Rob goes solo, Cracking at Coke Zero, and provides updates on recent and upcoming episodes of the Diabetics Doing Things podcast, his personal diabetes management, and partnerships with the North Texas Food Bank. He also discusses personal updates, including his experience with insurance coverage, a scholarship opportunity for individuals with diabetes via Skin Grip , and participation in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program. Additionally, he shares plans to attend the ATTD event in Florence, Italy, announces new podcast partnerships, and introduces a mailbag Q&A segment for future episodes.

Topics discussed:

- Updates on the Diabetics Doing Things podcast

- Partnerships with the North Texas Food Bank

- Personal diabetes management and insurance coverage

- Scholarship opportunity for individuals with diabetes

- Participation in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program

- Attendance at the ATTD event in Florence, Italy

- Introduction of new podcast partnerships

- Launch of a mailbag Q&A segment for future episodes

00:03  Empowering the Diabetes Community: Updates and Impactful Initiatives

06:27  Navigating Insurance Challenges and Personal Updates on Diabetes

09:41  Exciting Updates on Business Ventures, Events, and Partnerships

14:22  Get Featured on the Diabetes Doing Things Podcast!

References:

- North Texas Food Bank: [Website](https://ntfb.org/)

- SkinGrip: [Website](https://www.skingrip.com/)

- Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses: [Website](https://www.10ksbapply.com/)

In this episode of Diabetics Doing Things, Rob and Eritrea talk with Lissie Poyner, the creator of Needles and Spoons, and delves into her personal journey of being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and Crohn's disease, the challenges of managing chronic illnesses, the importance of support and education for young adults with diabetes, and the complexities of being an entrepreneur in the diabetic community.

Topics discussed:

1. **Diagnosis Story and Initial Symptoms**

- Lissie shares her experience of being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 19 while in college.

2. **Managing Diabetes and Adjacent Chronic Illnesses**

- The conversation covers her journey of managing diabetes alongside chronic illnesses like colitis and Crohn's disease.

- She shares the challenges of managing physical pain alongside blood sugar fluctuations and the impact on her personal and professional life.

3. **Navigating Chronic Illness**

- She discusses the emotional impact, confusion, anger, and grief of managing multiple chronic illnesses.

- The conversation highlights the impact of toxic positivity and the need for permission to feel angry about the situation.

4. **Advocacy and Self-Advocacy**

- The importance of advocating for oneself, getting screenings, and not being intimidated by discussing health issues, whether it's Crohn's, diabetes, or any other condition is emphasized.

5. **Creating 'Needles and Spoons'**

- Lissie shares her experience of managing diabetes burnout and the decision to transition to working full time.

- The challenges of being a diabetes content creator, the impact of personal sharing on the community, and the balance between vulnerability and adding value are explored.

6. **Building Muscle with Diabetes**

- The importance of building muscle for women with diabetes through strength training, progressive overload, proper nutrition, rest, and tracking progress is emphasized.

References:

- [Needles and Spoons](https://www.needlesandspoons.com/)

- [SkinGrip](https://skingrip.com/)

00:02  Inspiring Story of Young Adult Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes
04:16  Navigating the Confusion of a Diabetes Diagnosis Away from Home
11:52  Navigating the Journey of Managing Diabetes with Adjacent Chronic Illnesses
19:51  Navigating Chronic Illness and Finding Support: A Personal Journey
25:06  Navigating the Diagnosis Journey: From Symptoms to Empowerment
30:37  Transforming Health with Personal Journey: From Google to Remission
33:41  Navigating Life with Diabetes and Entrepreneurship: A Candid Conversation
40:47  Challenges of Being an Entrepreneur and Finding Identity, Diabetic Community Bonding, and Building Muscle with Diabetes
46:20  Empowering Women with Diabetes: Building Muscle and Feeling Strong
55:47  Empowering People with Diabetes and Recommending SkinGrip Products

The Rob and Eritrea Show is back!

Topics discussed:

- Reflection on the recent snowfall in Dallas and the impact of extended cold snaps on the community.

- Trauma responses and preparations for emergencies, especially during power outages.

