My blurred opinion

Patti was a  person I didn't know a whole lot about until the day of the show, but as I got to know her, and I was able to take her story, I loved everything about her, and I'm happy to call her a friend. Her story starts was her successfully finding her dream job, not long before she gets diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She always wanted to be a gym teacher, it's all she ever wanted to be, but MS it really screws with your mobility, and it was a hindrance and made her have to leave the dream job she always wanted. But with Patti's strong spirit kept pushing and started to find a new purpose, to wear now she wants to help people not only balance and suppress their pain, but also with their mental outlook on life. She hasn't credentials, and she's achieved so much, and I know she will continue her fight on making a difference.  patti@fearlesswithms.com  https://www.instagram.com/fearlesswithms  https://www.fearlesswithms.com  https://www.facebook.com/patricia.bevilacqua.9638  https://www.facebook.com/groups/befearlesswithms As a special bonus, go to  https://www.fearlesswithms.com/limited-time-offer  to download a copy of The 9 Practices I use Everyday to live with MS as my Best Self.    

I am a massive fan of those who try to make the world a better place but also make the world more accessible and try to accommodate those who have disadvantages. Amber Hinds is the CEO of a company called equalize digital. Her goal is to make the Internet more accessible for those with disabilities. Amber is just one of those kind-hearted souls who sees something wrong in a particular area and finds a way to help. In this interview, she tells how she gets into this field, and also why she does what she does. https://equalizedigital.com  

The first that you will notice about Stephan is easing voice, and his delightful and positive attitude. He may be living a great life, but we would tell his journey and how he got here because everything wasn't always peachy. He suffered from depression, PTSD, and addiction. At one point, he had no idea how to be his true self, and he used alcohol to bury his pain, and he would never deal with the issues at hand. I lovely and hearing how fast come, the transformation he made on himself, and turning himself into the person he always wanted to be. I has made an amazing transformation, and all he wants to do is help others by sharing what he went through, and letting everyone know how great it is to be sober and clear-headed. https://mystepstosobriety.com  

And I met Fish lee some months back and was taken aback by how positive, and sweet he is after learning about all that had happened to him, and I was so grateful to have him on the show after he excepted.  I believe that his comics create and give examples of people with disabilities doing great things, including disabilities superheroes, and give those with disabilities something to look up to and inspire us. Fish has Tourette's, he didn't get diagnosed until later in life, but he also discusses how severe his condition that as he got older. We discuss his up-and-down journey with his condition, and how it's taking a toll on his physical health, but also how we get into where he is today and how he's found his true purpose. I love that he took a dream that he had, and a passion that he loved forever in comics, and now he's creating his own, and filling in the void where there were no people with disabilities, and comics, for the most part, he is creating his own world where people with disabilities are awesome, and they save the world.  https://linktr.ee/mrfishcomics  

I met Karen a while back, and as I got to know her, I really enjoyed our conversations and her personality. I always wanted to have her on the show, because I wanted to tell her journey of battling multiple sclerosis, and the chronic pain that comes with it. We discuss her long journey of finding the proper treatment to help give her life back, suppress some of the pain, and give her more mobility. And the unfortunate part about getting this condition is that she is a very active, athletic and physical person, she even served time in the Navy, and she likes to race go carts, and she had to figure out how to manage her pain, and get that part of her life backThe great thing about doing this episode at this point in time is that she was in a better place, she has a better understanding of her condition and how to treat it, so she has more of a positive minestate. 

I met Kathy on Facebook, and I didn't know a whole lot about her, other than she said she was an amputee, and a former RN, and that she was interested in being on the show, once I found out more about her story, and how she became an amputee, I was highly fascinated. You'll notice from Kathy that she's a very kind, well-spoken woman who has made some bad decisions, but she has paid for them and tries to do everything to atone every day for those mistakes. All the twists and turns that come with her story, kept me wanting to hear more because you hope with every guess that there is a happy ending or at least a start of one. I won't spoil it, but it's pretty tragic how she became an amputee, but her love for her family and grandchildren brought her back to her old self, maybe even a better self.  Her story involves mental health, addiction, loss, and even a comeback story.

Alex Manard is a guy I met through a mutual friend, and we immediately clicked because we had similar ideals and points of view on many issues. I'm glad to call him a friend, and I'm even more proud to be able to share his story with everyone. His condition is dwarfism, I and he is a great representation of that condition.  We talk about the misconceptions of dwarfism, also the many different variants of dwarfism. One of the things that I got to learn from Alex is how much pain goes through, because of his size and not developing properly, how much he has to endure, and how much he will have to take down the road. He has a very strong spirit, and he doesn't let anything hold him back, he's been on many reality shows, and he has been a very strong advocate for those in the dwarf community. He pushed through his mental health and the naysayers, and he just wanted to push the boundaries of what someone with his condition could do, and put himself on a stage where people were forced to recognize and except him as a person with strength.

