Fatigued Podcast

This week we got to interview Dr. Erik, an anesthesiologist who was deployed in the Middle East when the pandemic broke out last March. His deployment had already come to a close but he was detained for a few more weeks before he was allowed to come back to the States. He's grateful to be reunited with his family again and we spoke and mused about many different topics like healthcare accessibility, Covid bubbles, and the reliability of masks. Because of his medical background, he went into detail about how doctors go through "fit tests" to discover which masks work the best with their face - a protocol we didn't know previously existed! It left us reevaluating the efficacy of the masks we're currently wearing and wondering what we can do to create a tighter seal to prevent this pesky virus from sneaking-up on us again. 

After months of devastating loss, Louis said "fuck it" (literally) and enrolled himself in the Pfizer vaccine trial. Louis, a self-described "big ol' meat shield," was more than happy to take this risk, especially because he knows we aren't going to get anywhere with this virus until we start finding some answers. He goes into detail about why he chose to participate, how it went, and what happened after injection. If you want to find out whether or not he received the vaccine or a placebo, tune in! 

Last March Maria spent nineteen days in the hospital with COVID-induced double pneumonia. Can you even imagine? From the CPAP machine to rash and bed rest, she experienced the full gamut. We are so lucky she lived to tell the tale, no matter how gruesome it may be. We're even luckier she was so sunny and sweet at 6 in the morning when we captured this conversation...oh wait, it was six OUR time, 2 in the afternoon her time. Ohhh, no wonder she was in a much better mood than us! She also didn't need to pay a dime for her hospital stay which might also be why she's so chipper and upbeat... c'mon USA, revamp our healthcare system already!

Maria Ryan is an American ex-pat living in London. She is a registered Dramatherapist and is looking into offering free online Dramatherapy sessions for Covid survivors. For more information contact us at [email protected] and we'll put you in touch! 

Rob is immunocompromised and lives with his family of nine... so how does he keep himself safe around so many people when a pandemic rages across the country? Well... he made the hard and necessary decision to move away from his family and into his own apartment until this thing is over. "I have a big family and I intend to be here a very long time for them." He's a shining example of sacrifice, hard work, and love. 

On top of a year filled with loss and isolation, he's managed to turn lemons into lemonade by adapting his time and talents into a new company: ReLink, which provides production services for corporate events that have moved online due to the coronavirus. https://relink.global/

Lauren is a paramedic from Mississippi and the epitome of over-achiever: she spent 33 days in New York City deployed by FEMA this past spring to help the ever-growing Covid case count. And while she was there she finished her second semester of medic school! Her first save was a Covid-positive case! While she has many stories to share, she admits it's something she never wants to do again -- and after hearing those stories we TOTALLY GET IT. With COVID on the rise again, we're glad we got some insight into the heavy lifters of this pandemic. Mask up and stay home so we can ease the burden of the first responders and lifesavers of the world! 

TW: death

Over the holidays we interviewed Caroline's dad, an essential worker, who has seen some…pretty devastating events. The audio isn’t perfect, it’s a shorter episode than usual, but it’s a story we felt was necessary to share. As we enter a new year and reflect on 2020, we feel it is important to remember the lives lost in the pandemic - not as a statistic, but as people. 

In this episode we bridge the gap between anecdotal stories and grim reality.

Meet Jamie, a covid-survivor who made it to the hospital in time, thanks to his wife and their oximeter.  Jamie is also a patent lawyer and former chemist who has experience with the FDA and pharmaceutical research.  This week on the pod we discuss the legalities of the new vaccine, the legal liabilities of covid, and whether or not people understand how research studies function in and out of emergency situations such as this.

This episode is for big and small kids alike who are wondering if co-ho-ho-hovid can stop Santa. We got a hold of the Big Guy himself - Santa Claus - a week before Christmas to talk about how coronavirus has impacted life up at the North Pole. This is our first (and probably only) kid-friendly episode, but if you're an adult in need of a little holiday spirit we think it might be for you too :)

Special thanks to Ben Jeffrey for making our spirits bright!

Disclaimer: there is mention of a very specific sex toy in this episode. (insert laughing emoji here)

Our second episode of College Week focuses on Zach and Stu who are in charge of resident life at a university in Indianapolis. When the pandemic hit during last spring break, these two (along with their team) were singlehandedly responsible for reuniting the students with all of their belongings. Thanks to their hard work this year, the freshmen have been able to move in safely and keep the number of cases to a minimum. Though, it hasn't been easy: how do you foster community when isolation is the only option? What kind of effect will this have on college freshmen - will they miss out meeting the best friends of their lives or do they get lucky having a dorm suite to themselves? 

Give us a listen, stay positive, and test negative! 

Trigger warning: death & disordered eating

This week is College Week on the pod and we're kicking it off talking to Josie who has been juggling school, work, and a case of covid. She's earning her degree in Public Health and after working all summer in an Urgent Care facility, she has switched over to working in a funeral home. We talk about how funeral practices have changed, is history repeating itself, how hard it is to get tested this time of year, and the feeling of shame. She's exceptionally honest and it was a pleasure speaking with her. 

Additionally, Caroline got an antibody test! Will she have antibodies 6 months after infection? Listen and find out!