#1123 After Dark: Clean and Sober

Kat is nurse who is now clean and sober. She grew up in an alcoholic household and began using cocaine at the age of 12, Her daughter has type 1 diabetes. WARNING: sudden mention of sexual assualt and other sensitive topics. 

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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 to episode 1123 of the Juicebox Podcast.

Cat grew up in an alcoholic household, she began doing cocaine at the age of 12. And that led to using meth. Her 15 year old daughter has type one diabetes and a few other issues. And it looks here like oh rd and called in a couple of times Hoback at the beginning of using the Dexcom G seven art and had a concern that she didn't know how to fix while she was away at school. It looks like we took care of it on the podcast. Nothing you hear on the Juicebox Podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise, always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan. When you place your first order for ag one with my link, you'll get five free travel packs and a free year supply of vitamin D. Drink a G one.com/juice box. If you're looking for community around type one diabetes, check out the Juicebox Podcast private Facebook group Juicebox Podcast type one diabetes, but everybody is welcome type one type two gestational loved ones. It doesn't matter to me. If you're impacted by diabetes, and you're looking for support, comfort or community check out Juicebox Podcast type one diabetes on Facebook

this episode of The Juicebox Podcast is sponsored by cozy Earth cozy earth.com use the offer code juicebox at checkout to save 40% off of the clothing, towels sheets off of everything they have at cozy earth.com us med is sponsoring this episode of The Juicebox Podcast and we've been getting our diabetes supplies from us med for years. You can as well. Us med.com/juice box or call 888721151 for use the link or the number get your free benefits check it get started today with us med My

Kat 2:13
name is Kat I am a single mother of a type one diabetic who is 1515

Scott Benner 2:23
Oh cat my whole whiteboard is dirty. And my my yp thing is on hold on my thesis little tiny eraser is embarrassing. No one can see it. And it's embarrassing. No erasing this giant whiteboard with like a half inch eraser that I have here. Hold on, you'll be all right. I've been editing like a lunatic for three weeks, so that my wife and I can go visit our kids. Oh, sweet. Oh, I basically made the backroom stuff for the podcast. I basically did three and a half weeks of it in a week and a half. So I'm a little Have you slept? No, not really. Anything so I'm getting to it though. I'll sleep I'm driving to where the kids are. How's that sound?

Kat 3:07
As long as you're not driving,

Scott Benner 3:09
I'll be driving. Okay,

Kat 3:11
so then you can't do that.

Scott Benner 3:14
Alright, cat 15 year old type one. Diagnosed how long ago?

Kat 3:19
And 2018. Okay, do the math you want me

Scott Benner 3:25
to seems like five years ago?

Kat 3:26
It was five years.

Scott Benner 3:28
Okay. So any diabetes in the family? Yes,

Kat 3:34
my will after she was diagnosed, we figured out that my grandfather's brother who died when he was young from diabetes was obviously type one. But it wasn't really talked about. And then a month after she was diagnosed my what would it be? My cousin first cousin. There you go. He was diagnosed but he was like 34 Okay. And then, three months prior to my daughter being diagnosed, I found out that the Son I gave birth to who I gave up for adoption was diabetic. Oh,

Scott Benner 4:14
that's a twist. Can't can't wait to throw a twist in in the first couple of minutes. This is how this how you come correct. Everybody who's listening. Don't Don't slow walk me on this stuff. Get it right out there. Wow. At birth given up for adoption? Yes. Wow. Okay. Okay. That's something. I'm sorry. Were they twins? No.

Kat 4:37
God, no. That would be horrible.

Scott Benner 4:43
Oh, to split. Oh, I see there. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Okay, so how old is the adopted child older than your 15 year old?

Kat 4:52
Yes. So he just turned 18 Okay,

Scott Benner 4:57
got it. How Do you know when he got diabetes? How did you find out?

Kat 5:04
So, we had an open adoption. Um, so I'm in contact with his, with his mother. And she she'd let me know. She let me know three months before my daughter was diagnosed, but he was diagnosed maybe a year before she was.

Scott Benner 5:21
Okay. So about nine months into his diagnosis, she reached thought to reach out and tell you, yes. Okay. And then, just a few months later, your daughter's diagnosed?

Kat 5:32
Yes. And that I think that was really the way that not the way we found out but my mom kind of clued in to it. When we she was my daughter was having all these issues. She was like, Do you think it could be this? And I was like, No. Like, she's she's not overweight and all of these things. And then I looked up, type one diabetes, and she was just having all of the classic symptoms.

Scott Benner 5:59
Question. That's for my interest and probably not for my child's different fathers. Same fathers.

Kat 6:06
Different fathers. I don't know the father of my birth son. Oh,

Scott Benner 6:12
okay. I don't think I want to ask about that. I don't right. Oh, wait, no matter. Really? Okay. All right, cat. Why don't you know the father of your birthstone?

Kat 6:24
Well, no, I was. I was a troubled teen. That's what it comes down to. I put myself in a predicament at the beach on a family vacation. My grandfather just passed. I didn't care what was going on. I was using drugs and alcohol and just wanted to find a place to have fun. And somebody offered to take me to like a beach party. And we went I was offered a drink. And I don't remember anything after that.

Scott Benner 6:53
I'm sorry. How old were you? I was

Kat 6:56

1415. Oh, gosh.

Scott Benner 6:58
Okay. Does your does the boy know that?

Kat 7:04
No, I don't know. The boy. Yeah.

Scott Benner 7:07
Would would. Would the adopted parents know the story or? No? I told them. Okay. All right. Well, you just sobered the whole thing. Right up cat. Okay. It's okay. I'm so sorry to hear that. But it's fine. But for diabetes purposes. Looks like the type one comes through your family line as my was kind of what Yes. Initially trying to get at before we found this. But you so but you have your daughter when you're 17? Is that right? No, no.

Kat 7:38
I had her when I was 19. Okay, sorry. Okay. 19.

Scott Benner 7:43
Would you have considered yourself still a troubled teen at 19? Or no,

Kat 7:47
by 19? I had, I was in a relationship with somebody who I thought I was going to marry. I had already been to rehab for mental health and addiction. And I think I was in a more stable place. So I would say yes.

Scott Benner 8:07
Gotcha. There was that that took me in a big circle. I was like, Oh my gosh. But I got I understand though, you were like you would made a ton of improvements, but probably weren't as improved as you saw yourself. Is that fair? Oh,

Kat 8:23
100% Yeah, yeah.

Scott Benner 8:25
Wow. Okay, so Geez, you're only you're only 34

Kat 8:30
I am.

Scott Benner 8:31
Well has a big life. And fun. Can I tell you something? Sure. I just started a diabetes podcast. I didn't know it was all gonna go like this. And last week, people will. People will have heard the episode that I'm going to reference right now. By the time by the time yours comes out. Last week, I interviewed a 73 year old woman who had diabetes type one since she was 40. She was misdiagnosed. She had all kinds of trouble. It took a long time for them to figure out she had diabetes so her blood sugar's were kind of like high all the time. She thought she had mental health issues because of how like, you know, oddly, her brain was working but turns out her blood sugar was just high. She divorced her husband because of this never had children because of it. embarked on a three year lesbian relationship came back out of that. And like she's telling me this whole big story. And we're maybe 45 minutes into it. And all I could think about was like, wow, like if you live long enough, like look at the perspective you gain because this woman was so happy and and just healthy and and you know what I mean? Like really interesting. And then I don't know what happened. We must have gotten to the point where she was so comfortable while we were talking. She discloses that she was molested at 10 years old by a by a family member. Wow. And if my takeaway I'm telling you right now, my takeaway after speaking with her for that long was people can get through anything really impressive, like just the like where she is now compared to all of the things that she had gone through, you would think that would create just a broken person, but it didn't. It really can. It can. Sure it can. Yeah, but like, I'm just fascinated that anybody could have gotten through something like that. And hers. Her story was just, it's incredible. Like, it's gonna be shocking. While you're listening to it. Like it's gonna come out of nowhere. And it really ended. It shocked me. I didn't know what to say. Because she was because she was also I don't know, if everybody knows older people, but you lose your like your filter a little bit like she did. She was very just direct about what happened to her. And I was I was so stunned. I couldn't talk. So it was it was really something but I'm asking you now because in my mind, you've had a few of her experiences. And I'm wondering, you know, they're about at 34 How far to free and easy 73 year old cat Are you? The podcast is sponsored today, by the place where I kept my oh gosh, my sheets, my towels, some of my clothing. A lot of the things that I stay warm are comfortable with cozy earth.com I'm wearing a pair of cozy Earth joggers right now, I've recently gotten another pair in a different color. I sleep on cozy Earth sheets. They're so comfortable and soft and temperate, temperate, meaning I'm never hot or cold. Which is really saying something because my wife loves to turn that giant fan on but they keep me nice and warm without making me like sweaty or moist. You know what I mean? Want to be moist while you're sleeping. And then of course, the waffle towels I use every day to dry off my bits and parts. After I've showered cozy earth.com use the offer code juice box at checkout to save 40% off of your entire order. I'm not saying 40% off of one item, I'm saying 40% off of everything you put in the cart, cozy earth.com use the offer code juice box at checkout. diabetes comes with a lot of things to remember. So it's nice when someone takes something off of your plate. US med has done that for us. When it's time for art and supplies to be refreshed. We get an email rolls up in your inbox says hi Arden. This is your friendly reorder email from us med. You open up the email. It's a big button that says click here to reorder. And you're done. Finally, somebody taking away a responsibility instead of adding one. US med has done that for us. An email arrives, we click on a link and the next thing you know your products are at the front door. That simple. Us med.com/juice box or call 888-721-1514 I never have to wonder if Arden has enough supplies. I click on one link. I opened up a box. I put the stuff in the drawer. And we're done. US med carries everything from insulin pumps, and diabetes testing supplies to the latest CGM like the libre three, and the Dexcom G seven. They accept Medicare nationwide, over 800 private insurers. And all you have to do to get started is called 888-721-1514. Or go to my link us med.com/juicebox using that number or my link helps to support the production of the Juicebox Podcast.

