#1045 Southern Flair

Sarah's daughter has type 1 diabetes and Megan's father does too.

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

+ Click for EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

---

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

Scott Benner 0:00
Hello friends, and welcome to episode 1045 of the Juicebox Podcast

you may be thinking Scott, your voice sounds magnificent today it does doesn't it? Today I'll be speaking with Sarah. She has a daughter who was diagnosed with type one diabetes when she was eight years old just five years ago. Sarah's best friend Meghan also pops up on this interview. Megan is the daughter of a type one diabetic. And Megan's dad is 78 years old and was diagnosed when he was 12. I don't know how to describe this conversation, but it's got a southern flare. So we're gonna call it southern flare. While you're listening. Please remember that nothing you hear on the Juicebox Podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan are becoming bold with insulin. I'm going to make this in one cut. If you'd like to save 40% off@cozier.com Just use the offer code juice box at checkout. You want to drink ag one do it at drink ag one.com forward slash juice box you will get a year supply of vitamin D and five free travel packs at my link with your first order. Dog Bart I don't care. diabetes pro tip.com. Go check it out the all new remaster diabetes Pro Tip series begins at episode 1000 is in your audio players. It's on the website. You have to listen. One takes Scott they call me. Let's try to keep this going, shall we? This episode of The Juicebox Podcast is sponsored by us med us med is the place where Arden gets her diabetes supplies from and you can too I'm talking about pumps. CGM is so much more you'll hear us med.com forward slash juice box or call 888-721-1514 I'm talking about libre. I'm talking about Dexcom talking about Omni pod and talking about tandem and talking about test trips and talking about insulin. I'm talking about us med.

Sarah 2:06
Hey, my name is Sarah. And I have a child who is type one diabetic. She is 14 and she was diagnosed when she was eight years old. Just a little over five years ago.

Scott Benner 2:18
She's 14 She was diagnosed when she was eight, six years ago. Is that right? Or did you just tell me a little over

Sarah 2:25
five years she was almost nine when she was diagnosed? Yeah,

Scott Benner 2:28
five years. Do you Sarah have type one diabetes?

Sarah 2:31
I do not know what am I immediate family. But as it turns out, I've got several cousins with type one. Okay, and one has this story is that he was in France. And he nearly died when he was diagnosed. And I didn't realize really what that meant. I had heard the story and I've just not seen it. He lives in Arizona. So I don't I wouldn't have an opportunity to see him and ask him about it. But I would love to know how his diagnosis story and how he's doing now.

Scott Benner 3:00
Yeah, my wife was in France recently and brought back French COVID and almost killed all of us. So not the same story. But I hearing the word France made me uncomfortable. Okay, Sara, so I'm gonna get back to you. But you brought a friend.

Sarah 3:14
I did her and her name is Megan. I'll let her introduce herself, though.

Megan 3:18
Hey, hey, I'm Megan. And I'm one of Sarah's friends besties. And I have the daughter of a type one diabetic. He's currently 78 years old and was diagnosed when he was around 12.

Scott Benner 3:33
Wow. So your thought for you grew up with a father that had type one? Yes. Does he have any other autoimmune issues?

Megan 3:42
Not that I'm aware of.

Scott Benner 3:43
Yeah. How about you

Megan 3:44
issues but no, no. The rest. I have to well for siblings, and none of them have none of us have any.

Scott Benner 3:54
Celiac that a Lago thyroid. Nothing. bad allergies? No, nope. Nope. Sneezing a lot during the summer. Nothing like that. Okay. You paused when you said How many siblings you have? Are some of them like half brothers and sisters. Yeah, but they're all for my dad. Gotcha. And nobody else that you know of in your extended family has anything like this? No, no. And Sarah, you weren't close with these cousins. Like, there's a guy.

Sarah 4:24
We didn't grow up together. And they're they're mainly distant cousins. I think my my second cousin, the one that was in France, that's probably the closest relation

Scott Benner 4:32
I see. Yeah. So Sarah, why don't we start off a little bit and you tell me about how you figured out your daughter had type one?

Sarah 4:39
Well, at the beginning of the third grade, if looking back is 2020 right as vision is 2020. I got a phone call from the nurse at the beginning of third grade and she said that Reagan had taken a spill at recess and had really quite injured herself and she wasn't going to be really learning Anything for the rest of the day? Would I mind coming and picking her up and I suggest her, that's fine. I'll come and get her. And she had scraped like the whole side of her body. And then after school was over, I got two or three phone calls from other parents saying that their kids had come home in tears, because she had taken a spill so hard that upset them. Well, I see. Yeah. And so I looking back, I wonder if that maybe didn't, that was not the trigger. Maybe it was not a virus that I know about. But I don't know, you know, what we may never know. But fast forward to that was probably the beginning of September, this is about mid October. And she'd been making some complaints like bathroom issues, some maybe some burning when she urinated. And I've never had a UTI personally. And so I kind of was like, You're not really selling it to me, you're complaining once you know, this one on for two weeks. Like she would say, you know, what says this little bug in you? And she'd say, well, a little bit this morning, but not since then. And then we went to Vacation. And there were some incidences that I can tell you, I can look back and say, Yeah, that was probably a lower high blood sugar. There were some incidences that while we were on vacation, and then the Monday she was supposed to go back to school, I went to go wake her up, and she is strolling out of her bathroom, combing her wet hair. And her bed is dismantled. And there's a large, wet, wet spot in the middle of it. And I said, Hey, friend, what's going on? And she said, Well, I wet the bed. And I tried to clean this as a kid that never wets the bed. And she said I tried to clean it up myself. But it was proving I just couldn't do it, mom. And then I've felt yucky because I've had pee everywhere. So I decided to take a shower. I said about what time did this happen? And she said about 4am. And this was maybe 6am. And I said, you know this is what momming is all about. So you know if you have a problem like this, please come and get me. This is what parents are for. And so I thought well, she's got a UTI, I guess. And so we went to the doctor's office has a walk at a really great walk in clinic and they took a urine sample and she was more than happy to drink the water I gave her in fact she filled up her her little paper cup twice and got a urine sample from her she peed on my hand which she thought was hilarious. And we gave a good choice where you can add the the PA came in the room and he was like there's no blood. There's no bacteria in her urine sample but the sugar is it 93 And I was enough for him to mention it weighed 793 Got him? Yeah, well and and her urine, so I don't know. Okay.

Scott Benner 7:49
So is that her? Yes. Yeah. Is she gonna come in and tell us about this moment? Yeah, because so far this story only proves to me that children do not know how much mattress is cost.

Sarah 7:59
I know. I'm so sorry. I'm gonna have to pause. We're having a few tears.

Scott Benner 8:03
Go ahead, do your thing. I'm actually going to talk to Megan you can go ahead and I'm gonna mute. Megan, I have a question for you that I am wondering now. So you guys are friends. You've known each other this whole time watching her daughter have diabetes. Does it bring up any memories of growing up with a type one or is it So did your dad handle it so differently that this all looks new to you?

Have you found that getting your diabetes supplies can be a pain in the butt. I have to but not any longer because now we're getting Arden's diabetes supplies from us med to get a free benefits check, just call 888-721-1514 or go to us med.com forward slash juicebox. US med has served over 1 million diabetes customers since 1996. And they want you to know that they're offering you better service and better care than you're getting now. US med always provides 90 days worth of supplies, and fast and free shipping. They carry everything from insulin pumps and diabetes testing supplies to the latest CGM like Dexcom G seven and libre three. Arden gets her Dex comps and her on the pods from us med. US med accepts Medicare nationwide and over 800 private insurers. US Mint is the number one distributor for FreeStyle Libre systems. The number one specialty distributor for Omni pod dash number one fastest growing tandem distributor, the number one rated distributor index com customer service satisfaction surveys and they are proud of the white glove treatment that they offer their customers. Us med.com forward slash juice box or call 888-721-1514 and that eight eight date number is special just for Juicebox Podcast listeners. Now if you decide to go to the website, it's super simple. Here's what it tells you when you get there. Getting started is easy. from the comfort of your own home or office, you can now join over 1 million satisfied customers who rely on our staff of courteous, knowledgeable and trained us med customer care representatives. They keep you up to date with your medical and diabetic supplies, delivered right to your door. Super simple benefits check name, phone number, email, zip code, and then just hit the button that says Request a free benefits check. It's that easy. Let us med take care of your supplies. So you don't have to worry.