- New Year's resolutions and personal goals for 2024, including physical, financial, and professional objectives.

- Challenges with insurance coverage for diabetes-related medications, prior authorizations, and the impact of government policies on healthcare.

- The impact of diet choices, particularly low-carb options, on managing diabetes and its implications for relationships.

- Reflection on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the current socio-political landscape.

- The role of diabetes in relationships and the support provided by partners in managing the condition.

- Upcoming themes and focus areas for the podcast in 2024, including mental health, physical health, and professional, social, and financial aspects of being an adult with diabetes.

00:02  Navigating Snowstorms and Community Support: Reflections on Dallas Weather

04:39  Diabetes Preparedness, Snack Tips, and New Year's Resolutions

08:36  Setting Measurable Resolutions for 2024: Physical, Mental, and Emotional Goals

19:02  The Frustrations of Dealing with Prescription Coverage for Diabetes Medications

25:35  Navigating Diabetes Burnout and Low Carb Choices

29:30  Challenges of Growing Up with Diabetes, Frustrations with Romanticizing Relationships, and Reflections on MLK's Legacy

41:35  Navigating Relationships and Diabetes: Insights from a Podcast Episode

46:08  Empowering Adults with Diabetes: New Focus and Exciting Changes Ahead!

Reflections on 19 Years of Managing Diabetes and Nurturing Community Growth. Featuring Erica Howe

In this episode, Rob is joined by his wife Erica Howe to celebrate his 19th anniversary of living with diabetes and reflect on his journey so far. They discuss their experiences in dating and dealing with diabetes, as well as experiences with the Diabetics Doing Things podcast and community. The couple also shares insights on being content creators, noting the importance of authenticity and genuine passion as opposed to chasing trends. Furthermore, they touch upon their exciting upcoming plans for the podcast and its community, emphasizing consistency, incremental growth, and a commitment to fostering genuine relationships with their audience.

00:02 Introduction and Anniversary Celebration

00:55 Discussing Relationships and Diabetes

05:46 The Journey of Diabetes Management

06:08 The Impact of Diabetes on Family Planning

09:49 The Rise of Erica as a Content Creator

11:50 The Power of Authenticity in Content Creation

23:47 The Challenges and Rewards of Sponsored Content

26:43 The Importance of Community in Content Creation

30:06 Reflecting on 19 Years with Diabetes

38:07 Looking Forward: Goals and Expectations for the Future

On the final episode of The Rob and Eritrea Show of 2023, the gang wraps up the highs, the lows, and a whole lot more:

• Some of their favorite moments from the forty-three episodes published in 2023

• Being the #1 podcast on Spotify wrapped for some of our listeners and some other surprising stats

• Hosting four first-time events, some virtual, some in person, some local, some not

• Our expanding collaboration and relationship with the North Texas Food Bank

• Making it to the Top 20 of the DCB Innovation Challenge and what we learned during that process

• Cementing the mission of DDT in 2023 at the CWD conference as a team

• A bit about our 2024 programming and what more is on the horizon

As we close out the year and reflect on all the work we put in, we are truly grateful to each and everyone one of you who gets anything out of these episodes. We couldn’t do it without you! Big shoutout and Thank you to some of our sponsors this year: Medtronic, Mannkind, Xeris, Insulet, SkinGrip, Diabetes Link, Swoon, Belay, and more!

Happy Holidays and see you in 2024!

Emma Klatman, who has T1D herself, and is Global Advocacy and Policy Manager for Life of a Child, joins the pod.

She and Rob discuss:

• Her work with Life of a Child

• Global advocacy

• The difference between advocacy focuses in the west vs. in other parts of the world

• There is no single organization doing all of the work

• Type 1 Diabetes is not equal everywhere

• The different rungs on the advocacy ladder

• The cost of diabetes management varies by the country’s infrastructure

• Technology and the gaps between the haves and the have-nots

• Having diabetes and becoming a policy manager

• Getting more comfortable advocating for yourself and for others

• Being uncomfortable being the “token patient” voice

• The resilience and problem-solving skills that people with diabetes have

Bringing longtime friend, but first time guest, Matt Tarro on to the pod! There are so many amazing people living with diabetes and we finally got the Denver-based, incredible videographer, Matt Tarro, on the pod! Rob and Matt get into:

Content warning: there is some discussion of drug use

• Matt’s incredible help at the Diabetes Legends Basketball Camp

• Matt’s diagnosis story and his younger life as a person who has always been creative and artistic

• How insurance has played a large role in what kind of work/jobs Matt has gone after

  • Matt’s journey as a creator and the hoops he’s had to jump thru to get his diabetes supplies at an affordable cost.

