The Only Child Diaries Podcast

Tracy Wallace
  • 5.0 (14)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Not just for only children! Info, stories and life experiences for anyone who feels like they didn't get the How-To brochure on life! Host Tracy Wallace, who has been a business owner, a successful fundraiser, a stand-up comedian, a caregiver and an animal lover, shares stories from the front lines of adulting to help others in this journey called life. She does this while finding the humor in the all situations.

  1. 3D AGO

    The Brochure on Have To Vs Want To

    Send a text Ever feel stuck between what absolutely has to get done and the few things you ache to do for yourself? That’s the tightrope we walk this week as I navigate my husband’s pain plan, an onslaught of rain, and a to-do list that keeps multiplying before breakfast. The theme is simple but stubborn: deciding what truly matters when caregiving, home maintenance, and your own body’s limits all demand first place. We open with a candid update on Bill’s nerve block wearing off, the new medication that’s giving him breathing room, and the logistics behind scheduling another procedure—wheelchairs, long drives, and the kind of planning that swallows afternoons. From there, I map the daily caregiving routine: feeding and safe transfers, heavy deliveries that still need lifting, and the small nonnegotiables like cleaning the litter box that keep the household running. Rain complicates everything—tarping a leaky car, moving gear under cover, and reckoning with time you didn’t budget. Sleep, which I’ve tried to protect, gets squeezed by early-morning construction next door, so I share what fatigue really does to decision-making and how one quiet holiday morning became a much-needed reset. There’s also the moment I nearly fainted and the unexpected comfort of a cat who refused to leave my side. Then a tough scene: finding a drowned squirrel in a rain-filled trash can, and what that says about capability, boundaries, and when to ask for help. Finally, I get honest about back pain and arthritis—why rest isn’t the fix, how movement and physical therapy matter, and why I’m pushing myself toward an MRI despite my claustrophobia. The throughline is practical: a simple triage that prioritizes safety, health, and one meaningful “want” that keeps me connected to myself. If this sounds like your life—too many musts, too few maybes—press play, take what helps, and share it with someone who needs a little grace today. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what’s the one “want” you’ll protect this week? For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

    17 min

  2. FEB 10

    The Brochure on an Expiring Nerve Block

    Send a text What do you hold on to when progress backtracks overnight? I open up about living with uncertainty after my husband’s nerve block—celebrating the good PT days, bracing for sudden flares, and learning to treat every pain-free hour like a win. This is a candid look at caregiving, the messy timelines of recovery, and the quiet work of staying hopeful when the medical maze keeps shifting. We walk through the practical steps and emotional pivots: moving from home PT to a specialized clinic, dealing with illnesses that pushed our schedule back, and the roller coaster of “he’s standing straighter” followed by “the pain is back when he sits.” I share what doctors told us about nerve blocks, how blood thinner pauses affect timing, and why advocacy matters when you’re trying to balance conservative care with humane pain management. If you’ve ever been told “no one knows how long it lasts,” you’ll recognize the blend of patience, persistence, and careful note-taking that keeps a plan afloat. A surprising thread in our week was the Winter Olympics. Watching athletes from around the world show up under pressure reframed our own fight for small, steady gains. It reminded me that listeners join us from every corner of the globe, each carrying their own version of resilience. We talk about gratitude without glossing over the frustration, practical ways to prepare for calls and appointments, and the mindset shift from chasing perfect days to counting meaningful moments. If this story resonates, stick with us. Follow Only Child Diaries, share this episode with someone who needs encouragement today, and leave a review so others can find the show. Your notes and ratings help this community grow—and your stories help us all feel less alone. For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

    13 min

  3. FEB 3

    The Brochure on COVID Recovery, Gardening, and Weather

    Send a text Some weeks feel like a collage: a cough that won’t totally quit, a cat who ignores dinner when the heat rises, a dog who thinks every block is a parade, and a lawn that finally answers back with the thinnest line of green. This conversation sits right in that mix—COVID recovery that’s mostly there but not quite, and the tender work of reclaiming energy, taste, and laughter one small step at a time. We get candid about what healing actually looks like when it doesn’t follow a clean arc. Tracy shares how she managed post-COVID fatigue, the odd flatness of flavor, and why masking and vaccines still matter. The thermostat ping-pongs between AC and heat, and the pets set the pace: insulin gets adjusted for a finicky, diabetic cat; the dog’s longer loop becomes the day’s quiet victory. Meanwhile, years of drought thinking meet a rainy season and a stubborn front yard. Seeding the lawn feels like a bet on the future, and the first sprouts reward patience despite canyon shade, crabgrass, and flying debris from next-door construction. Grief and news fatigue land hard, too. The passing of Catherine O’Hara stirs memories of SCTV and the offbeat humor that shaped a personal voice, and it pairs with the emotional strain of watching relentless headlines. We talk about protecting empathy, setting media boundaries, and choosing where attention can actually heal. Through it all, the theme is steady: care for what is yours to tend. That might be a garden, a glucose meter, a hoarse laugh, or a half-mile walk that proves the lungs are learning again. If this story speaks to you, follow Only Child Diaries on your favorite podcast app, leave a quick rating or review to help others find the show, and share it with a friend who needs a gentle nudge toward hope today. For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