Megan 10:47
Oh, wow. It's not all new to me at all. Sarah texted me from the ER er where the doctor went when she had taken Reagan in and said, the blood sugar is 300. You remember texted me that Sarah? Yeah, I do in this. And I remember thinking, Oh, wow, Reagan could be diabetic. Yeah. So I have watched Reagan do some of her. Whenever she changes her site. I've watched her do that. And I'm just so proud of her. Like I have so much compassion for her because I know my dad has lived a very long, full life compared with what folks use to be able to live with diabetes. So what Reagan is dealing with is not new to me. I just think it's interesting watching a child do it because I didn't get to see that part of my dad.

Scott Benner 11:38
But I'm assuming I mean, I guess I just have to ask you. How old are you? Megan?

Megan 11:44
I'm 4444.

Scott Benner 11:45
So your dad was in his 30s ish around there. And how many years ago was that? 44 years ago? See when your MBA? Yeah. So when you were born, your dad was shooting insulin twice a day probably. And just nothing else I would imagine wasn't testing or anything I would imagine.

Megan 12:07
He he's told me a little bit about the trajectory. He used to have to pee on a stick and wait several minutes. like growing up. I don't know exactly the timeline of that. But ever since I've remembered he has been testing his blood. So I remember helping him test his blood growing up. But the wait was a minute or two on the machine. When he was doing it when I was growing up.

Scott Benner 12:30
Do you think? Do you ever remember it impacting his life poorly? Hmm. Yeah. How in ways that you saw as a child, I'm wondering about

Megan 12:40
the middle of the night lows. And we had to call the emergency room that the ambulance multiple times, I can envision my mother screaming, yelling my dad's name and trying to hold him down one time he got so low, he was kind of convulsing. And it gives me blood sugar was like 20 or something. And so yes, there is several moments and he never went in an ambulance. Anytime we call the ambulance, they would come in, put an IV in and he would be back normal and not and not want to go to the hospital and not want to go to the hospital. He's a tough cookie in terms of and a little stubborn. But he did not want to go to the hospital.

Scott Benner 13:26
Was there any talk of wow, like I hope the kids don't get it? Did anybody talk like that about it? Did you ever grow up wondering if it would happen to you?

Megan 13:36
Yes, I did wonder I was dealing with some other conditions. And I remember my parents, you know, thinking that I should probably be tested. And I'm just grateful that that didn't fall on any the rest of us. So I do I do feel like I know how to deal with it being around others and it's helped me deal with students. I'm a in the teaching profession. So it's helped me be aware, when a student tells me they have diabetes, I'm hyper aware of what they might need.

Scott Benner 14:09
So Sarah, when you realize that your daughter has type one, do you think of Meghan right away? Do you think oh, I know somebody who has experience with this?

Sarah 14:18
Oh, absolutely. And just to kind of finish the story, um, the sugar in her urine was too high. Obviously, EPA brought it up. And he said he was going to order fingerstick and it came back the nurse went hmm. And I said, What was it she said, 310. And I said, Hmm, and I want to say the D word. But the PA came back in and was like, Hey, we think we're gonna send you on a children's. And I'm actually I'm texting my brother in law, who's an ER pediatrician immediately, and he's not texting me back because he had a Do Not Disturb on and so I'm texting my husband like, hey, you need to call your brother. We've got a situation here. And we actually had been going to the JDRF galas for years before her diagnosis. So I knew enough. Why were you doing that? We so have some friends of ours, their son is type one. He was diagnosed a week before he went to kindergarten. And this is maybe three or four years after his diagnosis. And so they had invited us they had bought a table and and had invited us several, I think all three years since then we had been going. It's just interesting that we also ended up with a kid with type one, and she I texted her directly immediately as well. And, you know, and of course, Megan and I don't know if you remember Megan, but she texted me back and she was like, Sarah, you're gonna be a really great diabetes mom. No. And I

Scott Benner 15:45
did that work out there or is it

Sarah 15:49
depends on the day, Scott. You know, people ask me, how's Reagan? And I'm like, well, she's 14. Like, no, how is she? And I said, No, really? She's 14.

Megan 16:01
You know, I don't remember saying that to Sarah. But Sarah handled the unique challenges that came with my own medical condition. So well, like she was a friend like no other friend I had. So I knew that the way that she dealt with me was going to transfer into her being a superstar diabetes, diabetic mom.

Scott Benner 16:22
Cool. That's it. It's also so strange that you were at like these fundraisers for years. And then it happened. My wife and I went out for our anniversary. And we just like, we were in this kind of fancy restaurant. And I said, Do you want to try sweet breads and we didn't even know what they were and they came in their pancreas is right. And then Arden gets diabetes like a little while later. And you know, I was like, Well, this is just see we got bed. We got bad mojo going now because we think the pancreas is from those.

Sarah 16:52
I'll do you one better. So we had bought a black lab over the summer. And Dolly Parton's character and Steel Magnolias was true V. Jones. And so the girls were given three choices. One of them was truly and they chose that two months before Reagan was diagnosed. Interesting.

Scott Benner 17:13
Yeah, I mean, it's all meaningless. But it's incredibly interesting. It is so

Sarah 17:17
little God winks. I see it, but But yeah, and Dolly Parton is from our area. So that's why we're kind of little a little loyal to Dolly Parton. But wait, if you've been

Scott Benner 17:28
to Dollywood Yeah. Like I go all the time. I can see you're just nodding away. Not all the time. What is Dolly? What is the theme park right like with roller coasters and things like that? Yeah, the Holly's got her finger and everything. She's also 800 years old and somehow still alive. How does that happen? Is that

Sarah 17:47
she, my daughter have the same birthday again. So I know. Right? And our pediatricians youngest son is type one, or pharmacist when we go to pick up our first pickup. He turns out he's type one. I mean, like,

Scott Benner 18:02
if it wasn't, it's possible. You're the problem, sir. Maybe you were the like,

Sarah 18:07
maybe your patients were in alignment.

Scott Benner 18:10
Like the people are going to be dodging you after they hear how many people you know you have to fight when I should buy a lottery ticket. Is it? Is it a the doctors ever mentioned it like that? You're in a spot where a lot of people have it?

Sarah 18:20
No, no, no, that's never been I think it's randomness. That's interesting. And it's it's pretty remarkable. The the nurse when she went back to school three days later, at diagnosis, her agency was only 8.5. So we got extremely lucky. They sent her home with us that night. That day, she was diagnosed Yeah, it was wild. I was a nervous Nellie.

Scott Benner 18:44
Like, I don't really know what I'm doing. But sure, well, wait,

Sarah 18:47
are you sure no one's gonna die. And I was like, I can admit her. And then I got to thinking like, that sounds scarier.

Scott Benner 18:52
Right. How did she? I mean, she just had such an interesting age. Did she, like acclimate to it well, or was it? Was it troublesome or how did the beginning go?

Sarah 19:04
She's very, she was very compliant. You know, when she was first died, and she is now for the most part. She just wants a lot more independence. And she and I are hardwired differently. And that's coming out as she's getting older. But when back when she was first diagnosed, very compliant, very willing to she poked her finger for the first time in the doctor's office. The nurses couldn't believe it. Yeah, about a month after she was diagnosed, she did her own injection in her belly. She seems to want to take ownership, and I'm really grateful for that.

Scott Benner 19:37
What do you think that means? Because I interview a lot of people. And I always kind of like I hear their voices in my head. 2425 26 years old telling me I pushed my parents for independence, but I didn't really know what it meant and ended up not doing a good job. Like taking care of myself. I just didn't want them involved in it. And so like there's that bad All kinds of trying to figure out how to give them what they need. As far as space goes, without them, you know, just going off the deep end as far as their care. I know Arden's my daughter, Meghan is 18. She's been in college now for like half a half a year. And I mean, that's there are days when I look and I'm like, Oh, she should be doing this. Or she should be doing that. And I'm just like, I'm not gonna push her about it, you know, like, so I bring it up at different times. And she does. Overall, she does a really great job. She's obviously incredibly busy at school. But I talked to so many people who get there. And it's just like that, that that switch goes off, like, I'm at college, like, whoo, you know, and then they let go of everything, not just one thing. And so you have a seat in my heart, like the way I think you have like three and a half years to like, put all your pieces in order, and then just like step back and see how they work out.

Sarah 20:57
Yeah, well, I kind of see it as practicing now. I, for a while there, I was hyper focused on Dexcom. She's not looping, so I can't Bolus her remotely. In our state, you have to have doctor's orders for certain things. And so it got really stressful for me. She just doesn't handle diabetes the way I would. And that doesn't make the way she handles it wrong.

Scott Benner 21:19
It makes I think you're talking about it. You're very type A, and she's Oh, yeah, absolutely kind of chilled out. And I can see because there's three of us talking we have I don't usually record with cameras on so I can see everybody. It doesn't look like anything's ever been on the floor in that room that you're in right now.

Sarah 21:40
In this room?

