June 18, 2025 • 28 mins
They said she'd never walk again. They were dead wrong.
Holly's battle with Guillain-Barré Syndrome left her paralyzed and fighting for her life. Now she's fighting to tell her story—raw, unfiltered, and without permission. This isn't your typical medical recovery podcast. It's a brutal awakening to what happens when your body betrays you and the healthcare system fails you simultaneously.
Each week, Holly exposes the harsh realities of GBS recovery that doctors don't warn you about, shares battle-tested strategies that actually work, and interviews survivors who refused to become statistics.
Your body may have limitations, but your spirit shouldn't be one of them.
Follow Holly's journey: Instagram: @hollyaftergbs Facebook: facebook.com/hollyaftergbs YouTube: youtube.com/hollyaftergbs
Welcome to the No BS Wealth Podcast with Stoy Hall, your candid guide to financial clarity. In our third year, we're spicing things up by enhancing community ties and bringing you straight, no-fluff financial insights. Connect with us on NoBSWealthPodcast.com, and follow Stoy on social media for the latest episodes and expert discussions. Tune in, join the conversation, and transform your financial journey with us—no BS!
As always we ask you to comment, DM, whatever it takes to have a conversation to help you take the next step in your journey, reach out on any platform!
Twitter, FaceBook, Instagram, Tiktok, Linkedin
DISCLOSURE: Awards and rankings by third parties are not indicative of future performance or client investment success. Past performance does not guarantee future results. All investment strategies carry profit/loss potential and cannot eliminate investment risks. Information discussed may not reflect current positions/recommendations. While believed accurate, Black Mammoth does not guarantee information accuracy. This broadcast is not a solicitation for securities transactions or personalized investment advice. Tax/estate planning information is general - consult professionals for specific situations. Full disclosures at www.blackmammoth.com.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Stoy (00:00):
You think you've had it hard in life and been through a
lot of shit and came out on theother side?
Well, today's guest, Holly, isprobably one of the most, I
guess, impressive guests thatwe've had who's gone through so
much and turned it into.
Something great and it'scontinuing to build on that,
which is amazing.
And so I really wanted to haveyou on Holly, specifically to go
through what you talk, what yougo through, but also the
(00:22):
transition for you and usingthat as a positive light in
today's world.
We are going through a lot andto have a story like this and to
have people back behind it is,is something truly amazing.
So I appreciate you coming on.
Holly Frances (00:35):
Ll I really appreciate you having me on and,
you know, giving me anopportunity to talk about what I
went through and just share myexperiences and, uh, hopefully
gives your listeners some reallygood tidbits to take away.
Stoy (00:47):
Yeah.
So, well, without further ado,let's dive into it.
They're all thinking like, well,what the hell is this?
Who, what are you talking about?
What you been through?
So talk us through what you wentthrough and, and how you're
doing.
Holly Frances (00:58):
So this all happened about, it would've been
about 14 years ago.
So a while now.
Uh, I was 26 years old at thetime.
I was healthy.
I was just a normal 26-year-old.
I, um, actually had just beenrecently married.
I was, uh, you know, livinglife.
To the fullest.
And I was a brand new mom, so Ihad just given birth to my
(01:21):
daughter actually three weeksper prior.
So it was just like a reallyexciting time in my life.
For me it was like the start ofeverything, you know, marriage,
babies that, that family lifeand that's what I wanted so
badly.
And so then when I had, when Ihad my daughter, you know, I had
a little girl that was just mydreams come true.
And I was at home and life wasjust incredible.
(01:43):
And I remember thinking likejust.
This is it.
This is what I've always wanted.
And I was at home and I wasadjusting to life as being a
brand new mom.
You know, I, I was adjusting tobreastfeeding, waking up in the
middle of the night, and it wasexhausting.
And I was like in over my head,but I loved it.
Like just absolutely loved it.
But very quickly, things just.
Quickly, drastically changed.
(02:04):
So I was at home.
My daughter's three weeks oldand it was like, it was, it was
this huge blistering snowstormout.
It was freezing cold.
It had been that way the wholetime since my daughter was born.
So I barely even left the house.
I hadn't even really introducedher to much family and friends
yet.
I figured we had so much timetogether.
And in that night it firststarted, I had this weird,
(02:27):
strange tingle in my fingertipand.
When you have a tingle in yourfingertip, you think like maybe
you burned yourself.
You don't think that it'sanything serious.
And as time went on, you know,after a couple of hours, all of
a sudden I had this weird tinglein my back and this weird pain
in my neck and it was like,okay, what's going on?
Like, why do I feel like this?
I thought maybe I had a pinchnerve.
(02:47):
I actually Googled it and waslike, what's going on with my
neck?
And that's what Google told me.
You've got a pinched nerve.
So I just tried to ignore it,but the pain in my neck and my
back just got worse and worse,and I started to just feel
really drained and tired.
And I was walking around thehouse and I was like, oh, it
just feels really hard to walk.
I again was like, you know what?
I haven't slept much in the lastthree weeks with the new babies,
(03:09):
so it's probably just, I neededa good night's sleep.
So I, I went to bed that nightand I, I remember walking up the
stairs and I remember having tohold onto the railing and going,
like, it's really difficult forme to lift up my legs again.
I just need to go to bed.
I'll wake up tomorrow and I'mgonna be fine.
So I went to bed and I had thisneck pain that just would not go
away.
So I am, again, online Googlingstuff.
(03:31):
Googling stretches, like how doI get a neck, neck pain to go
away?
And I'm doing all these yogaposes and it's not going away.
It's not getting better.
And eventually, you know, I, I'mon the floor doing these
different exercises andstretches.
My daughter wakes up in themiddle of the night so that she
can nurse, and I stood up fromthe floor and my legs buckled
(03:52):
and, and completely gave out onme.
So at that point I knew, youknow, I, something is a lot more
serious.
If it, if it is a pinch nerve,then it's affecting my ability
to really walk.
So I was able to like stand backup and get myself to the
hospital.
And I remember at the time justthinking like, okay.
I, uh, my ex-husband, my, mydaughter's father, I remember
(04:12):
telling him, just drop me off.
I'm only gonna be here probablyfor a couple of hours.
There's no point in you cominghere.
I don't want my newborn here, sojust drop me off.
I'll call you in a few hours.
And I had no idea that thatwould be the last time that I
would step foot outta thathospital for three months, over
three months.
Stoy (04:32):
See that is a lot.
Right.
People listening, I told you it,she went through a lot in a very
small period of time to gothrough one of those events,
whether that's getting marriedor having a kid or then getting
sick is enough, but to have allthree happening basically at the
same time in the middle ofwinter, which is always a
depressing time as well.
Like you could not have struckout more.
(04:52):
Oh my gosh.
I know.
Holly Frances (04:54):
I know.
So I went into the hospital andI was very fortunate that I seen
some doctors that, you know, itwas, it was very quiet that
night because it was a snowstorm.
And they said like, you know,yeah, you are very weak and you
seem to be in a lot of pain andthere's definitely something
going on here, but we don't knowwhat that is, so we're gonna
call a specialist to come take alook at you.
