#1881 Subsistence Diabetes

Summary

Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode #1881: Subsistence Diabetes

Release Date: June 19, 2026
Guest: Emily, age 30, 3.5 years since Type 1 diabetes diagnosis
Host: Scott Benner
Theme: Practical, relatable strategies for living well with Type 1 diabetes, with emphasis on embracing a simple, resilient, and resourceful mindset—living “subsistence diabetes.”

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Overview

This episode centers on Emily’s lived experience with Type 1 diabetes and Hashimoto’s, weaving her rural, subsistence-focused lifestyle with her approach to diabetes care. The conversation explores the emotional landscape of chronic illness, the role of resilience and adaptability in management, and the value of connection and simplicity. Together, Scott and Emily delve into what it means to “just do the thing” every day without being overwhelmed, and how a mindful, steady approach nurtures empowerment.

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Key Topics and Insights

Emily’s Background and Diagnosis Journey

• Introduction to Emily ([00:14]-[02:45])

  • 30 years old, diagnosed with T1D at 27; Hashimoto’s diagnosis followed shortly after.
  • Longstanding farm worker, moving around the country, currently working on a goat dairy and vegetable farm in Montana.

• Symptom Onset and Attribution ([11:18]-[23:06])

  • Symptoms started around March, intensified through October—nausea, fatigue, vision issues, weight loss, and severe dehydration.
  • Initially attributed symptoms to physical environment: outdoor farm work, Tennessee humidity, and presumed electrolyte imbalance.
  • Quote: “I was gung ho. My electrolytes are out of whack. So I’m just feeding myself with things I obviously weren’t the solution…” —Emily ([19:56])

• Diagnosis Realization & Reaction ([23:29]-[27:36])

  • Diagnosed via quick in-office finger prick after returning to Oregon.
  • “I just remember saying, ‘That’s not me.’” —Emily ([25:49])
  • Chose not to go to the ER immediately, prioritizing cost and self-advocacy; soon saw an endocrinologist.

• Immediate Adjustments ([28:05]-[34:31])

  • Rapid self-education post-diagnosis, including binging the Juicebox Podcast.
  • Frustration at providers’ cautious/limited information: “I kind of felt like they were treating me really timidly and I could handle a lot more.” ([28:31])
  • Immediate attitude: accept, learn, adapt—“It felt like I had my life back… The decisions I was gonna make and like the priority I was gonna make, diabetes was going to be to uphold what I just got back, you know?” ([33:07])

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Mindset and Management Philosophy

• Relatability and Community Comfort ([04:19]-[08:43])

  • Emily reached out to the podcast for the sense of connection and comfort—not just technical tips, but validation and shared experience.
  • Scott likens the process to “a tapestry turning into a blanket” of support.
    “There’s a lot of magic and simplicity in somebody just saying it in a way that you’ve had a thought about without thinking about it in depth.” —Emily ([09:14])

• Practical Adaptation and “Rolling With It” ([34:47]-[36:45])

  • Emily attributes her ability to adapt to her mother’s influence—modeling equanimity and flexibility.
  • “I have to keep educating myself, which I think happens through the podcast naturally… And then also, if I’m going after something more educationally based…” —Emily ([35:02])
  • On adapting to diabetes: keep moving, don’t get “stuck,” focus on what can actually be controlled.

• The Simplicity Principle (Subsistence Diabetes) ([53:05]-[57:45])

  • Emphasis on living simply and valuing what’s necessary, not superfluous.
  • “I definitely think I have more than I need… There’s not a ton of bells and whistles, but I live very comfortably.” —Emily ([53:54])
  • Scott summarizes Emily’s energy as: “…simple, bare bones, don’t expect too much, don’t need too much. Do the thing it needs for the whole of the situation. Take care of yourself, take care of the space around you…” ([57:30])

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Diabetes Management in a Physically Demanding Life

• Tools and Transition ([42:22]-[44:00])

  • Started with long- and short-acting pens and fingersticks, transitioned after two weeks to Freestyle Libre CGM. Used MDI for six months, then moved to Omnipod pump; now on Omnipod 5 with Dexcom.
  • Emily proactively advocated for technology after learning about it on the podcast.

• Farming & Constant Activity ([44:03]-[47:42])

  • Describes her activity as “baseline”—active all day, not just in discrete intervals.
  • Uses Omnipod 5’s “activity mode” to manage constant motion; finds it helps avoid lows.

• Weekday vs. Weekend Glucose Patterns ([45:07]-[46:15])

  • No dramatic difference between weekdays (farm work) and weekends (rest); system and routine are well-calibrated.

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Emotional Landscape and Vulnerability

• Navigating Emotional Triggers ([38:24]-[41:04])

  • Hardest aspect: dealing with diabetes in front of others (needing to treat a low, for example), feeling spotlighted or vulnerable.
  • “I don’t like the attention on me… I don’t like having to express that.” ([39:53])
  • Struggles with the perception of “slowing others down,” not wanting to appear weak or out of sorts.

• Handling Breakdowns & Burnout ([38:25]-[39:41])

  • Doesn’t experience lasting burnout, but “moments” of emotional flooding, especially around activity, planning, and lows.

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Resilience, Values, and the Power of Mindset

• Rooted Philosophy, Not Self-Pity ([53:40]-[54:50])

  • Briefly felt “why me,” but moves rapidly through these feelings: “I don’t really want to spend a lot of time fighting what’s not worthwhile.” —Emily ([54:50])
  • Sees life as “vast and varied” and focuses energy on actionable adaptation.

• Gratitude and Mindset Transmission ([57:45]-[58:25])

  • Credits her mother’s example for her non-anxious adaptability: “You got to feed yourself in totality, body and mind. And that can be done from a lot of different places, but mindset is probably the number one, and that’s a hard thing to change.” —Emily ([57:45])

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On relatable community:
  “Maybe somebody feels like, ‘Oh, I can relate to that,’ and it just makes them feel… comforted a little.” —Emily ([04:19])

• On normalizing the abnormal:
  “All of these symptoms are becoming my new normal. And I start to think to myself, ‘Oh, no, that’s how I always am.’” —Emily ([21:49])

• On adapting to drastic change:
  “…as shocking as the diagnosis was… I took it and for the most part, didn’t look back. That was it. That was my life. I have to figure it out, do good at it, and that’s it.” —Emily ([31:38])

• On routine and consistency:
  “It keeps the ball rolling, I think. It doesn’t keep me in any one negative place too long… It’s kind of like rolling, rolling.” —Emily ([36:15])

• On taking care of animals and the land:
  “You can grow a lot of food in a small, small space.” —Emily ([67:55])
  “I just love having a connection to animals that respond to you. It’s fun to feel like you can communicate with a herd of livestock, animals. It’s...” —Emily ([65:53])

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Notable Discussion Segments (with Timestamps)

• Emily’s Introduction and Background ([00:14]–[03:55])
• Symptom Onset and Lifestyle Transition ([11:18]–[16:43])
• Diagnosis Moment ([23:29]–[27:36])
• Mindset After Diagnosis ([31:38]–[34:31])
• Philosophy of Simplicity/Subsistence ([53:05]–[57:45])
• Addressing Vulnerability and Social Dynamics ([38:24]–[41:04])
• Technical Aspects: CGM, Pump, Activity Mode ([42:22]–[47:42])
• Life and Joys on the Farm ([48:42]–[50:38], [65:12]–[68:03])

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Closing Thoughts

Scott recaps Emily’s calm, adaptable approach—“subsistence diabetes”—highlighting how her simple, resourceful lifestyle and resilient mindset translate into success with diabetes self-management. He encourages listeners to find value in the ordinary, to prioritize what’s truly essential, and to embrace a thoughtful, proactive attitude.

