Chronic Conversations

Join me for a conversation with singer-songwriter and disability advocate Kendall Renee as we focus on the role music can play in one’s healing both physically and mentally. We start by hearing about Kendall’s own medical condition and how she came to be diagnosed, as well as when she eventually received her feeding tube and how doing so saved her life. She also talks about what it was like growing up chronically ill and the reactions she gets from others in response to her illness. We discuss the simultaneous visibility and invisibility of her condition. Kendall also speaks about her recent Tubiversary and why it’s so important to her that she celebrate it, before we have a conversation about the emotional challenge of anniversaries in general. We then transition into her journey as a musician and how she used it to cope with her experience and the role it played in her healing process. And we end our chat by talking about “Better is Coming”, her latest single, particularly the inspiration behind it and the emotional experience of writing it. Plus, you’ll get to hear her favorite lyrics from the song!

Collaborative Spotify Playlist Link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3CFwf2itq0r5YDBqiQivFp?si=-YtTvx9fR3i6Bc5Se56PAA

A fascinating conversation with one woman who is looking to revolutionize the adaptive fashion market! Join me as I speak with Emma Butler, founder and CEO of Intimately, a company that sells both functional AND fashionable lingerie and is providing an empowering shopping experience for disabled women along the way. We start by talking about Emma’s connection to the chronic illness community, including her perspective as the loved one of someone with a chronic illness and how this served as the inspiration behind her company. We also talk about her introduction to the adaptive wear market and when she became aware of the massive gaps in this area of the fashion industry, particularly in terms of intimates. Emma speaks about the process of starting Intimately and how it went from an idea to a reality. She also educates us on what constitutes adaptive fashion and the features included in their products that make them accessible. We discuss sexiness and desirability, as well as inclusivity and representation. Plus, Emma talks about how she’s hoping to evolve the company, including their new line of lingerie!

An episode in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month and World Bipolar Day. Join me for a conversation with Natasha Tracy, author of Lost Marbles: Insights into My Life with Depression and Bipolar and the mind behind the celebrated blog Bipolar Burble. We begin by talking about her personal journey with mental illness, including when she started experiencing symptoms, her steps to diagnosis, the process of finding treatment, and her struggle to accept psychiatry in general along the way. She also speaks about how she worked through her feelings of suicidality, the power of hope, and the coping skills she still uses to this day. We then focus on the topic of bipolar disorder more broadly, discussing the differences between Type I and Type II and hypomania vs. mania. We briefly touch on her book before Natasha educates us about the importance of the brain/mind differentiation in mental illness. And then we wrap up by trying to answer the all important question: is mental illness a chronic illness?

Trigger Warning: mentions of suicide and self-harm

Have you ever felt alone in your fight with chronic illness? Wished there was someone else who understood? Then this is the episode for you! Join me for a conversation with Julie Morgenlender, editor of The Things We Don’t Say: An Anthology of Chronic Illness Truths, a new book featuring stories by 42 authors that together raise their voices and break the silence of what life with chronic illness is really like. We start by talking about Julie’s own personal journey with chronic illness, from the difficulty of living without a diagnosis for so long to the weird sense of relief when she finally received one to how she took control of the management of her health when the medical system was failing her. She and I also bond over our shared experience of living with multiple chronic illnesses and how that changes their impact. Then we talk about her book, particularly how her personal journey with chronic illness influenced her decision to create it and why she chose to make it an anthology. We also cover several universal aspects of the chronically ill experience, including inspiration porn, chronic illness representation in the media, medical misogyny, and many, many more chronic illness truths.

An episode that will leave you empowered to take back control of your health! Join me for a conversation with Jordan Ray, founder and CEO of Limitless Medical Log, a company aiming to help chronic illness patients eliminate the stress of managing their health through the use of their medical journals and digital app. Jordan shares her journey to diagnosis, including the day everything changed, the frightening and debilitating symptoms she started experiencing, and the moment her illness was finally given a name. She also speaks about undergoing brain surgery and her resulting struggle with PTSD. We discuss the emotional aspects of chronic illness, such as the land of the healthy vs. the land of the sick and the frustration of watching others achieve the dreams you had. And then we dive into her work with Limitless, talking about how her experience led to the creation of the company, the unique components of the log users will find most helpful, and how it helps to improve communication between patients and doctors. Plus, we get a look inside their new app and Jordan tells us what’s next for her!

