong is that, like, people get direction and they're like, okay. Well, those are the constants. That's the concrete right there. And they never quite think about, like, what if I change something about what was said to me? And Yeah. And then you're on you're only fighting you're only on the reactive side at that point then. Yep. The the insulin, the food, whatever, is doing what it's doing to you. And instead of trying to control that, stop that from happening, or manipulate how it happens so that it happens in the way that you'd like it to, you're just busy playing defense trying to keep everything from catching fire.
ZachYep. That's a great way of putting
Scott Bennerit. Yeah. I'm just saying, like, instead of running around the house with a garden hose, like, what if we just didn't light the house on fire?
ZachYeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely.
Scott BennerLike, once it occurred to me, it just made so much sense all at once. Yeah. You know? But until it did, I was lost, like, really lost. Yeah.
ZachWell, Scott, let me ask you this. What you know, thinking about your experiences with Ardith, one of the things that I struggle with is, like, spontaneous exercise. Like, Thanksgiving, flag football game, we're gonna go out. I know I have a bunch of insulin on board for my Thanksgiving meal, and I know with almost a 100% certainty that I'm gonna drop low at some point. And I just kinda have to live with that and stop when I need to stop. Or if I wanna go out and shoot basketball with my son and I've eaten, I know I'm gonna have to, you know, probably stop after ten to fifteen minutes.
Scott BennerYeah.
ZachHow did you handle that? How did Artis handle that? And the kind of spontaneous exercise piece. That's probably the biggest thing I'm still figuring out.
Scott BennerNo problem. First of let me tell you so it doesn't make you feel uncomfortable later, but Arden with an n.
ZachOh, I'm sorry.
Scott BennerArden. No. Don't apologize. And, it's a weird name. We've yanked it out of a book. Well, listen. I think part of that answer is not is is not gonna feel good, but I do think that's to some degree, that's a little bit of the game. Like, you know, like you know what I mean? Like, it's I don't know. It's like saying, like, I I don't like that girls are throwing themselves at me, but I'm a professional baseball player. Like, this is what happens. Like, I, you know, I I just you can't avoid that part. And so you're sitting around Thanksgiving dinner. You got a bunch of insulin going and everyone yells, we're running outside. Yeah. You maybe you're gonna get low. And Yeah. You know, can you can you get ahead of it? What a weird thing to say because, like, there's no way you wanna add food at that moment.
ZachRight.
Scott BennerRight? So you're just like, well, I hope for the best. And then I think it's more about vigilance, honestly. And I don't know that people wanna hear that, but, like, I think that you thought problems again by just never letting them occur as best as possible. So, you know, you don't run outside to play flag football going, I'm gonna throw this up to God, and hopefully, it's gonna be fine. But, you know, later when I get low, I'm gonna be pissed because I have diabetes. Like, just pay attention. You know? Like, look once in a while. Am I dropping quickly? Well, you know, alright. Great. It's 87. I'm looking at the graph. The graph's you know, looks like it's running downhill. Let me drink or eat something now to stop the load. Don't just sit there and wait to be low so that you I don't know why. Like, I I don't understand people's minds well enough because I watch it happen with my kid. I watch it happen with other people. I they know they're gonna get low and they just sit there like, it's not gonna happen. It's not gonna happen. It's like, I can't believe it happened. You know, like, it's I don't know. It's like driving at a wall, not putting your foot on the brake, and then being pissed at the wall when you run into it. So it's a really weird thing. Now having said that, a lot of these algorithms are gonna go a long way to trying to stop that. So I as soon as you asked that question, made me think, are you on an automated system? I don't think you are.
ZachI am, actually. I started about, three weeks after my diagnosis. I started on one. Actually, I do pump trainings now.
Scott BennerOh.
ZachAnd so I am on one, and it does help. But if I have I if I have active insulin from a bolus, that's where I always run into trouble.
Scott BennerYeah. Well, no. For sure, you're going to. I don't see a ton of way around it, to be perfectly honest. Yeah.
ZachI love your word though, vigilance. And I I think that is that's a great, a great way to think about it.
Scott BennerAnd listen. I we we could, you know, start talking about the psychological side. If it's unfair, it sucks, I could see where you would burn out from it. Like, there's a lot about that answer that's not that doesn't take the entire picture into account. You you know? But in that moment running around outside, I don't I mean, that's it. Manly, you have diabetes. You've got active man made insulin and you've just randomly decided to go outside and start running around. You're gonna have to pay attention if you want this not to be a problem later. And I think that's where you probably see the parents. It's probably where you see the parents and the adults when they're together in a community. Like, that's a that's an interesting spot because an adult is gonna very rightfully so say, I don't wanna have to pay attention to that. I've had this thing for twenty years. I just wanna go outside and throw that football. This isn't fair. It's not right. People around me don't understand. It can be embarrassing. I don't want people seeing me looking at my phone. I I listen. I've I'm almost up to 2,000 episodes. I know what you guys are thinking. Like, as best as I can, I agree with it all? And then sometimes they see a parent and they're like, oh, look. You just it they're helicoptering, which is thankfully a term that doesn't get used much more because it was irritating. But, you know, like, they're paying too close of attention. Like, those kids are never gonna have a life. They're never gonna have fun. You're ruining it. Like, that and that parent's thinking, I'm just trying to stop the kid from getting dizzy while they're throwing the football around.
ZachYeah.
