SPEAKER_00 0:00

Well, Joyce, I'm super excited to have you here today chatting about type 1 diabetes and just the journey so far. Uh, for those who might not know yet, can you give us a quick little intro on maybe how long you've had diabetes and are you on a pump or shots, that sort of stuff?

SPEAKER_01 0:15

Okay. I've only been a diabetic for two years, and I'm on an omnipod pump, which I've only had for one year, and came across her France and diabetes in on Facebook, and I listened, and here I am, and I am so happy that I found this group. Helped me immensely.

SPEAKER_00 0:45

Oh my goodness. I I remember when you first told me that. It's so fresh. Um what would you say is was the thing you were struggling with before you jumped in, before you found us? What was the biggest struggle?

SPEAKER_01 0:56

Lack of information uh from your endocrinologist. And basically, I was just thrown into it because I was in France um on vacation, got deathly ill and brought to emergency in an ambulance and ICU for three days and an endocrine hospital, which I think was fantastic. But because of the lack of communication, and then when I came back, I don't know if they just thought I knew what to do. Here, count your carbs, here's your ratio, and that wasn't right. So I have learned how to adjust my basal rate, everything, which they pretty much said, oh no, just skip over that.

SPEAKER_02 1:46

And no.

SPEAKER_01 1:48

But now the only thing that has not improved is my A1C, and doing some research on that, I can see why, but I've been 95% in range for 90 days, and I think the average is about anywhere from I've done it several times, so it's anywhere from um average of 112 to 123 when I'm 100% in range. So I don't know what's the problem when I had my last A1C was seven, and I didn't like it, and I was totally devastated because I had worked so hard and to get to this point. And um even the people in the group are like, what? You've only done this for two years, a year really, of knowing anything. And they said, Wow, that they thought I spoke, I was well spoken, and that I knew so much already that they are just amazed. So I'm amazed too.

SPEAKER_00 2:56

Absolutely. Well, and we'll talk about that for just a second. The the nuances between the A1C and how most people it's an accurate representation of their average glucose. But for some individuals, and I know we've talked about this, hemoglobin binds at a different rate and it stays around longer. And for some people, the A1C can read higher than it actually is, right? And if your average glucose is under 120, your A1C is in the fives, right?

SPEAKER_01 3:23

But that GMI percentage or whatever it gives you, yeah, it says I'm 6.2, which I would be fine with that. So I've had different conflicting things. You could have been dehydrated, you know, whatever that day in particular, and other people in the group have said it did happen to them. And um amazing.

SPEAKER_00 3:50

So your your GMI is also showing that it's improved, which is incredible. 6.2 average glucose would suggest it's yeah, below six as well.

SPEAKER_01 3:58

Um and my standard deviation is not very high. It's I think I think uh, you know, you had suggested it be under 30 was great. And I think I range some different months from 18 to 22 or three, something like that. So I know I'm doing the right thing. I uh just cannot worry about A1C at this point when I know that 95% for 90 days is great.

SPEAKER_00 4:31

That is stellar.

SPEAKER_01 4:33

Um right now it doesn't show that if you look because I had a bunch of days of bad CGM readings.

SPEAKER_02 4:40

Oh, I can't stand that.

SPEAKER_01 4:42

I'm back on track yesterday, day before, and sorting today, I was 100% again. And I'm not like goodness, I guess I'm strict. I'm not gonna say I'm like, oh, checking it every minute or anything. Just when I look and it says 100%, I'm like, yes.

SPEAKER_00 5:00

Oh, I I screenshot it too. I'm like, yes, another one.

SPEAKER_01 5:04

Yes, it's always exciting.

SPEAKER_00 5:06

I love that. Wow. And have you applied for the Rangemaster Award yet?

SPEAKER_01 5:10

Because you might I have not. I haven't applied for any of them. I did share that I have done some of those things, and I didn't know um if I needed to have them. Do I need to have them to oh George looks behind me?