Standout Takeaway:

“Life is so vast and varied, and so much is not in our control. I don’t really want to spend a lot of time fighting what’s not worthwhile.” —Emily ([54:50])

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Episode Vibe and Value

Warm, reflective, and gently inspiring, Emily exemplifies the power of steady resilience, adaptability, and self-acceptance. Great listening for anyone questioning “how to cope” or striving to make daily diabetes care feel more natural, less overwhelming, and more rooted in authenticity.

Listeners come away with a reminder: you don’t need to do anything extraordinary—just tend to the basics, keep learning, and don’t get stuck in what you can’t change.

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Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes
Find more at JuiceboxPodcast.com or by searching Episode #1881: Subsistence Diabetes in your podcast player.

Transcript

[A]

Here we are back together again, friends, for another episode of the Juice Box Podcast.

[B]

I'm Emily. I'm 30 years old, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes three and a half years ago at 27, and I had a Hashimoto's diagnosis right after that.

[A]

My Diabetes Pro Tip series is about cutting through the clutter of diabetes management to give you the straightforward, practical insights that truly make a difference. This series is all about mastering the fundamentals, whether it's the basics of insulin dosing adjustments or everyday management strategies that will empower you to take control. I'm joined by Jenny Smith, who is a diabetes educator with over 35 years of personal experience and and we break down complex concepts into simple, actionable tips. The Diabetes Pro Tip series runs between episode 1000 and 1025 in your podcast player, where you can listen to [e-mail] by going up into the menu. While you're listening, please remember that 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. This episode is sponsored by ABLE now Tax Advantaged Savings Accounts for Eligible Individuals with Disabilities. If you or your child lives with diabetes, you may qualify for an ABLE account because of ongoing medical needs, and many people in the diabetes community do. With ABLE now, you can save for future expenses without affecting eligibility for certain disability benefits such as Medicaid. Learn more and check your [e-mail] you spell that a b l e n o w.com today's episode is also sponsored by the Dexcom G7, the same CGM that my daughter wears. Check it out [e-mail] Juicebox the podcast is also sponsored today by Omnipod5. Omnipod5 is a tube free automated insulin delivery system that's been shown to significantly improve A1C and time and range for people with type 1 diabetes when they've switched from daily injections. Learn more and get started today@ omnipod.com juicebox@ my link you can get a free starter kit right now. Terms and conditions apply. Eligibility may vary. Full terms and conditions can be found@ omnipod.com juicebox I'm Emily.

[B]

I'm 30 years old, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes three and a half years ago at 27 and I had a Hashimoto's diagnosis right after that.

[A]

Those are your two things happening right now?

[B]

Those are my two things happening right now, yeah. The Hashimoto's came after a whirlwind of the diabetes. And I wouldn't know what my symptoms were in regards to that, if any. They said, take a pill once a day, and I said, can do. So.

[A]

So you think they picked it up in regular testing after you were diagnosed with Type one?

[B]

They actually, years before, found some levels that were off and even did an ultrasound and kind of went back and forth between this is a problem, this isn't. And landed on this isn't. So never started any medication. And then right after the diabetes, at the doctors, they were like, you know, this side of your thyroid. Neck.

[A]

Neck, yeah. Is.

[B]

Is really swollen. Right. And I was. I had no idea. Nope, didn't notice that. And did more testing. And then, yeah, we've. Then we found out Hashimoto's.

[A]

Look at you. Big fun. Let me ask you a question. This is my first time asking somebody this. I was thinking about this today and I thought I would try it. What do you imagine we're going to learn in this conversation today?

[B]

Yeah, I've been thinking about that as well. I think what. It's the same piece that impelled me to reach out to you, which is I gained a lot of technical insight from your podcast and your resources with the Facebook group as well. Um, but a huge component was just being able to relate. Even if it was one thing out of a whole podcast that somebody said just being to relate gave me. I mean, it's not like a piece, but it's a comfort. It's some. It's something that is, I guess, missing in my day to day existing that I didn't realize until I felt it. Okay, so I'm not sure I have anything groundbreaking. I know I don't have anything groundbreaking to contribute, but maybe somebody feels like, oh, I can relate to that, and it just makes them feel, I don't know, comforted a little.

[A]

Okay, well, that's a great answer. Yeah, yeah. So you're saying that maybe the technical stuff aside, or you know, the help that, you know, when you're like, I don't know why this is happening, when I'm bolusing or something, listening to people's conversations, inevitably someone says something that, what, maybe patches a little tiny leak in your. Your dam, and then those patches come on more and more and more and more and all of a sudden you sort of feel better.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, for sure. Because when I turn on your podcast, I'm just surrounded with people who may. We have totally different lived experiences and maybe even interact with diabetes differently. But there's still something. It's the diabetes connecting us. And Yeah, I guess just it's pretty simple. Like somebody's stating something about their life with it or how it's impacting them.

[A]

Emily, Emily, do you know those. Do you know those moments in a movie when the scene is taking place in front of a crowd of people like a theater or on a football field or something like that? And they do that very kind of like ham fisted hooky thing where one person starts to clap slowly and then another person goes, oh, are we clapping? And then they start clapping and then before you know it, there's like a thousand people clapping and 10,000 people clapping. It goes on and on. And that feeling it gives you. Yeah, I wonder if it's that a little bit. I wonder if it's people standing up, putting themselves out and becoming part of a tapestry of, in this case, sound. Right. And feelings. And then eventually you feel like that tapestry turns into a blanket. Maybe I'm getting rid of my damn analogy and I'm going to this.

[B]

Maybe I love a blanket.

[A]

Have you ever seen Rudy?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

You didn't love it? Some guy drugged you to it and. Right. Or made you watch it at home or something. And then they let.

[B]

I don't have a mind for movies. I. If I see them, I am. I immediately. They don't take up space. So I'm not.

[A]

So that's okay. So, so Rudy walks on at Notre Dame. I think this is like based on like a true story, right. And I believe if I'm not wrong, Rudy is one of those guys that end up being a hobbit at some point. And sure, that's how he'd love to be remembered. And. And at the end, I think it's like his last possible. Like they let him on the team. He's like a mascot though. Like they beat him up in practice, he never plays, etc. And they eventually let him on the field. This is, you know, a thing. I cried when they let Rudy play. And I didn't give a shit about Rudy, but I think it's all part of that, like crescendo of emotion feeling. I struggle to put a name to that. This is maybe boring to people, but I think about that feeling all the time and what that is like. Why does it feel so good when a group of people come together like that? But nevertheless, yeah, it's powerful. It really is. Yeah. So I will tell you this. You don't have to have a special thing to say in our conversation today for that to happen for somebody else that's kind of.

