What's It Like?

This week's guest, Vincent, shares the story of how he had to get a tumor removed at the age of six. He shares how close he came to losing his life before the diagnosis, how the surgery resulted in severe hearing loss in his left ear, and how being in and out of hospitals so much as a child affects his attitude toward medical care today -- and more!

Nate of Love and a Podcast shares his wild story of how he had to help deliver his son in an upstairs hallway. He shares why that happened, why he was actually pretty prepared, and the close-call aftermath. Check out his podcast about relationships, which he hosts with his girlfriend, at @loveandapodcast on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Abby talks us through her journey with cosplay, starting with the outfits she literally cut and pasted together at age 14. She talks about how cosplay boosted her confidence, stories of costumes that fell apart as soon as moved, and how she learned to sew to improv her costumes. Check out her Instagram @abbydream13 or her Fiverr, where she takes cosplay commissions (https://www.fiverr.com/tentaienzeru).

This episode, we chat with Will, who is self-publishing his "Wildly Inappropriate Stories for Children" series. We talk about what it takes to self-publish a book, where his ideas come from, and why he thinks this series resonates so strongly with people. Check out his Amazon author page at https://www.amazon.com/Will-Blaine/, and you can find him on Facebook and Instagram at @curiousmindofwill.

Randy shares about the experience of his son being born with clubbed feet. He talks about how little is known about what causes this, the steps they took to fix it, and how he and his wife found support through the process. You can follow along with his wife's perspective on this journey (as well as other mom blog posts) at https://oklahomacity.citymomsblog.com/.

Kaveh of The House of Pod podcast shares his journey to gastroenterology, aka the the branch of medicine focused on the digestive system. Tune in to hear him talk about how healthcare as a whole is changing in response to COVID-19, what motivated him to start a podcast about medicine, and what he wishes more people knew about their doctors. Follow along with his work at @thehouseofpod on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!

Kaylen joins us to talk about the experience of eating at the Eiffel Tower in Paris! She shares how her trip to Europe in high school sparked her love of international travel, other things she's learned from her travels, and how visiting other countries opened her eyes to new experiences.

Follow her on Instagram at @_captain_kay_diddy_

Michael joins the podcast to share his story of being hospitalized for depression in his early 20s. He shares why he decided to check himself in, how it was different from the movies, and the mental health resources he tries to pass on to others in need. Follow him on Twitter @meegz_86.

Shaun joins us to share his journey with mindfulness, from the first yoga class he ever took to the twice-a-week Mindfulness for Beginners podcast he now hosts. He talks about how it improved his mental health, the misconceptions people have about mindfulness, and the things he does to live his day-to-day life mindfully.

Follow him on Twitter at @mindfulness_for and check out his podcast here at https://anchor.fm/shaun-donaghy

Mars joins us on this episode to talk about her experience quitting her job in Mexico at 34 to get her Master's in Austria, in a subject she hadn't studied, without knowing the language. We talk cultural differences, why she made such a bold choice, and her new favorite Viennese foods.