S1, Ep4: Your ACTUAL Diabestie

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Mila Clarke: Welcome to Your Diabestie podcast the podcast that ensures that you never have to do diabetes alone. I live with Layton’s autoimmune diabetes in adults and today I have but I think this specialist guest that I’ll ever have on this podcast. She’s amazing. She does so many wonderful things. She’s the founder of a company called Organized Adviser. She’s a really talented designer. She’s great. She’s was my manager but I fired her at one time. We’ve known each other since we were 10 years old. So my guest today is my actual diabestie, Katie Moreno.

Katie Moreno: Hello. I’m so excited for this podcast because we’ve been talking about something like this for a long time. And I think that you are the best diabetes so many people and I’m excited for you to pursue this officially and I’m excited to be a guest on it.

Mila Clarke: I’m so happy that we have already talked about this for forever actually happening and…

Katie Moreno: Yeah.

Mila Clarke: this podcast is actually Katie’s idea. she has been telling me for a really long time that we should do a diabetes kind of like bestie podcast and then I Ignored her and then I texted her and I was like, hey, I have this great idea. She was like yo.

00:05:00

Katie Moreno: I was like I had that idea the two and a half years ago, but whatever, but I think there’s just a perfect timing for everything and I’m excited to see it come to fruition now because I think that you have established yourself so much as a valuable resource in the diabetes community. And so, to give personal side of things I think is so great. So

Mila Clarke: That just makes my heart happy. Thank you. So I always start out with asking my guests what their relationship to diabetes is. So what’s yours?

Katie Moreno: Good question. So I do not have diabetes. I am familiar with it though. my entire life growing up. She had diabetes and so I saw measuring out her insulin for the week. She had a little cup in the refrigerator with her syringes before they were pens and everything. And so I was always curious about it, but it was always just like, my Grandma does this thing it was never ever personal and then I became a high school teacher and I had some students with diabetes. And so I had to be aware of what to look for and there’s training on it and stuff like that, as a teacher so we can assist in the event that someone has higher low blood sugar and then my best friend you Mila God diagnosed in 2016.

Katie Moreno: And I want to say …

Mila Clarke: Yep.

Katie Moreno: it’s not a good friend of me. If I don’t know that I guess and so when you get diagnosed it brought it a lot more personal because I interact with you on a daily basis and then a couple years later you were my next door neighbor. And so, in the event that they’re wasn’t emergency whether it’s when we’re just hanging out and shopping or at lunch or you were living down the street from me. I think it’s important that I am knowledgeable about your condition. And so that’s actually a big reason why I thought this would be a good episode is what is the role of not just the person with diabetes and managing it? But what is the role of their close Community because I’m not part of your care team, but in the event of an emergency, I would like to be able to know, what to do and then finally enough I was on an airplane couple probably about a year ago now and somebody did have a diabetic emergency and I wasn’t able to help I’m not a medical professional I didn’t do anything, but I recognized it.

Katie Moreno: So I felt like in an emergency if there was no one else there, maybe I could help and so, I’ve watched Hangry Woman and grow I’ve learned from you and obviously I don’t have the conditions. I don’t know what it’s like to live with but I do think that I know more than average because you’re such a good educator and I pay attention. So I think that it’s important for people with diabetes though to have someone like me in their Circle that they can trust someone like a spouse or The best friend or whoever or multiple people and not be afraid to talk about it with them because I feel empowered knowing about it. I want to know how you’re doing and how to help if needed and I’m glad that you share that with me openly versus being ashamed of it.

Mila Clarke: Yeah, for sure and I’m curious from your perspective because you’ve known me almost my entire life. So, me before diabetes and…

Katie Moreno: No.

Mila Clarke: after and so from your perspective, what was Mila before diabetes

Katie Moreno: That’s a good question too. so you’re a very genuine person I wouldn’t say that you in the sense have changed other than the fact that you’ve grown up. I mean we’ve noticed into each other since you’re 10 years old so kid Mila versus adult Mila obviously is a different person but in relation to diabetes, we were roommates in college and we work together in college. So we think that a lot of time together and I would health conscious baby. you were always the one pushing me to go to the gym and trying to care about that and I was whatever and I am overweight I should care about that and you were always pushing for it. But once you became diagnosed with diabetes, especially after doing all of that work like you had a good balance with

