Podcasts about mnd

Denně vycházejí zprávy o výstavbě nových velkokapacitních baterií v Česku. „Co nás ale před výstavbou baterie nenapadlo, bylo posouzení únosnosti příjezdové cesty. Tedy zda jsme vůbec schopni na lokalitu dostat potřebné množství technologií. Bavíme se o stovkách tun, které bylo třeba dovézt na dané místo,“ řekl v debatě HN Ivo Drábek, vedoucí oddělení rozvoje a energetiky společnosti Buildsys. Ta nedávno u Břeclavi postavila pro společnost MND největší bateriové úložiště v Česku v režimu stand‑alone, tedy bez energetického zdroje.

2026年6月10日下午：在与运动神经元病（MND）长达13年的抗争中，尼尔·丹尼赫（Neale Daniher）联合创立了慈善机构 FightMND，该机构已投入超过1.41亿澳元用于该疾病的医学研究（收听播客，了解详情）。在YouTube、Apple Podcasts或Spotify搜索播客名“SBS新闻快报”，随时了解澳洲国内外大事。

Today's headlines include: The accused Bondi terrorist has been charged with 19 further offences, adding to his 15 existing murder charges and 40 counts of attempted murder. Thousands of people have turned out to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to farewell AFL legend and MND advocate Neale Daniher. Iran has confirmed it carried out attacks against a U.S. base in Jordan and 21 other targets in the Gulf, in retaliation for American strikes around the Strait of Hormuz. And today’s good news: An orphaned Eastern Grey Kangaroo joey has been released into the wild in north Queensland after a 2,000km round-trip rehabilitation journey. Hosts: Billi FitzSimons and Lucy TassellProducer: Rosa Bowden Want to support The Daily Aus? That's so kind! The best way to do that is to click ‘follow’ on Spotify or Apple and to leave us a five-star review. We would be so grateful. The Daily Aus is a media company focused on delivering accessible and digestible news to young people. We are completely independent. Want more from TDA?Subscribe to The Daily Aus newsletterSubscribe to The Daily Aus’ YouTube Channel Have feedback for us?We’re always looking for new ways to improve what we do. If you’ve got feedback, we’re all ears. Tell us here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode of The Agenda, Finn Caddie joins ACC Head G Lane to discuss Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson being involved in an incident in a nightclub post win at Lord's (00:00)...Next, the fellas chat about an Aussie couple making a $40 Million donation to MND at an AFL game (06:20), and are the Chiefs playing mind games with Wallace Sititi's return date (11:30)? Plus, are the NRL preparing to take a stranglehold in Christchurch with a new team (15:30) Finally, they get to your feedback in 'Yours Please' (18:30)... Did you know that we've launched a new Facebook Group called 'The Caravan' JOIN HERE! Brought to you by Export Ultra! Follow The ACC on Instagram or Facebook or TikTok Subscribe to The Agenda Podcast now on iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! iHeartRadio Apple Spotify YouTube THANKS MATE! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shaun wraps up the historic Big Freeze 12 match at the MCG, highlighting the incredible Queensland couple who casually dropped a mind-blowing $40 million donation toward MND research! We also look at the sky-high ticket prices for the NBA Finals, where the New York Knicks are officially on the verge of a clean sweep. In the studio, Perth Wildcats royalty Greg Hire and Jesse Wagstaff drop by to talk about jumping out of a plane for the Leap for Life fundraiser for Breast Cancer WA. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Tai-Ex opening The Tai-Ex opened up 184-points this morning from yesterday's close, at 43,687 on turnover of 22.7-billion N-T. The market recorded its third largest ever point decline on Monday as investors reacted to plunge on Wall Street last Friday as big artificial intelligence-related stocks fell. MND calls China Coast Guard patrols 'provocative' Defense Minister Wellington Koo is describing Chinese Coast Guard patrols in waters east of Taiwan as being a "provocative act." The statement comes after four Chinese ships, including three coast guard vessels, sailed into Taiwan's restricted waters 30-nautical miles southwest of the island's southern most tip on Sunday. The Coast Guard Administration dispatched seven if its vessels the area to warn away ​the Chinese ships. According to the defense minister, China's actions were a form of cognitive warfare, that was aimed at claiming Taiwan's eastern waters as belonging to Beijing - which shows serious disrespect for Taiwan's national sovereignty. MOJ seeking death for etomidate trafficking Justice Minister Cheng Ming-chien says his office is taking steps to reclassify etomidate, which is also known as "zombie vape." According to Cheng, the Narcotics Review Committee will hold talks next week, at which the drug could be upgraded from a Category 2 narcotic to Category 1 due to its potential for abuse. Cheng says if the committee agrees to reclassify the drug, those convicted of manufacturing, transporting or selling etomidate could face life in prison or the death penalty. The statements come after the National Police Agency recently reported that large numbers of people have been arrested for driving under the influence of etomidate in recent years. Premier Cho Jung-tai last week told reporters that authorities will be stepping up border inspections targeting the so called "zombie vapes." Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil Facilities Ukrainian forces have struck oil facilities in Russia and occupied Ukraine as part of their campaign to impose economic costs on Moscow. Ukrainian and Russian officials confirmed the attacks on Monday. Ukraine's President Zelenskyy has confirmed that Roman Abramovich acted as a mediator between Kyiv and Moscow, delivering messages from Russian President Putin. Russia's Defense Ministry reported shooting down 310 Ukrainian drones overnight. Meanwhile, Ukraine's General Staff said Ukrainian forces targeted Russia's Krasnodar Krai region and Crimea, sparking fires at oil facilities. Russian drone strikes injured civilians in several Ukrainian regions, including Kharkiv and Odesa. US Federal judge blocks Trump's $100,000 visas for high skilled workers A federal judge has blocked President Trump's policy of imposing (推行，強制實行) a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas - which are used to bring highly skilled workers to the United States. Toni Waterman has the details. Germany Presidential Office Popup Art Show A pop-up art show featuring contemporary works is set to open at the German president's official residency this week before renovations (整修，裝潢) begin. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed his support for the show on Monday, emphasizing (強調) the importance of free art in democracy. The exhibition will run for two weeks starting Friday and is organized by Berlin's Academy of Arts. Interest has been high, with the ticket website crashing last month. The show includes works by artists like Katharina Grosse and Wolfgang Tillmans. Visitors can also interact with artists through performances and discussions. That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _____. －－－－以下為 SoundOn 動態廣告－－－－ 即日起至6月底， 透過台南住商不動產買房， 就有機會參加【買屋抽黃金】活動， 幸運得主將於7月公開抽出✨ 把成家的重要時刻， 變成雙倍黃金祝福。 台南住商不動產， 不只陪你安心成家， 還讓黃金一起到家！ 馬上預約看房 https://sofm.pse.is/974guv -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Jack Heverin, Nathan Brown, Isaac Smith, and Damian Barrett are ready at the Triple MCG for Big Freeze 12 - starting by chatting to Luke and Lauren Daniher as the fight to find a cure for MND continues. The team recaps the weekend's games, with a look at Sydney and St Kilda, Essendon and Carlton, North Melbourne and Fremantle, and Brisbane and Gold Coast. Then it's time for the sliders. Ruby Schleicher joins in the fun as we hear all the sliders in Big Freeze 12. Andy Lee, Nathan Jones, Sam Mostyn, Sam Mac, Cooper Woods, Jo Weston, Daisy Thomas, Mark Howard, Amy Shark, and Dan Gorringe all took the plunge - but who did we declare the winner in our very serious and fact-based ratings system?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Barra popped in for a chat with Lisa & Russell after a massive weekend of sport. First up, how good was the Dockers legendary win against North Melbourne!?! Barra shares his top four unforgettable footy moments over the weekend. It's The Big Freeze today - catch it from midday on 7 and NRL star Jai Arrow, who recently retired after being diagnosed with MND, will toss the coin in front of over 90,000 fans in the middle of the MCG. In French Open news, Teen superstar Mirra Andreeva has won the Women’s singles title. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Live from the MCG, the team brings you all the wash-up from the Big Freeze match, celebrating Neale Daniher and continuing to raise awareness for MND. Should you only be able to call the 30-second shot clock if you're inside the 50? Is Josh Fraser's 4-0 winning record enough to entertain talks of him coaching Carlton permanently? Plus, all the latest news from Round 13.ABC AFL commentators Corbin Middlemas and Ben Cameron are joined by a rolling squad of former AFL players and legends of the game to analyse matches, deep dive the stories dominating the footy landscape, recap game highlights and talk through the latest AFL ladder standings. Our squad of Aussie Rules legends runs deep with champion ex-players like Brett Deledio, Marc Murphy and Luke Ball, record-holding coach Mick Malthouse and many more. The team discuss everything from AFL games and fixtures, to the AFL draft and key players' performance, and of course our highlights of the year; AFL Grand Final and AFL State of Origin.For more Australian Rules Football podcast content, catch every episode of ‘The ABC AFL Daily Podcast', hosted by Corbin Middlemas and Ben Cameron on ABC listen or wherever you get your podcasts, and get in touch with them on social media via @abc_sport 

The NRL community is rallying right behind Jai Arrow as he continues the fight of his life amid his recent MND diagnosis. In a show of support, they are planning to celebrate his 31st birthday with a major fundraiser. The event will provide vital financial support for Jai and his family, while also raising crucial funds for ongoing MND research. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Barra pops in to chat with the guys about the massive weekend of sport ahead. It's the Big Freeze this weekend. Raising money for MND research, all the money goes to an incredible cause. Catch the Big Freeze activity this weekend at the Eagles v Port Adelaide on Saturday at Optus Stadium. Plus, Dockers play North Melbourne down in Bunbury tomorrow and Russell asks if it's too early to discuss Freo's place in the finals. Plus, how about all the drama at the French Open? Aryna Sabalenka is out and not happy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthea and Marc have been travelling from town to town to gather information and hear stories from those who've experienced MND. The information is being used by the likes of Professor Dominic Rowe to learn about potential links to MND Diagnosis as well as the creation of tools for faster diagnosis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 191 of the Down South Photo Show. Join your hosts Brendan Waites and Cam Blake as we discuss all things photography including:  The Great Ocean Road region, you questions answered and why you really should be going on workshops with a licenced guide.

What's better than watching us towel up the Dees in beautiful Central Australia, at the foot of the MacDonnell Ranges, with the Tanami Transport Road Train parked in behind the goals?NOT BLOODY MUCH!!We love that ground. We kick straight. The opposition don't. Bad Kicking is Bad Footy. We win.So on that note, let's just claim Traeger Park as another ground to call our temporary home over the Easter Show period. Homebush, Canberra, Alice — all part of the “Greater” Western Sydney. Another tick in the “keep the name” column, Scotty... and Tim (Reed, number one fan of the pod. We see you Tim).So yeah, another won. TWO IN A ROW!!! Not quite as dominant as the DRUBBING of the Brisbane Cubs, but convincing nonetheless. Are we now perfectly placed? YES, in an Orange Tinted Shades kind of way — how we like it — not on top, but nicely positioned for a strong, storming, Stormy sprint to the finish.RagsBet/SpazBet this week suggests loading up at odds of $24 for the Cup to come home to Tom Wills Oval. (Gamble responsibly; for gambling help call 1800 858 858). It'll only get shorter as we knock teams off after the bye.Enjoy the bye, wear your Big Freeze Beanie for Neale Daniher and all those impacted by MND, and we'll meet again via the airwaves soon...Maybe next week. We'll see.Till then, Never Surrender.----To get in contact, drop us an email, comment on Spotify or message us on X.We love reviews or ratings.Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thesquinterspodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support: ⁠buymeacoffee.com/thesquinters⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠NeverSurrenderByTheSquinters⁠⁠X: ⁠⁠TheSquinters⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠gws_squinters⁠⁠FB: ⁠⁠thesquinters⁠⁠TikTok: ⁠⁠the.squinters⁠

Andrew Moore and Matthew Elliott chat to South's CEO Blake Solly ahead of the Rabbitohs clash with Manly at Foz Pines Park in Brookvale.  The NRL will throw Jai Arrow the “world's biggest birthday party” on July 12 when his former team South Sydney play Newcastle at Stadium Australia, asking supporters to bring donations for MND charities instead of presents.Michael Carayannis also joined Andrew and Matt for his "Hammertime" segment explaining why Will Kennedy only signed a one-year deal with the Sharks and their back-line options moving forward.  00:21 - MC's Hammertime6:25 - Blake Solly on Jai Arrow Birthday Party

Following the tragic news of Jai Arrow's MND diagnosis, both the NRL and AFL have unveiled their plans to honour the retired Rabbitohs forward.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS) is a type of electrical stimulation that can theoretically increase rewiring in the brain (neuroplasticity).  Small trials suggest that it can improve walking in MS but thus far there are no data in people living with ALS.  Here we further discuss the mechanism, studies in other conditions, and potential risks.

