Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode #1807: Spokane or Bust – Part 2
Host: Scott Benner
Guest: Cassie (Parent of a 12-year-old with T1D)
Date: March 25, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode continues Cassie’s story of navigating her son’s recent Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) diagnosis. Scott and Cassie discuss the emotional and practical impact of diagnosis, the gaps in hospital education, the transformative power of peer support and online resources, evolving relationships with school nurses and neighbors, strategies for optimizing diabetes management, and helpful digital tools for parents and caregivers. The conversation is authentic, compassionate, and packed with actionable tips for families managing T1D.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Emotional Impact of Diagnosis and Seeking Information

Turning Point: Cassie describes reaching a crossroads of remaining overwhelmed by official instructions or actively seeking better information and community.

“Either you can stay the same or you can try to be better. And in that moment, I decided that I wanted to be better.” — Cassie [02:17]
Sadness and Fear: Initial response was profound sadness—fearful her son’s life and experiences would be limited.

“I felt like this had ruined his whole life... I was sad for the things I felt like he wasn’t going to get to do.” — Cassie [03:07]
Transformation through Support: Finding community (such as the local Spokane STIX Diabetes Programs, their Facebook group, and the Juicebox Podcast itself) alleviated this sadness and empowered Cassie.

“Meeting other kids and parents...getting, you know, establishing a community...that’s really what turned it around for me.” — Cassie [03:24]

Hospital Education and the Learning Gap

Monotony and Overwhelm: Hospital instructions focused on strict routines—logbooks, carb counting, exact measurements—which felt overwhelming and isolated.

“I was sent home with so much stuff...And so it just felt so monotonous to have to figure out exactly what he’s eating.” — Cassie [05:28]
Honeymoon Phase Confusion: Initial expectations weren’t matched by later experiences (honeymoon period, fluctuating insulin needs).

“They had mentioned the word [honeymoon], but we didn’t really understand what that was like until we started hitting a lot of lows.” — Cassie [07:57]
Hospital Stay Length: Cassie wonders if their choice to leave the hospital sooner meant missing out on support or beneficial conversations (e.g., with a hospital psychologist or outreach coordinator).

Community, Online Resources, and Peer Learning

Online Groups & Podcasts: The STIX Diabetes Programs’ outreach and Facebook group, combined with podcast recommendations, opened the floodgates of information and practical support.
School Return Preparation: Cassie leveraged podcast episodes and group advice (particularly on 504 plans) to advocate for her son at school.

Family and Neighbor Relationships

Type 1 Neighbor: Cassie’s relationship with her type 1 neighbor deepened as they shared experiences. The neighbor, diagnosed at 19, hadn’t initially “spotted” Cassie’s son’s symptoms—showing how even people with diabetes sometimes miss diagnosis signs.

“When I texted her from the hospital... she was like, ‘I feel like such an asshole. How did I miss this?’” — Cassie [13:56]
Mutual Support and Tech Advances: Cassie’s new knowledge helped her neighbor during diabetes burnout. By recommending a GLP1 and switching pump systems, the neighbor saw improved A1C and quality of life.

“She has seen immense improvements...She ended up moving from the T slim to the Omnipod, and she loves it. It’s been working so well for her.” — Cassie [15:20]

Navigating School Nurses and Diabetes Technology

School Nurse Adaptation: Initially, the school nurse was hesitant with pump technology (Mobi), but Cassie’s son managed his own boluses, demonstrating child empowerment and the value of patient/parent-led routines.

“She would just stand there and he would bolus...He would put in his carbs, show her, administer his insulin, and then he’d eat his lunch.” — Cassie [19:27]
Resistance to Technology: Some school staff preferred “MDI” (injections) over pumps—a barrier many families face.

“I’m always surprised by how easily people are put off by technology sometimes. Yeah, it’s just an insulin pump. It’s not difficult to use.” — Scott [19:44]
Frustrations with Policy: Some nurses hesitated to follow family’s protocols for correcting lows, leading to overtreatment with carbs and subsequent high blood sugars.

“She would make him do 10 to 15 carbs. And I was like, his medical orders don’t even say that...He’ll reach 400 in like 10 minutes.” — Cassie [22:04]

Doctor Interactions and the Pursuit of “Perfect” Numbers

Doctor’s Initial Caution: After achieving an A1C in the 5s, Cassie’s endo cautioned against “burnout” from tight management—although Cassie never felt burnout and maintained stellar A1Cs for a year.

“You’ve been diagnosed by a non medical professional as not crazy.” — Scott [23:04]
Shift in Attitude: The endocrinologist ultimately praised their care and even encouraged aiming for tighter range (70–140 mg/dL).

