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Calling In Sick

Just Media

Welcome to the Calling in Sick, hosted by Alex Wildeson and produced by Just Media. On this podcast, Alex shares her unfiltered personal journey battling several autoimmune and chronic conditions including Polyarteritis Nodosa (PAN) Vasculitis, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) / Lupus, Endometriosis, and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). She also provides practical “how-to” guides, explores hot topics, and welcomes other warriors, medical professionals, advocates and creators on the show to shed light on the latest healing modalities, promising treatments, and myth bust popular misconceptions and trendy health hacks. Tune in for some laughs, tears, and growth… but stay for the camaraderie and community. You can engage with Alex and the community through social media @callinginsickpod. We promise, you don’t need a doctor’s note for this one!

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  • 46 episodes
  • a few times a week
  • Avg 52 min
  • English

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  • Wednesday · 35 min

    What Becoming a Doctor is ACTUALLY Like (ft. Dr. Kara Wada)

    This week on Calling in Sick, Dr. Kara Wada is back and we're pulling back the curtain on what patients almost never see: what it actually takes to become a doctor, and what their day looks like once they are one. We're diving into: 💰 Do doctors go into medicine for the money? The online discourse, and what the training and the finances actually look like 🕐 What medical training really involves: the hours, the sleep, and the sacrifices that rarely get talked about 📉 A career that starts late: debt, delayed savings, and why doctors can be "behind" their peers on financial milestones 🧠 The culture of training: no one asking "are you okay?", imposter syndrome, and the weight of decisions where someone's health is on the line 🔁 Alex's investment banking parallels: the 2am "crisis" calls and the handful of "protected weekends" 📋 A day in the life of a provider today, and the changes Dr. Wada has made in how she practices 🔧 If she could make one tweak to how complex chronic illness patients move through the system, what would it be? 🩺 What being both a patient and a provider has changed about how she practices medicine xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What's one thing you didn't know about what your doctor goes through, and does it change how you show up to appointments? TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Why Do People Go Into Medicine? 00:01:00 Do doctors go into medicine for the money? 00:04:25 Choosing a specialty, burnout, and the 2am call 00:12:13 What the hours of training actually look like The Cost of Becoming a Doctor: 00:13:21 Sleeping 4 to 6 hours and "protected weekends" 00:17:10 The first chapter: residency and fellowship, low pay, and medical debt 00:19:50 Training culture, imposter syndrome, and the pressure of the job The System Today & What Needs to Change: 00:22:02 A day in the life of a provider today 00:24:13 What Dr. Wada has changed in how she practices Conclusion: 00:29:00 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Dr. Kara Wada: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/immuneconfidentmd/?hl=en • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@immuneconfidentmd • Website - https://www.drkarawada.com/ • Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/@drkarawada ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #DoctorLife #BehindTheCurtain #MedicalTraining #PhysicianBurnout #DrKaraWada #CrunchyAllergist #HealthcareSystem #PatientAdvocacy #MedicalSchool #Residency #DoctorsAreHuman #ChronicIllness #ChronicIllnessCommunity #InvisibleIllness #ProviderBurnout #HealthcareReform #Allergist #Immunology #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Monday · 1 hr 11 min

    Sjögren's Disease Explained with Dr. Kara Wada

    This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Dr. Kara Wada: quadruple board-certified allergist, immunologist, and lifestyle and functional medicine physician, founder of The Crunchy Allergist, host of the Becoming Immune Confident podcast, and a Sjögren's patient herself. We're getting into the full 411 on one of the most underdiagnosed and MOST common autoimmune diseases out there. We're diving into: 🔬 What Sjögren's disease actually is, and why it's so much more than dry eyes and dry mouth 🧩 How it's diagnosed, why testing can miss it (including seronegative Sjögren's) 🩺 Dr. Wada's own diagnostic marathon, and what she learned from the patient's side of the table 🌫️ The "grey zone" of autoimmune diagnosis: what happens to patients who don't fit neatly into a diagnostic box 💊 Sjögren's treatments on the horizon Come back Wednesday… we’re diving behind the scenes on what it’s ACTUALLY like to practice medicine in today’s system. xx, Alex 💬 Comment: How long was YOUR diagnostic journey?! TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:00:47 Meet our guest, Dr. Kara Wada - patient and physician The 411 on Sjögren's Disease: 00:03:53 What is Sjögren's disease 00:09:55 Why is Sjögren's so hard to diagnose? 00:16:08 Normal-looking bloodwork & the overlap with MS, lupus, fibromyalgia, RA & MCTD 00:20:50 Biopsies, ultrasounds & why where you test matters 00:24:59 The "activation point": when mono, strep or COVID flips the switch Misdiagnosis & the "Grey Zone": 00:27:04 Christina Applegate & changing diagnoses… how common is this? 00:29:25 The "laundry list": 2 diagnoses vs. 20 and what it does to your identity 00:34:15 When a diagnosis feels like good news: "it's not all in your head" 00:38:37 Medicine is an art and a science: why the patient's story matters The Diagnosis Odyssey, Functional Medicine & Hope: 00:41:24 Storytelling, the hero's journey & the grief curve of chronic illness 00:44:13 Conventional vs. functional: why patients may pick just one world 00:48:25 Food, supplements & natural vs. pharmaceutical "medicine" 00:54:08 The new Sjögren's medication: is there hope? Conclusion: 01:02:15 One Brain Cell Show: The Diplomat (Netflix) & Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) 01:04:44 Thank you for listening: come back Wednesday! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Dr. Kara Wada: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/immuneconfidentmd/?hl=en • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@immuneconfidentmd • Website - https://www.drkarawada.com/ • Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/@drkarawada ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • November 4 · 35 min

    Chronic Pain Questions Everyone Secretly Wants to Ask (ft. Bre Giglio)

    This week on Calling in Sick, Bre Giglio is back and we're going through the some of the most intimate questions we’ve heard around navigating life with chronic pain. Tune in to hear our thoughts on everything from chronic pain and motherhood, entrepreneurship, identity and more!! We're getting into: 🤰 “Should you be a mom if you live with chronic pain?” 🧩 “Is entrepreneurship the solution to chronic illness?” 👥 “Can you actually build a company around your health?” 💸 “Is outsourcing help an accommodation?” 📰 “Does chronic pain have a LOOK?!” (Yep... we’re talking about THAT article!!) 🔍 “Can you share your story if you don’t yet have a diagnosis?” 🧸 “Should you explain your pain and health to your kids?” Tune in to hear our thoughts on all the above + more!! xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What’s something people tend to doubt you’re able to do because you live with chronic pain? TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Questions on Motherhood & Entrepreneurship With Chronic Pain: 00:00:37 "If you have chronic pain, you shouldn't be a mom" 00:01:59 Is entrepreneurship the ultimate accommodation for chronic pain? 00:04:25 Can you build a company around your health? 00:07:13 Bre’s NUMBER ONE reframe on motherhood and chronic illness Questions around Sharing Your Story & Being "Sick Enough": 00:08:13 What is “sick" even supposed to look like?! 00:10:51 Are you allowed to share your story online before you have a diagnosis? 00:14:26 Can you stay ambitious with chronic pain? Questions on Parenting With Chronic Pain: 00:18:45 How do you explain a bad pain day to your kids? 00:23:36 Is parenting HARD with a chronic illness? Conclusion: 00:28:26 Where to find Bre Giglio 00:28:57 Thank you for listening — see you next Monday! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Bre Giglio: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bre.giglio/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@bre.giglio • Bre’s Company, Bashify - https://www.instagram.com/bashify.co/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #ChronicPainHotTakes #BreGiglio #Bashify #ChronicPainMom #ChronicIllnessMom #ChronicIllnessMotherhood #ChronicIllnessEntrepreneur #InvisibleIllness #SpoonieLife #Hypermobility #hEDS #UndiagnosedChronicPain #TelegraphArticle #ChronicIllnessCommunity #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • November 2 · 1 hr 4 min