SPEAKER_00 5:27

I've got a whole display of the challenge coins that I won. So I think they're fun personally. So anybody who's watching this probably has no idea. We have a series of um award medallions, and they they celebrate different milestones. So 100% time and range for your first time, um standard deviation. We've got some for your A1C being below a seven. So you know, that's like a spectrum of awards. And one of the top awards I just mentioned was Rangemaster. So, Joyce, it's a 90-day report of above 90% time and range, below 30 standard deviation, and below 120 for your average glucose. And all while maintaining high quality of life. So it's like the reason we picked it is that those metrics would line up with a non-diabetic. And that's where it gets exciting, which I'm pretty sure you've accomplished. Which is amazing.

SPEAKER_01 6:19

And I finally have got to the point where I have control, but I do have freedom. And that was my biggest thing. I wanted to live with it and not for it. And I think I now understand and I just live my life with it, not for it.

SPEAKER_00 6:43

Tell me, uh, paint the picture of the the two different versions. So the before freedom version and then the after freedom version, what were things like previously? Like how did it feel?

SPEAKER_01 6:53

I I asked my husband and he said, it is a lot less chaotic with you now.

SPEAKER_00 6:59

Um interesting.

SPEAKER_01 7:01

And I didn't know that, you know, that he noticed so much about that. But um I think I just go in there, get do if I'm gonna be eating something, just figure it up, put it in, take my insulin, and move on. I'll check later to see if I did the right, you know, calculations. Yes, you did. So here we are. And right now I'm 91 and steady. I had my breakfast chia pudding with chia and flaxseed and strawberries and uh sunflower and pecan milk, and it was delicious, and I'm still good.

SPEAKER_00 7:42

I love that. Well, and so obviously he noticed it, which is really interesting. Um when a spouse notices something, it's in my opinion, something that's more impactful because it's not just you and how you feel different, it's showing up and how you live your life, right? Because we can keep stuff in our head if we're frustrated, but if it's affecting our habits, our routines, and how we show up for other people, then that's a whole different level. That's huge. But how does it feel for you internally? Like, does it feel like a weight was lifted? Does it just feel more fun?

SPEAKER_01 8:15

Does it feel most definitely, most definitely, because I didn't know the whys and I didn't know how to fix them. And I would even, and I mean, I'm sure he could tell you, I would say, I took the insulin and now I'm 180. Why? I don't know. And so now I know I didn't bolus long enough. I wasn't taking correct amounts of insulin, my ratios were off. Um, at night I was being awaken many times for lows or highs, the basil was all off, and I finished those tests, and now when I wake up in the morning, 112. Dot dot dot straight, straight, straight. So sometimes it's one, two, three. That's easy to remember. But I guess last night I did not hear a high alarm, and so I went back and looked, and for like 15 minutes, for some reason, it was um one. I have mine set at 80 to 160. And but I had messed that up and put it on my omnipod. Now it's just on the DEXCOM because I was getting cheated of in range when 80 to 160 is a little bit tighter range than 70 to 180. And I might like to tighten it maybe a little more. So and I know that I can, and I know it won't be any more restrictive because I um do stay within that range anyway. So I'm pretty high, I don't know if I need it or not. Sometimes, you know, too many alarms are not good either.

SPEAKER_00 10:10

Right. Well, and there's this great phrase in uh in R tree, aim small, miss small. And if you tighten your range and aim for 80 to 160, that means on a quote unquote bad day, you might still be within 70 to 180. But you know, it's we'd be exactly able to take action earlier. But yes, the freedom piece, I love hearing that. So um, how does freedom show up for you personally? Is it mostly just a peace of mind thing, knowing why, or is it also showing up in how you choose your foods or spontaneity, anything like that?

