Calling In Sick

This week on Calling in Sick, we’re sharing everything about our gender reveal and closing out my first, first trimester!!

We're diving into:

💙 WHY we found out early 

👀 How we accidentally used the Sneak Peek at-home test for our gender reveal party (WHOOPS!)

🤢 First trimester wrap up and what's finally starting to ease up

💊 Chronic illness update (the good, the bad and the thing making me frown) and why that’s making me start nesting at 12 weeks!!

So excited to share this moment with y’all!!!!

xx,

💬 Comment: Were you right on your guess if Baby Wild is a boy or a girl?!

TIMESTAMPS:

Intro:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick!

The Gender Reveal:

00:01:28 The quick TLDR; about this episode

00:05:36 Why we chose to find out the results privately BEFORE the gender reveal party (and why you should too!!)

00:09:16 Everything about our gender reveal party (+ how to make yours accessible and inexpensive!!)

00:17:15 Are old wives tales… right?!?!

00:24:43 First trimester symptom updates: nausea, fatigue, and "baby brain”

00:27:56 Impact of pregnancy on chronic illness symptoms + am I getting my port removed?!

00:31:27 How my risk tolerance has changed… and why that’s making me nest EARLY

Conclusion:

00:33:30 Thank you for listening!

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Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/

Alex’s Picks of the Week:

These are a few of the products I mentioned in this week’s episode!!

✨SneakPeek At-Home Gender Test — https://amzn.to/4e8Td3p

—> This is the EXACT one I ordered!!!

✨Susie Cakes custom cakes & cupcakes — https://susiecakes.com/national-menu/

—> GF options available upon request!!!!

#GenderReveal #ItsABoy #ChronicIllnessPregnancy #LupusPregnancy #FirstTrimester #PregnancyAnnouncement #BabyBoy #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmunePregnancy #Lupus #IVIG #PregnancyUpdate #BabyBrain #HighRiskPregnancy #MotherhoodJourney #ChronicIllnessMom #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson

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This week on Calling in Sick x Ask Alex, Dr. Taylor Reyes is back for the deeper dive, and we are getting into one of the HARDEST things for us sick chicks in the chronic illness community. Movement. This is not a "just do yoga" episode. This is a real, practical, judgment-free guide to moving your body when your body doesn't always cooperate.

We're diving into:

🛠️ The PT toolbox (manual therapy, cupping, dry needling, scraping, and more)

🍫 How to use movement snacks to get daily exercise

🛋️ Exercises that meet you where you are

🔋 Energy conservation & why exercise doesn't have to look like athleisure and sweat 🏠 Habit stacking to get movement in during your daily activities

If you've ever felt like exercise was designed for someone with a completely different body than yours, then this episode is your permission slip to start anyway. 🤍

xx,

Alex

💬 Comment: What's your favorite low-effort movement snack? Drop it below so we can steal it! 👇

TIMESTAMP:

Intro:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Ask Alex!

00:00:03 Introduction of Dr. Taylor Reyes and the focus on accessible movement

Tools and Philosophy of Physical Therapy:

00:00:21 Different types of physical therapy tools: cupping, manual therapy, and dry needling

00:02:21 Holistic approach to chronic illness management

Strategies for Accessible Movement:

00:03:32 Turning activities of daily living (ADLs) into exercise

00:04:00 Introduction to "Movement Snacks"

00:06:50 Overcoming mental blocks and fear of post-exercise malaise

Conclusion:

00:08:18 Final thoughts and wrap-up

00:09:10 Thank you for listening!

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Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/

Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/

Alex’s Picks of the Week:

If this episode resonated, you probably should look at the Alex’s picks for this week…

✨MomCozy Pregnancy Pillow — https://amzn.to/49GLKpM

✨Corkcicle Sierra Leakproof Waterbottle — https://go.shopmy.us/p-51565745

#PelvicFloorPT #PelvicFloor #PelvicFloorPhysicalTherapy #ChronicIllness #Endometriosis #EDS #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #PregnancyPT #PostpartumRecovery #DiastasisRecti #PrenatalFitness #PelvicHealth #WomensHealth #SpoonieLife #ChronicPain #PostpartumFitness #DrTaylorReyes #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Dr. Taylor Reyes, a physical therapist specializing in pelvic floor health. Something I WISH I knew about after my endometriosis surgeries, and am relieved I know about before giving birth!!! Whether you have chronic illness, you're pregnant, postpartum, or just a human with a pelvis, this conversation is for you.

