#1626 A River in Egypt - Part 1

Summary

Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode #1626: A River in Egypt – Part 1
Host: Scott Benner
Guest: Patty D
Date: September 12, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this heartfelt and candid episode, Scott Benner speaks with Patty D, who has lived with Type 1 diabetes since 1987. The episode delves deep into the emotional impact of diagnosis, living in denial, navigating management as an adult, and the evolution of both emotional acceptance and treatment strategies. Both Scott and Patty reflect on the personal, psychological, and communal aspects of diabetes management, emphasizing honesty, growth, and the necessity of community.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Patty’s Diagnosis and Early Denial

• Patty’s Initial Signs & Diagnosis

  • Patty describes experiencing classic symptoms of diabetes (constant urination, extreme thirst, tiredness, unexplained weight loss) before seeing a doctor.

  • She initially attributed her symptoms to being a tired new mom, highlighting a common misinterpretation of early warning signs.

  • Upon diagnosis, her doctor recognized she had Type 1, not Type 2 diabetes—a rarity for an adult at the time.

    "I'm not taking needle shots. Forget about it." – Patty D [06:00]

• Stubbornness and Denial

  • Patty vividly explains how denial and frustration at her own body’s betrayal led her to reject insulin and try oral medications, against her doctor’s recommendation.

    "Denial ain't just a river. I think it's the strongest emotion." – Patty D [06:19]

• The Move to London & Reaching a Breaking Point

  • Moving to London, Patty’s health deteriorated to the point that she finally realized the necessity of insulin.

  • She describes an almost surreal acceptance, finally asking for insulin upon arrival in the UK.

    "I gotta get me some insulin or I'm gonna die." – Patty D [10:43]

• Anecdote: Managing Blood Sugar in London

  • Patty humorously recounts sitting on a stoop in London, sharing a cookie with her son:

    "Here's one cookie for you, 23 for Mommy." – Patty D [11:55]

The Long Path to Acceptance

• Education & Self-Management

  • Patty reflects on returning to the US and gradually learning more about her disease, acknowledging that her management skills improved slowly and were more self-taught than medially supported.

  • She notes the lack of structured education for adult-onset patients compared to children newly diagnosed.

    "Adults, they're like, 'Oh, yeah, here's a vial of insulin, some syringes. Go out there. You won't die.'" – Patty D [19:52]

• The Psychological Journey: Denial to Acceptance

  • Both Scott and Patty discuss the lengthy, non-linear journey from denial to acceptance, highlighting that emotional adjustment is a distinct challenge compared to physical management.

    "You have to go through that entire cycle and get to the part that says, I think it's acceptance... I think those are the people that... have found the closest thing to balance with diabetes." – Scott Benner [18:13]

• Impact on Relationships

  • Patty notes that her stubbornness and the unpredictability of diabetes affected her family, particularly her husband and son.

    "My husband, he was scared of me... everybody around me, like when I'd go low or high, they'd be like, 'Oh boy.'" – Patty D [13:28]

The Role of Community and Education

• Support from Podcasts and Programs

  • Patty expresses a deep appreciation for the Juicebox Podcast, crediting it with transforming her self-management by teaching her practical strategies (prebolusing, bumping/nudging, etc.).

    "Your podcast has changed the way I can manage this disease better. And I’m so grateful. I tell everybody—you got to tune in, you’re going to learn so much.” – Patty D [24:10]

  • She also highlights the value of the Blue Circle Health program and the comfort in finding an educated, empathetic community.

• The Difference for Caregivers

  • Both reflect on the unique emotional realities of caregivers, contrasting the forced acceptance caregivers must embody versus the gradual, personal journey of people with Type 1.

    "You cannot deny this. And most children get a week or five days in the hospital with intensive... care and education... But adults, they're like, here's a vial of insulin..." – Patty D [19:43]

Scott’s Reflection on the Podcast’s Impact

• Measuring Impact Beyond Metrics

  • Scott discusses the emotional impact of meeting listeners in-person, realizing that the real value of the podcast is people’s health and stories, not just download numbers.

    "My value is going to be people with a smile on their face saying, I figured out how to do something. I feel healthier, I’m doing better. That’s my currency.” – Scott Benner [37:34]

• Listener Stories from the Cruise and Conferences

  • Scott recounts moments from a listener cruise and the Friends for Life conference, emphasizing the profound and personal impact these interactions had on him.