SPEAKER_01 10:42

I would say both, all of all of the above. Um I do feel like I can do things more spontaneous and not be worried about, oh wait, I have to do this and this. And you know, I have I knew nothing about insulin on board, I knew nothing about uh aerobic exercise affecting my blood sugar, uh, none of those things. And so, or just go take a walk or go take a hot shower. Heat, I do have some variables, but now I know I didn't know before. And um, so now I know if you're gonna be in the outright sun, I have an umbrella. And believe it or not, yesterday I did it and 129, 18 round, 18 holes of golf. Yes, used used my umbrella and never went above 129. I had a snack of mandarin oranges and what was my other thing? Something small. I did bolus for it because before I had not bolused for it, and um Lindsay thought that maybe that was one of the reasons I went to 180 something that day. And so between staying trying to stay in the shade and bolusing for my snacks when I was not really low, because uh, and I now know that if I'm 129 and I'm thinking I'm moving and this and you know, exercising, um, I still uh remained in range. And so I thought it was it was a very good recommendation. And that was that one of my big variables don't stand in the outright hot sun. Even though I'm not hot or sweaty, it does affect it and shoots it right up.

SPEAKER_00 12:44

Well, and this is why I love you know having multiple uh specialist coaches on the team because we can have different perspectives and offer different tips, right? So I'm so glad that Lindsay found the the idea for bolusing for the snack, and of course the umbrella little things that you wouldn't think about with diabetes, right? Like, how does diabetes mean carry an umbrella? Right, but it does, yeah. For some people, it's a strong reaction there. So I love that.

SPEAKER_01 13:11

Um, and my insulin got overheated that day also. And grilling, if you're gonna grill, don't stand close to the grill. It heats up your insulin, it becomes less effective, and there goes the blood sugar. And I'm thinking, what happened? So I don't do that now. I said, I guess I need a leather apron to wear when I little heat shield grill. Yeah, yes, a heat shield, or let somebody else do it.

SPEAKER_00 13:39

That's fair. Yeah, that is amazing, though. Well, and uh, and how old were you when you were diagnosed?

SPEAKER_01 13:46

68. I just turned 70 uh less than a month ago.

SPEAKER_00 13:50

Oh, happy belated birthday. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 13:53

I was I was waiting for the baby to be born on my birthday, August 6th, but she decided to come early, I guess.

SPEAKER_00 14:00

Way early. Yeah, surprised all of us. Oh, but that's so exciting. So something that we are seeing more and more often now, and I know a lot of members in our group um are being diagnosed a little later in life, and it's it's confusing for a lot of the doctors, but uh, I'm sure confusing in in terms of shifting lifestyle and expectations of like, oh, now I have to take care of this new thing, you know, figure it out. Um so I'm curious, as you were kind of exploring different programs, you mentioned you found us on Facebook. What concerns did you have before jumping in?

SPEAKER_01 14:32

How was I gonna stay alive? Basically, is that what you mean?

SPEAKER_00 14:36

Or I meant like kept me from joining too with diabetes, but yeah, what concerns did you have that um might have caused hesitation in joining the program?

SPEAKER_01 14:46

Because, well, one thing was I think they might have asked if I had any questions, and I said, I don't know enough to ask a question. And you said, You don't know what you don't know until you know, and that really and France that you had an issue in France, and it just kind of spoke to me, and I thought, well, I need to try this out because I wasn't in any kind of program, and to get uh get into something with the endo is takes a long time. So I in two days I have my first appointment with the dietitian, which okay, I've been in the um renegade warriors longer than I mean in a shorter time than I've had that appointment for a long time, and it's finally coming up. So we shall see. I will bring a book and uh share lots of things with them and we shall see what happens.

SPEAKER_00 15:49

You're gonna end up teaching them. They're like, oh, hell is more.

SPEAKER_01 15:53

Well, the first class I went to was just a diabetic education with quotes in it. And when I left, I thought, hmm, I could have taught this class. So I won't say I didn't learn anything, but they're not really informative to what we really need.

SPEAKER_00 16:14

Right. Well, and I'm glad that you get to be an example and a light to other people, you know, and showing them what's possible. I mean, 95%. Goodness gracious, that's just amazing.

