#63 Is My Best Friend a Robot? An Interview with Mandi Franklin

Today's episode features the super sweet Mandi Franklin; author, blogger, pediatric nurse practitioner and type 1 warrior. Today we get to hear about Mandi's life with T1D, how she's been able to use her type 1 experience to better the quality of care she offers to her patients and she tells us all about her adorable children's picture book, Is My Best Friend a Robot? I can't wait for you to listen in on this chat. Enjoy! See links below to find Mandi and her book on the web!

Mandi's Blog: https://www.petitenp.com/
Mandi's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandithepetitenp/
Mandi's book, Is My Best Friend a Robot?

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Transcript

Katie: 0:00

This is episode 63 of the sugar mamas podcast. Today, my guest is the super sweet Mandy Franklin. Mandy is a pediatric nurse practitioner who has been living with type one diabetes since she was very young. Mandy is also a blogger and the author of the adorable children's book all about T one D. It's my best friend, a robot. I will leave links in the show notes to Mandy's blog, her Instagram feed and where you can find her book. Also, quick note to mention this episode was recorded before the holidays last December. So towards the end, you'll hear us chit chatting a little bit about our holiday plans. This is a shorter episode, so there won't be a product feature other than Mandy's book, of course, but I do want to take a second. Everyone who has supported the show either by writing a review or through buy me a coffee. Our most recent buy me a coffee supporter. Rainelle is actually the grandmother of a type one warrior. As we all know a type one diagnosis affects the entire family, everyone, including grandparents. And it's so nice for me to know that it's not just parents who are tuning in and benefiting from the show. Thank you again, Rainelle. If you'd like to learn more about how you can easily write a review for this. Or support the podcast through buy me a coffee, check out the links in the show notes. All right. Without further ado, let's get started. You're listening to the sugar mamas podcast, a show designed for moms and caregivers of type one diabetics here. You'll find a community of like-minded people who are striving daily to keep their kids safe, happy, and healthy in the ever-changing world of type one. I'm your host and fellow T one D mom, Katie Roseboro. Before we get started. I need you to know that nothing you hear on the sugar mamas podcast should be considered medical advice. Please be safe, be smart, and always consult your physician before making changes to the way you manage type one diabetes. Thanks. Everybody. I am here with Mandy Franklin today. And Mandy, I'm going to let you introduce yourself and tell the listeners your connection to type one diabetes.

Mandi: 2:17

Charlotte. Hello. Thanks for having me. my name's Mandy Franklin. I am a pediatric nurse practitioner, author blogger, and a type one diabetic myself. I've been type one since the age of.

Katie: 2:31

Wow. Okay. So a type one diabetic, your almost your entire life you're in the healthcare profession. Now, would you mind just telling us a little bit about your, your type one journey? You know, I'm curious to know, since you were diagnosed at such a young age, has it always just kind of been part of your life, no big deal. This is what we do. Or have you gone through periods of really resenting the disease and burnout and things like that?

Mandi: 2:55

Yeah. Great question. So I go back and forth in my head of, you know, is it better to be diagnosed when you're really young or when you're older? The right answer. you know, it's been a part of my life. It's all I know. It's all I remember. So I have no memories of like going to the pantry, opening up the door and eating a box of Oreos without dosing myself. So it is part of my life. I think everybody goes through those stages and phases of resentment of why me, why do I have to, you know, inject myself and my friend does it before we go to the birthday party. So I think it's very normal, that everybody with type one and even parents of kids with type one goes through those, why me. Days and periods of time. so yeah, so I think, it's definitely a part of who I am. I don't want it to find me, but, yes, we definitely, I definitely have had those times of, it's not fair type of attitude.

Katie: 3:53

Yeah. I feel like even if you don't remember diagnosis day it's, I can't imagine going through it all. Ever having moments, moments like that. So, yeah. So, you know, since this podcast is designed specifically for, for moms and caregivers of type one diabetics, what do you remember about your parents and your diabetes management? growing up, I guess just first, what do you remember? And then what are some things you think they did really well and maybe some things that you think they did not do very well, because I think it's important for parents of to kind of hear those things.

