#359 Tap Dancing Dogs

Quick start episodes disscused

Maxine is the mother of a young man living with type 1 diabetes. Scott and Maxine talk about some quick start episodes from the podcast and her son not being sure about insulin pumping.

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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 0:04
Hello, everyone, welcome to Episode 359 of Juicebox Podcast. Today's show features Maxine. Maxine is the mother of a child with Type One Diabetes, who came on the show for reasons that weren't 100% clear as we started. The conversation moved into the Quick Start episodes from the podcast where we sort of went through them. I mean, you know me it wasn't exactly like we went through it. Anyway, you'll see, we do Arden's lunch bolus, and then we talk about Maxine's desire for her son to wear an insulin pump. But he didn't want to. We talked about that for a little bit at the very end. And I have an update here from Maxine in my email to let you know how that all went. While you're listening, please remember that nothing you hear on the Juicebox Podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise, always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan. or becoming bold within so today's show is sponsored by touched by type one, and the Contour Next One blood glucose meter. You can find out more at touched by type one.org. For Contour Next one.com forward slash juice box.

For the first couple of minutes of the show, you're going to hear Maxine's tap dancing dogs, but that stops. So don't panic. It won't last long. vaccine. How many times have we tried to do this? Chip? It's not terrible. How did it fall apart? The first time Do you remember? Because I don't.

Maxine 1:47
Um, I thought my kids would be in school and they weren't

Scott Benner 1:51
right. Second time somebody was sick. Both kids were setting kids. There's like this time, you're good.

Maxine 1:57
I'm good. All the kids are in school.

Scott Benner 1:59
I didn't know if you were good. Or if you just gave up and you were just like, Look, we're just gonna do it with sick kids here or something.

Maxine 2:04
I don't know. You would have been like, I hear a lot of kids screaming in the background. This is

Scott Benner 2:08
how many children what I've heard, too, right? They sound like more.

Maxine 2:14
Oh, yeah. It sounds like a zoo in my house. I have two dogs too. So between the wife three kids, but Michael's always, you know, he's at school during the day. But it's it's my ham here.

Unknown Speaker 2:23
I gotcha. All

Scott Benner 2:24
right. So I did my best this morning to figure out why you're on the podcast. And I can't even find our notes together. So

Maxine 2:31
I don't even think there was a reason I just wanted to be on it. Because I love it.

Scott Benner 2:35
That's perfect then. So we've already started Go ahead, introduce yourself, and then we'll get rolling.

Maxine 2:41
All right. My name is Maxine. My sons Michael. He's seven years old. He was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes 15 months ago today.

Scott Benner 2:51
Oh, wow. Really? Yes. Geez. you vote Juba monthly. Like do you know every buddy No,

Maxine 2:58
no, no. But I was like thinking I was like, Oh, I should probably like, think about how long ago he was diagnosed because I know it was a year. And then when I looked at the data, I was like, Oh, yeah, it was August 13. So look at that. I definitely wasn't intentional.

Scott Benner 3:11
That's excellent. Because I was worried for you that you were like a person who like every month on the 13th or like, it's been another month.

Maxine 3:17
Just the first year the first year I was. Yeah, now you're good. Now I'm like, well, it's just another day.

Scott Benner 3:24
doesn't doesn't seem like it's gonna magically disappear. You're gonna wake up from a nightmare or anything like that. You might as well keep going. Right? Yeah. Well, that's cool. So I thought I like it nice for you an easy conversation. So um, when did you start?

Maxine 3:40
And I shut it. I shut the door. So I wonder if they can hear your noise there. Your voice through the headphones?

Unknown Speaker 3:46
Sorry.

Scott Benner 3:51
Are they in the room with you? Or no?

Maxine 3:53
Yeah, they don't leave me alone. Mason, Galena, okay, that's way they relax.

We might have to do a lot of editing.

Scott Benner 4:01
It's gonna say with the charge you for editing this episode. A free podcast turns into pay for play when ladies dogbone Stop talking. Oh my gosh. So anyway, I was gonna say you found the podcast first or the blog? or How did you? How do you and I even are we in the same orbit together?

Maxine 4:23
So I found the podcast. I think my friend Jess, she, um, she's been in contact with you pretty frequently her son Jacob has typed on. Yep. So we're pretty good friends. Actually, we're really good. I feel like we're really good friends. Now. You know, now we have that mutual type one bond. And she told me the one day she was like, you gotta listen to this guy. We used to call you juicebox man. And um, and then that was probably a month into diagnosis, and it totally changed the game changer.

Scott Benner 4:51
So actually, just for clarity, if the kids were there, it would be louder than this.

Unknown Speaker 4:56
Oh, yeah. What was the buzzing?

Maxine 4:58
Oh, that's Michael sugar. He's Hi. Oh, Okay, yeah.

It was like, This is so quiet. You have no idea.

Scott Benner 5:07
Do we without revealing where you live? Do you and I live reasonably near each other?

Maxine 5:11
Oh, yeah, we live in the same state. Okay, I live in South Jersey,

Scott Benner 5:15
just gave it away.

Maxine 5:16
I'm not well, I'm sorry. I'm just kidding. I'm sure I'm sure people might have a more a better idea of where you live.

Scott Benner 5:22
It's so funny. If, if somebody were to be able to find my home from your description of I live in South Jersey, and we're in the same state, I'd be incredibly impressed right before I died is from a strangulation from diabetes podcast, man.

Unknown Speaker 5:39
So you started listening not long ago.

Maxine 5:42
Um, so he was diagnosed in August in September.

Scott Benner 5:46
Okay. And you just right away, you were in Athens and going, how did you know just that quick? Did you meet her online,

Maxine 5:52
um, I went to X ray school with a girl who just so she's a mutual friend. And she reached out to me when I posted like Michael had diabetes, she was like, you gotta, you got to reach out to my friend. She's, you know, she's wonderful. She's so like, uh, you know, world knowledge. So I did, and I'm telling you, she's been a lifesaver, to she's like, my go to person. Um, besides you.

She's my everyday go to person I hear you.

Scott Benner 6:22
That's, first of all, I want to give you a lot of credit. Because that's something that happens frequently, where someone's diagnosed, and someone else steps in and says, Hey, I know a person you should reach out to, and then people don't ever do that. I, I swear to you, I get six emails a year from friends were like, hey, somebody I work with, their kid was just diagnosed, or they were just diagnosed. And would it be okay, if they contacted you? And I'm like, Yeah, sure. You can give them my phone number or something. Let them text me. And you never hear from them. And then so I'll like circle back around. And I'll be like, hey, they must be doing great. They're like, Oh, no, they're they're struggling greatly. I'm like, well, they haven't reached out, remind them that it's okay, that I'm okay with it. I just people can't bring themselves to do it. It's interesting.

Maxine 7:03
Yeah. And especially I think with something like this, like, I feel like I learned so much more from other parents. Yeah. And even you know, social media, then I would then I've learned at the end of which I'm not knocking them, you know, it's just when you live with it. 24. Seven, it's, you know, totally different.

Scott Benner 7:22
You need more information than just a few minutes every couple of months. And let's be careful not to give just too much credit here. Because anything she knows, she probably knows for me anyway. So all the all the credit should funnel back to me.

Maxine 7:33
She's pretty amazing, though. I will say, I feel like she's the female version of Yo,

Scott Benner 7:37
what's up? Let her get a microphone, then we'll see how it goes. Not just this, because this podcast has no real ending. I could meander. I hope nobody turns out because of that, I still think it's gonna be. But No, I'm kidding. It just is terrific. And I think it's amazing that you guys Connect. And I think more people out there should be doing that.

Unknown Speaker 7:56
I agree. I have to say,

Scott Benner 7:58
Did you did you go into the the private Facebook group that I set up? And and that's having a similar effect, I'm noticing,

Unknown Speaker 8:07
oh, yeah, just

Scott Benner 8:09
like minded people, like getting together sort of, you know, saying the same things to each other, talking to each other in the same way as I was really, I'm really impressed by it. Like I, someone asked me at some point, you know, how come you don't have a place that's more private, where we can all talk? And I was just like, yeah, Facebook is not my jam, really. And I don't want to be an admin of a Facebook group, because that sounds like a horror. Yeah. But people kept like saying, Please, please. And I'm like, Alright, let's say set it up. There's like 1600 people in there. Now. It's only been up for a few weeks. And it's amazing watching them talk to each other.

