#316 Julia

Dr. Julia Blanchette, PhD, Registered Nurse, Certified Diabetes Care, Education Specialist and Type 1 Diabetic.

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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, and welcome to Episode 316 of the Juicebox Podcast. I'm your host, Scott Benner. And this is the type one diabetes podcast that you've been searching for. Today's episode is with Dr. Julia Blanchett, PhD. She's a registered nurse, a certified diabetes care and educational specialist and a person living with Type One Diabetes. Not only that, she may become a regular on the podcast, you'll find out why soon. Today's episode of The Juicebox Podcast is sponsored by Omni pod, the world's greatest insulin pump. It's tubeless, you know, no tubing. What does that mean to you? Well, it's easy to find out. Because you can get an absolutely free no obligation demo of the on the pod sent right to you by going to my Omni pod.com forward slash juice box. Today's show is also sponsored by the dexcom g six continuous glucose monitor, you want to be able to track your blood sugar in real time without a finger stick. Get the dexcom g six, head over to dexcom.com Ford slash juicebox. To find out more. As I said in the cold open, Julia has type one diabetes, she's also a CD even though you know they're starting not to call them CDs anymore. Julia has a PhD as well and her focuses for her dissertation are of great interest to me. And I think to you as well. To check out Julia today, I think you're gonna like her. And I think she's gonna be back. While you're listening, please remember that nothing you hear on the Juicebox Podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise, please always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan. Becoming bold with insulin, or you know, walking outside during this Coronavirus thing. While we're all locked up in our houses, I'm going to be holding some zoom meetings for people just to check in and chat with others. The first one's going to be March 26 at let's say 3pm. Eastern time. Okay, March 26 3pm, eastern time, you'll be able to find links, where you're gonna be able to find links on my Facebook page, and on Instagram, and Twitter 3pm you can come by and chat, just listen, you can show your face, you don't have to just going to be like a little support group for people to type one. You know, while we're all locked up in our house. First of all, you know, we're recording. And I'm gonna apologize to you for you know, you and I had a full and complete conversation that I made you wait months and months and months to actually hear. And then it turned out I had recorded my voice and not yours. The third time I've done that in five years. So not feeling too bad about it. But I did enjoy speaking with you. So I thought let's do it again.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 3:02
I mean, it was pretty fun. So

Scott Benner 3:04
fun dad will be able. And plus there's other stuff to talk about now. So we're gonna, we'll do a little a shorter thing about you. And then we're gonna talk more about what's going on in the world. Perfect. Makes sense. All right, perfect. So how old are you right now? And what is your name?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 3:23
I am almost 28 and a week, I'm 28. So I guess I'm 27 and almost 28. And my name is Julia. And oh, I was gonna say more. And she didn't ask me to say more.

Scott Benner 3:36
So, look, you don't have to follow the instructions that closely. Why? Why are you so accomplished at 28? What happened to you as a small child did someone impress upon you, you need to work really hard or something like that.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 3:49
So I was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes when I was shopping. And I had a really amazing support system. Mostly my mom who always advocated for me and helped me learn how to advocate for myself and show me that I wasn't going to let anything stop me. And I think that really has led me to become who I am. And

Scott Benner 4:12
you just got a degree right? Like, what what did you just accomplish?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 4:17
So I just finished my PhD. So I have my PhD in nursing science and my area of expertise is financial stress and psychological symptoms in young adults with type one diabetes.

Scott Benner 4:33
So hold on a second. Wait, that seems like a lot. Explain that to me. What was that?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 4:39
So it's, it's I have a PhD. So if you actually look at my degree, it just says doctor philosophy, okay. But but then people are always like, well, what's your PhD in? So then I say, well, it's nursing science that was technically my major, but then people are like, but then what is it really in in nursing? So I gave the full answer

Scott Benner 4:58
and give it to me. One more. I'm slowly.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 5:01
So I have a Doctor of Philosophy or a PhD in nursing science, and my area of expertise is in financial stress factors, psychological symptoms, and self management outcomes. And young adults with type one diabetes, the

Scott Benner 5:18
only person who has this degree in the whole world are the other people in the room with you.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 5:23
Um, so I'm the only person who's defended this dissertation and the whole world. But there's other people who have PhDs in nursing science.

Scott Benner 5:32
So when you are tasked with your dissertation, what, what led you to choose those focuses?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 5:40
Yeah, so that's an amazing question. So I'm very

Scott Benner 5:43
good at this podcasting. That's why it's

Julia Blanchette, PhD 5:46
so good at the podcasting. I'm

so I'm so when I graduated with my Bachelors of Science in Nursing, my BSN. That's what would have allowed me to take the RN exam. I worked at diabetes camp for that summer, and I was the counselor and training nurse. So I spent the whole summer with 16 year old, young girls, or young women. And it really opened my eyes. So I worked really closely with some amazing now young adults who have overcome a lot and but at the time, they I just saw all of the psychological stressors they were facing. And it really was eye opening to me to realize that I had an amazing support system. And I really haven't had a lot of barriers psychologically with managing type one diabetes, but it's not like that for everyone. So that was the first really important thing that I noticed as a clinician for the first time that I wanted to then bring research in to figure out how to solve problems. So I went into my PhD, saying, I want to figure out better support systems for adolescents and young adults with type one diabetes. And then at the same time, I was going through the transition from pediatric to adult diabetes care. And I was kind of just thrown, for lack of a better word, onto the adult side, um, I went to see my pediatric endocrinologist in a different state. And so when I was seeing my adult endocrinologist, like 500 miles away, my pediatric endocrinologist who was amazing just didn't really know who to connect me with. So I had, I was nervous to make it my first adult appointment. And when I made it, it was really discouraging. So then, I was like, Wow, so there's all of these adolescents that don't have a lot of psychosocial resources and have a lot of psychological barriers, and then they have to go into this transition. That is awful. So that was the next piece of what I wanted to look at. And so first half of my coursework during my PhD, so it was like a year and a half, I was set on trying to find better ways to smooth the transition from pediatric to adult diabetes care, by making sure that these adolescents and young adults had better psychological support. Okay. And then January 1 2017, happened.