Mandi: 4:28

I agree. So I actually remember bits and pieces of my diagnosis gay. I remember being in the hospital, I remember raising my arm and the ID occluding and beeping, like I remember bits and pieces. That period of time, just, it was hectic. It was just, it was a winter day. I believe it was December. My father and my sister actually got into a car accident that day. They hit a deer. Thankfully everybody was Okay. The deer, not so much. my mom and I were in the hospital, so it was just. I think probably a whirlwind of a period of time for them. and you know, I am the baby of five kids, so this was not my parents' first rodeo. However, I was the first diabetic in the family, so it was kind of all new to them. my dad was a pharmacist, so he had a little bit of knowledge about diabetes and the medications involved, but not necessarily being the caregiver of a. but something that I appreciate, my parents are no longer with me, but something that I appreciate so much was that they never treated me differently. they allowed me to go to those birthday parties, any of the cupcakes, but I had to dose before. So they allowed me to do all of those things. And I think that that's huge. I think. As caregivers it's important to not restrict and to not single out the child, just like you wouldn't think a lot of child that has asthma or some other underlying condition, you want them to live their life to the fullest and not to feel, different in any way. something that I think they could have done better is, you know, I think nowadays, you know, I am proud of my diagnosis. I wear my pumps, you know, openly, I. Oh, with open arms, allow people to ask questions. What's that on your arm? You know, I, I love those questions. so back then, I really didn't know any other type one diabetics. and I didn't really, I wasn't as proud of my diagnosis, so I don't know if that's something my parents could've done better at. maybe getting more involved in the support group or, you know, Mandy, you know, Do your insulin at the table and you'd be proud of it. You don't have to walk away and do your insulin. So just kind of making sure as a caregiver that you tell your child or your loved one or whoever you're caring for. Be be proud. This is a part of you. It's not going away anytime soon. so we have to adapt and, kind of teaching your child how to answer those questions or how to respond to some negative comments that might be received. I think that that's important tool for parents to keep in their pocket for the.

Katie: 7:18

That's a really good idea. I've never really thought about, I've definitely talked to my daughter, Sarah, about, you know, not hiding her diabetes just because I think that would be, even though. About it. She not as much anymore though. I will say last year at school, when she was in third grade, she wasn't willing to, hold on one sec. My kids are home for the holiday season, so, you know, you never know what you're going to get. yeah, so what I was saying was last year, when she was in third grade, she was not willing to do. Her injections in class, she would leave the classroom to go to the front office, which I under. I mean, I get it like that can be a big disruption in the middle of class. And it was very new to her and, and um, and then she got on a pump. And so that was a lot easier cause she just, she didn't have to leave. She could just push some buttons and then now she's actually taking a pump break. And when she told me she wanted to do that, I said, You know that that's fine. I'm totally fine with that. But I kind of would prefer it if you didn't leave class, just because, you know, you miss so much class walking to, and from the office, I said, would you feel comfortable doing your injections in class this year, this time around? And she was like, I think so. And yeah, she's been doing her, her injections in class ever since which I'm really. Really proud of her. Yeah. And I told the teachers, I was like, I don't, I emailed it on my, like, I don't really know what you're going to get when she comes into school tomorrow. I don't know if she's going to get, if she's going to be like, shy about at all, if she's going to want to leave, if she's just going to bust out with it in the middle of, you know, center time or whatever. I don't know. So if you're willing to just kind of go along for the ride with me, then that's what we're, we're going to do. And, it turns out that she would, she just kind of went to the, like, there's a little chair in the back of her classroom and she like walks back there and does it, and then walks back to her seat. So I thought that was a huge, huge job for her. And I definitely.

Mandi: 9:07

I love that.

