Ep 118 - When Nothing Makes Sense: Learning to Influence (Not Control) Diabetes with Kaycee Parker
Release Date: 08/11/2025
Ep 143 - Vision Loss, Moving & Midlife: Managing Type 1 Through Big Life Transitions
Type 1 In Midlife: Women Over 40 with Type 1 Diabetes, Hormones, Perimenopause, Menopause, and Blood Sugar Challenges
What happens when long-term type 1 diabetes collides with midlife change, vision loss, motherhood, and a major life transition? In this deeply honest and encouraging episode, I sit down with Mary Ann Chamberlain, who has lived with type 1 diabetes for over 36 years. Diagnosed at age seven, Mary Ann shares her journey through diabetic retinopathy, low vision, parenting, perimenopause, and what it really looks like to rebuild your life—without giving up on yourself. Now in her 40s, Mary Ann opens up about: Growing up with type 1 diabetes before tech, CGMs, or online support Navigating low...
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Ep 142 - 83 Years with Type 1 Between Us: A Conversation with My Husband
Type 1 In Midlife: Women Over 40 with Type 1 Diabetes, Hormones, Perimenopause, Menopause, and Blood Sugar Challenges
What does it really look like to live fully with type 1 diabetes—through careers, marriage, athletics, sleepless nights, and decades of daily management? In this episode, I sat down with my husband, David, who has lived with type 1 diabetes for over 40 years. From his diagnosis in his early 20s to a 30-year career in fire rescue, competitive athletics, and life on the water, this conversation is a real-life reminder that a chronic condition does not get the final say. We talk about: Being diagnosed with type 1 as a young adult Managing diabetes in high-stress, high-risk careers Marriage...
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Ep 141 - Basal Settings in Perimenopause: What Pump Users Need to Know
Type 1 In Midlife: Women Over 40 with Type 1 Diabetes, Hormones, Perimenopause, Menopause, and Blood Sugar Challenges
If your insulin pump suddenly feels harder to manage, morning spikes, overnight drops, or blood sugars that don’t follow the rules, you’re not failing at diabetes. In this episode, we dive into basal insulin challenges for women using insulin pumps during perimenopause. Hormone shifts in estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol can dramatically change insulin sensitivity, even when your pump technology hasn’t changed. You’ll learn: Why pump settings that worked for years may suddenly feel “off” How perimenopause affects basal insulin needs hour by hour When manual mode can be more...
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Ep 140 - Basal Insulin in Perimenopause: What MDI Users Need to Know
Type 1 In Midlife: Women Over 40 with Type 1 Diabetes, Hormones, Perimenopause, Menopause, and Blood Sugar Challenges
If your basal insulin suddenly feels wrong, morning highs, overnight lows, or afternoons that make no sense, you’re not imagining it, and you’re not failing at diabetes. In this solo episode of the Type 1 in Midlife, I’m breaking down why basal insulin becomes a moving target during perimenopause, especially for women on multiple daily injections (MDI). We’ll talk about how fluctuating estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol change insulin sensitivity hour by hour—and what you can do about it. I share real client examples, explain why basal timing matters more than ever, and walk...
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Ep 139 - From Hormone Chaos to Clarity: What’s Ahead in 2026
Type 1 In Midlife: Women Over 40 with Type 1 Diabetes, Hormones, Perimenopause, Menopause, and Blood Sugar Challenges
In this episode, I’m pressing pause and taking a deep breath. As we step into a new year, I’m reflecting on what 2025 revealed—about hormones, insulin needs, burnout, faith, and what women ith diabetes truly need more of. This year was full of honest conversations about perimenopause, menopause, sleep, cortisol, insulin resistance, and learning to trust your body again. I’m also sharing what’s ahead for 2026: shorter, clearer episodes… more practical “what do I do now?” guidance… and the book I wish I had decades ago. Inside this episode, we cover: Why blood sugars can...
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Ep 138 - When Hormones Meet Insulin: Aisha Coons on Navigating Cycles, Sensitivity & Self-Advocacy
Type 1 In Midlife: Women Over 40 with Type 1 Diabetes, Hormones, Perimenopause, Menopause, and Blood Sugar Challenges
In this powerful episode, Melissa sits down with Aisha Coons, medical copywriter, researcher, and creator behind Heed Her Health and Her Homeostasis. Diagnosed with both Type 1 diabetes and hypothyroidism at age four, Aisha shares her lifelong journey of learning to balance multiple autoimmune conditions while navigating the hormonal shifts of womanhood. Together, Melissa and Aisha explore: How early diagnosis shaped Aisha’s independence and mindset The connection between thyroid function, insulin needs, and menstrual cycle patterns Why some diabetes technologies can help or...
