My Spoonie Sisters
Welcome to My Spoonie Sisters! If you're wondering what a "Spoonie" is, it’s a term lovingly embraced by those living with chronic illnesses, based on the Spoon Theory. It’s all about managing our limited energy (or “spoons”) while navigating life’s challenges.
Each week, join us to hear from your "Spoonie Sisters" host, co-hosts, and our inspiring special guests as we share real-life stories, tips, and encouragement. Whether you're here to learn, connect, or feel less alone, you’ll find a supportive space filled with understanding, laughter, and strength. Let’s journey through chronic illness together!
Tune in and join the sisterhood!
All guests featured or mentioned in this podcast will be listed for your convenience. Don't forget to rate and subscribe to My Spoonie Sisters and follow @MySpoonieSisters on Instagram for updates on new episodes and more. If you have a story to share or want to be featured on My Spoonie Sisters, please email MySpoonieSisters@gmail.com. We eagerly look forward to speaking and hearing from all our Spoonies!
Disclaimer: While we are not doctors or healthcare Practitioners, we want to assure you that this podcast is a credible source of information. It's based on our guests' personal experiences and the strategies we've found effective for ourselves. However, everyone's body is unique, and what works for one person may not work for another. If you have any health-related questions, it's always best to consult your Primary Doctor or Rheumatologist.
Remember, our goal at My Spoonie Sisters is to connect people and provide them with the support and tools they need to live better lives.
Episodes
159 episodes
MS Disrupted
When Kathy Chester lost her eyesight in one eye on Mother's Day over twenty years ago, she had no idea this would be the beginning of her journey with multiple sclerosis. As a former gym owner and lifelong athlete, her first instinct was to "ru...
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39:21
The Power of Mail: Turning Chronic Illness into Advocacy
When life deals you a complicated hand of chronic illnesses, what do you do with it? For Erica Falco, the answer was clear – transform it into a mission of connection and hope for others walking similar paths.At just 30 years old, this ...
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Season 5
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Episode 14
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42:10
Unmasking Autonomic Dysfunction
What happens when the medical establishment tells you your debilitating symptoms are "all in your head"? Dr. Diana Driscoll shares her journey from successful optometrist to disabled POTS patient and groundbreaking researcher. After a virus tri...
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Season 5
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Episode 13
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42:35
Living Through Medical Emergencies
Steve Lovelace didn't plan to share his recent health crisis on the Spoonie Sisters podcast, but sometimes the most powerful conversations happen unexpectedly. When Steve woke at 3:30 AM with unmistakable heart attack symptoms, he made a decisi...
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Season 5
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Episode 12
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32:51
Turning Diagnosis Into Mission: The Birth of Lori Health
Ever Googled your symptoms only to fall down a rabbit hole of doom and gloom? You're not alone. When Asmaa was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2022, she desperately searched for someone who could tell her life wasn't over—someone who looke...
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Season 5
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Episode 11
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30:35
Medical Jargon Demystified
Have you ever left your rheumatologist's office feeling like they were speaking an entirely different language? You're not alone. Medical terminology can be overwhelming, especially when you're newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and tryi...
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Season 5
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Episode 10
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48:17
Your Recovery Plate Matters More Than You Think
Nutrition might be the most overlooked aspect of surgical recovery, yet it fundamentally shapes how quickly and completely our bodies heal. In this deeply practical conversation, the Spoonie Sisters welcome holistic nutritionist Jacqueline Love...
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Season 5
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31:27
Becoming Your Own Disease Detective
What happens when a medical professional becomes the patient? Melissa Marquis—a nurse with over 25 years of experience in emergency preparedness—shares her remarkable journey from healthcare provider to autoimmune patient after being diagnosed ...
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Season 5
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Episode 9
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51:39
Behind the Mask: Raw Conversations When the Spoons Run Out
What does chronic illness really look like when no one's watching? When the "I'm fine" mask slips away?The Spoonie Sisters gather for an unfiltered, emotional conversation about the reality behind the façade. This episode dives deep int...
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Season 5
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48:45
Unsolicited Chronic Illness Advice
Have you ever been told that celery juice could cure your autoimmune disease? Or perhaps someone suggested that your joints aren't actually inflamed—they're just dehydrated? Welcome to the world of unsolicited health advice that every person wi...
