#1802 Mother of Invention

Summary

Juicebox Podcast #1802 – “Mother of Invention”

Date: March 19, 2026
Host: Scott Benner
Guest: Roger Moore (Alberta, Canada, diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 2, 60 years old, blind since age 22)
Theme: Resilience, adaptation, and innovation in diabetes management—especially when facing major challenges, like vision loss.

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Episode Overview

This episode features an incredibly candid and inspiring conversation with Roger Moore, a Canadian living with type 1 diabetes for nearly six decades and blind since his early 20s. The discussion is a raw exploration of diabetes management across eras, the impact of health care systems, the emotional journey of vision loss, technological adaptation, and Roger’s own invention that aids blind and low-vision users with insulin pod filling. Roger’s story is one of resilience, adaptation, and the critical need for education and innovation in diabetes care.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Roger’s Diabetes History: Family, Early Diagnosis, and Old-School Management

• Diagnosed at age two in Ontario, Canada; his father had type 1 as well.
  “My father was also a diabetic. 47 years.” (02:49)
• Early management: glass syringes, boiled needles, urine testing—the “stone age” of diabetes:

  “It was still glass syringes and I think my mom used to sharpen the needles on a stone.” (04:26, Roger)

• For a decade, Roger received only one shot of insulin per day; advances were slow to arrive.

  “I was in my teens...my pediatrician decided to put me on two needles a day and then add some quick acting.” (06:42, Roger)

• Education about diabetes complications was lacking:

  “I never knew diabetics could go blind until I was started going blind. I was just uneducated.” (08:58, Roger)

The Journey to Blindness: Loss, Recovery, and Reinvention

• Rapid vision loss in early 20s due to diabetes, after years with A1Cs in the 12-15 range and minimal medical intervention.

  “Everything was done within a year...happened real fast. Oh, yeah.” (13:36, Roger)

• The sudden loss impacted his career (working with horses and engines), sense of purpose, and independence. The emotional toll was immense.
• His father’s stern push (‘keep your foot on the gas’) inspired Roger to get off the couch and find a new path.

  “My dad finally kicks me in the ass and said, man, you can't do the rest. Laying the coats the rest of your life. You got to do something. Go back to school and figure something out.” (16:41, Roger)

Innovation & Adaptation: Becoming a Blind Woodworker

• Roger dove into woodworking, thanks to a supportive former shop teacher. He learned to use equipment "carefully" despite complete vision loss, eventually establishing a 37-year career creating custom furniture.

  “Roger, you told me you can do woodworking without sight. – Oh, yeah. I've done it for 37 years.” (20:33-20:39) “No it's square.” (23:32, Roger, on the quality of his furniture)

• Notable moment of levity:

  “I've got all my fingers still and everything, so God damn, that's a bigger accomplishment than anything else.” (23:51, Roger & Scott)

Diabetes Technology, Advocacy, and Accessibility

• Pump therapy was a game-changer; early models (Accu-Chek Spirit) were usable by Roger due to audible beeps and tactile buttons.
• Major challenge: Inaccessibility of most mainstream pumps (touch screen only, incompatible with screen readers for the blind).
• Supportive providers introduced Roger to "Looping" using the Omnipod Dash and a bespoke Loop app, customized by BC Diabetes with accessible labeling.

  “They build the app and they'll help you install it on your phone… I can operate everything like my manual pump… I can do everything myself with this loop app.” (27:29-28:38, Roger)

• Outcomes: Within months, his A1C dropped from 6.9 to 5.8-6.0

  “Jury, once he go down again, went from 6.9 to 6.5 to 5.8, and the last one was 6.”
  “That's awesome, man. Good for you.” (32:37-32:44)

Roger’s Invention: The Pod Filler and Pod Filler Plus

• Challenge: The tiny fill port of Omnipod is nearly impossible for blind users to locate.
• Solution: Roger invented a jig to help guide the fill needle precisely—shared with BC Diabetes, now manufactured as the “Pod Filler (Plus)” (available on Amazon Canada).

  “I have a computer control router in my shop… Yes. ... We put some JB Weld...and built an arm… The needle goes in it and it drops straight down into the hole.” (36:16-37:20, Roger) “It's my gift to the community.” (38:51, Roger)

• The Plus version supports low-vision/blind and dexterity-challenged users with posts indicating volume.

Living Well with Disabilities: Attitudes, Support, and Community

• Despite multiple complications (blindness, stroke, cardiac issues), Roger maintains an independent, purpose-driven life.

  “You just haven't given up…do you kind of…think you picked it up from watching your dad?”
  “Oh, yeah. We're all, my brothers, like that…We're all workers.” (67:19-67:25, Scott & Roger)

• “Necessity is the mother of invention” (throughout)—Roger’s story is an embodiment of this.
• Roger leverages technology (Dexcom, Contour Next meter, accessible apps) and finds continual learning from podcasts and online communities (“Loop and Learn”, Kenny Fox, etc.).
• Roger emphasizes the value of forward-thinking healthcare providers and urges listeners to keep pushing for accessible solutions.

  “If my endo and my Robin and Dr. Rogers weren't…I call them forward thinking…You get some of these older endos...They say it's dangerous.” (68:51-69:21)

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Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On the early days of diabetes care:
  "It was still glass syringes and I think my mom used to sharpen the needles on a stone." (04:26, Roger)
• Realization of complications:
  "I never knew diabetics could go blind until I was started going blind. I was just uneducated." (08:58, Roger)
• On being kicked into action by his father:
  "My dad finally kicks me in the ass and said, man, you can't do the rest...laying on the couch the rest of your life. You gotta do something. Go back to school and figure something out." (16:41, Roger)
• On accessible technology and looping:
  “I can do everything myself with this Loop app.” (28:38, Roger)
  “Apparently I'm the first one in Canada.” (35:31, Roger)
• On inventing the Pod Filler:
  “Necessity is the mother of invention, right? ... I let them do it. It's guess my gift to the community.” (38:51, Roger)
• On living with blindness:
  “Walking around with the lights out.” (54:04, Roger)
  "What I tell people, it's like going out in the middle of the night and looking up into the sky and seeing all the stars, all the white little dots..." (55:16, Roger)

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Technology, Accessibility, and Community Resources

• Transition to Modern Management:
  • Gradual shift from single daily injections to pumps, CGMs, carb counting
  • Importance of patient education and proactive endocrinologists
• Roger’s adaptation to new diabetes tech:
  • Loop app with Omnipod, voice-over on iPhone
  • Continuous feedback and improvements via community groups (“Loop and Learn” on Facebook, support from BC Diabetes)
  • Use of accessible blood glucose meters and CGMs (Contour Next One & Dexcom)
• Sharing, Learning, and Teaching:
  • Roger learned “prebolusing” and more nuanced management from podcasts like Juicebox and guests like Kenny Fox.
  • Loop and Learn group helped him and inspired his feedback and invention.

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Living with Disability: Challenges and Humor

• Daily Life:
  • Roger maintains a woodshop, creates elaborate projects (e.g., a scale Conestoga wagon), and is active despite spasticity post-stroke.
  • Shares both practical difficulties (navigating stores, transportation, economic insecurity) and lighter moments (bumping into signposts, owning a cat).
• Advocacy for Better Accessibility:
  • Calls out lagging accessibility in devices, apps, and health care
  • The importance of not blaming oneself for complications rooted in the era’s inadequate education and technology
• Community support’s critical role:
  • Shelly (his partner), helpful shop employees, friends, and empathetic neighbors in small towns offer critical practical and emotional aid.
  • Emphasizes that even small daily acts (“go out and figure something out”) become profound when facing big obstacles.

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Takeaways & Final Messages

• Be bold—don’t let fear hold you back. Adapt, innovate, and embrace available technology, asking for help and pushing for better solutions when needed.
• Accessible diabetes technology exists and is improving, often thanks to individuals like Roger and forward-thinking clinicians working together.
• Necessity and adversity can foster ingenuity—don’t dismiss solutions you invent for yourself, they may help many others.
• The community, education, and mutual support are as vital as any gadget or algorithm.

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:28 – 07:43: Early days of diabetes—family, glass syringes, old management
• 08:09 – 13:33: Rapid journey to blindness, unawareness of risks
• 16:35 – 20:39: Parental push, reinvention as a blind woodworker
• 23:07 – 24:41: “Carefully” woodworking; quality and pride
• 25:08 – 29:14: Transition to pump therapy; accessibility challenges
• 29:29 – 32:40: Medical complications—heart, stroke, recovery
• 32:37 – 33:42: Dramatic A1C improvement with Loop app
• 36:16 – 38:47: Creation of the Pod Filler, technology for the community
• 54:04 – 55:49: Living with blindness—visual experiences, daily adaptations
• 58:28 – 59:59: Ride-sharing, driverless cars, independent navigation as a blind person
• 60:06 – 63:59: Accessibility (or lack thereof) in public life and business; community kindness and rudeness
• 67:19 – 70:01: Family resilience mindset, generational influence

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Final Reflection

Roger’s story is remarkable for its honesty, resilience, and constant drive to reclaim life after devastating complications. His innovations—practical, community-guided, and accessible—embody the episode’s title, “Mother of Invention.” Listeners are left encouraged that with boldness, openness to learning, and support from others, life with diabetes—even in the face of significant challenges—can be not only managed but truly lived.

