That's So Chronic

Happy Tuesday friends! Welcome back to another episode of That’s So Chronic. Today I’m down in sunny Dunedin to interview Olivia Leonard, who is living with a diagnosis of Chronic Thromboebolic Pulmonary Hypertension or CTEPH for short.

In this episode Olivia shares with us the lead up of events that resulted in the doctors finding a blood clot in her lungs, how she manages studying as well as her symptoms, what being diagnosed with CTEPH has taught her about life, and the dilemma of being at risk of developing severe illness with the cov, while being medically exempt from wearing a mask.

Just a note, this episode was recorded in October 2021.

As always, I love hearing from you! So don’t be afraid to reach out over on instagram or tiktok, I’m @thatssochronic.

All additional information is below… And I’ll see you next week! 

@thatssochronic | @jessssbrien | #thatssochronic

Free monthly newsletter: thatssochronic.substack.com

Application form to share your story: https://forms.gle/csebLkwfwAjiLApK9 

Ideas for That’s So episodes: https://forms.gle/4RZbCiHARjV5gmcWA 

Disclaimer: Here at That's So Chronic we are sharing personal stories and are not advocating any type of treatment, therapy, procedure or intervention. Everyone is unique so please seek professional medical advice before making any decisions for yourself or for others.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We interrupt your usual That’s So Chronic content to make way for… A Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games TAKEOVER! That’s right! It’s the opening ceremony TONIGHT (4 March) in Beijing, the games are on until the 13th, and I could not be more excited. It’s set to be the biggest Winter Paralympics yet with 650+ athletes competing in 78 events across 6 para sports and as a person who LOVES snowboarding (almost as much as I love creating this podcast!) I am frothing!

Today’s episode - Spotlight On: Beijing 2022 Paralympics Winter Games - is an explainer episode so you get to know the ins and outs of the Paralympics before tuning into the opening ceremony this evening and watching the events unfold over the next nine days. I also let you know when New Zealand is competing and let you in on a bit of drama I’ve been watching play out online...

More information on Paralympics NZ: https://paralympics.org.nz 

NZ coverage: www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/pyeongchang-2018-paralympic-winter-games/winter-paralympic-sports  

More information on the classifications: https://www.paralympic.org/classification 

Follow Cecile Hernandez @cecilehernandezathlete and Brenna Huckaby @bren_hucks on instagram (I also recommend following Brenna on tiktok @brennahuckaby) 

You can also keep up to date over on @thatssochronic on instagram and tiktok. I would love to hear your thoughts so don’t be afraid to reach out! 

And sign up to the FREE monthly newsletter here: thatssochronic.substack.com

@thatssochronic | @jessssbrien | #thatssochronic

Disclaimer: Here at That's So Chronic we are sharing personal stories and are not advocating any type of treatment, therapy, procedure or intervention. Everyone is unique so please seek professional medical advice before making any decisions for yourself or for others.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to another episode of That’s So Chronic friends! Today’s episode is with Ally Hassell, and we’re talking about her diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

Living with a chronic condition - especially one that involves pain - can feel incredibly isolating, so I really loved being able to connect with Ally!

In this episode Ally talks us through the journey of finally getting a name for what had been going on for her, how she manages her symptoms, her definition of pain, the importance of connecting with others and why she created a chronic pain support group.

If you’re interested in finding out more about her chronic pain support group, send an email to: [email protected] 

As always, thank you for being here and supporting the pod!

You can find That’s So Chronic on instagram and tiktok @thatssochronic. Don’t be afraid to reach out! It makes my day hearing from you all! 

@thatssochronic | @jessssbrien | #thatssochronic

Free monthly newsletter: thatssochronic.substack.com

Application form to share your story: https://forms.gle/csebLkwfwAjiLApK9 

Ideas for That’s So episodes: https://forms.gle/4RZbCiHARjV5gmcWA 

Disclaimer: Here at That's So Chronic we are sharing personal stories and are not advocating any type of treatment, therapy, procedure or intervention. Everyone is unique so please seek professional medical advice before making any decisions for yourself or for others.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy Tuesday friends! It’s the final Tuesday of the month, which means a break from our regular interview episodes and a chance to shine a light on something exciting! And today that is...

Get Well Circus - a new circus collective creating and celebrating art for the chronic pain and illness community currently based in Australia. 

In today’s episode we hear from performers Abbie and Emily, and creative producer Sam, as they explain what makes Get Well Circus tick, the inspiration behind starting the company, the development of their show Get Well Soon, and they give us an insight into their future ideas.

You can stay up to date with Get Well Circus over on instagram @getwellcircus and on their website www.getwellcircus.com

Please note: this episode was recorded in September 2021, and some information may have changed. 