When Andrea first reached out to me, I immediately said yes, because I knew she had value and would bring positive energy to the show. She is originally from Romania but now resides in Canada. She has three kids, and one of her sons has multiple brain conditions that affect his daily living. She is very open about talking about him, but she keeps him secluded from the world because she is ultra-protective of her kids. One thing I've noticed about Andrea talking to her on the show, and off the show, she tries to be positive no matter what's going on in her life, and that's a rare quality in a person. Andrea combines a unique form of insight to help others center on the present moment. With laser-focused energy, she allows her clients to expand their hearts for themselves and their families. She has her own podcast/YouTube channel, and I've even been on it, she's a great interviewer, and it's a really positive thinking type of show.Andrea is one of the people from the show that not only keeps in touch with me but tries to help me find some peace in my own life, as you will be able to tell from the episode he's a very kind person and wants nothing but good things for those who are struggling in this world. https://andreapetrut.ca/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-petrut-602a11217/  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCikPmNCVo9XUzuY0L_QHdpQ    

Ann hince has a very delightful spirit, but she comes from a lot of pain and trauma as a child. She starts out by talking about her two alcoholic parents and then eventually walking in on her mom dead in the bathroom at age 19. After an incident with another parent at her child school, she felt a sudden rage and anger, and emotions that she didn't feel were healthy, and she knew she had to get to the bottom of where those emotions came from.  She feels that all of that came from when she was a child, a lot of emotions, and pain that she never dealt with, and she just suppressed and went on with her life. So this is a story of a woman who has been through and seen a lot, and she takes us on her journey of healing and dealing with the issues that she never did many years ago. I think it's great that she's so sweet and kind, and she found a true self, and she never lost herself on that journey.   https://annhince.com/  https://www.facebook.com/AnnHinceWisdom   https://www.facebook.com/groups/onapathwaytoinsight  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTc4hb7ZKvih1LlRHK0cUjg   Book: A Pathway to Insight https://amzn.to/3u3ZAL1  

I was so happy to do this because these two people were a treat on the show. Mary who is the mother, and Gabi who is the daughter, have such an amazing relationship, and they've learned so much from each other, and they bring so much good energy anywhere they go. Gabby has down syndromeand , she never let it hold her back, but after constant rejection in the workplace, Mary was very frustrated and felt like she had to do something, not only for Gabby's  happiness, but also for her own independence. She met a bunch of other parents who lived in the area also had children with down syndrome, they formed  there own group and a bond with each other. Gabi who always wanted to own her own started making and packaging her own coffee, after many years of raising money, and little pop-ups here and there, we're able to get themselves a warehouse, and now even a few warehouses where they have hired at least 30 other people with special abilities.  https://gabisgrounds.com

I was thrilled to connect with our next guest Jessica, because we got to talk about a subject matter that I haven't delved into yet with the show, and just for the simple fact that she has great energy, and is a very positive person. We start off with her struggles with eating, dieting, and all her struggles that came with it. We talk about the shame, depression, and the pressure to keep up her outer appearance up to a certain standard. You tell her about the difference between bulimia, and anorexia, which she suffered from, and we also discuss the many misconceptions about eating disorders. Addiction is such a problem in this world, but one people tend to forget about is food addiction, because it's something we need to survive.  She now is doing so much to give back, help others like her, she is a real soldier in the fight against eating disorders.  Link: FoodFairyTales.com, use discount code TJ for $30 off the workbook

Justin is the husband of our last guest Juliet, we learned a little about him through her, and from what she did tell us, I knew he would be a perfect fit. He is an influential person in every way, and I love that he doesn't let his cerebral palsy define him. He actually learned how to talk before walking, and he even had to wear braces on his legs to help him stand and move around more fluently. As a kid, we discussed how he coped and developed techniques for better mobility.  We talked about early on in his schooling how he was put into special classes, and he didn't completely fit, and the anger and sadness that came with that was a precursor to what to come . He had to find a place where he fit in. He does have a major love for athletics and physical competition like wrestling, and it helped him to deal with his mental health and his shame for what he has and what he doesn't. I think Justin is a very brave person, and I'm so happy he and Juliet have each other because as you listen to both their stories, you really realize how they came into each other's lives at the perfect time, and how great they are for each other. And one other thing we spend a good amount of time talking about addiction and mental health, because both of these things have played Justin's life, but to this day he still is overcoming both.  His instagram is @airjustin22

Juliet's story is a fascinating, and unique story, she is a writer who has lost a daughter to cancer, and who also has a husband with cerebral palsy. We talk a lot about her daughter, and all the challenges she faced, everything that she went through, but also after her passing, how much Juliet took certain values and learnings from her, and used it to better her life. She talks about her struggles with mental health, and one of the major causes of that, is not being heard or taken seriously.  Julia is a very sweet person, she never judged her husband, no matter what is thrown on her plate when it comes to her daughter, she just wanted to provide the best life for her possible. No matter how much sadness and wrong for doing what is done to Juliet, she still kept doing the right thing. Website https://www.authorjulietrose.com https://www.instagram.com/authorjulietrose/  

This episode is with Ryan, when I first met her, I realize what a Nice person she is, I don't always look into their story fully, I like to get to know it through the interview in a genuine way. So when she started to tell me her story, I was captivated and humbled by her sweet and kind demeanor. She became a paraplegic when she was 16-year-old from a car accident. We discuss how she was before the accident, and who she became after. She really had to adjust her mindset, because she set out to find out if she was cool or not based on her wheelchair, and how she looked to others. We talk a lot about school, the good the bad, and the ugly of the new person with a disability, and how all the attention can be put on you based on your appearance. She was an athlete before her accident, she was a professional swimmer, and she wanted to figure out how she could get back to that being a paraplegic, by joining the Paralympics, but she had a lot of doubt if she could even do it, because of her situation. One of the things that woke her up was the realization of her accident, and her paralyzation affected her family. Ryan is a very strong person, it just took a lot for her to realize how special she is, and her inner stress is so powerful. https://www.ryanraeharbuck.com https://www.instagram.com/ryanraeharbuck /https://www.facebook.com/ryan.r.mclean  

