Lifespan: Stories of Illness, Accident, and Recovery

Latest Episodes:

"Living With Chronic Illness" Dec 10, 2018

Show notes

Chronic illness is, by definition, treatable but not curable. In this episode of Lifespan, Jennifer Grayson describes her struggle, beginning in high school, with unexplained symptoms. Emily Abel talks about her experience with post-cancer fatigue. Mary Ellen Croteau explains how a chronic respiratory condition impacted her work as an artist. Katy Kropf, a family physician, listens to their stories and discusses the difficulty of treating chronic illnesses and how patient/physician communication shapes treatment.

"A Difficult Diagnosis" Nov 12, 2018

Show notes

Sudden, catastrophic illnesses often perplex doctors and terrify patients. In Doug Mann’s case, doctors at multiple medical centers could not figure out why he was experiencing a rapidly spreading paralysis in his legs. Months passed before he received a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

"Breastfeeding Today" Oct 08, 2018

Show notes

We hear it all the time: “breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world.” But as you’ll learn from these stories, today’s breastfeeding mothers are running into difficulties. Sarah Rubin had been prepared to battle the medicalization of birth but had not anticipated the medicalization of breastfeeding. Clare Chambers was unprepared for sleep deprivation. Lauren Hill thought her job as a nurse had prepared her to breastfeed. But, she reported, “Things were really rocky at the beginning.” Michele Biddlestone, an international board certified lactation consultant, sympathizes with their experiences and describes the unique contemporary pressures faced by breastfeeding mothers.

"An Accident" Sep 10, 2018

Show notes

When Steve Miner was 18 years old, he fell 150 feet off a cliff in Northern California. He tells his story.

Coming Soon : Lifespan Apr 02, 2018

Show notes

On Lifespan, you’ll hear stories about encounters with the health care system. Each show contains stories bound by a common theme: chronic illness, substance abuse, end-of-life care—the topics will keep coming. The stories are deeply personal. Some suggest the best approaches to handling or treating an illness. Other stories simply reflect on an illness after it’s over or contain lessons on how best to communicate with physicians. Even when multiple people are describing their experience with the same disease or condition or treatment, each account is unique.

If the subject of this podcast interests you, please subscribe to Lifespan wherever you access your podcasts. You can also listen to Lifespan at WOUB.org/listen.