Medical Musings With Sam: Recent Episodes
My Medical Musings
I'm a blogger, a writer and founder of online support Group, Medical Musings With Friends. Before becoming chronically ill, with a rare bone disease, I was an Executive Manager with a passion for change management, coaching and developing my team. Medical Musings With Sam is all about connecting with others, who are trying to live well with chronic illness, in the midst of difficult challenges and hurdles. Come on a journey with me as I share my experience of living a life of faith and hope with my disease.
After 4 years behind the microphone, I have made the decision to cease Podcasting, “Medical Musings With Sam”There are a number of reasons:The easy to use software I was using for recording through my Podcast host is no longer available and the alternatives are cumbersome requiring major editing, which is not something I can deal with with life’s ongoing challenges.Both Peter’s health, with his recent Alzheimers diagnosis, and my bone disease , are progressing for the worse and I am absolutely exhausted. Something has to giveAs I reviewed all the activities under the “My Medical Musings” portfolio, the Podcast, while doing well, has the least interaction.The good news is the Podcast will still be available to listen to permanently and there are 84 episodes available…..here’s the Podcast link:https://open.spotify.com/show/5YqbguCqSJtAjbiruJbMqO
Hi everyone ,On today's podcast episode, I'm excited to share with you what I consider to be one of the best YouTube travel vloggers, "The Buddymooner"https://youtube.com/@thebuddymoon?si=35a720dfI2S2ENI6They are a young married South African couple who are so genuine and down to earth and honestly make you feel you are travelling with friends. In fact, on their YouTube channel, their description of their vision for their vlogs aligns so much with the vision of "My Medical Musings" platforms (book, blog, podcast, and forum). They believe adventures and travels are best done with buddies! As a disabled people, they just get their vlogs right in terms of having a wonderful travel experience with them and really feeling like I was with friends who want to give me the best experience possible while not being afraid to tell it like it is and not overdoing their excitement when things are amazing.I then go on to talk to you about tiredness, and it's ok to be honest about not coping for a while. It's ok to be real and genuine.I hope you enjoy this "eclectic" podcast episode, and I really hope you check out the "Buddymoon" on YouTube.Safe "virtual" travels with friendsLove, Sam xx 😘
My latest episode is all about finding "The Good Stuff" in your life to distract you from living with chronic illness.This is the stuff we need to do to mitigate "The Bad Stuff." This is about our well-being, our efforts to reclaim ourselves from the octopus arms of our diseases, and break free as much as we can.I hope my "Good Stuff " list motivates you to find yours and incorporate it into your daily and weekly routine.https://mymedmusings.comI also want to highlight a wonderful travel vlog I've just discovered. The husband and wife team, Leanne and Dan, known as thebuddymoon, are from South Africa They're so authentic, and you really feel you are experiencing travelling with good friends.You can check them out on You Tube...https://youtube.com/@thebuddymoon?si=5n606IPOAuSOb_xqHave fun discovering your "Good Stuff"Love,Sam xx
Well, here we go again on a bit of a roller-coaster.I don’t think I’ll ever get rid of the vision of my husband slumped half on the floor, with his head slammed into the hard arm of the chair, unconscious and vomiting while unresponsive. I’ve never been so scared in all my life.In this episode I share our incredibly scary COVID journey which I am still on. If nothing else I hope it raises awareness that we still need to be careful. This thing is fatal.Take care and thanks so much for listening.Sam xx
A few weeks ago, my husband ended up in hospital with a suspected stroke.After numerous tests, including an MRI angiogram, a stroke was ruled out, but he was told he had short-term memory loss and “wear and tear ” showing on the MRA.I could have told them that, so I wasn’t particularly happy with the outcome.Once I was able to view the actual MRA report and do some research, it was apparent the damaged area of the brain was a little more than “wear and tear.”Within weeks, we were given the diagnosis of Alzheimers disease, and a new life changing chapter of our lives begins.I'm going to take you on our journey as much as I can to shine a light on this insidious disease. I hope you'll learn from my never-ending mistskes of what not to do, as well as feel encouraged by our love and commitment to each other to provide ongoing support and to do as much as we can to still laugh and live a life of faith and hope.One thing I forgot to say on the podcast is that my husband is being referred to a neurologist in the hope he might be eligible for medication to slow the process. I'll keep you posted.Here's some links I also promised to Alzheimers Queensland resources:https://alzheimersonline.org/dementia-resources/and my blog post, " Let's Make Some Lemonade,"https://mymedmusings.com/2022/01/19/lets-make-some-lemonade/Thanks for listening Sam xxwww.mymedmusings.com
In this episode, I share my recent complex health update with details not in my blog posts.I share how I'm coping or not coping but more importantly I share my strategies for dealing with so many changes to my health and life circumstances. These tips are as relevant to chronic and complex illness as they are to any other life changing circumstances.I hope you will find something that resonates for you.If you would like to keep up with my musings on a weekly basis you can check in with my blog at www.mymedmusings.com.Thank you so much for listening. I so appreciate your support.Love, Sam xx#change #plans#ponder#divideandconquer#support #pain
As a patient advocate, I am often called, inspiring, motivating, and full of strength despite my adversities.While I want to be all those things in order to reach others and help them through their own inspiring, motivating, and incredible chronic illness journeys, the truth is most days I am just treading water.I feel every inch of my daily pain. I look in the mirror, and my heart sinks at the reflection of the woman I used to be, let alone the woman I’d like to be now.When we are treading water, we are not drowning. I think that’s an important point. Quite likely to the outside world, we look like we are managing very well.When treading water, your head is still above the ocean, and while a few waves may threaten to crash over, you are generally afloat. Others would have little idea of the struggle going on underneath the calm blue sea.Does A Diagnosis Make a Difference?The diagnosis doesn’t change the outcome in terms of treatment or cure. There isn’t any, but it answers so many questions for me, and that’s priceless!Everything I’ve experienced now makes so much sense. Yes, it’s rare. Yes, it’s a crazy disease. Yes, it’s progressive, and I’m acutely aware of the ramifications of that as my symptoms and my pain levels increase.But I now know why, and for some reason, that knowledge removes its power over me. It’s part of me rather than being something attacking me from nowhere.I hope you enjoy this episode as I share highs and lows and celebrate an amazing diagnostic milestone.Take careSam xxwww.mymedmusings.com #rarediseaseday#Osteopetrosis #cancer
