Behind Diagnoses: Patients - E5: Ulcerative Colitis ft. Myisha Malone-King

On this episode of "Behind Diagnoses: Patients", a Peer Med Podcast special series we hear from Dafina Malovska, who was diagnosed with a gluten disorder when she really had Uterine Cancer. The only option to save her life was to have a total hysterectomy which meant the removal of her uterus and both ovaries. Womb cancer deprived her of having her own children. and placed her into immediate surgical menopause after the operation.  Now, she's become a powerful patient advocate that wants to change the face of healthcare in order to ensure more and greater access for care, screening, follow up and more for Female-Assigned at Birth people in the United Kingdom.  Be sure to subscribe to the Peer Med Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Follow the Peer  Med Podcast on Instagram @peermedpodcast for more patient stories, disease and inspiring eye-opening content!  Follow Dafina on Instagram: @dafimalov and sign her petition at https://www.change.org/checkMEupUK.  #checkmeup #peermedpodcast  

On this episode of the Behind Diagnoses: Patients, a Peer Med Podcast special series we welcome Angela Deeds. She was diagnosed with gastroparesis and has been living with a chronic illness for almost twenty years, both as a minor and now as an adult, learning how to navigate in a world & health care system that often create barriers to adequate care and quality of life. She is from Virginia and has a bachelor's degree in Political Science & a master's degree in Early Childhood Special Education. She has worked as an early childhood assistant, early childhood special education teacher, caregiver, and a myriad of other jobs along the way. Since the onset of her gastroparesis about three years ago, she spends her time reading, walking, painting, crafting, and Hallmark movies. She is learning how to adapt to this new way of life that gastroparesis has given her and searching for the moments of hope still in everyday life.  Be sure to subscribe to the Peer Med Podcast on Apply Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Follow the Peer Med Podcast on Instagram: @peermedpodcast for more patient stories, diseases, and eye-opening content. Follow Angela Deeds on Instagram: @hopes.still.here

On this episode of "Behind Diagnoses: Patients", a Peer Med Podcast special series we hear from CJ Walker, a wife and mom of three living with type 2 diabetes since 2019. She is a fervent advocate for chronic illness and diabetes. She is the author of The Genetic Diabetic Blog and serves as a moderator and contributor to the Type2Diabetes.com community.  She’s also an ambassador and influencer for the American Diabetes Association, Blue Circle Voices network, Chronic Disease Coalition, and Healthline Diabetic App Community. CJ is also an active member in DiabetesSisters, the Virginia Diabetes Council, Beyond Type 2 and The Mighty communities. CJ believes that by sharing her journey, she hopes to inspire others and educate them about diabetes so they can get tested for their A1C levels and insulin levels, as well as find out if they are genetically predisposed to it. If one person could benefit from her story, then she knows that the journey was worth it.  Be sure to subscribe to the Peer Med Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Follow the Peer  Med Podcast on Instagram @peermedpodcast for more patient stories, disease and inspiring eye-opening content!  Follow CJ Walker on Instagram: @judiesdream 

On this episode of "Behind Diagnoses: Patients", a Peer Med Podcast special series we hear from Alexa, from Winnipeg, Canada. She has Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a rare and genetic condition that affects the respiratory and digestive systems. Alexa has received a lung transplant (and suffered a stroke during the transplant), and she also runs an Instagram where she shares educational content AND her story! She shares her insight as someone with a rare disease and as a young professional. Be sure to subscribe to the Peer Med Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Follow the Peer  Med Podcast on Instagram @peermedpodcast for more patient stories, disease and inspiring eye-opening content!  Follow Alexa on Instagram: @chronic.insights 

On this episode of "Behind Diagnoses: Patients", a Peer Med Podcast special series we hear from Sarah Lippett, a UK based artist and author. Her first graphic novel, Stan and Nan, won the Quentin Blake Prize for Best Narrative at the Royal College of Art and was published in 2016 by Jonathan Cape, becoming a Guardian bestseller and 2016 Book of the Year.  Her latest autobiographical work, A Puff of Smoke was published by Jonathan Cape in November 2019 and was supported by an Arts Council England Literary grant. The memoir became an Observer graphic novel of the month, a Guardian graphic novel of 2019, and received accolades from the Herald, It’s Nice That and Eye On Design.  Alongside her long form works, Lippett has also created socio-political reportage comics focused on the stories of diverse communities in locations across the UK and abroad. She lectures in Illustration at the University of Edinburgh, and delivers talks on her practice to a variety of audiences both in the UK and internationally. Be sure to subscribe to the Peer Med Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Follow the Peer  Med Podcast on Instagram @peermedpodcast for more patient stories, disease and inspiring eye-opening content!  Follow Sarah on Instagram: @crayonlegs or check out her website at: www.crayonlegs.com 