Scott BennerIt's interesting to see that sometimes the two sides understand each other, but but often until they have some conversation and spend some time together, they don't right away. I'm trying to tell everybody there's a ton that you can both learn from each other. Like, as a as an adult, like, you do have to be vigilant about not just your diabetes and that blood sugar and that number, but about your mental health and the longevity of the time you're gonna spend doing this. A parent could learn from that and they should that, you know I think the problem is it gets said wrong. Like, go, oh, like, you know, what will doctors tell you? Like, you're gonna make yourself crazy, chase imperfection. That's not really what's happening. I'm trying to stop my kid from having a low blood sugar. I'm trying to stop my kid's blood sugar from bouncing around so that they can have a reasonable, experience as a human being. I'm not trying to be perfect. I'm in the game I'm in, and I'm doing my best to play. By the way, you guys didn't even tell me where the pieces and the cards go. I'm trying to figure out monopoly without instructions right now. And you're telling me, oh gosh, you're putting so much effort into it. You're making you're trying to be perfect. And then on the flip side, an adult who's been through a lifetime of this horse shit and who knows that, you know you know what? Honestly, my a one c went from five five to six two and I'm still okay. Or you know what? One year it was six two and the next year it was six seven, then I got it back down to six three and like, you know what? I'm alright. They have that context. And I would like it if parents knew that part, but the problem can be for some people like, for some knowing that's gonna be a relief. Right? And it's gonna be a lessening and but some people are gonna take it as I don't know. They're gonna take it as a pass to stop thinking about it. And then they're gonna their kids' situation is gonna tumble away. And that happens to pick sometimes to adults too where they say, look, I can't be in my face constantly, Scott. I just wanna go run around and throw that football. But once you give it away a little, for some people, it runs off a cliff. And then the next thing they know, wake up and their a one c is nine and a half and it's ten and they go, it's fine. And then, you know, ten years later, they go, why do my feet tingle? If you're me in the middle, what's the right way to talk about it so that you don't so that as few people as possible have terrible medical outcomes or terrible psychological outcomes? And I think that should be the goal of doctors too. I I'm gonna jump out a window. Like like, I you know, like like, I you know, I don't know how it's gonna go for you. You know what I mean?
ZachWell, I I think, you know, at the heart of of some of what you're talking about is acceptance, like accepting that, okay. This is part of life. And I feel like I'm there. I've accepted that. And I I know others, you know, that can be more of a journey, in some ways. But I I've accepted it and am okay with it. But I'm still kind of figuring tips, tricks, techniques to kind of manage the the the moments where I get low or or can't exercise in the way I want to. But as you said, that's just that's part of living with it.
Scott BennerYeah. I'm sorry to come back to it, but, like, this is it.
ZachYeah. Yeah.
Scott BennerThe rest of it's going to be your wiring at how you respond and what level of this you're willing to deal with. Yeah.
ZachYep.
Scott BennerAnd it take took me a long time to hear enough stories to realize that some people don't wanna hear that. You know? They wanna know, just tell me where to put this number so my kid's okay. And that's not always the your kid might be Zach and your kid might be somebody else, and you're not gonna know. All those little babies are not gonna be what we used to say president of The United States. That's not really a great way to go anymore. But, like, but, like, you know, all those and and so I've pivoted to saying, like, some of those little beautiful babies you're holding, they they grow up to be addicted to meth. Mhmm. And you don't know who's who or what path people are gonna get put into. And, you know, it's not gonna be just as easy as like I put that number in a spot and it's definitely gonna be okay. There's still a lot more to to think about and be aware of and, you know, some people have the bandwidth for it and some people don't. Some people just don't have the motivation for it. Like, it and Yeah. I don't judge anybody. Like, it's just it's who you are, you know? And you got this unfair thing. So I don't know, man. It's a bummer. Why'd you why did you why did you get a foster kid? Is this a religious thing? What's going on?
ZachIt's a religious thing. So, certainly, my my wife and I, you know, we do have faith and and are spiritual. But, honestly, a lot of it has to do with just in when I was growing up, particularly in high school, I had some really influential people in my life that took me in, during some hard times, and those are coaches, mentors, people in our church
Scott BennerNice.
ZachAnd in our community. And I just I saw the impact of really taking someone in under your under your wing, or in your house and and helping them. And so for whatever reason, you know, my wife and I have been married for fifteen years. And ever since we got married, we we've said that we wanted to adopt our foster. And so, yeah, it's just been a long standing desire.
Scott BennerI think it's lovely. Also, I'm gonna tell you, I think most people have that conversation. Very few people follow through. Mhmm. So what gets you past like, it gets easy to talk about. You know what we're gonna do? You know what would be great? What gets you to actually like, how do you I don't know. I'm trying to figure out how you get from the part that everybody talks about to the part that very few people do. Like, what's the process to follow through?
ZachYeah. That's that's a really insightful question, Scott. I think, you know, for us, we had we were leaning towards adoption, but we felt just financially that it was a bit prohibitive. And then when we looked at the foster system and just saw how broken it was and how much need there was for foster parents
Scott BennerMhmm.
ZachWe just we felt like that was a place we can make a good, meaningful impact.
Scott BennerYeah.
ZachI I think the deciding factor for us was our our biological kids had reached an age where they were more self sufficient. Right? So, I mean, they're they're still they still need a lot of care, but it's not like they're newborns. And and so we reached a place where we knew we weren't gonna have any more biological children, and we felt like, we were ready to take the next step in foster care. And, honestly, it's something that really aligns with our values, Scott.
Scott BennerYeah.
ZachAnd so when we make these kind of big life decisions, so much of it, I think, should hinge on how much does it align with our values. Sure. We could do a lot of other things with our time, and with our energy. But in this phase of life, we're okay with, more than okay with giving that to a foster child because it's something that we really value. And so yeah.
Scott BennerMy parents fostered a boy before they adopted me. Really? And by the way, I don't think I've ever said that before. What's up, Russell, if you're out there? But and I didn't really know him, obviously, because he was a little older, and he wasn't around for, you know, forever. But, yeah, my my mom couldn't get pregnant. That's what they told her. And so I think they were, you know, trying to adopt. That wasn't going well. They fostered Russell for a while, and then I think I came along. And then suddenly, whatever happened to you know, my mom suddenly could have kids. And now, you know, I spent the last I I spent last night ninety minutes talking to my brother on the phone. Was awesome.
ZachBut Nice.
Scott BennerBut I I've always even looked back on that as, like, this is a real kindness. Like, that's a formed like, you have a babe that you know, your foster is a baby. But you bring an older person, that's somebody who's already been you know, they've been forged by somebody already and and you bring them into your life and and do your best to to it's a it's just a it's a really kind thing to do. Like, I don't know why you didn't just get a chameleon, but, like, I mean, this
ZachWell, Scott, I mean, you know, I appreciate you saying that, but, you know, my wife and I were pretty clear up front with what our kind of boundaries are and what we were and weren't comfortable with. And, you know, you gave a really good example. Like, there's such a need for people to take in foster children that are older. Mhmm. But that was not something that my wife and I were willing to do mostly because we have, you know, a seven and eight year old. And so we have to be mindful of how that kind of shapes and molds them too.
Scott BennerYeah.
ZachBut it's so important just to be really, really deliberate about what those boundaries are when you go into foster care. So it can and it will burn you out if you're not careful, thoughtful, and intentional about it.