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“Looping is possible for blind people. And I'm thrilled that you said that. I was really excited to hear that you have that much success with that app. I hope other people are, are helped by that somehow.” (64:52, Scott)

“Don’t be so scared all the time, you know? Be bold.” (70:07, Scott)

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For more on Roger’s invention: Search “Pod Filler Plus” on Amazon.ca

Transcript

[A]

Friends, we're all back together for the next episode of the Juice Box Podcast.

[B]

Welcome. Hi, my name's Roger Moore. I live in Alberta, Canada. I'm 60 years old. I was diagnosed at T1 at the age of 2.

[A]

If you'd like to hear about diabetes management in easy to take in bits, check out the Small Sips. That's the series on the Juice Box Podcast that listeners are talking about like it's a cheat code. These are perfect little bursts of clarity. One person said, I finally understood things I've heard a hundred times. Short, simple, and somehow exactly what I needed. People say Small Sips feels like someone pulling up a chair, sliding a cup across the table and giving you one clean idea at a time. Nothing overwhelming, nothing. No fire hose of information. Just steady, helpful nudges that actually stick. People listen in their car, on walks, or while they're actually bolusing anytime that they need a quick shot of perspective. And the reviews, they all say the same thing. Small sips makes diabetes make sense. Search for the Juice Box Podcast, Small Sips wherever you get audio. 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 Juicebox podcast is sponsored by usmed usmed.com juicebox or call 888-721-1514. Get your supplies the same way we do from USMED. Today's episode is also sponsored by the Eversense 365, the One Year Ware CGM. That's one insertion a year. That's it. And here's a little bonus for you. How about there's no limit on how many friends and family you can share your data with with the Eversense now app. No limits ever since. The podcast is also sponsored today 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 tandemdiabetes.com Juicebox hi, my name's Roger Moore.

[B]

I live in Alberta, Canada. I'm 60 years old. I was diagnosed at T1 at the age of two.

[A]

No kidding. 58 years ago. You born in Canada?

[B]

Yes, Ontario.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah, I moved out to Alberta in 2012.

[A]

Oh, that's interesting. Okay, so you've had diabetes for 58 years?

[B]

Yeah, my father was also a diabetic. 47 years. Fortunately, passed away in 09 at 71.

[A]

71. And he was diagnosed in his 30s.

[B]

I think he was 27.

[A]

27?

[B]

27, yeah.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Yeah. He just dropped dead in the driveway.

[A]

Did you feel like he was in good health and it was surprising or. No?

[B]

Apparently he had about 50% kidney function. I find out this later because we went to the same endo. Yeah, he was. He was a big man and, you know, strong, but he wouldn't.

[A]

Wouldn't tell anybody if he wasn't doing well.

[B]

Pardon?

[A]

You think he wouldn't tell people if he wasn't doing well?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, worked all his life. Right. Had nothing and then, you know, worked all his life and then just kept on going.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

His model was keep your foot on the gas.

[A]

Sounds like it worked off all right for him for. For a good long while.

[B]

That's the way he wanted to go. So anyways, but I hear you.

[A]

So he's got type one while you're growing up. I mean, do you know how. How old was he about when you were born?

[B]

I'm the youngest boy out of. There's five kids and my sister's the youngest. So. Yeah, he was about 26, maybe.

[A]

You think he was diagnosed just after you were. Just before you were born? Maybe just after you were born? Yeah, right around there.

[B]

Yeah. It was still glass syringes and I think my mom used to sharpen the needles on a stone.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

You boil all that? No. Blood testing with all urine testing and. Yeah. And then, you know, I was also. I was. I was born with a. A vsd, which is a ventricular septal defect with a heart. Heart murmur. And they never. They did two catheters. They never decided to close it. It wasn't giving me any problems. They. But hey, well, I'll get into that later. But eventually did have it closed.

[A]

Okay. So, Roger, you. You think your dad had not had type 1 diabetes for very long before you were diagnosed with it? His youngest son of how many?

[B]

Five kids.

[A]

Five kids together?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You're the youngest boy or the youngest kid?

[B]

Youngest boy. Youngest boy, and my sister the youngest.

[A]

Okay. So he's got a. Basically a newborn with type 1 diabetes. His diabetes is fairly newborn and he's sharpening needles. Do you know what your management was like? Do you have any idea how they. They took care of you in the early days? They ever talk about it?

[B]

Because my dad had it. My mom knew something was up with me and she would squeeze. Squeeze the urine out of my diaper and test it.

[A]

Oh, okay.

[B]

Was a little test kit you could. With you Know water, urine, and a little pill you put in right now, it fizz and you give a color, color code A and. But I went to a. Was in sick kids hospital. She took me there. Then I, I come out on one unit of insulin at the age of two or two.

[A]

Was she giving you that with. With needles? She sharpened herself.

[B]

I. Just kidding over sharpener herself, but.

[A]

Well, I've heard people talk about that. That's why I didn't know they probably

[B]

did way back, but no, they were glass syringes and she had to boil them.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

For my dad and myself.

[A]

And so you're getting in the beginning, just a shot a day.

[B]

Yep. Okay, one shot.

[A]

When do you think your management changed? Like how many years did you live on one shot a day? Then when did it go to two? And how did it progress? Do you know the progression of it?

[B]

I was in my teens, I was seeing a pediatrician since I was, you know, I got diabetes, I was in my teens, and he decided to put me on two needles a day and then add some quick acting.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Mixing it right. As a teen, you know, a young, you know, 12, 13, 14 kind of age. Right. But then when, you know, when, when you become 15, 16 years old, all hell breaks loose. You don't give a rat. I suppose your diabetes, right.

[A]

Not on the top of your list, but. So you did, you did. You're telling me you think you did one shot a day from 2 years old into your early teens, then they went to two shots and then eventually gave you a fast acting like a mealtime insulin they gave you.

[B]

They mix it.

[A]

Oh, okay.

[B]

Yeah, they mix. Yeah.

[A]

All right, so you're getting two a day. And are you taking those two shots a day with regularity?

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Yes. Okay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then when's the next time it shifts because what is that regular and mph or is that beef and pork even?

[B]

Pork. That day in Toronto they called it. Yeah.

[A]

Oh, that's right. Yeah. Here in Canada. And so you're doing that until regular and mph, which happens when?

[B]

It was probably in the 90s.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Because I was blind at that time.

[A]

So you lost your sight?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

At what age?

[B]

I was 22.

[A]

22.

[B]

And yeah, yeah, through 87. I was having problems. Just a week before Christmas was my last surgery and that was basically it.

[A]

So. So you're growing up with eye issues and. But nobody says you maybe you should take more insulin.

[B]

My A1Cs were 14, 15.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And my pediatrician, he never seen you. Never say nothing to me. And he would Write on my blood requisition. Known diabetic. So they wouldn't call him at, you know, two in the morning. Right. Tell him there was a problem.

[A]

Yeah, the guy in the lab's not. Oh my gosh. But if he feels that way, then why is he not helping you do something about it?

[B]

I never knew diabetics could go blind until I was started going blind. I was just uneducated. Yeah, just uneducated about the whole thing. And by that time it's too late. Right, because that 15, 20 years of having diabetes is when it starts creeping up on you.

[A]

Your best guess is you had diabetes 15, 20, 15 years with a 1Cs in the 12, 13, 14 range.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

And then what's the first, do you remember what the first sign was that you were having trouble with your eyesight?

[B]

My doctor, he, he said I go every six months. He says, yeah, he goes, I can see some activity in the back of your eyes. I'm going to send you to the ophthalmolog. Just which I would go every year anyways. And then, But I guess he, he noticed it in between time. So off I went. And then. Yeah. And then the late, all the laser started.

[A]

The laser was going down.

[B]

I was going down to Toronto Western Hospital for these laser treatments.

[A]

Oh, what were they like and how frequently were they.

[B]

They were once a week for a while. They, they try and stop the bleeding in the eyes. They didn't, they didn't hurt any. Hello, little zap, you know, but they didn't. Then it got to the point where I end up having. This is my right eye, the first one that I lost use of. They did a call a vitrectomy where they actually go in and they clean out all the scar tissue and some other stuff in there and they put saline in it. Right. And I had two of them done. And this after the second one through the night, it hammered really bad. And they said that about a week later they said that the right, the retina has detached and is basically useless. It's unfixable.

[A]

Oh my God. How old were you then?

[B]

22.

[A]

22.

[B]

Yeah. Wow.

[A]

I mean that's a long time ago now. But can you do your best to take me back to that point when that happens? Do you remember how that affects your life, maybe beyond the vision?

[B]

Well, you know, I, I, we're at a full time job and then I also, my dad and I, I trained quarter horses, barrel racing horses. I didn't, I did lots of competition and then all of a sudden Your doctor says, yeah, no more.

