Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes – Episode #1777 "Scratch That Itch"

Host: Scott Benner
Guest: Christine ("Chris"), 73, living with type 1 diabetes for 67 years
Date: February 19, 2026

Episode Overview

In this deeply personal and wide-ranging interview, Scott Benner sits down with Christine, a vibrant 73-year-old who has managed type 1 diabetes since age six. Together, they explore Chris’s journey from a childhood marked by medical and family hardships, through advances in diabetes technology, and into her candid reflections on aging, health, independence, and the strength (and humor) found in surviving decades with a chronic condition. The discussion captures both the harsh realities and the resilient spirit of someone who has defied the odds, offering practical insights and inspiration for anyone touched by diabetes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Chris’s Early Life and Diagnosis (00:14–13:56)

• Diagnosis at Age Six (1958): Chris recounts her childhood symptoms (voracious appetite, rapid weight loss) and being cared for by a supportive pediatrician who candidly told her parents most children with type 1 diabetes were not expected to live past their 20s or 30s.
  • "Back in those days...everything...was based on that kind of thinking." (Christine, 04:27)
• Family Hardship: Her father contracted polio in his 20s, resulting in paraplegia; her mother became a working caretaker at a time when few mothers did.
  • “We learned how to take care of him at home. There weren’t a lot of social services back then...we were pretty poor.” (Christine, 05:54)
• Early Management of Diabetes: One daily injection, glass syringe & steel needle, with Chris learning to inject herself by age seven.
  • "My mother would have to sit on me and give me my injections because I would just scream and cry....I think I blocked that part out." (Christine, 13:02)

Living with Limited Resources (13:56–17:50)

• Cost and Scarcity: Syringes were reused for years due to cost. Chris shares that in 1984, two bottles of insulin cost her $17, with $8 for three months of syringes.
• Medical Advancements: Noted the major difference modern technology has made, but remembers having to cut glucose testing strips in half to make them last (30:32).

Health Complications and Resilience (17:50–41:19)

• Minimal Complications: Despite decades with diabetes, Chris reports only moderate retinopathy, now stable, and more recent autonomic symptoms (lightheadedness, balance issues).
  • "The only diabetes complication that I came down with was retinopathy...my other eye is still fine." (Christine, 17:50)
• Cardiac and Stroke Events: Heart attack, stents, minor stroke—all relatively recently and managed with help from her husband.
• Self-Advocacy and Medical Knowledge: Leveraged her experience in hospital admin/medical records to be proactive though sometimes frustrated by medical limitations and stereotypes about aging.
• Autonomy vs. Automation: Chris does not fully trust automated insulin delivery systems despite positive accounts, preferring to manage her basal rates manually.
  • "There's part of me...I have to be in control." (Christine, 33:38)
  • Scott challenges this: "So you’re okay with a car driving you, but not a pump taking care of your insulin?" (Scott, 42:46)

Impact of Prognosis on Life Choices (24:29–29:32)

• Belief She’d Die Young: Grew up convinced her life would be short, influencing decisions about education and children.
  • "Yes, I grew up until I got to about my mid-30s." (Christine, 24:29)
• Choosing Not to Have Kids: Avoided pregnancy after seeing negative diabetes outcomes in others and reading medical literature; now has some regrets as she and husband age and face the possibility of needing care.
• Attitude Toward Aging: Chris and her husband are determined to “age in place,” recognizing that care by family or professionals is a major concern for diabetics as they get older.

Adapting Diabetes Management in Older Age (38:18–54:31)

• Technology & Dexterity: Relies on her husband for CGM insertion due to arthritis; notes device design can be a barrier for older people.
• Adjustments for Safety: Now treats at higher blood sugars to prevent unrecognized lows and coordinates household navigation (peripheral vision loss).
• Candid Reflections: Opens up about sexuality (“We had the longer tubing, so it worked out just fine,” 37:28), overcoming embarrassment for practical management.
• Health Advocacy: Shares stories of advocating for herself, e.g., thyroid damage discovered after cancer treatments, and lessons from a long career in healthcare.
  • "I’ve read thousands of charts...I’d get myself in trouble because I’d go to doctors and say, 'Well, I don’t want this, but I want this.'" (Christine, 53:41)

