#1703 Rachel Mike and Molly

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Mike and Rachel discuss raising their daughter Molly with T1D. They explore the balance between Mike’s analytical management and Rachel’s emotional processing, plus the diagnosis's impact on their family dynamic.

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

Scott Benner (0:0) Hello, friends. (0:01) Welcome to the Juice Box podcast. (0:03) From my family to yours, I want to wish you a happy holiday.

Rachel (0:16) Hi. (0:17) My name is Rachel.

Mike (0:18) My name is Mike. (0:19) Happy to be here. (0:20) We've we've been married since 2011, and we've got a 11 year old daughter, which is actually kind of why we're here today, I think.

Scott Benner (0:29) If you're looking for community around type one diabetes, check out the Juice Box Podcast private Facebook group. (0:35) Juice Box Podcast, type one diabetes. (0:38) But everybody is welcome. (0:40) Type one, type two, gestational, loved ones, it doesn't matter to me. (0:44) 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.

Scott Benner (0:54) This episode of the Juice Box podcast is sponsored by Skin Grip, durable, skin safe adhesive that lasts. (1:01) Your diabetes devices, they can fall off easily sometimes, especially when you're bathing or very active. (1:08) When those devices fall off, your life is disrupted, and it costs you money. (1:12) But Skin Grip patches, they keep your devices secure. (1:15) Skin Grip was founded by a family directly impacted by type one, and it's trusted by hundreds of thousands of individuals living with diabetes.

Scott Benner (1:23) Juice Box podcast listeners are gonna get 20% off of their first order by visiting skingrip.com/juicebox. (1:32) Nothing you hear on the juice box podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. (1:37) Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan or becoming bold with insulin. (1:47) The episode you're about to enjoy was brought to you by Dexcom, the Dexcom g seven, the same CGM that my daughter wears. (1:55) You can learn more and get started today at my link, dexcom.com/juicebox.

Scott Benner (2:01) Today's episode is also sponsored by the Omnipod five. (2:05) And at my link, omnipod.com/juicebox, you can get yourself a free, what I just say, a free Omnipod five starter kit. (2:15) Free? (2:16) Get out of here. (2:17) Go click on that link.

Scott Benner (2:18) Omnipod.com/juicebox. (2:21) Check it out. (2:21) Terms and conditions apply. (2:23) Eligibility may vary. (2:24) Full terms and conditions can be found at omnipod.com/juicebox.

Scott Benner (2:29) Links in the show notes. (2:30) Links at juiceboxpodcast.com.

Rachel (2:33) Hi. (2:33) My name is Rachel.

Scott Benner (2:35) And who else is here?

Mike (2:36) My name is Mike. (2:37) Happy to be here.

Scott Benner (2:38) Yeah. (2:38) Well, I'm happy to have you. (2:40) So you guys are, what, dance partners? (2:42) You're married? (2:43) What are you?

Mike (2:43) Once in a while, we do dance together. (2:45) Yes. (2:45) But, yeah, we've we've we've been married since 2011, and we've got a 11 year old daughter, which is actually kind of why we're here today, I think.

Scott Benner (2:53) Okay. (2:54) Rachel, is is your daughter the only child, or are there others?

Rachel (2:57) Yes. (2:58) Only child. (2:58) We just have one. (3:00) She's plenty.

Scott Benner (3:03) I think you mean a lot. (3:04) Is that what you're trying

Rachel (3:05) to Perfect.

Scott Benner (3:06) Oh, sure. (3:06) It's lovely. (3:07) Rachel, what brings you to the podcast today?

Rachel (3:09) So our daughter, Molly, was diagnosed with diabetes in August 2021 in that nice little break of COVID where we could both go to the hospital. (3:20) And yeah. (3:20) So that's what brings us. (3:21) Nice. (3:22) Mike used the podcast when she was first diagnosed, and here we are.

Scott Benner (3:26) Mike, how'd you find it?

Mike (3:28) So even from the hospital room, I think I I ordered, like, you know, the, what is it? (3:32) The the bag of hope from a JDRF, the little the little, Rufus, the doll dive in Beardoll, and this sort of started saying, okay. (3:41) What is there any resource I could possibly find? (3:44) Lord knows I wasn't gonna be sleeping much. (3:46) I came across the the podcast, and I can tell you for sure or I should say, came across the Facebook group first.

Mike (3:52) And I'll tell you, in those first few certainly in the first few months, possibly even in the first year or two, there were times at two in the morning, you know, things are alarms are blaring. (4:02) This is that. (4:03) And I'm on I'm on the pod. (4:04) Why in the hell is this happening? (4:06) Like, what and I would get 95 answers in fifteen minutes from across the globe.

Mike (4:11) It was kinda wild.

Scott Benner (4:12) Yeah. (4:12) So that group was a little bit of, like, your frequently asked questions page for a while?

Mike (4:17) For me, yeah. (4:18) A little bit. (4:19) And with, you know, with a with a slight grain of salt because, obviously, there's folks in there who have been doing a whole variety of of, you know, management methods for all for decades. (4:27) And but, yeah, it was definitely like, alright. (4:30) How can I get, you know, a bunch of opinions of people who have some one way or other lived with this for years and Yes?

Mike (4:36) And, you know, kinda hashing them.

Scott Benner (4:37) Kinda quickly just try to figure out a direction. (4:40) So what did you do? (4:41) Did you kinda just collate answers, and how did you take those different suggestions from people and turn that into action for yourself?

Mike (4:49) Sometimes it wasn't, for me anyway, always about action. (4:52) Sometimes it was just like, okay. (4:54) This is not like we're doing something really weird here. (4:56) This is happening clearly to thousands of other people. (4:59) Wow.

Mike (4:59) And I could feel a little bit better about, you know, our Rachel and I and our process of of learning, which clearly sort of trial, but an error. (5:07) You know? (5:08) Mhmm. (5:08) Sometimes it did turn an action, and usually those were the questions that were a little bit more technical. (5:13) Like, I've asked this actually more than once.

Mike (5:15) I keep forgetting. (5:16) You're changing the Dexcom, the pod, and all all at the same time. (5:20) Which do you do first and why? (5:22) You know, then I was like, okay. (5:23) Maybe that I would sort of look at those, like, following instructions sometimes.

Scott Benner (5:27) Okay. (5:27) And, Rachel, did you were you a member as well at that point?

Rachel (5:30) So I was not. (5:31) My husband actually added me to it a little bit later, a few weeks, maybe a month or two, and I silenced it because I found it totally overwhelming. (5:41) I thought it was too much. (5:42) It was, like, too much information at once. (5:44) I needed, like, time to I'm, like, the emotional one of us.

Rachel (5:48) So Okay. (5:49) I needed time to, like, sit with my feelings on it before I was, like, jumping in on all of the technical and the medical. (5:56) And, obviously, we you jump in the medical immediately. (5:59) That is number one. (6:00) You have to, but I'm an emotional human.

Rachel (6:03) So it definitely was too overwhelming for me right away.

Scott Benner (6:07) Did you ever make it back to it or no?

Rachel (6:10) I did. (6:11) I'm more of a, like, observer Okay. (6:13) On the Facebook page. (6:14) No. (6:15) For sure.

Rachel (6:15) Yeah. (6:16) I'm not as much of a commenter or question asker. (6:19) I like to just scan a little bit. (6:21) Instagram's more my jam too. (6:23) Okay.

Rachel (6:24) So I get a lot from Instagram.

Scott Benner (6:26) I think a lot of people are lurkers before Yeah. (6:30) Before their talkers. (6:31) Actually, I think it's a large portion of the people. (6:34) Because I can see how many people see a post, but how many of them comment on it is is a significantly different number.

Mike (6:41) For sure.

Scott Benner (6:42) Yeah. (6:42) Don't think that's uncommon at all. (6:44) Which one of you was the first one to say out loud, hey. (6:47) There's something wrong with Molly. (6:49) What's going on?

Rachel (6:49) I think that was me. (6:51) Definitely me. (6:52) This is a kid who, like, never had an accident, basically, in her entire life. (6:56) Like, she woke up dry at 18 and, like, never had it. (7:00) It was potty training was easy.

Scott Benner (7:02) Right.

Rachel (7:02) So at age seven, when your kid has three overnight accidents within five nights, you know something's up.

Scott Benner (7:09) Yeah.

Rachel (7:09) So I wanted to, like, think it was a UTI or anxiety because she was heading back into the school year post COVID. (7:17) But I knew in the back of my head because my brother has type one diabetes, although he was in his twenties when he was diagnosed, that it was a big possibility. (7:25) So when I called the pediatrician to say, hey. (7:28) Something's going on, and they were like, you need to come in today

Mike (7:31) Mhmm.

Rachel (7:32) That's when it, like, hit me in the stomach, and I was like, yep. (7:34) We're gonna get that diagnosis today.

Scott Benner (7:36) Did you tell the pediatrician your brother has type one?

Rachel (7:38) I didn't until we were there.

Scott Benner (7:40) Okay.

Rachel (7:41) But it was I told them about the the accidents, and they were like, so you're gonna come in today. (7:46) And I was like, well, camp ends this week. (7:48) Can I come in next week? (7:49) Like, we can wait. (7:51) It's fine.

Rachel (7:51) Let's not take her out of camp. (7:52) And they were like, our last appointment's at four. (7:54) You're gonna come in.

Scott Benner (7:55) Right.

Rachel (7:56) So I knew. (7:57) Yeah.

Mike (7:57) Yeah. (7:57) And the pediatrician has had t one for forty years.

Scott Benner (8:00) Oh. (8:01) Yeah.

Mike (8:01) So he was, like, you know, very well versed in the whole thing, and and he's an excellent pediatrician on top of that. (8:06) But, yeah, he I'm sure his, his bells went off immediately.

Scott Benner (8:11) So, Rachel, what else is in your family line? (8:14) There's type one with your brother. (8:15) Do either of you have autoimmune stuff? (8:18) Or

Rachel (8:18) My mom has MS. (8:20) She also has Hashimoto's, so that nice little stack. (8:24) Yeah. (8:25) So we knew.

Scott Benner (8:27) Rachel, do you have anything?

Rachel (8:29) I have Barrett's esophagus, so that's not

Mike (8:31) not related.

Scott Benner (8:32) But Okay. (8:32) Yeah. (8:33) Yeah.

Mike (8:33) How did

Scott Benner (8:34) you find out you had that?

Rachel (8:35) I was 24, which is interesting because my mom's like, it's an old man's disease. (8:39) What do you mean? (8:40) But I was having, like, you know, some GI stomach things. (8:43) I was nauseous, which so they did not think it was gonna be Barrett's esophagus. (8:47) Mhmm.

Rachel (8:48) But yeah. (8:49) But my dad has it too. (8:50) So How

Scott Benner (8:51) do you manage it?

Rachel (8:52) I just am on lansoprazole.

Scott Benner (8:54) And that worked. (8:55) You know? (8:55) Yeah. (8:56) So I have the beginnings of Barrett's. (8:58) Oh.

Scott Benner (8:59) I had horrible, like, reflux and stuff like that for years, and sometimes I had kinda silent I don't know if that if that's really a thing, but, like, I don't know how to put that exactly. (9:09) It feels like silent reflux a little bit.

Rachel (9:11) Yeah. (9:12) But

Scott Benner (9:12) that's the GLP made it all go away.

Rachel (9:15) Yeah. (9:15) Oh, interesting. (9:16) Yeah. (9:16) So Yeah. (9:17) I kind of have silent Barrett's also.

Rachel (9:19) Like, my symptoms were not, like, total acid reflux. (9:23) They were not. (9:23) That's why they were shocked. (9:25) So yeah. (9:25) And then

Scott Benner (9:26) It's pretty awesome how how much that's alleviated. (9:28) I know some people say they go on GLPs and they get, like, reflux.

Rachel (9:32) But Oh, interesting.

Scott Benner (9:33) I mine mine went away. (9:34) And it wasn't for those people listening who was like, well, it's because you were fat, Scott. (9:38) But it it was it went away way before the weight happened. (9:42) So Interesting. (9:43) Don't I have no idea

Rachel (9:44) what Should look into it.

Scott Benner (9:45) You know, what was going on down in there.

Mike (9:47) Anyway Scott, we have a we have a very who I think is a very intelligent friend of ours who literally talks about the GLP drugs, like, as if aliens came down and handed us this, like, magical thing, and we just have no idea what to do with it. (9:58) Like, it works for so works or doesn't work for so many things. (10:03) You every you watch the news, like, few weeks, there's a new thing that apparently these drugs help. (10:07) It's it's it's kinda crazy.

Scott Benner (10:09) It works on so many different things that when I have a little ailment that's not touched by it, I'm like, oh, the GLP really let me down on that. (10:18) How come it didn't fix my sore knee? (10:20) So k. (10:22) You're in the, you're in the the doctor's office. (10:24) They give you the the diagnosis right there.

Scott Benner (10:26) You go to the hospital? (10:27) What was her blood sugar?

Rachel (10:29) They sent us to CHOP, which is Children's Hospital Philadelphia for those that aren't in, the area. (10:34) They told us we had time to go home. (10:36) Her number was, like, I think we're at 575 at the time. (10:40) So high, but not not like DKA. (10:44) And so they were like, go get some clothes.

Rachel (10:46) You're gonna be there a few days. (10:47) So we go at home. (10:48) We grab some food so that we could eat in the emergency room. (10:51) We're probably there around six, and then we didn't get a room until, like, midnight.

Scott Benner (10:56) Yeah.

Rachel (10:57) But we were I was like, why are you not you were called. (11:00) Why aren't you letting us come in immediately?

Scott Benner (11:02) Hello? (11:03) We're tired.

Mike (11:04) And Hello? (11:05) So for for what it's worth, Molly was basically fine. (11:09) She she you know, Raven said no DKA. (11:11) She she was not sick. (11:12) She was not throwing up.

Mike (11:13) She was not I mean, yeah, she was a little little nerve racking what was going on, but she was otherwise seemingly healthy without you we hear stories. (11:22) I've read stories on the in on the podcast in the Facebook group of kids who are just violently ill. (11:28) So

Scott Benner (11:28) Were you caught in early?

Mike (11:29) Some degree yeah. (11:31) We were yeah. (11:31) We feel kind of lucky in that sense. (11:33) And Rachel mentioned, you know, CHOP. (11:35) Like, we are on our way to the hospital, and and there are, you know, this, you know, seven or so.

Mike (11:40) Right? (11:40) Seven? (11:41) Yeah. (11:41) Seven. (11:41) Year old girl.

