Shana Davidson shares her day-to-day Long Covid challenges using the "spoon theory," a metaphor for the limited energy reserves people with chronic illness face
Summary
The episode explores the fascination with prolific enigmatic conditions, which are common yet complex and often misunderstood illnesses like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, endometriosis, and long covid. These conditions highlight systemic issues in healthcare, such as various biases and the complexities of corporate medicine and research. Shana Davidson, having personally experienced misdiagnosis and the challenges of navigating these conditions, emphasizes the intersectional barriers faced by women, people of color, and those with mental and spiritual health challenges.
Shana shares her journey with long covid, discussing the day-to-day management challenges using the "spoon theory," a metaphor for the limited energy reserves people with chronic illness face. Shana's experience underscores the difficulties in obtaining a diagnosis and appropriate care, reflecting broader issues in the medical system's handling of chronic conditions.
Throughout, the podcast touches on themes of resilience, the need for advocacy, and the struggle for recognition and adequate research in treating long covid and similar conditions. The conversation also highlights the importance of compassion and understanding within the medical community and society towards those living with chronic illnesses.
Click here to view the printable newsletter with images. More readable than a transcript, which can also be found below.
Contents
Table of Contents
Toggle
EpisodeProemPodcast introLearning health is fragileSpoons, SpooniesPace Yourself versus SpoonsBudgeting spoonsRecovery mode variation in spoonsContracting CovidOpening upYikes, Long Covid?Tired of Pursuing AnswersLong Covid CenterAsynchronous communicationFinally Diagnosed Call to actionRebel HealthSocial media help – 2-edged swordUseful helpSome compassion, pleaseWhat’s in a Name?Chronic Disease Management – Diagnosis, Symptoms, Care, TreatmentInvesting in Long CovidReflectionPodcast Outro
Please comment and ask questions:
at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes
on LinkedIn
via email
YouTube channel
DM on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok to @healthhats
Production Team
Kayla Nelson: Web and Social Media Coach, Dissemination, Help Desk
Leon van Leeuwen: article-grade transcript editing
Oscar van Leeuwen: video editing
Julia Higgins: Digit marketing therapy
Steve Heatherington: Help Desk and podcast production counseling
Joey van Leeuwen, Drummer, Composer, and Arranger, provided the music for the intro, outro, proem, and reflection, including Moe's Blues for Proem and Reflection and Bill Evan's Time Remembered for on-mic clips.
Podcast episodes on YouTube from Podcast.
Inspired by and Grateful to
Jeff Horner, Yaneer Bar Yam, Melissa Reynolds
Links and references
Episode
Proem
Ants: Prolific and enigmatic. Image by Open Art AI in style of Paul Barson
Prolific enigmatic conditions fascinate me. Prolific (many) is the opposite of rare (few), so not a rare condition. Enigmatic means mysterious riddle. Examples of enigmatic conditions include fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, endometriosis, and long Covid. Enigmatic conditions put a spotlight on isms – racism, sexism, ageism, ablism, paternalism. They reveal a near-universal discomfort with uncertainty. And when you pull back the curtain to try to search or solve, you find the weight of corporate medicine, the research industrial complex, and vested-interest policy making. I know the frustration of years of misdiagnosis. I was misdiagnosed with cardiac disease when I had multiple sclerosis. My privilege insulates me from many cultural barriers and humiliation experienced by women, people of color, and those with mental and spiritual health challenges arising...