Scott Benner 12/18/25 Scott Benner 12/18/25

#1712 Porcine Cell Recipient

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Kelly shares her groundbreaking experience as the second person in the US to undergo a porcine islet cell transplant. She discusses battling T1D burnout, the unique procedure involving the omentum, and her hope for a functional cure.

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Scott Benner (0:00) Hello, friends. (0:01) Welcome to the Juice Box podcast. (0:03) Happy holidays to everyone juggling carbs, cookies, and the chaos of this season.

Kelly (0:16) My name is Kelly. (0:18) I live in Illinois. (0:19) I've been a type one diabetic for thirty eight years. (0:23) I recently had what is called a porcine islet transplant. (0:27) I am about a month out now, joined a clinical trial.

Kelly (0:30) I'm excited to talk about that, today.

Scott Benner (0:34) The podcast contains so many different series and collections of information that it can be difficult to find them in your traditional podcast app sometimes. (0:42) That's why they're also collected at juiceboxpodcast.com. (0:46) Go up to the top. (0:47) There's a menu right there. (0:48) Click on series, defining diabetes, bold beginnings, the pro tip series, small sips, Omnipod five, Ask Scott and Jenny, Mental Wellness, Fat and Protein, Defining Thyroid, After Dark, Diabetes Variables, Grand Rounds, Cold Win, Pregnancy, Type two Diabetes, GLP Meds, The Math Behind Diabetes, Diabetes Myths, and so much more.

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Kelly (2:37) My name is Kelly. (2:38) I live in Illinois. (2:40) I've been a type one diabetic for thirty eight years. (2:44) I recently had what is called a porcine islet transplant. (2:48) I am about a month out now, joined a clinical trial.

Kelly (2:51) I'm excited to talk about that, today.

Scott Benner (2:53) Awesome. (2:54) Kelly from Illinois. (2:56) You're Kellinois. (2:58) Now we're 30 did you say thirty eight years?

Kelly (3:02) Thirty eight years. (3:03) How old?

Scott Benner (3:03) How old are you now?

Kelly (3:05) 45.

Scott Benner (3:06) Wow.

Kelly (3:07) I was diagnosed just before, just before I started third grade.

Scott Benner (3:11) Okay. (3:12) Alright. (3:13) Do you remember much about it?

Kelly (3:15) So we were living in South Florida at the time. (3:18) I remember being in second grade and just having all the classic symptoms. (3:21) Right? (3:22) Frequent urination. (3:23) Just excessive thirst was probably the one I remember the most.

Kelly (3:27) My parents started to notice that I was losing weight. (3:30) And at one point, I was starting to lose some hair. (3:33) So they took me to the doctor, and, they, of course, did the blood did the blood test, and it was off the charts. (3:40) I don't think that the machine could've you know, the glucose monitor could read it back then. (3:44) So the next move was to the hospital.

Kelly (3:46) So I missed the beginning of third grade, I think, by two weeks. (3:50) But, yeah, I remember that day very vividly. (3:53) It's obviously very traumatizing being a kid Yeah. (3:57) And then having to learn how to take shots and all of that. (4:00) My parents, thank god for them, I mean, were amazing and and really did a lot of this in the beginning.

Kelly (4:06) I don't even know that I actually took my own insulin syringe for probably a year or so after diagnosis. (4:11) My parents were just very heavily involved. (4:13) So but, yeah, I'm I'm glad that those days were over and the lack of technologies, which we had nothing back then. (4:20) Mhmm. (4:20) Compared to now, I don't know how we made it through the eighties and the nineties, to be honest.

Kelly (4:25) It's very diff you know, very difficult time to be a diabetic, I think.

Scott Benner (4:28) Yeah. (4:29) What do you think the biggest change is? (4:31) Like, not just like, don't tell me it's a CGM or it's this. (4:34) Like, what is it for you personally? (4:35) Like, what has changed for the better for people with type one diabetes?

Kelly (4:39) Well, know, when I think about how we manage diabetes in the eighties and nineties, it just seems like a it's I mean, in retrospect, it seems like it was a disaster back then. (4:49) I mean, your your parents were handed a sliding scale to figure out, you know, how much insulin you're gonna need for carbs and all of this. (4:57) And, I think we took two shots a day back then. (5:00) There was no testing of blood sugar through, like, maybe as aggressively as we should have throughout the day. (5:05) I think we just did it before and after meals, and that was it.

Kelly (5:08) So it's the not not knowing, right, what your blood sugar is. (5:11) Like, we can just look down look down at our CGM and and see that, you know, right away. (5:16) I I I just could sometimes think it's amazing that we live through all of that because we just didn't have access to what we have access to now. (5:24) Yeah. (5:25) It almost seems like on some level, it wasn't, really the safest back then.

Kelly (5:29) You know?

Scott Benner (5:30) But what you it's what you had, though. (5:31) Right? (5:31) I mean, it's not

Kelly (5:32) like It's all we had. (5:33) Yeah.

Scott Benner (5:34) And so health wise, when you think of yourself at 20, did you think of yourself as unhealthy?

Kelly (5:43) I don't think I ever thought of myself as unhealthy, but I even in my twenties think that my level of care probably wasn't what it is now because being a college student, you know, I I don't think I was as focused. (5:56) I mean, I remember going to bed thinking, oh, I really should test my blood sugar, and I wouldn't. (6:00) You know? (6:00) And so we didn't have CGMs when I was in college either. (6:05) So, you know, there there were definitely some moments that gave me some wake up calls back then.

Kelly (6:12) I can remember one time waking up, and somehow I found myself in the basement of our home, but it was like I woke up as if I had just come out of a severe low glucose. (6:23) I was like, why am I sitting here? (6:25) What am I doing? (6:26) And so it was moments like that that really forced me to take better care of myself. (6:31) I'd say probably around the age of 25, I just got really serious about, okay.

Kelly (6:35) I need to go on an insulin pump, but I need to I need I need to make sure that I'm really taking care of myself. (6:39) I don't wanna wake up on the Basement Floor, you know, Mhmm. (6:42) Not really knowing where I am, what I'm doing, and somehow I miraculously came out of that on my own.

Scott Benner (6:48) What do you think happened at 25?

Kelly (6:50) I can only imagine it was another severe low. (6:53) Like, I never had to go to the hospital for a low. (6:55) There was one time where my father did drive me to the hospital, but I woke up kind of out of that state in the car. (7:02) And I remember thinking, what are we doing? (7:05) Where are we going?

Kelly (7:06) I'm in my pajamas. (7:07) I had a a little glass of juice in my lap, and my father says, you're not acting right. (7:11) I have to take you to the hospital. (7:12) I said, no. (7:13) I'm fine.

Kelly (7:14) Turn around. (7:14) I made him turn around. (7:16) But I think it was one of those moments, and maybe it was that moment, that just made me realize, like, you've gotta stop this. (7:22) Like, you've gotta figure out how to take better care of yourself or you're, you know, you're not gonna live with this. (7:27) You know?

Kelly (7:28) And I don't think I was ever I don't think I I would ever, like, fully neglected my diabetes. (7:32) I just think there were moments where I got very lazy with it, and that's what led, you know, to those sort of episodes. (7:37) So right around, I'd say, age of 25, I got serious and never had any any issues like that again.

Scott Benner (7:43) Yeah. (7:44) Do you have context for they say it takes into your mid twenties for your brain to fully form for you to be, like, you know, kind of a a a complete person. (7:53) So you had some impacts that kinda snapped you right, and then you got yourself together and never went back. (7:59) It didn't go backwards on you.

Kelly (8:01) Yeah. (8:02) Exactly.

Scott Benner (8:02) Awesome. (8:03) Were you married at that point or dating seriously? (8:05) Anything like that?

Kelly (8:06) I mean, I was so I mean, I graduated college around '22, and I got a job right away. (8:13) So, no, I didn't actually get married till I was about 33.

Scott Benner (8:16) Mhmm. (8:17) And

Kelly (8:17) I have two children and I had very successful pregnancies despite type one, I'm very grateful for that.

Scott Benner (8:23) Nice.

Kelly (8:24) You know, I think just having diabetes for thirty eight years, you know, it's even though I almost don't know life any other way because I've had this since I was, you know, seven years old, it's still a burden, I I feel. (8:37) I think it's just, you know, you can never, like, take a step away from diabetes. (8:41) And I think that's what led me down the path of trying to explore what clinical trials are out there. (8:46) And it really took me moving to Illinois. (8:48) I mean, I lived in the Northern Virginia area for about thirty three years.

Kelly (8:53) Never really researched this. (8:56) I had heard about different things happening, but didn't get really serious about researching until I moved. (9:01) So when I moved to Illinois, last year, I was amazed to discover that there are several research hospitals in the Chicago area as well as one in Madison, Wisconsin, and all of them had been doing islet transplants for years, I mean, decade plus. (9:17) And I thought, this is incredible. (9:18) How come I never knew this?

Kelly (9:20) So I contacted all of them and was trying to see if I would be a candidate for a clinical trial. (9:27) So at first, the first one, one of I would say one of the hospitals I didn't qualify because, you know, all the criteria is different for all the studies, obviously. (9:38) So some, have to have a certain blood type, which I didn't have. (9:41) Others, you know, there are BMI requirements, and things like that. (9:46) I was able to get in touch with the University of Illinois in Chicago.

Kelly (9:50) The first path I tried to go down was the islet cells where they harvest the cells from a cadaver pancreas. (9:57) That didn't work out because we actually had to go through insurance for that. (10:01) That that particular one wasn't even considered a clinical trial. (10:04) Like, they've been doing this

Scott Benner (10:05) Mhmm.

Kelly (10:06) For years. (10:07) And so if your insurance covers the procedure, you can, you know, have this done. (10:11) Fortunately, my, my insurance company told me they don't cover islet cells, and I almost laughed.

Scott Benner (10:16) I was like, oh, of course, you won't cover

Kelly (10:17) a cure. (10:18) I'm like, why would we do that? (10:20) Because my understanding is you leave hospital, and you're essentially not diabetic anymore. (10:25) I mean, it it works that fast. (10:26) Right?

Kelly (10:27) It's it's incredible. (10:29) So, downside, obviously, to doing the cadaver route is you do have to take immunosuppressant drugs, the rest of your life. (10:36) So there is, you know, there are some pros and cons to be weighed there, of course. (10:40) So after that kinda fell apart, I waited, and I was back in touch with the University of Illinois again and learned that they were gonna have another they were gonna actually have a clinical trial opening up in I in August of of this year. (10:56) And I was able to get in touch with the research team, and they said that they thought I might be a good candidate.

Kelly (11:01) So we went out, and I had all kinds of tests done. (11:05) And they said, that I qualified. (11:10) And so I had my transplant surgery on October 14, and what made this different was that this particular study, they took islet cells from pigs. (11:24) So it's porcine islets. (11:26) This has been, effective in primate studies, but we haven't really studied this enough in humans.

Kelly (11:33) I'm actually the second person in The United States to do a porcine eyelid, which is pretty remarkable.

Scott Benner (11:39) It

Kelly (11:41) has been done in other countries. (11:43) I think New Zealand was one of the first. (11:45) It's been done in Argentina, Germany, the list goes on, but it's it's still being studied. (11:50) So this is a, you know, this is an efficacy and safety study. (11:53) So I got a certain amount of porcine islets, and the surgeon believed that in a couple of weeks here, I should start to see some changes in insulin requirements.

Kelly (12:02) So that's very exciting. (12:03) Whether this is going to lead to full insulin independence is still unknown. (12:10) It certainly is a possibility, but we just don't know.

Scott Benner (12:13) So okay. (12:14) Let me ask a couple of questions.

Kelly (12:15) Sure.

Scott Benner (12:17) Me start at the beginning here so I can piece my way through it. (12:19) How long ago did you have the procedure?

Kelly (12:21) On October 14.

Scott Benner (12:22) Okay. (12:23) So that's a month ago.

Kelly (12:24) Yes.

Scott Benner (12:24) Okay. (12:25) And they give you it's pig cells cells from a pig. (12:32) Okay. (12:32) Yes. (12:32) You need anti rejection meds for that?

Kelly (12:34) You do not. (12:35) That's what makes this

Scott Benner (12:36) Why is that?

Kelly (12:37) So different. (12:38) So the cells are encapsulated

Scott Benner (12:40) Oh, okay.

Kelly (12:41) Which you've probably heard

Scott Benner (12:42) of that. (12:43) Right?

Kelly (12:43) Yeah. (12:44) That that's why.

Scott Benner (12:45) So it's in in one of those pouches?

Kelly (12:47) It's actually not in a pouch. (12:49) So this also fascinated me. (12:50) That's what I thought we were gonna do. (12:52) I actually thought they'd be in a pouch. (12:53) They put them in your, Omentum, which I had to Google.

Kelly (12:57) I didn't even know this was a body part that we had. (12:59) Okay? (12:59) So this is a little, like, fatty tissue in the upper abdomen area, and it kinda drapes over your intestines like a curtain or an apron.

Scott Benner (13:08) K.

Kelly (13:10) This area is being utilized for islet cell well, I don't know about cadaver, but certainly for porcine. (13:18) It's a protected area and, rich in blood supply, and, it's it's known to be an area that that I guess, these cells can thrive. (13:28) So that's why they're starting to to do them in the momentum.

Scott Benner (13:30) Okay. (13:32) So they put them in there, and it's been a month. (13:35) Have you have you noticed any difference at all? (13:41) You've probably heard me talk about US Med and how simple it is to reorder with US Med using their email system. (13:48) But did you know that if you don't see the email and you're set up for this, you have to set it up.

Scott Benner (13:52) They don't just randomly call you. (13:53) But I'm set up to be called if I don't respond to the email because I don't trust myself, a 100%. (14:00) So one time, I didn't respond to the email And the phone rings at the house. (14:04) It's like, ring, you know how it works. (14:06) And I picked it up.

Scott Benner (14:07) Was like, hello? (14:07) And it was just the recording. (14:08) It was like, US Med. (14:10) Doesn't actually sound like that, but you know what I'm saying. (14:12) It said, hey, you're, I don't remember exactly what it says.

Scott Benner (14:14) But it's basically like, hey, your order's ready. (14:16) You want us to send it? (14:17) Push this button if you want us to send it. (14:19) Or if you'd like to wait, I think it it lets you put it off, like, a couple of weeks or push this button for that. (14:24) That's pretty much it.

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Kelly (16:05) Not yet. (16:06) But they told me that I shouldn't really see any changes for about six weeks.

Scott Benner (16:11) Six weeks.

Kelly (16:11) And so I to be honest, I haven't seen anything yet. (16:15) So I'm just it's sort of like diabetes as usual. (16:17) Right? (16:18) I haven't seen any change just yet.

Scott Benner (16:20) My gosh. (16:21) But you're the second person. (16:23) So I was gonna say if you talked to anybody else that's had it done, but there was one other person.

Kelly (16:27) One other person, in The US study. (16:30) Yes. (16:30) And if you look at the studies that have happened overseas, they're mixed in terms of success rates. (16:36) Right? (16:36) So, you know and each study was slightly different, so the the goals of each study are are different.

Kelly (16:42) But this clearly is an an area that is still being, well, you know, studied. (16:47) We I don't know that anyone has gone to full insulin independence, but they certainly have had, success, you know, in the area of, like, better control after

Scott Benner (16:57) Mhmm.

Kelly (16:57) Meals. (16:58) Right? (16:58) Better like, less spikes after eating, things like that. (17:01) So

Scott Benner (17:03) Have there been any changes? (17:04) If I yell suey, will you come running? (17:06) Anything like that? (17:08) Sorry. (17:08) That's a that's a bad pig joke.

Scott Benner (17:11) How long was the procedure? (17:13) How long was it to recover from it?

Kelly (17:15) This was a very easy surgery. (17:17) So it was done, laparoscopically. (17:19) They made four tiny incisions, probably a centimeter, around my abdomen. (17:24) They sort of said, imagine, like, a funnel. (17:26) Right?

Kelly (17:26) They're funneling the cells into your omentum, and, and that was it. (17:31) And I was in the hospital for two days. (17:33) Recovery was very easy. (17:35) I didn't need any pain medicine. (17:36) I may have taken an ibuprofen on, you know, the first day after it was released, but nothing beyond that.

Scott Benner (17:41) Really like that. (17:42) Just easy. (17:42) What's the doctor's name?

Kelly (17:44) So the doctor, the transplant surgeon that did my surgery is doctor D'Coco. (17:50) He was amazing. (17:52) And, really, the entire research team there is amazing. (17:55) I still go in once a week for follow-up care, so they do a lot of blood work. (17:59) They're also doing, like, C peptide tests, right, to see if there's any activity and things like that.

Kelly (18:04) So I'll be going to every other week appointments pretty soon. (18:08) But, yeah, I'll be I'll be followed essentially the rest of my life as part of this study.

Scott Benner (18:12) So gonna say what's your responsibility to the study after that?

Kelly (18:17) So the visits will slow down a little bit. (18:20) You know, maybe it'll be once a month for a while, and then eventually, think it may be even twice a year or something like that. (18:26) But, yes, I will be closely monitored for the rest of my life.

Scott Benner (18:30) Okay. (18:31) Can you tell me have you given thought to if you wake up six weeks in, eight weeks in, twelve weeks in, there's no change. (18:39) Do you think you'll be disappointed, or do you think you'll have just been happy to help?

Kelly (18:43) You know, of course, there'll be, like, a little disappointment, but I I went into this knowing that there's a big question mark around whether this is gonna work fully. (18:53) My hope is that maybe this will lead to, you know, more opportunities for other type ones. (19:00) I mean, certainly in the cell therapy space, there's so much being done. (19:03) It's incredible. (19:04) I really didn't know until I spent I mean, I spent probably about three or four months just diving into all the hospitals in my area that were doing islet cell transplants, and I just couldn't believe how much I didn't know.

Kelly (19:15) So there's a lot happening. (19:17) I met I also met I don't know if you've heard of doctor Oberholzer. (19:22) He's a Swiss transplant surgeon who's been heavily involved in the University of Illinois in Chicago. (19:28) He's the one that started the diabetes I'm sorry, the Chicago Diabetes Project, which you may have heard of.

Scott Benner (19:33) I have. (19:33) Yeah.

Kelly (19:34) Yeah. (19:34) He did his first eyelid transplant in 1996, and I've read a lot about him. (19:39) I've just been so amazed by his work, which has been solely focused on

Scott Benner (19:44) a

Kelly (19:44) cure, like finding a cure, developing cures. (19:47) So this is his his whole life's work. (19:49) Well, he happened to be in Chicago while I was there and came just walked into my hospital room the day of surgery, and I couldn't believe it. (19:58) I was like, wow. (19:59) You're here.

Kelly (20:00) It's like, I had no idea he was gonna be there. (20:02) So it was wonderful to meet him and talk to him about these procedures and just all that is being done in the islet space. (20:09) It's it's really amazing. (20:11) So I I do believe that there'll be a cure for us in the near future. (20:14) I know a lot of people think that's just not that'll never happen.

Kelly (20:17) But these cell based therapies, there's so much happening right now in this space that I I think it will be available to most of us in the future.

Scott Benner (20:24) No. (20:24) That'd be crazy. (20:25) Yeah. (20:27) What what did you have to do to qualify? (20:29) Is there anything that would have disqualified you?

Kelly (20:32) Yes. (20:33) So each study has, you know, slightly different criteria. (20:36) This one, you had to meet certain things. (20:38) And I I I don't recall the entire list, but I know a big one was, like, hypoglycemia. (20:45) Like, if you don't feel when you're low, that certainly is a is a factor that that helped me qualify because I I do think I have lost sensitivity over the years, which is not uncommon when you've had diabetes for a long time.

Kelly (20:59) I could be, you know, out doing some activity, and maybe I don't recognize this. (21:04) I don't feel it right right away. (21:06) I'm waiting like, have to wait for the CGM to alert me.

Scott Benner (21:09) Mhmm.

Kelly (21:09) So that's certainly not a a great thing. (21:11) There's some other factors, like, you have to make you have to be a certain weight, you know, and BMI is a factor in these studies, and a couple of other things. (21:21) But but each each one, like I said, has has slightly different criteria.

Scott Benner (21:25) Yeah. (21:26) Okay. (21:26) Alright. (21:27) What made you wanna come on the podcast, actually? (21:29) Like, that that's interesting because you you scheduled this, and you don't know what the outcome's gonna be yet.

Scott Benner (21:35) So Yeah. (21:35) What's what's your hope in in talking to people?

Kelly (21:37) Well, what I was hoping to to share is that there is a lot there's a lot of work being done right now trying to develop a cure for diabetes. (21:46) It's been and it's been going on for many, many years, and I I just think that there are a lot of type ones like me out there who thought, I'm gonna have this forever. (21:54) You know? (21:55) Yes. (21:55) There's studies being done, but that's never going to apply to me.

Kelly (21:59) It's not something I'm ever gonna be able to participate in. (22:01) And I would encourage type ones to really especially if you live in close to a big city like Chicago or and I'm and, I mean, these are being done all over the country. (22:10) University of Miami does islets. (22:12) I believe the University of Virginia does islets. (22:14) So this is happening all over the country, I think even UCLA.

Kelly (22:18) Just do your research. (22:20) And if it sounds like something you'd be interested in participating in and maybe you'd have the opportunity for a little bit of a break from diabetes, you know, you'd be surprised. (22:30) I didn't think that I was gonna qualify for any of these. (22:33) I do feel fortunate that I was able to get into one. (22:36) And even if it, know, let's say, only works 50% of the expectation.

Kelly (22:41) Right? (22:41) Like, maybe I don't have full insulin independence, but even to get kind of that break from, okay. (22:46) I can eat a meal, I don't

Scott Benner (22:47) have to worry about where am I gonna be two hours from now or three hours from now.

Kelly (22:51) Right? (22:52) Like, just having, just a little bit of a break from type one would be absolutely amazing for me.

Scott Benner (22:57) Let's talk about that a little bit. (22:59) After nearly four decades of type one diabetes, like right? (23:02) Like, what is it about your experience that made you think, I'm just gonna go ask somebody to cut my belly open and stuff some some pig cells in here and see if that doesn't help me? (23:13) You know what I mean? (23:13) Like

Kelly (23:13) Like, what encouraged me to go this route?

Scott Benner (23:16) Yeah. (23:17) What's the long term implications that make you think of because there are people out there who've done transplants. (23:22) Right? (23:23) Like, often they're in in poor health and maybe makes more sense. (23:26) But even when you tell somebody, like, you have to go on immunosuppressant, like, that's a big thing.

Kelly (23:31) It

Scott Benner (23:31) is. (23:31) And to have somebody hear all the possible side effects and problems with being on an immunosuppressant and then them still say, like, yeah. (23:38) Let's do it. (23:39) Like, something's had to have happened and happened over and over again that makes them say, like, well, let's just throw caution to the wind and try this thing now. (23:46) I'm wondering Yeah.

Scott Benner (23:47) About that for you.

Kelly (23:49) I think for me, it's just there is a certain level of exhaustion with living with this. (23:53) Right? (23:54) I wanna be able to just go on the, you know, Peloton and not have to worry about, am I gonna drop low, or am I gonna have to eat before, you know, I get on the bike? (24:03) And it's just all of those decisions that you're making all day long can be so exhausting. (24:08) And I understand why people, you know, say they have diabetes burnout.

Kelly (24:12) I think that's a very real thing for a lot of us, especially when we've had it for, you know, in my case, nearly four decades.

Scott Benner (24:17) For sure.

Kelly (24:18) You know, I'm in great health. (24:19) I've had no complications from diabetes. (24:21) Thank goodness. (24:22) But but it's just it's just one of those things where it's it's It's enough already. (24:26) Full time job.

Scott Benner (24:27) Yeah. (24:27) Like, that's enough of this. (24:29) I'm good.

Kelly (24:29) Yes. (24:30) It's like, sign me up for one of these, you know, options. (24:33) Let's see if this works. (24:35) I I'll be honest. (24:36) I think I probably would have gone down the route too of doing the cadaver eyelets had I qualified or, you know, had my insurance been willing to pay for the procedure just because I would love to know what life is like without this.

Scott Benner (24:48) You know? (24:49) You're you're just desirous of anything happening that's different. (24:52) Seriously. (24:53) Yeah. (24:53) You're just like like, okay.

Scott Benner (24:54) I'm ready for something different now. (24:55) Let let's be done. (24:56) Yeah. (24:56) Yeah. (24:56) So would you try something again?

Scott Benner (24:58) Like, say this doesn't work. (25:00) Would and they called you six months from now and they're like, hey. (25:02) We got a, I don't know, dog sells this time. (25:05) Let's go again. (25:06) Would you be like, like, right on.

Scott Benner (25:07) Let's go.

Kelly (25:08) Yeah. (25:09) I think if I absolutely would consider it again. (25:13) I mean, in this case, I felt like the worst case scenario with this procedure is that it just doesn't work. (25:17) Right? (25:17) There were no I didn't have to you know, you always wanna weigh the the risks and the benefits of these things, of course.

Kelly (25:25) But, yeah, I think if it's the right procedure, as I felt this one was, I probably would consider it again.

Scott Benner (25:31) Yeah. (25:31) Plus that curly tail is not that bad. (25:34) I

Kelly (25:36) my kids would have loved probably if I dressed up as a a pig this year

Scott Benner (25:40) for Halloween. (25:41) Are they are they how old are your kids?

Kelly (25:43) 11 and four.

Scott Benner (25:45) Oh, 11 and four? (25:46) Yeah. (25:47) Look at you. (25:47) You had one when you got married and one after a wedding where you got drunk. (25:52) What happened there?

Scott Benner (25:52) Was it No.

Kelly (25:53) No? (25:53) You know, after my first, I I just thought I was good with one child. (25:58) I really didn't think I was gonna have any more kids. (26:01) And then, you know, after they maybe she was around five years old. (26:05) I think you forget how hard it is in the beginning.

Scott Benner (26:08) I haven't forgotten.

Kelly (26:09) You're like,

Scott Benner (26:09) you know, I

Kelly (26:09) can do this again.

Scott Benner (26:11) I haven't forgotten. (26:12) I have a I have a kid with diabetes. (26:14) I I I'm I'm aware every day. (26:17) She somebody said to me recently, like, you know, what is it you're waiting for? (26:21) And I was like, for her to get to 25.