    "People hugged me, people told me they loved me, people I've never met before. It was really impactful." – Scott Benner [30:46]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Rejection of Diagnosis:

  • "How dare this guy tell me that I have type 1 diabetes? Which, honestly, I didn't know too much about." – Patty D [06:19]

• On Community:

  • "I tell everybody who has type 1 or type... I tell everyone, you know this. You got to tune in. You're going to learn so much." – Patty D [24:11]

• On Acceptance and the Psychological Journey:

  • "The psychological part of this whole thing is not mitigated by knowing how to bolus or understanding, you know, the impacts of fat and protein. These things make your life better... It doesn't mean you don't have to... come to grips with the fact that your body let you down.” – Scott Benner [21:15]

• On Measuring Success as a Host:

  • "When I stop at the end of the day and value myself, I'm going to value myself based on people's stories, their outcomes, their health, and their happiness." – Scott Benner [37:18]

• On Helping Others:

  • "Your podcast has changed the way I can manage this disease better. And I'm so grateful." – Patty D [24:10]

• On Perseverance Despite Negativity:

  • "If I'm going to keep making this, then none of you exist... You take what you take from it. Hopefully something valuable. And if not, I tried." – Scott Benner [36:17]

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Important Timestamps

• Patty’s Initial Symptoms and Diagnosis: [02:45] – [06:04]
• Stubbornness & Denial: [06:04] – [10:46]
• London Turning Point & Early Management: [10:46] – [12:12]
• Impact on Relationships: [13:28]
• Denial & Psychological Insights: [16:52] – [19:52]
• Caregivers vs. Patients: [19:52] – [21:15]
• Role of the Podcast & Community: [24:10] – [26:11]
• Scott’s Reflections from the Cruise and Conference: [28:30] – [33:09]
• Measuring Impact and Value: [37:18] – [40:30]

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Tone and Atmosphere

The conversation is candid, empathetic, and often humorous. Patty shares with great honesty, blending lighthearted stories (“one cookie for you, twenty-three for mommy”) with deep emotional truths. Scott’s warmth and openness create a supportive space, while both acknowledge the stubbornness, denial, and ultimate acceptance that living with Type 1 diabetes can entail. The overall mood is one of resilience and community.

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Final Thoughts

This episode provides an invaluable, emotionally rich look at the journey from denial to acceptance with chronic illness. It highlights the practical and psychological lessons learned along the way, from both the person living with diabetes and the supportive community around them. For anyone navigating diabetes—personally or as a caregiver—Patty’s story and Scott's reflections offer practical strategies, emotional candor, and the reassurance that nobody is alone on this path.

For more insights and community: juiceboxpodcast.com | Bold Beginnings & collections | Facebook group: Juice Box Podcast Type 1 Diabetes

Transcript

[Scott]

Hello, friends, and welcome back to another episode of the Juice Box Podcast.

[Patty D]

Hi, Scott. My name is Patti D. And I have had type 1 diabetes since 1987. Diagnosed in 87, but I think I'd had it before then.

[Scott]

If this is your first time listening to the Juice Box Podcast and you'd like to hear more, download Apple Podcasts or Spotify, really any audio app at all. Look for the Juice Box Podcast and follow or subscribe. We put out new content every day that you'll enjoy. Want to learn more about your diabetes management? Go to juiceboxpodcast.com up in the menu and look for Bold Beginnings. Then you, the Diabetes Pro Tip series and much more. This podcast is full of collections and series of information that will help you to live better with insulin. Nothing you hear on the Juice Box Podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. Always consult a physician before making any changes to your healthcare plan. This episode of the Juice Box Podcast is sponsored by usmed usmed.com juicebox or call 888-721-1514. Get your supplies the same way we do from usmed. This episode is sponsored by the Tandem MOBI system, which is powered by Tandem's newest algorithm, Control IQ Technology. Tandem MOBI has a predictive algorithm that helps prevent highs and lows and is now available for ages 2 and up. Learn more and get started today at tandomdiabetes.com G Juice Box.

[Patty D]

Hi, Scott. My name is Patty D. And I have had type 1 diabetes since 1987. Diagnosed in 87, but I think I'd had it before then.

[Scott]

No kidding. Well, how old are you now?

[Patty D]

I'm old. Well, I mean, in years I'm going to be 71 next month.

[Scott]

71? Well, listen, you're calling yourself old. I don't know if you heard today's episode where I was making a Tennessee tuxedo reference, making a cartoon reference from the 60s.

[Patty D]

All right, all right. Well, we're kind of on the same page.

[Scott]

I would imagine I might have been there with you. Yeah, well, so you've had diabetes since 87 diagnosed. But do you feel like it was for that? What do you mean by that?

[Patty D]

Well, I. There were signs, like a year or so prior. I. I remember specifically one New Year's Eve, we went out with some friends and we were waiting way too long to get our meals. And I remember, like I was seeing black spots in front of my eyes and, you know, hey, I was what, 30, 31 years old? And I just thought, ah, you know, it's late and didn't give much more thought to it. But, you know, there were other things, but that one in particular, I was thinking last night. So I think, you know, it was starting. It was starting sooner than the year prior to when I finally took my stubborn self to the doctor who. My regular gp. And I had all the classic symptoms. You name them, I had them peeing constantly, drinking tons of water, really tired. Oh, yeah. And, oh, I could eat everything. But I kept losing weight. I've always been thin. And so in my crazy mind, I'm chalking it up to. We had just adopted our first son, so, you know, a new mom. And I was like, oh, it's just because I'm tired. I'm a new mom. But I'd be reading to him after lunch and I'd fall asleep, and here's a baby sitting on my lap.