In this episode, we have the delightful guess known as Denise pane, an Accredited Accessibility Expert and a member of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals and the World Wide Web Consortium. Denise does not have a disability herself but has a brother who is developmentally delayed and has epilepsy. He and her mother are the most important people in her life, she was inspired on how her mother took care of her brother, and how their bond grew.  He saw how the family spent a lot of their own lives making her brother's life a fantastic life. She was hired by that dedication, and it made her want to contribute in a bigger way to others like her brother. You can really tell from the View that they have a real bond between them, brother and sister, they're very protective and supportive of each other. Denise has always wanted to help those with disabilities, but working at camps, and working with the Special Olympics for many years.  After seeing how the pandemic affected people with their mental health and how there wasn't much inclusion for those with disabilities during this time online.  She just wanted to make a difference, so she got with her team, and made them WEB more accessible. Her website https://accessdesignstudio.com   Her LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/company/access-design-studio/about/  

Dawn cady has a beautiful soul, and I'm happy to discover her. She's on the other side of the world all the way from Australia. She is a psychotherapist that also helps you battle chronic pain. Her main goal is to show those with chronic pain how to overcome their pain mentally, emotionally, and physically. We also spent a lot of time on how she overcame her mental health, and techniques you can use to help your own. She also gives a look into how she cured, and or mitigated her pain. She's a really smart person, she's very intuitive, and a very kind person, who means well in everything she says. Helpful Resources 1. Sovereignty Masterclass 09 July, early bird registration is open till June 30 https://workshop.alleviatepain.com.au/sovereignty 2. Free E-Book: "6 Stages of Healing":  https://sixstagesofhealing.alleviatepain.com.au/ebook 3. Meditations by Dawn: https://insighttimer.com/dawncady/ 4. Telegram Channel "Heal Yourself: https://t.me/healyourselfdc 5. Facebook Support Group: "Heal Yourself":  https://www.facebook.com/groups/healyourself.DC  6. website: www.alleviatepain.com.au  

This episode is with Kevin McShan, born with spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy, which affects his muscle dexterity, how he walks, his speech, and more. It may take you a minute to fall understand Kevin, but when you do, you realize he's a brilliant guy, who has a big heart. He's a big advocate for people with disabilities, and one of things that he's done and sharing stories on his podcast, and helping through his network to create employment for those of us with disabilities. He is a person that just says no, and doesn't allow others opinions to affect how he lives his life, for instance when doctors told him what he will probably be capable of in the future, the limitations will become stricter, and he knew that he could find another way around it, or if not he would fight through it. He really goes in depth about his passion to get those with disabilities employed, and how 80% of the things we need, things that we don't even need to be made, they're just little accommodations to tweak how we do our job.   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8O46hFoibuN-doUrAfOvn https://www.facebook.com/kevin.mcshan1 https://www.kevinmcshan.com/

For some of the guests that are on the show, what you're hearing is the first conversation we ever had, in this case Sara and I had a few friendly conversations, we got to know each other, and I got to hear some of her stories, and I knew she would be a good guest for the show. Her story starts a few years ago when she quit a job at the post office that she had for 26 years, after feeling very worn down, and she Felt like she couldn't keep up with their demand for six days a week.  She then moved down to another job where she had gotten fired which was right around when she was diagnosed with Ménière's disease. She paints a perfect picture of what ménière's disease is, it doesn't sound pleasant, and you have to really feel for her when she's really going through it. She talked about as a child having severe ear infections and how they affected her at those times. Ménière's disease causes a lot of fluid in your ear, and she was seeing the effects of this disease before she even knew what it was. She discusses her mental health because I'm not being able to work, and everyone in her house every day leaves to go to work, and it makes her feel a little insignificant. Mental health is kind of like a ninja, it just sneaks up on you, and you just do not know where it's coming from, you don't know what angle it's going to take, it just hit you when it wants to, in Sarah's case it went after her after she was most vulnerable, and feeling very sad about not being able to work, well that doesn't make her any less of a person, mental health does not care. I really love Sara's honesty, because she talked about some of her worst days when her son, who we learn is also disabled, finds her in some really odd predicaments.  She really goes in detail on explaining her sons disability, but also how people underestimated him based on his luck, and when they did find out about his disability, also underestimated his intelligence.  She also took a certain test to find out if she was on the spectrum or not for autism. 

Happy 100th to all of us. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, without the guests, and the listeners, this show would have been a 10-episode-and-done project of mine. This episode tells how we got here, and all I have learned. And then my favorite part, some of the previous guests have a little message for the show, and an update on what they have been up to since.  My Instagram is @tjssafespaceforall

Matt was a guy I met on Facebook, and as soon as we started talking, I loved his energy and his positivity. He suffers from a learning disability, but when you talk to him you honestly can't tell. He is a good spirit, and he has a loving attitude, it completely makes you forget all about whatever it is that is visible that shows his disability. He is a real hidden gem in this world, and his disability is one of the least important things about him.  He talks about how his diagnosis of dyslexia was a good thing for him, because he finally found out what was wrong with him because it was something that was always in the back of his mind.  He talked about being in school and being kind of a bully, having this anger deep inside of him, and at the time he didn't really know where it came from, but he would take it out on others. And it showed his first real understanding of mental health, and how his staying to himself, and not sharing what he was in pain about, He was a detriment to his health. And I love when he shares about how people pray on the week, and how that translates to his anger, because he never wanted to be weak, and he never wanted his disability to define him. We eventually get into him being an entrepreneur and a wrestling promoter. I personally love this part of the episode because I'm an old-school wrestling fan, no I do not watch wrestling anymore, I love to talk about the sport because it brings me back to my childhood of comfort. And I believe wrestling was a real outlet for him to be himself, not only as a promoter but also a wrestler as well. https://m.facebook.com/SuperClashUK/  