Katie Moreno: your exercise and stuff. So it was really shocking that you got this diagnosis, which obviously came to find out was a misdiagnosis and you actually have type 1 which makes more sense. but you became even more health conscious and so I think that’s another reason why I feel so strongly about what you do like, obviously, I’m biased because I’m your best friend but there’s so much stigma with it and people think that people with diabetes don’t care about their health and they just eat sugar all day and you care more about your health more than anyone. I know you are aware of the things you’re putting in your body and how it affects you and there’s so much stigma that I think just needs to go away I think it’s just stupid. but it’s through people talking about it. you are that opens up that conversation up and gets rid of that stigma. but you also I think have become really

00:10:00

Katie Moreno: you have a focus on education and right now you’re even expanding or extending your education to get more credentials to help more people and you didn’t have an interest in that previously, but you always been a communicator you’ve always been a great marketer which I think is what’s gotten hang room and to where it is now, but this Focus now on education obviously as a former teacher like I love that and I’m excited to see the next chapter because more credentials means more eyes on your stuff and you can help more people which I think is your whole entire life’s Mission. So yeah.

Mila Clarke: yeah, and we talked about that so much how I feel like I know so much and I can do so much and I feel like I teach a lot and I have a lot of people that are always like you’ve taught me so much about diabetes, but then I feel like because I’m not the skinny white diabetic and I have no actual credentials except now, I’m a health Which is really cool and then I’m getting my masters in nutrition so that I can eventually become a dietitian but it’s really interesting how I don’t know. Sometimes those conversations have been like I know a lot and I know that I’m doing something for the world and even if it’s just making recipes, I feel like I need that additional background for that extra credibility. So you see me with that struggle that tug of war of I don’t know what to do here, but I’m curious also if you remember

Mila Clarke: The day that I told you that I had diabetes and what that was like.

Katie Moreno: I was driving my car because I think you called me right when you love the appointment you were in shock or maybe you took a couple minutes and then you called me because we do that. We have a life event or we have anything and we call each other what I always joke as soon as I drop her off or she drops me off at our house okay, I’ll text you in five minutes, but we’re constantly connected, but I think you called me pretty soon after and I was in the car and I was like

Katie Moreno: that’s wrong like you that’s like an old person’s is I thought it was cuz my Grandma had it like I was like, you’re 26, there’s no way like this doesn’t seem right and even back then it didn’t feel right the diagnosis of type 2 and I knew how much you were paying attention to what you’re eating and working out and obviously with PCOS also it’s difficult to lose weight. So even if you’re overweight that doesn’t necessarily mean you have diabetes and I that seems weird and it was kind of a slow progression of getting on medicine and then getting on insulin and then obviously years later getting the admit rediagnosis. but until that rediagnosis. It felt like you were on this uphill battle.

Katie Moreno: To prove that it wasn’t true you were trying so hard to take care of your health, but things weren’t working. And so that rediagnosed as I think was a huge pivotal point because it just didn’t accept none of it made sense, and even though it’s not an old person’s disease and that was absolutely a false belief or Stigma that I had it also wasn’t accurate so, maybe that was the right feeling for someone being diagnosed. So young and also actually working to counteract it like nothing was working. So.

Mila Clarke: Yeah, and I think one of the interesting things that you’ve seen too just in my whole entire Journey with diabetes and I’m so glad that you just said it because I think a lot of people are under this assumption that I’ve never worked a day in my life to take care of my help. and so I get these crazy ass comments on the internet and from people who just don’t know and don’t know my history kind of accusing me of being a fake and there’s no way you must eat pizza every day and drink five gallons of Pepsi

Mila Clarke: You have diabetes because you caused it. And so a lot of the education that I’ve done is around stigmas and around incorrect perceptions of diabetes and so from your perspective and I think you have a very specific time period but I would love to hear how you solve that affect just like me as a person with diabetes, but also as a friend that encouraged you maybe to be even extra supportive on top of how supportive you are already being

Katie Moreno: So I’m thinking of two specific events. One of them was before you got rediagnosed. I want to say and we were at an event and they were serving pizza because every freaking event serves pizza and this older lady knowing your work and knowing your websites like that really rudely interjected our conversation and said are you eating that pizza? Are you sure you should be eating that and it was shocking I can’t believe that anybody would ever say that to anybody but let alone someone they’re not close with if I said it out of love and I was like, hey, I know you had lunch high blood sugar earlier this morning and now can I get you a salad like that would come from a place of love but she doesn’t know she only knows of you you are an acquaintance at best and…

00:15:00

Mila Clarke: Yeah.