Scott Benner 21:41
Yes. That room was let me know. You're gonna turn the camera and show me the disaster. Now, so Okay, so how does that? Well, I guess first of all, are you married? Sir? Yes, yeah. Does your husband get involved in this at all?

Sarah 21:57
Yes. So actually, I don't follow her on Dexcom any longer, because it just it got to where that was, what it was where all our all of our conversations ended up a diabetes. And she she was very, at this point was very, you know, pushing back a whole lot. And Jason was like, I won't, I had a meltdown. Which MEGAN I'm sure that's very hard to imagine now. But a little bit of a meltdown, and I'm yelling at my husband, you know, she doesn't care. And he's like, get off of Dexcom get off Dexcom now, and I got off of Dexcom. I erased it from my phone. And I've been off of it ever since. And, and she does find and her first agency after I got off of Dexcom was seven, which is the lowest she's ever had. Right? And then since then she's had a 7.2. Now that doesn't mean I still get her clarity reports and so I help her make changes. And her I think she needs a reset at the moment. But I help her make changes to her insulin McCarver she's still growing.

Scott Benner 23:02
Yeah, I pushed Arden's basil a couple of times today. And if I'm being honest, she doesn't even know. So I was just like, looking, I can see, like, I can see what's happening. And, and, and I was like that she needs like two units here. And she's not she's not going to do it. Like she's in class. And I can see where she ate and I saw what she gave herself. So there's a little bit of unknown, but I couldn't I looked at the trend. And I was like she needs a couple more units. I could push her basil and maybe get like an extra unit in there over the next half an hour and see what happens. And then I

Sarah 23:35
mean, Scott in my head, I'm thinking I could win that game. Yeah. Coach, I could win. And that's what my husband says. He said, You know, you kind of see it as a game. And she doesn't see it as a game. But there's so much more at stake. But and so to me, that's what that's where the stress comes in.

Scott Benner 23:51
Do you really see it that way? Or do you just see her blood sugar being high and it makes you worried for her health? Like what's the what was your first ask? Do you actually see it as like just I'm going to try to beat the game or do you see it as her health and you can handle it?

Sarah 24:04
I definitely see as her health is at stake first. Okay, my husband has made the comment. I think you gamify it you know and I was like I'm not sure I ever consciously thought about it that way

Scott Benner 24:17
lighting you guys do that all the time. My wife said that to me one time and I was like we are not going down any woke roads. So I'd gaslighting you I'm like I'm saying something to you that you don't agree with

Sarah 24:33
those two? Yeah. We don't share brain. It's very inconvenient.

Scott Benner 24:37
But does your husband he's not doing what you want him to do though, right?

Sarah 24:44
Oh, no, he's doing exactly what I want to do. Oh.

Scott Benner 24:48
Well, you said that it made me uncomfortable as a married person. I was like she No,

Sarah 24:51
no, it's not what I expect him to do is different than what I expect me to do.

Scott Benner 24:56
Oh, yeah. But I mean you he's not doing what you want. You want to have like you, it's not what you would do. He doesn't manage

Sarah 25:02
the way I would, but I don't expect him to write. I expect him to keep her alive.

Scott Benner 25:06
What was very once you when you were on top of it.

Sarah 25:09
So I started listening to juicebox, like over the summer, and I started tightening down her, her Basal rates and her insulin to carb ratios and her correction factors. And but before that, she she would run seven and a half ish 7.7, which, you know, the endocrinologist sees seven and a half to eight and a half as being in range for her age. Yeah, because of adolescent hormones. But to me, at one point, and this is the only time I've ever been mad at the doctor's office, was when she was still on shots. And I was like, we need we need help. Or she's running too high all the time. And she's the nurse said, Well, her numbers that you just gave me those were good numbers. And I said, that's because I'm, I'm cheating the system, I'm giving her extra insulin. And the nurse had the nerve to say to me, Well, maybe you should just let her run high overnight. And I said that amounts to neglect in my head. I'm not doing well, it's

Scott Benner 26:05
just silly to you could just change the settings like yeah, it's it's, I mean, it doesn't matter what you call it, you're using a certain amount of insulin, you're having a certain outcome, and you wanted to use more you wanted the settings turned up to meet what you were doing. I think what you were doing was right.

Sarah 26:21
No, I know what I was doing was right. And I finally say, you know, well, I've told you how much extra insulin I'm giving her, tell the doctor and get the orders written. And she said, Okay. And so that's when I realized that I could change her her rates that I could change her basil. And then it got to the point where the endocrinologist said, I trust you to make those changes. Just tell me what they are, what changes you want to make. And I'll send the doctor's orders to the nurse to the school. Because it's public school.

Scott Benner 26:55
So I mean, you haven't said yet but you had her a one see it like but 6.2 Were you down there?

Sarah 27:02
No, the lowest she's ever been is

Scott Benner 27:06
seven. Okay, so you guys are doing well. You're just doing it differently, then

Sarah 27:09
we're Yeah, we're getting there. And and like I said, I really feel like she needs a reset. I need to take her total insulin consumption for the day for like a week and then like figure out

Scott Benner 27:22
and she's not pumping.

Sarah 27:24
She Yes, she is. She is now what? Yeah, that incident that I talked about before. That's when we would MDI.

Scott Benner 27:30
But yeah, so is she using an algorithm?

Sarah 27:34
She's on the control IQ with tandem.

Scott Benner 27:36
I see. Okay, yeah. Well, that thing should definitely be able to do a six in there somewhere. Yes, yeah. So what is it? So go ahead, like, just tell me what's not happening that needs to happen? Is it Pre-Bolus think Yeah,

Sarah 27:49
okay. Yeah, that's absolutely Pre-Bolus. And honestly, my kid loves to eat. And she's lazy. And she doesn't want to look up insulin to carb. Or excuse me, she didn't want to look up carb counts. And and Megan's nodding her head because I've heard her complain that her dad can can be the same way. Yeah, I think you told me at one point, it was like he was always doing 70 carbs. 70 carbs for every meal. That right?

Megan 28:12
Yeah, I don't understand all the numbers you guys are mentioning, but we definitely know how to current count carbs. But some of us exaggerate a little bit more in our house.

Sarah 28:22
Well, how do you mean exaggerate? What does that mean?

Megan 28:26
Oh, just don't realize that a cinnamon crunch bagel at Panera has like 77 carbs in it. And only Bolus for 50

Sarah 28:35
Oh, and shocking. Yeah, my blood sugar's to the roof. I'm just

Scott Benner 28:39
right about that, huh? No, it's just really interesting. Hey, man, I'm gonna want you to tell us a story in a minute. And you're rattling when you're talking. So would you jump off and jump back on through your phone for me? Yeah, with your head with this plug in headphones with your phone? Yeah. I'll let you back in when you come back. I can't wait to let her tell that story. It's crazy. I know. Because right now people are like, Why is the other lady here? I know that. Can't wait for people to find out. Why? Because it's really like it's really interesting. So alright, so

Sarah 29:09
I have to tell you after her diagnosis, this is this is kind of a really neat thing about about Reagan, when she was diagnosed, she had been training for a 5k. So all the water she was drinking, easily explainable all the sleeping she was doing between on the 10 minute ride home from school to home, easily explainable. And then she's diagnosed and I told the Endo, I said, I'm not sure I'm willing to let diabetes have this. She's been training really hard to run the five K's in six weeks. How are we going to do this? And she said, You should absolutely do this. She needs to know that exercise is important to her. And we will get it figured out so so we did and then she did the five caves, the beginning of December. And the whole time she's being diagnosed. I'm with her and If I fall apart, then it's a disaster. So I never had this like fall apart. Grief, like crystallized moment. Yeah. Now I spent the first two weeks after she was diagnosed crying over stupid stuff, as most people do, you know, that's a very normal response to the grief that you feel over losing what you feel like I had healthy child. And now I don't write that I've never had that crystallized like moment where you just like kind of fall apart. And we finished that you have to have a parent running with you. It's the Girls on the Run. And we finished the 5k. And as we're approaching the finish line, I'm like, oh, no, it's coming. I can feel it. And our families are there because they've we've been through this thing. And, and an eight year old is finishing a 5k. And we finish and we're taking pictures, and I'm like, this is the dam is about to bust and we took pictures, and I looked at my husband and I said, Oh my gosh, I'm so proud of her. But I'm, I'm so sad.

Scott Benner 31:03
Yeah. Yeah, I know. That's horrible. But it's good.

