The Silent Battle

Today’s episode is going to be very bitter sweet. I've come to the decision very hard decision that I am going to take a step back from podcasting! Thank you for all the support of my listeners from the bottom of my heart!

Today ,I will be interviewing pharmacist Rachel Chelewski who is a Clinical Pharmacist Specialist for the Vanderbilt Transplant Pharmacy. She is here to speak to us regarding some of our medications we take and give us some tips on how to make life easier while taking these medications.This episode is aired on Pandora, Spotify, and Amazon.Donations to the podcast are gladly accepted through Cashapp or PayPal.Life is Tough But So Are You!Enjoy! :)

Today, I will be interviewing a very special lady named Holly Kroeze. Holly is 24 years post double lung transplant! YES 24 YEARS YAY!! She received her double lung transplant in 2001 from University of San Francisco California. I definitely consider her a walking angel on earth. She is going to share her story regarding what led to her to needing a double lung transplant and how she is doing today!This episode is aired on Pandora, Spotify, and Amazon.Donations to the podcast are gladly accepted through Cashapp or PayPal.Life is Tough But So Are You!Enjoy! :)

Today I will be interviewing Luther Brown JR from St. Augustine, FL.Luther has a very rare autoimmune disease called Antisynthetase Syndrome (A.S.S). Today, he is going to share his raw and candid story about his journey with (A.S.S) and how he manages his symptoms. Also, he will give us some tips if he has any on what may help you all out there to live life more easily as we battle our diseases.This episode is aired on Pandora, Spotify, and Amazon.Donations to the podcast are gladly accepted through Cashapp or PayPal.Life is Tough But So Are You!Enjoy! :)

Today I will be interviewing Lisa Coscia who is the senior research coordinator for The Transplant Pregnancy Registry International, which is headquartered in Philadelphia, PA.The Transplant Pregnancy Registry International studies the outcomes of pregnancies in any solid organ transplant recipient worldwide. This is going to be a great segment for ladies like myself who are post-lung transplanted and who often have concerns, questions, or just wonder about the outcomes of pregnancy after being transplanted.I do have a brochure I can forward you and the latest TPRI report on organ pregnancy outcomes I can forward to anyone that would like to request them from me. This episode is posted on Spotify, Pandora, Amazon, and The Silent Battle Facebook page.Donations to the podcast are always greatly appreciated.Life is Tough But so are YOU!XOXO Erica :)

Today, I will be interviewing April Meade. April is from Maryland, and she has Interstitial Lung Disease that was brought on by the autoimmune mixed connective tissue disease.She has been battling ILD since 2018. She has completed her pre transplant work up at INOVA Fairfax hospital pulmonary transplant clinic in Virginia. She is currently waiting now for her case to be presented to the board so she can be listed for new lungs.This episode is aired on Pandora, Spotify, and Amazon.Donations to the podcast are gladly accepted through Cashapp or PayPal.Life is Tough But So Are You!Enjoy! :)

Today, I will be interviewing social worker Taylor Riggsbee. Today’s segment is very important and much needed for people who are chronically ill because we often times are so focused on our physical health, and we tend to forget the importance of our mental health which is not good because our mental health is just as important as our physical health.This episode is aired on Spotify, Pandora, and Amazon. I can be reached at [email protected], Life is Tough But So are You!

Today I will be interviewing my friend and Vanderbilt Medical Centerrespiratory therapist Ashley Wright. I asked Ashley to come on here today and talk withyou all about the importance of respiratory care when you are facing lung disease, lung transplant, or autoimmune diseases that affect your lungs. Also, I am sure she will have some good tips for us on how to keep our lungs as healthy as possible.This episode is aired on Pandora, Spotify, and Amazon.Thank you to all of my listeners for your continued support.(Donations for the podcast are always appreciated and accepted through paypal or cashapp )

March is National Kidney Month.Today I have asked kidney warrior Chandler Jackson from Macon, GA to be apart of The Silent Battle podcast to share his journey regarding his battle with Lupus and Kidney Failure/ Dialysis.This podcast is aired on Pandora, Spotify, and Amazon.Chandler's journey regarding his battle with his kidney failure is shared openly by him on Tik Tok.Life is Tough But So Are You!

Today ,I will be interviewing physical therapist, Chris Turner.Chris and I met at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. I was actually a patient of his when I was in the hospital recovering from my double lung transplant surgery. I asked him to come on here today and share with us the benefits and importance of physical therapy after having major surgery.This episode is aired on Pandora, Spotify, and Amazon. If you have questions or comments or interested in being part of The Silent Battle Podcast, please email me at [email protected]

Today, I would like to introduce you all too Alaina Muckell.Alaina is a good friend of mine who resides in Newton, Connecticut. Alaina was born with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Alaina and I met in Durham, NC at Duke University Hospital about 7 years ago. We both needed transplants, but I wasn’t as sick as she was at the time we met. I was just beginning my process of seeking out a lung transplant center that would be right for me, however Alaina had chosen Duke and was on their list and awaiting her new lungs at the time we met.Alaina received her new precious lungs in 2018 ,6 years ago, and she is doing phenomenal! So today, she is going to share with you all some facts about CF and what it's like being a CF patient .She will also be talking about her lung transplant journey.This episode is aired on Pandora, Spotify, and Amazon. If you have questions or comments or interested in being part of The Silent Battle Podcast, please email me at [email protected]