[B]

Yeah, that's kind of what I've gathered from listening. I mean, a lot of people say a lot of special things, so. No doubt. But yeah, just goes back to what we're saying. I mean, there's, there's a lot of magic and simplicity in somebody just saying it in a way that you've had a thought about without thinking about it in depth, where it just ends up meaning more because it says broken down as your passing thought.

[A]

Oh, that's. That's a nice way to think of it. Okay, well, let's find out more about you then. So you're 27ish, and you're feeling what? Like, how did it come on? Today's episode is brought to you by Omnipod. We talk a lot about ways to lower your A1C on this podcast. Did you know that the Omnipod 5 was shown to lower A1C? That's right. Omnipod 5 is a tube free automated insulin delivery system and it was shown to significantly improve A1C and time and range for people with type 1 diabetes when they switched from daily injections. My daughter is about to turn 21 years old and she has been wearing an Omnipod every day since she was four. It has been a friend to our family and I think it could be a friend to yours. If you're ready to try Omnipod 5 for yourself or your family, use my link now to get started. Omnipod.com juicebox get that free Omnipod 5 starter kit today. Terms and conditions apply. Eligibility may vary. Full terms and conditions can be found@ omnipod.com juicebox As I told you earlier, Able now is sponsoring this episode Able now, of course, tax Advantaged Able Accounts for Eligible Individuals with Disabilities if you or your child lives with diabetes, you may qualify for an ABLE account because of ongoing medical needs. Many people in the diabetes community do. With ABLE now, you can save for future expenses without affecting eligibility for certain disability benefits such as Medicaid. And thanks to updates to federal law, ABLE accounts are now available to more people than ever before. That means more individuals and families can use ablenow to save and invest funds in an ablenow account can be used for a wide range of everyday needs, including education, transportation, healthcare, assistive technology, and more. There's no enrollment fee, and you can open an ablenow account with a small initial contribution and build from there. Learn more and check your [e-mail] that's able now.com a b l e n o w dot com.

[B]

Oh my goodness. It came on. So I was diagnosed in October and I was having symptoms since definitely May. Okay, so no March, actually. It came on and I. I can only imagine all of these things, symptoms that I was having are related to the diabetes because they were just nothing normal and I couldn't place them to anything else. And then they basically just tumble weeded into more and more drastic characteristics. So at first, and this sounds so strange, I don't know if it's related, but I was having severe shoulder pain. I couldn't move them at all for no reason. Every morning I was, I mean, I was having. I was nauseous, I was constipated, I was. Constant acid reflux, I was having stomach pains. And eventually it comes on and into bigger and. Okay, so let me slow down maybe I was freshly on a farm in Tennessee where I hadn't ever previously lived. And so. And I had been for a year in kind of transient living conditions.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

In a state of settling in constantly or kind of just like maybe not even settling in, but adapting. I'm placing all of these new things either really lightly because I'm fixated on the newness in front of me, or I'm attributing them to the new conditions that I never lived in. So I never lived in such a humid state. And I'm working outside six days a week, ten plus hours a day. Living outside in the hottest summer on record and in such a humid climate. So when I start drinking X amount of water bottles a day and peeing five plus times throughout the night, I'm, you know, dehydrated, cursing.

[A]

Tennessee. You're not thinking you're sick, right?

[B]

No, I'm thinking this place.

[A]

Where'd you move from, by the way? Where were you prior to going there?

[B]

Prior to going there, I was living on the road with my partner for about three months. Prior to that, we had come from a farm in Vermont that I had. I'd only. He had been there for a season. I'd only gone to meet him after the wildfires in California where I was working kicked me out or I decided to escape from.

[A]

So let's take a second. Emily, are you what they call a hippie? What's going on here? Or you just. Are you a farm worker? Or how do. What is this? Explain that more.

[B]

There's probably some crossover, but I wouldn't self identify as a hippie. Definitely a farm worker. Yeah, I've worked on farms, organic farms. That's probably for the last eight years. And so I Had actually left Montana, where I'm back to now, to go out to a farm in California that my best friend was managing at the time. Right before leaving Montana, I had met who's now my fiance, and he was moving to Vermont and I was moving to California. And so we had plans at the end of the season to meet up together. Things weren't going so hot in Vermont, so we were going to go on this road trip. We were going to, you know, see what we wanted to see, experience where we want to experience, whilst kind of trying to find the next place we wanted to farm together and hopefully settle in to a good fit somewhere, which Tennessee was not it.

[A]

You're breaking my heart, by the way. I'm leaving tomorrow to go to Tennessee.

[B]

Okay. Okay.

[A]

Well, I mean, I'll find out more later. I'm actually going to give a talk in Atlanta, but I decided to drive and stop in Tennessee to see some. Some towns and stuff because I always. I always talk to my wife about, like, I think we should move to Tennessee. And I don't. I haven't been there since I was a kid, so I have no idea why I'm saying that. So I'm taking this opportunity to swing through.

[B]

No, I think it's the best to just have a hunch about a place and want to go because you want to go and check it out. That's super exciting. And I think my experience of Tennessee is really tainted. And I try to separate that because the people I was working for were just not the right fit. And then also I'm suffering for my entire experience without even without realizing it, but my body is just fully stuffed.

[A]

Yeah, I gotcha. Yeah. Between those two things, you could go back under a different circumstance and have a good time, you're saying? Yeah.

[B]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I think so.

[A]

But how bad is the humidity? Like, what are we talking about?

[B]

Wow. So it was brutal. I mean, you're never not sweating. You take a shower. And granted, you would probably live indoors, maybe with air conditioning. We didn't have that. The shower was outdoors. And then we had our living situation set up at the top of the hill above the farm. So as soon as you shower, you're hiking and you're sweating, you're. Yeah, you're.

[A]

I'm not going to farm while I'm there, probably. So that'll probably. But what time of year were you there?

[B]

It was there from March to September, October in.

[A]

Even in the fall and the spring. The humidity was. Existed.

[B]

It did exist. Yeah. And so I live In Montana, it gets pretty darn cold. And I remember being there at the beginning of the season in March and it was probably like 52 degrees out, something like that. And I remember thinking it felt like 32 because of the humidity. Just made it, Made it cool.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Cool, cold. It was. Yeah. And then. Yeah, then there's no relief in the summertime. It's just sticky and.

[A]

Well, I think they're gonna put a thing on the moon. Maybe I'll go there.

[B]

Yeah, good. That could hold.

[A]

I don't know, I just, I. I so badly want to be somewhere warmer, but not like, I also don't want to be dripping the entire time. There's got to. Anyway, I'll figure it out. All right, let's get back to you. So you're, you're down there suffering that's going terribly. Are you diagnosed by yourself, by a doctor? Like, how do you get to the medical help? The Dexcom G7 is sponsoring this episode of the Juicebox podcast and it features a lightning fast 30 minute warmup time. That's right from the time you put on the Dexcom G7 till the time you're getting readings. 30 minutes. That's pretty great. It also has a 12 hour grace period so you can swap your sensor when it's convenient for you. All that, on top of it being small, accurate, incredibly wearable and light. These things, in my opinion, make the Dexcom G7 a no brainer. The Dexcom G7 comes with way more than just this. Up to 10 people can follow you. You can use it with type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes. It's covered by all sorts of insurances. And this might be the best part. It might be the best part. Alerts and alarms that are customizable so that you can be alerted at the levels that makes sense to you. Dexcom.com Juicebox links in the show notes links@juicebox podcast.com to Dexcom and all the sponsors. When you use my links, you're supporting the production of the podcast and helping to keep it free and plentiful.