[A]

Yeah, you got it.

[B]

Because all the bouncing around, right. You had to stop. Right.

[A]

So, Roger, the main. I mean, your hobby and, and your job, like, things you love just, they just end. And does that, I mean, can you put yourself back in that spot? Like, what does that. Does it put you into a depression? Does it motivate you to try something else? Do you start worrying more about your other eye? Like, what, what happens next?

[B]

Well, I was actually. They were working on both eyes at the same time.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

After it was in August, I lost the use of the right eye. And then they were working on the. The left eye. And then I have a tractomy on it. And then I end up having to go back in just a week before Christmas. And they did another one, but they did a bunch of other work was on it. They. I think they tip. They call it a buckle. I remember. Right. I think they tipped the eye to try and keep the pressure in the back, and they fill it full of a saline bubble and there's. You know, I'm talking almost 40 years ago, right?

[A]

Yeah. This procedure is that just like four or five months after the right eye goes.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Okay. And I mean, at this point you got to be like, this ain't gonna work. Right? Like, I mean, I never, I never thought that.

[B]

I always. You always have hope, right? You always have hope. You're going to get better. Always have that in your mind. You're going to get better. And then, then when I went back to the. My doctor, he sent me after the, the last surgery, you know, after Christmas, in around February, they sent me to another doctor who was specialized in ultrasound on eyes. And he just said, if you touch the eye, it'll just crumble. There's nothing you can do anymore. And I just said, I'm blind.

[A]

Yeah, just like that. Now this process, the first time you, you have trouble with your eye, tell me again, you're about what age?

[B]

Well, it came on. It was, it was. Everything was done within a year.

[A]

Happened real fast. Okay.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

So from the first, from that doctor saying, hey, we're going to send you over the optometrist a little sooner this year to come blind is about a year, year and a half.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. It was over pretty quick.

[A]

You dating anybody at that time?

[B]

No.

[A]

No. Okay. Were you living with your parents still?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Does that turn you right back into a little kid? Like, I mean, does your. Like, that's got to be terrible, right? But like, all of a sudden you're dependent on People learning how to. I mean, I guess you got to learn how to be blind, right? This episode is sponsored by Tandem Diabetes Care and today I'm going to tell you about Tandem's newest pump and algorithm. The Tandem mobi system with control IQ/ technology features Auto Bolus, 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 tandomdiabetes.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 tandemoby 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 tandem diabetes.com juicebox to check out your benefits and get started today. You've probably heard me talk about US Med and how simple it is to reorder with US Med using their email system. But did you know that if you don't see the email and you're set up for this, you have to set it up? They don't just randomly call you. But I'm set up to be called if I don't respond to the email because I don't trust myself 100%. So one time I didn't respond to the email and the phone rings at the house. It's like ring. You know how it works. And I picked it up, I was like, hello. And it was just the recording. It was like, US Med doesn't actually sound like that, but you know what I'm saying? It said, hey, you're. I don't remember exactly what it says, but it's basically like, hey, your order's ready. You want us to send it? Push this button if you want us to send it. Or if you'd like to wait. I think it lets you put it off like a couple of weeks. Or push this button for that. That's pretty much it. I push the button to send it and a few days later box right at my door. That's it. Usmed.com juicebox or call 888-721-1514. Get your free benefits checked now and get started with usmed Dexcom Omnipod Tandem Freestyle. They've got all your favorites. Even that New eyelet pump. Check them out [e-mail] juicebox or by calling 888-721-1514. There are links in the show notes of your podcast player, juicebox podcast.com to us med and all of the sponsors.

[B]

I was really active too, right. I had all the horses and I had my old vehicles and yeah, you

[A]

know, just all of a sudden, just gone.

[B]

Just everything just stops instantly. And I'm, you know, I'm laying on the couch listening to the TV and you know, I guess getting probably depressed and my dad finally kicks me in the ass and said, man, you can't do the rest. Laying the coats the rest of your life. You got to do something. Go back to school and figure something out.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. My God. After this all. Because it happens quickly. I imagine once it starts, it's a, it's a roller coaster till, till the part that we're up to now. But at any point do you start wondering like, how did this happen? Is there something I shouldn't be doing? Are there other things being damaged that I don't know about? We just know about our eyes that the doctor speak up, like around the diabetes. Does anybody try to help you?

[B]

No.

[A]

Nobody.

[B]

Nobody. I don't, I don't know if they even knew. Like, they just. The education back then just wasn't about 40 years ago. Yeah. Like I, you know, is that 85, am I right? Probably more my own fault too, because I wasn't really involved. I was involved in so much other stuff.

[A]

Yeah. Not, not really.

[B]

I just, you know, I'm, I admit I, you know, I'm to blame for it. It's all my.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, that's tough though, right? As a 60 year old guy, it's easy to sit here and have that kind of clarity. But when you're two and you get diagnosed in a time when they're like, here's a shot, here's another one. We're not really testing it. And then you become like you say, you become a teenager, you're not paying attention to it. Like, it's hard to put the blame on that little boy. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, that's tough. I don't think I'm behind you blaming yourself, to be perfectly honest with you. Timing and age. Tough to blame you.

[B]

Yeah. And land, you know, lack of education. Right.

[A]

Yeah. Plus Canada. Not for nothing. I've heard stories.

[B]

Freaking worse. Worst thing to get anything approved, man.

[A]

Like, it takes forever. Right? You see, you know, isn't it funny? Like the messaging, if you're here, the messaging is, oh, Canada, it's free. You know, and when I talk to Canadians, they're like, sure, it's free, but it takes me nine months to get there. Or. Or. Right. If you're not dying, you slide to the end of the list, too, with. Right. Am I right?

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah. It's. They all want to separate out here now.

[A]

Yeah. Well, the grass is always greener when you're hearing about other people's, like, you know, setups is what I'm saying. But, man, first of all, I know it's a long time ago and you're not looking for my sympathy, but I'm so sorry. That's just, you know, it's a tough role, man.

[B]

Yeah, it's great. It's. No, it's not as. I don't know the statistics now, but I imagine it's all the improvements in surgery, medicine, and that is frequent diabetics going blind.

[A]

I would imagine far less still happens.

[B]

Like, my dad was going through I trouble too, right? So.

[A]

Yeah. So when your dad kicks you in the ass, what do you do? Do you get up? Or you'd be like, how about I just sit here for about a year and we'll talk about it? Like, did you, like.

[B]

It's funny, when I was driving, I. My. My grade seven and eight shop teacher, I always knew where he lived. Dave Lawrence. So I call him up, you know, I find his phone number, I call him home one day, and I told him, I haven't talked to him for a long time, right? And he actually, he came over to the house, and he had just gotten transferred to the high school as the tech director. And my background is more mechanical engines and stuff, right. Because my dad had a construction company, so they didn't. I wanted to take small engines maybe, and they. They didn't have it at the school. Then he said, we'll just come into the wood shop. We have an adult woodworking class. We're all retired. Adults come in and they, you know, a couple of periods, they can do whatever they want. So I went in there and I just. I liked it. Right. I never dreamed I could do that kind of stuff.

[A]

Roger, you told me you can do woodworking without sight.

[B]

Oh, yeah. I've done it for 37 years.

[A]

No kidding. You made a living at it?

[B]

Yep. At a shop back in Ontario. Yeah.

[A]

That's awesome. With the passage of time, are you able to look back and think, like, I can't believe I accomplished all this? Or does it not even feel that hard once you got involved in it and started trying. This episode of the Juice Box podcast is sponsored by Eversense365 and just as the name says, it lasts for a full year. Imagine for a second a CGM with just one sensor placement and one warm up period every year. Imagine a sensor that has exceptional accuracy over that year and is actually the most accurate CGM in the low range that you can get. What if I told you that this sensor had no risk of falling off or being knocked off? That may seem too good to be true, but I'm not even done telling you about it yet. The Eversense 365 has essentially no compression lows. It features incredibly gentle adhesive for its transmitter. You can take the transmitter off when you don't want to wear your CGM and put it right back on without having to waste a sensor or go through another warmup period. The App works with iOS and Android, even Apple Watch. You can manage your diabetes instead of your CGM with the Eversense365. Learn more and get started [e-mail] Juice Box. One year, one CGM.

[B]

It doesn't feel that hard once you get going, right?

[A]

Yeah. That's awesome. Like, what did you make in your shop?

[B]

Well, in the, in the. After I got going, all the equipment I had and I was making custom furniture for people like buffet hutches and dressers and, you know, blanket boxes, a lot of them. And then I made the one store I would do all his custom order stuff. People wanted something made, I would, you know, big wall units and stuff like that. And then when I first originally started the old, the horse barn, I gutted all the stalls out and that's where I put all my equipment in. Well, then we moved down to another town south, which was. It was in town, but it was still. It was an acre or piece of property and, and my dad put up a big shop there for me. So I got into doing more, like, more custom, higher end stuff for people like in Toronto and stuff.