Maxine 8:47
Because I think what's so great about it is the people that are in there, they want to, you know, they want to take as best care of themselves and their children as possible. Yeah. Where I think a lot of the other groups like some people are in there, you know, they're, they're kind of like degrading other parents, or, like, there's not that much like their support. But like, here, it's just different. Like, it's so much more positive.

Scott Benner 9:11
Yeah, I see it on line two, like there's, everybody's in a different phase, right. And sometimes people are like, well, if I can put them down, maybe I can feel better about myself. Like that's not a conscious thought they have but you know, it's a it's a pretty human trait.

Maxine 9:24
Right? Because they almost feel guilty for not, you know, doing so well with managing their diabetes.

Scott Benner 9:31
Yeah, I swear to you, I bumped into four or five people a year who say, I heard the podcast and I really didn't like you. And I was like, well, that's hurtful. Did you have to email me? Like, it's like, it's like, I'm like, I'm already married. I don't need to know the person telling me what I'm not doing right. Like, you know, and you know, but then they'll note so go on and I was angry and I didn't like what you were saying and all this stuff. And then I walked away from it and came back a little later. And I figured out maybe I was more angry with myself than I was with you. And I swear to you for those a year nicey nice people who just they found the podcast at the wrong time. I'm sure some people just legitimately don't like me. I don't want to discount that. That's fine.

Maxine 10:13
You know, we were too cuz like, I was never a podcast person ever. Yeah. Like, I don't even know where the app was on my phone. I actually think I may have deleted it. And then, you know, when I was told to listen to it, I was like, Okay, now it's, I mean, I drive an hour to and from work. And that's what I listen

Scott Benner 10:30
to. Oh, that's really nice. I'm sorry if I'm, if I bother you ever, but Well, thank you. I guess if you if I do, you can feel free to write me an email or you told me.

Unknown Speaker 10:40
I promise I will do that. Sure. I appreciate where then, you know, complain

Scott Benner 10:44
to somebody who's giving you something for free. It would be like, if you were at like, one of those big box stores. They were giving out food on the corner and like you want to try this? You know? Sure. Hey, put your mouth ago. I don't like that. You're terrible for giving that to me.

Maxine 10:58
It's almost like a toddler. Right? Like,

Scott Benner 11:01
I don't want to say that. No, I don't feel that way. Please, no, an email me. I'm not calling you a toddler. I just, it's just another listen. It's another response to the diabetes and the information, all that stuff. And maybe it's just they don't like me, that's fine, too. But my point is, is that there's no real reason to tell somebody I got in bed last night and my wife was watching one of the worst television shows that I've ever seen in my life, she appears to love it. At no point was I like thinking to myself, you know, I should just knock off a couple hundred word email to the producers of the show and let them know how bad it is. I just won't watch it. And and it's, it's interesting. So sometimes I think that's not it. Like, there's got to be a different, like more, there's a deeper reason, right? Like, why would anyone spend time complaining to someone about something free that they don't like? Like, just don't listen to it anyway?

Unknown Speaker 11:53
Yeah, right.

Scott Benner 11:54
Yeah, I don't get it. And so that it's fascinating to me, I also don't have enough time to delve into it. And I'm not a psychology major. So I don't really understand it in any particular way. But anyway, I appreciate all the nice people out there who don't write. That's, those are the ones I appreciate the most, the ones who listen, and don't write me to say bad things. Like that's perfect. You don't have to leave a nice review. But it's just I don't know, Maxine, like, you know, if you want to look a little bit into the human part of it, it's tough to pop out of bed in the morning and read a tome from somebody about how much you suck. Yeah, you know, and when you're trying to do something nice. Like, that's really kind of it. Anyway. So you find the podcast, what's the first part? Like? How did you get into it? Are you one of those people that started at the beginning and listen through? Did you jump around? Would you do I

Maxine 12:42
know, I started with like that list that you um, that you recommend? Everyone start with? Oh, cool.

Scott Benner 12:49
You know what? I never say that out loud. Well, you could tell me a little bit about your experience. I'm gonna find that list.

Unknown Speaker 12:58
too. I don't know.

Scott Benner 12:59
I started. You've been trying for a long time to be on this project. Coming up with I don't know, you

Maxine 13:07
know, so let me actually because what's I think, what's the first episode? Is it bold with insulin? So So I think the first episode and not that it was, um, it was interesting, because I think it's just you on that episode. It's not you talking to anybody, it's just you talking about diabetes,

Scott Benner 13:22
there's a number of them in the beginning, where I basically went back and read what I thought were some of my more impactful blog posts and kind of made myself like, like, recall them, like put myself back in that moment when I read them. And then I would record an episode about them. Because I noticed, I didn't notice I knew that these blog posts were an important part of how people who were reading the blog, were moving through management. So I went back and would sprinkle them in. I didn't expect when I started the podcast for the interview stuff to happen. That was all just crazy. Like I was sitting down to record what is now Episode Two, when I somehow got Adam last year to be on the show. Yeah, so

Maxine 14:03
I have recently listened to that one because I start I not to cut you off. No, no, I am. Because now that I've gotten through all like the recent ones, I'm like, Oh, you know what, let me come back to the beginning and see what it was like in the beginning when he started the book. How

Scott Benner 14:14
bad Am I in the beginning?

Maxine 14:16
No, you're not. But it's funny, you can just tell that you were starting out. So it was just kind of like a lot of will try to say

Scott Benner 14:22
even imagine like I had the equipment. I figured out how to like record the sound. I figured out how to like process the file, how to get it on the internet, like how to host it with a podcast company that all took a while actually. And then all the sudden there's a guy with Type One Diabetes on American Idol back when American Idol was still fairly popular. And I just reached out to him and I was like, hey, do you want to come on a podcast about type one diabetes, he right away said Yeah, sure. And I went, huh, okay. It is easy, really know what to do. And so I got him on and I remember him being really delightful. And I put it up as the first episode and it just It's crazy, because I didn't expect to be interviewing people. But then when I started doing what I meant to do, I thought, like, can't sustain this forever, like a podcast can't just be me talking the whole time, you know, constantly Plus, I only have my experience my perspective, like I get to find other people's perspectives and mix them in.

Maxine 15:19
Right, which I think is huge. And I mean, even listening to like, you know, every episode of like everyone's diagnosis story, even though they're so different. They're so alike. And like, it just brings you back every time to those like emotions from like, the day of diagnosis. Yeah,

Scott Benner 15:34
yeah, I maintain that all of our stories are fairly the same. Seriously, yeah.

Maxine 15:38
And I think well, and I think that's what makes it unique in a way where like, we can all

you know, we all feel the same way.

Scott Benner 15:47
Yeah. The details and where you were and who you were with, like, That stuff's different. But mostly, I mean, listen, if we really broke it down, there's probably like, a couple dozen different, like, versions of the story, but they all seem pretty similar. So right. So okay, so back to your point, like, so you found the podcast, and somebody shared with you this list that I put out, and this list is, I'm gonna say carefully curated, but that's probably a lie. But it's a list of episodes that I found, kind of, like, quick walk you through how I think. Yeah, you know, and, and so it's funny the other day, a listener named Jeremy, online, and I've seen him say this once or twice in the past, but he just recently said it. In the way he said it, this last time really kind of hit me. He's like, if you listen to these, like, 10 or so episodes, they put you in Scotts head. Like, you'll know how he thinks about diabetes once you're finished with them. Yeah. And then he goes, and then the other stuff starts to make more sense. And so I thought, Wow, that's cool. Like, I didn't even particularly think about it that deeply. One of the, you know, things about the podcast is that it takes so much effort to put it together, that I'm not left with a ton of time. You know, for the other part of it. Like I think if I had, if I had as much time to market the podcast as I do to make it, I think it would probably reach twice as many people I just, I'm out of time, you know, right. But anyway, I've never said them out loud. So let's go through them together, I guess. Okay. The first one on the list is Episode Four. It's called texting diabetes. Do you remember that one?

Maxine 17:28
I do. I mean, like, I think I remember it now. Just because I just had someone start listening to them. So she just you know, she just told me that. Now she wants to start texting with her daughter instead to kind of eliminate the nurse a little bit,

Scott Benner 17:46
right? It's funny, because to me, if you said to me, Scott, what's texting diabetes about like that episode? I'd say, well, overarching Lee, it's about the idea that text messaging is a great tool for type one diabetes, especially when you're helping someone else. But moreover, it's a story of the moment where I realized how much my fear of being in control was limiting what I was doing. And like and it's, you know, you you're not going to remember it word for word, obviously. But it was there's a moment in that episodes where I just tell a story about Arden being upstairs, and I was too lazy to go to her. So I texted her, like, give yourself some insulin.

