#140: Elizabeth Vesely | I Went Gung-Ho!

It took me months to nail down an interview with Elizabeth Vesely after seeing her Facebook post about taking the polar plunge and it was well worth the wait. In this episode we discuss her misdiagnosis, addressing diabetes denial, and what living life to the fullest while you still can looks like for this T1D world traveler.

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#128: Rachael Jacques | Did COVID Kick Her Dormant Diabetes into Action?

The connection between COVID and diabetes has been all over the news, but I hadn’t met anyone who can speak to this until interviewing Racheal Jacques. In this episode we discuss her family history of chronic conditions, including Type 1 diabetes, and how she received her T1D diagnosis shortly after recovering from COVID. 

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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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Surviving the Spanish Flu While In Another Country

I felt compelled to write this post after reading a NY Times article about pandemic mortality rates over the decades. In 1999, I gave myself a graduation present to visit a friend in Paris, France to celebrate the millennium. My family warned against the trip because of the uncertainty of Y2K, but that didn’t stop me. My friend was a nanny for the US Ambassador and I knew my time in France would not be the typical tourist adventure. I headed out with a HUGE backpack and cannot recall what diabetes supplies were on board.  (more…)



#80: Levi Davenport | I Don’t Need You to Build Me a Watch, I Just Need to Know What Time It Is

I stumbled upon a YouTube channel, Between Two Lines, that was informative and hilarious at the same time. In each episode, Levi shares his down to earth thoughts on a particular Type 1 diabetes related subject using a real talk, no sugar coating, approach. His dry wit and ability to make light of what living with this disease is like had me laughing and saying – man this guy gets it. (more…)



#79: Mark Carter & Cynthia Celt | St. Louis Roller Coaster Recap

The dust has settled and the Real Life Diabetes Consulting team is back at home and taken a moment to reflect on our visit to the JDRF TypeOneNation summit in St. Louis. I love chatting with this crew and thought it was time to recap our roller coaster of events in Missouri. We aren’t shy and touch on personal take aways, connecting with new diapeeps of all ages, and how we battled our own diabetes debacles on this trip. Real life! (more…)



#71: Dr. Jody Stanislaw | From Diagnosis Day to a Naturopathic Medicine Career

This globetrotting T1D just embarked on a 12-month remote year journey with a focus to reach one million people living with diabetes. Her candid approach, charismatic attitude, and ability to touch on hot topics will transform lives and prevent diabetes burnout. With 39 1/2 years of experience and a handful of degrees, Dr. Jody is an expert in all things diabetes making her the perfect guest.

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#68: Anne Imber | The Power of Connectivity within the T1D Community

Last December, Anne came to the rescue, offering help during my insulin crisis while in San Antonio, Texas. She, like many people in the DOC (diabetes online community) stayed in contact with me while I resolved the problem. She is a leader in the diabetes community and her wealth of knowledge has helped so many T1Ds and their families.

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#61: Paloma Kemak | A Glamorous & Glittery Perspective on Life with T1D

While on the road with the Real Life Diabetes podcast in Scottsdale, I had the pleasure of having dinner with Paloma Kemak (aka Glitter Glucose). Her story is very different from mine, but her diagnosis and overall mindset is entertaining and up-lifting. Paloma’s energy and ability to laugh while sharing her story is contagious and inspiring to PWDs from across the globe.

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