[A]

Roger, as a person who has their site and tried to build a cage for a chameleon to live in, and looks at it now and realizes it's not really very square. And a couple of other things. Are you telling me that you could accomplish that at a high level, or are you telling me that all around Canada is a bunch of janky, crooked furniture that nobody had the heart to tell you about when they bought it from you? When it's coming off?

[B]

No it's square.

[A]

Eh, that's awesome. I mean, can you walk me through that? Like, without your sight? How do you. I mean, how are you running a saw? How do you do stuff like that?

[B]

I already asked that. No, carefully, man. I got flush sticks and stuff. I've never. Yeah, I got all my fingers still

[A]

and everything, so God damn, that's a bigger accomplishment than anything else. I gotta be honest with you, actually.

[B]

When I moved to Milton, there was a fellow that was retired and he wasn't doing nothing. So he came down and he was, you know, working kind of part time for me. Helped me. Oh, there was machines I wouldn't let him touch in there. They were too dangerous.

[A]

I'll get that, you idiot. You stay over there.

[B]

Yeah, oh, yeah, some of us pretty dangerous.

[A]

No kidding. No kidding, man. That is really phenomenal. Now, did you ever figure out how to take care of your diabetes?

[B]

Well, see, I'll always go by my, my get my A1C done. And it was, you know, seven, eight. And then they would say, that's good. Oh, you're boring, Leave. So I thought, oh, I think, okay, everything's cool, right?

[A]

So, yeah, but Roger, tell me something like, what is that the modernization? Like, they got you on faster acting insulin. You started counting carbs. Like, how did you get from those teens to the 7 and 8?

[B]

I never started counting carbs all last year. Last year, really, really counting carbs. I just kind of could estimate, okay, that size of much food needs this much insulin. Right.

[A]

I've interviewed other people who don't have their sight. Like, are you like pitch black blind? Do you have some. You are. You don't see. You don't see anything. Okay. And so I'm going to get to that in a minute. But. So you're telling me, I mean, I'm assuming you were just like, look, I, I'm using a saw with, without my sight. I'm not counting carbs. Like, you're already living on the edge, I guess. Yeah. What started last year? Like, what changed last year that made you count carbs?

[B]

I went on a pump. In 2010, my endo retired. I got a new young guy. I asked him about a pump and he says, sure, try it. Go try it. See, we see what you can do. So down, you know, I go down into the. Where the pumps place is and they, they set me up with a, an Accu Check spirit pump. It's just a, you know, manual pump, right?

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

And it, and it beeps. Oh, the button pushes beep everything. Well, the, the Amberly, the. The work for Roche Accutech. But the pump, she wrote all these instructions out. I still have them on my computer. All the button pushes to what goes. Oh, it works. Right. And it was a little bit, a little scary in the beginning. Right. Like you know, a little couple of panic modes when you get an inclusion. What's this? Right. Arms are going off. But you know, I finally figured how to handle that. A couple years ago, Roche actually pulled out of North America and it was a lure lock set up. And the. And the one part as a rubber, like a rubber seal part. I couldn't get any parts anymore. I must have went around and bought everything up in Canada to keep going. Right. And I was using Medtronic and Luer lock sets at Educator now in Edmonton. Found me.

[A]

You're just trying to keep. Because you know the pump, you know how to use it. So you want to keep using it as long as you can. Yeah.

[B]

And I was like come to grips with that. Okay, I'm going back on the needle.

[A]

Oh yeah, yeah.

[B]

Fun while. Right.

[A]

But it's a good run. But I'm out of here. But did you try another pump or did you.

[B]

There were. There was nothing that would work. They all went to this, this flat screen stuff.

[A]

Oh, touch screen messes you up.

[B]

Yeah, touch screen. And you know, my phone's a touch screen but it has a built in speech.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So anyways, one, one dude in 2024. Robin, I guess and my Dr. Rogers, they talking trying to find me an alternative. Well they, I guess they came up with looping.

[A]

Okay, so tell me you loop with an Omnipod, do you?

[B]

Yes. Get out of here, Dash. Yeah, okay.

[A]

No kidding. It's a. A phone app and so you can use your. Basically the speech. It helps you on the phone.

[B]

BC Diabetes and British Columbia, they have tech guys on staff and they build the app for people. You sign a waiver. Right. So they'll build the app and they'll help you install it on your phone and they'll do it through, you know, they did it like through my clinic. Got me set up with that. And they maintain it three months. They'll update it. I had it installed on my phone in May 2024. And I'm thinking this is great. I can operate everything that's like my manual pump. I had to get someone to look at the screen if I wanted to do any basal changes.

[A]

Sure.

[B]

You know, setting changes. Well, I can do everything myself with this loop app. So June, I went back to Edmonton. Robin Hooked me up with the pump, and we put it in a zip bag and I used. I filled it with saline.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So I could get used to changing the switching out the pump. Right.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And I just carry this little zippy bag with a pump in it with saline. Right. And just operate it that way along with my manual pump. And then was in October that I went full on with insulin.

[A]

Before you started looping, what was your A1C before you started looping?

[B]

6.97.

[A]

Okay. And have you had any other complications other than your eyes?

[B]

In 2005, I was exercising on my bike and my throat started getting tight up each side. So I told my doctor. Next thing you know, I'm in, getting an angiogram done. And, yeah, I got three blockages and two arteries. So I had opened art cert bypass surgery in March.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

2005, well, through the night, I suffered a stroke and a heart attack, and I was kept in a Duke's coma for two weeks. And then I end up. I lost the use of my left leg and left arm. I did regain it, but I did. I was transferred to a rehab hospital and spent about three months there learning how to walk.

[A]

And any deficits since the rehab?

[B]

I. I suffer with muscle spasticity. It's the tightness. The muscles won't relax. Other than that, I, you know, I can walk, you know, not far anymore. I've. Well, that's because I've had some other back issues related from arthritis and all that stuff and.

[A]

Okay. Okay. So you have like a six, nine before you start looping. But that was what. That was the pump. You were able to give yourself insulin more frequently. You were on a basil, so your A1C came down. You started. I imagine you learned more as you went, you know, about taking care of your blood sugars and stuff like that. How do you know when your blood sugar is high and low? You test with a meter.

[B]

I use the Contour Next one. I was messing around with some apps, you know, the Accu Check app and then the other one. And I got the contour next one to hook up to my ipod, which talks.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And I, I still use that to this day. And I can pair it by myself. I, you know, greetings and everything. And I use a. Now I use a Dexcom, which, you know, for looping.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And I was using the Libre, but I had to switch to the Dexcom.

[A]

Okay. Well, again, let me just say this. Roger Contour, Next.com Juicebox if you'd like to learn more about that Meter. It's a great meter. You made the meter. Talk through the. Through your ipod, did you say? Or your phone?

[B]

My ipod and my phone.

[A]

Okay. Okay. So you get your meter that way. How often a day do you think you're testing?

[B]

Before CGMs, probably eight to ten times.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

After my heart surgery. Yeah, that kind of really smart me up. Actually had a silent heart attack as well in 2012.

[A]

Get the Jesus.

[B]

They said it was. And in 2000, I just. My. Just bloated in my gut. Hey. Well, long story short, had a pericardium, they call it. And they. They stuck a needle in the sack of my heart, drained a liter and a fluid of a liter and a half of fluid off and all my abdomen, my lungs. That was fun stuff. Hospital food. Hospital food sucks. Jesus.

[A]

God. All right, well, I want to get back to the looping. So they slapped this loop on you, would you say 20, 24?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Jury, once he go down again, went

[B]

from 6.9 to 6.5 to 5.8, and the last one was 6.

[A]

Jesus. God, Roger. I don't know you. And that almost made me cry. That's awesome, man. Good for you. That's really wonderful.

[B]

You know, I guess the Loop app has that graph, which I can't, you know, obviously I can't see it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I joined that Loop and Learn Facebook group and, you know, you know. Well, you know Kenny Fox.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Listen to lots of his stuff. Lots of you and Jennifer there.

[A]

Oh, no kidding. I didn't know you knew the podcast. I don't know how anybody gets to me. So, like. Oh, that's. Yeah, that's awesome.

[B]

I've listened to lots of that and I learned lots from the other, unfortunately, other people's problems off the loop and learn.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And I, you know, I save all this stuff on my computer, read it, and on the loop docs, I'd read all that, and I got to the point where I was just getting burnt out or reading all this stuff, and, you know, because I have to listen to it through my computer at night, I. Next thing, you know, start at 7, and I'd wake up at 10.

[A]

It's boring.

[B]

Yeah, you listen to this voice, this robotic voice, synthesized voice in my ears.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Next thing, I'm going to sleep.

[A]

Right. Yeah, we got somebody. Got to get you set up with AI that's got a more natural voice to read to you. Oh, okay. But still. Oh, my gosh. So loop. Loop and learn, man. That's. Isn't it something that just a group of people who put that all together? They changed your life that much. It's wonderful. Yeah.

[B]

I did Robin put Trio on my phone, and within five minutes, I. I took it off because I knew it wouldn't work.

[A]

You didn't like Trio?

[B]

No. Well, it wouldn't interact with my phone.

[A]

Oh, I see. With this.