Sarah 31:09
But it was wonderful to she she did this really hard thing. And she did it really well. But yeah, that was when I had my fall apart sobbing

Scott Benner 31:21
there at the at the 5k finish line with everybody in front

Sarah 31:25
of God and every bed out of my house where I have Kleenex is my husband before thing he probably had snot everywhere. But But yeah,

Scott Benner 31:34
I've decided now's the time. Well, it's an emotional moment to begin with, and they know what to do. Alright, so Megan, when you went off for a second, I commented to Sarah and I said, I can't help people by an hour like wondering why is Meghan on the show? So I'm, I'm just very interested in this. So when when does your father say to you like that? He's having trouble. Like, where does that all start? When did when are you aware of his health issues? Well, can you hear me? Yeah, your sound right?

Megan 32:05
Okay, great. When I was 22, I was traveling. And I remember my mom telling me over the phone, that dad would eventually need to have a kidney transplant. I remember where I was, when that happened. It's kind of one of those Kennedy dying moments where you remember where you are, or 911 or something. So yeah, I remember that. And that was when I was 22. So that's when I realized, okay, we're getting to that point where it's taking a toll on his body. I don't think I was as aware of things in the past. I mean, I'd been scared from low blood sugars or high blood sugars, and hearing and vomit. But I didn't realize the toll it was taking on his body until I was I guess, 22. Sarah might remember something different, because I'm sure we discussed all this at some point. But

Sarah 32:57
yeah, interject here that I remember, we we used to live in a condo in the same condo complex right after college, and I had just gotten married. And Megan, and I would go walking. And I remember you telling me we were probably 25 at the time. And you said, you know, I keep myself healthy in case my dad needs one of my kidneys one day. And I was like, wow, that's, I mean, you were eating better than you were walking frequently. And you're doing yoga and exercising.

Scott Benner 33:29
So Megan, that weighed on you. You were always thinking about that?

Megan 33:33
Yes, because my parents had done so much for me growing up, I remember as a young person, because I went through a lot of surgeries and such. And I remember telling my parents, I'm going to pay you back someday, thinking that I would be able to like financially pay them back, which I didn't understand health insurance at the time, that that wasn't necessary. But little did I know that I would be a match for him, you know, 15 or so years, 13 years after he told me or mom told me that he would need a kidney that I would like secretly go to the doctors behind their back and to see if I was going to be a match. Because I didn't want them to get their hopes up when they said that dad was on the kidney list that kidney donor list.

Scott Benner 34:18
Did he do a double transplanted to get a pancreas as well? Not from you obviously. But did they did they talk about that at the time? Not that I remember. Okay, and how long so how long ago? Was he in his 50s when he needed to? Okay, now he

Megan 34:32
was 6868 and I was 35. Okay, and so I went through all the testing, I would go to their appointments with them just because the I'm the I'm kind of the child that's available and nearby and I'm not I'm not married or don't have any kids so I have time and flexibility with my schedule and I'm kind of I'm not as tight as Sarah, but I'm a caretaker and I definitely feel called to return The favor are my parents taking such good care of me. So I went to the doctor's appointment and I was taking notes and just thinking, I can't wait to spend 24 hours peeing into this container. So I can find out if I'm going to be a match.

Scott Benner 35:11
What a lovely fast. Yeah. When you find out you're really a match. And is there any moment your head really like, I shouldn't open my mouth? I don't want it to give anybody my kidney, or did you never, like look back at it that way?

Megan 35:26
Never looked back at it that way. It was just, there's no fear. It was just the right thing to do. And what an opportunity for me to do that there were people who criticize me because we told talk to the news. The news thought it was interesting that a daughter was willing to give a parent a kidney. Some people were quite critical. And I remember thinking,

Scott Benner 35:49
how could they be critical? What's the argument I

Megan 35:53
had such longer to live and that I was going to sacrifice a part of my body to someone who wasn't going to live that long. And I just did not see it that way. I thought I am perfectly healthy. When I learned more about the kidneys and how much you actually use of them. If you're a healthy individual. I don't even need my second kidney. It wasn't even a question. And I had, I actually asked them it was April or May. And I remember saying, how fast can we do this? I have the summer off to recover. Can this happen? Pretty soon, so that I had the summer off? And she's like, absolutely. So it was June 23. I think Wow. We 2013. So now

Scott Benner 36:35
Sarah, this is obviously a an incredible kindness that Meghan has performed. And that's like 10 years ago, right? Your dad's been gone. 10 years with it. Yep. Yeah, that's amazing. And obviously, her father grew up in a different management style and a long time ago with different insulin and different technology and all that stuff. But does that freak you out? Like, does it seem more real? Like my son thought he could play professional baseball because he knew a pro baseball player, it made it feel more realistic. So does it feel more omnipresent? Because you know, somebody who went through this?

Sarah 37:08
I think it's, it's fair to say the kidney thing actually does not scare me because it's so unlikely to happen to Reagan, and that's not according to me, that's according to her endocrinologist. So we rely heavily on their their opinion, but I do fear for her vision. And Megan, I know your dad has tunnel vision essentially at this point. That that does concern me I think because I had I was farsighted nears, I was nearsighted. I had LASIK. But I think so to me, that seems more real because I've experienced bad vision. And that that definitely scares me and then her teeth, because she ends up eating things in the middle of the night.

Scott Benner 37:51
Oh, yeah, it was. So I'm like, where's this going? Though, so you can just swish with water afterwards.

Sarah 37:57
I know that that's easier to do when you're not half asleep.

Megan 38:03
She's the daughter of a dentist. And when

Scott Benner 38:07
you're a dentist, your husband is no my dad, your dad is your daughter of a dentist. So I was like, Oh, okay. Yeah, obviously, you have to tell you, I don't know Dentistry has gone really weird in the last 10 years. Like, I feel like I'm at an integrative doctor now. And they're, they're like, let me see your tonsils. I was like, just stick to the teeth. Run. To new doctors, amazing doctor, actually, in your lane man is the best. I've never had such a good dentist in my entire life. My dentist before this was 100% doing math. So it was just I used to see a guy who had set three patients up in three different rooms. And he'd ungloved and glove and run from room to room and work on you like that. Yeah. And once in a while, but who

Sarah 38:51
is he that that's not a patriot patient centric?

Scott Benner 38:55
No, no. Once he left the room to go look at a Corvette. He was thinking of buying ice, I swear to God, that actually happened to me.

Sarah 39:03
The bar is low Scott, anything better than that? Seems like

Scott Benner 39:06
we've upgraded that the guy now is really good. Actually. He's just very interested in like a more of a whole approach. And he just, the truth is, is that I know about, I figured out I was anemic because of my dentist, who looked at me and said, Hey, you're not okay. But he thought I had type two diabetes at the time. But I was like, I don't have type two diabetes. Like I would know the signs. I thought to myself, like if I don't know the signs of diabetes, we're all in trouble. So I'm like, It's not me. It's not that but it still made me go to the doctor.

Sarah 39:42
I will say my dad did diagnose high blood sugar, high blood pressure. And one of his patients they were their gums bled a lot during a cleaning for no discernible reason. And he said, You know, I've got a blood pressure cuff over here. Do you care if I take your blood pressure and she was like 190 over one already Wow. And he said, You need this work, but I'm unwilling to work on you until you go see a cardiologist. And she came back like two months later and she said, my cardiologist told me to thank you for saving my life. Yeah. See? And so yeah, dentists, you never know.

Scott Benner 40:17
How do you two girls know each other? Like it sounds like you've known each other forever.

Megan 40:21
We were about a we've been? Sorry. Yeah. No, when as soon as I moved to Knoxville, Sarah and I met at church. And we grew up in the youth group together and sleepovers. And our parents, our friends. And now we both work at the same institution. And we've been neighbors or close to neighbors regularly throughout our 34, five years, four or five years of friendship. Wow,

Scott Benner 40:46
did it? Are you do you do similar jobs on purpose? Like when you were growing up? Were you like, one day? I'm gonna do this. And you guys were like, no, like, how does that happen?

Sarah 40:55
I wouldn't say we do similar jobs. Now.

Unknown Speaker 40:57
What what do you Okay?

Sarah 40:58
He's in a teaching capacity. And I'm, I'm we work in higher education. I work in the finance end of things. Oh, so yeah, we just happen to work at the same place

Scott Benner 41:08
when I call the College and I'm like, You're killing me? Why are you taking all my money? Are you the one that takes that phone call?

Megan 41:14
No, sir. We'll take that one. We'll take that one.

Sarah 41:17
I don't know you, Scott, who I'm so sorry. I do not know you. It's worth

Scott Benner 41:24
it's worth it. It's worth it. I don't know the one who just got a job. And I will say, off the payroll. Thank you. Well, I almost I think we're covering a couple of things. So. But yeah, you moved. And

Sarah 41:39
honestly, if Scott, if I could tell you the reason I applied to the University was for the health insurance.

