Fight or Flatline

Summary

RISK! Episode Summary: "Fight or Flatline"

Podcast Information:

• Title: RISK!
• Host: Taj Easton
• Episode: Fight or Flatline
• Release Date: June 3, 2025
• Description: In this episode, RISK! presents two gripping true stories about individuals who've faced life-threatening situations and the heroes who intervened to save them. Through vivid storytelling, the episode explores themes of survival, altruism, and the precariousness of life in contemporary America.

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1. Introduction

Host Taj Easton sets the tone for the episode by highlighting the significance of survival stories in today's unpredictable world. He emphasizes the importance of community support and the willingness to help others in dire situations, framing the upcoming stories as both inspirational and resonant with current societal challenges.

"Living in America right now, trying to go about your daily routine can feel kind of like taking out the garbage while the house is on fire. That's been my experience anyway..." ([04:10])

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2. "Black is the Loneliest Color" by Larry Dorsey Jr.

Overview

Larry Dorsey Jr., a multifaceted storyteller and performer, shares a harrowing night in San Francisco where he witnesses a violent confrontation and ultimately intervenes to save a man's life. The story delves into racial solitude, urban tension, and the instinctual drive to protect and preserve life.

Detailed Summary

• Setting the Scene: Larry describes a chilly night in downtown San Francisco's financial district, emphasizing the city's reduced Black presence and the pervasive loneliness he feels as a Black individual there.

"San Francisco is one of those cities that used to have a lot of black people, but now it doesn't. It's very lonely. As a black person, black is the loneliest color there." ([07:04])

• Encounter with the Houseless Man: While heading home, Larry encounters a solitary houseless man who persistently asks about his religious beliefs before requesting a dollar. Despite typically requiring street performers to showcase talents to earn money, Larry instinctively gives him a dollar without hesitation.

"He went through all that trouble, so I had to give him a dollar." ([08:40])

• Subway Incident: As Larry boards the subway, he witnesses a tense altercation between a white man rushing through a tunnel and a group of Black and Latino youths. The situation escalates when violence breaks out, and a kid pulls out a knife, threatening the aggressor.

"He grabbed his arm with the knife in it. It was a moment... I grabbed his arm with the knife in it, and it was a moment." ([15:00])

• Moment of Intervention: Larry's quick reflexes prevent the kid from swinging the knife, momentarily halting the violence. This act draws the attention of all the youths involved, creating a tense standoff. Larry addresses the group, urging them to consider their futures and avoid further violence.

"You don't want to do that. You don't want to do that, little bruh." ([17:30])

• Aftermath: The youths de-escalate, and the injured white man expresses profound gratitude towards Larry for saving his life. However, Larry grapples with conflicting emotions, recognizing both the necessity and the complexity of his intervention.

"You just saved my life." ([20:00])

"I didn't do that for you. I did that for them." ([21:00])

• Reflection: Larry concludes by pondering the loneliness of the Black experience in urban spaces and the inadvertent connections formed through acts of bravery and compassion.

"Black is the loneliest color." ([23:47])

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• "San Francisco is one of those cities that used to have a lot of black people, but now it doesn't. It's very lonely." ([07:04])
• "He grabbed his arm with the knife in it... I grabbed his arm with the knife in it, and it was a moment." ([15:00])
• "You don't want to do that, little bruh." ([17:30])
• "You just saved my life." ([20:00])
• "Black is the loneliest color." ([23:47])

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3. "Brian's Heart" by Laura House

Overview

Laura House narrates the intense and emotionally charged experience of her fiancé, Brian, battling a severe heart condition. The story highlights systemic healthcare challenges, the fragility of life, and the profound bond between loved ones during medical crises.

Detailed Summary

• Initial Crisis: Laura and Brian face a medical emergency when Brian, at 56, requires an angiogram to check for heart blockages. Despite Brian's persistent symptoms and family history, initial medical assessments downplay the severity of his condition.

"Like, a stent? He's only 56. Like that's grandpa stuff. We're still young and cool, right?" ([31:55])

• Navigating the Healthcare System: After days of being ignored, Laura and Brian finally receive a referral for a stent. However, bureaucratic delays keep them waiting, leading to heightened anxiety about Brian's deteriorating heart health.

"It took him 11 hours before he was given a bed in the ER." ([35:00])

• Critical Diagnosis: During the angiogram, a more severe blockage than initially detected is discovered, necessitating an emergency triple bypass surgery. The revelation underscores the precariousness of Brian's condition and the inadequacies of the initial medical response.

"This is called the widowmaker... he grabbed back his ego." ([40:00])

• Surgical Battle: Post-surgery, Brian struggles to breathe as he's intubated. Laura, equipped with her knowledge of meditation and deep breathing, collaborates with a nurse to help stabilize him, showcasing the power of calm and support in life-threatening moments.

"Take one long, deep breath." ([44:00])

• Post-Operative Challenges: As Brian recovers, Laura encounters dismissive and incompetent medical staff, further complicating their ordeal. Despite these hurdles, Laura remains steadfast in her support, fighting for Brian's well-being and ultimately celebrating his recovery.

