When Autumn Comes: Seasons of Hope for Medical + Disability Moms

Welcome back everyone! We are so excited for Season FIVE of When Autumn Comes! It has been a summer and we have a lot to catch up on.

Today, Susan fesses up about what happened at the end of season four. Season four ended? Why yes it did, but not in the way we intended. You see, Susan has been a busy bee outside of When Autumn Comes, working on some really exciting projects for medical moms. The podcast took a bit of a back seat, but for a really really good reason. This episode, Susan introduces us to the most amazing, pink, water-front house where medical moms can escape and refresh. Moms-you are going to need to see this place, it is AMAZING! You also meet her wing-woman Christen, the one who reminds her to drink water and edits the podcast… But that is far less exciting than the house. For real, you gotta see the house.

"It's literally on top of the water." -Susan

Here are the details from this episode:

• Katrina, we are so sorry

• Apricity Hideaway

• Where is Diane?

• Team of two

• What is going on this season?

• Is it a gala or a gayla?

• An EPIC party

• Benji update

We are so excited to launch another season of When Autumn Comes. More than that, we are so excited about the amazing things that the Apricity Hope Project is doing for medical mothers. What are we doing that is the most meaningful to you? Let me know in the When Autumn Comes Society or send me a DM on Instagram! I'd love to hear about how these projects have helped you.

Here at the Apricity Hope Project, we appreciate any size donation. Your donation will help fund our many projects such as hospital go-bags for medical moms, Take five meet-ups, Retreats for medical moms, and the When Autumn Comes Podcast. Donate HERE!

Catch up with Suz:

Instagram

When Autumn Comes:

WAC Instagram

WAC Facebook Page

WAC Society Facebook Page

WAC is a program of the Apricity Hope Project

Join Us!

Apply for a Caregiver Package

Apply for a Retreat

Thank you so much for joining us on this journey. Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on our upcoming stories from other members of our medical and disabled community.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and a review so we can reach more moms with medically complicated, rare, beautiful children.

You and your child have what probably feels like a million appointments scheduled. Medical specialists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists. All of these people are members of your team. Your child's team. They are supposed to work with you and your child toward a common goal. But who decides what that goal is? And who decides when you've reached it, or how to get there, or when it's time to take a break?

Today, we have a chat with Kim. Kim is a physical therapist and owner of a therapy company that specifically works with young children in Early Intervention and outpatient. We talk about the importance of establishing goals that are meaningful for your everyday life. She tells us what to do when the activities in the therapy session don't feel like they match what makes sense for your family, or when personalities clash. Kim gives us insight on knowing when to step back, take a break, and focus on living life rather than making it to appointments; and how to navigate coming back to therapy after a break, when the time is right. Most importantly, she drives home the important point that communication is key with your team.

"No one knows what they don't know if somebody doesn't speak up." -Kim

Here are the details from Kim and Susan's chat:

• Getting to know Kim

• Early Intervention

• Using what you have

• What should parents know?

• What if it's not working?

• Taking a break

• Realistic expectations

• Finding Kim

• What gives Kim hope?

Medical motherhood is often filled with so many appointments. I hope that Kim has shown you that your child's therapist is on your team. Do you have questions for Kim? Let me know in the When Autumn Comes Society or send me a DM on Instagram! I'd love to hear about how this helped you.

This episode was sponsored by Children's Therapy Concepts, LLC. You can learn more about their pediatric therapy services that are offered across the state of Virginia at childrenstherapyconcepts.com

Catch up with Suz:

Instagram

When Autumn Comes:

WAC Instagram

WAC Facebook Page

WAC Society Facebook Page

WAC is a program of the Apricity Hope Project

Apply for a Caregiver Package

Connect with Kim:

Instagram

Facebook

Children's Therapy Concepts

Email: [email protected]

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey. Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on our upcoming stories from other members of our medical and disabled community.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and a review so we can reach more moms with medically complicated, rare, beautiful children.

• Communicate with your team

• Identify goals that are meaningful to your family

• Its ok to change course if that is what your child needs

With a heavy, yet resilient, heart Suz shares a letter on behalf of the Apricity Hope Project. She is explaining a recent "pivot" they are being forced to make. You can read the entire letter on our website: https://apricityhope.org/apricity-place-update/

Catch up with Suz:

Instagram

When Autumn Comes:

WAC Instagram

WAC Facebook Page

WAC Society Facebook Page

WAC is a program of the Apricity Hope Project

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey. Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on our upcoming stories from other members of our medical and disabled community.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and a review so we can reach more 4 am moms with medically complicated, rare, beautiful children.