Scott BennerWhat's the expectation? Is that the baby will be there until it's placed with an adoption or that it could be with you long term?
ZachYou know, Scott, foster care is all about trying to to reunite with, you know, biological mom and dad if it's safe, to do so. And so, usually, in the first year when you take in a foster child, that is the ultimate goal that they're shooting for. And, obviously, that's contingent on biological mom and dad, doing what's needed. And so, once we reach a point to where we kind of reach a fork on the road, like, yes, we're on the right trajectory or we're not, That's where they start to make decisions about, alternative placement plans, whether it's adoption or guardianship, etcetera. And so we're kind of in the phase of we're just we're gonna love on our foster child for as long as we can. And if we're presented with an opportunity to to to keep them long term, then we'll cross that bridge when it gets here. Mhmm. Or we're just taking it one day at a time.
Scott BennerIt's a process then, and you're just kinda along for the ride.
ZachYes. Yeah. Yeah. You definitely have to relinquish control in many ways.
Scott BennerIf if, you know and let's hope. Right? A few months from now, you get the note, hey. The parents have got a place to live. They got it all together. Baby's going back. That's gonna be heartbreaking, imagine. But after a period of time, do you think you'd say, okay. Send another one over, or do you think is that gonna hinge on how painful it was for the baby to leave, do you think?
ZachI think there is no question that if our foster child left, it would be very, very hard, not just for, you know, my wife and I, but also for our two older kids. However, you know, humans are resilient, and we we know if there are other opportunities that we would probably that we would probably pursue those after a time of kind of healing and working through the grieving process.
Scott BennerYeah.
ZachI know many foster parents who have had placements for, you know, one, two, or more years, and then the child leaves, And then they they say, you know what? I'm gonna take a six month or a year break. I'm not gonna take any foster children during that time, and then we could come back to it with kind of a fresh mind.
Scott BennerTwo questions. First of all, we do that sweet, sweet cash the steak gives you. I'm just joking. It's probably not enough to pay for a diaper, but, like, what's the do you think the the cost to you is a month for fostering the baby? This episode was too good to cut anything out of, but too long to make just one episode. So this is part one. Make sure you go find part two right now. It's gonna be the next episode in your feed. This episode of the Juice Box podcast is sponsored by Omnipod five. Omnipod five is a tube free automated insulin delivery system that's been shown to significantly improve a one c and time and range for people with type one diabetes when they've switched from daily injections. Learn more and get started today at omnipod.com/juicebox. At my link, you can get a free starter kit right now. Terms and conditions apply. Eligibility may vary. Full terms and conditions can be found at omnipod.com/juicebox. Dexcom sponsored this episode of the juice box podcast. Learn more about the Dexcom g seven at my link, dexcom.com/juicebox. Okay. Well, here we are at the end of the episode. You're still with me? Thank you. I really do appreciate that. What else could you do for me? Why don't you tell a friend about the show or leave a five star review? Maybe you could make sure you're following or subscribe in your podcast app, go to YouTube and follow me, or Instagram, TikTok. Oh, gosh. Here's one. Make sure you're following the podcast in the private Facebook group as well as the public Facebook page. You don't wanna miss please, do you not know about the private group? You have to join the private group. As of this recording, it has 74,000 members. They're active talking about diabetes. Whatever you need to know, there's a conversation happening in there right now. And I'm there all the time. Tag me. I'll say hi. If you've ever heard a diabetes term and thought, okay. But what does that actually mean? You need the defining diabetes series from the Juice Box podcast. Defining diabetes takes all those phrases and terms that you don't understand and makes them clear. Quick and easy episodes. Find out what bolus means, basal, insulin sensitivity, and all of the rest. There has to be over 60 episodes of defining diabetes. Check it out now in your audio player or go to juiceboxpodcast.com and go up into the menu. Hey. Do you need support? I have some stuff for you. It's all free. Juiceboxpodcast.com. Click on support in the menu. Let's see what you get there. A one c and blood glucose calculator. People love that. That's actually, I think, the most popular page on the website some months. A list of great endocrinologists from listeners. That's from all over the country. There's a link to the private Facebook group, to the Circle community, and, we have a a fantastic thing there, American Sign Language. There's a great sign language interpreter who did the entire bold beginning series in ASL. So if you know anybody who would benefit from that, please send them that way. Just go to juiceboxpodcast.com and click on support. While you're there, check out the guides like the pre bolusing guide, fat and protein insulin calculator, oh gosh, thyroid, GLP, caregiver burnout. You should go to the website. Click around a little bit on those menus. It really there's a lot more there than you think. If you have a podcast and you need a fantastic editor, you want Rob from Wrong Way Recording. Listen. Truth be told, I'm, like, 20% smarter when Rob edits me. He takes out all the, like, gaps of time and when I go, and stuff like that. And it just I don't know, man. Like, I listen back and I'm like, why do I sound smarter? And then I remember because I did one smart thing. I hired Rob at wrongwayrecording.com.
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#1787 Cured? Patient 9 Speaks
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Katie Beth Hand shares her journey as Patient Nine in the Eledon clinical trial, receiving donor islet cells and a targeted immunotherapy that may functionally cure her type 1 diabetes.
Key Takeaways
- Functional Cure Breakthrough: Katie Beth Hand shares her journey as "Patient Nine" in the Eledon clinical trial, exploring a functional cure for Type 1 diabetes using donor-derived islet cell transplants into the liver.
- The Tegoprubart Advantage: This trial utilizes Tegoprubart (Tego), a targeted anti-CD40 ligand that protects transplanted cells without the systemic toxicity or kidney damage associated with traditional drugs like Tacrolimus.
- Rapid Results: Only one week post-transplant, Katie was taken off basal insulin entirely and maintains stable glucose levels without injections.
- Natural Low Prevention: By transplanting both beta and alpha cells, Katie's body now handles blood sugar regulation automatically, effectively ending exercise-induced and nighttime hypoglycemia.
- Scalable Maintenance: While currently an hour-long IV infusion every 21 days, researchers are working toward a subcutaneous version for easier at-home use.
Resources Mentioned
- • Omnipod 5: Request a Free Starter Kit
- • US Med: Get a Free Benefits Check or call (888) 721-1514
- • Research Center: University of Chicago Medical Center (Dr. Piotr Witkowski)
- • The Trial: Eledon Clinical Trial (Tegoprubart)
- • Juice Cruise 2026: Details and Booking
- • Community: Join the Facebook Group
Here we are back together again, friends, for another episode of the Juice Box podcast.