Mike (11:43) What is she saying to you could imagine all the things she might be saying or crying about her. (11:47) What did she say to us? (11:48) She says to us how lucky she feels that we have this hospital in our backyard and how correct me if I'm wrong. (11:58) She was like, I feel bad that not everybody has this. (12:02) Yeah.

Mike (12:03) We were Where is this coming from?

Rachel (12:05) Yeah. (12:06) We were reassuring her that, like, everything was gonna be okay, that CHOP is one of, like, the best children's hospitals in the country, and we're so lucky it's right here. (12:14) Yeah. (12:14) And she started to get that's the moment she started to cry and get upset, not when we were rushing there, but was like, oh my gosh. (12:20) Other kids don't have this.

Rachel (12:22) Why are we like, this is so sad.

Scott Benner (12:24) Is she normally that empathetic?

Rachel (12:26) I feel really guilty. (12:28) Yes. (12:28) Oh, okay.

Mike (12:29) Yeah. (12:29) Yeah.

Scott Benner (12:30) Well, that's nice.

Rachel (12:30) It's her nature. (12:31) I think it's my fault. (12:33) You think it's

Scott Benner (12:33) your fault. (12:34) Well, And so people don't know, but I only have 10 with Rachel, and then it'll be Mike and I till the end. (12:39) Apparently, Rachel has, a job or something.

Rachel (12:41) I know. (12:42) It's terrible.

Scott Benner (12:42) Yeah. (12:42) But so I wanna ask a question a little out of order. (12:45) Your brother having type one, in any way valuable for you, or did you guys not talk about it very much? (12:52) What was that relationship like?

Rachel (12:54) So it's funny. (12:55) My brother and I, as close as we are, we are very close. (12:57) It's just the two of us. (12:58) He's my older brother. (12:59) He sort of, like, because he was in his twenties, could, like, kept it really to himself.

Rachel (13:03) He was on MDI. (13:06) He didn't have a CGM. (13:08) He just sort of did his own thing. (13:11) I'm a little sister. (13:12) So I just would make fun of him for taking naps in the middle of the day.

Rachel (13:16) I'm like, you're an adult. (13:17) What are you doing? (13:18) Now looking back, I have apologized to him many times

Scott Benner (13:21) Yeah.

Rachel (13:22) To be like, I'm sorry. (13:23) You were probably dealing with something. (13:25) While in the moment of diagnosis, there was no, like, oh, I can check to this Mhmm. (13:31) Or say this makes sense or whatever. (13:34) Now and, like, since she's been diagnosed, it's been great for her to have, like, a t one d buddy in our family.

Rachel (13:40) They were already really close. (13:42) You you know, she's his only niece. (13:44) They're already very close, and I think this brought them even closer. (13:48) And she can be like, hey. (13:49) What's your number?

Rachel (13:50) Like, they I'll get emotional about this. (13:52) So just

Scott Benner (13:53) Yeah. (13:53) Good time.

Rachel (13:53) Because my mom does. (13:54) He got a CGM. (13:56) He got a Dexcom when Molly did. (13:58) They were begging him for ten years to get one

Scott Benner (14:01) Right.

Rachel (14:02) To manage his blood sugars better and and figure it out. (14:07) He's a creature of habit. (14:08) He'll kill me for saying that on on this podcast, but it's fine. (14:12) But my mom was so happy. (14:13) Everybody just like that, like, little bit of worry lifted a little about my brother when he was like, okay.

Rachel (14:19) If my niece can do it, I can do it. (14:21) He's still not on a pump.

Scott Benner (14:23) Okay. (14:23) Well, what do you think about her diagnosis motivated him? (14:28) Today's episode is brought to you by Omnipod. (14:31) We talk a lot about ways to lower your a one c on this podcast. (14:35) Did you know that the Omnipod five was shown to lower a one c?

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Rachel (16:24) I think he I don't know. (16:26) We haven't really talked much about it, but I do feel like he probably was like, I wanna be around for her. (16:32) She needs to see an example maybe of taking care of yourself and doing the things that you should do. (16:39) And listen. (16:40) The CGM isn't for everybody.

Rachel (16:42) I understand that too. (16:44) But it certainly can help you with the trends of where you're going and Mhmm. (16:48) And all of that and help you figure out what you need to do. (16:52) I don't know if, Mike, you've ever had a conversation with him about it. (16:55) But

Mike (16:56) I I sort of think that at least, like, in the on the front line, he was doing it for her. (17:03) Hey. (17:03) Like, Mal, don't be afraid of this. (17:05) I'm gonna do this with you. (17:06) Like, it's it's gonna it's gonna be it's gonna be helpful, a good thing, etcetera.

Mike (17:10) I think kind of behind the curtain, there was a little bit of, like, well, if my seven year old niece, know, understands this is right, I should probably be hopping on this train. (17:21) You know? (17:21) But I think the I think the thing that we sort of saw more so was in support of Molly, but I'm I'm sure there was a alright. (17:30) It's about time. (17:31) Like, I I I gotta do this now.

Rachel (17:33) Stop being so stubborn.

Mike (17:35) Yeah. (17:35) Yeah.

Scott Benner (17:36) Yeah. (17:37) So he's not married. (17:38) Right? (17:38) No. (17:39) Yeah.

Scott Benner (17:39) I guess I shouldn't be that surprised by guess if I under probably if I'd taken a high school psychology class or two, I would have understood. (17:45) But people really have trouble doing things for themselves, but they have no trouble at all doing it for somebody else.

Rachel (17:51) Totally.

Scott Benner (17:52) Yeah. (17:52) It's really, really interesting. (17:53) Hey. (17:54) In your note here your note here, you said parenting the emotions versus the science. (18:00) I'm asking that question now too.

Scott Benner (18:01) I'm trying to be mindful of Rachel's time because I feel like she's gonna like, can you tell me what you meant by that?

Rachel (18:06) I can totally answer that one. (18:08) Because I am as Mike and I always say, like, he's more medical. (18:12) He's more science. (18:13) He wants to dive into the numbers and the trends and the ratios and all of that. (18:18) My mind doesn't work like that.

Scott Benner (18:20) I'm not

Rachel (18:20) a math person. (18:21) I'm not a science person. (18:22) I was like, I'm the least medical person, and you're gonna throw me into this diabetes thing? (18:28) Like, what are we gonna do? (18:30) I worried a lot in the hospital and beyond the past four years

Scott Benner (18:36) Okay.

Rachel (18:37) About her confidence level. (18:39) You know, she just entered middle school this year. (18:41) Mhmm. (18:41) Like, what was gonna happen when she transitioned to middle school? (18:45) Elementary school was so supportive.

Rachel (18:47) Her friends were amazing. (18:48) She had friends who would be like, Molly, is this a, like, runaround recess? (18:52) Do you need to bring your numbers down, or do you need to sit? (18:55) Like Yeah. (18:56) Those are the things I thought about.

Rachel (18:57) Were her friends gonna be supportive? (18:59) Was she gonna feel confident? (19:00) Is she gonna be, like, rocking her gadgets? (19:03) Is she gonna be able to go into the world and say, I have diabetes. (19:07) Okay.

Rachel (19:08) Mhmm. (19:08) Like, don't make fun of me.

Scott Benner (19:11) Mike, does Rachel worry about everything?

Mike (19:13) Oh, it's like her middle name. (19:14) Oh, okay. (19:14) Yeah. (19:15) No. (19:15) Yeah.

Mike (19:17) Amongst the tuba, she is definitely the the the worrier. (19:20) She's not it's not like she's never involved in the, you know, carb counting and that if we do we there's we share a lot of those because you have to. (19:29) Mhmm. (19:29) But, yeah, she's it's definitely true that, you know, she does Rachel's more I don't wanna say concerned about it, but, like, yeah, her her her she her vibe is more that way. (19:38) My vibe is often more

Scott Benner (19:39) We've put Mike in a bad position. (19:41) Rachel, are you anxious?

Rachel (19:43) I am super anxious. (19:45) I will say, I also this is not that I don't do the medical or I don't do Yeah.

Scott Benner (19:49) Yeah. (19:50) No. (19:50) I understand.

Rachel (19:50) Any of that. (19:51) But I definitely question myself more

Scott Benner (19:54) Okay.

Rachel (19:55) When it comes to those things. (19:57) I'm more like, was that the right thing to do?

Scott Benner (20:00) So let me ask you. (20:01) All your concerns and your worry, were they valid, or could you have skipped over them and things would have been okay?

Rachel (20:07) I probably could have skipped over them because she's amazing, and she's confident, and she, like, wears a crop top with her with her, you know, device behind

Scott Benner (20:16) worried about. (20:16) Yeah.

Rachel (20:17) Yeah. (20:17) You know, she a year into it, she was, like, wearing a crop top, and both of her devices were on her stomach. (20:23) And I remember this moment so well. (20:24) She was like, mom, guess what part of this my strongest part of my body is right now? (20:28) And she points to her stomach where both, you know, her Dexcom and pump are on her stomach.

Rachel (20:33) And she's like, see, I'm strong. (20:36) And her friends are nice, and nobody even, like, cares about the beeping in class. (20:39) And I'm concerned about all those things.

Scott Benner (20:42) Rachel, can I ask a difficult question? (20:44) Yeah. (20:44) Does she tell you, look, mom. (20:46) Look how strong I am because she knows you're worried and she's trying to make you feel better?

Rachel (20:51) She might. (20:52) Right. (20:52) Because she's an empathetic person.

Scott Benner (20:53) But we know we can't make her feel that way. (20:55) Right, Rachel? (20:56) Yeah. (20:57) Okay. (20:57) Alright.

Scott Benner (20:58) I'm just saying.

Rachel (20:59) It's funny because we, like, immediately put her in therapy right after diagnosis because I wanted her to

Scott Benner (21:05) What?

Rachel (21:06) Just at least, like, you know

Scott Benner (21:08) I'm laughing because I wanted to say not you. (21:11) You you put her in.

Rachel (21:12) Did too.

Scott Benner (21:13) I was gonna say because she sounds okay.

Rachel (21:15) I met with the therapist too. (21:17) She's great. (21:17) She I needed her more.

Scott Benner (21:20) I was gonna say Molly sounds like she's doing fine.

Rachel (21:23) She's doing great. (21:24) We actually, the therapist, we brought her back at, like, some point because we, like, took, like, a long break, I guess, the summer or whatever. (21:30) And she was like, so you can keep coming. (21:33) I love talking to Molly, but, like, she's okay.

Scott Benner (21:37) No kidding. (21:38) But you're still going or no?

Mike (21:40) Where

Scott Benner (21:40) where No. (21:40) No?

Rachel (21:41) I don't have time for that.

Scott Benner (21:43) Have you been able to give it away, or do you still carry the anxiety around?

Rachel (21:46) I it's not as much. (21:47) It definite I've definitely, in the past year or two, have, like, I found new things to worry about, so don't worry.

Scott Benner (21:53) I'm supposed to send something to my sister-in-law this week that has to be put on ice. (21:59) And the other night, my wife goes into the freezer to move stuff around because she bought something that she had to make fit in the freezer. (22:07) What? (22:07) And she takes out the ice packs and she puts them on the counter. (22:10) I said, yo.

Scott Benner (22:10) I'm using them tomorrow to mail the stuff. (22:13) And she goes, those are not the right ice packs. (22:16) And I was like, what? (22:21) I was like, they're cold. (22:22) Right?

Scott Benner (22:22) I was like, they'll be fine. (22:24) I'm I'm like, I'm overnighting something. (22:25) It'll it's cold outside. (22:27) Like, it's gonna be no. (22:28) You have to get ones that are meant for that.

Scott Benner (22:30) And I thought, like, alright. (22:32) I mean, I guess if this makes you feel better. (22:34) But I just bought more ice packs for no reason whatsoever. (22:37) But it's a thing that I looked at her, was like, oh, god. (22:39) She's worried about this.

Scott Benner (22:41) Yeah. (22:41) I don't know what happens to you ladies, but, like, god bless you because it's terrible. (22:45) It really is.

Rachel (22:46) I don't know what it is either.

Scott Benner (22:48) But Were you like that before you made that baby, by the way, Rachel? (22:51) Or did it happen? (22:51) Like, did you think she grabbed a switch on the way out? (22:53) What what do you think?

Rachel (22:54) I think I always had it in me. (22:58) I do think it intensified after I had a daughter.

Scott Benner (23:02) Yeah. (23:03) Like, I I always assume, like, the kids are sliding out. (23:05) There's a big, like, button that says do not push. (23:08) A lot of them go by and push it, and then you girls, lose your minds. (23:12) Yep.

Scott Benner (23:12) I don't know what happens. (23:14) So true.

Mike (23:15) A little bit.

Rachel (23:15) So true.

Mike (23:15) A little bit.

Scott Benner (23:16) I wanna be fair. (23:17) I appreciate that my wife is seems to be hardwired to make sure that we're okay. (23:21) I just wanna say, I think we'd be okay if she wasn't like that too. (23:25) I find myself telling her all the time. (23:29) I'm like, you know, when you're not here, I handle this and everything's fine.

Rachel (23:32) Right.

Scott Benner (23:32) I do it one way. (23:34) You do it a different way. (23:35) Like, your way is not right. (23:37) My way is wrong. (23:38) And I don't even think she thinks that.

Scott Benner (23:40) I just think the anxiety of it not being done the way she knows it works is hard on her.

Rachel (23:45) Yeah.

Scott Benner (23:46) And I don't know if she was like that before I I was gonna say before I got her pregnant. (23:50) Before we had a I don't know if she was like that before before we had a baby or not because I don't really remember we were dating. (23:57) Like, our lives were not as intertwined. (23:59) You know?

Rachel (24:00) So Yep.

Scott Benner (24:00) Yeah. (24:01) Anyway, feels like a bait

Rachel (24:02) and switch.

Mike (24:03) There you

Rachel (24:03) go. (24:03) It's I and I totally acknowledge a lot of times. (24:07) Sometimes I don't, and I say this is just the way it is, but I do acknowledge that there is some crazy inside of that anxiety. (24:15) But there is some crazy to the anxiety.

Scott Benner (24:19) Okay. (24:20) So do you have to go, Rachel, or we lose are we

Mike (24:22) losing you?

Rachel (24:23) No. (24:23) I am gonna hang up. (24:24) I know I'm a joy, and I'm so fun. (24:27) Mhmm. (24:27) You'll just have to have me back by myself.

Scott Benner (24:30) Well, I would do that. (24:31) But before I let you go, like Yeah. (24:32) Where's your accent from? (24:34) Because it's not Philly, but you're in Philly.