Unknown Speaker 8:28
And

Scott Benner 8:29
that's my I painted my bedroom.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 8:32
Well, well, that's amazing. That's that that's not what happened to me. something a little different happened. So um, so January 1, that year, I was switched from a non high deductible private insurance plan paid by my father's and player, or covered by my father's employer to a high deductible plan. And young Julia had no idea. Like, I had no idea about health insurance, right. My parents were paying for it. I was, at this point, I was going to pick up all of my medications by myself. And I was paying for some of my medications and supplies by myself. But I was I was a graduate student. So I was on my parent's insurance. I was not 26 yet. So then, I'm the first week of January. So it wasn't January 1, but that was the day the insurance changed. So it was probably like the fifth or sixth. I go to Walgreens to pick up my three vials of insulin. And the farm tech looks at me and she's like, I don't know what's wrong, I can't dispense this. And I said, What's going on? And she said, your insulin is like astronomically expensive. I don't know what's wrong. I don't know why your insurance isn't covering it. And so she even applied the pharmaceutical coop on which at the time only deducted like a $100 savings for the high deductible and then, of course, I had to I called my parents crying and we figured out a way to pay the high deductible to get my insulin. But it was a shocker like I was my eyes were open again, to just another problem that a lot of people, especially young people with diabetes were likely experiencing. So,

Scott Benner 10:20
Julie, I just did something that I don't normally do. I wrote down things. Yeah. And here's what happened. Please don't feel any pressure to say yes. Okay. But what I think we've just done is outline the first three episodes of a new diabetes pro tip series, with you as the guest. Oh, that just happened? Do you feel like that just happened?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 10:41
Well, well, Jenny, get upset. I love Jenny. No,

Scott Benner 10:43
Jenny, and I have already had a conversation. I've been looking for someone to handle the psychological stuff. The questions that come up that I can talk through, but don't understand enough to be definitive about. And I just as you're speaking, I started writing down questions that I had around these ideas. And if you're up for it, we should talk about that later. If you're not just disappoint all the people who just heard me ask you that. And then you said, No,

Julia Blanchette, PhD 11:11
no, I'm down for anything. So you know,

Scott Benner 11:14
I'm sure your parents don't want to hear that. Okay, so there's, so I'm first I'm gonna say something to you, that's gonna make you laugh, and I'm gonna bleep it out. No one's ever gonna hear it. When you said on january first 19 data 2017 this amazing thing happened. I thought you're gonna say I found my

Unknown Speaker 11:35
Oh, my God.

Scott Benner 11:38
I see you understand where my brains running in 19 different directions while I'm doing this podcast, there will be one long beep through everything I just said. just wonder forever when I said to Julia,

Julia Blanchette, PhD 11:50
but and this is this is the difference between me and Scott. I'm a researcher who finds these aha moments. And Scott thinks about other things. My

Scott Benner 11:59
brain just bounce around. Okay, so write your first thing you talked about. Um, I was wondering, what are you seeing so far? Like, let's tease us this idea a little bit. When you talk about the stressors, right? Do they lessen when people have good tools? We're living in Strange Times. It seems we're all sort of in our homes now waiting out the Coronavirus are still some people of course it has to get out to work. But many people around the world are in their houses right now. And it feels strange. It might feel like life's on hold that there's a pause here, but I choose to see it as an opportunity. It's an opportunity for you to better your own health, you have this block of time now. There's less to do. So that means there's more time to focus on your health. more time to figure out a new device for instance, like beyond the pod tubeless insulin pump. There is no better time to go to my Omni pod.com forward slash juice box. Then right now, let Omni pod send you out a pod experience kit. And absolutely free, no obligation demo of the Omni pod can wear it around your house to your new dystopian life and see how you like it. And when you decide that it's for you contact on the pod and they'll get you going. Then you can use this free time, you know to get your basal rate set up and learn how your new insulin pump works. It's really kind of perfect. I mean, you know, with the exception of the Coronavirus, otherwise the free time is what I mean is perfect. My Omni pod.com Ford slash juice box. It's the world's best pop. It's an amazing device. It's tubeless nothing to be clipped to your belt or stuffed in your bra or hidden in your shirt. Right just this little self contained, beautiful pump that will deliver your insulin sleeping and awake, active inactive sitting on your sofa rewatching your favorite show for the 30th time. After you do that, reset the music. And check out the Dexcom g six continuous glucose monitor. You may not be surprised to know that that's at dexcom.com Ford slash juice box. When you get there. It's a simple trip to a better life. Get started with the dexcom g six it's a green button right on that page. You can make knowledge your superpower with the dexcom g six. It's covered by most insurance plans and it is absolutely at the center of how we make decisions about my daughter Arden's type one diabetes. It's how I can look over my shoulder right now and see that her blood sugar is 78 after today having a bowl of cereal and Apple I saw her with something else and Between think she's been snacking on chocolates, it could possibly be that time, you know, I'm saying her blood sugar has never been under 70. We're over 120. Not today. Imagine that Frosted Flakes, and a 120 blood sugar. I get to that courtesy of the information that comes back from the dexcom, continuous glucose monitor, you absolutely owe it to yourself to check it out. Zero finger sticks, customizable alerts and alarms, smart device compatibility for Android, and iPhone, you can share your data with followers, right? Your mom, your dad, your sister, your brother, your best friend, they could see what your blood sugar is. It's indicated for children two years and up. Come on dexcom.com forward slash juicebox. Get in there, get in the fight. Look at this text I'm getting right now. I swear this just happened. Hey, Dad, I'm gonna have some sherbert Look at that. No worries, just sherbert Dexcom. When you talk about the stressors, do they lessen when people have good tools?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 16:08
So that's a really good question. I'm gonna preface this by telling you so I can only talk about what I have published from my dissertation. But I can also tell you what I've seen clinically and what I know just from other researchers, so I'm with the young adult population, even young adults that have access to technology. So that's a, you know, it's a high percentage of a lot of people with diabetes. But we think that potentially a young, lower percentage of young adults than the general population are using these technologies. They're still having stressors.

Scott Benner 16:46
Okay, so so people to so if, say, I'm a person, let's make me a person with diabetes in this scenario, and I know all the stuff that you know that I know, because you listen to the podcast, I'm still going to feel stressors, even though I'm that on top of the idea of my management.

Unknown Speaker 17:05
Yeah. Okay.

Scott Benner 17:06
All right. I imagine that to be true. Are they greater when I don't understand the management?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 17:12
So from what I've seen clinically, I think when you don't understand the management, it definitely can contribute more quickly to burnout because you feel more helpless.

Scott Benner 17:24
Okay, so is in your mind? Because it's such a it's a word, right? burnout, like we throw it out? Yeah, it really does it really mean just an inability to care at some point or to or to be motivated or something along those lines?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 17:40
Yeah, so it does, I mean, it means that you've gotten to a point where you, you've physically and emotionally cannot do the tasks. And then there's other components as well, like with diabetes, distress, and other psychological factors to like depression and anxiety. But burnout itself means you do not have the ability to actually get yourself to do what you need, what you don't want to do what you need to do, because I'm trying to steer away from making people feel bad when they're unable to do what they would otherwise do.