    19 min

  4. JAN 27

    The Brochure on No Chocolate?? And a Life Lesson on Gullibility

    Send us a text The Covid cough won’t let me laugh yet, and somehow chocolate lost its spell. What in the hell happened to me??? That’s where this story starts: a real-time look at COVID recovery that trades drama for honesty. I talk through the positive test, the decision to get to urgent care quickly, and how Paxlovid likely kept things from getting scary. Then we get into the long haul—chest congestion, a thin appetite, and the strange peace of simple food. Soup, no dairy, low salt, and the slow work of rest have become the rhythm, while my dog negotiates for longer walks I can’t quite deliver. I’ve also been thinking about the forces that shape us, and one topic came to me: gullibility, especially through the lens of being an only child. Without siblings as a reference point, I learned some lessons the hard way. I share a childhood moment that rewired my instincts and trace how those patterns show up in adult relationships. We explore practical tools for spotting red flags without turning cynical: listen for consistency, compare timelines, and ask calm follow-up questions. When stories wobble, it might be deceit, it might be privacy, or it might be someone telling you what they think you want to hear. Either way, let boundaries do the heavy lifting and match your trust to the reliability you see. If you’re curious about how health choices intersect with everyday life, there’s plenty here—COVID symptoms, treatment, taste changes, and why vaccination matters even when you’re otherwise healthy. If you’ve ever struggled to balance generosity with discernment, you’ll find scripts and signals to keep your heart open and your eyes clear. Press play to join me for a grounded, candid conversation that puts care and truth at the center. If this resonated, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a friend who could use a little honesty today. For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

    18 min

  5. JAN 20

    The Brochure on Covid and Coughing

    Send us a text A scratchy throat, a stubborn cough, and a little denial—then a swab that changed the story. We open up about the week with a confirmed COVID case, the scramble to start Paxlovid, and the practical steps that made each day a little easier. From hydration habits and cough management to why gentle movement beats bed-bound stillness, this is a grounded walkthrough of what recovery really looks like when life refuses to quiet down. You’ll hear how vaccine timing shaped the experience, what delayed boosters taught us, and how age and secondary infection risks sharpen the stakes. We talk through the pharmacy and insurance hurdles that can slow treatment when minutes matter, share the foods and routines that calmed symptoms, and explain why soft meals, no dairy, and steady fluids made a difference. We also get real about living through chaos: sunrise beeps from a major home renovation next door, sleep disrupted for days, and a stressed-out cat who needed extra care right when we had the least energy to give it. This candid, step-by-step account blends personal experience with practical takeaways: get vaccinated, seek care early, move just enough to keep lungs clear, and build a routine you can sustain. If you’ve been on the fence about boosters or unsure when to go to urgent care, consider this your nudge to choose the safer path. Listen now, subscribe for more honest stories, and leave a review to help others find the show. What’s the one habit that helped you bounce back from being sick? Share it with us. For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