[B]

Because when they make an app, sometimes they don't label them properly. And there was just. All it would say is edit. Edit. Well, what. What am I going to edit?

[A]

I pretty much. I got to tell you something. The people who made that app probably just heard you say that. I wonder if they'll fix it. Get going.

[B]

Hopefully.

[A]

Yeah. Get going, guys. What are you doing over there? Your free time?

[B]

Because I got a label like the Loop. The Loop app is perfect. There's no.

[A]

Every button's labeled correctly for the speech thing.

[B]

The only thing you gotta be careful of with the Loop app, when, you know, when you're priming your pump, it gives you a percentage. What I have to do is I have to swipe to the left and then, like. And then get the percentage. Swipe to the right and then swipe to the left and it'll give me the percentage again. It won't. You can't leave it on the percentage and it. It won't pick it up. Counting down.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah. You suddenly little things like that, you got to learn. Right. And there's a couple other things you just got to swipe left, right. And then you'll get to the.

[A]

I wonder how many other people are using it the way you are. Do you have any idea? Have you met anybody else?

[B]

Apparently I'm the first one in Canada.

[A]

No. No kidding. It's wonderful that it's helping you. Like that really is.

[B]

Maybe they. They. I was at a conference in Toronto in November, and they did a presentation, the One fella. And they submitted it to the one in Spain and got accepted in that conference in Spain.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah. So I guess.

[A]

Well, that's wonderful. I don't. I don't know a ton about what you just said there, but, like, I think it's just really fascinating that something that a group of people, you know, came together online and then met each other in person and did all this wonderful work, and it's reaching you in Ontario. It's really, really just wonderful.

[B]

So going back to the Loop for a second.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, on the back side of the Loop, where you have the little tiny hole where you got to put the needle in to fill it. Well, there's a problem.

[A]

It's a Little hard to find, is it?

[B]

So what I did, I have a computer control router in my shop.

[A]

You build a jig and put it in it?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

No kidding. Look, I used to have a real job. Roger. You must have been pretty impressed just now when I came up with that.

[B]

It's. It's a pocket and we. It's a rectangle pocket. And then we put some, you know, JB Weld. You ever heard that stuff called JB Weld?

[A]

It's like epoxy.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

We put that in the corners and we push the pot in to make the mold and it harden. And then I built an arm with a 716 hole in it. And the needle goes in it and it drop. You line it up and it drops straight down into the hole.

[A]

It hits that hole in the omnipod and then you can feel it push through. And then you send in the insulin.

[B]

Feel it? So I let BC Diabetes have the. Let them 3D print it.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So they're selling them on Amazon.

[A]

No kidding.

[B]

They're called Pod Filler. Is for people with,

[A]

like, dexterity issues, Dexter area.

[B]

And then there's one called pod filler plus, which it has. It's for blind people and has three posts on the back. One's 150, 200 and 300. So you use a pen cartridge. There's a little holder there too that they've. They come up with at the. Put the. This, the pen and the cartridge and use a pen cartridge. And you just push it in.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And it fills. Because of the. The syringe that comes with the pod only holds 200. So you got 100 left. So you can use that hundred, save two of them, and then use the taller posters.

[A]

Do you have any video. Has anybody ever videoed the filler working?

[B]

Yeah, that Dr. Elliot has.

[A]

I'd love to see that. I would love to see that work. That's. That's really something. Boy, that's ingenious. You came up with that, huh?

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. The wooden one, it's all. It's all plastic now. 3D printed ones.

[A]

Yeah. I guess they say necessity is the mother of invention, right? So.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, I let them do it. It's guess my gift to the community.

[A]

Yeah, it's beautiful. It helps somebody. Listen, I. I hear from older people all the time who wonder, like, how am I supposed to do this when I get older? Dexterity is one thing, you know, having access to things, but people's sight changes. They're, you know, not as. Not as good with their fingers at some point. It's a point of real concern for people.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. It's nice that you figured out even one thing. Are you still working? Do you work in the wood shops, though?

[B]

I go out there every day. I just putz around. I don't do too much.

[A]

Do you have people working for you?

[B]

No, no, I just know.

[A]

Kind of done now.

[B]

Yeah. When I moved to Alberta, I just. After my father passed away, I just shut my shop down and just. Family issues.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Trying to move.

[A]

Family issues. I got you.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I think everybody understands. Yeah. Did you ever marry?

[B]

No.

[A]

No.

[B]

I live with Shelly.

[A]

You have. You have a. A lady friend, is that we're saying?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

She has about 10%.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You ever just walk into each other and be like, oh, my God, sorry.

[B]

Yeah, all the time.

[A]

Sorry. I don't know.

[B]

You know what really sucks is, is the stop signs, the steel posts. When you're going on the sidewalk and your cane misses it, you're head first right into it.

[A]

Oh, my God. So the cane doesn't find the sign pole post, but your head finds the sign. Yeah, I guess it really does stop.

[B]

You done that many times? A real headbanger.

[A]

Do you have pets or any animals now, sir? Service dogs.

[B]

Oh, you got it. I got a cat now.

[A]

I guess that don't help you much.

[B]

Oh, no. I had three Seeing Eye dogs, three guide dogs. But I can't do the walking anymore because of the stroke. It won't allow me. And besides, who wants to take a dog out of the bathroom in Alberta? Minus 50. Yeah.

[A]

Probably not even the dog. Dog's like, if you don't mind, I'll just here on the floor. No kidding. Oh, my gosh. So how did you find the podcast? I mean, did you find it or did somebody show it to you?

[B]

No, Robin, my educator, she sent me the link to it. Yeah.

[A]

Oh, wow. Well, thank you, Robin. That's wonderful.

[B]

Yeah, she's really good at that. She sends you all that kind of

[A]

stuff and that's awesome. It really is. So you, like, do you feel like you've. I guess what I want to know is like, you've had diabetes for a long time, right? So, like, did you feel like the podcast taught you something you didn't know, or did you just help solidify ideas that you had had that maybe other people didn't put context to?

[B]

Reball thing.

[A]

That's the thing you didn't know about,

[B]

Man, I might have known about it, but I never used to do it.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And now I do.

[A]

And tell people.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Makes all the difference, doesn't it? Oh, yep. Simple thing. My whole job is to tell people to give themselves insulin a little before they eat.

[B]

Yeah, you know, understanding how the insulin works and stuff.

[A]

Hey, it upgrades your care. Right. So this is the first time you stop to think about the action of the insulin juxtaposed against the impact of your food and other variables. Yeah, no kidding.

[B]

Yeah, there's a lot of people listen to it.

[A]

Oh, that's nice to say. I know, but that's really lovely. It makes me happy to know it's helping you.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Does music take on a bigger part of your life? Like, how do you make up for. I mean, the days are right. There's 24 hours in every day and you can't see now. So how do you refigure your life to fit your new situation?

[B]

Well, I have my shop that I'm thankful now that I have. It's a lot smaller, but I still have lots of equipment in there. I'm a tool junkie. I go spend a lot of time with it. I just finished making a Conestoga wagon. Scaled down version.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah. Kind of like a lawn ornament, but it's still like 2ft wide, 5ft long, with a big cover on top and everything and all the spoke wheels and

[A]

just get an idea in your head. How long did it take you to make the wagon?

[B]

Probably about two months, two and a half months.

[A]

No kidding.

[B]

I didn't work on it steady.

[A]

That's a year shorter than it would have taken me to do it. And mine. And mine would have sucked. Oh, my gosh. That's really. You know, I just keep thinking everyone listening must be like, oh, I gotta stop complaining. And by the way, if you're not thinking that, like, seriously, maybe you start thinking it. Oh, now I just, by the way, just googled Conestoga wagon. You made one of those? But it down to scale.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. It's like two feet wide, so it fits on a patio sidewalk. You know, the stones.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

And it's with the tongue that's probably six feet long.

[A]

No kidding. That's incredible. Roger, that's incredible.

[B]

The COVID over top, it's all cedar.

[A]

Jesus. Will you sell it eventually. Just make it for yourself?

[B]

Hopefully. I'm gonna sell it.

[A]

I would like to sell it. I gotta. I gotta feed this damn cat. I didn't know how much it was gonna eat. What made you want to come on the podcast?

[B]

I think there was an email I think you sent out Looking for people. It was back to get in before Christmas.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

And I. I went on your site and I. I guess I was messing around. The only time I could get was today. Kept putting dates in and dates in whether I was doing it right. Because sometimes the screen reader I use won't. Will read everything that's on the screen. Depends on what's set up.

[A]

Yeah, I don't know. I use, like, a very. Like, a basic scheduling system that comes with, like, my website. To be perfectly honest with you. I don't, like, have anything fancy, but. And I am pretty, like, packed usually, so there's not a ton of. Wait, hold on a second. My wife is here. This never happens. What's going on, Kelly? I said we were gonna sell him. Hold on a second, Roger. I have to remember where the checkbook is. Here it is. Hold on. And is there a check in it? No checks. Don't see a check.

[B]

It's peanut butter and water tonight.