We're diving into:

🦴 What the pelvic floor actually IS

💊 How pelvic floor PT supports chronic illness (endometriosis EDS, connective tissue disorders and more)

🤰 Prenatal PT (what to do before you give birth to reduce tearing, improve labor positioning, and actually prepare your body)

💪 Postpartum recovery (diastasis recti, abdominal pressure management, and why your soft tissues deserves actual rehab post birth)

Plus the fact or fiction rapid fire you’ve been waiting for… like are kegels actually the answer for everyone, should you rest completely during a flare, and what does birth trauma look like even when there's no visible tearing?

xx,

Alex

💬 Comment: Have you ever seen a pelvic floor PT — and if not, what's stopped you?

TIMESTAMPS

Intro:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick!

00:00:58 Alex’s Picks of the Week (Mom Cozy Pregnancy Pillow, Corkcicle No-Leak Water Bottle)

Guide to Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy:

00:02:30 Meet the wonderful Dr. Taylor Reyes!!

00:11:53 The TLDR on physical therapy and pelvic floor physical therapy

00:20:15 When to Seek Pelvic Floor PT: Pain with Sex, Endometriosis, and More

00:27:38 Prenatal and Postpartum Care

00:53:21 Fact or Fiction: Common Pelvic Floor Myths

Conclusion:

01:08:12 One Brain Cell Show: Zelda and Spark of the Everflame

01:14:04 Thank you for listening!

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Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/

Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/

Alex’s Picks of the Week:

If this episode resonated, you probably should look at the Alex’s picks for this week…

✨MomCozy Pregnancy Pillow — https://amzn.to/49GLKpM

✨Corkcicle Sierra Leakproof Waterbottle — https://go.shopmy.us/p-51565745

#PelvicFloorPT #PelvicFloor #PelvicFloorPhysicalTherapy #ChronicIllness #Endometriosis #EDS #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #PregnancyPT #PostpartumRecovery #DiastasisRecti #PrenatalFitness #PelvicHealth #WomensHealth #SpoonieLife #ChronicPain #PostpartumFitness #DrTaylorReyes #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick x Ask Alex, Dr. Jolene Brighten is back, and we are getting into something that I wish someone had explained to me years ago. If you have a neurodivergent brain and have ever felt like your symptoms get dramatically worse at certain points in your cycle… you are not imagining it. Your hormones are doing that. And there is ACTUALLY a lot you can do about it.

We're diving into:

🧠 How your menstrual cycle affects your neurodivergent brain

📉 Why you feel like you crash out during your luteal phase

💔 How hormones effect PMDD

⏰ Why you may enter perimenopause earlier if you have ADHD

💊 What to actually do: hormone therapy, progesterone, testosterone, estrogen, thyroid health, etc.

This one is a saver. Send it to every neurodivergent woman in your life. 🤍

xx,

Alex

💬 Comment: Have you ever noticed how during specific points in your cycle, you symptoms get worse?! Tell us when 👇

TIMESTAMP:

Intro:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Ask Alex!

00:00:05 Introduction of Dr. Jolene Brighten and her new book on ADHD and women

Hormones, Cycles, and the Neurodivergent Brain:

00:01:12 What actually happens during the menstrual cycle?

00:04:41 How hormonal shifts uniquely impact neurodivergent women

00:07:34 The connection between ADHD, Autism, and PMDD

00:09:34 Understanding the GABA system and "mouth filters"

00:10:52 How the brain recalibrates and prunes during the cycle

00:12:04 Pain receptors and cycle-based sensitivities

Endometriosis and it’s Co-Morbidities:

00:13:03 Co-morbidities: Endometriosis, autoimmune disease, and connective tissue disorders

00:16:35 How medications (ADHD, anxiety, depression) interact with cycles

Cycles and Neurodivergence:

00:18:28 How our cycles impact ADHD

00:22:45 Utilizing hormone therapy for neurodivergent brains

00:24:38 When to start the conversation about hormone therapy

00:28:51 The role of testosterone in energy, "gumption," and impulsivity

00:31:05 Estrogen therapy and cognitive symptoms (Time blindness, memory)

 Conclusion:

00:36:09 Where to connect with Dr. Brighten

00:37:05 Thank you for listening!