"Because of this whole ordeal... I'm going to get more time in that life with him." ([48:51])

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• "Like, a stent? He's only 56. Like that's grandpa stuff. We're still young and cool, right?" ([31:55])
• "It took him 11 hours before he was given a bed in the ER." ([35:00])
• "This is called the widowmaker... he grabbed back his ego." ([40:00])
• "Take one long, deep breath." ([44:00])
• "I'm going to get more time in that life with him." ([48:51])

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4. Host's Reflections and Conclusion

Taj Easton reflects on the emotional weight of the stories shared, recognizing the bravery of both the storytellers and the individuals who acted as lifesavers. He offers appreciation for healthcare professionals while acknowledging the systemic issues that can exacerbate medical emergencies.

"There is any perceived callousness or indifference or apathy on the part of our medical providers, that is so difficult and disheartening." ([50:00])

Easton also teases upcoming content for Pride Month, promising more heartfelt and transformative stories that align with the episode's themes of identity, struggle, and resilience.

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Key Themes and Insights

1. Altruism and Heroism: Both stories exemplify ordinary individuals stepping up in extraordinary circumstances, highlighting the innate human capacity for courage and compassion.

2. Racial and Societal Isolation: Larry's experience shines a light on the loneliness felt by Black individuals in predominantly non-Black urban settings, addressing broader societal and racial dynamics.

3. Healthcare System Challenges: Laura's narrative underscores the systemic barriers and inefficiencies within healthcare, emphasizing the dire consequences of bureaucratic delays.

4. Personal Resilience and Support: The stories collectively emphasize the importance of personal strength and the pivotal role of supportive relationships in overcoming life-threatening challenges.

5. Reflection on Modern Life's Precariousness: Host Taj Easton frames the episode within the context of contemporary societal instability, urging listeners to find inspiration and maintain hope amidst chaos.

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Conclusion

"Fight or Flatline" is a poignant exploration of life on the edge, showcasing how moments of intense vulnerability can bring out the best in people. Through Larry Dorsey Jr.'s and Laura House's compelling narratives, the episode invites listeners to reflect on their own capacity for courage, empathy, and the impact of societal structures on individual lives. It serves as a reminder of the thin line between life and death, the importance of swift and compassionate action, and the enduring human spirit that strives to make a difference even in the darkest of times.

Transcript

[Taj Easton]

Hey everybody, this is Taj. On this week's episode of Risk, you'll hear Larry Dorsey Jr.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

The kid pulls out a big knife and right before he's about to swing his arm, I grabbed his arm with the knife in it.

[Taj Easton]

That and more. But first, June is an exciting month for those of you on the east coast because we got three fantastic live shows. We're in Washington D.C. on June 7th at the Miracle Theater. We're in Philly on June 19th at Fringe Arts. And then we'll be back in New York City on June 26th with the show caveat. And all three of these we're gonna have short stories told by audience volunteers. So if you like the sound of getting up on the risc stage, these shows are a fantastic way to do that with little bureaucracy. You don't have to go through any of our submittal process. You just get up there and tell your story. Maybe you'll be discovered by Hollywood liberal elites and your celebrity career can begin. Simple as that. You can find out more and get tickets at risk-show.com live.

[Laura House]

We'll be right back.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

This episode is brought to you by Amazon Prime. From streaming to shopping, prime helps you get more out of your passions. So whether you're a fan of true crime or prefer a nail biting novel from time to time, with services like Prime Video, Amazon Music, and fast free delivery, prime makes it easy to get more out of whatever you're into or getting into. Visit Amazon.comprime to learn more.

[Laura House]

This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Knowing you could be saving money for the things you really want is a great feeling. Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with the person price plan. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

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[Laura House]

He can be with a gift from the Home Depot.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

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[Laura House]

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[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

The Husky Mechanics 270 piece tool set.

[Laura House]

From the Home Depot.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

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[Laura House]

At the Home Depot.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

Hey Lonzo Ball, it's your agent. What's up? I've got a commercial opportunity for you from Buzzball's ready to go.

[Taj Easton]

Cocktails.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

Nice. My last name is Ball. Their product is a cocktail in a ball. I get it. That's what I thought, too. But no, they want you for your hands. They think your big hands will show off the size of their new blue biggies.

[Taj Easton]

Ball.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

Big blue balls. Really? Get blue balls this season with Buzz Balls. Please drink responsibly. Buzz Balls. Available in spirit wine and malt.

[Laura House]

15% Alco, Bavo and Buzz Balls, LLC, Carrollton, Texas.

[Taj Easton]

All right, now, here'.

[Laura House]

Sam.

[Taj Easton]

Hey, everybody. This is Risk, the show where people tell true stories they never thought they'd dare to share. I'm Taj Easton, and this is the Bee Gees in the background. Now, we're calling this week's episode Fight or Flatline. What are we calling it? That we have two stories coming to you about people who've almost died and someone intervened to save their lives. It's pretty topical stuff, if you ask me, because survival feels a bit precarious at the moment. So maybe you will find inspiration or some resonance in them. What I hope is that they will encourage you to stay alive, despite the fact that living in America right now, trying to go about your daily routine can feel kind of like taking out the garbage while the house is on fire. That's been my experience anyway, so any encouragement we can all get and give each other to just keep breathing is welcome. And I'm glad to be able to share a couple of stories about extending ourselves to help others who may be in a pretty precarious spot in terms of their survival. In a little bit, we're gonna hear from the fabulous Risk regular Laura House. But first, a story From Larry Dorsey, Jr. I'm happy to announce that Larry has pitched us some more stories, and we hope to get him back on soon because he's fucking fabulous. He is a fantastically charismatic, natural storyteller who has lived an incredibly interesting, rich, dynamic life. And I'm glad that we met him. Larry is a multifaceted Renaissance man of a entertainer, creative thinker, and performer. He was formerly in the group Freestyle of Supreme. He is a Moth story slam winner. He is a teacher and a poet and an improv actor. And I can't really find the limits of Larry's creative output. Here is Larry Dorsey, Jr. With the story he calls Black is the Loneliest Color.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

