Welcome to the Calling in Sick, hosted by Alex Wildeson and produced by Just Media. On this podcast, Alex shares her unfiltered personal journey battling several autoimmune and chronic conditions including Polyarteritis Nodosa (PAN) Vasculitis, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) / Lupus, Endometriosis, and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). She also provides practical “how-to” guides, explores hot topics, and welcomes other warriors, medical professionals, advocates and creators on the show to shed light on the latest healing modalities, promising treatments, and myth bust popular misconceptions and trendy health hacks. Tune in for some laughs, tears, and growth… but stay for the camaraderie and community. You can engage with Alex and the community through social media @callinginsickpod. We promise, you don’t need a doctor’s note for this one!
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Welcome to the Calling in Sick, hosted by Alex Wildeson and produced by Just Media. On this podcast, Alex shares her unfiltered personal journey battling several autoimmune and chronic conditions including Polyarteritis Nodosa (PAN) Vasculitis, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) / Lupus, Endometriosis, and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). She also provides practical “how-to” guides, explores hot topics, and welcomes other warriors, medical professionals, advocates and creators on the show to shed light on the latest healing modalities, promising treatments, and myth bust popular misconceptions and trendy health hacks. Tune in for some laughs, tears, and growth… but stay for the camaraderie and community. You can engage with Alex and the community through social media @callinginsickpod. We promise, you don’t need a doctor’s note for this one!
Too Sick for School, Too Sick for Fun? Chronic Illness Guilt and the Rebellion of Joy
Calling In Sick
31 minutes
4 months ago
Too Sick for School, Too Sick for Fun? Chronic Illness Guilt and the Rebellion of Joy
I’m back on the mic this week after a little solo pod pause — and I’m kicking things off with something I’ve been thinking about (and living) a lot lately: joy guilt.
You know that old rule: “If you’re too sick to go to school, you’re too sick to have fun?” Yeah, that one. Turns out, it doesn’t translate to life with chronic illness. But we still carry it — and it quietly shapes how we see ourselves, how we mask, and how we justify joy when we’re supposed to be struggling.
In this episode, I dig into:
💭 Why we fear being seen laughing or “doing too well”
😰 The guilt spiral when symptoms shift — and the fear of not being believed
🎭 How chronic illness can force us to perform misery to protect our empathy
🔥 The lies we were taught about rest, pain, and productivity
🩵 And the truth: Joy is not a betrayal. It’s part of the healing
You don’t need to earn your joy. You don’t have to be falling apart to rest. You are not required to apologize for your life, your sparkle, or your softness. So f*@k it — I’m having fun. And I hope you will too.
Thanks for Calling in Sick with me 💛
xx,
Alex
💬 Comment : Have you ever felt like you had to downplay your joy just to be taken seriously?
TIMESTAMPS:
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling In Sick! (Baby I’m Back for a SOLO!!)
00:02:55 Alex Life Updates!
00:4:08 Alex’s Picks of the Week! (discount code & links below)
00:6:12 Why does having fun feel WRONG when you’re chronically sick?!
00:11:02 How to shed the guilt we feel when we have fun!
00:14:16 Why it’s important to live a full life, in my humble opinion ;)
00:15:42 My number one tip for spending happy spoons!!
00:19:40 One Brain Cell TV: Conan O’Brian Award Ceremony
00:22:22 LOVE YOU GUYS!
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Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/
Alex’s Picks of the Week:
✨Ursa Major’s Facial Wipes — https://go.shopmy.us/p-19427967
✨Oliva Flora’s Entire Face Care Set — https://go.shopmy.us/p-19668471
———- callinginsick10 for 10% off at checkout!
#podcast #podcastclips #ChronicIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicPain #ChronicFatigue #SpoonieLife #HealthJourney #CallingInSick #SpoonieSupport #ChronicIllnessAwareness #MedicalJourney #DisabilityAwareness #SurvivalMode #IdentityShift #medicalgaslighting #womenshealth #selfadvocacy #medicalbias #vasculitis #mixedconnectivetissuedisease #ibd #irritableboweldisease #trauma #ptsd #mentalhealthmatters #findjoy #glimmers #guiltforjoy
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Calling In Sick
Welcome to the Calling in Sick, hosted by Alex Wildeson and produced by Just Media. On this podcast, Alex shares her unfiltered personal journey battling several autoimmune and chronic conditions including Polyarteritis Nodosa (PAN) Vasculitis, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) / Lupus, Endometriosis, and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). She also provides practical “how-to” guides, explores hot topics, and welcomes other warriors, medical professionals, advocates and creators on the show to shed light on the latest healing modalities, promising treatments, and myth bust popular misconceptions and trendy health hacks. Tune in for some laughs, tears, and growth… but stay for the camaraderie and community. You can engage with Alex and the community through social media @callinginsickpod. We promise, you don’t need a doctor’s note for this one!