This episode is with Mindy Rogers, I'm very happy that we met each other at the time that we did because she was feeling very low about herself, and her disability.  One of the reasons why I try not to listen to someone's story all the way through before I interview them is because I like to have real emotion, I like it to have a genuine flow, and I don't want to know everything going in. As she described her story I really started feeling her pain, not just her physical, but her emotional, and mental pain as well. She's had a multitude of diagnoses, and back surgeries which causes her to spend most of her time in the house. Just about everything that she has been diagnosed with is hereditary, it started from her fibromyalgia to different forms of arthritis, to depression, and more. And because of all of that she has been diagnosed with, she has had so many surgeries to try to correct or help alleviate the pain that she is in her current state. Always like to give the audience visualization on what people who are going through a horrific struggle, how they think, and how those stats affect their daily living, for instance, Mindy had thoughts of people judging her because of her appearance, and that she would be ridiculed for being lazy and fat, even though she has a legitimate reason for why she is the way she is. One of the things that I really wanted to stress with Mindy was the fact that she is a very strong person, and that she doesn't have all the capabilities, and mobility that she would like, there are still ways for her to find happiness, enjoy in life. Mindy even taught me a lesson on being more grateful for what I do have, because there's always someone who is struggling more than you, but now she is struggling in some ways, she is such a strong and powerful person, and I'm glad I got to tell her story because people should know who she is. Another person that should be mentioned is her husband, he's very devoted and loving, and he's always there for her anytime she needs something.  The one thing I didn't see coming in this episode was the therapy part of the whole thing, we just talked, I gave all the advice I could, and we developed a bond over an hour and a half of time. 

When I first met Christine, or as she likes to be known C bunny, I immediately noticed her positive energy, and how she is super motivated, and she doesn't let much get to her. She's partially deaf in both ears, but it does not stop her. She's really into dancing to hip-hop music, she's a professional DJ and a wrestler. She talks about the misconceptions of people not thinking that she is partially deaf, based on her appearance, and how idiotic that is. She discusses her mental health, and at one point really feeling alone, but also talked about the journey and how she turned into the person she is today. What are the things that I never thought of during this whole pandemic, how people who are deaf could communicate with masks, and she explains the struggles that she has had over the last few years? She talks about how she is a very active person and how being an example for the disability community is really important to her, and that she just doesn't wanna be another statistic, she wants to show what we can do.  her Instagram is @DJcbunny

This episode is with Mark who is our last guest husband. Darci and I were discussing her husband, how much of a caregiver, and a supportive figure in her life, and how he stood by her no matter what, and we discussed the idea of him being a great guest for the show, and I agreed. What I most admire about Mark is his honesty, how he says the unfiltered truth, even if it is the most palpable thing to digest. We talk about the very beginning when they first met, their connection, and how true love is actually possible.  As the story starts to evolve, we get into the psyche of a married man's mind who signed up for marriage but does not know all of what he would eventually be getting himself into. He tells us the tough times of wanting to give up, but also the realization of seeing his true love at her worst, and realizing he couldn't give up. This episode really touched me, because I care for both of them, but to hear it from two different angles, and to know they made it through together, and that they would stick it out together no matter what, gave me hope for love.

When I first got to know Darci I instantly knew she was a really good person, and that she had been through a lot, as time went by and this interview happen, I knew I was right, and that I hadn't even scratched the service on what she had been through. She suffers from a condition that we have covered in the past called chronic regional pain syndrome or CRPS, but unlike the other two that I've had on my show, she hasn't lost any limbs, but she is always in pain and agony. She talks about her first trigger when she fell down the steps by slipping on a piece of paper from a drawing on one of her children, and how her life was completely different and turned upside down at the time. She actually end up recovering most of the way, until a chair fell on her, and triggered it again, but this time worse. Now this description is the short version, she goes into much more detail, but one of the things I loved about her most, is how upfront she was about her contributions to her marriage because she was always an amazing mother, and an amazing wife, but tragedy kept her in bed, and she couldn't give the same effort as she once could. As you see this is part one, and part two I get to talk to her husband Mark, or he gives his side of it, and how he felt about her and what she could, and couldn't do. Darci and I have become good friends since the show, and every time I talk to her she is nothing but a kind woman, she gives good advice, and she always makes me feel good about what I'm doing. I think that's what makes her so special, she's dealing with so much and she's in so much pain, but she still has time to give love and good advice.   Instagram @Darcijstein.writer Twitter and LinkedIn @darcisteiner Website http://Www.darcijsteiner.com Her book https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Beyond-Thorns-Discovering-Suffering-ebook/dp/B09DHVFCP3/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=1IZFOOJ63STUZ&keywords=beauty+beyond+the+thorns&qid=1649642733&sprefix=beauty+beyond+the+thorns%2Caps%2C166&sr=8-1  