Katie Beth HandMy name is Katie Beth Hand, and I am patient nine in the Eladon trial to cure type one diabetes. It is a functional cure using donor derived islet cells and a new investigational drug called tegaprobar.
Scott BennerI created the diabetes variable series because I know that in type one diabetes management, the little things aren't that little and they really add up. In this series, we'll break down everyday factors like stress, sleep, exercise, and those other variables that impact your day more than you might think. Jenny Smith and I are gonna get straight to the point with practical advice that you can trust. So check out the diabetes variable series in your podcast player or at juiceboxpodcast.com.
Scott BennerIf you're looking for community around type one diabetes, check out the juice box podcast private Facebook group, juice box 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 Juice Box podcast, type one diabetes on Facebook. Nothing you hear on the Juice Box podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan.
Scott BennerA huge thanks to my longest sponsor, Omnipod. Check out the Omnipod five now with my link, omnipod.com/juicebox. You may be eligible for a free starter kit, a free Omnipod five starter kit at my link. Go check it out. Omnipod.com/juicebox. Terms and conditions apply. Full terms and conditions can be found at omnipod.com/juicebox. US Med is sponsoring this episode of the Juice Box podcast, and we've been getting our diabetes supplies from US Med for years. You can as well. Usmed.com/juicebox or call (888) 721-1514. Use the link or the number, get your free benefits check, and get started today with US Med.
Meet Patient Nine: Katie Beth Hand
Katie Beth HandMy name is Katie Beth Hand, and I am patient nine in the Eladon trial to cure type one diabetes. It is a functional cure using donor derived islet cells and a new investigational drug called tegaprobar. I am married. I live in Arkansas. I have four beautiful children at home, and I absolutely love to talk about my experience as a type one diabetic of thirteen years and now as a person going through this trial. And I'm so excited to be with you today.
Scott BennerWow. You've said that before, I imagine. That was awesome. Was, number nine not a movie? Like, an animated movie about a sandbag?
Scott BennerHold on a second. I know this is probably your—I didn't know this was gonna go this way. But yeah. If it was, I haven't seen it. 2,009 animated film called Nine.
Katie Beth HandI'll have to add that to my watch list.
Scott BennerI remember watching this with my kids in a theater. Alright. Alright, number 9. Let's get going.
Katie Beth HandThat's right. You can call me number 9 from here on out. Katie, don't trust me. Don't put me in that position because I might. So let's go back to the the beginning.
Katie Beth HandOkay.
Scott BennerI'm gonna start really, really beginning beginning. You, have parents, I imagine, because you're here and you're alive. Do you have siblings?
Katie Beth HandI do. I have so I have parents. They actually live like I said, I'm I am from Central Arkansas from Little Rock, and my parents actually live three doors down from us. And then I have one sibling, a brother. He is six years older than I am, and he lives in the house next door. So we created our own little family compound, and my kids—we have four kids—and they bebopped back and forth between my brother's house and my parents' house, and it's it's a great life.
Scott BennerTried to get my wife to move to Tennessee this summer, and she just ignored me. I had similar ideas. Okay. Anybody in your extended family have autoimmune issues besides you?
Katie Beth HandSo interestingly, no. Everybody always wants to be special. And in my case, this is not the type of special special you want to be, but no one in my family has any history of type one diabetes, of other autoimmune diseases, no Graves' disease, no celiac disease, none of these other things that typically go hand in hand. I am the one strange outlier with type one.
Scott BennerHow old were you when you were diagnosed?
Katie Beth HandI was 26 years old.
Scott BennerOh, okay. And now I'm sorry. You are?
Katie Beth HandAnd now I'm about to turn 40. So it's been about thirteen years since diagnosis.
The Diagnosis Story: From "Flu" to DKA
Scott BennerOkay. So just very quickly, what do you remember about your diagnosis? Let's think
Katie Beth HandDiagnosis was really, really traumatic. I went to my PCP's office because I thought I had the flu. I'm like a lifelong athlete, and I had just been so tired, too tired to work out. I remember sitting on my couch before I got diagnosed one night thinking, like, I can feel myself having to make the effort to breathe. That's how just physically exhausted I was. And I had all of the typical symptoms of t one. I just had not put them together yet.
I was exhausted. I went to the bathroom 15 times a day and was so so thirsty and hungry all the time. So I went to my doctor. It was actually March 13th. That was the day that I got my diagnosis. He actually came back in, and they had run my blood sugar. He was like, "So actually, plot twist, it's diabetes." We do have a couple of people in my family that have type two diabetes. And so that can be very genetic. And then I was older. I was 26. So even though, you know, I wasn't overweight, I didn't have some of those other things, he was like, "I'll put you on metformin. We'll take care of this thing."
So I got this tentative type two diabetes diagnosis and left the doctor's office. A couple of hours later I got the most frantic phone call from a nervous nurse. She was like, "Hey. And what do you what what are you doing? How are you feeling?" And I was like, "Well, you know, depressed, but but fine." And she was like, "Cool. So, actually, we think that you are in DKA. You need to drop everything that you're doing right now. Do not do anything else. Get your car keys. Have someone drive you to the ER. We have already called ahead there waiting for you right there."
Scott BennerKatie, she was like—she was so thrilled. You said just depressed. She was like, oh, she probably turned over her shoulder and looked at everybody in the room like, she's just depressed. It's gonna be fine. She's still alive. We didn't kill her.
Katie Beth HandShe genuinely liked the sigh of relief when I answered the phone. So I, ended up my parents drove me to the ER and was in DKA, got checked in, and, you know, it's the same story for everybody. Put me on IVs. I was so severely dehydrated. Blood sugar's through the roof. My a one c was 13.9. Ended up spending several days in the hospital, and that was really a dark time. It was a a time of grief. With type one, they just say, "Here's insulin pens. Here is a glucose meter. You'll need to use these every few hours, every single day, and all night for the entire rest of your life until you die." Alright. Hope you feel better.
Scott BennerOn your way.
Katie Beth HandSo that was our diagnosis day, and those few days after were really, really dark. A very, very hopeless time for me.
