Country Star Eric Paslay: Rocking On the Road With T1D

Country Star Eric Paslay is on his Nice Guy Tour right now, performing around the US and the world. He talks to Stacey about managing type 1 diabetes on the road.

Learn more and buy Stacey's new book "The World's Worst Diabetes Mom"

Stacey & Eric also nerd out on podcasting a little bit.. he started his own T1D show – Level With Me - earlier this year.

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Tell Me Something Good this week… so much creativity this diabetes awareness month! Did you see the Bachelor with Diabetes. And an elementary school rallies behind a student with T1D.

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This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider.

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Thanksgiving episodes Stacey mentions:

Ask the D-Moms Holiday Version

Thanksgiving Round-table: Adults with T1D

 

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Interview transcription 

Stacey:

My guest this week is country music star Eric Paslay. He is touring right now I caught up with him, tpaslay his is several weeks ago actually but there's nothing dated here. I wanted to talk to him again. He was first on the show back in 2017. Because in addition to being diagnosed with type one at age 10. He is now a podcast host. He started Level With Me this year. I'm not sure if he's coming back with that or if it was a one season thing when we talked to him quite worked it out. It's a branded podcast with Dexcom. But we had fun talking about the technical side of podcasting, and what he got out of meeting so many people living with type one. So here is my talk with Eric Paslay.

 

Eric, welcome back to the show. I'm excited to talk to you again. Thanks for joining me.

 

Eric Paslay  7:29

Thank you, Stacey. Good to be back.

 

Stacey Simms  7:31

Alright, so put your podcaster hat on. And I wanted to talk to you about that. Because truly, you know, doing a show like that is such an incredible experience. I'm not sure people realize how much fun it is to be on this side of the microphone, you know, talking to other people going through experiences with type one. What was it like for you to do that?

 

Eric Paslay  7:54

It's just it was it was a lot of fun. I mean, you know, it's fun to get to talk to people. There's so many awesome podcasts. out there about juvenile diabetes, and you're a rock star with Diabetes Connections. And I think it was just fun doing Level With Me we get to go visit people, at their houses where they're at. And kind of you kind of hear what life's like with diabetes. I think a lot of times it's either you have diabetes, the world's ending or I'm overcoming and that's on everything, you know, I can do anything and a lot of times you don't talk about the in between and and I think that's what these podcasts are great for is just talking about these things happening. And with level with me, we just got to talk about real life of, of how spouses and parents like you know, you have a 14 year old son with diabetes, being a parent and just kind of all the day to day activities and things that you did to deal with having diabetes and it was just it was a lot of fun. As you know, there's just incredible people all around the world and it's fun meeting up with type one diabetics that really live life to the fullest.

 

Stacey Simms  8:57

As I said, though, it's a different hat for you to wear well. What made you want to do something like this?

 

Eric Paslay  9:03

I'm not just talking about, talking helps people get used to talking about stuff. You know, I mean, I think there's a lot of type one diabetics who hide it from the world. And it's like, how you go to work and no knows you're diabetic? What if you actually do have a crazy low sugar level happen? What are they going to do? They're just going to not know you're diabetic. You know, I think a lot of people are afraid to talk about it because they're either ashamed or they think they're not tough enough and it's like, you should be excited. We're like living in a time where we're we're getting to survive as diabetics.

 

But you know, I'm not afraid of a microphone on and when we thought, hey, let's let's do a cool little podcast. I was like, sign me up. That sounds like a good idea. And, and it sounds like a great way to get to meet great people and, and just spread the news that you really can't do anything. With me traveling around on the road all the time. It's crazy, crazy, crazy life. of just traveling all the time. Not a lot of people, Lot early flights, late shows that it's cool. Just getting to talk about all the devices I know y'all talk about with the CGM Dexcom and insulin pumps and just all these cool things that really help you live life and not let diabetes get in the way too much.

 

Stacey Simms  10:15

Yeah, let's talk about that. Because you know, you've been on the show before and shared a lot about how you do it on the road. But tell us a little bit about your routine these days with those early flights. As you mentioned, it's kind of a crazy schedule. Anything you've learned that you can pass along.