For the longest time I was trying to find a person who represents the Tourette's community properly, and I came across this woman name Becca Braccialle, I didn't know the severity of her Tourette's, and I didn't know a whole lot about the condition, other than just some of the ticks, but she open my eyes and made me realize how much she has to go through. She explains how they're certain words that aren't even in her head, such as racist, or sexual verbiage, but she may say them randomly without any thought of it. There are also physical ticks such as hitting herself, and even times where she put herself at risk to do something, simply because her brain just doesn't sync properly sometimes. One of the things that really stood out to me was when I was watching some of her videos about how she carries herself, and how she shows such strength to speak her truth, even though the ticks. She taught me all the misconceptions on what people feel Tourette's is, and how people misunderstand most people with that condition.  Please follow her on Instagram and Tourette's @tourettesbian

This episode is a real emotional roller coaster, when I first discovered Lindsay, I had to have her on the show, and when she told me her entire story, I was flabbergasted at how much this woman has endured in her life. I will not tell you too much, because I want you to listen for yourself without any judgemental ears, but I will highlight some things that she has been through. She was molested at a young age, she's seen a lot of death, drugs, and she's felt a lot of pain. She has tried many drugs herself, and relapse many times, she has been in abusive relationships, and has been raped a few times. I don't know how this woman is still around, but I have a lot of love for her, and I'm so happy that she is currently clean, and her way men focus is to be the best mother possible. She is in a better place, and that's all that matters. http://Facebook.com/lindsay.jewell.3576 https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-jewell-287b8a232 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09JLFJDNT/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_9V2XYQQ74KGS3CDFABJB      

Rachael handler what is the recommended guest from my friend Jade, she is a person I met through a Facebook group, and we stayed friends and we support each other shows. She thought Rachael would be a great acquisition to the shell, and of course she end up being right.  Rachel's story starts with a rainy day on a highway or she gets into a minor car accident, which eventually turns into a tragic and a situation, one another car would slide into her and eventually cause her to have her leg amputated. She was a person I was very active and she loved to perform on Broadway, but after her accident she wasn't sure if she can continue on, due to the fact that she had never seen a person with a disability on Broadway. She talks about the miss treatment of people with disabilities, and how for a while she lost her love for performing because of how she was treated. And one of the things that I gathered from this episode was that her car accident really change the trajectory of her outlook on things she never really considered, and it made her a much stronger person, and strong willed person to never give up, and to fight for those who don't want to fight. She's not only a strong person, but you can tell she's actually very happy, and she has come to terms with her disability, and she very much so wants to continue to make changes for people with disabilities.  Her website   http://rachelahandler.com Her Instagram @bionicbrunette  

Marcia is a Stroke Survivor, she had her stroke back in 2014, and for the next six years, her mission was to figure out how to go on, and how to figure out all that happened to her. She discusses the morning of her stroke when she wakes up and just feels like something is wrong because of the pain she was in, and when she went to read, her vision was all scrambled. She learned after her husband had come to check on her that she also lost the ability to speak. Her recovery took a long while for her to heal, she had people come to the house and constantly work with her, but nothing was easy, because she had to learn how to walk, talk, and every other normal function that we all take for granted. One of the things that I really admire about Marcia is her strength, she would set a goal like wanting to run a 5K run on her one-year anniversary of the stroke. Though maybe it was a unattainable goal at the time, just the fact that she wanted to put herself to the limit, and never did she short change herself and her thinking. She also has a condition called aphasia, which has to do with her ability to speak after comprehending what another person would say. Everything changed for her when she found a website that explained neurofeedback. She explains the procedure that is neurofeedback, and how after her first time though she didn't feel anything, she did notice a small difference in her speech. Now after a multitude of that same procedure, she regained the ability to say what she wanted to say perfectly. Even though it's not a reality for a lot of people with disabilities to almost fully recover, I am very happy for Marcia, and now I just hope she can enjoy the rest of her life to the fullest. marcia@strokeforward.com http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/marciamoran/      

Grace hell is a person I met through a Facebook group, she reached out to me when I was looking for guests. she's a very sweet person, she likes to swim, paint, and she started her advocacy when she was 14 years old, which is when she had her stroke in the ocean in between the mainland and the island. Her brother had to come and rescue her,  once they finally got to dry land, he had to even perform CPR. She talked about how she didn't feel that she could ever have a stroke because she was so young and it's very rare for a group. She talks about her loss of functions to her limbs and how her face droped when she was in the hospital, and there was a difference of opinions between her family and the doctors on what was actually wrong with her. After the stroke, she also had many different mental issues, addiction issues, and even to this day she still has problems with the right side of her body even though it has gotten a lot better. We go deep into a lot of the challenges that she faced and continues to face to life with her mental health, but how she pushes through it through her advocacy.  