It was a clear black night, a clear white moon. Larry D. Was on the streets trying to consume. That is an actual descriptor of this night. I know that is a song, but I was walking down the street, and it was downtown San Francisco. It was one of those nights where the air was brisk and fresh, where you could have a sweater on, but you didn't really need it if you were a native. Like, I am loyal to the soil, and it felt good. And it was dark, and everybody was already home. I'm in the financial district. I'm headed towards the subway station to go home. And as I'm walking, I see a houseless man standing on the corner. And usually they stand in places where there's a lot of people who may be going in that area so they could get the most amount of money. But in this situation, it was just really desolate. He was just by himself, and I was by myself. And we're both black, and San Francisco is one of those cities that used to have a lot of black people, but now it doesn't. It's very lonely. As a black person, black is the loneliest color there, you know? And so I'm walking up to him, and I know he's gonna talk to me. I already know. And he looks at me, and he goes, hey, brother. And I look at him, you know, I'm a crackhead whisperer. I know how to deflect and redirect. And I try to keep walking. He goes, do you believe in Jesus Christ? And I look at him, and I was like, oh, that's a good one. I go, nope. And I keep walking. He goes, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Laura House]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

You believe in our Lord and savior, though, right? And I was like, nope. And I keep walking.

[Laura House]

He's like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

You Muslim. You believe in Allah? And I was like, nope. And he goes, well, God damn, can a brother get a dollar? And he went through all that trouble, so I had to give him a dollar. But usually you got to impress me because I'm a street performer. You got to juggle. You got to sing, dance. You got to do something to earn your money like everybody else who's working. But I gave him the money. I kept pushing and headed down into the subway. It was one of those nights that I had to work early in the morning. So it was a fast turnaround, so I just wanted to go home and lay down. It was a part of my life where I was working contracted jobs. So it was just back to back to back, working 16 hours a day, barely sleeping, just grinding away. I was off season of school. And, you know, the best way to describe it is the Vladimir Lenin quote, There are decades where weeks happen and there are weeks where decades happen. So there was this sense of so much going on in my life in a short amount of time. So I get onto the subway, get closer to my house, get off of the subway. And as I'm walking towards my house, there was this business white man. He looked like a news reporter. Handsome dude, tall, blue eyes, blonde hair, dressed well. And he's moving fast through one of those tunnels. It's similar to New York how our subways are. There's that long tunnel. You're headed towards the stairs to get to the real world. And he's walking, and he's in a rush. It seems like he's about to have sex for the first time with a woman he always wanted to have sex with. Or he cheated on his wife, and he wants to make it home before she gets suspicious. Something was not right with his speed at this time, because it's like midnight, you know. And so in front of us in the distance is a group of, let's say, eight young kids, Black and Latino kids. When I say kids, I say that loosely because they were in high school, but they were probably athletes. Their build, they were just as big as me and that guy, but you could tell they were young. And they're walking in a way where it's like a British army from back in the day. The line formation. You know, everybody in formation get in line. They weren't intentionally or maliciously blocking the tunnel, but the way they were walking, all of them were lined up so you couldn't pass them if you were walking from behind or in front. Right. You would have to say, excuse me on the. But the white guy moving, he. Maybe he's from New York. Because in California, we have spatial rules. You don't get in someone's personal space, and so he's walking behind them. And I'm taking my time because I know that I don't want to be around that young, rambunctious energy at this time of night. I'm like, oh, leave those kids up there. I don't want to deal with that energy. And so the white guy, he walks up behind one of them, and he grabs them and moves them out the way and keeps walking. Not in a aggressive, disrespectful way either. I mean, it was disrespectful, but it wasn't like, get out of my way. It was more just like, I'm in a rush, please excuse me. Right? But he didn't say please. He didn't say, excuse me. He didn't justify or clarify himself. He just moved the kid out the way and kept moving along, right? And so instantly, the reaction of somebody getting touched from behind in that manner, especially in California, led to violence. And he starts getting his ass whooped. All eight of those kids are just beating him. No hesitation, no conversations, no coordination. It was just, boom, fight. And he's getting beat up to a bloody pulp. For me, I got front row seats. I'm watching the whole thing. Nobody else is there. I'm like, ooh, wow, you know, where's the popcorn? Right? And, you know, I didn't want that guy to get beat up, but I understand why he was getting beat up, getting beat up, you know, And I felt bad for him, but I also was like, ah, you should have not did that. And so he's getting beat up, and all of a sudden, one of the kids pulls out a knife. And at this point, I'm close enough because I was trying to move around them to leave because I was like, I don't want to be a witness to this. I just want to get out of here. See, I grew up where phones were considered a violation of the code of conduct in the streets. So if you pulled out a phone to record when I was growing up, that means you're a snitch and you are working with the feds or something. Like, you're a bad person. You could get hurt too. Now you're involved, right? So I didn't do that. I was just watching, and I'm. Now I'm trying to leave. The kid pulls out a big knife, and right before he's about to swing his arm, I. I don't know what. How it got in my mind, but it was just a reaction. I grabbed his arm with the knife in it, and it was a moment. It was such a tense moment because all of the kids turn and look at me at the same time. I felt like I had an invisible cloak on. And then my invisible cloak was no longer there. And so all the kids look at me, they're like, ooh, right? And they're like, are we gonna fight this guy too? And then the white guy on the floor, all bloody, looks at me like, oh, what? Did that really just happen? There was a rat running by. Even the rat looked at me like, ooh, did that just happen? And so I'm holding the kid's arm, right? And the kid looks at me, and there's such an intense moment. All the eyes on me, everything. They're, like, waiting for me to explain myself before they start fighting Me. And I look at them and I go, hey, you don't want to do that. You already beat his ass. You don't want to go to jail, bruh. You're a young kid. You guys are have your whole lives ahead of you. A lot of my friends are dead or in jail. I don't want to see that happen to y' all. Don't do that. You don't want to do that, little bruh. And they all kind of look at me, and it was just a silence. Everybody, you know, the only thing you can hear is the breathing of the white man. That's it. He's right. Other than that, everything is silenced. And the kid puts the knife away, and they all take off running. But before they did that, they robbed him. And I was like, okay, yeah, rob him, but just don't kill him. Right? You know? And they took off running. And the guy looks at me, and with just tears in his eyes and so much gratitude, he goes, thank you so much. You just saved my life. And I look at him, and it was so immediate. It was like a regurgitation. Vomit. I didn't even expect to do it, but I said, I didn't do that for you. I did that for them. And he looks at me with shock. And I was