    Chronic Pain, Motherhood & Career Pivots (ft. Bre Giglio)

    This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Bre Giglio — former PICU nurse, founder of Bashify, wife, mom of two, and fellow chronic pain girlie. We're getting into what chronic illness does to your plans, and how becoming the master of pivoting is the only solution, especially when your body keeps changing the rules. We're diving into: 🏥 From PICU nurse to chronic pain patient — from self-gaslighting to her body giving out, forcing her to leave her dream career 🌪️ The perfect storm — the recipe that sent Bre’s health into a spiral ⏩ Pivoting too fast — why processing change is important and lessons learned from focusing on fixing instead of healing 🕰️ Feeling "behind" in life — how prior generations shape our preconceived “timelines” for life + how chronic illness moves us further away from those timelines 🤰 Pregnancy, postpartum and navigating marriage with chronic pain & the care giver dynamic 🧘 The wellness stack — the tools Bre uses to manage her health And come back Wednesday for the chronic pain hot takes! xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Where in your chronic illness journey did you pivot too fast — and what do you wish you'd given yourself time to process? TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Bre’s Health Journey: 00:01:10 What it's actually like being a nurse at Seattle Children's 00:02:26 When her body gave out 00:04:44 Pivoting from nursing to her next venture, before processing anything 00:14:41 Emotional stress as a flare trigger & the friends who couldn't show up Marriage, Pregnancy & Motherhood With Chronic Pain: 00:16:40 Meeting her husband, marrying at 21 & still feeling "behind" in life 00:20:48 Pregnancy with chronic pain 00:25:55 Birth, feeding struggles & a hard postpartum 00:31:07 Tips for communication in marriage while managing chronic health issues Scaling Back Work & Building a Life Around Your Body: 00:41:36 What entrepreneurship teaches you about yourself 00:43:33 What nobody tells you about entrepreneurship with chronic illness 00:50:11 Bre’s weekly wellness stack 00:54:04 How to pour BACK into your partner // caregiver’s cup Conclusion: 00:56:11 One Brain Cell Show: Girls (HBO Max) & The Great British Bake Off (Netflix) 00:57:46 Thank you for listening — come back Wednesday! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Bre Giglio: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bre.giglio/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@bre.giglio • Bre’s Company, Bashify - https://www.instagram.com/bashify.co/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #BreGiglio #Bashify #PICUNurse #NurseTurnedEntrepreneur #ChronicPainMom #ChronicIllnessMom #Hypermobility #hEDS #PMDD #PregnancyWithChronicIllness #ChronicIllnessMarriage #InvisibleIllness #SpoonieLife #ChronicIllnessEntrepreneur #ChronicIllnessCommunity #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 28 · 36 min

    Healthcare Horror Stories That Went Viral, and What That Says About US Healthcare ft. Anna Harris, RN

    This week on Calling in Sick, Anna Harris, NP is back and we are getting into something I have never broken down on this show before: why do certain medical videos go completely viral? And what does that actually say about the world we are living in? We're diving into: 🤠 The Cowboy Boots video — 12 million views on a man handed an ER bill before he even left the hospital. Why did it blow up — and what does that tell us about the fear Americans live with around medical care? 💸 The new born medical billing reality 📋 How to audit your medical bill line by line 🏥 The ICU fall video — what medical staffing ratios can cause harm 🤖 The nursing payment model — making nurses bid against each other for the lowest wage 🚫 Is universal healthcare the REAL solution?! And more… like Anna's most controversial take, the underbelly of socialized medicine, and why AI fighting AI to approve your treatment is genuinely Sci-Fi level terrifying!! xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Have you paid a medical bill before care because you thought you HAD to?! TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Why Medical Videos Go Viral: 00:00:51 Why do certain medical videos go viral — and what does that say about our healthcare system? 00:08:21 How to audit your medical bill line by line — common errors and AI as a tool 00:10:33 The ICU fall video — staffing ratios and why fewer people are going into medicine 00:18:08 The nursing payment model — making nurses bid against each other for the lowest wage Our Hottest Healthcare Takes: 00:20:24 Anna's most controversial take — the solution that isn't universal healthcare 00:23:44 Is AI is being used to deny your medical care? 00:27:00 Why patients and providers having a voice online gives hope for real change Conclusion: 00:31:10 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Anna Harris: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/anna.harris.rn • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@anna.harris.rn • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/people/annaharrisrn/61589286002165/ • Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@Anna.Harris.RN4 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #HealthcareSystem #MedicalBilling #AnnaHarris #ICUNurse #PatientAdvocacy #InsuranceDenial #UniversalHealthcare #NurseLife #CowboyBootsVideo #AIinMedicine #MedicalDebt #PregnancyBilling #ChronicIllness #HealthcareReform #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 26 · 1 hr 11 min

