Sickboy

For thousands of years, people have searched for elixirs that could delay death and extend human life. Could new advances in medicine finally make this a reality? From madcap medicine to cutting-edge science, the quest to unlock the fountain of youth is teeming with dreamers, skeptics and charlatans alike. This week the fellas have another sit down with past guest Keith McArthur to talk about his newest podcasting adventure. The quest to find out whether or not the Fountain of Youth has a possible reality in our lifetime? Spoiler alert: monkey balls may (or may not) be the secret.

Phil has esophageal cancer. His prognosis is not good. Living with terminal cancer does a lot to a person and Phil eloquently walks the fellas through his process of facing death head on. From prepping family and friends, to making the most out of his day to day, to reminiscing on old adventures. For a man who was experiencing peak health at the ripe age of 66 only to end up on death's door a couple years later, Phil is taking everything in stride and in style. Why not buy a friggin' Harley?! Life's too short not to do what excites you.

No more tears this week. Except tears of laughter. The gang cover a ton on this episode of Feel Good Friday. A rare tropical disease killing people in very non-tropical states have led the CDC down a long investigative trail. Turns out essential oils are essentially the root cause. A massive leap in transplant innovation happened recently with the first (semi-successful) pig organ transplant in a man, led by a handsome and brilliant doctor in NYC. A woman almost had her noggin caved in by a meteorite. Boner pills are being sold in a Halifax convenience store and you really shouldn't buy them. Finally Jer shows the fellas a clip from his favourite horror movie in order to set up the content for WHAT THE HELLTH!? Spoiler alert: it leads to a conversation about Mike, who was decapitated and survived... somehow.

Sabrina Benaim is a writer, performance artist, and slam poet best known for her poem "Explaining My Depression To My Mother." This week she sits down with the fellas to talk all about mental health stigma, the universal struggles of isolation, grief and her process of writing. Check out her newest book I Love You, Call Me Back: Poems. It's all about finding joy, in unexpected places.

In 2018 a case of pneumonia almost took Angela's life. From lung and heart damage, to weighing only 82 pounds and losing all control of her bladder, this pneumonia was no joke. Somehow her doctors saved her life, but the road to recovery was long and hard. While navigating the struggles of post-medical trauma-induced depression, Angela's grandfather died. Her grampy's cat, Makenzie, needed a home and although this cat is a complete psychopath, there is also something about him that is pretty adorable. Not only did Angela think this, so did hundreds of thousands of other people on TikTok. This is the inspiration behind My Grandfather's Cat - a non-profit founded by Angela. Their sole purpose is to find forever homes for cat and dogs who's owners are either terminal, have died or are too elderly to take care of their pets. Be sure to check out https://mygrandfatherscat.ca/ to see the cute little critters looking for a home.

"Have your tissue boxes handy folks. This week we found out that Jer is finally going to be receiving Trikafta, and likely he'll be taking it before Christmas! Obviously this is an incredibly exciting time for many people affected by Cystic Fibrosis. Although there is one psychological side to it all that maybe you haven't considered. Jeremie tries his best to lead the fellas through the confusing and uncomfortable feelings that are coming up for him now that he's just around the corner from receiving this miracle drug. What happens when you've spent your entire life embracing/cultivating an identity, only to feel as though you now must grieve that side of yourself? Be sure to check out our Movember campaign as we ramp up for the month of November! Who's going to bust out the greatest stash of all time?! - http://sickboypodcast.com/movember To check out the amazing work our past guest and cycle phenom Alex Dowsett is up to in the world of hemophilia research head over to - https://www.littlebleeders.com/

Before speaking with Amelia, when we sat and thought about what an occupational therapist does, we would have said something like: "They help people get back to work after illness or injury". But boy oh boy did we learn that that barely scratches the surface of what they do. Join us for a fascinating conversation about how OT's support folks in the physical, psychological, neurological and social factors that influence health and wellbeing. After all, it is Occupational Therapy Month!

Montana was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 7. After three years of chemotherapy, she was declared cured, but began experiencing mental health challenges that grew until, at age 17, she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. This week Montana chats with the fellas all about journey as a woman managing a sick body and how she uses her past experience in order to help others feel connected and whole, no matter what physical or mental challenges they may face, through coaching, yoga + meditation, wellness group facilitation and advocacy work. Check out Montana's work over at monstanaskurka.com

We may or may not have an answer for Jeremie's sudden change in eye sight and it isn't what you think! Stealthing has been made illegal in California and the WHO has finally authorized the use of a vaccine that will save millions of lives accross the world! Are you looking for the next TikTok fad to hop onto? Look no further! Scalp Popping is here and it's totally worth it (just kidding, don't pop your galea unless you want to go bald.