  • The strict guidelines around income limits that can make access to medications hard especially if you’re on State Insurance

  • Matt’s cost of insulin access going up to $300 at a time because of income creating an unviable option to insulin for him

  • The importance of signing up for a medical leave option or FMLA if you are working somewhere that its available

• Diabetes creator burnout and the different inputs that go into taking care of your diabetes, OUTSIDE of just the basics

• Matt’s cross country moves from his native Rhode Island to California and now Denver and how his own life experiences have pushed him out of his original home state

• The grief that comes along with the loss of a parent and the management of mourning

• Outgrowing and quitting things that no longer serve you

  Follow Matt over on IG: @matt.tarro and check out @inkulin

This is the final installment of our Women’s Health Series. We welcome back our returning guest and good friend the pod, Cyrine Farhat! On this episode, we peel back the layers on Eritrea and Cyrine’s personal experience with pregnancy loss. (Content warning: this episode will dive into the details of pregnancy loss).

We dive further into:

• How Eritrea found friendship within Cyrine and the Positive on Glucose support group

• Eritrea’s loss of her own baby in 2019 and how her pregnancy created diabetes complications

• The shame and stigma that comes around pregnancy loss and how support and talking about experiences really can help

• Cyrine’s story of pregnancy loss at 35 weeks with Baby Joya while living with T1D on New Years Eve 2019

• The emotions that can come after pregnancy loss and the emotional labor of consoling others while processing your own feelings around the loss

• How Cyrine turned her loss into a love for advocacy and helping other women with diabetes so they wouldn’t have to go through what she did

• The importance of listening to your intuition and your body and how advocating for yourself can really make the difference.

• The moment that made Cyrine open up about losing Baby Joya

• How she attempted to prepare herself for the journey of being a mom even after loss

• Cyrine’s Surprise Rainbow baby: Fadel!

• What Health Care Professionals can do, and what Cyrine wished her doctor would’ve done differently

• How differently she handled the second pregnancy differently after a hard learning experience

• Advice for partners of a person with diabetes going thru pregnancy loss

• Normalizing pregnancy loss and giving women their power back in making their own autonomous reproductive health decisions

• Follow Cyrine for more over on Instagram @cyrinecando and if you’re looking for support, check out the link in her bio.

We interrupt this month’s programming of our Women’s Health Episode for NDAM to bring you a new episode of the Rob and Eritrea show! In this episode Rob and Eritrea catch up on:

• Eritrea’s fourth NDAM on the DDT team

• Rob’s NDAM thread

• Our ongoing Women’s Health Series, the lack of online resources/conversations and why we’re digging more into it

• Diabetes technology has come so far: some young people haven’t ever even pricked their fingers

• Having a victim mindset vs a growth mindset as a person living with diabetes.

• NDAM and the hyperactivity of the community

• Rob’s continued journey on 780G and letting his system do its thang

• Eritrea’s travel to EASD, Germany, The Netherlands and Greece

• The difficulty of getting yourself additional supplies once you’ve run through all your extra diabetes gear and the cost of doing so

• The escalation of violence in Palestine

• Eritrea’s growing frustration and personal pain in being a displaced person watching others continue to be displaced

• Rob and Eritrea discuss being advocates while still trying to be real people living “normal lives”

• The process of living through grief while still trying to exist in the day-to-day

On this special episode of Diabetics Doing Things, Rob and Eritrea tackle episode two of our Women’s Health Series for National Diabetes Awareness Month. The team interviews Dr. Sarit Polsky, Director of the Women’s Health Clinic at the Barbara Diabetes Center. This episode explores: -