    How to Actually Navigate the US Healthcare System ft. Anna Harris, RN

    This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Anna Harris, RN — former ICU nurse, patient advocate, and the woman behind THAT 12 million view video. Her tagline says it all: healthcare isn't confusing on accident. And this episode explains why, and how to navigate it. We're diving into: 🏥 Why patients need an advocate — what changes when someone is in that room with you and why navigating this system alone is setting you up to fail 🩺 Providers vs. the system — what’s really making getting critical care difficult? 💰 What “The System” actually IS — ICD codes, billing incentives, group KPIs, and why a for-profit model is making decisions about your care that have nothing to do with your care 💊 The IVIG story — what happens when an insurance company denies a medication that's keeping you alive, and what your provider can and can't do about it 📋 Anna's appointment playbook — the pre-appointment prep that actually helps you get what you need out of the little time you have 🤖 AI in medicine — the wonderful and the genuinely terrifying ways AI is being used in hospitals and insurance companies right now 🔒 Your health data — who already has it, what they're doing with it, and the question nobody is asking loudly enough xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What is the one thing about navigating the healthcare system that you wish someone had told you earlier? TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:03:22 Get to know our guest, Anna Harris What's Actually Broken about the US Healthcare System: 00:05:29 What patients don't know they don't know — and why that costs them 00:09:04 Providers vs. the system — who is actually failing patients? 00:14:11 What the healthcare system actually IS — billing codes, KPIs and for-profit incentives What It Costs Patients & How to Fight Back: 00:19:13 3 changes that would fix the current healthcare system 00:22:51 Fighting insurance denials while already in crisis and balanced billing 00:28:14 The medical appointment playbook — before care, during care, and after 00:32:54 Predatory online health coaching — how to spot the vultures 00:42:19 Risk tolerance and treatment decisions — and how to talk to your family about them 00:49:46 How to actually use AI before a medical appointment 00:55:13 How hospitals and insurance companies are using AI — the good and the terrifying Conclusion: 01:01:38 One Brain Cell Show: Friends (Netflix) & Dancing with the Stars (Disney+, Hulu) 01:04:45 Where to find Anna Harris online 01:05:06 Thank you for listening — come back Wednesday! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Anna Harris: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/anna.harris.rn • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@anna.harris.rn • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/people/annaharrisrn/61589286002165/ • Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@Anna.Harris.RN4 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #HealthcareSystem #PatientAdvocacy #MedicalBilling #AnnaHarris #ICUNurse #ChronicIllness #MedicalGaslighting #HealthInsurance #PatientRights #AIinMedicine #HealthData #AppointmentPrep #ChronicIllnessCommunity #InvisibleIllness #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 21 · 49 min

    Should You Share Your Chronic Illness Journey Online? (ft. Shayla Talei McCain)

    This week on Calling in Sick, Shayla Talei McCain is back and we are breaking the fourth wall on what it actually costs to share your chronic illness life online — the emotional and physical costs and benefits. And in light of everything going on recently, we get down to one important question… would we start posting our health journey online again? We're diving into: 🎥 Hitting post on the first feeding tube video — the moment before, the spiral of what ifs, and what actually happened when the world responded 🎭 The pressure to "put a bow" on chronic illness content — why creators feel pushed to thrive publicly even on their worst days, and why that's a form of dishonesty 🏅 The sick Olympics — the credibility tax of not looking sick enough, the community policing that comes with smiling in a video, and why comparison is the thief of joy in this space 🧍 Parasocial relationships — why they're uniquely valuable in the chronic illness community, when that can become toxic, and what it feels like when someone who doesn't know you feels entitled to weigh in on your medical decisions 💻 The physical toll of creating — what it costs to film content on a bad pain day, why you can't just stop the machine, and the permission to take breaks without announcing them 💬 The moments that make it FULLY worth it — the DMs, the comments, the stranger who says "I'm going to use my mobility aid tomorrow because I saw you use yours" 🔄 Would she do it again? — her honest answer xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Would you share YOUR health journey online? TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! The Cost of Sharing Your Chronic Illness Life Online: 00:02:06 Hitting post on her first feeding tube video 00:05:06 Finding humor in chronic illness content (the $1,000 dinner series) 00:06:58 The unspoken pressure to perform chronic illness in a certain way The Sick Olympics, Parasocial Relationships & The Real Cost: 00:13:38 The chronic illness credibility tax and having to keep proving your chronic illness 00:16:32 The Oreo analogy — why one person's win shouldn't feel like another's loss 00:24:06 Parasocial relationships — healthy, unhealthy and where the line is 00:29:53 The underbelly of being a chronic illness content creator 00:31:08 Why chronic illness content costs more to make than any other kind Would You Do It Again?: 00:36:35 What is the actual goal of sharing your story online? 00:39:13 Would we do it all over again? 00:41:10 For anyone thinking about becoming a chronic illness creator — listen to this!!! Conclusion: 00:42:46 Where to find Shayla McCain online 00:43:38 Thank you!!! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Shayla McCain: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/shaylatalei • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@shaylatalei • YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Shaylatalei • Website - https://www.ShaylaTalei.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #ChronicIllnessCreator #ContentCreation #ShaylaTalei #ChronicIllness #SickOlympics #Sickfluencer #ParasocialRelationship #ChronicIllnessCommunity #InvisibleIllness #CommunityPolicing #ChronicPain #SpoonieLife #ContentCreatorLife #MentalHealthOnline #ChronicIllnessAwareness #FeedingTube #Gastroparesis #CRPS #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 19 · 57 min

    Can you be a good parent even with chronic illness? (ft. Shayla McCain)

    This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with chronic illness content creator, Shayla Talei McCain. She was diagnosed with CRPS at 17, and a decade later her body pivoted again — into gastroparesis, a diagnosis that took eight months and 100 lbs of weight loss to finally get answers on. We're diving into: 🔥 CRPS at 17 — what Complex Regional Pain Syndrome actually is, why it's so misunderstood even by providers, and what it looks like when you have no choice but to grow accustomed to the pain 📉 The gastroparesis chapter — eight months of unexplained weight loss, being told it was her ADHD medication, the medical gaslighting while visibly malnourished, MCAS and what finally got her answers 👶 Pregnancy and chronic illness — the medical clearance process, the remission-like state that surprised her, and what it means to be preparing for the worst while hoping for the best 🧒 Motherhood — what it looks like to parent when you can't always show up the way you planned, how she explains her illness to her kids, and the profound lessons her daughters have taught her about living life inside chronic illness parameters 📱 Building a platform — when sharing became healing, why chronic illness content hits differently than any other kind, and what it means to lose the choice to hide your illness when it becomes visible ✍️ Throwing away the script — what chronic illness is "supposed" to look like according to the world, why that framing is wrong, and how to build something of your own inside the parameters you've been given Come back Wednesday — we are breaking the fourth wall on content creation and asking the one question we've both wondered about: would we do it all again? xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What's one part of chronic illness you WISH was showed online more? TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:00:48 Get to know our guest, Shayla McCain The Diagnosis Journey — CRPS, Gastroparesis & Finding Answers: 00:02:27 Life before symptoms 00:04:01 What CRPS is — the diagnosis, management tools, mirror therapy 00:11:09 Identity, guilt & the before and after of diagnosis 00:14:21 The acceptance curve — grief, chronic illness & what acceptance actually looks like 00:17:44 The gastroparesis chapter — weight loss, medical gaslighting & finally getting answers 00:21:08 When your illness becomes impossible to hide Life, Love & Motherhood With Chronic Illness: 00:24:46 Deciding to have children with chronic illness 00:31:01 Losing the choice to hide your illness when it becomes visible 00:32:14 Being a chronically ill mom & explaining the unexplainable to kids 00:39:42 Lessons from motherhood on this side of all of it Redefining Life With Chronic Illness: 00:43:08 Throwing away the chronic illness script — making it your own 00:47:18 The Telegraph article & what chronic illness is "supposed" to look like Conclusion: 00:48:32 One Brain Cell Show: We Were Liars (Prime Video) & Below Deck Mediterranean (Bravo) 00:50:44 Where to find Shayla McCain online 00:51:03 Come back Wednesday — breaking the fourth wall on content creation! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Shayla McCain: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/shaylatalei • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@shaylatalei • YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Shaylatalei • Website - https://www.ShaylaTalei.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #CRPS #Gastroparesis #ComplexRegionalPainSyndrome #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #ShaylaTalei #ChronicIllnessMom #InvisibleIllness #SpoonieLife #MedicalGaslighting #ChronicIllnessContent #Motherhood #ChronicIllnessMotherhood #ContentCreator #ChronicIllnessCommunity #TPN #PivotingWithChronicIllness #ChronicIllnessAcceptance #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 14 · 28 min