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Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/

Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/

Alex’s Picks of the Week:

Apparently… pregnant woman sunburn MUCH faster than usual… so here are my top 2 pregnancy safe, non-toxic sun safety picks!!!

✨Tower28 SOS Spray (for when you burn) — https://go.shopmy.us/p-61563905

✨OSEA Mineral Sunscreen — https://go.shopmy.us/p-61563949

#Endometriosis #EndoAwareness #EndoWarrior #ChronicIllness #ADHD #ADHDWomen #AutoimmuneDisease #POTS #PMDD #DrJoleneBrighten #BeyondThePill #PelvicPain #EndoSurgery #ExcisionSurgery #ChronicPain #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #WomensHealth #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with THE Dr. Jolene Brighten, board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist, bestselling author of Beyond the Pill, Is This Normal and soon-to-be-released ADHD and Women, and someone who personally lives with endometriosis, adenomyosis, ADHD, and autism. And she is connecting every dot that conventional medicine keeps ignoring.

We're diving into:

🩸 What endometriosis actually IS

🧠 The diagnosis conversation

🔬 What excision surgery vs. ablation actually means

💔 The comorbidity nobody is talking about (ADHD, autism, PMDD, POTS and autoimmunity)

🌿 What a real endo management plan looks like

Plus a session of fact or fiction you DON’T want to miss!!!

xx,

💬 Comment: How long did it take you to get your endo diagnosis… and what finally got you there?

TIMESTAMP:

Intro:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick!

00:01:48 Alex’s Picks of the Week (Tower 28 SOS spray, OSEA mineral sunscreen)

Deep Dive into Endometriosis with Dr. Jolene Brighten:

00:04:17 Dr. Jolene Brighten's personal health journey and background

00:11:12 What is endometriosis?

00:13:37 Misinformation in medical education and the role of Pharma

00:16:47 Surgical options: Excision vs. Ablation

00:23:04 The importance of imaging and proper diagnostics

00:30:32 Global experts and the cost of specialized care

00:35:03 Commonly missed symptoms and systemic effects

00:40:05 Steps to finding the right provider and advocating for yourself

00:47:43 Emerging research and treatments (HIFU, GLP-1s)

00:52:19 Fact or Fiction: Common myths in women's health

Conclusion:

01:05:42 One Brain Cell Show: OUR TOP Reading Recommendations

01:12:18 Thank you for listening!

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----------------------------------------------------------------

Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/

Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/

Alex’s Picks of the Week:

Apparently… pregnant woman sunburn MUCH faster than usual… so here are my top 2 pregnancy safe, non-toxic sun safety picks!!!

✨Tower28 SOS Spray (for when you burn) — https://go.shopmy.us/p-61563905

✨OSEA Mineral Sunscreen — https://go.shopmy.us/p-61563949

#Endometriosis #EndoAwareness #EndoWarrior #ChronicIllness #ADHD #ADHDWomen #AutoimmuneDisease #POTS #PMDD #DrJoleneBrighten #BeyondThePill #PelvicPain #EndoSurgery #ExcisionSurgery #ChronicPain #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #WomensHealth #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick's Ask Alex, I'm getting into something I've wanted to talk about for a while!! The communication strategies that have actually made a difference during my first trimester. Best part? Chronic illness taught us most of them. We all know Cooper is Saint Coop for a reason. But this week I'm breaking down exactly WHY he's so good at this, and the framework we've built together that I think every chronic illness couple — pregnant or not — needs to hear.

We're diving into:

🤍 The 4 S's of partner support: solidarity, solutions, sympathy and shit-talking (yes, really)

🧠 Decision fatigue: why anticipating needs without being asked is the ultimate act of love

😂 Meet Victoria: how we handle mood swings without taking them personally

📚 How we research together

💪 What I do on MY end

xx,

Alex

💬 Comment: What's the hardest communication topic you've had to navigate with your partner during chronic illness or pregnancy?

TIMESTAMP:

Intro:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick!

How Chronic Illness Prepared Me and My Partner for Pregnancy:

00:01:55 The single question to ask your partner: "What kind of support do you need?"

00:03:09 Anticipating needs: executing without being asked

00:05:09 How we manage hormonal mood swings without taking them personally

00:06:33 Collaborative research: how we figured out my due date together

00:07:27 Bidirectional accountability: supporting the primary caregiver

Conclusion:

00:08:21 We want to hear your hardest communication points!!!

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Powered by: Just Media House -- ⁠https://www.justmediahouse.com/⁠

Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — ⁠https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/⁠

Alex’s Picks of the Week:

We get into nausea this week, here’s my top 2 picks for managing it!!

✨Sea Bands — ⁠https://sea-band.com?sca_ref=11335860.28aQZwoPI5g⁠

Use code ALEX10 for 10% off at checkout!!

✨Preggie Pops — ⁠https://amzn.to/3PFqZUk⁠

#ChronicIllnessPregnancy #FirstTrimester #AutoimmunePregnancy #PregnancyWithChronicIllness #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #PregnancyNausea #MorningStickness #DuvetDay #HighRiskPregnancy #ChronicIllnessMom #FirstTrimesterSymptoms #PregnancyTips #SpooniePregnancy #TTCCommunity #MotherhoodJourney #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm getting honest about something I was maybe a little overconfident about going in. I thought 25+ years of managing a complicated, unpredictable chronic illness had given me ALL the tools I'd need for managing my first trimester of this pregnancy. Turns out… I was kinda wrong.

We're diving into:

🧠 How chronic illness ACTUALLY prepared me 

😴 Where pregnancy has TOTALLY humbled me

🤢 My honest nausea remedy ratings

🤱 The pregnancy things NOBODY warned me about

✨ The update on my autoimmune symptoms right now!!!

If you're pregnant with chronic illness, thinking about it, or just want the unfiltered honest version of first trimester… this one's for you.

xx,

Alex

💬 Comment: What's your NUMBER ONE nausea tool?!

TIMESTAMP:

Intro:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick!

4:14 Alex’s Picks of the Week (Sea Bands, Preggie Pops)

How Chronic Illness Prepared Me for Pregnancy:

00:06:27 Is pregnancy nausea and fatigue the SAME as chronic illness?!

00:10:43 My NUMBER ONE fatigue tip

00:13:46 How I’m ACTUALLY managing nausea

00:20:20 How I’ve been eating during my first trimester, and why it’s been surprising to me

00:23:51 How I’ve been handling all the ADVICE that comes with pregnancy, and chronic illness

00:26:33 The MOST surprising pregnancy symptom NOBODY prepared me for

Conclusion:

00:32:29 One Brain Cell Show: Off-Campus series (Amazon Prime)

00:35:06 Thank you for listening!

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• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/

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• Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod?

----------------------------------------------------------------

Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/

Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/

Alex’s Picks of the Week:

We get into nausea this week, here’s my top 2 picks for managing it!!

✨Sea Bands — https://sea-band.com?sca_ref=11335860.28aQZwoPI5g

Use code ALEX10 for 10% off at checkout!!

✨Preggie Pops — https://amzn.to/3PFqZUk

#ChronicIllnessPregnancy #FirstTrimester #AutoimmunePregnancy #PregnancyWithChronicIllness #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #PregnancyNausea #MorningStickness #DuvetDay #HighRiskPregnancy #ChronicIllnessMom #FirstTrimesterSymptoms #PregnancyTips #SpooniePregnancy #TTCCommunity #MotherhoodJourney #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick x Ask Alex, Ali Moresco and I are getting into everything happening in the Lyme disease world RIGHT NOW. It's Lyme Awareness Month, ticks are predicted to be worse than ever this year, and there is actually some hopeful news coming out of Washington for the first time in a long time.