(05:15):
So I was very grateful thatthey, you know.
Passed me off to somebody thatthey thought might know.
And that doctor, by the time hecame down to see me, I was
struggling to walk.
I could almost barely walkanymore.
And he said, I think I know whatyou have.
I think it's this rare diseasecalled Gure syndrome.
And I remember at the timethinking like, I've never heard
of that.
I don't even know what that is.
(05:35):
Like it's this syndrome.
What?
What do you mean a disease?
Like I really was just so lostin my head, like, okay.
Okay, I'm gonna need somemedication then, and then I'm
gonna go home.
Okay.
And he was like, no, this isvery serious.
So basically what Gure Syndromeis, is it's a rare autoimmune
disorder, and it's very similarto like ms.
(05:56):
Multiple sclerosis.
So with Ms.
Basically your immune system isattacking your, your brain and,
and some of your nerves.
And with GBS very similar.
It's attacking the nerves thatare not a part of your brain.
So basically every other nervein your body.
And what it does is it stopsyour body from being able to
transmit signals, which thenstops you from being able to
(06:18):
really move your body.
So he said, you know, this couldbe serious.
We don't know all cases of GBScan be.
You know, from either mild tosevere, so you need to stay at
the hospital until we know weneed to monitor you.
And I said, I can't.
I gotta go home.
I have a new newborn.
Newborn.
I gotta breastfe, I gottabreastfeed.
Like, sorry guys, I gotta go.
And he was like, no, like you'renot leaving, you're being
(06:40):
admitted.
Like this is very serious.
You need.
Immediately.
And so they came to the hospitaland very quickly my case went
downhill.
I within, within 12 hours, I wascompletely bedridden, and within
72 hours of arriving at thehospital, the paralysis had
(07:00):
actually spread upwards,affected my ability to breathe,
and I was put in ICU on aventilator.
Stoy (07:09):
No thank you.
On that.
And so how long were you on theventilator then?
The re the, the rest of the timebasically.
Holly Frances (07:20):
Are you still there?
Stoy (07:21):
Yeah, I got it.
Holly Frances (07:23):
So I was on the ventilator for almost three
months actually.
And I basically, you know, hadto learn how to breathe on my
own.
So I was, I was paralyzed almostthe entire time.
I couldn't speak, I couldn'thold my daughter, I couldn't
move.
I was literally bedridden,paralyzed, unable to do
anything.
And I remember during thatentire time, I felt like my life
(07:45):
was over.
I felt like there really was nohope.
The doctors kept telling me, youknow, you're gonna get better.
Things are gonna improve withGBS.
You know, it's a, it's a, anacute disorder, meaning that
you're gonna have this attackand then eventually your body's
gonna start to recover.
You're gonna have to go throughphysiotherapy, all that sort of
stuff.
But when I am like paralyzed inICU and I'm watching my daughter
(08:08):
literally grow up before me andI'm not getting better, it was
so hard to believe.
So I was in a.
Very dark place for a long timewhere I was like, just let me
go.
Like I don't, I don't think I'mgonna get recover from this.
I was in so much pain,emotionally, physically, and
there were times where I justwanted to die.
Stoy (08:27):
Right.
Rightfully so too.
I mean, I.
I, I, I, I cannot relate at anylevel at all, but I'm thinking
about those times where like,you're like half asleep, not
asleep, and like you can see,but you can't move, like you're
in that sleep where you'reparalyzed.
I could not fathom being stuckthat way for three months.
Yes.
Like just the mental grind andinsanity.
(08:49):
It was, I remember a time like,
Holly Frances (08:51):
yeah, like staring into, staring up at the
clock on the wall and beinglike, it feels like I've, it's
been hours.
And then I would look and belike, no, it's been two minutes.
Like.
That's what I did.
Like it was just counting downthe time.
But eventually I did get betterand I was able to start weaning
off the ventilator, and that wasprobably the hardest part of my
(09:12):
journey, was just learning tobreathe on my own.
So it was like being underwaterabout to run out of air and
feeling like you're gonna drown.
And I remember.
Coming off of that ventilatorfor like 10 seconds at a time
and crying and being likehysterical and being like, I
can't do this.
I'm not gonna be able to dothis.
And the doctors and nurses theysaw, they were like, you know
(09:33):
what?
She's really losing hope.
She doesn't wanna do this.
So they actually found anotherGBS survivor to come see me, and
he came to the hospital and hewalked in and was like, you know
what, I've been in your shoes.
I was hospitalized with the samedisease.
That you had.
And look at me now I'verecovered.
And that was just this hugemotivation.
And I always tell people, youknow, no matter what you're
(09:55):
going through.
Find the people that have beenthrough it already.
You know those are gonna be yourpeople that are gonna help you.
Whether they're going, maybethey're going through it now,
you guys can help each other.
Or somebody that's already onthe other side.
And that's what he was, he wasjust like this huge spark of
light that kept me going.
It was like, you know what?
He was where I was.
(10:15):
If he can do this, if somebodycan do this, then I can too.
So that gave me that motivation.
Eventually I was able to get offthe ventilator.
It took weeks of trying and, uh,I was able to get out of ICU and
then went to physiotherapy whereI did basically everything how
to, how to learn, how to holdcutlery, how to hold a cup, how
to feed, and I.
(10:37):
Basically feed my daughter evenat the same time, like I was
trying to raise her and getbetter.
Right.
So it was, yeah, it was a wildjourney.
I learned how to walk againeventually.
I was in a cane for quite awhile and, and a walker and, and
a wheelchair at one point.
And, uh, came out on the otherside and, and had a incredible
recovery.
Stoy (10:58):
What were you doing, we didn't talk about this, but
touch on what your career wasprior to.
Holly Frances (11:02):
So
Stoy (11:02):
I
Holly Frances (11:02):
worked in human resources, which is where I am
working as well now.
Stoy (11:07):
And while you were going through all of this, or I, I
should back up, how has goingthrough all of that changed your
work and changed the way thatyou operate today?
I.
Holly Frances (11:19):
It is changed.
My entire perspective on lifehas changed so various different
ways.
I mean, I look at peopledifferently just knowing what I
went through.
Like I remember my family beingjust so heartbroken and they
would spend hours with me andI'm like near death.
Like there's many times that Iwas close to dying and they
would.
(11:39):
Then have to go groceryshopping.
And I would just picture themwhat it must have been like to
walk through the grocery storewith their daughter at home or
at in the hospital.
And like people that weredealing with them would have no
idea.
And so it made me think ofpeople like that differently.
Like I would, I.
Now when I'm in in a grocerystore, I'm like, you know what?
(11:59):
This person might be having areally bad day.
They may have a family memberfighting for their life in the
ICU.
Like, you just really don't knowwhat somebody may be going
through.
So it's given me a lot ofcompassion.
It's given me a lot ofcompassion for people that deal
with health issues.
Obviously, I.
Went through it myself in ICU,but then after that following
for about a year, I was off workstill and I was having to get
(12:23):
back to my life and I was havingto clean and cook and take care
of my child, but I still had alot of residual disabilities.