I met Charles Mickles through a previous guest Barbie Ingles, I asked her if she knew anyone with the condition Parkinson's and she said she had the perfect guest. As soon as Charles and I started to talk, I knew he was a sweet guy, who had been through a lot, and I wanted to share his journey. He explains his variation of Parkinson's and the differences between the other variations of Parkinson's. Charles was diagnosed with Parkinson's at a younger age because most people who have Parkinson's are a lot older than he was at the time of his diagnosis. His diagnosis in itself was a roller coaster ride because he had to go through many tests and take different medications to even try to prove what it is he had. They eventually found the right treatments and medication, but before that, he thought he would have to quit his job because he could barely make it through the day. He talked about how expensive these medications and treatments are, and how impossible it seems for the average person to be able to afford them. Charles is another person who took his pain and everything that he's overcome to the advocacy world, where he wanted to give back so others like him didn't have to suffer on the level he did. His website http://www.minesparkinsons.com  

Heather Hutchison is a woman I came across on podmatch, and once I read her story, I knew I had to have her on the show.  She is a singer/songwriter, she has three albums, and is working on a fourth, she also has spent most of our time in either Latin America or Vancouver Canada. She wrote her memoir which is about her being a blind woman leaving in those countries while also struggling with her mental health. One of the most interesting parts of this conversation is when she realizes that her blindness is permanent, and how a little kid on a playground miss treating her or treating her differently because of her eye condition, she finally felt different and vulnerable. She talks about using her pain as an inspiration for her music. Mental health is a huge focus in this episode because during the pandemic she hit her breaking point and she ends up in a psychiatric hospital. As I've said many times will fall in the show sometimes you can find some very beautiful things in your darkest times, while she was in the hospital, and she came to the realization of wanting to die, she eventually found a reason to go on. I'm very proud of Heather for winning the ultimate bottle against her demons, but also for being so honest to share those dark times to help others not feel so alone.  Please check out her website where you can find out all  her music , her book, and her social media. https://www.heather-hutchison.com/  

Melissa Schroeder is the current Mission Nebraska, along with other pageants that she has won along the way. She suffers from multiple chronic illnesses, but before she knew she had any of these illnesses, she was already advocating for kids with disabilities. They helped prepare her for what was to come down the road. She's a very unselfish person, she takes a part of the episode just to talk about people with disabilities and how others perceive us in what we can do, but the reality is we can do so much more. The main condition that she suffers from is called Ehlers danlos syndrome, why does is it messes with her flexibility and her blood pressure and it causes constant dislocations at Random times. Many people doubted that she was even telling the truth about her condition, but of course she knew different, and once she came to terms with what she had, and found others like her, she knew she had to continue to keep fighting. She's very inspired because she indoors so much, and still wants to help others, which is something that is lacking in this world. https://www.canva.com/design/DAEcQ08fKXg/4frSQp0_TJ88kqmXgiBGMg/view  

When JOI and I met, I knew she would add something different to the show, because of her background, and the subject matter that we got to discuss. Before getting to know her I did not know much about the foster care system, other than knowing one of my friends that went through it. Her main goal through advocating is to make sure kids get the right homes, but also clear up all the misconceptions of the foster care system. We talk about the good, and the bad when referring to kids being adopted. She talks about her book which was inspired by her own struggles with being adopted. She did eventually find the perfect family for her, but still yearned to find her biological parents, something in her just wanted to meet them and also know why they would just let her go. Her website https://www.findingjoi.us http://Amazon.com/author/findingjoirenee www.adopteerightslaw.com  provides information on the open records legislation in each state www.tapestrybooks.com  Publishing house where everything is centered around an adoption and foster care theme www.miriamsheart.org  An amazing organization that hosts information       

Jenevieve is a delightful woman who I met off of Facebook group that caught my eye because of her personality and her strong passion for advocacy.  She suffers from a condition called mitochondrial neuropathy atp deletion, which causes damage muscles, and nerves. One other thing that it does to her ,is that makes her tired and the only cure for it is to just sleep it off. Her nerves also tend to affect how she can use her hands to complete simple tasks like drinking water by lifting up her cup. Talks about how her family is the main reason and inspiration for her being so positive and strong. I really think her strength and positivity are her best qualities because now she's in pain emotionally and physically, she always finds a way to have a smile on her face, and it's absolutely genuine. I think that she wanted to stress the most in this episode is that she believes that people with disabilities can do anything, we just have to change the narrative Here is a link to her book https://www.amazon.com/Peach-Celebrating-Life-Shadow-Death/dp/198750142X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2RKKRAQYV2QXG&keywords=Peach+celebrating+life&qid=1643567569&sprefix=peach+celebrating+life%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-1  

This episode is with Johnny Favors my good friend, he suffers from a condition called limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. He explains how his condition affects him on daily basis and the different types of muscular dystrophy that are out there.  Johnny is a very sweet, and strong person, but even the strongest always get beaten down at some points in my life. He struggles with his mental health, his chronic pain, and the miss treatment and judgment of both. One of the things that we discuss in this episode is a situation that he was discriminated and denied access to an aquarium because of his Segway that he uses to get around because it's very hard for him to stand on his own. Please support him by filling out his petition, and show why we should never tolerate discrimination and ignorance https://jacobsonlawandadvocacy.com/2021/08/16/tell-newport-aquarium-stop-discriminating-against-disabled-patrons-and-apologize/   https://thespeakfoundation.com/    

This conversation that I had with Jennifer Ashlyn was a long but well-needed conversation to be had. She really is a powerful woman who should inspire many to speak up, she also has three kids one of who is autistic, so she has many challenges beyond just herself. Jennifer is a woman who dealt with abuse at a young age, went from relationship to relationship, until she found a guy that was kind to her, but his son passing would change the projection of how her life would return back to more abuse. She went from being molested as a child to being in a relationship where a man emotionally, mentally, and physically abused her. Jennifer goes in depth about how the abuse started and how we even manipulated her kids. She also battles severe mental health, and PTSD from everything that she has been through.  But one of the things that she wants to get across in this episode is that no matter how much you go through, you can get through it, and you can live a better life. She found the guy of her dreams, she's an advocate for domestic violence, a great mom, an avid pet lover, and she's written two books. Please support her because I love what she symbolize Within the gray which is her first book https://amzn.to/3qGuMjRh Sheila's men which is her second book ttps://amzn.to/3eG0uYK  