Scott Benner 18:22
descriptive word in, in an intellectual conversation, it's the things that have to happen, you have to get your insulin in a timely way, you have to know how many carbs you're taking in for the most part, like the things that have to happen around diabetes, you just literally cannot bring yourself to, to do them to care or do them or to, to feel the and it, but it doesn't stop you from feeling the impact of not doing it.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 18:44
Correct. And I think there's a lot of guilt that I see.

Scott Benner 18:47
Okay, all right. Yeah, you're the right one. We're doing this. This is the least five episodes that could turn into more. See, it's good thing that my recording thing didn't work, because I never would have had this idea. Otherwise, it was it was the different way that you described your PhD this time than the last time that made me think oh, this is the right person

Julia Blanchette, PhD 19:08
will remember last time I didn't defend my PhD yet. Yeah. So I am I am a different person now. So when we recorded last time, I was a few weeks away from defending it.

So imagine how different of a state I was in.

Scott Benner 19:22
You were just back then you're like, I hope I get this damn thing done.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 19:25
Yeah. Yeah. And I hope I hope that they passed me like that's how I was feeling

Scott Benner 19:30
I can wonder to out about the just the pressure of like, what if I defend this thing, and I get my PhD and that's all great, but I get to the end and think to myself, Oh, this whole thing was bull. I don't even believe this. Like, Is there ever that feeling like what if I get through all this and I get to the end and I don't even agree with myself when it's over.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 19:48
So I think I'm doing a PhD in itself is a really emotionally challenging process. And I think for most of the PhD students that I've talked to And then there's quite a large support network on social media like on Twitter. Um, I think all of us just feel so burnt out by the end of it that it's like, you just want to get it done. And like, that's the main thing you're thinking about. But I was so lucky in the fact that I had this, and I'm going to be honest, like, most PhDs, you just try to get your dissertation done. But I mean, I really crafted something from what I had seen clinically what I had experienced personally, as a young adult with diabetes, and where I saw the gaps in the research. And I actually did, I will tell you, I had significant findings, which isn't always common for a dissertation. So not everyone actually finds that their hypotheses and their research design actually conclude with relevant Well, all results are relevant, sorry, so I take the relevant word back, but they're not always significant results. So I did have significant results,

Scott Benner 21:02
I have to tell you that I don't have the ability to, I would not have the ability to claim a PhD out of the world. But I do believe that this podcast has given me back significant results about the stress that you take away from people by just allowing them to make decisions that they can kind of count on. And yeah, and have repetitive occurrences and outcomes and things like that stuff that they can lay back and go I know, if I do this, this is gonna work. And that if it doesn't, there's a reason aside from the steps I've taken. And I think that's amazing. But I'm, you know, again, the dirty secret of the podcast, right? It's, it's for me, if it helps you, that's a benefit. That's awesome. Um, I'm thinking that what you and I are going to talk about, is, is going to help me and I'm already I'm already feeling more comfortable with my thought that as life progresses, there are going to be times where Arden is going to have to kind of you know, come home for the lack of a better term, to reset herself around diabetes. And that could that could happen, as a young adult in college, it could happen as a married person, it could marriage, it could be as an older single person, like whatever she ends up being, I think there's going to need to be a home base, where you can go back to people who just like are like, Oh, I know how to do this. It's okay, let me take it off here for five seconds. So you can reset. So sort of the way we talk about, yeah, when you roller coaster, right, with diabetes, or when you get high and you get stuck high. Sometimes you just got to get low, stable and start over again. I think that that the truth about life, if you're if you're really listening to the show my concept about diabetes, it's just my concept about living, well applied to insulin. So I don't want to I don't want to give the whole secret away, you know, before I'm done paying for my kids college, but Oh, God, but that's what the podcast is like, to me. Like, it's just my basic idea of being alive applied to other things, and in this case, diabetes.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 23:04
Well, and I want to take a step back and go back to what you were saying. So, you know, what we're finding is that even if parents aren't actively involved, parents or other types of caregiver support, aren't 100% actively involved in self management for young adults, just having someone who is supportive and who's there for you for your diabetes, like you just described, is that in itself helps helps prevent some of the psychological distress,

Scott Benner 23:32
right? Oh, no, I I find myself saying just as a matter of, you know, a baseline, I say, into your mid 20s. I think they need support, at the very least, and I don't know why. I mean, there have been times in my life in my 20s and 30s and 40s, where I've had the thought like, I gotta go find my mom, you know, they mean like,

Julia Blanchette, PhD 23:53
Yeah, well, and it's the same thing. So it's, it's this whole, like developmental stage of emerging adulthood. So it's not only when one's taking on diabetes, self management and experiencing how that is, but it's, you know, the typical developmental process when you do need to lay on others, especially people who you've depended on your whole life for support in certain situations.

Scott Benner 24:17
I know excuse me, the whole concept of the excuse me one second.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 24:24
Give Coronavirus Coronavirus in my throat. Yeah. Oh, no. Good thing. We're, we're not talking to each other in person right now.

Scott Benner 24:33
I'm not even six feet from this microphone. This microphone screwed to? Oh, no, but no, no, um, I think that as much as I understand the statement, how old you know, people ask me very frequently, you know, what's a good age where they can take over their own care? And I think some people ask because they don't want to infantilize the kids around diabetes. That's their fear. But I think there are some people who ask us like, you know, when can I stop? You know, being burdened with this diabetes thing, like I like kind of put it on the kid a little bit, you know. And in my mind, I don't think there's an age. You're,

Julia Blanchette, PhD 25:07
you're on it, you're on it. There's not an age, it's different for everyone in every situation, you get it. Of course,

Scott Benner 25:13
William was on the show years ago with 15, listening to the podcast, and then figuring things out as mom came on and was talking about, you know, how well, you know, she and I spoke privately and she's like you, my son, listen to your podcast, and like, put a whole plan together for himself. That's a certain person. All you know, Arden is, you know, sometimes I'll be like, Hey, what's your blood sugar? And she'll be like, isn't it on your phone?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 25:38
Well, that's what teenagers do. But I mean, I think to like, so the type of person I am, I always wanted to manage my diabetes by myself. So I was diagnosed when I was seven. And for the first year, my mom and dad gave me most of my shots. But then I can say, I think by the time I was eight, when I was on a pump, I was calculating my carb doses, I remember. So I was, my carb ratio was point seven for 15, which is actually a one to 20 to carb ratio. But the reason it was so weird is because in 2000, we were still using carb exchanges. So you did everything in 15. So that's why it was point seven units to 15 carbs. But I remember my neighbor, who's amazing, she was, she's a teacher. And she kind of did like, um, I don't know if she did special ed support or what she did, but she actually helped a lot of kids like with math and like smaller settings. That was her job. And she actually showed me how to do my carb calculations, because the pump didn't calculate it. For me at that time, we it there was no carb calculator, or calculator on the pump. So my neighbor actually showed me how to calculate my carbs. And I would I, at eight years old, I was figuring out how much insulin I needed for carbs. So but that takes a special person like not to call myself special, but what you just did. But like, I think not, it's just the person I am like, I am very motivated to do things and self motivated. And, and, you know, so with the transition and doing the independent self management, it really just depends on who the kid is, but also their situation.