Scott Benner (26:22) I because it's funny that you said 25 because I I mean, all the stuff you've just talked about. (26:27) Right? (26:27) That happens to everybody. (26:29) Happens to my daughter. (26:30) It's gonna happen to if you're listening, it's gonna happen to your kid.

Scott Benner (26:33) Like, there are people who I think outwardly appear to be handling it better, but I don't know that it doesn't impact everybody the same way even if they don't show it. (26:42) And Yeah. (26:43) You know, and, it's just there's parts of diabetes that Arden just skates through. (26:48) And there's Yes. (26:49) And there's parts of it and I and I don't even know if I should say diabetes, like autoimmune.

Scott Benner (26:53) Like and there's parts of it that, like, are hard for. (26:56) And Absolutely. (26:57) And and, you know, and it just it's I don't know what to do. (27:00) Like, you know, you so you try to be supportive, but people aren't always ready for that. (27:04) You you know, you can't force people to you can't force people to do anything.

Scott Benner (27:09) Mhmm. (27:09) You know, you it's easier when they're kids because you say, like, here, do the thing and I'm taller than you, so do it. (27:15) And they're like, right on. (27:17) And then they just do it. (27:18) Right?

Scott Benner (27:18) But people start to grow and, you know, they their own struggles and and their own mindset and suddenly, you're you're just an you're an opinion. (27:27) You're not a Mhmm. (27:29) You're not the end all be all anymore. (27:31) So anyway, yeah, I say keep them little because they're easier that way.

Kelly (27:34) And I think maybe that was one benefit to getting type one as a child. (27:38) And granted, I don't wish this upon anyone, especially children, but, you know, it's it's it's as if I don't really know life any other way. (27:46) Right? (27:46) I've had this for so, so long. (27:49) But I because of that, I I like I said, I am I'm just open to you know, if there are if there is the possibility to get rid of it, I I'm certainly open to it.

Scott Benner (28:00) Well, sure. (28:01) Because you're sure you don't have an experience to know it another way, but you can imagine it another way.

Kelly (28:06) Absolutely.

Scott Benner (28:06) You look at other people who don't have it and you go, that seems better.

Kelly (28:09) That would be nice.

Scott Benner (28:10) Yeah. (28:10) Yeah. (28:10) Right. (28:11) Yeah. (28:12) And your husband did your husband have any autoimmune issues or anything going on with him?

Kelly (28:15) None. (28:16) And there's really none in my family either.

Scott Benner (28:18) Really?

Kelly (28:18) There I don't have any cousins or siblings. (28:22) No one has type one, so that's just a mystery. (28:25) Celiac. (28:25) No celiac.

Scott Benner (28:27) Eczema. (28:29) No. (28:29) The the Michael Jackson thing, vitiligo. (28:32) No. (28:32) Raynaud's, cold hands.

Scott Benner (28:33) Anybody have RA? (28:35) No. (28:36) I'll be damned. (28:36) I know. (28:37) You just got super wonder.

Scott Benner (28:39) So what

Kelly (28:39) was the trigger? (28:40) Was it a virus? (28:41) You know, some environmental factor? (28:43) You it will never know. (28:45) Right?

Scott Benner (28:45) Did you have a virus before you were diagnosed?

Kelly (28:47) I certainly don't remember if I did.

Scott Benner (28:50) Yeah. (28:50) It would be like a nothing before you had diabetes, nobody paid attention to health. (28:54) You're either sick or you were getting better or you're Yes. (28:56) Or you weren't sick. (28:57) Nobody was, like, tracking anybody's health in this in the eighties.

Scott Benner (29:00) Yeah. (29:01) Yeah.

Kelly (29:01) I don't I certainly don't remember Yeah. (29:03) What could you know, a virus or what else could have possibly triggered it.

Scott Benner (29:07) Yeah. (29:07) No. (29:07) I hear you. (29:08) Okay. (29:09) So oh, Do you ever think about testing your kids for autoantibodies?

Kelly (29:15) I do. (29:16) I've done the trial net. (29:18) In fact, I did it when they were both two, and I just ordered the kits again. (29:23) They there was a period of time, I guess, where you could not get the kits. (29:27) I think there was maybe had something to do with fund the lack of funding in this study, but now they're available again.

Scott Benner (29:32) Yeah.

Kelly (29:32) So I was able to order them, and I'll do another. (29:34) Thankfully, they were negative when they were two, so I'm certainly hopeful they'll all you know, be negative again. (29:40) But yes. (29:41) I I think I'll probably always do trial med as long as I'm, you know, able to I don't I don't know how how often they recommend we do it. (29:49) That'll have to I'll have to look up again, but they they certainly will were willing to send the kits again.

Kelly (29:54) So I thought, okay. (29:55) Great. (29:55) Let's do it.

Scott Benner (29:56) Very nice. (29:56) So I'm glad you get a little peace of mind from that. (29:58) That's nice. (29:58) Yeah. (29:59) How do you manage right now?

Scott Benner (30:00) Are you a pump, CGM, MDI? (30:03) What do do?

Kelly (30:03) Omnipod five, and I'm using the Dexcom g six. (30:09) The hospital actually gave me a g seven, so the hospital and their research partner who was in Japan is so it's like a blinded CGM. (30:19) I can't see

Scott Benner (30:19) Right. (30:20) Right.

Kelly (30:20) The numbers or anything like that, but I am carrying their device around and It's recording. (30:25) Seven.

Scott Benner (30:25) Yeah. (30:26) And it's recording data for them. (30:27) They'll download it

Kelly (30:28) later. (30:28) Right.

Scott Benner (30:29) Yeah. (30:29) Yeah. (30:29) I remember those. (30:30) That's how you used to have to get a CGM, by the way. (30:32) Oh.

Scott Benner (30:33) Back in the day, you had to wear a blinded CGM, then they went back and looked at your numbers and then told you if you were allowed to have one.

Kelly (30:38) Oh my gosh. (30:39) Wow. (30:39) I remember that.

Scott Benner (30:40) Yeah. (30:40) That was that was fun. (30:41) We did that one, you know, where you're just, like, hoping somebody gets low so that you'll get an excuse to get deceased.

Kelly (30:48) Qualify?

Scott Benner (30:49) I mean, really. (30:50) And that's a horrible feeling. (30:51) Like, you slap it on, you're like, I hope she I hope these lows we keep telling her about happen while this thing's recording.

Kelly (30:56) Yeah.

Scott Benner (30:56) Obviously, we didn't make her low on purpose, but, like, it was like

Kelly (30:59) No. (31:00) These tools are so essential. (31:01) They they should never be a it's a shame, and I I won't go all political on you, but it's like every diabetic should be able to access the best technology that there is out there for this. (31:13) And I don't know how I lived so many years without a CGM.

Scott Benner (31:15) Well, obviously

Kelly (31:16) I it's really a miracle.

Scott Benner (31:17) How long have you had CGM and an algorithm? (31:19) Like, I mean

Kelly (31:20) With the algorithm, not that long. (31:22) Because before the Omnipod five came out, I was using whatever the first edition Omnipod was. (31:29) I didn't have the dash.

Scott Benner (31:31) Oh, you had the you had the old the original pod? (31:33) You went from the original pod to the five?

Kelly (31:35) Yes. (31:35) Really?

Scott Benner (31:36) Yeah. (31:36) What was that called?

Kelly (31:38) I forget what it was called. (31:39) Someone asked me this the other day. (31:41) I can't remember. (31:41) But I had that for probably a decade.

Scott Benner (31:44) Yeah. (31:46) Yeah. (31:46) How was your outcomes during that decade?

Kelly (31:49) You know what's funny? (31:51) My a one c was better on the old school one than it is on the Omnipod five, interestingly enough.

Scott Benner (31:57) Were you more focused on it?

Kelly (31:59) I wish I could tell you. (32:00) I think if there is a downside to the Omnipod five, in my opinion, is I do not like there are times where I think it does not correctly estimate or or predict that you're going low, and it will cut me off for, I think, far too long. (32:13) And then that sends you back up to, like, the January or January sometimes. (32:17) That particular feature is not my favorite.

Scott Benner (32:20) Okay.

Kelly (32:21) I didn't have that problem before. (32:23) You know, I would bolus and wait the two, three hours, and if I needed to correct again, I would. (32:28) But, yeah, I I think my my a one c has certainly been higher on the fives, which I bet I don't love.

Scott Benner (32:33) Okay. (32:34) Well, I think they're working on another version of it right now. (32:38) So I think it's in the testing phase.

Kelly (32:40) God. (32:40) That would be great.

Scott Benner (32:41) Yeah. (32:41) Like a like a two point o kind of a feeling. (32:44) Yeah. (32:44) But I was wondering, like, because it's telling you it's taking care of things now, are you not looking in on it as much and helping it? (32:53) Do you know what I mean?

Scott Benner (32:54) Like, do you ever just think, well, I probably need more insulin here. (32:56) I'll I'll bolus again, or do you just wait for it?

Kelly (32:59) I admit I am guilty of overriding some of the decisions that the vibe is making. (33:06) Mhmm. (33:07) And I love my endocrinologist. (33:08) He's amazing. (33:09) It sounds like you just have to trust it.

Kelly (33:11) You have to give it give it more time and but I I do. (33:14) I have moments where I'm like, okay. (33:16) I'm tired of this. (33:17) I'm tired of waiting. (33:18) I'm just gonna Yeah.

Kelly (33:19) Take a half unit or a unit and see where we land.

Scott Benner (33:21) I think you should, first of all. (33:22) But, like Yeah. (33:23) You know, at the same time, I was wondering if you weren't doing that. (33:26) But you are. (33:26) You're Yeah.

Scott Benner (33:27) I understand. (33:27) Involved. (33:28) Yeah. (33:28) Yeah.

Kelly (33:28) Manipulated at times. (33:30) Yeah.

Scott Benner (33:30) Is it easier? (33:32) Like, is it enough to take away whatever made you decide to do the cell transplant? (33:39) Like, you know, if if it gets better and better, you know, if these are

Kelly (33:42) Oh, yeah. (33:42) If it gets better, and I think there's a possibility. (33:45) So let's say in a month, I start seeing some changed insulin requirements, you know, meaning and and this is what's also being closely tracked by the hospital. (33:52) We go over how much you know, what is your daily insulin? (33:56) We'll look at it week to week because that's how we're gonna be able to tell if things are changing.

Kelly (34:00) Am I taking less insulin? (34:01) Right? (34:02) Are we seeing anything on a C peptide test? (34:04) Like, these sorts of things. (34:06) So if we start if the islets start doing their job and we're making insulin, I won't be taking as much, synthetic insulin.

Kelly (34:14) So maybe the Omnipod five will will work out even better for me in that situation.

Scott Benner (34:19) Right.

Kelly (34:19) But, yeah, time will will tell. (34:21) You know, I'll when the surgeon from Switzerland came to see me in the hospital, the one who I mentioned, runs the Chicago Diabetes Project, he mentioned to me that he that I should expect to see some change in six weeks. (34:35) So if that's the case, we're talking about two weeks from now.

Scott Benner (34:37) Two more weeks.

Kelly (34:38) So I'm excited to see if that's the case. (34:41) He certainly seemed confident that I was gonna see some level of change.

Scott Benner (34:44) So Yeah.

Kelly (34:45) That gives me hope. (34:46) He's also amazing, and I would recommend that every type one look him up and get to know him and look at the Chicago Diabetes Project. (34:53) His name is doctor Jose, Ober Bolzer. (34:56) He's just an amazing human being. (34:58) His entire life is is dedicated, towards developing cures.

Kelly (35:03) He runs in the Chicago, marathon every single year. (35:07) They raise money, and that money goes directly to Cure Focus Research. (35:11) And what I found amazing about him is he ran the Chicago marathon this year on a Sunday and comes to see me in the hospital two days later. (35:19) He just walked in my room, I was like, wow. (35:22) This is I had no idea that he was there, that he would even stop by to see me.

Kelly (35:26) So I was really, I was really taken aback by that.

Scott Benner (35:29) Oh, I don't know. (35:29) You're probably pretty famous in this. (35:31) You're the second person that did it with him.

Kelly (35:33) That was a really special, surprise, you know, to see him. (35:37) Felt, you know He probably opened

Scott Benner (35:39) that he probably opened that door and was like, oh, she's still alive. (35:41) Good. (35:41) That's awesome. (35:43) Oh, god.

Kelly (35:45) Yeah. (35:46) No. (35:46) I definitely feel a deep sense of gratitude to him and and really the entire transplant team in Chicago for their work because it's now they've done some amazing work, towards, you know, a cure for all of us.

Scott Benner (35:57) Did they give you any idea did they say, like, listen. (35:59) If this doesn't work, this is why it doesn't work. (36:02) Like, is there how much of this do they understand? (36:04) Or do you think they're just like, I wonder what's gonna happen now?

Kelly (36:07) Well, you know, they're so they there is data, from the studies that were done in other countries. (36:14) The first one, I think, was New Zealand. (36:16) So this is this was first done, I believe, in 2014.

Scott Benner (36:19) Mhmm.

Kelly (36:20) You know, they work with their their research partners in New Zealand and in Japan and probably other places. (36:25) So I know that this has been well studied. (36:27) It just hadn't hadn't been approved. (36:30) You know, they had to go through FDA approvals and what have you to be able to do this in The United States. (36:35) So this is the first time it's being done here.

Kelly (36:38) But, you know, it has been done elsewhere. (36:41) So it's and it's still being studied, so we really don't know.

Scott Benner (36:44) Do you know if it's ramping up? (36:45) Are they gonna start doing more people or more cells?

Kelly (36:49) Clinical trial is still open. (36:50) So as far as I understand, people could apply. (36:54) I'm not sure how many patients they're gonna recruit for this, and my understanding is that there's two phases. (36:59) So I'm in phase one, and we got a certain amount of islets. (37:02) Phase two, they're supposed to those patients are gonna get a little bit more islets.

Kelly (37:06) So, you know, this is all part of testing the safety and efficacy of these cells. (37:12) So I think this the second round of patients will get a, you know, a bigger batch of islets.

Scott Benner (37:17) Does the, the pig get the liver? (37:19) Do they

Kelly (37:20) So this is the part that I admit makes me sad.

Scott Benner (37:23) Oh, he's he's chop he has pork chops now? (37:25) Is that right?

Kelly (37:25) You know, because I I don't know, and don't quote me on this, but I had heard that somewhere between twelve and fifteen baby pigs are taken for one

Scott Benner (37:34) transplant. (37:34) So,

Kelly (37:35) you know,

Scott Benner (37:35) I know.

Kelly (37:36) And I do I I have a soft shopper animal, so, of course, it makes me feel bad. (37:40) And part of me is, like, I really wanna get rid of diabetes. (37:42) So I'm gonna touch on that issue right now. (37:45) Kelly's

Scott Benner (37:46) like, I could alright. (37:47) I'll do it. (37:48) She's like, I don't wanna kill him, but I'm okay with it. (37:50) I just Yeah.

Kelly (37:51) I know. (37:52) It took me a while to accept that this is what I this is the road we're we're taking. (37:56) Okay?

Scott Benner (37:56) Do you have any idea how they came up with pigs? (37:59) Like, why why pigs?

Kelly (38:00) Well, I know that that we have used pigs for other things. (38:05) You know, they do, heart valve replacements.

Scott Benner (38:07) Yeah. (38:07) No. (38:07) I just didn't know if

Kelly (38:08) they Yeah.

Scott Benner (38:09) Like, told you I you know what? (38:10) The the greatest thing about your story so far is that it feels like you just got to a point where you were like, pig stuff? (38:15) Whatever. (38:16) I'm not gonna ask a ton of questions here. (38:18) Like, let's go.

Scott Benner (38:19) Like, really?

Kelly (38:20) There may be some truths.

Scott Benner (38:22) Oh, no. (38:22) No. (38:22) I heard it. (38:23) Yeah. (38:23) You heard it in your voice a couple times.

Scott Benner (38:24) I heard in your voice at one point because you said something about, like, I had to look it up. (38:29) It it was about the omentum. (38:30) You're like

Kelly (38:30) The omentum. (38:31) I didn't even know we had that.

Scott Benner (38:33) You sat in a room and someone was like, we're gonna put some slices in you and stick some pig cells in your omentum. (38:37) And you were like, rock and roll. (38:38) Let's do it. (38:40) Sign me up. (38:41) I feel like if they would have said, we're gonna cut off your big toes and stick them in your ears, and it might lower your insulin needs, you would have been like, I'm okay.

Scott Benner (38:50) Yeah. (38:51) Tell you. (38:51) They're I

Kelly (38:51) would cons they're definitely I would consider a lot at this point.

Scott Benner (38:54) But that's the that's the part I still can't I don't feel like I've dug into. (38:58) I don't feel like I've gotten to it yet. (38:59) Like, why why? (39:01) Like, why do you feel that

Kelly (39:03) Why you wanna lose tabs?

Scott Benner (39:04) Great. (39:04) Aside of the obvious idea that I don't want you to have type one diabetes, and you don't want that, and I don't want my daughter to have like that. (39:10) That aside, but there's something fun you've been doing it for four decades. (39:15) Like, there's

Kelly (39:15) something burnout. (39:16) You know? (39:17) You're tired you're tired of it. (39:18) I'm tired of making many decisions all day long about what to eat, how much insulin does it take. (39:24) Okay.

Kelly (39:24) I wanna exercise now. (39:25) But if I lift weights, I'm gonna go high. (39:27) If I do cardio, I'm gonna go low. (39:29) Do I need to eat a snack before this? (39:30) Does that have do I have to accompany that with protein to keep the blood sugar stable?

Kelly (39:34) It's like all those many decisions are just so exhausting all day long.

Scott Benner (39:37) Okay. (39:37) It's just you've done it one too many times.

Kelly (39:40) Oh, yeah.

Scott Benner (39:40) Like but it's the repetition of something. (39:43) Right? (39:43) Like, it just

Kelly (39:43) Of course. (39:44) It's the repetition. (39:45) And I just go back to, you know, wouldn't it be great to just have this burden, you know, lifted? (39:50) It's like it is a burden. (39:52) It's it's another, you know, you have a full time job.

Kelly (39:55) You're a mom. (39:56) And then, you know, I feel like diabetes is often your third, you know, full time job.

Scott Benner (40:00) Right. (40:00) Right. (40:00) Right.

Kelly (40:01) Really is. (40:01) And it's

Scott Benner (40:02) I hear it. (40:03) I hear you.

Kelly (40:03) And look. (40:04) We have technology that is amazing. (40:06) Thank god. (40:06) We're not where I was in the eighties and nineties with nothing, right, to manage us. (40:10) We have great tools now, which is wonderful.

Scott Benner (40:12) Yeah.

Kelly (40:13) But they certainly, you know, don't replace

Scott Benner (40:17) Yeah. (40:17) A normal life. (40:18) Just a regular life where you don't have to, like, think about this stuff. (40:21) So

Kelly (40:21) Yes.

Scott Benner (40:22) Dig into your personality for a second because I just got done recording with a lady who's I I asked her a similar question from a different perspective because she's just one of those people who's like, no. (40:31) It's all fine. (40:32) I'm good. (40:33) Like, you know what I mean? (40:33) Like, she's had it, like, fifteen years longer than you, and she's just and I I I as I spoke to her, was like, is that your personality?

Scott Benner (40:41) Have you always been upbeat like this, or do things not bother you? (40:44) Like, that guy so my question back to you is is, like, does this make sense with your personality, or is it just such a thing that's overpowering who you are even? (40:52) And you're just like, I have to get rid of this somehow.

Kelly (40:55) Oh, that's a tough one. (40:57) I just think I there's a part of me that has this desire to continue to pursue options. (41:03) So if there are options out there and then right now, it's clinical trial because I would have certainly taken the cadaver path, but doing that, I would have been on low dose immunosuppressants. (41:13) But to me, I felt like it still would be better than just the daily day to day, you know, management of diabetes. (41:20) I was really willing to go down that road.

Scott Benner (41:22) Part of this then for you is just a desire to continue looking. (41:27) Yeah. (41:28) Okay.

Kelly (41:28) Yeah. (41:28) And granted, I don't know what Good. (41:30) I'll be able to do in the future. (41:31) Right? (41:31) This I may not be able to I I don't know what will happen, let's say, a year or two years from now.

Kelly (41:36) Like, if this doesn't work, you know, do I do we do it again, or am I allowed to then pursue the other path? (41:42) I'm not really sure what the answer is there yet.

Scott Benner (41:45) Mhmm.

Kelly (41:46) But I certainly think I would be open to continuing to pursue cell based therapies. (41:51) You know, we they call these functional cures. (41:53) Right? (41:53) Because it's never gonna restart your pancreas. (41:56) That's never that's never gonna happen.

Kelly (41:57) But we have other they have other procedures that they can do that essentially will cure you of diabetes, and that they are these cell based therapies.

Scott Benner (42:08) Yeah. (42:08) I don't well, I'll tell you, like, I wonder when you said it's never gonna happen like that. (42:12) I wonder how it is gonna happen because things that seem disconnected now but maybe aren't completely. (42:19) Like, I I I witnessed a person going to GLP recently. (42:22) He doesn't have diabetes.

Scott Benner (42:23) Right? (42:23) But, like, just look at metabolically what happened to this person. (42:27) So much inflammation left their body and so many different impacts of inflammation. (42:31) Then you see type ones who take it who, you know, have a decrease in their insulin needs. (42:35) You know, like Yes.

Scott Benner (42:36) And then I think back to twenty years ago when I had some researcher on and kinda wondering out loud, are those beta cells in my pancreas, are they are they really gone? (42:47) Are they ruined? (42:48) Or is there just so much I remember these words. (42:50) There's there's just so much inflammation in there that they can't move. (42:53) They can't do what they're supposed to do.

Scott Benner (42:55) And and that's one of the things that somebody's been studying for a while. (42:58) Like, is it just all, like is it your immune system attacking? (43:03) Like, I don't know. (43:03) Like, I just wonder, like, is there a cocktail of things, or are you right? (43:07) Is it you have an autoimmune response.

Scott Benner (43:09) It is just too harsh. (43:11) Even if we could magically flip those beta cells back on, your immune system would come back in and be like, oh, no.

Kelly (43:16) Would come

Scott Benner (43:16) back and

Kelly (43:17) attack it.

Scott Benner (43:18) Yeah. (43:18) And grab them again. (43:19) Like, is this more about autoimmunity than it is about the pancreas? (43:23) Like, you know, I don't like I

Kelly (43:25) think it's all of that. (43:26) Sure.

Scott Benner (43:26) Yeah. (43:26) It's so much of it. (43:27) Right? (43:27) And and in the meantime, good people, like the ones you're dealing with, they're like, I'm gonna take this piece of it here and focus on this piece right here. (43:35) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (43:35) You know? (43:35) And I'm gonna work on cell therapy because, like you said, functionally I mean, honestly, if somebody could put four slits in your omentum by the way, we'd have to figure out where it is. (43:44) But after we find out where it is. (43:45) Right? (43:45) And we do this and that fixed it, then who the hell cares?

Kelly (43:50) Right.

Scott Benner (43:50) Really. (43:51) You know? (43:51) Like, you you still have other problems. (43:53) You still have an overactive immune system. (43:55) Like you said that if you take all this off your plate, then you just be back to having, like, regular people problems.

Kelly (44:01) Right.

Scott Benner (44:01) Seriously. (44:02) Without all the math and the worry and the low blood sugars and every other thing that comes with it.

Kelly (44:08) Yes. (44:08) No. (44:09) Absolutely. (44:10) And these cells, I mean, they're they're sort of, you know, in in a baby phase right now. (44:15) They're it's only been, what, four weeks.

Scott Benner (44:18) Yeah.

Kelly (44:18) So in the first few weeks, they're trying to survive, and they have to connect to your blood supply. (44:24) And so they're they're busy at work, so I've been told. (44:28) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (44:28) It's awesome.

Kelly (44:29) And if engraftment, you know, succeeds, they'll be able to produce a small, you know, some insulin. (44:34) So I don't know.

Scott Benner (44:35) Question for you.

Kelly (44:36) Yeah.

Scott Benner (44:37) If it starts to work. (44:38) Right? (44:38) Like, I always wake up in a couple days, you know, fourteen days from now, and you're like, hey. (44:43) I've got low overnight for no real reason. (44:45) I'm gonna turn my basal down.

Scott Benner (44:46) Like or, you know, like, that kind of thing happens, you start noticing you use less insulin. (44:50) Is there any reason you can't go back and go, hey, doc. (44:52) Why don't you shove some more of them in there? (44:54) Right?

Kelly (44:56) Well, unfortunately, I don't think it will work that way for me. (45:00) So their research partner I think the study was funded by a Japanese pharmaceutical company. (45:05) So they're obviously heavily involved in this. (45:08) And

Scott Benner (45:08) Oh, they need to track your progress.

Kelly (45:09) And I think even my blood, my the blood tests that I take every week get sent over to Japan for additional testing. (45:16) So it's kinda fascinating, but, yeah, they they certainly are in control of some of the decisions here. (45:22) So I don't know that they'll let me just go for round two right away.

Scott Benner (45:25) I interviewed a lady one time who did one of those, I think, the Vertex pouch or one of those pouches. (45:29) Yes. (45:30) So very nice. (45:31) And it was a blind study, so she didn't know if she you know, they didn't tell her if they act they actually opened her up, put a pouch in, didn't tell her if it had the cells in or not. (45:37) Oh

Kelly (45:38) my gosh. (45:38) Yeah.

Scott Benner (45:38) Right? (45:39) So she's out in front trying to help everybody out, which is awesome. (45:42) But she starts seeing a real decrease in her needs, her insulin needs. (45:45) But then they took the pouch back out. (45:47) And I told her, was like, I would have left the country.

Scott Benner (45:49) I would have been like, hey. (45:50) I know I said I wanted to be part of this, but you screw off. (45:53) I'm I'm I'm out of here. (45:54) You're not taking my pouch back. (45:56) Yeah.

Scott Benner (45:56) Ain't that crazy? (45:57) Because they had to take it back out again because that was the part in the study they were up to.

Kelly (46:01) Oh, see. (46:01) I don't know that I could do that.