Katie: 9:08

celebrated that. Yeah, because I, you know, I told her at the beginning when she was so shy, I said, sweetheart, it's really up to you. Like, I can't force you to tell other people about your diabetes. I said, I will tell you though that you're going to be very, tired and exhausted and sad if you don't just come out with it because that's going to be really exhausting, trying to hide it from everybody because. Like you just, like you just said, it is part of you. It's not going away. Might as well embrace it, you know, like it or not might as well, just kind of get over, not get over it. You know what I mean? Like just come out with it to

Mandi: 9:43

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I, when I was growing up, I didn't necessarily. Hide it I would say I didn't come out and tell people I had diabetes. So if they knew, I was like, okay. They know, but if they didn't know, I knit did not make it a point. And I, thinking back, I wish I did. I mean, going out with friends, going to the movies, it would have been important if they knew what a low blood sugar looks like. So, I do think it's important to empower your children. You know, let them come to terms with it on their own time, of course. and tell their friends when they're comfortable. But I think being immersed in the diabetes Coulter and being around the support of, you know, whether it's support through, you know, local JDRF chapters or whatever it may be so that you can see other kids with diabetes. I think that that is such an essential tool to know. that you're not the only one and you're not alone because it can be very isolating disease. If you.

Katie: 10:43

Yeah. Oh yeah, absolutely. I can't imagine I read this book. Maybe you've read it. I'm not, it's called breakthrough. It's about the, it's really about the history of the discovery of insulin. And it say, I don't really know what you would call this John rhe, but it's like, Based on facts. So it tells the story of like Dr. Banting and Dr. Best and how they discovered and started using insulin. And it also, so Elizabeth Hughes was the daughter of a, an American. Politician like a really high up. And like, I can't remember his name right now, which is shameful, but he actually ran for president at one point in time and he, he ended up losing. so in that, and that's true also, but it kind of tells the story in They put it into a fictional book. So loved it. Great. Anybody who wants to learn more about the discovery of insulin, it's a really good way to do it. Cause it was a very suspenseful book. Like I was, you know, even though I knew what happened, I was on the edge of my seat. However, we got, I got to the end of the book. You know, this little girl who obviously they thought she was going to die any day now and then insulin discovered, and now she's alive and thriving, but at the end of the book, she, and this is true. Elizabeth Hughes her entire life, her main goal in life was to make sure that nobody knew she had diabetes. I know I was heartbroken. I'm like, Oh, my gosh, like I loved this book and I obviously love learning about the discovery of insulin. Cause I'm so grateful, but man, I wish he would have been more proud of I

Mandi: 12:14

Yeah.

Katie: 12:15

you know, Guinea pig and here I am and she lived, I think, into her late seventies, early eighties. And, but a lot of her family members didn't even know she had diabetes, which is just

Mandi: 12:26

That's like watching a movie and then the ending bad. And you're like, wait, why did I waste two hours watching this movie for this ending

Katie: 12:33

I know. I was so sad and I think it's because they were such a, like a prominent well-known wealthy family that she just, I think she was ashamed of it, which just broke my heart. I'm like, girl, you gotta be proud of your diabetes. You

Mandi: 12:45

that's right. Exactly. And I think nowadays you can live a long, successful, beautiful life with diabetes and not necessarily the same thing back in the day. You know, we didn't have as many technological advances and insulin is not the same. We didn't have the fast acting. And so it's different now.

Katie: 13:06

Yeah.

Mandi: 13:07

Maybe, you know, I'm hoping nowadays more people will feel empowered with their disease and, we'll be proud of it.

Katie: 13:14

Absolutely. Well, they make it easy to be proud down with all the fun, like, you know, decals and stickers and stuff like that. It's like, let me show you my devices because they're really cute right now.

Mandi: 13:24

Right. Exactly.

Katie: 13:25

All right. Let's see. So. You are a nurse practitioner, which congratulations. That's amazing. I know that I have two really good friends who are nurse practitioners and that is not an easy job. And I know it's not easy to become a nurse practitioner. It takes so much schooling and training and all that. So way to go.

Mandi: 13:42

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. On a little bias. I like my nurse practitioner.