Katie Moreno: to say something like that. I was just like I wanted to throw hands. I was like, obviously I’m not gonna punch an old lady, but I was like that is so rude and I don’t even remember how you re

Katie Moreno: it’s fine shut up and we moved on and walked away from her I think because it wasn’t like you were gonna go and defend herself, but then a couple years ago probably right around the time that you got rediagnosed. there are a bunch of people in the comments coming for you and again I get my defense on and I’m like, you don’t even know she shares with you a lot of her life and she shares with you a lot of the background and In the day-to-day struggles, but you don’t see every minute of her life. even if you Vlogs all day and edits together, it’s a five minute video. you’re seeing a snippet you don’t see the rest of the meals you eat the workouts you do like none of it and it just makes me feel so sad because

Katie Moreno: I don’t know hard that is to see those comments and it makes you want to stop what you’re doing and not do hang room anymore because I mean you can have a hundred million good comments and have one negative one. And that’s the one that we’re gonna focus on. It’s human nature, and so I try really hard to be your cheerleader and remind you that you’re helping so many people and what you’re doing is important work, but at the same time I can’t take away those comments, and I think it’s so Just uneducated and ignorant for them to even make from behind their keyboard. they would probably never say it to your face maybe because that lady did. but they just don’t even know and then to comment from they’re probably eating Cheetos in their room, not eating healthy either but they feel like they can say something because it’s the internet and I just think it’s so

Katie Moreno: disgusting to be honest

Mila Clarke: Yeah, it is it is and it rolls off my shoulders now, I think more than it did like there would that think that one time when I was getting like that pile on I was like I’m gonna shove my website down.

Katie Moreno: Yeah.

Mila Clarke: I’m pulling the plug. I’m canceling my hosting I’m not doing this ever again. And now I just kind of approach it as thanks for the engagement. Thank you for the watch hours if.

Katie Moreno: But I blast though, if they’re posting these comments publicly like you share them and they put their name on it.

Mila Clarke: He yeah.

Katie Moreno: So they better own it like anything that’s good too because that discourages it also, but

Mila Clarke: yeah, I think people don’t believe that anyone would leave comments like that or they don’t believe that people would be that harsh or that critical and Especially in some of the channels that I’m on Instagram and YouTube people will create accounts just to be assholes. they’ll do just to be mean and…

Katie Moreno: It’s crazy.

Mila Clarke: it’s no skin off their back but they don’t realize that there’s a person on the other side of it that they are damaging or hurting and so now my quip back is always like I didn’t do this the way that you liked it. you can do it then why don’t you produce a video and edit it and research it and do all the work for it.

Katie Moreno: Yeah.

Mila Clarke: If you can do it better I please do it. Yeah.

Katie Moreno: go for it. And I think that that’s a unique challenge you have in being a content creator. But as a person with diabetes in general and me being your friend the lady with the pizza, I think that that’s a common experience like being judged for what you eat how you have diabetes? Whether it’s type 1 or type 2, it doesn’t matter of course, there’s lifestyle choices. that can improve it or can hold off the symptoms and that sort of stuff but regardless there’s lots of factors that lead to it and it’s not anyone’s fault for having it and I just think that it’s important to have that support system around you have your friends be knowledgeable enough in the event that something negative does happen to lift you back up because that is the opinion that matters not the random lady. That is gonna

Katie Moreno: Be pissed off because you’re eating pizza. her opinion doesn’t matter the people close to you does and so they need to be knowledgeable enough to know when you need that encouragement because they’re right and even though it’s really hard in that moment to believe them because you’re just feeling bad because of that jerk, but at the end of the day as long as you are doing the best you can do that’s all you can do. So get people that remind you of that.

00:20:00

Mila Clarke: Yeah.

Mila Clarke: Yeah, I think that’s something that’s definitely kept me going is you and our whole group of friends. I feel have shown up for me in a way that I never imagined that people would in my life. I just thought I’ve diabetes so nobody’s gonna really care but even when I was married my former mother in law would always ask me hey, what can we make sure that we have at Thanksgiving or at Christmas or whatever to make sure that you’re comfortable make sure that you’re good and your blood sugars are good. I know you guys do that all the time you and Daniel you guys ask me the funniest and most interesting questions that make me think a little bit deeper about diabetes. And so I can think of just honestly I would say hundreds of ways that you guys have shown up and really embraced the fact that I’m going through this thing all the time, but you’re still kind and so thoughtful and so

Katie Moreno: and good

Mila Clarke: about it and I don’t know even we make diabetes jokes together and stuff and I just think that’s such a Good Rapport and good kind of outlet that we have that’s really fun.

