An episode to catch everyone up on what’s been going on in the life of someone in their early 60s with a progressive health condition. Waning energy prohibits many of us for reaching all of the goals we’d like to achieve. It takes time to acclimate to a new normal and reassess which goals are most important and how best to achieve them dealing with…

My guest for this Glass Half Full podcast episode is Patrick Regan. Patrick is a young man living in Alaska with SMA (spinal muscle atrophy) who uses AAC to communicate. We've gotten to know each other through online BORP classes -- Tai Chi and Pilates. Our communication previous to our Zoom podcast recording was through Zoom’s chat. Patrick is not…

I don’t know who coined the term movement is medicine, but it resonates for me. My early experiences with exercise were not joyful; grade school physical education was bad medicine. But once I started dancing with friends in high school – before carding and ID checks were mandatory – I experienced movement in a positive way. Shortly after college I…

February 28th is Rare Disease Day. Twenty-five to 30 million Americans live with a rare disease. For more facts and figures related to rare diseases, check the NORD website. This podcast episode catches up with Aditi Kantipuly, a physician and advocate, immersed in the rare disease community. As a young girl Aditi learned about a child born with os…

The holidays can be difficult for most anyone but if you live with a chronic health condition and/or physical disability, the barriers to joy and festivity may increase. Four women engage in conversation about coping with the holidays -- Leslie Krongold with myotonic muscular dystrophy, Andrea Klein with collagen 6 congenital muscular dystrophy, Ja…

When to stop driving a moving vehicle? That is the question to ponder; is it a toss up between being a responsible adult or maintaining a sense of independence? For many people, this is a difficult choice. If you live in an urban or suburban location you may have many options available if you give up driving. For others, a car may be a necessity --…

September 15th is International Myotonic Dystrophy Awareness Day. To learn more about helping educate and advocate for Myotonic Dystrophy visit the Muscular Dystrophy Association or Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation. The purpose of this Awareness Day is to garner the attention of the wider general public, policy makers, regulators, biopharmaceutical re…

The lyrics to Don't Laugh at Me speak to anyone who has felt like an outsider. Whether or not you were bullied as a child, this song will likely resonate with you. Steve Seskin, the singer-songwriter, and his co-writer were first inspired by a young girl's experience of teasing in grade school. But, the song encompasses inequities experienced by th…

Liz Ann Kurdrna, Pilates instructor, feels like her emotional recovery from a rock climbing injury is ongoing yet "knowing that I have to show up for someone else…by teaching…it helps. It helps you uncover the stronger part of yourself." In this podcast episode, Liz Ann talks about her lifelong love of rock climbing as well as her participation in …

Glenn Ribotsky, a Board member with the Western Neuropathy Association, shares his dramatic initiation as a patient into the world of peripheral neuropathy. Now, 18 years later he advocates and offers support to others experiencing the often, invisible pain of a neuropathy.

Dr. William Lowery, a practicing pulmonologist at Alameda Hospital in Northern California, was diagnosed with Limb-Girdle muscular dystrophy some 20 years ago. He's now founded a non-profit organization to help others shorten their diagnostic odyssey with free genetic testing and his expert guidance.…

What is Toxic Positivity? How to avoid it and what to do when confronted with it. One definition in the context of overstressed teachers during the pandemic includes "toxic positivity as focusing on the positive and ignoring the negative. This mindset has caused a lot of teachers to feel guilty, stressed, and overwhelmed." One mental health website…

When you're told you have a tumor the size of a grapefruit growing in your brain, and you have it removed, and you live to tell the story about it without experiencing profound disability, then you have a lot to be grateful for. That's what happened to Amy. Learn more about Amy's health story in this podcast episode. She had no idea about a brain t…

Traditionally the month of October is the time to become aware of people with disabilities -- either a visible or invisible disability -- but here we're drawing attention to all those who face physical and mental health challenges. With 1 in 10 Americans diagnosed with a rare disorder (whether it's a visible or invisible disability) and all of the …

What is that growing on me -- could it be skin cancer? Have you asked yourself this question? During the pandemic I ignored a couple of what I thought were pimples because I was terrified to go inside a building. According to Wikipedia... Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is usually not life-threatening, though it can be aggressive. Although the …

Falls don't always happen when you're standing. Although balance and fall prevention classes help increase your odds of preventing a near fall, some falls are just unusual accidents. Like sitting in a chair where the seat gives way and your derriere hits the ground. That's one unusual fall. Fortunately, movement and flexibility classes improve your…

Christina Leffmann, or Roma as she prefers to be called, is passionate about indoor and outdoor rock climbing as well as the Acquired Disability Peer Support Group she started. In June Roma traveled to Salt Lake City to participate in Paraclimbing National Championships (you can see Roma climbing at 12:30 in the video). In her early 20s Roma experi…