    Scoliosis & Hypermobility Myths Debunked — With the Founder of Jelliebend ft. Ellie Klein

    Ellie Klein is back for this week’s Calling in Sick Wednesday episode — and we are myth-busting the most common and most maddening things the internet says about scoliosis and hypermobility. Some of these she has been told by providers. Some she has read online. And some she has been gaslit into doubting herself about for years. We're busting: 🚩 "Scoliosis doesn't cause pain" 🚩 "Wear this hard brace all day every day and don't worry about your muscles atrophying" 🚩 "Sleeping in a hard scoliosis brace will be no problem" 🚩 "Hypermobility is only being flexible — there's nothing else that comes with it" 🚩 "Hypermobility cannot cause fatigue" Plus the conversation about what it actually feels like when someone doesn't believe you… do you over-prove or do you gaslight yourself into thinking maybe you're not in pain? And when does it stop mattering? xx, Alex 💬 Comment: When you get caught in a sleepless night… do you flow with it and distract yourself, or do you clock watch and stress out?!?! TIMESTAMPS Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Scoliosis & Hypermobility Fact or Fiction: 00:00:32 Myth 1: Scoliosis Doesn't Cause Pain & self gaslighting about pain 00:06:00 Myth 2: Wear a Hard Brace All Day & Don't Worry About Muscles Atrophying 00:09:21 Myth 3: Sleeping in a Hard Scoliosis Brace Will Be No Problem 00:13:28 Myth 4: Hypermobility Is Only Being Flexible — Nothing Else Comes With It 00:17:05 Myth 5: Hypermobility Cannot Cause Fatigue 00:20:37 The double-edged sword of pushing through when you're chronically sick Conclusion: 00:22:01 Thank you & where to find Ellie Klein & Jelliebend 00:23:45 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Ellie Klein: • Instagram, Personal - https://www.instagram.com/ellie.unicorn.klein/?hl=en • Instagram, Jelliebend - https://www.instagram.com/jelliebend/?hl=en • Website - https://jelliebend.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #Scoliosis #Hypermobility #ScoliosisMythBusting #HypermobilityMyths #Jelliebend #EllieKlein #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #ScoliosisAwareness #HypermobilityAwareness #ChronicFatigue #ScoliosisBrace #InvisibleIllness #SpoonieLife #MedicalGaslighting #MythBusters #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicIllnessCommunity #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 12 · 1 hr 22 min

    Ballet, Scoliosis & Hypermobility — The Story Behind Jelliebend ft. Ellie Klein

    This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Ellie Klein — founder of Jelliebend, former competitive ballet dancer, contortionist, and someone who has been navigating scoliosis and hypermobility since childhood. And let me tell you… this conversation took us places I didn’t even anticipate (like just being a female in the US right now…) We're diving into: 🩰 Growing up as a ballerina with scoliosis and hypermobility — the brace, the ballet intensive, the teachers who used her body as the "bad example" in class, and what it does to a young girl to be publicly identified as wrong in a space where your body is everything 🤸 Life after ballet — the pivots she took from school to contortionism to becoming a founder all while juggling her health 💡 Building Jelliebend — the moment her body craved support but couldn't tolerate traditional braces, how her ADHD sensory needs shaped every design decision, and the completely bootstrapped journey of making the samples herself 💸 The fundraising reality — pitching a women's health product to mostly male investors who thought she was making shapewear, going $20K into credit card debt because she believed in what she was building, and what it actually takes to crack into VC without connections 🌸 The women's health funding gap — why products outside the "bikini zone" struggle to get investment and what that means for founders like Ellie 💪 The delusional optimism it takes to build something — and why she wouldn't change a single thing xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Have you ever been made to feel like your body was the problem — and what did you do with that? TIMESTAMPS Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Ellie’s Story with Scoliosis, Hypermobility & Jelliebend: 00:00:38 Who is Ellie and what the heck is Jelliebend?! 00:07:53 What building a product for yourself that turns into a company is like 00:12:47 Growing up as a ballerina with scoliosis 00:24:19 The 411 on scoliosis treatments and surgery 00:29:57 Being used as the "bad example" in class due to a disability… and processing it alone Life after ballet: 00:44:14 Contortionism, her coaches & what that world gave her 00:52:09 Building Jelliebend — bootstrapping, samples & early days 00:53:22 Fundraising reality — pitching to investors who don’t understand chronic illness & doubling down 01:04:34 The VC fundraising playbook problem — selling to women when the VC world is mostly men 01:06:37 What success actually looks like when you're self-funded Ellie’s next frontier (diagnosing the mystery illness): 01:07:44 Suspected POTS, the diagnostic journey & what's next 01:11:04 The female experience of invisible illness & finding the right providers 01:12:43 Women's health, bikini medicine & getting louder together Conclusion: 01:13:04 One Brain Cell Show (SPOOKY SZN!!): Monster & American Horror Story (Hulu) 01:16:15 Where to find Ellie & Jelliebend 01:16:31 Thank you for listening… + Come back Wednesday for Fact or Fiction! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Ellie Klein: • Instagram, Personal - https://www.instagram.com/ellie.unicorn.klein/?hl=en • Instagram, Jelliebend - https://www.instagram.com/jelliebend/?hl=en • Website - https://jelliebend.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #Scoliosis #Hypermobility #Jelliebend #EllieKlein #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #ScoliosisAwareness #HypermobilityAwareness #WomensHealth #ChronicIllnessEntrepreneur #InvisibleIllness #SpoonieLife #Ballet #Contortionism #WomenInBusiness #VCFunding #WomensHealthFunding #BikiniMedicine #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 7 · 31 min

    Chronic Illness Life Hacks from an Occupational Therapist: Pain, Sleep and Energy Management (ft. Cheryl Crow)