You would be forgiven for thinking this is a Valentine’s Day post given the title I’ve chosen. It is about love but with a twist.This blog post is about loving life again when chronic illness takes away things we have always loved but can no longer do.It’s about love and losses.It’s my musings about acceptance being the gateway to a new life.Acceptance is not a sad resignation. It’s the pathway to peace, happiness, and freedom from prolonged grief.Sam MossFor me, acceptance is acknowledging my disabling rare disease “is what it is”. It’s part of me, but it’s not all of me.I have formed strategies over the past ten years to adjust to my change in circumstances and to live a contented life.www.mymedmusings.com
As a new year looms, I have begun thinking about what’s important to me, what’s missing from my life, and what changes I want to make and need to make in 2024.I've done a lot of sharing over the years!I’ve been blogging for eight years now, sharing my chronic illness story, my love story, my personal life in general, and I’ve even had my memoirs published in a full book.It’s been a lot of sharing!All the while managing my Facebook support group, volunteering for Arthritis Queensland, moderating some of their online support groups.I also established a podcast two years ago and have consistently recorded and published episodes once or twice a month.It’s been a lot of sharing and a lot of work.Each element is a full-time job in its own right.I still want to be an open book, but I need to close some of it to reclaim space to be private, reflective, and hold on to things extra special to me. I need to protect those things that do not require the scrutiny that comes with a public life.So 2024 will have a strong private focus.For more on why I'm making this change, this podcast episode reveals all.Hope you enjoy it!Love, Sam
Perhaps chronic illness is giving me a Christmas gift. The gift of time. Time to stop. Time to get out of the rat race of life. Time to reconnect with what really matters in life.In this episode I celebrate Christmas with you, focusing on the restraints chronic illness brings to our personal experience while exploring ways to still have the best Christmas ever.Plus, there may be a Christmas solo from yours truly at the very end, singing my favourite carol and the solo I always sang at the Christmas Eve Service, in my previous life.Happy Christmas Everyone and thank you so much for all your support throughout 2023.Speak to you in 2024.Take care,Sam xxwww.mymedmusings.com
I’ve never been one for focusing on “me.” I’ve always naturally put everyone in my life first, including family, friends, church, volunteering, and work.I realised this week that I’ve even been doing this from a medical perspective, especially since being diagnosed with complex chronic, often acute, illness.I was chatting to my occupational therapist a few weeks ago and explaining how I couldn’t bear the thought of going back to the hospital, how sick and tired I was of appointments, and how exhausted I was.She said it sounded like I might be experiencing Medical post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD).My immediate response was;" yes, I’m pretty sure I am”.I need time to have fun again, to block out all the “have too’s” and spend blocks of time feeling free to focus on unimportant things, trivial things, moments of not worrying about commitments, health and other life stresses etc. I need quality time to spend with my husband.In this podcast episode I share my thoughts on what I will be doing to make significant changes in my life to deal with Medical PTSD and reclaim "me".Love, Sam ❤️www.mymedmusings.com
My husband and I have been married for almost 28 years, and during that time, he’s slept on the right side of the bed, and I’ve slept on the left.It’s 5am, and I’m not in bed. Although I’m so exhausted from an over busy week and I need to be there. I need to be comfortable, secure, and free from an elbow bent in such a way that it’s like a bow waiting for its arrow to be inserted, and fired directly into the side of my spine!Too dramatic? Maybe. Maybe not.You know it’s ok to sometimes admit defeat. In fact, it often takes more strength of character and courage to do so than to continue with a situation, a circumstance that isn’t right for you and is being driven by others ideas of what they think is best for you.In this Podcast episode, I'm back to my normal anecdotal Musings of living life with a chronic disease and my husband.Hope you enjoy.Take care, Samwww.mymedmusings.com
MY "TROLL" STORY: I experienced some "trolling" this week. My first ever which was a bit of a miracle, given that my patient advocacy work is public. It's never nice is it but it was a good reminder to focus on the beauty in our lives, be truthful to ourselves and with others, and those "trolls" just won't have the power or impact they seek to have.#naneahoffman#trolls#patientadvocacy#GoFundMe#gratitude www.mymedmusings.com
In this latest podcast episode, I tell the full story of why we have needed to fund raise. I discuss the overall experience of stepping outside of our comfort zone and the varying reactions of others.Plus, the meaning behind a simple phrase, told to me by a dear old lady when I was sweet 16, that connects this entire new journey.There are some things in life you never thought you’d have to do….like setting up a Go Fund Me account!However, chronic illness and life circumstances sometimes create avalanches, and a helping hand is needed.Chronic illness and financial stress are not a good mix.This is the position my husband and I find ourselves in.I realise there are times in our lives when we simply need to ask for help from a “village” of people, who are each able to assist just a little, so we can raise just enough. Every day since we launched the page, we have received the most generous of donations, encouraging messages of support and our page being shared by others in an effort to help us achieve our fundraising goals."You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus.”(Philippians 4:19, MSG).Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts. You are all amazing and such a blessing.https://gofund.me/b59d3c62Talk soonSam xx ❤️ www.mymedmusings.com
“It Takes a Village” is such a familiar phrase for most of us, isn’t it.
What does it really mean though? I hazard a guess that its meaning is slightly different for all of us depending on our circumstances and the people in our lives.
In this episode, come with me for a walk in my village. You'll even get to meet my husband.
I hope we can discover together we all have a village, each different and unique to us and to our needs. We just need to have eyes to see it and a heart to find it.
Take care
Sam xx
www.mymedmusings.com
Sometimes, life with chronic illness can be overwhelming. It’s not always because of your disease either.
It’s often all the appointments, including doctors, allied health professionals, equipment trials, dealing with government departments, routine tests and procedures, etc. It can become a full-time job. Your body becomes your business, your place of work, and you can quickly feel as if you are losing all sense of illness/work/life balance.
In fact, you wake up one day and realise you no longer have a life, and each days agenda is being determined by anyone and everyone, but definitely not by you.
This was my epiphany when I woke up the other day. I had a list of upcoming events, life changing events in many regards, running through my mind.
In this podcast I share with you the epiphany moment I had resulting in a life changing letter where I draw a line in the sand and take my life back!
www.mymedmusings.com medicalmusings@bigpond.com
I'm so excited that "Medical Musings with Sam" has reached 4000 plays.
This is a huge achievement for a small podcast with a unique genre. I'm also in the top 10% of podcasts globally, according to Listen Score.