SPEAKER_01 16:24

Well, I was talking to a fellow member and she said, What? You've only done this like a year? I said, Yes, with the pump. I came home from France with a sheet of paper that said, if you're between this and this, take this many units of insulin, and that's all I knew. So, and I had a long term and the short term, and so I did that, and then I had some health issues from why I had that insulin to begin with, which was a reaction to uh and complications from uh chemo and immunotherapy. So um I had other issues from that also, and I was in the hospital. And when the endo uh PAs came to visit, she said, Oh, you can get a pump and it's small and does this and that. And I said, I'm in. So I have nothing really to compare. And when other people talk about, oh, I've been on mini-med tandem, I don't even know what it is or anything. But I am glad that he did ask me my endo if I was comfortable changing my numbers. And I said, Yes, I am, and he said, Great, and so that's what I've been doing, and so with the help of Lindsay, we've got my basil correct. I've done the playbook with the correction factor, the bolus, and my aerobic impact, my anaerobic impact, my strength test, and I'm doing good.

SPEAKER_00 18:09

I love that. Well, and yeah, and honestly, I love that we were able to bring Lindsay on the team because she's a C D C E S, right? So it's like, hey, let's get everybody's insulin set up correctly. Um, I'm curious for you, what was there was there a moment that everything just started clicking or that you realized like this was actually working for you?

SPEAKER_01 18:29

Uh when I realized he said, Oh, you are just my best patient, the endo, just like you did. And 88%, you have an A plus. And I'm like, hmm, okay, I got home and I thought, well, when I was in school and 88 was not an A plus. He must have, I told my husband, he must be grading on the curve. So this time, I didn't even know what time and range was. I didn't know any of those things. So when I realized what it was, and I'm now, like I said, over 90% most of the time, 100% some of the time. And when I go back, I'm gonna say, now I have an A, at least an A, maybe not an A plus, but um, I'm no longer grading on the curve. I'm not just good enough, I'm much better than just good enough, and I always wanted to be much better than good enough in anything in my life, and this was not something I was even remotely good enough in my estimation. But now I feel like I understand, not I don't know everything, but I'm still learning, I still improve daily, and um I don't think I will do a 55-mile bike ride in Moab, Utah, but uh I uh because I don't want to fall at 70 and I don't feel 70, never did, I didn't feel 60, 50, or 40. So um I still do a lot of things and I did over the course of all of this, I probably have lost a hundred pounds plus, and that has made a huge difference, and it wasn't I don't recommend the program, which is feeling horrible and chemo and all of that stuff, but um gotcha uh it is a great improvement and I don't want to I don't want it back.

SPEAKER_00 20:44

Yeah. Well, and speaking of uh obviously that was a different program, but speaking of our program, what is something that you would want to tell someone who might be on the fence about joining? Do it. What advice would you give them?

SPEAKER_01 20:56

Do it. You will learn exactly what what you have, what is diabetes, how it works, what you need to do. And once you get all your numbers right and you go through the very hard eight weeks, you will realize eight weeks is nothing compared to the quality of life I now can have from learning these things. And I will continue to learn and strive, and not that we're perfect, even coaches sometimes have to take glucose during a call, and that's perfectly fine. I found out how important drinking a lot of water, we need things that other people don't need, like electrolytes, more so when I'm out doing things. Um just we need other supplements that maybe we didn't know about that no one told me, even though I have a Garage of blood work, and it's like, oh yeah, it looks good. You know, let's work on the A1C to get it down. But I have no, they didn't give you any information on how to do that. So um I think this was the turning point. And um I know there are a lot of other things out there, but you have to find what works for you. And I always thought people thought I was a renegade to begin with. So I guess it just all went it fell into place.

SPEAKER_00 22:34

Just fit right in. I'm so excited just to hear about the transformation. And I want to acknowledge something. Obviously, we can provide the information, you know, we fill that gap very well, but you have implemented like you took action, you said yes to the program, you did the homework, you did all the stuff. You're the reason that you're sitting at 95%, 100%. And I'm proud of you. That's really exciting, Joyce.