Rachel (24:36) Oh my gosh. (24:37) That's so nice. (24:37) People say it's Philadelphia all the time.

Scott Benner (24:40) I don't know what I'm hear I'm hearing a little, like there's a tail at the end. (24:43) Like, I hear Philly and then there's a tail. (24:45) What's the tail? (24:46) I don't Where did go to college?

Rachel (24:47) Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Scott Benner (24:50) Yeah. (24:50) You stayed here. (24:51) I don't know. (24:51) Are you fancy? (24:52) Are you did you come from a Mike, did you pluck her out of a fancy family?

Scott Benner (24:55) What happened?

Mike (24:57) I mean, I assume I assume my in laws are not gonna listen to this. (25:00) So no. (25:01) No. (25:01) Not really. (25:02) I mean

Rachel (25:04) You know they'll listen to it. (25:05) They listen to everything we do.

Scott Benner (25:06) Mike's like, they were garbage people. (25:08) They were lucky I took her.

Rachel (25:10) Yeah. (25:11) I don't know. (25:11) My dad was born in Paris. (25:13) He moved here when he was eight, but he doesn't have an accent. (25:15) Like, he

Scott Benner (25:15) sounds so elegance There's to the end of your speech pattern. (25:20) I don't know. (25:20) You don't know that?

Rachel (25:21) I'm just fancy. (25:23) Alright.

Scott Benner (25:25) Go do your job. (25:26) Don't want you getting fired.

Rachel (25:27) Oh, thanks. (25:28) I appreciate it. (25:29) Thanks for having me.

Scott Benner (25:30) No. (25:30) It was great. (25:30) You definitely can come back on. (25:32) Let me know. (25:32) Okay?

Rachel (25:32) Great. (25:33) Thanks.

Mike (25:33) Yep. (25:34) Bye.

Scott Benner (25:34) Alright, Mike. (25:35) Now we can talk about her. (25:37) Oh, no.

Rachel (25:37) Heard that.

Scott Benner (25:38) Wait. (25:38) She's still

Mike (25:41) now we can talk about her.

Scott Benner (25:42) Yeah. (25:42) Now we can definitely talk. (25:43) I I didn't look up before I said that. (25:46) So far, what you've heard here, right, like, this is Mhmm. (25:49) I think it'll be interesting to keep it going this way.

Scott Benner (25:52) Did you find yourself worried about your daughter and your wife all of a sudden? (25:55) Where were you while this was happening?

Mike (25:58) A a little bit. (25:58) So, you know, in in well, actually, I think in the very beginning Mhmm. (26:02) And I think this is a nice way. (26:04) Like, my wife and many other people could have just disappeared on the face of the earth. (26:08) I wouldn't have known.

Scott Benner (26:09) Oh, okay.

Mike (26:09) Like and there's a little bit where it's like, okay. (26:12) This is all about Molly. (26:16) And my whatever I could or couldn't or thought I could do to help her or not help her or be there or not be not be there was all that I was kinda consumed about. (26:26) And I think it took me a little while to not not a little while, like I said, years, but and even just a couple weeks where they just kinda remember, wait a minute. (26:33) No.

Mike (26:34) I'm very much so very much so not alone in this.

Scott Benner (26:38) Mhmm. (26:39) So you felt alone. (26:40) You got locked in on trying to find what answers, solutions?

Mike (26:43) Well, you know, looking back at it, I think I think that is well, definitely part of it is that mean, that's why I mean, I literally, from the hospital, there I am googling. (26:51) Like, what can I who what organizations are out there? (26:53) What can I get? (26:54) What can I that's why that that bag of hope

Scott Benner (26:56) came? (26:57) Mhmm.

Mike (26:57) I bet you if I went or you went if I went back and looked when what date did I join the Juice Box podcast Facebook group, I'd be willing to bet no. (27:07) I'm probably gonna be wrong when I say this. (27:08) But that it was within hours or days of of of diagnosis.

Scott Benner (27:13) Of the diagnosis. (27:15) Yeah. (27:15) And that's consistent with your personality? (27:19) Like, the Yeah. (27:20) Diving in, like, the whole thing, or is this, like, did this unleash your crazy somehow?

Scott Benner (27:24) Like, what

Mike (27:25) No. (27:25) So, like, you know, I mean, right now, like, you know, I'm a realtor, but, like, I'm a business coach. (27:30) So I've I've worked with agents coaching new agents. (27:32) So, like, the the ability ability and desire to help solve a problem is very much so there. (27:39) I mean Okay.

Mike (27:40) That's sort of been one of my things I you know, I I like the quote, you know, the data minutes. (27:45) You know? (27:45) I like being able to help, being able to assist me. (27:47) So, yeah, I think it's always been that way. (27:50) And this was now like, okay.

Mike (27:52) I've got something that's extremely important to me. (27:56) How can I find how can I help? (27:58) What can I do? (28:00) You know? (28:00) So that's the whereas Rachel was, you know, more focused on on the on on the emotional side of thing.

Scott Benner (28:07) Yeah. (28:08) What was gonna happen to her?

Mike (28:09) How can I change her ICR? (28:11) What number can I tweak here? (28:12) Because otherwise, I felt helpless. (28:14) Like, really, there's there's nothing I can do to just watch her go through a day at 03:50. (28:18) Like, that's not okay.

Scott Benner (28:21) Right. (28:21) Right.

Mike (28:22) Even now, like, I mean, I dropped her Target yesterday, changed some of her ICR last week because I look at things. (28:28) I'm like, there's this this is not no. (28:31) This this number is not okay the way it is all day long.

Scott Benner (28:34) Okay. (28:35) So would you have known that the number wasn't okay if you didn't find the community aspect of it, or do you think you would have thought it was alright and maybe not even looked into the rest of it?

Mike (28:46) That's a good question. (28:48) So I think a little bit of both because in the beginning, almost as often as I was looking at the the Facebook page or listening to the podcast, I was also going into the the CHOP, you know, hospital app and messaging and the nonurgent medical question to the to the the care team there. (29:05) Like, hey. (29:05) I'm seeing this. (29:07) What do you think I can do?

Mike (29:09) Or I wanna try this, this, that, and this on the pump. (29:11) Do you think this would be okay? (29:13) Those messages occurred quite often back then too. (29:17) And even these days, with a little bit more of a, you know, head on my shoulders and not quite so, you know, important, but not, like, freaking out, I still send the the CHOP team a message saying, hey. (29:30) Can you look at our numbers the past couple of days?

Mike (29:32) Like, log in to Gluco, take a look. (29:34) I I don't like what I'm seeing, and I wanna try this. (29:37) What do you say? (29:38) I still do it, just not as often and usually not at two in the morning.

Scott Benner (29:41) How have you found their that to be valuable? (29:43) Like, to message them? (29:45) Are they getting back to you with actionable stuff that's helping you?

Mike (29:48) Oh, absolutely. (29:49) Yes. (29:49) I've I and so and I don't know about every diabetes care management team, but the CHOP people, you know, the Hospital of Philadelphia, they're phenomenal. (29:58) And so if if I send in it was quote it's called it's a nonurgent medical question in Mhmm. (30:05) I I hear back If I send it before noon, I often, I'll hear back that evening.

Mike (30:11) It'll but barring it being in the weekend, if I write on on a Monday afternoon, nine times out of 10, I hear back latest by Tuesday, and I paid enough attention to whatever, and I I just got the gluco I can I kinda reference, hey? (30:27) Can you look at this hour to this hour of these past five days and tell me what you think? (30:33) And for instance, I just learned this. (30:35) I don't if learn is right word or experienced it, whatever. (30:38) Really seeing, okay.

Mike (30:40) Molly put in, you know, for for breakfast or something. (30:43) Because breakfast is her work. (30:44) It can't shoot her up, and I can't I don't know what what's going on, but it it's just the way it is. (30:49) Mhmm. (30:49) But I can see, alright, she left got on the bus at 07:30.

Mike (30:53) She got to school, and I know this is, you know, I I would I'm the bus catcher at about 08:05. (30:57) And I can see at 08:10, looking at the Gluco app, she had 25 cards. (31:03) Okay. (31:03) She got something to eat at the school. (31:04) No problem.

Mike (31:05) Suggested for the pump. (31:07) Suggested bolus. (31:10) I don't know. (31:10) 3.5. (31:12) Bolus delivered, 1.5.

Mike (31:14) And I can see, Ma, like, what did you do? (31:18) You like, you you we weren't in the mood to give yourself the full bolus at that moment, and it wasn't a rebellion thing. (31:25) She's a little scared of insulin. (31:27) So and but I can see this. (31:29) So, like, every day or every I I'm learning something.

Mike (31:32) Oh, I can log in with Google. (31:33) I can see that, and I get to have a slightly more intelligent yet not forceful conversation with her. (31:40) Or if she was high enough, the school nurse text messages us and says, would you like us to treat this? (31:44) Like, yeah. (31:45) Oh, and by the way, could you remind her that she did not give her full bolus for the whatever she ate at the school cafeteria?

Scott Benner (31:54) Mhmm. (31:55) When you message the care team and you get the answer back, do you find that they're saying something to you that you were like, oh, thank god I got to them because I had no idea this, or are you just using them as a sounding board and what they're saying back to you, you think, oh, well, this is what I thought?

Mike (32:10) At this point, the latter. (32:12) Because, I mean, look, the fact that it is, it was an Omnipod. (32:15) You can't change many things. (32:17) I mean, it's For the Omnipod five. (32:19) The Omnipod five.

Mike (32:19) Yeah. (32:20) You change the target. (32:20) You change the ICR. (32:21) I mean, there's not a whole lot of leaking. (32:25) I suppose other pumps with more things that you can do might be bigger questions, but now right now, it's just sort of like, hey.

Mike (32:34) And what what do you think of this?

Scott Benner (32:36) So you're scared that there's something you're missing, but then you're hearing back from them and realizing that's not the case. (32:42) I I was kind of on top of that. (32:43) So do you think that's building your confidence? (32:45) Like, I'm trying to imagine them. (32:47) Right?

Scott Benner (32:47) They're spending their time answering your question, but you already know the answer. (32:51) But there's still something valuable coming from it. (32:53) Is it that? (32:53) Is it the confidence piece?

Mike (32:55) Yes. (32:56) Nine, ten, I would say yes. (32:58) Sometimes there's something I still know how to do. (33:00) Like, how do I how do I do this? (33:02) But I would say that more often than not, it is a I'm I notice a trend of, you know, whatever, highs at a certain time or whatever it might be.

Mike (33:12) And I just wanna say, okay. (33:14) I'm thinking of trying this, changing ICR here, up in the target there, whatever whatever. (33:20) What do you think? (33:22) And just hearing from someone who really should know more than me

Scott Benner (33:27) Valuable to know back.

Mike (33:28) Okay. (33:28) It's valuable and reaffirming that, like, okay. (33:31) I'm on the right track here. (33:32) Great.

Scott Benner (33:33) Good. (33:33) Good. (33:33) Good. (33:34) And then the other piece that you feel like you have, like, a a jumping end point to speak with your daughter about it, how is that going? (33:41) Like, because it seems to me, like it's it's interesting.

Scott Benner (33:44) Right? (33:44) Because the not giving insulin to the full number because she's nervous about it is more of the emotional side of her, but she's talking to the technical parent about it. (33:54) Have you ever put your wife on that conversation instead of you?

Mike (33:58) So I'm sure yeah. (34:00) Oh, yes. (34:00) I once or twice, we have definitely had it together, like, in the same you know, we're all sitting there on the couch together or whatever. (34:06) Mhmm. (34:07) And I'm I will be willing to bet that it's happened between Rachel and Molly just independently as well.

Mike (34:13) I think, though, the conversation probably go or the part of the conversation goes a little bit differently than than Rachel has it when I have it. (34:20) I mean, I just last week, I said to Molly, and I said to her I literally said to Molly, no one's upset with you. (34:26) I'm not angry with you. (34:27) Like, if you miss a voice, like, what I mean, it it happens. (34:31) But I the way I said it to her is I said, look.

Mike (34:34) You need to be I mean, she's 11 years old. (34:36) You know? (34:36) Again, just not like she's in her twenties, but she's also not a she's not she's not five. (34:41) I said, you feel it beeping. (34:43) You have a you have a watch.

Mike (34:45) You have it in your in your in a little fanny pack. (34:47) You you feel it. (34:48) You hear it. (34:49) You can't ignore this. (34:51) If you eat breakfast or you have a, whatever, snack at school, and thirty minutes later and you were, like, you know, you were one thirty when it happened.

Mike (34:59) And thirty minutes later, you're three ninety shooting up. (35:03) Like, you need to notice, wait. (35:05) What did I miss?

Scott Benner (35:07) Do you think she's ignoring it, or do you think it's just because she's 11 and she's doing other stuff?

Mike (35:12) I think most of it is just I'm I was at recess. (35:16) I was I was in at math class. (35:17) I was whatever hanging up with. (35:19) I don't think she was consciously ignoring it. (35:21) I listened to podcast episodes and seen on the book Facebook people saying, oh, my kid is, like, rebelling.

Mike (35:26) I go to their room, and they've they're hiding candy and this and the other. (35:29) I don't think she's rebelling against it. (35:31) I don't think it's that kind of a conscious decision. (35:33) I think it's just, yeah, she's 11 and just kind of forgets and life goes on with her day. (35:38) Yeah.

Mike (35:38) So I that's what I'm trying to say to her. (35:39) Said, mom, I'd much rather be having this conversation with you right now about, hey, babe. (35:43) When you feel that, you know, the watch vibrate, take a look. (35:46) Like, you should never ever need to feel ashamed or that you're interrupting class if you just have to pull your phone out, click a few buttons, and give yourself more insulin. (35:56) I actually said to her, I don't wanna be having this conversation with you in the emergency room one day.

Mike (36:03) Like, this is a very important thing. (36:05) It's you know? (36:06) And she I I didn't, like, freak her out. (36:08) It's like she she kinda she got it. (36:10) She's like, no.

Mike (36:10) I I know. (36:11) I know. (36:12) It's something I want her to feel sorry for, but we're not there with her all the time. (36:17) Her you know, she she needs some sort of say

Scott Benner (36:20) So, Mike, you're more afraid than you're letting on. (36:22) Is that right? (36:23) What are you afraid of? (36:24) Like, what would get her into the emergency room?

Mike (36:26) Well, like, you know, you you feel that you don't you don't wanna spend, you know, spend your days, you know, $3,400, you know, your glucose levels. (36:36) At some point, it's unhealthy. (36:39) And if she were to, I don't know, have a day where for whatever reason, she missed more than is normal, You know, you don't want a kid going into DKA. (36:48) You don't want something happening.

