Welcome to Season 3, Episode 7 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast! In this week's conversation, I am joined by Steph Fowler, LCPC, CADC, who you may remember from Season 1, Episode 11. I love this description from the bio on Steph's website: "Other things to know: among my many identities, I am multiply-neurodivergent, chronically ill and disabled (Long COVID ‘20), an INFJ, ex-vangelical, and recovering perfectionist. In The Before Times, I enjoyed kickboxing, running, cosplay, karaoke, travel, cat cafes, and live lit/storytelling. Nowadays I enjoy gardening, nature, writing, photography, LEGO, subversion, and all things macabre." Steph is one of those people who always makes me things about things in a different way, and we wanted to chat about the challenges of building and sustaining community when everyone is navigating different levels of stress, grief, and physical limitations.
You'll hear us discuss:
The emotional toll of community splintering within the COVID-conscious and long COVID communities.
Practical strategies for emotional management, including the importance of practicing pauses and asking for consent before unloading stress.
How to build trust and safety in groups by establishing clear shared values and embracing compassion for others’ different experiences.
Navigating relationships and setting boundaries around personal COVID-19 risk and accommodations.
Personal reflections on shifting identities, redefining determination, and coping with the profound grief of loss—both of health and relationships.
Places to find Steph!
Substack: https://misfitmentalhealth.substack.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misfit.mental.healthTime Magazine: What to Do if Your Doctor Doesn't Take Your Symptoms Seriously
PBS News Weekend: The COVID pandemic's lingering physical and mental toll, five years later
If you'd like to support this one-disabled-woman-produced podcast, check out my Bonfire shop. Items bought in the shop support the renewal of my Zoom license for recording. Many items co-support other chronically ill friends. I also have an Amazon Storefront and I'll get a few pennies if you purchase your everyday items through the links in my storefront. I also have an Amazon Wishlist of fun treats and practical needs for our family this autumn.
Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share A Friend for the Long Haul! And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me...
Welcome to this bonus episode of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast! Season 3, Episode 6 features Claire Jones and Amaranthia Sepia, the mother/daughter duo behind Sista Creatives Rising. The mission of Sista Creatives Rising is "To help creative marginalized women and marginalized genders gain accessibility and visibility in the arts to facilitate personal healing."
In this episode, we discuss:
I am very grateful for this conversation and the opportunity to get to know Claire and Amaranthia! I want to again thank both of them for taking the time to chat with me.
Tickets for Art and Mind 2025 will be available on August 21st, and the event will take place on September 25th from 6:30 to 9:30 pm Eastern time.
You can find Sista Creatives Rising
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sistacreativesrising/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@artmindseries9207
and Substack: https://substack.com/@sistacreativesrising
You can also support them via: https://givebutter.com/sistacreativesrising
If you'd like to support this one-disabled-woman-produced podcast, check out my Bonfire apparel shop. Items bought in the shop support the renewal of my Zoom license for recording. Many items co-support other chronically ill friends. I also have an Amazon storefront and I'll get a few pennies if you purchase your everyday items through the links in my...
Welcome to season 3, episode 5 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast! In this episode, I talk to our friend, Chuck, known as @whatexactlyisupchuck on social media. We dive into the politics of protection, the power of community care, and how Chuck planned a Covid-safer wedding in a world that often forgets the chronically ill. Chuck shares her experience navigating disability justice and mask advocacy in Texas. From confronting anti-mask legislation to celebrating love safely, this conversation is a heartfelt reminder that accessibility is love in action
Topics include:
You can find Chuck on TikTok and Instagram.Chuck is also on Substack.
If you haven't checked out Chuck's shame-free Covid guides, you can access them here on her website.
If you'd like to support this one-disabled-woman-produced podcast, check out my Bonfire apparel shop. Items bought in the shop support the renewal of my Zoom license for recording. Many items co-support other chronically ill friends. I also have an Amazon storefront and I'll get a few pennies if you purchase your everyday items through the links in my storefront. I also have an Amazon Wishlist that contains things that would help our low spoons house out this back to school fall season.
Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share A Friend for the Long Haul if you can. And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes. You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify. Thank you!
This episode could also be titled, "A Capricorn & a Pisces Walk Into a Podcast." In season 3, episode 4 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast, I welcome back my friend and pacing buddy, Katrina Dreamer. Katrina was a guest on season 2, where we discussed how they kicked off Covid Safe Colorado, our local mask bloc. This is a very different conversation! In this episode, we discuss:
You can find out more about Katrina and their offerings at www.katrinadreamer.com! The next cohort of Social Justice Dreaming begins on August 8th. Contact Katrina to find out more!
Katrina's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katrinadreamer
And Bluesky.
Katrina's podcast, Dreaming Back to the Earth
And the cartoon, Chaotic Good and the Banned Bookmobile, is available on Webtoon! Sarah Steinberg is the illustrator.
If you'd like your own copy of our pacing spreadsheet, here's one you can duplicate! Please don't use this copy!
In this episode, we also chat about our friends Lissy and Lior. Lissy will be on an upcoming episode, but she is a coach who blends neuroscience-backed strategies, compassionate support, and her own lived experience with ADHD in her approach. Lior Ocean is a queer collage...
If you'd like to support this one-disabled-woman-produced podcast, check out my Bonfire site for silly long covid apparel. Items bought in the shop support the renewal of my Zoom license for recording. Many items co-support other chronically ill friends. I also have an Amazon wishlist and Storefront. I'll get a few pennies if you purchase your everyday items through the links in my storefront. You can also Venmo me @afriend4thelonghaul.
Welcome to another episode of A Friend for the Long Haul: A Long Covid Podcast! This is part 2 of my conversation with Nina Storey. In this episode, we talk about:
Nina has shared a link to her song, Shadows Fall, which can be listened to on Even. Even is a new streaming platform she's using for her music. The model is pay what you can, and the funds go to artists. She says this about the release: "I wrote this song (which is still in demo form) about living with a chronic illness and how sometimes we have to be our own biggest champions. I got Long Covid after initially being infected in early 2020, and I have to say the silver lining has been meeting some extraordinary warriors in the disability community. So this song is dedicated to them and to any person facing health challenges. I see you. ✊🏼💕🙏🏼🙌🏼🎉"
You can find Nina and tour information on her website, and on Instagram. She is published in The Long Covid Reader, and her comedy writing is at https://strangelyoptimistic.com/. If you're interested in Nina's Singing To Improve Health or Vocal Classes for Beginners to Professionals workshops, email theninastorey@gmail.com. Mention the podcast for 20% off the regular price!
Please share A Friend for the Long Haul. If you're feeling generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes. You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify.
Disclaimers etc: The information provided in this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the podcast producers, sponsors, or affiliated organizations. Or like, friends? Family? Anyone. This podcast does not provide medical diagnosis, treatment, or
If you'd like to support this one-woman-produced podcast, check out my Bonfire site for silly long covid apparel. Items bought in the shop support the renewal of my Zoom license for recording. Many items co-support other chronically ill friends. I also have an Amazon wishlist and Storefront. I'll get a few pennies if you purchase your everyday items through the links in my storefront. You can also Venmo me @afriend4thelonghaul. ---Welcome to Season 3, Episode 3 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long COVID Podcast! I got to sit down and talk with my dear friend, Grammy-nominated artist, and incredibly talented human, Nina Storey. Nina’s website highlights her amazing career:“Nina Storey has been making waves, having opened for other powerhouse female performers like Sara Bareilles, Rachel Platten, Milck, and Hailey Reinhart, as well as performing in numerous international festivals, such as the Montreal Jazz Festival and the New Orleans JazzFest. People Magazine wrote, “With a voice like hers, pyrotechnics are redundant.”.