Scott BennerDid you fall back on your parents for help, or at 26, were you like, I'll do this on my own? Were you married, dating? Like, what was your structure at home like?
Katie Beth HandSo I wasn't married. I was still single. I had been—I was, like, a free spirit. I was actually working for a travel company, so I had been, like, taking tour groups overseas. I love to bike and hike and be outdoors. And so my support system was my parents. My parents were my support in, like, the emotional support getting through all of this. But really from day one of diagnosis, like, my diabetes has always been me. They've not you know, they don't help with insulin and insulin to carb ratios, and none of that was on them. That learning curve is one I took on and did myself.
Scott BennerThen what was that like? I mean, what would you tell me that from that moment until—well, maybe you'll tell me you never had it together. But, like, is there a moment where you're like, I know what I'm doing. This is going better? And how long did it take to get to that?
Katie Beth HandThere was eventually a point where I felt like I did have it as much as you can have it together with type one. Mhmm. I don't believe anybody really ever has it all together with type one. But at the beginning, I tell people getting a t one diagnosis—those first few months—the learning curve is so steep, and there's so much information. It feels like being sprayed in the face with a fire hose. After several years, I really did hit that point where it was just another part managing diabetes was just another part of my day. It wasn't all consuming. It didn't depress me. I learned how to make it as smaller part of my life as possible and keep moving. But that was multiple years before I feel like I really got to that point.
Weight Gain and the "Michael Phelps" Diet
Scott BennerTell me about your life in those multiple years. How would you describe your level of happiness? Were you active like you wanted to be? Did it hold you back in other ways?
Katie Beth HandThe impact was really severe, especially at the beginning. When I first started taking insulin, I'd been athletic, and then I'd gotten really skinny because of the diabetes. When I started taking insulin, I had been eating like Michael Phelps—probably three or 4,000 calories a day before I got diagnosed because I was hungry all the time. And it wasn't you know, I'd drink a milkshake before bed and wake up a pound lighter.
One of the things that happened that was really difficult for me as a 26 year old woman was I went through, like, a dark time physically after diagnosis because in getting my blood sugars under control, it was that constant yo yo of I would take my insulin and my blood sugar would go too low, so I'd have to eat and it'd go too high. That we had a lot of yo yoing. So I put on a lot of weight very quickly, like 30 pounds. And then on top of that, because of the weeks I had gone without really getting any nutrition, a whole bunch of my hair fell out. Not bald, but enough that for a woman, it was very significant. So I was, like, fat and bald, which was a real bummer. Fat and bald with a chronic illness. I wear these devices all day. I was scared to exercise because it kept sending me low. I felt for that first entire year for sure, like my body was not even my own. It felt so foreign and so out of control. And then eventually, I got better at it, got my first CGM, and rebuilt myself with this diagnosis in mind.
Scott BennerGot it. Hey. The weight gain was from a lot of lows, so you were eating a lot to stop lows. Was that the idea?
Katie Beth HandSo it was two—it was two factors. One was I had been eating a ton because I stayed hungry. Yeah. It didn't matter before. Right. I got it. It didn't matter before. It didn't stick. And then the other one was—so that was in combination with, I had gotten my body used to just eating all day long, eating and drinking all day long. And then on top of that, then, of course, was when I would go low, then I would have to eat something. Yeah. And I really hadn't figured out, like, a little bit of juice or glucose gummies or whatever. So those two things in combination made me put on weight very quickly those first few months after diagnosis.
Scott BennerHas that hunger stuck with you since then?
Katie Beth HandThe hunger from eating 4,000 calories a day has not. But, you know, t ones don't have the same hormones, proteins that make us feel satiated like other people do because we don't have those islet cells. Am I hungrier than other people? I don't really know how to answer that. Yeah. It's something that I watch, and it's not something that I obsess over. Once I really got back to a place where I felt confident, like, exercising, and then on top of that, figured out, like, what can I eat, making healthier choices overall, it kind of eased into a pattern.
The Eledon Clinical Trial: Functional Cure Mechanics
Scott BennerOkay. Alright. That's I appreciate you giving me that background. I'm gonna fast forward you a little bit. I'm gonna jump ahead to you telling me about the study. What is going on right now?
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Katie Beth HandSo it's a clinical trial. I had had a really hard diabetes day, a lot of highs and lows, and ended up finding a clinical trial online and applied for it. And it was the Eladon clinical trial, which is the trial that I'm in. It runs through the University of Chicago Medical Center in Chicago. Mhmm. And it is a trial that is testing taking cadaver, dead donor islet cells, and transfer them into actually the liver, not the pancreas, and then use the trial drug tegaprobar instead of the traditional drug tacrolimus. Tegaprobar is an anti c d forty ligand. So it protects those islet cells in a very, very targeted way versus suppressing your entire immune system. The Tego is what really makes this study very unique and very exciting.
Scott BennerWhy are we more excited about how this is being done than how it's been done previously?
Katie Beth HandTacrolimus has been around for about thirty years. It is a full immunosuppressant used in all sorts of transplants. But the side effects are neurotoxicity, and it's really hard on your kidneys. Ironically, it can actually be toxic to islet cells. And so long term, it is harder to do an islet cell transplant and make that last because that toxicity builds up and actually damages the very islet cells we're trying to protect. That's why islet cell transplants with tacrolimus aren't like the standard of care for diabetes. The difference between the tacrolimus and the tegaprobar is tegaprobar, while it is an immunosuppressant kind of, it is a very targeted immunosuppressant. And the other thing that makes it absolutely beautiful, not only does it not suppress my entire immune system, it also has zero side effects. I don't feel bad. I don't have headaches. I don't have any of those side effects that separates the tegaprubart Tego from the traditional drugs.
Scott BennerIs the Tego it's an IV infusion?
Katie Beth HandIt is. Getting to trade MDI for an hour-long IV infusion every twenty one days. It's a complete radical lifestyle change from the day in, day out management. They are also working on a subcutaneous version. I was one out of the first 10 patients—number nine. Eventually, will that look like a subcutaneous injection that you pull out of your fridge once a week and take? I don't know the timeline, but that's where we are. The drug itself has been proven to be effective, so now they're working on making it more lifestyle friendly.
Scott BennerHow long would it take if you missed that infusion for the new liver beta cells to drop over dead?