[Scott]

Really? Wow.

[Patty D]

Yeah. So I just kept ignoring it, ignoring it until I couldn't ignore it anymore. I had a raging infection, you know where? Down there. And I was like, okay, I can't live this way. I'm going to go to my GP. It's 1987. And I was thinking about this as well. He did a urine sample, and he comes back and he says, did you just have a sugar donut and put your finger in the specimen? And I was like, no. He said, I'm going to do it again. And he did it again. And he came back and he said, you have type 1 diabetes now. I'm 30. What was I, 32 then? I guess, yeah. And just that reference as well. I mean, here I'm an adult. Most doctors back then would say, oh, you have type two, right? He knew I hated him. I don't have type one. I was so mad, angry. I was like, I'm not taking needle shots. Forget about it. So the poor guy, he was like, well, all right, we'll try oral medications.

[Scott]

Your pushback made him change his diagnosis.

[Patty D]

He was like, well, if you don't want to take insulin, try this. I don't think he changed his diagnosis. He was like, you have type one.

[Scott]

You scared him.

[Patty D]

Okay, I'm a very peaceable person. I'm a yoga teacher. I ran a preschool for 23 years. But I am stubborn. Oh, and also, denial ain't just a river. I think it's the strongest emotion. I'd always been athletic. I ate well. I was like, how dare this guy tell me that I have type 1 diabetes? Which, honestly, I didn't know too much about.

[Scott]

So you didn't have any background in it or actual feelings about what that meant. You just didn't like that somebody told you you had an issue. Do you think.

[Patty D]

Yeah, well, yeah. No. Yes. And that I was going to have to take insulin shots for the rest of my life.

[Scott]

If he would have told you had type 1 diabetes and you had to take a pill, you think that would have been better for you? You think it was the injection part that got you?

[Patty D]

No, I think I was just pissed off that my body wasn't working the way I thought it should be.

[Scott]

Yeah. The way you want it to be.

[Patty D]

Yeah. I mean, I was grief stricken. And I gotta tell you, it carried through for many years because I'm stubborn, you know? And fast forward a couple of months and I'm. I mean, I looked like a skeleton. Right. And my baby was getting chubbier and chubbier. I thought I was gonna. Yeah, I was gonna die. Were.

[Scott]

You weren't taking insulin then, right?

[Patty D]

I wasn't, no. I was still like.

[Scott]

Well, then, Patty, you. You were gonna die?

[Patty D]

I was gonna die. And, you know, really, it's remarkable that I. I didn't end up in the hospital because that's how stubborn I am, you know? And tough. I'm kinda tough. I'm a tough Italian. My husband's job, he got transferred to London, so we were moving to London, and he was already over in London. And we went about three months later. And as well, I went to the doctor before I left, and the same doctor who I scared and who still was like, you know, you really have type 1 diabetes.

[Scott]

You're going to die, lady. Yeah, yeah, right, right.

[Patty D]

Stubborn idiot. He was probably thinking, probably wanted to smack me upside my head. He said, listen, do me a favor. When you get over to England, here's the card for the British Diabetes association, and if you need, please get in touch with them. I got on the plane, blew out of jfk. My cousins took my son and I to the airport and they were really worried. Everybody was worried about me.

[Scott]

Sure.

[Patty D]

You know, but. But they're afraid of me, you know.

[Scott]

You're like Skeletor.

[Patty D]

Yeah. I mean, no, honestly. Yeah. Nobody like, said. But Patty, you know, no, they were really kind of afraid because I was like, I'm going to take care of this, don't you worry.

[Scott]

Patty, stop for a second. Was that your vibe in general? Do you think people were scared of you in general?

[Patty D]

Not normally. Not.

[Scott]

Not. So you weren't like a person who lorded around and. And. Oh, no, no, no. Not like, just on this issue, on this Particular?

[Patty D]

Well, you got to ask my husband on other issues. But. But this one, really, I take him.

[Scott]

Out of it because I assume he has a different story. But I'm saying, like, generally speaking, throughout your life, you didn't see yourself as, like, bullish or. Or somebody that people kind of kept arms distance with?

[Patty D]

Oh, God, no.

[Scott]

No, no, no. Okay.

[Patty D]

The. The. The opposite, really.

[Scott]

Is there any hindsight that tells you that the high blood sugar had you cloudy and not thinking correctly?

[Patty D]

Oh, sure, yeah.

[Scott]

Yeah, yeah, right.

[Patty D]

Well, absolutely. I was cuckoo.

[Scott]

Yeah. Out of your mind at that point, right?

[Patty D]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But I didn't know, Scott. You know, I. I mean, what the hell did I know? I didn't know. I knew nothing. But when we arrived in London, Heathrow Airport, we were getting off the plane, and I fell into my husband's arms and said, I gotta go. I gotta get me some insulin or I'm gonna die.

[Scott]

You know it, though.