Kat 13:52
I think I'm pretty much there.

Scott Benner 13:53
Wow. That's so cool.

Kat 13:55
I yeah, I I mean, just life throws curveballs at you. And you either deal with them or you don't what helped you get through all that? My daughter probably the fact that I'm a single parent, I don't have another choice.

Scott Benner 14:12
But you know other people just are bad parents in that situation. They don't take the choice you took you don't know why

Kat 14:18
you well. I wasn't always like this though. Oh, definitely not. All right. So I mean, I've I've relapsed after being sober for 10 years. You know, I've I've definitely made mistakes along the way. But I don't know you just get older and something just clicks in you. Yeah. You're like, All right, enough is

Scott Benner 14:36
enough. Were you ever a 22 year old girl and Black Sabbath t shirt in an arcade holding the baby?

Kat 14:42
No. Black that was not my thing. But no,

Scott Benner 14:48
I'm sorry, was it it was an inexpensive shirt.

Kat 14:51
No, it'd be more like Tupac or something.

Scott Benner 14:54
I gotcha. Oh, that's. How about that? Well, good. I mean, listen, I'm gonna congratulate you but does it Feel like luck. Does it feel like hard work? Or does it feel like a blend?

Kat 15:06
I think a blend. I don't think I'm fully done growing in that aspect. But I'm trying, I'm getting there. And I need to quit saying, I'm sorry, you're

Scott Benner 15:17
fine. I don't care what the hell you say keep talking. You're doing great. I have three words written down in front of me. But if, or excuse me, so an arm. But so those are the words that I say, No, those are the words. I try not to say. Oh, yeah, I tried a lot. Um, I use when I'm thinking sometimes, but I don't know. I think it's the pressure to talk because I'm being recorded. Because in real life, I don't say it. Yeah. So I could see that. Yes. So is a connecting word. And I just need to like I know other connecting words, but I get lazy. And I say so a lot. Anyway, see there? I could have said so. But I said anyway. Good job. Yes. Thank you very much. I'll be good at this. By the time I'm done doing it maybe was just fascinating. Like, did you have good family support? Like, am I picturing you and your Tupac shirt? Your mom at home like June Cleaver? Or is your mom at home having her own troubles?

Kat 16:20
I had amazing family support. Complicated. My dad is an alcoholic functioning. My mother is currently going through rehab of for alcoholism and mental health. So it's, it's shifted a little bit but I'm my extended family, my aunts and everybody, my brother. Just constant support

Scott Benner 16:46
for nice. That's excellent. So I'm gonna tell you, I think that alcohol is probably the most dangerous substance I've seen people use. I mean, it's awful. Yeah, I mean, I guess heroin, maybe you know, or, like, yeah, in that kind of like, legal,

Kat 17:01
the worst legal. Even, like,

Scott Benner 17:04
when you get up into the, the opioids, then obviously, there's another danger there. But I mean, you know, things that people do to alleviate their pressure and stress, you know, we like drinking like drinking really men just, it just gets some people in a way. You know, and and the impact it has on their children is always, always there. You don't you don't grow up with alcoholic parents and not have a big bag tied around your neck that you're dragging. That's for sure. Well, okay. Why the hell are you on this podcast? Cat just the freak me out on a Monday morning? Or you got more further than that? What did you? What did you decide that you wanted to come on for?

Kat 17:44
I don't know. You know, it was one of those things where you signed up because you thought it was a good idea. And then you were like, What did I do? Yeah, one of those moments, my wife

Scott Benner 17:53
has that look on her face a lot.

Kat 17:57
No, I just thought it was just interesting how I've the combination of finding out how my childhood diabetes had to do with my mom connecting it to us just being told about my son having my birth son having been diagnosed. So I just thought that was interesting.

Scott Benner 18:17
It is it is but so you think that basically hearing the story about him then planted the seeds in your head so that when your daughter started to get sick, you saw something you maybe never would have seen otherwise? Oh,

Kat 18:30
no, I didn't see anything. He was your mom. My mom. Yes, no, my daughter was hours from being dead. Oh my gosh, he looked like an I don't want to offend anybody. But she looked like, you know, the emaciated bone. Just skin and bone that you see in third world countries like it was. It was shocking. And I just kept telling my family like, I know something's wrong. Like she's, where are her muscles. She's so athletic. And she had no muscle. And it was always, you know, the usual she's growing her her weight hasn't, you know, come back from her growing inches and blah, blah, blah.

Scott Benner 19:11
How quickly do you think that transformation happened?

Kat 19:13
I think about two months. Because I remember the last like picture I saw of her was in July at my aunt's birthday party, where she looked quote unquote, normal. And then after that, it was just downhill

Scott Benner 19:31
happens really quickly. Shocking. Yeah. Yeah, it did. And it just, it's just slow enough that people around you can say things like, oh, it's probably a growth spurt. But you could tell. No. But you're also what like what stops you from? From like, I don't know, moving this to an emergent problem like calling a doctor or something like that.

Kat 19:54
It's because she was not. I'm a nurse and I know what I pulled over my A parent's eyes and I'm not going to be you know, that same parent. So, like, I would never let her stay home from school, because she was eating. She didn't have fever. You know, none of the signs were there where you know something's wrong. So I just didn't clue in on it. There was an excuse for everything. Issues. You can excuse everything away. Is she a good kid? Amazing. Yeah.

Scott Benner 20:25
Is it a failure? Like you can't stay home from school? I know. You're gonna make a bomb. Yeah. You're not inviting 20 boys over here. I'm 12. Like, so? You just you're defending against the things you remember in your life? Yeah, yeah, absolutely. It was interesting. But she's not like that, right?

Kat 20:45
Not at all. I don't know how she's my child. Or she's way better

Scott Benner 20:49
at hiding it than you are. I'm just kidding. Oh, that's right. Yeah. So you were like, press on get going. We're not giving. And yet she was she was on her way out. What was her? You know, her blood sugar when they leave took her in? How did you end up with the hospital.

Kat 21:09
So it started with my daughter throwing up at school, but she had PE first Ariat her first period. So I was like, Well, she didn't eat anything. Of course, she's gonna throw up. And then she had soccer practice after school. And she threw up there. And I was like, well, she just ate of course, she's gonna grow up. And then she just didn't feel well at all. And my daughter cannot take medication at all. Like, her gag reflex is awful. And I said, Okay, if you take medication, I won't let you go to school tomorrow. I won't make you go to school tomorrow. So she took it and she slept that whole entire day. Not one time did she wake up? But the next day I told her like, you don't have fever, you're gonna gonna go to school. And that's when my mom stepped in and said, hey, you know, like, she really doesn't feel well. Why don't you you know, let her stay home. Let's take her to the doctor. But because of my job, I'm a home health nurse. I have patients that I've already scheduled. And so I couldn't take her. So my two aunts who are amazing. They took her to the doctor's office. And as soon as they saw her, they rushed her to the hospital. I was actually draining along when I got the call that she was diabetic.

Scott Benner 22:18
Why you just named the episode Aqua alone. Good job, cat. Fantastic. Do you think people know Jethro Tull? Probably not right? Doesn't matter.