The Pandemic has brought many changes; for me, it's ushered in the next chapter of my life. Perhaps the final chapter? With mobility challenges, it was one of two choices: home modifications or move to a new house. I chose the latter. The transition could be bittersweet but I think I've gained more than I've lost. I am closer to Nature and getting …

It's the May Movement Challenge! This episode explains all you need to know about the #MayMovementChallenge2021 featuring Stanford University's Research Physical Therapist, Tina Duong. Tina's worked with both children and adults with spinal cord injury, stroke rehab, and neuromuscular disease. She talks about stretching, diaphragmatic breathing, an…

Telling a patient story can be a highly emotional task for anyone. Thankfully, there are people who can help. Emily Newberry - author, speaker, coach - at the Kaiser Permanente in Oregon, is one of those people. Emily was a natural story teller having spent part of her youth helping others tell their stories through song. Over the years she's perfe…

Self-Care, or radical Self-Care, is the theme for the 5-year anniversary of the Glass Half Full podcast. This short episode features my brand of self-care -- daily routines that are my sustenance, not just an end-of-the-week treat. Whether it's nutrition, movement, or attitude my waking hours are spent minimizing symptoms associated with a progress…

A contemplative practice includes meditation, prayer, mindfulness, yoga, tai chi or qigong, journaling or anything that helps ground you. Some people uses affirmations while others use music to help them ease into a more tranquil state. Shameka Andrews (pictured above) shares her meditation experience with individuals and organizations and even at …

Do you see images of yourself reflected in popular media? As a person with a chronic health condition and/or disability, is your life reflected in movies, television, print, or social media? In this themed podcast episode you'll hear from Christophe Zajac-Denek -- an actor, musician, surfer, skateboarder, and little person -- whose podcast, I'm Kin…

If Emma Goldman were alive and experimenting with the virtual life, she may have said something like this. Why not dance through the pandemic? It's good physical exercise, ignites oxytocin, and can bond you with a community. Several accessible dance organizations have brought their talents online and thus expanded their reach nationally and interna…

Loneliness is a public health issue. It was before the COVID-19 epidemic forced us into social isolation. Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called loneliness a “growing health epidemic,” and even wrote a book about it - Together: Why Social Connection Holds the Key to Better Health, Higher Performance, and Greater Happiness. In the United Ki…

Are you ready for three days of workshops, adaptive activities, and discovering resources and services to enhance your quality of life? Peruse the agenda, make plans for November 20-22, and register for the free Virtual Abilities Expo. President and CEO David Korse shares the 40+ year history of the annual event in this podcast episode as well as w…

Believe it or not, this episode has nothing to do with the recent U.S. election. We're celebrating the 100th podcast episode of the Glass Half Full. But feel free to celebrate our right to vote in a democracy. All good! If you're a recent Glass Half Full listener, you can now peruse the archives of evergreen content that fall into these categories:…

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Meet Susan Jeremy -- Comic, Actress, Playwright, and Teacher -- and breast cancer survivor. She's also an old friend from my college days. We reminisce about way back when...as well as hear about Susan's unfortunate experience at a New York medical clinic where she was told, "You’re over 40, it’s a cyst. Ta…

This is part 2 of a conversation with Dalia Kinsey, RD, LD, SNS. We talk about becoming our authentic selves, how trauma impacts our physical and emotional health, and the need for inclusivity and intersectionality in public health messages. This is the most stressful year of our lives. We've got the pandemic going. We already knew about police bru…

Dalia Kinsey, RD, LD, SNS, chose to be a dietician because she wanted to help people prevent chronic disease; this was before receiving a diagnosis of Graves Disease, an autoimmune disorder that causes an overactive thyroid. In this first of a two-part interview, Dalia shares anecdotes of dealing with a chronic health condition in another country w…

Are you feeling stressed out? With all that's going on in the world -- pandemic, civil unrest, job loss, hurricanes, wild fires -- it's difficult to avoid stress. Laughter therapy, or laughter yoga, might help alleviate some of the heaviness. It's free. It offers numerous mental and physical health benefits. And it's fun. In the field of psychoneur…

What do you do as a patient with a progressive health condition that renders you unable to do certain tasks? Do you ask for assistance or find a work-around to accommodate for that situation? Once you ask for help, how does your relationship with your helper change? Learned Helplessness is, according to Wikipedia, "a condition in which a person suf…

Featured are four people -- with their own unique health conditions -- that are making the best of the quarantine and pandemic. Luda Gogolushko, who has SMA Type 3 and lives in Southern California, continues to write and publish from the safety of her home. Lindsey Kizer, in North Carolina, gets to telecommute for her job and tries to maintain self…

People with anxiety, autism, blindness or low vision, deaf and hard of hearing, mobility challenges, chemical sensitivities, or PTSD may face unique challenges visiting a dental office. Now with the additional barrier -- the COVID-19 pandemic -- many people are postponing or cancelling routine dental appointments. Dr. Helena Caballero, a dentist in…