[A]

Well, don't look at me. I don't know. Listen, tell him I can get him cash for later in the day or I. And I could. I could run it to him if he wants, or I can mail a check or do something else. Okay. I got a checkbook with no checks in it. I mean, do people write checks anymore?

[B]

I haven't wrote a check in 10 years.

[A]

Yeah, I was gonna say, like, can we just, like, send it through Zelle or something? I mean, I'm happy the heater works and all, but, like, let's get with the times. Can I not just airdrop it to you or something? You got apple pie?

[B]

You're. You're New York, right?

[A]

New Jersey.

[B]

New Jersey. Okay.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. I'm about a little less than an hour out of Manhattan by car.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Ontario is west, East Central. Where the hell's that?

[B]

Buffalo.

[A]

Oh, near there.

[B]

North of Buffalo. That in.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Because you can drive around the QEW with the queen of highway, around the lake and then down into Buffalo to the border.

[A]

Oh, I see. Oh, is Toronto in? Oh, Ontario.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. I don't know how it all works for you guys, but Across.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, I see.

[B]

Across.

[A]

Very nice.

[B]

Look at.

[A]

Oh, I'm looking now. Big country. Lot of. Lot of cold, though.

[B]

I'm in. Yeah, I'm in Alberta, just southeast of Edmonton.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

An hour.

[A]

Okay. Yeah, I'm seeing it here. Nice. I interviewed a woman once who was a cancan dancer, like, in the sticks, like, north. North in Canada. Great stories from her. Very, very good stories from her.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

About living in the wilderness in Canada.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So, okay, so, you know, came on to the podcast because I was looking for people, but did you have a feeling like, I want to tell this story to somebody or.

[B]

Yeah, like I want. Take care of yourselves, man. Don't do the same that I did, Miss, you know, educate.

[A]

Do you have a worry about like, longevity at this point or do they have. They told you, like, things look good now or where do you feel like you're at? Because, I mean, I imagine your heart is of a. Of a concern. Yes.

[B]

Yeah, they. It's funny, they. The heart doctor says after, you know, it's been 21 years. He says, oh, after 10 years, it starts the, you know, 10 years you're at the top of the hill and then you're going down. Right.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

The graph, they call it deteriorates, whatever.

[A]

On my 21st year or so, feels like it's okay.

[B]

Whatever happens, happens.

[A]

Man, your. Your care is so much better now than it was. Right. So like one's got a guess that, I mean, would you say 2005? Is that when you had heart issues the first time? So, yes, like, that's got to be from the early care and then you make a shift to the pump. Just getting on the pump in, would you say 2010?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Just getting on the pump had to have been a big deal for your, you know, just having basal insulin running and, and being able to push buttons to bolus for food. Imagining dropped your A1C probably at least to the sevens. Right. And then, I mean, that's a good place to be. And then you have the damage that eventually creates the next issue. But since then, like, I mean, an A1C in the fives or low sixes is. I don't think you're adding to your problem now. It's just about what holds on or what helps itself out. Do you get checked for blockages periodically now? Do they, do they give you scans?

[B]

They don't. They got to do an angiogram to check for blockages. So I had one done in 2012 because I had a silent heart attack. And they wouldn't release me until they did that. And everything was still fine. Just probably stress related because family issues. But I go every year I see a cardiologist, Dr. Chan, hearing cameras explain

[A]

a silent heart attack to me. What happened?

[B]

Well, my symptoms were. I woke up one morning, my blood sugar was like 16. Then all of a sudden I started right at the top of my stomach. It just hurt like hell and I felt crappy, so I wouldn't lay down. And I. I woke up or I didn't go to sleep. I got up, I said, shelly, call an ambulance. And they. So they took me in and. And I guess the blood tests showed that I had a silent heart attack.

[A]

Okay. That's how it's. So that tough pain, like, up in your. Like right in your sternum?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

It was just pain there and then. Then I guess, you know, they did the blood test. That's how they can tell you've had a. An issue. Right?

[A]

Yeah, because there's muscle. Listen, let's all be clear. I don't know what I'm talking about, but I've seen a number of different television shows about this. So I think there's a breakdown of the muscle that shows up in the blood work.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And that's how they can tell. But so they did that, and now they're checking you for blockages, but you haven't had trouble since then? No, no. That's good. I'll knock on some wood for you.

[B]

I exercise every day on my bike. Right. So, no, I get a. I get a. An echocardiogram every two years.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And I see the cardiologist every year.

[A]

So you eat any special way? How's your diet?

[B]

Kind of simple. Yeah, same same old. I kind of one that sticks. That sticks to what works.

[A]

Right? Yeah, listen, I. I basically have two poached eggs every day in my life. I couldn't possibly care less. It's awesome. Yeah.

[B]

Look at these farm. Look at these farmers. They eat eggs every day and they live to their freaking 90. Right?

[A]

So, yeah, no, listen, I had steak this week, a little chicken. I have a couple eggs every day.

[B]

Oh, yeah, it's just.

[A]

I just chug along. I don't. I don't need too much variety either. What I was going to ask you, what does Shelley know about diabetes? Like, how valuable is she with your care? If you had trouble with something, would she be able to help? Like, how does that all work?

[B]

Yeah, she doesn't know anything really about the looping and stuff like that. She knows, like, her. She was married before to a fella who unfortunately passed away. He was a diabetic. He had a kidney transplant back in the 90s. So she does know diabetes. Yeah, yeah.

[A]

But I mean, if you said to her, I mean, if your blood sugar got low, would she be able to help you? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

She knows. She knows.

[A]

She knows what to do in those situations.

[B]

Yeah. Get my juice box.

[A]

What about if it. Do you have Glucagon with you?

[B]

I have that nasal spray.

[A]

Yeah. Is that what you have? Yeah. You use that?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I carry my. I carry my pocket all the time.

[A]

Yeah. Have you used it?

[B]

Never. Never passed out? Never.

[A]

Never had. Well, listen, your blood sugar was pretty high. I didn't see you passing out from a low blood sugar at any point. I mean, that would have been screwed up, Roger, if. If the world would have done that to you on top of the high blood sugar.

[B]

But, but since I started up. Yeah.

[A]

Well, now.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You're a different world. You're playing with different tolerances now. Yeah, but she would know if you had a seizure, she'd know to squirt that in your nose.

[B]

Yeah. Showed her whether she remembers or not.

[A]

I mean, I'd ask her once in a while.

[B]

Yeah, I better. I keep one beside my bed too. Right.

[A]

So. Yeah. No kidding. Oh, my gosh, I've. What are some things that people would be surprised by to learn from a blind person? Well, what surprised you? You know, when you lost your sight and, and what do you think we'd hear and go? No kidding. Do you learn something from losing your sight? Do you. Like, has there been any value. I know it's a weird question, but like any. Anything that's come from it that's been transformational for you in some way or another, or did you just learn you'd rather have your sight? Because I think maybe that's a possibility too.

[B]

Well, I can tell you the downfalls of it.

[A]

Yeah, go ahead. I'd like to hear what, what, what it's really like.

[B]

Well, I had a good job, and then all of a sudden you got no, no job and you're on a disability pension that wouldn't pay to feed a hummingbird.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And then you're always fighting with the government over other. They're dragging in and they're always trying to screw you out of your pension money. Right. In some way.

[A]

Like, I wonder if we could get maybe a couple of loonies off the blind guy. Yeah, great. Thanks a lot.

[B]

Yeah. Guy out in the corner some pencils or something.

[A]

The struggles that we imagine are there. I mean, is there anything that's. That I would think is amazingly difficult that just is not that troublesome for

[B]

you, walking around with a lights out.

[A]

You're like, I don't care what time of day it is.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Does it mess up your circadian rhythm? Do you not have a, like a rhythm to the sun rising and falling or do you. Do you still have it from like Feeling the sun on you.

[B]

You stood in the beginning. In the last five years, six years, I go through stages where I'm up early, three, four in the morning, can't get back to sleep, can't go back to sleep, and then all of a sudden I. It just switches. Right?

[A]

No kidding. Oh, that's interesting. Let me ask you this question because I. I've asked this of every person I've ever spoken to who doesn't have their sight. How would you describe, like, you're experiencing something? Right. Like, how would you. Like, is there a visual input to your brain still, like, what is it? Or. No, like, how do you explain what you are experiencing?

[B]

My visual memory is very vivid, I guess, in my mind. Yeah, that's. That's how I.

[A]

You kind of imagine the world.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

[A]

But when I shut my eyes, I feel like I see black. Do you have that experience or is it something different?

[B]

No, it's black. Well, what I tell people, it's like going out in the middle of the night and looking up into the sky and seeing all the stars, all the white little dots, you know, you can see all stars, like a little dot. Right?

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So it's. It's all. There's lots of little white dots and blue, red, purple dots just floating around, but it's all.

[A]

And for the lack of a better word. You see those right now?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

In the background, it's all black, but there's all these little constellation.

[A]

Constellations floating around.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. Are you aware of them or. I mean, now that I'm asking you about them. You are. But like, do you. Day to day, do you. You think about them being there?

[B]

No.