Catch up on all the footy news from AFL 360, Wednesday June 3rd with Gerard Whateley and Garry Lyon. Gerard Whateley and Garry Lyon are joined by Bec Daniher to discuss the upcoming Big Freeze following the passing of Neale Daniher. Bec reflects on Neale's extraordinary impact on the game, his tireless fight against MND, and the lasting legacy he has created through the Big Freeze and FightMND initiatives. The panel then turns its attention to the blockbuster clash between the Adelaide Crows and Geelong Cats, breaking down all the key storylines, match-ups and what to expect from one of the biggest games of the season as Cody Weightman returns! For more of the show tune in on Fox Footy & KAYO.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Member for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie joined David & Will for Breaking at 8 to discuss one of her constituents with MND that was wrongly categorized for his My Aged Care package, putting his life at risk.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sunrise Weather presenter and former South Aussie Sam Mac joined David & Will ahead of his Big Freeze slide at the MCG on Monday to raise money for MND. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He built and commandeered an army. An army who donned blue beanies and plunged into the ice and took action, knowing the leader would one day lose his life to the enemy. This is a bit of a different episode for us. Following the passing of Neale Daniher after a 13-year fight with motor neurone disease, we take a moment to reflect on a life that changed far more than footy. We hear Neale's own words from 2019, a message for his grandson about courage, responsibility, and facing life when it isn’t fair. Then Tim Watson, former teammate and close friend of Neale's, who joins us to share what he was really like: the competitor, the conductor, the mate… and the force of nature who built a movement that united a nation. The Daniher family mobilised an army to take the fight to MND. And now, as Neale told us, we play on. A conversation about legacy, resilience, and what we can do to make the biggest difference. Harvey Norman love sport. Supporting Australian athletes at all levels, from grassroots to the world stage for over thirty years. SHOP Furniture, Bedding, TVs, Fridges, Vacuums, Laptops, Mobiles and more instore or online! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Round 13 and despite Nathan Hindmarsh's absence, Tony Squires, Wade Graham and David Riccio are joined by Premiership-winning coach Shane Flanagan. Everyone's up and about after NSW winning on Wednesday, and the Women's side becoming the first state to win a series 3-0. Wade gets in a fraction late, and his old coach punishes him. David Riccio breaks the news of Blayke Brailey's broken arm, missing Origin 2. Shane Flanagan opens up about the Dragons and life after head coaching. We review the Sharks' win over the Sea Eagles, who will replace Andrew Abdo as NRL CEO, and news about Jai Arrow's trip to Spain for his fight against MND. Millie Elliott and Cam McInnes join us for a chat too. Plus Tony's Quiz, Believe It or Not? and tips for the rest of the weekend's footy. Check out Triple M NRL's Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Big Frosty Freeze is about to take place in San Remo (JUNE 7) to pay tribute to local legend Frosty Miller who sadly lost his battle with MND early this year. The event will feature a dunk tank with 12 brave souls who will be taking the plunge into the icy water to raise funds to find a cause for MND. Ed caught up with Todd Miller son of Frosty and had a yarn about Frosty's impact on the Bass Coast community and why the community loved him. Ed For Breakfast - 6am-9pm Weekdays on Triple M GippslandSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Barra pays a touching tribute to Neale Daniher, the AFL Legend passed away earlier in the week after a long battle with MND. The former Australian Of The Year dedicated the final years of his life to raising money for MND research in an attempt to find a cure. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

丹尼赫（Neale Daniher）在2013年被诊断患有运动神经元疾病（MND）后，一直致力于寻找治疗方法。他戏称这种疾病为“野兽”。

With the sad passing of Neale Daniher in this edition of The Conversation Hour we reflect on his legacy and also speak with an MND researcher about the disease.Also in this episode, the sacking of Brad Scott from Essendon, gun control in Victoria plus what Pope Leo XIV thinks about AI.

We start the show with a tribute to the great Neale Daniher, who passed away after a 13-battle with MND. Damian Barrett joins the boys to talk about Neale's legacy, then moves into his positives and negatives from Round 11. We want you to tell us something amazing you've done with Monday Brag Artist, then Billy gets to do his All Sports Report - as it gets weird when we talk about baseball. Western Bulldog Cody Weightman is in studio as he readies himself for a return to the AFL, then Billy finishes the show with a joke about Little Johnny.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Room 64 we are joined by Cheryl SpillerBarwon Health MND Palliative Care Shared Care CoordinatorSharing information about her role, Cheryl provides a rareinsight into the unique role and the importance of working with MND andPalliative Care teams and patients across the Barwon SW Region. Highlightingthe importance of good communication, sharing information and developingpositive networks to ensure we are providing the best possible palliative careservice to members of the community diagnosed with MND. In thelead up to the “Big Freeze at the G” on June 8th please takethe opportunity to listen to this episode and share through your networks tokeep these important conversations happening.

MND Australia CEO Clare Sullivan & former Crow Mitch Grigg joined David & Will to discuss the legacy that Neale Daniher will leave behind after his 12-year battle with MND.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The team celebrate the life and work of Neale Daniher who has passed away today after a long battle with MND. Jeff White, Adam Tomlinson and Iah Cohen join the program to share their memories of Neale from both on and off the field.ABC AFL commentators Corbin Middlemas and Ben Cameron are joined by a rolling squad of former AFL players and legends of the game to analyse matches, deep dive the stories dominating the footy landscape, recap game highlights and talk through the latest AFL ladder standings. Our squad of Aussie Rules legends runs deep with champion ex-players like Brett Deledio, Marc Murphy and Luke Ball, record-holding coach Mick Malthouse and many more. The team discuss everything from AFL games and fixtures, to the AFL draft and key players' performance, and of course our highlights of the year; AFL Grand Final and AFL State of Origin.For more Australian Rules Football podcast content, catch every episode of ‘The ABC AFL Daily Podcast', hosted by Corbin Middlemas and Ben Cameron on ABC listen or wherever you get your podcasts, and get in touch with them on social media via @abc_sport 

Gorden Tallis, James Graham, Brent Read and Ben Dobbin are in for a huge edition of the Sunday Sin Bin. Billy Slater talks about Arrow's MND diagnosis and Walsh's omission from the Queensland side, assistant coach Boyd Cordner joins us from the NSW camp and chats about Radley's selection, Jamal Fogarty is on to chat about his move to the Northern Beaches and Kieran Foran's amazing change for the club. Plus, we look at the Dogs' bounce-back, the Titans dramas and Ready the Gas-Cock...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Saturday Scrum crew were back and started the show by paying tribute to the career of Jai Arrow after the sad news of his MND diagnosis during the week as the Rugby League world rallies around him. With State Of Origin only 4 sleeps away, NSW Player Kotoni Staggs joined the guys to give us the latest from NSW Camp and the guys gave their predictions on how the match will play out on Wednesday night. Plus, are the Bulldogs back after the win last night? Plus, Believe It Or not, Tony's Quiz and much more! Check out Triple M NRL's Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Federal Labor and Liberal leaders visit Victoria ahead of its state election; three dead in a car crash in Sydney; more tributes for Jai Arrow after his diagnosis with MND.

Browny starts the show by admitting to doing something at a wine tasting that everyone else is appalled by, then we whip through the boys favourite news headlines from the past week. Chief questions whether it's right to phone it in at your job, then gives 110% himself with two more movie monologues from some cult classics. Browny has a question about gym etiquette, and Howie runs through the stories of the last five players to break the VFL/AFL Games Record. Gorden Tallis calls in to talk about the shocking MND diagnosis of Jai Arrow, and how the rugby community has rallied around one of its stars. Chief has a Scott Pendlebury-themed quiz, Browny built a dog kennel and it hasn't gone well, then he puts Cup Noodles under the microscope in the Health Hotline. The boys chat about Essendon's next three games and how they could determine Brad Scott's future, then Howie reveals how Damo nearly lost his exclusive Michael Voss interview to another member of the Friday Huddle team. Tigers coach Adem Yze calls in ahead of tonight's clash with the Bombers, Browny's Top 5 is 'improbable but not impossible', and Howie has a bad habit of continually losing important items.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"When the rugby league fraternity rallies around people in their time of need, it's one thing we do better than most." Mark Levy, Mark "Piggy" Riddell, and Josh Morris react to the devastating news of NRL star Jai Arrow’s motor neurone disease (MND) diagnosis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode of the League Express Podcast, Editor Martyn Sadler and Host Jake Kearnan discuss all the major talking points across Rugby League, beginning with the tragic news that Jai Arrow has been forced into medical retirement following an MND diagnosis.They also react to including Brodie Croft signing with the Warrington Wolves and John Cartwright being appointed as the new head coach of the Catalans Dragons.The pair provide the latest update on the on-going NRL and Super League negotiations, discussing where talks currently stand and what a future agreement between the competitions could look like.They also discuss the exciting news that Bradford Bulls and Leigh Leopards will head to Las Vegas alongside the Melbourne Storm, Wests Tigers, Gold Coast Titans and Parramatta Eels, as Rugby League's push into the American market continues.To round off the episode, Martyn and Jake give their thoughts on the newly announced State of Origin squads, analysing the biggest selection calls and key talking points ahead of the series.