Scott Benner 41:46
Oh, no, kidding. So you haven't been there that long.

Sarah 41:49
I've only been there about three years. Megan's been there for how long? 17 years,

Megan 41:54

21. He gets 20 this year. And I remember my parents telling me, you need to make sure that you have good health insurance, because of dad situation, and how important it was to work for an organization that would provide that for you,

Scott Benner 42:10
because we're gonna come harvest. They also knew they were going to harvest your organs later. So they wouldn't

Sarah 42:17
let that pass down early.

Scott Benner 42:19
Oh, well, that's interesting. Yeah, I, I mean, I can tell you this, that never once my son's a very math minded, but it's a weird mix. Like he's has a quantitative econ degree. But you wouldn't think of him as like a math person, if you met him in his regular life. He just has that kind of part of his brain that does that he's a very weird mix of an athlete and a math person, which is I don't think it's something you see very frequently. I do think his degree helped him get the job that he has, but for none of the reasons that you would hope while you send your child off to it's because somebody in a hiring position, looked at a resume, and my son reminded him of himself when he was younger. And he went to a quality school. And so whatever that means, like seriously, I think what it just means is I paid more money. And and and the guy was like, hey, we'll give this guy a chance. It's just, I don't know, if, as a person who pays for it, I don't like it. Makes me very unhappy.

Sarah 43:20
I feel you because I've got a junior in high school. She's we're about to leap into higher ed on a personal level. So yeah,

Scott Benner 43:27
when Arden told me, art my, my daughter, Megan was between going, she was either going to go a pre law route, or go to fashion school to learn how to design clothing. And I told her, I wanted her to do whatever would make her happy. But I was voting for the cheaper of the two options actually, like privately in my mind. I was like, I don't think I want her to be a lawyer. And my wife's like, why I'm like, it sounds more expensive.

Sarah 43:53
I'll tell you this, my junior has no idea what she wants to do, nor where she wants to do it. At the moment. We have visited eight colleges, and at this moment, she's going to university where I work. Yeah, cuz I get half off tuition.

Scott Benner 44:05
I was gonna say, I know a kid that went to Princeton for free and his and her parents. Her father did maintenance at that school for two decades, the set in the hopes that one of his kids would be able to get school and one of them did. Like, yeah, like a robotics thing too. So like one of those like creepy smart kids. And but okay, so Megan, just would you tell me just if you comfortable like what do you teach? I teach

Megan 44:34
communication. Oh,

Scott Benner 44:36
lovely. How do you do that? How do you take somebody who doesn't have the skill and give it to them? You just give them the office side of the work. What do you do? First

Megan 44:45
of all, I don't give anything you earn it, okay. And I teach public speaking. So we talk about delivery and content and how to develop an outline and use sources and then we talk about the presentation aspect of it. Regarding your oral verbal output, as well as visual aids, if that's a part of it,

Scott Benner 45:08
does that help people in a business setting mostly or what other applications does it have?

Megan 45:14
It has an application and I would argue any field that you go into, because communication overlays all fields in some level. Yeah. How am I doing? You're doing well, you're quite conversational Scott.

Scott Benner 45:27
Would you imagine Sarah right now she was like, Can I be honest?

Megan 45:31
She would really be when we get off when we get off the podcast, people listen

Scott Benner 45:36
to this. I have notes. Now. So I, the way I do it, Megan, is that I'd like to know as little about the people I'm talking to as possible when I start, and I just follow where my interest goes. And that way, if I'm interested, then hopefully everybody else will be as well. I just find that reading bullet pointed questions. Sounds like you're reading bullet pointed questions, even when I speak in public. So I think Meghan would be impressed by this. I have spoken to up to 600 people in a room. And that is impressive. I have no nerves about it. There's something incredibly wrong with me. Because I mean, like, psychologically, I'm broken a little bit because everyone else is like, there's so many people in there. I'm like, I know.

Sarah 46:18
I can't wait depends on, you're motivated, because you have something to share that you're excited about, then, then why would that be a problem?

Scott Benner 46:26
I have to tell you, Sarah, I think if you put me on a stage right now and wrote three disconnected words together and said, Scott, please make these three words into a conversation. I'd be like, that sounds great. I don't know if I've ever told him to try to be fast, because I don't think I might have said this before on the podcast. But I think I was in eighth or ninth grade, Michigan, and my teacher said one day, you can get 50 Bonus points if you can come up in front of the classroom and speak for a full minute without saying, um, and I was like, Oh, I'm gonna get 50 bonus points. So that's the first thing I thought this is obvious. I watched a couple people do it. First one, one poor girl. I still remember I don't know her name. But she stood up there. And he said, Okay, go and she said was like, Oh, you're done. But I got up there. And I don't know what I said. But after a minute, he goes, like, you're finished. And I was like, I keep going if you want. And he's like, go ahead. So I went a couple more minutes. And it like three or four minutes. He's like, okay, just stop. And he sat me down. I don't know what that is. Like, I'm not a person who feels like, I'm not a million. I guess I I am comfortable in my own skin. And I have clear, yeah. And I have some, like, unreasonable level of I believe in myself for reasons I don't even understand. I don't think they're legitimate. Yeah, I just I would love to do that. Like I love doing this. Very, very much.

Megan 47:53
This is a version of public speaking what you're doing right now, podcasting? Yes.

Scott Benner 47:57
It's interesting, too, because it's hard. Like, you and I are looking at each other. But I don't normally look at people. Like I interviewed. I interviewed a 40 year old woman today. And we started off. And it was just a very, like, basic kind of conversation. And by the time we were done, she told me that she's a functioning alcoholic. She told me everything about our life. We picked apart drug use at her workplace loot with other people. And by the time it was over, I was like, that was really interesting. Like, because I have heard, and I always assume people lie to me that I've heard that there's like a massive amount of like it. She works in a restaurant. And I've always heard that like in restaurants and orgy like sex, drugs, alcohol, like behind the scenes. And I asked Anytime somebody's in a restaurant, nobody comes clean on it. And she was like, yeah, absolutely. And so before you knew it, we were talking about like, what's the difference between somebody being prescribed Adderall and your cook doing a bumper Coke, like, like, like, is there and we're having this big conversation about bizarre things. And I got done. And I thought she came on to talk about none of that. And I was like, so proud of myself. And it was so like, it was like, This is great. And she was lovely. And it was really, it was a really neat conversation. But anyway, so you can grade me at the end. Just a letter. I don't think you want me to grade you all I do. I would love to hear what's wrong with what I'm doing. And then I would like like, I would make these little notes like I was taking down what you're saying and I'd be writing you she was wrong about that. I would be so bizarre. Okay, so you guys have this weird relationship, meaning you've been together for a long time. Is it a little like you're married or you're not that close? Didn't they mean? Like, do you have that? Like,

Megan 49:40
it's not like that. I just think that it does not matter how long in between times that we see each other? It is just pick up exactly where you left off. Like it's just it's like a sibling almost. Yeah, I've had I've I don't know Sarah, how would you describe?

Sarah 49:57
Yeah, I worried a little bit about this because we do have Probably more than we realize nonverbal communication, like I can, you can tell me a whole lot just by with one glance. And I can tell you a whole lot with one glance. And I worried a little bit about that. But we both behaved ourselves. And then I want, I also worried that it might be a little Abbott and Costello, but we've managed to behave

Scott Benner 50:19
better. First yet. Yes. So you guys, you just know each other. So well, you don't need to say a lot. And by the way, Meghan, I've had, there's two people in the world that I have felt that way about, like it somehow. I mean, people don't understand when you're younger, but you'll look up one day and not see a close friend for five years. And it's very strange, and they don't live 20 minutes from me, you know, and then you bump into them again. And whatever that thing is, it just feels exactly the same as last time, but I don't I only have it with a couple of people. And so you guys have that?

Megan 50:49
Oh, yeah. I think when you've shared the stuff that we've shared, you know, just sleepovers and just the depth and the length. You get pretty trusting of one another.

Sarah 51:02
I think faith has played a large part in that. We we grew up together in the same church. And and while that's nice, I think I feel like we both have our faith has developed along the same

Scott Benner 51:17
arc, you hadn't you had things in common when you first met. So you can yes, you can at least be comfortable in those things then, but then you learn about each other. And you stake I guess, not just comfortable that you grew, you grew close to after that. Yeah. And I

Sarah 51:31
would argue that our parents are both part of the village that raised us. So it wasn't just my parents saying, hey, maybe you shouldn't, it was also MEGAN'S MOM, saying, Hey, that was really great. I'm really proud of you. Stuff like that. And that meant, that meant a lot. To me. That meant almost as much as coming from my parents mouse. So absolutely.