 

Eric Paslay  10:27

I don't know protein bars don't have tons of carbs but they let me cruise for a good time. I've learned that, you know, I think it's it really is finally getting a CGM. It's like truly life changing. It's you hear the beats that beep beep bepp and you go Okay, I need some sugar or the beep and go Wow, my insulin is not working. You know, Everyone does that sound you know, in the middle of the night they're like, Oh, no. What do you think? Protein bar time.

 

When did you start wearing a CGM?

 

About a few years, and it's truly life changing, it's it really is mind blowing thinking 100 years ago, they figured out these proteins make a thing called insulin and keeps us alive. And to think that there's we're holding a small TV in our hand that tells our blood sugar level. Yeah, I mean, that we can share with friends on a phone is crazy. It's it's truly amazing to see how science and just it's just amazing science and technologies coming together. And it's exciting to see in the next even 10 20, 30 years, what happens with taking care of diabetes and just all kinds of sicknesses, just all the information coming together and people figuring it out. And you talk about on your show. There's just so many cool things happening. I got to do an amazing tour at Vanderbilt here in Nashville a couple weeks back with Dr. Powers. He's my doctor here and it's just exciting to see people doing such amazing research, trying to figure out the immune system And everything with beta cells. Everything that a type 1 diabetic is made out of, trying to reset all those things. It's cool to just just hear how many people really are out there trying to figure out a cure. And until we get a cure, figure out amazingly just easy ways to treat yourself.

 

Stacey Simms  12:17

I'm curious with the CGM, you know, because you were diagnosed it 10 right? Yeah. What your mom and dad might think of a CGM. Do you share with them now as an adult?

 

Eric Paslay  12:28

No, I don't sshare with them now see how they're fine. They (laughs). I share with my wife. Now I share with my wife so she knows where I'm at when I'm on the road, you know, early in the morning, she can check and see if my blood sugar levels cruising. And I share with my band so my tour manager watches my blood sugar level on the road while I'm on stage. And that's insane. It's amazing. He’ll let me know over our in ear monitors were note the crowd doesn't even know what's happening. He'll be like, Hey, you got an arrow down. Orange juice, you know, I'll go over and drink out of Dixie cup. The crowd thinks I'm just partying along and I'm, I am I'm making sure the party keeps going and get some sugar in me. And it really is amazing. It's like a magic trick and I think back to 20 some odd years of finger pricks and and thinking how much picture I really didn't know like really what was the patterns of my blood sugar level and getting to see that on a graph now, but with the CGM it’s is truly amazing and, and I think, hopefully, you know, adding more years to my life with with taking even better control of my blood sugar levels.

 

Stacey Simms  13:36

Let's talk a little more of the podcast because one of the really nice things about yours is you're able to get out of the studio, you know, if you haven't listened to half the show, he he kind of meets with the people he's talking to or hangs out with the family for a while and then the second half, they're in the studio. So it's a really nice mix. And I'm just I'm always curious from a technical standpoint, how are you doing the stuff on the road? I'm gonna get technical here. Are you wearing a mic? Do you have a crew How's it all work?

(commercial break)

Right back to Eric in just a moment I'll answer that question. But first diabetes Connections is brought to you by one touch handwriting your blood glucose levels is the ultimate throwback, the one touch Vario flex meter seamlessly syncs with the free onetouch reveal mobile app to create your dynamic electronic log book. And when you choose the onetouch reveal mobile app, you'll be joining thousands of other people living with diabetes. In fact, as of this past October, one touch revealed was the number one downloaded diabetes management app in the US, Canada, France and the UK to upgrade today to the one touch Vario flex meter and onetouch reveal mobile app, visit diabetes dash connections.com and click on the one touch logo. Now back to Eric talking about production of his podcast.

