The Silent Struggles

Michelle Chan
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  • DOCUMENTARY

In 2021, I gave birth to my first child at 27 weeks. I felt completely alone. No one understood, and social media made it worse. Everyone else seemed fine, and I felt like a failure. That isolation became mental illness. When I opened up online, I found others like me, parents who knew the fear, guilt, and pain. Now I’m creating that same space for others. The Silent Struggles Podcast shares the pain you don’t talk about and the doubts you hide. I’m Michelle, your host. We break the silence, one story at a time.

Episodes

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    I Ended My Pregnancy Because of Hyperemesis Gravidarum | Kali’s Story

    Kali’s pregnancy became a fight she couldn't win, and she was forced to terminate.She suffered from Hyperemesis Gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness that goes far beyond nausea. It causes relentless vomiting, dehydration, malnutrition, and extreme physical and emotional exhaustion. For some, it’s life-threatening, leaving the body unable to sustain itself or the pregnancy.Despite her suffering, Kali struggled to find the support she desperately needed. Medical professionals, instead of helping, pushed her toward a decision she hadn’t wanted to make. The pressure, judgment, and lack of empathy made the condition even more dehumanising.Ultimately, Kali made the heart-wrenching choice to terminate her pregnancy. Her story reveals the raw, often invisible toll of Hyperemesis Gravidarum and the gaps in care for those who endure it.Click to hear Kali’s story.Her journey represents many who face conditions that are dismissed, misunderstood, or ignored. You are not alone. Others are walking the same path, finding strength in speaking their truth.Share your own story here:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSduT5ncgPExhxdXYRxd-GraSB--TMSKhgijL5FwlW4F87xzaA/viewformListen OnApple Podcasts, YouTube & SpotifyConnectInstagram: @thesilentstrugglespodcastTikTok: @thesilentstrugglesYouTube: @thesilentstrugglespodcast

    1hr 2min

  2. 19 MAR

    The Truth Behind Over Ten Surgeries and a Lifetime of Recovery - Karen's Story

    Karen spent years searching for answers that never came fast enough. She lived with endometriosis while being told her pain was normal. She went through surgery after surgery until the numbers reached double figures. She discovered adenomyosis and PCOS only after her body had already sustained the damage. She had a total abdominal hysterectomy.She had parts of her reproductive system rebuilt. She was told she would need more operations for the rest of her life.This story does not stop there. There is a part of her journey that changes everything. You will want to hear it in her own words. Click to hear what she has carried in silence for years.Her story speaks for many who live with silent conditions that are hard to see but impossible to ignore. If you’re living this reality too, you are not alone. Others are walking the same path, finding hope in small moments and strength in shared stories. If you want to share your own story, you can do it here:⁠https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSduT5ncgPExhxdXYRxd-GraSB--TMSKhgijL5FwlW4F87xzaA/viewform ⁠Listen On Apple Podcasts, YouTube & Spotify Connect Instagram: @thesilentstrugglespodcast TikTok: @thesilentstruggles YouTube: @thesilentstrugglespodcast

    46 min

  3. 24 FEB

    Losing My Uterus at 33 - Erin's Story

    Erin had an undiagnosed Placenta Accreta, a rare but serious condition where the placenta attaches too deeply into the uterine wall. Normally, the placenta detaches after birth, but in Placenta Accreta it doesn’t. This can cause life-threatening bleeding during delivery and is often only diagnosed during pregnancy scans or sometimes only discovered in an emergency. If untreated, it can put both mother and baby at extreme risk.At 33, Erin faced the unimaginable. Doctors warned her there was a chance she might need a hysterectomy. She ended up losing her uterus, her baby spent time in the NICU, and she lost a day of her life in a coma. What should have been a natural birth turned into a life-or-death ordeal.Her story is one of trauma, survival, and the devastating reality of rare pregnancy complications.Click to hear Erin’s truth.Her journey speaks for anyone who has suffered from serious, often invisible medical conditions. You are not alone. Others are walking the same path, finding hope and strength in sharing their stories.Share your own story here:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSduT5ncgPExhxdXYRxd-GraSB--TMSKhgijL5FwlW4F87xzaA/viewformListen OnApple Podcasts, Spotify & Apple PodcastConnectInstagram: @thesilentstrugglespodcastTikTok: @thesilentstrugglesYouTube: @thesilentstrugglespodcast

    46 min

  4. 3 FEB

    When Morning Sickness Nearly Took Her Life - Natalie's Story

    Natalie spent the last few months of her pregnancy in the hospital, fighting Hyperemesis Gravidarum, an extreme form of morning sickness that goes far beyond nausea. It caused constant vomiting, severe dehydration, and life-threatening malnutrition. Simple meals were impossible. Fluids alone weren’t enough. Her body was breaking down.Doctors had to act fast. Natalie’s baby was delivered early, and she needed a central line to receive critical nutrients and fluids to stay alive. What outsiders saw as “dramatic morning sickness” was a serious, dangerous condition that nearly cost both mother and child their lives.Her story is one to be taken seriously.Click to hear Natalie’s story now.Her journey represents many who suffer with conditions that are often dismissed or misunderstood. You are not alone. Others are walking the same path, finding strength in sharing their stories.Share your own story here:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSduT5ncgPExhxdXYRxd-GraSB--TMSKhgijL5FwlW4F87xzaA/viewformListen OnApple Podcasts, Spotify & Youtube. ConnectInstagram: @thesilentstrugglespodcastTikTok: @thesilentstrugglesYouTube: @thesilentstrugglespodcast

    32 min

  5. 13 JAN

    Surviving with Endometriosis, PCOS, and Adenomyosis - Patricia's Story

    Patricia’s story is quiet on the surface, but behind it is a life shaped by pain, strength, and constant survival.For years, she moved through the world with invisible battles, endometriosis, PCOS, and adenomyosis.Each one changed how she lived, how she saw herself, and how she hoped for the future.Endometriosis made her body a battlefield. Tissue that should have stayed inside her uterus grew elsewhere, causing pain that few understood.PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) brought hormonal imbalance, weight changes, and fertility struggles that tested her confidence.Adenomyosis blurred the line between uterus and muscle, turning every period into an unbearable reminder of what her body was fighting against.Through infertility and miscarriage, Patricia learned that healing isn’t linear.It’s messy. It’s painful. But it’s possible.Her story speaks for many who live with silent conditions that are hard to see but impossible to ignore.If you’re living this reality too, you are not alone. There are others walking the same path, finding hope in small moments and strength in shared stories.If you want to share your own story, you can do it here:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSduT5ncgPExhxdXYRxd-GraSB--TMSKhgijL5FwlW4F87xzaA/viewform Listen OnApple Podcasts, Spotify & Youtube. ConnectInstagram: @thesilentstrugglespodcastTikTok: @thesilentstrugglesYouTube: @thesilentstrugglespodcast

    28 min
  • 5 Episodes

About

In 2021, I gave birth to my first child at 27 weeks. I felt completely alone. No one understood, and social media made it worse. Everyone else seemed fine, and I felt like a failure. That isolation became mental illness. When I opened up online, I found others like me, parents who knew the fear, guilt, and pain. Now I’m creating that same space for others. The Silent Struggles Podcast shares the pain you don’t talk about and the doubts you hide. I’m Michelle, your host. We break the silence, one story at a time.

Information

  • Creator
    Michelle Chan
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Michelle Chan
  • Show Website
    The Silent Struggles