So I was, you know, dealing withpain.
I was dealing with weakness andit was just a struggle.
And so it really made me.
Realize like, you know, we'reour health, we're so lucky to
have it, and the people thatdeal with health issues and
(12:44):
stuff, like I have just got alot more compassion
Stoy (12:46):
for.
They do.
And a part of what we talk abouton this podcast all the time is
I bring guests on.
Everything we talk about is toprovide people and let them know
they're not alone in theirsituation.
Right.
Luckily, we have a platform thatpeople can just listen to or
watch or whatever it is.
But ultimately it's like we dothese things because we want you
to know you're not alone in yoursituation and even in your
(13:08):
situation, you felt alone untilthe other survival came and, and
it really helps you recover andmove forward.
And that's.
Ultimately why we're doing thisis for that same reason, and no
people listening may not, maynot have GBS at all.
Mm-hmm.
Run into it ever.
Right.
Because it's rare, however,they, they're going through
something.
Yeah.
Can you talk to these peopleabout whether, whatever it is
(13:31):
for them that they're goingthrough, um, that can help them.
Maybe, maybe just take thatfirst step forward and start,
you know, moving forward ontheir journey.
For
Holly Frances (13:40):
sure.
It's something that I go back toall the time, and it's something
that I actually have posted onmy wall.
So basically this guy that cameto see me that had GBS, he knew
what I was going through.
He knew the struggles and heknew that.
I was like, I just wanna giveup.
And so he brought me this signand he.
Posted it right in front of meso that I could see it every
(14:02):
day, all day long.
And it said, it was this quotethat said, courage doesn't
always roar.
Sometimes it's the quiet voice,a day's end saying, I will try
again tomorrow.
And I remember reading that andjust crying and thinking like,
okay, courage doesn't alwaysroar when you're in the thick of
it and you're going throughchallenges, you are not feeling
strong.
(14:22):
You're not.
Feeling like you can do this.
And that was hard for me becausea lot of people were telling me,
you're so strong, Holly, you'regonna get through this.
And I'm in ICU, I'm on my deathbed and I've got a, you know, a
ventilator in my throat and I'mgoing like, I'm not strong.
I can't do this.
I can't, you, you gotta stopsaying that.
But then I realized that couragedoesn't always roar.
(14:42):
That's okay.
It can sometimes be you layingthere in bed with tears in your
eyes saying, I can't do this.
I can try again tomorrow.
And so that's what I kind ofpromised myself I would do.
And whether that's even for 10seconds or a minute at a time.
Each day I, you try a little bitand then if you give up, you
give up, but then you try againtomorrow.
(15:04):
And so that's what I've done andI've put that for kind of every
challenge that I've been facedwith since I obviously had to go
through the, the physiotherapy,learning how to walk, which was
another challenge.
Didn't think that I was going tobe able to walk again, but I
overcame it and I just keptpromising myself, just try again
(15:26):
tomorrow, and it's those tinylittle improvements that I made
eventually got me to where I amtoday.
I.
Stoy (15:33):
And so where you're at today, being successful in what
you do and everything, what, atwhat point did you realize that
like, Hey, I wanna help others.
Like I need to use this as atool.
At what point did that kind ofclick in?
I.
Holly Frances (15:46):
It's kind of funny'cause it was actually very
early.
It was probably, probably beforeI even got out of ICU that I was
like, you know what?
Like I need to tell people aboutthis disease.
Like, I couldn't believe that Ihad never heard of it.
I couldn't believe that, youknow, I'm in my twenties.
I've never.
I'd never even heard of diseasesthat would affect people in
(16:08):
their twenties.
I thought people only got sickwhen they were, like, in their
eighties.
I was so naive, right?
So I was like, I need to spreadthe word about this rare disease
and what it does to somebody.
So I kind of knew immediatelyfrom that point.
And then when I got out of thehospital, I, I knew that it was
like, you know what?
This man came to see me.
I knew that I wanted to do thesame.
So I got involved with.
(16:29):
The GBS foundation here inCanada where, you know, they are
sending people, sending previoussurvivors to go visit people in
the hospital, which I did.
And it was hard, but veryrewarding just to be on the
other side of the bed, say, Hey,I've been in your shoes, I have
overcome this.
You can too.
And just give them that hope.
(16:49):
Uh, and so since then it justkind of spiraled and, and
snowballed into like thisdrastic life.
Like I, I went from.
Yeah, working in HR and justbeing really focused on that,
not really having a purpose inmy life to suddenly, you know, I
went through this awful thingand I can turn it into something
beautiful and I can share myexperiences with other people,
(17:11):
not only patients, but I.
Family members, doctors, nurses,and just help them get to know
what GBS is.
So I started connecting withpeople.
I started a social media page.
I, I shared my YouTube videos,which ended up going viral.
I just was able to connect withpeople all over the world, and
there's just this huge communityof people that have gone through
(17:33):
this disease or have beenaffected by it.
And I've been able to connectwith people all over the world
and just educate them on them onit and just help them through
it.
Stoy (17:42):
What's been the greatest, uh, what word do I want to use?
What have you learned the mostfrom helping other people right
across the world and all thoseother walks of life?
Not necessarily just because ofGBS, but like what has it
brought and what have you takenfrom, from all of those
different people that you'vehelped?
Holly Frances (18:00):
I think just seeing how incredible we are as
human beings and there's so muchdarkness and so much sadness and
horror that we have to gothrough in our lives.
Again, whether that's GBS,whether that's another health
issue, whether it's nothing, noteven related to health, maybe
it's like a divorce or a deathor just any kind of challenge.
(18:21):
Like we go through so manychallenges and what I've seen
is.
People come out on the otherside and we have that strength
within us.
And a lot of us don't realize ituntil we go through it.
And it is there.
And you may not believe it, butit is there and you just have to
keep pushing through and gettingto that other side.
And then you will see.
And uh, we are so much strongerthan we realize
Stoy (18:45):
community, right?
Like having a team of people.
Holly Frances (18:48):
Yeah, do it alone.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Like go find those people.
Whatever that looks like to you.
Social media has made it amazingthat we are able to connect with
people.
I can't imagine 40 years agogoing through GBS and you know,
you believe that you're the oneand only person in the world
that has it, and I can just pickup my phone and I can message
(19:08):
with somebody across the worldthat may have some, some answers
for me.
Stoy (19:13):
What's your day to day look like now?
Right?
It's been 14 years.
You're helping out, you're stillin hr.
What's, what's life now like?
Holly Frances (19:20):
Yeah, so I, I ended up writing a book about
what I went through, which, uh,was, has been very.
Just incredible to get to sharemy story, educate people,
especially doctors and nursesthat have reached out to me and
said, thank you for helping usto understand what it is to go
through what you did.
Yeah, they're the experts on thedisease, but I consider myself
(19:43):
also an expert for going throughit.
So, um, and then my daughter,she's 14 now, so it's wild,
right?
Like life continues and goes onand, uh, it's.