“He was like, man, great numbers. Good job ... My encouragement to you...is just to do better at that.” — Cassie [24:19]
Reflection on Professional Messaging: Scott highlights a recurring theme: sometimes clinical caution feels demoralizing when it should invite knowledge sharing and encouragement.

“How is it you're accomplishing this? ... Maybe you know something I don’t know. Would you share it with me? It’s never like that.” — Scott [26:09]

Sibling Testing, Genetics & Expanded Health Concerns

Sibling Testing: Cassie has not forced her other sons to do TrialNet, respecting their preferences—especially as her oldest expressed intense fear of developing diabetes.
Growth and Thyroid: Discussion of genetic factors (family history of autoimmune diseases and thyroid), concerns about the middle son’s small stature, and practical guidance for continued thyroid monitoring.

“Any other autoimmune in the family?”
“Yeah, so we do have...rheumatoid arthritis, and his side of the family has a ton of thyroid.” — Cassie [29:59]
Checklist Review: Scott goes through hypothyroidism symptoms to guide next labs and monitoring.

“If someone with thyroid symptoms despite normal TSH... ask for free T3 next time.” — Scott [40:23]

Tools, Calculators & Practical Resources

Digital Tools: Scott walks Cassie through Juicebox Podcast’s online calculators for insulin dosing—including a weight-based settings tool and a bolus calculator that incorporates carbs, fat, protein, and real-time glucose.

“So now we take his insulin to carb ratio... Click calculate bolus. It tells you that he needs a bolus of about 3.57 and that you should pre bolus about 11 minutes.” — Scott [37:37]
AI Integration: Discussion of using large language models (e.g., Gemini, ChatGPT) to quickly break down recipes and generate custom bolus advice.

“Basically what I’ve learned is you can take any recipe and just say...‘Please, I need to understand the macro breakdown of this recipe and how many carbs are in a serving’...” — Scott [43:23]
Expanded Website Features: Scott highlights searchable lists of endocrinologists, guides for getting started, and community resources—emphasizing the empowerment of self-advocacy.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Radical Honesty about Emotions:

“I felt like this had ruined his whole life...I was sad for the things I felt like he wasn’t going to get to do.” — Cassie [03:07]
The Power of Community:

“Bettering myself is reaching out in this [Facebook] group and [I was] immediately provided with a resource. And then it was like the whole world opened as far as information was concerned.” — Cassie [04:52]
Friendship and Peer Support:

“I would say just from the conversations that her and I have had, his diagnosis was a benefit in that relationship because it was almost like she had found a support system.” — Cassie [15:20]
On Physician Messaging:

“How is it you’re accomplishing this? ... Maybe you know something I don’t know. Would you share it with me? It’s never like that.” — Scott [26:09]
Tool Demonstration:

“That’s just a little calculator that gave us all that just by putting in his weight.” — Scott [37:15]
On Technology Proliferation:

“Now with the advent of vibe coding through AI, you don’t really need to know how to code to make stuff work anymore.” — Scott [35:40]

Timestamps for Key Segments

[02:17] — Cassie’s decision to seek better information and community
[03:24] — How meeting other parents/kids helped heal her initial sadness
[05:28] — Explaining the overwhelm of hospital guidance
[07:57] — Learning about and managing the honeymoon phase
[13:56] — Realization that even a Type 1 adult can miss child diagnosis symptoms
[15:20] — Impact of supporting her neighbor with new diabetes management resources
[19:27] — Navigating school nurses’ reactions to diabetes tech
[22:04] — When school staff overcorrected hypoglycemia
[23:04, 24:19] — Conversation about maintaining A1C, “burnout,” and doctor feedback
[29:59] — Family history of autoimmune and thyroid concerns; sibling testing choices
[37:15–38:52] — Demo of meal/bolus calculators and discussion of using them
[40:23] — Guidance on further thyroid testing
[43:23] — Using AI to break down recipes and estimate insulin needs

Recap: Practical Strategies & Takeaways

Don’t be afraid to reach for community support—it bridges many emotional and informational gaps.
Hospital diabetes education often leaves gaps; supplement it with peer learning, podcasts, and online communities.
Empower children to manage their diabetes tech; self-management boosts confidence.
Advocate for flexibility at school—push when you know your child’s needs best.
Ask your medical team for clarification and expanded testing when you observe lingering symptoms.
Embrace digital tools (calculators, AI-driven meal analysis, etc.) to reduce daily stress and improve precision.

Final Note: This episode is jam-packed with reality, humor, actionable advice, and hope. Cassie’s story is a testament to the power of reaching out, self-education, and the T1D community’s unflagging support.

Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode #1807: Spokane or Bust – Part 2
Host: Scott Benner
Guest: Cassie (Parent of a 12-year-old with T1D)
Date: March 25, 2026

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Emotional Impact of Diagnosis and Seeking Information

Turning Point: Cassie describes reaching a crossroads of remaining overwhelmed by official instructions or actively seeking better information and community.

