Surviving out of Spite

About Surviving out of Spite

Welcome to Surviving out of Spite, a G-PACT podcast hosted by Samantha Sauer, a gastroparesis patient and G-PACT's CEO. This show dives into the challenges , triumphs and everything in between that comes with managing a chronic condition. From heartfelt personal stories to practical advice and lots of laughs along the way, episodes explore the patient experience, provide informative content, and create a space where you're not alone. Join us as we talk life, health and all the things that make this journey unique.

Publisher

G-PACT non profit

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

19 Mar 2025

Latest episode

28 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

1 of 67 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   28 Oct 2026

   Gastroparesis & the ER: What Happens When Doctors Don’t Believe You?

   What happens when gastroparesis or chronic GI symptoms become an emergency, but the ER doesn’t understand what you’re experiencing?In this episode of Surviving Out of Spite, Sam talks with ER physician Dr. Rick Pescatore about gastroparesis, chronic abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, dehydration, and emergency room care. They discuss why chronic GI patients may feel dismissed or misunderstood in the ER, even when symptoms are severe.They also get practical: How do you advocate for yourself in the ER? What should you bring to the hospital? How do you explain your baseline and symptom changes? What do you do when a doctor isn’t listening?This conversation covers ER advocacy, chronic illness, patient-provider communication, shared decision-making, and how patients and emergency physicians can work together.If you live with gastroparesis, IBS, chronic abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, cyclic vomiting, or another gut-brain disorder, this episode is for you.And if you've ever sat in an ER thinking, “They don't believe me,” you're not alone.Here’s a link: https://belly-md.com/pages/menome-code for a code that gets our G-PACT community 6 months of MeNome Premium, free. Tap “That’s me” next to the G-PACT line, drop in an email, and the code appears right on the page. Copy it and it takes you straight into signup.

2. 

   21 Oct 2026

   EDS Exercise: How to Build Strength With Hypermobility

   What does it really mean to build strength in a hypermobile body? In this episode, Sam sits down with Heidi Pasch, a hypermobility-informed personal trainer and contortionist, for an honest and empowering conversation about hypermobility, EDS, strength training, rehabilitation, chronic pain, and safe movement. For people living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), hypermobility, or chronic illness, exercise and movement can come with unique challenges. Heidi shares her experience and expertise on how to approach training in a way that prioritizes muscle health, injury prevention, stability, body awareness, and long-term strength rather than simply pushing for more flexibility. They also challenge some of the common misconceptions surrounding hypermobility and flexibility. Being flexible doesn't necessarily mean your body is stronger or healthier, and for some hypermobile people, excessive flexibility can create additional challenges with stability and injury risk. The conversation looks at why slow, deliberate, personalized movement can be so important when training a hypermobile body. Beyond physical training, Heidi discusses the mental shift that can come with chronic illness and disability, including body acceptance, body positivity, and moving away from society's constant focus on weight and appearance. They talk about how changing the way we think about our bodies can help people feel more empowered in their movement and rehabilitation journeys. https://www.heidipasch.com/shop (https://www.heidipasch.com/shop) https://www.heidipasch.com/training-for-hypermobility-and-joint-stability (https://www.heidipasch.com/training-for-hypermobility-and-joint-stability)

3. 

   14 Oct 2026

   Living With Ulcerative Colitis: Chronic Illness, Mental Health & Self-Advocacy

   Ulcerative colitis, chronic illness, mental health, and self-advocacy — this episode of Surviving Out of Spite gets real about what it’s actually like living with an unpredictable chronic illness. Sam talks with Jesse about his ulcerative colitis (UC) diagnosis, severe symptoms and flares, bowel accidents, travel, mental health, stress, and the challenges of navigating life with IBD (inflammatory bowel disease). They also discuss chronic illness self-advocacy, toxic positivity, support from friends and family, finding community, and celebrating small wins. Jesse shares how his experience with ulcerative colitis ultimately led him into chronic illness advocacy and why having a support system can make such a difference when you're living with an invisible illness. If you live with ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, IBD, gastroparesis, or another chronic illness, this conversation is a reminder that you are not alone, and you don't have to navigate it alone.

Inside a recent episode

Chronic Illness & Identity: Who Are You After a Life-Changing Diagnosis?

Published 9 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] And it's, yeah, it's something. Yeah, it is definitely the journey for sure. Now, with again, with your with your chronic illness and the I've said this so many times that the only predictable thing about chronic illness is its unpredictability. And it sounds like that is your mentality to living with MG. […]

Who has been a guest on Surviving out of Spite

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Dateability founders
• Megan Riehl
• Kate Bochnewetch
• Jennifer Akimoto
• Maisy

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

772

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

8 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 44 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

49

Social presence

0

YouTube

66

Engagement

32

Contact Surviving out of Spite

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Shows with a similar audience

• 

  Hope in the Pipeline

• 

  The Pulse

• 

  Short Wave

• 

  The Health Upgrade Podcast

• 

  The Mel Robbins Podcast

• 

  ZOE Science & Nutrition

Questions about Surviving out of Spite