[Patty D]

And I just. Yeah, I mean. Oh. So thank God we went, they got us in, and he gave me a vial of long acting and a couple of syringes. He might have said, the doctor there, maybe you want to come back and we can do some more education or whatever. But, hey, my life was going on. I was going to be all right, just giving myself this injection and going on my merry little way. And, I mean, it really is remarkable that I never ended up in the hospital, because I would, well, you know, long acting back in those days, the peaks and the valleys and all that. I knew nothing about that either. But I'd get my son in his stroller and we'd go walking all through London. It was a beautiful spring, and I always had cookies for them or biscuits, as they call them over there. And I'd be walking, and all of a sudden, oh, I'm starting to slow down. What the hell? I gotta pull over. I sat on a stoop and Mark, my son, very peaceable. I said, okay, Mark, we're gonna have our snack now. Here's One cookie for you, 23 for Mommy.

[Scott]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Eat your slow, buddy. Cause Mommy's getting the rest. You talked about, you know, the denial and that it lasted for years. You said. So kind of explain that to me, like, how long did it last? And how did it impact you? How'd you find your way through it?

[Patty D]

Oh, God. By the grace of God, I guess, you know. Well, I never did go for education over in England, and I, you know, I was young, I was healthy, and so I guess that alone kind of carried me through and I could ignore things. And then when we got back to the States, we were living on Long island and I went to Stony Brook Hospital and I found a good endo there. And he, I don't know, you know, did he tell me things that I didn't hear? Probably. But I guess my management got a little better on mdi, you know. So then, you know, I was doing long acting, which still was messed up as far as the peaks and the valleys and lows overnight, and then, you know, giving a bolus of regular for each meals. And I did that for years and years. I didn't help a lot of, you know, a lot of people because, you know, it was my thing. My husband, he was scared of me, you know, and so he was like, okay, you got it, it's okay. But, you know, everybody around me, like when I'd go low or high, they'd be like, oh boy.

[Scott]

Is it interesting that you've been very forward and you, you completely know your story. Then I asked you to talk a little bit about the denial part of it and you got, I don't fighting for the right word, but, but you got wishy washy. Like once I asked you to kind of dig into the psychology of it. You aren't as direct anymore and you must have said, you know, 15 times in the last three minutes. Like you, yeah, it's interesting. You didn't finish a thought. You just kind of were like, well, this, you know. And this, you know, like, is it hard to talk about or do you not understand it? This episode is sponsored by Tandem Diabetes Care. And today I'm going to tell you about Tandem's newest pumping algorithm. The Tandem MOBI system with Control IQ technology features Autobolus, which can cover missed meal boluses and help prevent hyperglycemia. It has a dedicated sleep activity setting and is controlled from your personal iPhone. Tandem will help you to check your benefits today through my link tandemdiabetes.com juicebox this is going to help you to get started with Tandem's smallest pump yet that's powered by its best algorithm ever. Control IQ technology helps to keep blood sugars in range by predicting glucose levels 30 minutes ahead and it adjusts insulin accordingly. You can wear the Tandem Mobi in a number of ways. Wear it on body with a patch like adhesive sleeve that is sold separately. Clip it discreetly to your clothing or slip it into your pocket head. Now to my link tandomdiabetes.com juicebox to check out your benefits and get started. Today I Used to hate ordering my daughter's diabetes supplies. I never had a good experience and it was frustrating. But it hasn't been that way for a while. Actually for about three years now because that's how long we've been using usmed usmed.com juicebox or call 888-721-1514. Usmed is the number one distributor for Freestyle Libre Systems number nationwide. They are the number one specialty distributor for Omnipod Dash, the number one fastest growing tandem distributor nationwide. The number one rated distributor in Dexcom customer satisfaction surveys, they have served over 1 million people with diabetes since 1996. And they always provide 90 days worth of supplies and fast and free shipping. US Med carries everything from insulin pumps to and diabetes testing supplies to the latest CGMs like the Libre 3 and Dexcom G7. They accept Medicare nationwide and over 800 private insurers. Find out why US Med has an A rating with a better business [e-mail] juicebox or just call them at 888-721-1514. Get started right now and you'll be getting your supplies the same way we do.

[Patty D]

Denial. I think I have a pretty good understanding about it. I think I was in denial that I had a really serious chronic illness and kind of wanted to ignore things about it. Thank you for bringing me back because I have so much in my head.

[Scott]

No, you're doing wonderfully. Were you. Were you ashamed to have it? Were you embarrassed? You just. No, you just didn't want it to be the case?

[Patty D]

I don't think I was ashamed. I don't think I was embarrassed. I think that I just was in denial and it was something that came out of left field that I wasn't expecting. I never anticipated, you know, living with.

