Minisode 9: You Are the Expert

Stephanie shares about the transition from ending the clinical trial, starting a pandemic and getting a new progressive hearing loss diagnosis. She shares about the transition from feeling that "maybe" things will turn out fine, to knowing you've got an uphill battle to climb; exploring the experience of watching your world shift in a single appointment, and releasing denial. 

The first in a new mini-series where Stephanie interviews each of the different parent guides on the Hands and Voices of Oregon team! This series will explore hearing loss from each of the different angles of our families, and explore the common threads between us. Turi is the cheerleader and one of the original founders of the Guide by your Side program in Oregon. She shares about her experience raising a deaf child - who is now an adult - and the most important factors to success: Inclusion and community.  Hands and Voices of Oregon: www.handsandvoicesor.org  H&V National: www.handsandvoices.org Why'd They Do That: www.whydtheydothatgame.com Stephanie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanielucas.mft/

Stephanie shares about her own emotions during the clinical trial they completed as a part of CMV research. She discusses how her needle phobia impacted the frequent blood draws, and what she learned about herself and the medical community.  Baby Signing Time Affiliate Link: https://bit.ly/3fmKmg1 Stephanie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanielucas.mft/ For a transcript of this podcast please visit https://stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com Stephanie's email newsletter sign up: https://www.subscribepage.com/f8d8e6

In this episode we talk to Hailey Adkisson about her daughter Juniper who has infantile spasms, a rare and catastrophic form of epilepsy. We discuss the process of making medical decisions, holding onto and losing hope, and carving out a different view of the future for your child. Check out her instagram @growing_juniper Raising awareness during Epilepsy Awareness Month, she is also hosting a fundraiser for Juniper’s intensive treatments this summer. Check out the link here: https://www.bonfire.com/growing-juniper/ More Links: https://www.epilepsy.com https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/types-epilepsy-syndromes/infantile-spasms-west-syndrome https://www.cureepilepsy.org/ https://www.brainrecoveryproject.org/

In this episode Stephanie discusses the process of deciding to enroll Riley in a drug trial for CMV. She explores the emotions related to the cost and the systemic pressures it puts on a family when decisions that could forever alter their child's future are on the line. 

In this episode Stephanie interviews her husband, Grant, about his experience with their daughter's hearing loss diagnosis. They explore together his take on the impact it had on him and their marriage. We discuss the topics of paternal post partum depression, learning to find balance and how to know when things just aren't right. Grant shares about how as a male, he processed his emotions through actions instead of words and learning to be comfortable with reaching out and sharing about his experience. Stephanie recommends the book FedUP by Gemma Hartley to start discussing the topic of emotional labor between a male/female partnerships. Stephanie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanielucas.mft/ For a transcript of this podcast please visit https://stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com Stephanie's email newsletter sign up: https://www.subscribepage.com/f8d8e6

Stephanie talks about her experience with a cascade of stressors when Riley was 6 months old. Returning to work, severe sleep deprivation, weaning, enrollment in an intensive research study, receiving Riley's first hearing aid, postpartum depression and a distant marriage all combined to create a period of difficulty. She talks about the small - and big - steps she took to find her way out, and offers encouragement for others in a dark time as well. 

Stephanie interviews author Krystal Wallick about her experience with her son staying in the NICU with high risk lung complications. She also interviews her husband Andrew Wallick about his experience separately. Both interviews touch on finding ways to care for yourself in difficult moments, encountering bravery and leaning on your partner for support. Krystal discusses how the experience inspired her to write her first book - a lifelong dream - and inspired her daughter to do the same. They do an excellent job expressing the NICU experience during a global pandemic, and how this experience has brought them together as a couple.  Find Krystal on instagram @krystal_wallick_author or on her website www.arithebrave.com Stephanie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanielucas.mft/ For a transcript of this podcast please visit https://stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com Stephanie's email newsletter sign up: https://www.subscribepage.com/f8d8e6

In this minisode Stephanie recaps the different topics and interviews she's covered in the first half of season one, as well as sharing some updates from our guests. Take a listen to make sure you're catching up with the whole team and get excited for what's to come with the Challenge Accepted podcast!

Valli Gideons is a writer, military wife and mom to two teens with hearing loss. She shares about her story raising two young kids with hearing loss, the hard work and high expectations it took to see them thriving now as teens, and finding her own voice as a writer with a story to tell. She has cultivated a community of support on facebook for parents like her, and writes about their hearing loss journey and more on her website www.mybattlecall.com as well as through a children's book co-authored with her daughter, "Now Hear This: Harper Soars With Her Magic Ears". Take a listen to her inspiring journey!  Valli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mybattlecall/ Baby Signing Time Affiliate Link: https://bit.ly/3fmKmg1 Stephanie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanielucas.mft/ For a transcript of this podcast please visit https://stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com Stephanie's email newsletter sign up: https://www.subscribepage.com/f8d8e6