Katie: 13:46

Yeah. I actually see a nurse practitioner as my primary care. Like I honestly couldn't even tell you what the primary care doctor at our, at my clinic looks like at my PCP. I just, I just have always seen the nurse practitioner. So. And she's great. She's very thorough. I like her. But I want to know at what point point in time did you decide you want it to be a nurse practitioner and did your diabetes have anything to do with that?

Mandi: 14:10

as it then. I said earlier, my dad was a pharmacist. I knew I, I was always interested in, we always had these like medical conversations. and that's one of the things I miss so much about having my dad in my life. It's like, he just got me hate. We could have these conversations and other people would say, That's disgusting. Why are you talking about that? So, I, I kind of always was destined to do something in the medical field and I think absolutely having diabetes, going to your every three months visit and seeing your nurse and your nurse educator, asked me, prompted me to go into nursing and then. Become a nurse practitioner. When I was a nurse, I worked on a general pediatric unit. I took care of kids of varying diseases, illnesses. we took care of a pretty large diabetes population. we would have those new. Diagnoses come in. Or if kids are unfortunately in DKA, we would take care of them as well. and then they became a nurse practitioner because I wanted the autonomy and I wanted to be the one making the decisions. And I love what I do. And I can't imagine myself really doing anything else.

Katie: 15:20

Do you still work in that same type of setting? Are you, what setting are you in now?

Mandi: 15:24

So now? I work in outpatient and I see children zero to 21. you're, you know, I see, well visits, I see six visits. I see your anxiety, your ADHD. So I see a little bit of everything. I do have some patients that come to me specifically because I have diabetes. So they do feel, although I'm not necessarily their primary, endo or diabetes educator, they feel more comfortable because as we all know, there are medications that can alter your blood sugar illness can alter your blood sugar. So, I think they just feel more comfortable knowing that their primary, also has type.

Katie: 16:04

Yeah, absolutely. Have you ever had to, have you ever had to be the one to diagnose somebody, like send them off to the hospital?

Mandi: 16:13

Unfortunately. Yes. because it's always in the back of my mind and diabetes can sometimes have those very vague symptoms. so yeah, I had one kiddo who was thankfully never went into DKA, but just had these like weird. You know, onset of symptoms. And there was a very strong family history and I was like, I think you have diabetes. And, sure enough, we diagnosed very early. but, but yeah. Yeah. So it's always, you know, it's always in the back of my mind and it might not be always in the back of the mind of a primary without that medical history themselves.

Katie: 16:48

Oh, yeah, that's something that's been talked about a lot on the podcast already. Is that. How many primary care P you know, pediatric primary care physicians missed it. several, several times over. And, and I get it because I'm in healthcare too. And if you're not, if you don't specialize in something a lot of time, it's not on your radar. So, you know, not faulting them, but at the same time, As parents of type one diabetics, we should be advocating for that and are in our primary care offices, you know, Hey, maybe consider making like a finger prick or a regular part of a wellness, wellness visit, or, even just giving them a little handout on those signs and symptoms of type one. Cause they just might not, might not catch it. I don't know if they'd appreciate that or not, but we can do

Mandi: 17:30

Yeah, Yeah. Yeah. I mean, my, the office that I'm looking at now, when I first started there and didn't have a blue commoner, so I brought one of my own because I think it's essential for a primary care office to have a glucometer.

Katie: 17:43

Absolutely. I think that needs to be on the list of must have devices in a pediatric outpatient clinic.

Mandi: 17:51

Exactly it. And I asked what were, what was everyone doing before? And they would send off blood work. Well, that could take, you know, a turnaround time of two or three days. So a finger quick fingerprints. If the kids wants 300, let's get that quick diagnosis and get them, you know, the insulin and the help they need without, delaying.

Katie: 18:12

Absolutely. All right. Let's see. So I, I was curious to know, not that I think any less of you whatsoever, but have you ever thought about getting like your CDC S on top of being a nurse practitioner, do you feel like there'd be any benefit to that for you.

