Podcast
When Life Gives You Lemons
Hosted by Kevin & Palmi Henry · EN
We do a bit of Research into handicapped travel issues and provide some solutions. Mobility, Hearing, Sight, Mental issues included. so far our episodes have included some information on Ataxia, Cerebral Palsy, Deafness, Dancing Sickness, Gulf War Syndrome, Long Covid and Wheelchairs. We are both Disability Advocates and realize there are too many diseases and conditions to cover and try to discuss the most common problems disabled people face and spread some awareness of disabled issues non-disabled people are unaware of.
CORRECTION
On a Previous episode I described how to enter our End Of Season contest. Step 1 click on the support our show link. Step 1 we require a one time payment (This has changed during our season) of $3. Step 3 (get you back to a one time payment) click on the $3 Subscription button. The following business day cancel the subscription (if you do it same day your bank may start thinking FRAUD. Step 4 Your done. Thanks for entering and "may the odds be forever in your favor",
17episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Caregiving Protects Independence When Disability Progresses
2d ago00:40:06Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailCaregiving isn’t a side plot in disability life. It’s the difference between getting through the day safely and getting stuck, isolated, or overlooked by systems that were never designed for real-world needs. We talk about what caregivers and caretakers mean in practice, how a progressive disability can shift support from “can you drive me?” to hands-on personal care, and why protecting independence and dignity has to stay at the center of every decision we make at home.We break down the day-to-day work that rarely gets credit: bathing, dressing, feeding, scheduling appointments, transportation, shopping, bills, advocacy, and emotional support. We also share why respite care is not a luxury. When one person is on duty 24-7, burnout and emotional fatigue are predictable, and caregiver health becomes part of the care plan. We get honest about isolation, physical strain during falls and transfers, and the sacrifices that pile up when caregiving stretches across years.You’ll also hear us unpack caregiver types and programs, including family caregivers, home health aides, skilled nursing visits, and respite caregivers, plus realistic paths to getting paid through Medicaid consumer-directed care, long-term care insurance, paid leave, and VA caregiver programs. We even dig into transportation gaps that hit disabled riders hard, especially outside big cities. If you care about disability advocacy, caregiver support, and practical strategies that actually work, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share the episode with someone who needs it, and leave a review, then tell us: what’s your funniest caregiver story?Support the show
Transcribe →How Disabled Activists Forced Congress To Act
2w ago00:14:47Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailEighty-three steps doesn’t sound like a policy argument until you picture someone dragging themselves up marble stairs just to be allowed in the room. We’re Kevin and Palmy, and we’re talking about the Capitol Crawl, the 1990 disability rights protest that helped break the stalemate around the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by forcing the country to see inaccessibility up close.We set the scene in Washington, DC: activists leaving behind wheelchairs and mobility aids, cameras rolling, chants echoing, and more than 60 people climbing the Capitol steps by hand. One moment still stops us cold, eight-year-old Jennifer Keelan pulling herself upward and saying she’d take all night if she had to. That image made a simple point lawmakers could not talk around: without ramps and accessible entrances, disabled people are locked out of civic life.Then we get into what happened after the ADA passed and why “passing a law” isn’t the same as guaranteeing access. We talk about ramps, curb cuts, accessible transit, and workplace accommodations, plus the frustrating gaps: weak enforcement, the burden of civil recourse, and how accessibility breaks down on private property like shopping center parking lots. We also dig into why fines for blocking access don’t land the same for everyone, especially across income levels, and what that means for real-world disability justice.If you care about accessibility, disability advocacy, civil rights, or the history behind the ADA, listen now. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review so more people find the show.Support the show
Transcribe →Neuralink And ALS Speech Restoration With A Real Voice (update)
May 600:23:33Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailA brain implant that turns thoughts into speech is already a huge claim. Hearing that speech come out in the person’s own voice is something else entirely. We break down Neuralink’s latest progress and talk through the real-world details that matter to disabled people and families, especially around ALS, communication loss, and what “quality of life” actually means when a disease keeps moving the goalposts.We also get into the less glamorous side of brain-computer interface (BCI) tech: why tiny sensor threads can shift over time, how cerebrospinal fluid may play a role, and what Neuralink is changing to improve reliability. Along the way we compare approaches in the BCI space, including Neuralink’s choice to use a robotic surgeon and individualized surgical planning, plus what it could mean as clinics expand beyond a single location.Then we look ahead at Blindsight and the attempt to restore vision for blindness, with realistic expectations like early “pixelated” visuals and the possibility of software updates that improve performance without replacing hardware. We keep it grounded in disability advocacy, including a blunt reminder from everyday wheelchair design: if users are not driving the design, “innovations” can become obstacles.If you’re curious about Neuralink, brain-computer interfaces, assistive technology, and the future of communication and vision restoration, hit play. Subscribe, share with a friend, leave a review, and send us fan mail with your questions or your Capital Crawl guess.Support the show
Transcribe →What Counts As Independence After SCI (part 3)