 

Eric Paslay  14:52

Yeah, there’s a crew, they go out, hang out with the families that we're talking with and just kind of get the sounds of their life where they're at their family. He's running around. I think a lot of times when you're in the studio you can talk about it but you don't really hear the sounds of real life happening sometimes and it shouldn't really is just a just a sweet moment where we get to go and hang out at people's houses or where they're living and hear everyday sounds of being there.  I think it helps people who’ve just been diagnosed or that had been diagnosed for many years to realize you're not alone. And there's a lot of people going through type one diabetes and there's a lot of spouses and kids and family members who have one people they love with Type One Diabetes and just how do you live with that every day. And and it really is, I think it's a really cool thing that we get to do is go hang out with the families for the we saw on the national need to hang out with Blackbird Studios here in Nashville where tons of bands record every year so it's fun for them to come see that and I get to tell him some stories of hair cut my album in here and that is fun. It really is one thing on the podcast I always try to make sure is like you Not just dealing with diabetic, you're a human being like, you're not just to do that back your mother, your father, your brother, your sister, your professional, your student. And I that was one thing I always try to make sure people remember that they don't just wear I'm a diabetic t shirt everywhere they go. It's like no, you said one ingredient of your life, not your whole life, even though it definitely is a big part of how your engine runs. But just making sure people don't just categorize themselves only as diabetic.

 

Stacey Simms  16:30

Yeah, that's what I say to a lot of parents Remember, you're raising a child, not a number. You know, worry less about that straight line and more about is your kids happy.

 

Eric Paslay  16:37

Raising child not a number. I love that.

 

Stacey Simms  16:40

And this is really a dumb question for people who are not  in podcasting or in broadcasting. But I'm always curious, is there different mic technique? You know, when you're talking into the microphone and interviewing these people, and then you're singing or playing instruments, you know, are there different things that you need to do in the studio?

 

Eric Paslay  16:57

I don't, you know, talking to the mic, and I mean, Singing a lot of times, you know you do the vocal set maybe I'll try the vocal fade while the next podcast be like it's so far away from you. When your blood sugar levels everybody wants to be how do you level with it? I mean, it's just like we were just talking with this podcast right now and it's amazing just the technology we have from, from lapel mics where you can hide a mic on you to just a big old studio mic that you've used in radio for years. It's, there's so many cool ways to do it. It truly is amazing, just, I mean, and there's so many podcasts out now from anything and it's just so easy to really record a podcast these days with a computer and a home studio and, and all that and it's, we always joke in the music business. The coolest thing about a home studio is you have a home studio. The worst thing about studios, you can have a home studio. Is it good for music? Is it bad for music? I don't know. You know, there's a lot of music, but it's it really is amazing To do this right now people getting to hear to their little speakers wherever they're flying in the sky or driving the car, on their smartphone to watch them the device being when you're when you're hopefully cruising on a good good level.

 

Stacey Simms  18:15

So you know you mentioned making music of course we haven't talked about that at all. Are you still having fun? What's you know anything new?

Eric Paslay  18:24

Heck yeah. earlier today I've been talking about going on tour and Europe here soon and get back for a few days in Nashville and then Australia for a week. And just traveling around we've got a live album from live in Glasgow that's coming out we recorded it  last summer in Glasgow, Scotland and have all the hits I've written for myself other people so we'll have the five number one songs on there and it's great and excited for that to come out and people get to hear the whole band and hear us live. Fun show have a great crowd and Glasgow Scotland and and then I've got an album that we just pretty much are mixing and kind of putting the final touches on that'll be out probably early next year. So got a live album in a studio album that are coming out and I'm excited to go tour and and play these songs and, and people get to hear how great the band is when we come to your town here. But a lot of really, really exciting things happening.

 

Stacey Simms  19:21

Keeping busy man, thank you so much for joining me. I really appreciate you spending some time Welcome to the world of podcasting. I'm so glad you did it.

 

Eric Paslay  19:29

1. Thank you, I think yeah, I think the more of us talking about taking care of that it is the more people will be unafraid of asking a question of Hey, I'm having trouble with high blood sugar levels at night or when I eat this. I it doesn't work. You know, I think the more we talk about that, the and more unafraid kids will be to raise their hand and class when they need to go see the nurse. I really was I was always afraid to like disrupt class, something when I'm sitting there and I can feel my blood sugar level crashing. Hopefully a little just people talking about it will help people not be afraid to get up from the meeting and go get take care of their blood sugar level so they can keep rockin and and have a good time doing it.