Podcast #120: Azure Wolfe | Loving the Skin We’re In

Every change that our body experiences as we age is connected to hormones, and should not be neglected. In this episode we discuss the changes our T1D bodies are experiencing in our forties. Azure also speaks passionately about the importance of connecting with others who are living with diabetes to support one another and recommends a community approach to diabetes management.

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I Kind of Gave Up Caring for Myself Until Technology Changed my Life | Michael Spencer

I have lived with Type 1 diabetes for 30 years. During this time I’ve had to face the horrors of an indifferent insurance industry which branded me “unworthy” due to my “pre existing condition.” I’ve endured injecting myself 4x a day, sometimes more. My fingers have callouses from being pricked for blood glucose measurements, also 4x a day. To be honest, I kind of gave up on caring for myself for a while until technology changed my life.
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#114: Insulin Pump Therapy Leaders | Defining Progress in Daily Diabetes Management, Part #2

Imagine a future where diabetes is the last thing on the mind of people living with it – that is progress! In part #1 we got an inside look at how the insulin industry is spurring each other on to make advancements in diabetes management. In part #2 we continue the conversation with the leaders in the insulin pump industry, alongside my well-versed cohost, Mark Carter. As a little refresher, we had the pleasure of hearing from Michael Hill, VP of Global Portfolio Marketing at Medtronic, Dr. Trang Ly, Senior Vice President and Medical Director at Insulet, and Dr. Steph Habif, a behavioral scientist at Tandem.

Let’s jump back into this topic and learn more about how you can define progress in daily diabetes management and what’s on the horizon for insulin pump therapy. 

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#113: Brett Ryan Stewart | What Comes First, the Chicken or the Egg – Diabetes or OCD?

I’ve joked, and/or compared my diabetes management to OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), but hadn’t met anyone living with both conditions until interviewing Brett Ryan Stewart. Brett is a Nashville based producer who shared – “ultimately what OCD kind of comes down to is this inability to accept what you can’t control and then obsessing about a way to control the uncontrollable.” I’m sure many of you living with T1D can relate to this mentality and Brett’s ability to give us a look into his daily life was eye opening to say the least.

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#112: Insulin Pump Therapy Leaders | Defining Progress in Daily Diabetes Management, Part #1

The world of diabetes management is growing at an expeditious rate, so how do we define progress in this space? Great question, and one I couldn’t resolve myself so I brought in past podcast guest and fellow T1D, Mark Carter, who has worked within the industry. We had the pleasure of sitting with three insulin pump therapy leaders: Michael Hill, VP of Global Portfolio Marketing at Medtronic; Dr. Trang Ly, Senior Vice President and Medical Director at Insulet; and Dr. Steph Habif, a behavioral scientist at Tandem

Our conversation is packed with insights on how to define progress in daily diabetes management while addressing some of the community’s most burning questions. Stay tuned for part #2.

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#111: Madison Thorn | “Sacrifice the Weak, Re-open Tennessee”

It’s time to get rid of the word ‘weak’ when talking about people navigating chronic illnesses. In reality, we are some of the strong, unique and resilient people in the world, and Madison Thorn is spreading that very message. She was fueled by a nasty protest sign and turned that energy into a thought provoking project highlighting other high risk humans like ourselves, a story that needs to be told.

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#97: Jutta Haaramo | A Snarky Comment Helps Lessen the T1D Burden

I’m a sucker for witty banter and was thrilled to connect with Jutta Haaramo, co-founder of the Happy Bob app, who has brought a bit of lightheartedness to managing her son’s life with T1D. Her mission is to share the latest diabetes data, without overloading people with information by making it a fun, and rewarding experience. This is just the beginning of an exciting partnership with Jutta and the Happy Bob app team.
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#90: Mark Carter | Back to the T1D Basics

Who says an old dog can’t learn new tricks?! Repeat guest and dear friend, Mark Carter joins the show and shares how and why he has created a T1D backup plan. He has re-assessed and found better strategies that have left him feeling freer and refreshed. Let’s dive into Mark’s story and learn how finding the right physician and going back to the basics (MDI) got his diabetes back on track. (more…)



2019 Year In Review: Diabetes Advocacy Domination & Discoveries

As my Diaversary soon approaches, I take time to sit in silence and reflect on what I’ve learned, more specifically, in my diabetes world. New technology & pump therapies, apps, partnerships, #insulin4all campaigns, etc. have me a bit exhausted, but hopeful for the future. Below are a few 2019 highlights I would like to share.

Podcasts Released: 18 episodes found on various podcast platforms and HERE on the DDG podcast page.
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#64: Crystal Bowersox | It’s Okay to be Angry, Just Don’t Stay There

I take pride in being a friendly stalker and scored an impromptu interview with American Idol super star and fellow Type 1, Crystal Bowersox while she was traveling through Oklahoma City. Her show was killer and I shared the evening with dear friends (Erik & Teneka). We sang together, enjoyed pizza and clinked glasses while sharing diabetes hacks. Crystal’s scrappy, no bullshit attitude made her the perfect guest.

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