[Scott]

A chronic illness or prepared to do what you needed to do. Yeah, I'm beginning to believe, Patty, over the years of doing this, that when people are like, it doesn't bother me, it's okay, blah, blah, blah. Like, I think that's partially denial too. Like, yeah, we can look at that and think of that as bravery or they're so strong or whatever. Or like, you know, I mean, but as I'm, you know, listening to people talking to people, watching Arden get older, like, as I'm doing all these things, I believe that there's a cycle here. I know it's going to be at your own pace, but you have to go through that entire cycle and get to the part that says, I think it's acceptance. Like, I'm not a therapist, but, like, I, I think you have to get. Yeah, I think you have to get to that part where you just say, like, this is it and it is what it is, and all of the T shirt slogans that go along with that. Right. And I might have a seizure one day. I might pass out while I'm driving. This might happen. That might happen. None of these things may happen. All the possibilities exist. I'm aware of what they are, and I'm Zen about it. And I think those are the people that I, that when I speak to them, I think they found the closest thing to balance with diabetes and maybe autoimmune in general that I see.

[Patty D]

You're right.

[Scott]

Yeah. That's what it feels like to me at this point.

[Patty D]

You, you're so right. And, and what you just said made me think about you as the parent. You had no choice. This was your child's life. You were going to find out. And all parents, they cannot be in denial. And my heart just goes out to all the parents parenting children with any chronic illness. But because I have Type one, I know all that it takes. And I was thinking, for parents of children with Type one, it's a different, a different way of approaching it. You cannot deny this. And, you know, also, most children get a week or five days in the hospital with intensive, you know, care and education and blah, blah, blah. But adults, they're like, oh, yeah, here's a vial of insulin. Some syringes go out there. You'll, you know, you won't die.

[Scott]

I think, you know, to your, your, your just, your very recent point that it's different for caregivers. And I think you might have been talking about me specifically, like, even though, I mean, there's a good argument to be made that I have thrown myself into this in a different way and come up with a number of workarounds, you know, tips, tricks that we use every day that's kept my daughter's like, variability down her A1, C down, et cetera. Like, as she's getting older, it becomes more and more apparent to me that none of that addresses the other part of it. Like, the management's great, but her journey, whatever her journey will be, is still going to happen. It doesn't get mitigated. I'm sorry, for people who are hearing this for the first time, that psychological part of this whole thing is not mitigated by knowing how to bolus or understanding, you know, the impacts of fat and protein. These things make your life better. They make your health Easier. I think they make your day easier. It doesn't mean you don't have to at some point in the back of your mind in a quiet place in a dark room, come to grips with the fact that your body let you down. And it does every day. And it's going to continue to. And you're going to fight against that until your last breath. It's not a thing that's going to go away. And how do you do that without making yourself angry, Sad, lonely, sick, tired. All the other things that could possibly come from this. As much as I wanted it to be true, everything I figured out, it didn't give Arden a get out of jail free card on all that other stuff. I don't think it's going to do it for anybody else either. That is the thing I hoped for earlier on. As time goes past, I just don't think that's. I don't think that's how people work. There's no, like, you can't jump ahead through your feelings and, and how your mind works. You. You have to. I don't know. I honestly don't know how to. To quantify it. But there's a thing you have to do, a process or a journey or call it whatever the hell you want. You don't do it. You get stuck where you are.

[Patty D]

And also life happens and life throws us a lot of shit. Excuse me, Stress. And for me, the longer I've had type one and I have come to acceptance, I have. I still get pissed off. I still have anxiety due to the fact that I'm running out of real estate for infusion sites. So every time I change it out. The other day I used Trusteel. I'm on a tandem T Slim pump, which I love, which also I had no clue when I switched from Medtronic to T Slim. All the intricacies. And I guess I was still like, oh, it's kind of like Medtronic. It's not. And here's where the Juice Box podcast came in. And your podcast has changed the way I can manage this disease better. And I'm so grateful. And I tell everybody, everybody who has type one or type. I tell everyone, you know this. You got to tune in. You're going to learn so much. I mean, from pre bolusing to bumping and nudging to, I mean, all the tricks. I mean, I wasn't doing that up until, like, I want to say, I've been listening two years and I kind of knew about the podcast, I guess through Facebook, maybe And then I was like, oh, that's just for parents with kids. Juice box, I thought. And then I decided to start listening and I was blown away. I've tuned in a lot. I love Jenny. I have had a session with Integrative Diabetes Systems. I am finishing up the Blue Circle Health program, which I found out from listening to your podcast about Blue Circle Health. And I just have to put in a big Yoo hoo shout out. That program is another thing I tell everybody about a free program where you have endocrinologists, social workers, nutritionists, insurance people that are there for you.

[Scott]

It's a great idea. I hope they can get the word out wider about it, because that's always the biggest problem with anything really is like, how do you make people aware of it?

[Patty D]

And so, yeah, word of mouth is one of the best marketing tools that I have found.

[Scott]

Yeah, I think that's the only reason the po. I. The what you just said for the past three minutes is the only reason why the podcast is popular. I can't really impact it on a marketing side. I've looked at things. I mean, I'm sure if there was like an unending amount of money here, I could just pour over top of something like that. Maybe you could force it, you know, but in the end, people need to hear it and think it's valuable enough to tell somebody else about. That's really how it works. It's the only way it works, honestly.

