Sickboy

Val was only 15 years old when her flight from France crash landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Dubbed the 'Toronto miracle,' all 309 passengers and crew survived this terrifying event. This week the fellas dive into how her life was forever changed by the events that took place on August 2nd, 2005. This scary and unfortunate event very well may have been the catalyst for Valerie's thriving career as a class action lawyer.

The whole gang is here!! Where is here? The brand spanking new Sickboy HQ in Halifax, that's where. Question for the medical professionals out there... is Jer's H2O consumption leading to a squirty butt? Also we get to the bottom of a viral video showing a group of Chinese folks "waddling like penguins" after their COVID anal swab. Spoiler alert — it's fake news. Then in honour of Black History Month, Lo presents us with a trimmed down version of one of the best conversations we've had in 2020 with Tari Ajadi about health inequities within the Black community here in Halifax.

Buckle up kids! This week we dive into the fascinating experience of living with an ultra rare disease known as Caroli's! Otherwise known as Congenital polycystic dilatation of intrahepatic bile ducts. Oh yeah. Bile. No shortage of gnar. Marcy gives us the run down on "Bile Bags", Losing over half her Liver, and stones. Stones on stones on stones.

Get in the chopper and "Come with me if you want to live" is the catch phrase we all needed from Arnold as incredible amounts of the COVID-19 vaccine are being administered across the U.S. The gang cover a gross story about white privilege and Jeremie can't get his sh*t together! Then the fellers chat with famed science communicator and neuroscientist, Samantha Yammine. We talk about the role of science communication and how social media can be a wonderful tool to spark meaningful and important conversation surrounding public health and science education!

Kyle is a headbanger with a headache in his pelvis. This week the fellas explore the mysterious illness that has plagued Kyle ever since he got slammed in a 'wall of death' at a metal show. From colonoscopies to prostate screenings, the medical community were scratching their heads with this one, until eventually Kyle was given the diagnosis of Chronic Non-Bacterial Prostatitis.

This week we cover a horrifyingly unfortunate story out of the U.S. about a gentleman who made the ultimate wrong decision when it comes to administering psychedelics. Hot tip: don't inject mushrooms into your bloodstream unless you want to live in a real life body horror film. Then the gang speaks with Dr. Madhukar Pai about the big three: AIDS, malaria and TB. Three major pandemic/epidemics that have fallen by the wayside in the wake of COVID-19. Real talk Friday.

Every so often on Sickboy we hear stories that leave our jaws plopped right down on the floor. This is one of those stories. Not just because Samuel is such a fantastic story teller, but also because what he experienced is like something out of an HBO thriller! Although his experience left him with massive third degree burns and he has had countless surgeries over the years, Samuel doesn't let his accident get in the way of living the absolute best life possible. He's an incredibly thoughtful, charming and fun guest and we are beyond stoked about this week's episode.

This week things get very VERY interesting. The gang put a call out to all doctors (smart person & medical alike) to help with a titillating quandary that came in through the Turn Me On podcast about a listener who has some sort of link between ear stimulation and orgasms. Send us a letter if you know what the heck is going on here? Then we chat about the latest in vaccine news! The fellas then sit down and have a lovely conversation with Dr. Evan Taylor, who is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work & Human Services at the University of the Fraser Valley and holds a PhD from the University of British Columbia’s Department of Language and Literacy Education. They dive into the gaps in cancer care for the LGBTQ2+ community and explore all of the wonderful resources over at Queering Cancer!

Whitney has always been known as "The Boobie Queen". The nickname took on a whole new meaning after being diagnosed with stage three cancer at the age of 30! Join the gang for a wonderful conversation about perseverance all the while exploring Li-Fraumeni syndrome — an inherited familial predisposition to a wide range of certain, often rare, cancers. Whitney the Boobie Queen is a positive ray of light who has no problem bringing levity to a harsh diagnosis and is an inspiration to young adult cancer survivors everywhere!

2021 is off to a great start — Caillou is cancelled! Parents and children rejoice! The gang then talks about the horrifying new symptom that many long haul COVID patients are facing called "Parosmia". Would you rather smell farts for life? Or fish? Lauren is ready to train her nose for her inevitable eternity in the fiery pits of hell. Then the gang talks to one of our favourite guests from 2020, Dr. Jody Carrington! We talk about how entering the new year is a large feat and we need to bring that pos energy with us if we want to make the most of it! Happy new year folks! We love each and every one of you.

For our first new episode of 2021, we're psyched to bring you this conversation with standup comedian Jon Dore. After two major seizures and an epilepsy diagnosis, Jon has learned how to make dreaded visits to the hospital a little more fun. Here's a hint: always say 'ten.' For more laughs from Jon, check out Humour Resources, which airs on Tuesday evenings on CBC and CBC Gem starting January 5, 2021.