Scott Benner 27:18
It just, it's who you are, right? Like, yeah, it would, it would be ridiculous. We couldn't randomly just take 10 children and tell them all, you know, you're going to be calculus majors, right? It's right for some people and not right for other people. And you do need to listen, there are some, in my opinion, some basic ideas that everyone, you know, kind of has to adhere to, and there are things you should expect from your children a baseline, but then you don't start expecting calculus from all of them. Some of them, you know, probably should be drawing a picture or write telling a story, you know, or or talking to other people. I mean, honestly, this thing I'm doing right now, this if this idea of having a microphone, and being able to speak to a person remotely about something, if that was a thing that existed in the 70s, I would have known that was right for me that,

Unknown Speaker 28:05
right, you know,

Scott Benner 28:06
and but it just didn't, it didn't exist. But imagine if someone, I was lucky enough to not get pushed into a direction that wasn't me. Right? You know, I had this, um, I don't think I've ever told this here. But I said it to somebody the other day that made me remember, as I was leaving middle school and going into high school, I was walking down the hall in the waning days of my last year, and my guidance counselor came out of a door saw me and grabbed me pulled me in, and don't worry, this doesn't end poorly. And, and, and he said to me, I'll never forget him. His name was Mr. Wiley land I but I didn't have that much, you know, interaction with him. But he said, I'm glad I found you. I wanted to let you know, I think you're going to do great. And I always thought you should be an attorney. Well, I don't know how old I was. Maybe I was in ninth grade, eighth grade, you know what I mean? Like, whatever how old you are then. And even at that age, I stopped and said, Oh, that's really nice. Thank you, but then I'd be an attorney for the rest of my life. Right. I was like, that sounds bad. Yeah. You know, like being anything for the rest of my life. sounds bad, but I don't want to. And then he asked me why. And I said, I have to be honest with you. I think I could be a good attorney. But I don't know if I have the self restraint. Not to be a bad attorney.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 29:29
And I knew that in eighth grade.

Scott Benner 29:32
I know, I know that I see the other side of I know that there's a there's a good person who I am. But I also see the other side. Like if I decided to start an online ministry and steal from people, I think I think I could do it you hundred percent wouldn't. But I also always wonder, you know how much of what we wouldn't do is because we don't have the necessity like you know, when people used to tell me like You're such a great dad, it was easy. My kids were good, easy kids. Like, I wonder if my kids were like, terrible how good of a dad I would have been, you know? Yeah.

Unknown Speaker 30:07
And I wonder

Scott Benner 30:07
if you made me an attorney, if I wouldn't end up being like the mankind? Or you don't I mean, like, so yeah. So I had those two thoughts. Like, I don't know if I can trust myself even then. And I definitely don't want to do the same thing for the rest of my life. Now, as an adult, I know I can trust myself to do the right thing. I do it over and over again, when I have the opportunity to do the wrong thing. Yeah, but but I still cringe at the idea of doing the same thing forever.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 30:36
Well, sounds like you're doing what you enjoy. And it's different all the time. So I wish to see you got that

Scott Benner 30:41
I'm at the point where I wish I could make this podcast every day. Yeah, like, I would enjoy that you and I are having a completely different conversation than we had the first time. And I think I could bring you back on every day and have a different conversation with you. Oh, don't take that. Personally, I can do it. Anybody. I'm saying it's me. I'm the skill not usually you

Unknown Speaker 31:00
stop trying. Hey,

Julia Blanchette, PhD 31:02
my spot? No, but I mean, I think like, I do think you're right about that. I think you're you have very good, real conversations with people. And you're not just interviewing them with the same types of questions and getting the same types of answers. And I think, yeah, you could you could find someone different every day. Thank you. And

Scott Benner 31:21
yes, I'm very proud of it like really am and I'm proud of how it gets better. Because Yeah, even I there are times I'm in the middle of a conversation, I think this is better than I would have done last year. like wow, while I'm talking to somebody. But But nevertheless. So. Alright, so you've had type one for quite some time. And now how do you take all of your fancy learning Julia and apply it in the real world? And by the way, did you find out your PhD made you another $5? a day? How much? How much? Is that helping?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 31:49
You want to know the real answer?

Nothing more right now. So yeah, thank you. But I can tell you know, the jobs I'm qualified for, it'll, it'll pay more. I'm just right now, since I graduated in the middle of the year, I am working not full time, but I'm working like 70% of the time as a Diabetes Care and Education Specialist formerly known as a certified diabetes educator. And I love that job. So I do have a couple of future opportunities that are potential that would Yes, they would pay me quite a bit more with the PhD. Um, but for now, I am happy on where I am. So I'm not I'm just going to things will fall into place.

Scott Benner 32:34
And I see I see that we're not saying where you work, and that's fine. But I, I want to say that Julia works in a very impressive place.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 32:42
Oh, thank you. Well, and I have a I have an awesome team. So I think I've grown a lot even since I started working with them. I've grown so much as a clinician, it's excellent. To answer your question about how do I take what I learned and apply it to myself. So I'm a very hands on learner. So what that means for me is that in order for me to fully understand things, I actually have to try them myself. So a lot of times, I find myself doing these self diabetes, self management experience experiments, before fully taking the knowledge I know about it into practice. So I think I kind of do the opposite of what you were asking, I kind of try it on myself first, and then I apply it in practice. But when I'm trying it on myself, I definitely take a lot of time to stop and look at my patterns and figure out kind of what's going on as it's happening. So I do take a lot of time to understand all the different factors that are impacting me and what changes I can make, and that I learned from working with patients, right? So I'm telling them to look at their data, and think about everything they're doing and think about all the factors and I have applied that to myself. So

Scott Benner 34:00
how many people do you meet? What's the ratio? I guess, is my question of people who you look at and think this is gonna work out for them versus people who you look at and think this isn't going to work out for them.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 34:15
So you asked me this question last time, and I have the same answer. I never look at someone and say this isn't going to work out.