This episode is with Christine fermo, I need to have a nice long conversation about mental health and how it impacts her life on a daily basis. The Episode starts off a little awkward because she is super nervous, but once you make her feel a little comfortable she warms up and explains her situation pretty well. Her mental health started while she was in college, she was recommended to see a psychiatrist for her anxiety. Eventually, it started to progress where she didn't want to eat or do the basic things in life such as showering or just taking care of her household. Music and art are two things that helped her cope when she was at her worst. Christine is a perfect example of how mental health can absolutely take over your life, and turn you into someone that you won't even recognize when you look at yourself in the mirror or when you do your soul searching. When she lost her mother she really felt cheated because she didn't get to spend enough time with her, and her mom was the person that she mimicked the most with her fashion and every other aspect of her life. We talk about how her anxiety progressed into full-blown panic attacks and how when she would try to explain it to people who didn't understand, they would say she's faking it completely judge her. We really go in-depth on how psychological and mentally paralyzing depression really can be. She has a emotional support dog which is the most important thing in her life, and she even makes a few appearances on the show. one of the biggest topics of this episode is whether not mental health is a disability. After all said and done, I really think Christine is a brave woman for sharing her story, and Showing her vulnerability.

This episode is with an old friend named Paul daye, we met in school a long time ago and we know some of the same people. He is a guy I have a lot of respect for. He always made blindness look easy even if it isn't, and all the stories you would hear about him and every time you would interact with him, you always felt like he had figured it out. In the episode, he talks about her being a normal kid when his family structure starts to take a turn for the worse but when he was watching a Mr. Rogers episode, he learned about something that would take him on his next journey. He talked about becoming 100% independent and advocating for those who have disabilities. Paul is a person who no matter how hard things get in his life, always continues to push himself to keep going. Even though he is blind he is very athletic and played many of the sports that are provided for those with visual impairment and blindness. He talks about finding the girl of his dreams who is also blind and then they had kids who are fully sighted.

Sara Shalom was a person that I stumbled across one night and once I read her story I had to have her on. She has become a good friend, and we try to look out for each other when the other is down. She is a writer and a speaker. She's lives her life by these three words which are integrity, intention, and inspiration. She speaks in depth about what those three words mean to her. She suffers from a chronic illness called fibromyalgia, and chronic depression. She's also had multiple spinal surgeries, and was recently diagnosed with a functional neurological disorder. She has a person that has overcome many things and has to fight every day to stay on the right path, which is one of the reasons why she's such an inspiration to me. She has a person that constantly shows strength even when she's at her worst, she struggles with how she feels about herself and the perception of others sometimes. She shows me shows what is like to be human and have a disability. Her honesty he's really what we need more of in this world. sarashalom.inbox@gmail.com  

This episode has my friend Dani, she is a persona that I admire, and ask for advice when it comes to taking health supplements to better my life. She is a nurse practitioner call has a functional medical clinic and she helps people with their bodies from the inside out, by dealing with their mental health and coming up with good exercises and a good diet for a Better Life. She was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, lupus, and depression. She wanted to find a way to heal her own body without a pill, and once she started to do so for herself, that's when she found a job that allowed her to help others similar to her situation. She talks about her concerns about suicide for the younger generation because during the pandemic the stats went way up. And she said her passion for mental health by laying out how important the first 18 years of your life are, and I what she does is so veil to those who are struggling mentally.  Please support her new book because she's doing a lot of good out here, and we need more like her. https://wild-well-a-wellness-emporium.myshopify.com https://www.instagram.com/daniwilliamsonwellness/ https://daniwilliamson.com  

This episode is with a father name Richard McDeid, his sons name is Mason McDeid, and their journey is absolutely connected in many ways. Mason has Sarabel palsy and is now 25 years old, and Richard has raised him his whole life. One day he was trying to find a way to calm Mason down, and for some reason when he played MacArthur he noticed Mason's demeanor completely change she's a point where he was absolutely calm and relaxed. through this  eventually and idea sprung from Richard's mind, that he would try to get local bands to perform for not only his son but other children with cerebral palsy and mental disabilities. It's growing so big that he gets thousands of bands to perform at his own festival that not only makes mason happy but all of his friends as well. https://www.facebook.com/groups/masonsmetalfest    

Jessica Velasquez starts off very shy, but when she warms up and you gets going, you realize she's a very sweet and strong person. She struggles with a chronic illness called lupus. She talks about the treatment that you can get that mitigate the pain to some degree, and how lupus affects her on a daily basis. Can you talk about the sexualization of women, specially women with disabilities on Instagram, and how she goes about it being a very attractive woman ca on her platform. She talks about the good and bad days, and how they can wait on you mentally. Talked about her mental health and the treatment that helps with the pain. https://www.instagram.com/tinycreatvre/  

Kevin is a guy I have a lot of respect for, because he's been through so much and no matter how much he has been through he continues to keep moving. He's battled mental illness, homelessness , a crystal meth addiction, he survived cancer twice, and had three strokes. His honestly is not only refreshing, but beautiful. We go periodically throughout his entire life, and showing all the ups and downs, the goods and the bads, and it truly shows how resilient a person can be if they stay strong. Believe it or not there's also more to his story, so sit back and go on this journey with me https://franklykev.com https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frankly-kev/id1584060947 Instagram @franklykevpodcast  

