Podcast Summary

Episode Overview

Episode: What Extreme Adventures Can Teach Us About "Ordinary" Life with T1D, with Patrick Mertes
Podcast: Diabetes Connections | Type 1 Diabetes
Host: Stacey Simms
Guests: Patrick Mertes and Michael Shelver
Date: October 28, 2025

This episode features a recording from a Mom’s Night Out event in Minneapolis, with extreme adventurer and long-time diabetes camp leader Patrick Mertes. Patrick shares his incredible mountain-climbing expeditions as a person living with type 1 diabetes (T1D), especially the “50 in 50” project: climbing the highest peak in every US state in 50 days. Alongside expedition partner Michael Shelver, Patrick explores how lessons from extreme adventures can inform and inspire “ordinary” life with T1D. The conversation interweaves adventure recaps, poignant metaphors, and honest discussions about resilience, community, parenting, independence, and the transformative power of diabetes camp.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Patrick’s Diagnosis & Life With T1D

• Diagnosis Experience ([06:01]):
  • Patrick was diagnosed almost 28 years ago; memories mix pain, confusion, and humor.
  • Noted a pediatric endocrinologist’s attempt to normalize T1D:
    “Patrick, living with diabetes is going to be no different than from someone who has to wear glasses. …that man was full of lies.” ([07:09])
• Perspective On T1D’s Impact:
  • Recognizes the hardships, yet sees T1D as a teacher that brought blessings: friendships, grit, health discipline, and self-compassion.

2. The “50 in 50” High Point Project: Lessons from the Extreme

• Expedition Details ([08:15]–[12:00]):

  • Goal: Climb the tallest mountain in all 50 US states in 50 days (achieved in 49 days, 1 hour, 9 minutes).
  • Only 300 people have accomplished this over a lifetime; they did it in under two months.
  • Community engagement: Invited T1D families to join less-dangerous climbs.
  • Example: Ethan from Wisconsin, aiming to climb all 50 before college.

• Challenges & Community Resilience ([11:06]):

  • Faced dangerous moments: a forced overnight bivy on Granite Peak (Montana) after a midnight summit and rescue after a dangerous fall.
  • “...the messages that we received were never ‘Are you going to give up?’ It was, ‘How are you going to finish?’” ([12:23])
  • Emphasized the T1D community's support and hope.
  • Powerful lesson:
    “Living life with diabetes, you don’t have to solve everything all at once... sometimes it’s just putting one foot in front of the other.” ([13:13])
  • Community matters—show up every single day.

3. Transformative Metaphors: Trees & Wind ([13:57])

• Resilience Metaphor from Jay Shetty’s Biosphere Story ([14:33]):
  • Trees grown in perfect, wind-free conditions collapsed; they “need the resistance of wind” to build strength ("stresswood").
  • Just as life’s “wind” makes trees strong, T1D’s challenges build resilience: “None of us would choose it for them, but that wind is constantly building resilience, strength, and grit…” ([14:53])

4. Other Extreme Adventures

• Subsequent Challenges ([15:31]):
  • “Race along the Trace” – 444 mile self-supported bike ride in 3.5 days.
  • “Rim to Rim to Rim” – Double crossing of the Grand Canyon: 44 miles, 11,400 feet of elevation in 17 hours.
  • “Project Low to High” – Biked from the lowest point in the US (Death Valley, -282’) to the highest (Mount Whitney, 14,505’), then summited, all in 37 hours.
  • Emotional reflection upon finishing:
    “I get emotional... I would have 100% quit if it wasn’t both of us there.” (Michael, [17:18])

5. Key Takeaways for Ordinary Life with T1D

• “Your child doesn’t need to climb Denali to be brave… Just living with type 1 diabetes and showing up every single day makes them resilient, makes them tough and powerful beyond what they realize.” ([18:30])
• “When someone... says something like ‘I don’t know if they can do that, they have diabetes’ — look them in the eye and say: ‘Watch me.’” ([19:18])

6. Q&A: Parenting, Community, and Building Independence

Parents & Independence ([20:58])

• Host Stacey Simms reflects: “Those little bits of wind resistance… give you that strength… Those little steps are really important.” ([19:36])

“Hike Your Own Hike” ([22:19])

• “I’m a big proponent to hike your own hike. You don’t have to climb mountains… There’s value to intentionally putting yourself into challenging situations, it doesn’t have to be Denali.” ([22:19])

Diabetes Camp and Outdoor Exposure ([23:14])

• Patrick credits diabetes camp as his gateway to the outdoors and crucial to his personal growth.
• Worked for Outward Bound with at-risk youth.
• On blood sugar management during expeditions: “It is absolutely all over the map and wild.” ([23:47])
• Cites camper: “‘Having durations of time and happiness’ — prioritizing those over time in range.” ([24:03])

