Podcasts about covid-19

In this episode of The Horror Show, Brandon Trost, a prolific cinematographer and director, shares his journey from working on set with his father to directing and shooting major films and TV shows. The discussion covers an array of topics including his experiences on 'Halloween II' and 'Lords of Salem' with Rob Zombie, the intricate process behind 'The Disaster Artist,' and the challenges of directing 'An American Pickle' during COVID-19. Trost also dives into his early life and projects, providing unique insights into his creative process and styles. Fans of 'The Righteous Gemstones' will appreciate his behind-the-scenes stories, particularly the iconic first episode. Trost teases a puzzling project, 'Chaos,' hinting at a deeper discussion in the future. 00:00 Introduction and Technical Difficulties 02:06 Special Guest: Brandon Trost 02:50 Brandon's Early Influences and Family Background 05:01 Journey into Cinematography 16:57 Film School Experience 25:37 Early Career and Special Effects 33:12 Early Career and Wes Anderson 34:12 On Set with Shaquille O'Neal in Kazam 36:01 Reflecting on American Pie's Impact 37:41 Diving into Halloween II with Rob Zombie 51:39 The Unique Cinematography of Lords of Salem 01:04:28 Discussing 'American Pickle' and COVID-19 Impact 01:05:12 The HBO Max Deal and Industry Changes 01:07:19 Warner Brothers and the Vanishing Movies 01:12:09 The Righteous Gemstones and Costume Design 01:21:15 Creating 'The Disaster Artist' 01:28:02 Personal Favorites and Future Projects 01:29:01 Wrapping Up and Future Plans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Censorship programs were forced onto Facebook and Instagram through outside pressure, said Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who provided the details during an interview with Joe Rogan. Zuckerberg explained how programs for content moderation transformed into large-scale censorship systems after the COVID-19 outbreak. This ties in with his recent announcement that Meta will be ending these censorship practices, and working with the incoming Trump administration to push for freedom of expression globally.

Check out our future deals, 12 Masterclass video series, and join our community: https://thewealthelevator.com/club/In this comprehensive episode, we delve into the intricacies of how different generations, from Baby Boomers to Gen Z, intersect and interact in the workplace. Hosted by a senior millennial, this presentation brings on seasoned business advisor and Vistage Chair, Tomas Tomasevic, who offers an in-depth analysis of generational dynamics, workplace expectations, and future economic trends. The discussion covers the challenges and opportunities in managing a multi-generational workforce, the impact of technology, the importance of psychometrics, and how economic conditions shape generational behaviors. Filled with valuable insights for managers, leaders, and entrepreneurs, this episode also examines the evolving definition of success and practical strategies for integrating younger generations into the workforce. Tune in to gain a holistic understanding of these critical trends that will shape the next decade of business.00:00 Introduction and Overview01:39 Guest Introduction: Thomas Tomasevic06:11 Understanding Generations10:13 Generational Characteristics and Impacts14:52 Generational Knowledge and Skill Transfer21:30 Economic Cycles and Generational Beliefs35:08 Generational Gaps in the Workforce44:28 Re-engaging Baby Boomers in the Workforce45:15 Generation X: The Current Leaders45:50 Millennials and the Workforce Gap47:07 The Future of College Education50:59 AI's Impact on the Job Market56:53 Generational Differences in the Workplace01:04:00 Generation Z and the Workforce01:15:33 Global Demographic Trends01:25:45 The Importance of Hard Work and Specialized Skills01:26:35 Challenges in Bridging Knowledge Gaps01:26:49 Young Entrepreneurs Academy: A Case Study01:28:35 The Struggles of Generation Z01:35:16 The Impact of COVID on Different Generations01:53:12 Millennials and Leadership Challenges01:56:05 Economic Future and Workforce Challenges02:06:42 Closing Thoughts and Contact Information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the very first episode of what I'm calling "Very Dental Classics!" In this inaugural episode, we delve into the archives and revisit a captivating Dental Hacks Podcast episode from September 2020. Join me along with my co-host Dr. Jason Lipscomb and guests Dr. Mark Costes, Dr. Brad Keener as they share their personal experiences of facial trauma and reconstruction. This episode offers a unique perspective on dentistry, highlighting the patient experience and the impact it can have on one's life and career path. Mark and Brad recount their accidents, the subsequent treatments and how these events shaped their outlook on dentistry. Key Takeaways: Nostalgia in the time of COVID: The episode begins with a discussion about seeking comfort in nostalgia during challenging times, particularly revisiting the 80s. The Time Machine Question: The hosts contemplate what advice they would give themselves if they could travel back to January 2020, knowing what they know now about the COVID-19 pandemic. Silver Linings: Despite the difficulties of 2020, the hosts share unexpected positive outcomes that emerged from the COVID era. Facial Trauma and Reconstruction: Mark and Brad recount their experiences with facial trauma, detailing their accidents, surgeries, and the long road to recovery. Impact on Dentistry: Both dentists discuss how their personal experiences with dental trauma and reconstruction have influenced their approach to patient care, emphasizing empathy and understanding. Some links from the show: Zirc Dental Products Color Method Go Hack Yourself: Jason: Duncan Trussell on Joe Rogan Mark: mergers with the selling dentist holding paper (banks aren't lending, yo) Brad: Crossfit Alan: "Harley Quinn" season 2 Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy," "Papa Randy" or "Lipscomb!"

Whether leading people through a 15-minute meeting or a years-long pandemic, communication requires compassion. For Dr. Anthony Fauci, that means being clear about who we're speaking to and concise in what we say.As one of the world's leading experts in infectious diseases and public health, Fauci has been America's most trusted voice during the COVID-19 pandemic and other health crises. Whether addressing groups of fellow scientists and specialists or everyday people, his communication approach is the same. "Know your audience," he says. "Decide what your message is and make it crisp [and] clear."In addition to being clear about the known facts, Fauci advocates for equal transparency about the unknowns. "Be totally transparent into what you know and what you don't know," he says. "Transparency, honesty and a little bit of humility — let the audience know that you don't know everything."In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Fauci joins Matt Abrahams to discuss how leaders can communicate more effectively by staying focused on what matters most. From managing uncertainty to handling contentious interactions, they explore how clarity and transparency build trust and drive results.Thank you to our Sponsor Superhuman for offering the TFTS community one month free.Episode Reference Links:Dr. Anthony Fauci Dr. Fauci's Book: Expect the Unexpected Connect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (02:34) - Communication in Crisis (03:40) - Strategies for Building Trust (05:00) - Adapting Messages for Different Audiences (07:05) - Techniques for Effective Communication (08:32) - Managing High-Stakes Communication (10:20) - Addressing Misinformation (11:33) - Impromptu Speaking Skills (14:45) - Managing Conflict in Communication (15:51) - The Final Three Questions (19:42) - Conclusion ********Become a Faster Smarter Supporter by joining TFTS Premium.Take advantage of our Sponsor offer from Superhuman

On this Live Greatly podcast episode, Kristel Bauer sits down with Jillian Turecki, renowned relationship coach, and author of “It Begins with You: The 9 Hard Truths About Love That Will Change Your Life” (January 14th, 2025).  Kristel and Jillian discuss how to improve your relationship with yourself and some of the keys to have healthy flourishing relationships. Tune in now! Key Takeaways From This Episode: A look into Jillian's hardships that led her on a quest to explore what it takes to have healthy relationships The importance of self-acceptance The importance of knowing what your needs are How to improve your relationship with yourself Tips to have a flourishing relationship The importance of being honest in relationships About Jillian Turecki: Renowned relationship coach, and expert Jillian Turecki, has a new book  “It Begins with You: The 9 Hard Truths About Love That Will Change Your Life” (January 14th, 2025) which is a groundbreaking look at love, partnership, and self-love based on Jillian's decades of experience and research. Jillian has spent the last 20 years devoting her life to helping people revolutionize their relationships with themselves. Between her podcast, “Jillian on Love,” her newsletter, “Love Weekly,” and her social media community, Jillian reaches millions of people who seek her actionable, compassionate, direct, and research-driven insight. Jillian is the founder of Jillian Turecki Coaching and drawing from her intense study of psychology, yoga, meditation, and somatic practices, Jillian seamlessly weaves together ancient wisdom and modern insights to offer an innovative approach to healing and transformation.  Connect with Jillian: JILLIAN TURECKI | INSTAGRAM (2.2M) | TIKTOK (176.7K ) | WEBSITE | PODCAST Buy Jillian's book:  https://a.co/d/5hcASyK  About the Host of the Live Greatly podcast, Kristel Bauer: Kristel Bauer is a corporate wellness and performance expert, keynote speaker and TEDx speaker supporting organizations and individuals on their journeys for more happiness and success. She is the author of Work-Life Tango: Finding Happiness, Harmony, and Peak Performance Wherever You Work (John Murray Business November 19, 2024). With Kristel's healthcare background, she provides data driven actionable strategies to leverage happiness and high-power habits to drive growth mindsets, peak performance, profitability, well-being and a culture of excellence. Kristel's keynotes provide insights to “Live Greatly” while promoting leadership development and team building.   Kristel is the creator and host of her global top self-improvement podcast, Live Greatly. She is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur, and she is an influencer in the business and wellness space having been recognized as a Top 10 Social Media Influencer of 2021 in Forbes. As an Integrative Medicine Fellow & Physician Assistant having practiced clinically in Integrative Psychiatry, Kristel has a unique perspective into attaining a mindset for more happiness and success. Kristel has presented to groups from the American Gas Association, Bank of America, bp, Commercial Metals Company, General Mills, Northwestern University, Santander Bank and many more. Kristel has been featured in Forbes, Forest & Bluff Magazine, Authority Magazine & Podcast Magazine and she has appeared on ABC 7 Chicago, WGN Daytime Chicago, Fox 4's WDAF-TV's Great Day KC, and Ticker News. Kristel lives in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area and she can be booked for speaking engagements worldwide. To Book Kristel as a speaker for your next event, click here. Website: www.livegreatly.co  Follow Kristel Bauer on: Instagram: @livegreatly_co  LinkedIn: Kristel Bauer Twitter: @livegreatly_co Facebook: @livegreatly.co Youtube: Live Greatly, Kristel Bauer To Watch Kristel Bauer's TEDx talk of Redefining Work/Life Balance in a COVID-19 World click here. Click HERE to check out Kristel's corporate wellness and leadership blog Click HERE to check out Kristel's Travel and Wellness Blog Disclaimer: The contents of this podcast are intended for informational and educational purposes only. Always seek the guidance of your physician for any recommendations specific to you or for any questions regarding your specific health, your sleep patterns changes to diet and exercise, or any medical conditions.  Always consult your physician before starting any supplements or new lifestyle programs. All information, views and statements shared on the Live Greatly podcast are purely the opinions of the authors, and are not medical advice or treatment recommendations.  They have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration.  Opinions of guests are their own and Kristel Bauer & this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for statements made by guests.  Neither Kristel Bauer nor this podcast takes responsibility for possible health consequences of a person or persons following the information in this educational content.  Always consult your physician for recommendations specific to you.