[B]

So I have kind of like always tried to approach things from a, I don't know, I'll research my symptoms, maybe leaning towards like more holistic or natural solutions. And so I'm sweating buckets. I'm thinking it's my electrolytes are out of whack. That concept never left me for like eight months. I was gung ho. My electrolytes are out of whack. So I'm just feeding myself with things I obviously weren't the solution, so that was me trying. Trying to self diagnose.

[A]

Yeah. What gave you the idea about the electrolytes? Was it a thing you heard or were you googling or what got you to it?

[B]

Yeah, I can't exactly remember. I just kind of think by the amount that I was sweating, I thought, surely I'm losing nutrients and disrupting balances quicker than I can replenish them.

[A]

I think. Not a crazy thought, by the way.

[B]

Not a crazy thought, but crazy to lock on to that and put your blinders on to anything else.

[A]

I really think that the sixth month of trying to impact your electrolytes is when it was going to come together. Yeah, right.

[B]

Precise. The moment of diagnosis. I 100% knew that they just needed to hook me up to some hardcore IV electrolyte situation and I was going to be good. I knew that's what they were going to tell me. Of course, that's not what they told me at all, but I don't know why, but I was just.

[A]

So it didn't occur to you to keep looking or thinking about something else? You felt like you figured out the problem and you were trying to address it?

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I'm not sure how much I believed I figured it out. I mean, because I just had all of these crazy symptoms, like I was losing my vision. I couldn't remember things or hold conversations. I. You know, everything that could deteriorate was deteriorating in front of me. So it's hard to think back and think that I just believed that because I fancy myself a little more intelligent than that. But I think there's an wildly powerful thing that happens, maybe in the name of self preservation, where this is also happening in tandem. All of these, all of these symptoms are becoming my new normal. And I start to think to myself, oh, no, that's how I always am. Yeah.

[A]

Mm.

[B]

My gums bleed in our swollen a lot.

[A]

That happens to people, doesn't it? So you think maybe it's a little bit of the brain fog, a little bit of the I can get through this, I can do this. And a little bit of the slow kind of drip, drip, drip of it. If it changing and you not really being able to remember where you were before it started.

[B]

Right?

[A]

Yeah. That kind of blend of stuff. Yeah. What's that. What's that fantasy you don't know, you're not a movie person, where they all go to that bar and then they get. They realize they've been there for like 20 years already. It feels like five minutes. Like, I feel like that's part of it. Like that feeling of, like you just sort of get lost, you know? Okay.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So you finally. What do you do? You break down. Does somebody help you get to medical care, or do you actually make the decision?

[B]

I made the decision. So we left the farm in Tennessee. We were coming back to the farm that we previously worked on in Montana. So we're on the road. My partner's going straight to Montana. I'm going to visit my mom in Oregon first. So I head there, and here's where I also solve all of my woes. I think to myself, well, I'm not going to be working my off. And she has air conditioner. So I'm going to sit inside. I'm just gonna. I'm not gonna, you know, get into all this physical activity. I'm gonna eat food and I'll write it all. It'll all fall. All the pieces will fall back in. Gain back those 30 pounds I lost, and

[A]

bada boom. We're gonna be right back to good. That's it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

So. So I got there, and I'm doing all of those things. Check, check, check. I'm just getting worse, though. More and more fatigued. Turns out, probably because I'm not moving. I think all the activity in farming helped maybe keep my blood sugar a little lower, call it functional. So that more kind of stagnation whilst heightened symptoms was when I was really hit with, this isn't right. So I just made, like, a quick appointment for the. For the next day at an urgent care or some kind of clinic right around the corner from her house. And so we went there in the morning, sat me down, took a. I guess they took a finger prick. So I'm there all of five minutes before they come back in the office and say that I have type 1 diabetes. And I don't remember if I said it out loud or just screamed it in my head, but it has just. I just remember saying, that's not me.

[A]

You got the wrong chart. You're looking at the wrong piece of paper there. That's somebody else.

[B]

100%.

[A]

I just need a Gatorade. Did you not?

[B]

Right. Just hook me up. I need some of that sodium potassium.

[A]

Y' all got a magic trip. I'll be all right.

[B]

Exactly. Exactly. And so they go. My. My mom was out in the waiting room, and they were asking, you know, do you want to tell her? Do you want us to tell her? And I was just thinking to myself, like, all right, well, you can lie to me, but you can't lie to that woman. Yeah, bring her in. You tell I have type 1 diabetes, and. Yeah. So that was real?

[A]

Yeah. They stick your in an ambulance or did they. Did they let you drive?

[B]

They.

[A]

Because you had someone with you? Maybe. But you went right to the hospital, right?

[B]

No, I didn't.

[A]

What'd you do?

[B]

I. Well, I went back to my mom's house. I think, you know, when I left there, they had said, like, we're really going to push for you to get in with an endocrinologist as soon as possible. And so I went back to my mom's. I think either that day or the next day, somebody from their office called and said, checking in on me and said I should go to the emergency room. And my mom and I kind of looked at each other and was like, that's really expensive. You know, I think it was only maybe a few days later I got in with that appointment. Maybe two days later or something like that, I got in and, yeah, I just kind of decided, well, I'm just gonna keep breathing. I'm just not. I won't die.

[A]

Well, that's not how that works there, Emily. But wait, so had you lost a bunch of weight?

[B]

I had lost. Yeah, I had lost weight that I didn't really have to lose.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Probably 30. 30 plus pounds.

[A]

How tall are you?

[B]

Yeah, five, nine.

[A]

And when someone says type one diabetes, that sounds serious, right? And you go back home, do you and your mom go like, let's Google this and see what this means?

[B]

Yeah. So those first few days from that appointment to the endo appointment, I can't remember the timeline. How many days were in between, what I did in between after the endo appointment, though, that's when I came home and I'm on Google and I find your podcast out the gate.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And I start listening to maybe some of the defining episodes, and I'm just thinking to myself, bolas, not once did she say the word bolus to me. I was like, they're not. I've never had extreme faith in relying entirely on doctors and what they say. I take it upon myself to educate as well and consider more than just what they're saying. So that's kind of what I was looking for. And also just more information. I kind of felt like they were treating me really timidly and I could handle a lot more. And so when I found your podcast, I just was consuming it because I felt like they weren't explaining anything of import to me, probably to not overwhelm me. And that probably would work really well and would be what some people need.

[A]

But you'd rather have the information.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

I imagine if you go to a doctor and they tell you something like, big, like you have a thing, and then you go look online and find a bunch of contacts that no one mentioned to, you have to think, like, why is no one saying that to me? How come the guy with the podcast or the website or wherever, whatever you find, like, how come they think all this is so important and yet the doctor didn't mention it? Right, Right. Yeah. That's got to be off putting, I would imagine. Were you in dka, by the way?

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

I mean, what was your blood sugar? You had to be in dk. What was your blood sugar?

[B]

I think that morning it was 400 something. And my A1C was 15 point.