Katie Beth HandThey actually think there's a much longer window than the every twenty one days—probably closer to two or three months. Twenty one days is what we're doing as part of this trial, but they don't think the data is showing that it actually has to be that often. Because I Asked what happens if I can't get here? And they were like, well, just get here as soon as you can. It's not like the clock runs out at twenty one days and one minute and then your islet cells die off. But I won't volunteer to be part of figuring that out.
Scott BennerHow aware are you of the other nine?
Katie Beth HandThe TikTok algorithm is really, really good at connecting people. When I started posting and announced that I was part of this trial, it actually ended up putting me in the same algorithm with a couple of the other people that were in this exact same trial. I know probably three or four people that are in my trial. I actually had the procedure, my islet cell transplant, on January twelfth of this year. We're recording this February 17th. For the first three weeks, every Tuesday, I flew up to Chicago, did my one hour infusion, and then flew home. A week after the transplant, when I went to check out of the hospital, they went ahead and took me off basal insulin completely. It takes about three months for those islet cells to really take root in your liver and become fully functioning. Every time I go, we're weaning me down off of my insulin till I reach the point where I just won't take any at all.
Scott BennerHas that been exciting?
Katie Beth HandYes. Yeah. To come home and take my basal insulin and just, like, toss that whole pen in the trash was a very cool moment. So yes. So I'm recovering. Because the little islet cells—we're trying to let them rest. Now if I went out and ate, like, a big cheeseburger and fries, my islet cells would absolutely kick in and I would spike and then they'd come correct to that. But what we're trying to do in these early months is I'm using kind of like a protective dose of insulin so we don't stress those islet cells. I'll take it, wait till my blood sugar starts dropping, and then eat. The reason is because we're trying to keep those cells from stressing and working quite so hard. Typically, three months is like the time until they're fully mature. I just did a mixed meal tolerance test exactly one month post transplant. You eat a certain number of carbs, and then they do a blood draw every fifteen minutes for four hours. It was really cool to watch my blood sugar go up to 170 ish, then leveled off, and my islet cells pulled that back down to 81 and just sat there. I cried.
Eligibility Criteria and Testing
Scott BennerDo you have any other autoimmune issues?
Katie Beth HandNope. I do not.
Scott BennerI was wondering if this TEGO works on other stuff. I was wondering if you had eczema or anything that was inflammatory.
Katie Beth HandI think that it does. They are talking about using it for kidney patients, kids, and maybe turn off the CD40 pathway for things like RA. I don't have any other autoimmune issues or seasonal allergies. As for finding out if I was a good candidate, with every clinical trial, there are very specific criteria that you have to meet. I filled out all of this information online and then ended up doing a long, detailed phone interview. They ask all of these medical questions—how much insulin do you take? I flew up to Chicago last May and spent five straight days in the hospital. They scanned every organ of my body—EKGs, stress tests, X-rays—creating a baseline. You can't have diabetic retinopathy and do this because the radical correction of blood sugar can make it worse. You can't take over a certain amount of insulin every day. There were very specific criteria that you had to meet before I got chosen.
Scott BennerHow long was that process?
Katie Beth HandIt was about a two year process for me. I went back up this past October. Before you can go on the transplant list, you have to have a medication called thymoglobulin. It is by far the worst part of this whole process. Not horrific, just not fun. Three or four twelve hour IV drips of thymoglobulin. It's super tough on your veins and a real immunosuppressant. I went on the transplant list the week of Thanksgiving in November 2025, and then I got the call in early January. Dr. Piotr Witkowski truly is a genius. He has my Dexcom on his phone and monitors my blood sugars. He's working all the time.
Scott BennerI just make a podcast about diabetes, and there are days when I look up and go, "did I eat today?" How has it changed your life? Is there a lot of anxiety that it's just gonna stop working?
Katie Beth HandI don't have anxiety that it's going to necessarily stop working. The first patient who went through the trial has been completely off insulin for eighteen months and her numbers are still great. The Tego does a really, really good job of protecting those islets. One of the craziest, most unexpected part that I had not thought through was not having lows anymore. In an islet cell transplant, you're getting beta cells and alpha cells. A nondiabetic body is constantly doing that checks and balances. For thirteen years, I was the one doing that. When Dr. Rakowski cleared me to start exercising, he said, "If it looks like you're going low, don't do anything. Don't drink juice. Your body will fix that." For years, you see those double arrows down and you panic. But he has been right—I worked out for an hour this morning and never went low. Not going low at night has been by far the best part of the trial for me so far.
Scott BennerIs there anything about having type one diabetes that you miss?
Katie Beth HandNothing specific I would miss. They said I could stop wearing my Dexcom once I'm fully off insulin, but I told them you can have my CGM when you pry it off my cold dead body. It gives me a sense of control. Diabetes turns you into a control freak. That will be interesting to try to unwind. These are cadaver donor islet cells. I was on the national donor registry waiting for a match. They mine the islet cells out in the lab at UChicago. We use islet cells from a known source for this trial because Tego is our one variable. I think I'll finally process "I don't have diabetes anymore" once they fully take me off insulin and I leave the house without insulin pens and a glucometer in my purse.
Community Response and Cynicism
Scott BennerAlso, please don't let anything happen to you, because I—I don't want it to be like one of those bad movies where, like, a truck is coming at you through an intersection, and you're like, oh, come on. I just got rid of my diabetes.
Katie Beth HandYes. Yes. So it's funny, you know, being on social media, there—you know, I will say this. The—the type one diabetic community, we're, like, the most, like, suspicious, cynical community on the planet. I respect the cynicism because we’ve been promised a cure for years and nothing happens. I have people messaging me saying big pharma is not going to like what you're talking about. I hope I don't go missing suspiciously because we will have two million diabetics calling the FBI.
Technically speaking, they didn't cure me—they shut off the immune system and jammed some new cells inside. This is what’s called a functional cure. I am trading diabetes for taking this Tegaprubart for the rest of my life. People say, "But you have to take a medication for the rest of your life." I’m like—right, I have diabetes, so I am already going to take a medication or two for the rest of my life. I would go outside and beat up an old lady to give this to my daughter. Just the targeted immune suppressant side of it is incredibly exciting.
Scott BennerI believe that GLP medication changes things. Watch it work in people with my daughter—it turns her sensitivity from one unit moving her 40 to one unit moving her 95. Her carb ratio goes from one to 4.5 to one to 10. Basal goes from 1.1 down to point six five.