• How she became a subject matter expert in Women’s Health and Diabetes

• The research and experiences that fueled her passion to Women’s Health and Endocrinology

• Eritrea’s experience having her period for 18 days

• How menstruation impacts blood sugar levels with Type One diabetes

• The phases of menstruation and how they impact diabetes as well as temp rates that can be set with CGM/Pump technology

• How your body’s insulin needs can change based of what phase of life you are currently in (menstruating, pregnancy, menopausal, etc)

• Defining what the goal of your life is while menstruating, whether its trying to get pregnant or avoiding pregnancy

• The most important thing to do in pregnancy with diabetes can be planning ahead

• All the important planning and work that is valuable when considering pregnancy with your healthcare care provider.

• Your diabetes pregnancy team and what it should look like

• The main diabetes headline “ yes you can do anything - but you need help”

• Pregnancy and Diabetes Stigma; how modern medicine has debunked much of it

• How to best support your partner if you are someone without diabetes

• Hyperemesis and Diabetes, how difficult that can be

• Dr. Polsky article links - https://diatribe.org/managing-your-glucose-and-using-continuous-glucose-monitor-during-pregnancy https://diatribe.org/need-automated-insulin-delivery-systems-during-pregnancy-women-type-1-diabetes

It’s another National Diabetes Awareness Month, so you know what that means - A NEW SERIES. Over the next four episodes, Rob and Eritrea will have conversations with women's health experts in Diabetics Doing Things’ Women’s Health Series.

For Episode One of this series, we were thrilled to chat with Dawn Adams, PhD student, midwife, diabetes advocate, and mother of FOUR! The team talked about

• Dawn’s diagnosis in 1993 with a symptom we hadn’t yet heard of: bloody palms

• Being told she would never get pregnant because of diabetes

• Getting pregnant unexpectedly and being told that pregnancy with diabetes would probably not result in a good outcome

  • Being warned to only have two children; she had four!

• A career shift into midwifery after becoming a mom with T1D

• Understanding why women with diabetes have to see their doctor much more often than women living without diabetes

• How far we’ve come: meters used to take five minutes to give a reading!

• Diabetes and pregnancy isn’t neccesarily the pretty picture Instagram and social media paint it to be

• BEATING THE FINAL BOSS: The fourth trimester and the challenges that come after baby arrives, even when baby and mom are healthy

• What support looks like from the community around you

• Life after baby arrival can be hard: make space for the difficult moments as much as we cherish the good moments

• Advice for Partners: How can you better care for your spouse who is living with diabetes after they birthed a child?

• Mentioned: The HAPO Trial - https://www.2minutemedicine.com/the-hapo-trial-hyperglycemia-and-adverse-pregnancy-outcomes-classics-series/#:~:text=This landmark study demonstrated that,risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

  Find Dawn on IG @T1dawnie

It’s not often that we get to talk to the partners that help us to be able to create this podcast. On this episode, Rob talks to the CEO of MannKind Corporation, Michael Castagna. They discuss:

• Being a doctor of pharmacy and then getting an MBA at a top-tier school

• Working on the HIV drug that became the first once-a-day one pill regimen

• Becoming a CEO of a pharma company could expand his ability to help more people

• Having doubts in self-confidence from being a kid who grew up in poverty

• Being an expert in two fields

• Inhaled insulin still not being widely known

• Becoming a patient himself

• The legacy of Alfred Mann and the continued mission to help patients

• Mission to help patients vs. the money going to middlemen

• What’s coming up for MannKind in 2024

  • More tools and options for patients

Like he said in the episode, if you have access issues - you can get help here to find a doctor or you can email him directly at mcastagna@mannkindcorp.com

We are lucky at Diabetics Doing Things to have friends all over the globe. We are very lucky to have friend of the pod, Mohammed Seyam, on this episode. Mohammed has previously done an IG takeover for Diabetics Doing Things, and has written a blog, which you can read here for a perspective of Gaza in 2020.

With Gaza under siege, we felt it was important time to bring him back.