Scott Benner 51:57
So I'm gonna ask both you this question. Have either of you ever been in your home with your parents when the other one brought somebody around? And you're like, Oh, that's not the right person for them. Have anybody has anybody ever vetoed like a boyfriend girlfriend? Like, like dating situation for each other? Like, have you ever looked at Meghan and thought, not him? And told and told her? Or do you let it play out? Let's just ask the question that way. If you've ever had that thought, are there things you wouldn't say? Megan has a thought.

Megan 52:25
I have a thought from her college. But I'm not gonna go into details. But I remember thinking, this one's not going to last. I think she probably knows who I mean. Yes. Like, I don't know. She will see what she says about me. I've never had that thought.

Sarah 52:42
I mean, I trust Megan's judgment. So you know, if she feels like, I guess there probably been a handful of times I thought, Well, I'm sure he's fun right now.

Megan 52:57
Dear, yeah, I'm

Sarah 52:58
so glad I'm so grateful that it's never turned into because we do have another mutual friend that we all were shaking our heads and thinking, Oh, no. And it happened anyway. And

Scott Benner 53:12
it's a weird feeling. I remember growing up in a situation where a guy was getting married, and we all looked at each other and said, We should do something right. And no one did anything. And I'm going to tell you, like, the girl was a horror, okay? Like, like a real heart. And now 30 years later, they're they've been married forever. And they've got a big pile of kids. And I just thought, thank God, we didn't do that.

Sarah 53:38
And I think that's what that's what I'm saying is, you know, even I don't I don't have to I don't have to agree. Right. It's her life. She gets to live it the way she wants to. Yeah, I

Scott Benner 53:48
just didn't know if you guys were so close that you you knew things where you're like, don't do that.

Sarah 53:53
Well, I yeah, I trust your judgment. Yeah, that's,

Megan 53:57
I am so glad that you and Jason are together. It's precious. It's precious. Sarah got a good one. Or Jason got a good one.

Scott Benner 54:07
I have to say I don't usually get to see people's I don't get to say things like this. But Sarah you look like you were adorable when you were 19.

Megan 54:14
Oh, yeah, exactly the same. She looks exactly the same. A stunner. Oh, yeah.

Scott Benner 54:20
I just I just thought I imagined I don't know. I imagined Sarah like a skirt dance for some reason.

Megan 54:28
Oh, I'm picturing it now.

Sarah 54:31
It was khaki. It was a khaki. So I got you know, wore a white shirt with it.

Scott Benner 54:36
It's pretty much Cobell. Yeah. That's how you look in my mind. I'm being serious. It's hilarious. All right, so So you guys are you have two completely different perspectives on diabetes? Have either of you taken anything from the other one? Even though that your experiences are so different? It's Megan's father's a long time ago and Sarah's kids younger like it I guess. Megan like my question. You would be as Do you have any different insight about your dad's life watching this happen in front of you? Has it helped you like close any loops or anything like that?

Megan 55:10
My dad is just a trooper. And so as my mom, I cannot talk about my dad without talking about my mom's sainthood for being one of the reasons that my dad has lived this long, in my opinion, because she is a saint, what she cooked for all of us growing up keeping us on a schedule, so that I didn't realize that not everybody eats on a schedule, like our family does, because of dads diabetes, not that that's what we always talked about. But that's that was just how dad could manage best. And so we have built our schedule so much around that. So I don't know if that answers your question. But that's what's coming to mind is that I have to acknowledge how my parents are such a team. And in terms of managing my dad's diabetes, yeah.

Scott Benner 56:03
I mean, it's a great answer. I don't know if it answers the question, but I appreciate knowing it. I was just wondering if, if Sarah and her family have, if you've witnessed them do something with diabetes, it's made you think like, oh, now I understand or if you like, already had that full understand? Does that make sense? You're looking at me like, I'm not being clear. I think I just went down to a B minus. Just

Megan 56:26
definitely, maybe, maybe see, no, I guess I don't know. I just admire Regan and Sarah and Jason and all that they're doing to an her sister, helping her through it. So maybe he just got a daily basis. So I'm just so proud and supportive.

Scott Benner 56:43
I was gonna say, maybe you have those feelings, because you know, what, what's happening on her sites? But Sarah, you picked up differently? Yeah, got that. Right.

Sarah 56:53
Yeah, it's helpful to know what living with a type one as a kid, what that what that means. And like maybe what I need to be as a mom looking out for. So I need to make sure that Ellie doesn't feel her older sister does not feel like she is responsible for her sister, because she's not. I want to be sure that she's not got any anxiety about her sister's health. That's not her responsibility. I don't want her to grow up too quickly. Because of this, already got one kid who's, who's arguably growing up too quick, too fast, because of the vast amount of responses due to a vast amount of responsibility. I do see you Megan, as someone that I could say, you know, what do you think you might be going on here with Ellie? And if she had anxiety over something, I would send her my children call her aunt Megan. So I would say, you know, maybe, maybe you need to sit down with that Megan, and have a conversation with her. I know, she knows what's what. Yeah.

Scott Benner 57:59
It's just it's very interesting, because it's two different time periods. It's two different perspectives. And yet, I can see how it lens back and forth between the two of you.

Sarah 58:09
It is funny how one exception, all the type ones that we have are like little community with there are all on the tandem Tesla next to so it's nice to have resources. So like if you're running short on sites, maybe I call up the fields. Sorry. And then, you know, maybe a reservoir were shorter reservoir,

Scott Benner 58:34
or you guys have like you're a little swapmeet going? Yes.

Megan 58:38
Isn't it all happen? Yeah.

Scott Benner 58:39
But isn't it also interesting that you're all on the same pumps? Probably because the doctor in that area leans towards a certain pump?

Sarah 58:45
I wouldn't say that at all. No, we trailed the Omni pod and the tandem. You know, I don't know how your dad ended up on that. Oh, no, I do too. Because he's on Medicare.

Megan 58:55
I really don't know. I just know, he's, he's tried like the the Libra. But that didn't end up being what he chose. So he's on Dexcom and tandem. Oh,

Scott Benner 59:05
is your dad doing an algorithm to?

Megan 59:07
I have no idea. Yes.

Sarah 59:08
I know this because I've helped them with it. And, and we've talked to Meg and I've talked about this like if if your mom got hit by a bus tomorrow, you you would end up taking care of your dad. You know, and and I know you know this but hear me say like, I will spend however much time needs to be spent with you to make sure that your dad is okay and that you're comfortable. So I'm caring for him because I know that that is something that you've probably thought about I know you've discussed it with your mom but that is something I have thought about.

Scott Benner 59:40
Well as sweet as that is before Megan answers you I just want to say that's an empty gesture Megan because she's got all that like type a pent up inside of her. She's dying to put it on somebody. She's gonna push. She's gonna push your mom in front of that bus. Okay, just

Sarah 59:58
it's so funny that you say to Scott Because I was I'm in my churches choir, and all of a sudden I heard someone's pump, making the pump sounds and I'm like, who's high? And

Scott Benner 1:00:10
my knowledge.

Sarah 1:00:12
It's me. And I was like, Oh, do you need a glass of water? I mean, we're in front of God and everybody. And he said, Yeah, I can use a glass of water. And I was like, I'm your girl. I'll be right back. And then he showed me, he was like, How did you know that? I said, my daughter's on the same line. And he's showing me his pump. And I looked down at it. And I'm like, Dan, do you? Do you mean to be an exercise mode? And he goes, What's that? And I was like, Oh, my gosh, I'm going to take I know, I said, I'm going to take it off. Is that okay with you, and very long story short, I changed two settings for him. He now understands more about how the pump works, but I can't tell if someone just didn't. The CDE didn't show him how it was supposed to work or not. But he he was telling me I cannot eat anything without spiking really hard. And I said, you don't have to live that way. Yeah. Let's talk about this. And I've not gotten him on the podcast just yet. He's about 65 or so years old, and he can be a little technologically challenged. But that's the next step is to get him on the podcast. Not

Scott Benner 1:01:19
only is that nice for him, but I think it's fantastic for you. Because I imagine you coming home and trying to slyly drop into conversation around your daughter how you were helpful to another person? And how maybe she should listen again.

Sarah 1:01:32
She knows Dan, they're friends. Now. We've traded supplies with him at this point. So yeah.

Scott Benner 1:01:38
So Sarah, I have a question that I would ask both of you, except Megan's not gonna have an answer for it. So you listen to the podcast? I do. Okay. And it's been valuable to you, and you're coming on to add your story to it, which is terrific. answer a question for me, if you have an answer, okay. Knowing that I have no religious background what at all? And that I don't go to church, and that if you pressed me on whether or not there was a God, I'd probably tell you, I don't think there is and like all this, why do I have such a following of religiously minded people? Because I do. I can't figure it out. 100%?