On this episode of "Behind Diagnoses: Patients", a Peer Med Podcast special series we hear from Morgan Lewis, also known as Mo. is a Chicago native, now NJ resident for 20+ years, a terrible singer, and mother to 2 amazing children. She currently works as an administrative assistant with a degree in Applied Sciences in Massage Therapy from The Swedish Institute in New York that was received in 2009.  In 2019, she began a new job and shortly after became very ill. She was unable to turn her head, blinding headaches, blurred vision, and extreme nausea. She went to the ER, and after hours of tests, (including her first spinal tap), was diagnosed with Hydrocephalus (Pseudotumor Cerebri). After numerous spinal taps and months of medications, in October 2020 she underwent her first shunt placement. The surgery itself was fairly easy, but the recovery was anything but. She was discharged with a walker, and began having seizures throughout the day, and was advised that the seizures were due to "stress" and diagnosed as "pseudo seizures". Many tests were to follow, but the prior symptoms began to settle in, including slight vision loss. The thing that doctors fail to tell you about is the emotional toll all of this takes on their patients. How difficult, painful, and at times unrecognizable recovery can be. How recovery can have good and bad days... How you have to learn the new body you're in and it's adjustments to even the smallest tasks... How to make peace with the old and now the new. It wasn't until she reached out to the community around her (Facebook groups, non-profit organizations, therapy) that she was able to make the breakthrough in her treatment and receive the care she needed.  Be sure to subscribe to the Peer Med Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Follow the Peer  Med Podcast on Instagram @peermedpodcast for more patient stories, disease and inspiring eye-opening content!  Follow Morgan @iammolewis 

On this episode of "Behind Diagnoses: Patients", a Peer Med Podcast special series we hear from Kaitlin Kerr, a disabled artist and advocate. She holds degrees in English Literature, Nursing, and Nursing leadership (MSN, RN). She had to leave the profession after her disabilities progressed several years ago. Kaitlin lives with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn’s Disease, pudendal neuralgia, Interstitial Cystitis, adenomyosis, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, and dysautonomia, among other disabilities. On her better days, Kaitlin focuses on running a Shakespearean theatre company with her partner, Jonathan. She is also a published poet, as well as an actor and model. Kaitlin serves on several committees and teams for organizations working toward more equitable healthcare and disability justice, such as the Outreach & Media Specialist for Faith Above My Ability (a nonprofit that educates, advocates, and creates change surrounding issues of access and equality for people with disabilities so that they can live their most empowered lives),  Be sure to subscribe to the Peer Med Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Follow the Peer  Med Podcast on Instagram @peermedpodcast for more patient stories, disease and inspiring eye-opening content!  Follow Kaitlin on Instagram: @kaitlin_kerr_art & @kkerr11 

Dear Friends of the Peer Med Podcast! We are delighted to be releasing the latest series of the Peer Med Podcast: “Behind Diagnoses: Patients” This series features the voices of patients, advocates and those with chronic illnesses all coming together to speak about the ups and downs of our healthcare system! Our Trailer is available on YouTube and on Instagram Video! “Behind Diagnoses: Patients” depicts the cold harshness and professionalism of healthcare professionals as well as their genuine work to solve health issues to the emotional side of patients, their voices, journeys and the impact of social determinants such as racism, stigma, shame, discrimination, sexism + more and how they in the end have to live their life with diagnoses. It serves as an eye-opener to health professionals, a message of hope for patients and as a reminder of those in our world for the general public! We all have so much to learn from and with each other! Join us in listening to the patients and their voices on the series! #risingyouth #peermedpodcast #behinddiagnoses #patients #behinddiagnosespatients #pmfbehinddiagnosespatients

On this episode of "Behind Diagnoses: Patients", a Peer Med Podcast  special series we hear from Myisha Malone-King. aka Harley Quinn is a wife, mother and patient advocate for mental health and chronic illnesses.  She has been a Crohn’s disease & Colitis Warrior since 2009, a task force member of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation a WEGO health awards finalist of 2019, WEGO health 2020 top 10 rookie of the year and a person who battles bipolar disorder, ptsd, generalized anxiety disorder and diverticulitis at the same time.  Be sure to subscribe to the Peer Med Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Follow the Peer  Med Podcast on Instagram @peermedpodcast for more patient stories, disease and inspiring eye-opening content!  Follow Myisha on Instagram: @gameofcrohnsandchronicillness & @harleyquinn_mrsking 

On this episode of "Behind Diagnoses: Patients", a Peer Med Podcast  special series we hear from Ella Balasa. a patient advocate, consultant, and a person living with cystic fibrosis. Diagnosed at 18 months old, and having countless hospitalizations since being a child she’s never let it be her excuse. Having a biology background, she is an advocate for the development of novel therapies for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections including phage therapy, as well as speaking publicly at conferences, meetings, and to companies about the value of patient voice in research.  She serves as a member of research committees with various organizations and is a director for the US Adult CF Association. She also has a passion for writing about her health experiences, distilling clinical information for patient communities, as well as introspectively writing about the hardships yet triumph that comes with living with a chronic illness. She has been published on MedPage Today, HuffPost, and Pulmonary Therapy Journal to name a few. Through opportunities working with healthcare organizations and sharing her journey through writing and speaking, she aims to affect the healthcare landscape to promote self-advocacy to patients and valuable insights to organizations. Be sure to subscribe to the Peer Med Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Follow the Peer  Med Podcast on Instagram @peermedpodcast for more patient stories, disease and inspiring eye-opening content! Follow Ella on Instagram: @ellabalasaadvocacy & @thisgirlella and visit her website: https://www.ellabalasa.com