That is me; I still have my hands, says the 4-year old girl after waking up in the hospital and being told by her mother that she had lost her legs. The little girl grew up to become Rumba with Tina. Tina Verduzco teaches a Saturday morning online dance class for BORP: Bay Area Outreach & Recreation Program. Tina, along with several other online in…

We're not talking about your financial investments. How much of a health risk are you willing to take during the current pandemic? Do you wear a facial mask when you leave your home? Do you maintain six feet of physical distance from people who do not live with you? Are you avoiding crowds? Postponing health appointments? As our cities and towns gr…

This month we have both Earth Day and Arbor Day so it's high time to be amongst the trees. Even if you are hunkered down in the safety of your home during the pandemic, you can still derive healing benefits from gazing out of your window at nature's bounty. If your window faces man-made materials, there is science proving that a photograph of trees…

If you, or someone you know, has a muscle or nerve condition such as Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Cord Injury, Amputation, Osteoarthritis, Parkinson's Disease, or a neuromuscular disease (i.e. myotonic dystrophy, SMA, Charcot Marie Tooth, Becker's, ALS, etc.), here's an opportunity to participate in a research study. No trips to a medical center or d…

It's April Fool's Day so we're mixing things up. One can't be positive 100% of the time. Now is the opportunity to share about all of the weird things people have said about our health conditions -- whether it was a friend, an aunt, or even a health care professional. Perhaps well-intentioned but definitely not insightful nor helpful advice. Most p…

A retired nurse, physical and yoga therapist, and mental health professional offer strategies to cope with uncertainty, anxiety, and all those other emotions caught up in this season of the pandemic. Verla Fortier, author of Take Back Your Outside Mindset: Live Longer, Prevent Dementia, and Control Your Chronic Illness, speaks about her experience …

How is the threat of Covid-19 (coronavirus) impacting your life? Beyond fierce hand washing, are you changing how you relate to others? Is social distancing keeping you indoors? Are you second-guessing where you go, what you do, and with whom you spend time? You're not alone. People with chronic illness and/or compromised immune systems need to be …

Being diagnosed with a chronic, debilitating disease can certainly bring stress to one's life. In fact, that stress can be significant enough to be called trauma. How one handles this stress varies. Some people have amazing coping capacity and are hard-wired for resilience while others have more difficulty. None of it is easy. How one handles this …

What is a Patient Advocate? A patient advocate can be an actual patient with a mental and/or physical health condition, a caregiver for someone with a health condition, or a paid professional advocating on behalf of others with a health condition. Andrea L. Klein, of Cleveland, Tennessee, has collagen six intermediate congenital muscular dystrophy.…

Registered Nurse and proud septuagenarian, Barbara Blaser, was the guest speaker at my Northern California myotonic dystrophy support group. With her healthcare background and deep knowledge of medicinal herbs, she spoke about the use of herbal tinctures, edibles, and lotions to help relieve muscle pain, anxiety, insomnia, gastrointestinal problems…

In 2018, a research study found that at least 36% of Americans were sleeping less than seven hours each night. Inadequate sleep can lead to a number of physical and/or emotional conditions. Some common sleep disorders include insomnia, restless leg syndrome, central or obstructive sleep apnea, and sleepwalking. Have you perfected your sleep hygiene…

Two friends from grade school share their stories of a diagnosis of a neurological condition. Marc has Multiple Sclerosis and Steve has Parkinson's disease. I have a form of muscular dystrophy called myotonic dystrophy. It's purely coincidental we all went to the same synagogue; there is no correlation between being Jewish and having a neurological…

A family physician talks about ways to avoid the flu, and enhance your immunity, during this peak season for influenza. Plus, you might learn some flu factoids for your next flu trivia contest. Stay on top of flu statistics by following the weekly FluView on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. If you provide care for someo…

End-of-life planning is a huge topic. In previous podcast episodes we've covered the donation of body tissue for scientific research and attending a life transitions retreat. With three fascinating guests you'll learn about an annual symposium which brings together healthcare professionals, patients, caregivers and others all "committed to generati…

Dianna Rowley, diagnosed with diabetes type 1, was a professional dancer. Although she had health issues in her childhood she wasn't diagnosed until her early 20s when she experienced a major health crisis. Her journey to wellness and life balance includes a lot of exercise and movement with setbacks and successes along the way. Today she is a Heal…

Practicing Pilates can be done on a mat or with any number of devices such as the Reformer. Shannon Knorr, a yoga and Pilates instructor, talks about therapeutic Pilates to help with body alignment, pain relief, and more. Julia Carver, a Pilates and Movement Therapist, works with veterans who have experienced PTSD and other trauma to help them with…