    This week on Calling in Sick, Cheryl Crow is back and we are getting into the most practical, OT-approved, chronic illness tested life hacks I have ever covered on this podcast. You’re going to want to save these tips!!! We're diving into: 🌅 How to Have Gentler Mornings — the bedside toolbox every chronic illness patient needs, why "motion is lotion" for inflammatory arthritis, the roll-on topical hack that saves your hands, and the compression wear nuance nobody talks about 😴 Sleep strategies that actually work — the bedroom environment audit, sleep accessories worth investing in (Nod Pod, Sleep Crown), how to break the insomnia cycle by detaching from sleep pressure, and the separate beds conversation ⚡ Energy conservation done right — why strength training counterintuitively builds long-term energy reserves for inflammatory arthritis patients, circadian rhythm scheduling, the high spoon vs. low spoon to-do list system, the 80% rule, and how to request workplace accommodations without burning bridges These are the tools Cheryl uses with her own patients and the ones I wish someone had handed me 25 years ago. 🤍 xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What is your number one morning hack that makes chronic illness life more manageable? TIMESTAMPS Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Gentler Mornings & Pain Relief: 00:00:28 Bedside Tool Box & Pain Management Accommodations 00:02:05 Joint Lubrication & "Motion is Lotion" 00:03:38 CBD, Menthol & Roll-on Topicals 00:04:35 Compression Wear: Benefits & When to Avoid It Sleep Strategies & Mindset: 00:07:16 Optimizing Your Sleep Environment Audit 00:08:41 Relaxation Routines & Sleep Accessories (Nod Pod, Sleep Crown) 00:10:08 Shifting Sleep Mindsets & Managing Insomnia 00:12:18 Sleeping in Separate Beds for Better Rest Energy Management & Conservation: 00:15:30 Exercise & Strength Training for Chronic Fatigue 00:18:01 Circadian Rhythm Scheduling & Pacing 00:19:56 High Spoon vs. Low Spoon To-Do Lists 00:21:55 The 80% Rule & Requesting Workplace Accommodations Conclusion: 00:24:25 Connecting with Cheryl Crow & Arthritis Life 00:25:33 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest, Cheryl Crow: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/arthritis_life_cheryl/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@arthritislife • YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/arthritislife • Website - https://arthritis.theenthusiasticlife.com/about-cheryl/ Episode Resources • Kate Bowler, “No Cure for Being Human” - https://link.amazon/B07znkSfA • Kate Bowler, “Everything Happens for a Reason, and Other Lies I’ve Loved” - https://link.amazon/B0246dY3H ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #ChronicIllnessHacks #OccupationalTherapy #ArthritisLife #CherylCrow #RheumatoidArthritis #ChronicFatigue #SpoonTheory #EnergyConservation #ChronicPain #SleepHacks #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #MorningRoutine #AutoimmuneDisease #PacingChronicIllness #HighSpoonLowSpoon #ChronicIllnessTips #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 5 · 1 hr 7 min

    Do you have to accept your chronic illness to live your life? (Ft. Cheryl Crow)

    This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Cheryl Crow — occupational therapist, founder of Arthritis Life, host of the Arthritis Life podcast, creator of the Rheum to THRIVE course, and someone who has been navigating rheumatoid arthritis for 23+ years. We’re talking all about how we’ve navigated processing life with chronic illness — from the control piece, the acceptance piece and the struggles between. So if you’ve ever struggled with processing chronic illness, you’ll love this episode. We're diving into: 💊 What it actually looks like to cycle through flare-ups and treatment 🧠 Why high achievers can be particularly “bad” at chronic illness — the "A+ student" trap of believing you can find the perfect system to solve your body 🩺 What occupational therapy actually is — "a psychologist having a baby with a physical therapist" — and why this community desperately needs to know about it 🚌 Our favorite lessons from chronic illness therapy — from the passengers on the bus metaphor, to the ACT framework and the reframes that have truly changed things for us 🙅 Our thoughts on how ableism is innately baked into wellness culture ☕ Our top 3 tips for finding joy while living a life with chronic illness — micro-joys, duvet days, and seeing rest for more than a reward xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What is your relationship with the word "acceptance" when it comes to your chronic illness? TIMESTAMPS Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! NAVIGATING CHRONIC ILLNESS WITH CHERYL CROW: 00:00:36 Cheryl Crow’s Diagnosis Journey & Early Symptoms 00:09:36 Treatment Cycles & Secondary Loss of Response MENTAL HEALTH & CHRONIC ILLNESS: 00:11:58 Mental Health, Anxiety, & Catastrophizing 00:15:36 Overachiever Mindsets & disease Management 00:23:25 Occupational Therapy vs. Physical Therapy 00:29:30 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) 00:34:16 Positive Activity Scheduling & Micro-Joys NAVIGATING “FEELING BETTER” WITH A CHRONIC ILLNESS: 00:37:05 Facing Ableism & Cultural Assumptions 00:48:40 Finding Transformation & Agency 00:56:03 Rest, Sleep Divas, & Duvet Days Conclusion: 00:59:53 One Brain Cell Show: Dancing with the Stars (Disney+) 01:01:43 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest, Cheryl Crow: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/arthritis_life_cheryl/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@arthritislife • YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/arthritislife • Website - https://arthritis.theenthusiasticlife.com/about-cheryl/ Episode Resources • Kate Bowler, “No Cure for Being Human” - https://link.amazon/B07znkSfA • Kate Bowler, “Everything Happens for a Reason, and Other Lies I’ve Loved” - https://link.amazon/B0246dY3H ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #RheumatoidArthritis #OccupationalTherapy #ChronicIllness #ACTTherapy #AcceptanceAndCommitmentTherapy #ArthritisLife #CherylCrow #ChronicPain #MedicalGaslighting #BoomAndBust #ChronicIllnessAcceptance #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #Ableism #MicroJoys #DuvetDay #RheumToThrive #AutoimmuneDisease #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 30 · 44 min

    Bikini Medicine, Clinical Trial Gaps & Companies Changing the Game ft. Amanda Berk