Prepare to be inspired and entertained as Sean Wachter returns to Out of Patients! Sean, aka "The Cancer Fighter," is a two-time melanoma survivor, professional wrestler, coffee shop entrepreneur, and self-proclaimed 'f**ked up Forrest Gump.' With a resume that includes Madison Square Garden, WWE dreams, and a 'We Got This' People's Champion belt, Sean's journey of triumph over cancer (and doctors who didn't believe him) is nothing short of extraordinary. This episode dives into Sean's fight against misdiagnosis, his wrestling odyssey, and his hilarious philosophy of not having “time for why.” Get ready for a rollercoaster of grit, humor, and inspiration, capped with a dose of 80s nostalgia and a no-holds-barred approach to life.RELATED LINKSSean Wachter's Instagram: @thecancerfighterseanwachterSean Wachter on LinkedIn: Sean WachterOvercoming Brain Mets and LMD: Sean's Melanoma Journey: Cure Melanoma Blog"Live and Live Fully" Story: V FoundationFEEDBACKLike this episode? Rate and review Out of Patients on your favorite podcast platform. For guest suggestions or sponsorship inquiries, email podcast@matthewzachary.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Show Notes/Description:

Being human in a disembodied world. Find us on Youtube. Technology has developed so quickly over the past 15 to 20 years that it can make your head spin. With so many apparent benefits embedded in technological advances, few of us pause long enough to wonder if there might be any costs. Christine Rosen is one person who has realized that human flourishing depends on slowing down long enough to evaluate how our lives have become disembodied. In this deep dive episode of The Bulletin, Mike Cosper sits down with Christine to talk about her new book, The Extinction of Experience: Being Human in a Disembodied World.    GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN: We want to hear your COVID-19 reflection. Send a written response or voice memo here. Grab some Bulletin merch! Find us on YouTube. Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. ABOUT THE GUEST:  Christine Rosen is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where she focuses on American history, society and culture, technology and culture, and feminism. Concurrently, she is a columnist for Commentary magazine and one of the cohosts of The Commentary Magazine Podcast. She is also a fellow at the University of Virginia's Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture and a senior editor in an advisory position at The New Atlantis. Rosen's opinion pieces, articles, and reviews have appeared in The Christian Science Monitor, Commentary, New York Daily News, Los Angeles Times, National Affairs, National Review, The New Atlantis, The New Republic, The New York Times, MIT Technology Review, Politico, Slate, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Examiner, The Washington Post, and The New England Journal of Medicine. ABOUT THE BULLETIN: The Bulletin is a weekly (and sometimes more!) current events show from Christianity Today hosted and moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today's editor in chief) and Mike Cosper (director, CT Media). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Healing Generations, Maestras Debra Camarillo, Susanna Armijo, and Maya Ponce engage in a heartfelt conversation about the importance of honoring ancestors, reflecting on personal growth, and the sacred purpose of healing within communities. They introduce Maya Talina Ponce, a first-generation Chicana dedicated to social justice and community upliftment. The discussion explores Maya's family legacy, her journey into social work, and the significance of creating safe spaces for healing, especially for single mothers navigating challenges. The episode emphasizes the power of community, the importance of language, and the need for activism in the face of injustice. In this conversation, they share insights into the importance of recognizing the sacrifices of mothers, the role of spirituality and community in parenting, and the integration of indigenous practices into modern life. They discuss the challenges faced by sensitive and empathic children, especially in the context of post-COVID isolation, and emphasize the need for intergenerational wisdom and healing. The dialogue highlights the significance of support systems, the value of cultural heritage, and the importance of nurturing emotional well-being in families.     Chapters:   00:00 Reflections on 2024 and Beginning 2025   07:15 Introducing Maya Talina Ponce   11:02 Maya's Journey and Family Legacy   16:37 Activism and Social Work Path   20:45 Creating Safe Spaces for Healing   27:24 Thoughts on Being a Single Parent   30:56 The Importance of Spirituality and Community   34:47 Integrating Indigenous Practices in Modern Life   41:43 Navigating Sensitivity and Empathy in Children   47:05 Intergenerational Wisdom and Healing     For more about the National Comadres Network, visit: National Comadres Network   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healgenpodcast/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/HealGenPodcast   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Healing.Generations.Podcast   Email: HGP@compadresnetwork.org

In this inspiring episode of the Tough Girl Podcast, we meet Naomi Rumble, a passionate triathlete, dedicated swimming coach, and advocate for breaking down barriers in sport. By day, Naomi works as a senior market researcher in London, but outside of her 9-to-5, she's fully immersed in the world of swimming, cycling, and running. While sport has always been a part of Naomi's life—from childhood swimming lessons and taekwondo to dabbling in netball, boxing, and archery—her relationship with consistent training truly solidified during the COVID-19 pandemic. What started as a challenge to cycle from London to Brighton evolved into a love for endurance sports and, eventually, the bold decision to pursue triathlons. Naomi shares her journey of overcoming self-doubt, learning to embrace running despite initial resistance, and finding strength through community and connection. As the first sponsored triathlete for Fund Her Tri UK, she's not only pushing her own boundaries but also paving the way for others to step into the world of triathlons with confidence. From cold-water swims and marathon struggles to managing self-talk and celebrating small wins, Naomi's story is a testament to perseverance, courage, and the power of showing up for yourself. Tune in as Naomi opens up about her experiences, shares invaluable lessons learned along the way, and offers advice to anyone looking to start their own sporting journey. This episode is packed with inspiration, honesty, and actionable takeaways—you won't want to miss it! *** Catch the latest episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast, dropping every Tuesday at 7 am UK time! Don't forget to subscribe so you won't miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women.  Want to play a part in uplifting female representation in the media? Support the Tough Girl Podcast on Patreon! Your generosity helps shine a spotlight on female role models in the world of adventure and physical challenges. Join us in making a positive impact by visiting www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Thank you for your amazing support! *** Show notes Who is Naomi Working in market research as a 9-5 job Supporting running and cycling clubs Teaching swimming twice a week Growing up in London as a city girl Being in sports from a young age Starting swimming at age 4  Doing taekwondo until 10 years old Trying to figure out what she likes; netball, basketball, shot-put, discus, boxing, archery, scouts. Never being fully consistent with sports all the way through  Being willing to try new things and wanting to have new challenges Role models and the women who have inspired her Leaving university and starting work and how sport drifted off Not liking running How things changed during covid Cycling from London to Brighton Getting involved in sport in a more regular way  How her view expanded on what's possible Having the confidence and self belief to sign up to new challenges Being inspired to sing up for a Triathlon  Women of Colour Cycling Collective Meeting Bianca Fernandez-Clark @biancatriathlon Fund Her Tri UK  Becoming the first sponsored triathlete for Fund Her Trip UK Working towards a full distance triathlon  How training took a toll on her body  Needing to rest more and eat more protein  The discipline needed to do the training  The importance of discipline and dedication  Cold water swimming/open water swimming Not liking the cold What happens when things fall apart and everything goes wrong Needing to stop in the water and just breathe Concerns and fears before taking up triathlon  Not being a runner and not liking running  Not calling herself a runner and finding running difficult Not being a fast runner Struggling with the breathing and overheating Jeffing (run/walk/run) Running the London marathon and what the experience was like How new opportunities can change your thinking  Wanting to do an ironman  Persevering though the tough moments  Changing her tactics What her self talk looks like Managing negative thoughts The power of reflecting back Being her own worst critic Learning to celebrate the small wins  Goals for 2025 Team Outlaw  Fitting in exercise and training  Turning training into social events How to connect with Naomi  Final words of advice Find your group and your community  Don't be afraid to ask for help Figure out what works best for you.   Social Media Instagram @nay.aminah   

1 - Hall of Fame Sportswriter Ray Didinger joins the program to give a preview of the Eagles divisional round game vs the Rams. Why did Sam Darnold fall flat on his face with the Vikings in these last games. Is it okay for Jalen Hurts to be just a game manager? Dom details his son's experience with Ray's play “Tommy and Me” and asks about how far it has come. Talking about a Hall of Fame coach to wrap up. 120 - Will Pete Hegseth reinstate soldiers that were forced out due to a refusal of the COVID vaccine? Can we bring back meritocracy for our military positions? 135 - Do we want a state wide mandate banning phones in schools? Your calls. 150 - Mike Donohue, Former NJ Superior Court Judge, joins us today to announce the launch of his new organization AFPI. In an effort to change America for the better, he and Matt Rooney have created this organization to amplify more conservative voices in New Jersey, as they have been ostracized over the last many years.

Over the years, I have spoken with many clients who really don't understand the process behind design. I think there are many beginner and mid-level designers that don't fully understand process, means and methods. If a client wants their projects completed quickly, they can always find a designer who will do it for them. It's their replacement who has to pick up the pieces. I can hear many of you nodding in agreement as I say this. It's the journey, like that of a runner. You don't decide to run a marathon, buy a pair of shoes and run it. There is a process. A very long and challenging process. The same is true when trying to become the best at what you do in any endeavor. Just like design. Designer Resources Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise. Monogram - It's the details that define Monogram ThermaSol - Redefining the modern shower experience. Without steam, it's just a bathroom. Design Hardware - A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!  - Where service meets excellence TimberTech - Real wood beauty without the upkeep Today, you are going to hear from Holly Hollenbeck. Holly and I discussed the parallels between long-distance running and project management. Holly, an experienced ultra-distance runner, shared her lessons learned from participating in challenging races, emphasizing the importance of strategic planning, determination, and experience. She also highlighted how these experiences have influenced her approach to project strategy and risk management.  Holly shares some of the challenges she faced in her design and client management roles due to the Covid-19 pandemic and economic fluctuations. She emphasized the importance of clear communication with clients, setting expectations upfront, and being flexible to pivot when necessary. We also discussed the differences in real estate design and mentality between the United States, Europe, and Asia, with a focus on the concept of the ancestral home and the shift towards renovating existing homes rather than moving due to high housing costs. There is an overwhelming need to adapt to constantly changing market conditions and client needs. Holly shares her experience of having her kitchen design featured on the cover of California Home and Design in 2007, which she attributed to serendipity and connections with friends. Holly and I discussed the pitfalls of designing homes based on current trends, emphasizing the importance of creating cohesive, functional spaces rather than focusing on individual, trendy elements. They highlighted the risk of a design becoming outdated and the need to balance trendy elements with timeless pieces. Holly shared her approach to navigating clients' desires for trendy features by ensuring these elements are used in unique and personalized ways. And you are going to hear all about it, right after this. Thank you Holly, loved our chat. Keep on truckin. Thank you to my incredible partner/ sponsors; ThermaSol, Design Hardware, pacific Sales, Monogram and TimberTech for your support for the show and the industry as a whole. We are a stronger because of industry partners like you. And of course, thank you for listening to the podcast, subscribing to the show and sharing it with friends and colleagues. Please keep the show and guest suggestions coming, I do appreciate them and do my best to respond to every one.  Convo By Design @ Outlook dot com and on Instagram, convoXDesign, with an “X”.  Thanks again for listening. Happy New Year, make this the year you've been hoping it would be. Until the next episode, Stay focused and above the chaos.

The narrative of a quad-demic is spreading in public consciousness, with fear of being simultaneously infected with flu, COV, RSV, and Norovirus. While panic-demic spreads we once again forget about what really makes us sick. Americans have various leads in the world when it comes illness, disease, and general sickness of body and mind. Recent national studies have, however, shown Americans, and especially teenagers, are consuming less cigarettes alcohol. This should be a good sign if it weren't for what these things are being replaced with - vaping and energy drinks. The US leads the world in energy drink consumption, and the consumption of ultra-processed foods. When you factor in the different ingredient of identical products in Europe or Asia, mixed with America's excessive consumption, you get a recipe for death. Furthermore, data of drug and alcohol use can be traced for each racial group. The groups with the best health unsurprisingly consume the least amount of any drugs or alcohol, not to mention UP-Foods. So the fear of a quad-demic is really a Quad Fraud. The real health crisis is so obvious we all seem to have accepted its normalization and secretly agreed to blame someone else for the problems we have. -FREE ARCHIVE (w. ads)SUBSCRIPTION ARCHIVEX / TWITTER FACEBOOKWEBSITEPAYPALCashApp: $rdgable EMAIL: rdgable@yahoo.com / TSTRadio@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tst-radio--5328407/support.

Steve & Izzy continue 2025 the Year of the Apocalypse, where they celebrate movies after the fall of man, as they are joined by Diana & Ryan of the Happily Ever Aftermath Podcast to discuss 2004's "Resident Evil: Apocalypse" starring Milla Jovovich, Oded Fehr, Sienna Guillory, Jared Harris, Omar Epps & more!!! What are most Anderson family gatherings like? Will our views of this movie change in a post-COVID world? Was this the best video game movie made at the time?!? Let's find out!!! So kick back, grab a few brews, compare this series to Fast & Furious, and enjoy!!! This episode is proudly sponsored by Untidy Venus, your one-stop shop for incredible art & gift ideas at UntidyVenus.Etsy.com and be sure to follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & Patreon at @UntidyVenus for all of her awesomeness!!! Try it today!!! Twitter - www.twitter.com/eilfmovies Facebook - www.facebook.com/eilfmovies Etsy - www.untidyvenus.etsy.com TeePublic - www.teepublic.com/user/untidyvenus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Amann is the CEO of NineTwoThree Studio, a company that builds custom mobile and web applications for tech brands and funded startups. With over 18 years of experience in the tech industry, Andrew has an impressive track record, including the creation and launch of 14 startups (four of which were acquired), and the development of over 150 mobile and web apps for more than 70 clients.  His expertise in digital business models and profit levers has allowed him to advise companies of all sizes, from startups to billion-dollar enterprises, on how to maximize their return on investment in the digital space. Beyond his app development success, Andrew is a recognized thought leader in AI.  His deep understanding of AI applications extends beyond the hype, focusing on practical uses that drive efficiency and reduce costs. This is evidenced by his two US patents for using machine learning in manufacturing.  Andrew's extensive experience with AI allows him to identify and implement solutions that deliver a positive ROI across a wide range of industries. He's able to cut through the noise surrounding AI and provide clear, actionable advice on how to leverage this technology effectively. As CEO of NineTwoThree, Andrew has led the company to achieve impressive growth, earning a spot on the Inc 5000 list of "Fastest Growing Companies" for three consecutive years. His unique approach to agency management, which prioritizes real-time data analysis and key performance indicators, has enabled NineTwoThree to navigate challenging economic periods, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Andrew's leadership and business acumen demonstrate that informed decision-making, driven by data and a deep understanding of market trends, is crucial for sustained success in today's dynamic business environment. For More Info: https://www.ninetwothree.co/

