The Only Child Diaries Podcast

Tracy Wallace
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Personal Journals
  • 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. 1d ago

    The Brochure on a (New) Broken Dryer

    Send us Fan Mail Your shiny new washer and dryer finally arrive, you run a couple loads feeling like a responsible adult, and then the dryer basically taps out with “call for service.” That’s where I start today: the promise of an easier week, the reality of a day-two breakdown, and the very specific kind of frustration you feel when a big purchase fails instantly. I walk through what happened, how I handled the retailer call, and why I’d rather push for a replacement than gamble on a repair right out of the gate. Then we pivot to another modern headache: spam calls, bank fraud scams, and caller ID spoofing. I share a wild “fraud department” call that tried to bait me into handing over personal information, what I asked back, and why the safest move is always to hang up and call your bank using the official number. If you’ve ever worried about identity theft, wire transfer scams, or whether a call is legit, you’ll leave with a clearer playbook and a little more confidence. I also talk about the rise of AI scam calls, including the weirdly robotic “Am I audible?” opener and the auto-accident script designed to hook people who might be vulnerable. We close with a quick life check-in, an Election Day reminder to vote if you’re in the United States, and a few ways you can support the show. If this made you laugh, cringe, or double-check your call log, subscribe for more, share it with a friend, and leave a rating and review so more listeners can find Only Child Diaries. 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

  2. Oct 27

    The Brochure on One House, One Person to Clean, and the Past

    Send us Fan Mail Your house can tell the truth about your family in a way conversations never did. I’ve been thinking a lot about grief lately, and about that surprising idea that you can still learn who someone was after they’ve passed away. Living in my parents’ home has made that real for me, not through big dramatic revelations, but through everyday evidence: what got kept, what never got finished, and what “clean” meant in our family. I also get honest about housekeeping, clutter, and why “just clean the house” is never just that. My mom wasn’t obsessed with cleaning, and neither am I, but the basics were always there. Now I’m staring down the reality of inherited stuff from multiple generations, plus my own life, plus the pressure to make a home work when I’m one person with a job, pets, and a husband with serious health needs. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by decluttering, organizing, or accepting help, you’ll hear yourself in this conversation. Then there’s the saga that pushed me over the edge: our washing machine broke, and it stayed broken for a long time. Not because I didn’t care, but because life kept happening: a major fundraising event, the death of a friend, months of arrangements, hospitalizations, and the decision fatigue of replacing appliances in an older house that wasn’t designed for today’s machines. Along the way, I share what’s actually helping right now, including practical cleaning tools and a more realistic mindset. If you like thoughtful stories about adulthood, grief, and the messy work of keeping a household together, subscribe to Only Child Diaries, leave a rating and review, and share this episode with a friend who would get it. 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

  3. Oct 20

    When Blood Flow Stops

    Send us Fan Mail A tiny bruise on a foot doesn’t sound like a life-altering moment, but when circulation is compromised it can become the start of a medical crisis. I’m Tracy Wallace, and I’m sharing a raw update on my husband Bill’s condition, picking up after our emergency department trip and walking you through what happened next as doctors raced to restore blood flow to his leg. You’ll hear what it’s like to chase an appointment with an overbooked vascular surgeon, why we ended up pushing for answers through the hospital system, and how a leg angiogram can reveal the terrifying truth behind a blister that “shouldn’t” exist. I also unpack the caregiver side of this story: the logistics, the isolation, the mental spirals in the waiting room, and the way fear grows when nobody comes out to explain what’s happening. There’s relief here too, the kind that drops you to your knees. I talk about the moment I finally heard, “It worked,” and why even a successful procedure can still lead to a tough recovery and hard realities like tissue damage and gangrene. If you’ve ever felt alone while advocating for someone you love, this one will feel familiar. Follow Only Child Diaries Podcast, leave a rating and review, and share this episode with someone who needs a little hope and a lot of honesty. 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

  4. Oct 13

    October ER Visit

    Send us Fan Mail A hospital hallway is not where anyone expects to spend their day, yet for so many families it has become the new waiting room, the new patient room, and the new backdrop for life-changing news. I’m Tracy Wallace, and I’m sharing a raw snippet from a difficult week as my husband lands back in the hospital, forcing us to make fast decisions, push for the right specialist, and walk straight back into the emotional grind of the emergency room. You’ll hear what it’s like when an ER experience is “positive” on paper with quick tests, responsive staff, real movement and still feels brutal because there’s no privacy, no quiet, and no real space to exist. We talk about how emergency care has shifted since COVID, why hallways are now packed with patients, and how caregiver stress builds minute by minute when you’re stuck in a chair as gurneys and carts stream past. The tension peaks when they move us near the trauma bays, just feet from ambulance arrivals. While a medical team tries to explain my husband’s case, a child comes through injured, and the sound of that fear changes everything. I share the image I can’t shake: a mother holding her toddler, trying to shield her from the chaos, and what that moment taught me about love, protection, and the hidden emotional labor of caregiving. If you’ve ever searched for answers on navigating adulthood, supporting a spouse through illness, coping with hospital anxiety, or surviving an ER visit without falling apart, this conversation will feel painfully familiar. Subscribe to Only Child Diaries, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more listeners can find 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