“Either you can stay the same or you can try to be better. And in that moment, I decided that I wanted to be better.” — Cassie [02:17]
Sadness and Fear: Initial response was profound sadness—fearful her son’s life and experiences would be limited.

“I felt like this had ruined his whole life... I was sad for the things I felt like he wasn’t going to get to do.” — Cassie [03:07]
Transformation through Support: Finding community (such as the local Spokane STIX Diabetes Programs, their Facebook group, and the Juicebox Podcast itself) alleviated this sadness and empowered Cassie.

“Meeting other kids and parents...getting, you know, establishing a community...that’s really what turned it around for me.” — Cassie [03:24]

Hospital Education and the Learning Gap

Monotony and Overwhelm: Hospital instructions focused on strict routines—logbooks, carb counting, exact measurements—which felt overwhelming and isolated.

“I was sent home with so much stuff...And so it just felt so monotonous to have to figure out exactly what he’s eating.” — Cassie [05:28]
Honeymoon Phase Confusion: Initial expectations weren’t matched by later experiences (honeymoon period, fluctuating insulin needs).

“They had mentioned the word [honeymoon], but we didn’t really understand what that was like until we started hitting a lot of lows.” — Cassie [07:57]
Hospital Stay Length: Cassie wonders if their choice to leave the hospital sooner meant missing out on support or beneficial conversations (e.g., with a hospital psychologist or outreach coordinator).

Community, Online Resources, and Peer Learning

Online Groups & Podcasts: The STIX Diabetes Programs’ outreach and Facebook group, combined with podcast recommendations, opened the floodgates of information and practical support.
School Return Preparation: Cassie leveraged podcast episodes and group advice (particularly on 504 plans) to advocate for her son at school.

Family and Neighbor Relationships

Type 1 Neighbor: Cassie’s relationship with her type 1 neighbor deepened as they shared experiences. The neighbor, diagnosed at 19, hadn’t initially “spotted” Cassie’s son’s symptoms—showing how even people with diabetes sometimes miss diagnosis signs.

“When I texted her from the hospital... she was like, ‘I feel like such an asshole. How did I miss this?’” — Cassie [13:56]
Mutual Support and Tech Advances: Cassie’s new knowledge helped her neighbor during diabetes burnout. By recommending a GLP1 and switching pump systems, the neighbor saw improved A1C and quality of life.

“She has seen immense improvements...She ended up moving from the T slim to the Omnipod, and she loves it. It’s been working so well for her.” — Cassie [15:20]

Navigating School Nurses and Diabetes Technology

School Nurse Adaptation: Initially, the school nurse was hesitant with pump technology (Mobi), but Cassie’s son managed his own boluses, demonstrating child empowerment and the value of patient/parent-led routines.

“She would just stand there and he would bolus...He would put in his carbs, show her, administer his insulin, and then he’d eat his lunch.” — Cassie [19:27]
Resistance to Technology: Some school staff preferred “MDI” (injections) over pumps—a barrier many families face.

“I’m always surprised by how easily people are put off by technology sometimes. Yeah, it’s just an insulin pump. It’s not difficult to use.” — Scott [19:44]
Frustrations with Policy: Some nurses hesitated to follow family’s protocols for correcting lows, leading to overtreatment with carbs and subsequent high blood sugars.

“She would make him do 10 to 15 carbs. And I was like, his medical orders don’t even say that...He’ll reach 400 in like 10 minutes.” — Cassie [22:04]

Doctor Interactions and the Pursuit of “Perfect” Numbers

Doctor’s Initial Caution: After achieving an A1C in the 5s, Cassie’s endo cautioned against “burnout” from tight management—although Cassie never felt burnout and maintained stellar A1Cs for a year.

“You’ve been diagnosed by a non medical professional as not crazy.” — Scott [23:04]
Shift in Attitude: The endocrinologist ultimately praised their care and even encouraged aiming for tighter range (70–140 mg/dL).

“He was like, man, great numbers. Good job ... My encouragement to you...is just to do better at that.” — Cassie [24:19]
Reflection on Professional Messaging: Scott highlights a recurring theme: sometimes clinical caution feels demoralizing when it should invite knowledge sharing and encouragement.

“How is it you're accomplishing this? ... Maybe you know something I don’t know. Would you share it with me? It’s never like that.” — Scott [26:09]

Sibling Testing, Genetics & Expanded Health Concerns

Sibling Testing: Cassie has not forced her other sons to do TrialNet, respecting their preferences—especially as her oldest expressed intense fear of developing diabetes.
Growth and Thyroid: Discussion of genetic factors (family history of autoimmune diseases and thyroid), concerns about the middle son’s small stature, and practical guidance for continued thyroid monitoring.