SPEAKER_01 22:58

Thank you. Thank you very much I mean, it's a journey and it's uh continues to be. And um we'll talk in November again and see where where I'm at then, and I'll bring records and blood sugars and all kinds of stuff so we can have a good, you know, evaluation of what's going on. But I think I really the big thing is I think now I understand a whole lot more because of the information of why you're high, why you're low, how can I fix this? You know, what am I doing? I don't even know what I'm doing. And now I do, and I feel confident when I make a decision or predict. I didn't know about arrows. What are those little arrows? I don't know. I guess they're a decoration on the blood sugar. I didn't know what it was. And I have since told other friends who are type two, I know no one personally who is a type one diabetic. No one. So these people are my friends. And I understand now kind of why people do internet dating, because I knew right away the people I connected with, and they knew right away that they connected with me. We're not dating, I'm just saying you know when someone is your kind of people, and uh so now uh we personally talk on the side with a couple of people, and I've had told them, You seem so comfortable. I didn't say a word for like a month and a half or two months of class. And they said yes, they had done it a little bit longer, and so they said, but we were the same way. It was like, oh, I don't, I can't say anything because I don't know anything. And so I found a little note I had done from a class, and it was about if you go low after an hour, it's because of this, and if you go low after three hours, it's because of this. And someone was having an issue, and I said, I'm sure it works the other way around if you're going high in an hour and you're going super high in three or four hours. And I'm sure if you just reverse this, it probably is the same thing. And so someone else said, Yes, it is. And so either he bolused too long or he wasn't taking enough insulin. So it kind of just is amazing when someone says, I know how you feel, they really do know how you feel. That's and that is something that no one else, unless you are a type one diabetic, that you know how I feel, or you feel, or any of the other people. And that is a great thing to know that there are other people with the same issues, and you can relate. So that is very, very helpful.

SPEAKER_00 25:57

Absolutely. And aside from information and coaching and and obviously working on blood sugars, that's one of the things that I'm most excited about for November. So uh for people who are watching might not know even about what we're doing, we have our first in-person event in San Diego. So I'll put that description or that link in the description for everybody else to go check out. We'd love to see as many people there as possible, though we only have a hundred seats. So if it's of interest, uh register now. Uh but Joyce, I wanted to say thank you for taking time out today to share your story, to share inspiration and hope. I don't think people realize you can get 100% time and range and do so while having a nice game of golf or having fun and eating for it. So really thank you for taking time out to share this today. And uh again, proud of you. This is a big one.

SPEAKER_01 26:44

Thank you for asking me. I feel like I have really, you know, accomplished something in a very short time. I've learned so much. I am one of those people that, like you, I do geek out on it and I research and read and you know, I'll cheat and use chat GPT sometimes and see what they have to say. And um I've always I love science and math, and so I guess, you know, if I had to get it, I have a good curiosity to uh continue researching and seeing what's all going on the latest in, you know, diabetes, whatever it is. And I told my husband, I'm getting every one of the latest gadgets that they have out there. If I'm gonna have to do this, I want to have everything the latest and the best.

SPEAKER_00 27:40

Well, and curiosity is where it all starts, right? Yes, what's possible in getting the blood sugars fixed. So yeah, it's amazing. And for everybody watching, too, I'll give you two links to check out. We'll put them in the description as well, though. Uh, the event, you can go check it out at t1dmastery live.com. And then another one that I'm sure Joyce probably saw on Facebook. Uh we have a free training that explains blood sugar formulas, how we all get to that uh you know, 80, 90, 100% time and range. You can go to diabetes inaction.com to check that out.

SPEAKER_01 28:11

Get the book, get the book, and it will really explain a lot, and then it will pique your curiosity to say, okay, well, how do I do this? I want to do this. And there you go.

SPEAKER_00 28:24

There you go. So the the blood sugar freedom formula. So there's a third one for you to check out too. Yes. Joyce, this has been absolutely incredible. Um, I want to respect your time, so I'll let us wrap up here. But this is so exciting, and uh can't wait to see what's next for you. And everybody else?

SPEAKER_01 28:41

Me too.

SPEAKER_00 28:42

Go check out the links in the description, and we'll see you guys in the next one.

SPEAKER_01 28:45

And keep up the fight. Keep up the fight.