The Cripple Chronicles

In this episode of The Crippled Chronicles, I’m talking about self-limiting beliefs in disability, the ones that feel less like thoughts and more like facts. The beliefs that say you’re a burden, too much, behind in life, unloveable, weak, or not allowed to take up space.

I talk about how these beliefs form, why they can feel so convincing, and why disability can turn the volume up on old wounds that were already there. I also get into schemas, internalised ableism, self-stigma, disability identity, and how these beliefs can look different depending on whether someone is born disabled or becomes disabled later in childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, midlife or older age.

This is not about toxic positivity or pretending everything is fine. It is about understanding the pattern, naming the belief, noticing what it is protecting you from, and seeing what it is costing you.

If any part of this episode hit home, I’d genuinely love to hear from you in the comments. What is the most believable self-limiting belief you carry, and when do you think you first learned it?

chapters

0:00 When your brain turns one bad day into a life sentence
2:26 Self-limiting beliefs in disability
7:16 Why these beliefs feel true
13:31 The belief that you do not deserve to take up space
20:08 Born disabled vs acquired disability and how beliefs take shape
44:18 Why toxic positivity is useless and what helps instead

If you have better sources, lived experience, or nuance to add, drop it below or email me at [email protected]

Content note: this episode discusses disability, shame, self-worth, self-stigma, and thoughts around not wanting to be here. Please take care of yourself while listening.

music attribution

Intro and outro music: Angelz by ZiMPL
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB1laV2yy_k


Thank you for being here, thank you for listening to me yap through the chaos, and I’ll speak to you in the next episode.

Today’s episode is a wee milestone because it’s my first ever guest episode on The Cripple Chronicles.

I’m sitting down with Jermaine Ee, founder of HeirLight, to talk about the stuff most of us avoid until we absolutely have to: wills, legacy, grief, and the practical reality of what we leave behind. This isn’t a sales pitch and it’s not an advert, it’s just a really honest conversation about time, identity, family, and how “getting organised” can actually be a form of love.

WHERE TO FIND JERMAINE

- eejermaine.com
- heirlight.com 

Jermaine describes himself as a founder and a storyteller, and you can hear that straight away. We talk about how his perspective on legacy shifted after losing his mum, why people avoid end-of-life planning even when they know it matters, and how small steps (like journaling and sorting beneficiaries) can reduce chaos for the people we care about.

Disclaimer: This episode is not legal advice. Laws vary depending on where you live. If you need legal guidance, please speak to a qualified professional in your area.


GET IN TOUCH WITH ME

Email: [email protected]
Socials: @cripplechroniclespod

MUSIC USED

Reflection” by Filo Starquez
used with permission.

outro music:
“Angelz” by ZiMPL
artist: ZiMPL / zimplmusic
license: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)

please check out and support the artists who make this show sound nice.

Hi friends. It is January, which I’m pretty sure was invented by Big Pharma to sell antidepressants. 😅

This episode is a proper life catch-up. Winter pain and the January blues, a relationship update (yes, a real one), applying for a job I really want, disability admin chaos, and a formal complaint era I did not ask to be in.

Also, a wee teaser: my first ever podcast collaboration is coming next (8th Feb 10am) and I’m genuinely so proud of it.

chapters

00:00 January blues and a life reset
03:10 Winter pain, energy limits, and how I’m coping
04:45 Relationship status, nervous system chaos, and not begging anymore
10:10 Job application update and grieving the nursing version of me
18:40 Disability admin and complaints (prosthetic + OT kitchen)
22:05 Simba’s health scare and anxious cat mum mode
28:30 Wrap-up, validation, and what’s coming next

what’s next

My first collaboration episode drops 8th February and I’m so excited for you to hear it. After that I’ve got two more episodes planned, one on disability adjustment and one on self-regulation and coping, the practical version, not the fluffy “everything is fine” version.

music attribution

Intro and outro music: Angelz by ZiMPL
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB1laV2yy_k

Background music used:

I’m Giving Up
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4_dJrDFBMo

Wrangle The Crazy - Everett Almond

Once upon a time - The Grey Room / Density & Time

Long Goodbyes to Longer Friends - Randy Schwartz

Thank you for being here, thank you for listening to me yap through the chaos, and I’ll speak to you in the next episode.