[A]

Yeah, there's.

[B]

You had.

[A]

No one ever said, did they put you on IVs, keep you in the hospital for days? How did all that go?

[B]

No, I never even went to the hospital. Yeah.

[A]

Emily, let me ask you again. Are you a hippie? Just say yes this time.

[B]

If you asked me that 12 years ago, yeah, 100%.

[A]

There's some pictures of you in overalls with a bandana over your hair somewhere

[B]

a couple dreads shouldn't have had. For sure.

[A]

Yeah, I think I. I think I could. I could paint a picture of you in my mind. By the way, when you were like, I don't really trust doctors, I was like, yeah. I heard you say you were from Oregon.

[B]

I'm not from Oregon.

[A]

But your mom is.

[B]

No, she's moved around a bit.

[A]

Well, I was gonna say your mom's a hippie too. Like, right, I should have it.

[B]

No, no, no, no, wait.

[A]

No. Your mom's moved around a little bit.

[B]

Yeah, she's just. She's real adaptable.

[A]

And listen, I think it's awesome. I'm just telling you, the people who are listening are like, I don't go outside and cut my lawn. This girl's worked on 17 different farms. That's pretty cool. I think it's really cool the way you're doing things, but. Okay, so when you start digging in to figure out what's going on, how long does it take you and what helps it get through to you? The seriousness of this and the fact that you, you know, you kind of have to bear down and you can't just treat it like, oh, I got a thing. I'll do a little insulin, and I'll go on my way.

[B]

Yeah. I think something that I think about sometimes is just how as shocking as the diagnosis was, felt like it came out of thin air, nowhere land. I took it and for the most part, didn't look back. That was it. That was my life. I have to figure it out, do good at it, and that's it. I think it's almost like leading all. It's kind of like the whole symptom section of life pre diagnosis that, you know, this is just my life now and I. I can live like this. It's like that, but in reverse and for the better. Over on this side now I have diabetes, and I know that's for life, so I just want to take care of myself. And I mean, as soon as I got on insulin or really rather quickly thereafter, I felt like I had at least a new lease on life. I just felt like I had my life back, my mind back, my body was coming back. I felt good and that's where I wanted to be. And so the decisions I was gonna make and like the priority I was gonna make, diabetes was going to be to uphold what I just got back, you know?

[A]

Yeah. Are you a religious person? Was it a spiritual feeling? Just kind of just gave yourself over to it right away.

[B]

It really goes back to how I was raised by my mom, who is an excellent top tier example of rolling with the punches. Some huge comes onto your plate you weren't expecting, and she doesn't stumble or falter. She matches it and lives through it without it being this, like, ground shaking. I mean, she just keeps steady through it all. So I've witnessed that and she's lent me that ability because of that, I would say. So it doesn't really feel like so much of a choice. It's just what I've seen and it's the way that I react. That's not to say I didn't have several, you know, breakdowns within the first year of frustration or it feeling too big. But largely, it's just, I can't undo it. The electrolytes weren't the ticket. You know, here's the solution, and I'm not gonna get in my own way of letting it be the solution.

[A]

So this has always kind of been your mom's vibe and it, you know, came over you. Obviously, it's what helped you move around the country and do those things. Right. Like, because new stuff doesn't feel overwhelming, it just feels like, what's next? Right. This is the thing I'm doing now, and I just do the thing.

[B]

Yep, exactly.

[A]

Okay, that makes sense. And how do you apply that to diabetes, though? Like, how do you take that feeling, that vibe, and apply it to diabetes?

[B]

Well, I think I have to kind of. Yeah, it's. I think maybe it's just ingrained. I have to kind of tease it out to answer that question. I mean, I think in all of how do I apply it to diabetes? You have to keep educating yourself, which I think happens through the podcast naturally. And then also, if I'm going after something more educationally based in. Through your series, let's see.

[A]

Take it. I know, it's. No, no, it's an out of. It's a. It's a weird question. It's not a thing you've thought about before. I'm just. I'm saying you grew up in a. This is what we do. We just do it. It's not bad. It's not different. It's just life. And then suddenly diabetes hits you. But how does it hit you? Right? Like, you have to learn about stuff you've never heard of, words you've never heard before. How do they affect you? The fear of putting in that insulin. Right? Like all that other stuff. And even when you have a breakdown, you think, God, this is terrible. Like, how does that, like, way you grew up? How does that apply to this?

[B]

It keeps the ball rolling, I think. It doesn't keep me in any one negative place too long where the rest of the things in my life still take center, focus. And then diabetes is this large piece that I have to tend to and keep up with, keeps following me throughout my day, so I have to mind it. But it's kind of like rolling, rolling.

[A]

You just roll with it the next day. And how much does knowing how to do hard work help? How much does, like, having a job that I imagine you wake up with the sun and, you know, work until the sun's gone and you're exhausted and everything, but you don't complain. You do it again the next day. Like, how much of that, like, training do you think applies to diabetes? Or maybe it doesn'?

[B]

Yeah, I don't know. I don't know if it. How it does. I'm sure, you know, I think the hard work is a piece of the puzzle, but the nature of the work is just ingrained in very tangible things. It's just, you know, I'm working with the elements. I'm working with animals. I'm growing food. I'm working with all real tangible things. And I don't mean to say that if you're not working with any of those, then you're not. But it's less like. I don't know. I'm just. I'm working with life's elements. Yeah.

[A]

I would assume, too, there's a lot of variables in those elements that are beyond your control only.

[B]

Yes, for the most part.

[A]

Yeah, probably all of them. And then at the same time, that. That can't stop you. You can't not grow the food or pick the food or process the food because it's raining or because it got too hot or too, like, you just continue to, what, like, reassess what's happening and then apply the skills you have to that new situation. And that could probably be hourly or daily or. Or so on.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

All right. Well, that makes. That makes a lot of sense to me, actually. So diabetes isn't the hardest thing you do in the course of a day or is.

[B]

It can be.

[A]

It can be. Okay, so talk about that. When. When that breakdown comes, is that a flooding of emotion or just. It's too much. You. You don't have. You don't have the bandwidth for it. Is that burnout?

[B]

I don't think it's burnout. If it is, it just lasts for the moment until that alarm stops beeping at me. I think the hard part is just considering all of my activity and insulin because I'm constantly active, or maybe then we're switching gears and doing something less active. And here it's lunchtime, and I started out low, and now after lunch, I'm going to be racing around. And I think, honestly, it's difficult to have a thing that I have to tend to in front of other people and have potentially, even if it's very minor, have a plan or a moment shift based on my need of. Oh, to eat sugar now or.

[A]

Well, now. You surprised me, Emily. Like, it's tough. No, seriously, because you've got, like, a go, go with it attitude. Right. So then what about it? Being in front of other people is bothersome.

[B]

I just don't like the attention on me, and I don't like. And I really don't think it is on me, but.

[A]

But it feels like it is, but

[B]

it feels like it is. And I don't like having to express that. It's. I don't know. I did. I. I had a hard time just having diabetes as something that could slow me down or impact me. And therefore, once that bleeds out into other people, affecting other people.

[A]

Do you feel like you're intruding on Other people's time.