    This Wednesday on Calling in Sick, Amanda Berk is back for and we are getting into the systemic conversation underneath everything we talked about on Monday. Why the healthcare system keeps failing women. Where it started. And what is actually being done about it. We're diving into: 🏛️ The historical roots of the gender health gap — why female bodies were treated as "small men with psychological issues" for decades and what that actually cost us 👙 "Bikini Medicine" — the term coined in the 1980s for the narrow funding of women's health 🧪 The research disparities that are still costing women their health 💰 Who is actually funding women's health research right now 💡 Our favorite female-led women’s health tech companies changing the game 👥 The Witness Effect — the documented phenomenon where providers offer measurably better care when a second person is present, and why this is one of the most powerful tools in patient advocacy Asking for help in the healthcare system is not a failure. It is a strategy. 🤍 xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What’s YOUR favorite women’s health tech company?! Give them a shoutout in the comments this week!!! TIMESTAMP: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Women's Health & Systemic Failures: 00:00:12 Historical Roots of the Gender Health Gap + The Origin of "Bikini Medicine" 00:06:40 Clinical Trial Disparities & Economic Impact Funding & Innovation: 00:10:00 Public vs. Private Sector Funding 00:13:30 Involving Men in the Conversations around Women’s Health 00:18:24 Private Companies Driving Female-Centric Innovation Patient Advocacy & Policy: 00:24:23 The Witness Effect in Medical Appointments 00:28:38 Social Justice & Systemic Stigma in Healthcare Future Outlook: 00:31:16 What Gives Hope for the Future of Women's Health 00:36:48 Careers in Healthcare Outside of Becoming a Doctor 00:37:07 Where to Connect with Amanda Berk & LIORA Health Conclusion: 00:38:31 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest, Amanda Berk: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/amanda_berk/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@amanda_berk • LIORA Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/liorahealthadvocates/ • LIORA Website - https://liorahealth.io/ • Substack - https://liorahealth.substack.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #WomensHealth #GenderHealthGap #BikiniMedicine #PatientAdvocacy #ChronicIllness #LioraHealth #MedicalGaslighting #WomensHealthResearch #ClinicalTrials #WitnessEffect #AutoimmuneDisease #POTS #InvisibleIllness #SpoonieLife #WomensHealthTech #HealthcareReform #ChronicIllnessCommunity #PatientEmpowerment #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 28 · 58 min

    Patient Advocacy: One Thing Every Chronically Ill Woman Needs (ft. Amanda Berk)

    This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with my dear friend Amanda Berk — co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of LIORA Health, dual Master's candidate in Social Work and Public Health at UT Austin, and someone navigating life with chronic migraines, a neurological tick disorder, and Hashimoto's disease. And this conversation is one I think every single person in this community needs to hear. We're diving into: 🤝 What patient advocacy actually is 🏥 Why navigating medicine alone is failing us 😭 Why so many patients leave appointments feeling dismissed 👥 Peer advocacy and the LIORA Health model 📋 Four tips you NEED for your next appointment: Asking for help in the healthcare system is not a failure. It is a strategy. 🤍 xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Have you ever experienced the "car cry" after a doctor's appointment — and what happened? TIMESTAMP: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Patient Advocacy Overview: 00:01:12 Defining Patient Advocacy & The Shift Away from "Solo Healthcare" 00:05:54 Systemic Challenges in Modern Medicine Working with Advocates: 00:09:58 Finding Third-Party Advocates 00:12:54 Peer Advocacy & LIORA Health's Matching Platform 00:16:58 Intake & Proactive Appointment Preparation Practical Appointment Tips: 00:19:58 Tip #1: Asking to Record Audio 00:22:31 Tip #2: Time-Bound Symptom Tracking 00:25:41 Tip #3: Setting Goals & Top 5 Priority Questions 00:27:18 Tip #4: Clarifying Next Steps Before Leaving LIORA Health & Women's Health Data: 00:28:43 Embracing Lived Experience & Partnership 00:32:46 Sending Notes to Providers in Advance 00:36:12 The Story Behind LIORA Health 00:40:58 Building a Patient Dataset to Close Research Gaps 00:44:05 Reflections on Navigating the Advocate Role Conclusion: 00:49:40 One Brain Cell Show: Earle Meets World (Netflix) & The Secret Life of Mormon Wives (Hulu) 00:53:36 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest, Amanda Berk: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/amanda_berk/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@amanda_berk • LIORA Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/liorahealthadvocates/ • LIORA Website - https://liorahealth.io/ • Substack - https://liorahealth.substack.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #PatientAdvocacy #ChronicIllness #LioraHealth #WomensHealth #MedicalGaslighting #ChronicMigraine #Hashimotos #AutoimmuneDisease #DoctorAppointmentTips #SymptomTracking #ChronicIllnessCommunity #InvisibleIllness #SpoonieLife #HealthcareSystem #PatientEmpowerment #ChronicPain #WomensHealthcare #AppointmentPrep #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 23 · 30 min

    Why Hypermobility and hEDS is NOT Just Flexibility: Mythbusting with Dr. Linda Bluestein

    This week on Calling in Sick, Dr. Linda Bluestein is mythbusting the biggest hypermobility and hEDS misconceptions circulating online right now!! Some of these are coming from well-meaning patients. Some are coming from providers who should know better. And some are genuinely dangerous enough that a hypermobility specialist felt the need to set the record straight. We're busting: 🚩 "Hypermobility and hEDS don't cause real pain" 🚩 "Hypermobility just means being flexible 🚩 "hEDS is being massively overdiagnosed on social media" 🚩 "A normal genetic test rules out hEDS" 🚩 "Symptomatic hypermobility always progresses and gets worse" 🚩 "The Beighton score is the definitive diagnostic tool" 🚩 "Direct-to-consumer genetic tests give you real answers" And more!!! xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Which of these myths have YOU been told?! TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Hypermobility & hEDS Internet Myths: 00:00:22 Myth 1: Hypermobility & hEDS Do Not Cause Pain 00:01:40 Myth 2: Hypermobility Just Means Flexibility, Not a Real Medical Condition 00:03:22 Myth 3: hEDS Is Massively Overdiagnosed on Social Media 00:04:42 Unconscious Daily Accommodations & Pain Self-Management 00:07:55 Myth 4: A Normal Genetic Test Rules Out hEDS 00:08:46 Re-Evaluating hEDS Criteria & Immune System Hypotheses 00:12:12 Myth 5: Symptomatic Hypermobility Always Progresses & Gets Worse 00:15:08 Myth 6: If You Pass the Beighton Score, You're Good 00:17:50 Myth 7: Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Tests Provide Clear Answers Conclusion: 00:21:12 Where to Connect with Dr. Linda Bluestein 00:24:11 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Dr. Linda Bluestein: • Instagram, Personal - https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/ • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hypermobilityMD • Website - https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/ • Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/@BendyBodiesPodcast • Instagram, Podcast - • Instagram, Personal - https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Powered by: Just Media House — https://www.justmediahouse.com/ #Hypermobility #hEDS #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #HypermobilityMyths #BendyBodies #DrLindaBluestein #MythBusters #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #JointHypermobility #BeightonScore #GeneticTesting #MedicalGaslighting #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #ConnectiveTissueDisorder #HypermobilitySpectrumDisorder #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 21 · 1 hr 20 min

    The 411 on Hypermobility + why it’s NOT just flexibility (ft. Dr. Linda Bluestein)