HAPPY NEW YEAR KIDDOS! Enjoy this re-release from all the way back in 2016! *** This week on Sickboy we sit down with Jim as he describes what life is like as someone who lives with extreme Dwarfism. We create a safe space where we can ask the questions we've always wanted to ask! We talk about everything from getting busy with an average sized person, to the names Jim and other little people prefer, work as an LP, and of course the age ol' question... how big is it? We also got to speak to Jim's 11 year old son Caden, He's also a little person and he's got a sailors mouth.

Happy holidays you sweet humans! Enjoy a re-release from one of our favourite conversations of the year. *** This week the boys talk to Ella from down under about lump that she found down under. Turns out that lump turned out to be cancer inside her anus. From intense hypochondria and anxiety to navigating a very rare cancer while raising a young child, Ella brings lots of laughter and levity to a very scary situation. We talk about the Australian health care system, "auditioning your treatment team, butt hole measurements, and portable chemo treatment."

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a bit of a mystery. The fellas sit down and chat with Cailin about her experience living with the hormone disorder, which is common among women of reproductive age. Women with PCOS may have infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone (androgen) levels. Cailin walks us through her experience of growing a beard (at least more beard than Brian could ever grow) when she was a young woman and how her Diabetes may be linked to her struggle with PCOS!

2020 is almost over and Tom Cruise is not a happy camper. The gang discuss mouth-breathers and those pesky French orgy lovers over in Belgium. Then for something far more serious and far more close to home, the boys get a chance to speak to the ever-so-lovely Dr. Cindy Blackstock! She is a member of the Gitksan First Nation with 25 years of social work experience in child protection and Indigenous children’s rights. A hard working woman who has brought on important change to the world of human rights and is showing no signs of letting up. This is a truly fantastic conversation!

Deane is a strapping, young Army engineer living diagnosed with ALS at 30. Given 2-5 years, his diagnosis turned his life upside down. Ever the fighter, Deane started the ALS Burpee Challenge to raise money and is advocating for a Rare Disease Strategy so folks like him can access effective treatment here in Canada instead of having to travel abroad. Still, his treatments overseas did have one benefit- opening his eyes to the wonder of the bidet.

Folks are lining up and getting the prick. This week we start with a charming chime-in from an elderly gent who rang up his local hospital for a shot and a horrible meal. Then the gang talk lab-grown meat and vaccine conspiracy. Vegans please send your hate to Taylor. Then the fellas sit down with Dr. Iris Gorfinkel to talk about the importance of vaccine hesitancy. We are in a wild and exciting time, but we must approach this next chapter with thoughtful questions and push for informed consent.

Tony is a med student who has already spent years working to treat his chronic pain. While his struggles aren’t over, he hopes others who experience chronic pain will keep trying new treatments until they find one that works for them.

Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng is a palliative and intensive care doctor who wants to fix the inefficiencies in healthcare that end up causing harm to patients and costing the system millions! Be sure to check out his podcast, Solving Healthcare with Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng. The gang also talks about the Christmas miracle of COVID-19 vaccines and the decline of the otter dick.

Have you ever had a doctor rely on Google as much as you? Angela has. She has a septate hymen, a rare condition which has complicated her sexual health and relationships. Still, she ain't no wuss and advocated to get her diagnosis.

Dr. James Makokis is a proud, Two-Spirit Cree from Saddle Lake First Nation who leads one of North America’s most prominent transgender-focused medical practices. He shares how he re-connected to his culture, how colonial gender norms erased Indigenous Two-Spirit existence and the lifesaving care he provides to transgender people. Before Dr. Makokis’ beautiful story, the gang talks about sci-fi monkeys, pygmy marmosets and BC Ferries' amazing phallic mask sign.

Dr. Strang is Nova Scotia’s Daddy! Er, Chief Medical Officer of Health. But he feels like our Daddy right now. Join us for this in depth conversation about leading our province through the pandemic, the COVID-19 Alert App and what the vaccine rollout might look like. This episode was recorded on Friday, November 13th following public health protocols.

Welp... Jeremie's mom has COVID. A wake-up call that is close to home as COVID goes into community spread here in Nova Scotia. The gang also discuss how those pesky anti-vaxxers may not be able to go to work if some MPs in the UK have their way. Then the fellas had the pleasure of sitting down with Sanja Stanojevic, a biostatistics expert from Dalhousie University about the jaw dropping study she co-authored about the efficacy of Trikafta. The results are astounding. Could Jeremie potentially have legitimate swimmers in the near future? Time will tell.

Last week was a massive day for the Cystic Fibrosis community. With the announcement of Vertex planning to submit Trikafta to Health Canada for approval there was much to celebrate, but the hard work isn’t done yet! This week we speak with Stephanie Stavros, the first Canadian CF’er who was granted special access to Trikafta as she was laying on death's door. Stephanie has an absolutely wild story of growing up with CF totally in secret. As 30+ some years of a closeted salty girl she saw some serious ups and downs. From spewing blood on a first date to becoming the mother of her own child, her story is incredible.