Katie Moreno: So that actually brings up two questions that I have for so the first one is we’ll talk about friends first,…

Mila Clarke: Yeah.

Katie Moreno: but then remind me about the diabetes jokes, but from a friend perspective you just found out that your friend has diabetes, in the beginning I think I have a good handle on it now because I’m intimately aware of how you’re doing mentally and Health Wise, but in the beginning it was like I didn’t want to offend you by offering help and so what would you say is what a friend needs to do to recommend a restaurant or to say do you want to go get obviously a bakery is gonna be maybe not the best choice but I don’t want to not say let’s go to this new bakery because you have diabetes and I am policing your food decisions as a friend what would be helpful or what would be hurtful for me, asking you or not taking care of you but considering you

Mila Clarke: Yeah, that’s a really good question. And I think there’s two ways that I think about it on one end. I would say let your friend or your family member or your coworker. Whoever that relationship is with come to you and say I want to tell you this I need help. Here’s what I need because then it puts the ball in their court for them to State how they feel what they need and how you can support them so that the burden isn’t on you to figure it out or to

Mila Clarke: Tiptoe around it and not offend and so an approach that I take is just I don’t give people advice until they ask me for it. And so they may complain about diabetes or whatever and the best thing you can do is support them. But if they haven’t asked for advice or they haven’t asked you for some kind of way forward. You don’t have to say anything. All you have to say is that sucks. I’m sorry and you can move on you can also ask them do you want my advice? I know it’s unsolicited and that’s always helpful and I think disarming too.

Mila Clarke: Because when you first tell people that you have a diabetes diagnosis, there are so many assumptions that end up flying around they can’t go do this thing or they can’t have this or they’re not able to do this and this or I have to change this whole entire meal because of this and I had a family member that I’m not super close to you but we had an interaction and she’s having a party and she was like, hey, I just wanted to make sure that I get some sugar free stuff for you and I was like don’t do that. I can have regular sugar stuff. I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me and she was like, I’m always gonna worry and I was like that’s really kind of …

Katie Moreno: right

Mila Clarke: but it’s I’m normal just like everyone else aside from the fact that I just have to pay attention to my blood sugars. So I think that was even a supportive way of asking she kind of assumed that I needed this thing,…

Katie Moreno: 

Mila Clarke: but then I was able to be like, don’t worry about it. It’s cool. And then I think from the other angle is I think oftentimes because we have the diabetes diagnosis, like people exclude us from things because they think naturally she can’t

Katie Moreno: She can’t go to the cupcake store into the grand opening because it’s brand new because she’s diabetes. Yeah,

Mila Clarke: So like I would say just don’t assume that anything is off limits and the person in your life that’s dealing with diabetes will tell you that’s probably not the best idea for me or I would love to go and then they’ll make the decision on their own how they want to handle it in the aftermath. So I think that it’s just kind of keeping it open mind and letting the person tell you what they need as they need it sometimes and especially in the beginning they’re not gonna know because it’s shocking.

00:25:00

Katie Moreno: right

Mila Clarke: It’s a big life change. There’s a lot of just feelings involved with the diagnosis and stuff and it takes time to kind of find your flow and figure it out. I’m seven years and I still don’t think I’ve really figured it out in every day. It’s a little wacky but I think it just takes time to kind of feel out where you’re comfortable but also some people aren’t super comfortable advocating for themselves or asking for things because they feel like it puts a bur other people So it’s okay to ask what do you need? How can I help and…

Katie Moreno: Yeah.

Mila Clarke: that also puts the ball in their Court showing them that you care but also gives them the opportunity to really think about what they do need and what kind of space they need.

Katie Moreno: I think it’s a fine line though. And I think it’s something that a friend needs to be cognizant of is that you don’t want to ignore the condition and just invite you to ice cream everyday, that’s not really considerate but also don’t be afraid to ask or talk about it, because I think it shows that you care as long as it’s done in a way that’s not judgmental or putting the person with diabetes in a difficult position, where you do have options or you do have some balance if not that there is this but if there was a carb, Festival really all festivals are cards against

Mila Clarke: I want to go to a card for

Katie Moreno: But there’s probably no balance there, so finding a way to do that and something else is consider it. But don’t be rude about it. Yeah, so I think that’s a good answer is ask…

Mila Clarke: yeah.

Katie Moreno: but also help them advocate for themselves by asking what they need. so Okay,…

Mila Clarke: Yeah, for sure.