Reni Maitua, Josh Reynolds and Charlie White are in, and our thoughts go out to Jai Arrow and his loved ones after his heartbreaking MND diagnosis. Vegas 2027 has been announced, and we look at the potential for a Nashville round. Is the 2026 NRL product boring? Reni and Grub share their thoughts on that statement? We look at the matchups in Round 12 - are the Dragons a genuine chance of defeating the Warriors? How can the Dogs beat an undermanned Storm, and have the Titans gone backwards in 2027? Plus, we look at the Origin selections and the tactics between Daley and Slater - which team was picked more smartly for the Origin arena? Check out Triple M NRL's Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reni Maitua, Josh Reynolds and Charlie White are in, and our thoughts go out to Jai Arrow and his loved ones after his heartbreaking MND diagnosis. Vegas 2027 has been announced, and we look at the potential for a Nashville round. Is the 2026 NRL product boring? Reni and Grub share their thoughts on that statement? We look at the matchups in Round 12 - are the Dragons a genuine chance of defeating the Warriors? How can the Dogs beat an undermanned Storm, and have the Titans gone backwards in 2027? Plus, we look at the Origin selections and the tactics between Daley and Slater - which team was picked more smartly for the Origin arena? Check out Triple M NRL's Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fresh off an Eagles win, Reuben Ginbey joins us to talk about his stellar form and the upcoming excitement of Harley Reid’s 50th game. We also discuss the bizarre case of a thief who tried to "souvenir" Scott Pendlebury’s commemorative Sherrin, only to be tackled by a fan and end up with a broken leg! And send our thoughts to Rugby League’s Jai Arrow following his devastating MND diagnosis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An emotional Mark Geyer broke down on-air with Dean & Sofie on 4BC Breakfast as he discussed the rapid deterioration of his friend Jai, calling for the NRL to establish its own MND charity initiative. Following a poignant discussion on the fragility of life, Geyer pivots to preview the weekend’s football action, offering his crucial tips for matchups like the Raiders versus the Dolphins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

State of Origin is almost here, and the biggest talking point is Georgie's husband* being left out the Queensland squad. We break down the Origin selections, what the notable player absences means for the Blues and Maroons, and how Billy Slater might be thinking about form, fitness and the long game. Sam Kerr got the perfect farewell at Chelsea with a goal, as she looks ahead to the next stage of her career, there were flowers for Matildas legend Melissa Barbieri - an A-League champion at 46 years old, and Ross Lyon surprised everyone when he revealed a Labubu obsession. And we are sending so much love to Jai Arrow, his family and teammates, as he revealed a devastating MND diagnosis. It highlights the power of sport and the importance of the Big Freeze - we're talking with Bec Daniher next week to hear all about the event and the incredible work the organisation does. *Reece Walsh Harvey Norman love sport. Supporting Australian athletes at all levels, from grassroots to the world stage for over thirty years. SHOP Furniture, Bedding, TVs, Fridges, Vacuums, Laptops, Mobiles and more instore or online! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thursday Headlines: Israeli minister condemned for taunting handcuffed Gaza flotilla activists Anthony Albanese meets with the family of Kumanjayi Little Baby NRL player announces immediate retirement after MND diagnosis Queensland's new public hospital to refuse VAD or abortions Melbourne teen becomes youngest Aussie to reach Everest summit Deep Dive: AI-generated images of The Prime Minister as a startup co-founder, tradie and “silent business partner” have flooded social media this week - all in protest of one controversial Budget measure. The government’s plan to scrap the 50% capital gains tax discount on most assets from 2027 has sparked backlash from startup founders and small business owners, who say it could punish innovation and push investment offshore. In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with ABC Business Daily host Daniel Ziffer about what capital gains tax actually is, why business owners are panicking, and whether the fears stack up. Further listening from headlines: Inside Everest’s death zone Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vossy reacts to Jai Arrow's MND diagnosis and chats with Tarsha Gale, sister of Scott on their MND fight Listen to the Front Office and Vossys Verdict every Monday to Thursday on SEN   9am on SEN 1170 AM Sydney   10am on SEN 693 AM Brisbane   Listen Online:⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.sen.com.au/listen⁠⁠⁠   Get a look inside the studio on YouTube:   Subscribe to SEN League on YouTube:⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@senleague⁠⁠⁠   Follow us on Social Media!   TikTok:⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@senleague⁠⁠⁠   Instagram:⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/senleague⁠⁠⁠   X:⁠⁠ ⁠https://x.com/SENLeague⁠⁠⁠  *timecodes approximate*  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A formal apology has been given in Tasmanian parliament for the past practice of taking human specimens from autopsies without the knowledge or consent of family members. 

ISRIB stands for “integrated stress response inhibitor).  As we discuss here, it is an oral medication that inhibits an intracellular pathway called the integrative stress response pathway.  It is not FDA approved for any condition but is available in Spain without a prescription.  There are theoretical ways that inhibiting this pathway could help a person with ALS, and there is promising data from preclinical ALS models.  However, it is not clear that ISRIB is soluble enough to get into motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, and 2 of 3 trials of agents targeting the same pathway failed to show any benefits in people with ALS.  The risks of this product in ALS are not known.