Just really given me a lot of,uh, just gratitude for being her
mom, for getting to be able todo things that I, at one point
wasn't sure I'd be able to do.
(20:04):
Like walking, talking, you know,going for a bike ride, going for
a run, all that kind of stuffthat I wasn't able to do at some
at one point.
And now I can.
Stoy (20:15):
Talk us through writing a book, right?
'cause everyone says, oh, you'rean author.
You make millions of dollars.
'cause books are so, you know,amazing.
And talk us through thatprocess.
One, the process in thinking oflike, I need to write a book, or
I should write a book and thenwalk us through, you know, the
whole book process.
'cause that's, that's different.
Holly Frances (20:30):
Yeah, so I, I, I've always been the type of
person that likes to write.
I really excelled in Englishclasses and I just, I always, it
was funny'cause I always thoughtone day like, oh, it'd be so
cool to write a book one day,but I really had no idea what I
would even write about.
Well, then I go through GBS andI'm like, okay, now I got
something to I can write about.
And.
A part of it came from, youknow, there was just so many
(20:52):
people asking me questions.
They're like, what was it likebeing in ICU?
What were you feeling?
Were you in pain?
What was it like recovering andlike, what was that like being
away from your daughter?
Like my daughter was almost sixmonths old by the time I got
home.
And it was so hard to answer allthese questions in a five minute
conversation.
So I was like, you know what,I'm gonna put it in a book and I
am going to share myexperiences.
(21:14):
Um.
And it was a lot harder than Ithought it was gonna be.
It was, it took me between, Iwould say like all added up.
I mean, I did take breaks alongthe way, but I'm gonna say about
10 years of writing and editingand taking breaks and being
like.
Do I really wanna do this?
And like it was, it was a long,long journey and yeah, I've
(21:34):
learned a lot along the way thatI could definitely condense it.
It would certainly not take thatlong if, if you put yourself and
just, you know, focus on it.
But I did take a lot of breaksand eventually I, I.
Got it finished and you know, Ihad to go through the writing
process.
I had to go through the editingprocess.
I did self-publish the book, um,just because I wanted to keep as
much control as possible, butit's been so rewarding and
(21:58):
getting it out there and justhaving people could reach out to
me saying like, thank you.
You gave me hope.
I've read your story now.
And we thought that our familymember.
Was never gonna recover.
We had lost hope.
And to see your story and to seewhere you came out has given us
that hope that they will getthrough this.
Stoy (22:16):
And what's the name of your book and where can everyone
get it?
Holly Frances (22:18):
Yeah, it's called Life Support and it is on Amazon
under Holly Francis.
And you can also go to mywebsite as well, which is holly
Stoy (22:25):
francis.com.
Holly Frances (22:26):
And, uh, you can access it there.
Stoy (22:28):
And of course we'll have all that in the social webs and
all those things too.
Uh, no one has to worry aboutthat.
Alright.
We haven't talked about moneymuch at all, or wealth or
anything that involves all ofthis, so I have to dive into it.
Well, I have two questions.
This personal questionseverybody because now I
personally wanna know one, howactually was it having a tube
(22:49):
down your throat being awake andhaving a tube down your throat
and having to live through thatbecause there, there are more
cruel things on earth, but thatone feels like one of the
cruelest things that I wouldhave to deal with.
Holly Frances (22:59):
It was definitely horrific and thankfully I only
had to have that in for about 10days.
And then after that theyswitched it to basically a, a
trach, it's called atracheotomy, just because it is
so horrific.
So, yeah, it feels like you aregoing to.
Die at any moment.
Every breath is feeling forcedand it, you can't talk, you
(23:21):
can't communicate.
You're trying to mouth words,but you can't.
And, uh, luckily, I mean, thedoctors kept me pretty sedated
so that I didn't have to gothrough that and experience it
much.
But eventually I was able to getonto a ventilator with a trach,
which was just as horrific I, inmy opinion.
But yeah, it was, it was, it wasnot a great place.
Stoy (23:40):
Yeah.
What's the eye language for Justknock me out and put me in a
coma.
Yeah.
Like, because that's what Iwould be blinking.
Yeah.
The other question is, and, andobviously you're in Canada,
we're in America and our healthsystems are, could probably be
polar opposites, but what isthat like knowing, hey, I'm
(24:00):
recovering in all of this, butthere's a cost to this, there's
things that have to go with.
When did that hit you and, andhow'd you deal with that
situation?
Holly Frances (24:09):
Yeah, so very different healthcare systems.
So in Canada, very, veryfortunate that majority of my
stuff, it was just covered byhealthcare and I didn't have to
worry about it.
They talked about money in thehospitals because my care
obviously was costing themmoney.
I had to have treatment.
One of the treatments that I hadto have was like sort of like a
(24:29):
blood transfusion, and I believeit was like somewhere around,
like about, like in comparisonfor us it'd be about$15,000 US.
Like total within a few days,like five days over the course
of five days, and that was, thatwas five days.
I was there for many, manymonths.
So I can only imagine what theactual co total cost was.
(24:50):
And it is something that Ithought about and it is
something that I still like whenI deal with people, when I
connect with people that areeither in the US or other
countries, I, it just breaks myheart to think of people that
have to.
Worry about money on top ofdealing with whatever they're
dealing with.
So yeah, it's a, it's a stressthat I luckily did not have to,
to deal with, of course.
(25:10):
I mean, I had other financialcomplications.
I couldn't work and I had to goon disability and all this sort
of stuff, and it was a challengetrying to focus, how do I focus
on my health when I also have toworry about money?
Stoy (25:25):
Right.
Just a plug for UniversalHealthcare.
I'm just saying people like, uh,come on us, let's get our shit
in order because good lord, thatwould I, that would be millions,
probably.
Yeah.
Holly Frances (25:36):
Yeah.
And I do know people that haveliterally, you know, gone
bankrupt or had to sell theirhouses in the US that have gone
through GBS because them milliondollars or something being in
the hospital for that long.
Stoy (25:48):
Yeah.
Just
Holly Frances (25:49):
to
Stoy (25:49):
survive.
I mean, that's it.
I even recover like just tosurvive, which is, I could go
down a whole tangent on that,but not today.
Not today.
We're not here, not today.
We'll do something else and thenas we get to the end, I always
ask this question too, and Imaybe you've never been asked
it, so we'll see, but what wasyour first money memory ever in
(26:10):
your life?
Holly Frances (26:12):
Um, I grew up with not a lot of money, so I
think just always being aware oflike my family that we didn't
have a lot of money, so it waslike we couldn't do a lot of
things just being told like, no,we can't do that.
We can't afford that.
Um, so I think money's alwaysbeen, like, at, at that point
I'd always been a big worry ofmine.
And so, yeah, when I was goingthrough GBS, same thing, like it
(26:34):
was like.
What does my future look like?
What if I don't recover enoughto work again?
Like how am I gonna provide formy family?
How am I going to be able to payfor things?
And yeah, it's something that isjust such a big part of our
life.
As much as we don't wanna admitit, we don't wanna say that, you
know, money is, is important,but it is.
It really is.
Stoy (26:54):
Yeah.
There's no way around it really.
Ultimately, at the end of theday.
Well, I appreciate you.
I appreciate what you've gonethrough and being such an
advocate and speaking up, ourvoice matters, right?
People matter and they just needto hear and be and be around and
be involved.
So I appreciate everything thatyou've gone through and I'm glad
you are speaking to us today.
Uh, we are gonna have your bookand all the things, all other
socials as well, so everyonewill be able to check that out
(27:16):
and we appreciate you coming onand, and be happy to support you
in any way we can.
Holly Frances (27:22):
Thank you so much for having me on.
You think you've had it hard in life and been through a
lot of shit and came out on theother side?
Well, today's guest, Holly, isprobably one of the most, I
guess, impressive guests thatwe've had who's gone through so
much and turned it into.
Something great and it'scontinuing to build on that,
which is amazing.
And so I really wanted to haveyou on Holly, specifically to go
through what you talk, what yougo through, but also the
(00:22):
transition for you and usingthat as a positive light in
today's world.
We are going through a lot andto have a story like this and to
have people back behind it is,is something truly amazing.
So I appreciate you coming on.
Holly Frances (00:35):
Ll I really appreciate you having me on and,
you know, giving me anopportunity to talk about what I
went through and just share myexperiences and, uh, hopefully
gives your listeners some reallygood tidbits to take away.
Stoy (00:47):
Yeah.
So, well, without further ado,let's dive into it.
They're all thinking like, well,what the hell is this?
Who, what are you talking about?
What you been through?
So talk us through what you wentthrough and, and how you're
doing.
Holly Frances (00:58):
So this all happened about, it would've been
about 14 years ago.
So a while now.
Uh, I was 26 years old at thetime.
I was healthy.
I was just a normal 26-year-old.
I, um, actually had just beenrecently married.
I was, uh, you know, livinglife.
To the fullest.
And I was a brand new mom, so Ihad just given birth to my
(01:21):
daughter actually three weeksper prior.
So it was just like a reallyexciting time in my life.
For me it was like the start ofeverything, you know, marriage,
babies that, that family lifeand that's what I wanted so
badly.
And so then when I had, when Ihad my daughter, you know, I had
a little girl that was just mydreams come true.
And I was at home and life wasjust incredible.
(01:43):
And I remember thinking likejust.
This is it.
This is what I've always wanted.
And I was at home and I wasadjusting to life as being a
brand new mom.
You know, I, I was adjusting tobreastfeeding, waking up in the
middle of the night, and it wasexhausting.
And I was like in over my head,but I loved it.
Like just absolutely loved it.
But very quickly, things just.
Quickly, drastically changed.
(02:04):
So I was at home.
My daughter's three weeks oldand it was like, it was, it was
this huge blistering snowstormout.
It was freezing cold.
It had been that way the wholetime since my daughter was born.
So I barely even left the house.
I hadn't even really introducedher to much family and friends
yet.
I figured we had so much timetogether.
And in that night it firststarted, I had this weird,
(02:27):
strange tingle in my fingertipand.
When you have a tingle in yourfingertip, you think like maybe
you burned yourself.
You don't think that it'sanything serious.
And as time went on, you know,after a couple of hours, all of
a sudden I had this weird tinglein my back and this weird pain
in my neck and it was like,okay, what's going on?
Like, why do I feel like this?
I thought maybe I had a pinchnerve.
(02:47):
I actually Googled it and waslike, what's going on with my
neck?
And that's what Google told me.
You've got a pinched nerve.
So I just tried to ignore it,but the pain in my neck and my
back just got worse and worse,and I started to just feel
really drained and tired.
And I was walking around thehouse and I was like, oh, it
just feels really hard to walk.
I again was like, you know what?
I haven't slept much in the lastthree weeks with the new babies,
(03:09):
so it's probably just, I neededa good night's sleep.
So I, I went to bed that nightand I, I remember walking up the
stairs and I remember having tohold onto the railing and going,
like, it's really difficult forme to lift up my legs again.
I just need to go to bed.
I'll wake up tomorrow and I'mgonna be fine.
So I went to bed and I had thisneck pain that just would not go
away.
So I am, again, online Googlingstuff.
(03:31):
Googling stretches, like how doI get a neck, neck pain to go
away?
And I'm doing all these yogaposes and it's not going away.
It's not getting better.
And eventually, you know, I, I'mon the floor doing these
different exercises andstretches.
My daughter wakes up in themiddle of the night so that she
can nurse, and I stood up fromthe floor and my legs buckled
(03:52):
and, and completely gave out onme.
So at that point I knew, youknow, I, something is a lot more
serious.
If it, if it is a pinch nerve,then it's affecting my ability
to really walk.
So I was able to like stand backup and get myself to the
hospital.
And I remember at the time justthinking like, okay.
I, uh, my ex-husband, my, mydaughter's father, I remember
(04:12):
telling him, just drop me off.
I'm only gonna be here probablyfor a couple of hours.
There's no point in you cominghere.
I don't want my newborn here, sojust drop me off.
I'll call you in a few hours.
And I had no idea that thatwould be the last time that I
would step foot outta thathospital for three months, over
three months.
Stoy (04:32):
See that is a lot.
Right.
People listening, I told you it,she went through a lot in a very
small period of time to gothrough one of those events,
whether that's getting marriedor having a kid or then getting
sick is enough, but to have allthree happening basically at the
same time in the middle ofwinter, which is always a
depressing time as well.
Like you could not have struckout more.
(04:52):
Oh my gosh.
I know.
Holly Frances (04:54):
I know.
So I went into the hospital andI was very fortunate that I seen
some doctors that, you know, itwas, it was very quiet that
night because it was a snowstorm.
And they said like, you know,yeah, you are very weak and you
seem to be in a lot of pain andthere's definitely something
going on here, but we don't knowwhat that is, so we're gonna
call a specialist to come take alook at you.
(05:15):
So I was very grateful thatthey, you know.
Passed me off to somebody thatthey thought might know.
And that doctor, by the time hecame down to see me, I was
struggling to walk.
I could almost barely walkanymore.
And he said, I think I know whatyou have.
I think it's this rare diseasecalled Gure syndrome.
And I remember at the timethinking like, I've never heard
of that.
I don't even know what that is.
(05:35):
Like it's this syndrome.
What?
What do you mean a disease?
Like I really was just so lostin my head, like, okay.
Okay, I'm gonna need somemedication then, and then I'm
gonna go home.
Okay.
And he was like, no, this isvery serious.
So basically what Gure Syndromeis, is it's a rare autoimmune
disorder, and it's very similarto like ms.
(05:56):
Multiple sclerosis.
So with Ms.
Basically your immune system isattacking your, your brain and,
and some of your nerves.
And with GBS very similar.
It's attacking the nerves thatare not a part of your brain.
So basically every other nervein your body.
And what it does is it stopsyour body from being able to
transmit signals, which thenstops you from being able to
(06:18):
really move your body.