This conversation was just shy of two hours, so I split it up into 2 episodes. Part 2 will be released on 6/30. In part 1, we discuss Long COVID's impact on Nina’s creativity, songwriting process, and career, including lost work and venue discrimination, emotional processing, grief, and the nervous system.You can find Nina and tour information on her website, and on Instagram. She is published in The Long Covid Reader, and her comedy writing is at https://strangelyoptimistic.com/. If you're interested in Nina's Singing To Improve Health or Vocal Classes for Beginners to Professionals workshops, email theninastorey@gmail.com. Mention the podcast for 20% off the regular price! She will soon be using a new platform, EVEN, that pays artists. Despite millions of streams of her music, Nina says that Spotify has never paid her a dime. The EVEN model is pay what you can. "It's like Bandcamp and Patreon had a baby." You can also send her a tip via Venmo: @Nina-Storey.Nina shared that the clinic in Sedona she has been working with for her Long Covid symptoms is remote and their website is: mybiohack.com. I have not used the clinic. All information is Nina's anecdotal experience. The clinic is not endorsed by the pod, nor is the pod sponsored by the clinic. Neither is Nina.
Please share A Friend for the Long Haul. If you're feeling generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes. You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify.
Disclaimers etc: The information provided in this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the podcast producers, sponsors, or affiliated organizations. Or like, friends? Family? Anyone. This podcast does not provide medical diagnosis,...
A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast 100% produced by a disabled Covid long hauler. If you'd like to support my work, please check out the following ways you can do so:
---
In this episode of A Friend for the Long Haul – A Long COVID Podcast, we dive into love, relationships, and resilience in the face of chronic illness. I sit down with Chimére Sweeney, a Long COVID activist, writer, and retired educator, alongside her husband, Tory Sweeney, to discuss their relationship and journey together.
Chimére founded The Black Long COVID Experience, an initiative dedicated to amplifying Black Long COVID stories, advocating for equitable healthcare, and supporting disability access in Black communities. She and Tory met in college and reconnected after Chimére became ill, and their story sheds light on the emotional, social, and practical realities of navigating love and disability.
We explore:💜 How childhood relationship models shape adult connection💜 Reconnecting and finding love despite chronic illness challenges💜 Navigating intimacy, disability, and Long COVID’s impact on relationships💜 Advocacy, resilience, and pushing for equity in medical care
🚨 Content note: We discuss sex and intimacy with chronic illness, interabled relationships, and mental health topics including suicidal ideation.
This episode was recorded in October, and I want to send a huge thank you to Chimére and Tory for their patience, wisdom, and honesty.
Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share A Friend for the Long Haul if you can. And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes.
You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3n0GXLFRWqDJyifglNNM4K?si=7948dbf2222c4392
The information provided in this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the podcast producers, sponsors, or affiliated organizations. Or like, friends? Family? Anyone.
This podcast does not provide medical diagnosis, treatment, or professional healthcare services. If you have any concerns regarding your health or medical condition, please consult a qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking treatment based on information heard in this podcast. Please don't compare yourself to someone else you hear, either. Our illnesses are highly individualized and what works for one person may not work for you.
While we strive to provide accurate...
A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast 100% produced by a disabled Covid long hauler. If you'd like to support my work, please check out the following ways you can do so:
Welcome to Season 3 of A Friend for the Long Haul! In this episode, I twith Caryn Zaner, PsyD, a Clinical Psychologist based in Oregon specializing in anxiety, identity development, values work, and interpersonal group therapy. Caryn (they/none) provides tele-therapy for adults 18+ and shares their personal experience navigating Long Covid.
Topics covered include:✅ Caryn’s journey with Long Covid and the support group they founded
✅ People-pleasing, grief, coping mechanisms, and emotions
✅ Perfectionism, social media pressures, and self-trust
✅ Listening to your body and intuition when it feels unfamiliar
✅ Comorbidities, chronic illness, and shared experiences
🔔 Content Warning: From 59:45 - 1:14:05, we discuss:
If you prefer to skip this section, jump to 1:14:05, where we wrap up with our signature three questions.
Other things mentioned in this episode
My Too Flared to Funk fake band tee shirt for The Social Distanced's "Survive 2025" World Tour.
You can find Caryn on Instagram
Felt Not Fixed: https://www.instagram.com/felt.not.fixed/
Therapy for the Apocalypse: https://www.instagram.com/therapy.for.the.apocalypse/
Caryn's website
https://www.carynzanerpsyd.com/
The post that led me to Caryn: Attachment Theory and Still Coviding
Book: Lifting Heavy Things by Laura Khoudari
Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share A Friend for the Long Haul if you can. And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes.
You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify: Show more...
A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast 100% produced by a disabled Covid long hauler. If you'd like to support my work, please check out the following ways you can do so:
---
Welcome to the 1st Annual Long Covid Sickstravaganza Holiday Episode! This episode features contributions from a few different lovely folks:
Lyrics: Shadows Fall (Love Myself) Written by Nina Storey
Verse I
so long alone
surrounded by the noise
still on my own
scattered through an empty void
but get up and I show up
cause I've grown up in the dark
and I'm bleeding but I'm breathing
and I know I'm come so far
Chorus
shadows fall from yesterday
what I've lost is far away
where to go when all the love is gone
when everyone has walked away
and I alone have got to stay
I learn to love myself and carry on
Verse II
take my life in minutes count them each a win
when I reach the end of one, then I start to count again
so I'll fake it, 'till I make it
cause most don't seem to care
but I'm ready and I'm clawing my way back for every breath of air
Bridge
I survived a stormy ride across my...
A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast 100% produced by a disabled Covid long hauler. If you'd like to support my work, please check out the following ways you can do so:
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Welcome to season 2 episode 12 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long COVID Podcast! This week's guest is Katie Drackert, who most of you will know as @kd_kinetic. Katie is the founder of Clear the Air ATX, a volunteer-led, community resource library that lends out air purifiers and other COVID mitigation tools for free to artists, musicians, and independent event producers in Austin, Texas - where I lived for many years and sadly had to leave due to my COVID experience.
In the pre-rona days, Katie primarily worked full time as a performance artist. When Omicron hit, things changed. In this episode, we discuss our personal experiences with chronic health issues, including long COVID, and the challenges we face managing our symptoms while advocating for ourselves and others. We share our experiences with medical treatments, their emotional impacts, and the importance of community support and self-care. The conversation also touches on our backgrounds - which are really similar despite our age difference (I am an old) as well as our many shared interests, and future plans for advocacy work and creative projects that we are both plotting.
By the end of this episode, I became fully obsessed with Katie, and I think you will, too! You can find out more about Katie's advocacy work in so many places! Check out: Co-created a Zine with The Sick Times, Featured in BioWorld Med Tech, Teen Vogue, CBS Austin - Mask Bans, CBS Austin - Homeless Camping Ban, Texas Observer, Spectrum Local News, YES! Magazine, 48 Hills,
A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast 100% produced by a disabled Covid long hauler. If you'd like to support my work, please check out the following ways you can do so:
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Hello, and welcome to another episode of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast! This week’s guest is Ray, who most long haulers will know from TikTok and Instagram as @rayandstormi. Ray, one of the first long haulers I met in September 2020, has stayed in touch since. A registered nurse and dog trainer, she shared her experience with Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), a chronic, severe facial pain disorder affecting the trigeminal nerve, known as one of the most painful conditions. Ray discussed her brain surgery for TN, her long COVID story, and being bendy friends (hypermobile/EDS).Since this episode was recorded, Ray has been hit by a number of setbacks - the most difficult being when her landlord decided to sell the townhouse she’s been renting for almost a decade. Ray has been a pivotal member of the long covid community from the start, so I really want to bring awareness to the gofundme she created to help her while she faces housing insecurity after her brain surgery:
If you’d rather provide mutual aid to Ray directly, here is her Venmo information: https://venmo.com/u/Rayandstormi
I’m also selling a series of holiday tshirts on my Bonfire shop in honor of Ray, and proceeds will be shared with her:
“Happy Paw-lidays! Cure long covid” features a brown poodle, like the service dog Ray is training, Goose. The pup is wearing a red scarf and earmuffs.
