Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode #1642: Bozo No No
Host: Scott Benner
Guest: Catherine
Date: October 2, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features an engaging and candid conversation between host Scott Benner and Catherine, a British expat living in California, diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) at age 47, just after New Year's Day. The discussion centers around Catherine's diagnosis journey, hospitalization, initial fears and confusion, the process of adapting to life with T1D, and the emotional and practical realities of managing a "late onset" diagnosis. The episode touches on finding community, lifestyle changes, balancing parenthood and personal identity, and how diabetes shifts one’s outlook on life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Catherine’s Diagnosis & Hospitalization

• Catherine was diagnosed with T1D eight months prior, after a sudden and dramatic illness during a family holiday:
  • Initially experienced unexplained weight loss, attributed to an active year performing in clown shows.
  • Became severely ill in Las Vegas over Christmas, thinking it was the flu; symptoms escalated after returning home and culminated in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
  • Her husband eventually sought advice from ChatGPT, which recommended calling 911 (06:03).

"He was giving all my symptoms to ChatGPT, and ChatGPT is like, I really think you should call 911."
— Catherine, [06:11]

• Catherine described losing consciousness, being admitted to the ICU, experiencing delirium, and not remembering events until New Year's Day (05:49–13:22).

• Her blood sugar was “super duper high...like 600 or something,” and medical staff indicated she “should have been on a ventilator” (12:00).

Emotional Response and Processing the Diagnosis

• Catherine struggled to process the diagnosis at first, feeling the world was “unstable” and confused by contradictory messages from healthcare staff and acquaintances:

"Some people are like, oh, this is terrible. It’s a death sentence… and then other people, I mean, like, the educator, she was great because she actually had type one...I found that really, really reassuring."
— Catherine, [17:37]

• The diabetes educator's Pac-Man analogy helped her first understand insulin's function (13:59).

"Insulin's like the Pac-Man that goes round and hoovers up all the sugar with your system, like the little pills. And I was like, oh, now I get it."
— Catherine, [13:58]

Life Changes & Adjustments

• Catherine’s lifestyle shifted dramatically post-diagnosis:

  • She’s now “low-carb, gluten-free” and eats “a lot more fruit and vegetables… fish” (30:12).
  • Lost around 40 pounds during her illness and has maintained her new weight and dietary habits.
  • Currently on a CGM (Dexcom G7) and MDI (multiple daily injections), but still in partial remission ("honeymoon" period).

• She described feeling as if her diagnosis forced her to “slow down” and focus more on day-to-day responsibilities, stability, and family, rather than “chasing dreams” (18:48–22:32).

"All the sort of fun and games and everything kind of had to slow down a bit and I had to really sort of regroup and life became a lot more simple."
— Catherine, [19:17]

Family, Identity & Mental Health

• Catherine is a mother of three (ages 16–24), and discussed the impact of her diagnosis on her children, especially her youngest, who witnessed her being taken by paramedics (24:27–25:41).
• She reflects on past adversity—her British upbringing, being raised largely by her grandparents, her mother’s struggles with alcoholism, and her own improvisational and entrepreneurial path in the US (49:14–53:32).
• The diagnosis contributed to new feelings of vulnerability and anxiety, with diabetes acting as a catalyst for a broader reckoning about stability and life’s unpredictability:

"I think I had a lot more faith in myself. I think now maybe I've lost a little bit of like, okay, I need to take care of myself. I'm not as invincible as I thought I was."
— Catherine, [37:56]

• Catherine acknowledges “chasing security a bit more now” since her diagnosis (37:51).

Community, Support, and Information-Seeking

• Catherine found major relief and a sense of normalcy through Scott's podcast and its online community, counteracting the sense of T1D being a “rare” and isolating diagnosis at her age (32:03–32:41).

• She appreciates stories from others, which made diabetes feel more “manageable” and less terrifying than what “Googling” suggested:

"The more people that I saw sharing their stories and saying, well, I've had it for this long, I'm managing it, this is how I manage it, it started to feel a lot more manageable. It stopped feeling like this terrible, scary thing that I wasn't allowed to Google."
— Catherine, [34:24]

• She values practical, community-based support over sterile or alarmist messages from some healthcare professionals.

Entrepreneurship & Personal Journey

• Catherine has been self-employed for 15 years, currently building online courses and software—initially starting by reselling items on eBay and Amazon, then teaching others to do the same, and now helping people publish “low-content” books on Amazon (54:37–59:22).

"I made a living selling on eBay and then I just started teaching other people how to do that and built a business from there. So really it’s...pretty fun."
— Catherine, [53:35]

• Her story is interwoven with humor, resilience, and a sense of creativity, even as she admits to missing the improvisational "yes, and" mindset her diagnosis interrupted (60:49).

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On using ChatGPT during a medical emergency:
  “He was talking to ChatGPT...and ChatGPT is like, I really think you should call 911 at this point.” ([06:07])

• On how diabetes changed her perspective:
  “I think I've been very lucky in a lot of ways...this was the first thing that really made me go, oh, okay, now I need to plan a little harder.” ([23:32])

• On community and peer support:
  “I think seeing a lot of other people in a similar boat really, like, was really reassuring for me.” ([32:41])

• On improv and saying ‘yes’ to life after illness:
  “I used to do a lot of improv. And in improv they say, yes. And...I think honestly getting a little bit sick with all of this with diabetes...I kind of lost a bit of my yes, and.” ([60:49])

• On family communication about T1D:
  “I think for my youngest, I think he was a little traumatized by me going into the hospital and just that whole experience, especially being in ICU.” ([25:01])

Other Notable Moments

• Scott and Catherine bring humor to heavy topics, touching on:
  • The “clown fitness” regime (“get a red nose and head out if it worked that well,” [42:07])
  • Navigating the American citizenship process and cultural quirks ([43:41–46:33])
  • Distinguishing British accents in California and funny family speech therapy anecdotes ([27:42])

Important Timestamps

• Diagnosis Story Begins: 02:24
• Hospital/ICU & Delirium: 05:49–13:58
• Emotional Response & Processing: 17:02–20:25
• Changes in Outlook/Lifestyle: 22:56–26:54
• Parenting with T1D: 24:27–28:49
• Management Details & Diet: 26:21–31:22
• Finding Community/Podcast: 32:03
• Mental Health, Fear for Future: 36:20–38:17
• Entrepreneurial Journey: 54:37–59:22
• Improv, Identity, Yes-And: 60:49

Conclusion

This episode is a rich, genuine exploration of the disruptions, challenges, and unexpected silver linings that come with a late Type 1 diagnosis in adulthood. Catherine’s journey—navigating diagnosis, family, recalibrated dreams, business creativity, and a renewed search for stability—is full of practical takeaways and heartfelt insights for anyone touched by T1D. The episode stands out for its blend of serious reflection, humor, resourcefulness, and a strong emphasis on the power of community and story-sharing.

Further Information

• Facebook Group: Juicebox Podcast Type 1 Diabetes
• Resources Mentioned: trialnet.org for family screening
• Relevant Series: Bold Beginnings, Pro Tip Series
• Website: juiceboxpodcast.com