Lessons, Perspective & Gratitude (49:37–77:08)

• Positive Attitude Despite Adversity: Acknowledges her “blessed and cursed” experience—survived poverty, chronic illness, family loss, cancer, and still finds humor and value in her experiences.
  • "I think somehow I have...the ability to self-heal. I’ve had so many things go wrong...and eventually it all went away." (Christine, 55:57)
• Endorses Modern Diabetes Care: Despite skepticism about a “cure,” Chris greatly prefers today's management options over what existed in her youth.
  • "This system beats what was back then." (Christine, 69:07)
• Hope and Technology: Open (with humor) to AI, automation, and self-driving cars—if it means maintaining independence and quality of life.
  • "I hope for a world where your insulin pump is driving your blood sugars and your car is driving you to go visit people...That's what I'm hoping for." (Scott, 76:42)
• Advocacy for Community and Information: Recommends t1dto100.org and the Juicebox Podcast Facebook group for older adults with type 1.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Feeling Like a Survivor:
  "How crazy is it to live 30 years of your life until one day you go, maybe I am going to keep living." (Scott, 25:52)

• On Adapting as an Elder with Diabetes:
  "I walk around every day with my CGM in one pocket, my glucose gummies in the other..." (Christine, 38:18)

• On Parenting and Not Having Children:
  "I think during the times of, like, my, you know, 30s, 40s, 50s. No. But now that we're getting more feeble...who's going to take care of us?" (Christine, 28:56)

• Determination vs. Caution:
  "I'm bloodthirsty but faint hearted. So I think there's a part of me that's willing to fight for a lot of stuff. And then there's another part of me that's like, no, I'm not doing this." (Christine, 49:59)

• Humor in the Face of Challenge:
  "You were saved by itchy titty?... What if I made that the title of your episode?" (Scott & Christine, 48:18–48:23)

Important Timestamps

• 03:38 – Chris's diagnosis and family background
• 10:27 – Early family adversity and coping
• 13:02 – First year with injections, learning self-care
• 16:50 – The affordability of supplies in the '80s
• 17:50 – Discussion of health complications/retinopathy
• 24:29 – The impact of a limited-life prognosis
• 29:44 – Resources for older type 1s (t1dto100.org)
• 31:31 – Making do with limited blood sugar testing
• 33:38 – Reluctance to adopt automated technology
• 38:18 – Adapting to age: hypoglycemia awareness, device dexterity
• 40:40 – Cancer diagnosis and its aftermath
• 42:46 – On trusting a self-driving car vs. an automated insulin pump
• 49:37 – Lessons from a challenging, resilient life
• 53:41 – Using medical experience to self-advocate
• 55:57 – Self-perceived ability to “heal” or outlast troubles
• 61:04 – Joy and fulfillment in retirement
• 69:07 – Content with modern diabetes management; not optimistic for a cure
• 76:42 – Scott’s closing wishes for the future of diabetes technology

Tone & Atmosphere

Warm, open, realistic, and laced with humor. Despite profound challenges, Chris and Scott create a sense of camaraderie, validation, and hope—modeling both the acceptance and boldness suggested in the podcast’s tagline. The episode is a testament to adaptation, the importance of community, and the enduring possibility of living well with type 1 diabetes.

Summary Takeaways

• Managing diabetes is an ever-evolving process, deeply affected by changes in technology, medicine, and life circumstance.
• Long-term survivorship with type 1 diabetes is possible—even with earlier limitations and obstacles.
• Emotional attitudes, humor, resourcefulness, and social support are decisive factors in quality of life.
• Honest discussions of aging and chronic illness offer practical wisdom and emotional reassurance for listeners of all ages.
• Modern tools like CGMs and insulin pumps dramatically improve safety and autonomy, though older adults may need support in their use.

Recommended for: Anyone affected by diabetes (patients, families, healthcare providers), especially those interested in long-term survivorship, aging with diabetes, and patient perspectives on medical advances.

(Ad and intro/outro segments omitted for clarity and focus.)