Katie Beth HandI'm a huge fan of GLPs. I think it should be standard of care for all type ones. When I was on it, the results were phenomenal. The big issue was getting insurance coverage because I wasn't type two. Everyone gets scared first—they don't want to break a rule. Then nobody dies and everyone goes, "Oh, okay." I think there will be a time when you take the Tego less frequently, or move into the subcutaneous injection. You're looking at the beginning of something that normally you don't know about till it becomes public. I look at other trials as collaborators. Maybe the eventual functional cure is that people get islet cell transplants on a massive scale because one company perfects lab grown cells and we protect them with the Tego. Diabetics live without a sense of hope. If you had asked me three years ago, I've said no. And then here I sit post islet cell transplant feeling the best I've felt in a decade and a half.
Katie Beth HandWhen you have major surgery like this, you go on myfortic, which is a lower risk immunosuppressant. I'm on an antifungal, an antibiotic, and an antiviral for about three months. Because I am taking someone else's islet cells, piece of their organ, and transplanted that into my body. I do a pill in the morning, a pill at night, and my infusion every twenty one days. I take vitamin d every day. If your body doesn't have all the supplementation it needs and we can find a way to add it pharmaceutically, who cares? My life is completely different and all for the better. We are road-mapping out what works. Dr. Witkowski is amazing. Eventually, you're all good on your way again.
The "Cure Season" and Monologue Breakdown
Scott BennerLet me be a wet blanket, for a moment for everybody because I, abhor something that I call the diabetes cure season, which is when all of the doctors and the, you know, the researchers put out their articles and get interviewed so they can point a light on what they're doing, so they can raise more money to keep doing it. And then a lot of people who have diabetes get mad like, "oh, it's almost over." And then I—I get very afraid that people aren't gonna take good care of themselves because—Mhmm. Why take care of myself? You know, this is almost—next week.
Katie Beth HandRight.
Scott BennerRight. It's not gonna be next week. Right. I'm gonna tell you all that I interviewed a researcher—I interviewed a—a scientist so long ago. I didn't have a podcast. It was from my blog. And he was talking about encapsulation. A packet, a packet, a packet, a packet, a packet full of cells that they would slip under your—
Katie Beth HandWas CERNOVA?
Scott BennerI forget which one it was. Veritex, maybe. Here's the thing. Doesn't matter because he explained the—whole—
Katie Beth Handgo anywhere?
Scott BennerYeah. Well, are you using it right now? Because it was, like, fifteen years ago. Right? So, like, maybe some ideas from it have transferred to something else, and God bless. I—everybody should be trying as hard as they can. But my point is is that he explained how it worked. They were just trying to get it into testing. It got into testing eventually. I think one of the companies went out of business. Like, oh, I don't even know. Right? But what I'm—my point is is that he told me on that day, if we had it all worked out today, if it was FDA approved, if we knew exactly how to do it, it would still take us ten years to do it en masse. Don't get too excited right now. Like, you know who should be excited? Katie. Katie and her family, they are excited that you got into a time machine and you went into the future.
Katie Beth HandRight.
Scott BennerYou know what I mean?
Katie Beth HandRight.
Scott BennerAnd but for the rest of you, you're not getting tego next week. Calm down. Keep pre bolus in your meals.
Scott BennerOkay? Change your settings. Make sure you're okay.
Katie Beth HandGo ahead and reorder your insulin pumps from the pharmacy.
Scott BennerPut your glucagon in your bag when you leave. I don't want you having a problem while you're out. You don't have something to do. Keep telling your friends how to help you if you get low. Like, you—you're gonna have diabetes for a while, but this is the most complete idea I've heard so far. And that—that's exciting.
Katie Beth HandAnyone that's been tested, Scott, in more than, like, one or—
Scott Bennertwo people. Per people. Yeah. Like, I once had a lady on who did the, the implantable pouch.
Katie Beth HandMhmm.
Scott BennerShe didn't even know if she actually had the cells or if they just—if she was, like, a placebo, which, by the way, bummer because they still cut her open and stuck the pouch inside her.
Katie Beth HandYeah. I would—that that would make me absolutely furious. Like, if you're doing a major surgery like that, so help me. You better give me the cure, man.
Scott BennerWell, not only that, but she was getting benefit from it, and then they were—she only was allowed to keep it for a certain time, then they were gonna take it away from her. Oh gosh. I can't—I can't imagine that.
Scott BennerI told her I'd get on a plane, I'd leave the country.
Katie Beth HandA 100%.
Scott BennerBut yeah. But not the point. The point is is that I've heard a lot of these things over the years, and there's pieces of them that always sound like, "oh, that part makes sense." Or, you know, like, the idea of, like, "what we can encapsulate the cells that the—the"—and I was like, I don't know if that—I—I—okay. But I don't love it. You know? But now, suddenly, this is a—the—I mean, I'm—I'm gonna make a t shirt that says, "Tego, let's go." Cause I think—I think maybe that really is the key to this whole thing as far as it sounds from your story.
The "Eyeball" Islet Trial and Closing Thoughts
Katie Beth HandYeah. Yeah. For sure. And it's been interesting because since I've—I've been talking about this, there are people that are doing other really cool trials that message me. And there—so there was a lady that I met. She's in the trial. I don't know what company's doing it. She's in a trial where they're taking islet cells and implanting them into her eyeball because, you know, your eyeball runs on a different immune system from the rest of your body.
Scott BennerGet out of here.
Katie Beth HandPlanting islets into her eyeball, and then she will take immunosuppressant drops just in that one eyeball. And it's in, like, the early phases of testing. And I was like, you can pretty much count me out on any study that's gonna play with my eyeballs, but good for you. Thanks for doing it. And if that ends up being a cure for everyone, you know, you're my hero.
Scott BennerKatie, you have my email address. Please give it to her.
Katie Beth HandLet me know how that pans out. Yeah. Yeah. Pulling—I'm pulling for you. I talked to a lady who did the porcine islet cells. She did that. It's taking, like, typically six to ten months before there's any sign of, like, glucose change. It's definitely not in the cure phase yet, but there's a lot of really cool stuff out there. The Tego, obviously, is the—you know, I've researched all of these. The Tego is the one that I think is—is closest to the forefront of actually really being a widely available functional cure for everyone. But, you know, I'm happily wrong. If somebody invents a pill tomorrow, I will cry like a baby. Yeah.