Laura's shares how she transitioned from a high-stress academic career to retirement. Discover the challenges of job identity, financial planning discussions with family, and the mental preparations for life after work. Laura's career as an associate professor in genetics involved heavy grant writing and significant stress, particularly as a parent. The pandemic and her husband's early retirement influenced her decision to consider early retirement. Conversations about financial independence often spark reflections on personal values and identity. Preparing for retirement requires confronting not just financial readiness, but emotional adjustments as well. Resources and tools like 'The Simple Path to Wealth' and 'Quit Like a Millionaire' served as guides in her transition. Timestamps & Topics Discussed: Laura is 51, an associate professor in genetics, married, with two sons in college. 00:04:22 The Stress of Academia The pressures of running a lab funded by grants; the stress impacts both her work and family life. 00:08:28 Time Flexibility vs. Time Freedom Balancing demanding work with family responsibilities and feelings of inadequacy in both roles. 00:10:23 Deciding to Retire Early Laura's husband Eric influences her thoughts about early retirement, compounded by COVID-19 challenges. 00:21:56 Future Uncertainty Questions about identity post-retirement and grappling with the loss of career-defined self-worth. 00:26:39 Embracing Uncertainty Discussions about accepting risks without guaranteed outcomes. 00:40:08 Financial Considerations and Planning Conversations on college savings for children, family financial responsibilities, and their shared journey to determine their FI number. “Balancing motherhood and a demanding career left me feeling inadequate in both roles.”  “While my job offered time flexibility, it was a constant struggle to balance work with family needs.” “Contemplating my identity post-retirement raises questions about who I will become next.”  “Embracing uncertainty is part of the journey toward financial independence.”  “Living life abundantly is more fulfilling than accumulating wealth alone.” 

Sunday on PBS News Weekend, the death toll rises again in Los Angeles as firefighters scramble to contain the flames and schools remain shut down. Winter illnesses return with a vengeance as cases of RSV, COVID and the flu surge across the country. Then, a look at the health struggles of aging former drug users. Plus, what scientists hope to learn from ancient ice found deep beneath Antarctica. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Vince and Georgie Strawbridge, one-third of the six-person thru-hiking family. We last caught up with the Strawbridges in early 2020, when they were freshly off their hike of the PCT. Since, they've conquered both the CDT and the AT, completing the Triple Crown as a full family.  We dive into the high and lowlights of these treks from the perspectives of Vince (dad) and Georgie (the youngest in the family). They share insights on navigating the CDT during COVID, overcoming multiple bouts of hypothermia, how one Strawbridge daughter managed to hike the CDT despite being severely anemic, why the AT ranked as their least favorite of the Triple Crown trails, hiking the AT as a group of seven (adding another kiddo for this one), some especially serendipitous instances of trail magic, and Vince's unconventional—and hilarious—efforts to convince his wife, Monica, to take on another thru-hike, including a group therapy session with their friends.  We wrap the show with new of a job opening at Backpacker Radio, we ponder how far from a star you should be before it's safe to stare, a FMK of places to get wet, a breakdown of how much more expensive it is to hike the AT these days, and the Triple Crown of human names that sound like they could double as state names. Topo Athletic: Use code “TREKWINTER15” at topoathletic.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code “BACKPACKER20” for 20% off packs at gossamergear.com.  [divider] Interview with Vince & Georgie Strawbridge Strawbridge Instagram Strawbridge Youtube Pretty Good at Walking by Vince Strawbridge Time stamps & Questions 00:05:34 - Reminders: Apply to join the BPR team or vlog for the Trek, get tickets to our live show in Austin on April 17, and support us on Patreon! 00:11:20 - Introducing Vince & Georgie Strawbridge 00:12:12 - How did Georgie break her leg? 00:13:18 - How old are all the kids now? 00:15:00 - How has your interest in hiking changed since you were last on the podcast? 00:16:06 - How do you feel about hiking as a kid? 00:18:49 - How did you find time to write the book? 00:25:25 - What did you learn through writing the book? 00:28:20 - Did Zach & Chaunce find parallels between hiking and writing? 00:32:20 - Now that you're older, have you noticed hiking feeling different? 00:33:50 - How did you decide on the CDT next? 00:39:27 - How should Zach get his kids to like hiking? 00:43:40 - What was the result of the group referee sessions? 00:45:45 - What are some highlights of the first part of the trail? 00:48:35 - How did you manage the logistics after the first 400 miles? 00:51:00 - What was your dog encounter? 00:52:50 - How did you manage schooling on trail? 00:54:53 - What were some cool stories that overlapped with the trail? 00:59:40 - How does your homeschooling curriculum interact with applying to college? 01:03:10 - What do you want to do when you grow up? 01:04:10 - Tell us about the time you took too much Benadryl 01:07:35 - What was the tent breakup on the CDT? 01:09:22 - What was your level of enjoyment on the CDT? 01:10:30 - Did you notice your own growth between the trails? 01:11:27 - What's the dynamic between you and your siblings? 01:14:20 - Tell us about the September storm 01:20:20 - Do you ever have meetings without Vince? 01:24:00 - Discussion about finding out June was anemic 01:26:50 - Were you hesitant to have June join you on the AT? 01:27:52 - How did you decide to go northbound on the AT? 01:29:17 - What was it like going from the CDT during covid to the AT northbound? 01:34:00 - How did you weigh the pros and cons of hiking as a large group? 01:38:20 - Did you get any negative comments online? 01:43:26 - Did it feel like you were in easy mode on the AT? 01:47:30 - Story about running out of food 01:49:50 - What was it like getting your first real trail magic experience? 01:54:40 - Did someone get trench foot on this hike? 01:55:30 - What was it like to reach the sign on Katahdin? 01:57:45 - How has the Triple Crown experience changed your kids? 02:01:30 - Would you want to be homeschooled again? 02:04:45 - Give us the highlights of the Great Divide Trail 02:08:15 - Who handles cold water better? 02:09:13 - What was it like navigating the fire season? 02:13:18 - Is the hitching culture different in Canada? 02:14:10 - Tell us about your plans for 2025? 02:16:39 - Peak Performance Question: What's your top performance enhancing hack? Segments Trek Propaganda Is It Getting More Expensive To Thru-Hike the Appalachian Trail? by Kelly Floro Thru-Hiking With Eczema (and How My Body Surprised Me Along the Way) by Amanda Campbell QOTD: How far from a star must you be to be safe to stare? Triple Crown of (human) names that sound like they could be names of states Fuck Marry Kill: Places to get wet Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Brent Stenberg, Bryan Alsop, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Derek Koch, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Greg McDaniel, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Liz Seger, Mud Tom, Patrick Cianciolo, Rebecca Brave, Sawyer Products, SPAM, Timothy Hahn, Tracy ‘Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett A, Chris Pyle, David, Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Katharine Rudzitis, Luke Netjes, Merle Watkins, Peter, Ruth S, and Spencer Hinson.

Author of Fauci's Fiction: The Book on Covid  and Vaccine Fiction: The Book on Covid "Vaccines"    Friday Freak out with Jeff Ahern (The Dr Michael Schwartz interview) Jeff Ahern 11K followers   Books by Dr. Michael Schwartz- Fauci's Fiction: The Book on Covid  – June 19, 2023 by Dr. Michael J Schwartz (Author) See all formats and editions Fauci's Fiction is essentially the book on Covid. The book examines the real science behind Covid-19 and what the media and the government never told you. This book includes meta-data from over nineteen thousand patients receiving over forty-four thousand tests and incorporates the data from antibodies and vaccines to paint a true picture of what Covid really looks like from the thirty thousand foot view.   Most recent book-  Vaccine Fiction: The Book on Covid "Vaccines"  by Michael Schwartz (Author)   See all formats and editions Dr. Michael J. Schwartz amassed an unprecedented volume of horizontal data during the COVID-19 pandemic, which he compiled in his best-selling book Fauci's Fiction. This work uncovered critical insights into the early stages of the pandemic, challenging prevailing narratives and shedding light on underreported aspects of the crisis. Now, with Vaccine Fiction, Dr. Schwartz continues his exploration, unveiling the emerging truths and findings that have surfaced years into the vaccine rollouts. His latest research delves into the long-term impacts, the evolving efficacy data, and ongoing debates within the medical and scientific communities, offering readers a comprehensive look at the current landscape of COVID-19 vaccines and their effects on public health.

How can we transform the U.S. healthcare system into one that prioritizes both patient-provider relationships and equitable access to care? Join us for a compelling conversation with healthcare visionaries Dr. David Harlan, Dr. Barry Meisenberg, and Admiral Matt Nathan as we navigate the complexities of modern healthcare. Learn from Dr. Harlan's call for a shift towards chronic disease management and health promotion, while Admiral Nathan scrutinizes how business practices shape healthcare delivery. Discover Dr. Meisenberg's concept of salutogenesis, advocating for a system that fosters health creation rather than just disease treatment.As we explore the evolving landscape of healthcare delivery, the conversation touches on emerging trends like "partialism" where new physicians seek structured work schedules, and how this intersects with the rise of concierge medicine. We critique the systemic failures that result in unequal access to care, highlighted by stark lifespan disparities in neighboring zip codes. Through a historical lens, we examine the prioritization of financial incentives over preventive care and underscore the need for aligning approaches that support equitable healthcare access.Tune in as we scrutinize the administrative burdens of multiple insurers and consider the potential of a single-payer system. Reflect on the lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on healthcare models, from chaotic initial responses to the eventual implementation of evidence-based practices. With insights into healthcare investments and technologies, we emphasize maintaining compassionate patient care amidst technological advances. The episode concludes with a focus on the altruism of young healthcare professionals committed to driving meaningful change, advocating for a healthcare system that guarantees quality care for all.Support the showEngage the conversation on Substack at The Common Bridge!