Rob and Eritrea talk to Mohammed about:

• Diabetes in the Gaza Strip with limited resources and limited support

• The perception of diabetes in the Arab community

  • and the pledge to end diabetes stigma and misinformation

• The fear of being a burden that happens to people in all cultures

• The connection of the diabetes community that transcends culture and background

• His diagnosis story

• Finding the passion for advocacy, changing systems, and not just being a “normal clinical doctor”

• Growing up in Gaza without access to diabetes technology or supplies

  • The challenge of storing insulin with frequent power cuts

  • The choice between food and medicine

  • Stress and lack of consistency when managing diabetes

• Understanding that anyone of us could be in a moment of crisis, and compassion is crucial

• The current situation in Palestine and how to help

  • http://www.diabeteshumanitarianaidcoalition.org/

Thank you to Mohammed for reminding us that positivity shines in the darkest of moments.

While we often feature the stories of people living with diabetes, our guest for this episode Dr. Ananta Addala makes a big impact on the world of diabetes. Dr. Ananta Addala is a pediatric endocrinologist and physician scientist at Stanford University addressing disparities in pediatric type 1 diabetes management and outcomes.

Eritrea and Rob talk to Dr. Addala about:

• Dr. Addala and Eritrea’s first meet

• Her origin story and path to becoming a doctor

• Studying inequities and social barriers

• Choosing endocrinology as a focus

• Working in public health

• The system-level differences in care for black and brown populations

• BEAD Study: Building the Evidence to Address Disparities

• Building resilient systems so people don’t have to be

• Advice for building relationships with your care team

Find out more about the studies @AddalaLab on X and IG.

To participate in BEAD-T1D, fill out the Survey. Para participar en BEAD-T1D, complete la encuesta.

CONTENT WARNING: Death, Displacement, War, Occupation, Dehumanization

This episode is from 2021 with an updated introduction and edit for 2023.

We felt it was important to revisit and repost our episode on Palestine with Noor Al Ramahi from 2021, shortly following the 2021 Israel-Palestine crisis. This conversation was especially relevant during the days immediately following the 2023 humanitarian crisis in the wake of attacks on Israel and Israel’s military response bombings and evacuation order in Gaza and Palestine.

Petition for Humanitarian Aid in Palestine: https://www.change.org/p/diabetes-humanitarian-aid-coalition-call-to-action

Our guest is Noor Al Ramahi, (@n_ramahi on Instagram).

Noor lives with T1D in California, US.

The episode includes references to the following:

• Intro from 10/13/23 from Eritrea and Noor

• Lending the platform to Palestinian voices

• Evacuation order for 1.1 People to travel 30 KM

• Bombings on the evacuation path

• Friends in danger

• Discussion on life in modern day Palestine

• The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappé

• Except for Palestine by Marc Lamont Hill and Mitchell Plitnick

• Russell Peters interview with Gabor Mate on his podcast Under The Skin: Episode #187, here

• Noor's reference to international treaties and laws, here - the Israeli's responsibility that people with Diabetes have access to healthcare.

Rob and Ertirea are back with anotther episode of the Rob & Eritrea Show! This month their diving into:

• Recapping the Diabetes Legends Basketball camp

• DC Berne Innovation Challenge

• Diabetes Creator Collective

• Health moments: the highs and the low moments

• “It’s okay to not be okay” especially if Megan Thee Stallion is not always okay, right?

• Eritrea’s fall travel plans

• Women’s Health Series

• Inaugural Pickleball Classic diabetics-doing-things-61979761433

We want to hear from you. Send those questions, comments, queries, and general diabetes concerns to THE MAILBAG at mailbag@diabeticsdoingthings.com!

Recorded live from Diabetics Doing Things first ever Diabetes Legends Basketball Clinic! Rob talks to Gary Forbes and takes questions from the kiddos covering a wide range of topics:

• Gary is the last NBA player to have played with T1D (and was a huge inspiration to Rob!)