Scott Benner (46:03) Yeah. (46:03) No. (46:03) I would I I told her I I would've I would've went to Mexico. (46:06) I would've been like, goodbye.

Kelly (46:07) There's no way.

Scott Benner (46:07) Yeah. (46:08) Sorry. (46:08) I'm leaving. (46:09) You're not taking my pouch. (46:10) Right.

Scott Benner (46:11) Yeah. (46:11) Right. (46:11) But I just think, like, in that same vein, you were nice enough to jump into this at this point. (46:18) And it would I'd feel personally sad for you if, like, two years from now, they realized they should've just given you, like, 18 more ounces of, you know, of of piggy stuff and that they still could give it to you, but you're part of, like, some studies so they can't change it for you. (46:31) So thank you from everybody listening.

Scott Benner (46:33) I we really appreciate that you did this. (46:35) It's awesome.

Kelly (46:36) Yeah. (46:36) No. (46:36) Absolutely. (46:37) I hope that it's you know, and I imagine I'll be in the research books, and I hope that this will help, you know, type ones, in the future so we can start to identify whether this is this is a path that will, you know, help all of us.

Scott Benner (46:50) Wouldn't it be awesome? (46:51) I mean, an outpatient procedure that you basically took an Advil to, like, get through the discomfort of it.

Kelly (46:58) Very easy surgery, really. (46:59) Yeah. (47:00) Were help. (47:00) Surgeries in my life, this was easy.

Scott Benner (47:02) If that were to help something or even be the beginning of something, it would just Yes. (47:05) It would just be incredible.

Kelly (47:07) Absolutely.

Scott Benner (47:08) When you think about the future with diabetes, if, let's say, you have a a decreased need and it does take away some of your decision making that has to happen during the day. (47:18) Can you imagine other ways to help yourself? (47:21) Like, have you, like, have you thought of, like, other things you could do to release the burden a little bit to help the burnout?

Kelly (47:28) No. (47:29) And I think that's a great question. (47:31) I I it's just always there. (47:34) You know, in some days, maybe it's you feel it more than others, but I think I struggle the most with you wanna go out. (47:42) There's certain meals that I know are not gonna be great for blood sugar management.

Kelly (47:47) So it's just, like, be so nice to just be able to go to a restaurant with your family and just order the meal that you want and not have any guilt or any worry or even, you know, be able to go take an exercise class and not sit here and have to do all these implement all these strategies to prevent yourself from going high or low. (48:03) You know? (48:03) I think just being able to remove all of that would be amazing.

Scott Benner (48:07) Talk about the guilt for a second. (48:08) What do you mean the guilt?

Kelly (48:09) I guess I'll give you just an example. (48:11) Like, if you're gonna go out to dinner with your family. (48:13) Right? (48:13) And so and we all know carb counting is it's it's not an exact science. (48:17) So there are certain meals I think I generally would avoid eating because I know they're going to be difficult, You know?

Kelly (48:24) No matter how well I do with the carb counting or pre bolusing, it just sometimes doesn't work. (48:29) Right? (48:29) Yeah. (48:30) You know, that's just another thing I think that frustrates me with them with diabetes is you just that's what happened to it. (48:35) Like, no.

Kelly (48:35) I'm not gonna do that or, you know, not gonna have ice cream with the kids. (48:39) We, you know, we take the kids out for ice cream. (48:40) I never get it. (48:41) Never. (48:42) Because I don't wanna deal with it.

Scott Benner (48:43) Yeah. (48:43) But the guilt is that you're not enjoying the ice cream with the kids in that scenario.

Kelly (48:49) Maybe the guilt is if you if you do partake. (48:52) Yeah. (48:52) If there's a time where you do partake in something that's, you know, gonna not be great for your blood sugar and then you're, like, feeling bad about it three or four hours later. (48:59) I think sometimes I do. (49:00) It's like, oh, why did I eat that?

Kelly (49:01) I knew I shouldn't have had that. (49:03) You know? (49:04) Like, some birthday cake, like, at someone's house. (49:06) That's a good example. (49:06) I had birthday cake recently, and I'm like, oh, just a tiny piece.

Kelly (49:09) It'll be fine. (49:10) No. (49:10) It wasn't fine.

Scott Benner (49:12) So the the guilt can come in a lot of different ways. (49:14) Like, so you could you could feel guilty for not partaking with your family. (49:17) You could feel guilty after your blood sugar goes up later. (49:21) You could feel you feel guilty because it's a thing we all have to talk about or deal with or even guilty then if you try to ignore it, then you feel guilty for ignoring it.

Kelly (49:31) Yeah. (49:31) No. (49:31) That's all that's that's true.

Scott Benner (49:33) Right? (49:33) Yeah. (49:34) Yes. (49:34) And I'm missing some examples too, would imagine.

Kelly (49:37) No. (49:38) I think we definitely deal with all of that as type ones. (49:41) I I think that's very accurate.

Scott Benner (49:43) Every day doesn't stop.

Kelly (49:44) Yeah. (49:45) It it never stops. (49:46) It's always there.

Scott Benner (49:47) Jeez. (49:48) I I'm sorry. (49:49) I just as my daughter gets older, I think more and more about these parts of it. (49:53) You know?

Kelly (49:54) Well, you know, I I it's and it's hard. (49:57) Look. (49:57) We all have our moments, our struggles with diabetes, but I think for the most part, I think a lot of us care about managing it. (50:07) Right? (50:08) We don't we don't wanna have problems.

Kelly (50:09) And so I'm thankful, knock on wood, that after three years, I don't have any health issues and I was able to have two successful pregnancies. (50:17) And I when I talk to parents that have young children that, like, just got diagnosed, you know, they just can't imagine, like, how are we gonna get through this? (50:25) And, like, what's gonna happen when they get older? (50:27) And it's like, oh, I'm like, you can do it. (50:29) It's it's not gonna be easy.

Kelly (50:31) Like, they can do every everything that a, you know, a nondiabetic, can do, whether it's, you know, certain sports. (50:38) We we can do all of it. (50:40) It's just that it it takes a it just takes a little more focus. (50:43) We've gotta, you know, closely manage our our sugars, and I know that that's not fun for any of us, but it's not like we we can't do you know? (50:51) No.

Scott Benner (50:51) You can do it. (50:52) It's just it's there's a human aspect of it that stops people from responding the way that that the the situation needs all the time. (51:00) Yeah. (51:01) You know? (51:01) So you have this I don't know if there's this duality happening.

Scott Benner (51:04) Right? (51:05) Like, you're like, I I can put all this effort into it, but then and I'm happy to put the effort in, but then the burnout and you can't put the effort in, and then your blood sugar gets higher, it bounces around, then you feel terrible physically, then you have the guilt that you didn't do something about it. (51:18) Like, Yeah. (51:18) I it creates an action, a a stillness where you're not doing anything all of a sudden on any front.

Kelly (51:24) I mean and all of that is true. (51:25) And I think to say that you feel like that every single day, I don't think I do, but, you know, you you absolutely have those moments that, you know, as a type one.

Scott Benner (51:35) Yeah. (51:36) And you don't wanna have them, like, in your neighbor's house while everybody's singing happy birthday. (51:40) Yeah. (51:40) Right. (51:41) Right.

Kelly (51:42) Or Right.

Scott Benner (51:43) Or, you know, Thanksgiving when your grandmother, you know, your your cousin's like, oh, she's not having pie. (51:50) And you're like, no. (51:50) Yeah. (51:51) Yeah. (51:51) I I what's something wrong with my pie?

Scott Benner (51:53) What's wrong with my pie, Kelly? (51:55) Yeah. (51:55) Yeah. (51:56) There's nothing wrong with it. (51:57) My I can't take the

Kelly (51:59) food away from you because they're like, you can't eat that.

Scott Benner (52:01) You can't the did the old ladies do that? (52:03) Did they

Kelly (52:03) Oh, yeah.

Scott Benner (52:04) Yeah. (52:04) Yeah. (52:05) Give me that. (52:06) You don't want that.

Kelly (52:07) Yeah.

Scott Benner (52:08) Well, they're probably right too. (52:10) Damn it. (52:10) But you're like

Kelly (52:11) We're like, we know we shouldn't have this, but, you know

Scott Benner (52:14) Oh my gosh.

Kelly (52:15) What do you know about pre bolusing? (52:16) I'm joking.

Scott Benner (52:17) Would it help you if oh god. (52:20) What would help you? (52:22) Could you throw some of it on your husband?

Kelly (52:25) I am all way. (52:25) Like, what I

Scott Benner (52:26) don't know. (52:26) You'd be like, dude, listen. (52:28) You're in charge of dinner bowl or something. (52:29) Like, get it, like because what what occurs to me it's gonna sound silly for a second, especially to adults, but just hang with me for a second. (52:35) When my kid was younger and didn't have any thoughts of her own, I could put her a b one c wherever the hell I wanted it.

Scott Benner (52:42) And I could do it effortlessly because I had a different motivation. (52:46) I'm not burned out. (52:47) I'm not carrying the burden she's carrying. (52:49) So I I have a little I have a little more mental space for it. (52:53) And when you put somebody else in because we're we're talking all the time about these algorithms.

Scott Benner (52:56) Right? (52:56) Like, what's the goal? (52:57) You're hoping one of them works so well one day that your blood sugar just sits at 90 and doesn't move very much.

Kelly (53:03) Right.

Scott Benner (53:03) We're all sitting around hoping that happens. (53:06) What if your husband could do that for you? (53:08) Like, what if he could alleviate a little bit of it at one meal or on, like, I don't know, or on the weekend or, there's no way you'd ever give control over it over to him. (53:17) But like

Kelly (53:17) I was just gonna say that probably would be

Scott Benner (53:19) my You're like you're like, you don't know this guy, but, like, it's it's a bad idea. (53:23) Oh. (53:23) But, like, if I came to your house and I was like, hey. (53:26) I'm gonna live there for a week. (53:27) I'll do all your bolusing.

Scott Benner (53:29) Like, don't you think at the end of the week, you'd be like, this was awesome.

Kelly (53:33) Well, you don't think see, I just think about there's a control piece to it too. (53:36) Right? (53:37) Like, I might feel strange that I can't take my whole bolus or see where my blood sugar is heading if I put all of that on someone else, and I'm like.

Scott Benner (53:47) Well, yeah. (53:48) But treat me like a robot for a second. (53:50) Let let's say it was a robot that showed up at your house, and it was making all the decisions for you. (53:54) Or that you you'd be would you be okay with that?

Kelly (53:57) Yeah. (53:58) If it could control all the highs and the lows and I didn't to think about anything, then yes.

Scott Benner (54:02) Then do you think that would make the burnout go away?

Kelly (54:04) Oh, sure. (54:05) It would. (54:05) Absolutely. (54:06) Okay. (54:06) You know, and as long as I don't need to worry about, you know, any bad hypoglycemia episodes and we're putting a robot in charge of all this, so that would be amazing.

Kelly (54:15) And maybe they could also use an insulin that works faster too. (54:18) We can throw that in.

Scott Benner (54:19) Why don't we teach it to vacuum? (54:20) Why don't we teach it to vacuum while we're at it? (54:23) That's all I'm That would

Kelly (54:24) be great.

Scott Benner (54:25) Well, goddamn right. (54:27) I hope that I'm doing a good job of picking through your psyche about this. (54:31) Like, I I wanna understand, like, I I get that you can feel guilty at times. (54:34) I get that you feel burnout. (54:36) I get that it sucks.

Scott Benner (54:36) Like, I understand all that, but I don't know that contextually people listening would be able to, like, figure out the why. (54:43) I I would imagine because the I think the way people's minds work is no matter what you say, someone's gonna say, yeah. (54:48) But, yeah. (54:49) But this Mhmm. (54:49) Yeah.

Scott Benner (54:50) But that Well, I

Kelly (54:50) had experienced some of that. (54:52) People were like, why would you wanna do a study? (54:54) Why would you wanna participate in something where you don't even know if this is gonna work? (54:58) Like, well, that's the whole point. (54:59) It's a clinical trial.

Scott Benner (55:01) Yeah. (55:01) We get if no if no one does it, we're never gonna find out.

Kelly (55:04) We're never gonna get anywhere if no one signs up for this, and I saw a benefit to me in this for sure. (55:10) I mean, based on what we've learned, the data from the other studies, and this certainly this is happening eleven years after the first porcine transplant. (55:21) So a lot has, you know, changed since that time, I would imagine. (55:24) I just thought I wanna be part of something that has the potential to change, you know, the future for for type one diabetics.

Scott Benner (55:32) Yeah. (55:32) No. (55:32) I said it before. (55:33) I'll say it again. (55:34) I I appreciate it.

Scott Benner (55:34) I think it's lovely that you did

Kelly (55:36) you.

Scott Benner (55:36) You should have responded to that person and said, what if there was a trial that would stop you from being a shithead? (55:40) Wouldn't you do it?

Kelly (55:43) They were like, why wouldn't you sign up for the other one? (55:46) The like, the why wouldn't you do the the cadaver islets? (55:50) It's a guarantee. (55:50) I said, well, yes. (55:51) I understand that, but, also, you know, there's immunosuppressants involved.

Kelly (55:55) Like, obviously, there are things you have to weigh in each of these studies.

Scott Benner (55:59) Immunosuppressants are no joke. (56:01) I've I've spoken to a number of people who've had to have transplants. (56:04) They wasn't, like, it wasn't the thing they decided. (56:06) They were only like, hey. (56:07) Let's try it.

Scott Benner (56:08) Like, it happened to them. (56:09) They had to do it, and that ain't easy. (56:12) And it it that's its own new problem. (56:14) Trust me. (56:14) You're burned out on that just as much as the other thing.

Scott Benner (56:17) Now you're gonna be burned out on something else and you're gonna have insulin. (56:19) And then by the way, I've also I've also interviewed people who've had three pancreases. (56:24) Wow. (56:25) They work and then they stop they give them another one and then it works and then it stops and they give them another like like that, you know, the I think people get confused sometimes. (56:35) They think medicine is television.

Scott Benner (56:37) Like, it's not it's not this isn't a sci fi show where everything works. (56:40) You you know what I mean? (56:41) Like, these are it's 2025. (56:43) We're trying it. (56:44) And it's you know, some of it works and some of it doesn't.

Kelly (56:47) Good news, I mean, for those that do pursue the cadaver islets, compared to a pancreas transplant, I mean, you're in the full dose anti rejection drugs the rest of your life, which come with risks. (56:58) Yeah. (56:58) For sure. (56:59) The this when you do an islet cell transplant, the dosage is is is far less than a major organ transplant. (57:06) So that's good, but it's not you know, it doesn't come with no risk.

Kelly (57:09) Right? (57:09) You're still trading, you know, one thing for another. (57:12) And so, yeah, I think anybody who's considering that has to has to weigh the the pros and the cons. (57:17) But I certainly would have considered it. (57:19) I from the the research that I did, I thought it was a for whatever reason, I really felt strongly that it would be better than having diabetes.

Kelly (57:26) So I was heading down that path. (57:29) And, you know, once insurance kinda fell through, I said, okay. (57:32) Well, maybe the next path to take is to try to participate in a clinical trial because, you know, the I won't have to worry about going through insurance and Yeah. (57:41) You know, I can help.

Scott Benner (57:43) Your husband was on board with this. (57:45) Did he have any reservations when you brought it up?

Kelly (57:47) Yeah. (57:48) No. (57:48) I think he you know, he's always been very supportive. (57:51) You know? (57:51) And when I told him about this, I think we were both just, at first, very surprised to learn that we had options in the Chicago area

Scott Benner (57:58) Yeah.

Kelly (57:59) More than I ever knew. (58:01) I really knew nothing about these trials. (58:03) And so, I had spoken to four different research hospitals in the area. (58:08) Just landed on, UIC or University of Illinois in Chicago, but he supported it. (58:13) He he looked at you know, I had emailed him some information about the study and just said if this is something you really wanna do, definitely support it.

Kelly (58:21) And, I mean, I flat out asked the doctor. (58:23) I just need to know what the real risks are here. (58:25) I have two young children. (58:26) So if, like, dying is a risk. (58:28) Like, I need to know that.

Kelly (58:29) You know?

Scott Benner (58:30) Right.

Kelly (58:30) I but, you know and, of course, I think what I learned in speaking to the research team and looking at the other studies, I mean, no one has died from doing a porcine transplant. (58:41) The worst that could possibly happen here is it just doesn't the cells don't produce enough insulin for us to get off of synthetic insulin, but they certainly could work to some extent. (58:50) And I think that even that would be really just a break for me.

Scott Benner (58:55) Yeah. (58:56) Well, good for I I I hope so too. (58:57) Like, I I hope it I just I don't know. (58:59) I I I hope the best for all of this, and I'm very pleased for people to be out in the world trying to put push this stuff forward. (59:07) And, they'll have

Kelly (59:07) Oh, absolutely.

Scott Benner (59:08) Hopefully, they'll have good success and be able to share it with everybody.

Kelly (59:11) Yes. (59:12) That is certainly the hope. (59:13) And I do believe that's where we're headed. (59:15) Right? (59:15) There's a horrible amount work being done in this space and has been for a very long time.

Kelly (59:19) Sure. (59:20) You know, people think, oh gosh. (59:21) This is so new. (59:21) Why are you doing this? (59:22) It's like, it's not really new.

Kelly (59:24) I mean, the the the one of the surgeons did his first transplant in 1996. (59:28) It's this is not new.

Scott Benner (59:29) No. (59:29) I've I interviewed somebody, I mean, easily fifteen years ago about, like, those Vertex, like, pouches and stuff like that. (59:37) And so, you know, people have been at after this for a while, they just gotta figure out the technology behind it and and Yes. (59:43) Oh, well, alright. (59:44) I got my fingers crossed.

Kelly (59:46) Well, thank you.

Scott Benner (59:46) You're welcome. (59:47) I appreciate you doing this for me too. (59:48) This is, a World Diabetes Day we're recording this.

Kelly (59:51) Oh, that's right. (59:52) Well, that's pretty spectacular.

Scott Benner (59:54) It is.

Kelly (59:54) Well, thank you for having me on. (59:55) I really appreciate it.

Scott Benner (59:56) No. (59:56) You were awesome. (59:57) You really were. (59:58) Hold on one second for me. (59:58) I appreciate this.

Scott Benner (59:59) Give me one second. (1:00:06) Today's episode was sponsored by Skin Grip. (1:00:09) And Skin Grip, they understand what life with diabetes is like, and they know how infuriating it can be when a device falls off prematurely. (1:00:17) They don't want that to happen to you. (1:00:19) Juice Box podcast listeners save 20% off of their first order when you use the link skingrip.com/juicebox.

Scott Benner (1:00:26) Links are also available in the show notes of your podcast player and at juiceboxpodcast.com. (1:00:32) This episode of the Juice Box podcast was sponsored by US Med. (1:00:37) US Med dot com slash juice box or call (888) 721-1514. (1:00:44) Get started today with US Med. (1:00:47) A huge thanks to my longest sponsor, Omnipod.

Scott Benner (1:00:50) Check out the Omnipod five now with my link, omnipod.com/juicebox. (1:00:56) You may be eligible for a free starter kit, a free Omnipod five starter kit at my link. (1:01:03) Go check it out. (1:01:04) Omnipod.com/juicebox. (1:01:07) Terms and conditions apply.

Scott Benner (1:01:08) Full terms and conditions can be found at omnipod.com/juicebox. (1:01:13) Thank you so much for listening. (1:01:15) I'll be back very soon with another episode of the juice box podcast. (1:01:18) You're not already subscribed or following the podcast in your favorite audio app, like Spotify or Apple Podcasts, please do that now. (1:01:26) Seriously, just to hit follow or subscribe will really help the show.

Scott Benner (1:01:30) If you go a little further in Apple Podcasts and set it up so that it downloads all new episodes, I'll be your best friend. (1:01:37) And if you leave a five star review, oh, I'll probably send you a Christmas card. (1:01:41) Would you like a Christmas card? (1:01:47) If you're looking for community around type one diabetes, check out the Juice Box podcast private Facebook group. (1:01:54) Juice Box podcast, type one diabetes.

Scott Benner (1:01:57) But everybody is welcome. (1:01:58) Type one, type two, gestational, loved ones, it doesn't matter to me. (1:02:03) If you're impacted by diabetes and you're looking for support, comfort, or community, check out Juice Box podcast, type one diabetes on Facebook. (1:02:13) If you'd like to hear about diabetes management in easy to take in bits, check out the small sips. (1:02:19) That's the series on the Juice Box podcast that listeners are talking about like it's a cheat code.

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Scott Benner (1:02:47) People listen in their car, on walks, or rather actually bolus ing anytime that they need a quick shot of perspective. (1:02:54) And the reviews, they all say the same thing. (1:02:57) Small sips makes diabetes make sense. (1:03:00) Search for the Juice Box podcast, small sips, wherever you get audio. (1:03:05) If you have a podcast and you need a fantastic editor, you want Rob from Wrong Way Recording.

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Scott Benner 12/17/25 Scott Benner 12/17/25

#1711 Out of Shell - Part 2

Janelle discusses marrying young, military life, and her son’s Type 1 diagnosis. She shares how she manages anxiety, homeschooling, and why she switched from Omnipod to Tandem Mobi.

+ Click for EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

Scott Benner (0:00) Hello, friends. (0:01) Welcome to the Juice Box podcast. (0:03) Happy holidays to everyone juggling carbs, cookies, and the chaos of this season.

Janelle (0:18) Hi. (0:19) I'm Janelle. (0:20) That's it. (0:20) I I don't got a lot about me. (0:23) Really, I really don't.

Janelle (0:24) That's the funny that's the funny thing. (0:25) This is out of my comfort zone.

Scott Benner (0:28) This is part two of a two part episode. (0:30) Go look at the title. (0:32) If you don't recognize it, you haven't heard part one yet. (0:34) It's probably the episode right before this in your podcast player. (0:39) If you're living with type one diabetes, the After Dark collection from the Juice Box podcast is the only place to hear the stories that no one else talks about.

Scott Benner (0:49) From drugs to depression, self harm, trauma, addiction, and so much more. (0:56) Go to juiceboxpodcast.com up in the menu and click on after dark. (1:01) There, you'll see a full list of all of the after dark episodes. (1:06) If you're looking for community around type one diabetes, check out the Juice Box Podcast private Facebook group. (1:12) Juice Box Podcast, type one diabetes.

Scott Benner (1:15) But everybody is welcome. (1:16) Type one, type two, gestational, loved ones, it doesn't matter to me. (1:21) If you're impacted by diabetes and you're looking for support, comfort, or community, check out Juice Box podcast, type one diabetes on Facebook. (1:32) While you're listening, please remember that nothing you hear on the Juice Box podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. (1:40) Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan or becoming bold with insulin.

Scott Benner (1:49) This episode of the Juice Box podcast is sponsored by the Dexcom g seven, the same CGM that my daughter wears. (1:56) Check it out now at dexcom.com/juicebox. (2:00) Today's episode is also sponsored by the Omnipod five. (2:04) And at my link, omnipod.com/juicebox, you can get yourself a free, what I just say, a free Omnipod five starter kit. (2:14) Free?

Scott Benner (2:15) Get out of here. (2:16) Go click on that link. (2:17) Omnipod.com/juicebox. (2:20) Check it out. (2:21) Terms and conditions apply.

Scott Benner (2:22) Eligibility may vary. (2:23) Full terms and conditions can be found at omnipod.com/juicebox. (2:28) Links in the show notes. (2:30) Links at juiceboxpodcast.com. (2:32) So how is this gonna help you break out of your norms?

Scott Benner (2:36) Like, what is it you're hoping to like, on this little journey of yours, where are you trying to get to?

Janelle (2:40) I don't think I've really figured that out yet. (2:42) I think I think, like, after his diagnosis, I've kind of just, like, put myself in this, like, tiny little box, and I haven't ever forced myself to really come out of the box. (2:54) And I'm sick of living in the box. (2:56) So we're just gonna, like, try a bunch of things and see what kind of helps me get there.

Scott Benner (3:02) And the box is you being a tool of his health, and you feel like you're not much more than that?

Janelle (3:07) Yeah. (3:07) I'm quite literally like, most days, I'm like, I'm quite literally on this Earth to be a pancreas.

Scott Benner (3:13) Okay. (3:14) And is that impacting your other child? (3:16) You you is that impacting Amber at all?

Janelle (3:18) I mean, I think to some degree just because not, like, obviously, on purpose or anything, but Paxton does require so much extra attention. (3:27) Mhmm. (3:27) And so I try to make a conscious effort when I can of, you know, pulling her aside and, like, spending extra time with her, but then that's kind of also where my husband has stepped in and, you know, is taking her out, you know, for, like, daddy daughter dates and stuff like that so that way she doesn't feel like she gets any less love.

Scott Benner (3:41) Want me to break your heart?

Janelle (3:43) Sure. (3:43) Go for it.

Scott Benner (3:43) I genuinely believe that my wife and I did a great job of not letting either of our children feel ignored. (3:50) Yeah. (3:50) They both felt ignored. (3:52) Yeah. (3:52) Yeah.

Scott Benner (3:52) I don't know how to, like

Janelle (3:53) I think I can agree to that somehow too because Paxton gets all this attention all day every day, and he's still like, you guys never spend enough time with me.

Scott Benner (4:01) Cole told us recently, like, I just remember it always been about Arden and Arden was like, you guys were always a baseball with Cole. (4:07) And I was like Mhmm. (4:08) Wait. (4:08) What?

Janelle (4:08) No matter what you do, it's never enough.

Scott Benner (4:10) I was like, you sons of bitches. (4:11) Like, the two

Janelle (4:12) of you. (4:12) Be grateful.

Scott Benner (4:13) Yeah. (4:13) This Well, is why people just sit around and drink. (4:15) Because, like, they're probably like, yeah. (4:17) It don't matter what you do. (4:17) The kid's gonna hate you at the end anyway.

Scott Benner (4:19) And I was like, they don't hate us, but, like, the way they remembered is really

Janelle (4:22) Yeah.

Scott Benner (4:22) Yeah. (4:23) I think it's one of the unspoken truths of being a parent that it really is true. (4:29) Like, no matter what you do, someone is gonna say, well, what about this? (4:33) Yeah. (4:34) Actually, you see it in social media too.