We're diving into:

🏛️ HHS takes on Lyme: what the new government roundtable, updated standards of care, and brand new tick-borne illness website actually mean for patients

💉 The Lyme vaccine in development: where it stands and what it signals about how seriously this disease is finally being taken

🔬 LymeX: the $25 million public-private partnership working to develop accurate standard lab testing (because the current one misses up to 78% of cases)

🧬 The pathobiome nobody talks about: how Lyme commonly shows up alongside POTS, MCAS, EDS, mold toxicity, and immune deficiencies, and what that means for treatment

💆 Integrating Western medicine with healing modalities that also work: lymphatic drainage, TCM, infrared saunas, red light therapy, and why dismissing these is failing patients

Plus the hot take on medical providers online who are invalidating patient experiences… and why that attitude is doing serious damage to trust in this community.

xx,

Alex

💬 Comment: Did you know May is Lyme Awareness Month? Have you or someone you love been affected by Lyme disease?

TIMESTAMPS: Everything Lyme & Ticks with Alli Moresco:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick!

00:02:21 HHS roundtable discussion and involvement of top researchers and doctors

00:03:33 Updated standards of care and new HHS Lyme website4

00:04:14 Lyme vaccine in development5

00:04:39 LymeX: A public-private partnership for improved lab testing6

00:05:44 New website resources and updated disease statistics7

00:06:43 Comorbidities of Lyme (POTS, MCAS, EDS, and mold toxicity)8

00:08:43 Theories on chronic illness susceptibility and weakened immune systems9

00:11:24 Integrating Western medicine with traditional and functional practices10

00:14:20 Frustrations with medical provider attitudes on social media11

00:18:56 Favorite healing modalities: manual lymphatic drainage and traditional Chinese medicine

00:22:59 Thank you for listening!

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Stay connected and follow us on socials for more!

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/

• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod

• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568

• Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod?

Connect with our guest, Ali Moresco!

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alitmoresco/

• Project Lyme - https://projectlyme.org/from-the-desk-of-ali-moresco/

• Moresco PR - https://www.amorescopr.com/

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Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/

Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/

Alex’s Picks of the Week:

This week we’re talking about Lyme disease, so here are my TOP PICKS for tick prevention and control!!!

✨Wonderside Flea & Tick Spray — https://amzn.to/43dIUoh

✨The Tick Mitt — https://amzn.to/4uOGgRF

#LymeDisease #LymeAwareness #LymeAwarenessMonth #TickBornIllness #ChronicLyme #LymeWarrior #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #MedicalGaslighting #LymeTesting #AliMoresco #ProjectLyme #TickSeason #LymePrevention #ChronicPain #PatientAdvocacy #InfectiousDisease #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Ali Moresco, Lyme disease advocate, founder & CEO of Moresco PR, and Executive Board Chair of Project Lyme, to talk about the tick-borne illness epidemic that is growing faster than most people realize. 31 million people will get bit by a tick this year. In some counties, 1 in 2 ticks carry Lyme. And most people still have no idea what to do when it happens.

We're diving into:

🦟 The 411 on Lyme disease: what it actually looks like, why the bullseye rash is a myth, and what to do in the first 72 hours after a tick bite

🩺 Why standard Lyme testing misses up to 78% of cases, and what accurate testing actually looks like

💔  Why Lyme is one of the most politically charged and dismissed illnesses in medicine

🔥 Why Lyme disease is so polarizing

Plus on Wednesday’s episode, we're getting into what's happening in the Lyme world RIGHT NOW: new research, the vaccine in development, and HHS’ taking on Lyme.

If you've ever been bit by a tick, love someone with Lyme, or just want to actually understand what's happening with this illness… this episode is for you.

xx, Alex

💬 Comment: Have you ever been bit by a tick? Did you know what to do?

TIMESTAMPS

Intro:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick!

00:01:57 Alex’s Picks of the Week (Wonderside Flea and Tick Spray, Tick Mitt)

Everything Lyme & Ticks with Ali Moresco:

00:03:34 Intro to Ali Moresco, her background and her story with Lyme Disease

00:15:20 The basics of Lyme disease and transmission

00:20:59 Other tick-borne illnesses (Alpha-gal, Babesiosis, Bartonella)

00:25:07 Why Lyme has prevalence right now & the current statistics

00:27:14 Prevention: Where ticks hide and how to do a tick check

00:31:49 Post-bite protocol: Proper removal, testing, and treatment

00:38:13 Misinformation, politics, and the "Lyme Wars"

00:50:01 Future outlook and reasons for hope

Conclusion:

00:52:36 One Brain Cell Show: Bravo (Real Housewives)

00:55:23 Thank you for listening!

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Stay connected and follow us on socials for more!

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/

• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod

• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568

• Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod?

Connect with our guest, Ali Moresco!

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alitmoresco/

• Project Lyme - https://projectlyme.org/from-the-desk-of-ali-moresco/

• Moresco PR - https://www.amorescopr.com/

----------------------------------------------------------------

Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/

Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/

Alex’s Picks of the Week:

This week we’re talking about Lyme disease, so here are my TOP PICKS for tick prevention and control!!!

✨Wonderside Flea & Tick Spray — https://amzn.to/43dIUoh

✨The Tick Mitt — https://amzn.to/4uOGgRF

#LymeDisease #LymeAwareness #LymeAwarenessMonth #TickBornIllness #ChronicLyme #LymeWarrior #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #MedicalGaslighting #LymeTesting #AliMoresco #ProjectLyme #TickSeason #LymePrevention #ChronicPain #PatientAdvocacy #InfectiousDisease #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Calling in Sick x Ask Alex, I’m joined by Cortney Gensemer, PhD - scientist, chronic illness patient and mom - to talk about the questions so many of us with chronic illness are quietly worried about. Motherhood. And obviously, as someone who is newly pregnant, I had a LOT of questions for Cort!!

So this week, we're diving into:

🤰 What pregnancy actually looked like with hEDS, POTS & MCAS

🏥 Why MFM appointments are every chronic illness woman’s favorite appointment ever

👶 The genetic question everyone is afraid to ask: will my child have my chronic illness?

💼 How Cortney found a sustainable balance for work, health and motherhood

🩺 How chronic illness actually prepares you to be an incredible mother

And we also answer YOUR questions! Including:

🤍 How to manage burnout as a parent with CFS

🤍 What a genetic mutation in COL5A1 or COL5A2 actually means for cEDS

🤍 How to ask for help when your body just can't keep up

xx, 

Alex

💬 Comment: What's the one question about chronic illness and motherhood you've been afraid to ask?

TIMESTAMPS

Intro:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick’s Ask Alex!

Motherhood and Chronic Illness:

00:02:29 Courtney's motherhood & postpartum journey

00:08:00 Why chronic illness patients love their Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialists 

00:14:15 What sharing our pregnancies publicly was like

00:17:15 The concerns about passing down chronic illness conditions

00:23:42 How pregnancy has shifted our mindsets towards life with chronic illness

00:25:29 Chronic illness parenting hacks

00:31:12 What navigating a medical crisis for your child is like, while YOU are managing YOUR chronic illness

00:39:20 How Cortney has juggled her career, motherhood and chronic illness

Audience Q&A:

00:43:25 Chronic Illness Burnout Tips 

00:48:22 Pain medication and juggling the long-term risks

00:50:33 MFM and Preconception Planning

00:56:06 Genetics and EDS

Conclusion:

01:00:11 Thank you for listening!

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Stay connected and follow us on socials for more!

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/

• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod

• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568

• Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod?

Connect with our guest: Cortney Gensemer!

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cortdoesscience/

• Substack - https://cortneygensemer.substack.com/

• Website - cortneygensemer.com

🔗 If you have a complex chronic illness, check out Chronicle Connect and patient participation opportunities at chroniclebio.com 

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Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/

Alex’s Picks of the Week:

Things that have been helping my chronic illness — and now my first trimester too!!

✨Salonpas Lidocaine Pain Patches — https://amzn.to/3P6rAON

✨Momcozy Pregnancy Pillow — https://amzn.to/4nEIlgZ

#ChronicIllnessResearch #hEDS #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #POTS #MCAS #MastCellActivation #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #PatientAdvocacy #CortDoesScience #ChronicleBio #ChronicIllnessCommunity #MedicalGaslighting #PatientScientist #Omics #ChronicPain #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson

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