33 - Emotional Recovery: The Unspoken Journey

Blended

Welcome back to Blended! In episode 33, the panel discusses emotional recovery; share their experiences & words of advice; and reflects on how we can open up conversations to better support others.

[01.07] Introductions to our Blended panelists.

• Melissa – Associate Partner of Finance & Supply Chain Transformation at IBM
• LaMondre – Speaker and CEO at Billion Strong
• Dan – Owner at High-Performance Logistics Sales
• Richard – Vice President of Strategic Accounts at Intelligent Audit

[06.03] The guests share their different personal experiences of illness, surgery, and emotional recovery.

• Sarah’s experience with Lipoedema
• Lack of help/disbelief from medical practitioners
• Dan’s experience with throat cancer
• The journey of the caretaker
• Impact on relationships
• PTSD, anxiety, and depression
• Fear of returning to work
• Comparison
• LaMondre’s experience of spinal muscular atrophy
• Loss of ability
• Therapy
• How surgery can trigger past trauma
• Richard’s experience of caring for his father
• Denial
• Melissa’s experience with breast cancer
• Why people keep diagnoses a secret
• Ableism
• Changing perspectives
• Lack of understanding and awareness

[54.20] The panel reflects on how we talk about illness and recovery, and how we can better support friends, family, and colleagues.

• Vulnerability
• Honesty
• Taking the burden of reaching out off the person suffering
• If you ask, be open to receiving the answer – whatever that is
• Different perspectives
• Showing people they’re loved
• Asking for help
• Practical support like bringing food
• Stigma and shame
• Secrecy and privacy

[01.19.03] The group sums up their thoughts from today’s discussion.