[B]

Yeah. Intruding on their time. Maybe they're seeing a vulnerable moment for me, especially if I am low and my mind is a little out of sorts, then I feel especially vulnerable in a way that I don't feel connected to and definitely don't want other people to connect me to.

[A]

You don't want people to see you as being weak or out of. Out of control or.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Not as smart as you normally are. All the things.

[B]

All the things, yeah.

[A]

Okay. Well, I mean, that'll make sense to me. I'm just. By the way, I'm really enjoying listening to you think through your thoughts and your life. Thank you for doing this. Appreciate it very much.

[B]

I really appreciate that. Because.

[A]

No, because I know it can feel awkward when someone asks a question and you don't have, like a rattle off answer and you realize that I'm not going to go away and we're still recording and you've got to figure out what the answer is. And, like, it's interesting to hear people process that, I think.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely. I think I would probably. Probably.

[A]

I'm sorry, you would probably what?

[B]

Yeah, I'm sure the more that I thought about these things, the more would come to light. So.

[A]

Yeah, no, and it's a good opportunity to sit and think about stuff that I. I believe you don't normally ruminate over. I find the podcast very helpful for that myself. You know, for myself, too. You just. You're sort of. You're in the moment and you're. You're kind of forced to deal with whatever it is that's being asked or said, and sometimes you don't have an answer right away. And I think it's more interesting when you don't have an answer than when you do sometimes. So. Okay, so you're. Yeah. So how long does it take you to rebound from being sick? Do you gain the weight back? Do you set up? I mean, do they give you a cgm? Like, how do they get you launched off?

[B]

So launch off was the pens with long acting at first, dialing that in, and then short acting and finger pokes. So they started me off slow. I was meant to kind of keep a diary of blood sugars and carbs I was eating that went on for probably two weeks. So I was advocating for a cgm. That inspiration definitely came from the podcast. And so I got on Freestyle Libre, and then I was doing MDI for probably six months or so until getting on the Omnipod.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Which I've done ever since.

[A]

Now with Dexcom, you Omnipod 5, are you using automation?

[B]

The Omnipod 5 in automation? Yes.

[A]

How is that working for you? Because you're so. Because you're farming still, right?

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Yeah. So how does that work with your activity?

[B]

It works pretty well. Over the last maybe six months or so, I've been playing around with activity mode quite a bit more. That's definitely helpful. Definitely helpful. Even if I'm starting to go low and notice that I'll switch it into that and it more often than not catches me or catches me more than had I not. So that helps me a lot, I think.

[A]

Can I ask a question about your activity?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

It's occurring to me as you're talking that some people talk about, like, oh, you know, when I work out, this happens, or if I suddenly go to target, it happens. But your activity is significant but constant. Right. So it's not really activity as much as it is just your. Your baseline, right? Yeah. So what do you. Do you have days off? Do you, like, are your days off consistent? Are they Saturday, Sunday, or they. Do you not have days off? Like, how does your schedule work?

[B]

Yeah, I have Saturday and Sunday off. Otherwise, for the most part of the year, it's Monday through Friday. And yeah, I don't know. I guess the pump has. Generally, I don't have anything too crazy about it. I would say if I do, it's from my end of timing. Insulin, kind of. I touched on. Come lunchtime, maybe my number's sitting just right in the little lower spot. And so I bolus as I'm eating or right after I'm eating. Just thinking of the rest of the day ahead.

[A]

Let me ask my activity question. Okay. And see what happens. I would think for most people, they get low around activity, but you probably experience a high on the weekend. Right. Because the system's not giving you much insulin Monday through Friday, and then on Saturday, Sunday, you slow down. Is it more difficult, you have to bolus more? Or is your activity so significant that it's a stasis for your body seven days a week? Does that make sense?

[B]

Yeah, I actually never considered that. I think that might be the case. Based on. I don't. I'm not fighting the omnipod on my weekend. I'm not fighting my blood sugar on my weekend.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah. I would say the numbers are generally the same. I have less to consider in terms of activity. So maybe I need to look at food a bit differently come the weekend time. But that's also the same as when I Get home and have dinner and being stopped still more still. So it's not like here comes the weekend. It's a foreign entity of diabetes that gets mixed differently throughout the rest of the week. No, there's lots of overlap.

[A]

Yeah. No, it just occurs to me that because of your job, I would imagine it's very consistent because I even hear from people who have jobs that are aggressively, you know, needy physically. Like there's definitely better words in there than that. More active at certain times of day but not at others. And they'll have like peaks and valleys during the day. But I'm imagining that your gets out of bed, hits the ground running and you don't stop. Right. You're moving constantly, aren't you? Or on your feet or not comforted. You're not comfortable somewhere and not a chair at any point.

[B]

Yeah, no, not in a chair. Nope. We're raising. Oh. I work on a goat dairy slash vegetable production farm. So yeah, right now we're raising 40 or so kids. That's what they're called, kids with a herd in the hundreds. And so yeah, as soon as I get there taking care of all the kiddos, attending to births, we've got a new wave of kidding happening. So we've got a bunch of mamas having their babies and other than that, I mean, it's springtime, so we're getting going in the fields and the greenhouses and. Yeah, I mean the spring is like a get up and go and then the mid season is the height of the season, so it's super get up and go and then the fall is kind of huge. Harvest and tuck everything back in before the winter and.

[A]

And then do the inside stuff until. Right. Do you fix equipment during the winter, stuff like that?

[B]

Well, actually in the winter time I

[A]

was gonna say do you cough and go do something else, but I don't know why I was gonna put it that way. But do you go off and do something else during that time?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, a bit. Between vegetable season ending and then our main kidding season that picks up in January, February time, my partner and I will go travel. We get some time off, off the farm, off work and get to go have fun. And then we come back in the height of winter and help birth a bunch of babies.

[A]

Wow, that's crazy. Well, it's. Is that a passion project kind of job or does it pay more than I imagine it does? Like is it a career you could do your whole life and take care of yourself or is it a thing you're doing now while you're younger, because it calls to you. What's that? What's that like?

[B]

Yeah, it's a good question. I don't necessarily have answers to all, but it is passion. Yeah, you can't do this without passion. It's not the pay, it's just love for, for the animals, for the land, for providing quality food to people, for tending to land in a way that's respectable and can carry on a future. It's so many deep things, really. I can feel welling up inside of me more than I can verbalize. I do wonder, you know, I think when you first get into farming and everybody is wondering like, oh, you're gonna have a farm of your own one day and you think, surely you will. Yes, of course. And then it goes on and on and you realize more the realities of owning an organic farm in a society that does support it. Absolutely. But there's a grander where the overarching, decades long putting down of the organic farmer and the small farm. So there's a battle within that, there's a battle financially and I think if I'll have my own farm one day, maybe my partner and I would, would love to see something like that work out. But we also get to work on a farm that we love, have roles in it that we've grown into and help us grow. And at the end of the day we can take off and go to Mexico for, for a few weeks. We can live our lives without what I'd imagine would be a tremendous amount of going out on a limb for struggle.

