The Cook Who Can't Eat

Today we delve into the dynamics of older kids coming home for the summer and the sometimes-unforeseen complications. Unspoken expectations, mutual respect, and finding a balance are at the forefront of this conversation. Discover the secrets to a smooth transition back home, from open communication to setting boundaries on significant others. Plus, learn about the importance of pitching in and of...

Today's episode is a raw and honest reflection of not just my personal journey, but the battle chronic illness patients face navigating the complexities of sustaining life when it becomes a daily battle. From the meticulous routines of nutrition and hydration to the intricate balancing act of managing symptoms and treatments, today's episode paints a vivid picture of a life where even th...

We grew up hearing, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” It’s a load of shit, but the lesson was that what we or others say is “harmless”. That wasn’t true then, and it’s even less true now. Our online world exposes us to a never-ending onslaught of words, images, and videos 24/7. “Reality” seems to start online, especially for our kids, and the anonymity provided b...

In the third part of 'The Legal Talk' series, the conversation tackles the complexities and severe legal implications of high school romances and intimacy among minors.  We are sharing real life stories of minors who faced severe consequences for a consensual relationship, illustrating the stark reality of how minors can be subjected to life-altering penalties, including registration as...

Welcome to "The Legal Talk - Part 2, Sexting & Texting, the Sex Crime where Consent Doesn’t Matter". In today's eye-opening episode, we're going to uncover the harsh realities of sexting and the legal minefield our teens navigate every time they open their phone, connect to wifi, or use any kind of technology.  We will continue the discussion on the legalities around sextin...

In this captivating episode, we unveil the eye-opening truth about 'The Legal Talk' every parent needs to have with their kids. Don't miss out on this crucial conversation that can protect your child's future. Join us as we delve into the laws and legal landscape, uncovering the hidden risks of the online world and how they can have severe consequences. Tune in now and equip yo...

What happened to Home Ec? It used to be a mandatory part of our education, and while the class has seemingly disappeared the need for the skills has not.  Parents have to find new ways to impart crucial life skills such as cooking, budgeting, home maintenance, and work etiquette to teens who would rather order DoorDash.  As education systems shifted focus away from well-rounded curriculums and foc...

This episode of The Cook Who Can't Eat delves into the disturbing topic of medical kidnapping that few understand and even fewer realize how easily it can happen to anyone. With a history dating back to 1706 and its terrifying prevalence today, there is a lot to discuss including things you can do NOW to protect your family. The discussion reveals the shocking discoveries of medical professio...

Welcome back! We are picking up where we left off last week with the reality of medical kidnapping - a practice where a state falsely assumes custody over individuals through manipulation of protection laws, with part 2 of “When Kidnapping is Legal.”  In this episode we will find out what happened to Marty for helping Justina and her family, real-life stories of families wrongfully separated due t...

We need to talk about holiday cooking, but IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK! Stay with me for a few minutes and I will prove it to you.  There are a million little things that add up to a LOT during the holidays. When you are little, the holidays can seem so magical. When you are an adult, especially a parent, holidays are making magic…which is exhausting. I figured out how to make the holiday cooking a LO...

In 2021, THREE words almost cost me my life. Two words were added to my medical chart that changed the way I was examined, and the one word that was left OFF my medical chart, delayed life saving care.  Our medical charts have a lot of responsibility, power, and influence. Everyone that participates in our health care system is reliant on medical charts and the details it contains. It helps with c...

The dirty secret about parenting is that we have NO IDEA if or how something will work until our kids go through it. AND just because something worked for one, doesn't guarantee it will work for another. All we can do is try and learn as we go and find ways to support them the best way we know how!  There has been a bit of buzz around the “Parenting After Dark” and “1, 2, 3 Bully Free” episod...

When it comes to "THE Talk" there are lots of opinions on what to say, how to say it, and when. What they aren't talking about is "The Talk BEFORE The Talk." Understanding these concepts will make "The Talk" and other conversations with your kid a lot easier. We've learned how important this conversations is, so I'm breaking down how "The Talk BEFO...