    17 min

  6. JAN 6

    The Brochure on Rain, Walks, And A Little Dog

    Send us a text Rain soaked Los Angeles, the Rose Parade turned soggy, and my holiday lights kept tripping like they were on a timer from the weather gods—so I used the mess as a nudge to start fresh. I share how a wet week, a sick spouse, and a very determined 14-pound chihuahua pushed me to restart my daily walks, rethink my habits, and listen to what my body and data keep telling me. We get practical about movement with cranky joints: what helped my feet, how copper socks lowered the barrier to longer walks, and why walking in short bursts still builds strength and eases back pain from arthritis. I unpack a local research lab visit where I tested lipoprotein(a) for heart risk and opted into a blood-based screen tied to early Alzheimer’s risk. The results were a mixed bag—good news on risk, an A1C at 5.7 nudging me toward steadier routines—and they landed right as holiday stress made better choices feel harder. Instead of aiming for perfect, I map out realistic daily steps: move more, keep meals simple, and let sleep and stress management carry their weight. Our little dog Brownie steals a few scenes too: refusing backyard drizzle but marching miles on a leash, guarding me from the mailman like a fluffy sentinel, and somehow knowing when our car turns onto the block. Those small moments reminded me that accountability can be playful and that consistency often starts with a leash, a timer, or a friend. If you’re facing rainy weather, borderline lab numbers, or a calendar that keeps slipping, you’ll find ideas here for building momentum when conditions aren’t ideal—plus a link to the socks that saved my feet. If this resonates, tap follow, leave a review to help others find the show, and share it with someone who needs a gentle push to get moving today. What tiny change will you commit to this week? "Magic" copper compression socks mentioned in this episode:   https://tinyurl.com/7cyrtaur To participate in the research study and find out about your risk for heart attack and Alzheimer's, here's the link to sign up, plus you will receive a stipend for your participation.  Locations throughout the United States.   http://friends.careaccess.com/7f8Gfv For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

    19 min

  7. 12/30/2025

    The Brochure on Holiday (Decoration) Blues

    Send us a text A holiday decorating contest turned into a masterclass in rolling with the weather. The atmospheric river drenched our front yard display, shorted the circuits, and left our ten-foot Yeti with gravity-defying soggy fur. We didn’t take home the win, but we did find something better: perspective, humor, and a reminder that the brightest moments often come after plans go sideways. From the driveway, the season threw another curveball—a couple inches of water pooled on the driver’s side floor of a ten-year-old SUV. We talk about quick fixes, patience, and the reality of aging seals when the sky refuses to cooperate. While mapping out an early-morning plan to catch the stealth bomber fly over the Rose Parade route, we navigate recovery needs and choose accessible viewing spots that make the tradition doable without a hike. Along the way, we reflect on the artistry behind parade floats, the powerful glue that holds petals and bark in place, and what happens when rain threatens months of volunteer work. Back at home, our rain-averse dog adds comic timing to the mud and maintenance, and we get honest about what communities save—or don’t—when stormwater rushes to the ocean. Sleep becomes our north star, fueling recovery and the small daily choices that add up to resilience. If you’re juggling holiday expectations, weather setbacks, and the hope for a dry New Year’s moment, you’ll find solidarity here and a few ideas to make next time gentler and more fun. Love what you heard? Follow and subscribe, leave a rating or review to help others find the show, and share this episode with a friend who needs a good story and a laugh. For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

    11 min

  8. 12/23/2025

    The Brochure on Los Angeles Rain

    Send us a text Holiday cheer meets home reality as a Southern California storm rolls in and puts a target on outdoor lights, inflatables, and carefully planned yard magic. I talk through the tradeoffs of beauty and safety—what happens when circuits shut down, mud takes over, and the sky ignores your calendar. There’s relief that it’s rain and not wildfire winds this year, plus a real wish that weather would wait until the decorations have their moment. The season’s other curveballs pile up in honest, relatable ways. A mysterious wet patch in the backyard becomes a puzzle for the plumber, complete with delays and a side of anxiety about water damage. Caregiving shapes the daily rhythm as I clear paths, move pet obstacles, and celebrate the small win of steady walking inside the house. Fatigue shows up without warning; sleep helps, but the bigger fix is giving myself permission to slow down. Rest becomes a strategy instead of a last resort. I also share the ongoing washing machine saga: laundromat trips, machines judged by smell, parts on backorder, and why a working washer might be the most underrated holiday gift. We keep the celebration simple—no indoor tree, no gift exchange, just a low-key plan with movies, easy meals, and dog walks that shift when neighbors travel. Through it all, the show’s community grows to 68 countries and nearly 700 cities, which feels like a gift of its own. If you’re juggling storms, repairs, caregiving, and the pressure to make it all feel festive, this one’s for you. Press play for humor, practical perspective, and a reminder that “good enough” can still feel good. If you enjoyed the conversation, follow the show, leave a rating and review, and share it with a friend who could use a calm, cozy listen. For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

    14 min
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5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Not just for only children! Info, stories and life experiences for anyone who feels like they didn't get the How-To brochure on life! Host Tracy Wallace, who has been a business owner, a successful fundraiser, a stand-up comedian, a caregiver and an animal lover, shares stories from the front lines of adulting to help others in this journey called life. She does this while finding the humor in the all situations.

Information

  • Creator
    Tracy Wallace
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    181
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Only Child Diaries Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Only Child Diaries Podcast