Scott Benner 34:22
Okay, a more difficult road. Is that a more fair way to say it?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 34:26
So, and this is good, this is really weird timing. So I have to tell you, I've met one person in my years as a diabetes current education specialist, who really didn't want to be in my office and really didn't want to be talking to me. So that is the only example of a person where I'm like, this person is going to have a difficult time because they don't even want to learn. Um, so you know, adult learning since I work with adults is a lot. It's um, it's a lot of the person wanting to learn themselves. and applying it to what's relevant for them. So I try to shape all of my education sessions to the person and to what their needs are and to what's relevant to them. So I kind of go in with, what can we make work for them, as opposed to what what worked for them? And that's just my frame of thinking.

Scott Benner 35:20
That's the same thing we were just talking about really, with, like parenting or diabetes, or any of that stuff, just like, yeah, molding it to people. So that so then that's a, that's a great answer, and makes me realize is my question incorrectly? That's okay. How many people? Let's start here? How many people have type one diabetes in America?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 35:41
Um, you know, Dr. Julia should really know the answer to that. But it changes so frequently. It's it, I believe, isn't it one point something million 1.8 million, something like

Scott Benner 35:54
that one and a half coming up on 2 million people. So my question then is, how many of those people are significantly underserved with information and support? Like, maybe our you may be seeing the ones who have insurance who come You know what I mean? Like, like, I only try to imagine who it is we're not finding.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 36:15
So I yes, that's okay. So that's a really good question. So in my current practice, we, we do take people who are on public insurance, but we don't offer like free services to those who do not have insurance. But even that being said, I mean, I get people every day that are like, I'm so happy I met with you. No one's ever told me this before. No one's ever told me why I need to count carbs before No one's ever taken the time to explain what a carb is to me before. No one's ever taken the time to explain that. It's not necessarily my fault. My insulin might not be what's right for my body's needs, right. Now, how does that happen to them?

Scott Benner 37:02
Because they know they have no tools in their hands. Somebody saw Oh, no,

Julia Blanchette, PhD 37:07
it's an it's like, I have to say, it's, I would say with 80% of my patients, they feel like they're doing something wrong. And in the end, then I always, you know, I take the time to provide them the education they deserve. And, and it's just, it's really shot. I mean, yeah, I think now that I'm talking about it and thinking about it, it is really shocking that so many of them just don't ever get the education that they need. But I think a lot of it has to do with our healthcare system. So if you know, if you're diagnosed in the hospital, you're kind of they kind of this is nothing against inpatient diabetes management, or educators, it's very different. And they have to kind of put out the fires, and just explain to you, okay, you need insulin, you need to prevent lows, like, that's all you can, that's all a person can have the capacity to learn when they're in patients, and we're

Scott Benner 38:01
handling it wrong, then. Because the truth is, this podcast shouldn't need to be popular. Right? You know what I mean? Like, there, there is a very easy way to put it out of business, it's just have died, have people educate better at the at the at the point of contact?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 38:18
Well, so I think so just from, you know, I, I obviously didn't get my like I my whole family education at our point of contact. And I think my mom would have a lot more to say about how she felt overwhelmed opposed to me, who is running around the hospital, in hospital socks, dancing with my friends, not not feeling very sick. But I think now that I've had friends my age that have been diagnosed with diabetes, and have been in the intensive care unit in DK, like, it's really, you can't provide even if you try to provide the education needed at that point in time, people don't have the capacity because they're so overwhelmed with their diagnosis, or they're so sick. So I think the key is getting them to diabetes education when they're out of the hospital, but that doesn't happen. Because, you know, it can say that on the discharge orders. Or they might, they might be at a smaller community hospital that doesn't even have diabetes education, right. Or they might be at a hospital and live far away. And they might not have access to an educator. So I think there's still a lot of barriers. And then if you're overwhelmed, and you just went through all of this have, you know, of this new diagnosis and this hospitalization? I don't know I would show up for diabetes education, but maybe other people still feel too overwhelmed too. So there's just a lot of factors. Um, it's a really complicated,

Scott Benner 39:47
I'm gonna say something that's gonna sound pompous for a second. Okay,

Julia Blanchette, PhD 39:50
okay. Okay. Now,

Scott Benner 39:52
I think that if you could, obviously there's a lot of pie in the sky here. But yeah, if you could Bring me to your institution. And okay, and let me talk to 10 people, okay, the first three days of their diabetes diagnosis, and I would need a half an hour with them, and then a 20 minute follow up. I think I could do it.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 40:16
I think there's something about connecting with someone else who has diabetes in a light that's not medical, medical, medical, and a light that's like, I'm a real person. But I also find that that's why patients appreciate me, because part of my strategy is showing them like I do understand, or sometimes I don't understand, but if I do understand, I let them know, like, hey, like, here's what, here's what I found helps me. I'm a real person. And you know, it's interesting, a lot of my patients will come in, and they'll be like, you're gonna be so mad at me. Because I haven't been Pre-Bolus thing, or I've been, what they'll say is I've been eating bad. And I'm like, I'm not mad at you. You're a real person, like, this is how we live our lives. And we just have to find a smaller goal, and figure out how to meet it for you.

Scott Benner 41:07
I don't change what people say when they're on the podcast. Like, I don't correct them if they use terminology I don't agree with because I think it's good for people to hear how people feel. But I'm always like, shocked when someone tells me they're a bad diabetic. Like I

Julia Blanchette, PhD 41:20
know, and it's just showing how guilty people feel. Yeah,

Scott Benner 41:23
I know.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 41:24
It's a problem.

Scott Benner 41:25
It is. Okay. All right, let's do. I'm gonna hit two things, right. And because I've messed you over so badly with your episode, yours is going up very soon, so I can

Julia Blanchette, PhD 41:37
Oh, can I trust you or no, I don't know.

Scott Benner 41:44
So I want to talk to you about and you're gonna have to help me be. You're gonna have to help me with your phrasing. Okay. Okay. And I want to finish up talking with you about algorithm based pumping. Okay, and what you're talking about at your practice around Coronavirus, as it's March 17. Right now. So okay, let's start with the corona thing. So have you been in Corona meetings? Like are you got what is happening, but like, what I expect is happening in our endocrinologists offices, this is all kind of ramping up and happening.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 42:21
So I'm gonna be totally transparent. And let you know, I think it really differs based on what state you're in. And because you know, different state governments are suggesting different or implying different restrictions right now. And then I think it also depends if you're at a big practice or at a really small private practice. So I can tell you at my big practice, as of March 17, we are not closed, we are trying to limit in person contact, though. Okay, so and that's another thing. So like, if your practice doesn't have virtual visit capability, or you have state law restrictions on that, that might be a barrier. That being said, I'm saying this on the morning of March 17. Later today, there could be some sort of law passed that waives those restrictions. So it's very, it's a very fluid situation. But I think you don't expect that you can't contact your endocrinology or your diabetes practice, because we're all making arrangements, as of March 17, that you can contact us and that we can somehow get you what you need. So I've seen some practices doing just telephone console, that don't have the virtual capability. I've seen other practices that are just waiving fees for the time being, and then figuring it out later. So don't feel like we're not available. As of March 17. We are. We're just a lot of us are trying to limit the in person contact.

