Dads are often likened to superheroes. Tireless providers and valiant protectors, they’ve rightfully earned the comparison. Some dads; however, are actual superheroes fighting battles every day. Single dad Anthony Sanchez visibly dons his cape, while dad Brian Langhans wears his costume underneath. Despite different journeys, both men uncovered their powers in a similar way, through a sudden, life-changing disability. Brian was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease after a car accident, while Anthony was paralyzed from the chest down after a motorcycle accident. It was at rock bottom that they discovered inner strength and an outward purpose, being role models for their children.
In this episode, Brian and Anthony discuss the steep learning curves that came with their disabilities. Brian had to learn how to balance fatherhood and work with an unpredictable body. Anthony had to figure out alternatives to once simple tasks from the confines of his wheelchair. Together the two discuss how a shift in mindset and the desire to be a role model for their children empowered them to turn their can'ts into cans. Anything is possible with a little faith, determination and most importantly, support. Even the greatest superheroes need help too.
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Activism, HIV/AIDS and mental illness. Three topics rooted in stigma that become even more complex when they intersect with another taboo topic, women. Not many dare to step into these challenging arenas, but for two prolific activists, Dawn Averitt and Melody Moezzi, fighting for better care for women and empowering them to use their voice has been their life’s work.
In this episode, Dawn and Melody share their parallel journeys into activism. What started as a small flame within them at an early age, ignited into a full blown passion for advocacy after they received a life-changing diagnosis. Dawn was diagnosed with AIDS, while Melody was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder. Both didn’t have access to the proper care they needed, and were forced to fight for it. They turned their rage into action, developing programs and raising awareness that has helped transform the lives of countless women living with HIV/AIDS and mental illness.
Together the two discuss the importance of destigmatizing activism. Activism does not require big, heroic actions, but rather small steps that can create a ripple of change across our shared humanity.
Having a chronic illness as a young adult can feel like an isolating experience. Your healthy peers don’t understand, and the medical world feels designed for older people. Then one day, you stumble across others just like you online. You’ve found your tribe. But these online support communities weren’t always there, a few brave pioneers paved the way for these safe spaces to take flight.
In this episode, we meet Stefanie Grant and Jenny McGibbon, digital creators and advocates, who started sharing their health journeys online in their early 20s. For both Stefanie, who has facial pain disorders and fibromyalgia, and Jenny, who has 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 have evolved, so have their blogs, becoming online social media communities that are thousands of members strong.
Together the two discuss their responsibilities as leaders within the CI community space, the delicate balance that exists between positivity and authenticity and how they attempt to hold space for others, recognizing that everyone has a different lived experience and voice.
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Most of us don’t like to think about the end until we’re forced to. In this episode, two men suddenly confronted with their own mortality talk about the beautiful grace they found on the other side of suffering.
Dylan, a writer and naturopathic doctor-in-training, was diagnosed with ALS, a terminal disease, in 2017. Pierre, an ordained Buddhist Chaplain specializing in end of life care, was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Together, the two discuss the transformative growth and meaning they found when they learned to let go and embrace their circumstances. We often go through life thinking two things: that our identity is tied to our bodies and that death and illness are negative experiences to fear. Sometimes the greatest lessons in life come from the greatest hardships. It’s our choice whether we’re open to receiving the beauty that blooms from pain.
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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 right 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.
The number of illnesses that qualify as mysterious is staggering. From Chronic Fatigue Syndrome to Fibromyalgia to Lyme disease, the list is inclusive of many conditions one would think are understood. However, these illnesses are deemed mysterious because they are largely invisible and medicine hasn't figured out how to properly treat their symptoms. They also predominantly affect women. In this episode, author Sarah Ramey and Physician Assistant and professor Brianna Cardenas draw from a well of wisdom as patient advocates with mystery illnesses to explore the gender inequities, biases, and systemic barriers to getting proper care. They discuss how patients must stand their ground in seeking proper care within a broken healthcare system that often tells us it's all in our heads. With no magic bullet to “slay the dragon” these women are reframing the heroes’ journey into the heroine’s journey – a process of drawing strength and wisdom from the darkness and emerging to guide others into a new paradigm that recognizes the value of being unfixed.