Family Reactions & Technology ([24:19])

• Patrick's mom, described as “a little crazy” ([24:19]), hiked the John Muir Trail with him at age 68.
• On technology: “Managing the condition at that point in time when I was a kid looks very different than it does now.” ([25:03])

On Spouses and Safety ([26:40])

• Michael: “My now wife… we had just started dating before I told her I was going to disappear for two months into the mountains.”
• Satellite communicators are essential for safety and family peace of mind.
• “Your summit success rate should never be 100%... if it is, you're taking too many risks.” (Michael, [27:45])

Logistics of “50 in 50” ([29:43])

• Meticulous planning using software, dividing summits by difficulty (e.g., several in one day in the Southeast).
• Used support drivers, slept in a van, started timing with the Denali summit.
• Surprised themselves by finishing despite setbacks.

Personal Growth & Taking Ownership ([34:45])

• Patrick admits: “I was an absolute train wreck when I was 17.”
• Serious diabetes ownership began after college: “...once I kind of entered the workforce full time out of college...” ([34:45])
• Host Stacey shares: “To a person, [the age of independence] is about age 26… it’s really wild how consistent it's been.” ([35:34])

Appreciation for Parents and Caregivers ([36:54])

• If he could talk to his mom now: “All I could say is thank you… It took me—it was a journey for me to get there. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel, I promise.” ([37:00])

What’s Next? ([38:09])

• New adventures being brainstormed—possibly international or remote expeditions.
• “Parenthood is much harder than anything that we’ve ever done. So you all are the real adventure experts.” (Patrick, [38:22])

The Value of Diabetes Camp ([39:28])

• “...it really, for me, transformed the lens on how I viewed life with diabetes. It was the one place where I didn’t have to explain it; everyone just understood.” ([39:28])
• Encouragement for all families to give it a try, even if only once.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Humorous Realism

• “My excitement for needles was on par with my excitement for eating peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches.” (Patrick, [06:36])
• “If anyone’s curious, Michael can attest, this is the most expensive way to get off of a mountain.” (Patrick, [11:32])

Community Support

• “The messages… were never ‘Are you going to give up?’ It was, ‘How are you going to finish?’” (Patrick, [12:23])
• “It's not in spite of diabetes, it's because of diabetes.” (Camper, recounted by Patrick, [13:55])

Life Lessons

• “You don’t have to solve everything all at once… Sometimes it’s just putting one foot in front of the other.” (Patrick, [13:13])
• “Diabetes is the teacher I never asked for.” (Patrick, [07:44])
• “Parenthood is much harder than anything that we've ever done. So you all are the real adventure experts.” (Patrick, [38:22])

Empowerment

• “When someone… says… ‘I don’t know if they can do that, they have diabetes’… look them in the eye and say: ‘Watch me.’” (Patrick, [19:18])
• “If you're living with diabetes, you can do whatever you want.” (Michael, [17:46])

Appreciation for Caregivers

• “All I could say is thank you. I am so appreciative for what my mom did for me, but it took me—it was a journey for me to get there.” (Patrick, [37:00])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [06:01] Patrick introduces himself, diagnosis story, early memories
• [08:15] Describing the 50 in 50 project
• [11:06] Dangers and rescue on Granite Peak
• [13:13] Life lessons from climbing and T1D
• [13:57] The “wind” metaphor for resilience
• [15:31] Subsequent extreme adventure summaries
• [17:18] Emotional finish to Project Low to High
• [18:30] Key message: Showing up every day is brave
• [19:36] Stacey’s reflection on parenting and independence
• [22:19] “Hike your own hike” and the concept of “misogi”
• [23:14] Importance of diabetes camp and outdoor exposure
• [24:19] Family dynamics, technology changes, and parent support
• [26:40] Support systems and communicating with loved ones during expeditions
• [29:43] Logistics of 50 mountains in 50 days
• [34:45] Personal and community evolution, age of independent diabetes management
• [37:00] Appreciation for parents and perspective on the journey
• [38:09] What's next on the horizon
• [39:28] Diabetes camp’s transformative role

Final Takeaways

This episode is a candid, emotional, and often funny masterclass in what it means to live—and parent—with type 1 diabetes. Whether your ambitions are summiting mountains or simply getting through each day, Patrick and Michael’s stories distill universal lessons: prioritize resilience, embrace challenges, cherish community, and “hike your own hike.” The journey with diabetes is neither linear nor perfect, but with support, a sense of adventure (however you define it), and a dash of humor, it can be a profoundly rich and rewarding path.

For more info and videos from Patrick and Michael’s adventures, visit the Diabetes Connections website (see episode show notes).