Scott Benner (36:49) But is that happening? (36:50) Is she running around with three and three and four hundred blood sugars?

Mike (36:54) Rarely. (36:55) Rarely.

Scott Benner (36:55) Okay.

Mike (36:56) But there are days where I look at the thing. (36:59) I'm like, Well, granted most of the days where it's prolonged usually end up being a pump issue. (37:03) Like, you know, when the pump is leaking or some or not absorbing well. (37:06) But there are, without question, one I guarantee, and she has told me, hey, Maal, did you did you bolus for that stack?

Scott Benner (37:13) Oh. (37:15) No. (37:15) I forgot.

Mike (37:15) Oops. (37:16) Yeah. (37:16) Yeah. (37:16) She forgot.

Scott Benner (37:18) But how frequently in a month? (37:20) How many times does that happen?

Mike (37:21) A handful. (37:22) Less than half a dozen.

Scott Benner (37:24) Sounds pretty good to me.

Mike (37:25) Yeah. (37:26) Oh, yeah.

Scott Benner (37:26) Yeah. (37:27) You said something that I rubbed up against. (37:29) Like, you were like, well, it's not like she's five. (37:31) She's 11. (37:32) I mean, I don't know.

Scott Benner (37:33) 11 sounds pretty young to me still.

Mike (37:35) Well, that's right. (37:35) So as I said, know, she's not she's not a teenager or her twenties. (37:38) She's not an adult per se. (37:40) But, like, she's old enough to and have been doing this, you know, for four years. (37:45) Her wrist vibrates on her.

Mike (37:47) Her phone beeps. (37:49) It's not like it's oh, I don't know what that is. (37:51) You know what I mean? (37:52) And she she's old enough to say, oh, that's what's happening here. (37:56) Let me do something.

Scott Benner (37:57) When I was 11, I lived in an apartment complex. (38:00) And we would during a certain part of the season, there were crabapple trees on one side of the parking lot, and on the other side, there's little spiny balls. (38:09) I don't know if that makes sense to people.

Mike (38:11) Yeah.

Scott Benner (38:12) And, we would spend long portions of our day fighting wars across the parking lot. (38:17) So we'd split people up half and half on either side, pick up either the crab apples or the spiny balls, and then just throw them at each other's heads as hard as we could.

Mike (38:24) So so are you having the point that kids are basically idiots?

Scott Benner (38:28) I'm I'm trying to say, like, I think she's doing pretty well because if you went and found me at that age and you were like, hey, when your wrist vibrates while you're throwing the spiny balls at the people, like, you should stop and give yourself insulin. (38:39) I'd be like, well, none of that's happening.

Mike (38:41) 100%. (38:42) Rachel and I both give Molly unbelievable credit. (38:45) I mean, she is it is mind boggling to me the degree to which she has grown up and been been forced to grow up and handled it with with grace. (38:56) I mean, it it's unreal. (38:58) I don't think I could do it.

Scott Benner (39:00) Yeah. (39:00) Maybe you're finding the end of how much she's willing to grow up right now.

Mike (39:04) Quite possibly. (39:05) And that's that's fine. (39:06) I mean, again, I don't it's not like, no. (39:08) You need to do I just wanna make sure she's healthy and and and happy and able to live a you know? (39:13) Yeah.

Scott Benner (39:14) Oh my god. (39:15) Obviously. (39:15) Wait. (39:15) So what do you got what do you do? (39:17) Like, if you see a big number like that, do you bop in with a text and they're like, hey.

Scott Benner (39:21) We got bolus here?

Rachel (39:23) Or I

Mike (39:23) yeah. (39:24) I definitely have. (39:24) I'll just shoot her a text. (39:26) Hey, babe. (39:26) A little correction will be a good idea.

Scott Benner (39:28) And she does that?

Mike (39:29) Well, she she usually does. (39:31) Yeah. (39:31) She'll she'll she usually does. (39:33) Yes. (39:33) Like, text back.

Mike (39:35) Okay. (39:36) Yep.

Scott Benner (39:36) I mean, it sounds like it how long has she been at this now? (39:39) A few years?

Mike (39:39) Four years. (39:40) Yeah. (39:40) August 2021. (39:42) So yeah.

Scott Benner (39:43) It sounds like you're doing well. (39:44) I mean, it sounds like she's doing great. (39:46) Do you think she handles it, like, on an emotional level? (39:50) Is she kinda skating with it? (39:52) Is she does she get caught up on it somehow?

Scott Benner (39:54) It doesn't sound like it from earlier descriptions.

Mike (39:56) He is the definition of a t one d warrior, but she's a champ, yo. (39:59) Like, I'm amazed by her her in in in so many ways. (40:04) Mhmm. (40:04) But just in the ways in which she handles her diabetes is is mind boggling. (40:10) Now do I know if at age 11 and and it's okay if she doesn't, she understands, like, the biggest of pictures, like, this is a lifelong disease?

Mike (40:19) Maybe not, and that's okay. (40:20) I'm not concerned. (40:22) To day, week to week, she is incredible.

Scott Benner (40:25) Yeah.

Mike (40:25) So it blows my mind.

Scott Benner (40:27) Yeah. (40:28) Hey. (40:28) Can you talk a little bit about how this has all impacted you specifically? (40:32) Like, try your best to take her out of it for a second and even your wife. (40:36) Just remove everybody else.

Scott Benner (40:38) How has it changed your life?

Mike (40:40) Certainly, there's a lot of the the the tangible stuff. (40:43) I mean, it adds immensely to the things that we're just I have we have friends who who go go to school with her, they their, you know, their bus comes for those kids at 07:30 the same way it basically does for Molly if you take a few minutes. (40:54) And some of them roll out of bed at 07:00, are dressed by 07:05, are eat by 07:15, brush their teeth, and are on the bus. (41:03) Whereas Molly's like, well, like, well, wait. (41:06) You gotta you gotta pre bolus.

Mike (41:08) It's gotta, you know, wait fifteen or so minutes. (41:10) Then, you know, like, it's a more of a process. (41:12) So there's our moments where, and, again, in not a bad way, it's like, oh, the what are seemingly mundane moments of your day for many people are not mundane moments of our day because we have to think about things a little more little bit more, intentionally. (41:31) Mhmm. (41:32) Is it a problem?

Mike (41:32) No. (41:33) Would she like to sleep half an hour later? (41:35) Yeah. (41:35) Of course, she would.

Scott Benner (41:36) But Mike, I'm gonna say something that's gonna that's gonna make you feel uncomfortable for a second. (41:40) I said take your daughter and your wife out of it and tell me how it's changed your life, and you paused and then told me how your daughter's schedule makes things different.

Mike (41:48) And also

Scott Benner (41:49) How are you changed by this? (41:51) Are you

Mike (41:51) Well, even so I guess I guess I chose that example because you're right. (41:54) Yeah. (41:54) Otherwise, I would be doing the same thing. (41:57) I would sleep half an hour later. (41:58) I would be like, yo.

Mike (41:59) Go down and make yourself your own damn self breakfast. (42:02) You know what I mean?

Scott Benner (42:03) Like Gotcha.

Mike (42:04) You you know how to pour a bowl of cereal, like, have at it, kid. (42:07) And I probably could. (42:08) I mean, frankly, she probably could. (42:09) And, you know, we

Scott Benner (42:10) So you're more involved in things that you didn't imagine you'd be involved in. (42:14) Is that a good or a bad change?

Mike (42:15) It's a little bit of both. (42:17) There are some moments where I think it's actually a very nice thing because, you know, I'm up with her. (42:22) We we sit. (42:23) We eat breakfast sort of somewhat together, and I I do appreciate those those moments. (42:27) So there's definitely some good to be had there.

Mike (42:30) I've I talked to some of my coworkers. (42:32) They're like, dude, I haven't had breakfast with my kid in five years. (42:34) Like, she's 12 years old. (42:35) What the heck do you want? (42:36) Like, she can pour herself a darn bowl of cereal.

Scott Benner (42:38) And you're look yeah. (42:39) Yeah. (42:40) Some some maybe private time or extra sleep or something you might have gotten is gone.

Mike (42:45) Yeah. (42:45) And do but do I do I regret it? (42:47) Am I, like, bummed about it? (42:48) No. (42:49) I mean, it's No.

Mike (42:50) Like, it there there are moments where I'm no. (42:52) It's I'm I'm happy to be yeah. (42:55) I'm up early or short, but, like, it's it's nice. (42:57) It's, like, time together to even though

Scott Benner (42:59) Brought you closer.

Mike (43:01) Yeah.

Scott Benner (43:01) Okay. (43:02) So is the answer, like, because of that scheduling thing, you've spent more time with your daughter and you're you you get to see more than you think you would have otherwise?

Mike (43:09) I think, actually, there is some truth to that. (43:11) Yes. (43:12) Yeah. (43:12) That just because of, you know, the extra little things you need to make sure of that that we have, you know, did did the abolish for this, to be able to bring them this, whatever. (43:22) I do think it kind of strengthens the connection that that a parent can have with their kid.

Mike (43:28) I definitely know there are instances where it probably does the other, the opposite. (43:32) But thus far, I think in many ways, it strengthens the bond. (43:37) There has been has thus far. (43:39) I mean, there are certainly moments where she's like, guys, don't words feel kind of enough to doubt you like this, but, like, screw you both. (43:44) I'm I go, you know, leave me alone.

Scott Benner (43:45) I'm sure I actually thought it would be funny if I asked her that question. (43:48) She was like, I don't know if they're around all the goddamn time. (43:51) Like, you know, I eat every morning with my dad. (43:55) It sucks. (43:56) Yeah.

Scott Benner (43:57) Exactly.

Mike (43:57) Oh my god. (43:59) No. (44:00) But, like, you know Just change

Scott Benner (44:02) things a little bit. (44:03) Yeah. (44:03) Are you more or less anxious, more or less vigilant? (44:06) Has it changed anything about your personality? (44:09) Are there things that you would say, god, this has ruined this for me or made this much better?

Scott Benner (44:15) Anything that jumps out at you at all?

Mike (44:17) It is interesting interesting thing. (44:19) So, you know, I I work for Keller Williams, and, there we talk a lot about a lot of a lot about, like, mindset and what your big why is. (44:27) And why are you here? (44:28) What what got you into this field, etcetera? (44:31) Obviously, it's an applicable question to anything.

Mike (44:33) I was asked by a a very good coach. (44:36) She's a extremely good real estate coach, business coach. (44:39) And the she said she had his question. (44:41) So tell me, Mike, you know, take a few minutes, but tell me your why. (44:45) What what are you what are you here for?

Mike (44:46) And this is at a a class I took about a year ago. (44:48) I gave her some answer. (44:50) Towing the line. (44:51) Oh, I wanna own a company, make make good money, blah blah blah. (44:53) Whatever.

Mike (44:54) You know, the kind of thing you might one might think about as a, you know, entrepreneurial independent contractor or whatever. (44:59) And she says, looks at me. (45:00) Says, like, stop. (45:02) Why? (45:02) That's a great goal.

Mike (45:03) I wanna make money, own my own business, blah blah blah. (45:06) That's a great goal. (45:07) But why? (45:08) And I write just without even a moment of thinking, what rolled off my tongue was, well, because I have a a time, 10 year old daughter, who's a type one diabetic, who at this moment wants to be a dance instructor. (45:20) And as far as I know, dance instructors not carry with it great health insurance.

Mike (45:24) So for the rest of my life, I need to make sure whether I sell one more house or whatever it is, that I can prepare myself to have to say, yeah. (45:33) $30 a year is going to make sure that she can afford her insulin and that god forbid, this happens or whatever, whatever, whatever. (45:40) And the woman looks at me and goes, that is your big why.

Scott Benner (45:44) Yeah. (45:45) Yeah. (45:45) I'm gonna become a life coach. (45:47) I just realized that what a scam. (45:49) All all she did was ask you to reframe your thought.

Scott Benner (45:51) Oh my gosh. (45:52) How much do you have to pay her? (45:53) That's how much I'm charging.

Mike (45:55) Well, luckily, this is a this is a class I went to. (45:58) So I you know, but yeah. (45:59) But but you but you know what? (46:00) Scott, you're not wrong, man. (46:01) Like, I you know, the and these days on Instagram and all, everybody's a coach.

Scott Benner (46:06) Yeah. (46:06) They're they're not making any money. (46:07) That's okay. (46:08) I got I got a I but my thing does okay. (46:10) I'm okay.

Scott Benner (46:11) I'm not gonna pivot too much. (46:12) But I just sometimes I see that happen in the business world and I was like, alright. (46:16) I mean, I don't think as much happened there as you think it did. (46:19) Like, she's just trying to get like, you think one way, Mike. (46:22) Like, you're a problem solver.

Scott Benner (46:23) Right? (46:23) Like, which is pretty common for guys. (46:26) She's trying to get you to just have a a more macro view of of what's going on. (46:30) Also, I don't know if, you know, if your why is is to cover your daughter's health insurance for the rest of her life. (46:37) Like, that's what's in your head right now because it's it's front of mind.

Mike (46:41) Well, sure. (46:42) And, oh, your your why should change. (46:43) It should be it should it should evolve. (46:45) But, you know, the you know, why might you make, in my in my world, you know, a few extra prospecting calls or go and push us to to go one more open house, meet one more client? (46:55) Why?

Mike (46:55) Yeah. (46:55) Making money is great. (46:57) And then, you know but money is only good for the good that it does. (47:00) And right now, the good that it's doing in my world is for my daughter. (47:05) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (47:06) Yeah. (47:06) No. (47:06) I hear you. (47:07) That's your focus. (47:07) Your daughter is your focus.

Mike (47:09) Yeah.

Scott Benner (47:09) Yeah. (47:10) That's good stuff, man. (47:11) How has it changed your marriage if it has?

Mike (47:14) You know, I'm not sure if I could say that in in any mean, Rachel might differ differ, but I don't think in any specific way, would say, yes. (47:21) Molly's type one has changed our marriage. (47:25) You know? (47:26) I mean, there were in the beginning, there were definitely moments, you know, as things were beeping all night. (47:32) Like, okay.

Mike (47:33) Who's choosing not to sleep and to stay up and stare at the, you know, follow app until the number comes up? (47:38) You know, who who's going in to see what's happening? (47:41) This you know, there were some of those kind of that moments that added to the stress. (47:46) Mhmm. (47:46) I don't know.

Mike (47:47) I don't think in the big picture, it's changed our our marriage.

Scott Benner (47:51) Okay.

Mike (47:52) There are definitely moments what's where that?