    This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with THE Dr. Linda Bluestein (!!!). She’s a board-certified physician, hypermobility specialist, host of the Bendy Bodies podcast, and someone who didn't get her own hEDS diagnosis until her 50s. We're diving into: 🦴 What hypermobility actually is — and the four types most people have never heard of (peripheral, localized, generalized, and historical) 🩺 Dr. Bluestein's personal journey — from teenage ballerina with chronic injuries to anesthesiologist to hypermobility specialist, and the Tarlov cyst surgery that finally connected all the dots ⏱️ The 17-year literature lag — why it takes nearly two decades for published research to reach clinical practice, and the cost to patients NOW 🧠 Central sensitization — why pain begets pain in hypermobile bodies, and how the nervous system gets rewired over time 🛠️ The MENS-PMMS framework — Dr. Bluestein's approach to managing hypermobility (try these TODAY!!) 💊 Dr. Bluestein’s TOP 3 high-impact tools (!!!) — LDN, vitamin D optimization, and magnesium 🔮 The new EDS criteria — what's changing, what it means for the community, and Dr. Bluestein's role in the International Consortium on EDS xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What is something YOU are constantly doing to make yourself more comfortable throughout the day that you don’t even think about?! TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Hypermobility, Pain & Dr. Bluestein’s Diagnosis Story: 00:01:34 Defining Joint Hypermobility & Muscle Guarding 00:04:45 Types of Hypermobility: Peripheral, Localized, Generalized & Historical 00:07:05 Dr. Bluestein's Story: Ballet, Early Illness, and Diagnosis Why Patients Struggle Getting a Diagnosis: 00:17:08 Connecting Connective Tissue Disorders to Systemic Symptoms 00:19:30 Why Hypermobility Is Misdiagnosed 00:28:15 Why patients see normal labs and normal imaging but have symptoms + the Role of Systemic Interconnectedness 00:29:46 The Spectrum of Hypermobility: From Dancers to Bedbound Patients 00:33:00 The Psychological Toll of Medical Gaslighting How to Manage Hypermobility: 00:35:36 Proactive Management: The MEN'S PMMS Framework 00:37:03 Building Momentum with the 10% Rule 00:39:53 Reapproaching Movement & Avoiding Kinesiophobia 00:42:06 Overcoming Pain Catastrophization & Reclaiming Power 00:44:18 Reclaiming Agency Through Micro-Joys 00:48:05 High-Impact Interventions: Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN) 00:50:10 Optimizing Vitamin D & Magnesium Levels 00:53:28 Central Sensitization, Neuroinflammation & Unique Pain Wiring The 411 on the New EDS Criteria: 01:03:43 Insights on the New EDS Criteria & Community Advocacy Conclusion: 01:09:48 One Brain Cell Show: Slow Horses (Apple TV+) & Clarkson's Farm (Prime Video) 01:14:27 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Dr. Linda Bluestein: • Instagram, Personal - https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/ • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hypermobilityMD • Website - https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/ • Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/@BendyBodiesPodcast • Instagram, Podcast - • Instagram, Personal - https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Powered by: Just Media House — https://www.justmediahouse.com/ #Hypermobility #hEDS #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #JointHypermobility #BendyBodies #DrLindaBluestein #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #POTS #MCAS #CentralSensitization #LowDoseNaltrexone #MedicalGaslighting #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #ConnectiveTissueDisorder #TarlovCyst #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 16 · 50 min

    How a #1 NYT-Bestselling Author Manages Chronic Pain, Deadlines & a Hulu Deal (ft. Sheila Masterson)

    This week on Calling in Sick, #1 NYT-Best Selling author, Sheila Masterson (The Poison Daughter), is back to talk about the ONE thing I think every chronically ill person who has ever tried to build a career, meet a deadline, or show up for their work on a bad pain day desperately needs to hear. Tune in to hear about: 🤕 What a bad migraine day actually looks like for Sheila — the reality of standard narcotics not working, the GI piece, and what Sheila describes as "endurance training for pain" 🏢 Corporate America vs. entrepreneurship with chronic illness — why traditional workplaces are rarely built for disabled employees, and what the trade-offs of self-employment actually look like 📚 Ableism in entertainment — why traditional publishing timelines are inherently ableist, what "crash publishing" costs a chronically ill author, and how Sheila vetted agents and publishers by asking directly how they advocate for disabled clients 🗓️ The project manager approach to chronic illness — how Sheila builds buffer time into every deadline, runs three part-time assistants for seamless cross-coverage, and plans brain-heavy tasks around her hormonal cycle 🥄 Spoon theory in practice — what low-spoon vs. high-spoon tasks actually look like in a writing career, and how to protect your best energy for what matters most ✍️ Unlocking creativity during a flare — dictating voice notes, editing instead of drafting, using audiobooks to get into a receptive headspace without overstimulation 🎬 Adapting TV sets for chronic illness — the quiet rooms, audio relay services, and dynamic scheduling she is building into the Hulu adaptation of The Poison Daughter. xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What is your number one accommodation or hack that has made building a career with chronic illness more sustainable? TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Navigating Chronic Illness & Careers: 00:01:00 What a Bad Migraine Day Looks Like & how Sheila manages them 00:07:40 Corporate America vs. Chronic Illness 00:11:05 Managing Teams & Delegating Tasks with a chronic illness 00:18:00 Stress, Healthcare & Self-Advocacy 00:30:00 Low Spoon vs. High Spoon Tasks 00:32:45 Unlocking Creativity During Bad Flare Days 00:36:40 Adapting TV Sets for Chronic Illness 00:40:40 Disability Representation in the Entertainment World Conclusion: 00:45:00 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Sheila Masterson: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sheilareadsandwrites/?hl=en • Newsletter & Bonus Chapter - https://sheilamasterson.com/ • Buy The Poison Daughter - https://link.amazon/B02AN6S1O ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #ChronicIllness #ChronicMigraine #SheilaMasterson #ThePoisonDaughter #ChronicIllnessEntrepreneur #SpoonieLife #SpoonTheory #ChronicIllnessCareer #InvisibleIllness #ChronicPain #AbleismInPublishing #DisabilityRepresentation #ChronicIllnessBusiness #WorkingWithChronicIllness #EnergyBudgeting #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 14 · 1 hr 14 min

    Chronic Illness in Media & Entertainment with Author, Sheila Masterson (The Poison Daughter)

