Down There Aware

In this week’s episode, Alex and Mary discuss knowing your limitations and speaking up instead of over-exerting yourself. Listen on our website, www.downthereaware.com/podcast , or wherever you get your podcasts. Episode Highlights Welcome back! [0:40] Rate and Review DTA [0:57] Mary’s 2nd Wednesday Coffee [1:25] Alex’s crazy week [2:00] Pulling an all-nighter [3:05] Edema [3:53] “A man’s got to k...

In this week’s episode, Alex and Mary discuss genetic testing, specifically related to breast cancer. They touch on the advancements that have been made in genetic testing and the different perspectives on the need for and/or the benefits of genetic testing. Listen on our website, www.downthereaware.com/podcast , or wherever you get your podcasts. Episode Highlights Welcome back! [0:40] October is...

The Blame Game This week, Alex and Mary discuss the harmful effects of patient blaming, when a medical professional, friends, family, or self-help authors infer, suggest, or outright say something akin to, “If you had a better attitude, you could beat cancer” or “Maybe if you had lost weight, you wouldn’t have gotten diabetes” or “You should have gone to the doctor sooner, before you got cancer.”...

In today’s episode, Alex and Mary offer five tips to help us remain Down There Aware. Becoming Down There Aware is one thing, but continuing to maintain a consistent and effective awareness is most important for optimal health. Listen on our website, www.downthereaware.com/podcast , or wherever you get your podcasts. Episode Highlights Welcome back! [0:40] Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month [0:50]...

Disparities in Cancer Funding This week, Alex and Mary discuss the disparities in cancer funding, advocacy, education, and awareness. They look at the disproportionate number of nonprofits to the number of cancer diagnoses for various types of cancer, possible reasons for the disparity, and realistic solutions. Listen on our website, www.downthereaware.com/podcast, or wherever you get your podcast...

This week, Alex and Mary readdress the need to be “Down There Aware.” They discuss the fear that sometimes accompanies inquiries about one’s health, and the hesitancy in seeking out medical advice. Listen on our website, www.downthereaware.com/podcast , or wherever you get your podcasts. Episode Highlights Welcome back! [0:40] Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month #GCAM2021 [1:00] Why the podcast beg...

Coming Back from COVID Alex and Mary return this week after several weeks of hiatus, recovering from Covid-19. They discuss how they were infected, the ongoing recovery process, and their gratitude. This episode is a bit crazy at times, getting back in the saddle was rough! Buckle up! Listen on our website, www.downthereaware.com/podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. Episode Highlights Welco...

As she approaches her 2-year cancer diagnosis anniversary, Alex reflects on her journey and revisits the first episode of Season 1, sharing her story with new listeners, and recounting those days with those who have supported the podcast from week #1.

Another Weird Diagnosis! Seriously? In this week’s episode, Mary shares her experience with a new and unexpected diagnosis. She and Alex discuss Mary’s new condition, the treatment, and the prognosis in order to inform listeners and encourage others to pay attention to symptoms, no matter how minor they may seem, and the importance of consultation with a doctor. Listen on our website, www.downther...

Ouch! Let’s Talk Pain, Part 2. In this week’s episode, Alex and Mary continue their discussion of pain, something we can all relate to. They share their own personal worst pain and most strange pain, as well as discuss the origins of various pain scales. The opioid crisis is touched on, as are some alternative therapies for pain.  Listen on our website, www.downthereaware.com/podcast , or whe...

In this week’s episode, Alex and Mary discuss pain, something we can all relate to. They share their own personal worst pain and most strange pain, as well as discuss the origins of various pain scales. The opioid crisis is touched on, as are some alternative therapies for pain. This week is Part One on pain. Part Two will follow next week. Listen on our website, www.downthereaware.com/podcast , o...

In this week’s episode, Alex and Mary reflect on their various experiences with cancer, having come to the mutual conclusion that they hate it. They hate what it does to hopes and dreams, they hate what it does to families, and they hate how it affects everything and everyone in a person’s life who is living with cancer. They pretty much hate everything about cancer. They are united in their hate...

In this week’s episode, Mary shares her experience participating in a patient forum, hosted by the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association (HCMA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC), while Alex speaks to how we can transfer the knowledge, information, and lessons learned from such experiences to real life and living every day with diseases and complex medical conditions.

This week Alex and Mary continue the Motherhood series for the month of May, as they sit down with Jessica about her journey through IVF. Jessica details what led her to seek out a fertility specialist, the ups and downs of treatment, and her results from IVF.

This week Alex and Mary continue the Motherhood series for the month of May, as they speak with a single mom who adopted a toddler. She shared some little-known information about the many advantages of adopting through the Foster Care System.

This week Alex and Mary continue the Motherhood series for the month of May, as they discuss the option to make the choice to be childfree. After watching the documentary, “To Kid Or Not To Kid”, written, produced and filmed by Maxine Trump, they explore the biases against men and women who have made a conscious choice to live a life, free of children. The research they share explores the pronatal...

This week Alex and Mary continue the Motherhood series for the month of May as they sit down with Alana Weinberg, a cancer survivor who became a mother with the help of a surrogate/gestational carrier. Alana is a wealth of information, having gone through the experience of seeking out and matching with a gestational carrier, and she shares her story with enthusiasm and candor. There were some seri...

As they begin their Motherhood Series for the month of May, Alex and Mary discuss what they are most familiar with, traditional birth. Mary shares her pregnancy and birth experiences with her two children, William (Will) and Alexandra (Alex) in the 1980s. Although considered traditional births, there were many twists and turns that might call that into question.

Mary is on her way to a dental appointment in Orlando, so Alex is flying solo this week. She is discussing her latest ultrasound experience and where she is on her cancer journey. She shares her personal reflection on approaching two years since her cancer diagnosis and when, typically, cancer patients are told they can breathe a sigh of relief regarding being cancer free.

After being on “Spring Break” for the past two weeks, Alex and Mary sit down to discuss life’s unexpected detours that led them to a break. They will explain their time in the ER, a subsequent hospitalization, and a trip to Chicago. What a whirlwind!

This week Erin Arra shares her story as she recently received a cancer diagnosis while isolated at home, sick with CoVid-19. Erin describes her journey through HPV positive results that led her through countless tests and procedures, over the course of several years, only to be diagnosed with cervical cancer while quarantining at home, due to a positive CoVid-19 test.

This week we sat down with Ellie Rae, an 11-year-old who just started her period, and her mom, Kelly, who gave a lot of thought to preparing her daughter for this stage in her development. Ellie Rae shares her reaction to her mom’s prep talks and how she felt when she started her period at school. Kelly, who is a teacher, shares invaluable information for moms who may be wondering how to get this...

Mary is back this week, and the mother-daughter duo discuss setting boundaries within a caregiver/patient relationship, particularly as it pertains to the parent/adult child relationship.  Alex & Mary give unique perspectives through their own experiences in their respective roles.

This week Alex is flying solo, as Mary is sick (NOT Covid, mostly just an annoying cough). Alex reflects on what led to adopting her dog, Sadie Mae, five years ago. She also shares Sadie’s tragic story, which begs the question, “Who rescued whom?”

This week Alex and Mary reflect on some comments they received on one of their TikTok videos. They discuss the difference between knowledge and fear in regards to research, awareness, and growing through experiential information. Why do we fear learning more about our bodies, our health? Why is sharing our experiences, in order to help others be advocates for themselves, viewed as “fear-mongering”...