Katie Moreno: my other question was about diabetes jokes because this is something that I’ve like really wrestled with because I think humor has changed in the past decade things that used to be acceptable in a lot of ways are no longer acceptable which is a hard. Thing because humor is making fun of real life and I joke about things but it’s never in a way. That’s like this is your fault or how I think mainstream

Mila Clarke: Yeah.

Katie Moreno: Comedians, maybe make fun of diabetics people with diabetes. But what would you say I have an opinion about it and is that it’s never okay, except for people that have the condition and then obviously I have that trust built with my intentions, my heart behind it and…

Mila Clarke: Yeah.

Katie Moreno: there’s been a couple instances in the media that have come up that

Katie Moreno: Comedians have gotten in hot water about past jokes or current jokes. And then also I remember I bought a coloring book for one of my family members that graduated a medical degree and…

Mila Clarke: 

Katie Moreno: one of the beaches in there was about how Susie ate 26 candy bars. What is have Susie has diabetes and I ripped it out and I was like, I’m not giving this to her this is so rude and I felt really defensive and I crumpled it up and threw it away and I was like this and I felt a little crazy because I’m like, going on this Rampage, but also that’s not okay. And so that overall I can just rambling…

Mila Clarke: 

Katie Moreno: but what is your opinion on joking about chronic conditions such as diabetes?

Mila Clarke: Yeah, I kind of follow along the same lines as you is that if the person has a closeness or an intimacy with that chronic illness there are ways to make fun of that chronic illness without making fun of the people…

Katie Moreno: Okay. right

Mila Clarke: who have it and I can think of a really great diabetes meme account run by this woman Gillian. It’s called insulin and tonic and it is the funniest diabetes means it’s just literally pop culture and memes kind of reframed for diabetes and the jokes are so funny because they’re not like a personal attack or they’re not perpetuating diabetes stigma. They’re really poking fun at some of the just** things that we go through with diabetes one of my favorites that she shared a long time ago and I sent it to my boyfriend. It was like a skeleton kind of with it’s mouth open like my God, and then it was like what happens when I sleep over at this girl’s house.

Mila Clarke: Her glucose alarms are going off at 3 AM and so I was like, my God, this is so funny that just happened and it was something like fun to him. And so jokes like that I think are funny but jokes that perpetuate stigma or poke fun at the individual for something that is not their fault. I think is where I draw the line and where it’s super inappropriate and I just think to myself all the time with jokes. I would never make fun of Alzheimer’s or cancer or I’m trying to think of other illnesses heart disease or

00:30:00

Katie Moreno: Alright next ingredient someone that’s blind someone that doesn’t have a leg you’re not gonna go and make a joke about that.

Mila Clarke: right and for them experiencing that there may be in jokes that they feel like are funny because it’s the circumstance that they live with and they can find the humor in it, but I myself not living with any of those conditions wouldn’t Assume that I could make a joke about their condition and about the way that they have to live with a chronic Mission.

Katie Moreno: right

Mila Clarke: And so I think that was the long-winded way of saying I feel the exact same way as you like. I remember you sent me a picture of that coloring sheet and you were like look at this.

Mila Clarke: It was just and it was my gosh, it showed how stigma is so perpetuated that was a book for a healthcare professional and put that in there and it could be seen as a joke in the coloring book. I think was full of jokes and full of local humor.

Katie Moreno: Yeah, but it wasn’t disparaging jokes or anything that anyone’s expense for having a condition and that was like the one that I think is always attacked…

Mila Clarke: Yeah.

Katie Moreno: because especially for type 2 there are factors that lead to it and so because of that they latch onto that one thing and then feel it’s okay to make fun of and it’s again so ignorant you don’t even know background of anybody’s health history to be able to make fun of it and…

Mila Clarke: Yeah.

Katie Moreno: it’s attacking the person, and that’s never funny. So

Mila Clarke: Yeah, and my little segue and that also is that people will often blame people with type 2 diabetes and say you could reverse this or you could have not ever had diabetes if you just ate right and if you exercise and that lifestyle change is one not exclusive to people with diabetes. Everybody should eat right exercise drink water like you just did like They hydrated.

Katie Moreno: But thank It is unsweet so it’s basically water so.