Scott Benner (4:36) Right? (4:37) Yeah. (4:37) Like, the goalpost moving. (4:38) Like, somebody says, like, this is bad, and you and then the person just, instead of addressing that, just moves the goalpost and says, well, what about this? (4:45) Yeah.

Scott Benner (4:45) You know? (4:45) And I don't think the kids are doing that on purpose that way, but maybe it's just a a human reaction to things.

Janelle (4:51) Yeah.

Scott Benner (4:51) You know what saying? (4:52) Yeah. (4:52) It's very interesting. (4:54) Okay. (4:55) So you're gonna break free of this, but we have to figure out how to do that for you.

Scott Benner (4:59) Yeah. (4:59) So what's taking up all your time that we could help to minimize? (5:03) I mean, I if I was you, I'd ship the kid off to school. (5:05) I think that would definitely free up some of your time. (5:07) I'd be like, why don't you go learn about Thanksgiving somewhere else?

Janelle (5:10) No. (5:11) My gosh. (5:11) I mean, my husband would agree with you there. (5:13) Yeah. (5:14) I don't know.

Janelle (5:15) I don't think that's a I don't think that's something I'm willing to give up yet. (5:18) I think I'm willing to give up more of the other stuff first, but I don't really know. (5:24) I think, genuinely, I just spend so much time pouring myself into type one that it's like, I let everything else fall to the wayside. (5:35) Like, even just, like, dumb stuff around the house. (5:37) Like, oh, I leave the dishes sitting in the sink for too long or, like, because I can't fathom doing the dishes when I'm just so exhausted from analyzing all of this data all day.

Scott Benner (5:46) What would happen if you didn't do it, though? (5:48) Like, is this the anxiety? (5:50) Like, are you doing stuff you don't really know to do? (5:52) Have you ever heard me say that worry is a waste of imagination? (5:56) Yes.

Scott Benner (5:56) Okay. (5:57) Do you think that's happening a little bit?

Janelle (5:59) Yeah. (5:59) I think so.

Scott Benner (6:00) Alright. (6:00) Do you need to be medicated? (6:03) Have you tried

Janelle (6:04) hope not.

Scott Benner (6:05) Tried weed? (6:06) Like, is there I

Janelle (6:07) mean I mean, maybe. (6:08) But

Scott Benner (6:08) I mean, maybe. (6:09) Okay. (6:09) So you've tried weed. (6:10) Does that help?

Janelle (6:11) Yes. (6:12) I have not.

Scott Benner (6:13) It doesn't help? (6:14) Okay. (6:15) No. (6:15) Oh, alright. (6:16) So nothing can get through your your superhero outfit of of anxiety and worry?

Janelle (6:21) I guess not. (6:22) No. (6:22) It's, pretty invincible.

Scott Benner (6:25) Maybe you need more kids.

Janelle (6:27) I I fear that that is not the answer.

Scott Benner (6:31) Is this impacting your personal life with the boy?

Janelle (6:35) I think it has. (6:36) I think it has. (6:37) Yeah.

Scott Benner (6:37) You think he feels alone and ignored?

Janelle (6:40) Yeah. (6:41) To some degree.

Scott Benner (6:41) Is he?

Janelle (6:43) I mean, maybe more so than he should be.

Scott Benner (6:46) Mhmm. (6:47) But you don't care because the other thing is and care is not the right word, but it is at the same time. (6:52) You don't care because the other thing seems more dire? (6:56) Yeah. (6:57) What if I told you the other thing will become dire eventually?

Janelle (7:01) I mean, I'd tell you that you're completely right.

Scott Benner (7:03) No. (7:03) I know. (7:04) It's obvious. (7:04) But, like, I'm just saying, like, you you're too smart not to know this. (7:08) But I'm trying to, like, figure out, like, what here.

Scott Benner (7:11) Here's an example. (7:13) My wife, I hope she's listening. (7:15) Hi, sweetheart. (7:17) Has long COVID.

Janelle (7:19) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (7:19) She can see it coming on when she gets, a flare up. (7:22) Yeah. (7:23) But instead of slowing down and stopping for a day or two, she ramps herself up acting as if she's going to drive through it unscathed, which instead turns into her two weeks later being so exhausted that she has to take off two days from work and sleep for forty eight hours. (7:37) Yeah. (7:38) And I say to her, what if the next time you feel it coming, you just scale back then so that it never really gets up to full speed and you never get to the point where you actually have to stop and you've made a new problem?

Scott Benner (7:49) And then she stares through me as if I'm a fucking idiot. (7:53) And then I think the staring means, yeah. (7:56) Yeah. (7:56) Scott, that's making sense, but I don't know how to do that. (7:59) Yeah.

Scott Benner (8:00) Are you Catholic? (8:02) No. (8:03) Really? (8:04) No. (8:04) None of this makes any sense, Jenelle.

Scott Benner (8:07) Why are you so nervous? (8:08) Wait. (8:10) Is there other anxiety in your family besides your mom, like, family line?

Janelle (8:15) I don't think so.

Scott Benner (8:16) No? (8:17) No. (8:17) Crow anybody got Crohn's?

Janelle (8:20) My mother-in-law.

Scott Benner (8:21) People pooping a lot after food. (8:24) How's Thanksgiving? (8:25) Is it just the line of the bathroom afterwards?

Janelle (8:27) No. (8:27) It's not.

Scott Benner (8:28) Not that bad? (8:29) Okay. (8:30) Any mental illness? (8:31) Any depression in the family?

Janelle (8:34) My dad had depression.

Scott Benner (8:35) Ah. (8:36) Your mom's anxious, your dad's depressed, and you're worried all the time.

Janelle (8:41) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (8:42) You worry about stuff that's ridiculous to worry about?

Janelle (8:46) Sometimes. (8:47) Yeah. (8:47) And then I catch myself. (8:48) The stuff that's, like, completely ridiculous, it's easier to, like, you know what I mean, rein it back in. (8:53) But the day to day stuff is a lot harder to kind of, like, push past.

Scott Benner (8:56) So you can't write off the kid thing because the kid because you used some pretty harsh language earlier about, like, I'm keeping him alive. (9:03) Yeah. (9:03) You kind I I know you are, but it also you run afoul of the you ever see somebody online and by the way, if one of you saw the you did this, I'm I'm not talking about you. (9:13) I'm talking about the other one, so don't get mad at me. (9:15) Okay?

Scott Benner (9:15) Did you ever see somebody who, like, a cookie saved my kid's life today? (9:19) Like, the real, like, dramatic, like you ever seen that?

Janelle (9:22) Yeah.

Scott Benner (9:22) Yeah. (9:22) Maybe don't lean that hard into the drama. (9:25) You know what I mean? (9:26) Like so I I I get the point you're trying to make, but Yeah. (9:30) Yeah.

Scott Benner (9:31) So is that happening? (9:32) Are you leaning into the drama when it's about him?

Janelle (9:37) I try not to. (9:38) I think some days, it's harder to kind of, like, detach from the drama, especially, like, after, like, a a super rough, like, blood sugar day. (9:45) Mhmm. (9:46) Where you're kind of just, like, mentally drained from having to, like, give it attention twenty four seven instead of being able to kind of detach. (9:52) But, yeah, I mean, I I try really hard not to lean into the drama.

Janelle (9:56) I try to keep the aspect of, like, you know, type one doesn't change his childhood that much, and I'm trying to keep everything as normal as possible. (10:04) But, you know, it's it's hard to keep that mindset twenty four seven.

Scott Benner (10:06) What's the thing you're really worried about? (10:08) Like, what's your biggest worry for him?

Janelle (10:10) I think my biggest worry is any and neglect is a harsh term, but, like, any neglect that I would put on him while he's young and not the one in charge of his diabetes management. (10:23) Like, if it caused him future complications, like, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself for that.

Scott Benner (10:28) Oh, okay. (10:29) You're worried he's gonna have a a medical condition in the future or an outcome in the future that you're gonna then look at and think, oh, that was my job. (10:38) I should have stopped that from happening.

Janelle (10:40) Yeah.

Scott Benner (10:41) Oh, that's not gonna happen.

Janelle (10:43) Yeah. (10:44) I know. (10:44) Realistically.

Scott Benner (10:45) Yeah. (10:46) I mean, if he has something like that, it's gonna be after he's an adult making his own decisions. (10:50) Oh.

Janelle (10:51) Yeah.

Scott Benner (10:51) Do you want me to make sense to you?

Janelle (10:52) Yeah.

Scott Benner (10:55) Okay. (10:56) So you're thoughtful. (10:58) You understand this. (10:59) You're paying attention to it. (11:00) You're putting in good effort.

Scott Benner (11:01) So while you're in control of his diabetes, everything should be fine. (11:05) Yeah. (11:05) Right? (11:06) The only thing that you can't really help is what he does after he's off and away from you. (11:12) Yeah.

Scott Benner (11:13) The way he separates from you as an adult one day is going to have a lot to do with the relationship that you have now with him moving forward. (11:23) Yeah. (11:24) So if you're overbearing and or like, you know, at some point, he's gonna just think you're being ridiculous. (11:29) Right? (11:30) Like, if you're doing something that's perfectly reasonable, I, all the time, Arnd's like, ugh.

Scott Benner (11:33) I don't know what you think you're doing. (11:35) And I'm like, oh, okay. (11:36) So you're gonna get to that at some point. (11:37) Right? (11:38) Yeah.

Scott Benner (11:39) If you have a bad relationship because of how you're over focusing on the diabetes, that probably leads him more towards not taking care of himself than anything else.

Janelle (11:51) Agreed. (11:52) Yeah.

Scott Benner (11:53) So it's really all about, oh, you really know all this already. (11:56) You didn't go to therapy? (11:57) You just figured this out?

Janelle (11:58) No. (11:59) I'm in therapy.

Scott Benner (11:59) Oh. (12:00) Oh, okay. (12:00) A therapist explained it to you. (12:02) Oh, is that what happened? (12:04) A therapist explained this to you?

Janelle (12:06) Kind of. (12:06) Yeah. (12:06) I think I think a decent amount was self realization, but the therapy definitely helped.

Scott Benner (12:11) What's the copay on the therapist?

Janelle (12:12) Oh, god. (12:13) I don't even know. (12:13) We just got new insurance, so I gotta figure all that out.

Scott Benner (12:16) It could be more than 40, you're saying?

Janelle (12:18) Oh, a 100%.

Scott Benner (12:19) I'm not even pretend to ask me for enough?

Janelle (12:21) You're not charging enough.

Scott Benner (12:23) You know what? (12:24) I had a meeting the other day with one of the advertisers, and I thought the same thing. (12:27) I was like, I don't think I'm charging enough money.

Janelle (12:29) I'm undervaluing myself.

Scott Benner (12:31) I sat there, and I thought, I think I'm getting screwed. (12:34) And, like, and not like Brenda did in squishy pushy. (12:39) So there's there's a little highlight for you. (12:41) Don't forget Brenda 71. (12:42) Go listen to that episode right now.

Scott Benner (12:44) Now I you know, I should do more shout outs for other episodes within episodes.

Janelle (12:48) You definitely should.

Scott Benner (12:49) Yeah. (12:49) I'm gonna start doing ads for myself. (12:51) Okay. (12:52) So you know all this. (12:54) You're trying to get it stopped.

Scott Benner (12:56) Now step away from all this. (12:57) Stop being yourself for a second. (12:59) Be me. (12:59) Mhmm. (13:00) What should you be doing?

Scott Benner (13:02) Like, what puts an end to this? (13:04) Because listen. (13:05) I've had a ton of conversations with a lot of ladies who have made babies. (13:08) This mother guilt thing, this mom's guilt thing is ridiculous. (13:12) Okay?

Scott Benner (13:12) Like, it's horrible. (13:13) I don't know. (13:14) I mean, obviously, it's been keeping people alive for generations. (13:17) It's probably it's pretty, you know, pretty valuable, but that's back when nature didn't expect you to live past 30.

Janelle (13:22) Yeah.

Scott Benner (13:22) What is it that you can do to make a good relationship with this little boy and and your and your daughter and your husband in a way that everybody's gonna be happy when he's 18 and goes off and marries some girl? (13:35) I mean, you know, or hopefully, you know, does whatever he's gonna do. (13:38) What's gonna make him

Janelle (13:39) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (13:40) Head off into his adult life and not struggle with this thing that's diabetes? (13:45) And why do you think it's for you to do? (13:48) Why don't you see it as a bigger, like, steering of the Titanic and less about, like I think you should be looking at this more macro. (13:56) You gotta stop putting it on yourself and start thinking bigger picture, I think. (14:00) But what would do that for you?

Scott Benner (14:03) Today's episode is brought to you by Omnipod. (14:06) Did you know that the majority of Omnipod five users pay less than $30 per month at the pharmacy? (14:12) That's less than $1 a day for tube free automated insulin delivery. (14:17) And a third of Omnipod five users pay $0 per month. (14:20) You heard that right.

Scott Benner (14:22) 0. (14:22) That's less than your daily coffee for all of the benefits of tubeless, waterproof, automated insulin delivery. (14:28) My daughter has been wearing an Omnipod every day since she was four years old, and she's about to be 21. (14:34) My family relies on Omnipod, and I think you'll love it. (14:38) And you can try it for free right now by requesting your free starter kit today at my link, omnipod.com/juicebox.

Scott Benner (14:46) Omnipod has been an advertiser for a decade. (14:48) But even if they weren't, I would tell you proudly, my daughter wears an omnipod. (14:53) Omnipod.com/juicebox. (14:55) Terms and conditions apply. (14:57) Eligibility may vary.

Scott Benner (14:58) Why don't you get yourself that free starter kit? (15:01) Full terms and conditions can be found at omnipod.com/juicebox. (15:06) You can manage diabetes confidently with the powerfully simple Dexcom g seven. (15:11) Dexcom.com/juicebox. (15:15) The Dexcom g seven is the CGM that my daughter is wearing.

Scott Benner (15:19) The g seven is a simple CGM system that delivers real time glucose numbers to your smartphone or smartwatch. (15:27) The g seven is made for all types of diabetes, type one and type two, but also people experiencing gestational diabetes. (15:35) The Dexcom g seven can help you spend more time in range, which is proven to lower a one c. (15:40) The more time you spend in range, the better and healthier you feel. (15:44) And with the Dexcom Clarity app, you can track your glucose trends, and the app will also provide you with a projected a one c in as little as two weeks.

Scott Benner (15:53) If you're looking for clarity around your diabetes, you're looking for Dexcom. (15:57) Dexcom.com/juicebox. (16:00) When you use my link, you're supporting the podcast. (16:03) Dexcom.com/juicebox. (16:06) Head over there now.

Janelle (16:07) Yeah. (16:07) I agree. (16:08) I think, honestly, as dumb as it sounds seeing him have a better relationship with his diabetes than I do. (16:14) Because if he looked at diabetes the way I do, that would break my heart. (16:20) And it's hypocritical because I'm the one modeling how to, you know, act towards diabetes management right now.

Janelle (16:28) And, you know, I don't want him to constantly be stressed out about his numbers. (16:32) I want him to know how to manage himself. (16:34) You know what I mean? (16:35) In a, you know, in a good way, but I don't want him to live day to day thinking that he's only here to be a pancreas.

Scott Benner (16:43) What should I say to you? (16:47) Because I could say the thing that your husband won't say. (16:51) You want me to do that?

Janelle (16:52) I mean, sure. (16:53) Go for it.

Scott Benner (16:53) You gotta calm the fuck down.

Janelle (16:55) Yeah. (16:55) Yeah. (16:55) Oh, he has said that.

Scott Benner (16:56) Oh, he said it? (16:57) Well, he's dead.

Janelle (16:57) He said that.

Scott Benner (16:58) Let me tell you something. (16:59) Got you.

Janelle (16:59) It doesn't I don't receive it well.

Scott Benner (17:01) Well, no. (17:02) Of course not. (17:02) What a major mistake. (17:03) Listen. (17:03) If you're listening, man, you can't say that.

Scott Benner (17:05) That's ridiculous.

Janelle (17:05) I know.

Scott Benner (17:06) You gotta get someone else to say it. (17:07) Here's a here's a good trick. (17:09) Get her crazy friend to say it. (17:11) Because when she realizes the crazy friend thinks she needs to calm down, she'll be like, oh, god. (17:15) If Pat thinks that I'm crazy, what the hell is happening?

Scott Benner (17:18) I'm partially joking, but I'm partially not. (17:21) Yeah. (17:22) I know it's very much easier said than done. (17:24) Yeah. (17:25) You've said all the right stuff.

Scott Benner (17:26) You're modeling the wrong thing to him. (17:27) He's gonna pick it up. (17:28) That's what he's gonna think his diabetes is. (17:30) It's gonna seem like a thing that's always trying to kill him that he should be scared of. (17:34) You don't want him to feel like that at all.

Scott Benner (17:35) Right? (17:36) So what do they tell you in AA?

Janelle (17:39) I don't know.

Scott Benner (17:40) You don't know anybody in AA? (17:42) No. (17:42) I think you're supposed to fake it till you make it.

Janelle (17:44) Ah, okay.

Scott Benner (17:45) Yeah. (17:46) Pretend that you're a calm.

Janelle (17:48) Okay.

Scott Benner (17:48) Yeah. (17:49) And then he'll become. (17:50) And then hopefully, you'll actually become. (17:52) Because Yeah. (17:53) The goal here is that you'll see that he's not gonna die Yeah.

Scott Benner (17:56) That nothing terrible is happening, and you'll chill the fuck out.

Janelle (17:59) Yeah. (18:00) Yeah. (18:01) Perfect world. (18:02) I agree.

Scott Benner (18:02) You promised you were gonna curse a lot in this episode, and you've not cursed, I don't think, one time.

Janelle (18:07) I don't know if that's a good thing or not.

Scott Benner (18:09) I'm worried that you're not comfortable.

Janelle (18:11) I feel like I am. (18:12) I feel like I am to some degree, but also I've definitely saved your editor some work. (18:15) So

Scott Benner (18:16) Yeah. (18:16) It's alright. (18:17) He's got listen. (18:18) I mean, he's just riding his bike and editing this podcast. (18:21) He really didn't have a lot to do.

Scott Benner (18:23) He's got the greatest life. (18:24) Rob's laughing at it. (18:25) He's like, don't have a great life. (18:26) He does. (18:26) He gets up in the morning sometimes, takes a laptop, bikes off somewhere, and edits the podcast, like, in a cafe.

Janelle (18:32) Okay. (18:33) Yeah. (18:34) That sounds sweet.

Scott Benner (18:35) It does, doesn't it?

Janelle (18:36) Yeah.

Scott Benner (18:37) Yeah. (18:38) Freaking hippie, Rob. (18:39) Yeah. (18:40) He's probably camping right now somewhere working. (18:43) Yeah.

Scott Benner (18:43) He's got a good life. (18:44) I don't know if he knows it or not, but from my perspective, I was like, this guy's doing it.

Janelle (18:48) Yeah. (18:49) The grass is always greener. (18:50) Right?

Scott Benner (18:50) Well, I don't know. (18:51) I don't see the grass. (18:52) I'm stuck in this room. (18:55) The grass. (18:56) I had to bring a chameleon in here to see something move and be alive and be green.

Janelle (19:00) Oh my god.

Scott Benner (19:01) He's still motoring around. (19:02) What's up, buddy? (19:02) You're having a big day today. (19:03) He ate a giant roach today and two huge silkworms. (19:07) He seems so happy.

Scott Benner (19:08) Yeah. (19:09) Yeah. (19:09) Okay. (19:10) So I don't know what to say to you because you already know all the things I was gonna say. (19:20) You believe them for the right reasons.

Scott Benner (19:22) You're on the path. (19:24) Mhmm. (19:25) But at the same time, and I don't wanna be a bummer, I have no confidence you're gonna do any of these things.

Janelle (19:30) Oh, I don't blame you because I don't have the confidence either.

Scott Benner (19:36) I feel like I could easily interview you five years from now, and you'd be like, oh, I'm making that kid fucking crazy, Scott. (19:41) You should For all the ladies that are listening and I mean, I could say men too if that would make you all feel better. (19:47) But for all the all the moms that are listening right now and are like, I'm doing this too, I wish there was an answer. (19:53) I don't think there's I don't think you need to be medicated. (19:55) You don't seem unstable to me at all.

Janelle (19:57) Thanks.

Scott Benner (19:57) Yeah. (19:58) You're welcome. (19:59) You're not depressed. (20:00) You have ang anxious thoughts, but I don't think you're anxiety ridden.

Janelle (20:04) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (20:05) You know, you're not worrying about things that aren't real. (20:08) The things you're concerned about are actually real. (20:10) Yeah. (20:11) It seems like you're just putting too much weight into them. (20:13) Now, in fairness, if I go back to three years into Arden's diagnosis, I'm out of my goddamn mind, and you seem much more reasonable than I did three years into it.

Scott Benner (20:25) Seriously, you're doing way better than I was doing.

Janelle (20:28) Yeah.

Scott Benner (20:29) Yeah. (20:29) So my thought is it's probably gonna be fine. (20:32) You're gonna mess that kid up a little bit, but I think you're gonna figure it out before it goes over the edge.

Janelle (20:37) Hopefully. (20:37) That's the goal.

Scott Benner (20:38) Yeah. (20:39) No. (20:39) It seems good. (20:40) I think you're onto something here.

Janelle (20:41) Okay.

Scott Benner (20:42) Don't overthink the overthinking.

Janelle (20:44) Yeah. (20:45) I think one overthinking is enough. (20:46) I don't need to, you know, multiply it by

Scott Benner (20:48) any means. (20:48) Because right now, you're no kidding. (20:50) You're overthinking the diabetes, and then you're realizing you're doing it and then trying to apply changes to it. (20:55) And now we're sitting here worrying about the worrying. (20:59) You see what I'm saying?

Janelle (21:00) It's always something.

Scott Benner (21:02) It's your whole generation. (21:03) Guys you gotta seriously, you guys are a mess. (21:06) Like, just chill out. (21:08) It's all gonna be okay.

Janelle (21:09) Yeah.

Scott Benner (21:10) Yeah. (21:10) You're not in charge of anything. (21:12) No. (21:12) It doesn't matter. (21:13) You can't you can't really change the world.

Scott Benner (21:15) You're you're upset about politics. (21:17) It doesn't matter. (21:18) You're upset about this. (21:19) It doesn't matter. (21:20) You want your husband to be different.

Scott Benner (21:21) Doesn't matter. (21:21) That's how boys are. (21:23) He wants you to stop worrying. (21:24) Doesn't matter. (21:24) That's how girls are.

Scott Benner (21:25) Your kids got a real issue. (21:27) It's worth worrying about. (21:28) It's just not worth ruining your life over. (21:30) Like, so Yeah. (21:31) My thought here would be stay rested.

Scott Benner (21:34) I know it sounds crazy, but make sure you're getting your sleep. (21:37) Because once the sleep starts slipping away, then all these thoughts could pile up on you real quickly. (21:41) Right?

Janelle (21:41) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (21:42) So keep sleeping. (21:43) Let the boy keep helping you. (21:45) Right? (21:45) Yeah. (21:46) Be a little nicer to him.

Scott Benner (21:48) Okay? (21:49) You know what I'm saying? (21:50) It's not like an alarm shouldn't go off once a month and you go, okay. (21:53) You've got ten minutes. (21:54) Like, that's not a really good way to do it.

Scott Benner (21:56) I'll talk to you now. (21:58) And he's like, I thought we'd have sex. (21:59) You go, listen, you can talk or have sex, but one way that you got ten minutes and I'm out of here. (22:03) You can't be like that. (22:04) Right?

Janelle (22:04) Yeah.

Scott Benner (22:06) And you just, like, you know, have experiences, realize that you know what's going to happen, and there's not a reason to worry about every little thing because you you understand this a lot better than you think you do. (22:17) Yeah. (22:17) That's all. (22:18) Yeah. (22:19) It's good self talk.

Janelle (22:21) Yeah. (22:21) I think it is.

Scott Benner (22:22) This is one of these episodes that Erica will listen to and later send me a text and go, you were so good with that girl, And I'll say thank you.

Janelle (22:29) I'll give him I'll give him a gold star.

Scott Benner (22:31) Oh, thank you. (22:32) The no copay. (22:33) I gotcha.

Janelle (22:34) No. (22:34) I mean, I don't know. (22:36) I'm thinking on that one.

Scott Benner (22:37) What are people paying for their therapy?

Janelle (22:38) I don't know. (22:39) I think it's I mean, I don't know. (22:41) Insurance is ridiculous. (22:43) But

Scott Benner (22:43) I know it is. (22:43) Do you have, like is it military insurance? (22:45) Is he still in, by the way, or is he out?

Janelle (22:47) No. (22:47) He's not. (22:47) He did he did five years, and then he got out.

Scott Benner (22:50) What's he doing now?

Janelle (22:52) He works for IBM.

Scott Benner (22:53) I gonna was say, what kind of good job did he get that you're sitting at not sitting at home. (22:56) You understand what mean? (22:57) You don't have to work.

Janelle (22:57) Well, I know what you're saying. (22:58) No. (22:58) I'm sitting at home.

Scott Benner (23:01) It's not like it's, like, 75, and I'm like, wow. (23:03) Your ass is spreading, and that boy's out there working. (23:06) Like, I wasn't talking about that. (23:07) Like, I just meant, like, I mean, you don't have to make an income is what I'm saying.

Janelle (23:10) No. (23:11) No. (23:11) I don't.

Scott Benner (23:11) Okay. (23:12) And North Carolina, a little cheaper to live. (23:14) Right?

Janelle (23:14) A little bit. (23:15) Yeah.

Scott Benner (23:15) That's not much because we keep coming down there and ruining it.

Janelle (23:19) I mean, I was one of the ones that came down here and ruined it, so I can't

Scott Benner (23:22) When I said we, I meant me and you. (23:23) Yeah. (23:24) Yeah. (23:24) Yeah. (23:25) I didn't didn't mean me and the people I'm living around.

Scott Benner (23:27) Although, my neighbor just left for North Carolina.

Janelle (23:30) Ah, okay.

Scott Benner (23:31) Actually, they're good people too.

Janelle (23:34) Okay.

Scott Benner (23:34) They're moving there because their daughter's playing softball in college, and they literally sold their house, changed jobs, and went there just so they could catch some of her softball games.

Janelle (23:43) That's so awesome.

Scott Benner (23:44) Yeah. (23:45) Anyway, for the rest of you, that's what good parenting looks like. (23:49) People are just like, my dad was doing heroin, and I'm lucky to be here. (23:52) Okay? (23:53) And so and I get it.

Scott Benner (23:54) We don't all get the same, the same good role as others. (23:58) Although, I do think it's overly simple, like, what causes. (24:01) And I I guess I'd like you to think about that, really. (24:04) Yeah. (24:05) Like, when I asked you why are you, like, a solid person, you named very basic things about your parents.

Janelle (24:12) Yeah.

Scott Benner (24:12) Right? (24:13) That should tell you that those are really the only things your kids need from you, really.

Janelle (24:17) Yeah.

Scott Benner (24:18) You know, the rest of this is sort of bull

Janelle (24:20) Yeah. (24:20) I agree.

Scott Benner (24:21) Yeah. (24:21) I mean, has your kid come close to having a seizure? (24:24) No. (24:25) Mine had one by the time they were three.

Janelle (24:27) Really?

Scott Benner (24:28) Yeah. (24:28) Arden had one. (24:29) She was, like, six months after she was diagnosed.

Janelle (24:31) That's wild. (24:32) Yeah. (24:32) We've been we've been very fortunate. (24:34) He hasn't gone back into DKA. (24:36) I mean, he wasn't in DKA at diagnosis, he's never gone into DKA in the three and a half years that we've been

Scott Benner (24:41) No. (24:41) You caught it quickly, by the way. (24:43) Yeah. (24:44) Yeah. (24:44) In the story, it got lost a little bit because I was a I'm a little all over the place today, but that's between us.

Scott Benner (24:48) But, I mean but, like, it got you you you picked that up pretty quickly. (24:52) You you got him in the hospital on time. (24:54) It sounds like early even. (24:56) I mean Yeah. (24:56) You're gonna use that same brain to watch him as he's moving forward.

Scott Benner (25:00) Yeah. (25:00) And the only real damage you can do to him is what? (25:03) Come on. (25:04) It's right there. (25:04) Just saying.

Janelle (25:05) It's right there. (25:05) It's right there. (25:06) I mean, I guess give him negative associations with type one.

Scott Benner (25:10) Yeah. (25:10) You don't wanna be one of those people that when people talk about their mom, go, you you know my mom. (25:14) She's a you you you know. (25:16) Yeah. (25:16) Yeah.

Scott Benner (25:17) Yeah. (25:17) You know people. (25:17) Right? (25:18) Yeah. (25:18) Hey, my mom.

Scott Benner (25:19) My mom. (25:19) You you know what I'm saying? (25:21) Yeah. (25:21) You just don't want them to say that. (25:22) You just wanna say, oh, my mom's cool.

Scott Benner (25:24) Yeah. (25:24) Yeah. (25:25) To be cool. (25:26) Be a little Fonzie.

Janelle (25:28) I need to.

Scott Benner (25:29) Do you even know what that means?

Janelle (25:31) I feel like I've heard that saying before.

Scott Benner (25:32) Oh my god. (25:33) You don't know what that means?

Janelle (25:34) No. (25:35) Oh,

Scott Benner (25:35) hell. (25:35) I'm gonna be dead soon. (25:37) Okay. (25:38) Jeez. (25:39) Fonzie was a character on a television show called Happy Days.

Janelle (25:43) Okay.

Scott Benner (25:43) And he was a very cool person. (25:46) And back then, was nothing better than being cool in the fifties when the show was being, portrayed, and he was almost magical. (25:52) Fonzie could strike a jukebox and it would just start playing the song he wanted just by tapping it with his fist.

Janelle (25:59) Okay.

Scott Benner (25:59) He was like a magician in the fifties with a leather jacket riding a motorcycle.

Janelle (26:03) Okay.

Scott Benner (26:04) Yeah. (26:04) Had, like, a real, like, kind of, like, tough guy vibe, ironically played by a a very mild mannered Jewish man named Henry Winkler.

Janelle (26:13) Okay.

Scott Benner (26:13) Who is a a a lovely man if you go find him somewhere and where he's still an older man talking right now. (26:19) Just lovely. (26:21) It's not the point. (26:22) The point is is that, it was, like, be cool like Fonzie.

Janelle (26:26) Okay.

Scott Benner (26:26) So we're all gonna be little Fonzies. (26:28) Now that's a lot hold on. (26:30) You're not done yet with the rest of

Janelle (26:31) done yet. (26:32) I'm still listening.

Scott Benner (26:33) Be little Fonzies is a line from Pulp Fiction. (26:36) I'm gonna guess another movie you haven't seen.

Janelle (26:38) Yeah. (26:39) No.

Scott Benner (26:39) Oh my god, you people. (26:41) Okay. (26:43) So there's, like, this moment where everybody's pointing guns at each other. (26:46) I think Sam Jackson was it Sam Jackson's little Fonzie? (26:49) Yeah.

Scott Benner (26:49) He's like, hey. (26:49) He's like, be cool. (26:50) Be cool. (26:50) We're all Fonzie or little Fonzies or something like that. (26:53) Anyway, that's written by Quentin Tarantino.

Janelle (26:56) Okay.

Scott Benner (26:57) You've seen any of his movies? (26:58) No. (26:59) What have you been doing?

Janelle (27:00) Diabetes.

Scott Benner (27:01) Why don't you go watch a fun why don't you go watch a what's your favorite movie? (27:05) Let's pivot for a second, Janelle. (27:07) What's your favorite film? (27:08) Gonna say 13 going on 30 or something like that? (27:10) I'm gonna kill myself.

Scott Benner (27:11) Also, don't think we're allowed to say that

Janelle (27:13) on even lamer and say that I'm a Disney adult.

Scott Benner (27:15) Oh my god, Janelle. (27:17) Stop it. (27:19) And the rest of you stop it too. (27:23) I mean, listen. (27:24) I did I tell somebody the other day what a good movie The Incredibles is?

Scott Benner (27:28) I did. (27:28) You know? (27:29) Actually, it was Rob. (27:30) I was it made me I don't Rob and I were talking about something. (27:33) Rob and I text a lot, apparently.

Scott Benner (27:36) And I was, I was talking about that scene where Frozone is looking for a super suit.

Janelle (27:41) Yeah.

Scott Benner (27:41) Yeah. (27:42) And he's like he's like, woman, where is my super suit? (27:44) That whole thing? (27:45) I love that. (27:46) I love it.

Scott Benner (27:46) It's a great scene. (27:47) And then I said, The Incredibles is probably the best Fantastic Four movie we're ever gonna get. (27:53) Right? (27:53) And now you're here telling me you have not seen Pulp Fiction? (27:56) No.

Scott Benner (27:57) Have you even heard of it?

Janelle (27:59) Yeah. (27:59) I've heard of it.

Scott Benner (28:00) And what stops you from watching it?

Janelle (28:04) I don't know. (28:04) I guess I've never been, like, a huge movie person in general, so maybe that's why.

Scott Benner (28:08) Well, that's fine. (28:09) Do you prefer television? (28:10) Have you seen New Girl?

Janelle (28:12) Yes. (28:13) I've seen some episodes of New Girl.

Scott Benner (28:14) Some episode how do you start watching New Girl and not watch them all? (28:18) Are you busy with the diabetes?

Janelle (28:19) I think think I tried it a while ago and I just couldn't get into it.

Scott Benner (28:22) Oh my god. (28:23) What is happening to everybody?

Janelle (28:25) I don't know.

Scott Benner (28:26) The sarcasm is so tight in New Girl. (28:27) It's awesome. (28:29) Alright. (28:29) And it's, okay. (28:30) This is not the point.

Scott Benner (28:32) I need you to I need you to relax. (28:34) What are we gonna do one thing this weekend that gets you away from diabetes? (28:38) Take that kid no offense, Paxton. (28:40) Take that kid. (28:42) You name him after Bill Paxton?

Scott Benner (28:43) No way. (28:44) You don't even know who the hell Bill Paxton is. (28:45) Never mind. (28:46) No. (28:46) Alright.

Scott Benner (28:46) Take that kid and to your moms, and go over there and say to her this. (28:51) This is a following. (28:51) Go, mom, listen. (28:52) I love you, but I am noticing I am really uptight. (28:56) And I gotta I gotta and, god bless you.

Scott Benner (28:58) You are too. (29:00) But it's too late for you now, and it's not too late for me. (29:03) So I'm gonna I wanna I'm gonna give these kids to you. (29:06) I need you to keep them alive, and I don't wanna hear from you for the next three hours. (29:11) Okay?

Scott Benner (29:11) Like, it's like, don't kill this kid. (29:13) I wanna think he's gonna die. (29:14) Even the little one, what's her name over there with the red hair? (29:16) If she falls off of something and then nothing's broken, I don't wanna hear about it. (29:20) Okay?

Scott Benner (29:20) Three hours, my husband and I, we're gonna go to a movie. (29:23) We're gonna have lunch, and we're gonna make sex, and then we'll be back and get these kids. (29:26) Okay? (29:27) Also, if I was you, I'd sex before the lunch, but that's just how I think about it, but it's up to you how you handle it, Janelle.

Janelle (29:33) Personal preference.

Scott Benner (29:34) I don't like you on a full belly. (29:36) You know what I mean? (29:36) Me me or him. (29:37) Like, nothing worse than somebody's like, well, I'm gonna go to the bathroom first. (29:40) But now it's over.

Scott Benner (29:41) You know what

Janelle (29:42) I mean? (29:42) Like We're done now.

Scott Benner (29:43) Yeah. (29:43) Yeah. (29:44) Yeah. (29:44) Now that part's not happening anymore. (29:46) So, like, I say, what do we do?

Scott Benner (29:48) We go sex, a movie. (29:50) That's nice. (29:51) You kinda lean on each other in the film. (29:53) Then you go to have some lunch, and then you go get the kid.

Janelle (29:56) Yeah.

Scott Benner (29:56) Yeah. (29:57) And then you and then when you get back there, normally, you go, what happened? (30:00) Tell me everything. (30:00) You don't even ask. (30:01) You go, hey.

Scott Benner (30:02) We're here for the kids. (30:03) And you just take them and you leave.

Janelle (30:05) Alright.

Scott Benner (30:05) It's a good practice run. (30:07) And you'll have all that serotonin, whatever that happens to you from the intercourse. (30:11) You know what I mean? (30:11) Like, I say it's good for you. (30:13) You'll be chilled out a little bit.

Scott Benner (30:15) He's gonna be happy as a clam. (30:17) Mean, you he won't argue for a week about anything. (30:20) You know what I mean? (30:20) You could be like, we're buying a new sofa and painting the room. (30:23) He'd be like, right on.

Scott Benner (30:23) Let's do it. (30:24) And so you got him nice and calm. (30:26) You forget about the kids for a couple of hours. (30:28) You let your mom in on it so that she knows you need a little separation from this right now. (30:33) Like, don't be I I it'll be texting me.

Scott Benner (30:35) Don't ask me anything. (30:36) You're a nurse. (30:37) If you can't keep this kid alive, says a lot about you. (30:42) Put it on her. (30:43) You know what I mean?

Janelle (30:43) Yeah.

Scott Benner (30:44) And then that's it. (30:45) And you come can you do that?

Janelle (30:47) Yeah.

Scott Benner (30:48) Alright. (30:49) Hey. (30:49) If your husband gets laid out of this, I expect a thank you note. (30:52) Oh my gosh. (30:56) You too, by the way.

Scott Benner (30:57) Both of you write a note. (30:58) And I want them separately. (30:59) I don't want them together.

Janelle (31:00) Okay. (31:01) Sounds like a plan.

Scott Benner (31:01) Yeah. (31:02) I want separate thank you notes. (31:04) Alright. (31:04) Just what else? (31:06) What oh my god.

Scott Benner (31:07) I'm out of my mind today. (31:08) It's a Friday. (31:08) We shouldn't have done this on a Friday.

Janelle (31:11) Poor planning.

Scott Benner (31:12) Oh my god. (31:13) I'm really good. (31:13) These are my best podcast. (31:15) Do you think I'm the only one that thinks that, or do you think other people are listening and enjoying it?

Janelle (31:19) I think everyone hopes that you record more on Fridays.

Scott Benner (31:22) Yeah. (31:22) I hope so. (31:23) Because as I get done, I I like, I'll get done here, and I'll think, am I the only one that enjoyed that? (31:29) Or is

Janelle (31:31) No. (31:31) I'm having a blast.

Scott Benner (31:32) Oh, good. (31:32) Then I try to decide if I care.

Janelle (31:35) The answer's probably no.

Scott Benner (31:36) I'm in a really unique position where enough people listen that, like, I really could just do it for me at this point, and it wouldn't really matter. (31:45) I could kinda, like, handle it that way. (31:46) But I'm trying to give you guys what you want to. (31:48) Also, I think we've mixed in a lot of good advice in this conversation. (31:53) Yeah.

Scott Benner (31:54) Yeah. (31:54) I've said some questionable things here and there, but I don't think anything cancelable. (31:58) So, like, you know No.

Janelle (31:59) I mean, I think this episode is definitely cleaner than squishy pushy.

Scott Benner (32:02) Oh, wait. (32:03) Do you guys hear that one? (32:04) Yeah. (32:04) Yeah. (32:05) Yeah.

Scott Benner (32:05) This one's way cleaner than that. (32:06) And Brenda cursed a lot. (32:09) Jeez. (32:09) A lot. (32:10) God.

Scott Benner (32:10) She said some things I never thought I'd hear a 71 year old lady say, but then there it was. (32:14) So anyway Check

Janelle (32:16) it off your list now.

Scott Benner (32:16) Let me just tell you what I'm expecting is that Brenda's also gonna see a movie that I know get laid this weekend too is what I'm getting at. (32:26) So she's she's awesome. (32:28) Oh, like, you were good.

Janelle (32:29) Those are the those are, like, the best episodes.

Scott Benner (32:31) I hope so. (32:32) I really do. (32:33) I always think too about, like, people who just, like, I just did a speaking gig.

Janelle (32:36) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (32:36) Like, so I imagine all the people who were, oh, you talked about pre policing and blah blah blah, and then they're gonna turn on an episode and I'm gonna be saying to you. (32:43) I'm, go to a movie and get laid. (32:44) They're gonna be, like

Janelle (32:46) This this podcast is about only type one stuff. (32:49) Right? (32:49) Like, free ketos and all that fun stuff.

Scott Benner (32:52) Kid has type one diabetes. (32:53) I didn't break the rules. (32:55) Don't worry. (32:56) Somebody asked me the other day, what's your podcast about? (32:58) I'm like, oh, it's just a podcast.

Janelle (32:59) It's just a podcast.

Scott Benner (33:00) Yeah. (33:00) And they're like they're like, about type one? (33:02) I'm like, well, I mean, I talk to people who have diabetes.

Janelle (33:04) Yeah. (33:04) There's some connection.

Scott Benner (33:06) I mean, loose. (33:08) But, again, I and I told I followed up, and I was like, if I I said, you make a podcast that's just about diabetes, and what you're making is a podcast that no one's gonna listen to. (33:17) So I

Janelle (33:18) mean, fair. (33:18) Yeah.

Scott Benner (33:19) Yeah. (33:19) Just it's not don't get me wrong. (33:21) I'm sure that you get a couple downloads, but you're not gonna yeah. (33:24) I could be celebrating 20,000,000 like I'm gonna be next month. (33:27) Congrats.

Scott Benner (33:29) Just I'm just celebrating here on my own right now. (33:31) Do you have any idea how few podcasts get 20,000,000 total downloads?

Janelle (33:35) I don't. (33:36) But

Scott Benner (33:36) It ain't a lot.

Janelle (33:37) I will I will take your word for it.

Scott Benner (33:38) It ain't a lot. (33:39) I'm I'm I'm sitting at the very tip of a mountain. (33:42) The only people above me are very famous people and anybody who's ever been on the Joe Rogan podcast.

Janelle (33:48) Hey. (33:48) There you go. (33:48) I'd say that's something to be proud of.

Scott Benner (33:50) I I I'm pretty pretty proud of it, to be perfectly honest with you. (33:52) Okay. (33:52) Do you have any questions for me? (33:54) Anything at all that you wanna talk about?

Janelle (33:56) I don't think so.

Scott Benner (33:58) We did it?

Janelle (33:59) I think I think we I think we did a little a good little therapy session.

Scott Benner (34:03) I do too. (34:03) This is I'm way better than your therapist. (34:05) It's okay if you wanna say it.

Janelle (34:06) Yeah. (34:06) Hopefully, she doesn't listen to this and feel

Scott Benner (34:08) Inadequate? (34:09) Yeah. (34:12) But she's probably got rules she's following.

Janelle (34:15) I would I mean, fair. (34:16) Yeah.

Scott Benner (34:17) And she's probably burdened by things like, you know, her education and knowing what she's talking about. (34:24) I have no such burdens. (34:26) Janelle, I have no such burdens.

Janelle (34:28) No. (34:28) No such burdens.

Scott Benner (34:29) Yeah. (34:29) I'm just over here saying what I think makes sense.

Janelle (34:32) Hey. (34:32) Whatever.

Scott Benner (34:33) Yeah. (34:33) Also, your husband. (34:34) What's his name?

Janelle (34:35) Tyler.

Scott Benner (34:36) Tyler, I'm gonna speak directly to you right now. (34:38) You can't tell your wife to calm down. (34:41) I mean, I know we we act like it's it's all, like, equal and everything and, like, you know, it's not exactly equal. (34:47) There's, like, a handful of things you can't say to your wife. (34:50) Like, here's another one.

Scott Benner (34:51) Like, it's not that bad. (34:52) You don't say that during their period. (34:53) You know? (34:54) But it's not really that bad, is it? (34:55) You know?

Scott Benner (34:57) You don't say stuff like that. (34:59) You knew not to say the thing about the period. (35:00) How did you not know to not say the thing about the calm down?

Janelle (35:03) No. (35:04) It just makes it worse.

Scott Benner (35:05) Oh my god. (35:06) Are you kidding? (35:08) Only a thing you say if you want to make a fight, not if you wanna stop a fight.

Janelle (35:12) Exactly.

Scott Benner (35:13) Yeah. (35:14) You should just calm down. (35:15) I could see it in my wife's eyes. (35:18) If she had a gun, she'd murder me. (35:19) Okay?

Scott Benner (35:21) Now I I'm a glutton for punishment. (35:23) So every once in a while, I'll throw it in there, but not like you can't and she does it to me too. (35:28) I see her Yeah. (35:28) Like, picking at me. (35:30) You do that to him every once in a while?

Janelle (35:31) Every once in a while.

Scott Benner (35:32) Yeah. (35:33) Yeah. (35:33) Just to get him going for reasons you can't even, like, put into words. (35:36) Right?

Janelle (35:36) Yeah. (35:37) Yeah. (35:37) He's gotta push the buttons.

Scott Benner (35:38) You're just like, oh, let's see what happens if I do this.

Janelle (35:40) Yeah. (35:40) Oh

Scott Benner (35:43) my god. (35:44) I like okay. (35:45) You said you're never having any more kids. (35:46) I think you're gonna have more

Janelle (35:48) Oh, I hope not.

Scott Benner (35:49) I think you may I tell you what I think is gonna happen?

Janelle (35:51) Go for it.

Scott Benner (35:52) You're gonna chill out in the next year and a half or so. (35:55) Mhmm. (35:55) You're on a pathway. (35:56) You're doing well. (35:57) You're gonna realize the impact it's gonna have on your family.

Scott Benner (35:59) I think you're smart enough and thoughtful enough to put an end to it. (36:01) Right? (36:02) So you're gonna you're gonna tamp it back a little bit, and then everything's gonna seem lighter. (36:06) And then that voice in your head's gonna go, maybe we should have one more baby. (36:11) And then you're not gonna gain your wits about you in time, and then you're gonna be pregnant.

Janelle (36:15) It'll be too late.

Scott Benner (36:18) And then you'll spend the rest of your life going, what did I do here? (36:22) Yeah. (36:22) And then you know who you're gonna blame? (36:24) Tyler. (36:24) Tyler, you're gonna say, you should have spoken up, Tyler.

Scott Benner (36:26) You knew I didn't wanna have more kids. (36:28) And yet when I came to you in a moment of weakness, you made me pregnant again, you shouldn't have done that. (36:33) And then Tyler's gonna say, I thought I wasn't supposed to argue with you. (36:36) And then you're gonna say, well, not in those situations. (36:39) And then Tyler's gonna go run his head into a wall, and you're gonna smile with the rest of your life.

Janelle (36:43) Oh, my god. (36:44) It's a it's a lose lose. (36:46) Right?

Scott Benner (36:46) Well, that is what, being a heterosexual male is. (36:49) Yes. (36:49) Yeah. (36:51) You know, the only people that have it worse are lesbians.

Janelle (36:54) Oh, my god.

Scott Benner (36:55) I don't know what they're doing. (36:57) They're out of their minds. (36:58) Ivy, can you imagine?

Janelle (37:00) Yeah.

Scott Benner (37:01) Like, two people in the same situation telling each other to calm down at different parts.

Janelle (37:05) I I don't know how that would work.

Scott Benner (37:07) Oh, no. (37:07) I mean, obviously, it's gotta be incredibly difficult. (37:10) Yeah. (37:11) And by the way, is gonna be one of these things where I sound older, like a thing that older people say and everything. (37:17) And if you're thinking that right now, just try to stay alive twenty more years, then come back and check on them.

Scott Benner (37:22) Okay. (37:22) By the way, nothing wrong with, how anybody works or, you know, like, you know, I'm okay with how boys are, how girls are, how everybody is. (37:30) It's just the thing that I think you honestly need to understand while you're navigating your life. (37:35) I'm not overly generalizing and saying, you know how this person is or you know how this person can act. (37:39) Just are people, they have reactions to things.

Scott Benner (37:42) I don't know anything special about you, Janelle. (37:44) Like, I've just talked to 1,500 people. (37:47) Yeah. (37:48) Yeah. (37:48) We have a lot in common, and a lot of it is stuff that we like to pretend we're in control of, but really is more chemical or emotional than you wanna think it is.

Scott Benner (37:56) And silly to sit here and say that you're gonna stop it or that you're gonna therapy your way out of it or whatever. (38:03) It really is gonna turn into a situation where, like, you're gonna have a a an amount of experience. (38:08) It's gonna tell you how you wanna be. (38:10) And with some luck and a lot of effort, you'll do it. (38:13) Yeah.

Scott Benner (38:14) And some people do and some people don't. (38:16) I think it's got a lot to do with how much it means to you to get it done and how much time and effort you're willing to put into it to, you know, create a life for yourself that, you know, mimics the one you imagine.

Janelle (38:27) Yeah. (38:27) Agreed.

Scott Benner (38:28) That's it. (38:28) That's all. (38:29) And the rest of it's just silliness so that you'll listen. (38:32) Yeah. (38:32) Because I gotta sell these ads.

Scott Benner (38:34) Yeah. (38:34) I mean, Jesus. (38:35) It's something. (38:36) Hey. (38:36) You have no idea what it's like.

Scott Benner (38:37) You all out there with, like, your regular jobs. (38:39) You think they're hard? (38:40) Just try making a podcast. (38:42) It ain't easy.

Janelle (38:43) Oh, my gosh. (38:43) I can only imagine.

Scott Benner (38:44) No. (38:45) Do know what sucks? (38:46) Parts of it. (38:47) This part this part's fun. (38:49) Like, the rest of it, it's not as much fun.

Janelle (38:51) This is the easy part.

Scott Benner (38:53) This is the entire easy part. (38:55) It it real it really is. (38:56) Not like pipe fitting or anything like that, but it's Yeah. (38:59) I mean, it's not like making sure the email works for the military. (39:01) That sounds hard.

Scott Benner (39:04) You guys, does he, keep up with the certification? (39:07) Does he shoot?

Janelle (39:09) No. (39:09) Not, like, normally.

Scott Benner (39:11) Didn't even care.

Janelle (39:11) Not regularly.

Scott Benner (39:12) So you're not, like, an average, like, military young military family, really?

Janelle (39:17) I think it's more just the fact that he's putting his extra time elsewhere right now. (39:22) He's trying to finish up, he's in the last semester, for his bachelor's degree. (39:26) So he's trying to knock that out.

Scott Benner (39:28) Good for him. (39:29) That's awesome. (39:30) Oh, so he went in bef oh, yeah. (39:31) He went in without college, and then he came out and he's getting his degree. (39:35) He's working and getting a degree?

Scott Benner (39:37) Yeah. (39:38) Wait a minute. (39:38) He's working and getting a degree, and he's got a kid with type one. (39:42) He's got a wife who's freaking herself out about the type one.

Janelle (39:45) Yeah. (39:45) And we both coach soccer on top of that.

Scott Benner (39:47) You both coach soccer, I still had to tell you to have sex this weekend? (39:51) What the hell is wrong with you, Janelle? (39:53) Let's get to it. (39:53) Okay? (39:54) My god.

Scott Benner (39:56) I went over this in a recent episode. (39:57) I can't do it again. (39:58) But you're you're a whole generation. (39:59) You're not having sex enough. (40:01) I don't know what you're doing.

Scott Benner (40:04) I know you got the phone. (40:05) It's awesome and everything. (40:06) But, like, you gotta stop putting the blocks in order or whatever it is you're doing on your phone and, like you know what I mean?

Janelle (40:13) Yeah.

Scott Benner (40:13) It's like the best free thing in the world. (40:16) That I mean, it's a toss-up, really. (40:18) Pizza and sex, both awesome.

Janelle (40:20) I mean yeah.

Scott Benner (40:21) Yeah. (40:21) I mean, not that you no. (40:22) Not since you moved from New York. (40:23) Hey. (40:24) Tell people how much better the pizza was at home.

Janelle (40:26) Oh, so much better.

Scott Benner (40:27) Mhmm. (40:28) Mhmm. (40:28) They don't think they don't believe me when I say it.

Janelle (40:30) No. (40:30) North Carolina pizza is

Scott Benner (40:32) Yeah. (40:32) Most of you are eating the worst pizza in the world. (40:34) You don't even realize it.

Janelle (40:35) You don't even realize it.

Scott Benner (40:36) You have no idea. (40:37) I actually just saying it out loud, I'm gonna go get myself a pizza right now. (40:42) I am. (40:42) I'm gonna go to one of the best rated pizza places in New Jersey and get a pie.

Janelle (40:47) That sounds so good.

Scott Benner (40:49) You've all seen that remember that barstool guy who seemed fun and then turned into a lunatic? (40:54) You've all seen him stand outside of a pizza place that is, like, five seconds from my house enjoying a slice of pizza.

Janelle (41:01) Oh, my gosh.

Scott Benner (41:02) And I'm gonna go I'm gonna go there right now.

Janelle (41:05) And I'm gonna go there.

Scott Benner (41:06) Alright, Janelle. (41:06) Hold on a second. (41:07) You were awesome, by the way.

Janelle (41:09) Thanks.

Scott Benner (41:09) Please listen to only, like, 12% of what I said. (41:15) Why are you so nice? (41:17) I don't know. (41:18) You are, though. (41:19) You know it.

Scott Benner (41:20) Right?

Janelle (41:21) I don't think I do. (41:22) I think, honestly, most of the time, I think I'm just like a cranky bitch.

Scott Benner (41:25) Do you think you're a cranky bitch?

Janelle (41:28) Sometimes. (41:28) Yeah.

Scott Benner (41:29) Has this not been reminiscent of who you are today?

Janelle (41:32) I think more so, like, this is who I am when I'm not necessarily worried about the other stuff.

Scott Benner (41:38) Oh, like a like a doctor Jack or mister Hyde sort of situation.

Janelle (41:42) Maybe. (41:43) Yeah. (41:43) Which one is the question? (41:43) Have a maybe I have a personality disorder. (41:45) Maybe we missed that diagnosis.

Scott Benner (41:47) I just sniffed that out in the first twenty five minutes. (41:48) I'm fine. (41:49) You're that doesn't exist. (41:51) Do you think people now are listening are like, do you think he thought I had a personality disorder when he was recording with me? (41:55) He didn't mention it because, like, I mean, would I mention it if I thought you had one?

Scott Benner (41:58) Probably not.

Janelle (41:59) This journal of all of his podcast guests and what mental illness he suspects they have.

Scott Benner (42:03) Meanwhile, I should see the list of mental illnesses I suspect I might have.

Janelle (42:07) Which list is longer?

Scott Benner (42:09) Well, I don't wanna say. (42:10) It's embarrassing. (42:11) But no. (42:12) But you wait. (42:13) So this is who you wanna be?

Janelle (42:16) Yeah. (42:17) I would say so.

Scott Benner (42:18) Okay. (42:19) So then tell me how to be that person. (42:22) Like, what are you doing right now that you don't do in your regular life? (42:24) Because I'm just me. (42:26) Like, I don't have, like, another gear.

Janelle (42:28) Yeah. (42:30) I don't know. (42:31) I think I'm just sitting here not worried about Pax's blood sugars right now, and it's mostly as simple as that.

Scott Benner (42:36) And is he alive?

Janelle (42:38) Yeah. (42:38) He's alive.

Scott Benner (42:39) Is he under your charge right now?

Janelle (42:42) Kind of. (42:43) I told my husband that I was obviously tied up, and so I told him you're in charge of whatever happens and don't bother me.

Scott Benner (42:49) And now you're okay?

Janelle (42:51) I'm okay.

Scott Benner (42:52) Well, then just keep doing that.

Janelle (42:53) Yeah. (42:53) I know. (42:54) But like you said, it's easier said than done.

Scott Benner (42:56) Janelle, I gotta tell you again. (42:57) You gotta calm the down. (42:58) Like like I mean, if this is who you could be, you're awesome.

Janelle (43:03) Thanks.

Scott Benner (43:03) Yeah. (43:03) And I mean, I'm twice your age, so it feels weird. (43:05) But, like, I don't know what you look like. (43:07) I don't know anything. (43:08) And I would easily if I was your age, I'd be like and you well, of course, this Tyler guy didn't scoop you up.

Scott Benner (43:14) I'd be like, hey. (43:15) We should we should go out to dinner and get to know each other. (43:17) Like, you have a really good vibe about you.

Janelle (43:19) Thank you.

Scott Benner (43:19) Yeah. (43:20) No. (43:20) You're welcome. (43:20) But you're telling me that if I met you in any other situation, I would run for the hills. (43:24) Is that right?

Janelle (43:25) Possibly. (43:26) Yeah. (43:27) If you caught me at a bad moment, a 100%. (43:29) Uh-oh. (43:31) Like, actually, disengage.

Janelle (43:32) We're gonna go the other way.

Scott Benner (43:33) That lady's running a key down the side of my car in the parking lot. (43:38) Why? (43:39) I don't know. (43:39) I think I parked crooked. (43:40) She seemed very upset.

Janelle (43:41) Your your tire was touching the line.

Scott Benner (43:45) Alright. (43:46) Listen. (43:46) Janelle, for you and everyone else listening who wish they could be this version of themselves, I wish you all a ton of luck. (43:51) I can only tell you that I am, generally speaking, this level of this all the time. (43:58) And I am as nervous and worried as the rest of you about everything else.

Scott Benner (44:02) I don't know why that is, and I genuinely feel bad about it. (44:05) Whenever I talk to somebody who's anxious and I wouldn't put you in the level of, like, anxiety ridden. (44:09) But, like, whenever I talk to somebody who's struggling with that, it pulls to my heartstrings more than anything else because I wish you could feel what it feels like not to have that hanging over your head. (44:22) Like, I I don't think I can properly explain it to you.

Janelle (44:25) I don't I think it's hard to imagine what it would be like to not have it hanging over my head.

Scott Benner (44:29) It's so it's so freeing not to like, and that's all I can think when I'm talking to you. (44:34) Like, if I felt the way you felt, I imagine I'd be having the exact same outcomes that you're having. (44:39) Yeah. (44:39) Yeah. (44:40) And the weed didn't help.

Scott Benner (44:41) So I don't You wanna try mushrooms or something? (44:44) Like, I'm not an advocate, but, I mean, like, are you I mean, you know some

Janelle (44:48) I don't know. (44:49) I don't know if I'm on board with the mushrooms.

Scott Benner (44:50) You know some military people. (44:52) I'm assuming you could get a hold of it if you needed to.

Janelle (44:54) I mean, maybe.

Scott Benner (44:55) Is he keep in touch with the guys or no?

Janelle (44:58) Yes and no.

Scott Benner (44:59) Depends. (45:00) Depends on who they are in this situation. (45:01) Yeah. (45:01) I gotcha. (45:02) Alright.

Scott Benner (45:02) You're very interesting.

Janelle (45:04) Thank you.

Scott Benner (45:04) Yes. (45:05) You can come back again.

Janelle (45:06) Okay. (45:07) Cool.

Scott Benner (45:08) Couple years from now, when you figure the whole thing out and you know what you did, come back and tell everybody.

Janelle (45:14) Alright. (45:14) Cool.

Scott Benner (45:14) I will keep the podcast going until then. (45:16) That's the my that's that's my burden. (45:18) My burden is to keep this podcast going. (45:20) Your burden is to put your shit into motion and make it work.

Janelle (45:23) Alright. (45:24) Sounds like a plan.

Scott Benner (45:31) Dexcom sponsored this episode of the Juice Box podcast. (45:34) Learn more about the Dexcom g seven at my link, dexcom.com/juicebox. (45:42) This episode of the Juice Box podcast is sponsored by the Omnipod five. (45:46) And at my link, omnipod.com/juicebox, you can get yourself a free, what'd I just say, a free Omnipod five starter kit. (45:56) Free?

Scott Benner (45:58) Get out of here. (45:59) Go click on that link. (45:59) Omnipod.com/juicebox. (46:02) Check it out. (46:03) Terms and conditions apply.

Scott Benner (46:04) Eligibility may vary. (46:06) Full terms and conditions can be found at omnipod.com/juicebox. (46:11) Links in the show notes. (46:12) Links at juiceboxpodcast.com. (46:17) I can't thank you enough for listening.

Scott Benner (46:19) Please make sure you're subscribed or following in your audio app. (46:22) I'll be back tomorrow with another episode of the Juice Box podcast. (46:27) Oh my, did I get lucky. (46:29) The Celebrity Cruise Line reached out to me and said, how would you like to come on a cruise before your Juice Cruise so you can get a real good look at the Celebrity Beyond cruise ship and share some video with your listeners? (46:43) I said, thank you.

Scott Benner (46:45) So that's where I might be right now. (46:47) If it's December let me actually find a date for you. (46:50) Not a 100% sure. (46:52) I think I'm going in December right before Christmas. (46:56) Like, you know, like, I don't know, like, the December.

Scott Benner (46:59) I'm sorry. (46:59) Know this isn't much of a that. (47:01) But if you wanna see video from me on the cruise ship, my wife and I are gonna head out and really check it out to see what it's all about to grab some great video for you. (47:09) Get it up on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook so you can see what you'd be getting if you came along on Juice Cruise 2026, which, of course, leaves from Miami on 06/21/2026. (47:21) We're gonna be going to Coco Cay in The Bahamas, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Scott Benner (47:26) Do not miss it. (47:27) It's a great opportunity to meet other people living with type one diabetes to form friendships, to learn things, and just swap stories. (47:34) It's a relaxing vacation with a bunch of people who get what your life is like. (47:39) And trust me, there's a lot of value in that. (47:41) Juiceboxpodcast.com/juicecruise.

Scott Benner (47:45) Come check it out and go find my socials to see what that ship looks like. (47:49) There's also a video at my link that's, kind of a ship tour with a celebrity beyond. (47:54) And let me tell you something. (47:55) If this ship is a tenth as nice as this video is, I am in for a great time, and so are you. (48:02) Juiceboxpodcast.com/juicecruise.

Scott Benner (48:05) Come along. (48:07) If you have a podcast and you need a fantastic editor, you want Rob from Wrong Way Recording. (48:13) Listen. (48:14) Truth be told, I'm, like, 20 smarter when Rob edits me. (48:18) He takes out all the, like, gaps of time and when I go, and stuff like that.

Scott Benner (48:22) And it just I don't know, man. (48:24) Like, I listen back and I'm like, why do I sound smarter? (48:27) And then I remember because I did one smart thing. (48:30) I hired Rob at wrongwayrecording.com.

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Scott Benner 12/16/25 Scott Benner 12/16/25

#1710 Out of Shell - Part 1

Janelle discusses marrying young, military life, and her son’s Type 1 diagnosis. She shares how she manages anxiety, homeschooling, and why she switched from Omnipod to Tandem Mobi.

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Scott Benner (0:00) As the holidays approach, I wanna say welcome and thank all of my good friends for coming back to the Juice Box podcast over and over again.

Janelle (0:18) Hi. (0:19) I'm Janelle. (0:20) That's it. (0:21) I I don't got a lot about me. (0:23) Really, I really don't.

Janelle (0:24) That's the funny that's the funny thing. (0:25) This is out of my comfort zone.

Scott Benner (0:27) Hey. (0:28) Do you need support? (0:29) I have some stuff for you. (0:30) It's all free. (0:31) Juiceboxpodcast.com.

Scott Benner (0:32) Click on support in the menu. (0:34) Let's see what you get there. (0:35) A one c and blood glucose calculator. (0:37) People love that. (0:38) That's actually, I think, the most popular page on the website some months.

Scott Benner (0:41) A list of great endocrinologists from listeners, that's from all over the country. (0:46) There's a link to the private Facebook group, to the Circle community, and we have a a fantastic thing there, American Sign Language. (0:54) There's a great sign language interpreter who did the entire bold beginning series in ASL. (0:59) So if you know anybody who would benefit from that, please send them that way. (1:03) Just go to juiceboxpodcast.com and click on support.

Scott Benner (1:06) While you're there, check out the guides like the prebolising guide, fat and protein insulin calculator, oh gosh, thyroid, GLP, caregiver burnout. (1:16) You should go to the website. (1:17) Click around a little bit on those menus. (1:19) It really there's a lot more there than you think. (1:21) Nothing you hear on the Juice Box podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise.

Scott Benner (1:26) Always consult a physician before making any changes to your health care plan. (1:33) Today's podcast episode is sponsored by Medtronic Diabetes, who is making life with diabetes easier with the MiniMed seven eighty g system and their new sensor options, which include the Instinct sensor made by Abbott. (1:48) Would you like to unleash the full potential of the MiniMed seven eighty g system? (1:52) You can do that at my link, medtronicdiabetes.com/juicebox. (1:57) Today's episode is also sponsored by the Contour Next Gen blood glucose meter.

Scott Benner (2:02) This is the meter that my daughter has on her person right now. (2:06) It is incredibly accurate and waiting for you at contournext.com/juicebox.

Janelle (2:13) Hi. (2:13) I'm Janelle.

Scott Benner (2:14) That was it, Janelle? (2:15) That's what you're giving?

Janelle (2:16) That's it. (2:17) I I don't got a lot about me.

Scott Benner (2:20) Don't start off like that. (2:21) People would be like, oh, I don't wanna listen to this one. (2:23) No. (2:23) Jenelle doesn't even know how to talk about herself.

Janelle (2:24) I'd I really I really don't. (2:26) That's the funny that's the funny thing. (2:27) This is out of my comfort zone.

Scott Benner (2:28) I'm well, we'll we'll get you comfortable. (2:30) But I'm laughing because just as we were starting, I got a text from Rob who's, I'm sure, editing the show right now all all the way across the country. (2:38) And I must have said something that I couldn't think of the name of, and he's just randomly texting it to me now. (2:45) So try to imagine that a number of weeks ago, I was apparently having a conversation where I was trying to think of an anime cartoon that I was watching as a kid called Starblazers, but I couldn't think of it. (2:57) And he just text me randomly, Starblazers.

Scott Benner (2:59) No. (2:59) Wait. (2:59) He's typing again.

Janelle (3:01) He's like, hey. (3:02) Wait.

Scott Benner (3:02) How meta is this gonna be for him weeks from now when he edits this? (3:06) And he's like, oh, I remember that happening. (3:08) Alright. (3:08) Let's see what he's texting. (3:10) Can you imagine if it's something horrible?

Janelle (3:12) I mean, I wouldn't doubt

Scott Benner (3:14) it. (3:14) Would I he's a good guy, but would I you were trying to figure out this cartoon and then you did laugh out loud. (3:19) Yes. (3:19) Starblazers ruled. (3:21) Okay, Rob.

Scott Benner (3:21) I agree with you, man. (3:22) That cartoon was awesome. (3:23) Now I'm gonna close my text messages. (3:25) And alright. (3:28) So, Janelle, that's the entire podcast.

Scott Benner (3:30) This is Janelle, everybody. (3:32) Goodbye.

Janelle (3:32) Nice to meet you guys.

Scott Benner (3:33) How old are you?

Janelle (3:34) I'm 28.

Scott Benner (3:35) You have type one? (3:37) You got a kid with type one? (3:37) Or what's going on?

Janelle (3:38) I have a six year old son with type one diabetes.

Scott Benner (3:41) Oh, you're 28, and have a six year old.

Janelle (3:44) Yes.

Scott Benner (3:44) You're rocking through life the way we did it.

Janelle (3:47) Yeah.

Scott Benner (3:47) Were you, married when you had, said six year old?

Janelle (3:50) Yes. (3:51) I was.

Scott Benner (3:51) How old were you when you got married?

Janelle (3:52) I got married the day before I turned 20.

Scott Benner (3:55) Woah. (3:56) Yeah. (3:57) I love that you said before we started recording that you're not that interesting. (4:01) We're gonna find out much differently now. (4:04) Watch how I do this.

Scott Benner (4:05) Everyone gets to look into my mind's eye. (4:07) Do you live in the Midwest? (4:09) No. (4:10) Even more interesting. (4:13) Alright, Janelle.

Scott Benner (4:13) Ready?

Janelle (4:15) Yeah.

Scott Benner (4:15) Oh, I don't know where to start. (4:17) This is super exciting. (4:18) Are you married are you married still? (4:20) Yeah. (4:20) Interesting.

Scott Benner (4:21) And do you have any other children?

Janelle (4:23) Yes. (4:23) I also have a four year old daughter.

Scott Benner (4:25) Four year old daughter. (4:26) Did you marry your high school sweetheart?

Janelle (4:28) Yes.

Scott Benner (4:29) You did. (4:29) What how old were you when you started dating this boy?

Janelle (4:32) I was 17.

Scott Benner (4:35) Was he your

Janelle (4:35) And he was 18.

Scott Benner (4:36) Was he your first real boyfriend? (4:38) Or Yeah. (4:39) Was he your first boyfriend?

Janelle (4:40) I guess it kinda goes either way. (4:42) I would say probably yes.

Scott Benner (4:44) Okay. (4:44) What about him?

Janelle (4:46) No.

Scott Benner (4:47) Oh, what a little whore he was. (4:49) Okay. (4:49) Now so

Janelle (4:51) I make that joke all the time.

Scott Benner (4:52) Are you particularly religious? (4:56) No. (4:57) No? (4:57) No. (4:58) Were you pregnant when you got married?

Scott Benner (5:00) No. (5:01) Get the fuck out of here. (5:02) Really? (5:03) Yeah. (5:03) Interesting.

Scott Benner (5:04) Are you from a broken home?

Janelle (5:06) No. (5:06) My parents are still married.

Scott Benner (5:07) Oh, you're breaking all the paradigms. (5:09) I love this.

Janelle (5:11) I don't know if it helps. (5:12) He joined the military straight out of high school.

Scott Benner (5:14) Military. (5:15) I was getting to it, Janelle. (5:16) Give me a second.

Janelle (5:17) Sorry to cut you off there.

Speaker 3 (5:18) I'd have figured it out. (5:20) I hold on a second.

Scott Benner (5:22) Did anybody get hit as children? (5:24) You or him? (5:25) No. (5:25) No. (5:26) You're a pretty you you consider yourself having a pretty nice upbringing.

Scott Benner (5:30) Yeah. (5:30) You just met a boy, fell in love, got married right before you're 20 years old.

Janelle (5:34) Yeah.

Scott Benner (5:35) Your parents, his parents were thrilled or really upset?

Janelle (5:39) I think my parents were pretty okay with it other than the fact of, like, letting your only daughter get married before they turn 20. (5:46) But I think I mean, I don't think there was any, like, ill feelings necessarily kind of just like, do we really wanna let them go through with this this young? (5:53) Or

Scott Benner (5:53) No kidding. (5:54) Do you have a lot of siblings?

Janelle (5:56) No. (5:56) I'm an only child.

Scott Benner (5:57) Get the hell out. (5:58) Everything you're saying is wrong. (6:01) Oh, this is super interesting. (6:03) Like, you're breaking all the little, like, preconceived notions I have about everything.

Janelle (6:07) Awesome.

Scott Benner (6:08) Yeah. (6:08) That's really cool. (6:10) Okay. (6:10) Okay. (6:11) Okay.

Scott Benner (6:11) Okay. (6:11) Wow. (6:12) I thought for sure it's like was like 10 of you, and your parents were like, ah, we figured one of them would be a disaster.

Speaker 3 (6:16) No. (6:17) No.

Scott Benner (6:17) It wasn't even like that. (6:18) Wait. (6:18) So you didn't even get married and have a baby right away. (6:20) You, like, got married and, like, lived a little bit of a life for a couple years.

Janelle (6:24) A little bit. (6:24) It was, we got married in December 2016, and my husband deployed in February 2017. (6:32) He was gone for the remainder of our first year of marriage. (6:36) And then once he was about to come home from deployment, I actually picked up my life from New York, which is where we were both born and raised, and I moved to North Carolina to be where he was going to be stationed at when he got back from deployment.

Scott Benner (6:49) Like, Upstate New York?

Janelle (6:50) So Rochester.

Scott Benner (6:51) Yeah. (6:52) Yeah. (6:52) That's Upstate New Okay. (6:53) As they would have said in the old Vietnam movies, was he in the or what was he doing while he was gone?

Janelle (7:00) He was on a ship. (7:01) He did a bunch of IT stuff while he was in the Marine Corps. (7:05) So he was kind of, like, not on the back line, so to speak. (7:08) Like, he he saw some stuff.

Scott Benner (7:09) Okay.

Janelle (7:10) But it wasn't necessarily, like, you know, on the front lines by any means.

Scott Benner (7:13) Okay. (7:14) He's a marine on a ship doing IT. (7:17) Yes. (7:17) That's the most 2,025 thing anybody's ever said to me. (7:21) It's crazy.

Scott Benner (7:22) How was it being young and married and alone?

Janelle (7:25) I mean, it was kind of rough. (7:27) I still lived with my parents at the time, obviously, because I was so young. (7:31) It was just kind of hard trying to navigate that first year of marriage while being thousands and thousands of miles away from each other and barely getting to communicate at all.

Scott Benner (7:39) Yeah. (7:39) Did it it feel like you kinda weren't married?

Janelle (7:41) Sometimes, yeah. (7:42) I can see how I could could have felt like that.

Scott Benner (7:45) Did you ever look and see like a cute boy walking around and thinking like, why did I pick one that left right away?

Janelle (7:50) No. (7:51) I actually never had those feelings.

Scott Benner (7:52) Oh, good for him. (7:54) Yeah. (7:54) He'll like to hear that is what I'm saying is if he listens to this. (7:57) Oh my god. (7:58) You're like an old fashioned broad.

Scott Benner (7:59) Do you know what I mean by that, Janelle?

Janelle (8:01) Kind of. (8:02) Yeah.

Scott Benner (8:02) Yeah. (8:02) You have like a big unapologetic happy personality.

Janelle (8:06) Why, thank you.

Scott Benner (8:07) Yeah. (8:07) You would have fit in the fifties really well, but people would have thought you were mentally ill at that point.

Janelle (8:11) Oh, a 100%.

Scott Benner (8:12) Let's find out if you're mentally ill now.

Janelle (8:14) I don't know. (8:14) We'll have to ask my therapist.

Scott Benner (8:15) Oh, don't worry. (8:16) We'll be able to figure it out in the next twenty two minutes. (8:18) It's really not it's not that difficult. (8:22) So he goes off, you're there, blah blah blah. (8:25) He comes back, Then there's, like, the, oh, you're here, and then you made a baby thing.

Janelle (8:29) Yeah. (8:29) Pretty much. (8:30) A few months after he got back from deployment.

Scott Benner (8:32) Okay. (8:32) And how long until that baby got diabetes?

Janelle (8:35) He was diagnosed when he was three.

Scott Benner (8:38) Okay. (8:39) So twenty twenty twenty, maybe?

Janelle (8:43) '22.

Scott Benner (8:44) 2022. (8:44) I was just trying to do the math from when you said you got married and everything. (8:47) So June '22, your then three year old? (8:52) Yes. (8:53) He is diagnosed with type one.

Scott Benner (8:54) Does it oh my gosh. (8:55) Hold on a second. (8:56) I don't usually record this late in the day. (8:59) Oh my god. (8:59) The so this alright.

Scott Benner (9:02) So the sprinkler system's going off in the chameleon's cage right now, which drew my attention, and it's loud. (9:07) So we're pretty much gonna talk over for a second. (9:09) But I looked up. (9:10) He's walking all over the place. (9:11) He's excited because the water's coming down.

Scott Benner (9:13) But I looked up. (9:14) There is a silkworm riding on his back.

Speaker 3 (9:17) Oh, my gosh.

Scott Benner (9:18) I'm gonna need to get that off of him. (9:20) So I'm gonna get up in a second and get rid of that for

Janelle (9:22) him. (9:23) Okay.

Scott Benner (9:24) And then I really thought you're gonna eat that. (9:26) He had two today. (9:27) He doesn't usually eat the silkworms.

Janelle (9:29) Oh my gosh.

Scott Benner (9:30) But he knocked down a couple today. (9:31) And I thought, oh, let me put an extra one in there for him. (9:33) Maybe he'll go after it. (9:34) It turns out the thing just found him is riding on him like like it's a circus in there. (9:40) What a ridiculous image of it.

Scott Benner (9:42) You should just see him licking these water droplets off the branches.

Janelle (9:44) Oh my god.

Scott Benner (9:45) He's so excited the water's coming down. (9:47) So I don't wanna interrupt him while he's doing that. (9:49) So this is gonna stop in about thirty seconds. (9:51) I'm gonna get up and snatch up the silkworm, then I'm gonna come back and find out about your kid's diagnosis. (9:58) Rob is probably gonna put an ad right here, just so you know.

Janelle (10:01) Hey. (10:01) That's perfect then.

Scott Benner (10:02) Yeah. (10:02) Do you wanna introduce you? (10:03) Well, you wanna say something like, hey. (10:04) Click on the ads, help Scott out.

Janelle (10:07) Click on the ad to help Scott out.

Scott Benner (10:09) Thank you so much. (10:11) Contournext.com/juicebox. (10:15) That's the link you'll use to find out more about the Contour next gen blood glucose meter. (10:19) When you get there, there's a little bit at the top. (10:21) You can click right on blood glucose monitoring.

Scott Benner (10:23) I'll do it with you. (10:24) Go to meters. (10:25) Click on any of the meters. (10:26) I'll click on the next gen, and you're gonna get more information. (10:29) It's easy to use and highly accurate.

Scott Benner (10:31) SmartLight provides a simple understanding of your blood glucose levels. (10:35) And, of course, with second chance sampling technology, you can save money with fewer wasted test strips. (10:41) As if all that wasn't enough, the Contour Next Gen also has a compatible app for an easy way to share and see your blood glucose results. (10:51) Contournext.com/juicebox. (10:55) And if you scroll down at that link, you're gonna see things like a buy now button.

Scott Benner (10:59) You could register your meter after you purchase it. (11:01) Or what is this? (11:02) Download a coupon. (11:04) Oh, receive a free Kontoor Next Gen blood glucose meter? (11:09) Do tell.

Scott Benner (11:10) Kontoornext.com/juicebox. (11:14) Head over there now. (11:15) Get the same accurate and reliable meter that we use. (11:20) Unlike other systems that will wait until your blood sugar is a 180 before delivering corrections, the MiniMed seven eighty g system is the only system with meal detection technology that automatically detects rising sugar levels and delivers more insulin as needed to help keep your sugar levels in range, even if you're not a perfect carb counter. (11:41) Today's episode of the Juice Box podcast is sponsored by Medtronic Diabetes and their MiniMed seven eighty g system, which gives you real choices because the MiniMed seven eighty g system works with the Instinct sensor made by Avid, as well as the Simplera Sync and Guardian Force sensors, giving you options.