Mandi: 18:27

Yeah. So it's funny, you said that. So last year when the pandemic hit, I think we all gathered new hobbies and things of that nature. So yes, I started to study for it and, I don't know if it would benefit me anymore. if I decide to go into, diabetes, I feel like I am also already very knowledgeable on the disease. I don't also would make much of a difference except having extra initial behind my name, which I really don't care about. so I don't think it changes the quality of care that I offer. It's still back there in the back of my brain. I have the books, you know, so I don't know still debating on, on whether I want to go forth and do that.

Katie: 19:09

Yeah. Do you feel like since diabetes is already in your life in such a big part of your life, like, do you feel like being a certified diabetes care and education specialists would almost be like too much, like maybe burn out a little bit?

Mandi: 19:22

Yeah. Yeah. I can see that. I could definitely see that. I, you know, I think eventually whenever I see a diabetic patient, I get giddy. Like I get excited, so I wouldn't be surprised if eventually in my career I do focus specifically on pediatric and type one diabetes. I could definitely see where it's like you are living, eating, breathing, everything diabetes, or it could lead to a little bit of burnout. If you let it. Now, you also have to have those outlets, I think, which is important. Whether it's exercise meditating whenever.

Katie: 19:57

Absolutely. Oh, I'm a big fan of the exercising. That is my I'm. Like, I'm not exercising over here to, fit into my pants. People. I am exercising. I'm exercising. So I don't go insane.

Mandi: 20:07

I'm with you. I'm with you.

Katie: 20:08

I know my, my husband and I, there was, there was about a year where we volunteered in the preschool ministry at our church. And that was also when our kids were like baby to three years old. And eventually we just had to be. We can't do this. We cannot serve in the preschool ministry because our house is a preschool ministry right now. It was just too much, like we were living it and then trying to help others with it. And we're like, no, we can't do. So we had to move on to an older age group. We went to middle-schoolers after that, which I'm not sure that there was really much better, but it was. It was at least something different than what we were experiencing at home. And I feel might be a little similar to you, like having diabetes and also being a CDC E S.

Mandi: 20:51

Right, right.

Katie: 20:52

Okay. So Mandy has the cutest children's book. You guys about type one diabetes. It is so cute. The, the name of it is just, I love it. It's called is my friend a robot and you didn't eat. I don't even think you mentioned that in the introduction that you were also the author of a type one children's book. Can you tell listeners about your book and where'd you get the idea for it?

Mandi: 21:14

Yeah, I always wanted to write a children's book specifically about diabetes. I felt like when I was diagnosed, there just wasn't enough literature or main characters. Diabetes. And I think that that's an important piece, for there to be, you know, that education for all children. you know, just like there's, books where the characters are diverse. I think it's important for there to be cancers, you know, Wheelchairs or they have an insulin pump or whatever it may be. So, he is my best friend, a robot, and it's about, a little girl and the little boy they're best friends. And one day the little girl, her best friend beeping. And so naturally she thinks he's a robot, but really it's his insulin pump. So it's all about educating about the insulin pump and diabetes. And at the end of the day, they're still best. And they realized, the and diabetes they're pretty much the same. You know, they eat the same foods. They play the same game. like he just has diabetes now. I've been doing some school readings, preschools, and I've been getting the most amazing questions from kids. And I just, I love that because it shows me that their brain is. It's working and it's eating up everything I'm saying to them. And I hope that next time they come in contact with someone with type one, they don't have a negative comment to say, they don't point and stare, but they're like, oh my gosh, I learned about. and I think it's important for kids with type one to bring it into how Intel or whatever, just so that they can say, this is what I have. And it's an easy, digestible way to talk about it.

Katie: 22:57

Yeah, absolutely. Well, and I love that you brought in the, you know, the robot part to it too, because I, you know, everybody I've heard a lot of people refer to, you know, oh, these are my robot parts or I'm part robot and robots are just such a fun concept for kids. So I love that you kind of brought. Robots and that kid, you know, imaginative, about type one. And do you, do they like want to see your devices? I mean, if you're on it, I don't even know if you're on devices, but do they want to see?

