Unfixed Podcast Beyond My Battle

Dogs are unspoken healers. For some, they offer companionship, to others they act as an essential lifeline. In this episode, two women living with chronic illness explore the joy and purpose dogs brought into their lives. Morgan was born with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, while Jennifer developed debilitating autoimmune diseases. For Morgan, her service dog Dewey became her reason to get out of bed every day and gain more independence. For Jennifer, a desire to bring joy to others caused her to found Pile of Puppies, a non-profit that connects puppies to children living with chronic illness. The two discuss the remarkable abilities dogs have, and the times they’ve witnessed their comfort and healing firsthand. Dogs are the beautiful blessing that taught them that joy and light can always be found, even in hardships.

Dads are often likened to superheroes. Tireless providers and valiant protectors, they’ve rightfully earned the comparison. Some dads, however, are actual superheroes fighting battles every day. Single dad Anthony Sanchez visibly dons his cape, while dad Brian Langhans wears his costume underneath. Despite different journeys, both men uncovered their powers in a similar way – through a sudden, life-changing disability. Brian was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease after a car accident, while Anthony was paralyzed from the chest down after a motorcycle accident. It was at rock bottom that they discovered inner strength and an outward purpose of being role models for their children. 
 
In this episode, Brian and Anthony discuss the steep learning curves that came with their disabilities. Brian had to learn how to balance fatherhood and work with an unpredictable body. Anthony had to figure out alternatives to once simple tasks from the confines of his wheelchair. Together the two discuss how a shift in mindset and the desire to be a role model for their children empowered them to turn their can'ts into cans. Anything is possible with a little faith, determination and most importantly, support. Even the greatest superheroes need help too.

HIV/AIDS, mental illness, and activism. Three topics rooted in stigma that become more complex when they intersect with another taboo topic – women. Not many dare to step into these challenging arenas, but for two prolific activists, Dawn Averitt and Melody Moezzi, fighting for better care for women has been their life’s work. In this episode, Dawn and Melody share their parallel journeys into activism. What started as a small flame at an early age ignited into full-blown passion for advocacy after they received life-changing diagnoses. Dawn was diagnosed with AIDS. Melody with Bipolar disorder. Both didn’t have access to the proper care they needed and were forced to fight for it, turning their rage into action, developing needed programs, and raising awareness that has helped transform the lives of countless women living with HIV/AIDS and mental illness. Together, they discuss the importance of destigmatizing activism. They talk about how activism does not require big, heroic actions, but rather small steps that can create a ripple of change across our shared humanity.

Having a chronic illness as a young adult can be isolating. Healthy peers don’t understand and the medical world feels designed for older people. Then one day, you find people like you online. These online communities weren’t always there – a few brave pioneers paved the way for these safe spaces to take flight. In this episode, Stefanie Grant and Jenny McGibbon discuss how they started sharing their health journeys online in their early 20s. For both Stefanie, who has facial pain disorders and Fibromyalgia, and Jenny, who has Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Short Bowel Syndrome, their blogs began as a personal outlet during a time they felt alone in their health battles. As their journeys evolved, so did their blogs, becoming online communities that now serve thousands. Together, they discuss their responsibilities as leaders within the space, the delicate balance that exists between positivity and authenticity, and how they attempt to hold space for others while recognizing everyone has a different lived experience.

Most of us don’t like to think about the end until we’re forced to. In this episode, two men suddenly confronted with their own mortality talk about the grace they found on the other side of suffering. Dylan, a writer and Chinese medicine doctor, was diagnosed with ALS in 2017. Pierre, a Buddhist Chaplain specializing in end-of-life care, was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Together, the two discuss the transformative growth and meaning they found when they learned to let go and embrace their circumstances. Sometimes the greatest lessons in life come from the greatest hardships; it’s our choice whether we’re open to receiving the beauty that blooms from pain.

Sometimes our heroes aren’t legendary figures, they're the ones right in our home. Bethany Cook’s world shattered when she was diagnosed with Narcolepsy and Cataplexy on the brink of young adulthood. Her mother, Tamara Cook was there to catch her as she fell into grief. As Bethany faced loss of identity, Tamara dealt with the loss of loved ones.  Together the two have marched side-by-side in the battlefield of life while caring for each other’s needs. In this episode Bethany, a grad student pursuing psychology, and her mother Tamara, founder of the nonprofit Heart 4 Children, dive into their unbreakable bond that developed out of an unexpected place: mutual suffering. Tamara explains how she was able to draw on her own life experiences to be the compassionate caregiver her daughter needed. Bethany recounts the ways her mother was a steady anchor during turbulent times with her chronic illness, offering just the right balance between encouragement and listening. It’s an intimate conversation on grief, acceptance and what it looks like to care for others in their time of need.