I can not thank my listeners enough. You are all amazing, and I am beyond delighted to know I am not talking to myself, and I do have a loyal podcast community supporting my vision.
To celebrate this milestone, I've included the very first episode I recorded on the podcast, which is simply my.."My Story".
Thank you all again from the bottom of my heart,
Love, Sam xx
This is a slightly different Podcast episode....you could say it's three for the price of one!
I'm introducing you to an amazing podcast ,"Inspired To Be," hosted by two beautiful, inspiring, and talented young ladies, Sammy Wynn and Elise Ingegneri. I was honoured to be a Guest on their show, and as promised, here is the link to the interview which was published this week: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7jgnGSXev5tu9ALurJGgN8?si=IunBjDPzR3q4PvaRmXl0_g
The second part of this Podcast is a Virtual Book Launch by way of a special Signed Copy Book Sale. All the details are in the Podcast but for basic information here is a link from my blog: https://mymedmusings.com/2023/08/10/dont-miss-out-on-our-exclusive-signed-with-a-special-message-from-sam-book-sale/
Lastly, but not least I answer some Frequently Asked Questions I have received over the years since I started blogging and had my book published. I hope you enjoy this segment. I mentioned a particular blog post as part of this FAQ segment called "A Case of Chronic Illness Overload" and I promised to link it here: https://mymedmusings.com/2020/01/11/a-case-of-chronic-illness-overload/
Thank you for listening everyone. I really hope you enjoy this very different episode.
Take care, Sam xx 😘
Chronic Illness is difficult enough without us making it more complicated. Yet, my inbuilt professional persona began to surface as I looked at the phone next to me on the bed. It was inevitable. I would answer this call with a bright and upbeat greeting, no matter the real picture of searing pain and chronic disease."
This podcast episode is a chat about why we feel the need to say we are good and sound bright when someone phones us, and how can we be true to ourselves and our situation when we want to sound "normal"!
Hops you enjoy and I really hope it helps you feel less alone.
Lots of love, Sam xx
www.mymedmusings.com
Congratulations to the winners of the Birthday Month Book Giveaway Competition!
In this very short episode, the winners are announced, and I also let you know how you can buy my book in a limited signed copy book sale (within Australia and postage included)
Take care everyone.
Sam xx
www.mymedmusings.com
July is my birthday month, and I’m very excited to announce I’m running a competition on my podcast and the blog to give away a copy of my book:
“My Medical Musings, A Story of Love Laughter Faith and Hope, Living With A Rare Disease “.
All you need to do is listen to a podcast episode and leave a review or comment on either Spotify for Podcasters, Apple Podcasts, or Audible.
If you listen through a different podcast app, please leave a review there, and just DM me to let me know, and I’ll still include you in the book giveaway competition.
There are three episodes/posts throughout July, each giving an opportunity for you to enter the competition. This is the last one of the three.
Here’s the link to my blog: www.mymedmusings.com
If you are not a podcast listener, you can also leave a review in the comment section of this blog post, and you will also be added to the competition draw at the end of the month!!
July is my birthday month, and I’m very excited to announce I’m running a competition on my podcast and the blog to give away a copy of my book:
“My Medical Musings, A Story of Love Laughter Faith and Hope, Living With A Rare Disease “.
All you need to do is listen to a podcast episode and leave a review or comment on either Spotify for Podcasters, Apple Podcasts, or Audible.
There will be three episodes/posts throughout July, each giving an opportunity for you to enter the competition.
If you listen through a different podcast app, please leave a review there, and just DM me to let me know, and I’ll still include you in the book giveaway competition.
If you are not a podcast listener, you can also leave a review in the comment section of the blog post at www.mymedmusings.com and you will also be added to the competition draw at the end of the month!!
So, without further ado, here’s the second excerpt from my book: Chapter 2, A Full and Fulfilled Chronic Illness Life
July is my birthday month, and I’m very excited to announce I’m running a competition on my podcast and the blog to give away a copy of my book:
"My Medical Musings, A Story of Love, Laughter, Faith and Hope, Living With A Rare Disease "
All you need to do to enter the competition is listen to a podcast episode and leave a review or comment on either Spotify for Podcasters, Apple Podcasts, or Audible or your usual Podcast listening app.
If you are not a podcast listener, you can also leave a review in the comment section of the blog post at www.mymedmusings.com, also being published today, and you will also be added to the competition draw at the end of the month!!
So, without further ado, here's the first e-book style excerpt from my book:
Chapter 21, A Trip Down Memory Lane
July is my birthday month, and I'm very excited to announce I'll be running a competition on my podcast to give away a copy of my book:
"My Medical Musings, A Story of Love Laughter Faith and Hope, Living With A Rare Disease ".
All the competition details are in this Podcast episode.
I can't wait to give one of my listeners a free copy of my book.