  5. Oct 6

    The Brochure on a T Rex Skeleton

    Send us Fan Mail A nine foot T Rex skeleton looks amazing in a Halloween yard display until you are halfway inside its ribcage, trying to connect tiny wires with sore thumbs, and realizing your “I’ve got this” attitude has officially gone too far. We’re telling the full story of how our latest outdoor Halloween decoration turned into a sweaty DIY adventure, plus the neighbor text that saved the day. We also get real about the only child streak behind it all: the drive to finish a project alone, the pride that comes with it, and the moment you have to admit that wanting to do it yourself is not the same thing as refusing help. If you’ve ever tackled home decorating, assembled an animatronic prop, or tried to set up Halloween lights with no extra hands, you’ll recognize the mix of determination and comedy here. And because October is not cooperating, we dig into practical hot weather decorating tips: staying hydrated, working in the shade, and a surprisingly effective trick for cooling down fast. We also talk about the bigger challenges of Halloween decorating outside, from global warming heat spikes to rain threatening outdoor electronics, plus the unexpected reward of hearing that your decorations brought more trick-or-treaters to the street. Subscribe to Only Child Diaries, share this with a friend who loves Halloween, and leave a rating and review so more listeners can find us. What’s the wildest decorating project you’ve tried, and did you finish it 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

  6. Sep 29

    5th Podcast Anniversary and Halloween Decorating

    Send us Fan Mail Fifth year of the Only Child Diaries, and life still doesn’t hand out instructions. I’m checking in from the middle of a packed season where caregiving, health appointments, and constant time pressure are all competing for the same tiny slice of energy and focus. One bright spot I refuse to give up is Halloween decorating. I’m talking front-lawn chaos, hauling bins out of the garage, putting up our signature headless horseman, and getting humbled by a new animatronic velociraptor skeleton that looked “easy” until it absolutely wasn’t. The best part isn’t even trick-or-treat night, it’s the moment neighbors slow down, kids react, and you remember that a little wonder still exists right outside your driveway. I also share what’s been going on behind the scenes: Bill’s health ups and downs, the never-ending shuffle of medical and dental appointments, my own tooth injury that makes eating weirdly hard, plus the quieter stressors like pet anxiety when the house gets busy. We talk self-care in the most realistic sense of the word, sleep, managing pain, turning off a racing brain, and choosing something fun even when it feels “impractical.” If you’ve ever felt stretched thin, this one will feel like company. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen), leave a rating and review, and share the show with a friend who could use a little humor and light right now. 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

  7. Sep 22

    The Brochure on Scams

    Send us Fan Mail Your phone rings and a calm voice says your cable is getting cut off today. They sound professional, they drop a specific dollar amount, and they act like this happens all the time. That’s exactly why scam calls work and why we wanted to talk about them out loud, with real examples and real red flags you can use immediately. I’m Tracy Wallace, and I break down the spam and fraud calls that show up on a predictable schedule: “debt relief” robocalls that mimic a real person, IRS debt scams that try to scare you into compliance, and the classic cable bill scam that pivots from a “credit card glitch” to pushing you toward your checkbook. We talk through the questions that expose the script, like asking for billing details, account verification, and the company name they claim to represent. We also get into the higher-stakes scenarios, including a “your computer has a virus” scam that leads to remote access, lost money, and a painful cleanup, plus a suspicious gift card situation at the checkout that shows how quickly a small lie can snowball. If you’ve ever wondered how to spot phishing, phone scams, bank fraud, Zelle impersonation, or gift card scams, this conversation gives you practical steps to slow down, verify, and protect yourself without panic. Subscribe, share this with a friend who always answers unknown numbers, and leave a rating and review so more people can find the show. What’s the most convincing scam attempt you’ve heard lately? 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

  8. Sep 15

    The Brochure on a Wisdom Tooth

    Send us Fan Mail An 8 out of 10 tooth pain will humble you fast. I woke up in the middle of the night with pain shooting through my head, tried Motrin and Orajel, and realized I had to call my dentist the second the office opened. What followed was the kind of adult problem nobody trains you for: making a scary medical decision while you’re anxious, sleep-deprived, and hurting, then walking into the appointment alone because life logistics do not pause for panic. I tell the full story behind my dental anxiety and why it still feels traumatic even with a kind, sympathetic dentist. We get into the surprising “why do you still have wisdom teeth?” backstory, the cracked tooth history, and the moment the X-ray answers the question I didn’t want to ask: infection. From there it’s real talk about options, including why I said no to a root canal and how quickly “we can do it tomorrow” turned into “we’re doing it today” because of scheduling and nitrous oxide availability. You’ll hear what actually helped in the chair: tissues, steady reassurance, topical numbing, local anesthetic, and nitrous oxide while I focused on breathing and kept my eyes away from anything sharp. I also share what recovery felt like week one, from antibiotics and gauze to soreness that made me second-guess everything, plus the weird emotional jolt of realizing you’ve lost a tooth. If you’ve ever struggled with fear of the dentist, wisdom tooth extraction, or just trying to take care of yourself when it’s inconvenient and uncomfortable, this one is for you. Subscribe to Only Child Diaries, share this episode with a friend, and leave a rating and review so more people dealing with dental anxiety can find us. What’s your best trick for getting through a dentist visit? 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

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5
out of 5
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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
    216
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Only Child Diaries Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Only Child Diaries Podcast