Discomfort Zone is a podcast about living with chronic illness and disability. Through interviews, conversations, and stories, each episode uncovers what it means to be chronically ill and disabled. Jason helps listeners understand that the best way to cope with the discomfort of illness is to turn towards it and laugh at it.
Jason is an engineering graduate who reinvented himself as a podcaster and chronic illness/disability advocate after developing fibromyalgia, myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS), and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).
Publisher
Jason Herterich
Category
health & fitness · society & culture · society & culture
I was too sick to attend my sister’s wedding, so she wasn’t expecting me to deliver a speech.
16 Sept 2020
Bonus Episode - Default
My gym teacher ridicules me in front of my peers, prompting the question: was my child-acting career a fluke? If so, what does that say about my legacy? What does free pizza have to do with any of this?
18 Aug 2020
9 - Caring in a Crisis Pt 4 - Unlocking Bryson's Brain: Keith McArthur
Keith has dedicated the past few years of his life to finding a cure for his son Bryson who lives with a rare brain disease that has left him unable to walk or talk. But along the way, he began asking himself, "Would Bryson want to be cured?"
In Part 2 of our interview, Keith discusses the ethical considerations surrounding curing a disability, the motivation behind his podcast Unlocking Bryson’s Brain, and the lessons he's learned from Bryson.
If you haven’t listened to part 1 yet, click here to listen.
8 Aug 2020
8 - Caring in a Crisis Pt 3 - A Rare Disease Family: Keith McArthur
Keith’s son Bryson is a charming and outgoing 13-year old who loves his family, friends, and school. But he faces tremendous challenges. He lives with a rare genetic disease that has his brain locked at the developmental level of a 1-year old. The closure of schools has been especially hard on Bryson as he no longer has access to many of the tools he uses for therapy.
Keith, host of the CBC Podcast ‘Unlocking Bryson’s Brain’, talks about life as a rare disease dad, the impact COVID has had on his family, and his search for a cure to Bryson’s brain disease.
4 Aug 2020
7 - Caring in a Crisis Pt 2 - Firefighter Without a Hose: Lindsay Couture
Lindsay is no stranger to adversity. While most 11-year olds were out playing with their friends, she was at home caring for her mom. Now a front-line healthcare worker in the midst of a pandemic, she is faced with unprecedented challenges. Lindsay shares her insights on how the government could ensure the safety of personal support workers and their clients.
28 Jul 2020
6 - Caring in a Crisis Pt 1 - Echoes of a Community: Melissa Graham
Early in the pandemic, Melissa spent all day on the phone with disabled people living in fear of COVID-19. Their fears echoed many of her own. Melissa shares her recommendations on how the government can better meet the needs of the disability community.
26 Jul 2020
Bonus Episode - A Monastic Skunking
Meditating at a jungle monastery in Thailand brought me inner stillness. Then Rob showed up.
24 Jul 2020
5 - We Are Visible: Karina Sturm
Award-winning filmmaker and journalist Karina Sturm joins the show to talk about Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a rare connective tissue disorder she lives with. She opens up about the medical gaslighting she experienced during her long path to diagnosis and how she transitioned from laboratory technician to chronically ill patient to journalist and filmmaker. Karina then talks about her feature-length film, We Are Visible, the challenges she faced while making it, and the false ‘fabricated or induced illness’ (FII) allegations many of her interview subjects experienced.
'We Are Visible' highlights the challenges people living with invisible illnesses face every day, specifically in the context of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. The film features seven stories including people of all ages (5 - 60 years old), from six different countries with diverse backgrounds, different financial standing who are all differently affected by this invisible condition. They will share their challenges, fights, and fears, but also their achievements, hopes, and triumphs.
17 Jul 2020
4 - COVID-19 Has Arrived...In My House?
My parents returned from their vacation in Cuba on March 7th. A few days later, my dad developed a cough and fever. His symptoms rapidly progressed. Could it be COVID-19?
7 Jul 2020
Bonus - COVID Rap: Stay the F**k Home
Checking in from quarantine with a special message. This one is for you, Missy Elliot!
6 Jul 2020
Big News for Discomfort Zone!
Big News for Discomfort Zone - I'm joining Invisible Not Broken Podcast Network!
23 Jun 2020
3 - Unconditional Support: Lisa
Chronic pain tore my life apart and brought my sister and me closer together.
23 Jun 2020
2 - Soap Addict
I was getting better! I left the house to meet women. It didn’t go well.
22 Jun 2020
1 - Struggling to Stay Afloat
I was in constant, excruciating pain and spent 22 hours a day in bed. I never could’ve imagined that someone else's life would fall into my hands. In the second half of the episode, my mom and dad talk about the struggles they have faced as parents of a chronically ill son.
22 Jun 2020
Introducing Discomfort Zone
Introducing Discomfort Zone: immersive stories on chronic illness and disability that showcase our vulnerability, wellness, and resilience. My guests and I find comfort by turning towards discomfort, welcoming it, and laughing at it.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
4.3 / 5
6 ratings
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