Happy New Year!Welcome back to The Silent Battle Podcast Season 4!I am your host Erica Honeycutt! I am excited to reconnect with you all!If you all have anything you would like me to share on the podcast this season please let me know or if you have any topic ideas please let me know!Please email me at [email protected] or message me on my Facebook page The Silent Battle. Podcast.Have a great day! :)

Today, I will be interviewing Heather MacKenzie. Heather is originally from Detroit, Michigan, however she resides in Denver, Colorado. She was diagnosed with Acute and Chronic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis. Her condition is very rare and is shared only by 2 to 3 people in 100,000 each year.Today, Heather is going to share her raw and candid story about her journey with Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis which is a form of Interstitial Lung Disease and how she manages her symptoms.(Please like and share what you hear. The Silent Battle Podcast is aired on Pandora, Spotify, Amazon, and Google Podcast. Donations to The Silent Battle Podcast through cashapp or paypal are greatly appreciated as well)Thank you!

Today, I will be interviewing Heather MacKenzie. Heather is originally from Detroit, Michigan, however she resides in Denver, Colorado. She was diagnosed with Acute and Chronic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis. Her condition is very rare and is shared only by 2 to 3 people in 100,000 each year. Today, Heather is going to share her raw and candid story about her journey with Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis which is a form of Interstitial Lung Disease and how she manages her symptoms.

Today I will be interviewing Heather MacKenzie. Heather is originally from Detroit, Michigan, however she resides in Denver, Colorado. She was diagnosed with Acute and Chronic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis. Her condition is very rare and is shared only by 2 to 3 people in 100,000 each year.

Today, I will be interviewing Cheryl Jackson. Cheryl is originally from Gainesville, FL, however she currently resides in Murfreesboro, TN. She was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). Her rheumatologist later discovered that her IPF came from the autoimmune disease Myositis (which is very similar to Lupus).As Cheryl’s disease progressed, she underwent a double lung transplant in February of 2021. Today, she is going to share her raw and candid story about her journey with pulmonary fibrosis and how she managed her symptoms and her journey with lung transplant.(Please like and share what you hear. The Silent Battle Podcast is aired on Pandora, Spotify, Amazon, and Google Podcast. Donations to The Silent Battle Podcast through cashapp or paypal are greatly appreciated as well)Thank you!

Today, I will be interviewing Deb Schroeder. Deb is originally from California, but she has been living in Utah for the past 30 years and she has RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis )Interstitial Lung Disease.Today, she is going to share with us her raw and candid story about her journey with RA ILD and how she manages her symptoms. Also, she will give us some tips if she has any on what may help you all out there to live life more easily as we battle our lung and autoimmune diseases.

Today, I will be interviewing Dr. William Schaffner. Dr. Schaffner is Professor of Preventive Medicine with a primary appointment in the Department of Health Policy as well as Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee. I asked him to come on the podcast to discuss illnesses that can be potentially transferred to immunocompromised people from our pets.

Today I will be interviewing Robin Fountain who is a Public Affairs Specialist with the Social Security Administration. I know a lot of you out there have had a lot of questions surrounding applying for disability and the process of getting Medicare. So, Robin is here today to help answer some of these general questions. Below I have also listed some important helpful links to information online on the ssa.gov website she shared .If you like what you hear, like and share. The Silent Battle Podcast is aired on Pandora, Spotify, Amazon, and Google Podcast. Donations to The Silent Battle Podcast through cashapp or paypal are greatly appreciated as wellThank you and Enjoy!Compassionate Allowances:Compassionate Allowances Website Home Page | SSASocial Security DisabilityDisability | SSASupplemental Security Income (SSI)Supplemental Security Income (SSI) | SSAMedicarePlan for Medicare | SSATicket to Work:What is Social Security's Ticket to Work Program? | Choose Work! - Ticket to Work - Social Security (ssa.gov)Your Ticket to Work (July 2020) (ssa.gov)Field Office Locator:Field Office Locator | SSADisability Starter Kit:Adult Disability Starter Kit (ssa.gov)Working While Disabled: How We Can HelpWorking While Disabled: How We Can Help (ssa.gov)Social Security Disability Benefits – Number of Credits Needed for Disability BenefitsBenefits Planner | Social Security Credits and Benefit Eligibility | SSAmy Social Security Accountmy Social Security | SSA

Today ,I will be interviewing a special friend of mine ,Lisa Ezell ,from Murfreesboro, TN. Lisa's husband ,Eddie Ezell, was diagnosed with IPF (Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis) with unknown origins. Eddie received a double lung transplant in September of 2022, and Lisa was his primary caregiver. Today, she is going to shed some light on what it is like to take on the role of being a primary caregiver to someone who has had or is going to have a double lung transplant .The Silent Battle Podcast is aired on Spotify, Amazon, Pandora, and Google Podcast. If you like what you hear like, subscribe, share. Donations are greatly appreciated as well. Thanks and Enjoy!