AVM Burst in the Brain: A Recovery Story of Patience, Aphasia, and Finding Your Way Back Jennifer Tomscha was 39, driving her three-and-a-half-year-old daughter home from preschool, when an AVM burst in her brain. She felt a wash of dizziness first. Then her vision started collapsing on the right side. She pulled onto a narrow verge on the highway between Greytown and Carterton in New Zealand, tried to reach her husband, got no answer, and dialled 111 instead. When the dispatcher asked what was wrong, she said something she still can’t fully explain: “I think I’m having a stroke.” She didn’t know yet that she had two arteriovenous malformations in her left frontal lobe — one discrete, one diffuse. She didn’t know that within hours she’d be helicoptered to Wellington Hospital for an emergency craniotomy, or that the following Monday a neurosurgeon named Dr. Woon would spend thirty hours trying to remove both malformations from her brain. She just knew something was wrong, and that her daughter was in the back seat, and that she couldn’t keep driving. That moment — pulling over, self-diagnosing, refusing the urge to simply lie down and rest — may be the reason she’s alive. What happens when an AVM bursts in the brain An arteriovenous malformation is a tangle of abnormal blood vessels that connects arteries directly to veins, bypassing the capillary network that normally regulates blood flow. Most people with an AVM never know they have one. But when an AVM bursts in the brain, blood floods into surrounding tissue at high pressure, and the consequences are almost always severe: haemorrhagic stroke, seizures, sudden neurological deficits, and in many cases, death. Jennifer’s first surgery controlled the bleeding. The second, five days later, was supposed to remove both malformations. It didn’t go as planned. The surgical team discovered that blood flow to the first AVM was feeding the second one, causing the brain around it to swell. Dr. Woon had to make an impossible decision in the middle of the operation: let her die, or remove a portion of healthy brain tissue along with the malformation. He chose to keep her alive. The surgery took thirty hours. When it was finally over, he called her husband and said, “Well, you’ll be lucky if she talks.” The six weeks she can’t remember Jennifer has no memories of the first six weeks after her AVM burst. She was in a medically induced coma for the surgery, then in intensive care, then transferred to rehabilitation. Everything she knows about that period has been told to her by other people. When her memory started returning, she found herself in a rehabilitation ward in Masterton, using adult nappies, unable to sit up in bed. The front of her skull had been removed and wouldn’t be replaced for months. She wore a protective helmet whenever she walked. And yet — she insists — she felt fine. [Quote block — mid-article] “I kept saying, ‘I’m okay, I’m fine. You guys should just take it easy around me.’ But of course, I wasn’t really fine.” — Jennifer Tomscha The honest recognition of what had happened to her didn’t come for almost two years. It took that long for her brain to have enough capacity to think about her brain. The myth of the one-year recovery window Most stroke survivors are told, either directly or by implication, that the first year matters most. That after twelve months, improvements slow. That after two years, you’ve plateaued. Jennifer’s experience — and the experience of nearly every long-term survivor interviewed on this podcast — contradicts that narrative. Four years after her AVM burst, she is still discovering what recovery means. Her academic writing, once her profession as the Director of the Writing Program at NYU Shanghai, doesn’t flow the way it used to. She can’t recall songs from memory anymore, or sing the ones she used to sing. Her aphasia shows up most at night, when she’s tired. She still takes an afternoon nap most days. But she’s also finishing a PhD. She can read as well as she ever could. She’s speaking, articulately, in a podcast interview eighty minutes long. And the parts of recovery she thought had stopped improving are, quietly, still improving. What Jennifer wants other survivors to know Her advice, offered near the end of the conversation, is short and unsparing: “You can rest, and that’s okay. You can be as slow as you want to be, and that’s also okay. But don’t give up. Just keep going — at whatever pace feels right.” It’s a rejection of both the productivity culture that tells survivors to push harder and the clinical culture that tells them to accept their limits. Recovery, for Jennifer, isn’t a race against a deadline. It’s a long, patient process of finding out what comes back and learning to live fully with whatever doesn’t. Bill’s book and community If Jennifer’s story resonates with you, Bill Gasiamis’s book — The Unexpected Way That A Stroke Became The Best Thing That Happened To — explores the same territory: the slow, unexpected, sometimes beautiful work of rebuilding a life after a brain event. Get the book here Readers who want to support the podcast and connect with the community of survivors it serves can do so at Patreon. Support on Patreon This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your health or recovery plan. Jennifer Tomscha: An AVM Burst in Her Brain at 39, and the Four-Year Climb Back to Herself She self-diagnosed her own stroke while driving with her daughter. Four years on, she’s still discovering what recovery really means. Highlights: 00:00 Introduction and Background 10:00 Reflections on the Experience 18:00 Long-term Effects and Adaptations 26:45 Identity and Self-Perception Post-Stroke 38:48 The Long Game of Recovery 51:07 The Journey of Recovery 01:03:42 The Evolution of the Podcast Transcript: Introduction and Background: AVM Burst in the Brain Jennifer Tomscha (00:00) Dr. Woon was my neurosurgeon. And he just said, I’ll never do another surgery like that ever again. it was really long. And I think he definitely had made me worse. Like they had taken out. too much of my normal brain. when he called my husband after the surgery was over, Dr. Woon said like, well, you’ll be lucky if she talks. he was just so discouraged from how the AVM surgery went. when I finally talked to him on Zoom. was so you And I was like, yeah, yeah, yeah, of course I can. He was like, will you show me? and I walked up and down the room and he was like laughing so hard at my being able to walk. He was like so enthusiastic about it. Bill Gasiamis (00:44) Welcome back everybody. I am Bill Gassiomas and my guest today is Jennifer Tomche. In March, 2022, Jennifer was 39 years old living in New Zealand, finishing the first year of a PhD program when something happened to her brain that changed everything. What followed was a medical emergency unlike anything I’ve heard described on this podcast and a recovery story that quietly dismantles one of the most damaging myths in stroke survivor community. That after a certain point, the window for improvement closes. Jennifer is four years out from what happened to her. She still takes an afternoon nap every day. She still notices the edges of what her brain can and can’t do. And she is also finishing a PhD, raising two children and speaking with a clarity and warmth that will stop you in your tracks. This is a conversation about what it actually means to play the long game and why might be the most important thing any survivor can do. Before we get into it, if this podcast has been part of your recovery journey, I’d love for you to check out my book, The Unexpected Way That a Stroke Became the Best Thing That Happened, at recoveryafterstroke.com/book. And a genuine thank you to everyone supporting this work on Patreon. If you wanted to support the show, you can go to patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke. really helps me keep the conversation going. Let’s get into it. Bill Gasiamis (02:12) Jennifer Tomscha welcome to the podcast. Jennifer Tomscha (02:14) Thank you. I’m glad to be here. Bill Gasiamis (02:17) It’s lovely to have a local with me. Usually all my guests are from the United States or Canada or the United Kingdom. You’re just a hop, skip and a jump away in New Zealand. Jennifer Tomscha (02:20) Yeah. Mm hmm. Yep. Yep. I’m American originally, but we moved here in 2020. So ⁓ we I’m grew up in Iowa. And then and then I after but we were living in Shanghai for us for almost seven years, my husband and I were living in Shanghai and I was teaching at New York University, Shanghai and then when COVID happened in China. Bill Gasiamis (02:35) Where are we from in America? Jennifer Tomscha (02:54) they told us to leave the country because it was where it started. So, and we had two kids, so my husband didn’t want to go back to the United States. And so my sister lives in New Zealand. So we moved here and then we just stayed here. mm-hmm. So, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (03:11) So in China, was it just a request? Was it a directive? What was the situation? Jennifer Tomscha (03:18) From New York University, they said if you weren’t a Chinese national citizen, they strongly urged us to leave because they just didn’t know how they were gonna manage it. everyone, mean, in China, they had had SARS in the early 2000s, so they had already had it. And so right away, everyone had their masks on. They were ready to… go and I was like, I want to get out of here. So we went to New Zealand and they also had a lockdown, but it was just for a month and then everyone could wander around because the virus was not here. we just stayed and I got into this PhD program. So that’s why we’re still in New Zealand. Bill Gasiamis (04:00) Wow. That kind of brings us to the first question I ask most people these days is what was life like before stroke? So there was a little bit of stuff going on. was, work in China. There was a bit of, ⁓ travel from the United States to China. was children, but daily life. What, what was that like before the stroke? Jennifer Tomscha (04:21) When I saw my stroke happened in March of 2022 and at that time I had been in my PhD program for about a year. And I was just finishing up my research proposal. And so I was doing that during the day and my kids were both at, I have an older son who was in second grade year two. And then I have a daughter who was in preschool. And so my days were I dropped them off at their schools and then I would work for a little while. And then I would. go and get them. So, and then they would come home and we would do all the other stuff in parenting. And my husband at that time was working at the library. So he had, he was at the libraries from nine to five every day. So he was at work. And that’s what, that’s what we were doing. Yeah. When I had my stroke. I was busy trying to finish up this research proposal. And then, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (05:14) 39 years old at the time as well. Jennifer Tomscha (05:16) Yes, was 39. Bill Gasiamis (05:18) any signs, any kind of inkling that something was not right. Jennifer Tomscha (05:23) I didn’t, weirdly, so I’m trying to think about, my whole life I’ve had this thing where if, especially at just certain points if I hit my, this is maybe nothing to do with anything, but if I hit my elbow or my wrist, then I would pass out. And sometimes I would have like a little seizure while I was passing out. So wasn’t just like a regular fainting, it was like a seizure. And I had some of those in high school and I actually went to the, hospital for those at one point and I think they didn’t know what that was and they just did an EEG. I don’t even think we had an MRI where I lived. So I didn’t really know and then that sort of passed. But I was feeling when I have a daily journal that I was writing and when I go back and read that daily journal, the whole, for a couple months ahead of time, I was like, I just feel kind of weird. I don’t feel great. I feel like a little bit sick and I don’t know what’s wrong with me. And at that time they were allowing COVID to enter New Zealand. They were putting it in. So I was like, I think I might have COVID, but I took a bunch of tests. They were all negative. And then my stroke happened on Tuesday, but the Friday before I was so sick. And then that weekend I was really sick too. And then I got, like, I kind of felt like I woke up, I felt really nauseous. And then I felt better on Monday and Tuesday. And Tuesday was when my stroke happened. So I think that was all, it was all, think, my body reacting to, I was probably bleeding in my head at that time or something. mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (06:57) I got it. And we’re to have to go back and talk about how it was that when you got hit on your, on your wrist and your elbow, how hard was the hit? Jennifer Tomscha (07:05) I don’t know. Not super hard, I just, I don’t know what, I actually don’t know, and maybe it’s nothing to do with it. You know, maybe it’s something else in my body that I am prone to fainting. But I don’t know, I don’t really know why that, and maybe it wasn’t anything like that. But I had one day when I was 16 and I passed out three times and that did seem kind of funny. And I went to the doctor and I passed out while I was at the doctor’s office. So they were like, there’s nothing wrong with you. So they put me to the hospital. They did the EG. stayed the night. And then they were like, there’s nothing wrong with you. So that was it. But I think if nowadays they probably would have done an MRI, maybe, and they would have seen that I had my AVM and my whole life would have been different because I wouldn’t have done all the stuff that I’ve done now. Like my mom was like, if we had known you had had an AVM, you would have gone to school. in Sioux City, you know, or we would have done something to keep you nearby because we would be worried about you. Instead, I was just like, doing whatever I wanted to, which is good. Bill Gasiamis (08:14) Laze, but that’s kind of good. But also I get the preventative thing. One of the, my former guests had a daughter who had an AVM and I think she was five when she passed away from a bleed in the brain because of an AVM. That’s horrific. And one of the, it’s actually worth listening to that episode and it’s worth me interrupting this right now to jump on and find that episode so that I can share it with people. And this particular lady has made it her life’s mission to raise money, get an MRI machine and do preventative scans for people in case they have an AVM or some other undiagnosed neurological condition. I think it’s Gina. Gina Keely. OK, it’s. And her ⁓ foundation is now called the Paige Keeley Foundation, it’s the most heartbreaking story. It’s episode 141 and I’ll have the link in the show notes and I’ll have it in the YouTube description. So for anyone listening, jump back and have a look at that. And also maybe even consider supporting the foundation because the story is heartbreaking and the efforts that this lady is going to ensure that this doesn’t happen to other people is just amazing. So. I wanted to, I raised that because I had a, in 2011, no, no, in 2010, about 18 months before my actual AVM bled, I had a really terrible negative episode, nauseous, room spinning, like all the signs of stroke, but completely missed the, completely missed Jennifer Tomscha (09:47) Mm. Bill Gasiamis (09:55) the AVM when I went and actually had an MRI. So yeah, I went to the hospital, gave them my, rundown of what was happening to me and they were so switched on and they got me in and they did all the tests, but they didn’t find anything because they didn’t know what they were looking for. And there was no obvious sign of bleeding. So they didn’t dig deeper. And I have a friend of mine who is a radiographer who actually did my MRIs Jennifer Tomscha (09:58) ⁓ really? Mm. Reflections on the Experience Bill Gasiamis (10:22) when I was in hospital being treated after my AVM burst in 2012. And he said to me, the preventative stuff is very difficult because if you don’t specifically know what you’re testing for, you don’t know how to set up the machine and how many slices that it needs to take and at what resolution. So that when you deliver that to the radiologist and they’re looking at it, can they see an AVM and then pass that on? Jennifer Tomscha (10:37) Mmm Bill Gasiamis (10:49) that information onto the neurologist. They might even miss it, even though they’re doing MRI. But what Jena is doing, it sounds like they’re specifically going after aneurysms, AVMs, other malformations, and therefore they have kind of this better opportunity to find it. So if somebody is considering getting a preventative scan of their brain, you have to be very specific. Jennifer Tomscha (10:53) Bye. Bill Gasiamis (11:14) with the team of doctors, radiographers, neurologists, as to what you want them to look for and make sure that they adjust the scan so that it’s fit for purpose. Jennifer Tomscha (11:25) That’s interesting. That’s really interesting. Bill Gasiamis (11:26) Yeah. So what was the day of the stroke like? Was it, you said you’re feeling better on that Tuesday. Jennifer Tomscha (11:34) Mm-hmm. I had a good day. I have like lots of notes from my research proposal and I went to pick up. I don’t know why I did it this way actually. I went, my daughter’s preschool is in our town, Greytown, and I went and picked up her first and then I went to get my son. His school is a Montessori school. It’s in one town north. And so I went and got her and we were driving in the car and when I turned onto the highway that connects Greytown and Carterton, I just felt like a wash of dizziness and I started losing sight, I think, in my right eye. And it’s seven kilometers from Graytown to Carterton. And right before we got into Carterton, I pulled over onto the side of the highway. I tried, so by that time I think I had lost most of the sight in my one, my right eye. And so it wasn’t very long actually. And so I tried to call my husband, he didn’t answer. And then I just called 111 and I was like, I don’t know why I was like, I think I’m having a stroke, but I don’t know why I even thought that actually. Do know what I mean? I just, was like, something is wrong with me. And so my daughter was fussing in the back and, I don’t really remember anything after that. I don’t remember the paramedics coming. I don’t remember talking to anyone. but so when they, I think the police came first and then Then the paramedics came and they said I was nauseous, but talking a little bit. But then they moved me into the ambulance and, I started, choking and, or something, and they had to intubate me in the ambulance. And then they took me in. I was helicoptered off to Wellington hospital. So. Bill Gasiamis (13:12) How did you feel about it? I know you did the right things. You nailed it. But how did you feel? What were you thinking? I was completely oblivious to the risk I was at or in. Jennifer Tomscha (13:14) Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I don’t know. just, let’s see, I think… I think when I was losing my vision, that was hard. I mean, I’m really lucky. There was a little ⁓ path on the side of the road right before you enter Carterton. So I pulled over there so I could still control the car. You know what I mean? I wasn’t so bad. And I could dial 111 on my phone. I could still think about those things. But it wasn’t very long after I dialed 111 and talked to those people that I’d that my memory is gone. So I think, I mean, I have spent a lot of time trying to like go back and figure out like, what was it? What could I have done early? know, like I was really lucky I was in the car, because honestly, because if I was at home, I might’ve like laid down and taken a nap and not called anybody actually, or called Dan and half have not answered. So then I could just see myself. Bill Gasiamis (14:14) you Jennifer Tomscha (14:22) It was actually really lucky that I was in the car with my daughter because it made me, I mean, I couldn’t keep driving very well. And so it made me pull over and it made me, I’d have to do something because I wasn’t in town. So I had to like figure out how I was going to manage the situation. And so I was really lucky actually that I was in the car and that I was in a public space where I was easy to find and like I could, so I felt like really lucky that all that happened. in that time period, but also that soul that my daughter was with me because it made me, I had this like parental responsibility that I had to, I couldn’t keep driving with her in the car. Like I just, I knew I had to do something and quickly. I feel like, I feel really lucky that that was the situation that I was in because I could see a different day where I didn’t go get the kids at that time. And I maybe would have tried to take a nap and it would have been totally different. So you know what I mean. Bill Gasiamis (15:19) It’s such a common thing for people to go, oh, I’m not feeling well. I think I’ll just go lay down and have a rest and see if I can just get over it, sleep through it or whatever. yeah. And then it just leads to even more and more trouble or problems. The fact that you said, I think I’m having a stroke, right? That is so cool and bizarre and amazing. Jennifer Tomscha (15:29) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. The guy was like, why? And I was like, well, I’m losing my sight. I was like, I mean, I don’t know how it was. I was like, why do you think you’re having a stroke? I was like, I don’t know. But there was something wrong. You know what I mean. Bill Gasiamis (15:52) Yeah, that’s such a good question for me. Why do you think I’m going to strike? I don’t know, but I just came up with it. What? That was enough though. Like that was such a response from you to say, I think I’m having a stroke. It’s very, very rare that people get there, but the fact that you got there kind of gave, gave them also like an understanding of how to attend the site and what to do. Jennifer Tomscha (16:01) Mm. Bill Gasiamis (16:18) And that saves time as well. That saves a ton of time. Jennifer Tomscha (16:21) Right. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (16:23) and gets them, even though you may have been wrong, right? Gets them looking in the direction because they’re already got that in their mind. And then, well, let’s look at that first and then let’s suss it out. She might be completely wrong. But I walked into the hospital after my, while I was having the third blade and said, I’m having a brain hemorrhage or something like that. And I was in the hospital upright, standing, looking normal and Jennifer Tomscha (16:27) Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that’s true. That’s ⁓ Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (16:51) They were looking at me like, okay, what are you on? This guy, this guy must be on something because it doesn’t look like he’s having a stroke. And then I had to try and convince them, but I wasn’t giving them my contact details. So they weren’t able to bring up my record. And all they were saying was just give us your name, give us your name. We’ll put it in the system. We’ll have a look. And eventually they got it out of me and, ⁓ and I was right. But yeah, such a good thing. Jennifer Tomscha (16:54) Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, uh-huh. no. Hmm. you Bill Gasiamis (17:21) I love those little bits and pieces that go well together because you often hear I often hear the bits and pieces that didn’t go well and and it turned out differently and how old was your daughter at the time? Yeah, wow. Jennifer Tomscha (17:30) Mm-hmm. She was three and a half. And so she was still in the backseat, know, backwards in her car seat. And then we stopped and she was like, why are we stopping or whatever in her three and a half year old voice? And I was like, I just had to make a couple of phone, you know, I don’t know what I said to her. And then I think when the police came, she was asleep. Like she fell asleep back in the car. then, and then. It’s just, I, I’ll, so then for the next six weeks I don’t have any memories of anything. So all, all of the information has been given to me by other people. But, so, yeah. Long-term Effects and Adaptations Bill Gasiamis (18:04) So was quite a large blade after all of that. Jennifer Tomscha (18:06) Yeah, it was large. They took me, so I flew in the helicopter from Masterton to Wellington and I think they, by then my sister had gotten to the hospital and they, yeah, I think they said, yeah, they did an emergency, is it craniac? Or what’s the? Bill Gasiamis (18:25) Craniotomy, Jennifer Tomscha (18:26) Yeah, they did an emergency cradionomy and they saw that I was bleeding. And then they saw that I had this large left frontal or frontal lobe AVM. So, and then they said that at that moment they couldn’t tackle that AVM. So they, controlled the bleeding and then they, and they left my skull out and then, yeah. And then, then they, they talked to the neurosurgeon and He, that was a Tuesday and he said, why don’t you, I was in a coma, just keep her in a medical coma. And then Monday they would do the, the, the surgery to get rid of the AVM. Bill Gasiamis (19:05) And then that surgery happened. Jennifer Tomscha (19:07) That happened and it was, had my, actually had two AVMs. One was really discreet and they could see all the endings of it. And the other one was diffuse. I don’t really understand it, but, the neurosurgeon said there was like parts of regular brain in and around the AVM. I don’t really understand how that happens, but, ⁓ so they started in the morning and they did, they got rid of the one AVM. They were taking it out. And then something about the blood vessels that had some of they had been putting blood into that AVM. They then started feeding into the other AVM. So then that AVM made my brain sort of swell where that AVM was. And so the neurosurgeons had to decide if, mean, basically it was like, let me die. because they couldn’t do anything about it, or they would get rid of that AVM and they would just take out the brain that was, the normal brain that was in the regular AVM. So they took, they decided not to let me die, thank goodness, and they decided to do that. so, but it was really long surgery, it was 30 hours, I think they just didn’t, yeah, it was really long. And… And I think Dr. Woon was my neurosurgeon. And he just said, when he went and sewed my head back together, he didn’t think I was listening, but I was in the other room and I could hear him after I had my skull put back in. And he was like, I’ll never do another surgery like that ever again. it was too, it was really long. And I think he definitely thought that he had made me worse. Like they had taken out. too much of my normal brain. when he called my husband after the surgery was over, like they didn’t call him. Dan, my husband was waiting for the whole 30 hours and they only called him one time at like 11 o’clock that night. And they were like, we’re finishing up. But then they had all this other stuff happen. So they didn’t actually call him again until noon the next day. And Dr. Woon said like, well, you’ll be lucky if she talks. Because we had to take out. he was just so discouraged from how the AVM surgery went. And so, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (21:24) Dr. Woon needs to give himself way more credit. Jennifer Tomscha (21:27) I know, I know, I also think that. I also think that, I mean, it’s, I mean, neurosurgeons, they’re, it’s amazing that you could, I’ve just, it’d be so weird if your job was to cut people up and go into their brains and try and fix something in that organ, which is so mysterious, do you know? Like, yeah, so. Bill Gasiamis (21:48) Wow. 30 hours. So he also is thinking in his career, he’s probably never going to come across another 30 hour surgery. Yeah. Well, only if it’s necessary to make somebody better, but yeah, we definitely want to avoid that if we can for every human on the planet and for Dr. Woon, but I just, I’m just completely in awe of these people. I bumped into my surgeon last year. Jennifer Tomscha (21:57) I hope not. mean, I hope, you know, yeah, I don’t think, yeah. Right. Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (22:15) because I had another MRI, because I had another bout of headaches and all that kind of stuff. still, you know, it hasn’t ended. I still go through all these things. And I mean, I mean kind of, I get emotional when I’m around her and when I’m in the room with her. If she told me to jump off a cliff because there is something positive down there and I would do it. If she said, if she said punch a hole through that wall, I would do it. Like I would do whatever she said because Jennifer Tomscha (22:20) no. Yes. Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (22:44) I just cannot get over the, know, when, you know, when you make a decision, some people, my phone is weird. I’ve never done this before, but you have a piece of fabric and it’s got some lines on it. And you know, if you cut it wrong, that you can’t use that piece of fabric for that pair of trousers anymore. You’ve got to use it for something else. Like that’s a pretty mild problem to happen. Like you cut wrong, you go in the wrong place. You pop that aside and. You’re useful. If you do that to a human, there’s no going back. And you’ve got to make that decision every single time you walk into the operating theater. And imagine his family. Like, I feel like we need to reach out to his family and say, is there anything we need to make up for? I know we had your husband for 30 hours, but like, how can we support your family now that he’s done that for my family? Jennifer Tomscha (23:40) Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (23:40) Do you know, like it’s so interesting that these people have been able to get to that level of capability. Jennifer Tomscha (23:49) Yes. Bill Gasiamis (23:50) with humans and helping people stay alive and be here with their family, be a mom, be a wife, be a daughter, be a member of the community. Jennifer Tomscha (23:51) Mm-hmm. Yep. Yep, exactly. It’s just, it’s amazing. It’s just so, and I’m so grateful to him and he had another neurosurgeon working with him and yeah, it did, I mean, yeah, it’s amazing. I always think though, I’m trying to think about like, did, why, if he cut out those parts of my brain, why weren’t they, why? I mean, I have some things I can’t do that I could do before. Like I can’t, this is so weird. I can’t recall songs very well and I can’t sing songs from memory, like at all. Like that part of my brain is done, which is fine, but I used to sing a lot. but I think because if the AVM is there when you’re in your, if it’s there when you’re in your mom’s womb, like if you’re, when you’re developing. It’s probable that my brain was like, there’s a little issue here in this brain. We’ll move some of the stuff away from, don’t you think that would be, yeah, because I just think like, I think where my AVMs were, my brain was like, we’re gonna move, we’re not gonna put stuff by those AVMs because yeah, because your brain is really adaptable. Like that’s one of the things that I’ve been reading since I had my stroke. Bill Gasiamis (24:59) Wow. Yeah, I’ve never thought about that. Why not? That makes sense, Jennifer. Because it’s… Yeah. Jennifer Tomscha (25:18) My mom’s like, your brain is so adaptable and flexible and it can do different things. You just have to try doing things, you know, and failing. Bill Gasiamis (25:26) And the blood flow is not right. So you imagine with blood flow not being right, then the brain’s not developing correctly in that spot anyway. And it’s just developing where there is blood flow. Jennifer Tomscha (25:37) Yes, exactly. Exactly. I just I feel like that makes sense to me. And that’s why if you’re the neurosurgeon, I mean, you really don’t know. Like Dr. Woon didn’t know what was there. But I just feel like maybe my brain when it was developing was like, well, this isn’t a good spot and this other spot isn’t a good spot. So we’ll just do everything in a different place. And the brain is really you can really do that. I think your brains are really plastic in the way that they can order themselves. And so I So it’s still all Dr. Woon. I’m just so grateful to him and everything that he did. Because honestly, I feel like I come from the States. I don’t know that a neurosurgeon, I just don’t know how long a neurosurgeon would have, they might be like, I’m done, I can’t do this anymore. I just don’t really know. It just all depends on the doctor and who sees you and everything. So I just felt so lucky to have been here. Bill Gasiamis (26:30) Imagine doing a 30 hour shift on any day for anything. Jennifer Tomscha (26:34) No. And the thing about neurosurgery is like you’re in, I mean you’re doing like, you’re in a microscope or whatever doing that little and you’re tying off a little blood vein and I don’t know, it’s nuts, it’s so nuts. mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (26:39) them. Identity and Self-Perception Post-Stroke Yeah. And they talk about, you know, how dangerous it is to drive when you’re off a take when you haven’t slept, when all those things. And these guys are going for 30 hours and they’re doing the most intricate, life altering surgery and it all goes perfectly well. So how wrapped was he when he realized how well it went. Jennifer Tomscha (27:09) I didn’t talk to him until June, so that was at the end of March. And then I was in the ICU for a while. then they moved me to Masterton and I did rehab. And then I went to this last clinic, this ABI, this brain clinic for people who had brain injuries. And that’s when I finally talked to him on Zoom. And he was like, so can you walk? And I was like, yeah, yeah, yeah, of course I can. He was like, will you show me? and I walked up and down the room and he was like laughing so hard at my being able to walk. He was like so enthusiastic about it. I was, you know, I mean, we can talk about this too. was, everyone was like, when I finally have my memory back, I was in Masterton and I was using a diaper. I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t step in bed, but I remember being, actually, ⁓ I remember being like, I’m fine. I’m fine. Everyone is just fussing over me. But of course, they were right too. Do you know what I mean? But I was like, I’m okay. Everyone needs to just like, let me just relax around me. And everyone was like, everything I did, they would be like, you know, I couldn’t feed myself. And then, you know, there’s all this stuff. And I was like, I’m really okay. You guys should just. take, like, I’m fine. I kept saying that, like, I’m okay, I’m fine. You guys are all. But of course, I wasn’t really fine, but I felt like, Bill Gasiamis (28:36) It sounds like you weren’t physically there yet, but you were emotionally and mentally fine. Like it sounds like you were on the, you kind of knew that things were going to turn out or. Jennifer Tomscha (28:48) I think so. I think, or maybe, I always think like maybe you can only manage so much. like at that time I had my front part of my skull was gone because it had been taken out when they did both my surgeries. And so I had to wear like a rugby helmet or whatever when I walked. But otherwise I would sit in my room and it looked terrible. It’s just so terrible. but I just didn’t really recognize that. Like I didn’t, wasn’t, I couldn’t do all the things at once. So I think I was just thinking about like, and finally at the middle of May, my mom and sister, I still had my like long hair in the back and short in the front. So my sister was gonna cut the long hair in the back. And I saw myself in a mirror and I was like, that doesn’t look very good. You know, like I wasn’t, I don’t feel like I was totally aware. I wasn’t, my brain wasn’t. totally back in it. It’s a long time to recover and I feel like my brain only gave me, I don’t know, I felt like I couldn’t think about my own brain, maybe for like a year or something, really think about it in a second order way. Bill Gasiamis (29:59) allow yourself to kind of observe your state, your brain condition. Jennifer Tomscha (30:02) Yes. Yes, I think I was like, it was like that my it was like maybe in October of the next year, October of 2023, where I was like, Oh, I can think about my brain and what it is in a way that I couldn’t. Because I don’t know, you have to go through, you just have to relearn a lot of stuff. But I didn’t like I’m lucky, like, it didn’t affect my reading, so I could read right away. I’m not a very good writer, like, I don’t have good handwriting anyway, and my handwriting still maybe isn’t as good as it was before I had my stroke, but, yeah. I feel like, felt like, the actual healing was a longer process than I thought it was going to be, especially right when I first woke up, because I was like, I’m fine, but I wasn’t really fine, actually. Do you know what I mean? Bill Gasiamis (30:55) 100%, they can make doctors and neurosurgeons do a 30 hour surgery, find that part, fix it, ta-da-da-da-da, do all those things, but they can’t make a helmet for God’s sake look half decent after they’ve taken your skull out. Like as if it’s bad enough, have skull missing and then they put this terrible looking thing over your head. Jennifer Tomscha (31:11) No. It’s true. It’s true. It’s true. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (31:22) And I know for women like hair is a big deal and become. Jennifer Tomscha (31:27) It was really, I have always liked my hair and it was, I had short hair for about a year and a half maybe, you know, and I started growing out more and that was a little bit hard. I felt like that’s really vain, but I was like, man, I just did not like that short hair. Cause it’s not very, I don’t know. I just, wanted my old hair back. So I was lucky that it came back though. You know, everything, it’s not cancer. It’s a different thing. So you have a different, you know. Bill Gasiamis (31:51) I never would have told you that your hair didn’t look good, but my favorite hair is brunette curly hair. Yeah. My wife is a brunette naturally and she has curls in her hair and she straightens it all the time. I haven’t seen her brunette curly hair for 30 years. Jennifer Tomscha (31:57) Thank you. ⁓ yeah. no. Bill Gasiamis (32:13) I’m like, woman, that’s what I like. Like that’s my thing. you stop straightening your hair, but I can’t get it to stop. ⁓ Jennifer Tomscha (32:20) Yeah, that’s fine. Everyone has to do what they want with their hair and everything. you know, that’s something that one thing I think about my stroke is you just got to go live your life. Like you can’t and you’ve done that beautifully. You know what I mean? Like this podcast is amazing. it’s just like, you just got to go do what feels good for you at the time and what you want to do and just do it. and stop saying no, or you know what I mean. Bill Gasiamis (32:49) I’m trying. am. know exactly what you mean. One of the biggest things is identity is a big, big thing. And I don’t talk about me so much. I’ll talk about what happened to me, my stroke journey, but I don’t really give people a look behind the curtain. You know, sort of really understand what’s going on. This is just all a facade. And one of the challenges that I have is this painting company that I started 20 years ago was the main source of income. And it stopped abruptly seven years in when I became. Jennifer Tomscha (33:02) Hmm. Mm-hmm. Great. Bill Gasiamis (33:17) and it sort of still kept bubbling along. And then I got back to it in 2019 because my clients were still calling me and I was well enough after seven years of going through stroke and all the stuff of surgery, learning to walk again and all that. I was good enough to sort of get back into it. And of course in 2019, I only had six months and then we were in lockdown. And then in lockdown, we had two years of lockdown in Melbourne, and then I’m trying to keep that thing going again. And then there was this massive influx of work after lockdown because everyone’s going, I’ve been looking at these walls for two years. They look terrible. Let’s get them painted. They had spare money because they hadn’t spent anything for two years. And that was like, let’s do this and let’s do that. And there was this massive amount of work for about 18 months. And then that was done. It was gone. And it’s been a steady decline since as soon as Trump opened his mouth and did something in Iran and said what he said, and he plummeted like we’ve got no work. And I’m okay to have no work because I’ve been there before and we’ve managed our affairs so that we’re okay. But I can’t employ people right now at all. That’s gone. And getting people back and starting that again is going to be extremely difficult because the curve Jennifer Tomscha (34:27) Yeah. Mmm. Hmm. Bill Gasiamis (34:36) is not it’s not going to be a sharp dip and then it’s going to be a big spike of work and demand and all that kind of stuff. this podcast has been my saving grace every time I’ve needed to occupy myself with a project and make it so that I’m not thinking about me. The podcast was there. I did. I did an interview. It got me over the line. But now the biggest void that’s going to occur is not that I’m going to Jennifer Tomscha (34:47) Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (35:05) potentially not have work in this field and after shut it down, which is gonna be fine if I do that, I’m okay with that. I’ll kind of pass it on to my younger son who’s looking to do some work in a similar space. I’ll give him the phone number and he’ll be able to take those types of inquiries and then he’ll do it on his own, like very small, the way I started at the beginning. And is that I’m gonna have all the time in the world. Jennifer Tomscha (35:23) Mm. Bill Gasiamis (35:29) on my hands to do the thing that I’ve been avoiding doing because I had this business that relied on me and the thing was to do public speaking. Right. And to actually do it the way that I’ve wanted to do it for more than a decade, which was to talk about the topics that I want to talk about, which no one’s talking about post-traumatic growth, overcoming trauma, how that’s applicable in organizations. Jennifer Tomscha (35:38) yeah, yeah, Mmm. Bill Gasiamis (35:56) how to treat people better in an organization so they have less mental health issues, so they have less physical issues, so they’re sick less, so they enjoy their work, so they’re not hating their life. And now I’m going to have all the time in the world to do it. And I’m shitting myself. That’s the biggest issue, right? So that’s a little bit of a look behind the curtain. I am loving this. This is an amazing thing. And I do remember when I first started it, I was concerned about what people would say about me. You’re going to sound dumb, Bill. You you’re not going to, you know, what authority do you have? All those kinds of things, they were coming up in my head. And then when I wrote the book, the same thing, I wrote my first book, The Unexpected Way That a Strike Became the Best Thing That Happened to Me. Everyone has said, don’t write that book. Don’t write that. Jennifer Tomscha (36:27) Mm. Bill Gasiamis (36:39) Don’t let that be your title. It’s bizarre, it’s weird, like it’s strange, it’s too long and all these things. So I did it. And of course, the first time I spoke about it on YouTube, one of the first comments was a negative comment on my YouTube channel. It’s like, ⁓ okay. My God, that’s a kick in the guts. Jennifer Tomscha (36:44) really? ⁓ yeah. Bill Gasiamis (37:03) So those little kicks in the guts that I’ve had along the way have been few and far between, but they’re the ones that seem to persist the most. And they stay in that part of your head, which says, you know, that public speaking gig, you’re probably going to do the first one and they’re going to say you were terrible. And then you’re to feel all sad at 52 about, you know, yourself and all these things. Jennifer Tomscha (37:15) Yeah. you Bill Gasiamis (37:29) how you’re going to overcome that emotionally and mentally and all this kind of stuff. It’s like, Bill, relax. You’re gonna have time to build your new career at 52. You’re gonna have time to do it. So that’s like, all right. I find myself getting pushed into a corner and only then responding with, all right, all right, I better step up again. I better do this again. Jennifer Tomscha (37:33) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (37:58) Very strange, re-imagining yourself and recreating yourself after stroke is a huge thing because you’re also doing it with a stroke brain. Whereas before I had no excuses, I was doing it still. Like the pattern is the same. The stroke brain part of it is an obstacle that I wish I didn’t have, but somehow this stroke brain part has made me do things I’ve never done before. Jennifer Tomscha (38:14) You The Long Game of Recovery Bill Gasiamis (38:27) a podcast, a book. You know, I was a tradie. I was like, I didn’t study. didn’t read. In my, by the time I got to the age of 37, honestly, Jennifer, I reckon I’d read maybe seven books. And they were about this criminal underworld figure in Melbourne who had this, who had this career and of being like really terrible and somehow. He was the thing that I was interested in reading about. Like that’s the only thing that captured my imagination. Everything else, everything else I picked up from listening to podcasts or watching shows on TV and that kind of stuff. So I wanna just, I wanna make people understand that the battles that you’re fighting, I’m fighting, it’s real. Like you’re not doing it alone. Everyone’s fighting this. How do I reimagine myself? Jennifer Tomscha (38:56) Bye! Bill Gasiamis (39:20) after stroke, you know, I don’t tell people I’m an author. Still, this book has been out for three years. I’ve had amazing reviews. I’ve had a couple of, you know, negative reviews and that’s okay. I’m not, I’m not an intellectual. I haven’t, I’ve never studied how to write literature, any of that stuff. And it’s sold about seven or 800 copies just through the podcast. Jennifer Tomscha (39:21) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. That’s pretty good. That’s actually quite a bit, I feel like. It’s quite a bit, actually. Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (39:47) I feel like to like I don’t promote it. I don’t tell anyone about it just in the podcast. And it’s like, I still don’t say I’ve authored a book. Nobody knows. Jennifer Tomscha (39:56) You should say it. mean, I do think the what are you going to do after you have a stroke? How are you going to do it? It’s all very strange and scary, I think. And like, yeah, I, I totally get your feeling about it. And it’s just really tricky to know what is the You know, for me, I feel like I was in middle of my PhD, so I took 22 months or 20 months off of doing the PhD just to rest. And then I went back in and it was, it is still, it was really hard. I like, wasn’t very good at figuring out how to write in the academic way. Which was my position. I was director of the writing program at NYU Shanghai. So I was like, that was my thing. And it was very hard to figure out how to return to do the critical work of my thesis. was just, it’s just, I don’t know, my brain just couldn’t figure out how to do it right. It was really interesting. was like, the sentences I was writing weren’t as good. They probably still aren’t as good. You know, like when I look at what I was writing before I had my stroke, which is part of my thesis, and then the stuff I wrote after my stroke, I feel like I can tell a little bit of a difference in the fluency of my writing, for sure. So, yeah. And I just, so… Yeah, I don’t know. It’s tricky. It’s tricky to figure out. But I was really lucky, actually. I think the PhD was helpful because… I could just go at it on my own time and I could just take however much time I needed. And I, I had a deadline. but it was good to just, it was actually like a really good place to start to work my brain again, to be like, okay, I have to, I’m going to write on this author and what she thinks about character. And I’m just going to, and I have these other texts that I’m interested in and I have to figure out how I’m going to. Represent them in my own work. And so it was really good to do all that. It was a good stepping stone for me I think actually to get back into it and to see What I could and couldn’t do very well, like I feel like I’m a really good reader. I’m a really good Critic and I’m not so good at ⁓ writing down what I think anymore as well So I’m just I really have to work on and I don’t know how you get it back like Bill Gasiamis (42:26) articulating Jennifer Tomscha (42:28) Yeah, articulating what I mean and yeah, I feel like I can’t, I can’t say things as artfully or as proficiently as I used to. So I don’t know, this woman who is getting her PhD at Vic too, she’s like, she studies how people learn to read. And she was like, if you’re having problems with academic writing, you should get a, and I still haven’t done this, you should get an academic book and you should listen to it because a lot of learning to read is listening to how sentences sound. She was like, so you should listen to an academic book and that will help you think about how those sentences work and how they’re maybe different from like, I write fiction. So fiction is one thing and then this is a different way of writing. So she said that was one thing that she thought I should do to help. develop my proficiency in academic writing, which was really interesting. So. Bill Gasiamis (43:25) Yeah, it’s a different approach. You know, it’s coming from the auditory, you know, system and therefore the auditory digital system. Therefore you go in and you you, you pick up nuances that you wouldn’t have known were there if you’ve never heard an academic speak or if you’ve never read an academic document in that way. So you might read it. Jennifer Tomscha (43:28) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (43:51) to get something out of it. Like, okay, what is this academic saying about this topic? But that’s not paying attention to the structure of how it’s written. That’s a different filter. Jennifer Tomscha (43:55) Mm-hmm. No, exactly. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Exactly. So I thought that was an interesting way to think about, like, how I could get better at that thing. That was, like, a really important thing for me. That, for some reason, it did just get a little bit, I don’t know, stunted? Or I don’t know what happened, you know? Or I just haven’t been in academia as much. So you know what I mean? So, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (44:17) Yeah. Yeah, 100%. The skill is not as refined or, or practiced as your other skills. So it’s not the thing that you’re the best at. and you’re getting better at it. The thing about it is also, may I add you’re only four years out from all the drama that you had with your brain. So there’s a lot of healing to happen that is going to improve. That’s going to get better and better. And in four or five years from now, you will have Jennifer Tomscha (44:29) Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (44:49) turn the corner again, you’ll see that there’s more and more improvement. It’s really important for people to hear this, who are three, two, one, five, six years in, there’s still heaps of healing and recovery to come. So it’ll happen. Jennifer Tomscha (45:07) Yeah, that was something that my husband and I, in my first year after my stroke, he would be like, go to the gym. And he did. He, I went to the gym and I, had me lift weights and he wanted me to like exercise. And he was like, what are you doing to improve your mind and your body over this first year? And I was like, I’m, I’m again, I was like, I’m fine. I’m really fine. And, and, ⁓ he thought I wasn’t doing enough. Like he wanted me to just go at it with this intensity. I don’t know. was an, cause I was like, I am going at it with my own sort of intensity, but he wanted me to be more aggressive than I wanted to or something. You know what I mean? He wanted me to be like, he wanted to see me really working at it and like sweating or doing, you know what I mean? And I was like, I don’t wanna, I don’t know. Bill Gasiamis (45:59) He wanted it to be more masculine. Jennifer Tomscha (46:01) Yeah, I guess. And he’s not very masculine guy. I mean, he’s a masculine guy, but he’s like, he was just he just wanted to see me sweating it out or doing the really see my focus. And I just yeah. And that has been an issue because he’s like, yeah, he’s just like, are you going to work again? I was like, yes, I’ll work. I just don’t know what I’ll do. And I don’t know if I could do a full eight hour day right now. I still take a nap every day in the afternoon. So But yeah, it’s just, don’t, yeah, so. Bill Gasiamis (46:34) It’s easy for a caregiver to say that because they haven’t had a stroke. Thank God. Thank God. ⁓ Jennifer Tomscha (46:40) No, I know. Thank goodness. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Actually, I mean, I feel really bad for Dan and my mom and my sister. Like, it’s actually worse to be the caregiver in some ways because you just, you don’t go through it. So you, you don’t really know what it’s like. Bill Gasiamis (46:55) I and you, and if you’ve got an imagination, a wild imagination, you could turn it into something completely way worse than what it is. And if you’re ignorant, which most family members and caregivers are, let’s face it. And that’s okay. Then you do the other thing. You play it down and you assume she should be going harder than that or Jennifer Tomscha (47:11) Yeah. Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (47:19) If I was, if it was me, I’d be doing that. But your brain has actually been injured and in that space, perhaps where motivation is for some people. And there is no way that you can make that person more motivated by willing them on or telling them to go to the gym or whatever. That could actually be missing the motivation part. So there’s a whole bunch of things that caregivers and family members miss. And it’s for me, it’s when I’m surrounded, when, when the people that are around me are Jennifer Tomscha (47:33) Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (47:46) ⁓ people who don’t want to engage deeply in those types of troubles, life and all that kind of stuff. they’re great people. They’re just like, emotionally they don’t go deep, right? They love it that there’s ambiguity around like what’s wrong with me. Cause they look at me, I look right. And then they just go, everything’s fine. He looks amazing. I feel better now. And when I’m around him, I can just talk about dumb stuff. Jennifer Tomscha (48:07) Mmm, yeah, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (48:14) And we can talk about things that are not important and everything’s fine. And it’s kind of like head in the sand. It’s a, you know, one step, one emotional step removed from the actual goings on. And it kind of also helps me strangely enough, because then I don’t have to deal with their inability to handle actual life and the real things that are going on. Jennifer Tomscha (48:39) Mm. Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (48:43) that can just be living in La La Land and I don’t have to deal with that level of complexity. So it’s kind of, they’re both situations are helping me in a way. Whereas at the beginning I was taking that negatively. The thing I do, the thing I would like to do is challenge caregivers to listen to the podcast, especially of the spouse who I’ve interviewed. Jennifer Tomscha (48:50) Yeah. Yeah, that’s true. Bill Gasiamis (49:09) You know, and then a couple more after that to get an insight so that they’re not guessing or second guessing or think they know better, et cetera. No doubt about it. they, know, they know some things about us that they can see that we’re not doing a pattern in behavior that we’re avoiding. Perhaps they know that part and all that type of thing. But we’ll say, we’re also dealing with a messed up brain. So have a bit of a kind of a Q Jennifer Tomscha (49:13) Hmm. Right, right. Bill Gasiamis (49:36) be curious about where that person’s coming from, not how you’re feeling about where they’re coming from. And that’s what family members and caregivers do. They make it about them. And I had to say a few times to people in my circles, like, it’s not about you. Jennifer Tomscha (49:43) Right. Ha Tomscha Tomscha! Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (49:56) It’s actually really about me. cannot walk and I can’t use my left hand. It’s not about you. Like I know you woke up with a numb leg one day because you slept on it wrong, but it’s not the same. Jennifer Tomscha (50:05) Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s funny. Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (50:14) My wife was dragging my foot in the wheelchair. It had fallen off the, you know, the rest where your leg, your feet sit. It had fallen off and I hadn’t noticed. This is like day three or day four after brain surgery. And it was dragging underneath the footrest. And she noticed that the wheelchair wasn’t moving and she was shoving it until we realized. Jennifer Tomscha (50:22) higher. Bill Gasiamis (50:40) My foot was stuck underneath the rest and we had a laugh. that kind of like, that’s one of those, if those people were there and they saw that, they would realize like, it’s not about your numb leg when you slept on it weird one night. take your stuff and just, you know, park it for now. So it’s interesting. That’s kind of why I think I do this podcast. I think it’s for those Jennifer Tomscha (50:44) Yeah, yeah, Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. The Journey of Recovery Bill Gasiamis (51:08) people if they, I’ve never told them that they should jump on, but if they, for example, get curious one day and they want to know what it’s like to be in Bill’s head, pick one of the 400 episodes. Just have a listen. Jennifer Tomscha (51:09) Mmm. I have a question for you. you, this is something that, so you think you could just, you can keep improving from your stroke. There’s not like a deadline. There’s not like a couple of years or any. Bill Gasiamis (51:36) One of the things I learned from my wife and my brother, my brother is my biggest nemesis. You he’s older and he’s the most loving guy. He’s the most supportive guy, but he has a weird way of doing it. Just, you know, we’re different characters, right? So he just is a bit different in the way. one, one of the things my brother said was that I picked up, I reckon it was five, six years ago is he’s in it for the long game. Jennifer Tomscha (52:03) Hmm. Bill Gasiamis (52:04) When I was young, I had 20 jobs in 10 years. He said two jobs in 40 years or 30 in 30 years. So he just chips away, works away, works away, works away. This is an analogy, right? But also a true story. My wife started her, her, her master’s in psychology. She only started that a few years ago, but the whole. Jennifer Tomscha (52:08) Hmm. Hmm. Bill Gasiamis (52:28) journey to get to the Masters of Psych started in I think late 2011 or early 2011, about a year before I ended up in hospital. She is just now finishing the last part of her Masters degree and she found a job literally a week ago in her field two days a week. Jennifer Tomscha (52:35) Mm. Mmm. ⁓ Bill Gasiamis (52:56) to work as a provisional psychologist so that she can get the 1500 hours of work in the field before she actually gets her actual full psychology license. And I’m like, dude, I get it. So what you’re telling me is that if you just start and never stop, you’re gonna see some kind of progress. And I apply that to… Jennifer Tomscha (53:08) Right. That’s amazing. Mmm. Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (53:27) stroke recovery. I know that people are dealing with far more deficits that perhaps you and I show visibly and that their hand may not specifically work the way that it always that they wanted it to work or that the way that it worked before. But that doesn’t mean the brain’s not continuously continuously healing that part of the brain might be gone. But as far as healing the parts around the brain that are still there, that’s continuing. Jennifer Tomscha (53:28) Uh-huh. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (53:58) And if, and, and one of the questions that I have for people is like, is what I’m doing supporting my recovery or is it hindering my recovery? Because I’ve met stroke survivors who have gone back to the smokes, who have gone back to alcohol. And if you’re doing things that are getting in the way of recovery, then you’re not allowing the brain to continuously do what it does best, which is overcome challenges, rewire. Jennifer Tomscha (54:05) Mmm. Bill Gasiamis (54:25) find new ways around, know, develop new neural pathways and adapt. And that’s kind of where I think it’s at adaption, right? And the great thing about understanding these days about neurodiversity and understanding what somebody with ADHD goes through is the one skill they’re really, really good at is adaption. Jennifer Tomscha (54:31) Mm-hmm. Mm, that’s interesting. Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (54:49) because and people with dyslexia. my God, like some of the biggest, most wealthy billionaires on the planet had dyslexia. Richard Branson is a classic example of that. Yeah. And they adapt. They find a way to somehow overcome the normal world and be weird in the way that they see letters and what letters do and how they move on a page and all that kind of stuff because their brain adapts and they can just continuously improve their adaption strategy. Jennifer Tomscha (54:57) really? didn’t know that. Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (55:17) to get to a point where no one knows that they have this condition. So that’s what I’m really passionate about. That’s why the podcast exists. I’ve interviewed in my 400 episodes, I’ve certainly interviewed stroke survivors who I’ve had improvement 10, 11, 12, 13 years post stroke, got a finger movement back. Yeah, got sensation back, something rewired. So yeah. Jennifer Tomscha (55:19) Right. Mm-hmm. really? That’s amazing. Yeah, becau