Scott Benner (47:55) You you going to dinner? (47:56) You're getting out sometimes? (47:57) Like, all that's

Mike (47:58) By god. (47:59) Yes. (48:00) Just like, you know, you I'm sure you have friends when who when they had newborns, they, like, disappear from, like, their social circle for, like, two years. (48:07) You know, they just we have a baby. (48:09) Sorry.

Mike (48:09) See you all in a year or so. (48:10) We were not we were not that couple. (48:12) Like, when Molly was mobile, we took her. (48:14) We took her to dinner. (48:15) We took her here.

Mike (48:16) We took her I mean, like so the same thing is sort of true now. (48:19) Right? (48:19) In the in the in the beginning of the first couple of months, is that the case? (48:22) Probably not. (48:23) But now, absolutely.

Mike (48:25) I mean, the only thing that has not happened, and I actually think we're it's just just because of we live near family. (48:34) She's never had a babysitter, like a like, you know, the local teenage girl come babysit.

Scott Benner (48:39) Right.

Mike (48:40) In laws and family and yes. (48:42) For sure. (48:43) So we definitely don't say, oh, no. (48:44) We can't go out to dinner. (48:45) We can't go to a friend's house.

Mike (48:46) We can't go out with another couple because you know? (48:49) But are Grammy and grandpa available to watch her? (48:52) It's not like, hey. (48:53) Let's just go to the find the local babysitter, you know, on on the whatever.

Scott Benner (48:57) Right.

Mike (48:58) That's definitely true. (48:59) The number of friends that like, our friend like, friends, you know, that have kids who that she's friends with, we know the parents, that even willing to have her go spend this night with, like, sleepover. (49:13) Mhmm. (49:14) For many years, it was like, no. (49:15) You just like, for two years, she, like, didn't have a like, your friend, you don't wanna sleep over?

Mike (49:19) Are gonna stay over here?

Scott Benner (49:21) Yeah.

Mike (49:21) But now we've got about, like, two or three of her school friends. (49:27) It has been a very interesting set of conversations with the parents, but that we're comfortable with her. (49:33) Yeah. (49:33) Oh, yeah. (49:34) We're you know, mom and dad have to go to a we have a birthday party to go to's, you know, going late.

Mike (49:39) Yes. (49:39) You're you wanna sleep over at someone's house? (49:41) Sure. (49:42) Mhmm. (49:42) No problem.

Scott Benner (49:43) So think things are getting more comfortable and expected, and you're branching back out into things that you imagine you would have been doing prior to the diabetes.

Mike (49:52) Yeah. (49:53) And I think for a year and a half ish, two years maybe, we still would go out this and the other, but it was like, we gotta find, you know, Grammy or grandpa and, no, the sleep girl the other your friend can sleep over here. (50:05) Yeah. (50:05) So certain things have definitely evolved, and everybody, including Molly, is happy about it. (50:12) And even one or two of the parents are like it's wild.

Mike (50:17) You talk a lot about community, which makes perfect sense. (50:20) Well, we have a friend who is like our Molly and her daughter are their daughter are very good friends, and she stayed at their house before. (50:27) She's even stayed at their shore house in Jersey once before. (50:30) And she's like the mom's like, what can

Scott Benner (50:32) I learn? (50:32) What do I

Mike (50:32) need to know? (50:33) What does this beep do? (50:34) How do I do this? (50:34) But she, like, she wants to learn to make this it it's it's and it's just kinda just wild to see big picture community boils down to, like, wow. (50:46) Here's a friend of ours who could say, okay.

Mike (50:48) Yes. (50:49) Yeah. (50:49) Just find, you know, mom and dad, you you on the follow-up, call me if you do something. (50:53) But she's like, no. (50:54) What do I need to learn?

Mike (50:55) Because I don't want you she says that. (50:56) I don't want you to have to, like, call me at two in the morning. (50:59) I wanna know, well, does this beep mean? (51:01) And if it happens, what do I do? (51:02) Where do I go?

Mike (51:03) It's like, wow. (51:04) That's that's the kind of friend you want.

Scott Benner (51:07) Yeah. (51:07) Surrounded by that kind of support. (51:09) That's really wonderful. (51:10) I think it's interesting to hear somebody go through, you know, all the different things that happened in the beginning. (51:16) Like, I mean, in just the last, you know, last hour, maybe, we've we've seen, like, your wife's, maybe the more emotional one.

Scott Benner (51:24) She had all these worries about, like, you know, how she gonna feel, how are people gonna treat her, how she gonna assimilate. (51:31) And you got to see that work itself out. (51:34) You had worries about management. (51:36) You're seeing that work itself out. (51:38) You're seeing your your community coming together around you both, like, in the flesh, like, you know and people you've met virtually.

Scott Benner (51:45) I think it's crazy to, like, wanna put a pin in any part of your conversation and say because, like, you've said things that, like, out of context. (51:52) Right? (51:53) Like, if I if I'm putting myself in the mind of a somebody who's had diabetes for thirty years, they're gonna think, like, oh, he's being really restrictive, like, in that part of the story here or, like, you know, Molly, I don't wanna have this conversation in an emergency room, for example. (52:08) Like, don't scare her. (52:09) But, like, you're not scaring her.

Scott Benner (52:11) Like, you're having like, it's like a growing conversation over years and months, you know, that it's slowly coalescing together. (52:20) I think you're doing it right. (52:21) I think that this takes a really long time to put into place. (52:25) It's not a thing you sit down and talk about for thirty minutes and everybody understands where you're at. (52:29) You never have to talk about it again.

Mike (52:30) For sure. (52:31) Oh, and I and I I appreciate that. (52:33) I truly do. (52:34) I mean, you

Scott Benner (52:34) Yep.

Mike (52:34) You you clearly are talking to a lot of people in all sorts of stages of of this, so I I do appreciate hearing that. (52:40) And and I look. (52:41) I give I give unbelievable credit to Molly. (52:44) The smartest, most caring, whatever whatever parents on earth, you know, if their kid is just sort of, like, not ready or willing to hear it, I don't think it matters. (52:54) Molly is and and whether it's nature or nurture, a bit of both, I mean, willing to have the conversations most of the time, and and I give I give her immense credit.

Mike (53:04) I mean, I it's Rachel and I are unbelievably lucky to have a daughter like her who I mean, unbelievable. (53:10) She yes. (53:11) Nobody wants her kid to have type one diabetes. (53:13) But if you had to pick a kid who had to go through this, someone with her mindset is a gift.

Scott Benner (53:19) Yeah. (53:20) Well, Mike, just be ready to pivot and stay flexible like that because things change, the the hormone stuff's gonna happen. (53:27) It's gonna yeah. (53:28) And then it

Mike (53:28) Oh, yeah.

Scott Benner (53:29) It changes again. (53:31) And, you know, that flexible, like, willing to listen girl might scream in your face one day. (53:35) I have absolutely no idea. (53:36) Or just ignore you or, you know, just smile and wave at you and then turn around and just be like, I'm not doing that. (53:41) You know, like, who knows, like, where it ends up going?

Scott Benner (53:43) I think that you 100%. (53:45) Yeah. (53:45) You just keep leading with, like, concern and love and, you know, be empathetic, try to understand everybody's position. (53:52) And, you know, you make it through the next part and the next part and the next part, and it keeps morphing. (53:56) It re really isn't gonna stop.

Scott Benner (53:58) As long as you're as long as you know each other, your relationship's gonna continue to change.

Mike (54:02) Yes. (54:03) Just keep keep doing what is it what do they say to the next right thing? (54:05) You know? (54:06) Just one step at a time there. (54:07) And, I mean, we'll play it by ear.

Mike (54:09) You know? (54:10) Like, we're gonna keep the lines of communication open. (54:13) Always come from a place of, you know, you said love and concern, and and and we want everybody happy and healthy and doing well. (54:20) And yeah. (54:21) You

Scott Benner (54:21) know? (54:21) Yep.

Mike (54:21) A little a little bit luck. (54:23) We should be alright.

Scott Benner (54:24) Yeah. (54:25) Exactly. (54:25) Just I just start with with, like, a legitimate love, like and that concern and you wanna help. (54:32) And then, you know, if they if they get to a point where they can't or won't listen to it, you you have to know when to stop, though.

Mike (54:40) Yeah.

Scott Benner (54:40) You have to know when, like, today's not the day or this isn't gonna work or, like, if we sit here for one more minute, this is gonna turn into an argument. (54:49) And then it can change our relationship forever. (54:53) If you can stop yourself from tilting over to that other side and just accept that every day isn't gonna be the outcome that, you know, would be perfect, you know, like, forget what you want or what she wants, but, like, if there was some actual book that said, here's today's perfect outcome, you know, you're not really gonna get to that every day. (55:11) And you have to

Mike (55:11) just, you

Scott Benner (55:12) know, be okay with that.

Mike (55:13) Well and by way, for those exact all those times when I, you know, had sent an email to to chop or I wanna tweak this thing, tweak that thing, I don't tell Molly.

Scott Benner (55:23) Sure.

Mike (55:24) She has no idea that the 50 questions I've asked CHOP and the, you know, 100 questions I put on the pod on the Facebook group. (55:31) I just say, hey, Mal. (55:32) Give me your phone. (55:32) Okay. (55:33) Tosses it over.

Mike (55:34) It keeps doing her thing. (55:35) I make my little changes. (55:36) I said, here you go. (55:37) Mhmm. (55:37) Like, I I you know, at the moment, I don't need her to stress more than she might be about that sort of thing.

Mike (55:43) And, you know, she just she gives her bullets. (55:46) She gives her bullets. (55:46) I don't need her to worry about why her ICR is the way it is right now. (55:50) I mean, she'll deal with that. (55:52) Obviously, as she gets older and more independent, she'll have to, but, like, nope.

Mike (55:56) I don't

Scott Benner (55:57) Not right now. (55:57) Yeah. (55:58) No. (55:58) And you're you're not wrong. (55:59) By the way, also, there'll be a day when you're like, give me your phone, and she'll be like, no.

Scott Benner (56:03) I'm okay. (56:03) I don't need your help. (56:04) Like, I mean, that's gonna happen too. (56:06) She might be wrong. (56:07) Know?

Scott Benner (56:08) Even that's boy, wait till you get to that one. (56:10) Where you know that, like, the resistance is is not the right thing for health or welfare or something like that and you still have to bite your tongue and go, okay. (56:18) You know? (56:18) It's, you know, your life. (56:20) You can do what you want.

Scott Benner (56:21) Here's what I was thinking. (56:22) You know?

Mike (56:22) I can't go all resistance is futile on her. (56:25) That will that's not gonna work.

Scott Benner (56:26) Yeah. (56:27) And you don't wanna try to scare her. (56:28) Like, that's not gonna No. (56:29) The end, that's not gonna work either. (56:31) No.

Scott Benner (56:31) So yeah. (56:32) Well, look look at you. (56:34) You're making your way. (56:34) How old are you, by the way?

Mike (56:36) What am I? (56:37) I am 46.

Scott Benner (56:39) Okay. (56:39) Alright. (56:40) Yeah. (56:40) I wasn't like, you're I was trying to decide if you're, like, a younger parent or in the middle there. (56:44) You're not an older parent.

Scott Benner (56:46) So, like, somewhere in the middle

Mike (56:47) there, I think.

Scott Benner (56:47) Yeah. (56:48) Yeah. (56:48) Which how old were you guys when you got married?

Mike (56:50) We were married in 2011.

Scott Benner (56:52) 2011.

Mike (56:53) So what is that? (56:53) That's fourteen. (56:54) Yeah. (56:54) It's about thirty, thirty, It

Scott Benner (56:58) seems so late to me because I got married like a like a trash person when I was really young. (57:02) But, but but, but it's not really. (57:06) That's pretty common, right, in their in your thirties for people nowadays.

Mike (57:09) I would I mean, I know I would say so.

Scott Benner (57:12) Yeah. (57:12) I think it's pretty common at this point. (57:14) Yeah. (57:14) There's not a lot of people who are like, oh, my 22 year old wife and I doesn't happen as much anymore maybe. (57:19) I don't know.

Scott Benner (57:19) Maybe I'm wrong about that. (57:20) But it feels

Mike (57:21) like I think you're I think you're definitely right. (57:22) I think you're definitely right. (57:23) Think you're married later and having kids later.

Scott Benner (57:25) Yeah. (57:25) I mean, because people are trying to I mean, it's more expensive. (57:28) Right? (57:28) Like, it's not as easy to just jump in and be like, we'll figure this out. (57:31) It's, you know

Mike (57:32) Very true.

Scott Benner (57:33) Feels like you won't figure it out. (57:36) Alright. (57:37) Well, Mike, anything that we haven't talked about that we should have? (57:40) Anything at all that I skipped over or that you are like, oh, How did we not get to this?

Mike (57:45) No. (57:45) I I don't think so. (57:46) Yeah. (57:46) Mean, look at this I could talk for hours about the the the, you know, the whole process and everything, and Molly, of course, and we're able to kind of talk with you. (57:55) It's it's kinda wild.

Mike (57:56) It's like it's like meeting a b list celebrity.

Scott Benner (57:58) That is very kind of you to to consider me a b list celebrity. (58:02) I don't think that's true

Mike (58:02) at all.

Scott Benner (58:03) I mean, I am a d list celebrity at the

Mike (58:06) and that

Scott Benner (58:07) I don't even think that. (58:07) Right?

Mike (58:08) I I mean, is I think what you're doing is phenomenal. (58:11) Mean, that that podcast is excellent, that that community is is often excellent as well. (58:16) We've connected with some people. (58:17) Like, Rachel was saying, she's Instagram is definitely her jam. (58:20) I mean, there's a couple of folks that we follow on Instagram.

Mike (58:23) There's a few there's one that we actually met in person. (58:26) I don't know how you started following her in the beginning. (58:28) We started following this this woman. (58:30) Long story short, Molly would be asking, hey. (58:32) What I wonder how how she does it.

Mike (58:34) Her her her her handle used to be beats and beaties was her handle. (58:37) Back in time, it's Meg type one right now. (58:40) Molly, like, so we how does Meg do it? (58:42) I would wanna watch the video on Instagram of, like, Meg changing her pod, And we we eventually connected with her in real life, and, like, it was all you wanna talk about a wild experience. (58:52) It was a it was just it was wild.

Mike (58:53) It kind of the two of them, like, ran up and gave each other a hug, and Meg's, like, I don't know, 30, and Molly was, nine. (59:00) It was it was just wild kind of moment. (59:02) But, I mean, the community is incredible, and and I I I value it greatly.