I know what you are doing as a caregiver is hard. So let's take five minutes alone, in a quiet place, to just sit. Feel free to cry. Feel free to smile. Do whatever feels right for the next five minutes.

Links and resources:

• Follow Suz: @suzgeoghegan

• Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WhenAutumnComesPodcast

• Follow us on Instagram: @WhenAutumnComesPodcast

• WAC is a program of the Apricity Hope Project - a nonprofit organization dedicated to caring for caregivers of medically complex and disabled children.

Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on our upcoming stories of medical and special needs parenting from families like yours.

Merriam-Webster defines grief as "deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement" or "trouble, annoyance". The American Psychological Association goes further to include, "Grief often includes physiological distress, separation anxiety, confusion, yearning, obsessive dwelling on the past, and apprehension about the future. Intense grief can become life-threatening through disruption of the immune system, self-neglect, and suicidal thoughts". Some of us have studied the stages of grief, denial,anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. We are no grief experts; but, with all of these definitions of grief, it is safe to say that everyone's grief experience is uniquely their own.

Today, Jessica and Susan have a chat about their personal experiences with grief. They discuss ambiguous grief, which is grief without closure. We hear about anticipatory grief, or grief before a loss. Jessica gives us insight into secondary losses which flow from the primary loss that is grieved.

This episode is not all doom and gloom. Yes, grief is hard. Grief is painful. Grief is not something that we sign up for. But, in grief, there is hope. And we might just finally get the answer to the question Jessica evaded last week-what gives Jessica hope.

"When we are able to name something, it becomes a little bit less scary." -Jessica

Here's what Jessica and Suz chatted about that you do not want to miss:

• Grief

• Ambiguous grief vs anticipatory grief

• Secondary loss

• Help in grief

• Unexpected grief triggers

• What gives Jessica hope

Grief is nonlinear and everyone's grief story is unique. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Come visit us in the When Autumn Comes Society or send me a DM on Instagram! I'd love to hear from you.

Be sure to get your name on the list for our upcoming retreats for medical mamas and check out our BRING HOPE HOME campaign as The Apricity Hope Project moves forward with a headquarters and retreat house!

Catch up with Suz:

Instagram

Catch up with Jessica:

Jessica's website

Facebook

I Don't Know How You Do It

Psychology Today article on secondary losses

When Autumn Comes:

WAC Instagram

WAC Facebook Page

WAC Society Facebook Page

WAC is a program of the Apricity Hope Project

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey. Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on our upcoming stories from other members of our medical and disabled community.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and a review so we can reach more 4 am moms with medically complicated, rare, beautiful children.

Every family with medically complex children is impacted in some way by advances in medicine and therapy. Some have the benefit of recent developments. Others hope for cures and treatments on the horizon, yet just out of reach when they are needed most. At some point, do we all believe we will be the ones to finally beat the diagnosis?

In this episode, Susan sits down with Jessica. Jessica is a fellow mito mama. Jessica is also a fellow bereaved mama. She shares the story of her beautiful daughter Dahlia, who was diagnosed with MERRF syndrome. They chat about the steps that led to diagnosis, navigating care for her daughter's medical needs while providing normalcy for her other children, and the opportunity to participate in research towards treatments for this disease.

Jessica shares that the journey toward participating in research was not a smooth one, and not one that led to a fairytale ending. Even with this, she has a beautiful perspective on the benefit of contributing to medical developments.

"Because some of the words were too scary, I pushed them to outside of my head altogether." -Jessica

Here's what Jessica and Suz chatted about that you do not want to miss:

• Introducing Jessica

• Validation (8:11)

• The ones to find the cure (13:50)

• Accepted (17:06)

• The shift (19:46)

• Getting in again (20:31)

• Driving force ( 24:24)

• What gives Jessica hope (29:56)

Every special needs family has been impacted by research, though not all have the opportunity to participate in the research directly. Do you have a story to share? Come visit us in the When Autumn Comes Society or send me a DM on Instagram! I'd love to hear from you.

Catch up with Jessica:

Jessica's website

Facebook

I Don't Know How You Do It

Catch up with Suz:

Instagram

When Autumn Comes:

WAC Instagram

WAC Facebook Page

WAC Society Facebook Page

WAC is a program of the Apricity Hope Project

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey. Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on our upcoming stories from other members of our medical and disabled community.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and a review so we can reach more 4 am moms with medically complicated, rare, beautiful children.

Who knew that the moment you became a mother, your whole world would change? I suppose we all did. "They" tell you about the sleepless nights, the infinite love you will have for this new human that you are in charge of. What "they" don't warn you about is the change in your identity. Of course, the day to day routine looks different. You have a new title. But you are changed deeply to your core. Or are you? Is the same girl who was in there before kids still there, just waiting it out until she is no longer a caregiver? This is something that is universal amongst all mothers, medical or not. But in some ways, it will still look different for medical moms.

