i lobe you

Encephalitis can steal you away for a weeks, months, years and sometimes even longer. For those in recovery the question remains who am I now? Like any brain injury, it can alter perspective. Change relationships. Delete your memory. Derail your life course and change who you are. Our survivors Ruth, Danika and Kim unveil the rarely explored life after Auto immune encephalitis. This is one you can't miss.

Three mothers. Two of them wonder if the disease will strike again and one wonders if it will ever loosen its grip. For some caregivers trauma and stress can be a new normal. Loss of income, loss of friends and on-going grief are common. But these three women also have a new crusade and purpose. There is an inherent changing of the guard from parent to fierce advocate. Nesrin, Linda and Deanna are all family caregiver advocates for the antiNMDA foundation. They all opened their world to us for this series.

This episode is pure Dr. Uy. Listen as Dr. Uy follows the arch of this disease from on-set to diagnosis, treatment and research. You can't mis his professional and personal insights. Use this episode as a learning tool or to share with your treating care team.

Had the devil taken hold of Elizabeth Knapp? Elizabeth writhed and screamed. She lunged and screamed with a blasphemous rage. She went silent and had long catatonic periods. Her diagnosis? The devil. In the late 1600’s it didn't take much to cast out as a witch. But what if the reality for these women was a rare auto immune disease? Join us, experts and survivors and find out more.

As the flu like symptoms of the first weeks fade, paranoia, fear and aggression take their place. Trapped in another world, our survivors end up on psych wards. This can be an inevitability for encephalitis patients. Hope can feel like it’s slipping away. You come up against a system that has diagnosed you with a mental illness, when lurking underneath is a neurological disorder attacking your brain. Listen to experts, survivors, and caregivers as they take you through the dark days on the psych ward

She was only 68 pounds on the day of her death. But Analise did not die from her frontal lobe epilepsy, she was murdered. How does illness, religion and science intersect when a real neurological disorder is at the core. Listen to experts, survivors and caregivers in this, my favourite in the series.

Here’s how it starts. An innocuous flu. A malaise. Within weeks paranoia, hallucinations and sleepless nights. Sometimes hyper sexuality and rage. Next writhing movement and grunts. Anger and torment replaced by vacant stares and silence. Relentless seizures, catatonia and coma.

Over 6 episodes I lobe you will take you to the Salem witch trials, modern day exorcisms, and uncover two cases of murder. We will delve into the science, diagnosis and modern treatment and hear the raw and personal stories behind anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis sometimes known as the ‘brain on fire disease’. Join me and our survivors, physician, neuroscientist and loved ones to unpack this elusive neurological condition.

Finally, take this amazing opportunity to meet Fred. His story is not just his own, it is a powerful testament to family, love and resilience. Fred’s gratitude and wisdom will have you searching in your own life for the meaning we all crave. This episode concludes season one series!

The family is split up between provinces. JP at Fred’s bedside in Halvar Jonson in Alberta and Elisabeth with Sebastian in B.C. Elisabeth is burning out trying to balance her work, Sebastian and surviving on quick trips to see her JP and Fred. But another crisis is brewing and they will have to face a certain and catastrophic loss. Meet Elisabeth at the precipice of a big change and try not to be in awe of her awesome mix of faith, love, humour and resilience.

Elisabeth, JP and Sebastian stand by and wait at Fred's ICU bed. Elisabeth didn’t have the best hope was sure Fred was in there.The family get news that they are shocked to hear and have to adjust their mental map of Fred’s next phase of recovery.