Calling In Sick

This week on Calling in Sick, we’re getting into one of the most universal chronic illness experiences that NOBODY warns you about. What happens when you internalize the words “I don’t believe you,” and how that becomes the voice in your head. After 25+ years of being the patient, I’m unpacking how dismissal, doubt, and “are you sure?” became my default setting and how trauma therapy (for somethin...

This week on Calling in Sick, we’re diving into one of the most begged-for topics in women’s health… hormones. We talk about what they actually do, how they impact chronic illness, and why SO many of us are misdiagnosed or dismissed for years. I’m joined by Dr. Shawn Tassone, America’s Holistic Gynecologist, a double board-certified OB/GYN + Integrative Medicine MD with a PhD in Mind-Body Medicine...

This month nearly took me out — it literally felt like a physical and mental rollercoaster. I was up…and then down (like almost in the hospital down)…and then up…and then decided it was also a good time to test some boundaries, which brought only more ups and downs. With my monthlong whiplash coming to an end, I wanted to do some reflection to figure out what worked, what didn’t, and what I need t...

I had a toddler-level crash out this week… like, full-on crying mid–Hot Girl Walk. In this episode, I try to make sense of where it came from. Hint: my brain was definitely trying to protect me. Between the prednisone taper, nonstop testing, and the mental gymnastics of waiting for answers, I didn’t realize how much my anxiety had been brewing under the surface. So today, I’m getting real about wh...

Last week, we talked about giving ourselves permission to have fun — but this week? We’re swinging the pendulum back the other way. Because I made zero adjustments and just had fun… which was great until it wasn’t. Truth is, one of the hardest people to set boundaries with is actually ourselves. In this episode, I talk through what it looks like to chase joy, crash hard, and try to recover without...

This week on Calling in Sick, I’m joined by Dr. Preston Roche—a psychiatry resident, former Air Force Academy track athlete, and viral medical content creator known as ⁠ ⁨@itspresro⁩ ⁠. Preston brings a blend of clinical insight and personal vulnerability and I share my experience with acute and chronic pain (including how I think about and manage CRPS). Together, we dive into the messy, misunders...

This week on Calling in Sick, we’re diving deep into a condition that’s often misunderstood, minimized, or completely missed: endometriosis. I’m joined by the wonderful Autumn Weimann (@grlwithbangs)—naturopathic doctor (@period.prep), clean beauty founder (@Banginhair.shop), and advocate for body-literate healing. Autumn shares her powerful story of navigating chronic pain and years of unanswered...

Hey sweet friends—no full episode this week, just a short 10-minute update from me. Between a rough IVIG reaction, an unexpected ER trip, and a literal attempted home invasion (yes, really), I’m throwing it back to a past episodes: Processing Your Chronic Illness—because wow, I need to listen to this one this week too!! This week on Calling in Sick, I’m diving into something that doesn’t get talke...

This week on Calling in Sick, we’re tackling something that makes every chronic illness patient’s life harder—medical bills. The system is confusing, overwhelming, and expensive—and let’s be real, most of us just swipe our card and hope for the best. But what if I told you that hospitals and insurance companies are overcharging you—constantly? That’s why I’m sitting down with Daniel Lynch, co-foun...

In this week’s episode of Calling in Sick, I share my how-to guide on navigating travel with a chronic illness. Travel is supposed to be a relaxing and enjoyable break from “real life,” but when you’re dealing with a chronic illness, it can be incredibly overwhelming. From anxiety about how “able” you are, to internalized pressure on having the “perfect” get away, and realizing the impact of brain...

What do I know for sure about chronic illness, you ask?? Literally NONE of it makes sense. As someone who’s been sick for 25 years, you think I would have it all perfectly figured out - what triggers me, what medications work for me, how to talk about my illness with other people - but NOPE, a lot of the time chronic illness still feels a bit like a mystery to me, so how are other people, especial...

I girlbossed too close to the sun 😵‍💫 (forcing a flare for diagnostics + having a little too much fun!!) — so I’m calling in sick for real this week and giving my body the rest it needs. While I take a breather (and a heating pad nap), I’m revisiting one of my all-time favorite episodes. This conversation with Dr. Zachary Spiritos, a neuro-gastro-immunologist and advocate for women’s health, cha...

After 25 years, I’m still constantly wondering if my childhood diagnosis is even right, which has a LOT of implications. Like am I taking the right meds, am I seeing the right doctors, why am I not feeling better. So when my doctors offered a *potential* way to get a more definitive answer, I was quick to say HELL YES…even though that meant literally making myself flare up. In this episode of Call...