[A]

No, it's just part of it.

[B]

Yeah, just part of it. Just gets. Get used to it.

[A]

Geez. When's the last time you drove your car? When you were in your 20s?

[B]

Could have drove to the hospital for my last service.

[A]

What. What do you miss the most?

[B]

Driving. And my horses. Hey, riding, Racing. Competing.

[A]

Competing on your horses. Is there a way to ride? I mean.

[B]

Oh, man, I. I know what you're gonna ask. I went to a. A riding ranch and I was led around by somebody else. I sat on the horse and somebody else had a leap, had a rope. They were leading the horse around. I never felt so humiliated.

[A]

I bet you that didn't feel good. Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

First and last time that ever happened. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. We're not going to play the game anymore where you lead Roger around like he's six years old on a pony. We're not Doing that again. Because you can't just. Yeah, yeah, right now. I. As soon as I asked you, I thought, man, that is what he's going to say.

[B]

Yeah, here's one for you. 2,000. And I always wanted a Corvette. Even before I went blind. 2001, I went and bought a 1990 red candy apple red Corvette. And I think it was beautiful, right? And I had that thing for a couple years. My buddy used to drive around and this is when I was single, right? People go, what does a blind guy want a car for?

[A]

You know, it's the same reason another guy wants a car for. So, girl, look at it. Pay attention.

[B]

Yeah. Why is he. What do you. What do you want artwork for? Why do you collect artwork? As a friend of my dad was an art broker and I would buy paintings off them, you know, and get them framed.

[A]

Right, right.

[B]

I have lots of that stuff here, though.

[A]

Well, what's the answer to that one? Why would you buy artwork?

[B]

Well, every host needs a picture.

[A]

Like, listen, just because I can't see it doesn't mean somebody else can't.

[B]

Yeah, who wants to look at my ugly mug up there?

[A]

Here's a question for you. There are companies, a number of companies working on driverless cars. If they got to the point where they said to you, this car doesn't even need a steering wheel, would you be interested in riding in a car that just took you somewhere? Like, you got in spoke where you wanted to go and you ended up there and it parked itself. Would you be interested in that? No, you wouldn't because you wouldn't trust it or because you found other ways

[B]

to get around because the other jackass on the rotor,

[A]

Roger's like, listen, I trust my blind in a driverless car more than I trust other people. Yeah, okay, I got it. That's interesting, because I am hearing more and more people talk about, like, as I get older, I'm hopeful about the. The cars that drive themselves because I think it'll keep me mobile longer and stuff like that. And I was wondering if that was something you thought about.

[B]

Well, okay, here's a. Here's a quite a scenario. You don't know the place where you're really going. Okay. So you put your coordinates in, you get there, then what do you do?

[A]

You don't know where you're at once you get there. Yeah, but if you have, like, I'm. I'm assuming you have transportation set up for yourself. They. They drop you at the door, you know you're at the door.

[B]

Stuff like That I live in a small. They call it a city, I call it a town. It's only 20,000. The taxi service, they're really good. They'll. They'll take you right into your appointment or.

[A]

Oh, okay. Somebody. Somebody actually go with you, get you in the door, stuff like that.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

The car's gonna be like, you go and jump out.

[B]

Eject. Eject.

[A]

No. Oh, no. That's such an interesting. Like, see, that's a really interesting insight from you that, like, yeah, sure, the car gets there, but now it's there and I don't know where I am. I could be anywhere in the world right now.

[B]

Yeah, like, where's. You know, where's here? What do I do now?

[A]

That's.

[B]

That's great. I'm here.

[A]

Awesome.

[B]

Hello?

[A]

Anyone you know you're calling for help. Yeah, that's so good.

[B]

One of the hard things about being blind is when you go to a store is getting help. Some, like, especially grocery stores at a bitch of a time. When I was in Ontario, when Shelly lived in Ontario, like, she's from Alberta. She lived in Ontario for five years. And getting the. Someone to help you do some grocery shopping. Shopping. Take her. Take us around or take her around. I had to call head office on the manager. He was being a j.

[A]

You want to help you find the Cocoa Puffs? Like, what's the point?

[B]

Well, they. They just wouldn't walk around on you with you and help you, you know, get stuff in the cart and check you. Right. You know, you're buying two or three hundred bucks with our groceries at a

[A]

time and yeah, I just need one of the kids to, like, tell me this is quicker oats. Like, is that a problem? What do you do then? Do you have somebody that goes with you or do you order online?

[B]

I don't. Do you have Safeway there?

[A]

I mean, there's, yeah, like, grocery stores all over the place. I think Safeway is one of them. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah, that's why I have Safeway here. They're just awesome to us. Hey, they're treat us like family there. Anyways, we just go into the customer service and they'll usually the one girl, Janice, they helps us. She just goes around with us and does it. Helps us do our shopping.

[A]

Feels obvious, doesn't it? Can you. I mean, I'm having trouble imagining a person absolutely blind going into a grocery store saying, hey, listen, I'm here to spend a bunch of money, but I can't see anything. Could you come around with me? They go, no. What do you say, just say no.

[B]

Yeah, no, we don't have the manpower.

[A]

The manpower? Stop.

[B]

Yeah. Walmart had a sign a few years ago, it said, if you need help shopping in any way, we will help you. Just come to customer service. So great. We go there and they're, they're so freaking worried, the staff, about their break.

[A]

Listen, I'll come with you, but I only got six minutes.

[B]

Yeah, they're so worried about, they're trying to find someone. Well, I'm going on break. And then this.

[A]

Wow. Yeah, I was gonna say that must be hard for you to accept after everything you've been through.

[B]

Oh yeah, I, I have lots of patience. But you know, there's, there's a point

[A]

you're like, I think you found my line.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

I mean, just help me get my stuff and then go on break.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

How would that be? I think it'll work.

[B]

You still get paid, eh? Walmart, Walmart's the worst. Like Safeway is no problem. If they're gonna go on break, they'll just go later. Right?

[A]

But you don't, do you not order things you like? Is it because you like to get out and move around or do you, why don't you order stuff? It's an outing, it gives you something to do.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, it's an outing. My friend Norbert, unfortunately he just passed away in end of December. He would take us, he was 81, he would take us. He would just sit there and watch the people because he knew, knew everybody in town. It was his good deed for the, for the day. Right. But now his wife does it still.

[A]

That's really nice. It is really something when you meet decent people.

[B]

I found the people here like, as opposed to back in like Milton, like the last place I live was Milton. It was west of Toronto. There's Toronto, Mississauga, then milton along that 401 corridor. Ignorant people are just ignorant there. Rude. And you come to, you come to town here. I'll tell you an instant, we were waiting across the street, Shelly and I and this guy comes with a trailer and a truck and he's making, he. And he knew we were waiting for him to go. He pulls out and blocks the whole traffic. Makes like a right hand turn, blocks. Everybody gets out and helps us across

[A]

the street because otherwise you weren't gonna make it.

[B]

Well no, that was just, he just wanted to help us because we were just waiting it back in, you know, Ontario, they'd and run over you.

[A]

Well Roger, I have to tell you, we're up on Time and I'm enjoying this and I. My biggest problem is that my. All the rest of my questions are about sex and it seems inappropriate. So I'm not going to ask them

[B]

off air.

[A]

But I'm. Yeah. So I, I think we. I think this is a good conversation. I want to keep it right where it is. I'm gonna check myself and act like an adult and, and say thank you and ask you if there's anything that we haven't talked about that you wanted to. I don't want to skip or that you had in mind. Yeah, we cover it.

[B]

I think we covered up pretty much everything. Yeah, it's like just, you know, looping is possible for blind people.

[A]

And I'm thrilled that you said that. I was really excited to hear that you have that much success with that app. I hope other people are, are helped by that somehow. Even people whose site is limited somehow. It must be great to know that. So.

[B]

Hey, can you go on Amazon CA and. And look up Pod Filler Plus.

[A]

Let me see if there's a Pod filler.

[B]

You'll see it's about 60 bucks.

[A]

Pod filler plus pod filling aid compatible with Omnipod 5. Omnipod Dash assistive device.

[B]

It's for the blind, the pod. And there's a. Just a pod filler. It's for a dexterity problem. It's a little bit smaller, doesn't have those posts. I don't know if it's on Amazon.

[A]

No, I see. Yeah, I see. I'm on CA. Pod Filler. Oh, look at that. Yeah, just. This is a. Just, just as described. There's a place to put the. The pod and then there's a, an arm to slide the syringe into which I guess lines the syringe up perfectly with the fill hole.

[B]

The one, the one I design is just like that. The way, the way I fill my syringes and even I did with my old pump. I use a cut off pencil. I use a pen cartridge. I just poke the needle in the end of the cartridge and I use a pencil to push the insulin in. So that. That's probably where they got the idea of those other posts from. You know, I'll let you come to that conclusion. Whatever you want on that one.

[A]

But I'm looking on at regular on the Amazon for America. I do not see it here. Yeah, I don't think it's here in America.