Maxine 18:23
Yeah, I remember that now. And

Scott Benner 18:26
then all of a sudden, I was like, Oh, geez, this is it. Like, why does it matter where she is? And it was just a leap, you know? And I really thought about it. I was like, God, it's I'm scared. Like, I'm scared not to be there. And I just don't think that's a good reason to live or to live your life. You know?

Maxine 18:42
No, no. And it's funny, actually, now that you say that, like the past couple nights. twice this week. Michael has texted me he's, um, he shares a room with my other son, and he's on the top bunk. And he was texting me mom. I feel shaky. So I'm like, kind of like, does he feel so low that he doesn't even feel like climbing out of his bed? Yeah, to come tell me that he shaky but I was like, This is great. I mean, he can't fully spell, but he'll talk to text into Siri, and then send it to me. Oh, that's excellent. Yeah. Yeah,

Scott Benner 19:14
I got the 15 year old version of that text the other night. I'm gonna finish it for you. I'm not gonna it's too it would be too much. bleeping. So I'm going to sit on a second. How far back is this? Then we're gonna go to the next episode. Because this is worth it. I'll probably like, right now. I feel like I'll edit out this space. But then when I go to edit it, I'll think

Unknown Speaker 19:37
maybe I won't.

Scott Benner 19:40
Okay, okay. So it was at night that it was a Saturday night, and I passed out. I'm asleep. It's 1230. I get a text from Arden that says my BG says I'm dying. Oh my gosh. 1230 to two minutes later, my disease indicates death is on its way. 1236 My phone is beeping, which means it's trying to tell me to leave the earth 1237 my unworkable pancreas has told me to give up. This next one. I don't know, I don't know where people fall on the use of the Lord's name. So let's just skip that part. And say, dad, my blood sugar is low all in caps. Now at this point, I'm sleeping Just so you know, like, I'm not getting it's not like I'm ignoring her. I'm just not hearing these tags. Right. The next one says, If I told you what the next one says, you might not respect my kid anymore. I don't even know if I beat it out if it would make any sense. But there's I'll read the words I can. Holy Mother. Blank, looking ugly. blank, blank, blank head. I think Brad Pitt is at the door. Oh my god with his brothers do stupid. But just

Unknown Speaker 20:57
her humor.

Scott Benner 20:58
The bad dad joke we call around the house. Brad Pitt does not have a brother named Stu. But if you ever meet somebody go, Hey, have you ever seen Brad Pitt's brother act anything? And when they go who's Brad Pitt's brother goes to, you know, stupid. Anyway, like it's a bad dad trick. Then I get dad. Now it's 1249. But oh, my God started at 1230. Dad, I'm hungry. Now it's 101. So I finally Hold on, which will indicate my BG is low. It starts all over again. That so when I wake up, I see these. But you may ask why is Arden texting because I don't know what you want to do. Dad like and bah bah, bah. So finally, I'm like, I wake up, I read all these. I don't understand the timing of them. You know what I mean? Like, I figured they just started coming. And I woke up. And I get out of bed and I walk in a room. I'm like, what's going on? And she's like, Um, hello. I was like, why don't you like, do something because I don't know, I just thought maybe you were up and you'd want to know what to do and like, but this now I'm looking like this has been for 45 minutes. She was actually I started to get low. And then it went back up again. So I thought, yeah, and then I went back to talking to my friend. She's facetiming with their friends, you know, like, on Saturday night, and she doesn't then I started getting low again. Then I started getting hungry. And I knew that man, I was gonna get lower. So I started texting more. I was like, why did it not mean you got something to eat? And she just was like, I don't know. Just you know, like, can't really tell you. She knows what to do. She could have done any number of things. There's, you know, sugar, multiple different kinds, right in her bedside table. She was not incapacitated. She's just 15 Yeah, yeah. So. And she's got a crazy bad sense of humor. And so she's just messing with me the whole time. It wasn't bad enough that she was in a in a, you know, a dire situation. So she was just using her blood sugar as a way to mess around with me. And you know, so she ate something. And we both went back to bed. I love the sense of humor. Like I love that she can find some humor in it. She's no, she's completely just chill about the whole thing. Like she said to me the other day in a really serious moment. She goes to be honest, most of the time. I don't feel like I have diabetes. That's awesome. And I was like, cool. She's like, sometimes, like some days it's, you know, a little worse than others. And there's more to do and stuff like that. But she's like, yeah, most time, but not really. So that's pretty cool.

Maxine 23:22
So when she was was your phone alarming? Were you sleeping?

Scott Benner 23:26
Oh, yeah. Oh, please. Absolutely.

Maxine 23:28
I know. Because like, I feel like some but like even now though, I'm like, sometimes I like sleep through the alarms, and I set it up. Now we're sugarbeet calls my phone and I have it on like the loudest, you know, ring it can do. And my husband will even be like, get up. Your phone's ringing. Like, what are you doing? I'm like, this is scary sometimes that I slipped through them.

Scott Benner 23:46
Yeah, I have to. I

Maxine 23:47
mean, I still wake up. I mean, it's not like I go, he goes an hour and he's low. But I'm still like, Oh my gosh,

Scott Benner 23:53
I've had that happen. I've had it happen where you wake up in the morning, and you're like, well, she was 55 for three hours. You know, and it's not something you want to have happen. But I didn't wake up, you know, and she she's not gonna wake up that mean that she's just like,

Maxine 24:09
and then that's another scary thought. Like, once you know, once they're old, and often they're completely managing it themselves. Like, what if they slipped through the alarms?

Unknown Speaker 24:17
Yeah,

Scott Benner 24:18
I I think that and there's also some kids I know, in college who were like this when they were kids, and when they got to college, like there was a moment of reality where they're like, okay, I really, you know, I'm not looking to have a problem like that. So I'm gonna have to figure out a way around that and they and they kind of adapt on their own to, you know, yeah, it's not around diabetes, but the other day, my son said to me, Hey, you know, I he had a bad week at school. And there was this one thing, that when it came back around, he asked me, he's like, we talked about this last week. He's like, why didn't you like say something? I thought, No, you were I told him I was like, you're, you were kind of set on an idea. And I didn't think it was the right thing to do, but also didn't think it was gonna kill you if it went wrong and I figured, let him find out. And he goes, I found out I was like, Yeah, right. So good on good on you. Now, you know, you know what I mean? Like, I can't explain the whole world to you every second Yes, the time like, you're gonna have to do it a little bit yourself. So, Episode 11 is bold with insulin. How do you recall that one? Because that's the one. When I ask people what their favorite episode is. That's the one they say.

Maxine 25:24
Um, I don't know. Can you refresh my memory? Listen, I've listened to a lot of them. Like, how many episodes do you have now? To over

Scott Benner 25:30
200 270 is going up on Friday? Yeah, and I've looked for a good amount of more that are not yet. Like, so I've recorded like 300 of them. Okay, so bold with insulin again. I don't remember it. So I went back, I went, I mean, it's, it was five years ago, where I just sat down telling basically trying to impart the message about, you know, not being passive. And not waiting for things to happen to you kind of being aggressive, that kind of stuff. I'm actually going to go speak this weekend, I'll go back and listen to a couple of these episodes, just to remind myself of the energy I had when I was talking about that stuff. Because it's, there's something about that episode. That's the one that everyone's like, this is my favorite one. And so then I asked people to listen to Episode 29. It's called fear of insulin, because I think most of the problems we have is, is about being afraid of the insulin in general.

Maxine 26:25
No, I think that's the one that probably resonated the most with me, okay. And not that I was scared of it. I just didn't understand it. Mm hmm. So once I understood it, I was like, Oh, yeah, now we're gonna, we're gonna do this, like, we're gonna catch it with a juice box if we have two or a couple of carbs. But I'd rather give more insulin than deal with his high.