Scott Benner (12:01) The Instinct Sensor is the longest wear sensor yet, lasting fifteen days and designed exclusively for the MiniMed seven eighty g. (12:10) And don't forget, Medtronic Diabetes makes technology accessible for you with comprehensive insurance support, programs to help you with your out of pocket costs, or switching from other pump and CGM systems. (12:24) Learn more and get started today with my link, medtronic diabetes dot com slash juice box. (12:29) Okay. (12:30) So Rob's not actually here, so we have to keep going.

Scott Benner (12:32) But so I I wish you could see this. (12:34) It's so ridiculous. (12:35) It's this giant chameleon with this tiny little silkworm, like, standing on it.

Janelle (12:40) Oh, my gosh. (12:40) How long before you think he can get it off his back?

Scott Benner (12:42) He's not gonna be able to get rid of it. (12:45) That thing will live there forever. (12:46) He wants to. (12:46) He's not gonna

Janelle (12:47) Oh, my gosh.

Scott Benner (12:48) They're not quick. (12:49) Do you know what mean? (12:50) Like, he can't start, like, darting around or, like, spinning or anything like that.

Janelle (12:54) Oh, yeah. (12:54) That silkworm's like, it's the best day of my freaking life right now.

Scott Benner (12:57) I mean, it's pretty much on the travel channel right now. (12:59) It's seen Yeah. (13:01) It has seen every square inch of this this cage today. (13:04) It's been all over the place. (13:05) Alright.

Scott Benner (13:05) Hold on. (13:06) I'm gonna I'm gonna take off my oh, hold on. (13:08) I have to move my my conductor's wand. (13:11) I should explain that to you when I get back to you. (13:12) I'll be right back.

Scott Benner (13:13) Hold on. (13:13) Okay. (13:14) That was ridiculous. (13:17) Conductor's wand. (13:17) Steven made me a conductor's wand.

Scott Benner (13:19) I hold it while I'm recording sometimes.

Janelle (13:21) Okay.

Scott Benner (13:21) Yeah. (13:22) That's neither here nor there, and only Steven's gonna understand that. (13:24) But I really appreciate it, and it's, it's really wonderful. (13:28) Okay. (13:28) So in your family, any other autoimmune?

Scott Benner (13:31) Is there any reason to think that diabetes was coming? (13:34) Anything like that?

Janelle (13:35) Not like any specific, like, type one diagnoses. (13:39) My mother-in-law has some autoimmune stuff. (13:41) Other than that, not really. (13:44) It was we were kinda blindsided to some degree.

Scott Benner (13:46) What's her stuff, the mother-in-law?

Janelle (13:48) She has lupus, and then, I can't remember what the other one is off the top of my head.

Scott Benner (13:54) RA, hypothyroidism, Graves' disease, celiac. (13:59) No. (13:59) I'm not saying any of the words. (14:01) No. (14:01) Vitilago.

Scott Benner (14:03) No. (14:03) Oh, what's the, the one with the cold fingers? (14:07) Oh, damn.

Janelle (14:09) No. (14:09) I don't think so.

Scott Benner (14:10) Okay. (14:10) Alright. (14:10) Well, whatever. (14:11) Okay. (14:12) So your mother-in-law has some, autoimmune, but other than that, you don't have her any nothing that would make you think type one.

Scott Benner (14:17) Yeah. (14:18) What happens that makes you think something's up with the baby?

Janelle (14:21) We were actually up in New York visiting my husband's family, and we were on vacation there for almost, like, two weeks, I think. (14:27) And, obviously, you know how it is when you get around the grandparents and they're spoiling the kids and all the sugar, all that kind of stuff. (14:33) And that's when we really noticed a difference in him just constantly drinking water, couldn't drink enough water, peeing through multiple overnight pull ups during a two hour nap. (14:43) Once we got towards the end of the trip, I was really starting to, like, get concerned about it. (14:47) Yeah.

Janelle (14:47) And I went down the doctor Google black hole most like every other mom, and I saw that it could possibly be a sign of type one diabetes. (14:58) Mhmm. (14:58) And I was I remember having a conversation a few days before we left with my mother-in-law and her mentioning to me, like, oh, hey. (15:03) Like, don't worry about it. (15:04) Like, we have, like, bladder issues on our side of the family.

Janelle (15:07) And I was like, oh, okay. (15:07) Like, that would make a lot of sense. (15:11) So I kind of, like, forced myself to, like, think it was that so I didn't, like, cause a spiral. (15:17) But on our way on our drive back, it's a, like, twelve hour drive, and I decided to call our son's pediatrician's office just to get him in to be seen, just to be safe because I had this, like, nagging feeling in the back of my head that it wasn't bladder issues. (15:32) Yeah.

Janelle (15:33) And so we called and got him an appointment for the next day. (15:37) We literally got home that night at, like, nine or 10PM. (15:42) And by 07:30 in the next morning, I was bringing him to his pediatrician's office. (15:47) Mhmm. (15:47) On the way there, I had let him have, like, a couple animal crackers as a breakfast because I wasn't gonna have time to feed him a real breakfast before we left.

Janelle (15:55) Hindsight is twenty twenty. (15:56) I should have left him fasting for that, but I'm kind of glad I didn't. (15:59) We got to the office. (16:01) They checked his blood sugar, and he was one seventy, I believe, after just a couple of animal crackers. (16:08) And they were like, that's weird.

Janelle (16:10) Let's test his urine. (16:11) Came back with large ketones. (16:13) They tested his finger again, and his blood sugar had actually gone down to, like, one thirty. (16:17) His pediatrician was so confused. (16:20) He called the on call endocrinologist at our children's hospital, and she was equally as confused.

Janelle (16:28) He was like, I I think it's type one diabetes, but this is, like, the slowest onset case of type one diabetes I think I've ever seen. (16:36) So he's like, you need to go to the children's hospital right now. (16:40) Don't go home. (16:41) Don't pass go. (16:42) Don't collect $200.

Janelle (16:43) Just go. (16:44) I mean, we show up and we get to the emergency room, and they are trying to get, you know, blood work from him and everything, and they have to bribe him with a popsicle. (16:56) And by the time he had eaten that popsicle afterwards, they poked his finger another, like, twenty minutes later, and he was in the 2 hundreds. (17:01) And as soon as I saw that, I already knew.

Scott Benner (17:03) Yeah.

Janelle (17:04) But, you know, we waited a couple hours before they came back in and officially told us that he had type one. (17:09) Okay. (17:09) And it was just, like, wild, honestly, because it's like you you have the feeling in your gut, but you don't want it to be true.

Scott Benner (17:16) Sure. (17:17) No. (17:17) I I understand.

Janelle (17:18) And I it was it was like, it was just so wild.

Scott Benner (17:20) Also interesting, isn't it, that people say doctor Google like a pejorative, but it was, perfectly figured out what was wrong with him.

Janelle (17:27) Yeah. (17:27) Yeah. (17:27) Yeah.

Scott Benner (17:28) We would have to get past that as being an insult in the future. (17:31) Seems like Agreed.

Janelle (17:32) Agreed. (17:33) Sometimes it can be, but in this case, it was it was beneficial.

Scott Benner (17:36) Yeah. (17:36) No. (17:36) I think what can happen, obviously, is you could get type in the wrong thing or or lead Uh-huh. (17:41) Lead it astray or something and then end up way down the wrong path. (17:44) But yeah.

Scott Benner (17:44) Listen. (17:45) You figured it out. (17:45) That was awesome. (17:46) Yeah. (17:46) Also, the bladder.

Scott Benner (17:47) I'd spent twenty minutes right now talking to your mother-in-law. (17:50) Like, tell me what the bladder issues in your family are. (17:52) Like, that's a fascinating state. (17:54) But, like, I mean, that's that's not just a thing you say because somebody pees a lot one time. (17:58) You know what I mean?

Scott Benner (17:59) Like, I wonder what all that means. (18:00) That's really interesting. (18:01) Is your husband with you, at the hospital?

Janelle (18:04) Yes. (18:05) So he I was the one that brought Paxton, my son, to the, doctor's office because at that time, my daughter was, let me do the math, like, 18 old, I wanna say. (18:16) Mhmm. (18:17) So, you know, I wasn't gonna drag her into the doctor's office if I didn't need to. (18:21) So he was at home with her.

Janelle (18:23) And as soon as they sent us to the children's hospital, I called him and then let him know kind of what was going on, and he started packing us a bag. (18:31) Yeah. (18:31) He took my daughter to my parents' house so that way they could watch her, and then he met us at the hospital.

Scott Benner (18:37) Wow. (18:38) Did you go to college?

Janelle (18:40) I went to college for a semester and a half before I dropped out.

Scott Benner (18:42) Okay. (18:43) And why are you, mature? (18:47) You are. (18:48) Right? (18:48) You've been like this your whole life?

Janelle (18:50) I feel like I always have Yeah. (18:51) To some degree.

Scott Benner (18:52) Like oh, so my point is is that not that you have to go to college, but, like, sometimes you go to college and you spend a bunch of years having problems and figuring them out and getting through them and stuff like that. (19:00) You didn't have that. (19:01) Yeah. (19:01) You had you I mean, so you went right from high school to being married.

Janelle (19:04) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (19:04) Then he's gone for a year. (19:06) That's tough. (19:06) That's a thing to get through. (19:07) But you were still with your family. (19:09) Why are you so solid?

Scott Benner (19:10) What's going on right now? (19:12) What did your parents do to you? (19:15) Like, everyone wants to know, like, how their children can be this level headed. (19:19) How do we make that happen?

Janelle (19:21) I I honestly couldn't tell you. (19:22) I mean, like, I have I have amazing parents, and I'm very grateful for the environment that I got to grow up in. (19:29) But I also think, like, having to mature air quotes at a younger age by being married and kind of having to, you know, figure out how to be in a marriage when you are that young also kind of helped me, like, push along that process a little bit and then getting thrown a life altering diagnosis for my three year old when I was 24.

Scott Benner (19:50) Yeah. (19:51) That's what I'm That's really young.

Janelle (19:52) No option but to mature.

Scott Benner (19:54) Mhmm. (19:55) That's very, very young. (19:56) Kelly wasn't much older than that one, you know, when all this happened. (20:00) Yeah. (20:00) But we were still we we still, like, had, like, adult jobs for quite a while at that point.

Scott Benner (20:05) Like, you know, you're still we still had other opportunities. (20:08) Let let's pick through your family real quickly. (20:10) I mean, I'm really, like, fascinated by this. (20:12) Would you yes. (20:13) Simple yes or no questions.

Scott Benner (20:14) Usually, your parents are drunks? (20:16) No. (20:17) You've seen them high? (20:19) No. (20:20) They took you to church?

Scott Benner (20:22) No. (20:22) They have a mental illness that you're aware of? (20:26) No. (20:26) Is it that simple? (20:28) If you all

Janelle (20:28) just I guess so.

Scott Benner (20:29) Is it really, like, that easy?

Janelle (20:31) Is this the magic equation? (20:32) I don't know.

Scott Benner (20:33) Yeah. (20:33) They were interested in you?

Janelle (20:35) Yeah.

Scott Benner (20:36) Yeah. (20:36) You felt loved? (20:37) Yeah. (20:38) But not smothered? (20:39) No.

Scott Benner (20:40) They left you alone once in a while when they went out? (20:42) Yeah. (20:43) Yeah. (20:43) How about that? (20:44) See how easy it is, everybody?

Scott Benner (20:45) There you go. (20:46) Do whatever Janelle's parents did, and everything is gonna be fine. (20:50) Wow. (20:51) Good for them. (20:52) I'd like to introduce that.

Scott Benner (20:53) I'd like to I'd like to speak to your parents. (20:55) I it seems like it seems like they might know something.

Janelle (20:58) I guess so.

Scott Benner (20:58) So okay. (20:59) So this is happening. (21:01) I mean, obviously, you're really young, and it's it's a lot. (21:05) But Mhmm. (21:06) How do you adjust to it?

Scott Benner (21:07) Like, are you living near your parents or his parents at that point?

Janelle (21:11) At that point, yeah. (21:12) Like I said, all all of us are kind of originally from Rochester. (21:16) But once we got pregnant with Paxton, my parents were like, well, screw it. (21:20) We're gonna we're gonna move down, and we're gonna follow you. (21:23) And they had kind of always had that intention.

Janelle (21:25) Obviously, I'm their only kid, so it's not like they've got anything to leave behind so to speak.

Scott Benner (21:29) Talk to them to each other? (21:30) That's ridiculous. (21:31) Yeah. (21:32) Yeah. (21:32) Yeah.

Janelle (21:33) So I think they were they they had moved down here before we actually had Paxton, and they've been down here ever since. (21:39) And now they live five minutes down the road.

Scott Benner (21:41) Selfless they are. (21:42) Yeah. (21:43) And at the same time, they wanted to be near family. (21:45) Yeah. (21:46) I hope everyone's taking notes.

Scott Benner (21:47) Or you just take the transcript later, drop it to AI and say, hey, how come Janelle's parents are solid people? (21:54) How can I be too? (21:55) It'll probably just spit it right back at you. (21:58) Well, that's really cool. (21:59) Listen, it's the thing that stops us from like, we're too old, like, at this point.

Scott Benner (22:04) Like, our kids are just about done with us. (22:06) You know what I mean? (22:06) Mhmm. (22:07) And you start thinking about, like, what? (22:08) Am I gonna stay here forever?

Scott Benner (22:10) Like, am I sitting in New Jersey and pay these incredible taxes for no reason? (22:13) Yeah. (22:13) You know? (22:13) And you start thinking about places to go and everything, but it always stops you because you think, like, well, where are the kids gonna be?

Janelle (22:19) Exactly. (22:20) Yeah.

Scott Benner (22:20) Yeah. (22:20) I know the kids aren't thinking about that. (22:22) They're not like, oh, I don't wanna go somewhere where my parents can't be. (22:24) But they didn't know we Yeah. (22:25) That we're gonna stalk them for sure.

Scott Benner (22:28) So, but it's probably great. (22:30) Right? (22:30) Because you're you probably got to all learn the diabetes together, and

Janelle (22:34) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (22:34) They're probably good caregivers for him as well, I imagine.

Janelle (22:37) Yeah. (22:37) It's super convenient because my mom's also on our end. (22:39) Oh. (22:39) So

Scott Benner (22:40) Well, hell. (22:40) Let's get her a job. (22:41) Are they, what what's that word when you stop working on purpose? (22:46) Retired? (22:47) Jesus.

Janelle (22:48) No. (22:48) They're neither of my parents are retired.

Scott Benner (22:50) Oh my god. (22:51) I couldn't think of the word retired just now.

Janelle (22:54) It's three it's 03:00 on a Friday.

Scott Benner (22:56) When people stop working on purpose, I said. (23:00) What in the hell? (23:02) That's embarrassing. (23:04) Also, I'm so I'm pretty upset because the chameleon's staring at the leaves wondering why there's no more water. (23:09) I'm, like, trying to remember that when I get done here, I'm gonna have to give them a little more to drink.

Scott Benner (23:12) So your parent your mom's still working. (23:16) Your dad's not retired. (23:17) Oh, yeah. (23:17) Because you're young. (23:18) You're, like, 12.

Janelle (23:19) Yeah. (23:20) Basically.

Scott Benner (23:21) They're probably my age. (23:22) Right?

Janelle (23:23) My mom is 58, and then my dad is about to turn 63.

Scott Benner (23:27) Oh, yeah. (23:27) Your mom's a little too old for me. (23:28) But I get it. (23:29) Like, not that's not too she holding it together? (23:31) Would I be interested?

Janelle (23:33) I I mean, I'm not I'm not sure.

Scott Benner (23:37) I just wanted to hear if you were gonna comment on your mom's looks or not. (23:40) That was awesome. (23:42) I don't really care. (23:43) I just wanted to know what you were gonna do. (23:45) Oh

Janelle (23:46) my gosh.

Scott Benner (23:47) I wonder if people realize how much of this is just me trying to see what people will say and not necessarily me caring what they're gonna say.

Janelle (23:55) Really pushed the limits there.

Scott Benner (23:56) I just wanna find out. (23:58) Plus, you know about the recording that I did earlier today that nobody listening knows. (24:01) I'm already, like, off kilter because of my my days events. (24:05) Listen. (24:06) If any of you are hearing this and thinking, I wonder why Scott's a little wacky today, go find an episode that I'll be calling squishy pushy.

Speaker 3 (24:14) Go find squishy pushy and listen to that. (24:18) Oh

Scott Benner (24:19) my god. (24:19) And you'll know why I'm giddy right now. (24:22) Anyway okay. (24:23) So how would you say it hit you, like, emotionally?

Janelle (24:27) I would say pretty hard. (24:29) Not to, like, any fault of his own, but I think, like, the first year after diagnosis, it was pretty much just me taking on everything.

Scott Benner (24:38) Mhmm.

Janelle (24:39) And it was just easier that way. (24:41) In my mind, I was like, I'll I'll become the master at this. (24:44) I'll figure out the ins and outs or whatever. (24:47) And then, you know, I was the one doing all of the all of the shots at the beginning. (24:52) And then, you know, once we got on a pump a month and a half later, I was the one doing all the pump changes and

Scott Benner (24:57) Okay.

Janelle (24:57) All of the, you know, middle of the night lows, middle of the night highs, everything like that. (25:01) And, I think around a year after Paxton's diagnosis is when I kind of hit, like, my breaking point. (25:07) Just, like, emotionally, mentally, I was like, I can't do this by myself anymore. (25:10) And then that's kinda when my husband got into, you know, high gear and wanted to learn everything and anything to, you know, help and support and, you know, take some of that weight off of my back. (25:20) And that was that was really nice.

Janelle (25:22) But I think that first year is always, like, just so hard trying to, like, integrate this diagnosis into your life and figure out how it fits.

Scott Benner (25:29) Yeah. (25:29) Janelle, I'm gonna ask an honest question. (25:30) Give me an honest answer. (25:31) Okay?

Janelle (25:32) Mhmm.

Scott Benner (25:32) Did he not want to be involved in the beginning, or did you did you set it up so that it was gonna be you and he probably felt like I should step back while she's doing this?

Janelle (25:42) I think part of it was just the fact that I threw my whole being into, you know, figuring everything out and also to the fact of I think he was also spending that first year trying to process a lot of his emotions about diagnosis, and so therefore, unconsciously distancing himself from it.

Scott Benner (26:03) Okay.

Janelle (26:03) Not, you know, out of malice or, you know, on purpose or anything like that. (26:07) Mhmm. (26:08) I think it needed to happen that way to some degree, and I'm, you know, somewhat grateful it did, but definitely a lot different nowadays than it was back in that first year.

Scott Benner (26:16) I think it's a function of his age a little bit. (26:19) Like, do you think he'd have the same reaction if it if the diagnosis happened today?

Janelle (26:24) I don't know.

Scott Benner (26:25) Interesting. (26:26) Because I can't imagine you being married to a shithead. (26:29) Like No. (26:30) So right. (26:30) Right.

Scott Benner (26:30) Right. (26:31) Right. (26:31) So, like, it just doesn't seem like you would it this is just never would have happened. (26:35) Like, you're too level headed. (26:37) Like, you had too much of a good base.

Scott Benner (26:39) Yeah. (26:39) I don't see you being married to a Nodex. (26:41) So, like, then I'm wondering, like, you know, the military is one thing, but it also sounds like he's just making sure people's emails work or something like that. (26:49) Like, not like he's out there, you know, getting in position. (26:53) You know what I'm saying?

Janelle (26:53) Yeah. (26:54) Yeah. (26:54) Yeah.

Scott Benner (26:54) So, like, maybe this is the first, like, real, like, struggle that hits him too because right? (27:00) I mean, you're young. (27:01) You fall in love in high school. (27:02) You get married when you're young. (27:04) It's a it's a lovely story.

Scott Benner (27:05) He goes off to the military. (27:07) You wait for him. (27:08) You start a life. (27:09) You make a family. (27:09) Things are going pretty well right before that diagnosis.

Janelle (27:12) Yeah.

Scott Benner (27:12) Yeah. (27:13) Okay. (27:14) So that takes him a little bit to pull together. (27:17) You probably ran forward with adrenaline for the first year, then you ran

Janelle (27:21) out Yeah.

Scott Benner (27:21) You ran out of that. (27:22) And then did you come to him and say, hey. (27:26) Time to tag in, or did he see it happening and and get in on his own?

Janelle (27:30) I think it was a little bit of both.

Scott Benner (27:32) Yeah. (27:32) Yeah. (27:33) Okay. (27:34) And then so did what did you know by then? (27:36) Like and did you pass it off to him, or did you let him come in cold and figure it out?

Janelle (27:40) I wanna say it was a lot of, like, I I'm very much a control freak. (27:45) So I think a lot of it was, like, I had him watch me do some pump changes, watch me, you know what I mean, treat the lows, try to teach him how to like, how much to give when he's this low or you know? (27:57) Yeah. (27:57) All that kind of stuff and kind of, like, almost shadow me for a little bit. (28:00) And then Mhmm.

Janelle (28:01) He he's a very quick learner, so it didn't take him very long. (28:04) And, especially, like, when we when we started the pump, we started on Omnipod, but we were on Omnipod for two and a half years. (28:12) And I'm gonna say, like, Omnipod is a very user friendly pump. (28:16) There's three steps. (28:17) You pop it on, and you're good to go.

Janelle (28:20) Mhmm. (28:20) And now about a year ago, we switched Paxton to the tandem Moby.

Scott Benner (28:25) Okay.

Janelle (28:25) And it's it's a lot more steps. (28:27) It's a lot more to remember. (28:29) So, you know, we've kind of been starting to slowly integrate the Moby into my husband's kind of routine with site changes as well too.

Scott Benner (28:38) I like that you made him your intern. (28:41) You know, like, listen, buddy. (28:42) You walk around here. (28:43) If you do a good enough job, we'll start paying you.

Janelle (28:45) Yeah. (28:45) Maybe. (28:45) Interesting.

Scott Benner (28:47) And, like, I I think people would wanna know more about that. (28:49) So if Moby's more steps to use and less user friendly for you Mhmm. (28:54) Why'd you change?

Janelle (28:56) Better algorithm.

Scott Benner (28:57) So you like the the more aggressive nature of the tandem algorithm over the Omnipod algorithm?

Janelle (29:02) Yeah. (29:03) I do. (29:04) When we were back on Omnipod, we just kinda really struggled to get his blood sugar under control, and I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out how no matter what changes I made, it was just never good enough. (29:15) And we we had a lot of those first few years, whether it be because he honeymooned for eighteen months or just whatever. (29:22) His his blood sugar was wild for those first two and a half years that we were on Omnipod, and I don't know if it was because of Omnipod or if it was because of something else.

Janelle (29:31) But I just wanted more control, and I had heard great things about the Control IQ algorithm. (29:36) And I had a personal friend that had her son on the Moby, and I was like, well, screw it. (29:42) We're just gonna switch because it can't get any worse.

Scott Benner (29:44) Right.

Janelle (29:44) And it's been it's been amazing.

Scott Benner (29:46) And and you happen to you happen to know because we chatted before we started that the lady from squishy pushy, she really likes the Omnipod for reasons that

Janelle (29:55) She does. (29:56) Yeah. (29:56) Yeah. (29:56) And I mean, hey. (29:57) They each their own.

Janelle (29:57) It just didn't work for for my four year old.

Scott Benner (30:00) Her reasons are definitely not the same reasons your four year old is gonna

Janelle (30:04) Yeah. (30:04) Just slightly.

Scott Benner (30:05) Yeah. (30:07) Makes it reminds me as you're talking that Omnipod has they're doing a study right now. (30:12) It seems to me that the study is on another version of that algorithm.

Janelle (30:16) So Okay.

Scott Benner (30:16) Yeah. (30:16) It looks like they're gonna I don't know what their plan is, but my assumption is is that they're gonna, it's just it up a little bit. (30:23) So

Janelle (30:23) I mean, hey. (30:24) Yeah. (30:24) That would be nice.

Scott Benner (30:25) Interesting. (30:26) One way or the other, whether you want the convenience of Tubeless or the Tandem Moby, you should just use the links in the show notes of the podcast player to go check it out and find out more. (30:35) Because like Janelle said earlier, click on the links, help the podcast.

Janelle (30:38) Yeah. (30:39) Click on them.

Scott Benner (30:39) Yeah. (30:39) Excellent. (30:40) Thank you. (30:40) Look at you. (30:41) You're good at this.

Scott Benner (30:42) Okay. (30:43) Husband comes on board, understands. (30:45) Would you say now these three years later are things where you do you like them to be? (30:50) And did you think he was honeymooning for this first two years?

Janelle (30:54) I I truly think that Paxton spent a good eighteen months honeymooning, especially when, you know, back then we would talk to his endocrinologist, and she didn't really have an answer for anything other than the fact that he was still honeymooning. (31:06) And we could tell when it when it ended because it hit hard.

Scott Benner (31:09) I can hear the PR people at Omnipod listening to this right now, and they're like, oh, it's just always six more months. (31:15) It would have been okay.

Speaker 3 (31:17) The honeymoon. (31:18) Don't blame the pump. (31:19) That's

Scott Benner (31:20) I know. (31:20) I know.

Janelle (31:21) Well, to be fair, we still stayed on it a year after he ended his honeymoon, so I gave it a fair shot.

Scott Benner (31:25) Did you ever try to reset it? (31:28) Yeah. (31:28) Yeah.

Janelle (31:28) We had to reset it multiple times.

Scott Benner (31:30) Never helped you?

Janelle (31:31) No. (31:32) Okay.

Scott Benner (31:32) It's not where it didn't it just didn't work. (31:34) This is what we talk about all the time. (31:36) Like, it's just not the right fit for you.

Janelle (31:37) Yeah. (31:38) And it's like, I I truly think that there are plenty of people, and I know plenty of people that, like, benefit so much from the Omnipod, and it just didn't it just didn't work for Paxton, and I'm okay with that.

Scott Benner (31:48) Yeah. (31:48) No. (31:48) No. (31:48) It's listen. (31:49) I think it's good to you to be flexible and to try something else too.

