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. 1d ago

    After 58 Days in a Hospital, Bill is HOME!

    Send us Fan Mail They tell you “He’s going home today,” and your whole body finally exhales. Then the plan changes. Then it changes again. I’m Tracy Wallace, and I’m sharing what it actually took to get Bill home after 58 days in the hospital, including the oxygen delivery that didn’t happen when we needed it, the new hospitalist who wanted to play it safe, and the tense moment when I had to be the one to deliver the news that he wasn’t leaving yet. Once the discharge finally stuck, we stepped into a program called Hospital At Home, and I had no idea how intense and supportive it could be. Nurses come to the house, labs get drawn and couriered, we meet the doctor by video, and our bedroom fills up with real medical equipment: oxygen machines, monitoring devices, an IV pole, and even an on-wheels chest X-ray that shows up at the front door. It’s a bridge between inpatient care and regular life, and it can be the difference between feeling alone and feeling covered when symptoms change fast. I also talk honestly about the caregiver side: documenting food and fluids, tracking blood sugar, managing neuropathy pain, juggling doorbells and deliveries, and watching our pets struggle with the nonstop activity. There are wins too, like him feeling stronger, eating better, and simply sitting together to watch a movie. If you’re navigating hospital discharge planning, home health services, caregiving stress, or curious about Hospital At Home, this one will make you feel seen. Subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show. 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. Aug 11

    The Brochure on Long Awaited Possible Discharge

    Send us Fan Mail A stent can sound straightforward until kidney function enters the chat. I’m sharing a real-time update from day 56 of my husband’s hospital journey, where a nuclear stress test and an abnormal EKG point to heart narrowings that may benefit from stents, but fragile kidneys make the “next obvious step” feel anything but obvious. We talk through what the doctors found, why a treadmill stress test wasn’t possible due to fluid retention, and how treatments like a heparin drip and Lasix fit into the bigger picture alongside lingering blood clot concerns. I also unpack a fear that a lot of families carry quietly: the worry that dialysis automatically means the end is closer, even when medical voices in our circle push back and say it can improve quality of life. Then I zoom out to the caregiver reality that doesn’t show up on a chart. The hour-long drive, parking, metal detectors, badges, bad hospital food, and chronic sleep loss become their own kind of marathon. I’m also trying to prep our home for what comes next, including the possibility of home oxygen, while keeping pets cared for and the house navigable. If you’re navigating caregiving, heart health decisions, kidney disease questions, or the mental load of hospital life, you’ll feel seen here. Subscribe to Only Child Diaries, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more listeners can find honest support. 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. Aug 4

    The Brochure on Day 45 - Against Medical Advice

    Send us Fan Mail Day 45 hits like a trap door: just when Bill seems to be recovering from pneumonia, the swelling returns and an ultrasound reveals a blood clot. I walk you through what it’s like to be the spouse in the chair next to the bed, trying to catch doctors during rounds, translate medical options in real time, and keep a clear head while the plan keeps shifting. We talk thoracentesis, fluid balance, clot risk, and why a single new diagnosis can change everything about a hospital stay. Then the diabetes piece explodes into the open. After a recent DKA trip back to the ICU, Bill’s blood sugars climb again, and getting his insulin pump resumed turns into a lesson in delays, weekend coverage gaps, and the emotional cost of “you need to advocate for yourself” when you are already doing exactly that. I share the moment I finally text our outside endocrinologist, the contrast in responsiveness, and the confrontation that follows when accountability starts bouncing between teams. From there, the story becomes about patient safety and trust. With conflicting opinions on anticoagulation, kidney concerns affecting blood thinner choices, and pressure to move to skilled nursing before things feel stable, I make the call to transfer Bill back to Cedars even though it means leaving against medical advice. I explain what that process looks like, what we learn once we arrive, and the small but meaningful progress that brings a little hope back into the room. If you’ve ever felt like healthcare is a maze, this one will feel painfully familiar and strangely empowering. Subscribe to Only Child Diaries, share this with someone who is caregiving right now, and leave a review so more people can find these stories and tools. 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. Jul 29

    The Brochure on Day 40

    Send us Fan Mail Day 40 in the hospital is not a milestone you celebrate, it’s a line you cross and realize you’ve been living in a completely different world. I’m Tracy Wallace, and I’m sharing a candid update on my husband’s hospitalization, including his return to the ICU after diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), and the ongoing push to clear pneumonia that keeps making breathing harder than it should be. If you’ve ever felt like you’re learning adulthood and caregiving without a manual, this one will hit close to home.  I walk through what the days actually look like: constant transfers, daily imaging, relentless blood draws, and the tension of waiting for a thoracentesis while blood thinners complicate the timing. I also share the small signs that matter when you’re desperate for forward motion, like kidney function improving on labs and swelling finally going down. And I’m honest about the mental exhaustion that comes with watching someone you love struggle, then trying to keep yourself steady enough to help.  There’s also a real talk moment about discharge planning and the pressure families can feel to move a patient to long-term acute care or a skilled nursing facility, even when home care may be the better fit. I explain how I advocate, why I hold my ground, and what gives me hope, including one surprising turning point that comes down to something as simple as sitting up in a hospital chair and finally being able to breathe.  If this story helps you feel less alone, subscribe to Only Child Diaries, share the episode with a friend, and leave a rating and review so more caregivers 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. Jul 21