[A]

I'm done. After I record with you today, I won't record again. Today's Wednesday. I won't record again till Tuesday, which is incredibly uncommon for me because I'm doing a talk this afternoon that I have to drive to. Then I'm driving down south on Thursday, spending Friday learning about a couple of areas in Tennessee. Then that afternoon I go into Atlanta, wake up in the morning on Saturday, do the talk, do a meet and greet, then I'm actually going to get back in my car, go back to Tennessee, try to catch a couple more areas and I'm going to drive home and I'm going to be back in New Jersey by like Monday morning. I'm not going to work on Monday, but that's really uncomfortable for me to give away three days or. And like when you were like, we can go to Mexico for a couple weeks, I thought that sounds right. And that made me want to go back and ask you a little more about like when you start talking about it and you got emotional, are you emotional about what you believe? Like small, you know, substance. What do they call it? Substance. Why can't I think of the word system? Thank you. Do you think it's very important and it's ignored? Do you just love the animals a lot? Do you like tending to the earth? Like, do you like helping people? Like, what is it like? You know, is there something about how you were brought up that makes you feel that way? Do you know? Well,

[B]

I have always been interested in it. My mom grew up on a dairy farm, so while she's not herself in the farming world, she had some stories in it and I remember them. I'm not sure that they ignited anything. They didn't make me go, oh, I want to be a farmer when I grow up. Yeah. Coming into high school years, I would kind of fixate my research projects where I could on GMOs versus organic farming. Just different avenues of where our food is coming from, the impacts on people, the impacts on land, and the relation to politics. Once I was started getting a good picture of that, I also happened to love being outside, spending time outside in, in nature. So both sort of grew within me in tandem.

[A]

That's lovely. Hey, I have a follow up question, but until I can pronounce the word, it's not going to help. So hold on. We're going to do this together real quick. Subsistence. Why couldn't I say that at first one more time? Subsistence. Okay, I got it. Do you think you. Do you think I was genuinely embarrassed and mad at myself when it didn't come out of my mouth? Because I'm like, I know that word. So it kind of means to live like simply. Right. Just basic stuff, like not more than you need, that kind of thing. Do you think you live your life that way as well?

[B]

I guess it depends what lens you're looking out of. I definitely think I have more than I need. I mean, there's not a ton of bells and whistles, but I live very comfortably.

[A]

Yeah. How much of that attitude do you think I'm going to keep getting back to this probably as you and I are finishing up here, but how much of that attitude do you think is applying itself to diabetes? Because I'm trying to figure out, do you have like a what was me or why did this happen to me? You don't have those feelings, do you or do you?

[B]

I think initially there were a couple, couple times where I did feel that way in short bursts and still I think I move through those ways, when they start to feel present or uncomfortable. I don't know. Life is so vast and varied, and so much is not in our control. I don't really want to spend a lot of time fighting what's not worthwhile. So

[A]

keep talking. Finish your thoughts.

[B]

So.

[A]

Because what you just said, that's your little thing from the. The episode. That's the thing other people are going to take from your conversation. Yeah, yeah. There's something about. So, Emily, let me explain you to yourself through my lens. Okay?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

You have, like, a very, like, I don't know, like, there's a nice way about you. You don't talk about anything that's bombastic. You're not, you know, like, hey, I really need this car, or, I want to feel this way about something. You're like, I'm going to go out. I'm going to work on the land. I'm going to work with those animals. We're going to keep life chugging along. I think you're one of those people who would say that, you know, maybe it would be nice if those farms were all over the country and we were making our own food, and I. That would be really something, like, if we got back to farming for, like, local people. Right, right. And I can hear all the other stuff underneath of it about, you know, you probably have a lot of thoughts about, you know, pesticides and how the ground is kept fertile and, you know, maybe what that stuff's doing to us as. As a, you know, as a society. And I love all that. Like, I. I think that's all fantastic. But I really feel like whatever led you there from your mom and who you are and how you guys are wired and how you spend your life working and the reasons you're doing it, and even how you, like, spend time taking care of yourself and going away and relaxing, I think it all probably shines a light on why you're doing well with your diabetes. And that's the thing that I'm hoping that gets through to people. You don't know it, because that's how you are. So when you're talking about it and I'm like, you know, tell me how you feel about this or why this is special or why this is important, you don't know, because that's just how Emily lives. But for people who don't have those thoughts, feelings, that upbringing, this is really thoughtful to them. This is, oh, maybe I ought to slow the hell down and, you know, reassess what's important kind of stuff. So I really appreciate this. So what. I don't know exactly what you said two minutes ago, but I think that's the thing that people are going to take away from your conversation.

[B]

Oh, well, fantastic. Good. Seriously, that's positive. And. Yeah. That people.

[A]

Incredibly positive. I'm gonna call your episode. Did I just do it to myself again? Subsistence. I'm gonna call it subsistent diabetes.

[B]

Ah.

[A]

All right. Because, like. Right. Because simple.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Bare bones. Don't expect too much, don't need too much. Do the thing it needs for the. The whole of the situation. Take care of yourself, take care of the space around you, like, that kind of thing. I think it's really thoughtful.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. You got to feed yourself in. In totality, body and mind. And that can be done from a lot of different places, but mindset is probably the. The number one, and that's a hard thing to. To change. So I am, yeah, incredibly grateful to my mom who illustrated that ability. And, yeah, I guess it kind of makes me wonder where she. If that was demonstrated to her so profoundly as she demonstrates that to me.

[A]

Your mom's not an anxious person, right?

[B]

No, I mean, I don't. I wouldn't say so.

[A]

Yeah. How about you?

[B]

I can be.

[A]

You can be.

[B]

Yeah, I can be. I. I can be a little more. I can work up about some things, but what's funny is always while that is happening is a voice in my head telling me the truth. It just is not responding to the. To the heightened physical feeling of anxiety. Yeah, but there's that voice there.

[A]

And so does the voice win usually? Or does it.

[B]

Good fight. I'm not sure who comes out at the end. The voice wins, but the outcome needs to happen first for. For me to, like, coming on. Coming on here to talk to you. I. You know, within the week before, I was like, I have. What am I going to say? I have. What am I going to contribute? I just started getting worked up about it. I was like, maybe I'm going to cancel. Another voice in my head is like, you are not going to cancel. Good.

[A]

I'm glad you didn't. I really enjoyed this, actually. You know, I watch Arden do this thing sometimes where it's pretty simple. Right. She has a fairly large aversion to needles, which I know is interesting, but, like, because of that, she'll struggle to take her GLP med sometimes. When she takes it, her insulin needs are completely. I mean, it's night and day. Right. Just like insulin sensitivity on the GLP Med. One unit moves are like, 100, 110 points off the GLP Med. It's more like 40. You know, Basil, I've noticed lately, going from 1.1 an hour down to 0.6 carb coverage, you know, she can need anywhere from one to five without GLP, but with the GLP, it's more like one for nine carbs, one for 10 carbs. It's a significant difference. And she knows how helpful it is to her, and she can see how easy much. How much easier things are. Fewer lows, fewer, you know, ups and downs, much more stability on it. Uses much less insulin, which, you know, then kind of helps you not to, you know, maybe stay away from lows, sometimes stops you from having to eat to fix the lows. It's a better experience. But if she gets to a point where the medication lapses and she can't bring herself just to do the shot right away, sometimes it can take days or sometimes even a week for her to talk herself into doing the shot again.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Well, in that time, all we have to do to combat that is to change her settings back. But she doesn't want you to put the settings back to where they need to be without the glp. And I am forever trying to figure out the psychology behind that. And the closest I've come to it is to think that she doesn't want to admit defeat. Like, in her mind, she's going to take the glp, and putting the settings back is saying, no, I'm not going to. And she doesn't want to feel like. Or admit that it's taking time. Does all that make sense?