Scott BennerIt's just wonderful story to hear, and I appreciate you sharing it with me. I mean, absolutely worth an hour of time to sit and chat about this. This is the Eldon study out of the University of Chicago.
Scott BennerOkay. And say Peter's name in case I say it wrong.
Katie Beth HandK. Piotr Wachowski.
Scott BennerAgain, I don't even know his first name. I am gladly and happily here hearing your story. Sorry for all of you who know more about it than I do and think I didn't answer the right questions. You can all go start your own podcast and make it popular. Good luck. I just—I did my best here. You've piqued my curiosity. I would like you to use the link I sent you and reschedule to come back on in six months if you're interested.
Katie Beth HandOkay.
Scott BennerI'd like to hear a follow-up about how you're doing. And if you know Patient Ten, please send them my way. Wanna hear from the eyeball lady. I am happy to have all these conversations. Would—I would love to hear more. The eyeball lady, especially, just because, wow. Let me hear about that. Yeah. I think what you just said about her makes such a good point that you don't know how this is gonna end up working the day it actually works. Right? Because, again, fifteen years ago, was we're gonna make a pouch, and we're gonna put it under your skin, and it's gonna be great. And you're doing what you're doing, and she's, you know, stem cells in my eyeballs. You have no idea what's gonna happen.
Scott BennerBut as these ideas are coming together, like, if you're not paying attention to peptides like GLPs, if you're not paying attention to new immunosuppressants like Tego—I'm assuming that these researchers are now using AI to crunch their data, and it's happening much quicker than it has in the past. Wait till they start talking to each other. You don't know where this is gonna end. But it's moving in the right direction, and it's moving a lot faster than it used to.
Katie Beth HandAbsolutely. For the first time ever, I really do look at this young generation of kids, and I—I do not believe that they are a generation that will have type one diabetes their whole lives.
Scott BennerCould happen for them. You—know?
Katie Beth HandLike, yeah. I think it's gonna—and I feel—I feel very confident about that. Can I tell you exactly what that looks like or when that will be or how much that will cost? No. I can't. But these young kids getting diagnosed, you know, kids like your daughter, they will not—I—I truly don believe they'll have diabetes their entire lives.
Scott BennerHeed what Katie told you. Keep your stuff together now because if you had any number of different issues—Right. They wouldn't have done this with you. Right. Yeah. So, you know, be careful. Take good care of yourself. Do your best. You know? I think the psychological part of diabetes is still ignored. We try really hard to talk about it here, but, you know, you gotta support your mental health as well along the way. Katie said there's a lot of—a lot of stuff that she used to have to do that she's not doing anymore.
Katie Beth HandRight.
Scott BennerWait till you see—like, I imagine you're gonna have a real catharsis at some point, like a moment of when you realize the depth of effort that is not being paid anymore to diabetes. Like, I—I wonder—yeah. I think it's gonna hit you pretty deeply, and I—I can't wait to find out how—exactly. I hope it doesn't crush you, like, because it could.
Katie Beth HandYeah. It's—it's interesting to unwind things that I have done and believed and become, like, part of the core of who I am. Walking through this process and unwinding some of those has been a very interesting and unexpected—the mental piece is a very unexpected piece of this process.
Scott Benner100%. I can't—I can't imagine that we're even a tiny percentage in understanding all the impacts this is gonna have on you. For sure. Okay. Katie, thank you very, very much. I can't—I can't thank you enough for doing this. I really do appreciate your time.
Katie Beth HandAbsolutely. Thanks so much, Scott. It was a pleasure.
Scott BennerThank you. Hold on one second for me. Okay? A huge thanks to my longest sponsor, Omnipod. Check out the Omnipod five now with my link, omnipod.com/juicebox. You may be eligible for a free starter kit, a free Omnipod five starter kit at my link. Go check it out. Omnipod.com/juicebox. Terms and conditions apply. Full terms and conditions can be found at omnipod.com/juicebox. Arden has been getting her diabetes supplies from US Med for three years. You can as well. Usmed.com/juicebox or call (888) 721-1514.
My thanks to US for sponsoring this episode and for being longtime sponsors of the Juice Box Podcast. There are links in the show notes and links at juiceboxpodcast.com to US Med and all of the sponsors. Okay. Well, here we are at the end of the episode. You're still with me? Thank you. I really do appreciate that. What else could you do for me? Why don't you tell a friend about the show or leave a five star review? Maybe you could make sure you're following or subscribed in your podcast app, go to YouTube and follow me, or Instagram, TikTok.
Oh, gosh. Here's one. Make sure you're following the podcast in the private Facebook group as well as the public Facebook page. You don't wanna miss—please, do you not know about the private group? You have to join the private group. As of this recording, it has 74,000 members. They're active talking about diabetes. Whatever you need to know, there's a conversation happening in there right now. If you're looking to meet other people living with type one diabetes, head over to juiceboxpodcast.com/juicecruise because next June—that's right. 2026, June 21, the second juice cruise is happening on the Celebrity Beyond cruise ship. It's a seven night trip going to The Caribbean. We're gonna be visiting Miami, Coco Cay, Saint Thomas, and Saint Kitts. Yeah. The Virgin Islands. You're gonna love The Virgin Islands.
Sale with Scott and the Juice Box community on a week long voyage built for people and families living with type one diabetes. Enjoy tropical, luxury, practical education, and judgment free atmosphere. Perfect day at Coco Bay, Saint Kitts, Saint Thomas, five interactive workshops with me and surprise guests on type one hacks and tech, mental health, mindfulness, nutrition, exercise, personal growth, and professional development. Support groups and wellness discussions tailored for life with type one, and celebrities world class amenities, dining, entertainment. This is open from every age, you know, newborn to 99. I don't care how old you are. Come out. Check us out. You can view staterooms and prices at juiceboxpodcast.com/juicecruise. The last juice cruise just happened a couple weeks ago. A 100 of you came. It was awesome. We're looking to make it even bigger this year. I hope you can check it out. If you have a podcast and you need a fantastic editor, you want Rob from Wrong Way Recording. Listen. Truth be told, I'm, like, 20% smarter when Rob edits me. He takes out all the, like, gaps of time and when I go, "and" and stuff like that. And it just—I don't know, man. Like, I listen back and I'm like, "why do I sound smarter?" And then I remember because I did one smart thing. I hired Rob at wrongwayrecording.com.
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