Kat 22:29
I have no clue what you're talking about. He's

Scott Benner 22:30
gonna say you don't know, either. I'm still writing it down. Well, that's crazy. And you know, what it really highlights to me is how the idea of death is the last thing your brain will consider. Because I mean, come on. She threw up in the morning. She threw up in the afternoon. She slept an entire day away. And you were like, go to school? Yeah, yeah. But it's just because your brain won't your brain doesn't go there. It's the same thing when like people smoke, or they're like, I won't get lung cancer. Like, it's, it's that thing. Like even when presented with it. People will say no, it's not going to be me. And so it's a perseverance gene. I think it's why we we persist as as a you know, as humans, but it also in these specific circumstances, makes people press on when pressing on is not the right answer anymore. But yeah, your mom, huh? Good for her. Yes, yeah. And she didn't have any trouble. She didn't have any trouble telling you sometimes in a, like a mother daughter relationship. She might have thought that and kept it to herself.

Kat 23:38
I'm sure she was very scared to tell me. But I'm thankful she did. You

Scott Benner 23:44
mean after all the stuff that happened while she was raising you? She was probably like, I don't need this kid flipping out. Can you tell me for certain that you have stood in your kitchen screaming at your mom and your lifetime?

Kat 23:56
Oh, I can't tell you how many times you wish you could go back 100% It's still happening at the current moment, but only because of the things that my mom's going through right now.

Scott Benner 24:09
Is she having health issues? Mental health issues

Kat 24:13
and addiction. She's literally in rehab right now. Oh, I

Scott Benner 24:17
see. Oh, wow. Now you're Oh, wow. Hey, what did they what do they say? Now the master becomes the apprentice and the apprentice becomes that what is that? Exactly? The student becomes the teacher. So the thing she was watching you do urinal watching her do, huh? Wow. But she didn't have these issues earlier in life.

Kat 24:38
I think the alcoholism, yes. But my dad was an alcohol alcoholic. So everything was focused on him. And I think hers just kind of went to the wayside and then she had like a mental breakdown. And Christmas of last year, and it just increased everything. The alcoholism increased, which then affected her mental health, which then my brother and I stepped in and got her some help. Gotcha.

Scott Benner 25:15
Were they just propping each other up while they were together with the alcoholic stuff? Like they were just looking out for each other keep at it, like, are they functioning, very

Kat 25:25
functioning? Yeah, that's, that's the worst is a functioning alcoholic because they don't see wrong in anything they're doing because they're still able to hold a job, they're still able to, you know, make money and, and do the everyday things that everyone else does.

Scott Benner 25:39
That's the same thing I just said, except focus a different way. Like they they think like, it's okay, we got a goal and I'm getting up in the morning I do the things I'm supposed to do. It's not me, you know, they don't see the end, they don't see the end. Like if you go back 15 years and tell your mom like, Hey, you're gonna have a breakdown and like, you know, have mental health issues and blah, blah, blah. She goes, oh my god, I got this all together. It's interesting. Yeah. 100% Yeah, I'm sorry. That's that's a lot. And you're able to hold on to your sobriety while this is all going on. I am six Why do you think what do you what what keeps you where you're at? My

Kat 26:16
child? Just, I mean, there's no other option. It's not that it's not there. I do work every day to curb the the cravings and thoughts and once and all of that. And it does get easier over time. But it's just I mean, I've seen it I've seen it just destroy my family in a different form. Obviously, I was into drugs and my alcohol is usually the the substance that is affecting many of my other family members. But it's does the same thing. It just tears everybody apart.

Scott Benner 26:49
When you were younger. What what kinds of drugs? I

Kat 26:53
started with cocaine. And then in rehab. I switched to meth.

Scott Benner 27:01
Yeah, there you go. Yeah, jump right in cat. Yeah, no. skipped right over all of the stuff that like you were just like, Wait, I don't wait. It's not enough. I'm gonna go right there. Yeah. Wow. And

Kat 27:15
then I think because my dad smoked weed that I was just like, I'm not doing that. I'm gonna be better than him and not smoke weed.

Scott Benner 27:23
I'll do an upscale drug like, okay, yeah, good for you. Wait a way to pull together. I heard you laugh under your voice when you said in rehab I started using.

Kat 27:33
Because it's crazy. I think about it now. And I'm like that. It just is. It's, it's sad, honestly, because it's a place where you're supposed to go to get better. And it's the place where I found more connections, I found people who were like me who are going through similar things, who had their own dealers and their own connections. And then we were just a bunch of people. If you weren't in the mindset of actually getting better. We were just a bunch of people with all these connections. Now, ya

Scott Benner 28:02
know, it's like the Lions Club for meth. You're like, yeah, these guys all get together in a room drink coffee and like, trade phone numbers. Wow, that's fascinating. And then the people and there are people that are really like on the right path, and they just don't. You don't bother with them. The other people are running. You can tell business. Yeah. And it's and it's all money focused, I would imagine, too, right? Like you're trying to sell or, you know, sell so that you have more like, oh, wow, it's just, it's all the same thing. It's the same thing is the as the functioning alcoholic thing, except you're trying to be a functioning meth user. How long does that work for by the way? And do you have? Oh, God, I do have all my teeth for you.

Kat 28:46
I don't know how long that lasted. That's crazy.

Scott Benner 28:48
What's the difference? Between I can't play with a mask? And what's the difference between the highs from cocaine to meth?

Kat 28:56
So what my memory sucks because of it? I think I have a little bit of brain damage going on because of it. But I think that the the transition from cocaine to meth was necessary because the, I mean, I was using so much cocaine, that it was falling out of my nose because my nose was so inflamed that nothing else could go in. And so the need to do more and do more was there and mess. You know, like, surpass that. So

Scott Benner 29:28
let's talk about delivery. Yeah, yeah. Wow, that's interesting. How do you How does I mean? I'm assuming there was a rock bottom moment. How did you get out of it? I guess like what precipitates getting out of it. I

Kat 29:44
don't recall the exact moment but nothing happened. I just, I actually so I went into rehab after having a breakdown from not having Any more cocaine. I contacted my mom and she said I was freaking out. And she called my therapist and my therapist put me in, but it was it was, what, two or three months after I gave my son up for adoption. So it's a thought it was due to depression. They didn't know about my drug use until I entered rehab. And the therapist kind of brought it out of me, and then he snitched on me, which I thought he couldn't do because patient, Doctor confidentiality, saw

Scott Benner 30:33
that on Grey's Anatomy, and you were like, I'll be okay. I can tell them.

Kat 30:36
Yeah, apparently, it's out words.

Scott Benner 30:39
I didn't realize that this was all happening when you were so young. Yes, yeah.

Kat 30:44
And a funny not but not funny. The place I went, is currently where my mother is.

Scott Benner 30:53
Did full circle did you get like a punch card? Like a referral service? Do you know? I asked? Can I get anything for free? If all of us come?

Kat 31:02
Yeah, we'll keep you in business.

Scott Benner 31:04
Is it possible to have a relationship during the life you're describing? I know, you said you're a single mom over and over again. But like, did you try? Yeah,

Kat 31:13
cuz I have bouts where I was not using. I mean, I was sober for 10 years. Until I decided Mali was the thing that I wanted to try. It wasn't out when I was using. So let's give it a go.

Scott Benner 31:26
Where does that come from? Where does that try to find that thought for me. You've been sober for 10 years, your kid you're doing your thing. It's all going right. And then one day, you're like, hey, you know what I should do? Molly.

Kat 31:39
I had, I had a bad influence. My best friend. She was is an addict. And I think she just allowed me to give myself the okay to do it. She came back into my life. Like when I was sober. I cut her out of my life because it was too much. And for some reason, she comes around every once in a while. And if I let her in, my life turns to shit. Yeah. And that's exactly what happened. I let her in. And then she's, you know, in that state, and it just kind of sucks you back in? And what and? I mean, it just took over again.

Scott Benner 32:19
Does it look fun? Or inviting? Or how do you like when you see her? Hi, what are you? What's the thought? It

Kat 32:24
looks like a mess. It's not it's not a pretty sight, but I'm not her. So our our two ways of, of how we are when we're using are completely different. So I am more of a functioning? Well, I would think I thought of myself as more of a functioning user until I couldn't stop using.

Scott Benner 32:44
Yeah, I was gonna say that's the interpretation from a person who called her mom to call her mom to complain. There wasn't enough cocaine. So mom, I need help. Okay. Like, you know, I just can't get enough coke. So I called my mom again. That's, yeah, I guess while you're doing it, you don't know. But when you're hearing it as the person who's so stupid, yeah, you're like, Oh, wow. That's, it's like, it's like, if you ever heard that there's a great, a great audio clip online. Back before the internet was so like, full of video and stuff like that, where this guy just calls 911. And he's like, hello, I'm dead. And they're like, yes. And he's, he's just he's tried to like, eat like a pot Brown. He's like an older man. He had a pot brownie for the first time he calls the cops to tell them that he died. And that it's because he ate weed and he needs help. Yes, I have heard that. That's great. In my mind, that's you call it your mom.