[Patty D]

That's true. That's true.

[Scott]

I want to thank you for your kind words, you know, over the last couple of minutes and tell you that I've been having a rather emotional couple of weeks, meeting a lot of people who have type one in person who listen to the podcast. So touched me very deeply what you said, and I appreciate it.

[Patty D]

I was thinking you have. You have a really, really tough job. I hope you're going to take a vacation and relax a little bit, because I know you did the cruise right, and it sounds to me like you are an extrovert. And I think I am somewhat an extrovert. But I know I do need to have time to just kind of recharge my battery. Especially when you're working so closely with so many people that have a lot of, you know, issues. Yeah, you know, health issues, families, all. All the issues.

[Scott]

Well, then it will make you happy, Patty, to know that in nine days, I'm getting on an airplane with my family and I won't be back. Let's see, I leave on Saturday and I won't be back. Till I won't be home until I think we land. Midnight the following Saturday when we come home. So there's a nice. I know where I'm going to be. I will be somewhere in a chair, somewhere near an ocean, sitting very still, staring out into it and trying to comprehend everything I've learned over the last couple weeks and you know, trying to relax and spend time with my kids and my wife and the four of us together, which, you know, those days are going to get numbered as the kids get older and older. So yeah, I am going to do that, I'll tell you that. A couple of things happened. So the cruise was awesome. We took about 100 people on a cruise, all listeners. We're going to do it again next year. So if you're in interested, there's links in the show notes to come with us in 2026. In 2026 we're gonna go out of Miami. I'm not gonna get all these details right. Out of Miami through some like Cococay Bay or something in the Bahamas and then we're going to St. Thomas, Saint Kitts and then just the whole Caribbean cruise. It's going to be seven days this time. I don't want to say the cruise line because I, I, I don't want to get it wrong because they, there's two of them that begin with a C. Whichever one is the nicer one. Is it Celebrity Carnival? I guess now I have to find, I'll figure it out.

[Patty D]

Yeah, I forget which one's the nicer one. I guess it depends on who you are.

[Scott]

Yeah, Well, I think it's not the one where everybody's drunk on the, on the, and running around for seven days. Yeah.

[Patty D]

Yeah. Oh, that's good. That's good. You wouldn't want to have a bunch of drunk diabetics running around.

[Scott]

It's going to be family friendly but also, you know, adult friendly as well on this giant newer ship. It's really awesome. Like so we learned a lot running it the first time. But, but one of the things that I did that I don't know how well I'm going to be able to accomplish the next time because I imagine it, I mean, with much luck it'll be bigger than it was the first time. So this might end up being a one time experience for me. But I ate dinner with everybody that I went with.

[Patty D]

Wow.

[Scott]

I basically ate dinner twice a night and sat at a table with 10 people. I didn't really eat the whole time. I was picking and you know, talking.

[Patty D]

Right to, just to.

[Scott]

To hear people, like, face to face to, you know, they tell their stories and, you know, talk about how it's been valuable for them, the show, or, you know, you know, tell me other things that they wanted to tell me to really get to know people, look them in the eye and talk to them. I was exhausted while I was doing it, so hopefully I wasn't like a maniac. But I did basically a 5 o' clock dinner and then a 7:15 dinner, and then at 9 o' clock, I was done five nights in a row. And I was so happy to meet everybody that way because it just. It was different. Like, I sat on the deck with a gentleman and his two kids and we played a board game with his kids. I just sat there for an hour and we. I and his, you know, his son has diabetes, we just sat there and just played a dumb board game. I beat those kids, by the way. They. They were no match for me.

[Patty D]

You didn't let them win.

[Scott]

They won the first time, that was enough. The second time. No, I just. I don't know, I caught a rhythm and, you know, listen, he was little. If I didn't beat him, what would it have said about me? You know, let that little kid beat me twice.

[Patty D]

He'd say, oh, he's not as smart as he thinks he.

[Scott]

But, you know, between that and just like, hearing from someone like, we. We went out of a port in Galveston. There are people there that drove from Alabama, from South Carolina, that flew in from Toronto, from California to get on that ship to, you know, some sun and fun and, you know, jumping in the pool and stuff like that, and to meet other people with type 1 diabetes. But each and every one of them, I'm not lying, found a moment to come to me and say, I really appreciate that podcast. Thank you. And some people hugged by people. People told me they loved me, people I've never met before. It was really impactful. And then I was only home for a week before I went back out and went to Friends for Life in Orlando, Jeff Hitchcock's organization, Children with Diabetes. And I did some work for Tandem while I was there. I interviewed a bunch of little kids, which you should probably be seeing on their social media already. And hopefully here on the podcast we'll have audio from it at some point as well. And then I was a vendor, basically for three days. So on opening night, the vending tables open at, I think it was 7pm and it went to 10, maybe, and for three solid hours, there were 50, 70 people in front of me at times, waiting in line patiently to come up and say, hey, this podcast really helped me. A new group of people.

