Welcome to the first episode of "Maybe This Will Be The Cure"! I'm your host, Megan, and this podcast is a space to talk about navigating chronic pain, mental health, and the unique experience of parenting neurodivergent children.

If you've ever felt that unmistakable nudge to speak up in a crowded room, you'll understand the mix of excitement and nervousness I'm feeling right now. But I’ve been blessed by others willing to share their stories, so picture me, tucked away in my dimly-lit closet, pouring my heart out into the mic.

From PDA Autism to unschooling to Type 1 Diabetes to exploring different healing modalities and more, I'm sharing my experiences, hoping to connect, and, just maybe, find a bit of healing along the way.

In this episode I'll discuss:

• Why I'm starting a podcast
• The power of sharing our stories
• What to expect from this podcast
• The realities of making choices between imperfect options
• My nuanced view of health and wellness

So, grab a comfy seat, and let's dive into the candid conversations that make life's challenges a little more manageable and help us feel a little less alone. Because maybe this will be the cure.

Links:

• Click here for the full show notes for this episode.
• Click here to get the FREE "New Years" Planning Workbook.
• @maybethiswillbethecure on Instagram

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Disclaimer:

The information shared in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Consult your physician before making any changes to your health plan. The host, Megan, is not a healthcare provider. Always seek guidance from a qualified health professional for your individual needs.

Hey, and welcome to the first and maybe last episode of this podcast. I'm just kidding. I'm launching this podcast with more than one episode, so technically, it can't be the last.

Have you ever been sitting in class or maybe at church or a meeting or something, and you have this urge to speak up? There's that undeniable feeling that you need to add your voice to the discussion. When that happens to me, like, when I feel that nudge, to say something, all of a sudden, my heart starts beating really fast, and it's so loud, I can hear it pounding in my ears. My stomach drops, my face feels like it's on fire, and suddenly I'm winded, parched, and my armpits are soaked through all at the same time.

Well, I'll be real. I kind of feel like that right now, starting this podcast. Who am I to share my thoughts, you know? But for whatever reason, I have this feeling that I need to. And somehow that conviction is pulling stronger than the urge to sit down or throw up. So here I am.

My name is Megan, and if you're listening to this first episode when it launches, I'm guessing you know me in real life. Hi, mom! Or maybe you came across my Instagram page. A few months ago, I was feeling this pull to share my experiences, and so I started an Instagram page called Maybe This Will Be the Cure. I've been sharing a bit on there, but I actually have a long list of things I want to talk about. But the thing holding me back from sharing a lot of those ideas is having to come up with a video or a photo to go with it. And I'm just not great at taking videos or photos.

But talking, that's my thing. I'm a chatty girl. Have you seen that animated movie on Netflix with Adam Sandler and Bill Burr? The one where they play the class pets, the tortoise and the Lizard? It's like a kids movie. I think it's called Leo. Anyways, there's this scene of one of the girls in class just talking and talking and talking to the kids sitting next to her. And Adam and Bill's characters are like, "First child, no filter. Never heard the word enough." I was cracking up. It's me! Oldest child over here. And apparently I have plenty to say.

And the beauty of a podcast is that I can sneak into my closet while everyone else is sleeping and record an episode. No need for good lighting or glam. It's just me and the mic in this dimly lit, cozy, okay, cramped closet, talking to myself. What a dream.

And I love podcasts. I listen to them all the time, and I'm so grateful to others that have shared their stories and experiences. I've learned a lot, and I felt less alone in some of the challenges I've faced because of others that shared their stories.

For example, I'm a mom of two PDA autistic kids. If you don't already know, PDA stands for pathological demand avoidance. And one feature of PDA is a very sensitive threat response. Anyways, long before we had a diagnosis, I remember feeling like I couldn't really relate to others' parenting experiences. Things always felt so hard for us. And then I came across this podcast. I think it's called the PDA Parents podcast. It was by two moms of PDA autistic kids. And at this point, I had just started learning about PDA. I think I saw a few posts about it on Instagram, and I was curious about it. Maybe it was my intuition. But anyways, I remember listening to this podcast and crying through every single episode because I could finally relate. Their experiences with parenting were so similar to mine, I felt seen.

And to give you another example, almost two years ago, my oldest was diagnosed with type one diabetes. And suddenly here I was without ever going to medical school, with this huge responsibility of making a million medical decisions for my kid all day, every day, just to keep him alive. It has been so overwhelming and a huge learning curve. And about a year ago, I came across the Juice Box podcast. And that podcast has tons of helpful tips and information on managing diabetes and dosing with insulin. And it was started by this dad whose daughter has diabetes. And I've learned so much from that podcast and from lots of different podcasts. I am so grateful for people that shared their stories and their experiences so that I could learn and so that I could feel less alone.

