Transcript

A (0:00)

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

B (0:13)

Hi, I'm Sarah. I'm a single mom of three kids running a full time real estate business, a construction business, and my oldest Child is a type 1 diabetic.

A (0:24)

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 or becoming bold with insulin. The episode you're about to listen to was sponsored by touched by type 1. Go check them out right now on Facebook, Instagram and of course@touchedbytype1.org check out that programs tab when you get to the website to see all the great things that they're doing for people living with type 1 diabetes. Touched by type1.org Today's episode is also sponsored by TandemMobi. The impressively small insulin pump. Tandem Mobi features Tandem's newest algorithm, Control IQ plus technology. It's designed for greater discretion, more freedom and improved time and range. Learn more and get started today@tandomdiabetes.com Juicebox the podcast is also sponsored today by Eversense365, the only one year ware CGM. That's one insertion and one CGM a year. One CGM one year, not every 10 or 14 days ever since cgm.com Juicebox hi, I'm Sarah.

B (2:31)

I'm a single mom of three kids running a full time real estate business, a construction business and my oldest child is a type 1 diabetic. So my life basically runs on contracts, carpools, blood sugar checks and caffeine. Most days start for me before the sun with some sort of caffeinated beverage and a to do list. That's way too long and generally end with late night emails after the kids are asleep. So it's not always pretty and it's definitely not always perfect, but it's real.

A (3:03)

Yeah.

Summary

Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode #1838: "Psychopath with Peanut Butter"
Host: Scott Benner
Guest: Sarah – Single mom, real estate/construction entrepreneur, T1D parent
Date: April 30, 2026

Episode Overview

In this candid and wide-ranging episode, Scott welcomes Sarah—a dynamic single mom juggling three kids and two businesses, with her oldest child living with type 1 diabetes. The conversation moves from strategies for managing T1D and autoimmune challenges, to family history, parenting under stress, humorous parenting fails, and unique sleep-deprivation survival tactics. True to the Juicebox theme, Scott and Sarah reject fear and perfectionism, talking openly about how “bold with insulin” means embracing the messiness and unpredictability of life with T1D.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sarah’s Background & Life Structure

Sarah is a self-described “real-life chaos juggler,” managing parenting, business, and T1D life.
Quote: “My life basically runs on contracts, carpools, blood sugar checks and caffeine. Most days start for me before the sun with some sort of caffeinated beverage and a to do list that’s way too long.” [02:31]
Oldest child (T1D) is 14; her other kids are 11 and 5.

2. Family Autoimmune Landscape & Diagnosis Journey

Sarah lives with multiple autoimmune conditions: Hashimoto’s, lupus, mast cell activation syndrome, connective tissue disease, and Ehlers-Danlos.
Diagnosis of her son’s T1D is believed to be post-COVID. No T1D on either side of the family; strong family history of other autoimmune diseases.
Quote: “He was a post Covid diagnosis and truly and wholeheartedly will probably forever be ingrained in my brain that that is the reason why.” [04:35]
No family precedent for T1D; Sarah’s health literacy from her mother's nursing background influenced their quick recognition of symptoms.

3. Day-to-Day Realities of Managing T1D

Sarah describes herself as initially hypervigilant (“psychopath with a notebook for every carb”), slowly learning to step back.
Memorable Exchange:
- Sarah: “She literally had to look at me and say, hey, you’re doing a fantastic job. But, like, you probably don’t need to keep a notebook of every carb that goes in his mouth anymore.” [34:11]
- Scott: “She tell you to chill out?”
- Sarah: “She was like, you need to calm down. I’m like, excuse me, what do you mean to calm down? My kid could die at any given moment…” [34:13]

▶️ Timestamps:

Diagnosis Story: [24:08–28:51]
Hypervigilance & Diabetes Parenting: [33:35–39:51]

4. Unique Medical/Parenting Challenges

Sarah’s son is unusual: more frequent and precipitous overnight lows, even with technology and careful management.
- He’s tall for his age (6’2” at 14, projected to reach 6’7”), growing fast.
Sleep deprivation is a core part of Sarah’s story: “I don’t sleep 100…I don’t sleep a lot as a T1D parent.” [07:57]
Strategies for reducing nighttime lows (peanut butter, protein milk) helped temporarily; unpredictability remains.
- Scott (on rapid lows): “Is it about a 2am collapse?”
- Sarah: “It’s about three. Yeah.” [50:21]
Family’s ability to help is limited—Sarah is primary caregiver almost full-time except in summer.

5. Humor, Honesty & Coping Mechanisms

Both guests use humor to cope with stress, with irreverent banter about marijuana, sleep, and Midwest teen field party culture.
- Quote: “I’m California sober, so I gotcha. I can’t drink alcohol….I micro dosed marijuana…That’s what I medically for myself.” [08:16; 09:59]
Sarah’s preferred method for pain/sleep is microdosing medical marijuana—noting, with irony, her “anti–Big Pharma” leanings despite a child who depends on insulin.
Memorable Banter:
- “I asked for a night nurse for Christmas just for like a weekend.” [61:58]
- “Sheep a dummy is what you’re saying.” [65:55] (referring to her failed diabetic-alert dog)

6. Technology and Device Stories

Son uses T:slim insulin pump and Dexcom CGM. Issues with overnight lows persist despite adjustment.
Funny Story: Their dog (a sheepadoodle bred and bought for alerting) stole the pump and buried it in the snow.
- Quote: “It was in the—OK, so sheepa dummies over here, one of them grabbed it, buried it in the damn snow in the backyard. We found it a week later.” [71:24]
Community support: A fellow parent stepped in instantly to loan a backup pump.

▶️ Timestamps:

Overnight Lows Discussion / Growth Spurt Theories: [43:02–51:14]
Dog/Pump Story: [67:34–72:53]

7. Parenting Philosophy, Control & Letting Go

As her son ages, Sarah is learning to give him more management autonomy. No “why me” or rebellion so far.
She openly discusses the cost—emotionally and physically—of striving for perfection (comparing charting/weighing everything to a 6.5 A1c; now settled at 7–7.5).
Sarah calls out the Sisyphean nature of T1D parenting: “I have really shelved the idea of him having a perfect day.” [43:02]
The stress of future milestones looms (driving, college) but is “too much to think about right now.” [56:00; 56:55]

8. Support, Community, and Reality Checks

Sarah credits her survival to faith, family, and the resilience built through necessity.
- Quote: “For as much as I have on my plate, I completely attribute that to Jesus for sure. Because otherwise there’s no way that I could be doing all this and not drop dead.” [65:01]
The local T1D community, and online support networks, are a lifeline.
Both acknowledge the emotional load: “What other option do I have? …Not right.” [56:48–56:52]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Overwhelm: “I live my life in fight or flight, which probably doesn’t do well for my own health, but somehow, thank you, Jesus, by the grace of God, I’m still managing.” — Sarah [19:08]
On Growth, Lows & Patterns:
“We could do the same thing four days in a row, the same foods, the same times. And if the weather is changing on that day or the day before or the day after, it’s wild.” — Sarah [42:43]
On Parenting Hypervigilance:
“If somebody has any tips for that [sleeping as a single T1D parent], please reach out to me. But I haven’t figured out how to master that just quite yet.” [07:57]
On Support:
“The community of people that the diabetic community has is amazing. That is the best thing. We’re all in this club that none of us wanted to be in, but we’re in it.” [70:48]
On Letting Go:
“I am no longer a psycho with his management…Everyone should be very proud of me listening, because I am no longer a psycho with his management. He is, like I said, 14. The kid is incredible at managing his own care during the day. I can’t say enough about him.” — Sarah [38:49]

Timestamps for Key Segments

[02:31] Sarah’s whirlwind life: intro and daily routine
[04:14] Family autoimmune history
[24:08–28:51] Diabetes diagnosis details
[33:35–39:51] Early T1D management “psychosis” and learning to step back
[43:02–51:14] Puberty, growth spurts, unpredictable overnight lows
[50:21] Discussion on overnight blood glucose “collapse” (lows at 3am)
[56:00–56:55] Living with uncertainty, fears about the future (driving, college)
[61:58] “I asked for a night nurse for Christmas just for like a weekend.”
[67:34–72:53] The “sheepa dummy” pump-burying dog story

Tone & Language Highlights

Conversational, authentic, and humorous; both Scott and Sarah are frank about the ups and downs of T1D parenting.
Sarah’s candor about her mistakes and coping mechanisms (including cannabis) breaks stigma and lightens the mood.
Scott brings gentle challenge and empathy, with a recurring focus on managing the “fight or flight” existence of T1D families, always without judgment.

Takeaways & Useful Ideas

Embrace Imperfection: Letting go of the quest for a “perfect” A1c or data-driven perfection can preserve mental health and foster valuable independence in kids.
Community Matters: Sharing stories and resources with other T1D families, both locally and online, can be a powerful support.
Survival Strategies: Ditch the guilt—sometimes it’s about doing “good enough,” taking naps, and squeezing in self-care wherever possible.
Managing Overnight Lows: Creative carb/protein/fat combos (like “a psychopath with peanut butter”) are worth trying, but expect shifting results as kids hit growth spurts.
Don’t Be Afraid to Laugh: Humor, inside jokes about “sheepa dummies,” and letting loose are as essential as insulin.

Episode Titles Considered (and Why)

“Psychopath with Peanut Butter” — a nod to the obsessive early-mom phase and the classic overnight survival food [51:54]
“Sheepa Dummy” — after the failed diabetes alert dog who instead stole and buried the insulin pump

Final Thoughts

This episode is a relatable, warm, and sometimes hilarious reminder that living well with diabetes is about resourcefulness, resilience, and community—and that letting go, laughing, and leaning on others can be just as bold as any insulin dose.

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#1838 Psychopath with Peanut Butter

Transcript

Summary

Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sarah’s Background & Life Structure

2. Family Autoimmune Landscape & Diagnosis Journey

3. Day-to-Day Realities of Managing T1D

▶️ Timestamps:

4. Unique Medical/Parenting Challenges

5. Humor, Honesty & Coping Mechanisms

6. Technology and Device Stories

▶️ Timestamps:

7. Parenting Philosophy, Control & Letting Go

8. Support, Community, and Reality Checks

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Key Segments

Tone & Language Highlights

Takeaways & Useful Ideas

Episode Titles Considered (and Why)

Final Thoughts