All I Want for Christmas is a Cure for Long Covid design 1 features Santa’s sleigh and reindeerAll I want for Christmas is a Cure for Long Covid design 2 features a cute sloth wearing a red hat and sweater, asleep on a branch adorned with holiday lights: Show more...
Welcome to a special pre-holidays ep of A Friend for the Long Haul! This is just shy of 2.5 hours but full of good chats. Here’s the guest list!
Caryn Zaner (0:01:01) is a clinical psychologist specializing in helping folks with identity & values alignment, anxiety, & group therapy. Find their professional Instagram account here. My obsession with Caryn started with this post on still Coviding and attachment theory. We discuss the stinky onion of grief, lost friendships, & values alignment. We get into setting boundaries - are we asking permission instead of actually setting them? Is it effective to appeal to empathy to “make your case” & or is it a waste of spoons? We dive into how difficult it is to make friends as adults. Caryn talks about the Wednesday night peer support group they facilitate & sends out a call to join a cross-generational queer group they want to start!
Wanda Belisle (0:26:23) is a registered health coach, dealing with ME/CFS for several years & shares her experience to help people with ME & Long Covid pace. I’m not a client of Wanda’s, but I find her posts helpful, & it's refreshing that when she’s in a flare or crash, she shares it . In the ‘wellness’ space that is rare for fear of diminishing returns on a ‘product.’ We discuss pacing during the holidays. The focus is on parenting, but is relevant to all . Wanda explains how she’s saved spoons by asking herself how she wants to feel, talking as a family about what’s important , & how she reviews that. She offers tips on asking for help, delegating, being your own “Santa” & explaining pacing to family. As a gift, Wanda is sharing a pdf guide: Thriving this Season with ME/CFS and Long Covid for free. You can download it here.
Chimére & Tory Sweeney (0:57:54) joined me for a full-length episode, coming out soon. In this excerpt, we discuss what they have planned for the holidays - or - what they DO NOT have planned.
Kathleen Banks (1:02:35) has been working in public health for about 20 years & while we were having a casual conversation about grief (as you do) she mentioned the concentric circles of grief. We about it & it really helped me understand why I get so annoyed when other people put their grief about my illness back on me. We discuss appealing to empathy again, self-compassion (hello Kristen Neff), & touch on identifying your needs - something we’ll talk about in an episode soon. Notes & links from Kathleen: My recent commentary on research priorities for Long COVID, *note for podcast that all my opinions expressed during our interview are mine & do not represent those of any of my affiliations, organizations or co-authors.
Welcome to season 2 episode 9 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast! This week's guest is Dr. David Putrino, Professor of Rehabilitation and Human Performance at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Director of Rehabilitation Innovation for the Mount Sinai Health System was appointed the Nash Family Director of the CoRE - and so many other things. Dr. Putrino and I discussed the onset of the pandemic, its impacts on him and his team (we feel like we’ve aged about 10 years since March 2020), and how the work they did early on influenced their response when patients weren’t getting better. We also talked about how he and his team care for their own mental health, impediments to research, upcoming studies they have planned, and he answered listener questions like “will you adopt me” and my question which was, “how do I set up a PO Box in New York so I can come to the clinic?” 🤣 We also get into ableism, gaslighting, ways we can all best work together, and he answered the same questions I ask everyone at the end of each episode. Thanks, again, to Dr. Putrino for joining me! About an hour after we met, I tested positive for the vid again, which kind of made me feel like I was living in Alanis Morrisette’s “Ironic” video or Bizarro World.