A conversation with my father.  Robert (Bob) Levine was born on December 16th, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York. His father, Julius, was a Certified Public Accountant by profession, his mother, Tess, was a homemaker and president of the P.T.A and both my grandparents were constantly volunteering for the many organizations  that supported the causes they believed in. Their commitment to social activism was passed down to my father and his siblings and then to me and it is my hope that my children will continue that legacy to be activists for the things they believe in and to use their voices even when others wish it to  be silenced. During the Covid-19 pandemic my visits with my parents were limited to good weather days when we could be outside with each other and talk from a distance. This conversation was recorded during one of those visits in December of 2020 at their home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Abigail's first pregnancy turned into a life-threatening birth experience with undetected gestational diabetes and a traumatic ICU stay. On top of that, she unexpectedly had to move homes just two weeks postpartum. Abigail quickly developed intense postpartum depression and struggled to make sense of what happened to her. She was sure she would never have kids again, but after therapy and healing, she and her husband found themselves wanting another baby three years later. Abigail became pregnant right away, and she knew this time would be different. This time, things would be better. From the meticulous monitoring to the candid conversations, Abigail felt heard and supported throughout her entire pregnancy. Her gestational diabetes was detected and very controlled. While a scheduled C-section seemed to be a logical choice, she knew her heart wanted a VBAC. She was able to go into spontaneous labor and pushed her baby girl out in just 13 minutes!How to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsFull Transcript under Episode Details Meagan: Welcome to the show, everybody. We have our friend, Abigail, from California with us today. She is a 27-year-old stay-at-home mom with a 4-year-old daughter and a 7-month-old son. She experienced a very unfortunate, traumatic experience with her first which really left her not really sure that she wanted any more kids. She's going to dive more into her wild experience, but she had a COVID pregnancy. She had a lot of different stresses through the pregnancy, especially at the beginning– gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and so many things with her first that really taught her a lot, and had a wild birth experience. Then the second time, she ended up getting gestational diabetes again, but did a lot of different things to improve her outcome like hiring a doula, getting a supportive provider, and all of that. We are going to turn the time over to her in just one moment, but I do want to quickly in place of the review share a couple of tips for gestational diabetes. If you guys have not heard about it so far, check out Real Food for Gestational Diabetes by Lily Nichols. It is absolutely incredible. It is less than 200 pages long. It is a fantastic read and filled with a lot of really great information and studies. She also talks about prenatals, so I wanted to remind everybody that we have a partnership with Needed who we just love and adore. We do have a promo code for 20% off. You can get your 20% off by using code VBAC20. Definitely check that out.Then we are going to be including a lot of things in our blog today like third-trimester ultrasounds, sizes of baby, and gestational diabetes so make sure to dive into the show notes later and check out what we've got. Okay, my darling. I'm so excited for you to share your stories today. I feel like there's part of your story that I want to point out too before you get going, and that is that sometimes you can plan the most ideal birth scenario, and I'm not going to talk about what this scenario is, but a lot of people are like, “Do this. Do this. Do this.” Sometimes you plan it, and then your care falls short or something happens and plans change. If you guys are listening, I just want you to dive in. As you are listening to Abigail share her stories, listen to how sometimes things change and what she did, and then what she did differently to have a different experience. Okay, Abigail. Abigail: Hello. First of all, I just want to say that I'm really happy to be here today. Thank you for having me today. Meagan: Me too. Abigail: Yeah, I guess let's just dive right in. Meagan: Yeah. Abigail: First thing is I am a stay-at-home mom, so my mom is out in the living room with my babies right now, and at this point, my son is 7-months-old, and we are having a really good time over here. I just want to start by saying that. Basically to start with my story, I got pregnant for the first time in January of 2020. Everybody knows what else happened in 2020. I was, I think, about 12 or 13 weeks pregnant when everything completely shifted. Everything started to shut down. There was a chance that I was going to get laid off of work which I did end up getting laid off of work about a week later. It was not a fun time. My husband and I had an apartment. We lived in a place we had just moved to. We had been there for about 3 years. We had a roommate, and everything was totally fine. Everybody worked full-time. I was working out regularly. We had a pretty chill life. Go to the farmer's market on the weekend. I was really excited when I found out I was pregnant. I was like, “Okay, yeah. We are going to bring a baby into this. Let's do it. I love what we're doing.” So again, everything completely shut down and shifted. Our roommate decided he wanted his own space, so he gave us a 30-day notice. We were stuck in a situation where they were raising our rent because our lease was up. We would have had to re-sign. It would have cost us more and everything, so we were looking at having to move because our roommate was moving out. It was all not a very fun time, so we decided to move back to where we were from, rent a room from a family member, and stay with them for the time being. They had a little bit of extra space for us. We thought it would be totally fine and everything. We moved when I was about 20 weeks pregnant. Up until that point, I had regular OB care at a regular office. I had done all of the blood work and everything and the ultrasounds and the anatomy scan and everything up until 20 weeks. When we moved, I decided, “Okay, I think I want to have the baby at home, especially now since the pandemic.” I don't know that I really wanted to go to the hospital, but I wasn't sure that I wanted to do that to begin with. I grew up in a community where home birth was pretty normal. My mom had my younger brother at home. Several of my friends were born at home and their siblings when we were younger. It was a pretty normal thing to me. I reached out to a team of midwives. I talked to them, and got everything set up. I started doing appointments with them. They were coming over to my house fairly frequently. It was pretty nice doing the regular blood pressure checks and the urine samples with the little sticks, and all of that stuff. When it came time for the gestational diabetes testing, I was like, “Okay, is this something I have to do?” I didn't have my insurance set up at that point or anything because we had just moved so we would have to pay out of pocket for it. I would have to go sit in some lab or office some place. Again, during COVID, while I was pregnant, I was like, “I don't know. If I don't have to do it, I don't want to. If I have to, I will. What are we doing here?” They were like, “Well, you're low-risk. These are the risk factors. If you don't want to do it, you don't have to. You just have to sign this form.”I was like, “Okay, cool. I'll sign the form. Seems easy enough.” I totally skipped the gestational diabetes testing. That was on me, but it wasn't on me at the same time because I don't feel like I was given proper informed consent. There was a team of three midwives plus a student, so a total of four that I was seeing. One of the midwives ended up getting switched out at about that point, so it ended up being the student, the same original two, and then one newer one. Everybody was really nice. They were coming over and checking on me and doing all of the things that I thought they were supposed to be doing. I was not weighing myself. We did not have a scale. Again, they didn't tell me that it is important to make sure that you're not gaining too much weight at a time or anything like that. What happened was, I started gaining a lot of weight, but I didn't really realize just how much weight I was actually gaining. I was like, “Oh, I'm pregnant.” I quit going to the gym. I can't even hardly do anything. It's hot out. It's summertime. I was pregnant from January to September, so the bigger I got, the hotter it got.I didn't do much, so I was like, “Whatever. I've gained some weight. It's not a big deal.” I was a pretty small person to start with. Just for reference, I'm 4'8”, and I was 95 pounds when I got pregnant initially, so really small. It started becoming concerning because toward the end of my pregnancy, and toward I guess not even the end, the beginning of my third trimester, I started getting really swollen. Like, really swollen. My feet and my legs up to my knees– not just my feet, but my calves and everything were pretty swollen. Toward the end of my pregnancy, I had swelling up to my thighs. I'm being told this is normal. I'm 23. I've never been pregnant before. I don't have any support groups or anything going because it's COVID. Nobody wants to talk to anybody or do anything. It was a little frustrating for me because they were like, “Just put your feet up. Soak your feet.” If I soaked my feet, they got more swollen. I was not taking proper care of myself either. I went from exercising and eating right and doing all of the things that you are supposed to do to sitting at home and eating a lot of fast food and not walking. I was not having a great time mentally either. We were living some place I didn't want to be living. It was all of it. I didn't think too much of it. Again, I'm like, “Well, I'm being told this is normal. I'm gaining some weight. It's fine.” At one point, one of my urine tests that they did came back positive for glucose, and they were like, “Well, what did you eat for breakfast?” When I told them, I was like, “I had some waffles. I had some orange juice,” and whatever else I had, they were like, “Oh, you just had some orange juice before you got here. That's fine.”I was like, “Okay.” They didn't think to check it again. I didn't think to get a second opinion or anything. At one point toward the end of my pregnancy, I had a blood pressure reading that I checked myself at home with the little wrist cuff. That was really elevated. It was the end of the day. I texted the midwife. I was like, “Hey, my blood pressure is really high.” She was like, “What did you do today?” I was like, “I didn't really do much. I ate this for lunch. I had some soda.” She was like, “Okay, well that's probably fine. Just rest and check it again in the morning.” I checked it again in the morning, and it was still relatively normal, so they didn't do anything. One of the midwives came over at one point and dropped off some herbs for me that they wanted me drinking like some tea or something like that because I was getting swollen. I was standing outside talking to her, and she was like, “Oh my god, I can see your feet swelling up while we are standing here. You need to go back inside and put your feet up.” Again, nobody thought anything of it. How four people missed all of this, I don't know. I feel kind of like the student may have been more concerned, but didn't really know how to say anything or anything, just looking back on the facial expressions she would give and things like that. I go into labor right at 40 weeks. I am planning a home birth. Everything is set up for that. I've got the tub at my house. We've done the home birthing class and how to get everything set up. We've done all that. There was no backup plan in place. They did not suggest that I have one. Again, I did not know any better at the time. I was told that if there was some kind of emergency, I would go to this hospital. That was as far as it went. I didn't have a backup bag ready. I didn't have a hospital bag ready. I didn't have anything planned. There was no, “Hey, this is what we watch out for. This is what you might go to the hospital for.”I go into labor at 3:00 AM. Honestly, contractions started, and they were immediately painful. I've never done this before. I'm like, “Okay well, maybe we're just starting out harder than I thought. That's fine. Maybe there's not going to be early labor.” I labored for a couple of hours. I was really uncomfortable, so I called the midwives. They came over. They checked, and they were like, “Okay, you're only at 2 centimeters, and this is seeming like early labor.” I'm like, “This really painful. I'm not having a good time. This does not feel okay at all.” They checked my blood pressure. My blood pressure was through the roof. They waited a little bit, checked it again, and it was even higher the second time. They were like, “Okay well, this is out of our care. You've got to go to the hospital now.” I'm like, “What do you mean I've got to go to the hospital? That's not part of the plan here. We don't even have a plan B or anything.” Through tears and contractions and everything, I was having contractions maybe every 10 minutes or so, 5-10 minutes. Somewhere around there, I don't remember exactly. I got a hospital bag ready. I got some clothes for the baby together. I got my phone charger, my toothbrush and everything, and we headed to the hospital. I sat in triage by myself for 4 hours because they did not have a bed available for me. They would not let my husband into triage with me because it was COVID. The entire time, I was so uncomfortable. They had me immediately start on blood pressure medication to try to get my blood pressure down. They started me on magnesium, and they told me that the magnesium was going to make me feel yucky which is the biggest lie I have ever been told by a nurse. I don't know if she just never had it or what, but I felt like you have the worst flu you've ever had. My whole body hurt. It made everything feel worse. I felt groggy. I felt sick. It was not fun at all. At that point, I think I got to the hospital at 11:00 AM. They didn't get me into a room until 3:00 or 4:00 that night. So at that point, I'd been in labor for 12 hours. I was still hardly dilated. The doctors, initially when I got there, said, “Your notes say you are only 2 centimeters. Why are you here?” I was like, “I don't know. I was told to be here. I was told that my blood pressure is high or whatever. I don't know. I don't want to be here.” They did all of the things. They ran all of the tests. The doctor comes back in and says, “You are severely preeclamptic. Why did you not get here sooner?” Meagan: So why are you here and okay, why weren't you here sooner?Abigail: Yeah. I was like, “I'm so confused. I don't want to be here.” I'm freaking out. I'm stressing hardcore. My blood pressure went down for a little bit, but it stayed really, really, really high. They put me on fluids and everything which of course, did not help with the swelling. They get me into a room and everything. Things are moving along. It's going fine. I was okay for a little bit, then it got to the point where my legs were so swollen that I felt like they were going to pop. My legs felt like balloons that were going to explode. They were trying to put compression boots on me and stuff in the bed. Every time I was having a contraction, I was trying to get up and get moving because it felt better to get up and move. They were taking the boots on and off. It was miserable. After, I think, 28 hours of labor at that point, I was like, “Okay. I would like an epidural, please. I really don't want to have to get out of bed. I can't do this. I want my legs up. I don't want any part of this.” They got me an epidural. I don't know exactly how many centimeters I was at that point, but things had not moved very far in 28 hours. The doctor kept pushing to try to break my water. I kept telling her, “No, thank you. I don't want that. It will break on its own. I would like to take a nap.” I took a nap. My water did break on its own. That was nice. The water was clear. Everything was fine. We are still moving. I have an epidural. It's working great. I'm laying in bed. My blood pressure was still high. The swelling was still bad, but other than that, everything was maintaining. We were fine.I continued laboring for a while. I was getting checked pretty frequently because the doctors were uncomfortable with the situation. Again, looking back, I realize why they would be uncomfortable with the situation. They kept checking me and trying to want to do stuff. I was on Pitocin at that point. They had started it at some point, I think, shortly before I got the epidural. I had been on that for a while. It had been from being okay to all of a sudden, I was not okay. I don't remember exactly what hour that happened. It was somewhere between probably 36-ish. I was dealing with some stressful stuff with some family members. I was not having a good time. My phone kept going off. I was just trying to rest. It was a miserable time. They said that I was getting a fever all of a sudden. They were like, “You're getting a fever. We're going to see what we can do.”  They tried to give me Tylenol to bring it down. They tried putting a cool rag on my face. They were trying to get me to eat ice. At that point, they had completely stopped letting me eat because initially when I got there, they were letting me eat a little bit, but that stopped. They wouldn't let me drink anything, so they were giving me ice chips and stuff. I started getting to the point where I was feeling really sick, like more sick than I already felt. They checked me again, and depending on which doctor did it, I was at a 6 or a 7 still. They finally called it. They were like, “You have an infection. You are not doing okay. This is not okay. You need to have a C-section now.” Crying, I was like, “Okay, fine. That's not what I want, but let's go.” They prepped me for the OR, got everything moving, got me back. By the time I got in there, it had been 38 hours. I had an epidural for about 12 of those hours, I guess. At that point, it wasn't working super well anymore. It was not working well enough that they could do the C-section, so they put in a spinal as well. I had both of those done. To my understanding, they are two different pokes. Again, I didn't want either initially, and I got both. I was not thrilled about that. I'm laying on the operating table. I was so thirsty. They wouldn't give me anything to drink. They kept giving me this moist sponge. They said that I couldn't suck on the sponge. I could moisten my mouth with it. They gave me some stuff to drink that said it was going to make it so I didn't throw up. I wasn't nauseous at all the entire time. I hadn't thrown up at any point at all. I was like, “I don't want this. I don't need it.” The stuff that they gave me tasted awful, and they wouldn't give me anything to rinse it down. My mouth is dry. I'm gagging from how dry my mouth is, and the stuff tastes bad. They have me strapped to the table. My arms are down. I just laid there crying. The C-section went fine. They got my baby out. She was okay. She was 7 pounds, 12 ounces. For somebody who is my size, I was like, “Wow. That's a really big baby.” That was surprising. So they get me sewn up and everything. They let me look at my placenta, and it was four times the size of any placenta I have ever seen. It was like a dinner plate sized, but a couple of inches thick, like really thick. I was like, “Okay well, that's really weird.” They moved me and the baby to recovery. My husband was with me. Everything was okay. Everything calmed down. We were okay now. We've got this. It's fine. Then all of a sudden, the nurse was like, “I don't like your bleeding.” This is the same nurse I had for two or three nights because at that point, I had been in labor for 46 hours. It was 46 hours by the time they took my baby out. I started labor initially on the 28th at 3:00 AM, and my baby was born on the 30th at 1:00 AM, so almost a full two days. She's like, “I don't like your bleeding.” I'm like, “Okay.” I'm really out of it. I'm not really paying attention. I'm trying to nurse my baby. I can hardly move. I'm uncomfortable. Next thing I know, there are more people coming in, more doctors coming in, more nurses coming in. They take the baby from me. They hand the baby to my husband, and they shove them out. I'm just screaming, “Please don't give my baby formula.” I don't know what's going on. I don't know where they're taking her. I was trying to nurse her, and I'm so confused now. Next thing I know, there are 10 people surrounding my bed. It's three doctors and seven nurses. I had one IV in my hand initially, or in my arm or wherever they put it. Next thing I know, I had two more IVs. There was one in my other arm and in my other hand. They put some pills up my backside, and I'm so confused what's going on at this point. I'm still numb from everything from the spinal and the epidural and everything, so I can't feel what's going on. She's pushing on my belly. She's changing the pads under me. Everyone is freaking out.Meagan: Wow. Abigail: I am fading in and out of consciousness. I don't know what's happening. My husband's freaking out. My blood pressure had dropped to 25/15 I think. Meagan: Whoa. Abigail: I was about to die. They finally got me stable. I don't really know what happened exactly. All I know is the next thing I know, I woke up and I was in the ICU. They wouldn't let my husband come see me. They wouldn't let me see my baby. I'm with a bunch of COVID patients and everything. They gave me two or three blood transfusions. They put a balloon in my uterus to apply counterpressure so that it would stop bleeding, and they had a bucket attached to it. I'm watching them just empty buckets of my blood. It was so scary. I'm laying in the ICU by myself, and the balloon in my uterus hurt so bad, like, so bad. I didn't end up moving. I laid there for the rest of that night, the entire next day, the whole next night, then I think they moved me the next day. It was a night and a half plus a whole day that I just laid there by myself. Meagan: Wow. So scary. Abigail: It was so scary. The nurses came in at one point and were trying. I think it was the lactation consultant maybe. They were trying to get me to pump and everything. I think I pumped once or twice, but I was not up for doing anything. If they didn't come in and sit me up, they didn't really do it. I finally get the balloon taken out because that was what I kept begging for. I was like, “Please take this out. It hurts so bad. The pain medications aren't helping.” I didn't want to give the pumped milk to my baby as it is because I was on so many pain medications and so many antibiotics and everything else. I get the balloon out finally, and I think they took it out that night then they moved me the next day. They moved me to high-risk maternity, and they let me take a shower and eat some food and stuff before they brought my baby back from the nursery because she was fine in the nursery. That was nice to be able to take a shower and wash off all of the blood. I was so covered in blood and everything. I looked at my C-section scar and everything for the first time, and I realized I had a reaction to the tape that was on it and stuff too, so my skin all around it was all irritated. All up and down my arms had been profusely poked and prodded because they were checking my blood every four hours because of the infection and stuff. Depending on the lab tech's skill and everything, it was not going well for some of them. They kept having to poke me. The IVs weren't working for them to take blood from or something like that so they just kept having to poke me more. Again, I was having reactions to some of the tape, so my whole arms are just completely raw and everything. I was still very swollen. I was very, very, very swollen still. They had compression socks and stuff on at this point, not boots at least. They finally bring my baby to me, and then we ended up spending three days in high-risk maternity, so total, that was two days in labor, almost two days in the ICU, and three days in the high-risk maternity. Total, I spent seven days in the hospital. I get home, and they had me on blood pressure medication for a few weeks until I think my six-week appointment when I followed up, and then my blood pressure was back to normal, so I was able to quit taking the blood pressure medication and stuff. I dropped 30 pounds instantly because it was all of the swelling that just came off. I had still gained a lot of weight, but it a huge chunk of it was swelling which is so bad. It was finally over. I was settled. I'm in bed with my baby, and then the family member we were living with decided that they didn't want us living there anymore, so at three weeks postpartum, we had to move. I had only been home from the hospital for two weeks at that point. I didn't know what was going on. I didn't want to be around the situation. My husband was dealing with it. I ended up going on a road trip with my grandma to go stay with a different family member out-of-state just to make sure my baby wasn't anywhere near anything that was going on. Three weeks after a C-section and almost dying, I was driving and doing a whole bunch of other stuff– going out, walking around, and trying to put jeans on. I couldn't figure out why my clothes didn't fit. I didn't realize just how big I had gotten. It was not a fun time. It was about five days out of town, then I moved into a different family member's house temporarily where I was completely isolated by the people that I was living with. They did not understand what I was going through. They thought that I was choosing to be difficult intentionally, so that created additional problems. I ended up getting pretty bad postpartum depression which is really not a surprise. I still didn't understand what had happened to me. I still didn't understand why I had almost died. I still didn't understand. I didn't know if I had done something wrong. I didn't know what was going on. I spent a lot of time really upset over the fact that everything went wrong, and I didn't know why. Life was falling apart around me. I was not doing okay. It turned into really bad postpartum depression pretty quickly. My husband and I got our own apartment when my baby was four month's old. I was like, “Okay, things are finally going to get settled. Things are going to be okay now.” It did not settle. My depression got worse, and I didn't even know what to do. I was eating a lot because I was like, “I'm breastfeeding. I need to eat.” I basically just sat at home, didn't do anything but eat and nurse my baby. I was very thankful I was able to successfully breastfeed my baby after everything that happened to me. All of the nurses at the hospital were surprised about that and stuff. Meagan: Yeah, with the amount of blood loss and everything, that's pretty rare. It's pretty rare. Abigail: Yeah. I never ended up giving my baby a bottle or anything because I was so scared that if I tried to give her a bottle or something that it would mess up my breastfeeding, and that was the only thing that had gone right. I was doing okay for a little while, I thought, but it was not okay. I was really not okay. I was very, very sad. I was fully convinced for a period of time that they should have let me die at the hospital. I was fully convinced that the doctor did me a disservice by trying so hard to save me. Meagan: I'm so sorry. Abigail: Yeah. I finally started therapy. I started trying to get up and do more and not eat so much and get moving. I think finally around the time my daughter was a year or a year and a half, I started to feel a little bit better, and things slowly did start to get a little bit better for me, but I was fully convinced that I did not want more kids. I was like, “I am never going through that again. I do not want another C-section. I don't know what happened to me, so obviously, I would have to have another C-section because we don't even know what went wrong.” It took me until my daughter was almost three. She was about to be three when all of a sudden, my mindset shifted, and I was getting mad at myself for feeling like I wanted another baby because I was like, “I don't want another baby. Of course, I don't want another baby. I made that very clear.” We got rid of all of the baby stuff. I told everybody I wasn't having more. What was wrong with me? I was fighting internally with myself because I wanted another baby, but I did not want another baby. It was insane. I kept it all to myself. I didn't say anything. All of a sudden, my husband was like, “I think we should have another baby. I was like, “What are you talking about? You're insane.” He was like, “No, really. I think we should have another baby.” I was like, “You shouldn't have said that because I want another baby.” Meagan: Yeah. I have been actually thinking the same. Yeah. Abigail: Yeah. I was pretty surprised that I got pregnant right away. Literally, within a couple weeks, I was pregnant. It was a good thing and a bad thing because it didn't give me a chance to overthink it, but also, it was like, “Oh no, I haven't even had a chance to think about this. This is definitely what's happening.”I started going to the doctor right at five weeks. They started doing ultrasounds right at five weeks. They were checking me for everything every time, all of the time. I had so much anxiety. I made that very clear to them. I think that's part of the reason that they checked everything all of the time and were trying to be more reassuring. They did ultrasounds at almost every appointment. Most people don't even get an ultrasound until 12 or 20 weeks. Meagan: And then that's the only one. Abigail: I had four of them before I even went for my anatomy scan. They were trying to watch everything and make sure everything was fine too because again, they didn't do my care last time. This OB place did my follow-up care afterward. They saw the aftermath of everything, and they were concerned and stuff. That's what we were dealing with. I was dealing with some nausea, so they gave me some pills for that. Come to find out, one of the side effects of one of the medications they gave me was anxiety. I was fighting a losing battle with myself because I was taking these pills for the nausea. I wasn't eating because I was anxious, and I wasn't eating because I was nauseous, then I was getting more anxious. It was a rough first 20 weeks I would say. Then I did start feeling better, thankfully, so I was able to start eating and stuff again. Once I felt better, I was eating ice cream and all of those things that I wanted and all of that. It was fine. I was doing fine. I was doing all of my appointments and stuff, then it comes up for my gestational diabetes testing. The doctor says, “You need to do this,” and immediately, I was like, “Yes, please. I need to do that because that's one of the things I didn't do last time. I need to do everything to make sure I'm good.” I need to backtrack a minute, I'm so sorry. At my first intake appointment at five weeks when I met with one of the– they're nurses, but it's not the nurse who actually checks you and stuff. They have an office at the OB's office, and they check in, and they ask, “Do you have transportation for your appointments? Do you need help with anything? Do you have access to food? Are you in a safe relationship?” I let them know what had happened previously with me, and she was like, “Oh, well then you might be interested in this. This is something new your insurance covers. You could get a doula if you wanted since it sounds like you wanted to have a more natural experience last time.”Meagan: That's awesome. Abigail: Yeah. Immediately, I was like, “Hell yeah. Let's do that.” I didn't have a doula last time. Again, last time was COVID. I was already trying to pay for the midwives. It wasn't something I thought about one, because I thought I was having a home birth with a couple of midwives. I didn't think I needed a doula. Also, I didn't fully understand what they