Kat 33:43
Pretty much. Like who's the last person

Scott Benner 33:45
I should tell that I'm using cocaine to? I'm gonna go with my mom. And then and then I'm gonna complain about availability. Wow, that's crazy. Did your nose hold up? Did it didn't collapse that

Kat 33:56
I have hold on my septum. But yeah, that's good.

Scott Benner 34:01
You know, the comedian Artie Lange? I do not his his whole nose collapsed. It's it's just it's the

Kat 34:08
it's the crazy you're about to say fantastic. I

Scott Benner 34:10
know. But I didn't mean fantastic in the way of like, it's amazing. Fantastic. Like, it's fantastic in in how like, insane. It is. Like, yeah, like, by the way you can use fantastic in different ways. I didn't mean but I did stop myself because I was like, I don't want to explain what I mean. But it's just it's so crazy. And just unlike anything I've ever seen in my life. And, and yet, it doesn't matter, right? Because when your friend comes along with the MOLLE you're like, I won't. I want it up like that. Not me. Not me is how is the phrase that gets everybody into trouble. I won't get pregnant. It's okay, go ahead.

Kat 34:52
You can just you think you can just try a little and you'll you'll be okay. And some people can and that's and that's very uh, setting, but some people can actually do that. Gambling

Scott Benner 35:02
is no different than this either. It's all sort of the same stuff. Yeah, just make a bet. placed one bet. And then the next thing you know, it's three weeks later, and you're like, cool. I'd

Kat 35:13
like to gamble too. Yeah. Well, I

Scott Benner 35:15
bet you do. Call on your Yeah. Call it but so this sounds like a family thing.

Kat 35:19
Oh, yeah. Yeah. My brother had a gambling problem. Yeah, I think addiction is just like, embedded in my family.

Scott Benner 35:26
Is it wrong for me to ask what genre you are? Your family? You know, I mean, guys, Irish. You Italian? What are you? Exactly?

Kat 35:34
We are Polish. English. I think there are some Irish in there.

Scott Benner 35:41
Okay. All right. All right. Okay. So I love so far my favorite part of this conversation is that you thought you were going to be interesting on the podcast, because of the way your mom figured out that your kid had diabetes. Holan Ardens. Colony? This never happens. Give me a second. Yes, sir. Our exam, right. I'm recording. Is this like a big thing? What do you need? You have a tie that a question. Okay. Can Can people hear it? Can I record it? Or do you want to keep it private? Good. That means switch your it's your Dexcom. Yeah, well, you're into your grace period, which means like 12 hours ago, it would have told you or something like that. But it only takes it only takes 30 minutes to warm up. So just pop it on. All right. Good luck. God, God, God, what do you got? Hold on. Sorry, I can't I'll be right back on. I'm in the middle of talking to cat. She's living a life of addiction. And she's clean now. And now we're talking about your Dexcom? Don't be sorry, it's fine. You're fine. You just need to switch your Dexcom the g7? You can but yeah, you can you can you're not going to have numbers for 30 minutes. If you do that. You can also put the new one on. And then 30 aren't good luck. Bye. I have a diabetic question.

Kat 37:01
I thought she had been wearing the g7

Scott Benner 37:03
or second one. So she didn't know that. Yeah, so she's had g7 on one time while I was there for a trip just to test it so that we'd know. She could switch on our own college while I wasn't there. Then she made the switch. So her like her first one, she switched out, you know, 10 days. This one apparently she got there into like finals now. And everything like she's running around like a lunatic trying to keep up with with school. And it sounds like the the new g7 has a grace period, which is kind of terrific. Because you know, otherwise, this one would have shut down at the end of 10 days. So she just gets this notification like your grace periods over in an hour. But she's got to be at class and our she's like, what does that mean? Like it means to get a change. What she wouldn't let me tell her is that the grace periods over and an hour, so she's gonna swap them real quickly and then not have data for a half hour, she could actually put a new g7 on, wait 30 minutes, then swap them. And she'd never be without data. But that seemed like that as she was rushing through the door, and I heard doors banging and everything. And she's running back to her room to get a Dexcom. I think perhaps that might have been too much information. So I'll cover that when I see her in a couple of weeks. Anyway, I said like I'm talking to cat and cats like blah, blah, blah. And she goes well, I'm sorry, but hold on.

Kat 38:27
It's very important.

Scott Benner 38:28
She doesn't she doesn't call me and it wasn't a FaceTime. That's how I knew like she actually needed something. Cuz Yeah, she's trying to connect quickly. Whereas when they just want to chat like they pop up on FaceTime and stuff like that. So anyway, no worries. My amusement is that you thought the the interesting part of this conversation, but was about your mom, but did you really think that you listen to the podcast? Of course I do. You knew we were going to talk about this then. Yeah. Did you want to talk about it? Do you think? I don't care? If it I mean, like subconsciously, did you think I'll go on that podcast and we'll talk about this stuff? I'm trying to figure out if people come here for therapy. Yes.

Kat 39:05
You know, I did just sign up with BetterHelp. So I am definitely in need of therapy. Cat.

Scott Benner 39:11
Did you use my link better? help.com forward slash juicebox? I sure did they give you 10% off your first month of therapy when you signed up? They sure did. Wow. That's amazing. Thank you.

Kat 39:21
It does amazing. Thank you. Yeah,

Scott Benner 39:23
let me know. I'd love to know how it goes actually. Well, yeah, it was it's one of those things. A lot of companies come to me and they want to buy ads, which is cool. Like I'm happy about that. But I try to keep this stuff very focused on what I think the listeners might generally need or want. And this one just like I just kept thinking, therapy, you know, as many people as I speak to who I kind of quietly in my head think this person needs to go to therapy, and I never really say it out loud. I always think like access to it must be the biggest problem for people like that actually, like getting up off your ass and go into someone's office and sitting down probably feels like a bridge too far. And I thought, Yeah, I wonder if this like virtual therapy thing isn't isn't good for people. So anyway, hopefully, hopefully it all works out and it's good. A good experience. Yep. Yeah. So you just want to talk to somebody, I need to talk to somebody, because if not, go ahead what happens?

Kat 40:19
I'm going to hurt my mother.

Scott Benner 40:24
When I thought you're gonna Okay, wow. I'm

Kat 40:30
trying to finally like being an adult, you know, and I've tried to set boundaries with her and it's just not getting through. And I'm, yeah, I think everybody needs therapy. Everybody should have like a required therapy session once a month or something. It's very necessary.

Scott Benner 40:49
I'm using weego V to lose weight. Right. And by the way, I got up this morning, and I'm down like, I think I'm like 19 or 20 pounds now. Crazy in two months. Right. And I just that thank you, I, I feel so much better. And like all this other stuff, right. But I recorded with Erica the other day, who's the therapist, because I was experiencing this hollow feeling around food, which threw me off because I'm not like a foodie to begin with. And but I guess I don't spend as much time prepping food, shopping, cooking, eating, cleaning up like that whole, like everybody knows, like, although a ton of work that goes into food, right? And I'm not doing that any longer to that degree. And I started feeling like I was missing something. Like I honestly had like a hollow feeling. And I asked Erica to come on to talk about it. And we're talking about it. And like 45 minutes into the conversation we're somehow talking about, like, when I was a kid, and like all this stuff. And she's reminding people like, I'm not Scott's therapist. But all I can say is that probably every thought you're having, you know, maybe one in two of them stems from something you don't consider. So yeah, yeah. Anyway, I feel really good. And I know. But it was nice to talk to her. And now, by the way, like that hollow feeling that I described, since I spoke to her. I haven't had any more. Yeah, that's crazy. Oh, yes. So makes you wonder what would happen if your, your parents would have talked to somebody? You know, 50 years ago, the first time they were like, I have to drink to get through a day? Mm hmm.

Kat 42:34
Yeah. Just so that was normal back then. Oh,

Scott Benner 42:38
sure. Oh, yeah. That was like get sick, or there were cigarettes. And for your nerves, right? Like I would I would? Do you know, I grew up with people who said they smoke cigarettes to calm their stomach. Well, that's a very common thing you would hear from people I just smoke a cigarette, it calms my stomach down. So, you know, I don't think it's crazy. Then people's understanding of every everything just changes so greatly, like generation after generation. Like I was talking to Jenny and like a diabetes like myth episode. And I said, if you would have told my mom that the like, the sugar water in our refrigerator when I was growing up that we drank by the gallon, day after day after day, right? If you would have told my mom that wasn't good for you, she would have looked at you and like pointed to the label and said there's there's lemons, lemons, grown trees. You don't I mean, look, there's a picture of a lemon on it. A lemon is a fruit. I'm giving you something healthy. Yeah. So yeah, people don't don't get it. But now you're you're caught in the middle, like you, you get it, because now there's more information in the world and you understand, but you also grew up with them. So I'm assuming your life's goal. Like if I asked you what your life's goal is around parenting, I think you're going to say what I'm thinking, but I'm going to ask you anyway. You just you, I felt pressure. Not a lot of pressure. But here's what I think. I think you're trying very hard for your daughter not to grow up the way you grew up. Yes. 100%. Right. Is it? Is it working?

