"What's Her Problem?" Podcast

How to Buy an Accessible Vehicle Issue #45 of "What's Her Problem?": Finding and adapting a vehicle that met my disability needs was a 5-step process. This is the first of three July articles focused on life with a disability. “Disability Pride Month is observed every July to celebrate disability identity and community, mark the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and push fo...

A New Diagnosis is Like Learning a New Language Issue #44 of “What’s Her Problem?”: To become fluent in your medical diagnosis, you need to start with the basics and keep studying. When I was diagnosed with the genetic heart condition Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) in 2011, one of the many aspects that overwhelmed me was the medical terminology. Cardiologists and nurses were bandying about phra...

“I’m an excellent driver.” -Dustin Hoffman as Raymond Babbitt in the 1988 Oscar-winning Best Picture “Rain Man” I love driving. I always have. Even when I was a kid, I was always trying to find toys I could drive or driving rides at amusement parks. Of course, I had a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe…you know, the red plastic car that you drive with your feet, with the yellow roof, the big set of eyes on t...

Two years ago this week, my physical therapist, a crucial part of my medical care team, was killed, at age 43, in a tragic accident. I wrote this letter to her the week after her passing, as a way to process my emotions. I’ve edited it lightly, and I added a post-script, but it remains largely unchanged otherwise. Consider yourself forewarned: you may want to have some tissues on hand as you read...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Mental health and chronic illness go hand-in-hand, and as May comes to a close, I wanted to acknowledge that it’s Mental Health Awareness Month. I invited a guest writer to share her thoughts on this topic with you, and I’m pleased to introduce Licensed Mental Health Counselor Karen Walter . Karen holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Salem Sta...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit whatsherproblem.substack.com 0:00-12:11      Introduction and the importance of patients being listened to and believed 12:11-20:17    Jennifer reads a passage from One Tick Stopped the Clock 21:30-24:09    How to find a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor (LLMD) 24:11-33:39    Family dynamics and chronic illness 33:40-40:31    Friendship and...

“It’s really a testament to who you are as a person, who you are as a community member, and who you are as somebody who wants to help others. I mean, that is truly, I would say, the hallmark of what it is to be a WomenHeart Champion, and now you are all part of this sisterhood, so congratulations to you.” -Celina Gorre, CEO of WomenHeart, thanking the graduates of the 2026 Virtual Science & Leader...

The Gold Standard in Lyme Disease Testing Issue #38 of “What’s Her Problem?”: When finances drive our medical decision-making, patients may miss out on receiving the best possible care. May is Lyme Awareness Month! There’s good news and there’s bad news. I usually give people the bad news first, but with you, I’m going to start with the good news, which is that 90% of this test has come back negat...

Spoiler Alert! This post contains spoilers for HBO Max’s “The Pitt,” Seasons 1 and 2. Feel free to bookmark this and save it for later if you were planning to watch and don’t want any spoilers. Last year, I wrote about Season 1 of “The Pitt,” which has since gone on to dominate awards shows like the Emmys, Golden Globes, and even the AARP Awards. Season 2, whose finale premiered last Thursday on H...

My Heart Disease Has Copycats Issue #36 of “What’s Her Problem?”: When several heart conditions look the same, how does the patient get the right diagnosis? My ears perked up last fall at the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association’s Annual Patient Meeting . Many doctors have told me there’s no known connection between two of my primary medical diagnoses: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) and auto...

Adventures in Event Venue Accessibility Issue #35 of “What’s Her Problem?”: Attending events can become complicated with chronic illness and/or disability. Note: It’s important to acknowledge that accessibility and accommodations aren’t one-size-fits-all. My experience doesn’t reflect access to ASL interpretation, Audio Description, closed captioning, sensory accommodations, or types of mobility c...

Five Times Strangers Commented on My Disability Issue #34 of “What’s Her Problem?”: Visible disabilities seem to give people license to think they can ask questions or remark on them. This week’s questions: Under what circumstances might you consider commenting on a stranger’s visible disability? If you have a visible disability, how do you handle comments from strangers? Links/References: https:/...

The Paralympic Spirit Issue #33 of “What’s Her Problem?”: The Paralympics are a master class in inclusion, athleticism, and storytelling. Links/References: US Olympic and Paralympic website article from BBC Sport On Track with HCM https://www.paralympic.org/news/milano-cortina-2026-opening-ceremony-speech-ipc-president#:~:text=From%201976%20to%202026%2C%20these,a%20new%20generation%20of%20heroes ....