This week Sickboy is bringing you a very special conversation from Jeremie's other podcast that he hosts with his far more eloquent and cool wife, Bryde. Matthew Remski is a long-term meditator and yoga practitioner. An author of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, his current work focuses on the social psychology of healthy communities, and the study of faux-progressive wellness Utopias, particularly in the yoga community. We talk about the parallels between cult dynamics and anti-vax conspiracy and how we can communicate with loved ones who seem to be swallowed up in this harmful rhetoric. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did, and if you like what you heard be sure to follow along with Turn Me On podcast where ever your get your pods.

Jané is a young graphic designer living in South Africa. For years she was doubted by her doctors despite being in debilitating pain & experiencing intense symptoms surrounding her reproductive organs. Until one day she was listening to and episode of Sickboy podcast all about Endometriosis and a lightbulb clicked — this is surely what she was experiencing. This week on the pod, the fellas talk to Jané all about her Endo journey: from diagnostic surgery and treatment during COVID, to the healthcare gaps in South Africa, to her experience with support groups and more!

Trikafta hits yet another province. But it isn't the one that Jer lives in. Congrats British Columbia! Speaking of Jer, he needs your help. Especially if you happen to be an optometrist... or an ophthalmologist. Our boy Naheed posted about a group of ding dongs in Alberta who attended a COVID party to purposely get infected. One man in Turkey got so hammered he joined his own search party. Finally Tay teaches the fellas a bit about the science of spicy. Turn out capsaicin may be able to act as a pain killer... the fellas wouldn't know a damn thing about it as they shovel chips doused in "Da Bomb" hot sauce into their gullets. You might wanna watch this on YouTube.

Marc Champagne unpacks the mental fitness practices and reflective questions shaping the lives of some of the most successful and brilliant thinkers in the world. Marc's first book, Personal Socrates, explores the pointed questions that stimulate our mental fitness and teach us how to direct our internal narrative to work for us, instead of against us. ""We are all one question away from a completely different life"". You can find Personal Socrates available here - https://baronfig.com/personal-socrates?title=default+title

This week the fellas sit down with Sean Conohan, first responder and host of UpTalk podcast. Through his work Sean has seen it all. Like many folks in the world of emergency response, Sean found himself struggling with PTSD from the intensity of the job. Sean shares how he has gone through post-traumatic growth, and how his podcast has become a form of therapy for him.

Storytime with the boys. This past weekend the fellas had a scare. Taylor's eyes rolled into the back of his head, he passed out, Brian panicked and broke his ribs. CPR saves lives, but in this case, it may or may not have been overkill. Now that Taylor has broken ribs, it's hard for him to laugh and there is plenty of laughs in this week's episode. By the way, did you hear the good news?! Trikafta is now being covered in four provinces across Canada! Wahoo! Nova Scotia, what the hell are you waiting for. The dudes also touch on the (apparently infamous) "Triangle Of Death". Pimple poppers beware. Then we cap it all off with a horrendous case of a gentleman who was pooing out of his pee pee and ejaculating out of his bum bum. Not good.

Donna Morrissey was born in Newfoundland and has written six national bestselling novels. Her new memoir, Pluck, is a deeply personal account of love's restorative ability as it leads her through mental illness, family death, and despair, to becoming a writer — all told with charm and inimitable humour. This week on Sickboy, the fellas speak with Donna about her journey through life in trying to find a way to heal her trauma and her process of documenting her life's story on the page.

What if there were a pill that could add decades to your life? Would you take it? For thousands of years, people have searched for elixirs that could delay death and extend human life. Could new advances in medicine finally make this a reality? From madcap medicine to cutting-edge science, the quest to unlock the fountain of youth is teeming with dreamers, skeptics and charlatans alike. More episodes are available at: hyperurl.co/unlocking

Ben is a sharp young buck about to start his first year at university. He also happens to live with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)! This week the fellas chat with Ben all about his experience in living with SMA. From finding ways to navigate inclusion with friends as a child, to the challenges of traveling the world while disabled, to talking openly about his illness with friends and strangers in order to spread awareness. Ben is an absolute gem and we are grateful to have had the chance to chat with him!