Kat 44:08
I think so. I mean, I think the proof is in the pudding of her just being such an amazing person that nobody in my family understands how she's my child, because everybody my family knows me. So it just doesn't those who just don't add up.

Scott Benner 44:22
Well, that's so that's your level of like, of measurement. You're like people think that's not my kid, so that's a good but don't you think here I'll be your therapist for a second cat. Okay. Couldn't you have been that person with the right upbringing? I don't know. You could have been. You definitely.

Kat 44:44
Then it would have been something else.

Scott Benner 44:45
Maybe? I don't know. Like, do you think that the the addiction thing is burned into your brain or do you think it's something you learned? Both

Kat 44:57
I grew up in a very small town there was nothing to do Oh, besides get in trouble.

Scott Benner 45:02
Yeah, that that one baffles me a little bit like the small town lot of drugs thing like Midwestern like, that kind of like thing like, right like why is it when you're in a small town? It's like well, there's nothing to do so we did math, which is a hell of a way to go into a movie. And and like, oh, I grew up in a big city and we're always partying so we did this. Like, like, it's the is the boredom that crazy? Yeah. It just goes on and on day after day, hour after hour, not Yeah,

Kat 45:35
I mean, there, there was the only thing there was to do in my town was go to Sonic and hold that

Scott Benner 45:41
thought. Hi, yards. What's up? Okay, go ahead. It says the sensor failed. Okay, well, then just follow the instructions and start a new one. I mean, I don't know. I'm not there. I don't know what happened. Right. Yeah. Replace this answer. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So we're very new with this one. So I don't know if there's a workaround for that. So I would just start another one. Yeah, yeah. That sucks. I know. You're, you're short on time. Okay, go ahead and do that. Good luck, by when it rains candidate pours.

Kat 46:32
Of course, when she has finals. She's

Scott Benner 46:34
like, I'm all done. It says like, you know, I did the whole thing. I paired the Bluetooth blah, blah, blah. It's all ready to go. And then like seven minutes into the warm up, it said sensor failure. And I don't know if that's a thing that would have like, gone away. Like, you know, because sometimes Yeah, but these things like it. Can give it a second. Yeah, yeah. It'll just be okay. I don't know what hell let it go. Wait, just swap it. I have extras here. I'll bring an extra receipt or in a week so I can bring an extra one with me. Yeah. Okay. I'm sorry. Sonic.

Kat 47:08
Sonic. Yes. Yeah. That was about the biggest thing there was to do. Yeah, we had an outdoor volleyball court. So it was like, better than most people Sonics. But when the whole city is there, or the town? You know, it just that's, that's all you have to do?

Scott Benner 47:25
Do you think that if there was more to do, there'd be less drug use?

Kat 47:29
Possibly. But you're just stuck in like, the small town is great to grow up in but you got to get out or you'll never get out. Like you get stuck. And it's just generation after generation just gets stuck. They're doing the same jobs, the same family jobs running the same, you know, family operations, and it's just so stagnant. But they're just so afraid to leave?

Scott Benner 47:51
Yeah, it's boring. Yeah, your brain just shuts off. I got it. Okay. And then you drink. Or you try coax like bracing? Right? Like, zoom? Yeah, yeah. Okay. Wow. And when is the first time you used? How

Kat 48:10
old? Maybe? 12.

Scott Benner 48:14
Wow. Wow, that's crazy. Where do you get it from it? 12 anywhere?

Kat 48:21
Yeah, I mean, I it started with my friend, that best friend of mine. That's not a good influence person to have. Yeah. It started with her. Just having connections with her. And then you kind of

Scott Benner 48:36
you always have access to it, then that old like parenting chestnut of like, keeping the bad kids away from your kids. It's really a good thing to do.

Kat 48:42
It's really a good thing to do. Yeah. Yeah.

Scott Benner 48:45
How many friends? Do you allow your daughter to have one?

Kat 48:50
No, I mean, it's just, she's just different. Even though she has like some friends where I'm kinda like, yeah, she reminds me exactly of my old best friend. My daughter is not influenced by any of that she could care less. She's like, not into boys. She's just about school and sports. It's amazing.

Scott Benner 49:11
It's not exactly birds of a feather flock together then like it's, it's, it's a little bit of, you know, once you're there, how do you handle it? Yeah, and some people hate

Kat 49:20
I mean, she'll, she'll call me if she's uncomfortable, you know, and want to come home. Just again. I don't know how she's my child.

Scott Benner 49:28
Hey, I don't know if this is an uncomfortable question. But her father is he an addictive personality?

Kat 49:33
No. Okay. I don't think he ever did drugs or anything.

Scott Benner 49:40
Or anything.

Kat 49:44
For actually here, I think he was addicted to porn, so maybe he does.

Scott Benner 49:49
I was gonna say like, you were the bad influence in his life.

Kat 49:51
I actually met him. afterwards. Our rehab group had a party at his apartment. That's how I met him. Your

Scott Benner 50:00
rehab group had a party at his apartment. But that sounds like a recipe for disaster. Whenever the rehab group gets together, I think you go No, thanks. I can't go. What are you? What are you all is just looking for for customers? I gotcha. Well, yeah, it's like a built in Salesforce. Yeah. Really? Is that something? But if you gave everybody money, like if you like you thought about Utopia from it where you've money wasn't important. The boredom would still be there. So yeah, what your

Kat 50:34
real money? I was gonna say 12

Scott Benner 50:37
Were the like, that was the thing. I was like, how did you afford a 12 years old? I just feel bubblegum. I was like, I can't, I don't know. Five cents. So

Kat 50:46
I just never ate lunch. But I always needed lunch money.

Scott Benner 50:50
I see. You used your lunch money for cocaine when you were 12. I did. That's something else. You shouldn't be on this podcast should be should be on like 2020. No, thank you, or I should be getting more of respect as an interviewer one or the other. Okay, wow. That's crazy. Okay, so hold on. That one got me. Like I literally like I do remember being like, pinched, pinched for like shoplifting bubble gum once. And my parents they punished me. I sat in a room for a week, a week, in a bedroom with no television. No radio. No nothing during my summer vacation. That's how my parents handled me shoplifting like 20 cents worth of bubblegum.

Kat 51:41
You're not supposed to get caught.

Scott Benner 51:43
You know what? Looking back, I am disappointed in myself. I'll tell you what, I worked in that 711 As a teenager, I never caught anybody stealing anything.

Kat 51:58
Yeah, you really suck at that turns

Scott Benner 51:59
out I'm no good on either end of that problem. Oh, that's hilarious. But I'll tell you what, like at the end of those seven days, they let me out of that bedroom. Felt like it felt like they opened the doors at Rikers Island for the first time. Like, I was like, I will steal anything. Thank you for letting me out.

Kat 52:21
Maybe that's what my parents should have done to me. Yeah,

Scott Benner 52:24
that's the 70s right there. They were like you're a problem. Get in there. Like lovely. They fed you. I'm glad there was a room now that I'm thinking about it. Could have been in a closet who would have known? They did feed me. Although, I don't know. I'm thinking back on myself. I probably could have skipped a meal or two back then it might not have been a problem. The way they were feeding me sugar, water and bread with cheese. Here have more bread. Yeah, I have some bread with cheese and a glass of sugar. Thank you. Let's find a way to blame them cat. Maybe my brain wasn't working right because of my nutrition. Oh my god. So you had some money? That's craziness. Wow, did you move you didn't get away, you're near your mom.

Kat 53:07
I did move. I moved out of the small town when I was a sophomore, to be more competitive in sports, because we didn't have a lot of scouts coming down to the small town. And that just allowed me to have more I saw i i moved to a very, like, I would say like rich white school. And the first day I was there, I was going in to take my entrance entrance exams. And some kid walked up to me and offered me drugs. And I was like, and I was like, I was like I y'all do that here. Like I I was just in disbelief. And then I'm like, Well, of course they do. They have more access to it. They have money, they can get these things. But it was just so shocking, that I left this small town and came to a place that had it even worse.

Scott Benner 54:00
Wow. What What sport were you trying to excel in?

Kat 54:04
Everything? Volleyball soccer track.

Scott Benner 54:07
We had all that coke energy, I guess so.

Kat 54:11
Yeah, you know what? It never really affected me. I don't know how I really don't know how I got through it. I shouldn't be alive right now. But I know

Scott Benner 54:18
we're joking about it. Because it's kind of horrible. But like it's yeah, interesting and, and fascinating. Yeah, so you got there. And did you think this will help me like, oh, by the way, you facilitated a move as a sophomore?

Kat 54:32
Yeah, so we had volleyball tryouts. And I didn't make a team and my dad, which is crazy because I was the best person on the team. And the coach didn't like me, because I had an ego. But after they didn't put me on a team, literally that same day, my dad went up there yelled at them, made them cry, and we moved

Scott Benner 54:56
crazy drunk energy your dad had something like that. He's like we're getting out of here. Like that's it over this. Maybe your dad really thought like, maybe he was trying to do. I mean, it's hard to look back and see people doing things. So obviously wrong and believe that they were still had good motivations too, but maybe your dad was like, I can get her out of here. Like maybe he was trying to save you, you know? Maybe Yeah, it's hard for you to think of it that way. Because you probably think he's an asshole. But like shitting Apple, the function? Yes. Oh, look at you trying to rename the episode again. To try but I can't put an S hole in the title. So isn't it something if you don't have a functioning asshole, you're in a lot of trouble. You really are. No kidding. But then in that situation, not what you're looking for. Boom. Okay, so you go to another high school. Okay. All right. That's enough. I can't take any more of your life. Let me ask you about diabetes stuff. Literally, your, your Friday, I'm going to be doing cocaine before this is over. So recommended. No, don't worry, I'm good. I'm not going to be doing that. diabetes stuff. So you're raising a kid for the last handful of years. Whereas type one you didn't have much to knowledge of it. You're, you know, you're prone to, you know, kind of turning to drugs if you have problems and things like that. So can you talk a little bit about after her diagnosis, like what was her able and see like, how high was her blood sugar when you guys figured it out? And then how have you been managing moving forward?

Kat 56:35
So in the hospital, she was like, 600 700. So Ray, once he was around, like 13, or 14, we had, I think, the luck of the draw, honestly, the doctor that was on call when my daughter was admitted, is still her current doctor. And she's amazing. She set us up for success. You know, we got the JDRF backpack and all of that stuff which had a an omni pod and it I don't think it had the Dexcom information in there. But we left the hospital on just pins and a glucometer. And then I notified my my birth son's mother, you know that my daughter just got diagnosed and the first thing she told me was good index calm. So she was the one who informed me about the ducks calm. So we were on the Dexcom shortly after that. And we stayed on MDI for about a year and then we switched to the Omni pod and use that up until two months ago when she finally switched to the Omni pod five.

Scott Benner 57:40
Wow, how are you finding that? Ami pod five.

Kat 57:43
Good and bad. Yeah. So her her school struck? I don't know what she what happens to her when she goes to school, but it just cannot keep up with her. Like we're just feeding it insulin, and it just doesn't touch her when she's at school.

Scott Benner 57:58
How long has she been using it?

Kat 57:59
The five? Yeah, about to about two months. Okay.

Scott Benner 58:02
Did you listen to the episodes about setting it up before you set it up? I did. Okay, and so you feel like you were pretty 5050 Basal Bolus and pretty aggressive with total daily insulin. So

Kat 58:15
did I change? I turned up everything. I turned up her carb, insulin to carb ratio I, I turned up everything made everything more aggressive. And it just doesn't matter. So

Scott Benner 58:25
is it you think? Does she have maybe a lot of adrenaline at school school mean a lot to her?

Kat 58:33
Yeah, it's gotta be what it is. And it's not the same thing every day, like on the ad days where she has obviously the same things. It's different than when she has V days. So it it completely is affecting her by what she's having at school. What subjects is what I'm assuming? Yeah. Okay. But when but when we first started, it was over spring break. And it was working perfect. So I really think it is just her school.

Scott Benner 58:58
Just gonna say so she's home. And there's no pressure from school. There's no adrenaline, anxiety, whatever it comes from school. I don't know who like who she is. And like, maybe she's just trying real hard and like, jacked up. So when she's at home, it works great when she's getting that. It's not touching it because it doesn't see it as carbs. And it has no way to get in front of it. Yeah. And you're correcting all

Kat 59:22
the time. It's it's a it's it's just funky how they have it set up. Like she'll have locker right after not even an hour after she eats lunch on some days. And it's just, it's just lucky.

Scott Benner 59:37
So does she find herself bolusing a lot and what numbers are we asked that we can't get away from? Like, what

Kat 59:44
is not not crazy, like just a higher than I would like like if she's sitting at 150 I'm trying to get her to have it come down before she gets to lunch because I know. Lunchtime. I'm gonna give her less than she needs because she has soccer right after which she can't have so much in her system that is going to make her go low, but has to be high enough that the stuff she does have in our system will keep her stable. Yeah,

Scott Benner 1:00:07
so the higher blood sugar running into the meal running into the activity is throwing your timing off for everything. So you're getting out of time with the insulin and your impacts. Yeah, but 150 I'll see you definitely listen to this podcast. You're like, it's it's terrible. It's 150

Kat 1:00:23
I'm anal about it too. But I mean, it's it's gotten stuck higher. But it's normally it's just if it's over my comfortability, then I'm bugging her to Bolus

Scott Benner 1:00:36
Do you see it happening as soon as she gets to school because for Arden, like you drop her off at high school and her blood sugar started to go up.

Kat 1:00:42
Yeah,

Scott Benner 1:00:43
yeah. Could you try bolusing for it? As she gets there?

Kat 1:00:47
It's not It's not every day, though. That's the there's no, there's no pattern to it. And she has she doesn't have periods, like are irregular periods, I would say. So you we can't ever catch those. So I don't know if it's, you know, her hormone time, because she's obviously still having the hormones. She is just so athletic with zero body fat that she's just not menstruating. Yeah.

Scott Benner 1:01:12
You said that's not a ton. Okay. Hey, you want to do something with me for a second? I guess we don't have to dirty or anything like that. I just, I'm gonna do something that you guys might not expect. I'm gonna go to my own Facebook group and try to find help for Arden with her Dexcom problem.

Kat 1:01:32
Oh, my goodness, because it's really, it's

Scott Benner 1:01:35
a meta situation right now. Arden is switching? Oh, hold on. She's asking me a question to give me a second. are just switching her g7 and getting this message? Anyone know how to fix this?

I'm not lying about this Facebook group is pretty great. I know. Yeah. So are you in there?

Kat 1:02:17
I am. I'm a spectator. That's perfect. Most

Scott Benner 1:02:21
people are I think. I think that's the way to go. She

Kat 1:02:27
Yeah, he just grabbed the information you need. Next one.

Scott Benner 1:02:40
So I think people probably think like, oh, they're a sponsor. He's not going to say anything bad. Like, first of all, I don't think this is bad. I think there's just something happening. I don't know what to do. Because it's so new. Yeah. Yeah. But also, technology is not perfect. But anybody like I don't care what pump or glucose monitor Dexcom whatever. It's all just technology. You know, Jenny and I were talking about that the other day, how interesting it is that like, if you think of all the technology in your life, it all none of it works the way you want it to like you buy things for your living room and your kitchen and your bedroom. You're always like, Oh, my God isn't doesn't exactly do blah, blah, blah. But when it's a medical thing, people are like, it should be perfect. I mean, yeah, it's pretty great. You don't mean, perfect is, is going to be an issue. I don't know how you're gonna do that. Sorry. So we'll see if anybody gets back to me. I

Kat 1:03:28
just talked. So that's her, like, first time changing it out. I hope it doesn't sway her.

Scott Benner 1:03:32
Like her third time changing it. I'm gonna guess. Literally, I don't know. But I'm gonna guess that this is going to be some sort of a thing where she should have like, put the other one away from her father when she did it or something like that, that maybe confused between the two of them or?

Kat 1:03:52
Yeah, yeah, we're in the microwave.

Scott Benner 1:03:55
I've heard people say that, right? Because there's a Faraday cage on a microwave. So again, and if she would have started it while we were here, I'd have a firmer understanding of it right now than I do at the moment, although at least the graph she put up is very respectable. Because she took a screenshot, and it's got like her last three hours on it. And then and it says that it has and it says sensor failed. So are you switching her g7 and getting this message? Anyone know how to fix this? She already removed one. And the next one did the same thing. Thank you. All right. Well, we'll see what happens. In real time. We'll see how impressive this Facebook group is.

Kat 1:04:35
Oh, yeah, you're gonna get a response very soon. I don't

Scott Benner 1:04:40
know it's become so popular. Like sometimes I don't. People don't even realize it's me anymore. People joke with me all the time. That that I'll say something and somebody will come in and be like, I don't know who Scott is or why we why we all care so much. Like it's okay. Back when it was smaller people who I was, but it's fascinating because you know, the group, the group has two very important things. It has mass of people. So you you, you can actually get an answer. And and it's nice people are nice. And that's a big deal. Because yeah, you know, I've seen it go the other way. Yeah, I've got a response already. Yeah, but I'm trying to, we hit okay and start a new sensor with a new sensor. What does she have the new sensor on? That's coming up?