were and the actual extent of the benefits of them. I was like, “Yeah, totally.” The first thing I did when I got home was call. They were like, “Yeah, we take your insurance. We can get you set up. We're taking new clients. Let's get you in for an appointment.” I started seeing a doula sometime in my first trimester. I don't remember exactly when, but I remember I pulled up the office and I got out. I was like, “This can't be right. This is too nice. There's no way my insurance covers this.” I was shocked at the care I received from my doula service. I'm just going to go ahead and give them a quick shoutout just because they are amazing, but it's Haven for Birth in Sacramento, California, and they do amazing work for a lot of different things. I still attend lactation meetings and stuff with them monthly. Meagan: That's awesome.Abigail: It's such a great team of people. I got the doulas that they set up for me because there are two of them. There's a main one and a backup one. My main doula's name was Heidi, and the backup doula's name was Francine. They were both so sweet and wonderful. Heidi has been doing doula work for a good amount of time. She owns a chiropractic business and Haven. She's the main one, and she's the one who has dealt with higher-risk pregnancies and things like that, so she was my main source of support and throughout everything. I would text her if I needed something. She was so reassuring. She was like, “Yep. You can totally have a VBAC if that's what you want to do.” I was like, “Really? I can do that, okay. I'm going to talk to the OB about it.” The OB was like, “Yeah. It's completely up to you. As long as you are fine and we watch everything, that's fine.” I really did feel like they were supportive. It wasn't like, “Well, if you are okay, then you can.” It was like both of the OBs that I had seen, one of them was a guy and one of them was a girl, and both of them were like, “Yeah, as long as we keep everything in check, you are totally fine. I don't see why you couldn't.”I started to feel a little more confident in that. I had a lot of anxiety about it and for a couple of weeks, I did contemplate scheduling a C-section just to ease my own anxieties, but I didn't feel right with that choice. I really didn't. I was like, “I need to try.” It was tough, though, because I was like, “I don't know how I'm going to deal with the feelings of trying and not succeeding,” so that was the struggle of, “Do I want to just have a C-section that way? I get what I want no matter what,” but I didn't feel like I wanted to do that. I worked really, really, really hard to get my VBAC is basically what ended up happening. Back to where I was, I get my gestational diabetes testing done, and the first-hour one comes back really high. I'm like, “Okay, that's concerning.” I texted my doula about it. She was like, “It's okay. You're going to do the three-hour one. You'll probably pass the three-hour one, but even if you don't, it'll be fine.”I failed the three-hour one really bad. My fasting number was fine, but the rest of the numbers were very elevated, not even just a little bit. I was like, “Oh, okay.” This is all starting to make sense. I had a lot of anxiety initially about what I could or couldn't eat because I didn't feel the greatest, and I was letting myself eat what sounded good to make sure that I was eating. It was a rough week initially when I got that, then it took them a minute to get me the referral in for the program, the Sweet Success program where I was actually able to talk to nurses and dieticians there. Once I finally got in with them, I met with them a few times throughout the end of my pregnancy. I did feel very supported by them. They were very nice. The dietician was willing to meet with me one-on-one instead of a group setting because I was having issues with eating and not wanting to eat and feeling very concerned that I was going to hurt myself or hurt the baby.They did a very good job making sure that I was cared for. We completely changed up my diet. I started walking after every meal. I started checking my blood sugar four times a day, so first thing in the morning, then after breakfast, after lunch, and after dinner. I basically, immediately after eating, would get up and do the dishes or clean up the food I had made or pick up the house or start some laundry or something so that I was getting up and moving. Only a couple of times, there was only once or twice where my blood sugar numbers were higher than they really wanted by more than a point or two. I did a really good job keeping those in check with what I was doing and watching what I was eating very closely and monitoring my portion sizes and realizing what I could and couldn't eat. Once I got to the point of 36 or 37 weeks or whatever where they were like, “Okay, this is the plateau. It's not going to get worse than this,” and I realized I was able to keep it under control and things like that, I would let myself have a couple of bites of a cookie here and there. It wouldn't spike my blood sugar or anything because I was doing everything I needed and that made me feel really nice because I was able to eat the stuff I really liked as long as that was within reason.We met with the doula multiple times. She came over and did a home visit at 37 weeks. I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions from the time I was 19 weeks because we got COVID. We got RSV, and we got a cold. We got a cold. We got COVID, and we got RSV. Meagan: Oh my goodness. Abigail: Yeah. That was the whole first half of my pregnancy along with dealing with nausea and everything else. I found out I was pregnant the beginning of September. We got a cold in October. I got COVID in November, then in December, we got RSV, and my daughter who was three at that point spent five days in the hospital, so I spent five days in the hospital right next to her dealing with RSV while I was pregnant. I feel like the coughing kickstarted Braxton Hicks contractions almost because at that point, I started having them pretty regularly. From 19 weeks on, I had tightenings all the time. Some days, they would be worse than others, but because I was so active, it definitely– I never got diagnosed with irritable uterus or anything, but I think that's what it was because it would get really irritable when I would do pretty much anything, and I was doing things all of the time. At 35 weeks, my contractions started getting fairly intense-ish. They weren't painful at all, but it was every 3-5 minutes, I was contracting. I drove myself to the hospital. I was like, “I'm fine. I'm not concerned.” I didn't bother my husband or my doula or anything. I let her know I was going, but I was like, “Don't worry about it.” They hooked me up. They checked me and everything. they were like, “You're hydrated. We don't need to give you fluids or anything.” They were like, “How are you feeling? You've got to tell us if they hurt or not because we can see them on the monitor, but you've got to tell us how you're feeling.” I was like, “I just feel annoyed. They tighten up, and it's uncomfortable when they do, but nothing hurts. I'm annoyed.” They were like, “Okay, let's check you.” I was still completely closed with no baby coming down. So they gave me a single pill to stop them and sent me home. It worked. It slowed them down for the rest of the night, then they kicked back up to their normal here and there the next day. But for the next couple of weeks, I kept it fairly easy. If I noticed I started I was having more of them, I would try to go lay down. I was able to have my baby shower at 36 weeks which was wonderful because I had not had a baby shower for my first baby because of COVID. I feel like 36 weeks was almost pushing it because my family had asked if we wanted to have it later to have somebody else be able to join us and I was like, “No, no. Please don't push it later. I don't trust that.” It was like I knew that he was going to come just a little early, but I was doing all of the things and still having the regular Braxton Hicks contractions and everything. They were doing multiple growth scans on my baby because he started measuring small at 28 weeks, I think. At his 28-week scan, they noted that his kidneys were slightly enlarged, so they wanted to follow up on that. They followed up on that at 28 weeks. His kidneys were completely fine. We never had another incident with that, but they noticed he was measuring a little smaller so they started doing regular checks. By the end of my pregnancy, I was having a growth scan every week, so they went from, “Let's check you in six weeks. Let's check you in four weeks. Let's check you every two weeks. Let's check you in a week.” They noticed he was measuring small, and he continued measuring small. Meagan: They were regressing, or he was staying on his own growth pattern but small?Abigail: He was growing but not a lot. Meagan: Okay, yeah. He was staying on his own pattern. Abigail: They didn't want him to drop below the 10th percentile, and if they did, they were going to be concerned. He did get right to the 9th or 10th percentile, so they did start to get concerned. They labeled him IUGR. They were doing non-stress tests on me twice a week. Basically, by the end of my pregnancy, I was seeing the OB, the place for the non-stress tests, the gestational diabetes program, the place for the ultrasounds and growth scans, a therapist, a hematologist because I ended up having to have iron infusions and B12 injections, and the doula's office, so seven places. Almost all of them wanted to see me every week. Meagan: Whoa. Abigail: I was running around, super active towards the end of my pregnancy. I was still taking my daughter out and doing all of the things with her as well. I noticed after my baby shower at 36 weeks that my feet were just a little puffy, and I was like, “Huh. That's funny.” It hit me all of a sudden. I was like, “My toes are kind of pudgy.” I'm 36, almost 37 weeks pregnant, and this is the most swollen I have gotten. It was not up my legs. It was not even in my whole feet. It was my toes and the top of my feet, not even my ankles. They were the tiniest bit puffy. I had this moment of clarity where I was like, “How did nobody notice that something was so wrong with me?” I was shocked because I'm looking at myself and I had gained a total, by the end of my pregnancy with my son, of 25 pounds, and that was it. With my daughter, by the end of it, I had gained 70 pounds. Again, how did nobody notice? I am shook. I thought on that for a long time. I'll come back to that, but I thought on that for so long. I ended up emailing the midwives who had provided me care. I was having a day. I went off on multiple people that day. I was not having it, and I emailed them, and I sent them a four-paragraph email about how they let me down. They should have known better. Somebody should have noticed something was wrong. They should have asked for a second opinion. It was ridiculous. I was shook that they didn't push harder for gestational diabetes testing, and all of the things because clearly at this point, I realized that my blood sugars being in control has made all of the difference. Not knowing, you can't do what you need to do which is why I'm such a big advocate for informed consent and gestational diabetes testing. I know sometimes I see people saying that they want to skip it because they are fine. I had zero of the actual risk factors, and I still had it. I'm just putting that out there. That's my main thing for this. Definitely get checked, and stay active, and watch your blood sugars because it's a really, really serious thing. I literally almost died. Sorry, I keep jumping around. My son was measuring small, so they started doing all of the tests and everything, and they couldn't find anything wrong. They were like, “Your cord dopplers look great. The blood flow looks great. Nothing specifically is measuring small. His head is not measuring smaller than the rest of him.” He was very, very, very low in my pelvis. I was waddling from 32 weeks on. He was low the entire time. I could feel him moving regularly. He was super active. I felt confident in myself. I felt safe. I felt good. they were telling me he was fine. Everything was looking fine. My fluid levels were looking good. My non-stress tests were always good. They make you sit for a minimum of 20 minutes, and if they don't see what they need to see in 20 minutes, then you need to stay longer. I never had to stay longer than 20 minutes. It was always in and out. He was always moving. His heart rate was always good. When they started mentioning induction at 37 weeks, I was like, “I don't want to be induced. I don't. There's really no reason.” They were like, “Well, he's measuring small. Your other baby last time was so much bigger. He is so small. This is such a concern.” I was like, “But I think there was something wrong with me and my baby last time. I don't think she should have been that big for me.” I thought that was the problem. I tried explaining that to them that I think they had it backward. They should have been concerned about how big my last baby was because they didn't check my blood sugar when I was in the hospital or anything. They didn't check it. Everything was fine. I was feeling fine. I was having pretty regular Braxton Hicks still. I was convinced I was going to have him early. I told him that. “I will have him early, and you're not going to have to induce me. I promise you. You're not going to have to induce me.” I told the doula that I promised the doctors and the specialists that I was not going to have to be induced. She was on my side. She was like, “Okay. We can try some midwives' brew if we get to that point. We'll talk about it.” I didn't end up getting to that point, thankfully. I had another scan at 37 weeks and 36 weeks. At 37 weeks, the doctor was like, “Okay, well, I specifically want to see you next week. I want you to come out to my other office next week because I specifically want to see you. I don't want you to see the other doctors. I want to follow up with you.” I was like, “Fine. I'll drive to Rosedale. No problem.” It wasn't farther than the other office I had been going to. I didn't get that far. I went into labor at 37 and 6. It had been a normal day. I had taken my daughter to the jumping place and had gone to the grocery store. I messed up when I went to the grocery store and the jumping place. I parked too far out, and I didn't think it through. I jumped near the jumping door, not the grocery door. Walking in was super close, but then I had to walk all the way back carrying my groceries. The carts didn't go out that far or anything. I'm like, “Oh my gosh. This is so heavy.” I'm still having Braxton Hicks the whole time. I'm feeling fine. I haven't had any kind of mucus plug activity or none of that. There was no swelling in my feet or legs. My blood pressure had been good. I checked it regularly. My blood sugar had been good. I had checked it regularly. I get home, and I'm like, “Man, I'm tired.” I got up, and I kept doing laundry and stuff. My husband gets home from work. He's like, “Hey, do you want to go out to dinner? We can go to the restaurant up the street.” I'm like, “Yeah, it's a beautiful day out. It's the beginning of May. That's a great idea.”It's a 3-minute walk from my house to the restaurant. I'm not kidding. About halfway there, I stopped, and I was like, “Oh. Well, that one was a little more uncomfortable than they have been. Okay. I actually felt that.” It felt like a bad period cramp, but also tightening with the Braxton Hicks at the same time. I was like, “I'm fine.” I kept walking. We get to dinner, and I notice at that point, I'm having mild contractions every 10 minutes. We ate food. I had sushi, and I know that rice spikes my blood sugar, so I try not to eat too much of it, but I was like, “You know what? I feel like I'm going to have them. I just need to make sure that I eat.” I ate my dinner. We walked back home. It was still about every 10-12 minutes that I was having mild contractions. We went about the evening as normal. I put my daughter to bed and stuff. I took a shower. My husband and I were watching some TV. I was bouncing on the ball. I wasn't really telling my husband that I was super uncomfortable at that point yet. It hit all of a sudden. It was 11:00 PM. At this point, it was 6:00 PM when I felt the first slightly uncomfortable contraction. It's now 11:00 PM. I'm like, “Okay. This is actually starting to get a little bit more uncomfortable.” I got up, and I paced around the living room. My husband was like, “Uh-oh. We should probably go to bed.” Yeah, we should probably go to bed. That was a good idea. We went to bed, and I did not sleep. I think I slept for about seven minutes because at that point, it went to seven minutes, not 10 minutes. I started timing them on my phone. I texted my doula. I made sure I had all of my stuff ready just to be safe. I made sure the house was picked up. I tried to sleep. I let the doula what was going on. She was like, “Don't worry about timing them, just get some rest.” I was like, “I'm not trying to time them, but every time I have one, I look up and I see the clock. This is happening.” She was like, “Okay, well I'll start getting up, and I'll be ready to head over if you need me. I want you to take a shower.” It took me a good 45 minutes or a half hour or something like that to actually get from hanging around my house to getting in the shower because I started shaking really bad, and I was starting to have contractions pretty quick together. They started getting closer and closer together. My husband ended up texting her at that point, “Hey, she's int he shower. I think contractions are getting closer together. They are two minutes apart at this point. You should probably head over.” She gets here pretty quickly. My daughter is still asleep. At that point, my doula was like, like, “Yeah, I think you're in active labor. We should think about heading to the hospital.” I'm only 10 minutes from the hospital, but my daughter needed to get picked up. I put my bag in the car. We call family. I get my daughter picked up. She hadn't heard anything. She hadn't noticed I was in labor. I wasn't being necessarily loud, but I wasn't also being super quiet or anything. She gets picked up. She's mad she's awake. It's 2:00 AM. We get ready to go, and by the time we get down the stairs, because I live in an upstairs apartment, so I'd been pacing the whole upstairs in my apartment and everything, I was super afraid my water was going to break in the car so I put on a Depends because I was like, “I'm not going to have to clean that up later because I'm going to be the one cleaning it up later, and I don't want to have to deal with that.” My doula was like, “Chris, get her a bag in case she throws up in the car. Let's go.” She tried checking my blood pressure, but I kept moving and stuff, so we couldn't get an accurate reading which made me that much more anxious. I was so afraid that by the time I got there, everything was going ot go bad. I had convinced myself that it was fine, but there was this nagging voice in my head that was like, “No, no, no, no, no. Everything went wrong last time, so surely, you are going to die this time.” I was like, “Nope. I am fine. Everything has been fine. They are aware. They have blood on deck for me. It's going to be okay. I've got this.” We get to the hospital. It's 3:00 in the morning. It's fairly quiet. We parked in the parking garage which was across the street. We walked through the parking garage. We take the elevator. We take the walk bridge across. We get into the hospital, check in with security and everything. they were like, “Oh, sweetie, do you want a wheelchair?” My doula was like, “No, no, no. She's fine. She will walk.” I'm like, “Yeah, okay Heidi. Walking is a great idea.” I mean, that's what she's there for. It's fine that I kept walking, honestly, because we had to walk from one side of the hospital to the elevator to take the special elevator that goes to the 6th floor. We're about halfway to the elevator, and I'm like, “Oh, I think my water just broke.” My water broke walking into the hospital which was that much more convenient. We get in. We get checked into triage. The nurse is so nice, and she was like, “It's okay if you want to give me a hug,” because they wouldn't let my husband or my doula in at first. I gave the nurse a hug. She was so nice. They were like, “We need a urine sample.”At that point, basically, from the time labor started, I couldn't pee. That was an issue, so they were like, “Don't worry about it. It's fine. Let's get you back on the bed. Let's check on you, and see how you are doing.” They said I was a 4 or a 5 depending on who checked and who assessed.They asked me about pain medication and stuff, and I was like, “I'll get back to you. I'm doing okay.” Contractions are about every 2-3 minutes at this point. My water had broken on the way in. They tried doing one of the swabs to check it was my water and not that you peed, and the nurse was like, “I'm not even going to send this in. It's fine. I know that it's your water.” They got me in pretty quickly. By the time I got into a room, I was like, “I would like some pain medication please.” They were like, “Okay, do you want an epidural? Do you want IV medication?” I remembered when I was in labor with my daughter, the nurse had initially offered me what was called a walking epidural, so I asked because I remembered declining that with my daughter. I was like, “No, no, no. I don't want to do anymore walking. That's the point. I don't want walking. no walking.” This time, I was like, “That actually sounds like I wanted to know more about that.” I asked the nurse more about it. She was like, “It's still an epidural. It's put in your back the same. It's just different medication. It's lower doses or different medication or whatever it is. It's going to provide some pain relief, but you're not going to be numb. You're still going to feel everything.” I was like, “Honestly, that sounds like what I would like. That sounds like it's a really good idea.” I was having a very hard time taking a deep breath. I was having a very hard time relaxing because I was so afraid that something was going to go wrong. At that point, my blood pressure was fantastic. Everything had been normal. No protein in my urine, no swelling, no high blood sugars, nothing. I was like, “Okay, this is going to be fine. I'm going to be fine.” I felt a little weird about asking for pain medication because I was adamant that this time, I was going to do it without it, but they called the anesthesiologist. He comes in, and he says, “Okay, are you sure you want the walking epidural? That's definitely not going to get you were you want to be pain-wise.” I was a little ticked off, but I was like, “Just get me what I asked for, please. If I change my mind, I will tell you.” That's the thing. If you change your mind, all they have to do is switch up your medication. It's not continuous with what I got. It's just a bolus of medication, and the little thing is taped on your back. You're not actually hooked up to medication or anything, but if I wanted to be, all they had to do was hook it up. I was like, “I'm fine. I don't need that. Thanks, dude.” They get me that, and they made me stay in bed for the first hour just to make sure I was okay and my blood pressure was fine and everything. My blood pressure was fine. Everything stayed fine. My blood sugar was a little high at this point. It was two points over the max where they want it to be. My husband ran down to the gift shop and got me some trail mix, cheese, and meat things. I ate that. They checked my blood sugar in a little bit, and it was back to a healthy, happy, normal range, so they weren't concerned. I was like, “I ate rice the night before, guys. That's all it was. You checked my blood sugar in the middle of the night after I had rice. Of course, it's going to be a little high.” At this point, it's 4:00 AMish. I stayed in bed for the first hour. My doula was like, “Okay, let's get you out of bed. Let's get you moving.” I was out of bed almost the whole time. I did spend a little bit more time in bed at one point. I had the initial bolus of medication. That was all I had, so at this point, I can feel the contractions are getting stronger, and I can also feel that the medication is also starting to wear off. It started getting more intense. I was on the toilet for a minute. I was still having the issue where I still could not go pee. My doula kept feeding me water after every contraction, so they were keeping an eye on that. My doula was keeping an eye on that and stuff. It got to where it was 8:00 AM, I think, so at this point, I had been in labor for a total of– from the time contractions actually started being painful at midnight to 8:00 AM– 8 hours. I was on the side of the bed leaned over the bed. They had it at my height. My husband was rubbing my back. The nurses were there taking care of me and making sure I was good. All of a sudden, she's like, “Okay, honey, I think it's time to get you back in the bed.” I was like, “What?” She was like, “We've got to get you back in the bed. With the noises you're making, and squatting down, we've got to get you back in bed.” With every contraction, I was bearing down. Meagan: And they just didn't want you pushing standing up, type of thing? Abigail: I think they wanted to check me and see how I was doing and everything. They had me on continuous monitoring, which initially I didn't really want, but up until that point, I hadn't minded the monitors. It was just at that point because I kept moving, and I was so sweaty. I was so sweaty. My IV kept slipping off. The monitors kept slipping off. My gown was drenched. My hair was drenched. They kept re-taping my IV, and I was like, “Can you please just take the IV out? It's bugging me.” At that point, the IV was somehow more painful than the labor. I was coping with labor, but I kept feeling the IV in my arm because they kept having to poke it and mess with it and stuff because it wasn't staying in. They ended up leaving it in which I was annoyed with, but I was in and out of at that point.They get me back in the bed, and they check me. They're like, “Okay. You're already starting to push. Let's get the doctor in here. Let's do this.”I'm on the bed. I've got the squat bar. I'm up on the bed on the squat bar. I'm kneeling in a lunge position. I've got one knee up and one knee down. Every contraction, they were having me switch my knees which started getting really uncomfortable for me. I felt so heavy, and I was falling asleep in between each contraction it felt like. I wasn't all the way there, but they ended up saying that my son's heart rate was dropping just a little bit, and they were like, “Okay, let's get him out. Let's move this along.” They pulled the squat bar, and they had me on my back. The bed was propped up. I was upright, and they had me holding my own legs. I was having a hard time because I was so sweaty that my hands kept slipping off the back of my thighs. They were like, “Okay, you need to push. Let's push.” I wasn't really listening to them. They were trying to do coached pushing, but if I didn't feel like it, I just wasn't doing what they were telling me. I was more listening to my doula than anything else because I felt like I trusted her and what she was saying more than anything else. I told them, I was like, “I feel like it's pulling up. I feel like it's pulling up.” They were like, “Okay, lower your legs a little bit.” It was really nice that I was able to feel everything. I put my legs down a little bit, and that helped a little bit. I don't know exactly how many pushes it was. I don't know if anybody counted, but it ended up being 13 minutes that I pushed for from the time they got me in the bed and were like, “Okay, you're pushing,” to “Let's get you on your back. Give a couple good pushes.” I think it was two pushes once I was on my back and he was out. Meagan: That's awesome. Abigail: He came right out. I had a small right inner labial tear, no perineal tears, and then I don't think I actually tore up, but I noticed I was sore afterward up toward my urethra, but they ended up only giving me one stitch on my right labia. That was fine. They did numbing shots and everything for that, and I could feel the numbing shots and everything, and I didn't like that. It's uncomfortable, but it was fine. I felt fine. I felt good. They put him right onto my abdomen because his cord was so short that they couldn't put him any further up. I wish they would have waited just a little longer to cut his cord, but they were like, “He's hanging out down here where we need to be,” because his cord was so short, which makes sense that he was head down the entire pregnancy and didn't move. He stayed right there. He flipped and rotated. Meagan: Transverse. Abigail: Sideways. He would put his butt back sometimes and toward the side sometimes, but that's all he would do. His head was in my pelvis the entire time. He comes out. Once they cut his cord, they moved him up to my chest and everything. They got me cleaned up and everything. Everything was fine. I got my golden hour, and he didn't want to nurse right away, but he was fine. They were taking bets like, “Does he look like he's over 6 pounds or what?” He ended up only being 5 pounds, 5 ounces. Meagan: Tiny. Abigail: He was a little, tiny guy. He was barely 18 inches. I had him right at 38 weeks, so he was a little small. He was closer to the size of a 35-week baby. Meagan: Mhmm, and he had IUGR. Abigail: I don't think there was anything wrong with him. I think I'm a very small person, and I think my first baby was too big because when I look at pictures, my daughter's head was coned off to the side, and I know that she did not have room to move around in there. She was stuck where she was stuck. Meagan: That would mean it was asynclitic probably. Her head was coming down wrong. Abigail: Yeah, which is probably why it hurt so bad. I know that now, initially, it started even with early labor. I don't think that even once I had an epidural with her, they were using the peanut ball. They were changing my positions. They were doing all of the things, and she wasn't coming down any further. She wasn't moving, and I wasn't going past a 7. I think that she was too big which I think is from having unchecked gestational diabetes. Even though she was considered an average-sized baby. I'm not an average-sized person. I'm really, really, really small. Me having a 5-pound, 5-ounce baby seems about right.He came out perfectly healthy. There was nothing wrong with him. His blood sugars were good. His blood pressures were good. Everything was great. And now at seven months, he's still slightly on the smaller side, but he went from being in the 2nd or 3rd percentile or whatever he was born into all the way to about the 20th. He's almost caught up. He's healthy. He's chunky. There wasn't actually anything going on with him. I think that says a lot to the fact that I'm just really small and my first baby was the result of an unhealthy pregnancy. I didn't have a postpartum hemorrhage. I didn't need any extra medication. I didn't need Pitocin. I didn't end up getting a full epidural. When they asked me about my experience, I made sure to tell them that the anesthesiologist should choose his words more wisely. It went well. I waited two months afterward to see how I was feeling and everything, and I do not have postpartum depression. Meagan: Good. Abigail: No more anxiety than what I regularly deal with. I have had a great time. Everything is just completely different, and my son is already seven months old, and I am already at a point where I'm like, “I want another baby.” I don't know if I'll actually have another one or not. I mean, there are financial reasons to consider and actually giving birth to another baby and raising another human. It's not just a baby. It's a whole other life. It's a lot, but I have baby fever already. I would absolutely do it again, and I just had him. Meagan: Oh, that makes me so happy. I am so happy that you had such a better experience that was more healing and positive and has left you having a better postpartum for sure. Abigail: It was a completely different experience. I mean, night and day. I'm just trying to make sure that I didn't miss anything. I think the only thing that ended up being different was like I mentioned, I couldn't really go pee. I did end up having to have a catheter at the end of my labo