So he said, you know, this couldbe serious.
We don't know all cases of GBScan be.
You know, from either mild tosevere, so you need to stay at
the hospital until we know weneed to monitor you.
And I said, I can't.
I gotta go home.
I have a new newborn.
Newborn.
I gotta breastfe, I gottabreastfeed.
Like, sorry guys, I gotta go.
And he was like, no, like you'renot leaving, you're being
(06:40):
admitted.
Like this is very serious.
You need.
Immediately.
And so they came to the hospitaland very quickly my case went
downhill.
I within, within 12 hours, I wascompletely bedridden, and within
72 hours of arriving at thehospital, the paralysis had
(07:00):
actually spread upwards,affected my ability to breathe,
and I was put in ICU on aventilator.
Stoy (07:09):
No thank you.
On that.
And so how long were you on theventilator then?
The re the, the rest of the timebasically.
Holly Frances (07:20):
Are you still there?
Stoy (07:21):
Yeah, I got it.
Holly Frances (07:23):
So I was on the ventilator for almost three
months actually.
And I basically, you know, hadto learn how to breathe on my
own.
So I was, I was paralyzed almostthe entire time.
I couldn't speak, I couldn'thold my daughter, I couldn't
move.
I was literally bedridden,paralyzed, unable to do
anything.
And I remember during thatentire time, I felt like my life
(07:45):
was over.
I felt like there really was nohope.
The doctors kept telling me, youknow, you're gonna get better.
Things are gonna improve withGBS.
You know, it's a, it's a, anacute disorder, meaning that
you're gonna have this attackand then eventually your body's
gonna start to recover.
You're gonna have to go throughphysiotherapy, all that sort of
stuff.
But when I am like paralyzed inICU and I'm watching my daughter
(08:08):
literally grow up before me andI'm not getting better, it was
so hard to believe.
So I was in a.
Very dark place for a long timewhere I was like, just let me
go.
Like I don't, I don't think I'mgonna get recover from this.
I was in so much pain,emotionally, physically, and
there were times where I justwanted to die.
Stoy (08:27):
Right.
Rightfully so too.
I mean, I.
I, I, I, I cannot relate at anylevel at all, but I'm thinking
about those times where like,you're like half asleep, not
asleep, and like you can see,but you can't move, like you're
in that sleep where you'reparalyzed.
I could not fathom being stuckthat way for three months.
Yes.
Like just the mental grind andinsanity.
(08:49):
It was, I remember a time like,
Holly Frances (08:51):
yeah, like staring into, staring up at the
clock on the wall and beinglike, it feels like I've, it's
been hours.
And then I would look and belike, no, it's been two minutes.
Like.
That's what I did.
Like it was just counting downthe time.
But eventually I did get betterand I was able to start weaning
off the ventilator, and that wasprobably the hardest part of my
(09:12):
journey, was just learning tobreathe on my own.
So it was like being underwaterabout to run out of air and
feeling like you're gonna drown.
And I remember.
Coming off of that ventilatorfor like 10 seconds at a time
and crying and being likehysterical and being like, I
can't do this.
I'm not gonna be able to dothis.
And the doctors and nurses theysaw, they were like, you know
(09:33):
what?
She's really losing hope.
She doesn't wanna do this.
So they actually found anotherGBS survivor to come see me, and
he came to the hospital and hewalked in and was like, you know
what, I've been in your shoes.
I was hospitalized with the samedisease.
That you had.
And look at me now I'verecovered.
And that was just this hugemotivation.
And I always tell people, youknow, no matter what you're
(09:55):
going through.
Find the people that have beenthrough it already.
You know those are gonna be yourpeople that are gonna help you.
Whether they're going, maybethey're going through it now,
you guys can help each other.
Or somebody that's already onthe other side.
And that's what he was, he wasjust like this huge spark of
light that kept me going.
It was like, you know what?
He was where I was.
(10:15):
If he can do this, if somebodycan do this, then I can too.
So that gave me that motivation.
Eventually I was able to get offthe ventilator.
It took weeks of trying and, uh,I was able to get out of ICU and
then went to physiotherapy whereI did basically everything how
to, how to learn, how to holdcutlery, how to hold a cup, how
to feed, and I.
(10:37):
Basically feed my daughter evenat the same time, like I was
trying to raise her and getbetter.
Right.
So it was, yeah, it was a wildjourney.
I learned how to walk againeventually.
I was in a cane for quite awhile and, and a walker and, and
a wheelchair at one point.
And, uh, came out on the otherside and, and had a incredible
recovery.
Stoy (10:58):
What were you doing, we didn't talk about this, but
touch on what your career wasprior to.
Holly Frances (11:02):
So
Stoy (11:02):
I
Holly Frances (11:02):
worked in human resources, which is where I am
working as well now.
Stoy (11:07):
And while you were going through all of this, or I, I
should back up, how has goingthrough all of that changed your
work and changed the way thatyou operate today?
I.
Holly Frances (11:19):
It is changed.
My entire perspective on lifehas changed so various different
ways.
I mean, I look at peopledifferently just knowing what I
went through.
Like I remember my family beingjust so heartbroken and they
would spend hours with me andI'm like near death.
Like there's many times that Iwas close to dying and they
would.
(11:39):
Then have to go groceryshopping.
And I would just picture themwhat it must have been like to
walk through the grocery storewith their daughter at home or
at in the hospital.
And like people that weredealing with them would have no
idea.
And so it made me think ofpeople like that differently.
Like I would, I.
Now when I'm in in a grocerystore, I'm like, you know what?
(11:59):
This person might be having areally bad day.
They may have a family memberfighting for their life in the
ICU.
Like, you just really don't knowwhat somebody may be going
through.
So it's given me a lot ofcompassion.
It's given me a lot ofcompassion for people that deal
with health issues.
Obviously, I.
Went through it myself in ICU,but then after that following
for about a year, I was off workstill and I was having to get
(12:23):
back to my life and I was havingto clean and cook and take care
of my child, but I still had alot of residual disabilities.
So I was, you know, dealing withpain.
I was dealing with weakness andit was just a struggle.
And so it really made me.
Realize like, you know, we'reour health, we're so lucky to
have it, and the people thatdeal with health issues and
(12:44):
stuff, like I have just got alot more compassion
Stoy (12:46):
for.
They do.
And a part of what we talk abouton this podcast all the time is
I bring guests on.
Everything we talk about is toprovide people and let them know
they're not alone in theirsituation.
Right.
Luckily, we have a platform thatpeople can just listen to or
watch or whatever it is.
But ultimately it's like we dothese things because we want you
to know you're not alone in yoursituation and even in your
(13:08):
situation, you felt alone untilthe other survival came and, and
it really helps you recover andmove forward.
And that's.
Ultimately why we're doing thisis for that same reason, and no
people listening may not, maynot have GBS at all.
Mm-hmm.
Run into it ever.
Right.
Because it's rare, however,they, they're going through
something.
Yeah.
Can you talk to these peopleabout whether, whatever it is
(13:31):
for them that they're goingthrough, um, that can help them.
