The Dramedy Podcast with Team Awesome

As Carla continued her battle with GBS, the disease attacked her vocal cords, leaving her with only a raspy whisper as a means to communicate. Finally on the rehabilitation floor of the local hospital, Carla met Trish, a professional speech therapist. Through a series of regularly scheduled therapy sessions, Trish helped Carla retrain her vocal cords, which had become partially paralyzed by the di...

After finally getting her room in the rehab division of the hospital, Carla has a new fight ahead of her – learning to regain the use of her body. In this episode, Steve and Carla welcome Pam, the physical therapist who helped Carla build the strength—and the confidence—to stand again. Carla and Pam talk about their daily workouts, Pam’s process in assessing Carla’s strength, and the importance of...

After months of navigating a mystery disease, Carla finally learns that her instincts were correct when a neurologist diagnoses her with Guillain-Barré syndrome, and apparently in just the nick of time. Carla shares her mix of relief and fear as she learns just how close she was to being placed on a ventilator. Meanwhile, Steve recounts the day he had to step out of the hospital for a couple of ho...

After finding their way to a somewhat eerie ER, Carla finally finds a nurse who seems to understand the seriousness of her condition. Steve helps Carla (who is mostly numb/paralyzed) pee in a cup without spilling, and the two part ways when a specialized ambulance finally arrives to take Carla to a hospital room - back where our night started. While a sense of relief washes over Carla, that feelin...

After Carla's fall, Steve calls their friend Tim, who helps get them to the nearby ER. What they find is a power-hungry valet, a crowded waiting room full of Covid-19 cases and an ornery pull cord in a bathroom that brings some unwanted attention. Tim shares his perspective as he sees Carla's health failing while offering his support in a time of crisis. Just another night as we navigate...

In Episode 4, Steve and Carla talk about becoming roommates again. As Carla downsizes and moves in the best friends soon learn that this living arrangement is much different than their previous experiences. Carla's health continues to decline and Steve, with no medical background, does the best he can to keep his best friend comfortable. But when a dramatic fall in the hallway becomes emotion...

Carla and Steve continue their conversation about the strange healthy symptoms Carla presented and their decision to live together once again. Carla, afraid for her own safety, moves from her own house and into Steve's, where they had to adjust to not only adjust to being roommates again, but to continue navigating life. Steve was working full time, remotely, and at the early stages of a new...

No matter how independent you are, there comes a time when you have to rely on others for help. In this second episode of The Dramedy Podcast with Team Awesome, your hosts Carla and Steve welcome their mutual friend Denise. Denise was instrumental in assisting Carla early on once she started showing strange symptoms. And it was Denise who took Carla to the urgent care and Emergency Room the first...

Welcome to Dramedy (which we admit was not named when we first started this conversation). In our debut episode, your hosts Carla Vaughan and Steve Blanchard talk about what they hope to accomplish in this podcast by discussing their long-time friendship and their struggles when Carla was diagnosed with an at-first unidentified disease that slowly caused her to be paralyzed.  The good news is they...