shocked, too. I was like, oh, did I say that? You know, because I did want to save his life, and I did care about him, and I didn't want him to go through the situation he went through. But really, what was in my heart was seeing the same thing that happened to a lot of my family members and friends happen to those kids. I get home, my adrenaline is through the roof because I just grabbed someone's arm with a knife in it, and I could have got killed, you know, and my dad has raised me. He always says, when you're with your woman or your kids, yeah, you could be a hero. But if you're not in that situation, never be the hero, because the heroes get killed. And so I'm laying in bed, like, wow, I could have died. He could have died. A lot of things could have happened. I have to wake up in two hours for another gig. I get up, I'm robotic. I'm not a morning person. I'm groggy, I'm sluggish. I'm just, oh, I have to go to work, and I have to go all the way back downtown. I'm headed downtown. And this is back pre gentrification San Francisco. So this is when Union Square area with the Macy's with The ice rink and the Christmas tree and everything's really shiny and bright and all these Gucci and Prada and all these big time, and it's really nice, and it's always populated. And, you know, love is in the air and people are walking and families and kids. It's just that good vibe. And at this time, it's not, though it's 4am but it's soon it's gonna be that vibe. I go to my shift. I haven't worked this before. It was the Nike Women's Marathon. And so it was a beautiful event for women's empowerment and so much advocation for reproductive rights and breast cancer and just all this, you know, feminist beautiful. Just what they're believing in, I believed in as well. So I was. Not only was I there making money, I was there for a cause that I was happy about, right? And there was over 20,000 runners, you know what I mean? All ready to go. Women, right? And usually these jobs, when I get them, I'm one of the only black people working them because I have the ability to code switch. I have the ability to be friends with you, no matter your gender, sex, religion, whoever you are. I could be your friend, and I won't judge you. I treat the janitor and the CEO the same. I treat everybody with love and respect. You're a human being. We're both equal on a spiritual level. And so I'm able to navigate spaces that a lot of blacks and Latinos aren't. And Latinos could be the help most of the time in these situations. But other than that, it's just me. I get there. Nobody's really trying to help me. Nobody's paying me any mind. I'm by myself. I'm trying to, you know, hey, do I. Where do I go? What do I do? You know, I'm dressed in all black, mind you, with a beanie on. So I do look a little aggressive, but. But I'm completely just like, I'm here to work. And the only people who really communicated me was the cooks, who were Latino, and they were hooking me up with the breakfast and the free stuff. And everybody gets assigned positions. I'm the last person to get assigned. So they put me on the hardest one. They put me at the front of the start of the race. I have to set up barricades. I have to make sure everything's flowing smoothly. It was a lot. But I was also right next to the lady who was running the whole thing, the CEO or I don't know what her position was. But she was in charge. She was definitely in charge. And this was the height of Black Lives Matter too. So this was like when Barbecue Becky just happened and Karen and all those terms were flowing out. And so right before the race starts, an old houseless black man, an OG dude, lays in the middle of the street in front of where the race was supposed to happen. Literally right in front of them. And everybody's confused. At this point, there's even more people. There's thousands of people lined up to see the, you know, the ribbon get cut or whatever for the race to start. But for some reason, the police were not there. And it was a moment where I was like, this could turn violent. The police could kill this man. And the lady was trying to get a hold of the police. And I run up to her, I said, no, no, no, no, please don't do that. I could get that man up. Just give me five minutes. And she looks at me and she goes, you have three minutes. Not, oh, wow, thank you. It was just like, go do that. And I run over to the middle of the street and everybody who's watching is confused. They're like, what's happening? All the runners, they're confused. And I stand over him and I wanted to be dramatic, to jolt him, so I go, take my hand, black man, rise with me. And I'm standing over him and he's just like this. He responds, hello. But I'm a crackhead whisperer, so I understand what he's saying. So I grab him and I lift him up and we're standing and we're holding each other's arms like, you know, like the arm wrestling hands. But we're close enough where we could look at each other in the eyes very deeply and feel each other's energy. And people are video recording. It wasn't considered snitching in this moment. And they're clapping and everybody's just like, wow, this is powerful. Eagles in the sky, a lot of energy. Just very romantic almost, right? And we're standing there in the middle of the street and he's. You could look in his eyes and it looked like a deep well of sorrow and suffering. How he looked. His skin was very leathery. His hands felt very. Just like he picked cotton. He felt like he was fresh out of slavery. And, you know, a lot of people don't know after, you know, emancipation, most of us had a lot of skills, but we couldn't apply them because we weren't able to access. You know, there was the reconstruction period. But then Jim Crow came in, there was the kkk. So we were put in positions where we couldn't do anything. We were just hopeless and helpless. And he was a representation of that almost. He looked like he was from the civil rights era, age wise. And a lot of people also don't know that statistically black people are doing worse on all levels than back then in the 60s. So it's a horrible, you know, reminder for me in that moment of where my dad comes from in the South. My dad picked cotton, where I'm just like, wow, this is what happened. This is cointelpro. This is how the FBI and CI destroyed the black power movements and assassinated our leaders. And he's a victim of that. He's a drug addict, he's this, he's that. Not in any judgment. It was just seeing him for what he was and all the pain that he represented. And before I could pull away and try to lead him to the side, he pulls me in close, almost to the point where we're like face to face, like the indigenous Maori greeting where there's the forehead and nose connected to each other. He gets us really close and he looks at me and people are still clapping and going, wow. It was one of those moments. I still get chills when I think about it and feel it like, whoa. And he's staring in my eyes and we're holding hands and he's just like, why did you do that for me? And I couldn't think of anything to say. I looked around, I was just like, because I love you. And he broke down into tears and snot and he goes in for the hug and I'm like, ah, fuck, don't hug me. And so we end up hugging. I embrace it, I accept it. And we're hugging in the middle of the street with all his dirtiness and nastiness. And in no way am I judging him. I'm just saying it's a fact, you know? You know how the New York subways and streets smell. And we're hugging each other in the middle of the streets. Now everybody's really clapping. It's really intense. It's emotional tears in both our eyes. And before we let go after that powerful embrace, he whispers in my ear, can I get a dollar? And I immediately my boner goes down. My energy just goes out the window. I'm like, were we actually feeling that moment together or were you trying to act to get the money? Were you actually even with me? Are you even here right now? Do you have the invisible cloak on right now, bro. We move to the side. I give him a dollar and I'm laughing. And, you know, I don't want to ruin it for anybody on the sidelines because some people are like, what did he say? And da da da da. All I could think of to myself was black is the loneliest color?