I also want to add - yes, we talk about medical stuff, trauma, and meds and supplements. Just because you hear about those things on this podcast, doesn't mean you should start them. Always discuss everything with your doctor!
Find out more about the Cohen Center for Recovery from Complex Chronic Illnesses (CoRE) here: https://reports.mountsinai.org/article/rehab2024-02-core-center-opens
Follow them on Twitter here (yes, I thrive on spite and still call it Twitter): https://x.com/coresinai The team is putting out amazingly helpful videos on their YouTube channel and you should check it out, because a lot of questions listeners had can be answered by that content: https://www.youtube.com/@coresinai
And, of course, they're on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/coresinai/
You can follow Dr. Putrino on Twitter: https://x.com/PutrinoLab and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/putrino_lab/
Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share A Friend for the Long Haul if you can. And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes.
You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3n0GXLFRWqDJyifglNNM4K?si=7948dbf2222c4392
If you'd like to support this low budget/high love podcast, you can check out my Bonfire shirt for silly long covid apparel: https://www.bonfire.com/store/a-friend-for-the-long-haul/
or my Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3MYBB5G0P7YUD?ref_=wl_share
Thank you for listening!
Welcome to season 2 episode 8 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast! This week I chat with Jaydo, who you probably know from TikTok and Instagram. Jaydo creates videos focused on "Things You Should Know About Covid," and they've been incredibly successful.
In this episode we discuss:
A friendly reminder: This episode is a bit longer than usual at about an hour and a half. Feel free to listen in chunks to preserve your spoons.
You can find Jaydo on TikTok at: https://www.tiktok.com/@JaydoCovid
and on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/jaydocovid/
Here is his linktree
and his YouTube channels: https://www.youtube.com/@JaydoCovid
https://www.youtube.com/@jaydomusic
Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share A Friend for the Long Haul if you can. And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes.
You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3n0GXLFRWqDJyifglNNM4K?si=7948dbf2222c4392
If you'd like to support this low budget/high love podcast, you can check out my Bonfire shirt for silly long covid apparel: https://www.bonfire.com/store/a-friend-for-the-long-haul/
or my Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3MYBB5G0P7YUD?ref_=wl_share
Thanks again for listening!
Welcome to season 2 episode 6 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast! This episode features my friend, Laura Thomas. Laura and I met in an Austin, Texas-based long covid support group, and started talking when she found out that I had moved from Texas because I discovered that my MCAS symptoms improved out of state.
Laura hosts a podcast called Rescued By A Dog, which features stories of dogs saving their people. In this episode, Laura and I discuss:
Find Rescued by a Dog on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0t6XikdERybsS3wwwaJb6j?si=c1654161e4504d1e
And Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rescued-by-a-dog/id1648960693 Support the podcast via Laura's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/RescuedbyaDogPodcast
Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share A Friend for the Long Haul if you can. And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes.
You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3n0GXLFRWqDJyifglNNM4K?si=7948dbf2222c4392
If you'd like to support this low budget/high love podcast, you can check out my Bonfire shirt for silly long covid apparel where I'm raising money for a pro license of Zoom (as of right now, I can only record 30-40 minutes at a time and then we have to hang up and come back. Not great for conversational flow!): https://www.bonfire.com/store/a-friend-for-the-long-haul/
or my Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3MYBB5G0P7YUD?ref_=wl_share
Thanks again for listening!
Welcome to season 2 episode 5 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast. This episode features Lola Germs, a self-described "pandemic communicator + disabled guy w AuDHD + a funky rare genetic disease." We met on Instagram and once we got to talking we realized we share a lot of weird funky health stuff and our life and work trajectories have been similar in a lot of ways. Lola shares information about the pandemic in a way that's inclusive, creative, and accessible - which is not an easy thing to do, especially with such complex information! We talk about what led her to creating her YouTube channel, important things like the warmest socks you can get, the fact that I didn't sweat for almost two years, how illness impacts self-identity, how gratitude can be weird, the confidence required to care for yourself in modern society, and then we venture on to righting the wrongs of the medical industrial complex, her hopes for the future, climate change, the need for popular science communicators, and the future of space travel. I'm an old lady and I was ready to adopt LG by the end of this episode. Truly. I love smart people with hearts like this, and it's a privilege to get to have these conversations!