Hi friends, welcome back to The Cripple Chronicles.

This is a shorter, reflective episode that was originally recorded as the final section of my Cripple Wrapped episode, but it deserved its own space.

I’m six years into being disabled after my car accident, and instead of focusing on stats or “look how far I’ve come” productivity vibes, I wanted to answer the questions that actually tell the truth: what changed in my relationship with my body, how my identity shifted after losing nursing, how my support network transformed, what still hurts (spoiler: systems), and what I’m hopeful about going into 2026.

If you’ve had a big life change, you can absolutely steal these questions and use them as a check-in with your future self.

Content note: disability, trauma, family estrangement, grief, medical systems, mental health.

If this one hits home, leave a comment or send me your thoughts.

Chapters 

00:00 - Welcome and why this is a separate episode
01:51 - The “six year check-in” questions (setup)
02:25 - Q1: How has my relationship with my body changed?
05:20 - Q2: How has my sense of self changed?
09:30 - Q3: How has my support network changed?
12:17 - Q4: What am I proud of this year that has nothing to do with productivity?
14:37 - Q5: What still hurts the most?
18:11 - Q6: What am I hopeful about for the next year?
21:18 - Closing, happy new year, gentle winter reminder

GET IN TOUCH

Email: [email protected]
Socials: @cripplechroniclespod

MUSIC USED

Reflection” by Filo Starquez
used with permission.

outro music:
“Angelz” by ZiMPL
artist: ZiMPL / zimplmusic
license: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)

please check out and support the artists who make this show sound nice.

SEO TAGS
cripple chronicles, disabled podcast, amputee podcast, disability advocacy, life after amputation, prosthetic journey, wheelchair user, chronic illness, trauma recovery, grief and disability, chosen family, family estrangement, mental health podcast, nurse identity, identity after trauma, uk disability, accessibility, disabled creator, NHS waiting times, disability rights UK, spoon theory, medical gaslighting, disability community, resilience (the real kind), boundaries, healing journey

in this episode of cripple chronicles, i am doing my own version of “wrapped” for 2025 and six years since my accident. instead of just spotify and youtube stats, we are looking at what a full year of disabled life actually looks like in numbers.

i talk about:
why my birthday + accident anniversary week always feels heavy and weird
82k minutes of music, 331 genres and my parasocial relationship with two hot takes
what it really takes to make this podcast exist in the background of my life
months spent waiting for prosthetics vs the days i actually get to walk
garmin stats for wheelchair pushes, sleep and body battery that finally proved i am not “just lazy”
how much time i lose every year to pain, advocacy and planning around inaccessibility
what my benefits, bills, debt and motability numbers actually look like
why my car is not a luxury but an access tool that keeps me from being trapped at home
it is part numbers, part rant, part love letter to everyone trying to survive life in a disabled body inside systems that were not built for us.

CHAPTERS

00:00 intro, birthday week and accident anniversary
03:03 why birthdays always felt strange for me
05:12 deciding to do a “cripple wrapped” instead of just spotify wrapped
07:25 music wrapped 2025
12:20 cripple chronicles wrapped episodes, editing time, research days, views and watch time
18:26 mobility wrapped ilizarov frame, becoming an amputee, waiting lists and the kitchen saga
25:41 garmin wrapped wheelchair pushes, miles, sleep score and body battery reality check
29:45 pain, medication, advocacy time and planning around inaccessibility
30:30 benefits wrapped income, bills, groceries, debt and the activity trap
37:30 car and driving wrapped motability, 10,400 miles and why public transport is not an option
41:30 closing thoughts on 2025, six years since the accident and a message to anyone in their own “year one”

CONNECT WITH ME

instagram: @cripplechroniclespod
tiktok: @cripplechroniclespod (if you want it there)
email: [email protected]

you can send episode ideas, questions, collab requests or your own “disabled wrapped” stats there.

MUSIC CREDITS

intro music:
“Reflection” by Filo Starquez
used with permission.

outro music:
“Angelz” by ZiMPL
artist: ZiMPL / zimplmusic
license: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)

please check out and support the artists who make this show sound nice.