Mila Clarke: It’s probably better for you because he has antioxidants and…

Katie Moreno: Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

Mila Clarke: stuff a caffeine though, but Kathy’s not bad inherently. but those kinds of things are not exclusive to people with type 2 diabetes and so a lot of times I often find myself thinking the person who’s pointing that finger are you doing all of those things or…

Katie Moreno: right

Mila Clarke: are you just pointing that finger because you feel Superior to people who have a chronic disease and then the other thing that I always think about is how people just

Mila Clarke: To judge people just and I think it happens in the diabetes Community too a long time before I was rediagnosed with type 1 so I can tell you people’s perception of me changed. Absolutely after I was rediagnosed and I was more acceptable to people in the diabetes Circle, but then I remember when I didn’t have my new diagnosis and I would call people out and be you are telling me that I have to advocate for type ones only to have access to insulin the majority of people using insulin are type 2,…

Katie Moreno: right

Mila Clarke: but then also you are immediately throwing people with type 2 under the bus by saying when people come back and say you wouldn’t need insulin if you did this this and then people type 1 being like why didn’t do anything to cause my diabetes or

Katie Moreno: Yeah, our super defensive of I have type 1 and it’s like okay then what are you saying about people that don’t have type 1 all the other millions of types of there that it’s so exclusionary too to be like mine’s better than your type.

Mila Clarke: Yeah. Yeah better or worse. It’s weird.

Katie Moreno: Yeah.

Mila Clarke: It’s weird when we talk to it’s framed differently every time…

Katie Moreno: right

Mila Clarke: but yeah, it’s one of those things where I’m kind of like. There is no superiority in this disease. We all have it.

Katie Moreno: it also

Mila Clarke: It all sucks. No matter how you’re diagnosed when you were diagnosed having it sucks. That’s the thing that we all have in common and so it’s like it more of an opportunities for each other and bridge the gap and be there for each other but I think sometimes people just get really defensive about being labeled a certain way and that’s why stigmatizing language and stigma has to disappear because it didn’t feel that stigma and…

Katie Moreno: yeah.

Mila Clarke: you didn’t feel that shame. You wouldn’t want to separate yourself from people who are labeled specifically with those stigmas. So I always think that’s…

00:35:00

Katie Moreno: I sent you a couple of them…

Mila Clarke: what thing.

Katie Moreno: but I’m on diabetic tiktok because of you. I’m sure but I always appreciate when I see another influencer who has Type 1 answer a question or something and always respond with I have type 1 but it doesn’t matter what type I have neither is caused by anything, purely by your own choices and I was appreciate that because that’s a little bit of advocacy from that side because some people with type 1 are very rude about it and go in about how that’s not their type and it’s either say nothing about it or advocate. The people that don’t have type 1 so yeah, I think that’s important.

Mila Clarke: It’s wild there’s just more advocacy in the world. Yeah.

Katie Moreno: just in general there’s lots of causes that need more attention outside of even diabetes, but We’re not gonna get on the soapbox about the American Healthcare System, so

Mila Clarke: I mean, that’s a whole other podcast. You’re American Diabetes,…

Katie Moreno: while That’s podcast number two.

Mila Clarke: and we’ll talk about feeling people with diabetes. I think I have two last questions for you one What is your favorite way that you have shown up for me when I’ve needed a friend who could just kind of soothe me about diabetes and I’ll tell you if it’s not the same. I’ll tell you what my favorite way is.

Katie Moreno: I’m an awesome friend. So I do a lot. Just No, I’m just kidding.

Mila Clarke: So I think what?

Katie Moreno: I do have two though. So one of them is more so related to you being like an influencer and one is directly related to diabetes. So one is whenever you receiving a lot of negative comments, I Had a bunch of people and I was your manager at the time too. So I had access to the back end of everything and I screenshotted hundreds of good comments, like sweet ones and printed them out. You’re gonna get it and…

Mila Clarke: Yeah.

Katie Moreno: put them in this brag book here and I decorated it a little kid would like paints and colorful stickers and stuff and I just wanted you to have that to remember when you were receiving hard comments, there were hundreds of sweet ones and I

Katie Moreno: I hope that you don’t need to look at it very often because I hope that there’s not a bunch of negative comments. But in those moments where you receive a negative one, remember that there are hundreds of positive ones and the same goes for people with diabetes that might have a negative experience or have a bad day or have a day where your blood sugars are just crappy remember all the other good days that you’ve had and good comments that you’ve received and the friends you’ve met through the diabetes Community because there’s lots of positives to it too. And then the second one is specifically die diabetes related, which I also highly recommend to people that are diabetes of people that have diabetes you added me as a user to your alerts for your CGM. And so I was receiving alerts that you were having lows in the middle of the night which by the way is terrifying I was like texting you immediately

Katie Moreno: Call you and you weren’t answering and I was like she’s dying. I immediately panicked and you were okay. You were fine. You were handling it was the first alert that I received and so I immediately went to panic mode. Also. The alarm is true

Mila Clarke: And I was just gonna say the alarm is like we’ll wake you up out of your coffin.

