Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Host: Scott Benner
Episode: #1677 Sneaky Chocolate Bar - Part 1
Guest: Danny, living with Type 1 Diabetes for 37 years (from the UK)
Date: November 11, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features a candid and emotional conversation between host Scott Benner and Danny, a UK-based man who has lived with type 1 diabetes since childhood. Danny openly shares his decades-long struggle with diabetes management—from initial diagnosis as an active pre-teen, through young adulthood filled with denial and neglect, to the serious complications he eventually faced. The episode is devoted to raising awareness about the dangers of disregarding diabetes care, the normalization of burnout, and the slow, often invisible progression of complications. Danny’s story is intended as both a warning and a source of solidarity for listeners walking a similar path.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Danny’s Diagnosis and Early Years (02:35–09:05)

• Diagnosed at age 11 in 1988 after classic symptoms (weight loss, fatigue, excessive thirst and urination) [04:40].
• Initial management was strict:
  “Back then, we was told, you know, no chocolate, no candy, no sweets, nothing like that. It was zero tolerance.” – Danny (07:49)
• His mother was highly engaged in learning about diabetes management and strictly monitored his food and blood sugar [07:16–08:16].
• Danny's early attempts at sneaking treats resulted in quick parental detection, highlighting both the strictness and vigilance of his early support system [08:16–08:44].

2. Transition to Self-Management and Adolescence (09:05–13:29)

• The sense of difference and exclusion intensified during his late teens:
  “More 17, 18 is when I noticed I was different from everybody else. … I wanted to be included.” – Danny (09:05)
• Began skipping regular blood sugar testing, fabricating data in logs for clinic appointments [11:13–11:42].
• Admitted to testing maybe once a week between ages 17 and 19, driven partly by diabetes burnout—a concept he only learned about recently [11:46–13:05].
• Key realization in retrospect: “I wish I looked after it a lot better, you know, done them finger pokes back then.” – Danny (13:05)

3. Young Adulthood: Denial and Disengagement (19:02–25:25)

• Throughout his early 20s, Danny’s attitude was dismissive, assuming complications wouldn’t happen to him.
  • "You, you'll end up having problems with your eyes, gangrene, losing limbs. That was told to me … And I just, I didn't care at that time … I was like, I'll be all right.” – Danny (19:18)
• Engaged in risky behaviors during summers working abroad—heavy drinking, chain-smoking, and no blood glucose testing for months at a time [20:03–21:13].
• "It was drink, drink a lot, party hard and sleep a lot." – Danny (20:31)
• Even fatherhood and major life events did not immediately shift his engagement with diabetes care [25:07–25:25].

4. Consequences Begin: Physical and Emotional Impact (25:43–29:43)

• Neuropathy (nerve pain) in his feet became severe enough to disrupt sleep; he still didn’t connect this to his diabetes at first [25:43–28:04].
• Family and in-laws (many with diabetes experience) constantly urged him to improve care, but he remained in a cycle of temporary improvement followed by relapse into old patterns [27:32–28:04].
• First serious acute complication: Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA), 31 years after diagnosis, led to ICU hospitalization [28:47–33:18].
  • “If you don't get in the ambulance now, you're going to die.” – Paramedic to Danny (31:12)
• DKA episode was a major wake-up call:
  “That was the one that really, really shook me up.” – Danny (33:18)

5. Attempts at Re-Education and Modern Management (34:18–36:38)

• Attended the DAFNE (Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating) course in 2020, which “opened my eyes up to a lot of things” and re-educated him on carb counting and modern diabetes care tools [34:18–34:36].
• Despite better knowledge, old habits and competing priorities (particularly work and financial drive) repeatedly undermined consistent care [36:14–36:38].

6. Coping Mechanisms, Denial, and Mindset (35:30–40:53)

• Danny discusses the mental gymnastics of insisting he could “turn things around,” even as complications mounted [35:46–36:07].
• Scott emphasizes the gradual, nearly invisible slide into poor health—a process that often carries no visible warning signs and isn’t caused by apathy:
  “This slow kind of drift away from health can happen without you really knowing it … you're not consciously or even subconsciously saying to yourself, I don't want to be alive.” – Scott (39:53)
• “My thought process was earn the money quickly to have a better life with the kids … My health came second.” – Danny (41:01)

7. Complications Escalate: Ulcers, Infection, and Amputation (41:14–45:54)

• A foot ulcer and serious infection led to repeated hospitalizations and eventually, below-knee amputation on his right leg in 2022 [41:14–45:54].
• “Basically half the bottom of my big toe was hanging off … and you could see the infection spreading up my leg.” – Danny (42:10–44:21)
• Underwent unsuccessful angioplasty to restore blood flow, then received the news that amputation was necessary [44:21–45:53].
• Danny details the devastation and psychological impact of the amputation:
  • “I was devastated, you know, to hear something like that at the age of 40, odd wasn’t great.” – Danny (44:25)
  • “It completely rocked my world.” – Danny (46:11)

8. Reflection, Awareness, and Message to Listeners

• Danny's story is not about apathy, but about the slow drift into dangerous territory and how easy it is to miss the warning signs.
• The episode highlights the critical need for education, support, and honest self-assessment in living with diabetes, alongside the power of community and talking with others who understand burnout and mental health challenges.
• His call to listeners is to recognize how insidious diabetes neglect can be, and to act before complications arise.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On parental vigilance:
  “My mum would know. She knew straight away because she'd take like, do the finger poke when I got home … I couldn't get past my mum.” – Danny (08:16)

• On feeling different:
  “It sort of felt like I was restricted and I was on a curfew, you know, that's when it started to play in my mind more, I think, because I knew I was different.” – Danny (10:42)

• On diabetes burnout:
  “Never really learned about diabetes burnout. Never knew nothing about it until I started speaking to guys in the States early this year.” – Danny (11:54)

• On denial in young adulthood:
  “I just, I didn't care at that time when I was, you know, early 20s then I just did not care. I was like, I'll be all right.” – Danny (19:18)

• On the slow slide of poor management:
  “You wake up the next day and you're not dead, then you just feel like, oh, what I'm doing must be okay.” – Scott (38:46)

• On the reality of complications:
  “I pulled my sock off and basically half the bottom of my big toe was hanging off. …you could see the infection spreading up my leg.” – Danny (42:10–44:21)

• The emotional impact of amputation:
  "I was devastated, you know, to hear something like that at the age of 40, odd wasn't great." – Danny (44:25)

Important Timestamps

• Diagnosis and initial management: 02:35–09:05
• Adolescence, self-management challenges, and hiding poor habits: 09:05–13:29
• Life as a young adult: risk, denial, and “invincibility": 19:02–25:25
• First acute complication: DKA hospitalization: 28:47–33:18
• DAFNE (re-education) and aftermath: 34:18–36:38
• Major complications: Neuropathy, infection, and amputation: 41:14–45:54

Tone & Style

• The tone is candid, conversational, and at times rawly emotional—Danny shares regrets, dark humor, and self-deprecating honesty.
• Scott frequently provides validation, reassurance, and expert insights, emphasizing the systemic and psychological challenges faced by people with diabetes.

Final Message

Danny’s story is a powerful reminder: the consequences of neglecting diabetes are slow, insidious, and sometimes feel invisible—until they are not. His journey demonstrates the importance of continued education, honest self-awareness, and supportive community. Danny urges listeners not to wait for a crisis before taking their health seriously.

To continue Danny’s story and hear more about his journey and reflections, look for Part 2 in your podcast feed.