This week it's hard to feel good about Friday. We say goodbye to one of the most valuable members of the Sickboy podcast crew (no, relax, Jeremie hasn't died yet...). Lauren has landed a dream job that means the world to her and so she is moving on to bigger and better things! But don't worry, we send her off with a doozy of an episode. This week the gang go deep on teens shoving snus (nicotine pouches) where the sun don't shine, horrifying nightmare-fuel jet ski accidents, sushi mishaps and much much more.

The nicotine market is rapidly evolving due to e-cigarettes. Although e-cigarettes may help some smokers to quit, an increasing number of non-smokers are trying these products. On this weeks Routine Checkup the fellas speak with Dr. David Hammond, Professor in the School of Public Health & Health Systems at the University of Waterloo all about the evolving patterns of youth vaping and how e-cigarettes are having an effect on its users across Canada.

What's worse than getting hit by a truck? Finding out you have lupus while you're recovering from being hit by a truck. Over 20 years ago Marisa's life was flipped upside down with a diagnosis that led her down a path to finding her true purpose in life. This week, we dive into the world of lupus, a disease that occurs when your body's immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. Marisa chats with the fellas all about her decades-long battle with lupus and what inspired her to create LupusChick.com — a New York-based nonprofit and award-winning website for lupus patients.

We finally put to bed this whole discussion on how the throat knows. The epiglottis is a hell of a thing. Always remember: don't panic. Endometriosis effects roughly 10% of women and has been hard to properly and fully treat. A new genetic discovery could change that. Spoiler alert, it involves rhesus macaques! There is a cafe in Japan that serves you your lattes via a cute and fuzzy bear paw. Scientists are potty training cows. And a man ate so much licorice he friggin died. This and much more on this weeks edition of Feel Good Friday!

This weeks we bring you a very special Routine Checkup. We are joined by past Sickboy guest Joanne! Last time we spoke to her (we were recording out of Brian's mom's basement), we touched on how tough her two miscarriages were. Since then she's had a child and three more miscarriages!? Not only that but she's also written a book about her experiences of miscarriages and motherhood! A very special conversation and we're so grateful to get moments like this to catch up with such lovely humans! You can find Joanne's book on Amazon, Indigo or Bookmark.

Here's a not so fun fact — approximately one third of all women will suffer from chronic pelvic pain at some point during their lifetime. So what is pelvic congestion syndrome? Well essentially it boils down to vein dilation down in the nether regions. Zuzanna takes us on her lengthy journey of trying to get to the bottom of where this pain in her (front) bottom was coming from! As a journalist from Poland, she puts her investigative journalism skills to the test and shows us the true importance for self advocacy when it comes to seeking care.

This week gets a little out of hand. While Jeremie is dodging Tornados in Ontario, the gang talk about the worlds largest grave yard, a dad who strips down at a school board meeting in protest, a badass young woman with down syndrome going to UCB, a guy who chopped off his pee pee in a police chase, several poor chaps who stuck one too many eels up their bung hole, and a worse-off chap who backwards ejaculated to death... maybe? Yeah, it's one of those weeks.

A report published by the Commonwealth Fund shows the USA ranking dead last amongst its wealthy peers (Canada isn't great either). Why? The fellas are joined by Reggie Williams, vice president of the Commonwealth Fund’s International Health Policy and Practice Innovations program, to talk about the recent report and what they learned. How does the country that far outspends every other country have the poorest healthcare system performance? Check out the full report here: https://bit.ly/3hbNtrE

This week we are pleased to welcome back Ananya, professor in McGill’s faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, specializing in Health Promotion, Social Determinants of Health and South Asian Health Equity. Only this time we aren't talking about the important work she does. Instead we dive deep into her personal experience dealing with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. The hell is that? It's a neurological disorder characterized by progressive weakness and impaired sensory function in the legs and arms. From childhood Ananya has battled shame, cultural taboos, and an uphill battle when it comes to finding love. We're so grateful to have Ananya back on the pod and hope you love this conversation as much as we did!

The gang is back and they are coming at ya hard with some prime time FGF content. Do we have a Ophilia McHock in the audience today? Ophilia McHock? How about a... Don Keedic? No? Okay, moving on. Apparently there is a rollercoaster in Japan that is so fast it's crushing peoples spines. Sounds fun. Know what else is fun? Petting cute puppies while getting your COVID vaccine! Finally for this week's edition of WHAT THE HELLTH!? We cover a mind boggling study where one doctor who has way too many jobs thought it'd be interesting to see what would happen if he tried squirting liquid oxygen up the anus' of rats and pigs. The results are startling.