In this episode I'm joined by Orlagh Reynolds, whose husband Fraser died from motor neurone disease.Their story starts the way so many of the best ones do. A chance meeting in Dublin, a bit of boldness, and a gut feeling that turned into a life. Together they built something full. Australia, travel, work, marriage, and their daughter, Una.And then another gut feeling. This one telling Orlagh they needed to go home to Ireland.Not long after, Fraser was diagnosed with MND.What follows is a conversation about what happens when you are told, in no uncertain terms, that the person you love is going to die, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. Oriagh talks about what the disease took from Fraser, slowly and relentlessly, and how they made a conscious decision to focus on what remained. Their home became a place of care, honesty, humour, and, perhaps most strikingly, gratitude. Not forced positivity, but a daily practice that carried them through the worst of it.We talk about parenting through terminal illness. How you explain something like this to a child. How you include them without overwhelming them. And what it looks like to raise a child in the middle of something most adults would struggle to survive.We talk about Fraser's creativity in the face of unimaginable loss. The art he created using only his eyes. The legacy he built while his body failed him. And the letter he left behind for his wife and daughter, waiting until the moment it was needed.And we talk about what comes after. Solo parenting. The empty house at night. The decisions that are yours and yours alone. And the relentless reality of continuing on.This one is devastating in places. But it's also full of love, strength, and a kind of perspective that stays with you.