Scott Benner 26:49
It's fascinating that no one tells you like how insulin works. Like, it's our whole culture is like that. Really, though? Like, I mean, no one ever told you when you were 16 or 17, like, hey, the gas goes in the car. And then it actually burns and a thing called a carburetor. And that's burning. Like, you know, when they're just like, you put that in there. And the thing goes,

Maxine 27:06
Yeah, I mean, even like I said, you know, when he was diagnosed, they were like, okay, you're going to inject the insulin, and you're going to he's going to eat, and he needs to finish eating within 30 minutes, I would set a timer for 30 minutes. Yeah. And I would use Michael, you need to hurry up and eat like, let's go. Let's go, look, come on, finish eating. And now I'm like, go ahead. take as long as you want. Like, you know what I mean? Sometimes it works out better that way if he like, takes longer to eat a meal. Yeah.

Scott Benner 27:32
Yeah. Yeah. Cuz you spread the food, the impact of the food out, like we always think about spreading out the impact of the insult, but you can spread out the impact of the food as well.

Unknown Speaker 27:39
Yeah. Okay.

Scott Benner 27:40
So I think that one's incredibly important. Then you go to Episode 37. This is, this stuns me honestly, because I was just texting with Jenny a couple of minutes ago. And Jenny Smith was on for the first time in Episode 37, which if I'm doing my math, right is four 812 24. It was only about eight months into the podcast.

Unknown Speaker 27:59
Oh, wow.

Scott Benner 28:00
And she was just a guest at that point. And the way that happened was that my friend of mine, who's also a friend of Jenny's ginger, and ginger beer has been on to she wrote a book about being pregnant with type one, actually, she wrote it with Jenny. And she's written other books about diabetes, burnout and everything. And she's just a person in the diabetes community, who I trust. I like the way she talks about diabetes. She's Matter of fact, she's thoughtful. She's consider it like, it's, it's well, you know, well thought through. It's not not like kind of, you know, Ram shot, like all over the place. She's good. And she says to me one day, hey, you should have Jenny on your podcast. You and Jenny, really think about diabetes the same way. And so I still like you mean, you know, you're on and you're just like, hey, I want to come on the podcast is like, all right. Like, in my mind, I think we can make something out of the conversation, right? So I'm like, yeah, let's have Jenny on. Well, man, by the time I was done with Jenny, I was like, This woman's, a guru. Like, she knows everything about this. So Episode 37, Jenny Smith diabetes guru. Then after that episode 44 is getting off the diabetes roller coaster. And I think that's incredibly important. Yeah, I agree. Yeah. Knowing how to get off. Yeah. And knowing why to get off. Like that's the whole thing. Did you find yourself chasing blood sugars in the beginning?

Unknown Speaker 29:25
I'm

Maxine 29:30
not too much only because

I think when we got set up with Dexcom, they wanted my heart or Michaels High Line to be set at 300. And I was like, Um, no, I don't like that. Um, so she was like, well, it's going to be alarming a lot. I'm like, okay, but I like cringe when his blood sugar's high. So I set it to choose 50, which still really is high. Um, but then Like I said, a month into him being diagnosed and I found your podcast, I dropped it to 200. So I guess I was chasing it, but I was chasing it more with noticing like, I don't want his blood sugar to be high. So I was messaging, or CDE, probably every couple of days, like, his ratios need to be changed. This needs to be changed to sugars high for too long. I don't like this like, so I was chasing it more in that aspect. Not

Scott Benner 30:26
Does that make sense? No, it does. I think you were seeing it quickly. I think your first sounds to me like your first inclination was, I'm not gonna be okay with 300.

Maxine 30:34
Yeah. And I wasn't and and, you know, she was like, well, it's a lot of information, like, you know, and I'm like, okay, but I don't like his blood sugar. I don't want it that high. Right?

Scott Benner 30:45
Well, that's cool. Like, because that's normally and somebody would just hear something for the doctor, you'd be like, Alright, yeah. But I have to say, I don't know what the hospital you use. And please don't tell me because I'm gonna say something right now. And I don't want to know who it is. But that idea of like, are you sure it's gonna alarm if you put it lower is criminal? Like, why would you say to somebody, you don't want to know when your blood sugar is high? Do you know? And why not say to you, hey, listen, there's actually things you could do to keep it from getting that high? Like, did they not know like, what's your experience? Now? Did they not know? Or were they just trying to make it easier on you in the beginning,

Maxine 31:21
I think that's what it is. And especially when like you really still don't like a month into diagnosis, I still really didn't understand a lot about it. I just knew I didn't want his blood sugar high. And I knew I was scared of him going low. Okay, so I knew like I wanted him in the middle. I just didn't understand how.

Scott Benner 31:36
So I'm going to tell you that, I think and this is where someone will later tell me that I'm pompous or full of myself, but I can give a talk that goes up an hour, that would give you enough information that you wouldn't feel like that, that you know what I mean? Like when they're guarding against, they don't know anything yet. Like, why don't you tell them? Like, right, right? Why don't you like tell them the stuff they need to know, because you really don't need to know that much in the beginning to get a good launch into it. It's it's some simple things, right? So I don't know the whole thing. It's upsetting. Like, it really is, especially because I just did a talk. And you weren't there. Even though it seems like it might have been

Maxine 32:16
I know, don't don't make me feel guilty on Sunday.

Scott Benner 32:18
I'm just saying. And so I know

Maxine 32:20
I wanted to be there. I swear. I gave it a soccer game. And I didn't want to miss it.

Scott Benner 32:25
It's not a real sport. But I'm sorry. You have any idea? When I make that joke? How many people write me and say I really like soccer? It's okay. I'm sorry.

Maxine 32:35
I don't know that Michael really likes it, to be honest with you.

Scott Benner 32:37
Of course, he doesn't no one does. I'm kidding. Some people like soccer now, but anyway, I would have been nice to meet you in person. But But the point is, there were people in that room who had just found the podcast, who I'm already hearing back from that they're saying that like after an hour, it took them to a different place. And and it's so it's not that hard. And the CDE could do it. If they if they knew the points to hit on. And it's not fair to them like they're not. I mean, their CDs. They're medically trained, but they also weren't writing a blog for 10 years trying to figure out how to talk to people about this.

Maxine 33:12
Right. Well, and I think there's like a fine line too, because I think there's, and I'm not knocking other parents, I think there's some parents who get it. I think there's parents who want want to educate themselves more. And I think there's parents that just don't get it, and they don't care to get it. And I think there's like that, they could probably potentially kill their child because they just don't understand it. So I think like they can only educate them enough to keep their kids safe.

Scott Benner 33:39
Yeah, I mean, the way I usually say it is that the doctor doesn't know who you are. You could be you could be the brightest person they've ever met or the opposite of that and right. So they're not going to hand you a Howard sir, on the first day and be like, Alright, so what you do is look through here and get it like they're gonna start off with here's a flyswatter tried to knock these back with this for a while.

Maxine 33:57
Yeah, and I think like, you know, after so many messages, because I'm pretty sure I messaged RCB, every single day, like the first month, and I was like, I I'm not even kidding. Um, but I was like, I just don't like how his blood sugar spiking to 250 every time he eats, and so she actually did tell me She's like, why don't you try giving him his insulin and waiting like 10 to 15 minutes. And even at that point, I didn't understand why. And I didn't do it. Because the first time I tried he was like, freaking out that he was starving. Right. And I actually did not start doing it until I listened to your podcast, and

Unknown Speaker 34:32
I was like, Oh my gosh, that's what she was talking. How did you stop him from complaining?

Maxine 34:36
Um, he just knows now probably like to live away. I'm like, Yeah, that's it. But he's on MDI. If he was on a pump, I could do something he wouldn't even know makes me but

Scott Benner 34:49
You're hilarious. Maxine. That's great. I'm waiting for a clown to climb out of a car and blow a horn.

Unknown Speaker 34:59
Do you need to bake it? Are you okay?