This week the fellas are joined by prolific science journalist John Horgan (not the BC Premier) to talk about the interactions between science and mysticism. Altered states of consciousness, psychedelics, the science of drilling holes into peoples heads for enlightenment. We get weird and it's incredible.

Running 500 kilometres in 10 days is insanely tough. Add in an immune system disorder, and it seems impossible. For Cory Reese, who lives with an immune deficiency, running 500 kilometres was an enjoyable vacation. Today Cory joins the boys to talk about the physical and mental endurance it takes to run ultramarathons with a chronic illness.

The crew is on vacay this week! So we've decided to bring you something special for this week's Feel Good Friday! We present to you a recording we did back in July as an exclusive Patreon live show where we are revisited by Sickboy Podcast Alum and our BFF, Dylan Buskermolen! He takes us through his journey back into the stem cell transplant chair along with his old man. We also hit a very hardcore What The Hellth about a poor man who pumped a little too hard and broke his member. Ouchie!! Enjoy this hang, we had so much fun!!

As governments and businesses start to make COVID vaccines mandatory, there are a lot of questions about the ethics of vaccine passports. Do they create a two-tiered society? What if they exclude vulnerable people who don't have access to a phone? How can we protect people's personal information? Professor Arthur Schafer is an expert in bio-medical ethics and he joined the fellas to share his perspective on how we can make vaccine passports fair for everyone.

For Paulina, April 23, 2018 was just as mundane as any other day, until on her lunch break... everything changed. She was walking from her office to a place to grab some food when all of a sudden she heard the van revving its engine behind her as it made its way on to the curb. This domestic terrorist attack took the lives of 10 people and injured 16 others. For Paulina it was a completely life altering event. One that would change her life in ways that she couldn't have imagined. This week we talk about how Paulina found her way through her journey through PTSD, depression and anxiety in order to help discover a beautiful new way of living.

Have you been a naughty boy/girl/person? Nurse Parker is here to make sure you get your prick. Only this vaccine is not safe for work. Or public. Or anywhere in earshot of anyone who might feel uncomfortable with audible medical fetish pornography. On a more serious note, Nova Scotia has some work to do when it comes to healthcare. No one should die in a wheelchair in the ER while waiting to receive care. However if Jeremie dies let it be known, his funeral better be a banger. Pour one out for him. All over him. Finally, Arnold has some choice words for all you schmucks out there and Quebec cracks down on vaccine passports. Lots of ground to cover this week folks!

We all have unconscious biases that affect how we judge people. While those biases used to serve a purpose when we humans were hunter-gatherers in small groups, they no longer help us now that we live in cities and can anonymously interact with millions of other people. On today's episode of Sickboy Podcast, evolutionary psychologist Dr. Glenn Geher joins the boys to explain different biases, why we evolved to have them, and how to be more conscious of them. And be sure to check out Dr. Geher's book, Positive Evolutionary Psychology!

They say to 'never let them see you sweat.' That's not a problem for Rielle, who has a rare skin condition that prevents her from sweating. On today's episode of Sickboy Podcast, Rielle joins the gang to talk about how she stays cool and her experience as a woman in engineering with ADHD.

Kick back, chow down on some banana nut bread edibles and get ready to lose your god damn mind! This week the gang revisit the sh*t show that is: Alberta. A man who tried to end his life by intentionally overdosing on antidepressants was saved by the pills he took- because it turned out they were placebos. A psycho nurse "pranks" thousands of vaccine receiving patients. A woman who knows a thing or two about birth now also knows a thing or two about cutting babies out of her own belly. Has that edible kicked in yet?

While it’s clear that climate change hurts the health of our environment, we don’t always think about how it affects our health. On today’s episode of Sickboy Podcast, Dr. Kristie Ebi joins the fellas to talk about the unexpected ways that climate change impacts our health — including making our food less nutritious.

Nicholas is a beautiful human being who is living his best life and pursuing his passion in the world of fashion. Nicholas was born with Down Syndrome and it doesn't stop him from doing whatever the hell he wants. He sits down with the boys to advocate, inspire and joke around while talking about his life as a gay man living with Down Syndrome and trying to find love and express himself through art.

This week we're joined buy our lovely community of sweet potatoes as we talk about WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL IS HAPPENING IN ALBERTA?! We also look at a recent JAMA study that will leave you wanting to hit the sack a bit earlier than usual! Then Jeremie gets some payback for the most recent YouTube video. Finally for this weeks WHAT THE HELLTH!? Jer takes the gang down a dark rabbit hole of self surgery and trepanning. Get ready to feel good.