Send us Fan MailMeet the inspiring duo behind the @unsteadyandready Instagram account, sharing life with ALS.  Here, I sit down with Erin Taylor, diagnosed with ALS at 23, to hear what it's like to build a life in your twenties while your body changes fast and your natural voice fades.  Erin and her mom Lily show us how advocacy, humor, and everyday love can keep you feeling like a whole person even when ALS is always in the room.  We chat about:• Grieving lost dreams and rebuilding purpose through ALS advocacy• Losing a natural voice and using eye gaze with an AI clone voice• Choosing authenticity online to help others feel seen• Managing dark moments by focusing on what we can control• Finding joy in small outings and planning energy for big experiencesErin shares her heart to educate people that ALS can affect anyone, even someone in their 20's.  She said she didn't know that was possible when she was diagnosed.   If you'd like to share Erin's message, please send this episode to a friend.  Thank you. Hugs, LorriFollow and see what's coming next: Instagram,  Facebook,  Twitter, TikTok,  LinkedIn.

Send us Fan MailFor six years, Sam Cunningham felt the subtle but persistent signs that something in his body wasn't right—leg heaviness, twitching, and strength loss that didn't add up.  As an athlete, he knew his body, but getting answers proved to be a long and frustrating journey.  In this episode, Sam shares what it's like to finally receive an ALS diagnosis at 35, the emotional weight of being both devastated and validated, and how persistence, detailed documentation, and the right clinician ultimately connected the dots.  We also explore exercise and ALS, adapting to new limits, and how faith, mindset, and unexpected support are helping him navigate this next chapter.  Thank you for listening in.  Hugs, LorriFollow and see what's coming next: Instagram,  Facebook,  Twitter, TikTok,  LinkedIn.