Today, Scott Schara gives an update on the wrongful death civil lawsuit (2023-CV-345) for his daughter, Grace.  Grace was 19 and had Down Syndrome.  She was medically murdered by medical staff at an Ascension Hospital.  The doctors ordered a medication combination that euthanized Grace - Precedex, Lorazepam, and Morphine; and put an illegal Do Not Resuscitate order on her chart. Scott is now releasing deposition transcripts and we discuss two clips today.  Scott also shares some of the highlights of his research into the medical-industrial complex. You can follow his work at OurAmazingGrace.net.     Stand Up For The Truth Videos: https://rumble.com/user/CTRNOnline & https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgQQSvKiMcglId7oGc5c46A Topics covered today: Verse: Genesis 50:20 – God's sovereignty in turning evil for good. Grace's Life: The journey of raising a daughter with Down syndrome and the joys of her life. COVID Era and Medical Protocols: The events leading to Grace's hospitalization and death during COVID. Medical Malpractice: Illegal DNR orders, medication mismanagement, and hospital protocols. The Lawsuit Update: Progress, challenges, and timeline for the wrongful death case. Legal Complexities: Challenges in pursuing medical malpractice cases and systemic issues in healthcare. Advocacy Work: Cindy Schara's work in protecting others and Scott's fight to expose medical injustices. Faith and God's Role: Testimonies of God opening doors amidst tragedy and miracles witnessed. Medical Industrial Complex: Broader issues, including ventilator use, incentivized practices, and the pandemic's impact. Documentaries and Media Exposure: Projects like Breaking the Oath and outreach through radio, podcasts, and blogs.

