Invisible Not Broken - Chronic Illness Podcast Network

I’ve been dealing with chronic illness for 26 years, and can’t always listen to podcasts about chronic illnesses because honestly they make me sad for others and sad for myself! This one is totally different! The host is fun, goofy and a total dog lover (like me) and she not only handles her own pain and illness with a smile on her face, she literally even laughs every time she dislocates as a coping mechanism! (She has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.) Her positive attitude is contagious and it gives you a lot of hope. Her guests are great because they are SO knowledgeable about their chronic illnesses, but also so relatable. It’s like having a support group via a podcast. You feel less alone and more understood.

As a chronically sick person still working through the Nightmare of Multiple Diagnoses Stage, I appreciate this podcast a great deal. Living w chronic pain & illness is isolating as it is, & my knee-jerk response when my physical & mental health tank is isolating myself, which doesn’t tend to help matters at all. I’m not great at finding or fitting in w various online disability/chronic illness communities, which only adds to that sense of isolation. This podcast helps a lot w that feeling - I may not be the one talking or hosting, but it makes me feel seen & heard, regardless. So many days anymore I wake up thinking I can’t tolerate the agony w of pushing forward toward accurate diagnoses & need to just quit trying. Hearing the stories of others on their health journeys lends me strength on my lowest days. I am weirded out at the amount of reviews & comments asking the hosts to basically just change their entire personalities, voices, & neurodivergent “quirks” to suit the personal preferences of various individual listeners. *insert slow blinks* That is called ableism & is frowned upon in most disability-informed communities. Just FYI - when you do that, it sounds incredibly privileged, like this, “I don’t like his/her/their voice. Tell them to change it to one that I like better.” “I don’t like his/her/their ADHD. Tell them to mask that so I can be more comfortable.” “I don’t like the way they come off when they’re in pain. Tell them to hide that so I don’t find it irritating.” FWIW, the topics most complained about in other reviews are the very things that drew me to this podcast & keep me listening. I like the informal nature, the lack of pressure to mask neurodivergent behaviors (which btw is exhausting), & real, honest conversations about the struggles of living w chronic pain & illness. I wasn’t looking for a chronic illness podcast bc I wanted something perfect & pretty w fake sprinkles on top. I was looking for a podcast that would resonate, draw me in, & make me feel less alone. And that’s exactly what this podcast does. Thank you, for that.

Thank you for having this episode. It was very helpful in understanding the long process we are currently going through. Off to buy the book!

So much knowledge is shared in this podcast! Very enlightening and inspiring.