[Patty D]

Yeah.

[Scott]

And then. And then a lovely guy named Rob Howe came over, and Rob has a podcast about diabetes, too. He came over to me and I. You know, I won't say his words here, but he was effusively kind about what I've done making this podcast to the point where, like, I can't. I couldn't quantify it the way he did.

[Patty D]

Yeah.

[Scott]

And what he thinks it's meant to him and to the people that hear it and the community at large. And I have to tell you, I was speechless. I just said thank you. When I was done, I didn't know what to say, but it was one of the first times. I don't do a lot of industry things, right. So this is maybe the. There's about 2,000 people there, and, I mean, they take up the entire convention center. As I walked around and experienced the space and could see that, like, no kidding. That every third person that walked by me looked at me like, that's the guy from the thing. I didn't know my place in the whole thing. You know what I mean? And then I got there and saw it, and I realized maybe all the nice things you guys come on and say to me, like, maybe they're, like, real, you know, like, yeah, they are real.

[Patty D]

They are real. And, you know, you know, you do a podcast and like you said, you don't look at the people. So, you know, people are saying it to you, but are you really getting, you know, the impact that you have made and this. This legacy that you've built for yourself? I mean, you know, and you didn't go into it saying, oh, I'm sure, you know, you. You went into it to share your knowledge about what you have learned. And, you know, I gotta say, I think you're really smart, too, to have all of that come back at you and to just let it wash over you. Because I know people are mean, because I see some of the things. I don't read them all because people online or in Facebook that, you know, people say things that are kind of ridiculous. We, as human beings, what do we focus on? That's how our brains were set up way back in prehistoric times. The negative, you know, if a big monster bear is going to come and get you, you're going to be focused on that more than it takes a thousand good things to balance that out.

[Scott]

Also, I'm not a maniac. So, like, I I was. I. So when. When. No. Yeah, but meaning, like, like, I am in a weird position where no lie daily. A couple of dozen people are gonna tell me something really lovely. And if I sat there and read every one of those things and thought, that's right, I'm awesome, I'd be out of my mind. And I don't. So I don't. You know, you don't even allow yourself to do that. Really.

[Patty D]

It sounds like your wife keeps you humble too.

[Scott]

No, seems to enjoy it. I don't want to take away her favorite thing to do. Yeah. I mean, every. The whole life makes you humble, right? Like, yeah. And.

[Patty D]

Oh, yeah.

[Scott]

And at the same time, like, you're not wrong. I guess plenty of people, like, don't like me. And that's. I would say that, you know, commiserate to the number of people listening. My ratio is pretty good, you know, And I think some people have legitimate. They make legitimate points. And some people are probably jealous and some people are probably a little out of their mind. And some. There's a, you know, a spectrum. Yeah. Of all that. Just like, on the other. But. But again, you'd be a maniac. If, like, if you're gonna say, look, some people are crazy, you also have to say, some people are overly enthusiastic, too. And like, so, you know, what's that saying is like, you know, if I'm gonna believe the bad ones, I gotta, you know, you know, I gotta believe the. If I'm gonna believe the good ones, I gotta believe the bad ones. And. Or like, maybe. And so you just get to a point after you're doing it for a while where you're just like, I just don't care. Like, I. If I'm going to keep making this, then none of you exist. Like, do you know what I mean? Like, I can't. Like, the good, the bad. It doesn't matter anymore. Like, I'm a stream of consciousness. You'll take what you take from it. Hopefully something valuable. And if not. I tried.

[Patty D]

Right. Yeah.

[Scott]

So when you're in that mechanism, when you're doing this thing that I'm doing and you're doing it to so many people. I mean, the podcast is about to hit 20 million downloads. Not a lot of podcasts do that. So, like, when you're in that space.

[Patty D]

I never listen to a podcast until you.

[Scott]

I think it's possible.

[Patty D]

I'm 70 years old, never was interested.

[Scott]

I may have drugged a lot of new people into listening to podcasts, so. But the point being is that you just can't like, to get through all these years of doing it. You have to do that. Well, listen, I'm just not going to listen to anybody because I don't think I'm Satan and I don't think I'm Jesus, right? Like, so if people are saying stuff, I'm like, I'm just gonna do what I'm gonna do. But I realized on that cruise and I realized that friends for life. And I realized when I stood face to face to people, by doing that, I'm minimizing the stories and I'm overvaluing the clicks and the downloads as my measurement for my value. And I promised myself last week that I'm. I mean, listen, I'm still gonna do the business of the business, right? Like, and I know what I need to do to make it popular enough that people buy ads and so that I can keep making it. I'm not. I'm not an idiot. I'm going to keep doing what needs to be done. But when I stop at the end of the day and value myself, I'm going to value myself based on people's stories, their outcomes, their health, and their happiness. And that's just how I'm going to do this from now on. Because I think I stopped listening to all of your. I didn't stop listening to all your. It's a weird thing to say. Like, I've read everything that someone sent me a note about, right? And it means something to me. But after you hear the thousands or the fifth or the five thousandths one, it's, you know, you're like, oh, yeah, yeah. Like, I mean, you're not like, oh, yeah, I saved your life, awesome. Like, it's not like that, but it is. You do expect what you get. When it starts coming back, I'm like, yeah, the podcast does what it does, and for the people it helps. This is usually their outcome. And I don't want to be blase about that. I don't think I have been, but I want to make sure not to be. And moreover, when I value myself later, the currency I'm going to value myself in is not downloads and listen through rate and all the other stuff that podcasting is behind the scenes, my value is going to be people with a smile on their face saying, I figured out how to do something. I feel healthier, I'm doing better. That's my currency. So that's what I learned going out and meeting people. That's good. Thank you.