    This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Sheila Masterson — #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Poison Daughter, a fantasy-romance novel that has taken the chronic illness and romantasy communities completely by storm. And this is the conversation nobody has had with her yet. This week, we're diving into: 😤 Subverting the "sick girl" trope — why Sheila built Harlow as angry, spicy, violent, and unapologetically flawed — and why chronically ill people deserve to see themselves as hot, disabled, and complex in fiction 🔥 Feminine rage & romantasy — how The Poison Daughter captures collective frustration around expectations placed on women to absorb toxic behavior, mask their pain, and smooth over discomfort 🧠 The reality of masking — why Sheila chose first-person present tense to capture the claustrophobic mental load of a pain flare, and how she dictated scenes via voice notes during active migraine attacks to get the language exactly right 💔 Reader response — the overwhelming reaction from the chronic illness and complex trauma communities who finally felt seen in fiction 🎬 The TV adaptation — Sheila's role as executive producer on the upcoming Hulu series, and her commitment to protecting the show's authentic chronic illness representation And come back on Wednesday to hear about how Sheila has navigated balancing a creative career with chronic illness. xx, Alex 💬 Comment: Has a book, show, or character ever made you feel truly seen in your chronic illness experience — and which one? TIMESTAMPS: Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Chronic Illness Representation in Media (The Poison Daughter): 00:00:38 Subverting the "Sick Girl" Trope in Media 00:02:44 Feminine Rage, Accountability & Romantasy 00:08:49 Pain Flares, Masking & Writing in First-Person 00:15:06 Reader Reactions & The Complex Trauma Connection 00:23:28 Self-Identity, Personal Growth & Living with Chronic Illness 00:34:52 Safe Spaces for Anger & the Romantasy Dynamic 00:41:58 Navigating Chronic Illness in Relationships & Intimacy 00:51:31 Media Impact & Executive Producing the TV Series Conclusion: 01:01:06 One Brain Cell Show: Ride or Die, Furious (Hulu) & Chad Powers (Hulu) 01:07:38 Where to Find Sheila's Books & Newsletter 01:08:48 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 Connect with our guest, Sheila Masterson: • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sheilareadsandwrites/?hl=en • Newsletter & Bonus Chapter - https://sheilamasterson.com/ • Buy The Poison Daughter - https://link.amazon/B02AN6S1O ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #ChronicIllness #ChronicMigraine #SheilaMasterson #ThePoisonDaughter #Romantasy #BookTok #ChronicIllnessRepresentation #FeminineRage #SickGirlInFiction #InvisibleIllness #SpoonieLife #ChronicPain #FantasyRomance #BookTokChronicIllness #Masking #ChronicIllnessCommunity #TVAdaptation #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 9 · 1 hr 6 min

    Revisit: Motherhood with Chronic Illness (ft. Cortney Gensemer)

    This week on Calling in Sick, we are RE-RELEASING a fan favorite!!! I was joined by Cortney Gensemer, PhD - scientist, chronic illness patient and mom - to talk about the questions so many of us with chronic illness are quietly worried about. Motherhood. And obviously, as someone who is pregnant, I had a LOT of questions for Cort!! So this week, we're diving into: 🤰 What pregnancy actually looked like with hEDS, POTS & MCAS 🏥 Why MFM appointments are every chronic illness woman’s favorite appointment ever 👶 The genetic question everyone is afraid to ask: will my child have my chronic illness? 💼 How Cortney found a sustainable balance for work, health and motherhood 🩺 How chronic illness actually prepares you to be an incredible mother And we also answer YOUR questions! Including: 🤍 How to manage burnout as a parent with CFS 🤍 What a genetic mutation in COL5A1 or COL5A2 actually means for cEDS 🤍 How to ask for help when your body just can't keep up xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What's the one question about chronic illness and motherhood you've been afraid to ask? TIMESTAMPS Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! Motherhood and Chronic Illness: 00:02:29 Courtney's motherhood & postpartum journey 00:08:00 Why chronic illness patients love their Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialists 00:14:15 What sharing our pregnancies publicly was like 00:17:15 The concerns about passing down chronic illness conditions 00:23:42 How pregnancy has shifted our mindsets towards life with chronic illness 00:25:29 Chronic illness parenting hacks 00:31:12 What navigating a medical crisis for your child is like, while YOU are managing YOUR chronic illness 00:39:20 How Cortney has juggled her career, motherhood and chronic illness Audience Q&A: 00:43:25 Chronic Illness Burnout Tips 00:48:22 Pain medication and juggling the long-term risks 00:50:33 MFM and Preconception Planning 00:56:06 Genetics and EDS Conclusion: 01:00:11 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest: Cortney Gensemer! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cortdoesscience/ • Substack - https://cortneygensemer.substack.com/ • Website - cortneygensemer.com 🔗 If you have a complex chronic illness, check out Chronicle Connect and patient participation opportunities at chroniclebio.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ #ChronicIllnessResearch #hEDS #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #POTS #MCAS #MastCellActivation #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #PatientAdvocacy #CortDoesScience #ChronicleBio #ChronicIllnessCommunity #MedicalGaslighting #PatientScientist #Omics #ChronicPain #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 7 · 1 hr 26 min

    Revisit: The 411 on Chronic Illness Research (ft. Cortney Gensemer, PhD)

    This week on Calling in Sick, we are RE-RELEASING a fan favorite!!! I got to sit down with someone who lives this chronic illness life from both sides of the equation… Cortney Gensemer, PhD is a scientist at ChronicleBio, a patient with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, MCAS, POTS, and adrenal insufficiency, and the creator behind @CortDoesScience. We dive into: 🔬 What it's actually like to study your own disease 🩺 The challenges of specialized care and diagnosis for the chronic illness population 🧬 How "omics" research is what’s connecting the dots across chronic illnesses to move beyond labels and actually find answers 💊 Our hot takes on if: diagnostic labels 100% helpful, wellness culture is actually toxic, patients are more informed than their providers, and so much more xx, Alex 💬 Comment: What's one thing you wish your doctor actually understood about your condition? TIMESTAMPS Intro: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick! 00:04:48 Alex’s Picks of the Week (Pain patches & Pregnancy pillow picks) My chat with Cortney Gensemer: 00:02:50 Cortney's journey: From athlete to patient to scientist 00:09:36 What researching her own disease did for her identity and diagnosis journey 00:23:25 What being a patient and scientist is like 00:26:23 Starting @CortDoesScience" on social media 00:30:34 Developing patient-science training and lab accessibility 00:37:07 Transitioning to biotech at ChronicleBio Chronic Illness Hot Takes: 00:47:04 Are diagnostic labels meaningless? 00:49:51 Should patients read primary literature? 00:54:41 Is it the doctor's fault if they don't understand your condition? 00:56:47 Is social media harmful or helpful for our community? 01:01:51 How should we be evaluating the wellness industry? Conclusion: 01:14:04 One Brain Cell Show: Love is Blind, Working Moms, I'm Sorry 01:18:20 Where to connect with Cortney Gensemer 01:20:01 Thank you for listening! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stay connected and follow us on socials for more! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/ • TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568 • Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod? Connect with our guest: Cortney Gensemer! • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cortdoesscience/ • Substack - https://cortneygensemer.substack.com/ • Website - cortneygensemer.com 🔗 If you have a complex chronic illness, check out Chronicle Connect and patient participation opportunities at chroniclebio.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/ Alex’s Picks of the Week: Things that have been helping my chronic illness — and now my first trimester too!! ✨Salonpas Lidocaine Pain Patches — https://amzn.to/3P6rAON ✨Momcozy Pregnancy Pillow — https://amzn.to/4nEIlgZ #ChronicIllnessResearch #hEDS #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #POTS #MCAS #MastCellActivation #ChronicIllness #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #PatientAdvocacy #CortDoesScience #ChronicleBio #ChronicIllnessCommunity #MedicalGaslighting #PatientScientist #Omics #ChronicPain #CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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