If you’re new around here (hiiii!) don’t forget to press follow, and leave a review. That really makes my day! You can also find me on instagram and tiktok @thatssochronic and I always love to hear from you so don’t be afraid to reach out! 

@thatssochronic | @jessssbrien | #thatssochronic

Free monthly newsletter: thatssochronic.substack.com

Application form to share your story: https://forms.gle/csebLkwfwAjiLApK9 

Ideas for That’s So episodes: https://forms.gle/4RZbCiHARjV5gmcWA 

Disclaimer: Here at That's So Chronic we are sharing personal stories and are not advocating any type of treatment, therapy, procedure or intervention. Everyone is unique so please seek professional medical advice before making any decisions for yourself or for others.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey friends! Welcome back to That’s So Chronic and our first interview episode of 2022!!

Today’s episode is with Corianne Holmes, who you might recognise from @southislandtinyhouse, and we are chatting about all things thyroid.

In this episode Cori explains the process of receiving a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism back in the United States when she was just 10 years old, and how that eventually turned into a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, why she opted for the partial thyroidectomy surgery, and she also talks us through the process of moving her medical care from the states to New Zealand, and I nerd out a little bit over that. 

Even though cov got in the way of us meeting and chatting in person like we had originally planned, I was excited to chat to Cori on take 2 and I just know you’re going to enjoy this episode too.

You can find out more about Cori, find links to her book and learn more about the South Island Tiny House on instagram: @coririanne

If you enjoyed this episode don’t forget to press follow and leave a review! You can also find me on Instagram and Tiktok @thatssochronic. You are my faves!

@thatssochronic | @jessssbrien | #ThatsSoChronic 

Free monthly newsletter: thatssochronic.substack.com

Application form to share your story: https://forms.gle/csebLkwfwAjiLApK9 

Got an idea for a That’s So/Spotlight On episode? https://forms.gle/4RZbCiHARjV5gmcWA 

Disclaimer: Here at That's So Chronic we are sharing personal stories and are not advocating any type of treatment, therapy, procedure or intervention. Everyone is unique so please seek professional medical advice before making any decisions for yourself or for others.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Well, well, well… Guess who’s back! After completely dropping off from your favourite app for too many month, I’m finally back! And it probably comes as no surprise that I have a lot to catch you up on!

In this episode I let you know all about my existential crisis, what I’ve been up to, and I have a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! Like, it’s big.

Anyway… NEW EPISODES TUESDAY 15 FEBRUARY!

Don’t forget to press follow wherever you’re listening so you never miss an episode. And if you fancy… Why not leave a 5 star review?

That’s So Chronic is officially on tiktok! Make sure you’re following @thatssochronic for all of the behind-the-scenes goodness, as well as following along on instagram (same username! Too easy!)

Still want more?! Gah. You’re my favourite.

You can sign up to the free monthly newsletter right here: thatssochronic.substack.com

@thatssochronic | @jessssbrien | #thatssochronic

Want to share your story on That's So Chronic? Here's the application form: https://forms.gle/csebLkwfwAjiLApK9 

Or have an idea for an upcoming That's So: episode? Let me know here: https://forms.gle/4RZbCiHARjV5gmcWA 

Disclaimer: Here at That's So Chronic we are sharing personal stories and are not advocating any type of treatment, therapy, procedure or intervention. Everyone is unique so please seek professional medical advice before making any decisions for yourself or for others.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a successful year of conversations on That’s So Chronic, the podcast is BACK and bigger than ever!

You can expect to hear about a variety of different topics, including the important, amazing and difficult things, while not forgetting to have a laugh along the way! You can also expect more That’s So… and Spotlight On episodes, where we chat about everything and anything that’s in our That’s So Chronic world.

Don’t forget to press follow wherever you’re listening from, so you never miss an episode!

Make sure you’re following over on Instagram & Tiktok for all of the up to date information, I’m @thatssochronic, and you can sign up for the free monthly newsletter right here: thatssochronic.substack.com

NEW EPISODES FROM TUESDAY 15 FEBRUARY!

@thatssochronic | @jessssbrien | #thatssochronic

Want to share your story on That's So Chronic? Here's the application form: https://forms.gle/csebLkwfwAjiLApK9 

Or have an idea for an upcoming That's So: episode? Let me know here: https://forms.gle/4RZbCiHARjV5gmcWA 

Disclaimer: Here at That's So Chronic we are sharing personal stories and are not advocating any type of treatment, therapy, procedure or intervention. Everyone is unique so please seek professional medical advice before making any decisions for yourself or for others.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the last Tuesday of the month which can only mean one thing… It’s time for another That’s So episode! Today I’m joined by Diana Divine (who you might remember from their interview about their diagnosis of Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome back in April 2021) and we are discussing Dandelion Heart by Kelly Vincent.

Spoiler alert: we loved it!