Love, Sam 💓
spotify #audible #applepodcaster
I’ve decided one of the hardest things about being medically retired is working out what day of the week it is!I have always loved Sundays. In our home it’s usually a quiet and reflective day. I say, usually, as I’m married to an Anglican clergyman, and Sundays were far from quiet in the past. It was actually the busiest day of our week!! They have always been reflective, though.Thankfully, he is retired now, as my carer, so we can definitely reclaim Sundays as a quiet day.Some days still feel like a Monday or a Thursday if I have medical appointments to attend, and they are extremely difficult days for me physically. Other than those odd, busy days, I can pace myself.It should be like this as it’s why I’m medically retired, to care for myself, manage my disease, and find a new quality of life.However, the biggest battle with embracing every day like it’s Sunday is with me.In this podcast episode, I discuss what it means to embrace your chronic illness in order to find acceptance and create a new, rewarding way of living again.If you are struggling with this concept, I really hope my story and my journey to choosing to "deliberately" accept my circumstances might help you on your journey, too.I also give a bit of a health update at the start.Take careSam xx
I love life’s little challenges. I love problem solving and turning obstacles into opportunities. I love putting a positive spin on what could otherwise be a negative experience. I’ve always done this, both in my personal and professional life. So, chronic disease really wasn’t going to change my approach to finding a way to overcome an obstacle. It’s just another challenge. Right? Well, not entirely right! It’s probably one of the more difficult challenges life has thrown at me, and it often requires “out of the box” strategies. One thing I have learned over the years is, "Chronic Illness just doesn't run to an agenda."I hope this episode helps you navigate difficult days when your chronic illness creates an avalanche of symptoms and disease flares and your calendar is full of hopeful plans. If you like what you hear today, you can also follow me on my blog, "My Medical Musings", for more tips on how to live the best life possible, living with a rare disease.www.mymedmusings.com Please remember to take care of yourself. LoveSam x
There is nothing like the feeling you get when you arrive home from a long hospital stay. Especially if there were multiple concerns about your overall health when you were admitted or you were having major surgery.Life is short. It’s precious, and it’s fragile while being incredibly resilient and strong. My home is my safe place, and I’m convinced because I love it, and I love my husband, it’s the place that helps me heal in a way I never do in hospital.I am heading in the right direction, and even though I have a long road ahead, I can feel that sense of healing harmony.Join me for a health update and a few funny, or perhaps mortifying, stories from my hospital stay!Thanks for listeningSam xx
47% of Australians live with a chronic disease, and I'm one of them. The Wound Doctors Podcast recently talked to me about how I manage my wounds, how I stay positive, and how health professionals can better care for people with long-term conditions. The full podcast interview can be heard at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/51iEbnyKgkRuDaA6QZ1pEx?si=Uk54HF2OQSSE0j2Df_97Ug In this Podcast, I'm also sharing my latest Health Update, including major surgery in two weeks and the re-siting of my stoma. Life is throwing me new, massive challenges, and I'm finding ways to deal with them holding on to hope and faith....plus finding an uplifting name for my new stoma. It's the beginning of Blossom, and as the name symbolises, I'm hoping my future will flourish and thrive post surgery. In the meantime, I'll be missing in action for a while as I prepare for surgery and then take the time needed to recover. Take care, Sam xx
I know there will be tough moments followed by good moments. As I’ve accepted my chronic illness diagnosis and consequential life changes, good moments are more than enough for me. They mean so much and are so precious.Rather than expecting a perfect life filled with halcyon days, I choose to love and cherish the moments of my life where I can engage with some of the activities I enjoy. I choose to live for moments of happiness, creativity, community, love, and moderate pain. I choose to hold on to hope for bright moments to follow tough ones.
2023 is here!A new year awaits. Will it be a good year, a difficult year, a happy year, a sad year?One thing is certain, none of us really know.Have you looked closely at the back of a tapestry? Generally, they are full of threads in a bit of a jumble. It’s hard to make out what the image is from this viewpoint.Turn it over and it reveals a perfect picture. It makes sense. The chaos of all those jumbled threads at the back is only half of the story. They are necessary to reveal something beautiful.If you’re sitting at home as the New Year approaches, feeling like you can’t see ahead, don’t lose hope. You are not alone. Chronic illness can feel all-encompassing and does place huge limitations on our lives.It doesn’t have to make us a prisoner, though. We do this to ourselves if we only dwell on what we can’t do, rather than what we can do.Chronic illness is a part of our life, it’s not all of our lives. I hope this first Podcast episode of 2023 helps you focus your thoughts in a way that ensures you are ready to embrace this New Year. I'm so looking forward to journeying through it with you. Happy New Year! #tapestries #newyearpodcast #happynewyear #chronicillness #chronicpain
As Christmas Day fast approaches I imagine most of us, in the chronic illness community, are musing about what we want to realistically achieve over the holiday period.For those of us with chronic disease it can be an incredibly overwhelming time. Just trying to be happy for others, when your body is screaming at you, is enough to make you want to run and hide.Even for those of us who don’t suffer mental illness, the lead up to Christmas can be a melancholy time. It’s important to acknowledge all those feelings. They are real, important and very normal for the chronic illness sufferer.If you are feeling a little melancholy…….you are not alone.I will have a lovely Christmas but it will not necessarily be a season of constant joy. It will have moments of delight, moments of extreme fatigue, moments of excruciating pain and then moments of relaxation and rest.This is the reality for those of us with chronic illness and pain.There was no big family gathering on the first Christmas. There was no turkey dinner, no champagne flowing.There was love and joy, wonder, awe, no doubt a little fear and much uncertainty of what lay ahead for Mary and Joseph and their new born son.Christmas is, or should be, a celebration within our hearts. We are celebrating the gift of a Saviour. The gift of redemption, forgiveness, new life.A True Christmas Can Never Be Cancelled But It Can Be DifferentAs Christmas Day fast approaches I imagine most of us, in the chronic illness community, are musing about what we want to realistically achieve over the holiday period. For those of us with chronic disease it can be an incredibly overwhelming time. Just trying to be happy for others, when your body is screaming at you, is enough to make you want toEven for those of us who don’t suffer mental illness, the lead up to Christmas can be a melancholy time. It’s important to acknowledge all those feelings. They are real, important and very normal for the chronic illness sufferer. If you are feeling a little melancholy…….you are not alone. I will have a lovely Christmas but it will not necessarily be a season of constant joy. It will have moments of delight, moments of extreme fatigue, moments of excruciating pain and then moments of relaxation and rest. This is the reality for those of us with chronic illness and pain. run and hide. There was no big family gathering on the first Christmas. There was no turkey dinner, no champagne flowing. There was love and joy, wonder, awe, no doubt a little fear and much uncertainty of what lay ahead for Mary and Joseph and their new born son. Christmas is, or should be, a celebration within our hearts. We are celebrating the gift of a Saviour. The gift of redemption, forgiveness, new life. A True Christmas Can Never Be Cancelled But It Can Be Different
I am so excited to share part two of my interview with Melissa on her podcast, "I Am Not My Pain Podcast". In part two of my chat with Melissa, I talk about the practical steps I took to find a new purpose in my life. I talk about the process I followed to enable me to begin to accept my new life. I share deeply personal things about my story, my faith and how I found a way to find hope, in a completely hopeless situation. In case you missed part one, which includes my introduction to Melissa and how we met, here is the link to my blog post containing everything you need to know, including the Podcast link to the first part of our discussion together: https://mymedmusings.com/2022/09/21/my-interview-as-a-guest-on-i-am-not-my-pain-podcast-with-host-melissa-adams/ I've also included below, the direct link separately for you to my Podcast episode of Part One: https://anchor.fm/my-medical-musings/episodes/My-Interview-as-a-Guest-on-I-Am-Not-My-Pain-Podcast----With-Host-Melissa-Adams-PART-ONE-e1o6gj4 Every week Melissa shares interviews with different chronic pain warriors. They are from all walks of life and each story is precious and inspirational. I encourage you all to follow "I Am Not My Pain Podcast". You won't be disappointed. Here is the direct link to Melissa's Podcast: I Am Not My Pain Podcast on Spotify.