[Patty D]

That's good. How many years have you been doing.

[Scott]

The podcast I started in January of 2015. So this is 2025. This is the 11th. I'm making the 11th year right now. Yeah. And that'll be over, you know, at the end of. And the other thing, too, is that I put out five episodes a week. You know, I probably put out more episodes in. I mean, in fairness to people, like, probably in two months than most podcasts put out in a year, you know.

[Patty D]

Yeah, it's intense. It's an. It's an intense workload that. That you have. I mean, you're. You're a worker, you know, and, you know, I'm really glad that you've come to this place in your journey and you've recognized that, you know, you. You might have been coming. Not blase, but.

[Scott]

Yeah, I think I just got you. I got accustomed to it. Yeah.

[Patty D]

Right. But that you've realized that in the end, it's about the people's lives that you have impacted in such a real and valuable way that as you said it just before, that we can go on having this knowledge that we've learned from you and use it in our own lives to help ourselves to manage this, the disease.

[Scott]

I found myself giving myself a little credit yesterday for something. Something that was said to me. I'd like to be clear before I say anything else. Like, I'm always really clear about it. Like, I make a living from this. Like, it's not like. You know what I mean? Yeah. It's not a hobby. But you said it earlier, and I. I know my intention. My intention is to help people. That it. That it became this popular or that it made money was not the intention. It's a variable that I didn't expect. Right. But I was speaking. To be very vague here. I guess I was speaking to somebody I do business with yesterday who was talking to me about another person in my space. Ish. That they do business with, that they said, we're gonna stop. We're gonna stop associating with them. And I said, oh, that, you know, okay. Like, I didn't know where. Where this was coming from, because people are, generally speaking, do not. The people I work with professionally are not talking behind other people's backs. You know what I mean?

[Patty D]

Gotcha. Yeah.

[Scott]

What it came to is that I have a very good relationship with this person, and we've known each other a very long time. And I think they were asking me, do you know this person? Am I making an assessment that's accurate on this third person? And I said, I don't know. Them personally. I've never spoken to them, never corresponded with them. I have one story that was given to me third party and it scared me about them. Here's what I was told by another person that I I think was looking out for me and I believed and was in a room with a lot of other people. And so I've heard corroborating stories, you know, subsequently that tell me that I think what was said to me was accurate and I said so. My feeling about this person is.

[Patty D]

This.

[Scott]

Episode was too good to cut anything out of, but too long to make just one episode. So this is part one. Make sure you go find part two right now. It's going to be the next episode in your Feed US Med sponsored this episode of the Juice Box Podcast. Check them [e-mail] juicebox or by calling 888-721-1514 for get your free benefits check and get started today with U.S. med. The podcast you just enjoyed was sponsored by Tandem Diabetes Care. Learn more about TANDEM's newest automated insulin delivery system, TANDEM Moby with Control IQ plus [e-mail] juicebox there are links in the show notes and [e-mail] hey, thanks for listening all the way to the end. I really appreciate your loyalty and listenership. I'll be back very soon with another episode of the Juice Box Podcast. If you're looking for community around type 1 diabetes, check out the Juice Box Podcast. Private Facebook Group juice box podcast type 1 diabetes but everybody is welcome. Type 1 type 2 gestational loved ones it doesn't matter to me. If you're impacted by diabetes and you're looking for support, comfort or community, check out Juice Box podcast type 1 diabetes on Facebook. If you or a loved one is newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and you're seeking a clear, practical perspective, check out the Bold Beginning series on the Juice Box Podcast. It's hosted by myself and Jenny Smith, an experienced diabetes educator with over 35 years of personal insight into type 1. Our series cuts through the medical jargon and delivers straightforward answers to your most pressing questions. You'll gain insight from real patients and caregivers and find practical advice to help you confidently navigate Life with Type 1. You can start your journey informed and empowered with the Juice Box Podcast. The Bold Beginning Series and all of the collections in the Juice Box Podcast are available in your audio app [e-mail] in the menu hey, what's up everybody? If you've noticed that the podcast sounds better. And you're thinking, like, how does that happen? What you're hearing is Rob at Wrong Way Recording, doing his magic to these files. So if you want him to do his magic to you, wrongway recording.com. you got a podcast, you want somebody to edit it, you want Rob.