Apr 2201:01:24Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailMost people think a spinal cord injury has one clear story line. Wendy blows that up in the best way. She’s an L1 paraplegic who’s lived with spinal cord injury for 35 years, and she joins us to talk through what “paraplegic” and “quadriplegic” actually mean, how injury level shapes function, and why two people with SCI can look completely different day to day. We also get honest about mental health, because coping after a sudden traumatic injury isn’t a motivational poster, it’s a series of choices you make in rehab and keep making for decades.We dig into disability rights and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) from the inside. Wendy shares what it was like being injured right after the ADA became law, fighting to return to work, and eventually going to law school because she needed to understand the system that was failing her. We talk real-world accommodations, the value of remote work long before it was common, and the frustrating truth that many medical providers still don’t understand spinal cord injury care, which forces patients to find specialists and educate everyone else.Then we get practical and blunt about accessibility. Accessible parking, van ramps, placard abuse, and “waiting” in disabled spots aren’t minor annoyances, they can decide whether you can safely get out of your vehicle or get home at all. Wendy shares a snowstorm parking ticket story that shows how policies collapse when they ignore lived experience. We also touch on inclusive architecture, building codes versus real usability, and why communities work better when disabled people are involved early. If you care about disability advocacy, ADA compliance, accessible travel, or just doing the decent thing in public spaces, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review telling us what accessibility change you want to see next.Support the show
Transcribe →What Counts As Independence After SCI (part 2)
Apr 800:27:55Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailA spinal cord injury can arrive like a single moment, or it can build slowly through missed clues and delayed care. We’re Kevin and Palmy, and we sit down with Thomas to hear a story that starts with something rare: he was born without his first cervical vertebra. From childhood falls to later disc herniations, he walks us through how multiple cervical spine injuries added up, why his neck is now fully fused, and what that has meant for his mobility and daily independence. We get specific about real life with a cervical spinal cord injury: the loss of balance that leads to using a walker, the ongoing commitment to physical therapy and pool walking, and managing spasticity with tools like a baclofen pump. We also dig into the healthcare side, including how hard it can be to find the right neurologist or physiatrist, especially when you live rural and the closest specialist is hours away. If you’ve ever felt dismissed in an exam room, this conversation will feel familiar and validating. One of the biggest surprises is breathing. Thomas explains central sleep apnea tied to spinal cord injury, where the brain’s breathing signals fail during sleep, and how a night ventilator improved his mental state when things were at their worst. We also talk about work accommodations, remote work long before it was common, and the mental health turning point that helped him move from a dark place into action, adaptation, and helping others. If this resonates, subscribe, share the show with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find these disability stories. What’s one question you wish more doctors would actually answer?Support the show
Transcribe →What Counts As Independence After SCI
Mar 2500:29:42Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailA spinal cord injury can change movement, sensation, and the parts of the body you don’t usually think about until they stop working the way they used to. Kevin and I get practical about SCI awareness, not as doctors and not as a diagnosis guide, but as disability advocates who want people to have better language and better instincts when they meet someone living with SCI. We break down what “spinal cord injury” actually means, why complete vs incomplete injuries matter, and how the level of injury (cervical, thoracic, lumbar) shapes what a person can and can’t do. From there, we talk about the long list of real-world complications that deserve more attention: chronic pain, spasticity, muscle weakness, pressure injuries, bowel and bladder dysfunction, respiratory concerns, bone health, and the mental health load that often comes with it. We also get honest about depression, anxiety, and identity shifts, and why the timeline of disability doesn’t magically make hopelessness easier. Then we zoom out to daily life: wheelchairs and adaptive equipment, home and workplace modifications, accessibility barriers, and the way ableism can limit independence as much as the injury itself. We also explore treatment and long-term management, including rehab, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and symptom management, plus the rapidly evolving world of assistive technology. That includes a Neuralink brain-computer interface update, what it takes to learn cursor control, and engineering changes meant to solve real biological challenges like normal brain movement. We’re lining up interviews next so you can hear directly from people affected by SCI, not just our research. Subscribe, share this with someone who cares about disability access, and leave us a review, then tell us what disability topic you want us to cover next.Support the show
Transcribe →What Happens When Disability Collides With The System
Mar 1100:35:01Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailA single moment split Danny Williams’ life in two: before the traumatic brain injury and after. What followed wasn’t a neat arc of recovery but years of stubborn iteration—wheelchair to walker to rollator to cane—paired with speech therapy, diet changes, and the hard work of teaching his other hand to write. We sit with Danny as he maps the terrain few see from the outside: how a prognosis can shrink your world, and how agency, second opinions, and daily reps can widen it again.We get candid about the systems that shape disability. Danny stays in New York because the TBI waiver, Section 8 housing, and utility support make survival possible, yet he faces trade-offs that feel impossible: marriage or medical coverage, a job or essential care. He explains the spend-downs, income caps, and cliff effects that keep people poor for staying alive. As a veteran, he threads VA access with private insurance to protect his options, challenging any single gatekeeper’s say over his future. When doctors predicted a bedridden life, he pushed back, reducing 38 medications to five and weighing long-term organ risks against short-term relief.This conversation is about more than policy; it’s about power. Danny draws a line around his time, his choices, and his body. He rejects the quiet control of others—what to wear, when to eat, how to move—and builds momentum with small wins that add up to autonomy. We also look ahead: where might his skills fit next? He’s eyeing AI security and even robot repair, charting a path that blends practicality with curiosity. If you’ve ever felt defined by a diagnosis or boxed in by red tape, Danny’s story offers a working blueprint: decide what you want, gather the right team, and keep moving, even when the system says stop.If this resonated, follow the show, share this episode with a friend who needs it, and leave a review to help more listeners find these stories. Your feedback shapes what we explore next.Support the show