Sarah 1:02:11
I think because you're willing to concede that you don't know at all. And I think like you just don't know what you don't know. And being vulnerable, like that is appealing to those who have faith, because we too, have to acknowledge that we don't know it all.

Scott Benner 1:02:28
Okay. That's, that's really, it's really, I'm like, Megan, just because you wouldn't know this. The podcast has an incredible following in the in the Mormon community, for example. And it just, it started to become incredibly obvious. And then it I was like, I don't understand, like, what did I do? Or say that would have done that? And now, you ladies and other things that I've heard from other places, and I'm like, I don't know. And my wife's like, this is ridiculous. My wife says, they don't know you. I want to tell you a story. On Christmas Eve went to church with my wife when we were just married or dating. And we're sitting there. And I said to her, what, what's happening? And she said, oh, people are gonna go up and get communion for Christmas. And I was like, I would like to go. And she said, You can't take communion. And I was like, why? And she was, well, you're not Catholic. And I was like, Okay. And so I said, I really want to see what the cookie looks like. And she's like, it's a wafer, it's not a cookie. And we're having this very quiet conversation at midnight in church, and she's like, I'm gonna go take communion, you sit right here, and I was like, okay, and she got up to your communion. And then I got up and went right up behind her. So I was like, four or five people behind her. And I'm walking up. And now I'm feeling the pressure. Because by the way, I was in my 20s. I just want to say that now. And I'm feeling the pressure, because I don't I really just want to see what the wafer is. I'm just endlessly interested in what it is. But the guy is going to put it the guy, the priest is going to put it in my mouth. And so I'm like, What do I do? Because if I eat it, I'm never gonna see it. So like I copped it, like, you don't I mean, and I brought it back to the thing. And she's like, What did you do? And I said, I really just wanted to see the thing. And she's like, Well, yeah, but now you ate it. I'm like, No, I have it right here. And then she panicked. And she's like, You have to eat that right now. And I was like, I really just want to see it. I was like, I don't know why I can't look at it for a second. Eat it, not you. Well, I forget what we did with it if I'm being perfectly honest. But I think legally, I was supposed to burn it. I don't know exactly what they'll just joking. But so like I have like, that's it for me. Like I think that's the last time I've been in church. She did not bring me back after that. But so you just think it's that you just think it's that I'm willing to say like, I'm not sure about this, or there's no perfection here where that I would entertain a conversation about why it's no different for somebody to use a prescription drug from another thing. And I don't necessarily believe that I just, I'm just interested in the conversation. Like I just I just want to know what people think. So that's it. Hmm, I'm gonna Okay, thank you. And I appreciate that.

Sarah 1:05:01
I mean, what do you think? Again? i That's kind of I think, you know,

Megan 1:05:06
I think your curiosity is quite inviting. And people are drawn to that. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with religion or faith, or lack thereof.

Sarah 1:05:17
I don't know, it's nice to hear someone have a conversation without using vulgar words, or making double entendre theatre or you know,

Scott Benner 1:05:27
but I do a little bit of that sometimes. It's not all the time,

Sarah 1:05:31
yes, I'm clutching my pearls.

Scott Benner 1:05:34
I've done that people have said things that are funny. And I'm like, oh, that means this too. But it's just it's very interesting, because I don't know, like, I'm, I'm kind of flattered by it. And happy for it. Because I don't want to, like, the worst thing that I can imagine is doing is that the information is here that you need and would be helpful to you or the or the camaraderie is here that would be helpful to you or the community or whatever it ends up being, and that somehow, I ended up being the gatekeeper that tells you no, you can't come in here, because I've done something that is so egregious to you, like, I don't want to be that, like I don't sanitize the show. But I also don't want to eliminate the possibility for someone to come to it. And I'm so far I've been really happy that the way it's being received all over. But I don't know, it's just there were such an influx at one point from a couple of different like religious like centers, I guess in the country, that I was really like, I

Sarah 1:06:32
wonder if like maybe they had like a maybe a JDRF conference.

Scott Benner 1:06:38
So I'm glad I this is why I brought it up to see where you would get to what I the only answer I've ever gotten from a person in the Mormon faith is that they're they have a very community based situation there. So people start getting type one diabetes, and they say, Hey, I was listening this podcast that really helped. And then I guess it helps them and then I probably get the goodwill from that as it goes on. But anyway, it's just if you knew me, personally, I'm not trying to say that, like when I leave here, I have somebody tied up in another room, or something weird like that, like I'm a pretty reasonably normal person. But I've just it's weird that it's me. You don't know that. But I know that. You know, I'm saying,

Sarah 1:07:16
I see I see it through the lens of faith. God's using you whether or not you believe in Him. He is using you to help others. And and if this is the reason that Arden was diagnosed with type one, then then maybe maybe this was part of God's plan for your life and hers. Oh, my God, she

Scott Benner 1:07:38
would hate that if she heard that. Way, there's already three people in my house using the same coin, right? I mean, no, no, no, it's in the end. It's really just, it's the extra words around the conversation. No matter what perspective you come from, you're saying the same thing, which is, you know, if it happened to this person, and this person picked up this mantle and did something with it, then that's, that's good, because more goods coming from it than bad. And I appreciate that very much. So. Okay. Thank you. I appreciate it. All right. So is there anything I didn't ask you that I should have?

Sarah 1:08:11
I don't know. There's plenty more to say.

Scott Benner 1:08:15
Is that a dog? It's a huge Yes. This is Travie? Oh, of course,

Sarah 1:08:20
come here. Let's see. I know, I'm delicious.

Megan 1:08:25
I just want to put a plug in I know, this is not the purpose of your podcasts. But like for organ donation. Yeah, please. Because it's, it's worth it. And it yes, it takes six or eight weeks to recover from a kidney donation, but medical stuff is getting better. And recovery times are more manageable. So you know, as much as I hope that no diabetics ever need to have to go through it. If you do, it'll be okay. Like, there are no side effects for me on this side of donating.

Sarah 1:09:00
Megan, correct me if I'm wrong. But my understanding about organ donation is that if you have donated a kidney, for example, and something happens to your remaining kidney, you are put at the top of the list. You're not put on some waitlist, like

Scott Benner 1:09:16
interesting. Is that true? Like if that's how it is, you know?

Megan 1:09:19
Yeah, I don't know for sure. But I think to remember something I do know that if I was unable to give to my dad that I could have given to someone else and my dad would have been moved to the top of the list, because I gave here and

Sarah 1:09:33
give me a change like that. I've heard that. Yes, that's well, that's

Scott Benner 1:09:36
interesting. So if you weren't a match for your father, they could have taken your donation given to somebody else and that would have accelerated your dad's

Megan 1:09:44
spot at the top of the list. Yeah.

Scott Benner 1:09:45
How about that? That kind of makes sense. That's that's like a twofer. One.

Sarah 1:09:49
Yeah, there are other situations where they wait to trade. It's a straight trade. How do you mean? So? Megan would donate to a stranger and that stranger person would donate to her dad. Oh, that makes sense, too. So it's a straight trade. That's super people who have time who have a certain level of functionality. So I think it's like that 15 to 20% range. I don't know if you remember that or not Megan. But that's that that range will get you on the list. Yes. Still not on dialysis. And so when you're in kind of that magical 5% range there, that's when they can you have time?

Scott Benner 1:10:26
Yeah. Your dad's on that cocktail of anti rejection meds? Yes, he makes out okay with all that.

Megan 1:10:34
Yeah. It's just part of the process. Like you just have to do it. So every day at 9am and 9pm. The Adele alarm goes off, and we say data time to take your pills. So he knows that it's everybody in our family knows that. Like, it's just pill time.

Scott Benner 1:10:52
Is the Dell alarm, Adele singing a song? What song? Hello? Oh, okay. I saw Delon concert. She was terrific. Oh, jealous. Yeah, it was really? It took my wife for her birthday a few years ago.

Sarah 1:11:07
It's a great present. Yeah,

Megan 1:11:09
that is a great present. Hint, hint. Jason.

Sarah 1:11:13
I remember Megan, you and I were gonna go to Oprah together. Do you remember that? Yes. Oprah she had the nerve. Wire.

Scott Benner 1:11:19
Oh, when she did Wait, when Oprah was doing those tours where she was? I don't know what happens with those tours. No,

Sarah 1:11:24
no, no, we were gonna fly out to Chicago to see the TV show a taping. Yeah. Girls trap.