Mandi: 23:22

Yeah, always. So I'm going to Omni pod and Dexcom and I many times where my Omni pod on my arm. and so yes, I always show them my robot parts.

Katie: 23:33

That's so great. I love that you do, school readings. I wrote a children's book, nothing to do with type one diabetes. So we don't need to talk about that, but it I've done a few. Yes. Yeah. It's yeah, it's called, there's a mermaid in my pool and it was inspired by my childhood. But my favorite thing has been to do some readings with, with elementary aged kids because they ask the most ridiculous. I mean, they're amazing, but they ask the most ridiculous questions. Like, I mean, they do ask me about the book, but mostly they're like, what's your favorite color? You know, like, do you like pizza and what kind of pizza? And I want to tell you about my dog that just died and you know, it's like, bless your heart. And this is so

Mandi: 24:15

I'm looking up your both when I'm buying your book on Amazon, like as

Katie: 24:20

Oh, thank you. Yeah, it's it's, isn't it so fun though, to see your concept that you create came up with like actually be printed on paper and be for sale in different places. It was a dream come true for me, which it sounds like same for you.

Mandi: 24:36

Absolutely.

Katie: 24:37

Well, where can we find your book?

Mandi: 24:39

my book? is on Amazon right now. and then also I have it available on my Instagram. There's a link to it and on my blog, the feet np.com.

Katie: 24:48

Yes, petite in p.com. That's such a cute name for a blog, which I was actually on there last night. And it's great. it's just healthcare related. It's not just type one related it's it's healthcare in general in general for mostly for pediatrics. I noticed. Yeah.

Mandi: 25:03

Yeah. I call it general pediatric labs with a twist of diabetes.

Katie: 25:08

Yeah, just a splash, like a good luck. Good luck. Good little diabetes cocktail. what, do you have any, do you have any plans for any other type one books or just books in general?

Mandi: 25:19

So at, you know, it's funny and I don't know if you feel the same way being an author. I definitely have the itch to write more. and I don't know if it will necessarily be diabetes related, but I think it'll be related to inclusion and differences for sure, because I think that it's, so it's such an important lesson for kids.

Katie: 25:40

Yeah, absolutely. I agree. and I feel like those books are really, really popular right now, too. Cause it's such a, you know, that's such a, it always should have been, but I feel like just recently in the past five years or so, it's become such a, an important topic for kids to learn and in school and everything, Yeah, I don't have any plans for type one books. I mean, maybe in the future, but I do have an idea for another children's book. but I would like to go back and just add type one gadgets to the characters in. The mermaid book, like the little

Mandi: 26:11

Yeah.,

Katie: 26:13

yeah, the story w I wouldn't change the story, but at the end of the book, I could say, you know, have a little page that just kind of, you know, you may have noticed that the girl in the story is, has some devices on her body, and this is what they are, and this is what type one is. So just a little education piece for. For kids. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you so much. any, anything else you want to chat about?

Mandi: 26:34

I mean for, you know, to me, the biggest thing, of being a caregiver of a T one D is that it's so essential to have a support group. You know, although social media can be a very damaging place. I do find that that is one of the positives about social media is finding platforms such as yourself and other people that are experiencing the same thing. So I think that that is so, so helpful. so just know where you're getting your information. Of course not everything is truthful. But I think it's Yeah. Yeah. I think it's important to, You know, whether there's the Facebook group for like your Omnipod or your Dexcom or your Libra. but you can get your helpful hints and tips from all of those and people living with the same thing that, you know, you are you're when your loved one is.

Katie: 27:25

Yeah, absolutely. We've that was kind of first on my list of things after we got diagnosed was to find, you know, it's the middle of pandemic. So the support groups I was finding were all virtual and that was really the only option at the time. and yeah, just like you said, they can be great and they can also be really bad. So be careful. Yeah. I, I don't, I do not enjoy the, the diabetes shaming, you know, with

Mandi: 27:51

I agree. And, and nobody right. Nobody's perfect at Y I, I personally don't share a lot of like numbers, specific things on my blog, just because everybody's different. And we tend to share, people in general, only the good things, which is not realistic. So I think that, Yeah. I think it's important not to play the comparison.