This episode is with Michaela Cox, she is an author who writes mainly nonfiction, and has published many books.  Her first 38 years on this planet were very challenging including the three Ds, which are three different stages in her life that she had to overcome, and eventually thrive. Disability, divorce, death which were all challenging by themselves, but between the three of them they made for one hell of a come back story. She goes in detail about her sight loss and all the challenges that come with that and how she had to adapt to her disability. She talks about having kids, and how they help her not only emotionally but also a helping her with daily tasks https://www.myheartfeltmeditations.com /https://www.thrivinginallthingsinlife.com/    

This episode is with a guy who is pretty famous on TickTock, but he's also a doctor, DR. Carlton is a specialist that deals with HIV, and STDs. This conversation was very informational, but also personal for DR. Carlton because he's also a gay man who talks about his personal views and knowledge of how HIV has played the gay community. We also discuss in detail how medicine has come a long way in the last 10 years so that HIV, and AIDS is not a death sentence anymore.  He is @DoctorCarlton on TikTok and Instagram

This episode was a great conversation, but very sad for me, so much so that I actually took a week from any podcast recordings. Amy Daniels is a mother who lost her daughter Emily from a complex medical condition which was a tumor in which she received many treatments over the years, Which also lead to cognitive issues, and physical issues. Her daughter inspired her to write a book which is her memoir to her daughter through the eyes of her mother/caregiver. And we get to hear the dynamic between her and the rest of her family and how Emily's passing affected not only Amy but also her sister, and father. When you listen to this episode you really get to hear how strong Amy is, and how she still lives the best life she can but not only for her and her family but also for Emily as well https://www.amazon.com/Reaching-Normal-Mothers-Raising-Chronic-ebook/dp/B09514Y2GW/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=YQP5UZEHLXQE&keywords=reaching+for+normal+amy+daniels&qid=1636297354&qsid=130-6200530-0758927&sprefix=reaching+for+nor%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-1&sres=1476685355&srpt=ABIS_EBOOKS https://www.amazon.com/Reaching-Normal-Mothers-Raising-Chronic-ebook/dp/B09514Y2GW/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=YQP5UZEHLXQE&keywords=reaching+for+normal+amy+daniels&qid=1636297354&qsid=130-6200530-0758927&sprefix=reaching+for+nor%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-1&sres=1476685355&srpt=ABIS_EBOOKS  

In this episode we have Jenni Grover, we're also known as ChronicBabe, Which she is known by that name from her 15 years of advocacy through her blog. She has multiple chronic illnesses such as fibromyalgia, hypothyroid, depression, and more. We discuss her journey of being in the best shape of her life, and then out of nowhere she started feeling fatigued and having no ambition, and her body throughout was littered with pain. She informs me about having the right treatment plan to manage your pain so that you could have some resemblance of relief to make your life better. She also believes a change in your environment could not only help your mental state but also physically as well. Through her journey, she wanted to start helping people with disabilities in the workplace, by sharing her story and owning her disability to help inspire those who are afraid to come out about their's. https://linktr.ee/jennigrover http://instagram.com/hyper.scrappy  

In this episode I get to have a wonderful conversation with my great friend Kendra. Kendra is a woman I met on Instagram and I did a live on her channel.. She is an entrepreneur, a disability advocate, and an overall kind hearted woman. She does not have a disability herself, but she has had friends, and incidences in her life where she stood up for those who either were afraid to, or just didn't have the voice that Kendra did. Her goal is to empower and create safe spaces so that there is some fairness when it comes to people with disabilities. She discusses all the things as she is passionate about, and all the things that she is working on to help make this a better world. Instagram https://www.instagram.com/empowermentapparel531/   Website https://thehello.llc/EMPOWERMENTAPPAREL531  

Deon Joseph has bin an LAPD for 25 years in high crime areas of Los Angeles. He has worked on skid Row which is a notorious area of LA for having a giant population of homeless people who have built their own community, and an area of lawlessness and crime. Some of our subject matter in this episode that is discussed, crime, homelessness, race, and his honest opinions on special interest groups like Black Lives Matter.  His website  http://www.deonjoseph.org

This episode was recorded a lot different than any of the other episodes I've done in the past or in the future, we used a phone service that has her interpreter, the type to hear what I say, and then she replies with her voice.  Karen is a woman who was born with normal hearing but after a fall from her, JetSki's it end up activating a specific gene that only her family has, This gene took most of her hearing. She was really adamant about looking for a role model in the deaf community, so much that she end up going to a school with a bunch of deaf people and she got so comfortable that she end up teaching the other students. She also talked about having kids with the same gene and dealing with guilt because of passing it on to them. https://www.yourpassionschool.com/22%20Lessons  

This episode is with Michael Holden.  He is lives all the way in Northern Ireland and he suffers from a neurological disorder called Motor neuron disease, which put him in a wheelchair, and it started to affect him in his late 30s. He talks about the slow deterioration of his body that started with pains in his legs and then moved around throughout the other parts of his body. He was also misdiagnosed for a condition he didn't even have which then drove him down a long road of psychological issues that he needed therapy for. He's had a very up and down rocky road in his so many years, but no matter what he still wants equality and he still speaks out for people who need it most, even though he may not come off the best way to everyone, but if you're kind to him, he will ingratiate you with kindness.  He also talks about his disabled son and how they had to restructure their house to make it wheelchair accessible.