Scott Benner (59:08) No. (59:09) It's it's great. (59:10) There are all kinds of people out there sharing in all different ways. (59:13) And Yes. (59:14) I yeah.

Scott Benner (59:14) It's fantastic that that people are giving of their time like that. (59:18) I hope this isn't boring to people. (59:19) I asked ChatGPT for a list of b list celebrities. (59:24) Right? (59:24) So it gives me for and for actors, it said, like, Elizabeth Banks, Joe Mangelios, I don't even know, True Blood or something like that, Magic Mike, Hayden Pantieri from, like, Heroes or Nashville.

Scott Benner (59:37) Like, musicians, it, like, it says, like, Charlie Puth, Jason Derulio. (59:43) Like, I'm just trying to give you what it says so you can agree with it or not agree with it. (59:47) Right? (59:47) But hold hold on a sec. (59:48) You go wait.

Scott Benner (59:49) Wait. (59:49) Wait. (59:49) Give me one more second. (59:50) So then I asked it for d list celebrities. (59:53) Honey Boo Boo, Farrah Abraham from Teen Mom, the William Hung guy who was, like, famous for American

Mike (1:00:00) Idol for biocide. (1:00:01) Is Gary that

Scott Benner (1:00:02) Busey, Tara Reid, Snooki.

Mike (1:00:05) Yeah. (1:00:05) And

Scott Benner (1:00:06) then I said, what would I be considered if at all? (1:00:12) So it knows who I am because it's my chatty p t. (1:00:15) Yep. (1:00:16) It says let's see. (1:00:17) Really interesting question because the list system doesn't always fit people who've built niche empires rather than mainstream fame.

Scott Benner (1:00:26) But within your niche, which would be health or diabetes podcasting, you're an a list celebrity. (1:00:32) Boom. (1:00:33) It says you've built the biggest, most influential podcast in your field running for over a decade, pulling in major guests, shaping public understanding, maintaining one of the top positions in Apple's charts. (1:00:43) This is dominance inside your vertical. (1:00:46) You are the standard people compare against.

Scott Benner (1:00:49) So in the diabetes and chronic illness media world, you're closer to the level of Joe Rogan than as being recognizable and long standing. (1:00:58) But within the general public, outside of the niche, you probably this gives me way more credit, think, than this whole thing is wrong. (1:01:05) You probably sit somewhere between c and b list depending on exposure. (1:01:09) That can't be right. (1:01:12) Yeah.

Scott Benner (1:01:12) That's a mark of a highly successful niche celebrity, a category that's become more powerful and luke and lucrative. (1:01:19) Oh, wow. (1:01:19) I can't wait for that part to happen. (1:01:20) Then many traditional c list TV faces. (1:01:24) So it talks about the fame economy of today using modern language instead of, like, whole like, old Hollywood a list tiers.

Scott Benner (1:01:33) You're industry famous, not tabloid famous. (1:01:36) You have influence without celebrity chaos. (1:01:38) You have a loyal audience, high trust, consistent reach. (1:01:42) That's actually the ideal kind of fame right now. (1:01:44) Attention without the loss of privacy.

Scott Benner (1:01:47) Alright.

Mike (1:01:48) I

Scott Benner (1:01:48) mean I mean, I don't know if that's right or not, but I love it.

Mike (1:01:51) Dude, I I would take that r b, man. (1:01:53) I'm taking

Scott Benner (1:01:54) it. (1:01:54) I'm taking it. (1:01:54) I'm famous. (1:01:55) I did I you know, I always say I'm not, but goddamn it, Chad GPT says I am.

Mike (1:01:59) Well, I I apologize for, belittling you with that b rating, man.

Scott Benner (1:02:03) Yeah. (1:02:03) No. (1:02:04) No. (1:02:04) Yeah. (1:02:04) I I I if you were a little more, a little more conciliatory right now.

Scott Benner (1:02:08) That's obviously, you're you're talking to a king, and you you were just you were very rude to me. (1:02:14) That could be I, you know, I could ask that question five minutes from now. (1:02:18) Could say something completely different. (1:02:20) It it is interesting. (1:02:21) I don't know.

Scott Benner (1:02:22) Interesting to people beyond me, but the way that all has shifted is really strange. (1:02:27) Like, there I mean, I would think of somebody who who has, like, a couple of million TikTok views. (1:02:33) It's like, oh, that person's more well known than I am. (1:02:36) But when you actually talk to people, they don't really know the person. (1:02:39) They just, like they'll be like, oh, that thing yeah.

Scott Benner (1:02:42) That dance pops up in front of me, or I've seen that person pop up in front of me. (1:02:46) They don't know their names or anything about them.

Mike (1:02:48) It's it's interesting. (1:02:48) You you know. (1:02:49) I know you know. (1:02:50) Whether you admit you know is a different question, but you know that's why I think so many of the people that tune in to your podcast and to your Facebook do so is because you're so open with your own personal story, good, bad, and ugly. (1:03:05) That's exactly right.

Mike (1:03:05) It's not like, oh, there's just another random voice in the podcast ecosphere. (1:03:10) You know? (1:03:11) It's not just like, oh, some random random video popped up on on on my feed. (1:03:15) I mean, that's I think that's what that's what draws people.

Scott Benner (1:03:18) You're gonna think I'm acting like I don't understand, but I'm really trying to get through your thought here. (1:03:22) Like, are you telling me that there's a way I do this that's more relatable than how other people do it? (1:03:28) Of course. (1:03:29) You all should understand that whether this was happening on this podcast or somewhere else, like, this is I am literally just being myself. (1:03:38) So Well Like, I would share this

Mike (1:03:39) That's that's exactly right. (1:03:41) And that that's that's the point. (1:03:43) I mean, I don't dive too deeply into, like, the you know, your what your daughter's doing where she's at, but there are people who clearly are like, oh, yes. (1:03:50) Well, we've been listening to the very beginning. (1:03:51) We follow what is it?

Mike (1:03:52) Arden is that your daughter's name. (1:03:53) Right?

Scott Benner (1:03:54) Yeah. (1:03:54) Yeah.

Mike (1:03:55) We seem to just follow your you and her like they're members of the family. (1:03:59) I think they do that because you're very honest about the shit that's going on in your family. (1:04:04) And it Alright. (1:04:04) Well, listen. (1:04:05) Makes it relatable.

Mike (1:04:06) That's what makes people I don't you know, it's it's not like you got the voice of an angel, man. (1:04:10) They're not listening to you. (1:04:11) Like, they're listening because you you speak honest and truthful and ask questions what is important and, you know, again, not like you're playing a role.

Scott Benner (1:04:21) Okay. (1:04:21) No. (1:04:21) I'm glad to know that. (1:04:22) I have to tell you too. (1:04:23) I'm not gonna say it here, but about a week ago when I was recording, I shared something about my my health that as I was doing it, I was like, why am I saying this?

Scott Benner (1:04:34) Like, why there's no reason for me to tell people this. (1:04:38) Like, what am I doing? (1:04:39) And when I got done, the person I was recording with said, I really appreciate you talking about that. (1:04:45) That could not have been easy, and I think it's a thing that a lot of people suffer with that nobody talks about. (1:04:49) She's like, it was really brave of you.

Scott Benner (1:04:51) And I said, I I was thinking to myself, like, I don't know if it was brave, but it definitely feels stupid. (1:04:57) At the same time, I know that if I was in a group of five people who I met 20 ago and we were all chatting and it came up, I know I would say that. (1:05:07) Like, it felt disingen I wanted to stop myself while we were recording. (1:05:11) Like, trust me, you'll know what it is when you get to it. (1:05:13) I ain't telling you now.

Scott Benner (1:05:14) But as I was getting ready to say it, I think you'll hear the pause where I'm like, oh, god. (1:05:18) Am I gonna do this? (1:05:19) Like, right. (1:05:20) And and then I just thought, whatever. (1:05:22) It really couldn't possibly matter less.

Scott Benner (1:05:25) Yeah. (1:05:25) I'll say the thing. (1:05:26) Maybe it'll help some people. (1:05:27) Maybe somebody will make fun of me over it. (1:05:29) I who cares?

Scott Benner (1:05:30) Yeah. (1:05:30) You know? (1:05:31) Yeah. (1:05:31) So wait wait till you hear. (1:05:33) It's gonna be a it's gonna be a whole thing.

Mike (1:05:36) A pun

Scott Benner (1:05:36) in there. (1:05:36) There's a pun in there somewhere. (1:05:40) I have to say goodbye because Arden's leaving, and she's not coming back for a couple days. (1:05:44) I promised her I'd say goodbye to her before she took off. (1:05:46) So and she's out of here in, like, fifteen minutes, so I got I

Mike (1:05:49) gotta jump. (1:05:50) By all means.

Scott Benner (1:05:51) But you were really kind to come on and and share your, you know, your experience with everybody. (1:05:55) And and seriously, tell tell your wife if she'd like to come back on and record some time. (1:05:59) I I'd be I'd be happy to hear the rest of of of her story too. (1:06:03) Alright, Mike. (1:06:04) Thank you so much for doing this with me.

Scott Benner (1:06:05) Really

Mike (1:06:05) appreciate Scott. (1:06:06) It's a pleasure.

Scott Benner (1:06:06) Hold on one second for me. (1:06:15) Dexcom sponsored this episode of the Juice Box podcast. (1:06:18) Learn more about the Dexcom g seven at my link, dexcom.com/juicebox. (1:06:25) Today's episode is also sponsored by the Omnipod five. (1:06:29) And at my link, omnipod.com/juicebox, you can get yourself a free, what I just say, a free Omnipod five starter kit.

Scott Benner (1:06:39) Free? (1:06:40) Get out of here. (1:06:41) Go click on that link. (1:06:42) Omnipod.com/juicebox. (1:06:45) Check it out.

Scott Benner (1:06:45) Terms and conditions apply. (1:06:47) Eligibility may vary. (1:06:48) Full terms and conditions can be found at omnipod.com/juicebox. (1:06:53) Links in the show notes. (1:06:54) Links at juiceboxpodcast.com.

Scott Benner (1:06:57) Did you know that Skin Grip has donated over $100,000 in scholarships to help people with diabetes? (1:07:04) The people at Skin Grip, they know what it's like to live with type one diabetes. (1:07:08) They know what it's like when your devices fall off at the absolute worst time, and they're here to help. (1:07:14) Skingrip.com/juicebox. (1:07:16) Save 20% off your first order when you use my link.

Scott Benner (1:07:20) That's what you get for being a juice box podcast listener. (1:07:23) Thank you so much for listening. (1:07:25) I'll be back very soon with another episode of the juice box podcast. (1:07:28) If you're not already subscribed or following the podcast in your favorite audio app, like Spotify or Apple Podcasts, please do that now. (1:07:36) Seriously, just to hit follow or subscribe will really help the show.

Scott Benner (1:07:40) If you go a little further in Apple Podcasts and set it up so that it downloads all new episodes, I'll be your best friend. (1:07:47) And if you leave a five star review, oh, I'll probably send you a Christmas card. (1:07:52) Would you like a Christmas card? (1:07:55) Hey. (1:07:55) Do you need support?

Scott Benner (1:07:56) I have some stuff for you. (1:07:57) It's all free. (1:07:58) Juiceboxpodcast.com. (1:08:00) Click on support in the menu. (1:08:02) Let's see what you get there.

Scott Benner (1:08:03) A one c and blood glucose calculator. (1:08:05) People love that. (1:08:06) That's actually, I think, the most popular page on the website some months. (1:08:09) A list of great endocrinologists from listeners. (1:08:12) That's from all over the country.

Scott Benner (1:08:14) There's a link to the private Facebook group, to the Circle community, and, we have a a fantastic thing there, American Sign Language. (1:08:22) There's a great sign language interpreter who did the entire Bold Beginnings series in ASL. (1:08:27) So if you know anybody who would benefit from that, please send them that way. (1:08:31) Just go to juiceboxpodcast.com and click on support. (1:08:34) While you're there, check out the guides like the pre bolusing guide, fat and protein insulin calculator, oh gosh, thyroid, GLP, caregiver burnout.

Scott Benner (1:08:43) You should go to the website. (1:08:45) Click around a little bit on those menus. (1:08:46) It really there's a lot more there than you think. (1:08:49) Have a podcast? (1:08:50) Want it to sound fantastic?

Scott Benner (1:08:52) Wrongwayrecording.com.

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#1702 Defining Diabetes: S.W.A.G

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.

Jenny and Scott define S.W.A.G.

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

Scott Benner (0:0) Welcome back, friends. (0:01) You are listening to the Juice Box podcast. (0:13) Managing diabetes is difficult, but trying to do it when you don't understand the lingo, that's almost impossible. (0:20) The defining diabetes series began in 2019, and today we're adding to it. (0:25) Go to juiceboxpodcast.com up in the menu, click on defining diabetes, and you'll see a complete list of all the terms that we've defined so far.

Scott Benner (0:35) If you're new to type one diabetes, begin with the bold beginnings series from the podcast. (0:40) Don't take my word for it. (0:41) Listen to what reviewers have said. (0:43) Bold beginnings is the best first step. (0:46) I learned more in those episodes than anywhere else.

Scott Benner (0:49) This is when everything finally clicked. (0:51) People say it takes the stress out of the early days and replaces it with clarity. (0:55) They tell me this should come with the diagnosis packet that I got at the hospital. (0:59) And after they listen, they recommend it to everyone who's struggling. (1:03) It's straightforward, practical, and easy to listen to.

Scott Benner (1:06) Bold Beginnings gives you the basics in a way that actually makes sense. (1:12) While you're listening, please remember that nothing you hear on the Juice Box podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. (1:20) Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan or becoming bold with insulin. (1:28) Jenny, can we define SWAG, please?

Jenny Smith (1:31) Oh, that's a fun one. (1:33) I've heard as an acronym, which is what it is. (1:36) Mhmm. (1:36) Right? (1:37) I've heard it people say different words for the letters of the acronym.

Scott Benner (1:43) Yep.

Jenny Smith (1:43) I have always, eons ago, when it sort of first came into my vernacular, it has always been scientific wide ass gas.

Scott Benner (1:53) Scientific wide?

Jenny Smith (1:54) Scientific wide ass gas. (1:56) Like, you are totally estimating. (1:59) You're guessing. (1:59) You're looking at that plate, and you're like, I don't know. (2:02) 45 grams of carb.

Scott Benner (2:05) This one is it's interesting because we do have a a small sips episode about this where we actually break down, like, dozens of different meanings that people have. (2:15) But it doesn't exist in the defining series, so people have been asking for me to put it here. (2:20) I think the way you hear it, the way you've heard it over and over again, it is interesting. (2:24) It it makes you realize that other people have heard it a different way. (2:28) I've always heard scientific wild guess.