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Ep 137 - My 2025 Reflections: 3 Changes That Brought More Steady Blood Sugar, Mood & Strength
Type 1 In Midlife: Women Over 40 with Type 1 Diabetes, Hormones, Perimenopause, Menopause, and Blood Sugar Challenges
This week, Melissa gets real about the three lessons that shaped her health, her training, and her mindset in 2025 — and how you can carry these into 2026 with less pressure and more clarity. If you’ve been feeling stretched thin, sprinting through December, pushing your workouts harder than your body seems to tolerate… this one is going to speak right to you. Inside, she walks through: Why she shifted from HIIT to strength + restorative work How cortisol and midlife physiology change the rules Why doing less actually improve her blood sugar, sleep, mood, and strength How to build a...
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Ep 136 - Fibromyalgia Explained: Causes, Symptoms, and Hope for Women 40+
Type 1 In Midlife: Women Over 40 with Type 1 Diabetes, Hormones, Perimenopause, Menopause, and Blood Sugar Challenges
If you’ve ever wondered why your fatigue, pain, or brain fog feels bigger than it should — this episode is for you. Melissa sits down with Tami Stackelhouse, award-winning author, founder of the International Fibromyalgia Coaching Institute, host of the Fibromyalgia Podcast®, and executive producer of the feature documentary INVISIBLE. Tami shares her journey from diagnosis to remission and the holistic framework she teaches women to reclaim their lives from chronic pain. Together, they unpack: What fibromyalgia really is (and why it’s so often misunderstood). Why it overlaps...
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Ep 135 - Are We Expecting Too Much—or Not Enough—from Our Doctors?
Type 1 In Midlife: Women Over 40 with Type 1 Diabetes, Hormones, Perimenopause, Menopause, and Blood Sugar Challenges
If you’re questioning whether you’re asking too much or too little from your doctor, you’re not alone. Get the support and clarity you deserve inside the Type 1 In Midlife Community Join us in the circle for a 14-day free trial In this solo episode, I’m taking you inside my most recent endocrinology appointment—the good, the frustrating, and the moments that reminded me why self-advocacy matters so much for women with type 1 diabetes in midlife. I share how my A1C dropped after switching to manual mode on the Omnipod 5, why I pushed for a full thyroid panel, the weight gain...
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Ep 134 - Your Mouth Tells a Story: How Biological Dentistry Connects Oral Health, Hormones & Autoimmunity, with Dr. Toni Engram
Type 1 In Midlife: Women Over 40 with Type 1 Diabetes, Hormones, Perimenopause, Menopause, and Blood Sugar Challenges
Have you ever wondered how your dental health connects to your hormones, your immune system, or even your blood sugar? My guest today, Dr. Toni Engram, is here to pull back the curtain on the powerful — and often overlooked — mouth-body connection. Dr. Engram is a biological dentist, integrative health coach, and owner of Flourish Dental Boutique in Richardson, TX. After walking through her own journey with autoimmune disease, she realized traditional dentistry often misses the deeper story of what’s happening in the body. In this conversation, we dive into: How oral inflammation...
info_outlineEver had one of those days where diabetes just doesn’t make sense—no matter how “perfect” your routine was?
In this episode, I’m joined again by Kaycee Parker, author of Devotions on Diabetes, to unpack the heart behind Day 3 of her devotional: “Nothing Makes Sense.” Together, we dive into those frustrating moments when familiar routines stop working, insulin sensitivity vanishes, and you’re left asking: Why?
We talk about:
- Kaycee’s recurring low blood sugar every Sunday at church—and what it taught her
- Why “control” is the wrong word, and “influence” is the better mindset
- Hormones, stress, movement, and meal timing—and why they can shift our insulin needs overnight
- The emotional and spiritual weight of unpredictable blood sugars
- Scriptures that offer peace when the body feels unrecognizable
We also talk about the importance of observing trends without rushing to change pump settings, letting go of perfectionism, and trusting that peace comes not from perfect glucose graphs—but from the presence of God in the midst of the unknown.
Kaycee also shares a sneak peek into her next project: a new cookbook, Diabetic Meals Made Easy!
Verses Referenced:
- James 4:8 – “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”
- Philippians 4:6-7 – “Do not be anxious… and the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds.”
- John 16:33 – “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart—I have overcome the world.”
Connect with Kaycee Parker:
- Devotions on Diabetes — available on Amazon
- Follow Kaycee: @devotionsondiabetes on IG and Facebook
· Visit her website http://devotionsondiabetes.com/
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What to do now:
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Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on this Type 1 in Midlife Podcast should be a substitute for professional medical advice. Please always consult your medical professional before changing your diet, insulin dosages or health care plan.