Did you know the phrase "placebo effect" is an oxymoron? That's because placebos aren't supposed to have an effect, but sometimes they do. On today's episode of Sickboy Podcast, Dr. John Kelley joins the fellas to talk about the power of placebos, and how they can even help us tackle issues like the opioid crisis.

Justin was walking home from work when all of a sudden he was struck by a motorcycle going upwards of 100 km/h. The accident tore his leg off and he almost lost his life. Thanks to the swift work from the EMT's and Physicians/Nurses that came to the rescue, Justin's life was saved. However, the damage from the accident was so severe that he would lose his leg. While recovering in the hospital he had a thought "what will they do with my leg?" The answer he received didn't sit well with him and so he asked if he could keep his severed limb. This resulted in a months-long battle with the hospital, morgue and funeral homes in order to keep what is rightfully his... a literal piece of himself. This is a FANTASTIC conversation about advocacy and healing from trauma and it is not an episode you want to miss!

Puppy fever continues, but this time it's for Narwhal — the golden retriever who has a deformity that makes him cuter than imaginable. The gang discusses a shocking link between the devastating disease, ALS and those who work in the military. Speaking of devastating, this one goes out to all you coffee drinkers out there. Your morning brown might be leading you down a road to dementia. Finally, in this weeks "What The Hellth?!", we cover the unfortunate case of a woman who lost her freakin' eyeball from just one tiny speck of glitter. Yet another reason why glitter is the absolute worst.

Dr. Elena Semino is a professor in the Department of Linguistics and English Language at Lancaster University in England. She also is the principal investigator on the ‘Metaphor, Cancer and End of Life Project’ aka the Cancer Metaphor Menu. You see, how we talk about illness matters. Especially when it comes to using metaphors. Not only do they help contextualize the experience of illness, it also plays a key role in communication. This week, smart person Dr. Semino brings the fellas along on a beautiful journey of metaphors.

Stefan is a NYC based artist who saw his entire future crash before his very eyes. It all started with tendonitis in his forearm but little did he know that pain was just the beginning. Central Sensitization Syndrome is a condition of the nervous system that is associated with the development and maintenance of chronic pain. What began with pain in the arm led Stefan down a long and arduous road that eventually led him to the Mayo Clinic where he received a diagnosis, and eventually the methods needed to manage his pain. Now back on the stage, Stefan is building up his dreams once again. This conversation was a highlight episode and we hope you enjoy!

It's puppy mania over at Sickboy HQ. Speaking of puppies, have you ever watched a dog turn food into sh*t via X-Ray? Well today is your lucky day. Other than dogs running wild and causing a ruckus, the gang dive into a few injustices in the world of health and disability. Paralympic athlete Becca Meyers gets shafted by the Olympics by some illogical COVID-19 protection protocols. Plus a woman with Bell's palsy suffers from losing her license due to not being physically able to blow into a tube. Get it together B.C. Finally What The Hellth hits us with some mega ballooned up heads due to severe allergic reactions to hair dye!

Pain researchers have a joke that when someone is asked to rate their pain from 1 to 10, the most common response is 11. Dr. Jeffrey Mogil, a neuroscientist and pain researcher interested in how genetics, social factors and sex differences affect pain, believes this joke to be based in truth. Dr. Mogil heads the Pain Genetics Lab at McGill University & is the founder and Director of NAPS, the North American Pain School. This week he joins the fellas and schools them all about the science of pain and it's absolutely fascinating!

Reconnecting with your body after cancer is a long process. To get herself through it, April Stearns founded a magazine just for breast cancer patients and survivors like herself. Today, she joined the fellas to share different writing exercises to help feel at home in a new body after cancer.

Donut's fresh out of the oven. Jer introduces the world to his new best bud and he's too cute to handle. Cute Aggression activate. Then, you get burgers delivered to your door. And furniture. Why not your fertility meds? Finally we get very bizarre in this week's What The Hellth?! Ever heard of Vorarephilia? Well... you're about to.

Male rat brains are "normal" and the "text book standard". Female rat brains are "moody", “unpredictable", "hormonal" and can't be trusted when it comes to procuring reliable data in the study of health science. Now... does this sound like some patriarchal bullsh*t? Yeah, we thought so too. This week the guys are joined by Dr. Rebecca Shansky who has poured a lot of work into trying to change the narrative in neuroscience when it comes to how the scientific community views the differences between male and female brains. The gender bias has left us with some pretty undesirable results when it comes to medicine efficacy and more. A fascinating conversation with a lovely individual!