Jenny Smith (2:30) Wild guess? (2:31) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (2:32) But there are no end of options. (2:35) We just want you to understand that when when you see it online, when somebody's saying, oh, I swagged that meal, they just mean I looked at it and I guessed the carbs.

Jenny Smith (2:44) Entirely. (2:45) It's a guess. (2:46) Swag, in general, despite it having words to the letters, it is just equal to I guess. (2:53) And I guessed, like, it was a guess.

Scott Benner (2:57) Yeah. (2:57) Yeah.

Jenny Smith (2:57) Like, I

Scott Benner (2:58) don't know. (2:59) That looks like a 120. (3:02) You're like, you know, you're at the Cinnabon, and you're like, I don't know.

Jenny Smith (3:05) Right.

Scott Benner (3:06) That kind of thing.

Jenny Smith (3:06) Although the funny thing about it, I think, with enough time with diabetes, even your swag

Scott Benner (3:13) It's good.

Jenny Smith (3:14) Becomes pretty accurate. (3:16) Right? (3:16) I mean, it's not like a 100 gram difference. (3:20) Mhmm. (3:20) It might be 20 grams off.

Scott Benner (3:23) Right.

Jenny Smith (3:23) But that's pretty darn close when you're Yes. (3:27) Considering.

Scott Benner (3:27) I think it's just a fun thing that people have been saying forever and ever to get across to the person they're talking to. (3:34) Like, I had no idea how many carbs were in this. (3:36) I really just pulled this number, you

Jenny Smith (3:38) know Right.

Scott Benner (3:39) Straight out of my butt.

Jenny Smith (3:40) I think it's fun when people also this is where I like to see people post pictures.

Scott Benner (3:45) Mhmm.

Jenny Smith (3:46) And it does give especially when they've, like, achieved, this was a total swag, and they see this, like, lovely looking

Scott Benner (3:53) It worked.

Jenny Smith (3:53) You know, blood sugar result, and it totally worked. (3:56) And that's why I said before, it's it's like a lot of that swag is historical information kind of coming together in your brain to be able to actually pinpoint a number to start at guessing with.

Scott Benner (4:09) Yeah. (4:10) So I found in the beginning that when I was guessing and then Ard would have higher blood sugars, I started, you know I mean, you've heard me say, like, use more insulin Mhmm. (4:18) Probably a million times. (4:19) Like, I started guessing heavier. (4:21) And then it was funny what it taught me, honestly.

Scott Benner (4:25) Like, you know, I thought this was the impact of 50 carbs. (4:28) It is funny. (4:29) I don't even think about it as 50 carbs anymore. (4:31) I think of it as the impact of an idea. (4:34) And it wasn't.

Scott Benner (4:35) Right? (4:35) Because she's still one seventy when it's over. (4:37) Mhmm. (4:37) So I I corrected down from one seventy, and the next time I guessed that same thing, I was like, well, last time it was, you know, I put 50 carbs in, and I ended up correcting another unit. (4:48) So let's just throw that unit into the bolus this time.

Scott Benner (4:50) It it got me somewhere. (4:51) You know?

Jenny Smith (4:52) And is that more I think it's a good place to even within swag, where do people often swag? (4:58) A restaurant.

Scott Benner (4:59) Yeah.

Jenny Smith (4:59) Right?

Scott Benner (5:00) For sure.

Jenny Smith (5:00) Or a meal out at, you know, grandma's house or a cookout or something like that where there really isn't a bag or a package or there's just not time, and they're like, I don't know. (5:10) It looks this.

Scott Benner (5:11) Right.

Jenny Smith (5:11) Right?

Scott Benner (5:12) Yeah.

Jenny Smith (5:13) But I think, you know, in that realm, it's a good thing to say that most people, if they're going to undercount, it ends up being in an environment where there isn't information, and there's still that feeling of cautious estimation.

Scott Benner (5:29) Yes.

Jenny Smith (5:29) So restaurants are commonly undercounted by, you know, a fair percent. (5:34) It could be 10 to 25% that you're undercounting by with that little, like, subconscious hint of, I don't know. (5:42) I'll be a little cautious.

Scott Benner (5:43) Right. (5:44) Right. (5:44) Yeah. (5:44) I don't wanna find out in the car on the way home that I overestimated this

Jenny Smith (5:47) Right.

Scott Benner (5:48) Kind of an idea. (5:48) Yeah. (5:49) So for if you're listening, it's and you feel like, oh, no. (5:52) I'm always guessing. (5:52) I don't know.

Scott Benner (5:53) Just I hope it's comforting to know that that's what everybody's doing. (5:57) So Yeah. (5:58) Yeah. (5:58) Thank you. (5:58) I appreciate it.

Jenny Smith (5:59) You're welcome.

Scott Benner (6:06) Okay. (6:07) Well, here we are at the end of the episode. (6:09) You're still with me? (6:10) Thank you. (6:10) I really do appreciate that.

Scott Benner (6:12) What else could you do for me? (6:14) Why don't you tell a friend about the show or leave a five star review? (6:18) Maybe you could make sure you're following or subscribe in your podcast app, go to YouTube and follow me or Instagram, TikTok. (6:26) Oh, gosh. (6:27) Here's one.

Scott Benner (6:28) Make sure you're following the podcast in the private Facebook group as well as the public Facebook page. (6:34) You don't wanna miss please, do you not know about the private group? (6:38) You have to join the private group. (6:40) As of this recording, it has 74,000 members. (6:43) They're active talking about diabetes.

Scott Benner (6:46) Whatever you need to know, there's a conversation happening in there right now. (6:50) And I'm there all the time. (6:51) Tag me. (6:51) I'll say hi. (6:52) If you'd like to hear about diabetes management in easy to take in bits, check out the Small Sips.

Scott Benner (6:59) That's the series on the Juice Box podcast that listeners are talking about like it's a cheat code. (7:04) These are perfect little bursts of clarity, one person said. (7:07) I finally understood things I've heard a 100 times. (7:10) Short, simple, and somehow exactly what I needed. (7:13) People say small sips feels like someone pulling up a chair, sliding a cup across the table, and giving you one clean idea at a time.

Scott Benner (7:21) Nothing overwhelming. (7:23) No fire hose of information. (7:24) Just steady helpful nudges that actually stick. (7:27) People listen in their car, on walks, or rather actually bolus ing anytime that they need a quick shot of perspective. (7:34) And the reviews, they all say the same thing.

Scott Benner (7:37) Small sips makes diabetes make sense. (7:40) Search for the Juice Box podcast, small sips, wherever you get audio. (7:45) If you have a podcast and you need a fantastic editor, you want Rob from Wrong Way Recording. (7:51) Listen. (7:52) Truth be told, I'm, like, 20% smarter when Rob edits me.

Scott Benner (7:55) He takes out all the, like, gaps of time and when I go, and stuff like that. (8:00) And it just I don't know, man. (8:02) Like, I listen back and I'm like, why do I sound smarter? (8:05) And then I remember because I did one smart thing. (8:08) I hired Rob at wrongwayrecording.com.

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#1701 Bolus 4 - Boba Tea

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.

Jenny and Scott talk about how to bolus for Boba tea.

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

Scott Benner (0:00) Hello, friends, and welcome back to another episode of the Juicebox Podcast. (0:14) In every episode of Bolus 4, Jenny Smith and I are gonna take a few minutes to talk through how to bolus for a single item of food. (0:21) Jenny and I are gonna follow a little bit of a roadmap called MEALBOLT. (0:26) Measure the meal, Evaluate yourself, Add the base units, Layer a correction, Build the bolus shape, Offset the timing, Look at the CGM, Tweak for next time. (0:37) Having said that, these episodes are gonna be very conversational and not incredibly technical.

Scott Benner (0:43) We want you to hear how we think about it, but we also would like you to know that this is kind of the pathway we're considering while we're talking about it. (0:51) So while you might not hear us say every letter of MEALBOLT in every episode, we will be thinking about it while we're talking. (0:58) If you wanna learn more, go to JuiceboxPodcast.com/meal-bolt. (1:04) But for now, we'll find out how to bolus for today's subject. (1:10) While you're listening, please remember that nothing you hear on the Juicebox Podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise.

Scott Benner (1:18) Always consult a physician before making any changes to your healthcare plan or becoming bold with insulin. (1:29) Jenny, we're gonna do boba or bubble tea. (1:33) I think those are the same things. (1:35) Right? (1:35) Now how do I find—

Jenny Smith (1:37) Are they the same thing? (1:38) I wanna make sure they're the same thing.

Scott Benner (1:39) You see if they're the same thing, and I'll look for a popular boba tea brand.

Jenny Smith (1:44) Boba and bubble tea? (1:45) Yeah. (1:46) Our bubble—oh, it even comes up in my search. (1:48) I know that I've never searched for this before, so clearly, the internet is listening to us. (1:53) Yes.

Jenny Smith (1:53) Boba and bubble tea refer to the same drink, which is a tea-based beverage typically includes chewy tapioca pearls. (1:58) See, like, I like tapioca. (2:00) Why am I drinking it in tea? (2:02) That does— (2:03) I don't understand.

Jenny Smith (2:05) Can you make this—is this should be one of those "I don't understand," Scott. (2:08) Can you make me understand?

Scott Benner (2:09) Well, I don't understand. (2:10) Actually, I could get Arden back on. (2:11) I think "I don't understand boba tea" would be a pretty good conversation because she'll talk about it very lovingly. (2:18) Okay. (2:19) So I have one here.

Scott Benner (2:21) I mean, I don't know. (2:22) ShareTea, S-H-A-R-E-T-E-A, menu. (2:26) They have nutritional facts, so we're gonna go with it. (2:31) Oh, holy hell. (2:32) Hold on.

Scott Benner (2:33) Just start—just snorting.

Jenny Smith (2:35) At the nutrition?

Scott Benner (2:36) Think I've ever snorted before on the podcast. (2:39) Yeah. (2:39) I've seen the nutritional facts.

Jenny Smith (2:40) Are they pretty ridiculous? (2:42) I've never even looked. (2:43) I guess, you know, that's kind of one of the other things. (2:46) When I see drinks—as you saw on that woman that you were talking about, right, carrying the drink—

Scott Benner (2:52) Oh, that's something we were talking about when we weren't recording, but go ahead. (2:54) Right. (2:54) Yeah. (2:55) Right.

Jenny Smith (2:55) Right. (2:55) But when you're talking about that, like, in my mind, I can—I'm a very visual person. (3:00) So when people talk, I can, like, visually see it in my head. (3:03) And all of those cups of something that contain a liquid, in my—my brain right away is like, oh my god. (3:10) You're drinking so many calories.

Scott Benner (3:11) Yeah.

Jenny Smith (3:12) Like, it's not a judgment of the—it's just a judgment of the actual beverage. (3:16) And I'm like, just get a cup of water or get some sparkling water. (3:20) Get—

Scott Benner (3:20) See, it's funny. (3:21) I think about, like, if you're gonna have those calories, like—I mean, I guess they must love them, but, like, you know, the drinks. (3:26) But I—I think, like, go have some ice cream or something like—

Jenny Smith (3:30) Right.

Scott Benner (3:31) Awesome. (3:31) Like, you know what I mean?

Jenny Smith (3:32) Like—And I think what you—what you said there is actually interesting because I—I don't think a lot of people outside of those with diabetes that knew—know bolusing and insulin need and that kind of thing, and they're looking at the facts label. (3:44) In general, people do not consider beverages calories. (3:49) They don't.

Scott Benner (3:50) See, I think that's where I'm at too and why I'm trying to include some of these in here. (3:55) I don't think that it's not even maybe considered half the time, like, that it has an impact at all. (4:00) And I'm not talking about something weird like coffee really hits me hard. (4:03) I hear people say that sometimes.

Jenny Smith (4:05) Right.

Scott Benner (4:05) But I'm talking about, like, there's a lot in those drinks, and I don't—I don't think you know. (4:10) So this website has a milky series, a fresh brew, a fruity beverage, non-caffeinated matcha. (4:16) I definitely don't know what matcha is. (4:18) Ice—ice blend.

Jenny Smith (4:19) I don't—

Scott Benner (4:19) know what matcha—

Jenny Smith (4:20) Oh, matcha is like a green tea powder.

Scott Benner (4:22) Okay.

Jenny Smith (4:22) I love matcha. (4:23) I have a cup of matcha every day, but I guarantee it's not full of sugar.

Scott Benner (4:27) This ain't your matcha then. (4:29) Okay?

Jenny Smith (4:29) It's not my matcha.

Scott Benner (4:30) Okay. (4:30) Because I'll just give you this one from—let's see. (4:33) Strawberry Matcha with Fresh Milk. (4:35) Does that sound good?

Jenny Smith (4:36) Sure. (4:37) That sounds great.

Scott Benner (4:38) 532 calories, four grams of saturated fat, 126 milligrams of sodium, 111 carbs, 100 grams of sugar.

Jenny Smith (4:47) What's the ounces of this?

Scott Benner (4:49) I don't know if it says here. (4:51) No. (4:52) It doesn't say there. (4:52) Sorry on the size. (4:54) They don't have sizes.

Scott Benner (4:55) They just have the breakdown.

Jenny Smith (4:56) So our estimate would be maybe 16 ounces.

Scott Benner (5:00) Oh, you think?

Jenny Smith (5:02) Right?

Scott Benner (5:02) I don't know how to tell. (5:03) Hold on. (5:04) Let me see. (5:04) Drink menu. (5:06) Let me go to the menu.

Scott Benner (5:07) Okay. (5:08) Let see if I can figure it out. (5:09) What do I say?

Jenny Smith (5:10) That many grams of carb, my estimate is that's gotta be at least two cups or 16 ounces of the beverage.

Scott Benner (5:18) I know. (5:18) I'm clicking matcha series, strawberry matcha, fresh milk. (5:24) Fresh milk, Jenny. (5:25) It's got fresh milk in it.

Jenny Smith (5:26) Fresh. (5:26) They must have a cow out back.

Scott Benner (5:28) Well, you know, it occurs to me for the marketing people, really can't drink milk if it's not—if it's not fresh. (5:35) True.

Jenny Smith (5:36) I'm gonna want curdled milk along with your tapioca pearl.

Scott Benner (5:39) Does not tell me what size they are. (5:42) I'm so sorry.

Jenny Smith (5:43) Okay.

Scott Benner (5:44) Yeah. (5:44) I wish it did. (5:45) Actually, that might be more fun. (5:46) Anyway, let's go back to milky series boba, I guess. (5:52) I mean, there's a tons of different—would you like to look at the Thai Pearl Milk Tea?

Scott Benner (5:56) How about the Mango Green Milk Tea, Classic Pearl Green Milk Tea, Classic Pearl Black? (6:01) Just pick one, Jenny. (6:02) Coffee Milk Tea with coffee.

Jenny Smith (6:04) How about we just pick—pick one that has—if we're looking at the milky ones, I—I mean, that's strawberry milky whatever you were talking about.

Scott Benner (6:13) That was the matcha. (6:14) Now we're gonna—Oh,

Jenny Smith (6:15) that was the matcha.

Scott Benner (6:16) There's a Mango Green Milk Tea.

Jenny Smith (6:18) Great. (6:19) Let's do that one.

Scott Benner (6:21) Okay. (6:22) There's 14 grams of fat in it, 83 milligrams of sodium, 114 carbs, 92 grams of sugar.

Jenny Smith (6:31) And we've talked about that before. (6:33) Right? (6:33) The breakdown of grams of sugar versus total carbohydrates?

Scott Benner (6:36) Mhmm.

Jenny Smith (6:37) This is mostly sugar.

Scott Benner (6:40) Yeah. (6:40) You're gonna be mainlining this.

Jenny Smith (6:42) You are, like—Yeah. (6:43) Bolus strategy, man. (6:45) You better hope that your blood sugar's, like, falling off a cliff with this before you start drinking it because, man—

Scott Benner (6:51) So—so you're not joking, though. (6:53) Right? (6:53) Like, if this was accessible to you while you were about to have a low blood sugar, that might be the level of pre—

Jenny Smith (7:02) Bolus fix it.

Scott Benner (7:03) Making in—in quotes, a "pre-bolus" that you might need. (7:06) And you're depending on what's making your blood sugar low, you might need to bolus for this pretty quickly afterwards.

Jenny Smith (7:12) Yes.

Scott Benner (7:12) Yeah. (7:13) That's how hard it's—I don't know how to tell people to bolus for this stuff.

Jenny Smith (7:17) Yeah. (7:17) This is a 100% a—you need a pre-bolus for this.

Scott Benner (7:21) Mhmm.

Jenny Smith (7:21) In fact, it might be along the same lines as the idea of a Super Bolus, right, where you may actually take the bolus recommendation. (7:30) I mean, we're using a one to 10 ratio. (7:32) This was what? (7:33) 114 grams of total carbohydrate?

Scott Benner (7:35) This one. (7:36) Yeah.

Jenny Smith (7:36) Right? (7:37) So what's eleven units of insulin? (7:39) That's a lot of insulin.

Scott Benner (7:41) My gosh.

Jenny Smith (7:41) For a drink?

Scott Benner (7:42) And that's if you're at a one to 10.

Jenny Smith (7:45) Right.

Scott Benner (7:45) Can you imagine if you're, like, you have insulin resistance or yeah. (7:48) Yeah. (7:48) Yeah. (7:49) Jeez.

Jenny Smith (7:49) That's—Right.

Scott Benner (7:50) That's a lot. (7:51) Like, I mean, listen. (7:53) I'm not telling anybody how to eat. (7:55) For me, this would be a, like, it's better to skip it situation. (7:59) Or, you know, because I don't know how—

Jenny Smith (8:02) Or can you—can I have the espresso shot size, please? (8:05) It's only 15 grams of carb.

Scott Benner (8:08) I'm looking at this. (8:09) You randomly picked one with a lower carb on this list.

Jenny Smith (8:14) Than most of the other ones?

Scott Benner (8:15) Yeah. (8:15) There's, like, eight—one, two, three, four, five. (8:18) There's maybe 15 different drinks on this list. (8:22) The carb—I'll go down the carbs for you. (8:25) Okay.

Scott Benner (8:25) One of them has 153 carbs, 42 sugars. (8:28) One has a 154, 45, 154, 45. (8:32) 175, 64. (8:36) 99, 52, 92, 59, 150, 46, 202, 202, 85. (8:44) Thai Pearl Milk Tea, large.

Scott Benner (8:47) 182 to 52, 114, 144, 160, 160. (8:52) The—there's a 150 carbs, 200 carbs in some of these things.

Jenny Smith (8:56) And I wonder if many of the carbs—like the typical name brand or nationwide coffee shops, let's say, have sweetening syrups that you would add to this for many of these flavors. (9:09) Like, is it real—the one that I picked, right, was mango something. (9:13) Is it real mango that's mashed up and pureed within this, or is it a mango syrup that's added just for flavoring? (9:20) Because that—that can make a choice difference. (9:24) You know?

Jenny Smith (9:25) I don't—again, like you, I don't want people thinking, well, gosh, this is like a—no, not ever.

Scott Benner (9:30) Right.

Jenny Smith (9:31) However, would be a very important situation of pre-bolusing. (9:36) But could you make it easier on your blood sugar management? (9:41) Are there options—if there are syrups that are added for flavor? (9:45) Could you ask if there are sugar-free syrup options?

Scott Benner (9:49) Yeah. (9:50) I mean—

Jenny Smith (9:50) Right?

Scott Benner (9:51) Yeah. (9:52) I mean, I—I guess we gotta get past our—my even my, like, I'm nowhere near astonished. (9:58) I'm nowhere near Jenny on—

Jenny Smith (9:59) You were like, what?

Scott Benner (10:00) Yeah. (10:00) I'm—listen. (10:01) I don't even come close to Jenny's, you know, idea of nutrition, like, for my—my own personal life, and I'm stunned by this. (10:08) Like, that's really crazy. (10:10) I'm looking to see is there some national chain that has boba that we could—because I have to tell you, like, Arden, like, slinks off to, like, some—I think it's, a Chinese food place that has boba.

Scott Benner (10:24) Like, that's where she gets it from. (10:25) Starbucks drops its version of bubble tea for the first time, 2024. (10:30) Boba milk tea at Starbucks, but then I googled it, and it seems like they don't have it anymore maybe. (10:37) Yeah. (10:37) Starbucks discontinued selling boba.

Jenny Smith (10:40) Oh, interesting. (10:41) Yeah. (10:42) There's—I looked up a list. (10:44) There are 11 bubble tea franchise businesses that are at the top in the US. (10:50) There are B&T is one.

Jenny Smith (10:54) Bubbleology.

Scott Benner (10:56) People who love it are probably, like, yelling their favorite ones at the thing. (10:59) Right, Nate? (11:00) Bubbleology? (11:00) Is that what you just said?

Jenny Smith (11:01) Is one. (11:03) It's interesting. (11:04) Kung Fu Tea is one, and we actually have a Kung Fu Tea here.

Scott Benner (11:08) Live Bubbleology website. (11:12) Very exciting website. (11:13) Look at that. (11:14) Drinks. (11:15) They have waffles too.

Scott Benner (11:16) Can you imagine? (11:18) How am I bolusing for waffles and bubble tea at the same time? (11:22) Milk, fruit, coffee, specials, bubble fizz. (11:26) I mean—

Jenny Smith (11:27) Happy Lemon looks like is one of them.

Scott Benner (11:31) Well, here's one that just says fruit, strawberry. (11:34) Yeah. (11:34) There—this is a very—

Jenny Smith (11:36) Bamboo Desserts and Drinks is another one.

Scott Benner (11:40) Way they're gonna list the nutritional facts on this website? (11:42) Let's see.

Jenny Smith (11:43) Probably not.

Scott Benner (11:44) I wouldn't if I was them. (11:46) What is bubble tea? (11:48) Let's see what bubble tea is real quick. (11:49) Sorry, everybody. (11:50) This might have gotten sideways on me.

Scott Benner (11:52) "A name given to a wide variety of refreshing flavored fruit teas and milk teas served ice-cold or piping hot with chewy tapioca balls that you suck up through a big fat straw. (12:04) Yum. (12:05) It's like a quirky snack and drink in one. (12:08) The tapioca balls are sometimes referred to as pearls or boba, which some people say over time has evolved into the word bubble." (12:15) Isn't it interesting how language can do that?

Scott Benner (12:17) Who wrote this? (12:18) You should be ashamed of yourself. (12:21) "However, the true origins of the name come from the small floating bubbles that are created by the vigorous shaking involved in making bubble tea." (12:28) There's gonna be vigorous shaking at some point.

Jenny Smith (12:31) Like a martini? (12:33) Shake it, not—

Scott Benner (12:34) I was thinking when you take all that insulin and end up having a seizure. (12:38) I don't know how to do this. (12:39) Like, there's—they don't—

Jenny Smith (12:42) They don't really have the nutrition facts.

Scott Benner (12:44) Ain't looking allergic—allergen information?

Jenny Smith (12:49) And most of the places that I'm looking at also don't have nutrition facts, so it is really—Yeah. (12:56) It is really your best probably honest guess would be to use, like, ChatGPT and ask for this size with the—see these ingredients. (13:06) I mean, most of these places will list or at least will tell you if you ask what are the ingredients that go into this drink. (13:12) Right?

Scott Benner (13:12) Right.

Jenny Smith (13:13) And if so, you could feed it into something that could technically give you some way to estimate. (13:20) Or like you did, you just looked up some drinks, and it gave you at least a nutrition breakdown.

Scott Benner (13:26) Well, for Arden, like, there was a lot of trial and error on trying to figure out how to bolus for this.

Jenny Smith (13:32) And what does she do? (13:33) I mean, that's probably the best—

Scott Benner (13:35) The first time she tried 45 carbs, I was like, I don't think that's gonna work. (13:39) So—and and it didn't, by the—Yeah. (13:43) Yeah. (13:43) This one, maybe boba falls under the, GFL, which stands for—

Jenny Smith (13:49) We know what that stands for.

Scott Benner (13:51) Good Luck. (13:51) Yeah. (13:52) Like, I don't know. (13:53) Jesus Christ. (13:55) Yeah.

Scott Benner (13:56) I mean, guys, do your best to find out how many carbs are really in it. (13:59) I would listen. (14:00) If I—I this one, I would talk about again from, like, a safety perspective. (14:05) I think start aggressive but slowly and try to figure it out, you know, because—

Jenny Smith (14:11) Another option would be to start small.

Scott Benner (14:15) Yeah.

Jenny Smith (14:15) Right? (14:16) Don't get the largest one on the menu. (14:18) If you've never done this before, an—an option would really be get their smallest size, bolus for it, expect you're going to need a pretty good pre-bolus, almost seeing blood sugar actually coming down before you start to drink it, and then evaluate. (14:35) Right? (14:35) And if you can figure out something small, my professional recommendation would be stick with the small because you're not getting a 120 grams of carbohydrate at one time.

Scott Benner (14:46) Yeah.

Jenny Smith (14:47) But if you choose to go bigger, then know that your strategy is probably going to have to be just as strong, if not a bit stronger.

Scott Benner (14:55) Jenny, if you'd like to open up a ShareTea franchise, you're gonna need a minimum investment of $300,000 and a 100,000—that's gonna need to be liquid capital.

Jenny Smith (15:04) I probably won't be doing that.

Scott Benner (15:05) No. (15:05) But then you can just jump right in and start mainlining sugar into the people, and I'm assuming you'll be incredibly successful at it. (15:12) There are 400 stores worldwide.

Jenny Smith (15:15) Wow. (15:15) That's a lot.

Scott Benner (15:16) It is a lot. (15:17) 400 is a a lot. (15:19) Okay, guys. (15:20) Please don't drink sugar. (15:21) Thank you.

Scott Benner (15:21) That's all. (15:22) Jeez. (15:22) Anyway—

Jenny Smith (15:23) Good luck.

Scott Benner (15:24) Yeah. (15:24) Thanks so much. (15:25) To all of you, God bless. (15:34) In each episode of the Bolus 4 series, Jenny Smith and I are gonna pick one food and talk through the bolusing for that food. (15:43) We hope you find it valuable.

Scott Benner (15:45) Generally speaking, we're gonna follow a bit of a formula, the MEALBOLT formula, M-E-A-L-B-O-L-T. (15:53) You can learn more about it at JuiceboxPodcast.com/meal-bolt. (15:59) But here's what it is. (16:00) Step one, M, Measure the meal. (16:05) E, Evaluate yourself, A, Add the base units, L, Layer a correction, B, Build the bolus shape, O, Offset the timing, L, Look at the CGM, and T, Tweak for next time.

Scott Benner (16:23) In a nutshell, we Measure our meal, total carbohydrates, protein, fat, consider the glycemic index and the glycemic load, and then we Evaluate yourself. (16:34) What's your current blood sugar? (16:35) How much insulin's on board? (16:36) And what kind of activity are you gonna be involved in or not involved in? (16:40) Do have any stress, hormones, illness?

Scott Benner (16:43) What's going on with you? (16:45) Then A, we Add the base units. (16:47) Your carbs divided by insulin to carb ratio, just a simple bolus. (16:52) L, Layer a correction. (16:54) Right?

Scott Benner (16:54) Do you have to add or subtract insulin based on your current blood sugar? (16:58) Build the bolus shape. (17:00) Are we gonna give it all upfront, a 100%, a fast digesting meal, or is there gonna be like a combo or a square wave bolus? (17:07) Does it have to be extended? (17:09) Offset the timing.

Scott Benner (17:11) This is about pre-bolusing. (17:12) Does it take a couple of minutes this meal or maybe twenty minutes? (17:16) Are we gonna have to again consider combo square wave boluses and meals? (17:21) Figure out the timing of that meal. (17:23) And then L, Look at the CGM.

Scott Benner (17:26) An hour later, was there a fast spike? (17:28) Three hours later, was there a delayed rise? (17:30) Five hours later, is there any lingering effect from fat and protein? (17:34) Tweak. (17:36) Tweak for next time, T.

Scott Benner (17:38) What did you eat? (17:39) How much insulin and when? (17:41) What did your blood sugar curve look like? (17:44) What would you do next time? (17:46) This is what we're gonna talk about in every episode of Bolus 4.

Scott Benner (17:51) Measure the meal, Evaluate yourself, Add the base units, Layer a correction, Build the bolus shape, Offset the timing, Look at the CGM, Tweak for next time. (18:00) But it's not gonna be that confusing, and we're not gonna ask you to remember all of that stuff. (18:05) But that's the pathway that Jenny and I are gonna use to speak about each bolus. (18:13) The Juicebox Podcast is edited by Wrong Way Recording. (18:18) Wrongwayrecording.com.

Scott Benner (18:21) If you'd like your podcast to sound as good as mine, check out Rob at Wrongwayrecording.com.

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