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Melissa and Sherry are so excited to welcome you to the very first episode of Senseless, a podcast that explores chronic health conditions, vision loss, and hearing loss with humor, wisdom, and friendship. They begin by telling the story of how their friendship began, how they bonded over their respective sensory loss experiences, and their individual journeys with chronic health conditions. Melissa shares her experience of progressive hearing loss beginning with an incident after a loud party at age 21, and the simultaneous devastation and relief she felt after being diagnosed with only 50% of her hearing in her early 30s. Sherry talks about being diagnosed with an eye condition called Panuveitis at just 19 years old, as well as Reiter’s Syndrome, a severe form of arthritis, then Multiple Sclerosis 14 years ago, and Lyme Disease just last year. 

Sherry describes the “Spiritual Renovation” she underwent after ignoring her body’s signals for too long, finding the joy in everyday life despite inevitable ups and downs, and making peace with pain instead of trying to escape it. Melissa and Sherry discuss the healing power of their friendship and connecting with someone on the same wavelength, even though they navigate the world in different ways. They discuss reframing sensory loss to focus on the positive aspects it brings, learning to receive help, not just give it, and the importance of leaving your pieces on the ground, being vulnerable, and living without walls or barriers. This podcast is not psychotherapy and does not contain medical advice, but is simply a recording of two friends talking.

Episode Highlights:

• Melissa and Sherry bonded over their chronic health conditions almost two years ago
• They met when they were both listening to a podcast about living with chronic health conditions called This Is Not What I Ordered, hosted by Lauren Selfridge
• Sherry has extensive vision loss, and Melissa has extensive hearing loss
• Melissa began experiencing progressive hearing loss during a Spring Break trip at age 21
• She also had chronic ear infections as a baby
• Went out dancing to loud music and her ears rang so loudly the next day, she couldn’t hear what people were saying
• Finally had her hearing checked in her early 30s and found that she only had 50% of her hearing
• She felt simultaneously devastated and relieved to now understand why she had to work so hard to get through the day
• She eventually got hearing aids and realized she had not been hearing birds
• It was overwhelming and jarring to finally hear the world around her for the first time
• Probable diagnosis was Endolymphatic Hydrops, an imbalance of fluid in the inner ear that gets triggered by inflammation
• Anti-inflammation diet, and how certain foods cause a flare-up
• Sherry’s story of being diagnosed with an eye condition called Panuveitis at 19 years old
• She had to start having injections into her eyeball immediately, to try to save her vision
• She had surgery to have her right eye removed
• She was also diagnosed with Reiter’s Syndrome, and later Ankylosing Spondylitis, a form of arthritis, and had severe joint pain
• She has been on countless medications over the years
• Fourteen years ago she was also diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis
• She did not truly acknowledge what her body was going through for a long time - she just kept going and didn’t ask for any help
• She became bedridden for two years, and had to come to terms with her illness
• Sherry’s positive outlook and “Spiritual Renovation” that her health issues have brought her
• It has also strengthened her faith and allowed her to find safety in...