A truly eye-opening episode, highlighting the professional struggles experienced by those with chronic illness and disability and the work one woman is doing to change that. Join me for a conversation with Hannah Olson, co-founder and CEO of Chronically Capable, a company dedicated to providing meaningful employment opportunities to those in these communities. We begin by talking about Hannah’s own personal experience with Lyme Disease, including the pushback she experienced by the medical system. Hannah also shares what it was like as a young professional entering the workforce while simultaneously trying to attend to her health. Then we dive into her work with Chronically Capable and the fight for employment for chronically ill and disabled individuals in general. We discuss the obstacles they face, employers biggest concerns (and why they are unfounded), employment vs. meaningful employment, and why it is good business to hire those who are chronically ill.

A fascinating and informative conversation with integrative physician and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) expert, Dr. Tania Dempsey. Join me as we take a deep dive into this widely unknown and highly misunderstood disease, particularly the unique ways it impacts the female body. We start by defining MCAS in its most simplest terms, including its symptoms and the three categories of mast cell patients. Dr. Dempsey shares the percentage of the population affected by this illness and answers the question of whether it disproportionately impacts women. We also discuss the connection between hormones and MCAS, including the influence it has on female related health issues such as PMS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, and endometriosis. I even have the chance to ask her opinion as a doctor on the medical misogyny that is rampant in our healthcare system and her suggestions on how patients can fight this sexism in their journey to find answers.

An episode dedicated to shining a light on an often overlooked group within the chronic illness community: the caregivers. Join me as I talk with Shirley Riga, author of "Tools for the Exceptional Parent of the Chronically Ill Child" and a caregiver herself for over 30 years. Our conversation focuses heavily on Shirley’s story and her personal experience as a caregiver as she shares how her daughter’s illnesses impacted her functioning growing up and how Shirley's role as a caregiver subsequently evolved as a result. We also speak about her ensuing struggles with trauma and anxiety and how she learned the value of self-care. This is followed by a discussion about chronic sorrow and the importance of acceptance vs. denial. And Shirley shares a wide variety of tools she has cultivated over the years to deal with the stress of caring for someone with a chronic illness, from journaling to meditation, providing listeners the chance to bolster their own toolkit and learn to thrive while living with a loved one’s chronic illness.

Join me for a discussion about navigating higher education while chronically ill with disability rights advocate, writer, and current college student at Columbia University, Katy Brennan. Katy shares her personal story of living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, including her journey to diagnosis and how it currently affects her day to day life. We also briefly touch on the medical sexism she experienced as a young woman, before discussing her activism work and how it’s evolved throughout her journey with illness. And then we take a deep dive into the subject of college and chronic illness. We cover the application process and Katy shares her opinion on disclosing your diagnosis. She also talks about her experience applying for accommodations and provides advice for others. We lament on the lack of scholarship opportunities and speak about alternative options. And we end with a generalized discussion on how to balance the college experience as a whole while also maintaining your health.

The first ever episode of the Chronic Conversations podcast! Join me as I talk with Allie Cashel, author of Suffering the Silence: Chronic Lyme Disease in an Age of Denial and co-founder and president of The Suffering the Silence Community. Our conversation covers a variety of topics, starting with Allie’s personal experience with chronic illness and what it’s like growing up chronically ill. We also talk about shame and the role it played in her silence, along with the greater emotional impact of chronic illness as a whole. This is followed by a discussion of the trauma of needing to prove your diagnosis and how to learn to re-trust yourself, including the role community plays in the healing process. And you’ll have the chance to learn all about Suffering the Silence, how it came into being, and the work they are currently doing to break the stigma surrounding chronic illness.