The healthcare system doesn’t hand out a manual or a how-to brochure for that matter about how to deal with health issues. After a hospital discharged us with no pain meds and no clear plan because we declined surgery, we faced a stark choice: wait and watch strength fade, or push for access to a team that could actually help. In this episode, I walk you through the messy middle—how we navigated private medical transport when an ambulance wouldn’t cross districts, how a simple wheelchair pivot got us through ER doors, and why a 26-hour stay still felt like progress once a thoughtful plan came together.
You’ll hear what advocacy looks like at eye level. I talk about the emotional load: the exhaustion of showing up every day, the friction when a long-time diabetic gets talked down to, and the constant triage at home with pets, traffic, parking, and the Halloween lights that stubbornly stayed on while life and its challenges kept moving forward.
This conversation is for anyone who loves someone in pain, anyone juggling chronic conditions with acute crises, and anyone who suspects that “trust your doctor” needs the companion phrase “and verify the plan.” We share the small wins that sustain momentum, from a wheeled recliner that gave needed sleep to a care team willing to explain their thinking and aim for a selective nerve block once blood thinners clear. It’s a candid look at how to move from helpless to purposeful, one decision and one question at a time.
If this resonated, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who might need the courage to advocate today. Your story could be the nudge another caregiver needs.
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