Thank you so much for listening to my interview. I truly hope there are little nuggets of help for you to takeaway, and apply to your own lives, or at least give you ideas. Take care everyone and remember, "Chronic Illness is a part of our life, not all of our life".
I’m so excited to share with you my interview as a Guest on “I Am Not My Pain Podcast.
This is part one, of a two part interview. I was so honoured to be invited by Melissa to talk about my health story, my blog, my book, my forum and even more importantly, how I have found “Acceptance” and “Purpose”, with my chronic illness.
If you would like to know more about Melissa Adams, here’s a great article on her own chronic disease story and how she copes. It really is an inspirational read: https://heroescircle.org/2022/05/meet-melissa-a-warrior-for-pain/ Every week Melissa shares interviews with different chronic pain warriors. They are from all walks of life and each story is precious and inspirational.
I hope you enjoy Part One of my interview, and I hope you’ll find Melissa’s Podcast is one that will be permanently on your Podcast listening app. Here is the link to Melissa's Podcast, "I Am Not My Pain Podcast" : https://anchor.fm/notmypain
I'm taking time to take stock of my life and this episode is all about the process I'm following. When you own a shop you need to do regular stock takes. What stock do you have, what’s profitable, what’s not selling, what new products are available that would add value to your business?
It’s a similar process when reviewing our lives. The questions will be slightly different but it’s the same concept. If I have finished a particular chapter of my life, I like to ask myself a few simple stock taking questions to see what, if anything, I should do next.
My Life Stock Taking Questions
- What’s working in my life?
- What am I enjoying?
- What is mostly draining my energy?
- Are there new opportunities I would like to persue?
- Should I cease or change any of my existing commitments/initiatives? These questions need to be given time to answer. If you truly want to re-evaluate your current workload and commitments and make significant and necessary changes, you shouldn’t rush the process. Listen to the end of this Podcast episode for a very special message from me to my husband for his 80th 🎂
How many times have you wanted to invite family or friends over for a coffee but the thought of catering has just been too much? You may be surprised at how little effort it takes! For the purposes of this Podcast episode, I want to focus on how to cater in a way everything looks like it’s fallen out of a “Home Beautiful” magazine and you’ve been able to do it.
Why bother you may ask? Simply because many of us in the chronic illness community love to create and enjoy special catered morning, or afternoon teas, brunches, or lunches and we don’t want our disease to take this pleasure away prematurely. Remember "Chronic illness is a part of our life and not all of our life"
A Blog, A Book, A Podcast and Support Forum. My Medical Musings has something for everyone. Please subscribe, follow and join to be part of a community of friends walking a similar path as you. We truly care and want you to know you are not alone. Chronic Illness is a part of your life, not all of your life and My Medical Musings can help you find new purpose, meaning and passion for life, despite your disease. So grab a cuppa and find a comfy chair to sit down with your new friends who will truly give you a warm welcome.
SEIZE THE DAY "Don't feel like you are being selfish. If you are like me, you are likely rarely able to do something just for you. You likely save your energy moments everyday to do things for others."
seizetheday #birthdaycelebration #countrydrive #chronicillness #chronicpain #hope #moments #makingmemories
You've no doubt heard of the movie "Driving Miss Daisy", well here is my own life changing story "Driving "Miss Sam" and finding a new way of having legs, when my own have failed me. I hope you enjoy xx ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡I'm also introducing an exciting Podcaster to you. Melissa Adams interviewed me this week on her Podcast, "I am not my Pain". Melissa, who has her own chronic pain story and ongoing journey managing extreme pain and disease symptoms, shares the same mindset as me that "chronic illness is a part of our life, not all of our life". She is a naturally inspiring lady and I encourage you all to check out her Podcast on Spotify or Apple. Melissa publishes interviews each week with other chronic pain warriors and each interview is so eye opening, raw but full of hope and encouragement. Melissa will be airing her interview with me sometime in September. We talked together so much it will be a 2 part interview. I'll keep you posted on the broadcast date. In the meantime here's the link to Melissa's Podcast for you to enjoy weekly xx https://open.spotify.com/show/5NxK8xPb1tQhwkLSLIoYHt?si=MWfK-62yT82Aaam2D_j7wA&utm_source=copy-link
In this episode I'm announcing my reason for postponing my Virtual Book Tour for a while. I'm leaving you with 2 readings from the book, A Poem from Betsy Riley and a Love Letter to Peter. I hope you enjoy xx
In Week 2 of our Virtual Book Tour, I'm reading Chapter 18 (When All Else Fails Just Cancel The Day), from my book, "My Medical Musings". I am also announcing ,"new" competition rules to give you the opportunity to win a signed paperback copy of my book. The competition will run until the end of July.
Join me on my Virtual Book Tour as I share with you readings from my book, "My Medical Musings, A Story of Love, Laughter, Faith and Hope; Living with a Rare Disease", plus you can have the opportunity to enter a competition to win a signed copy of my book. Today I'll be reading you the beautiful "Afterword" from CEO, Arthritis Queensland, Emma Thompson. Plus I'll be sharing with you the online volunteer work I love to do for Arthritis Queensland.
I’m really excited to announce I’ve decided to do a “Virtual Book Tour” of sorts, through my Podcast, Medical Musings with SamIf you want to be a part of my Virtual Book Tour and not miss an episode, the best way to ensure you are with me “on the virtual bus”, (so to speak) is to follow both my blog and Podcast.
You can also like and follow my Facebook Page, My Medical Musings, as I’ll be sharing each Virtual Tour episode there.
As the “My Medical Musings” brand expands, keeping it all authentic and keeping my own integrity is paramount to me. Join me in this episode as I review my motives, check my integrity is in tact and announce my plans for a Virtual Book Tour on my Podcast!!
I recorded this earlier on a Spotify only podcast as I wanted to include a downloaded song. I didn't want my followers who listen on other apps to miss out, so I've re published with the downside being you have to put up with my signing 🎤😅
As my book "My Medical Musings" is set to officially launch on May 20th, I share with you my excitement at achieving a lifelong dream of becomingan Author....and more importantly I encourage my listeners to not give up on your own hopes and dreams. I also share some of my recent interview with Authority Magazine on what it means to be resilient and my thoughts on what are the characteristics of resilience. These are exciting days at Medical Musings headquarters and this Podcast has given me the opportunity to thank my listeners, readers, my admin team and my publisher. I truly love you all 🥰
I'm so excited to be back on my Podcast. It's been way too long. In this episode I explain my absence and share with you my hopes and dreams for 2022. Opportunities can present from the flicker of a quiet thought. Listen to your heart. Listen to those thoughts you think might be challenging you. Life can be exciting and amazing, even from the confines of your home.