SEO TAG WORDS

disability podcast, cripple chronicles, cripple chronicles podcast, above knee amputee, amputee life, wheelchair user, disabled creator, disabled women, chronic pain, chronic illness, mental health podcast, trauma recovery, spotify wrapped, year in review, disability wrapped, disabled life stats, prosthetics, nhs waiting times, uk disability benefits, pip, adp, universal credit, motability scheme, accessible housing, inaccessibility, advocacy, disability rights, mental health nurse, amputation recovery, garmin wheelchair, body battery, scottish podcast, uk podcast, disabled influencer, disabled content creator

How to Keep Going is an episode about resilience without the toxic positivity or the nonsense we are usually fed. As someone disabled, chronically ill and recovering from trauma, resilience has never meant being strong all the time. It has looked like coping, crashing, rebuilding and trying again. In this episode I talk about practical ways I get through the harder days, how I define strength now, and why community and support matter more than anything. If you are feeling overwhelmed, burnt out or stuck, I hope this gives you something grounding and useful.

If you want to share your own coping strategies, questions or ideas for future episodes, email me at [email protected]
.

00:00 to 02:01 — introduction
02:01 to 04:25 — what is resilience?
04:25 to 14:56 — evidence based coping strategies
14:56 to 19:55 — daily resilience routines
19:55 to 28:35 — redefining strength and rooted resilience
28:35 to 30:39 — closing thoughts

Topics: resilience, coping strategies, disability, chronic illness, mental health, recovery, community care, accessible self care

byeeee

Hi friends! In this episode of The Cripple Chronicles, we are getting into the messy middle of recovery, spirituality and that weird line between “this happened for a reason” and “am I actually losing the plot?”

I talk about how faith and spirituality helped me survive Ilizarov frames, a broken leg that literally snapped in front of me, amputation and living in survival mode minute by minute. We also get into the darker side of faith when religious beliefs slide into psychosis, especially with TikTok echo chambers and rapture content doing laps on the algorithm.

If you’ve ever used “everything happens for a reason” as a life raft, wrestled with religious fear, or felt guilty for needing both a higher power and a rehab plan, this one is for you.

In this episode we cover:

The difference between spirituality and organised religion in real life, not theory
How faith and positive coping can help you survive medical trauma, disability and grief
When spirituality tips into religious psychosis and why that’s so dangerous
Practical spiritual “anchors” that don’t require a mountaintop or a miracle
Blurring lines between faith, responsibility and victimhood in recovery
How humour, community and tiny rituals kept me alive when I wanted to give up

Content note:
This episode includes mentions of suicidal ideation, medical trauma, religious themes and religious psychosis. Please take care while listening.

Chapters

00:00 – Welcome back
00:42 – Introduction and where this episode came from
05:10 – What is spirituality and why does it matter?
11:45 – How faith and positive coping interact
15:28 – The dark side: when faith becomes psychosis
18:30 – Practical ways to cultivate spiritual anchors
28:43 – Blurring lines between faith and personal responsibility
35:04 – Closing thoughts and reflections

Related episodes

Euthanasia deep dive episode:
I mention this around 01:40 in the episode. You can watch/listen here:
https://youtu.be/1jLtSo6LtCk

Alcoholism, Al-Anon and loving someone who drinks:
For more on higher power thinking, boundaries and detaching with love:
[https://youtu.be/zcq9WQoRen4

Support links mentioned

Al-Anon Family Groups (UK & Eire) – support for anyone affected by someone else’s drinking. Helpline 10am–10pm, 365 days a year. 
Website: https://al-anonuk.org.uk

Worldwide Al-Anon / Alateen site – information and meetings in other countries. 
Al-Anon Family Groups
Website: https://al-anon.org

Nacoa – National Association for Children of Alcoholics (UK) – support for children and adults affected by a parent’s drinking. 
Website: https://nacoa.org.uk

If anything in this episode brings stuff up for you, please reach out to a trusted person or a mental health professional in your area.

Connect:

Instagram & TikTok: @cripplechroniclespod
Email: [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, share it with a friend and leave a comment about how spirituality has shown up in your recovery. It keeps my one-legged heart very happy.

until next time,
Byeeee

We always talk about the right to live. Today we ask what it means to have the right to die. This episode traces the story from ancient philosophy and church doctrine to modern laws, psychiatric eligibility, and the way social media shapes the narrative. My goal is not to glamorise or condemn but to understand the line between compassion and harm, and how we decide who gets help, who gets protection, and who gets to choose.