Maybe, maybe just take thatfirst step forward and start,
you know, moving forward ontheir journey.
For
Holly Frances (13:40):
sure.
It's something that I go back toall the time, and it's something
that I actually have posted onmy wall.
So basically this guy that cameto see me that had GBS, he knew
what I was going through.
He knew the struggles and heknew that.
I was like, I just wanna giveup.
And so he brought me this signand he.
Posted it right in front of meso that I could see it every
(14:02):
day, all day long.
And it said, it was this quotethat said, courage doesn't
always roar.
Sometimes it's the quiet voice,a day's end saying, I will try
again tomorrow.
And I remember reading that andjust crying and thinking like,
okay, courage doesn't alwaysroar when you're in the thick of
it and you're going throughchallenges, you are not feeling
strong.
(14:22):
You're not.
Feeling like you can do this.
And that was hard for me becausea lot of people were telling me,
you're so strong, Holly, you'regonna get through this.
And I'm in ICU, I'm on my deathbed and I've got a, you know, a
ventilator in my throat and I'mgoing like, I'm not strong.
I can't do this.
I can't, you, you gotta stopsaying that.
But then I realized that couragedoesn't always roar.
(14:42):
That's okay.
It can sometimes be you layingthere in bed with tears in your
eyes saying, I can't do this.
I can try again tomorrow.
And so that's what I kind ofpromised myself I would do.
And whether that's even for 10seconds or a minute at a time.
Each day I, you try a little bitand then if you give up, you
give up, but then you try againtomorrow.
(15:04):
And so that's what I've done andI've put that for kind of every
challenge that I've been facedwith since I obviously had to go
through the, the physiotherapy,learning how to walk, which was
another challenge.
Didn't think that I was going tobe able to walk again, but I
overcame it and I just keptpromising myself, just try again
(15:26):
tomorrow, and it's those tinylittle improvements that I made
eventually got me to where I amtoday.
I.
Stoy (15:33):
And so where you're at today, being successful in what
you do and everything, what, atwhat point did you realize that
like, Hey, I wanna help others.
Like I need to use this as atool.
At what point did that kind ofclick in?
I.
Holly Frances (15:46):
It's kind of funny'cause it was actually very
early.
It was probably, probably beforeI even got out of ICU that I was
like, you know what?
Like I need to tell people aboutthis disease.
Like, I couldn't believe that Ihad never heard of it.
I couldn't believe that, youknow, I'm in my twenties.
I've never.
I'd never even heard of diseasesthat would affect people in
(16:08):
their twenties.
I thought people only got sickwhen they were, like, in their
eighties.
I was so naive, right?
So I was like, I need to spreadthe word about this rare disease
and what it does to somebody.
So I kind of knew immediatelyfrom that point.
And then when I got out of thehospital, I, I knew that it was
like, you know what?
This man came to see me.
I knew that I wanted to do thesame.
So I got involved with.
(16:29):
The GBS foundation here inCanada where, you know, they are
sending people, sending previoussurvivors to go visit people in
the hospital, which I did.
And it was hard, but veryrewarding just to be on the
other side of the bed, say, Hey,I've been in your shoes, I have
overcome this.
You can too.
And just give them that hope.
(16:49):
Uh, and so since then it justkind of spiraled and, and
snowballed into like thisdrastic life.
Like I, I went from.
Yeah, working in HR and justbeing really focused on that,
not really having a purpose inmy life to suddenly, you know, I
went through this awful thingand I can turn it into something
beautiful and I can share myexperiences with other people,
(17:11):
not only patients, but I.
Family members, doctors, nurses,and just help them get to know
what GBS is.
So I started connecting withpeople.
I started a social media page.
I, I shared my YouTube videos,which ended up going viral.
I just was able to connect withpeople all over the world, and
there's just this huge communityof people that have gone through
(17:33):
this disease or have beenaffected by it.
And I've been able to connectwith people all over the world
and just educate them on them onit and just help them through
it.
Stoy (17:42):
What's been the greatest, uh, what word do I want to use?
What have you learned the mostfrom helping other people right
across the world and all thoseother walks of life?
Not necessarily just because ofGBS, but like what has it
brought and what have you takenfrom, from all of those
different people that you'vehelped?
Holly Frances (18:00):
I think just seeing how incredible we are as
human beings and there's so muchdarkness and so much sadness and
horror that we have to gothrough in our lives.
Again, whether that's GBS,whether that's another health
issue, whether it's nothing, noteven related to health, maybe
it's like a divorce or a deathor just any kind of challenge.
(18:21):
Like we go through so manychallenges and what I've seen
is.
People come out on the otherside and we have that strength
within us.
And a lot of us don't realize ituntil we go through it.
And it is there.
And you may not believe it, butit is there and you just have to
keep pushing through and gettingto that other side.
And then you will see.
And uh, we are so much strongerthan we realize
Stoy (18:45):
community, right?
Like having a team of people.
Holly Frances (18:48):
Yeah, do it alone.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Like go find those people.
Whatever that looks like to you.
Social media has made it amazingthat we are able to connect with
people.
I can't imagine 40 years agogoing through GBS and you know,
you believe that you're the oneand only person in the world
that has it, and I can just pickup my phone and I can message
(19:08):
with somebody across the worldthat may have some, some answers
for me.
Stoy (19:13):
What's your day to day look like now?
Right?
It's been 14 years.
You're helping out, you're stillin hr.
What's, what's life now like?
Holly Frances (19:20):
Yeah, so I, I ended up writing a book about
what I went through, which, uh,was, has been very.
Just incredible to get to sharemy story, educate people,
especially doctors and nursesthat have reached out to me and
said, thank you for helping usto understand what it is to go
through what you did.
Yeah, they're the experts on thedisease, but I consider myself
(19:43):
also an expert for going throughit.
So, um, and then my daughter,she's 14 now, so it's wild,
right?
Like life continues and goes onand, uh, it's.
Just really given me a lot of,uh, just gratitude for being her
mom, for getting to be able todo things that I, at one point
wasn't sure I'd be able to do.
(20:04):
Like walking, talking, you know,going for a bike ride, going for
a run, all that kind of stuffthat I wasn't able to do at some
at one point.
And now I can.
Stoy (20:15):
Talk us through writing a book, right?
'cause everyone says, oh, you'rean author.
You make millions of dollars.
'cause books are so, you know,amazing.
And talk us through thatprocess.
One, the process in thinking oflike, I need to write a book, or
I should write a book and thenwalk us through, you know, the
whole book process.
'cause that's, that's different.
Holly Frances (20:30):
Yeah, so I, I, I've always been the type of
person that likes to write.
I really excelled in Englishclasses and I just, I always, it
was funny'cause I always thoughtone day like, oh, it'd be so
cool to write a book one day,but I really had no idea what I
would even write about.
Well, then I go through GBS andI'm like, okay, now I got
something to I can write about.
And.
A part of it came from, youknow, there was just so many
(20:52):
people asking me questions.
They're like, what was it likebeing in ICU?
What were you feeling?