Don’t be afraid to explore your ideas, even if you are scared and uncertain. The ideas which cause you to feel a little nervous and excited are often the ones worth pursuing. It means they are important to you. The details, the plans, the hopes, dreams, twists and turns will reveal our 2022 life tapestry as we go. See where they lead. You may be wonderfully surprised.
"You don’t have to see the whole tapestry, you just have to make the first stitch!" Sam Moss December 2021
This week on my forum Medical Musings with Friends , I posted a segment called “Any Questions?”
I wanted to invite my forum members to ask me anything about my life, my disease, my writing etc. It was an open book kind of segment.
The recurring question, or theme to the questions, was; “how do you manage to write when you are in extreme pain?”Another recurring question was; “How do you cope with the stress and anxiety of pain and disease?”One of my forum members asked me; “how do you come up with writing ideas and do you plan your blog posts? “
I was also asked; ” Did you write before you were diagnosed with a chronic disease?”A fun question asked was; “Sam, if you could be a child again with a million possibilities for a career, country to live etc what would it be??? It has to be different to your actual life story so far! There were a few more questions but on this Podcast I end with this one; “What’s one tip you would share with the rest of us with chronic disease?”
Should I sound “sick” on the phone? Should I dress as if I had just got out of bed or don’t care about my appearance? I have severe pain and fatigue and sometimes I do lose my voice as a result, but generally I can talk. I often look drained throughout the day but if I’m seeing someone a lot of planning has happened prior to seeing them to ensure my pain meds are at their maximum effectiveness. Why would I want to sound terrible or look dishevelled if I’m able to do?When we have chronic illness, our minds are quickly programmed to think about all the things we can no longer do.
Don’t get me wrong, there is lots we can’t do when living with a chronic disease. My list sometimes seems endless and can cause me to feel as if my disease is in total control.
Is it though? Or am I at risk of allowing it to take over more than it should?
I ask myself this question constantly.
I don’t want to be a prisoner to my disease. I want to scale whatever heights I can safely push, and ultimately I’m the only one who can decide my limits.
If I was ever going to accept my change in life circumstances, I needed to start with changing my self talk chat lines. No longer could I talk to myself as if I could conquer all. I could and can conquer a lot, but definitely not everything. No mind over matter, no cheerleading squads, no pushing through despite pain, is going to be suffice to achieve goals, like basic daily housework. Should I just give up? No, it’s not in my DNA to give up but it is in my DNA to find solutions. I might have to give up my perfectionism but I can still hang on to my “problem solving” passion. It all starts with self talk. Not the kind I used in the past but a new kind. I’ve created, new and appropriate, self talk chronic illness chat lines.
I was very honoured to be interviewed about the COVID-19 vaccine and how important it is for those of us living with chronic illness.
This story is all about an ordinary day becoming just a little extraordinary.I woke up this morning with no great expectations of what my day would hold. I had no plans, no appointments and was not unhappy about what many would consider a boring day ahead. My day started like any other. https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/worldtoday/covid-vaccine-keenly-sought-by-people-with-medical-conditions/13262342
Sometimes the path ahead in life can seem a little unclear. Sometimes we are faced with a range of life choices, almost too many, which often complicate matters and require a great deal of thought….too much thought!! Sometimes we have limited choices, none of which are particularly helpful, so instead of moving forward we feel paralysed. Add in chronic illness, and the restrictions often surrounding our diseases, complications are taken to a whole new level when we are faced with which path to take. So how do we deal with forks in the road, a change of direction, a smorgasbord of opportunities?
There are times I yearn to write but words fail me. Is it because I am overthinking? Is it because I’m too tired and in too much pain? Or is it because if I wrote what I needed to write, it may be too raw, too much for my readers and even too much for me? While tiredness and pain definitely impact my writing ability, I think what is stopping me today is my need to write straight from my heart, however it might unfold.
A new year awaits. Will it be a good year, a difficult year, a happy year, a sad year? One thing is certain, none of us really know. This time last year, none of us knew how challenging 2020 would be. I doubt a rampant, infectious virus, creating a global pandemic, was forefront on our minds. The year has read more like a movie script rather than real life. The kind of script you feel relieved is fiction. I love this quote from Martin Luther King Jnr;
“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, you just have to take the first step”
That’s it! I just need to step into the 1st January 2021 and take each day one at a time, step by step. The details, the plans, the hopes, dreams, twists and turns will unravel as I go.
Every now and again it’s really good to stop and take stock. The end of the year, and the lead up to Christmas, is a perfect time to let go of a few things and make some space to slow down a little. So, I thought I would lead by example and take a step back from Blogging, Writing and Podcasting until after Christmas.
I have a “Now or Never” philopsophy to life that sometimes gets me into trouble. Well, let’s face it….always gets me into trouble! Living with a physical progressive disability involves a lot of pain, lack of mobility and extreme fatigue every day. This kind of disease is constant. It doesn’t ebb and flow with flares. It’s there all the time, slowly worsening. The sensible approach to this kind of chronic illness life is to pace all activities, listen to your body and lower all expectations. Generally I do. I advocate pacing, live and breathe it actually. Partly as I don’t have a choice, plus I know it helps enormously with pain management. The problem is, despite living with a severe disability for 5 years, my mind still seems to disconnect from my body on occasion. I can still visualize myself jumping out of my chair and cleaning up the kitchen, dusting the shutters, wiping down the bathroom tiles, making the bed, getting dressed, doing hair and makeup and looking like “little Miss Perfect” with all the ease of a healthy 18 year old. So how do I manage a Pushing and Pacing Approach as a person with a severe physical disability.......It's not easy but it is possible!
Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la la la” 🎵🎶 Is it? Do you feel jolly or do you feel exhausted, stressed? Do you feel overwhelmed by your chronic illness, which refuses to understand Christmas is fast approaching, and you really could do with feeling healthy for the festive season? We can dream can’t we of halcyon days, but the reality is our chronic diseases are generally here to stay. So we need to find new ways to live well during a holly, jolly Christmas time. Let me share with you, some of my simple ideas for creating Comfort and Joy at Christmas at home, despite chronic illness.