Chapters;
00:00-00:54: Introduction 
00:54-06:30: Part 1
06:30-23:41: Part 2
23:41-35:58: Part 3
35:58-53:32: Part 4
53:32-01:07:57: Part 5
01:07:57-01:22:22: Part 6
01:22:22-01:35:35: Part 6.2
01:35:35-01:46:07: Part 7
01:46:07-01:50:18: Closing 
01:50:18: Meet Miso


what’s inside
• ancient greece, stoicism, and honour vs duty
• christian theology, natural law, and the idea of “double effect”
• 19th-century medicine, pain relief, and quiet shifts in practice
• modern legal frameworks in the netherlands, belgium, and canada
• psychiatric-only requests, capacity, treatment resistance, and risk
• social media stories, audience impact, and duty of care
• my position after researching and making this episode

This episode discusses death, suicide, euthanasia, assisted dying, and mental illness. Please take care while listening. If you are struggling, speak to someone you trust or contact local support services.

The first twenty minutes are more visually edited than the rest. I kept the second half simpler so the episode could be released in a timely way. If you like the heavier style, tell me in the comments.

This is a nuanced topic and I may have missed perspectives. If there is something I mis-spoke on or did not consider, please leave a comment with a timestamp and a source link. I will review and pin helpful additions.

fair use and credits

This video includes short clips, screenshots, and images used for commentary, criticism, education, and research. All third-party materials are credited on screen and linked below where available. Rights remain with their respective owners.

Dori's Diary video links; 
Part one; He Built a Brand Off Trauma — And You Fell For It (Okuntakinte) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRSU-0dNAag

Part two; He Found a New Grift — And You Fell For It Again (Okuntakinte)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUq5qL3GzQI

contact

For feedback or sources: [email protected]

If you find this useful, please like, comment, and subscribe. Share with someone who would value a careful, informed conversation about end-of-life ethics.

words for visibility 

Euthanasia AssistedDying MedicalEthics MentalHealth Stoicism HistoryOfMedicine RightToDie Podcast VideoEssay Deep Dive

Hi friends!

Welcome back to another episode of Cripple Chronicles! 
Last episode i actually wanted to talk about the fact my 3rd ampuversary was coming up.. i planned to record this on the day of the ampuversary however disability popped up as it does at the most oppotune times and i had to rest until i was able to record - and also edit the episode to bring it all together. 

While i try and bring together all of the strings about euthanasia for the video essay i am wanting to get out, the next episode will be a compliation of sorts kind of a crash course of episodes where i talk about how i ended up with one leg and trying some new editing while i do that. so if you would like to see that please subscribe and hit that bell because i try to upload every two weeks but sometimes not on the same day because disabled, sigh. 

What are some anniversaries you like to reflect on? id love to know in the comments or alternatively -
📩 Email: [email protected]
📱 Follow me: @cripplechroniclespod on Instagram + TikTok


📕 Chapters:
00:00 – 01:05 Introduction
01:05 - 09:26 What i remember most from amputation day
09:26 - 11:46 What were the hard things post amputation
11:46 - 15:34 First year milestones and when things began to shift
15:34 - 21:19 second year progress (aug 23-24)
 21:19 - 35:14 What have i learned in year 3
35:14 - 39:53 Body image post amputation and what comfort means now
39:53 - 42:07 what have i learned about resilience and adaptation
42:07 - 46:25 what feelings have came up overall about amputation
46:25 - 59:14 Outro
 
🎶 Music Credits:
Intro: Reflection by Filo Starquez
Outro: Angelz by ZiMPL
Background: Limousines - TrackTribe

Hi friends!

Welcome back to another episode of Cripple Chronicles! In this life update episode, I’m sharing what’s been going on behind the scenes in my world, my life as an amputee, my mental health journey, and some exciting projects I’ve been working on. 
Life has been a bit chaotic lately, so I’m keeping things real and unscripted today.

I also give a quick peek into how I’m navigating social media, connecting with you all on Instagram and TikTok, and just keeping it real about what life looks like on my side of things.

If you enjoy candid chats about disability, mental health, and everyday life, hit that subscribe/follow button and join me on this journey.

Chapters;