Transcribe →TBI 101 For Real Life
Feb 2500:18:23Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailA sudden jolt can change everything. We dive into traumatic brain injury with a clear, practical guide to what TBI is, how it shows up in daily life, and why the path from hospital to home is rarely straight. We break down the spectrum—from mild cases that look like “just a headache” to severe injuries marked by loss of consciousness, seizures, and profound confusion—so you can recognize red flags, ask better questions, and advocate with confidence.You’ll hear how symptoms weave across four domains: physical (headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light and sound), cognitive (memory lapses, slowed thinking), emotional (anxiety, mood swings), and sleep (insomnia or oversleeping). We map the treatment arc, from rest and a gradual return to activity for mild TBI to emergency stabilization, medications, potential surgery, and long-haul rehabilitation for moderate to severe injuries. Along the way, we share a candid household story that reveals what manuals miss: sensory overload, rigid scheduling needs, and the strain that unpredictable environments place on someone rebuilding their life.Prevention and support sit at the heart of our conversation. We call out the leading causes—falls, vehicle collisions, sports impacts, violence, and military blasts—and offer practical steps to reduce risk at home and on the road. Just as important, we explain why structure, empathy, and transitional programs can turn chaos into a manageable routine. And because definitions aren’t enough, we preview a follow-up conversation with someone living with TBI to anchor the facts in lived experience and give listeners tools they can use today.If this resonates, tap follow, share with someone who needs it, and leave a quick review telling us the one TBI myth you want busted next. Your questions will shape part two and help us bring more real voices to the mic.Support the show
Transcribe →CLASSIC - Dancing Plague, to Gulf War Syndrome, To Long COVID
Feb 1100:31:12Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailA woman dances through the streets of 1518 Strasbourg until she collapses. Decades later, veterans return from the Gulf War with symptoms no one can neatly explain. Today, long COVID lingers, a modern mystery that feels unsettlingly familiar. We connect these threads to ask a bigger question: how do we care for people when causes hide in the fog?We dig into the dancing plague’s competing theories—from ergot-tainted grain to mass stress shaped by famine, fear, and faith—and how ritual cures like red shoes and shrine pilgrimages reflected the beliefs of the time. Then we map the terrain of Gulf War Syndrome: toxic exposures, PTSD, and the VA’s push toward system-wide, symptom-first management when evidence stayed messy. Finally, we unpack long COVID’s durable symptoms—fatigue, brain fog, breathlessness, altered smell and taste—alongside evolving science on vaccines, potential mechanisms, and the data fragmentation that slows clean answers.Through it all, one principle guides us: believe patients and treat what you can see, even while research races to confirm the why. We share practical takeaways on pacing, cognitive strategies, supportive rehab, and communication that validates lived experience without overpromising cures. History doesn’t just repeat; it rhymes. By blending curiosity with compassion, we can make care better now and push science forward. If this conversation resonates, share it with a friend, subscribe for more thoughtful dives, and tell us where you want us to go next. Your insights help shape future episodes—what should we explore?Support the show
Transcribe →CLASSIC - Diabetes, Disability, And Daily Choices
Jan 2600:36:12Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailSugar numbers don’t live in a lab; they live in our kitchens, routines, stress, and sleep. We open up about what diabetes really looks like day to day—one of us reversing type 2 after major weight loss, the other managing prediabetes while navigating disability and recovery. From there, we map the landscape clearly: type 1, type 2, gestational, and the often-misunderstood prediabetes stage where access to monitoring can be frustratingly limited.We go deeper into food that works in real life. Fiber becomes the hero—beans, oats, chia, vegetables—because slowing absorption beats chasing spikes. We share hydration goals, practical snack swaps, and how to enjoy flavor without loading up on sugar. Movement gets the adaptive treatment: building strength without aggravating injuries, using small, safe sessions to keep insulin sensitivity high, and pairing activity with better sleep to stabilize hormones. Along the way, we address alcohol, smoking, and the sneaky toll of stress on blood sugar.You’ll also hear two big topics flying under the radar. First, the global recognition of malnutrition-related “type 5” diabetes—insulin deficient but not insulin resistant—prevalent in low-resource settings and historically misclassified. Second, the strengthening link between diabetes and dementia through vascular damage and brain insulin resistance. We connect these dots with a quick tour through the history of insulin, why prices rose, and how coverage and CGMs can make or break daily management.If this conversation helps you rethink one habit—adding a cup of beans, aiming for 75 ounces of water, or setting a sleep boundary—then we’ve done our job. Subscribe for more grounded health talk, share this episode with someone who needs a hopeful nudge, and tell us where you stand on the great debate: sweet tea or unsweet?Support the show
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