Perhaps COVID is giving the world a Christmas gift. The gift of time. Time to stop. Time to get out of the rat race for a season. Time to reconnect with what really matters in life. November is a great time to set your realistic Christmas expectations. You can then head into this “most wonderful time of the year”, relaxed and ready to enjoy a very special and achievable Christmas…..one that’s just right for you, despite COVID, despite chronic illness. You never know, this may be your best Christmas ever!
How would you answer the question "What if?"
"What if my health gets worse in the future?"
"What if I run out of money?"
What if I contract COVID-19? A what if question tends to ignite our anxieties first, taking us on a scary roller-coaster ride of emotions.
Asking "what if” can be paralyzing, even soul destroying. It can cause you to worry about a future scenario which may never happen. It can cause you to miss out on the joys in your life today. When you flip a “what if” question into a “what is” statement, your life can change for the better.
AN INTERVIEW WITH MY LONG TIME FRIEND AND WORK COLLEAGUE, KAYE SOUTH. HER AMAZING STORY OF LIVING WITH A BENIGN BRAIN TUMOUR, BEATING BOWEL CANCER AND SO MUCH MORE, CAN'T BE MISSED!
Pain needs to become my friend so I can live as well as possible with it. A strange concept I know. How can pain be your friend?Will pain be my best friend? Of course not but it doesn’t have to be my enemy, and this is what I mean by accepting pain as my friend. I don’t want to make it worse than it is. If I stop looking at it as an enemy, it reduces its power over me. It disarms it!
I'm really excited today as I'm joined by a another beautiful friend ,with a twist. So what do I mean by a twist? Well, today’s guest is not only one of my best friends, she’s also my daughter in law. Shannon is the partner of my husband’s youngest son and the Mum of our gorgeous 3 year old Grandson. Shannon also has an incredible story of experiencing the sudden onset of a very scary disease and fighting her way through to remission. I know our listeners will be truly inspired by Shannon’s resilience and determination to overcome. The other twist to our relationship is we have never met in person. My health prevents me from travelling, Shannon was battling her own health issues as we were beginning to form our friendship and then our Grandson came into the picture , plus of course COVID-19 restrictions. Despite not ever meeting in person, we have developed the most beautiful relationship through daily messages, videos etc. I can’t imagine my life without Shannon in it. She has shared every step of our Grandson’s life and my husband and I couldn’t feel more connected to our family. This is a credit to Shannon and shows her beautiful nature to care for others deeply. She is a special lady and this is an interview not to be missed, as Shannon openly, candidly and with humour, shares the highs and lows of facing, and overcoming, one of the biggest battles in her life.
Memories are strange things. They can arrive when you least expect them. They can bring amazing joy or they can startle you. Life has an amazing way of evolving, reinventing itself, no matter our circumstances, especially if we don’t lose sight of who we are. Chronic Illness is just another chapter of my life. It’s not my whole life. I am still a Leader. I always will be and I will always want to care, coach and nuture others. Chronic Illness hasn’t taken my passion, my calling away. It has just re-directed it.
I’m not talking about the weather, it is the most glorious day outside. I'm talking about clearing a foggy brain and musing about my future. I need to refuel. I need to reassess. I need to revise my priorities. So I’m taking some time to muse with my 3 R strategy….. “ Recover, Reassess, Revise”….. actually maybe 4 R’s. “RETURN….with new purpose and vision.
I'm really excited today as I'm joined by a dear friend and co-administrator of my online support forum, the amazing, vivacious and very down to earth, Nik. Nik has lived with severe Lupus from an early age, and later in life was also diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Her story is definitely one to be shared and I know you will be both inspired and motivated by Nik. I really hope you enjoy this first interview on my Podcast.
You know how it feels to be watching a really sad movie, or reading an emotionally charged book, and you just need a break from it…..well, at the moment, I feel the same writing and talking about chronic illness. In particular, I’m sick of my own sickness story. I need to push pause, change the channel, read another book. Not forever, just for a moment. I’m clearly having a case of “Chronic Illness Overload” and I’m pretty sure I’m not alone. So I need to solve this if I’m going to be effective in my desire to help others and not lose myself in a chronic illness cavern.
If you have travelled a complex chronic illness journey, I’d encourage each of you to record your voice. Tell your own health journey story. You don’t have to share it. It can be just for you. It will likely be an emotional journey for you too. Don’t be surprised if the tears flow. Let them. Its healing. If we can look back, we can look forward. We can see how far we’ve come. We can see how strong we’ve been. We can see how we were able to overcome each and every hurdle when, at the time, we thought we never would.
Every life, every person has their own story. It’s never simple. Even when someone appears to have everything and have it all together, they will still have layers of untold stories. If you are faced with animosity or misunderstanding from someone as you go about your daily life, try to stay calm and think about what might be going on in their lives. Ask them if they are ok? It’s the perfect starting point. It’s amazing how conversations between two strangers, or friends and family, can evolve, full of genuine understanding, when we decide to turn our focus to caring for the other person.
Years ago, when I was much younger, 22 to be precise, I was involved in the restoration of a historic church building. It had been left derelict for years. To see it returned to its original glory,as a place of worship, was amazing. At the end of the day I would stand in the church, all on my own, and sing out loud my favorite hymn: "Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to take Him at His Word; Just to rest upon His promise, And to know, Thus saith the Lord!” As I sang that song with complete faith, believing God would be with me every step of my life, I had no idea what I would be facing 26 years later. I sang those words with such conviction, not realising they would have even more meaning to me as I lost my mobility, my career, and my life as I knew it on so many levels. This is my story of faith, this is my song!
When we think of healing, generally we think of getting better. We expect a person no longer has their disease. Healing can absolutely come in this form and it’s something to be celebrated when it does. What about diseases with no cure and no treatment? As a Christian I believe God can heal and does completely heal some people of all kinds of diseases. Why some and not others? I don't have all the answers but I do think it's because healing can come in many forms, and can sometimes be missed if we are expecting it in a particular package. In this episode, I'll try and explain what I mean.
While I can’t organise what my body decides to do in terms of my health, I can be organised with managing the consequences, from prescription management, doctors appointments, regular testing reminders etc. The key though I think, to staying on top of a complex illness, is building a really good working relationship with your medical team .If nothing else, remember this last point……you are employing your Doctors. You are the Boss!