“Any other autoimmune in the family?”
“Yeah, so we do have...rheumatoid arthritis, and his side of the family has a ton of thyroid.” — Cassie [29:59]
Checklist Review: Scott goes through hypothyroidism symptoms to guide next labs and monitoring.

“If someone with thyroid symptoms despite normal TSH... ask for free T3 next time.” — Scott [40:23]

Tools, Calculators & Practical Resources

Digital Tools: Scott walks Cassie through Juicebox Podcast’s online calculators for insulin dosing—including a weight-based settings tool and a bolus calculator that incorporates carbs, fat, protein, and real-time glucose.

“So now we take his insulin to carb ratio... Click calculate bolus. It tells you that he needs a bolus of about 3.57 and that you should pre bolus about 11 minutes.” — Scott [37:37]
AI Integration: Discussion of using large language models (e.g., Gemini, ChatGPT) to quickly break down recipes and generate custom bolus advice.

“Basically what I’ve learned is you can take any recipe and just say...‘Please, I need to understand the macro breakdown of this recipe and how many carbs are in a serving’...” — Scott [43:23]
Expanded Website Features: Scott highlights searchable lists of endocrinologists, guides for getting started, and community resources—emphasizing the empowerment of self-advocacy.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Radical Honesty about Emotions:

“I felt like this had ruined his whole life...I was sad for the things I felt like he wasn’t going to get to do.” — Cassie [03:07]
The Power of Community:

“Bettering myself is reaching out in this [Facebook] group and [I was] immediately provided with a resource. And then it was like the whole world opened as far as information was concerned.” — Cassie [04:52]
Friendship and Peer Support:

“I would say just from the conversations that her and I have had, his diagnosis was a benefit in that relationship because it was almost like she had found a support system.” — Cassie [15:20]
On Physician Messaging:

“How is it you’re accomplishing this? ... Maybe you know something I don’t know. Would you share it with me? It’s never like that.” — Scott [26:09]
Tool Demonstration:

“That’s just a little calculator that gave us all that just by putting in his weight.” — Scott [37:15]
On Technology Proliferation:

“Now with the advent of vibe coding through AI, you don’t really need to know how to code to make stuff work anymore.” — Scott [35:40]

Timestamps for Key Segments

[02:17] — Cassie’s decision to seek better information and community
[03:24] — How meeting other parents/kids helped heal her initial sadness
[05:28] — Explaining the overwhelm of hospital guidance
[07:57] — Learning about and managing the honeymoon phase
[13:56] — Realization that even a Type 1 adult can miss child diagnosis symptoms
[15:20] — Impact of supporting her neighbor with new diabetes management resources
[19:27] — Navigating school nurses’ reactions to diabetes tech
[22:04] — When school staff overcorrected hypoglycemia
[23:04, 24:19] — Conversation about maintaining A1C, “burnout,” and doctor feedback
[29:59] — Family history of autoimmune and thyroid concerns; sibling testing choices
[37:15–38:52] — Demo of meal/bolus calculators and discussion of using them
[40:23] — Guidance on further thyroid testing
[43:23] — Using AI to break down recipes and estimate insulin needs

Recap: Practical Strategies & Takeaways

Don’t be afraid to reach for community support—it bridges many emotional and informational gaps.
Hospital diabetes education often leaves gaps; supplement it with peer learning, podcasts, and online communities.
Empower children to manage their diabetes tech; self-management boosts confidence.
Advocate for flexibility at school—push when you know your child’s needs best.
Ask your medical team for clarification and expanded testing when you observe lingering symptoms.
Embrace digital tools (calculators, AI-driven meal analysis, etc.) to reduce daily stress and improve precision.

wavePod

#1807 Spokane or Bust - Part 2

Summary

Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Emotional Impact of Diagnosis and Seeking Information

Hospital Education and the Learning Gap

Community, Online Resources, and Peer Learning

Family and Neighbor Relationships

Navigating School Nurses and Diabetes Technology

Doctor Interactions and the Pursuit of “Perfect” Numbers

Sibling Testing, Genetics & Expanded Health Concerns

Tools, Calculators & Practical Resources

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Key Segments

Recap: Practical Strategies & Takeaways

Summary

Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Emotional Impact of Diagnosis and Seeking Information

Hospital Education and the Learning Gap

Community, Online Resources, and Peer Learning

Family and Neighbor Relationships

Navigating School Nurses and Diabetes Technology

Doctor Interactions and the Pursuit of “Perfect” Numbers

Sibling Testing, Genetics & Expanded Health Concerns

Tools, Calculators & Practical Resources

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Key Segments

Recap: Practical Strategies & Takeaways