This week on Calling in Sick, we are honored to sit down with one of the most resilient and powerful voices in the chronic illness community: Shamekka Marty, better known as Mika or the “Pretty Sick Lupus Chick”. Mika’s journey is a masterclass in turning medical trauma into advocacy, having navigated a life shaped by caregiving, a life-saving kidney transplant, medical trauma and the complexities of being a Black woman navigating the Western medical system with an invisible illness.

We’re diving into:

⭐ Advocacy as a Purpose: How Mika transitioned from her role as a caregiver throughout her childhood to becoming a nationally recognized advocate who uses her story to drive legislative and systemic change

⚠️ Navigating the Unthinkable: Mika opens up about the mental torture of losing her mom at a young age, undergoing seven miscarriages, her surgery complications, and how she held onto hope through it all

🏥 The Reality of Transplantation: An inside look at the organ exchange swap program, the grueling post-transplant medication regimen, and the importance of building a "village" to support your recovery

💊 Taking Power Back: Practical strategies for auditing your health records, overcoming medical gaslighting, and the "smackdown" approach to ensuring your pain is believed and your care is prioritized

If you have ever felt small in a doctor’s office or overwhelmed by a daunting diagnosis, this episode is a reminder that you are the "end user" of your medical practice and you have power to demand better.

xx, Alex

💬 Comment: Mika mentioned that she "focuses on what she can do, not what she can't". What is one thing you’ve accomplished this week, big or small, that made you feel powerful in your own body?

TIMESTAMP

Intro:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Calling in Sick!

00:01:56 Alex’s Picks of the Week (Mayfair, Organic Basics, Healthnix)

Shamekka’s Story:

00:04:59 Intro to Shamekka (Mika) Marty

00:09:20 Caregiving for her mother and grandmother

00:11:15 Mika’s diagnosis journey

00:14:04 Mika’s journey with pregnancy, miscarriage and medical trauma

00:18:40 How Mika turned sorrow into advocacy

Mika’s Kidney Transplant Journey:

00:30:55 Navigating a kidney transplant

00:41:33 Mika’s transplant surgery, post-transplant recovery and medication regiment

00:44:52 How Mika’s family & friends supported her journey

Advocacy & Navigating the Medical System:

00:47:03 Navigating the current medical system & medical gaslighting

00:53:49 A dive into racial bias and maternal health disparities

01:00:21 Mika’s top three tips for chronic illness patients (health records, asking for help and finding community)

Conclusion:

01:12:24 Connect with Mika!

01:14:24 One Brain Cell Show: Law & Order SVU and Scrubs

01:16:54 Thank you!!!!

----------------------------------------------------------------

Stay connected and follow us on socials for more!

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/callinginsickpod/

• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@callinginsickpod

• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558234607568

• Substack - https://substack.com/@callinginsickpod?

Connect with our guest, Shamekka Marty!

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/prettysicklupuschick/

• Book her for an event - https://www.shamekkamarty.com/

----------------------------------------------------------------

Powered by: Just Media House -- https://www.justmediahouse.com/

Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/

Alex’s Picks of the Week:

We talk about some unthinkable medical traumas this week. And TBH, the only thing I’ve found that “helps” is sometimes a GOOD cozy set. Here are some of my FAVES!

✨Mayfair — https://go.shopmy.us/p-21675540

ALEXANDRA15 for 15% off!!

✨Organic Basics — https://go.shopmy.us/p-52216380

ALEXANDRA10 for 10% off!

AND! Ever since Coop and I jumped into our TTC era, I’ve been looking to add new tools to my toolbox for managing chronic illness symptoms and chronic pain. After researching what platforms were out there for this, I decided to partner with Healthnix, the only platform that is built BY chronic pain patients, FOR chronic pain patients! If you’d like to join me for the next 12-weeks in dialing in my nutrition in the name of pain relief… be sure to use the below link AND use my $100-off discount code!!

✨Healthnix — https://healthnix.io/

✨CODE: ALEX100 for $100 off the annual membership (typically $299)… FSA / HSA eligibile

#CallingInSickPodcast #AlexWildeson #LupusAwareness #ChronicIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #LupusWarrior #PatientAdvocacy #KidneyTransplant #OrganDonation #MedicalGaslighting #MaternalHealth #HealthcareDisparities #MikaMarty #shamekkamarty #PrettySickLupusChick #CallingInSickPod #SpoonieCommunity #InvisibleIllness #HealthEquity #EmpoweredPatient #MedicalRecordAudit #ChronicPainWarriors #LupusSupport #SpoonieSupport #racialbias

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices