Send us a text After a run of amazing guests I find myself alone on the podcast today, I wanted to talk about the impact the past, present and future has on every day. A memory popped up on my social media, a picture of me pre Long Covid. I looked at the picture and remembered, it was a beautiful day, the fun I had with a good friend, the good food and drink, the laughs we had, and then I went off to the gym, and that was the selfie that I had captured, the picture evoked such strong feelings, m...
Jul 23, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 76
Send us a text In this episode of the podcast I talk with guest Rachel Jessey who is the owner of BeNourished. Rachel has been in clinical practice for 13 years and over the last 3 years has been heavily involved in the long covid space. Rachel talks about how her interest developed in the oral, nasal and gut microbiome, and how her son was effected after being hospitalised with sepsis. Rachel discusses how the various species within the gut microbiome have important functions within the body an...
Jul 16, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 76
Send us a text In this episode of the podcast I am please to have another great guest join me, Reema Ahmad is a Neuro linguistics programming (NLP), trauma and relationship counsellor and also a life coach. Reema is also an author of the book; un-parenting: sharing awkward truths with curious kids and a two time guest for Ted talks. Reema has long covid, and talks openly with me on this episode, about her experience of having Long Covid in India. Reema is the sister of the fantastic, Dr Asad Kha...
Jul 09, 2023•41 min•Season 1Ep. 74
Send us a text In this episode of the podcast I was lucky enough to chat with Gez Medinger, I appreciate Gez being a guest on this episode and sharing elements of his own Long Covid journey and much more. Those who are familiar with Gez will know he has done a great deal for the Long Covid /MECFS community, using his YouTube channel to raise awareness, while participating and leading on research and providing educational videos on Long Covid and post viral conditions . Gez has interviewed and wo...
Jul 02, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 73
Send us a text On this episode of the podcast I am grateful to welcome guest Dr Sarah Glynne. Many of you have contacted me regarding hormones and the peri menopause/menopause, asking if this is a subject I could cover along with an expert, so I am positive this is going to be a useful and interesting podcast to many of you. Dr Glynne and I discuss the link between covid 19 and hormone imbalance, we talk about the disruption in menstrual cycle and the onset of peri menopause and the menopause. T...
Jun 25, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 72
Send us a text In this episode of the podcast I discuss making peace with a long term condition, how do you do that? have I made peace with mine? Why is making peace important, what value does that bring to your life? I discuss my feelings, my anger towards the Government the NHS and the psychologising of Long Covid, and how making peace with a long term condition does not mean accepting those things. I explain how peace can bring a better quality of life, living in the moment of where we are ri...
Jun 18, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 71
Send us a text On this episode of the podcast I discuss my Long Covid treatment and medical professional input from acute covid to the treatment I am having to date. I started treatment 6 months ago and I explain more about this and reflect upon my journey to getting to this point. Like many I have been unable to access any appropriate treatment or medical professional input via the NHS, this does seem to be a postcode lottery and Long Covid clinics I am advised more often then not are not fit f...
Jun 11, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 70
Send us a text On this episode of the podcast I discuss rest and restorative rest, what is the difference. Did you know that there are 7 types of rest? I didn't! well, definitely not pre Long Covid. I didn't understand what restorative rest was never mind the varying types that we need to maintain equilibrium. I talk about how many of us spend so much time burning energy but not restoring that energy, minds working overtime, screen time, overworking ourselves, physically, mentally or emotionally...
Jun 04, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 69
Send us a text On this episode, I have a lovely guest, Shannon is a secondary school teacher from Perth, Western Australia. Shannon was working in an Australian university when she fell under the government vaccine mandate during the pandemic. Subsequently Shannon had an adverse reaction to the vaccine, and for the last 14 months has been living with vaccine injury induced Long Covid. Shannon has had to give up her dream job, losing her work contracts and permanent job role. Shannon has a two ye...
May 28, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 68
Send us a text On this episode I am fortunate to have a guest; David Osborn is a health and safety consultant. David specialist area is hazardous substances, he became involved with health and safety concerned with the pandemic in January 2021, in the middle of the second wave, David is involved with the covid public inquiry through being a member of the Covid airborne transmission alliance (CATA). David and I talk about PPE (personal protective equipment) what this is and what it is not, the di...