In this Special Edition of The Cook Who Can't Eat, I'm spilling all the tea! I want to welcome you to season 2, or the continuation os, the podcast, tell you where I've been, why, and what's next! There is so much to tell you, and I am really excited to begin. Will you join me? The Cook Who Can't Eat podcast is brought to you by Holly at Well Blended Life.  Find us at www....

Difficult turns to dangerous when the biased misconceptions about people with chronic illnesses or disabilities bleed into our healthcare system.  In this episode, we discuss the 8 ways you can harness the super power most of us forget we have; our voice. There are a lot of misconceptions and stereotypes these groups face every day, and one of the biggest is this idea that we should be "grate...

Who cares if it's in? You can still enjoy it, right? It starts with an understanding of relationships, proper storage, hormones, and gas.  Groceries can significantly impact our family budget, especially now when prices seem to never stop climbing. I always try to purchase with the best intentions, but when my body quits, or life gets in the way it’s frustrating seeing our hard-earned money t...

We all have that little voice in the back of our mind or that feeling deep in our gut that tells us a lot more than, "I'm hungry." Call it intuition, instinct, or gut feeling. It really doesn't matter what you call it, that voice, that feeling, is there to protect us, keep us safe. It's our job to listen to it and trust it.  For many of us this is how our chronic illness a...

For YEARS!!! But it's not what you think... We’ve all heard the stories in books and movies where birthdays are this huge transformational time for people, but that’s not real. It’s more like NYE, lots of anticipation and build up for what turns out to be a very ordinary day.  We recently celebrated my birthday. While that probably sounds very normal to you, it feels odd for me to say “celebr...

The Resource Guide is HERE...and it's FREE! When you get sick, even if it is so sick that you can’t work, dress yourself, or even hold your own head up, the paperwork of life stuff doesn’t pause or wait for you to be clear headed. My condition did not matter, the insurance company wanted their documents. Work and disability wanted their forms and interviews. Doctors and hospitals wanted to be...

Being a mother is one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs in the world, and we have come a long way in recognizing the importance of mams and the valuable role they play in raising children. However, women are still categorized and judged based on adjectives like bio, step, working, stay-at-home, grand, adoptive, foster, single, divorced, married, and so many more! These labels not only cre...

Parenting magic happens after dark, and it can change everything. The teen years are a hard time for kids and parents, and we really thought a lot of the fights and friction with our teens was just them being teens and trying to carve out their own independence.  It’s a cliché for a reason. In the grand scheme of things, you have about half a second to raise your babies to be good humans. Between...

From November of 2019 to February of 2020, I lost about 60 pounds. By mid-February when they finally admitted me to the hospital, I weighed at best, around 90 pounds. I could no longer hold down water, I hadn't been able to hold down food for several weeks, and I could actually feel parts of my body shutting down. It was scary. My doctors agreed that the best option to keep me alive was a fee...

“You can walk, so why are you using a wheelchair?”  In most cases, this question should NEVER be asked, and it definitely shouldn't be asked by a medical professional that is supposed to help you. However, I was asked this question 3 times within 10 minutes of meeting the tech performing a necessary test. This is not the first time something like this has happened. In fact, it isn’t even the...

I really thought accessible cooking would be this huge shift I had to make in everything I did in the kitchen. How I cook, where I cook, when I cook. Instead it was using appliances or other tools to help with chopping and cutting and other labor intensive activities. It's simplifying recipes and making sure that I have clear and easy to understand and follow instructions. Sometimes it's...

This episode's going to be a little different. You may have heard of the controversy happening between Candace Owens and the disabled community. While this happened a couple weeks ago, and some may say that this conversation is too late, I disagree. I think this type of conversation, education needs to continue. Chronic illness and disabilities have long been treated like something shameful o...