Katie Moreno: Yeah, I did not I should have asked…

Mila Clarke: What if so loud?

Katie Moreno: what it sounded like so I would know it to expect I thought the world was ending I thought it was like an emergency alarm for a hurricane tornado earthquake. I thought it was the end of the world but

Katie Moreno: Just low blood sugar and it wasn’t even that low, but it’s like the alarm and so the next day I went to the store and I bought a little tackle box and I put all a bunch of candies in it. And so that way you can keep it near your bedside to refuel or if you just need a snack but I think that was a good way to love you as a friend that I don’t know what it’s like but here’s something I can do that just tangibly shows you like I got you and I’m here to support you and I’m here to help you and you got to refill it on your own but keep this by your side because I don’t want any more lows is if you can help it and…

Mila Clarke: Yeah, yeah.

Katie Moreno: then also you told me a story of you were digging through trail mix one time to dig out the M&Ms or the chocolate or something because sugar and you had nothing and I was like, I got you we’re never doing that again you trail mix ever again?

Mila Clarke: I had to split out the chocolate from the pretzels and stuff because chocolate it has a fat in it. So it won’t rise your glucose as fast as you so I was sitting on the countertop just like Eminem pretzel home.

00:40:00

Katie Moreno: Fast enough. Yeah.

Katie Moreno: But in the middle of the low that’s not when you need to be doing that and so I was like we need candy ready and…

Mila Clarke: Yeah.

Katie Moreno: available, in additional dog. I’m sure you have other Jews and things like that, but I was like this is cute and fun. And so yeah.

Mila Clarke: Yeah, I was gonna be the story. I told was the diabetes tackle box. It’s literally still sits in my bedside. I refill it every so often I do snack from it sometimes But it was like the cutest thing…

Katie Moreno: Of course, you have to treat yourself.

Mila Clarke: because you basically were like I have a surprise for you and I was like, okay what is my birthday? what’s happening? And you came over you drove from your house four doors down look else forward that

Katie Moreno: Yeah.

Katie Moreno: I don’t know why I drove I was in my car though. I recorded it and I don’t remember why I was in my car because I wouldn’t have just drove down there. I think I was on the way somewhere coming back from somewhere. I don’t know.

Mila Clarke: Yeah, or maybe picking you at the time we would go to Starbucks and…

Katie Moreno: Yeah.

Mila Clarke: we take a little driver out of the neighborhood to Starbucks. So maybe it was that or…

Katie Moreno: Yeah.

Mila Clarke: something but then you handed me the box and I was like, what is this and it said no more hypos for angry woman.

Katie Moreno: And I put her logo on it.

Mila Clarke: So cute and yeah, I still have it. I love it. It’s such a good tool especially in the middle of the night when you’re disoriented and…

Katie Moreno: Good.

Mila Clarke: clumsy and you don’t want to walk out the kitchen to find something. It’s nice to just be able to sit up pop it open take a handful and just treat the low which is awesome. So it’s such a thoughtful gift so fun. I loved it.

Katie Moreno: Wait, yeah, that was one of my favorite gifts I’ve ever given and I was so excited. I woke up the next day. I parked up out of bed and I was like, I’m going to Michaels and I just made it. So yeah.

Mila Clarke: You must not like your Cricket and…

Katie Moreno: Did yeah.

Mila Clarke: everything work.

Katie Moreno: And I don’t do that every day, so.

Mila Clarke: No, you do not that’s very special occasion.

Katie Moreno: it’s

Mila Clarke: And so my last question to wrap up our time together, even though we’ll text each other in five minutes is…

Katie Moreno: mmm

Mila Clarke: what do you think that people can do to support their diabetes and what kinds of things from your perspective do you think are helpful and low lift from someone that wants to support their loved one with diabetes?