It's a new year—a chance to reset, refresh, and rethink the spaces where you live and work. What if your surroundings could be the key to a more productive, inspired, and successful you? This week, we're kicking off 2024 with Jodi Peterman, CEO of Elizabeth Erin Designs and host of the Designing in 5D podcast. Jodi breaks down interior design myths, explains why budgets always go off the rails, and reveals how intentional design can transform your home and office for the better. Who is Jodi? Jodi Peterman is the powerhouse behind Elizabeth Erin Designs, a firm that blends style and function to create customized spaces. With years of experience and a passion for innovative design, Jodi has tackled projects ranging from intimate homes to nationwide commercial properties. Episode Highlights Why Budgets Always Fail: The hidden traps of allowances and how to avoid them. Design Trends: Why greens and blues are the colors of the year. Functional Design: How your office setup impacts your productivity. Business Lessons from Design: Navigating supply chain chaos during COVID. Livable Luxury: Balancing beauty and practicality in every space. The EED Process: Jodi's method for stress-free interior design. Start the year off right—listen now to discover how smart design can elevate your space, boost your focus, and set the tone for a successful 2025.   Favorite Quote: We've become little worker-bee ants, and that's why thoughtful design is so important—it's what makes your space uniquely yours.   Connect with Jodi: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethErinDesigns https://www.pinterest.com/ElizabethErinDesigns/ https://www.youtube.com/@ElizabethErinDesigns5D https://www.instagram.com/elizabetherindesigns/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/68360039/admin/dashboard/ https://www.tiktok.com/@elizabetherindesigns?_t=8r93LyfqNR9&_r=1   Stay Connected: Connect with Matt and Luigi on Instagram: ➡️@matthew.r.meehan➡️ @luigi_rosabianca, ➡️@theLiquidLunchProject➡️@ShieldAdvisoryGroup. Visit The Liquid Lunch Project website and subscribe to The Weekly, our Friday morning newsletter, for all the latest in the world of finance, tech, small business, and more. https://theliquidlunchproject.com Make sure you never miss an episode — check out The Liquid Lunch Project on Apple Podcasts, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review.