[Laura House]

Well, you can tell by the way.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

I use my walk?

[Laura House]

I'm a woman no time to talk music loud women won't I've been kicked around since I was born and now it's all right, it's okay and you may look the other way? We can try to understand the New York Times effect on the head.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

Whether you're a father or wife or you're a mother, you're staying alive, staying alive?

[Laura House]

Feel the city working and everybody shaking and we're staying alive, staying alive? Ah ah, ah, ah? Staying alive, staying alive? Ah, ah, ah, ah?

[Taj Easton]

Stay.

[Laura House]

Like going nowhere Somebody help me out. We'll be right back, folks.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

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[Taj Easton]

Hey, podcast universe, It's Brian Green from the mediocre comedy podcast sensation the Commercial Break. Recently, TCB celebrated five years of existence, and we did it in style by doing 12 episodes in one day. That's right. We recorded and published 12 episodes in one day. We had some show friends like Tig Notaro, Reggie Watts, and Tom Papa stop by to have a discussion with us. We took listener calls and reviewed all six seasons of the commercial break.

[Laura House]

And if you're hearing this message, we.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

Likely stayed awake for the entire thing.

[Taj Easton]

So if you're on a long road trip on that family vacation where you.

[Laura House]

Try and get away from your family.

[Taj Easton]

Or you're generally trying to avoid responsibility like some podcasters we know, you can go to wherever it is you. You listen to your podcasts and check out TCB'S Endless Day. The commercial break is also available on Audacy's free app. You can download it onto your phone or go to tcbpodcast.com TCB's endless day. It ended. So it's kind of a terrible name, but it's 12 hours of bingeable entertainment. Best to you.

[Laura House]

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[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

Download the Priceline app today and you.

[Laura House]

Can save up to 60% off hotels and up to 50% off flights. So don't just dream about that trip. Book it with Priceline. Go to your happy price. Priceline.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

Race the rudders. Race the sails. Race the sails.

[Laura House]

Captain, an unidentified ship is approaching.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

Over.

[Laura House]

Roger, wait. Is that an enterprise sales solution?

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

Reach sales professionals, not professional sailors. With LinkedIn ads, you can target the right people by industry, job title and more. We'll even give you a $100 credit on your next campaign. Get started today at LinkedIn.com results, terms and conditions apply.