Were you in pain?
What was it like recovering andlike, what was that like being
away from your daughter?
Like my daughter was almost sixmonths old by the time I got
home.
And it was so hard to answer allthese questions in a five minute
conversation.
So I was like, you know what,I'm gonna put it in a book and I
am going to share myexperiences.
(21:14):
Um.
And it was a lot harder than Ithought it was gonna be.
It was, it took me between, Iwould say like all added up.
I mean, I did take breaks alongthe way, but I'm gonna say about
10 years of writing and editingand taking breaks and being
like.
Do I really wanna do this?
And like it was, it was a long,long journey and yeah, I've
(21:34):
learned a lot along the way thatI could definitely condense it.
It would certainly not take thatlong if, if you put yourself and
just, you know, focus on it.
But I did take a lot of breaksand eventually I, I.
Got it finished and you know, Ihad to go through the writing
process.
I had to go through the editingprocess.
I did self-publish the book, um,just because I wanted to keep as
much control as possible, butit's been so rewarding and
(21:58):
getting it out there and justhaving people could reach out to
me saying like, thank you.
You gave me hope.
I've read your story now.
And we thought that our familymember.
Was never gonna recover.
We had lost hope.
And to see your story and to seewhere you came out has given us
that hope that they will getthrough this.
Stoy (22:16):
And what's the name of your book and where can everyone
get it?
Holly Frances (22:18):
Yeah, it's called Life Support and it is on Amazon
under Holly Francis.
And you can also go to mywebsite as well, which is holly
Stoy (22:25):
francis.com.
Holly Frances (22:26):
And, uh, you can access it there.
Stoy (22:28):
And of course we'll have all that in the social webs and
all those things too.
Uh, no one has to worry aboutthat.
Alright.
We haven't talked about moneymuch at all, or wealth or
anything that involves all ofthis, so I have to dive into it.
Well, I have two questions.
This personal questionseverybody because now I
personally wanna know one, howactually was it having a tube
(22:49):
down your throat being awake andhaving a tube down your throat
and having to live through thatbecause there, there are more
cruel things on earth, but thatone feels like one of the
cruelest things that I wouldhave to deal with.
Holly Frances (22:59):
It was definitely horrific and thankfully I only
had to have that in for about 10days.
And then after that theyswitched it to basically a, a
trach, it's called atracheotomy, just because it is
so horrific.
So, yeah, it feels like you aregoing to.
Die at any moment.
Every breath is feeling forcedand it, you can't talk, you
(23:21):
can't communicate.
You're trying to mouth words,but you can't.
And, uh, luckily, I mean, thedoctors kept me pretty sedated
so that I didn't have to gothrough that and experience it
much.
But eventually I was able to getonto a ventilator with a trach,
which was just as horrific I, inmy opinion.
But yeah, it was, it was, it wasnot a great place.
Stoy (23:40):
Yeah.
What's the eye language for Justknock me out and put me in a
coma.
Yeah.
Like, because that's what Iwould be blinking.
Yeah.
The other question is, and, andobviously you're in Canada,
we're in America and our healthsystems are, could probably be
polar opposites, but what isthat like knowing, hey, I'm
(24:00):
recovering in all of this, butthere's a cost to this, there's
things that have to go with.
When did that hit you and, andhow'd you deal with that
situation?
Holly Frances (24:09):
Yeah, so very different healthcare systems.
So in Canada, very, veryfortunate that majority of my
stuff, it was just covered byhealthcare and I didn't have to
worry about it.
They talked about money in thehospitals because my care
obviously was costing themmoney.
I had to have treatment.
One of the treatments that I hadto have was like sort of like a
(24:29):
blood transfusion, and I believeit was like somewhere around,
like about, like in comparisonfor us it'd be about$15,000 US.
Like total within a few days,like five days over the course
of five days, and that was, thatwas five days.
I was there for many, manymonths.
So I can only imagine what theactual co total cost was.
(24:50):
And it is something that Ithought about and it is
something that I still like whenI deal with people, when I
connect with people that areeither in the US or other
countries, I, it just breaks myheart to think of people that
have to.
Worry about money on top ofdealing with whatever they're
dealing with.
So yeah, it's a, it's a stressthat I luckily did not have to,
to deal with, of course.
(25:10):
I mean, I had other financialcomplications.
I couldn't work and I had to goon disability and all this sort
of stuff, and it was a challengetrying to focus, how do I focus
on my health when I also have toworry about money?
Stoy (25:25):
Right.
Just a plug for UniversalHealthcare.
I'm just saying people like, uh,come on us, let's get our shit
in order because good lord, thatwould I, that would be millions,
probably.
Yeah.
Holly Frances (25:36):
Yeah.
And I do know people that haveliterally, you know, gone
bankrupt or had to sell theirhouses in the US that have gone
through GBS because them milliondollars or something being in
the hospital for that long.
Stoy (25:48):
Yeah.
Just
Holly Frances (25:49):
to
Stoy (25:49):
survive.
I mean, that's it.
I even recover like just tosurvive, which is, I could go
down a whole tangent on that,but not today.
Not today.
We're not here, not today.
We'll do something else and thenas we get to the end, I always
ask this question too, and Imaybe you've never been asked
it, so we'll see, but what wasyour first money memory ever in
(26:10):
your life?
Holly Frances (26:12):
Um, I grew up with not a lot of money, so I
think just always being aware oflike my family that we didn't
have a lot of money, so it waslike we couldn't do a lot of
things just being told like, no,we can't do that.
We can't afford that.
Um, so I think money's alwaysbeen, like, at, at that point
I'd always been a big worry ofmine.
And so, yeah, when I was goingthrough GBS, same thing, like it
(26:34):
was like.
What does my future look like?
What if I don't recover enoughto work again?
Like how am I gonna provide formy family?
How am I going to be able to payfor things?
And yeah, it's something that isjust such a big part of our
life.
As much as we don't wanna admitit, we don't wanna say that, you
know, money is, is important,but it is.
It really is.
Stoy (26:54):
Yeah.
There's no way around it really.
Ultimately, at the end of theday.
Well, I appreciate you.
I appreciate what you've gonethrough and being such an
advocate and speaking up, ourvoice matters, right?
People matter and they just needto hear and be and be around and
be involved.
So I appreciate everything thatyou've gone through and I'm glad
you are speaking to us today.
Uh, we are gonna have your bookand all the things, all other
socials as well, so everyonewill be able to check that out
(27:16):
and we appreciate you coming onand, and be happy to support you
in any way we can.
Holly Frances (27:22):
Thank you so much for having me on.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Law & Order: Criminal Justice System - Season 1 & Season 2
Season Two Out Now! Law & Order: Criminal Justice System tells the real stories behind the landmark cases that have shaped how the most dangerous and influential criminals in America are prosecuted. In its second season, the series tackles the threat of terrorism in the United States. From the rise of extremist political groups in the 60s to domestic lone wolves in the modern day, we explore how organizations like the FBI and Joint Terrorism Take Force have evolved to fight back against a multitude of terrorist threats.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com