[B]

You can still order from CA because I, I order stuff from dot com, you know, to get. For Shelly. Right. We use Amazon a Lot.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, best friends. I would imagine. You do? Yeah. That's. That's awesome. That, I mean, hearing about that I thought was a big deal. Hearing how well loop works for you, I thought that was awesome. I think it's great to hear that you, you know, you've had these many issues, but you just haven't given up. Like, did you really. Do you kind of. I mean, is that a thing that's in your personality or do you think you picked it up from watching your dad? Because you said your dad, his theory on life seemed to be like, you know, foot down, keep going. Like, do you think you picked that up from him growing up?

[B]

Oh, yeah. We're all my brothers like that. Ages. Yeah. We're all workers.

[A]

Yeah. Just don't give up. Keep moving.

[B]

No, my dad came from nothing, had nothing. He was married and my mom had two kids at 18, 11 months of birth.

[A]

Did he really?

[B]

Yeah. My dad, young days, he'd be loading snow downtown Toronto with a front end loader with no cab. He'd have to unzip his snowsuit and give his injection and keep going. Right. So. And he was on zinc. Have you ever heard of that before? Lente.

[A]

Oh, lente. Yes, that I've heard.

[B]

Yeah. He was on zinc before lente and he had some issues. He wasn't. He was losing too much weight, so they switched them to the lente. And

[A]

zinc. Is that like a. Was that an insulin at that point?

[B]

Yeah, that was an insulin. That was. I think that was one of the first ones.

[A]

Z, I, N, C. Pretty sure.

[B]

I'm pretty sure. They call it zinc. Yeah. Because I asked that guy one time.

[A]

I'm looking. Zinc suspension is an intermediate acting subcutaneous insulin, often referred to as lente. Uses zinc to control the release and absorption of insulin, providing 24 hour coverage.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

How about. Damn cat and dog. Insulin came up when I looked. That's interesting. I'll have to look more at that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Good.

[B]

One of the biggest things is you're endo and they're, they're, they're thinking like if my. If my endo and my Robin and Dr. Rogers weren't I home. I call them forward thinking. Right. I never would have. Luke, you get some of these older endos. They. I. I've read that they say it's. It's dangerous.

[A]

Looping's dangerous.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

They're, you know, afraid of what you don't know.

[A]

Yeah. No, I mean, in the end, everybody's gonna have their own experiences again. Like mother Your mother, Necessity. Right here. Right. So you're. You. You just absolutely needed to find a way to do something so you don't put up the same walls and the same fear about things. You're like, I've got to get this done. I gotta sit down and read all this documentation about this thing. I've got to figure out how to get the insulin into this pump. I've got to figure out how to do this. Like, you. You just have no other choice. And once you don't have another choice, you know, then the. The speed bumps don't seem as important, I would imagine.

[B]

No.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Don't. Just keep talking, man.

[A]

People should. People should take something from that. Like, don't be so scared all the time, you know?

[B]

No. Yeah.

[A]

Be bold. That's one way to put it. Or act like you're in the middle of a parking lot, you don't know where the hell on earth you are, and you got to figure something out.

[B]

Oh, man. That's funny you mentioned that. When I moved Alberta, that's what I tell everybody. I thought I was dropped in the middle of a field that night, and I don't know where the hell I am because my. My sense of direction is reverse as opposed to being in Ontario. It's weird. Shelly's. When she goes Ontario, she's a total opposite, right?

[A]

Like, I was talking around the house the other day about moving to another state, and somebody said, well, you wouldn't. You know, you wouldn't know anything. You hadn't been there before, and blah, blah. I said, what do you mean? Like, I don't leave this house. I don't know where I'm at right now. I said, where I am is meaningless. Like, quite honestly, right? Like, there's no great restaurants around here. I mean, I know a few people, but, you know, everybody's about the same, no matter where I seem to go. And I was like. I was like, I don't think it matters. I was like, I get up in the morning sometimes. I don't even leave here. Like, I could not leave another house in another state, and it would be warmer, and that would be better. That's all I said. I was like, I want it to be warm is what I told them.

[B]

Yeah. Really? Hey, Springsteen and Bon Bon Jovi live there.

[A]

Well, I mean, not right where I'm at. Although. Although, I will tell you, One time, Arden was out with her friends, and they were just like, window shopping somewhere, and she came home and she's like, we saw. We saw Bon Jovi's. Son today. I was like, oh, yeah? And she goes, yeah. I said, did you introduce yourself? She goes, I didn't. I was like, well, maybe you should have. And then she, you know, she kind of laughed and everything. And now he's married to the girl from Stranger Things. Well, so sometimes she pops up. And I went, could have been. You just had to say hello. But I. But even that's a great point. Like, I've never been to the Stone Pony. I'm probably an hour from it. I've never been there. I'm never going. When we moved here, when we had kids, I remember. Think we talked about, like, oh, this is wonderful. We're about. About an hour from Manhattan. We're about an hour from Philadelphia. There'll be museums and things, cultural stuff we can take the kids to. And, you know, the. The second time you take your kid to an art museum and you look over at them and they're bored out of their mind, you think, oh, I guess they don't care about this.

[B]

No, I know the younger generation nowadays, it's.

[A]

And then Roger living near the museum's not as important anymore because apparently we're not coming back. So. Yeah, I figure I could live anywhere and I'd be okay with it, so.

[B]

Yeah. Right on.

[A]

Anyway, man, you're. You're really awesome. It was great to get to know you, and I appreciate you taking the time to do this. It really was really, really a great time talking to you.

[B]

Yeah. How do you. How do you get in touch with. If I need to ask you a question or something?

[A]

If you want to ask me a question. Hold on. We'll stop the recording. I'll tell you all about it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

All right. Thank you.

[B]

I was. I would listen more about Kenny Fox.

[A]

Mm.

[B]

You're. You're a good friend. I listen to podcast you did on Loop and learn about five years ago, I think it was. And you were. He was on there.

[A]

Kenny and I did a whole series. We did six. At least six episodes together. About Loop.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. Where can you send them to me and stuff? Because, you know, the more information, the better I have.

[A]

Yeah. Well, listen, since you asked about it, I'm still recording. I'll tell people what episode numbers they are, but then I'll email them to you. So. Hold on one second. I'm on my website here. Kenny's episodes are called Fox in the Loophouse.

[B]

That's right. Yeah.

[A]

That's what they're called. So.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Yeah, we just did a part. So part six is episode 1489 and part four is 1433.

[B]

I knew you guys did some episodes there. I just wondered. I don't like.

[A]

I'll send.

[B]

Robin would do it.

[A]

No, I'll send them to you. I'll put. What I'll do is I'll put an email together. Here, let me stop the recording. People don't care about this. All right everybody, see you later. Are you tired of getting a rash from your CGM adhesive? Give the Eversense 365 a try. Eversensecgm.com Juicebox beautiful silicone that they use. It changes every day, keeps it fresh. Not only that, you only have to change the sensor once a year. So I mean, that's better. Head now to tandomdiabetes.com juicebox and check out today's sponsor, Tandem Diabetes Care. I think you're going to find exactly what you're looking for at that link, including a way to sign up and get started with the Tandem MOBI system. A huge thanks to usmed for sponsoring this episode of the Juice box podcast. Don't forget usmed.com juicebox this is where we get our diabetes supplies from. You can as well use the Link or call 888-721-1514. Use the link or call the number, get your free benefits check so that you can start getting your diabetes supplies the way we do from US Med. Thank you so much for listening. I'll be back very soon with another episode episode of the Juice Box Podcast. If you're not already subscribed or following the podcast in your favorite audio app like Spotify or Apple Podcasts, please do that now. Seriously, just to hit, follow or subscribe will really help the show. If you go a little further in Apple Podcasts and set it up so that it downloads all new episodes, I'll be your best friend. And if you leave a five star review, oh, I'll probably send you a Christmas card. Would you like a Christmas card? 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. How would you like to share a type 1 diabetes getaway like no other? Join me on Juice Cruise 2026. You may be asking, what is Juice Cruise? It's a week long cruise designed specifically for people and families living with type 1 diabetes. It's not just a vacation. It's a chance to relax, connect and feel understood in a way that is hard to find elsewhere. We're going to sail out of Miami and the cruise includes stops in Cococay and San Juan, St. Kitts and Nevis aboard the stunning Celebrity Beyond. This ship is chosen for its comfort, accessibility and exceptional amenities. You're going to enjoy a welcoming environment surrounded by others who get life with type 1 diabetes. I'm going to host diabetes focused conversations and meetups on the days at sea. There's thoughtfully designed spaces, incredible dining and modern amenities all throughout the Celebrity Beyond. Your kids can be supervised and there's teen programs so everyone gets time to recharge, not just the kids going on vacation. But maybe you get to kick back a little bit too. There's going to be zero judgment, real connections and a whole lot of sun and fun on Juice Cruise 2026. Please come with me. You're going to have a terrific time. You can learn more or set up your [e-mail] juice juice cruise get a hold of Suzanne at Cruise Planners. She will take care of everything. Links in the show Notes links@juicebox podcast.com have a podcast Want it to sound fantastic? Wrong way recording dot com.