Taking a bit of a detour, Mary and Alex discuss women throughout history.  What they were "allowed" to do and say and just how far we've come in our ability to advocate for ourselves, our bodies, and our healthcare.  We still have a long way to go, but it's important to acknowledge all who came before us and made it possible. Stay Connected Email Us: [email protected] Instagram:@downthereaware Facebook: Down There Aware Twitter: @downthereaware Pinterest: Down There Aware TikTok: Down There Aware #Podcast #Spotify #Anchor #womenshealth #history #womeninhistory #feminist #feminism --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/downthereaware/message

This week, Mary and Alex discuss Alex's latest health crisis that derailed a trip to Texas and their plans for the March 28th episode.    Listen on our website, www.downthereaware.com, or wherever you get your podcasts.   #podcast #spotify #womenshealth #women #herniateddisc #ER #ERvisit #opioidcrisis #healthcare #insurance #texas --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/downthereaware/message

Assembling Your Tribe: The Importance of Having a Strong Support System This week, Mary & Alex discuss the importance of having a strong support system when you are faced with a cancer diagnosis. Episode Highlights · Why a support system is important [1:07] · Your journey is not yours alone [6:22] · Feeling like an impostor [12:39] · You have to tell your story in your own way and on your own time [16:17] · We all need a support system [20:23] Stay Connected Email Us Instagram:@downthereaware Facebook: Down There Aware Twitter: @downthereaware --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/downthereaware/message

This week Mary and Alex sit down with Dr. Randall Bradley, a dear friend who lost his wife of 36 years, Brenda, to stage four pancreatic cancer. Randall is transparent about the highs and lows of dealing with a shocking diagnosis and the deliberate decisions he and Brenda made together in order to allow her to “die as she lived.” Randall shares intimate details of their conversations, the choices they made in the midst of heartbreak, and the community that walked alongside them. Episode Highlights Welcome back! [0:56] Dr. Randall Bradley intro [1:08] April 2019 [2:40] Constipation [3:30] Delays in diagnosis [4:10] Devastating diagnosis [4:48] Dim Prognosis [6:30] “We decided we needed more time.” [7:00] Open and honest sharing [8:40] “Determined to be positive.”  [9:15] “Die as she had lived” [11:20] “Not live in a vacuum” [11:30] One last trip to Kenya [12:55] A Few More Minutes: A Poetry Collection, by Brenda Livingston Bradley [14:40] Bradley Family Recipes: Bread for the Journey [15:19] Brenda Bradley Memorial Scholarship Fund at McLennan Community College [16:24] A premonition, of sorts [17:18] How am I going to die? [18:40] Getting finances in order [20:43] Funeral planning [21:45] Obituary [22:25] Notes to the children [23:13] Precious,2 helpful notes scattered about [24:00] Cleaning out personal items [24:20] Journal entries [25:17] Continue to live as you have lived [27:15] Continue to be who I fell in love with [29:00] I need time alone [29:40] Live life intentionally every day [31:10] Discuss death with family, proactively and periodically [35:00] CaringBridge [36:25] Transparency in sharing your journey[37:56] Living and dying in community [40:37] Take the opportunity to help others understand[41:45] Should we always do what the deceased person wanted? [42:32] It’s ok to laugh with people who are dying [45:10] No guilt in being ready to someone to die [46:04] Hospice [47:00] Responsibility and privilege to share [49:25] Thanks for listening! [50:23] Summary Keywords Podcast, Spotify, Anchor, research, advocacy, humor, pancreatic cancer, transparency, honesty, funeral planning, chemotherapy, CaringBridge, terminal diagnosis, death and dying --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/downthereaware/message

This week is very special!  Mary and Alex sit down with Marion Saville, Sue Collins, and Kirsty Browne from the Conquering Cancer Campaign to learn what they are doing in conjunction with the World Health Organization to ELIMINATE cervical cancer.  YES you read that right, ELIMINATE a cancer!  Visit www.downthereaware.com/conqueringcancer to learn more about the campaign, watch the trailer, or purchase a ticket to view the documentary.  (All ticket sales go directly to the Conquering Cancer Campaign.) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/downthereaware/message

This week Alex sits down with Rylan and Veronica, two fellow young women with endometrial cancer.  The ladies have an open and honest conversation about love during a cancer diagnosis, as well as the need for a strong support system - from your significant other and more. Stay Connected Email Us: [email protected] Instagram:@downthereaware Facebook: Down There Aware Twitter: @downthereaware Pinterest: Down There Aware TikTok: Down There Aware Summary Keywords Podcast, Spotify, Anchor, research, advocacy, humor, deflection, coping skills, World Cancer Day, Patch Adams, Robin Williams, Chris Evert, ovarian cancer, therapeutic humor, inappropriate humor --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/downthereaware/message