Scott Benner 1:11:33
Just wanted to leave home, I see what's going on. Tried to get out of there for a couple of minutes. That is

Sarah 1:11:39
anything I didn't get to talk about today, Scott was was JDRF the importance of being involved if that's something that is attainable for you, or if they have a chapter that's close to you, not everyone is has the same access that I've got that I happen to sit on the board here locally. And it's it's really quite rewarding. I would encourage anyone who has had any sort of curiosity about JDRF, if you've not looked into it, please do. I do know that there are no small number of adults who are angry at JDRF. Because of the five years of cure, 10 years of cure, and honestly, between the three of us, they're not wrong. Data f should never have been promising things that they couldn't follow through on and I don't blame folks, but JDRF has changed their messaging. And Dexcom is a direct result of JDRF funds and influence. And so are all the algorithms that are out now they fully back all of them. They don't just they're not just looking for cure a cure. But obviously, they want to be out of a job. But they're also pushing to improve the lives of type ones. And And coincidentally, now type twos, but I'm hearing about a lot of type twos ending up on Dexcom, for example, or are using long acting like trust Seba,

Scott Benner 1:12:59
I think you're gonna see a lot of tight tubes using glucose sensing technology. And it's going to give them a better idea of how their food is impacting their blood sugar's and what they can do to, to keep the spikes away. So I think that's right here, you just need, I think the first steps actually happening where Medicare is going to cover it. It's not right, like they're trying to get it covered for Medicare first type two, which is the that's basically the that's the door opening for the other, the other insurance companies to kind of follow suit. So I think that's going to be for certain, and I have had more than a handful of type twos on the show, who require insulin and whose lives are basically, you know, that of a person with type one at this point. And they talked about like massive improvements from just understanding how to use insulin and how food impacts them. So yeah, I absolutely agree. I raised a lot of money for JDRF when my daughter was first born, are first diagnosed.

Sarah 1:13:53
diagnosed. Yeah, that's pretty common.

Scott Benner 1:13:55
And that one day, I was like, I think I could that's actually that's what my that's how i That's why I started my blog at first, because I raised money for the JDRF. And they raised something like, it was like $1,500. And I thought I put all this work in, I only raise $1,500 and piss me off. So it's like, how could I have reached more people? And I started a blog. And I started telling people about diabetes. And then at the end, I was like, you know, here, you could support this. And then it kind of grew from there over the years. But no, thank

Megan 1:14:24
you for doing that.

Sarah 1:14:25
Yeah, thank you. I didn't realize that you had got kind of gotten your start that way. That's that's really is pretty, pretty nice.

Scott Benner 1:14:31
I think we raised $60,000 By the time it was all said and done. I'm very annoying, so it's easy for me to get money from people. That's great. Yeah. Having said that, please go to the sponsor links if you're listening and click on them if you need this stuff. Yeah, the money's not gonna go to the JDRF now I'm gonna send my kids to college with it. So I'm sorry.

Sarah 1:14:50
We got to eat to Scott. You know

Scott Benner 1:14:52
why? Alright, here's my last question. Why is the food to college so bad?

Megan 1:14:57
I don't think it's not It's getting better. I mean, it is there are plenty of good options. I think students have demanded that over time and it's evolved. It's really getting good. Yeah,

Scott Benner 1:15:08
Arden needs more insulin at college than she does at home. And the food and when we visited, my son had had such a bad time at college with food that, like it was one of the things we were paying attention to that, you know, the first time around, we were just like food, they'll make them food. And then one day, my son sends me a piece of chicken, it's pink, and he goes, this is what I'm supposed to eat today. I'm like, Okay, so anyway, we paid more attention the second time around when we went around barn. And then Arden's places, like, it's beautiful. It's like a restaurant in there. It's so gorgeous. And we're like, this is gonna be better. And then she's bolusing. She's like that these carb counts are nowhere near right. She's like, she's like, I mean, I'm sure the carbs that they're listening are right, she's up at this foods hitting me so much harder than so it's basically like eating at an mid level restaurant, is what it's like being a college. And it's tough. It's tough when you're managing your insulin, especially when you're, you know, away from home. So anyway,

Sarah 1:16:05
I have found in our home, that the more food we make at our house, and if I shopped the perimeter of the grocery store in order to put together a meal, her the glycemic index seems to be a whole lot lower processed foods seem to hit like really, really hard. Yeah, they're

Scott Benner 1:16:23
difficult.

Sarah 1:16:24
Yeah. And I really, there's a skinnytaste is a blog online as well. And she has about five cookbooks out there. And all of her recipes are nutritionally counted. So I cook out of those two, I've got two of the cookbooks that are kind of like that's what I used. That's my go to, and I cook out of the weekly. Absolutely. And it makes a big difference. Plus, she can look at the the recipe and carb count herself. She does she doesn't have me going

Scott Benner 1:16:56
Hey, yeah. keeps you out of the loop again. It does.

Sarah 1:17:00
Keep me out of it.

Scott Benner 1:17:00
I'm sure in her when did you This is such a weird question. Did you clash with your mom?

Sarah 1:17:07
Oh, yeah. Yeah. How came from my raisin?

Scott Benner 1:17:13
How old do you think you'll be when you guys? Like how old were you when you were like, Oh, why am I hassling my mom like this? i Not yet.

Sarah 1:17:22
It goes in waves. Your brain.

Scott Benner 1:17:26
It's her fault for being wrong about everything. So it's not your fault.

Sarah 1:17:30
Crazy? No, she's not crazy. Maybe a little crazy. But But yeah, well, yeah, when I stopped like being a pain, and I was definitely a pill, probably, probably in college is when but let's be honest. Regan is sunshine and butterflies. And it's just that she has moments, hormonal moments, where she's very frowny, and says things in the tone of voice that makes me want to smack her mouth and which we had to warn her the other week or like, Hey, I don't think you need it this way. But your tone has got to change, right? And if we have to bring your attention to the smack on the mouth, we will. So please don't please don't make me do it. I don't want to do it. You're

Scott Benner 1:18:16
just far enough south or you're like, this is cool. We can totally do this.

Sarah 1:18:20
Definitely do it this way. But again, we don't you know, we try to roll with the punches and be like, okay, and I've told her on countless times. I don't think you meant that tone of voice. Can you please say that again? And so

Scott Benner 1:18:36
is it ever related to high blood sugars? I know you're not allowed to see, but I know

Sarah 1:18:39
right? I and that is the that's the rub is like what what is this? Is this a product of hormones? Or loved low blood sugar? Or do you just not get enough sleep last night? I mean, it's like things that can affect high blood sugar, blood sugar in general. You know, that book is about this thick? Yeah. Yeah.

Scott Benner 1:18:59
It's interesting. Well, it's what I've said in my life. I've said to art and I'm gonna look at your blood sugar. And if it's in range, you're in trouble. If there's a reason why this is happening, then okay, but

Sarah 1:19:12
no. Yeah, taking notes over here.

Scott Benner 1:19:15
All right. Well, you guys are terrific. I really appreciate you doing this. Thank you very much. It's it's really interesting how you met each other and how you've stayed together this long and how you've intersected so that's nice. You just share it.

Megan 1:19:27
Thank you for doing this, Scott. It's fun to participate. Yeah, I

Sarah 1:19:31
appreciate it very much.

Scott Benner 1:19:32
Hold on one second for me. Okay. Yeah.

I want to thank Sarah, I want to thank Megan I want to thank us met us med.com forward slash juice box or call 888-721-1514 I'm not reading this. I just know it 888-721-1514 Us med.com forward slash Juicebox Podcast that's dexcom.com forward slash juice box. I can do all of the ads right now for you off the top of my head one day, at the end of one of these episodes, I'm just going to do every one of them. One take. We'll see how well I can get through them. And I'm probably going to make some mistakes, but I'll give it a shot. Anyway, don't forget, the diabetes Pro Tip series has been remastered episode 1002 1026 or juicebox podcast.com en diabetes pro tip.com. Are you in the private Facebook group Juicebox Podcast? type one diabetes, go check it out. Thank you so much for listening. I could do this all day. I'm out of my mind. Thank you so much for listening. Sorry, I got all excited there. Hold on. I'm ready. Thank you so much for listening. I'll be back very soon with another episode of The Juicebox Podcast. You know if I didn't say that, with that voice, it would sound like this. Thank you so much for listening. I'll be back very soon with another episode of The Juicebox Podcast. You guys can vote and tell me which one I should do moving forward. Don't email me though. Do it in the private Facebook group. Don't Don't do it here. Please. I don't have the bandwidth to answer those emails. All right. I love you guys. Thanks for listening. I'll be back soon.

---

Please support the sponsors

The Juicebox Podcast is a free show, but if you'd like to support the podcast directly, you can make a gift here. Recent donations were used to pay for podcast hosting fees. Thank you to all who have sent 5, 10 and 20 dollars!

Donate