Scott Benner (31:52) I think that's a great idea instead of sitting and beating your head against the same wall if that's what's happening, you know. (31:57) Yeah. (31:58) Awesome. (31:58) Okay. (31:59) So he's in school now?

Janelle (32:01) He's homeschooled.

Scott Benner (32:02) Oh, wait a minute. (32:03) You're gonna try to turn another reasonable person out into the world? (32:06) Is that what your goal is?

Janelle (32:07) Trying my best.

Scott Benner (32:09) So I was gonna ask you how you handle school, but apparently, handled the same way you handled the living room. (32:13) So Yeah. (32:13) Yeah. (32:14) Were you always gonna do that, or was that a function of the diabetes, do you think?

Janelle (32:18) It was it was a mix of both. (32:20) I kind of always liked the idea of homeschool back before I had kids, but didn't know if it would be, like, feasible.

Scott Benner (32:28) Mhmm.

Janelle (32:29) And then kind of once we got that diabetes diagnosis and learned a little bit more, like, specifically to the area that we live in to the fact that, like, public schools aren't required to have a nurse on staff every day. (32:41) So they have floating nurses who are only there one to two days a week.

Scott Benner (32:44) Okay.

Janelle (32:45) I wasn't comfortable with that. (32:47) So we kind of just made the decision for at least now to homeschool him until he is old enough to kind of do most of his management by himself and also be able to advocate for himself and stand up if, you know, someone tries to tell him something that isn't right.

Scott Benner (33:00) Sure.

Janelle (33:01) But yeah. (33:01) So we're we're riding with the homeschool right now, and he's he's liking it a lot.

Scott Benner (33:05) Nice. (33:05) Are you getting paid?

Janelle (33:06) I am not, unfortunately.

Scott Benner (33:08) Seems unfair. (33:11) It didn't occur to me until you you the way you mentioned it earlier. (33:14) But, like, when he's being diagnosed, do you have an 18 old at that point? (33:17) Yeah. (33:18) Jeez.

Scott Benner (33:19) That's a that's a lot. (33:20) Yeah. (33:22) Alright. (33:22) Do you think you'll have more kids?

Janelle (33:24) No. (33:24) We are completely done.

Scott Benner (33:25) You are completely done?

Janelle (33:27) We are completely done. (33:28) I have a type one diabetic, and I have a redheaded daughter. (33:30) I think we can just put the period there

Scott Benner (33:33) It's all good.

Janelle (33:33) And we are good.

Scott Benner (33:36) I think you said completely done because using the word completely before done is not necessary. (33:40) It did

Janelle (33:42) I just really wanna emphasize that.

Scott Benner (33:43) I just wanna emphasize that no. (33:45) I I won't be having any more kids.

Janelle (33:47) You couldn't pay me, actually.

Scott Benner (33:49) Is the girl, is she what they call a spitfire? (33:51) Is a

Janelle (33:52) Oh, a 100%. (33:53) It's a mix of the second child syndrome with being a redhead, and it's a deadly combination.

Scott Benner (33:58) Are you or your husband redheads?

Janelle (34:00) We have redhead in the family, but neither of us are actually redheaded.

Scott Benner (34:05) Oh, did that freak you out when it popped out?

Janelle (34:07) More so the fact that we chose her name halfway through the pregnancy and her name is Amber. (34:11) No. (34:12) And so it was kind of just like this happy coincidence, and I'm like, don't I don't think this could have happened any other way.

Speaker 3 (34:17) Wait. (34:17) Stop it. (34:18) You named

Scott Benner (34:18) your daughter Ember before you realized she was a redhead and you didn't have any real reason to think she was gonna be have red hair?

Janelle (34:24) Yeah.

Scott Benner (34:24) Oh, that's kinda cool. (34:26) Yeah. (34:26) It is cool. (34:27) What do you by the way, I don't know any redheads personally. (34:29) Like, what is it you're what what is it you're referring to?

Janelle (34:33) I mean, usually, redheads are pretty crazy Really? (34:35) To my understanding, at least. (34:36) I think that's the stereotype.

Scott Benner (34:37) Oh, wait a minute. (34:39) You know, I grew up with a kid named Jim. (34:41) Can I say Jim Woodson? (34:43) Why why not? (34:43) Jim Wood.

Scott Benner (34:44) He he had a bit of that redhead energy. (34:47) He did.

Janelle (34:48) Yeah. (34:48) I think redheads are just built different.

Scott Benner (34:51) Alright. (34:51) Hey, Jim. (34:51) If you're out there, what's up, man? (34:54) In your mid fifties right now wondering how you got mentioned on a diabetes podcast.

Janelle (34:59) Full circle event here.

Scott Benner (35:00) You live right down the street from the apartment I grew up in. (35:03) So you crossed the street from Eric. (35:05) That is really not important, I don't think, to to anyone listening. (35:08) Okay. (35:10) So what is mean, what's your goal coming on the podcast?

Scott Benner (35:14) Like, what what made you reach out?

Janelle (35:15) I think just forcing myself to get out of my comfort zone a little bit. (35:18) I think with having a kid with type one diabetes, it kind of, like, becomes your whole personality, and you kind of lose yourself in that. (35:24) And so I'm kind of trying to get back to finding myself a little bit and finding things that I enjoy, and I figured that pushing myself to come on a podcast would kind of be a good little first step.

Scott Benner (35:34) How do you lose yourself? (35:35) Describe it.

Janelle (35:38) I think you something happens in your brain where the only reason you're really living is to to keep your kid alive. (35:46) And, obviously, every parent has to keep their kid alive to some degree, but it's it's so much different when they are basically on you know, when they're on insulin, they're on life support to some degree. (35:59) Mhmm. (35:59) And it's like, I think when you look at it like that and I try not to too much because then it causes me to spiral. (36:05) But it looking at it like that, it kind of puts it into a better perspective of, like, you kind of don't think there's really time for anything else other than putting all of your attention and focus into keeping this child alive.

Scott Benner (36:18) Is any of this a function of this type a thing you were talking about?

Janelle (36:22) Probably. (36:22) Yeah.

Scott Benner (36:23) I mean, do you feel like if you didn't have that kind of personality that you might not feel this way about the rest of it?

Janelle (36:29) I think it's definitely a possibility. (36:31) Yeah.

Scott Benner (36:31) Okay. (36:32) I mean, I said we were gonna try to find your mental illness in twenty two minutes. (36:35) I don't know if we did or not, but it's pretty close.

Janelle (36:37) I I don't know.

Scott Benner (36:38) Does it impact any other parts of your life? (36:40) Do you have trouble, like, making time for other things?

Janelle (36:44) Yeah. (36:45) I think I struggle to make time, like, specifically for myself. (36:48) Like, it's hard for me to go and, like, do things by myself without just, like, staring at the follow-up the entire time I'm gone.

Scott Benner (36:56) Were you like that before the diabetes?

Janelle (36:58) To some extent, I don't think it was this bad, though.

Scott Benner (37:00) Okay. (37:00) Do you have, like, mom guilt Yes. (37:03) On top of everything?

Janelle (37:04) But I had mom guilt before the diabetes too. (37:05) So it just, like, got, you know, exacerbated with the diagnosis.

Scott Benner (37:09) What's mom guilt look like when you're, like, 24 years old and you have a baby?

Janelle (37:15) I guess I would say probably, like, to some degree thinking, like, how am I even old enough to, like, raise this being? (37:24) Like, I'm barely old enough to function myself. (37:27) And thinking, like, you know, I could probably be doing so much better if I was older, but you're not. (37:33) So you gotta figure it out.

Scott Benner (37:34) The little impostor syndrome on being a mom and then start feeling like, well, if I would have just done this differently, maybe I'd be a better mom. (37:42) Yeah. (37:42) Why did you think you weren't a good mom? (37:44) By the way, we're two steps away from realizing you have anxiety. (37:47) I'm just getting to it.

Scott Benner (37:48) That's all.

Janelle (37:48) You're not wrong.

Scott Benner (37:50) No. (37:50) I know. (37:54) Just didn't know if you knew. (37:56) That's all. (37:56) I'm sorry.

Scott Benner (37:57) Didn't wanna spring it on I just didn't wanna spring it on you.

Janelle (37:59) I had I had the I had the little Pandora's box over here, I'm like, is he gonna is he gonna find the key for it? (38:03) Or

Scott Benner (38:04) Probably. (38:04) I mean, if not, then I should probably pack it in. (38:06) Right? (38:07) So and I don't I can't quit making this podcast now.

Janelle (38:10) I feel like I put too much time into this.

Scott Benner (38:12) Well, no. (38:13) Not just that. (38:14) Today, I had this meeting with these people I'm doing a talk for coming up. (38:19) And it's by the way, no one you're never gonna know what don't even bother guessing what it is. (38:22) And and so I'm doing some public speaking for somebody, and at the end of the meeting, the person on the call, like, very sincerely says I said to him, well, I gotta go.

Scott Benner (38:31) I gotta go jump on a call. (38:32) I'm recording an episode. (38:33) I didn't, at that time, know that I was going to record, squishy pushy. (38:37) But at the time and she and she looked at me real sincerely, and she's like, go change the world. (38:42) And I was like, oh my gosh.

Scott Benner (38:43) Like, I will. (38:45) Thank you. (38:45) Yeah. (38:46) But this person knows the podcast and knows me, and that's their feeling about me. (38:49) And I thought, oh, I didn't like, it was so strange to it was nice, but it was strange to just have a a a stranger sit down in front of you and tell you what the thing they think you're doing.

Janelle (38:59) Yeah. (38:59) That's awesome, though.

Scott Benner (39:00) Yeah. (39:00) It was really cool. (39:00) But so I guess my point is is that you're if you're that young and you're feeling like, oh, I'm probably failing at this, but you're not. (39:10) Like, there's no there's no indicators that you're failing at it. (39:13) Yeah.

Scott Benner (39:13) Then you're worried about something that doesn't exist, and to some degree, that's anxiety. (39:17) So have you been anxious your whole life?

Janelle (39:19) Yeah. (39:20) I think so.

Scott Benner (39:20) Yeah? (39:21) Yeah. (39:21) Is it a type one person type a personality, or is it a anxiety, or is it a mix?

Janelle (39:26) It's definitely a mix.

Scott Benner (39:28) And who do you think after your mom or your dad?

Janelle (39:31) My mom.

Scott Benner (39:31) Gotcha. (39:33) And is your dad, like, all laid back while she's out of her mind? (39:36) Yep. (39:37) Did you marry a guy who's all laid back? (39:39) Yep.

Scott Benner (39:39) Is that why you characterized him as not getting involved right away because he didn't meet your level of involvement?

Janelle (39:45) Maybe to some degree. (39:46) Yeah.

Scott Benner (39:47) Yeah. (39:47) $40 is my co pay on this, by the way. (39:51) No one's ever sent me the 40. (39:52) I just wanna be clear. (39:53) I I keep waiting for someone to, like, find me and just put a co pay in my hand, but it's not today, I guess.

Janelle (39:58) Be the worst thing?

Scott Benner (39:59) I mean, I don't think I can make a real living $40 at a time, but it would be a nice, add on income. (40:07) I wouldn't I wouldn't say no to it. (40:09) Yeah. (40:10) Also, I'm not fishing for everyone to send me 40.

Janelle (40:14) He's gonna drop his Venmo here.

Scott Benner (40:15) Well, I just know there's 10, like, unstable people out there, so he's trying to get them to pay them. (40:21) I'm not. (40:22) You're just crazy. (40:22) So or you don't hear sarcasm. (40:24) I can't tell which it is.

Scott Benner (40:25) I don't have time for you people. (40:27) But, wow. (40:28) Okay. (40:28) So, like, so all this is going. (40:30) Is this a thing that you've learned about yourself and you're actively working on, or is it a thing that you've learned about yourself and you're just accepting?

Janelle (40:36) I think there's a degree of both that have to happen. (40:39) I think you have to accept that this is kind of the way you are before you can start to want to work on it and change it.

Scott Benner (40:45) Are you at that point? (40:46) Yeah. (40:47) Okay. (40:48) And this is part of that? (40:49) Like, coming on here and pushing through some comfort zones as part of your, like, working on yourself thing?

Scott Benner (40:54) Yeah. (40:55) Nice. (40:56) Yeah. (40:56) Oh, so I didn't tell you anything you didn't know? (41:00) No.

Scott Benner (41:00) But are you a little surprised that I figured it out just through this conversation?

Janelle (41:04) Not really.

Scott Benner (41:05) Oh, you listen to the podcast then. (41:07) Yeah. (41:07) Yeah. (41:07) Okay. (41:09) Well, for the other people, they're surprised.

Scott Benner (41:10) Some people think I'm a magician right now. (41:12) Okay? (41:14) Some people are just like, my god, he does this all the time. (41:17) So irritating.

Janelle (41:18) They're like, oh, another therapy session.

Scott Benner (41:20) God, that's not my fault. (41:21) I didn't get married out of high school. (41:24) You did. (41:26) Were you afraid you were gonna lose him? (41:29) Is it because he went does it because he went into the military?

Scott Benner (41:33) Why'd you get married?

Janelle (41:33) Honestly, I think

Scott Benner (41:35) You'll be divorced by the time we get done.

Janelle (41:40) I mean, maybe. (41:42) I don't know. (41:42) I think it was just a fact of that we knew we were gonna get married. (41:45) So then at that point, we were like, well, why wait?

Scott Benner (41:48) Okay.

Janelle (41:49) And just kinda went with that mindset.

Scott Benner (41:51) We got married for car insurance.

Janelle (41:53) Hey.

Scott Benner (41:53) So, I mean, your reason sounds as good as ours did.

Janelle (41:58) They're about equal. (41:58) Yeah.

Scott Benner (41:59) Should've got my wife got a good job, and we couldn't afford car insurance.

Speaker 3 (42:07) It does. (42:08) I mean, people

Scott Benner (42:09) have gotten married for worse reasons, haven't they?

Janelle (42:10) Oh, a 100%.

Scott Benner (42:12) Yeah. (42:12) We're still married, by the way. (42:13) I don't know if you all know that, but next year is Okay. (42:16) Our thirtieth Yeah. (42:19) That's crazy.

Scott Benner (42:20) Right? (42:20) You're not even 30 years old. (42:22) Yeah. (42:23) Yeah. (42:23) Can you imagine being married thirty years from now?

Janelle (42:26) Yeah. (42:26) I can imagine it. (42:27) I mean, I've watched my parents stay married for that long plus some.

Scott Benner (42:30) Are they doing it despite each other or they actually seem happy?

Janelle (42:34) No. (42:35) They're actually happy.

Scott Benner (42:36) They're just they're not just, you know, this long protracted battle to see which one can live longer. (42:41) No. (42:41) Yeah. (42:42) Yeah. (42:42) So when one of them dies and go, I beat you.

Janelle (42:45) No. (42:46) Oh my gosh.

Scott Benner (42:47) My wife's definitely gonna do that. (42:49) If I drive first, she's gonna be like, I knew I could outlast him. (42:51) I think she'll be sad till the afternoon at least, though. (42:57) Yeah. (42:58) Yeah.

Scott Benner (42:58) Yeah.

Janelle (42:58) I think you deserve that much at least.

Scott Benner (43:00) I mean, a solid day. (43:01) I would I I think it would be hours. (43:03) I I don't want her to bring a date to the funeral is what I'm saying.

Janelle (43:06) So maybe a couple days then.

Scott Benner (43:07) Yeah. (43:07) Yeah. (43:08) We talked about my cremation last night. (43:09) That was fun. (43:10) I tried to explain to them that I thought they should press my ashes into a diamond and somebody should wear it.

Scott Benner (43:16) No one seemed up for that.

Janelle (43:18) I mean, that that sounds sweet.

Scott Benner (43:21) They don't even want the to be like it. (43:23) I'm like, well, what do you like, who's gonna get my ashes? (43:25) They're like, oh, can we spread them somewhere? (43:26) And I was like, you don't want my ashes? (43:28) And they're like, not really.

Scott Benner (43:29) And I was like, oh, okay.

Janelle (43:31) No. (43:31) That's that's fine.

Scott Benner (43:32) I guess that's fine. (43:34) Just you just discard me somewhere after I'm gone. (43:38) Yeah. (43:38) You know what the diamond? (43:39) Doesn't that sound nice?

Scott Benner (43:41) No one thought that was nice. (43:43) It's really upsetting. (43:44) I mean, not that Yeah. (43:45) Yeah. (43:45) Yeah.

Scott Benner (43:46) Yeah. (43:46) You know what I mean? (43:46) Like, because my wife wants to be buried.

Janelle (43:48) Okay.

Scott Benner (43:49) But I don't want that. (43:50) You have a thought? (43:51) Okay. (43:51) What do wanna do with your carcass when when you're done?

Janelle (43:54) I honestly try not to put too much thought into it right now, but maybe I should.

Scott Benner (43:57) Well, I mean, like, seriously, like, either someone's gonna put you in a hole in the ground or they're gonna set you on fire. (44:03) Which which sounds better to you?

Janelle (44:07) Pick of the litter right there. (44:08) I don't know. (44:09) I guess I'd say cremated.

Scott Benner (44:10) I'm with you. (44:11) Yeah. (44:12) Yeah. (44:12) Right? (44:12) Because you're gonna end up in dust anyway.

Janelle (44:16) Yeah.

Scott Benner (44:16) I I don't wanna I don't wanna rot slowly.

Janelle (44:20) Yeah. (44:20) You could always get turned into a tree.

Scott Benner (44:23) Alright. (44:23) I mean, I do. (44:24) Oh oh, yeah. (44:25) They they do the thing and then they plant the tree with you in the bowl. (44:28) I don't know.

Scott Benner (44:29) You know you know, I'm okay with that, I guess. (44:32) I don't wanna pay for it. (44:33) Even dead, I'm cheap. (44:35) I'm like, I don't wanna put that kind of money out for that.

Janelle (44:37) I can't afford that.

Scott Benner (44:38) Yeah. (44:39) No. (44:39) We can't be that's actually what I thought. (44:40) I was like, that sounds pricey. (44:43) Do I care?

Scott Benner (44:44) I'm gonna be dead. (44:45) Sorry.

Janelle (44:45) A bit out of the budget. (44:46) Yeah.

Scott Benner (44:46) Yeah. (44:47) Like, why do I care? (44:48) I was like, right now, was like, oh, I don't know. (44:50) I mean, what's that cost? (44:51) Jesus.

Scott Benner (44:53) You should look into my thoughts. (44:55) I'm like, oh my god. (44:56) Yeah. (44:57) Yeah. (44:57) I think we I don't ask that question enough on the podcast.

Scott Benner (45:00) I do I've like, buried her. (45:02) Because, like, at some point, you know, I don't know how I don't exactly like, let me be clear. (45:08) Like, most things in the podcast, I don't really understand a lot of the details of it. (45:11) But, like, at some point, like, you're gonna be rotting.

Janelle (45:15) Yeah.

Scott Benner (45:16) The meat's gonna be gone, and the skin will just be hanging on like crepe paper. (45:20) Ugh. (45:21) And you're just gonna be under there. (45:23) And then one day, two hundred years from now, they're gonna need that land for something else and just push into a pile somewhere. (45:29) Like, I just think the the cremation's the way to go.

Janelle (45:31) I mean, yeah. (45:32) I think, honestly, instead of introduce yourself, that should be your opening question on the podcast is buried or cremated.

Scott Benner (45:37) Instead of what autoimmune issues are in your family? (45:42) Although, we should add the Viking funeral to it though.

Janelle (45:45) Yes. (45:46) Right? (45:46) That's a valid option.

Scott Benner (45:47) The on top of, like, firewood doused in gasoline pushed out the sea on fire? (45:52) Yeah. (45:53) Yeah. (45:53) Maybe I'd like that. (45:55) That'd be nice.

Scott Benner (45:55) Put some fireworks in the background.

Janelle (45:57) Yeah.

Scott Benner (45:58) Right? (45:58) And I don't need it videoed. (46:00) I I'm not one of those people. (46:01) I don't want everything on video. (46:05) I was saying the other day, like, I don't understand some of the things y'all take pictures of.

Scott Benner (46:10) Oh

Janelle (46:11) my god.

Scott Benner (46:11) I was like, here's a picture of me in the hospital. (46:13) I'm like, why? (46:17) I you look terrible, first of all. (46:19) Secondly, like, this is not a great moment in your life. (46:22) Like, what are you snapping?

Scott Benner (46:23) And I I even see having the pictures later as maybe being valued. (46:26) But in the moment, like, I don't get a person who's like, oh, let me get my camera out right now. (46:30) Yeah. (46:30) I don't remember to do that when I'm supposed to.

Janelle (46:33) Yeah. (46:34) I agree with that.

Scott Benner (46:35) I'm glad. (46:35) I like you. (46:37) If your parents died prematurely, I would adopt you. (46:40) So Perfect. (46:41) Yeah.

Scott Benner (46:41) Yeah. (46:41) Yeah. (46:42) I'm not gonna pay for anything. (46:43) As you heard with the with the tree thing, it's like, my god. (46:46) Yeah.

Scott Benner (46:46) I'd the worst dad. (46:47) You'd be like, can I get $50 to plant? (46:49) I'll be like, no. (46:50) Don't I can't do that.

Janelle (46:51) No. (46:51) Sorry. (46:51) Can't swing it.

Scott Benner (46:52) Go ask that boy that married you. (46:55) See see what he's got going on.

Janelle (46:57) Yeah.

Scott Benner (46:58) Alright. (46:58) So we gotta get back on track here. (47:00) Really, the squishy pushy really threw me off today. (47:02) You're never I really gonna can't even you know what? (47:06) Rob, I'm gonna say why squishy pushy push me off and then bleep the whole thing out so that nobody can hear it.

Scott Benner (47:12) Okay? (47:13) No. (47:13) There'll be too much bleeping. (47:15) No. (47:16) You're just gonna have to go listen to it.

Scott Benner (47:17) I'm sorry. (47:17) I was trying to make it fun for you guys who are listening to this one, but I can't. (47:20) Just let's just say that Brenda said something that stopped me in my tracks. (47:26) You'll know

Janelle (47:28) it when you hear

Scott Benner (47:28) it.

Speaker 3 (47:28) You will. (47:29) Yeah. (47:29) If you don't,

Scott Benner (47:29) you're not paying attention. (47:30) That's for sure. (47:32) My god. (47:32) Alright. (47:33) So how is this gonna help you break out of your norms?

Scott Benner (47:36) Like, what is it you're hoping to like, on this little journey of yours, where are trying to get to? (47:47) This episode was too good to cut anything out of, but too long to make just one episode. (47:52) So this is part one. (47:53) Make sure you go find part two right now. (47:55) It's gonna be the next episode in your feed.

Scott Benner (47:59) I'd like to remind you again about the MiniMed seven eighty g automated insulin delivery system, which, of course, anticipates, adjusts, and corrects every five minutes twenty four seven. (48:09) It works around the clock so you can focus on what matters. (48:13) The Juice Box community knows the importance of using technology to simplify managing diabetes. (48:19) To learn more about how you can spend less time and effort managing your diabetes, visit my link, medtronicdiabetes.com/juicebox. (48:30) Having an easy to use and accurate blood glucose meter is just one click away.

Scott Benner (48:36) Contournext.com/juicebox. (48:40) That's right. (48:40) Today's episode is sponsored by the Contour NextGen blood glucose meter. (48:49) If you've listened to any number of podcasts or maybe watched a YouTube video, you're very accustomed to listening to the creator of that content ask you and sometimes just outright beg you without any feeling of self respect for you to follow, subscribe, share an episode. (49:08) The reason that happens in podcasting specifically is because podcast players don't have a sophisticated recommendation engine like YouTube or TikTok does.

Scott Benner (49:18) They can't watch listener behavior and then give you content that you might like. (49:24) Word-of-mouth skips that line completely. (49:27) It's an instantly expanding reach engine and really the only thing I've ever found that helps to keep the Juice Box podcast growing. (49:35) So subscribe and follow because that the algorithm understands. (49:39) Set up automatic downloads, listen to the show, but share it with somebody else.

Scott Benner (49:44) Leave a five star review. (49:46) Make it a thoughtful review that the algorithm can understand. (49:50) I really appreciate the time it takes you to do those things, and I hate that I have to say this to you because I feel like an idiot. (49:56) But subscribe and follow. (49:57) Tell a friend.

Scott Benner (49:59) Please and thank you. (50:00) Hey. (50:00) I'm dropping in to tell you about a small change being made to the Juice Cruise 2026 schedule. (50:05) This adjustment was made by Celebrity Cruise Lines, not by me. (50:09) Anyway, we're still going out on the Celebrity Beyond cruise ship, which is awesome.

Scott Benner (50:13) Check out the walkthrough video at juice box podcast dot com slash juice cruise. (50:18) The ship is awesome. (50:19) Still a seven night cruise. (50:21) It still leaves out of Miami on June 21. (50:24) Actually, most of this is the same.

Scott Benner (50:26) We leave Miami June 21, head to Coco Cay in The Bahamas, but then we're going to San Juan, Puerto Rico instead of Saint Thomas. (50:34) After that, Bastirie, I think I'm saying that wrong, Saint Kitts And Nevis. (50:38) This place is gorgeous. (50:39) Google it. (50:40) Mean, you're probably gonna have to go to my link to get the correct spelling because my pronunciation is so bad.

Scott Benner (50:44) But once you get the Saint Kitts and you Google it, you're gonna look and see a photo that says to you, oh, I wanna go there. (50:51) Come meet other people living with type one diabetes from caregivers to children to adults. (50:57) Last year, we had a 100 people on our cruise, and it was fabulous. (51:03) You can see pictures to get at my link juiceboxpodcast.com/juicecruise. (51:07) Can see those pictures from last year there.

Scott Benner (51:10) The link also gives you an opportunity to register for the cruise or to contact Suzanne from Cruise Planners. (51:16) She takes care of all the logistics. (51:17) I'm just excited that I might see you there. (51:20) It's a beautiful event for families, for singles, a wonderful opportunity to meet people, swap stories, make friendships, and learn. (51:30) The Juice Box podcast is edited by Wrong Way Recording.

Scott Benner (51:34) Wrongwayrecording.com. (51:37) If you'd like your podcast to sound as good as mine, check out Rob at wrongwayrecording.com.

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