[Laura House]

We're back.

[Taj Easton]

Hey everybody, this is Risk. This is the fabulous Lizzo in the background now. And we just heard From Larry Dorsey Jr. You can find Larry Dorsey Jr. Online at Larry Dorsey Jr. On TikTok and Instagram. We are still making our way through all of the messages that poured in in support of us on Patreon as we have been sort of continually asking for Yalls help to keep the show running in difficult financial times. There has been an outpouring of support and messages that are incredibly heartening that are keeping us alive for now. One of our Patreon patrons, Ann Askins, sent us this message. Here is what I made in tips tonight referring to the money they donated. Ain't much, but I hear how desperate things are and would hate to lose this podcast. That message really kind of touched me in a meaningful way because just thinking about this person getting off of their shift and giving so much of the money they made to our show to keep it alive. I don't know something about that. That tangible visual of her working all evening or night and then giving, giving us so much of what she made from doing that is really, is really touching. And if I think about all the people doing that in order to support us, it is incredibly heartening. Things are still tough over here, but I know they're tough out there too. These are sort of especially scary economic times. So I understand and fully support anyone hanging on to their money and using it to help them stay alive. If you are someone that feels like you've got a little bit extra, like you appreciate what we're doing, enough to share means the world and we really wouldn't be here without you. If you support us on Patreon, you stand to benefit in a number of ways. There's an ad free feed of the podcast. There's free access to our online video courses on storytelling, which are incredibly fun and informative and helpful. And if you've been thinking about pitching to Risk but could use some support or guidance, that's an incredibly valuable resource. And we've got so many bonus stories over there, we could have a whole podcast of just the bonus content on Patreon. There's like over 250 stories. As a matter of fact, we have a new story on Patreon out this week, week from Justin angel that has a little bit of gayness, it has a little bit of near death experience and a great deal of heart. Here's a little bit of what that sounds like.

[Laura House]

So the instructor tells us you do this thing at 200ft and that at 100ft and something else at 50, I don't remember. But what I do remember is that at 20ft you yank your parachute down as hard as you can to put on your brakes for controlled landing. And that's called the flare. And that's why I remember that part.

[Taj Easton]

There's that and a shit ton more over at Patreon. So if you like the show and you can't get enough of it, becoming a patron [e-mail] will help us to survive and ensure that the show sticks around. And you'll also get a ton of bonus content while you're at it. So worthwhile if you got a few spare dollars every month. All right, next up, we have Risk regular Laura House with another story about life saving heroism. Here's Laura House now with a story we call Brian's Heart.

[Laura House]