Unknown Speaker 35:00
Now? That was my husband

Scott Benner 35:01
I listened to makes you feel better we call the doctor because texting wasn't even a thing back then. So I had to wake up. I woke a woman up in the middle of the night. And I was just like, I tested her blood sugar system. I want to give her this much insulin. Is that okay? That was it was the first night we were home from the hospital. It was worse because it was a vacation house. And we had a bed that was okay for my wife and I but it wasn't enough for three people. And Kelly's like I'm sleeping with Arden. So I just sleep on the floor at the foot of the bed that first night. Oh my gosh, a lot of fun. Okay, so anyway, about that episode 44. The basic idea if you're just listening for the first time is that once your blood sugar is out of time with your insulin, you go up, then you crash down, then you go up and you crash down and you don't ever consider but what you're doing right now in the moment like in in this moment with insulin isn't for now it's for later. And so when you see something going up, and you try to knock it down, it's you're out of time with it. You know, another way to say it is um, is a pretty, I think is a pretty well known story. But when Wayne Gretzky, his father was teaching him how to play hockey. He told him to skate where the puck is going. Don't skate where it is skate where it's going. And so I'll leave you thinking about that for a second while we do Arden's lunch. Hold on a second. Well, Maxine, you get a lunch episode. How exciting exciting. Arden's blood sugar is 132 it was 125 about a half an hour ago, we gave her a little bit of insulin doesn't seem to have done anything. I think her lunch has I count I thought about it around 75 carbs this morning when I looked at it. So she's like, 146. So what is that? Like? I don't know. I think that's 12.

Unknown Speaker 36:56
Did you just say a car ratio?

Scott Benner 36:58
Yeah, I have to cuz the way we're doing it. I am going to tell Arden because she's also got an elevated blood sugar. I want to get a little more going 50 carbs. Two hours. 25 carbs. Three hours.

Unknown Speaker 37:18
And that should be

Scott Benner 37:21
430 568. Right. I think it's right. Good. Close enough.

Maxine 37:32
So that makes it makes me like jealous. Like, I'm actually like, we're in like, we're getting into the bribery stages with Michael to get them on a pump.

Scott Benner 37:39
Oh, really? Yeah, money's fine. I think you do it like that. It's totally good. Actually, I guessed it. Well, I guess I wanted around 12 units, and I ended up with 12 and a half based on what I just said to her.

Maxine 37:51
When What age do you feel like she made that big jump because like if I like giving, I think the most I've given Michael was like eight units and that was for like, you know, like, birthday cake like something super super carb heavy. Yeah. Um, well, sometimes I'm like, oh, gosh, it just seems like so much. But I know there's gonna come a point especially with him being a male like he's probably gonna have like 20 units for

Scott Benner 38:14
Yeah, there's there's no, there's grown men out there laughing at you right now who are probably injecting 70 units of insulin.

Maxine 38:20
Oh, yeah. Like I can't even imagine.

Scott Benner 38:28
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Well, so for Arden, you make a point, like there's a moment with their body mass picks up, and they just aren't kids anymore. And then all of a sudden they eat more, they have more body to deal with. And in part of that 12 and a half units that I just gave her. It's not all about the carbs. Right? So it's a weird mixed bag. meal. Let me think what's in there. It's like a half of a bagel. There's a bag of grapes. But I honestly don't know how many grapes are in there. I just grabbed as many as I grabbed in a banana the banana. I remember thinking when I put it in the bag. This is bigger than the banana yesterday. That was the extent of my. My consideration or How's that? Okay, hold on one second. She said nothing happened. So I say Bolus Well, units.

I can't wait hold this gets through the FDA. So I can talk about a little more clearly.

Unknown Speaker 42:37
Talk about

Unknown Speaker 42:39
I can't.

Scott Benner 42:41
If I say it, then I lose the episode for something else, although six months down the line. All right. I'll just say Arden's looping. So she's on she's using a loop right now.

Unknown Speaker 42:54
So Riley link,

Scott Benner 42:55
yes. So I basically told the loop, consider that 50 of these carbs are going to absorb over two hours. And 25 of these carbs are going to absorb over three hours. By spreading out that those absorption times that helps the loop not take away bazel insulin because it has this feeling like oh, there's something aggressive in there, and something long lasting in there. So I'll keep the Bayes a lot because I need the bazel to write. And the The reason I had to vaguely know how many carbs is because that's how you have to talk to the to the app, the app, okay, I can't just tell the app, so I need to put the carbs in for the absorption time. And then the insulin in for the food. Now the funny thing is, is that when she put it in there, it told her like it didn't offer any insulin. That doesn't make any sense to me because her blood sugar's 131. But probably what it was going to do is like 15 minutes from now, it was going to say like, hey, put this insulin in. But she doesn't look she's eating. And I want it to Pre-Bolus so right I want it all in now anyway. Anyway, it's gonna work, right? I've I have figured out how to trick the loop and all aspects and maybe not trick it, but work with it.

Maxine 44:13
See, and I know you did an episode on loop, but like now you're gonna have to like once it does get approved. Now you're gonna have to do like a whole,

Scott Benner 44:21
like class on looping. Well, as much as it's nice that people are like, tell me what you think like, I'm still learning what I think it's gonna take me this whole year to really figure it out. And that's my goal is to be able to talk about it in a way where Jenny can come back on at some point, and we can do that. Now that I've said that out loud, I'll have to get it done before different podcasts steals my idea, which happens a lot. Every time I say something out loud. I'm like, oh, okay, so the next episode 62 unfounded diabetes, fear, right. What is she saying to me? Hi, Maxine. Hold on one second.

Unknown Speaker 44:54
It won't work. What do you mean?

Unknown Speaker 45:01
Bolus won't go through.

Scott Benner 45:15
Try six years. See if it'll take us. This has never happened before. So now you're having a conversation that's meaningless for people who are listening. They won't Bolus. So

Unknown Speaker 45:25
So what? Can you override it all?

Scott Benner 45:29
Hey, man, I have a better idea.

Unknown Speaker 45:32
Turn Riley link off, then on

Unknown Speaker 45:40
and trying.

Unknown Speaker 45:43
So

Scott Benner 45:45
we wait and see what she says about the six units. Because I think she's gonna tell me it didn't work. So I'm gonna set this text up at a time it says turn rally link off and then on again, and try 12 and a half minutes, but I won't hit send on that toy. You're back. Yeah, it's um, I don't know, this is my first go through with this, like Riley link thing? I mean, we've had it for six months now, is it? You know, does it last that long? Is it supposed to last longer? Like, I don't know, it's a little circuit board inside of a plastic case that some person somewhere? Oh, wait, nevermind. I got it. Yeah, I thought it was more of a user error thing.

Maxine 46:25
Do you think that your Do you feel like you're thinking less about it with Riley link? Or do you feel like you're actually doing more management with it? Hmm.

Scott Benner 46:36
In the beginning, it was much more. And now that I've figured out like the four basic ideas around it, that fixed my problems, it's less, okay, automation is going to be better for people. Getting them to the spot where it will be better is not going to be easy. So that that's my feel. And I'm so sorry. So Episode 62 unfounded diabetes fear, if I remember right, I think it was an interview with a mom who came to the revelation during the interview that she had become comfortable with 200 blood sugar's remember that let them creep up and creep up and creep up. I thought that was like a watershed thing. Like I really did. I thought that's something people need to hear.

Maxine 47:17
Yeah, I agree. I think that was huge.

Scott Benner 47:20
Yeah. Right. Cuz she, you can hear it happen to her right? While she's talking. Am I right? Like you remember that way? Yeah. Like it was sort of like, she was being recorded when her brain went, Oh, my God, I do that. Like like that, you know, because I was explaining to her how, you know, if you, you kind of get what you expect. And so if you expect 130, you get 130. And that's, you know, pretty basic idea till you hear the rest of the podcast, but that she started going out. It's just 150. It's just 160. And then before you know it, she's like, Oh, it's only 60 points higher than the doctor said. That's not bad. It's within range. Like they started making all those excuses. And then before she knew it, her kids blood sugar was always 200. Right. And she was just okay with it. In Episode 105, it's called all about a one C with Jenny Smith. So I saw something I was like, I'm getting that Jenny Smith person back on the podcast. Because I really wanted to break down what an A one C was. Because so many so much of your life is wrapped around like what's is a once a what's everyone see? What's my agency like that feeling? How do I get my agency lower? How do I get my agency stable? Like let people really understand what it is because you know, back to insulin, I don't know insulin? Do I really know what an agency is? And, and let her come in and just talk about it. I thought that was great. That actually believe it or not, is when I decided I'm going to get Jenny back on. Like after I get enough episodes out that I think that I've explained everything and after I've said it enough times that I can say it in my sleep. I'm going to get Jenny back on to break down the tenants of the podcast with me. And it took it took another like hundred and 30 episodes before I was ready to do that. Oh, wow. You know, and so I when I got back on and we did the pro tip series. I mean, that to me is that pro tip series is great. Like I'm really proud. Yeah, you know, yeah, I like them. And they're quick. So they're like, easy, you know, you don't doesn't take much time to listen to and it gets right to the like a point but they're still conversational, so it doesn't feel like like a teacher standing in front of you and go Okay, first thing you have to do second thing you have to write Episode 120. One's all about insulin, just understanding insulin. And then in Episode 100, I go back and listen to Episode 11 to the bold with insulin episode, and I do like a commentary track on it to see where in 90 episodes of the podcast like what I've learned about like what I would have said differently than what I said in the beginning. Right. And I think that once you get through those episodes, you're coming as close as you can be to like Jeremy said to being in my head about how I think about IVs And then I think the other stuff that I think that helps you when you're hearing the interviews moving forward. Yeah. To hear to have your own aha moments, I guess. Yep. Right.