Alex and Mary return on the 4th Monday and their new schedule. This week they discuss humor, as deflection and a coping mechanism when dealing with trials and tribulations. Alex shares some personal experiences with humor in times of tragedy. Part of their research involved viewing the 1998 film Patch Adams, with Robin Williams, as well as several peer-reviewed articles and various related websites. #Podcast #Spotify #Anchor #research #humor #darkhumor #cancer #thankscancer Episode Research Links Use of humor as a coping mechanism, psychological adjustment, and social interaction The Use of Humor in Patients With Recurrent Ovarian Cancer Laughing in the Face of Fear (of Disease Detection): Using Humor to Promote Cancer Self-Examination Behavior Laughing at cancer: Humour, empowerment, solidarity and coping online Hall House Productions (@thankscancer) • Instagram photos and videos Tumor Humor - My Perfect Prescription for Coping with Cancer How One Woman Used Humor to Help Her Cope with Her Cancer - OHC The impact of humor on patients with cancer Finding a Reason to Laugh | Cancer.Net Cancer is no laughing matter — or is it? Using Humor as a Coping Tool | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness Getting serious about funny: Psychologists see humor as a character strength Humor As Weapon, Shield and Psychological Salve Summary Keywords Podcast, Spotify, Anchor, research, advocacy, humor, deflection, coping skills, World Cancer Day, Patch Adams, Robin Williams, Chris Evert, ovarian cancer, therapeutic humor, inappropriate humor --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/downthereaware/message

Alex and Mary are back with a new episode for 2022. They’re discussing the pros and cons of New Year’s resolutions, commercialism, succeeding and failing at keeping resolutions, and wondering if it really matters. They also give an update on their time away, including Alex’s surgery/recovery and they announce a new schedule for the podcast and reveal a new musical introduction, as they begin Season 3. Listen on our website, www.downthereaware.com/podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. Episode Highlights Welcome back! [0:31] Happy New Year! [0:36] Thanksgiving update [1:15] Christmas update [1:33] Surgery update [2:08] New podcast schedule [6:57] Mary’s lichen planus diagnosis [6:24] Please subscribe [7:42] New Year’s Resolutions [8:45] Success percentage rates [9:27] Gym memberships [11:07] Money spent on resolutions [11:48] Do you need a “new you?” [14:20] Health-related resolutions [15:20] Dry January [15:40] The “why” of each resolutions [16:25] Generational statistics [17:06] Regional statistics [18:16] Chris Terrell [19:30] Be careful what you wish for! [20:45] Commercialism [20:38] Test the practicality of resolutions[24:11] Coffee Trends [25:10] New Year, New You? [26:25] Thanks for listening! [28:36] Stay Connected Email Us: [email protected] Instagram:@downthereaware Facebook: Down There Aware Twitter: @downthereaware Pinterest: Down There Aware TikTok: Down There Aware Summary Keywords Podcast, Spotify, Anchor, research, advocacy, advanced imaging, diagnosis, knowledge, women, resolutions, commercialism, dry January, gym memberships --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/downthereaware/message

In this week’s episode, Alex and Mary discuss their experiences with various medical diagnoses and the process of weighing the pros and cons in deciding on treatment options. They share how important it has been for them to do their own research in order to make an informed decision. Listen on our website, www.downthereaware.com/podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. Episode Highlights Welcome back! [0:39] A multi-generational perspective [1:05] Subscribe, rate, and review [1:45] Weighing pros and cons of new diagnosis [2:16] Multiple treatment options [3:05] Alex’s endometrial cancer diagnosis [3:57] Mary’s lichen planus diagnosis [6:24] Idiopathic conditions/diseases [8:55] Vaccines, medications, and injury [10:28] In the News [13:17] Alex’s hernia repair [18:48] Bowel strangulation [20:06] Shunt tubing [22:10] Papilledema [26:54] We are taking a break! [29:10] Season 3, January 2022 [30:15] TikTok [30:43] Thanks for listening! [31:05] Stay Connected Email Us: [email protected] Instagram:@downthereaware Facebook: Down There Aware Twitter: @downthereaware Pinterest: Down There Aware TikTok: Down There Aware Links Mentioned in the Episode Mayo Clinic Developing Blood Test That Can Spot More Than 50 Types of Cancer Summary Keywords Podcast, Spotify, Anchor, research, advocacy, advanced imaging, diagnosis, knowledge, women, fear, symptoms, awareness, incisional hernia, lichen planus, treatment options, pros and cons #Podcast #Spotify #Anchor #research #advocacy #advancedimaging #diagnosis #women #womenshealth #gynecology #health #mother #daughter #awareness #endometrialcancer #incisionalhernia #lichenplanus #prosandcons --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/downthereaware/message

In this week’s episode, Alex and Mary discuss their research methods. They offer their best tips on finding credible resources and sifting through what pops up on Google. . . separating the wheat from the chaff, if you will. Listen on our website, www.downthereaware.com/podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. Episode Highlights Welcome back! [0:40] Thanks for your support! [0:50] Subscribe, rate, and review [1:18] Research [1:40] Google [2:23] Using the Internet [3:35] Discernment [4:12] Alex is a space nerd [5:00] Government websites [5:20] Dig a little deeper [6:38] Peer-reviewed documents [7:34] Google Scholar [8:45] Check publication dates on articles [10:14] Be open to multiple publications [11:28] Reputable websites [14:06] Recommends from physicians [15:35] Prep for doctor appointments [17:53] Approaching your physician [18:27] Updated medication list [21:03] Thanks for listening! [26:38] Stay Connected Email Us: [email protected] Instagram:@downthereaware Facebook: Down There Aware Twitter: @downthereaware Pinterest: Down There Aware TikTok: Down There Aware Links Mentioned in the Episode Mayo Clinic - Mayo Clinic Cleveland Clinic National Institutes of Health (NIH) | Turning Discovery Into Health Google Scholar Summary Keywords Podcast, Spotify, Anchor, research, advocacy, advanced imaging, diagnosis, knowledge, women, fear, symptoms, awareness, research, reputable sites, mayo clinic, cleveland clinic, national institute of health --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/downthereaware/message