The gang get a vomit inducing letter from a listener about linguine like wormies filling up their belly and eating all their pizza. Also good news! There’s hope for a vaccine! Get your papers ready if you wanna see any big shows, though. Big Brother is watching you. Then the fellas have a hella enlightening conversation with Dr. Heidi Janz, Professor at the University of Alberta specializing in disability ethics. We talk about MAID and what issues the current legislature present for folks living with disabilities.

Telling stories can change lives, and no one knows this better than André Picard. This week we chat with the big daddy of healthcare journalism. As Canada’s most prominent journalist on the health beat André has been through every major health event in the past few decades. He's been a long time dream guest of ours and we are absolutely honoured that André sat down with us nincompoops to talk about covering healthcare, protecting sources & keeping the powerful accountable.

We kick off this week with a discussion around boners. Boners in bed. Boners in airplanes. Boners at the top of Mt. Everest. The gang also explore how AI can and very likely will play a role in diagnosing humans in ways that we couldn't have even imagined! Then the fellas have a frank conversation with Dr. Zac Seidler, Clinical psychologist and the Director of Mental Health Training at Movember! They chat about the mens mental health crisis, the problems with the term "toxic" masculinity and much more! For more info on Movember and what they are up to check out https://ca.movember.com/

Gender transition is hard at the best of times, but Travis is going through it during a goshdarn PANDEMIC. But Trav's story goes much deeper than just that! From Crohn’s to addiction to homelessness, he’s been through the ringer and overcame it all to live his truth.

Halloween is HERE! Kiddos be sure to look both ways, trust strangers in masks, and check your candy for laxatives. We dive deep into the history of stranger danger razor blades and broken glass during Halloween plus examine a study about those pesky anti-maskers and links to antisocial personality traits. Then we sit down with Dr Sean O'Sullivan, a psychotherapist who has spent an extensive amount of time researching the benefits of psychedelics as a therapeutic. A mind blowing and eye opening discussion into the history of psychedelics and how they can play a major role in the future treatment of a myriad of different issues.

Thomas Hartle never used drugs before his Stage IV cancer diagnosis. That’s changed thanks to Therapsil. A couple months ago, he became the first Canadian to legally use psychedelic mushrooms to treat end of life anxiety and depression. Take a listen to his story with an open mind.

Our friend and past Sickboy guest Justin Baldoni stops by for a little chat about his emotional and beautiful film Clouds. We talk about the importance of tapping into our more emotional side, the beauty of Zach Sobiech and his music, the process of creating a film that tells the personal story of someone who was loved by many. Clouds is now available to stream on Disney+. We highly suggest you go check it out!

This week is a heartfelt blast from the past. We spend our time chatting with Dakshana Bascaramurty, journalist and author of This Is Not the End of Me: Lessons on Living from a Dying Man - a book all about the life and death of our dear friend and OG Sickboy alum Layton Reid. The gang reminisces on his final years as he prepared his family & himself for his death from cancer. This is a special one.

The WAP debate continues. The gang discuss the bummer news story of an elderly woman who wanted to spend her last days with her dying husband by fighting him in court, then they obsess over a smart toilet. Then the fellas sit down with co-founder of Death Deck, Lori LoCicero! Think about it like Cards FOR Humanity. A fun, sometimes raunchy, sometimes somber, but hella important conversation starter about the one thing we all share in common.

It's October! The most spooky month of the year. This week's conversation revolves around a fairly common theme in every spooky story - Death! Although let's be clear, there isn't anything spooky about today's episode! The fellas sit down with Jeremy, a funeral home director, to talk about all things death and grief. Jeremy explains the importance of "process", the things he loves about grief and how to talk to children about death! We LOVED this conversation and hope you do too!

The gang lists off all the things that they are grateful for which inevitably spirals into a conversation about death and poop. Jeremie schools the gang on his mastery of accents and Lauren schools the dudes on the proper pronunciation of WAP. Then the gang chat with smart person Doctor David Larson all about Wastewater and the role it can play in COVID prevention!

This week we are joined by our dear friend Mike. He lowers his armour and with great courage allows us to delve into his traumatic and heart wrenching upbringing where he suffered devastating abuse at the hands of those who he thought he could trust. This is an episode where we bypass the laughs and hold space for someone who taps into an immense vulnerability. Listen with your hearts wide open. If you or someone you know needs help just know that Kids Help Phone is here to help. Text Services: Text "CONNECT" to 686868 (also serves adults); Chat Services: https://kidshelpphone.ca/live-chat/

Brian has a nasal fluid problem. Lauren's motherland has an Amoeba problem. Taylor has an emotional temperature gage problem and Jeremie just wants you to check in with your "surge capacity". Then the fellas are joined by Joss Frank! A BIPOC yoga instructor whose mission is to guide women on how to show up in the world as their MOST authentic selves by embracing their feminine experiences, sexuality and creativity. They touch on everything from Shadow work to womb yoga to the power of period blood and more!