Find Lola Germs on social media:
Lola's YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@LolaGerms
Instagram - instagram.com/lola.germs
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@lolagerms and LinkTree with resources - https://linktr.ee/lolagerms
Support Lola's work on ko-fi ko-fi.com/lolagerms or by simply subscribing on YouTube and interacting in the comments.
Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share A Friend for the Long Haul if you can. And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes.
You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3n0GXLFRWqDJyifglNNM4K?si=7948dbf2222c4392
If you'd like to support this low budget/high love podcast, you can check out my Bonfire shirt for silly long covid apparel where I'm raising money for a pro license of Zoom (as of right now, I can only record 30-40 minutes at a time and then we have to hang up and come back. Not great for conversational flow!): https://www.bonfire.com/store/a-friend-for-the-long-haul/
or my Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3MYBB5G0P7YUD?ref_=wl_share
...Welcome to season 2 episode 4 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast! Join me for a conversation with Merel and JC. Merel leads the Long Covid Choir, and JC is a member. Discover how this unique community has brought joy and support to those living with the debilitating effects of Long Covid. In this episode, we delve into the origins of the choir, how to join, and what to expect from the weekly sessions. Learn about some support group events and Merel's work with Long Covid Kids groups, and the things that bring us joy. We also discuss our experiences navigating healthcare systems in the US, England, and Norway.
Whether you're living with Long Covid or simply curious about this inspiring community, this episode offers hope, connection, and a glimpse into the power of music.
Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share if you can. And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes.
You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3n0GXLFRWqDJyifglNNM4K?si=7948dbf2222c4392
If you'd like to support this low budget/high love podcast, you can check out my Bonfire shirt for silly long covid apparel where I'm raising money for a pro license of Zoom (as of right now, I can only record 30-40 minutes at a time and then we have to hang up and come back. Not great for conversational flow!): https://www.bonfire.com/store/a-friend-for-the-long-haul/ or my Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3MYBB5G0P7YUD?ref_=wl_share
Welcome to season 2 episode 3 of A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast! In this episode I chat with Jess London. Jess created an app called TurnTo, which curates the latest research, lived experiences, tips, and insights - so you can find new answers in what's called your "daily drop." It is currently live in Cerebral Palsy, Long Covid, ME/CFS, and Parkinson’s. I was on the early release team for the Long Covid/ME app, and Jess and I got on so well from the start, I wanted to chat with her to learn more about her intention for the app. The app is totally free so this isn't some sort of paid promotion - I'm always so curious about how people manage to pull off these endeavors and I genuinely find TurnTo very helpful. I was also very curious about how they could build something like this and offer it at no cost. Jess had ME/CFS and her children have Cerebral Palsy, so this app is a true passion project for her. We discuss the creation of the app, their plans for the future, my amazing ability to name things, Jess's ME/CFS experience, and how the development team works to safeguard the app from those charlatans who work in cahoots (or creepy links, trolls, bullies, false info, and shameless self promotion for profit.)
Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share if you can. And if you're feeling extra generous, leave a review. Your support helps get this in front of more earballs and helps me bring more episodes. You can listen to the A Friend for the Long Haul Long Covid Theme Songs playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3n0GXLFRWqDJyifglNNM4K?si=7948dbf2222c4392
If you'd like to support this low budget/high love podcast, you can check out my Bonfire shirt for silly long covid apparel where I'm raising money for a pro license of Zoom (as of right now, I can only record 30-40 minutes at a time and then we have to hang up and come back. Not great for conversational flow!): https://www.bonfire.com/store/a-friend-for-the-long-haul/ or my amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3MYBB5G0P7YUD?ref_=wl_share
As always, thanks for listening!