This week’s questions: Have you thought about what you would do if you needed to make a career pivot? Are there other kinds of jobs that interest you? If you’ve already made a career pivot, what advice do you have for others looking to do so? Related Posts: https://whatsherproblem.substack.com/p/interview-series-sarah-hom-accessibility?r=heamx Links/References: Chronically Ill, Wildly Capable spoo...

This week’s questions: Do you wear a mask in public when you are sick? Have you ever pushed back against a friend or family member who asked you to mask for their protection or your own? Did peer pressure play a role in your response? Related Posts: https://whatsherproblem.substack.com/p/it-may-be-risky-but-it-feeds-your?r=heamx https://whatsherproblem.substack.com/p/whats-her-problem?r=heamx This...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit whatsherproblem.substack.com Interview Series: Dr. Wendie Trubow, MD, MBA Issue #30 of "What's Her Problem?": Toxins are wreaking havoc on our bodies, and Functional Medicine practitioners can help us mitigate their impact. This week’s questions: What’s one small thing you can do in your daily life to mitigate toxins? Have you seen a Fu...

Guest Post: Dawn Levitt, Two-Time Heart Transplant Recipient Issue #29 of "What's Her Problem?": Organ donors save lives. Part 5 of my 5-part series of Heart Month posts, bringing awareness to a variety of topics in cardiology. This week’s questions: Are you an organ donor? If not, would you consider becoming one? Links/References: http://www.4hcm.org/ https://dawnlevitt.substack.com/ https://www....

The Children's Cardiac Safety Act Issue #28 of "What's Her Problem?": You can help ensure ‘well-child’ and student-athlete pre-participation exams include cardiac screenings. Part 4 of my 5-part series of Heart Month posts, bringing awareness to a variety of topics in cardiology. This week’s questions: Does your state have Children’s Cardiac Safety Act legislation enacted yet? If not, will you sen...

How It Feels for Someone Else to Control Your Heart Issue #27 of "What's Her Problem?": What happens when someone with an ICD, who is 100% pacemaker-dependent, needs to get an MRI? Part 3 of my 5-part series of Heart Month posts, bringing awareness to a variety of topics in cardiology. This week’s questions: Can you imagine what it would feel like to lose control of your heartbeat? Is there a medi...

What If There Had Been Another Treatment Option Issue #26 of "What's Her Problem?": When new medications like cardiac myosin inhibitors come to market, it is difficult not to wonder what would have happened if they had been available sooner. Part 2 of my 5-part series of Heart Month posts, bringing awareness to a variety of topics in cardiology. This week’s questions: Do you have any big “What If”...

Interview Series: Lisa Salberg, Founder and CEO of the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association (HCMA) Issue #25 of "What's Her Problem?": Just one patient advocate can make a huge difference. Part 1 of my 5-part series of Heart Month posts, bringing awareness to a variety of topics in cardiology. This week’s questions: Are you a patient advocate? If so, how did you get started? If not, what do you...

Penicillin, Anaphylaxis, and The Allergist Who Ghosted Me (Part 2) Issue #24 of “What’s Her Problem?”: Nine out of 10 people who think they are allergic to Penicillin are not. This week’s questions: Have you made any surprising discoveries in your medical journey? If you think you are allergic to Penicillin, would you consider getting re-tested to be sure? Links/References: [ https://www.jaci-inpr...

Penicillin, Anaphylaxis, and The Allergist Who Ghosted Me (Part 1) Issue #23 of “What’s Her Problem?”: The search for answers after a medical scare can lead to some interesting discoveries. I have spent the last four decades thinking I was allergic to Penicillin. Last month, I learned that I am not. This week’s questions:   How do you begin to approach a medical mystery? Have you ever learned abou...

6 Ways Rafael Nadal Helps Me Manage Chronic Illness Issue #22 of “What’s Her Problem?”: When chronic illness is getting us down, we can look to great sports figures for inspiration on the path forward. This week’s questions: Is there a sports figure or other celebrity from whom you’ve drawn inspiration? What did you learn from them? Links/References: Served by Andy Roddick: https://www.newsletter....

2025 Recap Issue #21 of "What's Her Problem?": By looking back, you can see how far you've come. A new year is almost upon us, “What’s Her Problem?” community! What better way to prepare than by taking stock of everything that’s happened for this publication in 2025 and looking ahead to 2026? This week’s questions: Do you have any feedback on “What’s Her Problem?” Any topics or questions you hope...