Join Dr. Jeff Barke and Natalie Tucker, podcast and social media manager for Informed Dissent Media, as they dive into some of today's most pressing topics. In this episode, they tackle the latest insights on cholesterol, the evolving conversation around vaccines, and the devastating impact of the recent LA fires.They'll also explore the connections between COVID-19 and cancer, discuss the future of healthcare, and share their thoughts on RFK Jr.'s role in shaping the national dialogue.Don't miss this thought-provoking discussion packed with expert opinions and critical analysis to help you stay informed and engaged in the issues that matter most.Tune in now!Show sponsors EpicNotes.Pro and RogersHood.comSupport the showFor more Informed Dissent visit our website at Informed Dissent Media Follow us on Social media @InformedDissentMedia

Can artificial intelligence redefine the future of drug development and clinical trials?  In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I sit down with Dave Latshaw, Ph.D., the internationally recognized AI and machine learning expert who serves as CEO of BioPhy. Founded in 2019, BioPhy focuses on using AI to revolutionize the later stages of drug development, a critical yet often overlooked segment of the pharmaceutical pipeline. Dave shares insights into BioPhy's innovative platform, which combines scientific, clinical, and regulatory insights to predict clinical trial success and steer capital allocation. At the heart of BioPhy's approach is its patent-pending AI engine, BioLogic, and generative AI solution, BioPhyRx, designed to enhance clinical trial outcomes, reduce failure rates, and accelerate the time to market for life-saving drugs. Dave also explores how BioPhy's operational assessment model prioritizes immediate ROI by addressing challenges downstream from drug discovery. In our conversation, Dave delves into the complexities of AI adoption in pharma, including the challenges of scaling AI solutions, managing high computational costs, and overcoming stakeholder fears about job displacement. Drawing from his experience at Johnson & Johnson, where his AI innovations contributed to the global rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, Dave reflects on lessons learned and the transformative potential of AI in healthcare. As we look ahead, Dave discusses the future of AI in reducing administrative burdens on clinicians, automating regulatory compliance, and enabling groundbreaking advancements like DeepMind's AlphaFold.  How can AI transform not just how we develop drugs but also the healthcare outcomes for millions of people worldwide? Tune in to find out, and share your thoughts on the role of AI in the future of medicine.

In this powerful episode of The Encourager, we sit down with Latasha Kennedy—a wife, mother, award-winning filmmaker, and entrepreneur—to explore her incredible journey of faith, resilience, and storytelling. Latasha shares the moving inspiration behind her film "One Last Goodbye", a heartfelt story about grief after suicide and how we cope with the emotions that follow such a profound loss. Latasha also opens up about her personal battle during the COVID pandemic, when she faced a 12-hour brain surgery—without any family by her side due to hospital restrictions. She reflects on how God guided her through that difficult time and how these challenges have shaped her family and mission to empower others. Join us as we dive deep into Latasha’s story of healing, faith, and her commitment to using her gifts to uplift and empower women in their God-given missions. Tune in now for a story of faith, resilience, and the power of storytelling! Stay in the Know:Get direct links to new episodes, free resources and more. Join our newsletter. Connect with Me:Got a burning question about home or work life? Drop it along with your review and rating on Apple Podcasts, and I'll personally answer it in an upcoming episode!Join the Community:Let's be buddies! Social Media is where we hang out the most, go live to chat about your pressing questions, and even offer some free coaching. Connect with me on Facebook and Instagram.Utilize Your 5 Systems:Every woman operates in 5 systems: Me, Food, Family, Home, and Work. Discover how to bring joy and clarity to all 5 systems here.Explore More:EncouragerPodcast.com Grab my book and access FREE resources.EncouragerAcademy.com Dive into my digital courses covering the 5 systems and join my Encourager Cohort!Shop Our Brands & Favorites:Support the podcast by shopping our brands: Rebekah Scott Designs & 1948 LeatherExplore our favorite wares for your 5 systems in our Amazon shop Thanks to our Podcast Sponsor:If you love my energy and zest, here's my secret - Just Thrive Probiotic & Just Thrive Calm. These products help me function well and feel better! Use the code "ENCOURAGER" for 15% off!Spread the Joy:Your listens and shares mean the world to me! Share with another mama hoping to navigate both home and work life with JOY!Stay Updated:Follow the podcast for automatic updates on new episodes! Find us on all major platforms: Apple, Stitcher, Google Play, YouTube, Spotify, and more.Connect Outside the Podcast:Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for additional content and updates!Your support is invaluable, and I'm grateful for every share and listen. Together, let's bring joy and clarity to every aspect of our lives! Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

We dissect the emotions behind each sentence of a suicide note, then address the antidote for each emotion.Thrive With Leo Coaching: If you want to improve in the areas of health, wealth and/or relationships, go to www.thrivewithleo.com to begin your journey.If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help.In the US:Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counselingThe National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386Outside the US:The International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

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Bryce Hensley is a former professional baseball player who spent seven years as a pitcher in the minor leagues, drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 2018. After a successful athletic career, Hensley made a significant career pivot to pursue his passion for country music. Initially too self-conscious about his musical talent, it was during the COVID-19 pandemic that he started sharing his music publicly, which led to unexpected opportunities within the music industry.Episode Summary:In this engaging episode of the Uncommon Wealth Podcast, host Philip Ramsey sits down with Bryce Hensley, a remarkable individual who transitioned from being a professional baseball pitcher to a rising country music artist. Bryce's journey is fueled by a deep passion for music, which he only began exploring after the pandemic disrupted his baseball career. His story is one of courage and embracing new directions, emphasizing the theme of living an uncommon life by pursuing one's passions.Throughout the conversation, Bryce shares insights into both the similarities and differences between his experiences in baseball and music. While both careers entail dedication and hard work, music offers Bryce a platform for authenticity and self-expression. He discusses the exhilarating experience of performing in front of large crowds, the creative process behind songwriting, and the challenges of consistently delivering heartfelt performances. Bryce's story is a testament to the notion that it's never too late to follow one's dreams and carve out a unique path.

The Power of Storytelling in the Age of AIIn today's rapidly evolving business landscape, where artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping operations, the art of authentic storytelling has become more crucial than ever. In a recent podcast episode, host Josh and guest Dan Grech, founder and CEO of BizHack Academy, explore the intersection of storytelling, marketing, and AI. This blog post distills their conversation into actionable insights for entrepreneurs aiming to leverage AI while preserving authenticity in their communications.Josh begins the episode by highlighting the critical role of storytelling in modern business. Compelling narratives are essential for connecting with customers, differentiating in a crowded market, and building trust. While AI can enhance business operations, Josh emphasizes that the human element—particularly personal storytelling—remains vital. AI can assist in crafting messages, but the essence of storytelling must remain genuine to foster trust and connection.Dan Grech shares his expertise in helping entrepreneurs, especially those in second-stage companies, harness AI for marketing and sales strategies. He acknowledges that many businesses feel overwhelmed by the rapid advancements in AI but stresses the importance of embracing these technologies to stay competitive. Dan offers practical advice, such as committing to learning AI tools, utilizing resources like BizHack Academy's free masterclasses, and customizing AI to reflect a brand's unique voice. By doing so, businesses can streamline operations and enhance the authenticity of their narratives, ultimately fostering deeper connections with their audience.About Dan Grech:Dan Grech is a Pulitzer Prize-winning former NPR and PBS journalist turned entrepreneur and educator. He's the Founder and CEO of BizHack Academy, which is on a mission to train 1 million businesses how to use AI-powered marketing and business storytelling to grow 10x faster so their communities can thrive. He was the News Director at Miami's NPR station), a correspondent for NPR's Marketplace and PBS's Nightly Business Report, and worked at The Miami Herald and The Washington Post. He co-hosted Miami's first podcast, Under the Sun. He is the grandson of a Philadelphia public school science teacher and of a professional soccer coach in La Liga in Spain, and he carries forward a family legacy of teaching, coaching and entrepreneurship. He's worked as the head of digital marketing at two software startups and the nation's largest Hispanic-owned energy company. Dan has participated in accelerator programs through Entrepreneurs Organization, the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program, and Knight Foundation. He's taught at top universities including Princeton, Columbia and University of Miami. Dan is a graduate of Princeton University and has a Masters degree in storytelling from FIU and in journalism from Universidad Torcuato di Tella in Argentina. He lives with his wife and two children in Denver, CO.About BizHack Academy:BizHack Academy is on a mission to help 10,000 small businesses to grow faster. BizHack works with business support organizations to create customized digital marketing training programs for small businesses. We teach courses and provide personalized coaching in AI for marketing and sales, online lead generation, business storytelling, and thought leadership. BizHack is the creator of two purpose-driven digital marketing methodologies: the Lead Building System™, a proven process for online lead generation, and the Thought Leadership Pyramid™, a systematic approach to content marketing.BizHack is a proud Florida MBE and has provided over $300,000 in scholarships to more than 200 BIPOC- and women-owned businesses. Its #BizHackLive Masterclass series, launched during the heart to COVID crisis as a free resource to the business

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠It's YOUR time to #EdUp In this episode, #1,013, President Series (Powered By ⁠⁠⁠Ellucian⁠⁠⁠) #332, & brought to YOU by the ⁠⁠InsightsEDU⁠⁠ 2025 conference YOUR guest is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Alan Kadish, President, Touro University YOUR host is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio How does Touro manage operations across 11 cities & multiple academic models? What drove Touro's successful pivot to remote learning during COVID-19? Why is transparency with faculty & board relationships critical for presidential longevity? How is Touro integrating AI into healthcare education & operations? What role do provosts play in managing complex institutional diversity? How does Touro maintain stability while serving diverse student populations? Listen in to #EdUp Do YOU want to accelerate YOUR professional development? Do YOU want to get exclusive early access to ad-free episodes, extended episodes, bonus episodes, original content, invites to special events, & more? Do YOU want to get all this while helping to sustain EdUp? Then ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BECOME A SUBSCRIBER TODAY⁠⁠ - $19.99/month or $199.99/year (Save 17%)! Want to get YOUR organization to pay for YOUR subscription? Email ⁠⁠⁠EdUp@edupexperience.com Thank YOU so much for tuning in. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to EdUp! Connect with YOUR EdUp Team - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elvin Freytes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio⁠⁠⁠⁠ ● Join YOUR EdUp community at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The EdUp Experience⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! We make education YOUR business!