Episode 27: Everything Changed (Just Not the Way I Thought)

Send us Fan MailToday is a full-circle moment.One year ago, I hit record on the very first episode of Sick of Pricks, a podcast born from lived experience, not credentials. From honesty, not perfection. From a woman who once didn’t even want to say the word diabetes out loud.And today?My book, This Wasn’t in the Pamphlet, is officially out in the world.In this anniversary episode, I’m taking you back to the beginning...before the Facebook group, before The Sisterhood, before the microphone sat on my desk for three years waiting for me to show up.Before all of it, there was a 21-year-old girl sitting on her parents’ front lawn after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.Feeling ashamed.Feeling guilty.Feeling like everything had just cracked.This episode is about that girl.It’s about avoiding.About denial dressed up as “I’m fine.”About walking into doctor appointments hoping the labs wouldn’t be too bad.About leadership that didn’t start polished...it started messy.We talk about:• The quiet years of ignoring my diagnosis • The moment Sugar Mama Strong stopped being “just a group” • Losing 100 pounds without losing myself • Imposter syndrome and hitting record anyway • Why lived experience is enough • And how you don’t become her because you’re perfect, you become her because you stop hidingIf you’re still in your own “front-yard moment”, this episode is for you.You are not ruined.You are not broken.You are becoming.***🎉 Anniversary GiveawayTo celebrate one year of Sick of Pricks and the launch of This Wasn’t in the Pamphlet, I’m giving away:• One grand prize signed book bundle • Two Sick of Pricks merch prizesTo enter: Share this episode with someone who needs it. Text it. Post it. Tag someone. Then come back and comment “Shared” on the episode post or send me a DM.Winners will be announced one week from today.This podcast has never grown because of ads. It’s grown because you tell someone, “You need to hear this.”***📖 The Book Is LiveThis Wasn’t in the Pamphlet is officially available.This is not a diet book.Not a medical manual.Not a promise of perfection.It’s an honest, unfiltered guide to what it’s actually like to live with type 2 diabetes...the mindset, the burnout, the shame, the identity shifts, and the quiet fears no one talks about.And if you want to go deeper, the Companion Guide is available as well, designed to help you process what you’re reading and apply it to your own story.You can: • Grab both on Amazon • Or order a signed copy of the book from my websiteEverything is linked below.Thank you for being here. For listening. For sharing. For growing with me.Year one is complete.And we’re just getting started. 🖤***🫶🏻 Connect with Mary: On FacebookOn IGOn TikTokJoin The Sisterhood, Mary's wellness program for women hereFind diabetes support for women here--> Sugar Mama Strong Diabetes SupportFind diabetes support for men here--> Dudes with DiabetesFind my book and other merch --> https://sugarmamastrong.com/product-category/goods/this-wasnt-in-the-pamphlet/