Scott Benner 43:53
You're further in off of the coasts, not a lot, but yeah, you still are. And it's very funny as, as I saw, like speaking engagements getting canceled. Yeah, I had one in Wisconsin. And they were like, everything's fine. I'm like, are you sure cuz I don't think my son's going to college anymore.

Unknown Speaker 44:13
Yeah, no

Scott Benner 44:15
one's talking about here. And I said to Julia in Wisconsin, I said, give it two days. Yeah, and sure enough, two days later, yeah, had bled, you know, the virus had spread towards the center of the country a little more. And so it's happening. It is interesting, how we, how we like to, like wish for what we want to happen, you know, when you start seeing what's happening in Seattle, and New York, and these other things to think it's not going to continue on is just like, that's just hopeful, in a way so it's coming towards, towards everybody what and it's so are you looking at tele med, is that an idea where you're going to be able to video, chat with people and have real life Thanks, do you have any idea which way they're gonna go?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 45:02
So I can tell you my practice. Um, we have virtual visit capabilities for my practice in my state. Not all insurance covers virtual visits, though. So there's an out of pocket costs for some situations as of March 17, that may be waived by my hospital at some point, I don't know what's going to happen. But yeah, so we're going with virtual, but then like, yesterday, I actually had a patient who doesn't have a smart device, or a computer. So like, in that situation, we would do telephone, instead of virtual. So like, we're making it work, like know that we're not trying to push you guys, at least my practice, and I would hope everyone's like this. We're not, we're not trying to limit your resources, like, we know, you need your resources. So so so don't freak out, I would always call your practice or your provider to see what they're offering at this moment.

Scott Benner 45:57
Because it's gonna change pretty readily is this it's gonna change. Yeah, and this is, my best guess is this is going to go on for a number of months, probably. So

Julia Blanchette, PhD 46:07
yeah, as a as a health care provider and a researcher. I would say, it's not we don't really know when this when it'll stop at this point. But expect, at least for the next month to two months.

Scott Benner 46:21
No, I think I think eight weeks is the is the bare minimum? We're gonna

Julia Blanchette, PhD 46:26
Yeah, that's what that's what it seems like the experts are kind of directing towards, so it's not going to be over quickly. And, you know, I think this probably is, unfortunately, I don't think this is the first time we're going to be hit by a pandemic, either. So I think we're learning a lot from this experience, especially as healthcare providers, and I think we'll be much better equipped for next time, because right now, we're just doing what we can we're just adjusting as needed.

Scott Benner 46:52
I completely agree. Yeah. So have you met or heard of anyone with type one who has Corona yet?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 47:00
I have not. I'm waiting for it to happen, since I feel like I have a million friends that all have diabetes. care. I don't know anyone who's been diagnosed with it yet. That being said, I'm sure I'm sure. Yeah, it's coming. And I'm sure someone's had it. But you know, as someone with diabetes, it is really important to know that if you have any type of complications, you and or your blood sugar's are running higher, not blaming anyone for either of those things. I know a lot of people have circumstances where that's just how you have to live. But if you're in one of those situations, know that you could be at higher risk of contracting it, if you have well managed diabetes, for lack of a better term right now. And you don't have complications, you're not necessarily at a higher risk of contracting it. But with either situation. Like with any type of illness, you are at higher risk of going into decay, or getting ketones or having dehydration, or hyperglycemia, from contracting an illness. So we all just have to be careful,

Scott Benner 48:05
right? And I just recorded an episode that I put up today, I just recorded it last night with Dr. Adam Edelman, he said the same thing, just in general, the better you the better health you are in, aside from diabetes, just in any way you can consider, you know, the more capable your body's going to be fighting off a virus or right, you know, or maybe you know, I'm not saying keeping you from getting it, but it might make it more difficult for you to get it might make it more difficult for it to thrive. And you just in general, your quality of your health has a lot to do with your quality of your ability to stay healthy.

Unknown Speaker 48:39
For sure. Yeah,

Scott Benner 48:40
I agree. Yeah, it's just it. I mean, that's, this is common sense, right? We haven't really said anything too deep there. It doesn't mean that, you know, some, you know, Olympic pole vaulter with you know, point 14% body fat isn't gonna get the Coronavirus

Julia Blanchette, PhD 48:56
will. Right. That's the other thing too is it seems that there's gonna be situations that are exceptions to the overall situation. Like there's going to be exceptions where someone randomly gets a really bad case today, and there's no logical explanation. It just happened. Like I feel like that's also something we need to be aware of. So social distancing, guys.

Scott Benner 49:19
Yeah, stay away. Stop. Yeah, stop kissing people. Yeah, that's hot. You just wait a little bit. Relax.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 49:29
Oh, that's hard right now. Well, listen, the

Scott Benner 49:31
last thing I'm gonna roll into because of just because of your, your PhD, if else is what about people who are already sort of naturally anxious or, you know, depressed or worrisome like I have. I don't want to say who it is, but there's someone that I know who you know, sort of suffers from some, you know, mental health issues and you can already see that person bubbling over trying To think their way through this in, you know,

Julia Blanchette, PhD 50:04
yeah, so I think at this time, I mean, social isolation and itself can contribute to even greater feelings of depression and anxiety and isolation, right. And then just the angst that the rest of the world has right now can also contribute. So anyone that has already has a mental health diagnosis, they're already at higher risk of being they're being put in an environment right now, that's going to exacerbate their symptoms. So keep that in mind. And I think just like with diabetes, don't assume that your mental health care provider is closing, or not available. Like I'm telling you Everyone is making resources available. I also know in general, telemedicine. And I'm like, so tell it and then virtual medicine for psychological resources are both increasing in popularity in general before this happened. So if you don't already have a mental health care provider, look and see what you can get connected with online to see what services are available to you, because it's really important to take care of your mental health during this time. It's I mean, it's just going to exacerbate things.