May 21, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 67
Send us a text It is a privilege to have a guest join me on the podcast; Oonagh Cousins is a professional athlete living with Long Covid. Oonagh made the difficult decision during Christmas 2022 to retire from her rowing career and from her place on the British rowing team. Oonagh talks openly with me about her journey with Long Covid, the impact of her symptoms and trying to rehab with her old club ULBC before rejoining the British rowing team in September 2020. We talk about the sterotypes of ...
May 14, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 66
Send us a text On this episode of the podcast I discuss the term "brain fog" and if this is appropriate when talking about neurological impairment in Long Covid. I discuss research and two papers which explain neurological complications with Long Covid and other post viral conditions. Cognitive dysfunction is scary, experiencing the loss of words, forgetting full conversations, moments in your life. Cognitive dysfunction effects many of our systems and evokes a multitude of associated symptoms. ...
May 07, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 65
Send us a text This episode of the podcast was difficult to record. I worked so hard to achieve my nursing qualification with the aim to work and look after patients within the NHS. I had aspirations, aims to continuously develop my nursing knowledge and experience. To deliver optimum care and support to patients and their families. Facing a pandemic may have been unprecedented times however this does not excuse the ill prepared approach that was undertaken from the onset. The risk placed upon s...
Apr 30, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 64
Send us a text On this episode of the podcast, I had the pleasure of talking with the founder and CEO of The Visible App, Harry Leeming. If you haven’t downloaded the app the link is below, after listening to the podcast I am sure you will want to have this useful tool. Harry explains the app, how it monitors the HRV (heart rate variability) and HR (heart rate) along with self reported information. The app can then provide information and a pattern which can support you to understand when the bo...
Apr 23, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 63
Send us a text In this episode of the podcast I had the honour of speaking with Dr Asad Khan. Dr Khan talks openly about his own experience of Long Covid, the treatment he has had, the gaslighting experienced, subsequent diagnosis of MCAS, POTS and pericarditis. Dr Khan explains the treatments he has had to date and how he has had to travel to access these treatments as we are not undertaking these in the UK. This has been undertaken privately and Dr Khan acknowledges how not everyone can afford...
Apr 16, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 62
Send us a text On this episode I talk about how I try and see light in the darkest of times. It is often a lonely and scary place to be when we are going through a dark time of our lives. It can be difficult or impossible to come out of that dark place. We can forget, loss is grief and grief has many stages and manifests differently for each person. We also forget that grief is not just the loss of someone human or pet (which is a very difficult time and I am not undermining this) but it is any ...
Apr 09, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 61
Send us a text In today's episode of the podcast I am lucky to have a brilliant guest; Emily Bland is a clinical physiologist and POTS and Fatigue Specialist. Emily and I discuss her own journey with POTS, ME/CFS and endometriosis and how this has led to Emily taking her career path and studying over many years to specialise in this area. Emily is focussed on holistic person centred care and the individualised approach to supporting people with their condition(s) and accompanying symptoms. Emily...
Apr 02, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 60
Send us a text This episode of the podcast follows on from the last where I talked about Post exertional malaise (PEM), I talk on the subject of crashes. I have found the cycle of crashing and relapsing (boom and bust) very difficult. In the early days I found crashing challenging to deal with or to understand, I have pushed many times causing PEM and crashes. I did not initially understand what was happening. I was just trying to push through with the aim of getting back to my old self, my old ...
Mar 26, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Send us a text This episode considers PEM/PESE why is it so difficult to understand, manage and avoid? I discuss what PEM/PESE is and how is triggered and what that means to daily life. I have spoken with many people who find they struggle to manage PEM as they can't understand what it is and what it does to the body. I have struggled with this myself as it seems to be able to occur with no reason. PEM is triggered from exceeding the energy envelope which can be due to physical, emotional or men...
Mar 19, 2023•37 min
Send us a text On this episode of the podcast I am talking about a very simple question, most people ask most days "how are you?" Such a simple 3 little words, so why do they fill me with dread? Simply put I don't know how to answer this anymore, I feel it is a reflex question that goes, "how are you?, "I am fine thank you, how are you?" and I am not ok, so I can't bring myself to say that I am. I have noted if I have ever said, 'I am fine thank you" the response when I see a person another time...