    The Brochure on Pneumonia

    Send us Fan Mail I walked into the hospital already shaken, and within hours I was standing at an ICU desk hyperventilating because Bill had been sedated and intubated. That’s the kind of week we’re talking about here the moment when “he’s getting stronger in rehab” turns into oxygen alarms, pneumonia, and decisions you never want to make without your person fully awake.  I take you through the timeline: the early hope of discharge, the sudden breathing crash, the move from the rehab unit to a regular hospital room, and the call that changes everything ICU transfer, CPAP, and then intubation. Along the way we talk about what caregivers notice, like swollen ankles and fluid retention, especially when chronic kidney disease and type 1 diabetes are already in the mix. This is not medical advice, but it is the real-world experience of living inside hospital systems and trying to stay steady enough to ask the next question.  We also get honest about the human side of ICU care: seeing your loved one covered in tubes, hearing clinical updates that don’t feel like enough, and choosing to talk to them under sedation because your voice still matters. I share what happened with attempted dialysis, why it was such a gut punch, and what it felt like to watch him wake up with the breathing tube still in his throat before extubation.  Then we zoom out to the part nobody prepares you for caregiver self-care. I unpack what “take care of yourself” actually looks like when you’re balancing hospital hours, pets at home, sleep, food, and the constant fear you might lose your spouse. If this story hits home, subscribe to Only Child Diaries, leave a rating and review, and share it with someone who needs it. What’s one small thing that helps you get through the worst days? 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. Jul 7

    The Funny Brochure On A Hospital Check In

    Send us Fan Mail Day 20 hits different when the hospital stay turns into a full-on relocation. Bill is finally recovering and we even have a discharge date, but getting from hospital number two to hospital number three (acute rehab) becomes a four-hour marathon of paperwork, waiting, traffic, valet check-in, and one very humbling reality: we look like a hot mess. I’m talking bracelets still on, an IV wrap, Snoopy pajama bottoms, vascular boots, a duffel bag stuffed with clothes, and me trying to keep it together while we roll through a building that feels way too big for the amount of help you can actually find. At home, the caregiver life doesn’t pause. I’m exhausted mentally and physically, and sleep gets weird when you’re alone in the house and your pets can’t make sense of the new normal. The cat gets louder at night, wants food and attention, and seems determined to start the day before sunrise. Add in rehab rules like needing fresh clothes every day, plus a broken washer that forces laundromat runs, and you’ve got the kind of stress that doesn’t look dramatic from the outside but slowly drains you anyway. We also talk about what caregiver burnout feels like in real time, and why “I’m doing my best” has to count. Then there’s the part that stays with me: navigating long, vacant hospital corridors with locked doors, empty stations, and the kind of silence that makes you second-guess your own sense of direction. On the first night, a strange coincidence brings grief to the surface and reminds me how memory can show up in the middle of logistics. If you’ve ever had to navigate the healthcare system, manage a hospital transfer, or hold down a home life while someone you love heals, you’ll feel this one. Subscribe to Only Child Diaries, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a rating and review. What’s the most exhausting “small thing” you’ve dealt with while caring for someone? 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. Jun 30

    The Brochure on 3 Hospital Visits

    Send us Fan Mail A 60/40 blood pressure reading at 11 pm is the kind of number that makes your whole world go quiet. I’m Tracy Wallace, and I’m sharing a very real update on why there was no episode last week: my husband landed in the hospital after a string of scary episodes that looked and sounded like a stroke. He was slurring his speech, not making sense, and completely unlike himself and I had to make calls fast while he resisted going to the ER. I walk you through how I tried to rule things out at home using what many families rely on: a blood pressure cuff, an oxygen meter, and his diabetes tech, including an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor. When glucose was normal, the mystery got bigger, and the fear got sharper. You’ll hear how we leaned on a neighbor, what nurses later taught me about using salt when blood pressure is dangerously low, and why the “do what you have to do” moments can feel both absurd and lifesaving. From there, we get into the hospital maze: admissions, tests, discharge plans that didn’t sit right with me, and the decision to move him to a higher standard of care at Cedars-Sinai for more exploratory testing and medication changes. The working diagnosis is orthostatic hypotension, and I talk honestly about what long hospital stays do to strength and mobility, why acute rehab and intensive physical therapy can be the safer bridge home, and how caregiving pressure collides with jobs, pets, and basic exhaustion. If you’ve ever had to advocate for a partner, manage low blood pressure symptoms, or push for answers when doctors are still searching, you’ll feel seen here. Subscribe to Only Child Diaries, share this with someone who’s caregiving right now, and please leave a rating and review so more people can find the show. 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. Jun 16

    The Brochure on Sports

    Send us Fan Mail Sports are everywhere, and somehow we’re all expected to have strong opinions, favorite teams, and the stamina to watch a three-hour game on a weeknight. We’re not doing that. We’re getting honest about what it’s like to be a casual sports fan, why some games feel impossible to sit through, and how you can still enjoy the culture without forcing yourself into someone else’s version of fandom. We talk football from the perspective of someone who loves a big moment but struggles with the slow buildup, then shift to baseball and why it’s more fun once you understand the strategy behind every pitch. From there, we share the surprise sport that finally hooked us: ice hockey. Watching the Vegas Golden Knights during a Stanley Cup playoff run made everything click, even without knowing all the terms. It’s fast, dramatic, and it rewards attention in a way that feels refreshing. We also get real about the live game experience: parking, walking, food lines, bathroom lines, sun, cost, and the legendary challenge of getting out of Dodger Stadium. We touch on the World Cup energy in the Los Angeles area, the jerseys and merchandise everywhere, and how sports operate as a massive industry that can still do real good through community outreach. If you’ve ever felt “not sporty enough” to join the conversation, you’ll feel seen here. Subscribe to Only Child Diaries, share this with a friend, and if you like what you hear, leave a rating and 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

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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
    205
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Only Child Diaries Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Only Child Diaries Podcast