Alright, I answered. I said, the new one is on. Let me tell Arden to. I said, I'm looking into it. I'll get you an answer for now open your loop and test every hour. Does anybody want to guess if it'll test every hour? No, but I'm gonna guess no to. So? Well. We'll stay on top of that. Yeah. We'll say it's all going to be fine. Well, that's the other thing too is that I think that there are plenty of people who would hear this and be like, Oh, my God, like it's a disaster. And it's not a disaster. It's just, it's what this stuff is like you have diabetes. It's how it goes. how it goes. Try reentering the session, the sensor number. That's not an answer. Besides, I did it already paired with the new sensor code? Yes. And then this happens a few minutes later. It's like, it's like I have live chat bots to talk to know and extremely impressive. They understand what's happening. And I'm trying very hard to keep our conversation with you and I going at the same time, which I think I'm starting to fail, because now I'm texting art and talking to you and messaging with two different people on Facebook.

Kat 1:07:00
That's right. Men aren't supposed to multitask. Hey, you

Scott Benner 1:07:03
know, my wife says that all the time as I'm doing four things at once. She's like, you can't keep things in your head. And I'm like, Okay, I'm like, I don't know. Hold on a second. Is there more coming? Or feedback?

No, not yet. Okay. Why are people not living on my schedule?

Kat 1:07:27
So I don't know. It's lunchtime. Yeah. Everybody should be available.

Scott Benner 1:07:31
So my expectation for your daughter is that she's experiencing like, she just is she like a good student? She wants to get good grades, that kind of thing? Yes. Yeah. Do you have any, like interpersonal problems at school? No, no, then she's probably just that I'm aware of. Yeah, I guess she's probably just like, it's adrenaline and, you know, stress. Yeah, that kind of stuff. But she

Kat 1:07:53
does take a hard caseload.

Scott Benner 1:07:56
Okay. Yeah. So she's trying to like She probably feels the pressure that and then it impacts your blood sugar.

Kat 1:08:03
Yeah, yeah. We only put the the Omnipod five on because she's going to Europe for the summer. And I'm not going with her. And I want her to be able to be better managed while she's there. Because my aunt's that she's going with the same two that took her to the doctor when she got diagnosed. No, nothing about it.

Scott Benner 1:08:24
Oh, great.

Kat 1:08:28
Wonderful.

Scott Benner 1:08:28
So what do you how do you think that's gonna go? I

Kat 1:08:31
will get less sleep than I normally do. Because of the time change.

Scott Benner 1:08:35
You think you're gonna be managing basically from a distance? Oh, absolutely.

Kat 1:08:38
Yeah. Do you find out or it's not self sufficient and management? How long are you going to be with them? They're gonna be in Europe for like, six, seven weeks. Wow.

Scott Benner 1:08:47
Is there no way they could spend a couple hours or days with their before the trip locally? I

Kat 1:08:54
mean, they, they do. I mean, they're with us all the time. It's not that

Scott Benner 1:08:58
they're seeing it. Okay. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Like, did they follow her CGM. Now?

Kat 1:09:03
No, they used to when she was like, she was first diagnosed, and she would spend the night over there. I would hook them up to it. But they're there. So I'm just not trying to put too much on them. I'm just going to do it from afar. Gotcha.

Scott Benner 1:09:21
Yeah, because I was thinking like, could they follow along and maybe for a couple days you could text like she just ate this and we use this much insulin so they could kind of see how it happens.

Kat 1:09:29
Oh, no, no, that's not gonna work. It's all right. Okay,

Scott Benner 1:09:33
well good. Do you think it's gonna go well, yeah,

Kat 1:09:35
I do. I like I think the the time we had the the five on before she went to school was really good. So I'm just hoping that that returns

Scott Benner 1:09:45
Well, I'm gonna guess that on. I been on vacation, right? She should have like because you say it doesn't happen at home. So I bet she has more of a more of that kind of experience on vacation than she does at home. Unless something stressful hops on vacation, but I mean vacations. Yeah. And so on. The one thing I would ask is, Is she going to go right from school to vacation? Or will there be a little break before vacation? So have about a week? Good. You know, I'm asking that. Yeah. Because if you're being real aggressive at school, and they go right to a more like, it's gonna be low. It could be low than Yeah. Especially with the activity and the walking around. And I'm guessing flying and things like, yeah, yeah. Very cool. You have enough supplies to send whether you got that all straight? I do. Will she have glucagon? She will. Excellent. Which one do you use to evoke? Oh, the hype open? Yeah, it's the best one. Because I use Bolus because it's I do think it's the simplest Yeah, that's Well, that's exactly why I like it. Yeah. And I hear about the burning in the nose and stuff from the other thing sometimes. And I mean, I guess in in a real emergency situation, you would take some burning, and you'd be like, whatever. Absolutely. But still,

Kat 1:10:55
I think it's I think it's about the the ease for other people, because obviously other people are going to be using it. So the I think that's the target is you have to have them be able to use it. So an epi pen like function is so much more familiar to people than what it was previously or a nasal spray.

Scott Benner 1:11:17
Yeah, no, I agree. I mean, we never carried them when they were the old like Lily red boxes. We didn't carry them with us anywhere. I was like, yeah, what am I gonna tell you hoping someone's gonna, especially if you're by yourself, what are you hoping someone's going to find that on you and go, Oh, it must be this thing. Yeah. Not a lot of hope.

Kat 1:11:36
It's not going to work. Okay.

Scott Benner 1:11:38
Well, alright. So otherwise you think she's, she's had, I should just ask the question. How was she? With having diabetes? Like, was there a transition period? That was tough for has it been okay, so far? Does she burn out? A

Kat 1:11:54
little bit of everything. I mean, when she was first diagnosed, she did really well, she gave her shot herself, her first shot in the hospital. And then, you know, there are just moments where I think, mentally there are some things going on, like, you know, depression and stuff like that, where it all starts to build up and then she just blames diabetes. But I think for the most part, it's just, she doesn't remember life before it. So it's just become part of who she is now. And I think it's just becoming more more regular for her.

Scott Benner 1:12:28
Okay. Yeah, that's, I mean, sounds like depression, like, bummed out or actual like, no, yeah, like, bummed out. Yeah. Like not like clinical depression. I don't know. No sense to me. Does she have any trouble with kids? Like, people never give her does she get bullied or hear crap about? Nothing like that? No. Cool. So because she's got this little great circle of friends that she Yeah, it's interesting. Well, good for you know, she really does. That's wonderful. It's a hell of a story. Honestly, cat, I'm impressed. The path your life took and where you're at right now, are you? Do you ever stop and think, Wow, I can't believe I'm here.

Kat 1:13:08
All the time. Yeah. Because

Scott Benner 1:13:10
it just seemed like, Did you always think you were on your way to like, some poor ending?

Kat 1:13:17
I've always felt had this, like, weird feeling that my life would be short. Not to say that it's still couldn't quote unquote, but yeah, I've always had this, like, need to do things, because I've just felt like my time is short.

Scott Benner 1:13:33
Really? Yeah. That sucks. Is that a? Is that a pressure that that has disappeared? Or do you still feel that a little bit?

Kat 1:13:47
I still feel it a little bit.

Scott Benner 1:13:49
What do you think? Like, do you? Is it trying to figure out how to ask this question? Where does that feeling come from though? Because it just because of circumstances and you just consciously think, you know, with drugs and alcohol and addiction and stuff? Like there's no way I'm going to make it the whole way? Yeah,

Kat 1:14:06
it's that easy. And I think I think it stems from there, but it's just this feeling of always had. Okay, I don't I don't really know how to explain it. But yeah, obviously, the abuse that I put myself through, like, at some point, is it gonna catch up to me? It has to right. No,

Scott Benner 1:14:22
it sounds like you're doing okay. Doesn't it? I mean, you're, you're in your 30s Right, so I think you're gonna be fine. You just have to help so you guys gotta keep that one girlfriend away from you.