Mar 12, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 57
Send us a text In this episode of the podcast I thought it would be useful to discuss planning and preparing for a return to work. I wanted to share my lived experience of returning to work and what process needs to be considered and completed prior to returning to work. I tried to fumble through the process of returning to work after an extensive period of time off, and with a long term condition/disability. This in itself is hard work, so I thought this would be a useful podcast. I have also c...
Mar 05, 2023•32 min
Send us a text I have another inspirational guest on the podcast today. Emma is a nurse who has Long Covid with multiple organ damage. Emma lost her NHS job and experienced gaslighting at a time when she needed medical professional help and support the most. Suffering an inability to take care of herself and having bedsores among the multitude of symptoms Emma is living with. Emma advises her and her husband where married only 6 months prior to the pandemic, they both had covid and Long Covid an...
Feb 26, 2023•36 min
Send us a text In this episode of the podcast I talk about relationships "in sickness and in health". I discuss how chronic illness/disability can impact on relationships, this does not just come down to a partner, it includes relationships with family, friends, colleagues and most importantly the relationship with yourself. I reflect on friendships and relationships, the good and bad times and how the moments in time shape who we are, however life does move on and relationships do not always ma...
Feb 19, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 54
Send us a text On this episode I have a guest, Kerry is a fellow nurse and advocate for Long Covid. A founding and current member of LCNMUK (Long Covid, Nurses and Midwives UK). Kerry and I discuss the impact of Long Covid, the varying symptoms and how these effect everyday life. Kerry explains she initially had over 30 symptoms, ranging from body rashes, temperatures to cognitive and speech issues. We discuss gaslighting and also the positive professional support Kerry has received. We also dis...
Feb 12, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Send us a text In this episode I talk with Heidi Baseler neuroscientist at the university of York in the Hull York medical school. We talk about the brain, micro clots research and Long Covid. How these could be acutely and chronically effecting the brain. The symptom overlap with ME/CFS and other post viral conditions. Heidi discusses a research/study paper that she has had published "The negative impact of covid 19 on working memory revealed using a rapid online quiz" what the findings are, an...
Feb 05, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 52
Send us a text This is an extra podcast ahead of the Panorama podcast this evening 'Forgotten Heroes of the Covid Front Line. I am lucky to have a special guest Rachel, founder along with her friends and colleagues, Cass and Sarah of the Keyworker petition group. If you haven't signed the petition yet, please do, you will find the link below. Rachel and her family feature in the panorama program, we talk about Rachel's journey, why she is advocation for Long Covid. The impact of living with Long...
Jan 30, 2023•39 min0
Send us a text In this episode I talk about symptom overlap with other conditions. What is what? this can be so confusing and cause symptoms to not be investigated or afforded any potential treatment. I specifically look at Long Covid, peri-menopause, menopause, Testosterone and POTS. I explore some of the research and guidance relation to these conditions and Long Covid. I explain how I worked out I had POTS and subsequently had tests and was diagnosed, I may not have had this diagnosis had I n...
Jan 29, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 51
Send us a text This is episode 50! I can't quite believe it, however it has inspired me to record this episode "The journey so far!" I never thought I would be podcasting, and definitely not while trying to navigate a newly diagnosed chronic condition. It has been quite a journey which continues to be like an out of control rollercoaster. I have learnt a lot throughout my Long Covid journey about all elements of my life. This has been heartbreaking, frustrating, disappointing and painful but als...
Jan 22, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 50
Send us a text I never thought I would need to get to know myself, or a new version of me due to the impact of a long term condition. In this episode I talk about how living with Long Covid and POTS has changed how I see myself, how the physical impact has changed or limited the things I use to do and/or enjoy. I talk about reflecting upon myself and times when I have not recognised the person in the mirror. I reflect on how this effects relationships, confidence and the person I once felt I wea...
Jan 15, 2023•27 min
Send us a text This episode is part two of my return to work journey. We have had the Christmas break and I took some annual leave. I was on week 6 of my return to work journey before the Christmas break. I had built up to 7 hours of work per week at this point. I was doing 3.5 hours over two days. I discuss the difficulty of returning to work, factors to consider and provide my top 10 tips for starting a return to work process. I have included some links to employment support services below. Co...
Jan 08, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 48
