Outside the Waiting Room is a podcast about life with chronic illness, the parts that happen beyond appointments, diagnoses, and waiting for answers.
Hosted by Olivia and Harriet, two friends from New Zealand living with chronic illness, this is a space for honest conversations, real stories, and hope for what's next.
Through patient stories and lived experiences, we explore the realities of navigating illness while reminding listeners of one simple truth: you don't have to do this alone.
Because life happens outside the waiting room.
Episode 8: Chronically Ill, Chronically Unsupported
Because apparently being sick isn't hard enough.
Living with chronic illness is challenging enough without having to fight the very systems designed to support you.
In this episode, we're getting into some of the harder conversations around living with chronic illness in New Zealand. From financial support that disappears because your partner earns "too much", to overwhelmed hospitals, endless waiting lists and the exhausting reality of having to constantly advocate for yourself.
Livvy shares her personal experience of losing financial independence because of how the Supported Living Payment is assessed, while Harriet talks about the growing fear of needing hospital care when the healthcare system is already stretched to its limits.
We're not here to get political. We're here to talk about what these decisions and systems actually mean for the people living with them every day.
Because being chronically ill shouldn't mean being chronically unsupported. And resilience shouldn't be a requirement for getting the help you need.
We'd love to hear from you. Have you experienced similar challenges accessing healthcare or financial support, whether in New Zealand or elsewhere?
Because life happens outside the waiting room. 💜
30 Sept 2026
Chronic Illness Meets Taboo Conversations
Motherhood, fertility, and relationships can take on a different dimension when chronic illness is part of the equation. In this episode, Harriet and Olivia talk candidly about living with lupus and the questions, emotions, and medical decisions that can shape future plans.
Together, they explore how health can affect relationships, intimacy, and the deeply personal decision of whether to start a family.
This is an honest conversation about the realities behind the questions people may not feel comfortable asking—and a reminder that there’s no single right way to build a life when illness is part of the picture.
9 Sept 2026
Why the Move from Paediatric Care to Adult Care Feels So Brutal
The jump from paediatric care to adult services can feel like getting dropped off a cliff, and for chronically ill patients, nobody warns you how hard that landing can be.
Harriet and Livvy unpack what it really means to grow up inside the health system, from childhood hospital memories to the grief, confusion, and sudden self-advocacy that come with aging out of paeds.
26 Aug 2026
Not Sick Enough. Not Well Enough
Too sick for healthy people, too healthy for sick people.
If you have ever felt stuck in that in-between world, this conversation will hit home. We get honest about what it really means to try to fit in with a chronic illness, why that pressure gets so much heavier in your teens and twenties, and how the cost of pushing through can follow you for years.
11 Aug 2026
The Hidden Cost of Working with a Chronic Illness
When chronic illness and work collide, the real question is not "Can you do the job?" it's "What does it cost you to keep doing it?"
Harriet and Livvy get brutally honest about the hidden energy tax of working while chronically ill, from commuting, appointments, and office expectations to the constant pressure of deciding what to disclose, when to speak up, and how much to push.
29 Jul 2026
Living with Chronic Illness: The Hidden Battles
In this episode, Olivia and Harriet share their personal experiences living with chronic illnesses, exploring the invisible struggles, societal misunderstandings, and the importance of compassion.
They highlight how unpredictable health can be, the misconceptions about appearance and activity levels, and offer insights into navigating this complex reality.
Main topics covered:
The unpredictable nature of chronic illness and flare-ups
The invisible fatigue and physical exhaustion experienced daily
Society’s misconceptions about what illness looks like and how people mask symptoms
The emotional toll, including guilt and anxiety about doing enough
How to support loved ones with chronic conditions through thoughtful check-ins
The process and challenges of using mobility aids and parking passes
The importance of self-care, rest, and setting boundaries to manage health
Differentiating between regular tiredness, fatigue, and chronic fatigue
1 Jul 2026
Harriet's Story
Most people underestimate just how much living with a chronic illness can shape your entire life and how much resilience it takes to keep going.
In this episode we talk about Harriet’s story of diagnosis from infancy, the raw reality behind the medical rollercoaster and the emotional toll of feeling different from everyone else.
24 Jun 2026
Olivia's Story
The podcast episode features a candid conversation about living with chronic illness, specifically lupus. It covers the challenges of diagnosis, the impact of lupus on the body, treatment challenges, the experience of adolescence with chronic illness, and the transition to adulthood and family life. The conversation highlights the importance of finding joy in everyday life and the impact of chronic illness on identity.
Takeaways
Finding joy in everyday life
The impact of chronic illness on identity
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Podcast Disclaimer
06:15 Variability of Lupus and Its Impact on Individuals
16:59 Adolescence and Living with Chronic Illness
25:18 Teenage Years and Social Challenges
33:07 Transitioning to Adulthood and Family Life
18 Jun 2026
Welcome to Outside the Waiting Room
In this trailer episode, we share the story behind why we started this podcast and the conversations that inspired it.
As two women living with chronic illness, we know what it's like to spend years waiting for answers, diagnoses, treatments, and life to feel normal again. But we also know that life doesn't stop while we're waiting.
Outside the Waiting Room is a space for honest conversations about chronic illness, relationships, mental health, identity, grief, resilience, and everything in between. No toxic positivity. No pretending everything is fine. Just real stories, shared experiences, and a reminder that you don't have to navigate this journey alone.
If you've ever felt unseen, isolated, or like the world keeps moving while you're trying to keep up, this podcast is for you.
Welcome. We're so glad you're here. 💜
Reach and audience
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Spotify
5.0 / 5
9 ratings
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