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Season 5
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Episode 8
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45:52
Mind Over Misery Part 2
What happens when chronic pain intersects with mental health? Our panel of chronic illness warriors tackles this question head-on, revealing the emotional landscape behind physical suffering and the mindset shifts that transformed their journey...
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Season 5
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Episode 7
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39:24
Mind Over Misery Part1
Chronic illness transforms not just our bodies, but our entire emotional landscape. What happens when persistent physical pain collides with mental health? How do we find joy when our bodies seem determined to hold us back?"Mind Over Mi...
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Season 5
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Episode 6
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39:09
Finding Your Spoonie Super Power
Have you ever considered that your chronic illness might have given you superpowers? Not the kind that let you leap tall buildings, but the real-life abilities that make you uniquely resilient, intuitive, and resourceful.In this heartfe...
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Season 5
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Episode 5
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54:32
The Lupus Dietitian: Transforming Autoimmune Health
What if you could transform your autoimmune health through nutrition and lifestyle changes? That's precisely what Tanya Freirich, The Lupus Dietitian, has done for herself and thousands of clients over her 15-year career.This illuminati...
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Season 5
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Episode 4
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42:40
So, You're Newly Diagnosed Part 2
Have you ever been casually told about a serious medical diagnosis you didn't even know you had? That jarring experience is just one of the many challenges we explore in this heartfelt conversation about navigating life after receiving a chroni...
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Season 5
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Episode 3
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33:50
Patient Voices: When Champions Lead the Way
For those living with rheumatic diseases, finding your voice can be as powerful as finding the right treatment. In this candid roundtable conversation, six extraordinary patient advocates—Chelsea, Stasha, Nya, Tanya, Jen, and Cheryl—pull back t...
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Season 5
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Episode 2
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33:08
So, You're Newly Diagnosed Part 1
Imagine the moment: sitting in a doctor's office, hearing those words for the first time – "You have a chronic illness." What follows isn't just medical treatment, but an emotional journey through fear, confusion, and eventually, finding your w...
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Season 5
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Episode 1
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33:30
Lemon or Lyme? Part 2
The tiny creatures lurking in your backyard could change your life forever. Shira Haid knows this reality all too well, having battled severe tick-borne illnesses that left her unable to walk or speak. Today, she's turning that painful experien...
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Season 4
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Episode 44
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37:48
Lemon or Lyme? Part 1
Chronic illness steals more than your health—it can rob you of your identity and everything you once loved. For Shira Haid, a classically trained musician and clinical massage therapist, the onset of multiple tick-borne illnesses, including Lym...
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Season 4
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Episode 43
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37:18
The Audacious Patient: Finding Your Voice in a Broken Healthcare System
Have you ever wondered what it's like to be both the healer and the one in need of healing? Meet Mallory Carlson, an acupuncturist of nearly 12 years who has simultaneously navigated her own 16-year journey with debilitating migraines and women...
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Season 4
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Episode 42
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33:37
When Diagnosis Becomes Your Doorway, Not Your Destiny
What happens when doctors dismiss your symptoms for years, even as you're coughing up blood? For Amy, this medical gaslighting journey finally ended with a diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension in March 2023, followed by immediate hospit...
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Season 4
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Episode 41
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41:57
Competition or Comparison: Finding Your Place in Chronic Illness
Have you ever found yourself scrolling through social media, seeing others with your same diagnosis seemingly thriving while you struggle to get out of bed? That gnawing feeling of "why them and not me?" isn't something we talk about enough in ...
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Season 4
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Episode 40
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36:22
Defying Limits: One Man's Battle with Arachnoiditis
Steve Lovelace's journey with arachnoiditis demonstrates the remarkable strength of the human spirit when faced with seemingly insurmountable pain. When his neurologist delivered the devastating diagnosis in 2014 with a solemn "I'm sorry," Stev...
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Season 4
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Episode 39
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48:19
Empowering Parents through Asthma Education
Andrea's inspiring journey from interior design to public health is a testament to the power of personal experience in shaping professional paths. Prompted by her son's asthma diagnosis and the challenges they faced navigating the healthcare sy...
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Season 4
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Episode 38
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48:47
The Art of Slow Nomad Living
How do you pursue your dreams when your body seems to have other plans? For slow travel nomad and empowerment coach Caitlin, the answer lies in adaptation rather than abandonment. With a background in environmental engineering and a life shaped...
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Season 4
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Episode 37
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39:27