Tanya is an Inuk throat singer and storyteller who lives with psoriasis. She’s passionate about building bridges and creating understanding between Indigenous people and Canadians. We’re so grateful to her for calling us all the way from Yellowknife to teach us about Indigenous approaches to health and wellness.

Do you like to get scared? Might be worth crapping your pants with every so often to be more COVID prepped. The gang dig into a study looking at how horror film fans tend to do better in hard times. Also are you a nerd? You may also have an easier time with COVID. The fellas are then Schooled by Elaine Swann from the Swann School Of Protocol. She teaches the fellas how to practice proper social etiquette in the time of COVID. Something apparently Jeremie needs no help with.

Andrew “Daddy” Gurza is a cripple content creator, disability awareness consultant and focuses in on the realm of queerness, sexuality and disability. We talk about Andrews new endeavor in creating a sex toy that enables people with disabilities to be able to masturbate. The importance of sex workers in the world of sex and disability, creating sexy content and finding confidence in ones ability to give and receive pleasure all while using a power chair! Be sure to check out Andrew's podcast- Disability After Dark.

A quick would you rather: accidentally print commemorative merch with a pornstar on it? Or accidentally tweet a very very very NSFW photo via your employer's customer service account? Boo-Boo is an understatement. Also, did ya know your poop can tell epidemiologists what the COVID situation is like in your town? The gang also chat with past guest, public health physician and advocate for people who use drugs, Dr. Mark Tyndall. We deep dive into the harsh reality of the opioid crisis that is plaguing the entire continent.

This week we bring you a rather sobering conversation - pun not intended. The fellas chat with Jay Andrews, a Haligonian musician living in Toronto. Jay suffered from early childhood trauma and after the death of his father turned to the bottle to help himself cope. We talk binge drinking VS day to day drinking, Depression & self harm, Forgiveness as a process of understanding, how spirituality played a role in Jays recovery and what his experience with AA has been like. As serious as the subject matter may be, Jay is a shining light and there are no shortages of laughs and good times had by all in this enlightening conversation.

COVID isn't going to keep the kids from going back to school. Nor is it going to keep those pesky nudists from having wild frisky sexy times in small hedonistic villages in europe. We talk spooky dead people who never died, naked marathons and kids in school. Dr. Jody Carrington gives us hope and reminds us that the key to getting through it all is holding space for the sake of community and love.

This week we speak with Jenna Holz - Orthotist and owner of Brackish Bracing! She takes us on a deep dive into life as an orthotist. Basically she has the dream job of a host on Mythbusters mixed with changing people's lives with custom made orthoses. From Forest Gump leather and metal knee braces to high-tech killer robot mech warrior exoskeleton suits! There is nothing Jenna won't tackle.

Meet Jeremie, Brian and Taylor. Three best friends who understand that sometimes the best way to deal with illness, disease and life is simply to laugh. Laughter is the best medicine, right?

Dr. Graham Dellaire is BACK but this time we aren't touching CRISPR. Instead we dive into the sad reality that is COVID being transferred to marine mammals through our waste water! Doc breaks down the findings from the study titled "Pandemic danger to the deep: the risk of marine mammals contracting SARS-CoV-2 from wastewater" and it's fascinating but also a huge bummer. But hey, FGF wouldn't be what it is without a bit of real talk, right?

Cristina is a dietitian who lives with rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren’s syndrome! She told us muchachos how she manages her pain with nutrition and lives a full life being a mom, dancing and sharing her optimism with the world.

This week we bypass the silly willy preamble with the gang and jump straight into the world of mental health through the use of tech! Dr. Sandra Meier, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Dal, takes us through the upsides and downsides to using our phones throughout the day. We talk about the latest app she has developed meant to track your mental health and provide more insight into our own emotional well being!

Kristi is an emotional behavioural therapist and mom of three. She is also the caretaker to her son Ben who has a SUPER RARE brain condition called Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia Type 3. We're talking really, really, really rare. Like... only 6 people in the world with this particular type kinda rare! Kristi takes us through a day in the life of a mother caring for a child with special needs all while rocking a grade A Sickboy sense of humour. Mom of the year contender for sure.

This week the gang flow right into a phenomenal conversation with Melanie from One Love Foundation! We explore how love is a learned skill and how to spot the 10 Signs of Healthy & Unhealthy relationships. Furthermore, we dive into how COVID has had an impact on our relationships and things we can do to be better, friends, partners, and people in general. We love love. And we love you. Thanks for listening to our podcast.