Sometimes, despite our own needs, we need to take off our “Chronic Illness Hat” and put on our “Carer’s Hat”. So what does that mean? How can we when our disease is all-consuming? I’ve found a number of simple ways, over the past five years, to let my husband know I appreciate him, by creating opportunities to become his “Carer” at times during each day. My tips are designed to help you think about what you can do to support your Carer. In what ways can you become their Carer each day?
A story like this should start something like… It was an ordinary day….. The day my femur broke was anything but ordinary. It was supposed to be a day of celebration and excitement and it certainly was heading in the right direction. Every now and again I allow my mind to return to that day. To remember, to ponder about the circumstances surrounding that moment. It has its own story and it’s about time I told it!
Grab a Cuppa, Get Comfy… It’s not a short story so if you are interested in listening definitely make a cuppa or pour your favourite drink and find a comfy chair. So many twists, turns, tears, complications, plus a happy ending! This is the full story of why I have a permanent colostomy and my medical retirement journey.
I stare in the mirror in disbelief. I have to believe it though. It’s real. Not a matter of maybe it’s thinning or a worry about going bald. It’s here, its happening to me. I’m not reading it in a text book. I’m looking at it on my head. You know what? I don’t like it. Not for one minute. I’m being brutally honest because I’m pretty sure 95% of women would feel the same. I think hair loss does matter, even if it doesn’t. It is really important to feel we are looking the best we possibly can, especially when health is compromised. So what's the solution? Let me share my hairloss journey with you and maybe, together, we can work it all out!
How do we manage living with chronic diseases and find ways to adjust to the physical changes accompanying them? How can we embrace our new image when we really would prefer to have a slighty better version? If your weight gain or weight loss is outside of your control, the time has come to embrace the new you. Join me in this episode as I share with you my "Embracing The New Me" plan. I hope I can help you realise just how beautiful you are.
You would be forgiven for thinking this is a Valentine’s Day post given the title I’ve chosen. Please rest assured it’s not. It’s a continuation of my musings from my last episode, about acceptance being the gateway to a new life. Acceptance is not a sad resignation, it’s the pathway to peace, happiness and freedom from prolonged grief. I have a particular grief model I liked to use when I worked as a Change Management Consultant. It’s a little less clinical I think than some models. It’s called the “5 G’s of Change” and in this Podcast episode, I'll share what those 5 G's are all about and step you through my own grief/loss process.
A friend recently posted a question in a Facebook Group, about ways to gain freedom in life, so you can choose how you want to live it.
“What has most helped you to gain freedom in your life to choose exactly how you want to live it?”. My response was one word. Acceptance. Of course I had to follow through with a short sentence because I really can’t stop at one word! Acceptance brings me peace and freedom. After posting my response, I pondered about whether acceptance was just a state of resigning myself to living with the shackles of my chronic disease. Or was it more than that?
When we live with chronic illness, the concept of continuous improvement seems almost ridiculous doesn’t it. But is it? Our lives, while significantly impacted by our diseases, don’t need to be completely dictated by them. We can make changes which will catapult us into a new future. We can see our new circumstances as a time of opportunity, rather than a time of retreat and despair.
Not long before I realised I had little choice but to listen to my body and medically retire, I was asked to speak at a Women of Influence networking breakfast on the Gold Coast, Queensland. A few months prior I had been awarded “Leader of the Year” by the Bank where I was working and my speaking invitation was on the back of this award. My career was at an all time high. I have often reflected, in some regards it was terrible timing having to say goodbye to it all but I was leaving with so many wonderful memories. Maybe there was no better time to walk away. Here I share my Leadership style and a little bit more of what I was doing in my working life prior to medically retiring and starting my blog, my support forum and my Podcast!
Ok, so the title probably sounds a little more dramatic than where I’m going with this…..but maybe not!! My regular listeners will know I generally have a positive outlook on life, despite my disabling pain and crazy bone disease. Every now and again though, I wake up to a “Chronic Illness Catastrophe Day”. In this episode I'm sharing my 3 day strategy, to survive the onslaught of a disease flare, and hopefully begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Why do we say we are good when our chronic illness is flaring or we are in so much pain we can't breathe? I could hear these words spouting out of my mouth as I answered the phone... ”I’m good, how are you” . I could feel myself screaming internally……”No, you’re not good. You’re far from good. You can hardly breath from pain and you can’t move”. The really stupid thing is my caller knew I wasn’t ok. She’s my Occupational Therapist. There was no need for me to put on a brave front. No need to pretend all was well. So, why? Why did I do it? Here's my attempt at trying to work it all out!
Those in the disabled and chronic illness community often have a “waiting list” which seems never-ending, with or without a global pandemic. Waiting requires us to dig deep to cope, now more than ever. It’s a difficult time for everyone at the moment. The freedom to do as we like, when we like, has been snatched from us thanks to COVID-19 pandemic. For many people adjusting to this new norm, of being in a permanent state of waiting, life is now almost unbearable.
As we enter a new world, dictated to us by COVID-19, my chronic illness life and the lives of so many disabled with chronic disease, may now be better understood. I want to reassure everyone, in particular those who are living with severe chronic illness, a fulfilled and happy life can be found in the confines of your home.
It happens to all of us with chronic disease. We look at our calendar and see an appointment looming in the future. It offers such promise. We feel a little excited at the prospect of what may come from it. Hope. It offers hope. Specialist appointments are par for the course when living with any kind of ongoing illness. We need to develop coping strategies to help us through the difficult ones, as you can guarantee they will happen.
A physically active life is now no longer possible due to my chronic diseases and disability. The life within my phone opens a whole world for me that is exciting. So many Pros but are their any Cons to consider?
How do you continue to live life to the full when your health limits everything you do? How do you cope with waiting for a reprieve in symptoms when, the reality is, no reprieve is coming? In this episode, I share how I have lost so much through chronic illness, but have found ways to reinvent my life into a full and fulfilled one, thanks to a little patience and a lot of purpose!
What better way to start my Podcast than to tell a story. This is not just any story. This is my deeply personal story, of being diagnosed with a range of diseases, culminating in a rare bone disease diagnosis. It's my story of transitioning from enjoying a successful career as an Executive Manager in a major bank, to suddenly living with a crippled body due to the onset of my disease. It's a story about finding a new and different way to live a fulfilled life, with the reality of constant unknowns being around every corner. It's a story of hope and faith, love, tears and laughter. I am sharing it in the hope of reaching out to others, who find themselves facing an uncertain future and need to hear there is a way to overcome the insurmountable.