[B]

So much sense.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. And so I've been watching this go on now for a while, and I just try to support her through it the best I can, you know, and even. There's even times where, like, it'll go, you know, three days, and I'll be like, hey, Arden, listen, you know, just move your sensitivity or do this or that. And she's like, no, like, I'm gonna. You know, she's like, I'm no. She doesn't even say I'm gonna do it. She just. It's just no. And then no to me. Sounds like if I move those goddamn settings, I've lost. And then, you know, I'll tell you, like, honestly, like, you know, I'll just sometimes just wait until she leaves the room for a second. I pop her phone open and I put her settings where they are. And, like, so. So that she, you know, because her A1C could go from, like, a rolling average of like 5.5 up to like, 7 just for not changing those settings. Cause it's such a significant difference. She doesn't want me to do that, but then she realizes that I've done it. And then somehow after it happens, the pressure's off of her, and then she does the shot again.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

And I might be wrong. She might listen to this in the future and be like, that is not what was happening. Right. But from my perspective, that seems like what's going on.

[B]

And I feel like you described what can go on with me sometimes, the not wanting to admit defeat, the pressure around that. Both of those things happening in regards to some decision you have to make or choice for yourself. Something. Yeah. I don't know what. What you said resonates, though, and I think I need to figure out where. Why that resonates, where I feel that and why something can hold. Can hold so much meaning in it when really it's the click of a button on your phone.

[A]

Yeah. Do you know why I told you the story? Because I heard you say something a little while ago. I heard you say something a little while ago that made me feel like you must feel like that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. I don't know why some things overwhelm. Simple, simple stuff. But there's some. Yeah, there's some layers there.

[A]

Yeah. Keep thinking about it.

[B]

Yeah. No, for sure.

[A]

Yeah. You'll get there. I have a lot of good feeling about how you're gonna turn out as a person. I know you think you're old probably because you're 30, but you're just getting started, you know?

[B]

Yeah. No, I appreciate that. I do.

[A]

That's cool. Also, I'm super impressed with myself sometimes, and this is one of those moments.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, you would never say something so boastful, Emily, but I'm not above it. I really just. I felt like I heard you say something that fit in that vein, and I thought, I'm gonna. Hopefully Arden will listen to this one day and understand when I shared something about her life that she probably doesn't tell anybody else, just so that. Because I think it's going to be really helpful to you and to the people listening to. So I think you gave something to the conversation twice today, and this was me giving something to it as well, I hope.

[B]

Yeah. Oh, 100. 100. Absolutely.

[A]

Cool. Cool. Listen, I have the greatest job. Everybody should get a podcast. We should all stop working, and we'll all starve to death, and the electric will go off, but we'll all be very Very mentally healthy as we're starving to death. Right. If we all just get a podcast and talk about how we feel, we

[B]

can live off of that for a little while.

[A]

Emily. And then you will die without food. So are the goats dangerous? Are they fun? Do they have different personalities?

[B]

They are so fun. They're mischievous. They do have different personalities. The worst that can really happen to you is you have your head in the wrong place at the wrong time and get a little concussion. They give you a little smack, some strong domes, but, yeah, no, they're a blast. They're sweet. They're playful. I mean, yeah, I feel.

[A]

You feel what? I cut you off. I apologize. You feel what?

[B]

I just love having a connection to animals that respond to you. It's fun to feel like you can communicate with a herd of livestock, animals. It's.

[A]

You want to say magical?

[B]

Yeah, it's magical.

[A]

It's okay. You can say that. Listen, I have a tree monitor, and I associate a sound and a tapping with food time. And I went in there the other day, and she was hiding in a log, and I did the sound and the tapping, and she came out of the log and looked at me like, oh, my God, are we gonna eat? And I was like, oh, my God. I taught that thing with that sound and the. I was like, huh? For having a moment. I'm not a herd of goats, but I. I do think I understand what you mean. And I also. Even though I kind of keep animals that are, you know, smaller and. And more, you know, contained, I think that it's. I'm going to sound. I'll say something to make me sound like more of a hippie than you. You have the whole time. Okay. Ready? Yeah. I. Thank you. Do you say thank you? I think that because I've chose to keep the animal, it's my job and charge almost to do things that it needs to get its, you know, not just its food right, but it's lighting and its heat and its surroundings. Like, it's my job to look at it and figure out what it needs and provide it that. Those things. Yeah. And it's sort of an extension of how I think about parenting, too. So I originally got a chameleon because I was like. I said to my wife, I'm like, the kids don't really need me anymore, and I feel sad about it. I, like, I need something to, like, take care of now. Since then, I've learned those kids, they still need you. It doesn't really matter how old they are.

[B]

Yeah, that's that's good. I feel that way about mine.

[A]

But anyway, how much? My last question is, how many acres do you need to have a nice, like, functional small farm?

[B]

Oh, you could have a quarter of

[A]

an acre and work it out.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah, you could. You could have a little backyard to, to provide. You can grow a lot of food in a small, small space.

[A]

Interesting. That's really cool. Yeah. Well, I appreciate what you're doing and I appreciate that you came on here and shared it all with me. I am going to get into a car very soon and go give a talk. So I gotta run. But if you hold on one second, I'll just explain to you how the rest of this works. Okay?

[B]

Okay. Well, thank you so much.

[A]

No, you were terrific. Hold on one second. Dexcom sponsored this episode of the Juice Box Podcast Learn more about the Dexcom G7 at my link dexcom.com juicebox this episode of the Juice Box Podcast is sponsored by Omnipod5. Omnipod5 is a tube free automated insulin delivery system that's been shown to significantly improve A1C and time and range from for people with type 1 diabetes when they've switched from daily injections. Learn more and get started today@ omnipod.com juicebox at my link. You can get a free starter kit right now. Terms and conditions apply. Eligibility may vary. Full terms and conditions can be found@ omnipod.com juicebox A huge thanks to today's sponsor, Able Now. Able now offers tax advantaged ABLE accounts for eligible individuals with disabilities. If you or your child lives with diabetes, you may qualify because of ongoing medical needs. With ablenow you can save for a wide range of disability related expenses without affecting eligibility for certain disability benefits such as Medicaid. And thanks to recent federal law updates, more people are eligible than ever before. Learn more and check your [e-mail] you spell that a b l e n o w dot com. There's links in the show notes and [e-mail] hey, thanks for listening all the way to the end. I really appreciate your loyalty and listenership. Thank you so much for listening. I'll be back very soon with another episode of the Juice Box Podcast. 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. If you have a podcast and you need a fantastic editor, you want Rob from Wrong Way Recording. Listen, truth be told, I'm like 20% smarter. When Rob edits me, he takes out all the gaps of time. And when I go and stuff like that, and it just. I don't know, man. I listen back and I'm like, why do I sound smarter? And then I remember because I did one smart thing. I hired Rob at wrongwayrecording. Com.