Unfixed Podcast

Dogs are unspoken healers. For some, they offer companionship, to others they act as an essential lifeline. In this episode, two women living with chronic illness explore the joy and purpose dogs brought into their lives. Morgan was born with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, while Jennifer developed debilitating autoimmune diseases. For Morgan, her service dog Dewey became her reason to get out of bed every day and gain more independence. For Jennifer, a desire to bring joy to others caused her to found Pile of Puppies, a non-profit that connects puppies to children living with chronic illness. The two discuss the remarkable abilities dogs have, and the times they’ve witnessed their comfort and healing firsthand. Dogs are the beautiful blessing that taught them that joy and light can always be found, even in hardships.

Having a chronic illness as a young adult can be isolating. Healthy peers don’t understand and the medical world feels designed for older people. Then one day, you find people like you online. These online communities weren’t always there – a few brave pioneers paved the way for these safe spaces to take flight. In this episode, Stefanie Grant and Jenny McGibbon discuss how they started sharing their health journeys online in their early 20s. For both Stefanie, who has facial pain disorders and Fibromyalgia, and Jenny, who has Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Short Bowel Syndrome, their blogs began as a personal outlet during a time they felt alone in their health battles. As their journeys evolved, so did their blogs, becoming online communities that now serve thousands. Together, they discuss their responsibilities as leaders within the space, the delicate balance that exists between positivity and authenticity, and how they attempt to hold space for others while recognizing everyone has a different lived experience.

Sometimes our heroes aren’t legendary figures, they're the ones right in our home. Bethany Cook’s world shattered when she was diagnosed with Narcolepsy and Cataplexy on the brink of young adulthood. Her mother, Tamara Cook was there to catch her as she fell into grief. As Bethany faced loss of identity, Tamara dealt with the loss of loved ones.  Together the two have marched side-by-side in the battlefield of life while caring for each other’s needs. In this episode Bethany, a grad student pursuing psychology, and her mother Tamara, founder of the nonprofit Heart 4 Children, dive into their unbreakable bond that developed out of an unexpected place: mutual suffering. Tamara explains how she was able to draw on her own life experiences to be the compassionate caregiver her daughter needed. Bethany recounts the ways her mother was a steady anchor during turbulent times with her chronic illness, offering just the right balance between encouragement and listening. It’s an intimate conversation on grief, acceptance and what it looks like to care for others in their time of need.

Life is traumatic. But some of us get an extra whopping dose of it, especially before we've learned tools to help us navigate. In this episode, our guests explore the connection between the nervous system and chronic illness – how being stuck in fight, flight or freeze can lead to long-term physiological consequences. Former family physician and trauma specialist Veronique Mead and trauma survivor Kristy Boyd share their research and personal stories living with chronic illness, illustrating that it's not “all in your head.” Together they explore the nuances and types of triggering events that can reawaken early physiological patterns and how to befriend our way to a healthier life, despite traumatic events.

Tessa and Zoe don't just share the same last name. At only 9 years old, Zoe “pooped in a blender” to save her aunt Tessa's life via fecal transplant. Today, Zoe is a high school student with her sights set on medical school alongside managing her own disability of hearing loss, and Tessa just published her first book that offers solidarity and wisdom from her rollercoaster ride with Crohn's disease. In this episode, Tessa and Zoe open up about their donor-recipient relationship, the deep insights they’ve gleaned from each other’s physical challenges, and the fine line patients walk in not over-identifying with their disease while not living in denial of it. They discuss how acceptance ebbs and flows in their lives, at times leaning more into fixing, and late-night doom scrolling, while at other times embracing what is and advocating for what's right.

Todd is a competitive rower who medaled at the US National Championships and is now training to qualify for the 2021 Paralympics. Susan is also a competitive rower, became an Olympic coach in 2004 and also a photographer and painter. Susan is also a competitive rower, became an Olympic coach in 2004 and also a photographer and painter. They currently share most days together in training.  They were also both diagnosed a few years ago with degenerative diseases. Todd is learning to strike the balance between toughness and rest… something that has taken on new meaning post-Parkinson's. And Susan, as his coach, looks to find workarounds to the challenges his body presents while learning to adapt to her own limitations with Multiple Sclerosis. The two seasoned athletes explore how training fits into life with chronic illness, how the meaning of strength has changed for them, and how all of us can adapt and find creative solutions to life’s obstacles.