• Tough diabetes days

• The importance for everyone to share your story; you never know who you’ll impact

• Gary’s book, The Sole Survivors about real-life superheroes, kids with chronic health conditions

• Gary’s Olympian father

• The power of having friends with diabetes

• Playing with NBA legends like Kobe Bryant and Steph Curry

• Managing diabetes while being an athlete

Special shoutout to Basketball Social House in Denver, Colorado where this episode was recorded. And a big thanks to the coaches, the Medtronic team, the campers, the parents, and everyone who helped out during this big day for Diabetics Doing Things!

We want to hear from you. Send those questions, comments, queries, and general diabetes concerns to THE MAILBAG at mailbag@diabeticsdoingthings.com!

It’s a special minisode with friend of the pod, Stacy Simms! Rob talks to Stacy, the diabetes mom that has got it going on about:

• The transition of making the diabetes decisions for your child to letting them grow up and go off to college

• Inception of Moms’ Night Out

  • First started in Charlotte, NC with sometimes two people, sometimes 30 people, it varies.

  • Stacey planned it originally as a book launch, but it evolved into a place for moms to meet with Diabetes educators, industry, and technology companies.

• Upcoming Moms’ Night Out happening in Frisco, Texas with Rob Howe as a speaker, and educators from Intergrated Diabetes Services

  • Use code “diabeticsdoingthings” at registration for a big discount

We want to hear from you. Send those questions, comments, queries, and general diabetes concerns to THE MAILBAG at mailbag@diabeticsdoingthings.com!

We’re bringing founder of @typeonetogether Raquel Baron to the pod! After catching up at FFL this summer, Raquel joined Rob and Eritrea as they get into:

• Her first time on the pod (lost files of 2020)

• Being the first person who ever recognized Rob IN THE WILD with T1D!

• Her transition across the country, out of a long-term relationship, and letting go of what wasn't serving her

• A LIVE DIABETES ROLL CALL!

• Being a Diabetes Founder

• Founding @typeonetogether, a virtual and IRL resourced community of babysitters and families living with diabetes

• Dedicating a certain amount of time to move forward at something instead of giving up

• Being a Jewish person and representing for other Jewish people living with diabetes.

• You can find Raquel on instagram at @typeoneday or check her out @typeonetogether or her podcasts or more info about Type One Together.

We want to hear from you. Send those questions, comments, queries, and general diabetes concerns to THE MAILBAG at mailbag@diabeticsdoingthings.com!

Policy and Advocacy Director at T1International, Shaina Kasper, joins Rob and Eritrea on the show to discuss a wide range of topics, including:

• What $35 dollar insulin really means for people living with diabetes

• It’s been six months since insulin manufacturers announced that programs were being rolled out for co-pay caps but many patients are struggling to qualify for these benefits - whats going on?

• Shaina’s sister T1D diagnosis which led to her being in a clinical trial that actually diagnosed her with T1D as well

• How rationing insulin led Shaina to looking for a diabetes community

• Accessibility being easier in countries like Canada, Mexico and Europe

• Rationing insulin with diabetes is not rare. Globally 1 in 4 patients with diabetes has rationed insulin

• Policies like Affordable Insulin Now Act being introduced by Sen. Kennedy of Louisiana brings up $35 insulin caps for people who have private insurance, not just Medicare

• The biggest issue with copay cap policies is that they don’t always include private insurance, and it can create a reverse incentive for large manufacturers to raise cost of insulin because they know insurance will cover the difference

• A price cap on insulin is the most important thing to help most people living with diabetes get access to these medications we need

• If you have experience going into the pharmacy and are unable to get the lower priced insulin - write to your senator!

• Most people believe that affordability problem around insulin has been solved, but were learning this isn’t the case

• Coupon cards and insulin savings cards don’t always work; they’re not replacements for good public policy

• T1International is working on expanding Alex Law’s at the state level to get emergency access to drugs and with expanding Kevin’s Law to expand past the 42 states who have accepted it

• If you are interested in sharing your personal diabetes-rationing story, please reach out to T1International who can help guide you on how to to share your story with your Senator.

• Learn more about the T1International #insulin4all Summit happening on September 30, 2023.

We want to hear from you. Send those questions, comments, queries, and general diabetes concerns to THE MAILBAG at mailbag@diabeticsdoingthings.com!