Scott Benner 51:13
I'm thinking of just doing like a Facebook chat just for everybody to kind of come together and chill out. And you know,

Julia Blanchette, PhD 51:19
yeah, and I think community support during this time is really vital to

Scott Benner 51:23
know. Cool. All right. So now, Julie, I want you to be really thoughtful about my ads. Okay.

Unknown Speaker 51:31
Okay. Okay.

Unknown Speaker 51:35
Oh, boy, okay. He's good

Scott Benner 51:36
at this. This is a test for you. Okay. Are you using an algorithm based pump?

Unknown Speaker 51:44
I am, how is it working for you?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 51:47
It's fantastic. So I was using a different algorithm based pump before, which was also great. But yourself? Yes, it was a little more. Yes. Um, and I now using a different algorithm based pump. And I mean, honestly, like I was achieving greater than 80% time and range on both. But with this one, I'm actually having even less variability. So my standard deviation, which shows the variability, that's one of the measures for it is very low. On this one in comparison to the last one, even though I was achieving greater than 80%, time and range on both. And on this one, my 90 day average for timing ranges over 90%,

Scott Benner 52:34
what is your time and range set out? Your range?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 52:37
So I am I am a Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. So when I read reports, I use the same time and range that we use as clinicians, because that's how my brain works when I'm assessing. So and also in the, in the clinical trials, this would also be the way they've set time and range. So it's 70 to 180 is the way that providers look at time and range and the way that we look at like ambulatory glucose profile outcomes and metrics, and then it's also how the studies for all of these devices, look at time and range seems very

Scott Benner 53:08
reasonable. Yes, excellent. I have Arden's obviously set at my goal. Not Yeah, yeah. From 70 to 120.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 53:15
Well, no, that makes sense for you guys, for me, so I actually have my highlighter on my pump. Oh, sorry, on my device. I'm so pumped. That's the pump. Okay. Okay. So sorry. So my Hyler on my pump and on my CGM of choice, um, of choice and that is integrated with the system. Um, it's actually set lower than 180. But just for my reports, I put it up one at every once in a while for my

Scott Benner 53:40
for the reports on for art and stuff, I just switch it down, I switch it back up to 182. Yeah, I'm like, Oh, my God, we're doing great. And they push it back down. It's funny how pressure serves different people differently. Like, I like to set it at 7171 20. And when I when it says I'm out of range, even if she's 130, or 140. I like to know that 40% of the time, she's not under 120. So that I can write, it helps me think about how that happened. But I'm not. I'm not impacted by it. Like, for instance, last night. So Arden was home. This was her first day yesterday, distance learning for high school because her high school got shut down. Right. So I think she was maybe a little stressed out all day, and we had her we had her bazel cranked to like 150% all day just to keep her like more stable and down around. Yeah, one focus.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 54:36
She wasn't like running around school either. Like in the

Scott Benner 54:39
hallways a lot changing and I'm trying to figure it out. Right, but I did think all day. She's gonna get lower overnight because of this. And around 1130 her blood sugar started like trending down and we turned off all the you know, the extra insulin that we have going. Yeah, but I'm like this isn't gonna stop like I just know it isn't and she ate an uncovered Banana. And I kept, I turned everything down a little more. And then right when I know I needed the insulin to go back on, I fell asleep. Oh no. And so from about 3am till 6am artists blood sugar was like 270. It showed up out of nowhere and leveled off. Yeah. And when I got up in the morning, I just looked at I went, I fell asleep. That sucks. I fix it. And I didn't think about it again. But that's a long time with diabetes, practicing not feeling guilty. Not not going down that path of like beating yourself up and everything like that.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 55:36
You can't I mean, you're a person. You have to fall asleep. You fell asleep. That's how it happened, right?

Scott Benner 55:41
Yeah, this is not going to, you know, this is not going to negatively impact Arden's existence. No, and so and so I'm like, you know, cool. But there would have been a time years ago, where I would have beaten mice, I would have got up and like, what do I do you know what I mean? Like it would have felt, but, but I like that range set where I can feel I want the feedback. It doesn't Yeah, it doesn't make me feel bad. But But it took me some time to train myself to that. So okay, so you're so your timing ranges? is really excellent. Yeah. Are you still Pre-Bolus thing with this?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 56:17
I am right. Pre-Bolus thing is key. And I will keep saying that. So until the devices do not require you to Pre-Bolus which is coming. Um, the current devices Pre-Bolus thing is still key.

Scott Benner 56:30
Yeah. 100% do you think, from what you've seen, I know what I think. But do you think from what you've seen, this is the way the future? Or do you think this is the thing that five years now? We'll all look back? No, no. Do you remember that time we thought algorithms were going to help us with our insulin?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 56:48
No, I think they're gonna keep getting more complex. So I think I mean, I know, from some research presentations, I've been to, that they're integrating even more machine based learning into these algorithms for the future ones that are in development. So, you know, soon the pumps will be able to predict like, you're moving in this way you're about to eat, and then they'll be able to change insulin based on that. So I think the algorithms are going to be great. I think we're going to look back and say, Wow, we needed, like different types of insulin to work a little more efficiently in order for these algorithms to be even better.

Scott Benner 57:27
Yeah, no, I think improving insulin canula technology like little Yeah, that's what I think about right, like, those are the those are the, the points that should be focused on right now. But I'm just gonna say that I, I am looking very forward to the on the pot horizon coming out, when it comes out. And I'm thrilled that there are other options for people in this is it to me, this is, this is it, you're, you're right there,

Julia Blanchette, PhD 57:58
you know, and I think they're just gonna keep getting better. So I think, you know, the first couple that have been out here, like, maybe we'll look back and be like, wow, that really wasn't as much of an algorithm as what's currently available in five years, you know, but I think they're helping people so much. I'm not focus so much on the little decisions that we have to make constantly. I mean, there's still, obviously some psychological involvement with diabetes, but they're really reducing it. And I think they really are helping people achieve much better time and range. I do something Pre-Bolus thing is key with the commercial ones, though. Yeah. Listen, and I think that's what's helped me so

Scott Benner 58:37
2021 and 20. And 20, the end of 2020. Here in the beginning of 2021. This is the jumping in period. Like, yeah, I'm telling you, if you if you met me on the street and asked me I'd say do it, let's go. Yeah, yeah. Right. So

Julia Blanchette, PhD 58:51
yeah, there's a saying, stop. Yeah.

Scott Benner 58:52
And and then the next step, of course, is access and affordability and getting these things to a point where they're less expensive, easier for other people to get because then maybe one day, there'll be a world where the person who is not going to understand what was told to them in the hospital or doesn't get a hold of them. Maybe they really just will get a thing. You know, here, slap this on here. Put this on here. I'm going to put an app on your phone.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 59:17
Well, that's Yeah, that's what it's coming to. I can tell you that's, it's getting there. So it's really exciting.