Maxine 50:08
I agree, right? Because now you have more of an understanding of diabetes. So then you can just understand people's stories.

Scott Benner 50:17
Yeah. And I'm also, as I mean, I, I like joking around that I'm not that smart. But I'm also planting aha moments in the story. So the way, here's a real behind this curtain, look at the podcast. So a person comes on. Just like you today, we had no idea what you're going to talk about. You mentioned those lists, and I've made an episode out of it. Okay. And so and you're, you're kicking in and like, it's, it's really, it's cool. Some people talk more in some episodes, some don't. You know, it doesn't matter like it. So when someone's talking, and I hear them telling a story, I sort of think ahead. So I'm kind of proud of this, actually, just because I never thought of myself as someone who had an ability like this. But you're telling somebody telling a story. And I'm thinking, Okay, what I'll do is I'll ask this question, when they're done. It will prompt this answer, most likely, I think. And then when people are listening, they'll make the leap about this. So I'm planting your aha moments. Yeah, within the story, as best I can.

Maxine 51:26
And then it's like a lesson for other people.

Scott Benner 51:28
It just, it's nice. And it's conversational still, and it doesn't feel forced down your throat, which I think is all really important. You know, I don't I don't learn well, when someone stands in front of me telling me things. Now, you know, my son complains all the time. I wish you know that. That's what he wants. You know, so when he gets a professor isn't like that. He's like, Oh, this guy won't say anything. You know, and I'm like, hey, he wants you to figure it out. He goes, Yeah, well, I'm we're paying him. I want him to tell me.

Maxine 51:57
Oh, that's definitely like, well, he's not really a T. He's kind of an adult now. He's almost

Scott Benner 52:01

20. Yeah, yeah, he's getting there. He's a really good kid. So it's, it's not a big, it's not a problem. But like, there's some in some classes. He's like, I wish the person was more expressive. And so I can only do what I do, like, you know, I, you will, I swear to God, I will hear from somebody you didn't let Maxine talk today. That's going that's funny, but you're having a good No,

Unknown Speaker 52:23
it's good. Yeah.

Scott Benner 52:24
No, I like that. So. So the point is, is that it's you know, you came on, and I asked you a question when you were like, um, I was like, oh, Maxine just wants to be on the pod.

Maxine 52:36
No, I think I just kind of had like a, I don't have a brain fart, I guess? Well, it happens a lot recently.

Scott Benner 52:45
Let's, let's, you know, we have like 10 to 15 minutes here at the end, let's talk a little differently. So when, what's what I really want to know from you? I guess, let's let's talk about this. Well, how has your life changed since your son was diagnosed?

Maxine 53:04
Um, I mean, I guess

diabetes has definitely, you know, taken the forefront of everything. So I do feel like you know, with my other two kids, like not that they get like, pushed to the side, but you know, if Michaels low, we have to, like, stop what we're doing with them, we need to treat up here they go. We have to treat my goal or, like, I kind of just feel like oh, my gosh, you have to know when I talk and they start yelling. They start barking.

Unknown Speaker 53:38
Um,

Maxine 53:41
I guess I like in that aspect. Like, yeah, I mean, my sleeps definitely, like, way deprived. Um, and finances. I think it's just, I mean, it's definitely dramatically changed. But I think a year into it now. Now. It is just a daily part of our lives.

Scott Benner 53:59
Yeah. So you'll climb back out of that hole, like the initial the initial impact has obviously created a crater and you're finding your way out of it.

Maxine 54:06
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think I think the biggest thing is like the financial aspect of it, you know, we've a very high deductible insurance, which we just met. So we that means we spent $7,000 out of pocket. Well, and it's November, and it's November. So now I have what a month to stock up on anything that I can. So I think that's been, you know, the biggest struggle because Michael is he adapted from day one. I mean, he was so resilient. It it doesn't faze him. So I think that made it easier on us to transition to this new life.

Scott Benner 54:45
So I know he's younger, but did he have that vibe about his personality prior to this? Was he that easy to get along with?

Maxine 54:52
Yeah, I mean, even as a baby like he was just like a textbook baby he napped. He slept well. He he he's a rule follower. Like he's just an all around good kid. Um, now if this was my four year old that got diagnosed, it would I mean, we would probably still be,

Scott Benner 55:11
probably just fix a couple problems at once. You could probably just duct tape them to the bigger, my god and go find the runway in the world. That's all. Yeah, let's pay the $7,000 deductible.

Maxine 55:23
Gosh, I'm telling you that. So that's been the biggest, you know, hurdle for us. But you know it, we'll do whatever we can, you know, the bills get paid.

Scott Benner 55:34
Does it feel like there's light? Like, do you see? Do you feel yourself moving towards something positive generally?

Maxine 55:39
Oh, yeah. Yeah. I mean, we definitely like diabetes isn't it doesn't hold us back anymore. Like it doesn't we don't we go on vacation. You know, we don't do anything. Or don't not do anything because of diabetes.

Unknown Speaker 55:56
That's excellent. I

Maxine 55:57
mean, it's nice. I mean, even my two younger ones. They're four and two, like, my two year old wants to help me do Michaels injections. Or every once in a while they want me to check their sugar. Like it's it's nothing to them, you know,

Scott Benner 56:10
they're definitely gonna have a different perspective on the world. Hey, four, two and seven. Can I ask how old you are?

Unknown Speaker 56:15
32.

Scott Benner 56:17
Right home doing the math. That seems right. That's right. That's, that seems normal. I think I had my kids so early, that I just I'm still like, sometimes, like, how am I? Like, I'm 48? My son's like a sophomore in

Unknown Speaker 56:31
college. See? That's awesome.

Scott Benner 56:33
I hope so. Like, yeah, but

Maxine 56:34
I feel like, um, I feel like I'm 16

I mean, I will say I do feel like diabetes. The first year has aged me pretty significantly, but

Scott Benner 56:46
Well, that's our life. But that's, that's also something to be considered and to be worked on, too, because you can't just get any me like, you can't just set your hair on fire and run forward forever. Like, eventually it's gonna burn out and you're gonna be, you're gonna be done. So yeah, you need to find a way in there for yourself to what, what's the biggest impediment to you getting rest? Do you think?

Unknown Speaker 57:05
Um,

Maxine 57:07
I guess? I don't know. I guess it should. It's not that like, you know, I feel like I'm actually dealing with more highs in the middle of the night with Michael than lows. Um, but yeah, I guess it's just I set my alarm every night. I still set it for 3am. Not to check his finger. But I'll get up. I'll look at my phone. See what his blood sugar is? How all

Scott Benner 57:26
the pieces arranged. Okay, how many times a week at that 3am alarm? Do you think Oh, I didn't need to get up at 3am.

Maxine 57:33
I'm probably about like three to four times a week.

Scott Benner 57:37
You hear what I'm saying?

Maxine 57:38
Yeah. This is why he needs to be on the pump.

Scott Benner 57:41
Yeah. Well, so is that is that a goal? You'll get to your 7000 faster.

Maxine 57:45
We got the pump last year when we hit our deductible. And it's just collecting dust,

Scott Benner 57:50
which we have the Omnipod Why are you not using it? Because he

Maxine 57:53
doesn't he doesn't want it. And I feel like it's just I don't want to force it on him. But I don't think he realizes like that his life will be a little bit easier to

Scott Benner 58:02
Oh boy. This is where my advice here is, uh, I guess some people don't like it. But

Unknown Speaker 58:09
Yep, send it this way.