I was pacing in the waiting room of the hospital when the nurse came out and found me. She was part of the cardiology team that was giving my fiance an angiogram to see if he could get a stent and this was already blowing my mind. Like, a stent? He's only 56. Like that's grandpa stuff. We're still young and cool, right? And I'm freaked out about the whole thing, mostly because I've been worried about him at this point for about a year when he had admitted to me that he had been feeling pressure in his chest for some time, and his father had died suddenly of a heart attack when he was 54. So it's a concern. And he had been trying to get help. He had been going to doctors and asking for help, and they weren't seeing a problem. So one doctor had given him nitroglycerin pills, and Casey had a heart attack, which was what we were trying to prevent. And another one was like, that's probably just stress. But he knew something was wrong. And he kept asking, which is why we're here in the hospital and we're trying to get him a stent. But as we're waiting, we'd been blown off for the past three days. So what had happened was he finally got a cardiologist to give him a CT scan. And he got a call that said, once they did it, they said, oh, the physician's assistant called him and said, we found 70% blockage in a lower ventricle and you probably need a stent. And I could schedule you for the stem stent, but it could take a couple of weeks and I think you should get it sooner. So I'll write your referral, go to a local hospital, hop in line at the er and you'll get it faster. And she said, but it's your choice. And we didn't really know what to do until he told me she had added this. You know those walks you go on in the morning? Don't do that again until you get this taken care of. And I'd never heard the advice, like, don't go for a walk. So I was like, this is pretty serious. So we hopped in line at the ER and then proceeded to be ignored. It took him 11 hours before he was given a bed in the ER. Later, I had called my friend who was a nurse and said, like, how do you get them to listen to you in the er? And she said, oh, the er, You've got to really play up symptoms. And I was like, we're trying to get medical attention. We're not on let's Make a Deal. Like, we shouldn't have to dress as Minnie Mouse and a piece of toast to get seen. Plus, I had a referral and Nobody cared. So 11 hours he waited to get seen, and then he was in the er. And I'm like, here comes that stent. I've got my referral for him. And the cardiologist had come in. And this cardiologist was not what I expected. He was this short guy, sort of handsome, and he had, like, kind of slick game show host energy, which isn't what you think of in a cardiologist. But he was like, hey, maybe you've got blockage, maybe you don't. But I don't bring my team in on the weekend unless there's an emergency and I don't see one. And I was like, we have a referral. And he didn't care. He was like, I gotta run my own test. I'm not gonna do that till Monday. So you just sit tight. And he had this attitude, was kind of smug. He had this, like. I don't know what that. Why that physician's assistant had you come all the way into it. It's. He's like, smug and magnanimous. Like, I'm not sure why you snuck into the hospital, but you're here now. It's fine. So all we could do was wait. And that's why on Monday morning, as my fiance, Brian, is getting his angiogram, I am in the waiting room, flipped out. They said that the angiogram will take a couple of hours. So it's very weird when the nurse comes out in about 20 minutes. And my biggest fear was that they didn't find anything, that Brian still won't get help, that he'll go too long without help, and then I'll lose him. So I looked at the nurse and said, did you not find the blockage? And she said, no, we did. We found quite a bit more. He needs a triple bypass now. We're prepping him for surgery. And the impact of those words leveled me. How did we go from. It's not that big a deal. Maybe it's stress. We're not even gonna look at you. To emergency open heart surgery. And very kindly, she extends her hand and said, the doctor will speak to you. Which is good, because otherwise I would have just collapsed on the floor in a puddle. And she leads me back through these, like, secret passageways, through these labs and stuff, through all these authorized personnel doors. So really we're ignored all weekend. But now I'm like a vip and she sits me down, she shows me the doctor. It's the same doctor. He's less smug now. He's not apologizing, but he. He's a bit ashen, which I was close as I was going to get. And he looks at me and asked me to take a seat. And he shows me Brian's heart on a computer monitor and says, let me explain. I look at this heart that took me a really long time to find. So Brian and I met when I was 47 and had really kind of given up on finding my person. And from our very first date, he made me laugh and feel safe. But he's not just kind. He's really talented. He's a jazz trumpet player. I've seen him perform at the Hollywood Bowl. What have you done at the Hollywood Bowl? Gotten drunk on pricey wine in the cheap seats, like, me, too. But he's on stage playing solo with his heart. So the doctor shows me on this screen. He said, look, the dark parts are where the blood is flowing, and the white parts are where it's not flowing. And he said, so over here. Here's that 70% blockage that the other doctor found. But here's what they didn't see, the bigger problem. This is his left main artery. It goes to three other main arteries, and this has 99% blockage. It just lands on me. We knew something was wrong. And he kind of, with a chuckle, kind of goes, it's called the widowmaker. Like, maybe don't say that to the prospective widow. Maybe that's something for the doctor's lounge. And he said, you know, if he had had an event, which is what they call a heart attack now, he said, I wouldn't have been able to bring him back even if he was here in the hospital. And then he kind of said, like, he, like, grabbed back his ego, and he goes, you got lucky. We found it, and we are lucky they found it. But also, I couldn't help but want to snap his tiny head off his neck. We are lucky he found it. But also, that's what we were telling you all weekend, by the way. We had a referral. I've gotten more respect for Groupons than I got for that referral at that hospital. And I'm just floored as all of this is sinking down on me. And I don't say any of this to him. I don't yell at a waiter because I don't want them to spit in my food, so I don't tell off a cardiologist. As Brian is getting wheeled into surgery, I'm like, wait a year and see how it goes, then write a Yelp review like a normal person. So even from this beginning of this terrible experience, I wasn't convinced we were getting the best care at this hospital. And you want to feel like you're getting good care, and I Sort of couldn't. So Brian gets his triple bypass. And when he comes out of the surgery later that night, it's like you got hit by a car. You know, he's tubes out of everything, and he can't move. And he's intubated. And he has this excellent nurse in the icu, Geraldine. And she wants him off this thing as soon as possible. If you've seen someone in it, it's terrible. And he comes to, and he's scared. And she coaches me. She's like, can you help? You know, we need to get him breathing again. And I'm made for this moment. I'm like, breathe. He's a trumpet player. Are you kidding? He's an excellent. I've seen him at the Hollywood Bowl. I teach meditation. We're the dream team for this exact moment. And she shows me what to do. And so I lock eyes on Brian and his scared eyes, and I try to make mine calm. And I just. Coach, take one long, deep breath. And again. Just take one long, slow, deep breath. And he does. And we find this rhythm, and we tune out everything else. And we do this for, like, 20 minutes, half an hour, and we get him breathing again. And then the next part of the extubation is a team of two comes in, and they check to see that he's breathing enough so they can turn off the machine. And it's this woman in her 30s and kind of a younger guy in his 20s. And so now the guy is in charge of making sure the oxygen level is enough. And he gets Brian to lock his eyes on him, and he goes, okay, on the count of three, hold your breath. And Brian is scared, and he wants out of this thing. And he holds his breath as big as he can. And I hold along with him to model behavior. But also, I just have a. When I see anyone hold their breath, I just do it to see if I can. And we're holding our breath, and this guy's looking at his machine, and he looks and he checks and he looks and he checks. And I think it's kind of going on for a while. And so I said, can he breathe again? And he goes, oh, yeah, sorry, I forgot. My bad. Yeah, you can breathe. And I turn into a rabid dog. I was just. You can't not tell him to breathe. And I'm forming a fist, and his. I nearly got kicked out. His partner puts her hand on my shoulder and says, maybe you should wait outside. And I said, no. Cause he needs to know that I'm gonna fight for him. And also, this guy needs to get it together. I really became like an Aaron Sorkin character. I was just like, this man is trying to breathe. You can't handle the extubation. And this guy, to his credit, he goes, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, sorry, you're right. You're right. He goes, I'm a goof. I'm like, we're big goofs. It's not goof time. And he proceeds, and we get Brian out of this. And this was just one of the many workers of the week we spent in the hospital. And I saw this array of talent anywhere from, like, incredible lifesavers to maybe you should consider delivering pizza for a living. When Brian got out of the icu, he got put into a regular room where the nurse. This new nurse came in and announced that Brian has diabetes. Now, Brian doesn't have diabetes. So it was weird to hear, because at this moment, one of two things is true. Brian has diabetes, and our lives just got more complicated or this guy needs to get the hell away from Brian. And I'm not even, like, outwardly livid at this point. It's kind of, like, transitioned into a silent scorn. And so I was like, he doesn't. He doesn't have diabetes, actually. And the guy looks at me like he sees this a lot. Denial.