Scott Benner 59:23
I'm excited to know that you agree. I really am. Yeah, because you've been using it for a while, haven't you?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 59:31
Are you allowed to say that? automated? Yeah, I am. Um, so I've been using this device for over three months now.

Scott Benner 59:39
Right. Okay. Cool. Yeah. Yeah. I just been doing this for a long time at this point now, too. Yeah, yeah. We just put some episodes out about it that I think you even came up online said you learned something on one of the episodes with Kenny, didn't you? Was that you?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 59:55
I don't know if it was me. I think I'm the one that will. No offense to the listeners. I'll send you messages. I was like, I thought about this a different way.

Scott Benner 1:00:01
Yeah, no, I like that. Yeah.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 1:00:05
I don't, I can't remember if it was I don't think it was Kenny. So I think it was a different episode. Gotcha.

Scott Benner 1:00:11
I hear, I just think it's a, it's so worth having these conversations, because you're laying a blanket of understanding across the community that hopefully we'll, you know, will one day be big enough to warm everybody? Yeah. Because you're not just gonna reach every single person. Like, you know, and this is not how it's gonna work. It's there's gonna be a trickle down. There are gonna be people who, you know what, not unlike how you spread the Coronavirus. There are going to be people who use an algorithm based pump, because it's something I said on this podcast, and they're never going to have heard of this podcast. Yeah. And I think that's important for us all to be doing spreading good information out to

Julia Blanchette, PhD 1:00:50
people. No, I agree. Good. And like accurate information is really important. Yeah.

Scott Benner 1:00:54
Trust me. That's a that's not as easy to get people to do. I know, but it's getting better. And you know, what is helping? This is gonna sound crazy. Facebook pages are less and less popular now.

Unknown Speaker 1:01:07
Yeah.

Scott Benner 1:01:08
Have you seen? Have you noticed that?

Julia Blanchette, PhD 1:01:10
Yeah, I think we're moving towards Instagram. But I don't know if that's more accurate.

Scott Benner 1:01:17
What I'm saying is what you're losing is a place where let's pretend you were diagnosed a day ago, and I was diagnosed a month ago. And I found this place online, me with my one month worth of information and pontificating about what I've learned. And you come rolling in thinking, Oh, Scott knows, listen, look at how he's talking. He must know he typed a lot. Yeah, you know, and you don't realize that you're listening to a person who's three and a half weeks ahead of you. Right? And then it just blends confusion. And the information still in there, because there's also people in there who are giving you good information. But when it's all blended together, like how do you figure out what which is, which like, what do you know, is a trusted source in that situation? Right. And so, you know, and that's blurring away. It's so interesting to have watched this for as long as I have, you know, I came into it during blogging, and Oh, yeah. And there were blogs that were rock solid. Do you know what I mean? Like, wow, you could you could you could bank on what was being said there, then blogging became popular, and then all of a sudden, there were a lot of opinions. Right, which are fine, except now how do I decide which opinion blog is good? Yeah. And then they kind of drifted away, blogs drifted away. And Facebook killed blogging. Yeah, right. Because it used in the beginning, you'd write a blog piece. And you'd post it on Facebook, and someone would read it and share it on Facebook and social sharing, like that used to be really popular. And so then the Facebook was good for the blogs. But then as soon as people opened up Facebook groups, and made them private, that killed the blocks, because the guac

Unknown Speaker 1:02:57
don't want

Scott Benner 1:02:58
you to leave the group. They want you to stay in the group. And so they don't direct you out to other stuff that killed blogging. And then now, I think that being able to get information in other ways, you know, is now is now hurting Facebook. And so those groups are dwindling down. And it's so interesting to watch how it just rolls through and changes and changes and changes. Super.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 1:03:22
Yeah, you've seen all of it. So I'm very old as well. You're not old. You've just seen the internet grow. Yeah,

Scott Benner 1:03:28
it's a very weird thing to go from dial up to this. Yeah, seriously. It's like I said last night. How is it possible that my kids are bored? Like at no other time in the history of mankind? Have you had more ways to keep yourself busy or fill your mind or anything that you do right now? My son was home from college for three hours to just wander around the house go What am I gonna do? I'm like,

Unknown Speaker 1:03:52
Oh, no.

Unknown Speaker 1:03:54
Poor guy.

Scott Benner 1:03:56
Oh, man. Yeah. are just like artigos school. Thanks for gonna read for 30 minutes a day. Haha.

Unknown Speaker 1:04:03
Man.

Scott Benner 1:04:05
Oh, man, I getting Julius PhD one day, that's for sure. Oh, God, anyway. Okay, so I'm gonna say goodbye here. And we're gonna spend 30 seconds, but me asking you about setting up some other stuff. So hold on one second. Thank you so much for doing this.

Julia Blanchette, PhD 1:04:22
Yeah, thanks for having me.

Scott Benner 1:04:24
Huge thanks to Julia for coming on the show and for considering being on some diabetes pro tips about more emotional and psychological issues regarding type one diabetes, look for those in the future. Thank you also to Dexcom, makers of the G six continuous glucose monitor. I appreciate that you sponsor the show. And of course, my longest advertiser, my dearest advertising friend, the Omni pod tubeless insulin pump. You can find out more about Dexcom dexcom.com forward slash juice box, have yourself an absolutely free no obligation demo of valmy pod sent to you at my Omni pod.com forward slash juice box. And the links to all of the sponsors are in those show notes of the podcast player you're listening to right now right in that app. They're also available at Juicebox podcast.com. Now, if you're listening in an app, and you haven't already, go ahead and hit subscribe, so you don't miss the next episode of the Juicebox Podcast, and then go look back, because there's about 314 other ones that you haven't heard yet if this is your first one. Okay, don't forget on March 26, at 3pm eastern time, we're gonna have a meeting, it's just a meet up, right, it'll be through something called zoom, you'll just click on a link to get into it. You don't need any special software, you'll be able to interact with, see if you want or just listen to other people just like you who are listening to the show. I'm thinking we're going to use it as sort of a support group, while we're all kind of you know, holed up in our homes. So that's Thursday, March 26, at 3pm. Eastern Time, there'll be a link on my Facebook page, my Instagram, and my Twitter, you'll find it or if you don't send me an email, I'll hook you up. absolutely free by the way, no charge No, nothing like that. No special software needed. Just bang and look around. Don't look around. You can turn your camera on or not turn your camera on. Right. And we'll just sort of like you know, shoot this

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