Katie: 28:13

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. what are you doing for the holidays? You're you're off work obviously today.

Mandi: 28:19

So today's my day off and I'm off. Yeah. so this week I am working every day. but, nothing really hanging loud. we earned, you know, keeping it quiet, around here, just given, listen, going on right now in the world. So, keeping it low key. What

Katie: 28:37

We, I guess we're keeping it low key. I mean, we're going to be with our family and they're, they're not low-key I would say, I mean, in a good way, I mean that in the best possible way there, we like to be silly and we, we. Are you usually pretty loud? There's a lot of food involved. We go to my sister's house on Christmas Eve and we always, you know, everybody's brings a dish and, um, we opened presents with my side of the family on Christmas Eve, and then we got to church and then we, we do Christmas morning at our house. And then we see my husband's side of the family on Christmas day, usual, usual. Yeah. So, yeah, it, it is awesome. I, when we started having kids, I kind of made the announcement that we would be in our home on Christmas morning. People are welcome to come to us and visit us, but we're not leaving our house until like noon on Christmas day. So

Mandi: 29:28

yeah. Make it about family and, you know, sometimes take the fun out of holidays.

Katie: 29:34

Yeah. You have a big family though. I know you said your parents were no longer with you and I'm so sorry about that, but do you get to see your siblings around the holidays

Mandi: 29:41

So my, my husband and I moved to Florida about two years ago. and most of our family, my side and his side are in Maryland. So we actually traveled back to narrow. And last week it was the first time since the pandemic started. so it was great to see everybody and actually like hug them and not just see them. FaceTime. so that was really good to see everybody we're, we're Jewish. So we celebrate Hanukkah now. But it was, it was great. We were a week after hall when we saw that, but it was still good to be able to, you know, see them in the flesh.

Katie: 30:15

Yeah. And so my kids were, you know, they learn about all the different, religions and how they celebrate holidays in school and my, my youngest son was like, mommy, do you know how many days that Jewish people get, get presents for? at Christmas time and I'm like, well, first of all, they don't, it's not Christmas for them. They celebrate Hanukkah and it's eight and he was like eight days of presence. Mommy. That's just not fair. And I'm like, well, okay. I don't think they're getting like, lots of presents every day of the eight days. I think it's like one present a day. So it probably works out to be about the same for, for you in them.

Mandi: 30:51

Erika.

Katie: 30:52

I know. And then of course I'm like, and let's just take this moment to remind ourselves that that is not why we celebrate Christmas in the first place.

Mandi: 31:00

Right. Exactly. Exactly.

Katie: 31:02

Yes. And the holiday season in general. but yeah, I just thought it was funny that like, you know, that kind of like Don dawned on him, that was like, that's not fair. Well, all right. Before we were, before we sign off, tell everybody, I know you said we can find your book on Amazon. We can find your blog, you know, the, the petite NP, right. Or petite

Mandi: 31:20

Yup.

Katie: 31:21

Okay. Yup. I will link to both of those things in the show notes. And then can we follow you on Instagram too? Where else can people

Mandi: 31:28

Yes, yes please. No, I'm going to Instagram. It's man at Mandy, the petite NP. and, like you said earlier, I post. health topics in general, with, a little bit of diabetes here and there, for sure.

Katie: 31:41

Yeah. Yeah. Well, thank you so much, Mandy. I really love chatting with you today and you're so welcome and I just happy holidays. Happy new

Mandi: 31:49

Do you feel, you say Merry Christmas, enjoy your time off and Thank you for having me.

Katie: 31:55

Thank you so much. You're very welcome. Bye.

Mandi: 31:58

I.

Katie: 32:01

That's it for our show today. Remember to check out the show notes for all the links, to all the things Mandy Mandy's blog Mandy's book, buy me a coffee and where you can write a review for the sugar mamas podcast. Thanks you guys as always stay calm and bolus on.