Why the name Maybe This Will Be the Cure? About five years ago, I started getting nightly back pain. I'd be fine all day, then up in so much pain in the night. I was desperate for relief. And I started trying a bunch of different things to try to get better. And each time I'd try a new therapy or supplement or whatever, I'd say to my husband, maybe this will be the cure. And then each thing I tried was not the cure. So it became this joke between us.

But I think it captures the hope and optimism we hold on to in the face of uncertainty and challenges. And as a mom that is navigating chronic pain and mental health while parenting and homeschooling kids with PDA, autism, and type one diabetes, among other things, I face unique challenges.

I'm here in solidarity, exploring different healing modalities, living with chronic conditions, supporting PDA autistic children through burnout, and navigating the nuances of parenting children with disabilities, navigating health challenges, accommodations, therapies, learning, and healing are all a big part of my daily life.

And I think I have a unique perspective when it comes to health. I'm really interested in all things health and wellness, partly because of my own health challenges. For example, I had several seizures as a young kid. I always struggled with my mental health, with OCD, anxiety, and depression. I've dealt with various skin issues like acne, eczema, itchy rashes, dandruff. I've also had gut issues, headaches, period problems. And as I mentioned previously, I've been dealing with chronic nightly back pain and other mysterious aches that come and go. And then there's the health challenges in my own little family. Both my kids are PDA autistic with ADHD, OCD, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, arfid, and my oldest also has type one diabetes. And then my husband has also struggled with some health issues of his own. So my life is impacted daily by health challenges. It's on the brain a lot.

But part of my interest stems from my childhood. I grew up knee-deep in the health and wellness world. My dad's a chiropractor, and in our house, health and wellness was basically a second religion. I found a lot of value in the holistic health world, and those tools worked fine for me.

But then we were thrown a major curveball when my oldest was diagnosed with type one diabetes. And currently, there's no cure. Trust me, I searched. In the alternative health universe, I've witnessed incredible healing stories for various conditions. But for people with type one diabetes, ultimately they need insulin and insulin, well, that's a western medicine, that's produced by the infamous big pharma.

So now I'm navigating this middle ground where I appreciate chiropractic and acupuncture and herbal remedies. But I'm also completely dependent upon western medicine in order to keep my kid alive. So it's a weird spot to be, but it lets me understand and empathize with different perspectives.

And I've had several experiences in life that have given me a nuanced perspective. For example, during my freshman year in college, I faced some health challenges that led to weight gain and feeling awful, among other things. Deciding to prioritize my health, I moved back home and started on a healing journey with a specific diet and supplements. And it worked. I felt a lot better, and that experience showed me the healing power of nutritious food, and I've witnessed others with similar stories. So I was committed to prioritizing healthy eating for myself and my children.

But shortly after diabetes hit, my son didn't want to eat because it meant more shots. He went longer and longer between meals, sometimes refusing to eat more than once a day. He was so hungry, which in turn affected his behavior. Not to mention skipping meals poses a risk for him as a kid dependent on insulin. And no, contrary to popular belief, some kids won't just eat eventually when they're hungry. So I stopped pushing our usual balanced, organic meals, and I surrendered to whatever he'd agreed to eat, be it sugary cereal or ice cream bars. And my past self is cringing at the glyphosate and the dyes and the added sugar and the diabetes mom in me is worried about the impact of those foods on his blood sugar. Imperfect, yes, but at that point, eating something was better than him not eating anything at all.

So here I am, living in the gray, making decisions between imperfect choices. Life's nuanced, and we're all navigating our own complex circumstances. With these experiences and others I might share someday, I've gained a deep appreciation for different perspectives, and I'm here to share that nuanced view.

We'll discuss wellness, homeschooling, parenting, caregiving, the journey to radical acceptance, and the ongoing pursuit of supportive therapies. I hope that this podcast brings you comfort, practical insights, and helps you feel seen. I know what it's like to navigate your own health while caregiving for another, and I've felt the weight of challenging life circumstances. So whether you're a parent, a caregiver, or on your own healing journey, this podcast is created just for you. You're not alone.

Thanks for tuning in for the very first episode. I'd love to hear from you. You can send me a DM on Instagram or leave a comment. And if this podcast sounds like your kind of thing, please hit subscribe so that you can easily listen in as I release new episodes. It's free to subscribe and you can listen wherever you like to listen to podcasts. My favorite place to listen to podcasts is the Spotify app on my phone, but I know that the Apple podcast app is also really popular and this podcast can be found on both. Check out the episode description for a link to the show notes where I'll link any resources that I mentioned. Also, I made a free New Year's planning worksheet to help you move into the new year with intention and purpose, if you're interested and I link to it in the episode description and in the show notes. Thanks for letting me talk your ear off. Until next time!

Thanks for joining us today, where dreams are nurtured, challenges are met with resilience, and every tiny step forward is a victory. Hit subscribe so you can easily find new episodes and join this community, because maybe this will be the cure.