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Life is traumatic. But some of us get an extra whopping dose of it, especially before we've learned tools to help us navigate the stressors. In this episode our guests explore the connection between early survival strategies and how a nervous system caught in a stage of fight, flight or freeze can sometimes lead to chronic illness. Former family physician and trauma specialist Veronique Mead and trauma survivor Kristy Boyd share their research, models and personal stories living with chronic illness, illustrating that trauma “is not all in your head.” Together they explore the nuances of trauma, the triggering events that can reawaken early physiological patterns and how to tend and befriend our way into a healthier way of being.
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 and managing her own congenital sensorineural hearing-loss, and Tessa has 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.
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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 for US Rowing. Currently, the two not only share most days of the week together in training, but they also were diagnosed a few years ago with degenerative diseases. Todd is learning to strike the balance between toughness, pushing through and rest, something pre-Parkinson’s he never really had to do. And Susan, as his coach, is always trying to find workarounds to the challenges his body presents whilst learning to adapt to her own new physical limitations. In this episode these two seasoned athletes explore how movement and training have become a therapeutic part of living with a chronic illness, how the meaning of strength has changed over the last few years, and how coaching is ultimately a good metaphor for life.
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Dr. Annie Brewster is an internal medicine doctor, founder of Health Story Collaborative and professor at Harvard. Rachelle Alford is a former ER nurse, dancer and artist. Both live with chronic illnesses. Both strongly believe in the transformational power of sharing one's story. Story-telling heals. And by healing, we mean it empowers, connects and helps us find purpose and meaning through some of the hardest of times. When a doctor delivers a diagnosis, it’s usually the end of the story. But for the patient, a diagnosis is just the starting point. A patient must walk away and begin the long, winding journey of integrating this diagnosis into their life, relationships and identity. In this episode, Annie and Rachelle explore the power of patient narrative from the perspective as patients and as providers. Through sharing their health narratives and encouraging others to do so, they explore how they are turning their messes into messages, the barriers to listening and sharing in our current healthcare system, and how the process of story-telling helps us identify and articulate the new-found strengths and perspectives that are born from our brokenness. Research shows that storytelling is healing for both story sharers and listeners. The trials we endure could be someone else’s survival guide and ultimately remind us all that we are not alone.
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After being diagnosed with transverse myelitis, CEO of the Argosy Foundation, Jeneye Abele, turned to comedy as a lifeline while adapting to the unpredictable and demanding nature of her medical condition. Like a magic pill, she finds laughter helps her transcend physical discomfort. In this episode, she talks with Dr. Joel Goodman, Founder and Director of the HUMOR Project, about how laughter can help carry us through the most difficult times. Together, they reflect on how an attitude of humor doesn't mean you have to be a comedian. The simple act of choosing to laugh at ourselves and see things with childlike curiosity and light-heartedness can give us perspective on otherwise overwhelming situations. Positive humor connects us, builds confidence and makes us think about our shared humanity. And bonus, it just feels darn good to laugh.
In this episode, James Beard award-winning author and speaker Elissa Altman joins writer, speaker and celebrated artist Elizabeth Jameson as they discuss the role of sustenance in their own lives. It is safe to say, this bedrock of support has been stripped from both of them in unique ways throughout their lives. Elizabeth, through the disease progression of MS that has her now living as a quadriplegic. And Elissa, through a contentious and traumatic relationship with her mother's mental illness. The guests discuss what sustains us (and not just food) during life challenges such as family trauma and disability, reflecting on what it takes to transform lack into abundance and bitterness into generosity of spirit.
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Kimberly Warner is a filmmaker and the director/producer of the Unfixed documentary and award-winning Unfixed docu-series. She is also the reason the Beyond My Battle Podcast now bears its new name – the Unfixed Podcast. In this episode, Kimberly talks with host, Martel Catalano, about her journey living with a rare, neurological condition called Mal de Débarquement Syndrome. Mostly, Kimberly talks about why she needed to find others who were learning to thrive with their incurable conditions... and make a film about them.
This introductory episode of the Unfixed Podcast takes on a somewhat different shape than the rest of the series. In future episodes the format will feature two guests in conversation about a topic.
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