Scott Benner 58:10
I would, uh, I massage the situation. He would just force it. I don't know, I don't force it. I mean, I'd make it seem like it was a good thing to do. And then, you know, move things in that direction. Maybe make some overtures about, you know, video games that maybe want to be purchased stuff like 87, he could probably be bought for somewhere around $65 as well. Oh,

Maxine 58:31
gosh, I was thinking getting the kid an Apple Watch. Like,

Scott Benner 58:34
I don't think you have to go that far. An Apple Watch. I would like to come live with you.

Maxine 58:38
No, I was thinking because then I could I could text him while he's in school and to

Scott Benner 58:43
lose your thinking about what you would want in a situation

Maxine 58:47
because selfishly I know, selfishly. It's definitely it's definitely

Scott Benner 58:51
I'm talking about getting to do it. Like Like, what if you said to him, Hey, look, I want to try, I think we should try pumping. We've got the pumps here. You know, they're just sitting there. It's such a waste, we should use them. Like, like, so even if you don't like it, that's okay. Let's just use them up. And how many of you have probably three months worth? Right? So you give him that right? It's November now? November, December, January. So we'll probably be all through these by the end of Christmas. And if and then if you don't like it will stop. It's no big deal to me. I don't care one way or the other. I just feel like I don't want to waste them.

Maxine 59:24
I'm gonna do it. I even tried decorating a pod. Like I decorated what you know, like a lightning. Yeah, he put it on for the entirety of the Eagles game and then he was like, I want it off. I'm like, but I think that's because he knew he could take it off. It wasn't giving him insulin right now.

Scott Benner 59:39
Yeah, I listen, I I watch my wife say probably once a month, something about my son. And I'm like, he doesn't care about that. No, you think he does, but he doesn't care. He does not care about that. You are barking up the proverbial wrong tree. Like like, here's what he cares about. These are the things the kid cares about. Just you know, go Look at him, like as a person, like put yourself in his shoes, what does he care about? And then give it to him be like, Look, we're gonna do this. And I know it's not something you want to do. And, you know, I don't want to force it obviously should always be your decision, but we got to use these up. So anyway, how can I make this better for you? Like turn it into a mob situation just

Maxine 1:00:20
and then there's like, give him a decision of what? Or like, give him the choice of what he would want for it right? Yeah, like,

Scott Benner 1:00:25
how, how can I help you help me not waste these pods? And this is just one idea. Right? Like, so. You know, buddy, I need to not waste these, you know, we paid money for them. Other people, you know, can't afford this stuff. And I feel bad about it just sitting here. So let's give it a try. Don't even say to them, maybe you'll like it, is of course they'll like it. Eventually. It's just what it's Chinese water torture, right? drip, drip, drip, drip? Is that even is that offensive to say at this point? I don't understand how in the world. Anyway, um, but without insulting someone, basically just use the same tactic. I got to keep my wife married. Like I just thought eventually. She'll just like me. Yes, keep going until she gives up. And

Unknown Speaker 1:01:07
now that you put it that way, I totally get it.

Scott Benner 1:01:10
Use why ever? You're still married to get that kid daughter?

Maxine 1:01:15
Yeah. All right. So then this is and I know you can't really give medical advice or like so right. Right now we have the regular Omni pod. We don't the dash. But we were approved for the dash. And since we met our deductible, I could technically get the dash with no money out of pocket, right? Would you recommend just starting with what we have? Or if I can get him to start it?

Scott Benner 1:01:37
Why would it doesn't matter, you should start with what you have. And then if at the end, he's like, no, maybe at the end when you're like you're cracking open your last box and you're noticing he's caught a rhythm. And he's cool with this. And you have slyly found ways to say things during the day. Like isn't it great not to have to inject or, you know, it was really cool. The other night, your blood sugar tried to go up but I gave you a Temp Basal increase and it stopped that was really cool. Because you didn't you know, or your blood sugar tried to go down the other night, I bet you don't know this buddy. But at like four o'clock in the morning, your blood sugar went to go down, and mommy shut your basal insulin off for an hour, you didn't get low and I didn't have to wake you up to eat something that cool. Like, like that kind of stuff. And then just you know, you just keep slipping it in slipping it in here and there. It's pretty much the way I'm teaching all of you about diabetes, you just don't realize it. And so and then you just sort of keep at that. And then when you get to the end, you go, Ah, you know what, I wonder if we shouldn't keep doing this, they actually have this really cool, like, we could get away better PDM like, look at this and show it to them online. Like if I reordered these for you Now we could get this instead. And then just see what he thinks.

Maxine 1:02:45
I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna bring out the box tonight, when he gets home.

Scott Benner 1:02:47
And if you need me to pull my father out of the grave and just yell at him. I'm sure you can do it that way too. But, uh, I mean, he'd probably be a little jarred by that whole experience having grown up in the 2000s ease and all. My daughter and I were joking around last night, and she said something back to me. I was like, You know what, don't push me. Or I'm gonna flip back that 1976 and you're gonna be frightened. She was like, what I was like, if I talk to you, though, like right now, she we were not in an argument. I want to be clear. We were literally talking and joking. And I said, even if I would have joked with my father that way, like Hellfire would have rained down on me. Like, you know what I mean? Like, there would have been probably a solid week of me just walk around the house going don't look him in the face. Yeah. Try not to say anything. Maybe I should skip a couple meals. They see I'm not a financial burden. Yeah. Yeah.

Maxine 1:03:39
Yeah, they definitely get away with a lot more these days.

Scott Benner 1:03:41
It's all good. Like, I must say, My kids are incredibly healthy. Like, they're thoughtful. I wasn't nearly as you know, like, connected to my feelings as they are like, I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I'm just saying that every once in a while you could like, impose your will in ways they would notice. And yeah, I think you could I think you could do that.

Maxine 1:04:03
I really don't want to do it. Yeah, good for you. I think what I'll do is I'll just set up the because what do you have to do to say lien trial? I think I'm going to schedule that. Right? You have to

Scott Benner 1:04:12
I mean, I don't know what that means. I'm in an ambiguous position right now, I can tell you that if I was you, I would put insulin in the pump in use.

Maxine 1:04:25
So I guess I should have just come over is what you're saying and help me.

Scott Benner 1:04:29
I think you should do whatever you think is right for you. That's what I should say. But that there are plenty of people who start pumps, not just the army pod without doing the things that you There are plenty of doctors offices that don't do this stuff, too. So I don't know. And if yours does, see, here's what I think. If you start with the sailing trial, then that's going to be a doctor's visit. And then yeah, the doctor visit three days from now and then all you're going to do is Make him upset. And these are going to be all the reasons he doesn't want to do it.

Maxine 1:05:03
Yeah, I think you're right. I know I am. Because you're definitely

Scott Benner 1:05:06
Yeah. Because I trust myself way too much. Some people call that narcissism. I just think it's confidence, but that's fine. Whatever. I'm telling you that I believe that as I'm looking at this scenario, and hearing what you're saying about him, the minute you put him into the process, he's gonna flip. Yeah, even maybe that's it like, you know, act like a renegade be like your mom's like an outlaw here. Here's what we're gonna do something really gangster, let's use this pump without going to the, to the thing that he might look at you and be like, here's what I know for sure. I'm only seven years old, but this woman does not know what the hell she's doing. I'm gonna let her put that insulin pump on me without that even maybe that would flip him maybe he'd be like, yo, lady, look, I'm up for doing it. But I don't trust you. So why don't we take it in and let them show us how like, whatever it is, makes it his idea.

Unknown Speaker 1:05:55
Yeah, is the

Maxine 1:05:56
cuz I because I know it's partially You know, he wants control.

Scott Benner 1:06:00
Yeah. Yeah, of course. Let him do the whole thing. Like, like, tell him Look, you can fill it, you can figure the whole thing. He screws one up, throw it away, and just try the next one. Yeah, it's not going to By the way, you put the insulin in the tube, you know, in the big syringes, make sure there's no air bubbles in it. And by the way, here's a on the pod life hack for you. You can't we can't get all the air bubbles out. But when you're filling the syringe to fill the on the pod, first thing you do, obviously, is you draw back the syringe to wherever you're going to fill it to we use 200 units, that you inject that air into the insulin, you know, so that it keeps the equilibrium correct inside of the vial. Draw back out slowly. Try to take in as few bubbles as you can, but you're going to get Wow, I'll edit that out. Excuse me, you're going, you're going to get some Okay. And then tap tap, tap with the needle pointing up, get the bubbles to go up. And then press it some back into the press back into the insulin like push the air back into the insulin Wait a second, let the insulin bubbles float up and keep drawing down drawing down on the on the vial. Try to get as much as you can, then you can tap some out, but that's folly. That's a fool's errand trying to get all the bubbles out. Just flip it upside down like you're going to inject it in the pot and tap it again make all the bubbles go up to the top. And then when you inject in the insulin, just don't push all the way down on the plunger. Don't push the air from the bubbles through just push the insulin through.