Today, Susan and Diane come together again to discuss identity. They talk through ways in which medical motherhood has changed them, either because of the company they keep, the joys they have experienced, or the trauma they have endured. We hear about what parts of them remain from before they were mothers and their hopes for the future of their identities.

"I didn't lose myself. She just had to be a little dormant for a while." -Diane

Here's what Susan and Diane discuss this time:

• What is our identity?

• Identity of our children

• Who we associate with

• Season of life

• A gift for Susan

• What about Diane?

• A gift from the beginning

• Priorities

• What gives Susan hope?

Motherhood is so rewarding and so very challenging. Medical motherhood means that your season of mothering will be uniquely challenging. Becoming a mother, whether to a typically developing child, or one with medical needs will forever change you to your core. How do you find yourself, or keep yourself, while dedicating all of yourself to caring for someone else? Let me know in the When Autumn Comes Society or send me a DM on Instagram! I'd love to hear your take on this.

Catch up with Suz:

Instagram

When Autumn Comes:

WAC Instagram

WAC Facebook Page

WAC Society Facebook Page

WAC is a program of the Apricity Hope Project

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey. Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on our upcoming stories from other members of our medical and disabled community.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and a review so we can reach more moms with medically complicated, rare, beautiful children.

Welcome back. Sorry I missed you the last couple of weeks. Things got a bit hectic and I know y'all get it. So today… let's take a mental vacation and getaway for a five minute mental break.

Links and resources:

• Follow Suz: @suzgeoghegan

• Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WhenAutumnComesPodcast

• Follow us on Instagram: @WhenAutumnComesPodcast

• WAC is a program of the Apricity Hope Project - a nonprofit organization dedicated to caring for caregivers of medically complex and disabled children.

Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on our upcoming stories of medical and special needs parenting from families like yours.

Do you ever have that feeling deep in your gut that you need to check on your kid, and then they are doing something they shouldn't be doing? Have you ever thought of someone and then the phone rang? Is this just intuition or something more?

Today, we sit down with Jen. Jen shares with us her daughter Teal, and the magic within her. We discuss their unique way of communicating with one another, and how Teal's magic has captured those who have been fortunate enough to meet her.

Jen gives us insight into different ways to support our children, other than traditional medicine and therapy. We discuss creating balance between conventional treatments and those that are not always talked about in western medicine. She gives us a variety of resources to explore as we navigate our own journeys with our children, and so importantly, as mothers ourselves.

"Why do I have to follow the same path? I don't have the same kid as everyone else."-Jen

Here's what Jen and Suz discuss. You don't want to miss this.

• Welcome Jen

• Meeting Teal

• Teal's travels

• The magic of Teal

• Visiting hours are over

• Just "mom's intuition"?

• Mom magic

• Different intuitive options

• Caring for yourself

• Preparing the world

• What gives Jen hope

Rare disease can be a place of fear, sorrow, and anxiety. But on the other side of that is hope, light, and joy in the small moments. I hope Jen has shown you that it is ok to create your own path, and find support that works for you and your family. Have you explored any non-traditional therapies? What was your experience? Let me know in the When Autumn Comes Society or send me a DM on Instagram! I'd love to hear about how this helped you.

Connect with Jen:

www.ForOurSpecialKids.com

Email: [email protected]

@ForOurSpecialKids on instagram

@ForOurSpecialKids on Facebook

Catch up with Suz:

Instagram

www.suzgeoghegan.com

When Autumn Comes:

WAC Instagram

WAC Facebook Page

WAC Society Facebook Page

WAC is a program of the Apricity Hope Project

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey. Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on our upcoming stories from other members of our medical and disabled community.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and a review so we can reach more 4AM Moms with medically complicated, rare, beautiful children.

With Valentine's Day tomorrow, let's take 5 minutes together to reflect on how amazing YOU are. As parents and caregivers of medically complex and disabled children, we are often forgotten. We spend our days telling our little loves how much they mean to us - but often no one says it back. So today, let's focus on how loved you are and how incredible your mind, body and spirit is that makes you YOU!

Links and resources:

• Follow Suz: @suzgeoghegan

• Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WhenAutumnComesPodcast

• Follow us on Instagram: @WhenAutumnComesPodcast

• WAC is a program of the Apricity Hope Project - a nonprofit organization dedicated to caring for caregivers of medically complex and disabled children.

Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on our upcoming stories of medical and special needs parenting from families like yours.

And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and a review? Thanks!