WhoTim Smith, President and General Manager of Waterville Valley, New HampshireRecorded onNovember 12, 2025About Waterville ValleyClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: The Sununu FamilyLocated in: Waterville Valley, New HampshireYear founded: 1966Pass affiliations:* Indy Pass, Indy+ Pass: 2 days, no blackouts* White Mountain Super Pass: unlimited, no blackouts* Indy Learn-to-Turn: 3 days, includes rentals, lesson, lift ticket; limited lift access* Ski New Hampshire Kids Passport: 1 day with holiday blackouts* Uphill New England: no lift accessBase elevation: 1,984 feet (highest in New Hampshire, 3rd in New England)Summit elevation: 4,004 feet (2nd-highest in New Hampshire, 5th in New England)Vertical drop: 2,020 feet (4th-highest in New Hampshire, 14th in New England)Skiable acres: 265Average annual snowfall: 148 inchesTrail count: 62 (14% novice, 64% intermediate, 22% advanced)Lift count: 10 (1 six-pack, 1 high-speed quad, 2 triples, 2 doubles, 2 T-bars, 2 carpets)Why I interviewed himWell no one wants to hear this but we got to $300 lift tickets the same way we got to $80,000 pickup trucks. We're Americans Goddamnit and we just can't do stickshifts and we sure as s**t ain't standin' up on our skis to ride back up the mountain. It's pure agony you see. We need us a nine-pack chairlift with a bubble and a breakroom and a minibar and surround sound and Lazy-Boy seats and hell no we ain't ridin' it with eight strangers we'll hold back and take a whole chair to our ownselves. And it needs to move fast, Son. Like embarrass-the-Concord fast because God help us we spend more than 90 seconds with our own thoughts.I'm not aiming to get kicked out of America here, but if I may submit a few requests regarding our self-inflicted false price floors. I would like the option of purchasing a brand-new car with a manual transmission and windows rolled up and down with a hand-crank. I would like to keep pedaling my bicycle. I would like to cut the number of holidays with commercial mandates by 80 percent. I would prefer that we not set the air-conditioners to 60 when it's 65 degrees outside. This doesn't mean I want to get rid of all the air-conditioners but could we maybe take it easy on the frostbite-in-July overkill of it all?My Heretic Wishlist for American Skiing includes but is not limited to: more surface lifts, especially to serve terrain parks, high-altitude exposed terrain, and expert pods; on-resort lodging that does not still require a commute-by-personal-vehicle to reach the lifts; and thoughtful terrain management that retains ungroomed sections for skiers who like things about skiing other than going fast.Waterville Valley is doing all of these things. It is perhaps the only major American ski area in decades to replace a chairlift with a surface lift on a non-beginner terrain pod, and the only one to build two new T-bars this century. A planned gondola would connect Waterville Valley the town with Waterville Valley the ski area, correcting an only-in-America setup that separates these inseparable places by two miles of road. The glade network grows annually in both subtle and obvious ways.This is not a ski area going in reverse. Waterville is modern and keeps modernizing. The four-year-old Tecumseh bubble six-pack, though bookended with T-bars, is one of the nicest chairlifts in America. Skiers still go groomer-kaboom on morning cord. Suburban office-park dads with interstate commutes and a habit of lecturing the Facebook Commons about the virtues of snow tires can still park their 42-wheel-drive Abrams-Caterpillar-F-15,000 Tanktruck in sub-parking lot 42Z and walk uphill to the lifts. But Waterville Valley is one of a handful of American ski areas, along with Killington and Deer Valley and Winter Park, that is embracing all of our luxe cultural excesses while pursuing the very un-American ambition of putting more skiers close to skiing.No ski area is perfect. For all the cash saved on those T-bars, peak-day Waterville lift tickets still hit $145. The mountain's season pass is the second-most expensive single-mountain season passes in New England – more than a top-line Epic Pass (an adult WV pass includes a free pass for a kid age 6 to 12, which is great if you have one of those). That's bold pricing for the 22nd-largest ski area in New England, especially one that still spins three Stadeli chairlifts that predate the extinction of the dinosaurs. And two high-speed chairlifts is not a lot of high-speed chairlifts for a 2,000-vertical-foot ski area (though about half of New England's 2,000-footers run just two or fewer detaches).Yeah I know. Sick burn from someone who was waxing about surface lifts four paragraphs ago. I may have collected too many ski area Lego blocks in my mental bucket, and they don't always click together back here on planet Earth. “More villages,” I say while dismissing Aspen as a subsidized simulacrum of itself. “Big fast lifts rule,” I say while setting off fire alarms as first-generation chairlifts disintegrate and the cost of their most basic replacements escalates. “No-grooming, all-glades makes the best ski area,” I say, while condemning resort operators for $356 lift tickets that dam the masses. “Vail is too expensive,” I say. “Vail is too cheap,” I also say. “Modernize our chairlifts,” I say while celebrating the joy of riding an antique Riblet double. I endorse ski areas splitting off from conglomerates and ski areas joining them. These narratives can feel contradictory at best and schizophrenic at worst.But that tension is part of what draws me to lift-served ski areas, where two things central to my worldview – wild nature and human invention – merge. Or perhaps more accurately, collide. Both forces act at all times not only to extinguish one another, but themselves: above-freezing temps trash two feet of new snow; bad liftline management cancels out the capacity benefits of a $12 million lift upgrade. Making a ski area function, then, requires continual tweaking, of both the nuanced and look-at-us-press-release variety. A ski area is a business, sure, but that's almost a coincidence. The act of building and running a ski area is foremost an art, architecture, and engineering project that requires a somewhat madcap conductor to succeed. As with any artform, there is no one correct and final way to build a ski area. The variety is central to skiing's appeal. But there are operator/artist attributes - flexibility, inventiveness, consistency tempered by openness to change - that contribute to the overall quality and cohesion of the individual ski area experience in the context of competing ski areas. In the current version of Waterville Valley, we find one of our best contemporary examples of a ski area evolving toward the best version of itself under the stewardship of owners and managers possessing exactly these traits.What we talked aboutThe return of World Cup training and events to Waterville; drifting away from and back toward freeskiing culture; the best terrain parks in New England; why terrain parks are drifting away from mega-features; what happened to all the halfpipes?; and ramps?; no really no one wore helmets in the ‘90s; building terrain parks before institutional knowledge and the internet; the lost Hidden Valley, Wisconsin ski area; the rise of the high-speed ropetow; why Waterville replaced one T-bar and one Poma with a new T-bar (rather than a chairlift); why Waterville installed night skiing; the return of the Exhibition terrain park; self-installing the World Cup T-bar; Waterville's ops blog; why the Tecumseh Express sixer needed new bubbles after just a couple of seasons; why bubbles cost so much and how Waterville manufactured a less expensive one; Tecumseh's incredible wind resistance; MND lifts as an alternative to the two large U.S.-based lift manufacturers; a chairlift's “infancy” and how different 2020s lift technology is from early detachable tech; how Waterville's masterplan would reorient the mountain and skier traffic with an expansion and new lifts; Waterville's declining skier visits and whether that's a bad thing; how the resort's 1994 bankruptcy changed Waterville's trajectory; what stoked the Green Peak expansion; “we've been on a track to try to rebuild that energy we saw in the 1990s”; why Waterville turned away from discounting; “the right quantity of skiers on the right amount of surface”; building more terrain diversity; and a gondola connection from town to mountain.Should someone tell them they're running it backwards? Video by Stuart Winchester.What I got wrong* I said that the “High Country double chair was still standing” – what I meant was that parts of it were still in place. The top terminal remains, sans bullwheel, and the base terminal and motor room remain as a patrol shack:* I said that Waterville hadn't been known for terrain parks until recently, but Smith recalled that the ski area was more freestyle-centric from the ‘70s through the ‘90s, before pulling back during the first part of this century.* I said that 1,100 skiers per hour was “a little less than what a double chair would move,” thinking standard capacity for a double was 1,200 per hour. Smith says it is 900. Exact capacity varies from lift-to-lift, however. Lift Blog itemizes hourly capacities of between 800 and 1,200 for four of Smugglers' Notch's double chairs, between 1,000 and 1,200 for four of Mt. Spokane's fleet of Riblet doubles, and 1,000 for Waterville's Lower Meadows double. We all know, however, that the hourly capacity for a double chair is however many people are in line minus the number not paying attention minus singles who refuse to ride with anyone. So I don't know maybe 50.Podcast NotesOn other mentioned podcasts* World Cup competition returning to Sun Valley:* Heavenly backing out of mega-parks features:* Killington and the cost of bubbles:* Waterville part 1, from 2021:On Partek and each lift being differentOn Waterville's ownership historyFounder Tom Corcoran owned Waterville Valley from 1966 until 1994, when he sold to American Skiing Company (ASC) antecedent S-K-I. The feds made ASC dispense with Waterville and Cranmore when they merged with LBO Enterprises in 1996. Booth Creek (more on them below), bought the ski area and held it until 2010, when they sold it to the Sununu family. This makes Waterville one of just a handful of ski areas to ever enter a multi-mountain pass portfolio and then exit to independence - though Killington and Ragged recently did exactly that, and Eldora may follow.On Mt. Holiday, MichiganThis is just a little 200-footer, but it's still around on the outskirts of Traverse City, Michigan:That trailmap doesn't really communicate the ski area's essence. A little better are these pics I took on a summertime swing-through a few years back:I never skied there though, always preferring the far-larger Sugar Loaf, right down the road (which Smith and I also discussed):Until it was abandoned around 2000, this was one of the better ski areas in Michigan's Lower Peninsula. After a succession of owners - one of whom stripped all the chairlifts off the bump - failed to bring skiing back, the Leelanau Conservancy recently took ownership of the property. Skiing will return as an officially sanctioned activity, though unfortunately without a lift or snowmaking. I would have at least liked to have seen a ropetow. Here's their vision:On midwestskier.com Yes, Kids, the internet really did used to look like this:On Hidden Valley, WisconsinHere's a little ski hill that didn't make it. Smith spent time at Hidden Valley, Wisconsin, which opened in 1956 and closed forever in 2013. The chairlift appears to have been moved to nearby, county-run Kewaunee Winter Park, where it awaits installation.On high-speed ropetowsI am a huge fan of high-speed ropetows, which are a cheap and effective means to isolate users of terrain parks or other specialized, intensive-use zones from the broader ski area. Here's one at Spirit Mountain, Minnesota in 2023 (video by Stuart Winchester):On Waterville Valley's masterplanThis is perhaps the best angle of how Waterville's expansion would connect the legacy trail network to the town:Here's the Forest Service masterplan slide:Neither of these images, however, show how the gondola would eventually connect down into town, which is the crucial element of transforming Waterville Valley from a ski-area-that-says-it's-a-ski-resort into an actual ski resort. Here's a look at that connection:Waterville set up an excellent microsite detailing the hoped-for evolution.On Booth CreekAt the mid-90s height of American Skiing Company dominance, a former Vail executive assembled a cross-country ski area portfolio with ambitions of creating a hub-and-spoke network:Booth Creek ultimately sold off most of its properties, but still own Sierra-at-Tahoe. Grand Targhee GM Geordie Gillett was involved in the whole saga and broke it down for us in 2024:On Waterville going from one of the oldest lift fleets in New England to one of the most modernWhile Waterville runs some of the last Stadeli lifts in America (I count 16), the ski area has modernized extensively over the past decade:On U.S. Forest Service ski areas in the EastMost (109) of the 119 active U.S. ski areas on United States Forest Service leases sit in the West; two are in the Midwest, and eight are in the East: Bromley, Mount Snow, and Sugarbush, Vermont; Waterville Valley, Loon, Attitash, and Wildcat, New Hampshire; and Timberline, West Virginia. None, as far as I know, sit entirely within the boundaries of a national forest, but even partial overlap triggers the requirement to submit an updated masterplan each decade.The Storm explores the world of lift-served skiing year-round. Join us. Get full access to The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast at www.stormskiing.com/subscribe