Katie Moreno: So there’s so much you can do the thing like The Tackle Box, that’s super just tangible help but also just listening to them and learning from them and asking them about their experience and knowing and obviously this is going to depend a little bit on your relationship to that person the closer you are the more access you’re going to have but as someone’s best friend or spouse you should be intimately aware of how they’re doing just in general. I think that’s good advice for friendships and relationships, but I think that it’s important that

Katie Moreno: are aware of how they’re doing mentally because it’s also a huge mental game of are you burned out with your diabetes at this time? Are you not putting your CGM back on because you just need a break. So you’re doing finger sticks, which means you have to be more on top of it and it’s not automated. Are you struggling to get your medicines refilled at the pharmacy? Because the pharmacy sucks all of that kind of stuff I think is important to be aware of and just talk to them about be there for them. just be the listening ear obviously there’s nothing you can do you can’t call the pharmacy and go advocate for them like you can’t do that, but you can

Katie Moreno: Listen, and be a shoulder for them when they need it. And then like I said with the education part, I think it is really important in the event of emergency 9% of the time. There’s never going to be something that you need to do in relation to their diabetes, but being able to recognize the symptoms of it what to do in the event that happens what kind of support or help they need when to call 911 or not because a lot of times you don’t need to call 911 but you need to get them a drink or get them water or have them take insulin or whatever. That’s really helpful. Because in that moment you don’t how much time and so being aware of that kind of stuff is really helpful and in learning that I think it’ll show your friend that you care. And so then they’ll probably be more likely to open up and share things with you and that’ll increase the depth of your relationship just in general and

Katie Moreno: Don’t Be a Jerk don’t make jokes about it don’t talk crap about their back behind their backup,…

Mila Clarke: it’s

Katie Moreno: for some reason it’s not their fault and it’s your job as their friends to be there for them and in the same way the way the world works like you’re gonna have a time in your life when they’re gonna be able to repay that and it’s great to have people like that in your life that actually care about you. So, there’s been multiple times in my life that you’ve been there for me And if I can get you a diabetes Tackle Box to show you that I love you, I’m happy to…

00:45:00

Mila Clarke: You love me.

Katie Moreno: because I know that you’ve been there and you would do that exact same thing for me. So Thank you.

Mila Clarke: I love you, too. Okay.

Katie Moreno: Kind of I guess.

Mila Clarke: We’ll find this was the worst guest ever undiabesty now.

Katie Moreno: my God.

Mila Clarke: She said

Katie Moreno: I’m throwing away this 20 four year old relationship. We’re done.

Mila Clarke: Gone in the trash. It’s not fine. I don’t know why I would do without you. Honestly, you’re literally like a staple of my day.

Katie Moreno: for real same

Mila Clarke: I don’t think I go a single day without texting you or talking to you and

Katie Moreno: Yeah, no, if we do, we have a couple times here and it’s weird. are you okay? Are you alive the next morning? We’re like hello. It’s definitely weird.

Mila Clarke: Hello, what things? my this was so good. And I’m so excited that people are gonna get to hear it. And also just learn how to support their diabetes and the people in their life. So thank you for giving me power of your time and…

Katie Moreno: Welcome. Thank you.

Mila Clarke: for talking about this and just kind of like reminiscing with me on how supportive you’ve been and also just to have it on record. Thank you so much for just being you and being my friend and basically being my sister we joke that we are like the alternate universe versions of each other because we’re literally the same so It’s

Katie Moreno: Yeah. Your dad calls us sisters and calls us salt and pepper.

Mila Clarke: salt and pepper

Katie Moreno: Which is true and I love it. So yeah,…

Mila Clarke: It is so true and…

Katie Moreno: thank you so much for having me on I really appreciate it.

Mila Clarke: he’ll always.

Katie Moreno: And I’m excited to see future episodes. Make sure you guys subscribe and comment or whatever the phrase is because I’m excited to see this podcast grow.

Mila Clarke: She just did my outro for…

Katie Moreno: Yeah.

Mila Clarke: I also want to give you an opportunity where can people find you and learn more about what you do.

Katie Moreno: So I do something very very specific. So I’m not sure if your audience will be interested, but I am a teacher of teachers. I used to be a high school journalism teacher and they do the yearbook and the newspaper and so I have a website called Organized Adviser with an ER calm, and I create resources that are free to journalism teachers. So if you happen to be a journalism teacher or of the journalism teacher at your local high school, that’s who I’m here to help so very very neat.

Mila Clarke: It is Niche, but somebody always knows somebody you never know.

Katie Moreno: You never know you never know.

Katie Moreno: So if you know someone I’d love to meet them and help them out.

Mila Clarke: Alright guys.

Mila Clarke: Thanks for listening. And we will see you in the next one. Love your, diabesties.