Kat 1:14:37
She's she's actually recovering right now. She's been I think, like a year sober from heroin. Well, she's doing well. Oh, good

Scott Benner 1:14:46
for her. Well, that's, that's that's a difficult road. That's impressive. Yeah, it really is. Now, how do you know that? Are you in touch? No,

Kat 1:14:56
I don't. I do not keep in touch. Third, just because I know what happens when I do, but she she will reach out to me and she just apologized like she's probably in her. What is that phase and addiction? It's a man's not coming, Gary go. Yeah. So she's making amends. And she had sent me a message. And just explained everything to me then. And I just told her that I was proud of her and congratulations and get

Scott Benner 1:15:24
the hell away from me. Yeah, we have pretty much you don't want to push her in the wrong direction. So you just very politely get back to her. Yes, yeah. Yeah,

Kat 1:15:35
cuz it's tough. I know. It's tough. And it's a little hard for me, in my circumstance right now with my mom. Because I did it like I, I did it. And I went to rehab. Yes. But it did nothing. For me. It actually made me worse. And I just just something clicked in. I got better. And I don't understand why she can't. So my empathy for that is not there. And that's why I think I need

Scott Benner 1:16:03
Well, I would think as well, you need to work through things, because it's going to stick in your head that your mom, it took so long for your mom life to fall apart that you're going to, I wouldn't want I wouldn't want you to think oh, I'm just 20 years away from what's happening to my mom right now. Yeah.

Kat 1:16:21
And she was the only stable parent we had. Right. So it's like really rocking our mind and my brother's world right now. Yeah,

Scott Benner 1:16:29
no, I would imagine. I mean, the one thing you thought you had you were like, This is my stable point. And she's Yeah. And she's in rehab now to what what drugs for your mom?

Kat 1:16:40
Just alcohol. But it's she's more mental right now. Then, the alcohol.

Scott Benner 1:16:48
Is she does she detoxing is that where some of this is?

Kat 1:16:52
No. And she she didn't know she she already detoxed and ended up in the hospital because she she got sick from detoxing. So now after she's detox, she hasn't to our knowledge re relapse. So now it's just working on the mental side that caused her to increase her her consumption.

Scott Benner 1:17:15
I see. Wow, that's something all right. Cat, is there anything we haven't talked about that we should

Kat 1:17:20
have? Yeah, I'm kind of disappointed in you. Why would I miss? You didn't ask you about my family. And if they have any autoimmune diseases, you get

Scott Benner 1:17:31
in four minutes. Cat, you were pregnant. You threw me off. Okay. Are there any other autoimmune issues in your family?

Kat 1:17:40
Well, yes, there are. No, but I did want to bring up but my daughter does have eczema. And she is lactose intolerant. She's got exercise induced bronchoconstriction. So it's like asthma, but only with exercise. But she also has a TMJ thing, which, which was explained to me as autoimmune, which caused her to have this massive jaw reconstruction surgery at the same time that her TMJ is were getting fixed. So that was interesting to me. And I the only way that I came about that was from you had somebody else on your podcast that had that exact same surgery. And it made me ask my daughter's doctor about it, which in turn sent us to her having this massive surgery.

Scott Benner 1:18:32
That's my fault. You're saying? I'm sorry. Is that a good thing? It was like a thank you kinda okay. Then you're very welcome. That was

Kat 1:18:42
That was crazy. And then just recently, she has protein urea. And that was within the past week or so.

Scott Benner 1:18:50
In her so she her kidneys, numbers coming back different. Yeah,

Kat 1:18:55
she just has protein in her urine. So they put her on Lisinopril, which is for blood pressure, which kind of confused me. But it's also something that my birth son had when he was first diagnosed. And the endocrinologist said that she does see this contains a lot where it's not ongoing, it does dissipate, and they don't really know why. But it's happening. I have

Scott Benner 1:19:20
this on the internet, although TMJ is not an autoimmune disease, its symptoms can be the result of one. That's weird. Hold on a second. I can't just say that, but it just makes making me wonder.

Kat 1:19:37
I think I think the way that he explained it to me was some something in vitro like when when the when the child is developing. For some reason, people who have autoimmune diseases, this ligament does not form correctly, it's stretch it ends up being stretchy or too, too tight or what have you like it has something to do with the development not so much an autoimmune disease. That's how it was kind of explained to me

Scott Benner 1:20:05
like seconds talking here about how it can be like, secondarily a systematic impact. How about that? Yeah.

Kat 1:20:13
And then also migraine, she also has migraines, and they're just now finding out that that's probably linked as autoimmune. How old is she? She's 15.

Scott Benner 1:20:26
She's doing okay. Yeah. It's a lot.

Kat 1:20:31
She was having some some symptoms the other day, and I hadn't yet told her about the kidneys thing, because she had finals. And I just didn't want it to be like another thing that she had to deal with. But she was having some symptoms. And I told her, you know, that it could be from this. And I explained to her and she's like, Oh, great. You know, like, I'm lactose, my pancreas isn't working properly. And now my kidneys are failing. But she, she laughed about it. And that same day, I happened to tell her about her half brother that she didn't know about, because it would have it was his birthday. And he reached out to me, and it just kind of came full circle was like she's old enough to understand. You know how it happened. And I've just always felt this guilt of like, when I'm going to tell her how they're going to feel. And how did she take that? Amazing, she cried, but she cried because she was so happy that I trusted her and telling her about my life.

Scott Benner 1:21:37
That's a big thing to tell a kid. Yeah. Hey, have you had her thyroid check? Yes. You know what your TSH is?

Kat 1:21:46
It's, it's, it's in range. And I mean, in range, like under two your definition? Yeah, it's, it's, it's below one. Oh, it's like zero point something. Yeah, I

Scott Benner 1:21:58
was. I was reading a little bit about migraines and autoimmune and like, obviously psoriasis type one. Hashimotos graves, rheumatoid arthritis. Like, let's see, in all cases, the root of the problem is with the immune system, but because different antibodies are formed in each disease. Yeah. It's interesting. I didn't realize that about the migrants.

Kat 1:22:22
Yeah, but it's more than just found that out. Yeah,

Scott Benner 1:22:25
it's more it's, I mean, this makes it sound like it's about the core, the comorbidities of autoimmune issues, but your daughter, I mean, the thing with the Listen, the thing with the kidney testing, like that can go up and down. Like they're gonna keep after that and check it right. Like, yeah, maybe she just got tested after like some high blood sugars or like, are they really think that she's having a, like a problem that's gonna be with her? No,

Kat 1:22:51
they don't think it's gonna stick with her. They put her on the low dose, like she explained to me that the sugar, you know, was the sugar molecules were being released into her kidney and they poked holes in her kidney and kind of like the, like you how you explain it. It's like, what is it? How do you explain it?

Scott Benner 1:23:13
Sort of just like it's the sugar molecules are too big now. It's, it's it's breaking through the the tissue and creating because they think it'll heal up.

Kat 1:23:23
They do that. So the medication is supposed to re Deuce the amount of pressure in her kidneys so that it stops releasing the protein. And

Scott Benner 1:23:33
then put her blood sugars are are where they're good, right? What's your one sees?

Kat 1:23:37
Yeah, so her a one seen? We just had it done. She was 6.6. And I was expecting it to be worse only because the school thing. But but like in the summer, it's normally around in like, 5.5.

Scott Benner 1:23:50
Okay. I gotcha. Well, I mean, you don't need me to tell you, but obviously, more stability, lower numbers. You know, yeah, you're gonna have better luck with those other things. Oh, wow. Yeah. All right. Well, gee, did I let you down in any other ways cat or is that it? Well, I don't know. You'd be in my kitchen. You don't I mean.

Kat 1:24:16
The only other thing I will say is that we had some issues with her insurance. And it took me months to get it figured out. But the way that the insurance wasn't aware that the way that they structured their plans as far as the Pharmacy Benefits affected insulin pumps, and so I it took me a long time, but I did, it brought to their attention that they they had an issue. And so they restructured their whole plan to incorporate the pharmacy benefits for insulin pumps and CGM so that it doesn't affect anybody else. Okay, so that was yeah, that was really cool, although it took freakin forever to do

Scott Benner 1:24:59
look you We're out there helping other people to do what I can. That's fantastic. Could you Wow. All right, cat, you were terrific. I really appreciate you coming on and doing this. Thank you. Yeah, this is wonderful. If you hold on a minute, I can tell you a couple of things you'll need to know and ask you of course, if you're comfortable with everything that we talked about and all that stuff, so hold on for me. It sounds good.

A huge thanks to us med for sponsoring this episode of The Juicebox Podcast. Don't forget us med.com/juice box this is where we get our diabetes supplies from you can as well use the link or call 888721151 for us the link or call the number get your free benefits check so that you can start getting your diabetes supplies the way we do from us med. I'd like to thank cozy Earth for sponsoring this episode of The Juicebox Podcast and remind you that using my offer code juice box at checkout will save you 40% off of your entire order at cozy earth.com That's the sheets, the towels, the clothing, anything available on the website. If you're not already subscribed or following in your favorite audio app, please take the time now to do that. It really helps the show and get those automatic downloads set up so you never miss an episode. Thank you so much for listening. I'll be back very soon with another episode of The Juicebox Podcast. The episode you just heard was professionally edited by wrong way recording. Wrong way recording.com

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