Brooke Anderson shares her son's recovery story from Long Covid. She talks about her son's journey, the impact of severe chronic illness on the rest of the family, and how good health can feel fragile. She also describes the strain of watching well kids and healthy families, and the devastating isolation she experienced. Now that her family is on the other side, she values her bond with her son and wants to support other families going through similar experiences. She encourages parents to be gentle with themselves and to let go of some expectations.

Produced by NAST Studios.

The content of The Joy Tax Podcast is strictly for informational purposes and should never replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified healthcare provider.

In this episode, Dr. Elham Raker, a pediatrician and mother of a child with Long Covid, sheds light on the complexities of managing chronic illness in children. We discuss advocacy, navigating medical systems, and the emotional journey of families affected by Long Covid.

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The content of The Joy Tax Podcast is strictly for informational purposes and should never replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified healthcare provider.

In the previous episode, Kimberly Burwick and I talked about our hopes for the start of the school year. At the start of spring break, we sat down to share how the last six months have unfolded for both of our families. Kimberly Burwick talks about the grief of another year mostly at home, and what it's like to have Child Protective Services show up at your door. I share my delight at my daughter having good school support and my gratitude for a gradually improving baseline. We also share our mutual frustration at people's disbelief that children and teens could be so sick.

Produced by NAST Studios.

The content of The Joy Tax Podcast is strictly for informational purposes and should never replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified healthcare provider.

At the start of the school year, Kimberly Burwick and I sat down to talk about our friendship, our hopes, and the judgments parents navigate when raising children with a complex illness. She discusses the value of developing support systems and the importance of ensuring our kids are not forgotten. Kimberly Burwick is an educator and the author of six collections of poetry, including Brightword and Out Beyond the Land. She recently published Human School, an essay about the parallels between her father's polio and her child's Long COVID: https://anotherchicagomagazine.net/2026/01/20/human-school-by-kimberly-burwick/ Produced by NAST Studios.

Sallie Rediske discusses pacing with kids and teens, the damages caused by the PACE trial, and what it was like to navigate ME/CFS since childhood--long before she had a diagnosis or language for what she was experiencing. She also describes the fears families face when they are accused of being complicit in their child's illness. Sallie holds a Master of Physical Therapy and had a robust private practice before her health challenges forced a medical retirement. She is a wealth of knowledge and a fierce advocate for people living with ME/CFS.

Chapters:

Resources:

Bateman Horne Center ME/CFS Guidebook: https://batemanhornecenter.org/education/mecfs-guidebook/

Rate of Perceived Exertion: https://static.wixstatic.com/media/83510c_123a4edf51014a528623573fe344d119~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_1307,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/83510c_123a4edf51014a528623573fe344d119~mv2.png

Works authored by Sallie Rediske:

Physical Therapy Must Catch Up-Teaching ME/CFS is No Longer an Option:

Clinical Management of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as a Curriculum Thread to Meet Accreditation Standards in Physical Therapy Education: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/ijahsp/vol24/iss1/1/

If you have questions or would like to share your experience on the podcast, please email Mercedes at [email protected]

Some of the resources Sallie discusses are available as PDFs. I am happy to email them to listeners upon request.

Produced by NAST Studios.

Becky Diamond is the mom of a son with Long COVID. In this conversation, she talks about the reality of isolation, the ongoing work of advocating for her teen, and what it means to be a "good mother" in impossible circumstances. Becky Diamond is an adjunct professor for NYU, a contributing writer to Psychology Today, and a former war reporter.

You can find her articles here: