It’s the final Tuesday of the month which means it’s time for a That’s So episode! A chance to chat about a piece of content that’s in our That’s So Chronic world. Today, we’re chatting about the feature documentary Designer $hit directed by Saffron Cassaday.  In Designer $hit, director Saffron Cassaday, who has suffered from ulcerative colitis for nearly a decade, sets off on a journey to determine whether FMT (or fecal microbiota transplant) could potentially cure her of this disease....

Happy Tuesday! When I was passing through London, UK in July I was able to sit down and chat with Miranda Allen about her diagnosis of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)  In this episode, Miranda looks back with hindsight and explains where it’s possible her symptoms began, the years of not really knowing what was going on, how she got a diagnosis, what on earth ME even is, her day to day symptoms, how she manages them and her latest creative endeavours. Some of...

Welcome back to That’s So Chronic! Today - in the middle of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe - I was able to sit down with comedian Markus Birdman, to chat about his experience of having two strokes, as well as living with a diagnosis of homonymous hemianopia. In this episode Markus explains how it it felt for him going through stroke number one and then stroke number two ten years later, what happens after you arrive at the hospital, how he navigates living with 50% eyesight, and the...

Welcome back to That’s So Chronic! It’s the final Tuesday of the month which means it’s time for a That’s So episode, where we chat about something that’s in our That’s So Chronic world.  Today, we’re chatting about The Surgeons’ Hall Museums and the Blood & Guts: The Twists and Turns of Edinburgh’s Medical History Walking Tour that I was able to check out while I was in Edinburgh, Scotland during August.  Here are all of the links… MedCrimes podcast episode: S1Ep24: Burke and...

Welcome to That’s So Chronic!. Today I am chatting to psychiatrist, comedian, and author Dr Jo Prendergast about her diagnosis of breast cancer, as well as her latest book When Life Sucks.  In this episode, Jo talks us through her breast cancer diagnosis and what happened next. We chat about the amount of decisions you have to make after a diagnosis, the stark differences between public vs private health care here in New Zealand, and I have a revelation about life insurance. We also...

Welcome back to That's So Chronic! Today I am joined by Dr Saimun Singla and we are discussing her diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis as well as her work as a paediatric rheumatologist and integrative medicine physician.  In this episode, Dr Saimun shares her story of working for years in rheumatology and then going through her own rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis process. We chat about how she felt suddenly becoming a patient of her own expertise, how she manages her symptoms, the art of...

Welcome to That's So Chronic. It’s the final Tuesday of the month, which means it’s time for another That’s So episode. Today I am chatting to Olivia Shivas, the editor of The D*List - the home of disability culture in Aotearoa. The D*List is an online culture magazine that creates space for disabled people to tell their own stories through features, columns and news reporting. It’s quickly becoming one of my favourite places on the internet… so I was very excited to chat to Olivia!  In...

Today I am chatting to Nick Allen who is living with a diagnosis of functional neurological disorder (FND) and fibromyalgia. However, this was not always the case… In this episode Nick talks us through the long process of initially being diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis, and the lifestyle changes that he implemented to manage his condition (one of these being the overcoming MS lifestyle). Nick then explains the adventure he eventually embarks on in the Himalayas, which...

It’s my favourite day of the week again! Welcome back to That’s So Chronic! Today’s episode is with Audrey Zannese and we are discussing her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). In this episode Audrey opens up about how in denial she was when she first heard that her symptoms might be MS, and then the journey it took for her to make the decision to begin treatment. She also talks us through the practice of sophrology - a mind body practice that is extremely popular in France and other...

Welcome to That’s So Chronic! Today I am chatting to Sophie Ricketts, and she talks us through a hymenectomy surgery that she had while she was at drama school. In this episode Sophie explains the process of discovering that she had a thick hymen, which involves several people telling her “she wasn’t ready” for sex, a gut feeling that wasn’t initially followed through, and a gynaecologist drawing a picture. This diagnosis resulted in a hymenectomy, a surgery that removes a part of the...

Welcome back to That’s So Chronic! Today’s episode is with Dr Kara Wada, MD, and we are discussing her diagnosis of Sjogren’s syndrome and her work as an allergist, immunologist, and lifestyle medicine physician.  In this episode Dr Kara shares her diagnosis story, as well as the symptoms that - with hindsight - are also pieces of the Sjogren's puzzle. She explains what Sjogren’s is (spoiler: it isn’t the name of a table at IKEA), her symptoms, and how she manages them. This leads us...

Welcome back to That’s So Chronic. It's the final Tuesday of the month, so we take a break from regular interviews. For today’s Spotlight On episode, I’m chatting to pain researcher and sole Survivor, Dr Hayley Leake. In this episode Hayley chats about the pain research work that she is working on, her PhD, what excites her about the future of pain research, and of course, we chat about how she was able to incorporate her knowledge in pain science to play (and ultimately win!) Survivor...

Welcome back to That’s So Chronic! Today’s episode is with Elizabeth, and we are chatting about her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS).  In this episode Elizabeth shares the diagnosis process that eventuated after a bout of optic neuritis, how she felt when her symptoms had a name, her management plan including diet and Natalizumab/Tysabri infusions, and why she felt inspired to share her story today.  This episode feels extra special, because what you will soon learn throughout the...

Yay! It’s Tuesday! Which means a brand new episode of That’s So Chronic! Today’s episode is with Ruby Quinn, and we are chatting about her diagnosis of ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome), endometriosis, and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).  In this episode, Ruby starts by sharing her story of her ME/CFS diagnosis, and takes us through how she got a diagnosis amongst lockdowns, she describes her symptoms and how she manages them, as well as...

Ahhhh!!!! WE’RE BACK! BRAND NEW EPISODES! Sorry for shouting but I’m SO EXCITED! Welcome back! Today’s episode is with Allie Sharples, and we are chatting about her diagnosis of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), as well as being born with a cleft lip and palate.  In this episode, Allie takes us all the way back to the beginning and explains the countless surgeries that she went through up until the age of 19. She then talks us through how even though she swore...

Welcome to That's So Chronic (or if you're a long time listener, welcome back!) a weekly podcast where Jess Brien (@jessssbrien) interviews people from around the world who are thriving - and sometimes only just surviving - with chronic illnesses, life changing injuries, and potentially disastrous diagnoses... all while having a laugh along the way. You can expect new patient stories every Tuesday, and on the final Tuesday of the month, we chat about anything and everything that's in our...

It’s the final Tuesday of the month which means a That’s So episode! Today I am chatting about Dr Paul Biegler’s latest book Why Does It Still Hurt? Throughout the book Paul begins to unpack the reasons behind why it might still be hurting, using his own chronic pain journey, as well as other patients’ stories, and interviews with some of the top pain researchers, scientists and doctors in the world. In this episode, I sit down with Paul, and we talk about his process of creating the...

Welcome back to That’s So Chronic! Today, after a couple of technical difficulties, I’m joined by singer songwriter Annie Vander, and we’re talking all about her diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) In this episode Annie shares the accident that subsequently changed the course of her career, the diagnosis process, her definition of CRPS, how she manages her symptoms, the inspiration behind her latest single Falling Into Nashville and I learn about an amazing therapy technique...

Welcome to That’s So Chronic! Today’s episode is with Natasha Godetz, and we are chatting about her diagnosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis and the journey that led her to a double hip replacement.  In this episode, Natasha explains what it was like receiving a diagnosis when she was 10 years old, the effects university had on her health, the ups and downs of moving overseas and exploring the world on immunosuppressants (which side note does involve shingles, strep throat, a parasite,...

YAY! We’re BACK! Thank you for being so patient while I took a break for the summer holidays here in NZ!  Today’s episode is with Shana Pereira, and we are discussing her heart and kidney transplant, and honestly, at times you will think it is actually the plot of a movie... But more on that towards the end of the episode! In this episode Shana talks us through her story that starts on Christmas eve 2015, how she felt when she discovered that her kidneys were failing, how the organ...

Hello! Here is a sneaky lil bonus episode to finish the year! A 2022 That’s So Chronic wrapped episode, if you will!  I thought why not lean into the end of year vibes, and share 22 moments that have made up my (and the pod’s!) 2022. These are mostly highlights and achievements that feel fun to celebrate, with some challenging aspects thrown in too. If you would like to support the work I do here at That’s So Chronic by “shouting a coffee” you can do that here:...

It’s the final (regular) That’s So Chronic episode of the year! How is that even possible!? Seeing as it’s the final Tuesday of the month it’s a That’s So episode. Today we are chatting about the two latest films to be released on Netflix all about serial killer Charles Cullen. It is of course The Good Nurse and Capturing The Killer Nurse   …and I have got a lot of fun facts to share with you all!!! The Good Nurse is directed by Tobias Lindholm and stars Jessica Chastain and Eddie...

Happy Tuesday! Welcome to That’s So Chronic. Today’s episode is with Olivia, who shares her journey navigating symptoms and trying to find a diagnosis. Olivia has been diagnosed with ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome) but refers to that as a blanket diagnosis that doesn’t really explain the full picture. In this episode Olivia talks us through her symptoms that started about a year ago, how her medical team arrived at the diagnosis of ME/CFS, how she feels when she...

Welcome back to That’s So Chronic! Today’s episode is with Monica Foster, and we are talking about her diagnosis of cushing’s disease (hypercortisolism).  In this episode Monica shares her diagnosis journey, the ups and downs that came with countless tests from various different medical professionals, the decision to go through with brain surgery for the tumours on her pituitary gland, an expensive medication, travelling to different places for these treatments, and how she’s feeling after...