Unknown Speaker 1:07:28
Alright, does that make sense? Oh, yes. Oh, yes.

Scott Benner 1:07:31
And so that's a great way to keep bubbles out. And not spend 25 minutes hurting your fingernail going on the side of the syrup.

Unknown Speaker 1:07:40
Oh, yeah. Because eventually I know exactly what we're talking

Scott Benner 1:07:42
about, like stop, it goes in he Prime's it. I take off the needle cap and use a clean sterile we usually use a tissue that doesn't have any like oil or anything like that. Dab out the little bit of insulin that Prime threw into the needle because that keeps the the injection spot from being moist afterwards. You know, sometimes people see a What do they see like kind of like a haze in the in the window. It's because there's probably a couple drops of insulin when they put it on there. So I kind of dab those out. Okay, apply it, pinch up the skin, right? And then push the button and it clicks a couple times. And it goes in after it goes in. He's gonna be startled. And I but I heard that it actually hurts less than Dexcom. You know, Arden doesn't say either of them hurt at this. Okay, so she the clicking from the on the pod freaks her out. Like still she's been using it for 11 years. And as it goes, click click, click she gets like, you can see her winding up like a you know, like those old windup toys with a key like, you know, when you like, I think I can turn it one more time. But you really yeah, that's her she goes. And I'm like, she can see her kind of in her mind counting like 123. And it'll insert sometimes on the sixth click on the fifth click it mostly in there. And all it's really doing if I'm think I'm guessing, right is it's creating tension on the the needle to shoot the needle in. And so I'm in my mind, and this could be 100% wrong. It's kind of it's creating this tension to fire the needle. And it happens in like, you know, a split second needle goes in pops right back out. It's way faster than that, and it leaves the canyon behind. It's fantastic. It happens so fast. That it's on. Now, I think after you do that your next step is to not mess around getting his bezels. Right,

Maxine 1:09:37
right. chatswood Okay,

Scott Benner 1:09:38
right, because you don't want him to be crazy high. And then him see that as a reason why he doesn't want to do it. Right. I could.

Maxine 1:09:46
Yeah, I was gonna say I'll probably be messaging you then once I can get it on him to kind of figure out because I've heard too though that on the pump, you actually usually use less bazel than on MDI

Unknown Speaker 1:09:58
could be Could be more?

Maxine 1:10:01
Well, I Well, I guess depends on like, maybe let's just say like his general, like, hourly bazel it

Scott Benner 1:10:07
not, but probably it is. So what I usually see with people is that the doctors sometimes err on the side of caution. They make their basis lower. This dries up everybody's blood sugars. And then people go, oh my god, these pumps don't work like no matter what pump it is. And really it's the doctor wanting you to ease into it. If you were doing it over a weekend and being you know, interactive with it, I personally think I mean, I'm not I'm not trying to be boastful, but I think I could get your bazel right inside of four or five.

Maxine 1:10:37
Yeah, but that's totally what I was thinking. I'm off Friday, Saturday, Sunday, if I can get him to get this pump on Friday, that gives me three full days before he goes back to school to get it figured out right?

Scott Benner 1:10:49
And even sell him like, like, think about a Thanksgiving. You're gonna be able to snack all day on Thanksgiving without getting shots. Like, Won't that be cool to just be like, I'm gonna have a cookie and push a button instead of think I'm not gonna eat a cookie because I don't want to take us. You know, I don't like that whole thing. Like there. Yeah, show him a couple high sides to it. But you know, I don't know what you'll end up figuring out. He's obviously your kid and it's your life, you'll decide.

Maxine 1:11:12
Well, I know bribery will totally work for him. It's just figuring out in a

Unknown Speaker 1:11:18
affordable way.

Scott Benner 1:11:20
picturing you sitting across the table from a seven year old deal in one's out. And you saying something like, stop me when we get to an ami pod? For five, like how many dollars till the kid goes Hmm, I find the problem with the kids is they have no real feeling for how much money is. But I know they don't my kids will look at $20 and they'll be like, it's just $20 I'm like, No, no, no. Well, now you're gonna get a talk. That's a lot of money. Here's why. You go ahead and try to make $20 God, let me see it happen. All right, you're gonna be alright. Are you excited?

Maxine 1:11:55
To do this? I am excited because I think I'm gonna recruit Jasper and Jacob. And I think we're gonna do this on Friday. Excellent. We're

Scott Benner 1:12:02
done for you. Let me know what happens.

Maxine 1:12:04
Oh, absolutely. Because I'm gonna need your help.

Scott Benner 1:12:06
Just know, Friday. I'm flying to Kansas City. And Saturday. I'm given an all day. I'll be talking all day in Kansas City on Saturday. So

Maxine 1:12:13
all right, well, so Sunday, I might not

Scott Benner 1:12:16
be possible. I'm flying back. Sorry. No,

Maxine 1:12:18
no, it's sorry. I have just to kind of show guide me in the beginning. And then once I kind of get him dialed in, then I'll be reaching out to you

Scott Benner 1:12:27
use the pro tip episode about setting bezel and so on to I think it's really good.

Maxine 1:12:30
Okay, all right. Oh, look, I just got an alert. Clarity goal yesterday, you reached your time and range 70%

Unknown Speaker 1:12:37
compared with

Maxine 1:12:39
a 70 to 162. Excellent. Yeah, I mean, well, we cruise last night. And that Oh, that. I will say that about one. I can't remember what episode. But when you said if you can keep the overnight numbers in range that sets you know the rest of your day. And it's so true.

Scott Benner 1:13:01
Yeah. Oh my god, I like about this all the time. It's a third of the hour. It's a third.

Unknown Speaker 1:13:05
Oh my gosh,

Maxine 1:13:06
you could like he literally cruised at I mean, it's probably higher than you would like. But he cruised between like 118 and 130. The entire night and not even not much. He didn't even like fluctuate that much. But

Scott Benner 1:13:17
that was huge. That's excellent. And I'm telling you that's, you know, I talk about all the time, but that's one way you get your agency down. It's you take advantage of the night when there's no food and no activity. Yeah, right. And so once you figure the night out, that's a third of the it's a 30 year time. That's it? Yeah, cold. You know what I mean? Let's That's beautiful.

Maxine 1:13:36
Because then I don't feel so guilty if like, he kind of not that he gets out of control. But like, you know, if I have a bad day, I'm like, Alright, but he did really well. Overnight, like

Unknown Speaker 1:13:46
anxiety.

Scott Benner 1:13:47
Yeah, you're like, Alright, we messed this up. But do you remember the last eight hours? They were beautiful? I hear you. I really do. I had fun. Maxine. I

Unknown Speaker 1:13:56
could tell. Thank you. Absolutely.

Scott Benner 1:14:00
I'm going to give you a little update on how Maxine suns doing and whether or not he ended up on an insulin pump in just a second. But first, let's thank the Contour Next One blood glucose meter and touched by type one, please get touched by type one.org. Or Contour Next one.com Ford slash juice box to find out more about the sponsors. There's a complete list of sponsors. Right there in the show notes of your podcast app. We're at Juicebox podcast.com. Support the sponsors support the show. All right. Let me find this email here from Maxine. Oh, look at this. She said um, we totally bribed him. But we told him, he had to try it for a month. And if he absolutely hated it, then we could go back to MDI. That's fair. Give them a month. Check it out. Uh oh. Maxine says it's been great so much less time. consuming less thinking about diabetes, less trash. He likes being in and out of the nurse's office very quickly for his lunch balls is at school. And they love the on the pod, especially in the summer. Being waterproof. They're being let's see, they're setting up Temp Basal decreases when he's swimming all day. It was definitely worth switching for his diabetes management. And she says he's starting to get comfortable bolusing himself for meals, which has been great. Thank you so much for listening. more episodes will be up soon. If you're enjoying the show, please share it with someone who you think may also enjoy listening to the Juicebox Podcast. Take care. I'll talk to you soon.

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