Dandelion Heart is a collection of essays and poetry which grapples with disability in an identity-driven world. Exploring powerful themes ranging from body image and self-esteem to sex, relationships, and mental health, author and disability rights advocate, Kelly Vincent, draws on her own experiences as an autistic and physically disabled person.

In this episode we talk about identity, discuss our favourite moments, Diana reveals their love of poetry and I reveal my lack of poetry experience, and we agree that the book is like a nice warm hug.

Get your copy of Dandelion Heart by Kelly Vincent right here: debutbooks.com.au/bookstore/p/dandelion-heart-by-kelly-vincent 

I read this book on Kindle, and the link for that is here: amazon.com/dp/B09DFBSLKW/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_SV0YFFFPZ10JMK4THE2M 

If you’re interested in hearing more about Diana Divine’s story, make sure you listen to their interview episode right here on That’s So Chronic, and you can find them on Instagram: @dianadivineburlesque  

If you're not already, come and join the conversation over on Instagram! Follow @thatssochronic for all of the latest That’s So Chronic goings on, and if you’re new around here (hi! I see you!) hit that big subscribe or follow button, and if you fancy, please leave a review.

@thatssochronic | @jessssbrien | #ThatsSoChronic

If you have something that you would like discussed on an upcoming That’s So: episode, I would love to hear from you! Drop me an email ([email protected]), a DM on instagram, or fill out this Google form: https://forms.gle/4RZbCiHARjV5gmcWA 

Disclaimer: Here at That's So Chronic we are sharing personal stories and are not advocating any type of treatment, therapy, procedure or intervention. Everyone is unique so please seek professional medical advice before making any decisions for yourself or for others.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! Welcome back to another episode of That’s So Chronic! This week I’m chatting to Hayley Greer, who was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis just as she was finishing school, leaving home and ready to start her first year at university. 

In this episode Hayley explains what that first year uni life was like post diagnosis, the years of remission she experienced soon after, the next big flare which lead her to being in hospital over New Years and having a subtotal colectomy, which eventually lead to her living life with one less major organ and an ileostomy. 

Hayley also speaks about how being diagnosed and having many surgeries has affected her mentally which I personally really resonated with and I’m sure most of you will too! 

Make sure you’re following Hayley on Instagram: @hayleygreer (I particularly love her reels!) 

And if you want to reach out, you can find me on Instagram: @thatssochronic

Little did we know but we actually recorded this episode on World Ostomy Day! Which feels very fitting. I can’t wait for you to listen, and as always, let me know what you think!

@thatssochronic | @jessssbrien | #thatssochronic

Want to share your story on That's So Chronic? Here's the application form: https://forms.gle/csebLkwfwAjiLApK9 

Or have an idea for an upcoming That's So: episode? Let me know here: https://forms.gle/4RZbCiHARjV5gmcWA 

Disclaimer: Here at That's So Chronic we are sharing personal stories and are not advocating any type of treatment, therapy, procedure or intervention. Everyone is unique so please seek professional medical advice before making any decisions for yourself or for others.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy Tuesday my favourite people! I hope you are having a lovely week. Today’s episode we are heading to Auckland and I am chatting to Holly Mercer about her diagnosis of rare disease Beçhet’s Disease and Neuro Beçhet’s. 

In this episode Holly talks us through the 15 or so years of constantly wondering what was happening to her, how she imagined receiving a diagnosis would look like… and then the reality of actually getting that diagnosis, what Beçhet’s is, the treatment plan moving forward, and how chronic illness has inspired her art.

I felt like I had known Holly forever and I loved getting to learn more about her story. I think you’re really going to enjoy this episode too. 

You can find Holly on instagram: @hollydoesntfeelwell

And to stay up to date with Touch Compass and when Holly’s art installation Thread Count as part of /rītaha/ will be, you can check out their website: touchcompass.org.nz or follow them on social media @touchcompass 

For more information about Rare Disorders NZ: raredisorders.org.nz

That “show must go on” post that we mention can be found on @offstage.equilibrium ‘s instagram: instagram.com/p/CT40X0rLkPG/

And if you want to reach out, tell me something fun that’s happening for you, or just connect, feel free to send me a DM or follow along with the adventures over on Instagram, I’m @thatssochronic

@thatssochronic | @jessssbrien | #thatssochronic

Want to share your story on That's So Chronic? Here's the application form: https://forms.gle/csebLkwfwAjiLApK9 

Or have an idea for an upcoming That's So: episode? Let me know here: https://forms.gle/4RZbCiHARjV5gmcWA 

Disclaimer: Here at That's So Chronic we are sharing personal stories and are not advocating any type of treatment, therapy, procedure or intervention. Everyone is unique so please seek professional medical advice before making any decisions for yourself or for others.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.