This week on Calling in Sick, I sit down with Oli Mittermaier, Co-Founder of CIT clinics, to unpack how ketamine therapy is reshaping treatment for mental health and chronic pain. When we hear ketamine therapy, most of us have an immediate reaction: you might feel like it’s taboo and all you can think about is “drugs are BAD,” perhaps you’ve tried Ketamine therapy and it had a life changing impact...

In this week’s episode of Calling in Sick, I’m opening up about how being “a pleasure to have in class” growing up has morphed into a deep need to be a PERFECT patient!!! I share how I try get my therapist to laugh during appointments like I’m some stand-up comedian and why I love to hear “your so tough” like I’m a Navy Seal. The reality is that the clash of this constant need to people please mix...

Is “gut health” just another buzzy wellness trend, OR is it a real component of chronic illness that we may be able to change?? In this episode of Calling in Sick, I sit down with Dr. Stephanie Culler, microbiome PhD, cancer researcher, and co-founder/CEO of Persephone Biosciences, to cut through the hype and bring you the real Gut Microbiome 101. In this episode, we cover: 🌱 What the microbiome...

This week on Calling in Sick, Cooper joins me to chat all things prednisone… because prednisone isn’t just hard on the person taking it, it’s a full-on rollercoaster for the people around them too!! After more than a decade of riding out meltdowns, bickers, and plenty of learning curves, we are pulling back the curtain on what it’s really like to survive prednisone together. Coop shares his POV on...

This week on Calling in Sick, I’m showing up mad. After almost two years of flaring, I’m starting to wonder if this maybe isn’t just a flare anymore… maybe it’s my new normal. And with that comes the worry that my current medical protocol is failing. THAT is a brutal, frustrating, gut-punch of a realization. Although I am usually a pretty positive gal, I know that anger has its place in any chroni...

DESCRIPTION: This week on Calling in Sick, we’re celebrating a big milestone — ONE YEAR of the podcast! I share why I started this show, what I’ve learned, and how this community has changed me in ways I didn’t expect. We’re diving into: ⭐ Why I launched Calling in Sick and how this community has healed parts of me I didn’t know needed it ⚡ What I’ve learned about identity, ambition, and practic...

Happy Labor Day!!! We’re just one week away from the one-year anniversary of Calling in Sick (!!), and to celebrate, I’m re-releasing one of our favorite solo episodes from this past year: How Chronic Illness Changes Our Definition of Ambition and Drive. This conversation was a turning point for me — realizing that losing my “high-functioning, hustle-at-all-costs” self didn’t mean I’d lost my ambi...

This week on Calling in Sick, I’m opening up about my journey to motherhood while living with chronic illness — the highs, the heartbreaks, and the hope that keeps me going. From IVF to pregnancy loss to unexpected health setbacks, I’m sharing what it’s really like to dream of becoming a mom when your body doesn’t always cooperate. We’re diving into: 🌱 The ups and downs of my motherhood timeline...

This week on Calling in Sick we are diving into one of the least talked about and most important skills to learn in your medical journey... how (and when) to say NO! After 25 years of being the patient, I’m sharing where “not right now” has protected my body, my sanity, and my future. We’re diving into: ⭐ Saying NO to providers who aren’t a fit — red flags, finding your QB, and why “I can’t help...

This week on Calling in Sick, it’s just you and me — and one of the most polarizing meds in chronic illness: Prednisone. Over 70% of us with chronic illness are prescribed it at some point, and whether you call it a miracle drug or a necessary evil… you’ve probably got a story. We’re diving into: ⭐ The good, the bad, and the psychotic breaks of Prednisone ⚠️ Why I think not all doctors should be...

This week on Calling in Sick, I’m joined by Dr. Erin Nance — board-certified orthopedic hand/wrist surgeon, founder of FeelBetr, and author of Little Miss Diagnosed: A Surgeon’s Guide to Breaking Bones and Bending Rules. She’s not just a medical provider — she’s a disruptor who deeply understands the trauma of being dismissed and misdiagnosed in modern medicine. Together, we dig into: ⭐ Why women...

This week on Calling in Sick, I’m pulling back the curtain on something I’ve never really talked about in depth: trauma therapy. Not wellness aesthetic therapy. Not “journal and manifest” therapy. Real, gritty, life-interrupting trauma therapy. In this episode, I’m sharing: 🧠 What trauma therapy actually is — and why I started ⚠️ Why I was afraid when life started to feel… good 💊 How my mindset...