[Taj Easton]

Yeah, he does.

[Laura House]

I was like, no, he actually has never been at risk. And we've never been told he has diabetes. And would you just check the chart? So the guy. All right, then comes back a little bit later. He's like, you're right. Doesn't have diabetes. Who wants lunch? Then there was a nurse named Violent, and you heard me correctly, and it was not a misprint. That was her name. We were like, Violent. And she was like, yeah, crazy, right? And we're like, what episode of Fargo am I in right now? She would not stop Brian's neck from bleeding, but did offer him as much morphine as he wanted. It was just a weird experience. So Brian had a. He had a port in his neck, and it was like a port that held a bunch of other tubes. It was like a power strip really coming out of his neck, and it went in kind of deep. So when they took it out, you know, this is a sensitive area. It's hard to get it to stop bleeding. But it. So they had bandaged it up, and then when I looked over a little later, covered in blood, and I. Now I'm calm in my. In my hatred of these people. Just, hey, could we. Could you get him to stop Bleeding. I don't even know how to ask anymore. I feel like I shouldn't have to ask. I feel like they should know. Stop the neck from bleeding. Am I demanding? I don't know. Anyway, so they had rebandaged it like three times. And then it was still kind of filling up with blood. And I said, can we get this taken care of? And Violent looked at me and she said, well, I could put pressure on it. Like, I don't love everything about my job either, but I mean, you still have to do it. And she. So now I'm like Judge Smales and Caddyshack. Well, we're waiting. So she reluctantly puts pressure on Brian's neck to get it to stop bleeding. And we really did not get the best care. Even when he's being exited, we got no exit instructions. And I asked, I was, I can imagine. Like, if you broke a toe, maybe they're like, you'll be fine. But I was, is there something we should know? He just had an open heart surgery. And they were like, no cardiac diet. Is there something he needs to eat or not eat? And they go, not really. I was like, fried food. Like, I have Google. I feel like I have a baseline knowledge. And they were like, I mean, you know, nobody really needs fried food. He's fine. I was, when you just feel like your skin is being ripped off, you're so mad. Because it was. We were, like, helpless. No one was taking care of Brian. I felt, nobody is even concerned about Brian. And then it kind of hit me a different way. Like, oh, they're not really concerned about Brian. Maybe that's good. In a weird way, I'd taken a lot of walks around the hospital that week, and I had seen some very depressing scenes of just broken bodies that were not going to get better. And it occurred to me, there's two directions in the hospital. You're getting better or you're getting worse. You're headed toward life or away. And it occurred to me in this moment, once they move somebody from the worse to the better side, they don't really have time. You'd be overly concerned about them. So it kind of made me feel like he's going to be okay. And because he's going to be okay, I'm going to be okay. I don't mean to be greedy, but we've only been together like eight years and. And we're building this life together. And because of this whole ordeal, which took a lot out of me and a lot out of him, I'm going To get more time in that life with him. And I just chose to focus on that and be grateful. Thank you. Also, he's here, Brian. He's all right. He's walking around and everything. Tell me these two crazies are back in my mind. Tommy says the children's a cloud in my head when everything is wrong I dance inside my mind that's when I come alive.

[Larry Dorsey Jr.]

Like a schizo running wild Is when I come alive now let's go wild.

[Taj Easton]

All right, folks, that's almost it for this week's episode. We've got Janelle Monae in the background now, and we just heard from Laura House. I did have the sense, listening to this story that if I were a doctor or a nurse, I might feel a little defensive. I've had my share of really frustrating experiences in the hospital. Being in the hospital and having something really horrible going wrong with you or a loved one is so awful. And if there is any perceived callousness or indifference or apathy on the part of our medical providers, that is so difficult and disheartening. And I imagine a lot of people can relate to that. I think it is so miraculous and heroic what these medical professionals do every day and how difficult the job is and what a difficult environment that is to work in. So, yeah, I just want to shower a little bit of praise on all of the people spending their lives doing that. And sometimes hospital experiences suck. You can find Laura online at imlaurahouse on Instagram and X. It's Pride Month. We've got a lot of fantastic content coming to you in the coming weeks. Next week, there is a conversation story between me and Kate Bol about her transitioning. Kate has been on the show many times, with the exception of a brief conversation with Kevin I'll as a man. And so we are welcoming Kate, her true fabulous self, on the show in style. That and loads of other Pride stories coming at you this month. So we'll see you all next week. Thank you for listening. Thank you for keeping us alive. With your support and your encouragement and your donations, we can never articulate how much that means to us. All right, we'll be back later this week and next week and on until we can no longer do it, which I hope is never. But that is the future, and today is the day. Take a risk.