Check in along Katie’s Hope Journey for her post-HSCT updates (Ep. 32)

October 2, 2019 — Leave a comment

Warrior: Katie Hominsky
AI: MS
HSCT: 4/15/19, Chicago
Superpower: Confidence

Who has your back when things get tough? When facing struggles in life, where do you seek support? How do you find hope and understanding?

Tune in for this post-HSCT update from Katie, our first hopeful interviewed about her Hope Journey to HSCT and hear more about the ups and downs of her recovery rollercoaster at nearly six months post-transplant. In addition to simply catching up, Katie offers important updates on her fundraising initiatives and support strategies, and shares more about her ongoing Hope Journey.

Be sure to visit our website, HSCTWarriorsPodcast.com where you can find notes from today’s episode, submit ideas or feedback, or connect with HSCT Warriors, Inc. to “Talk with a Warrior”, find the latest research and resources, or explore the world map. Special thanks to musical genius Billy Alletzhauser for sharing his superpowers to produce the soundtrack, and engineer the audio to make this podcast possible. You can find us both when you subscribe on SoundCloud, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts.

It has been great to connect with Warriors worldwide so reach out if you’re interested in sharing your story. We would definitely love to learn how the podcast has helped your journey with autoimmune disease… if you could take a moment to share your story, leave us a comment on instagram or share feedback on our website. We hope you’ll tune in next Wednesday for another episode, highlighting another HSCT Warrior. Until then, be a snowflake and embrace your superpowers. Be kind. Be well.

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Jen Stansbury Koenig and the producers disclaim medical influence and responsibility for any possible adverse effects from the use of information contained herein. If you think you have a medical problem, please contact a licensed physician immediately.

Share in all the reasons to smile along Tracey’s journey with HSCT (Ep. 31)

September 25, 2019 — Leave a comment

Warrior: Tracey Rossi
AI: Multiple Sclerosis
HSCT: August 2018
Superpower: Motivation

Are you looking to fit all the HSCT pieces together? What is your outlook on life? How often do you choose to turn a frown upside down?

As a former surfer, Tracey became an expert in finding balance and going with the flow. Having lived with the MS monster since 2009, Tracey was shocked when Dr. Burt was surprised enough by her symptoms to expedite her enrollment in the MOST clinical trial. Tune in and hear the latest updates from Chicago when Tracey was seen for her one-year follow-up in August.

It has been great to connect with Warriors worldwide so reach out if you’re interested in sharing your story. We would definitely love to learn how the podcast has helped your journey with autoimmune disease… if you could take a moment to share your story, leave us a comment on instagram or share feedback on our website. We appreciate all your support, and if you’re looking to contribute in other ways – including volunteering or monetarily – we’d love to hear from you. We hope you’ll tune in next Wednesday for another episode, highlighting another HSCT Warrior. Until then, be a snowflake and embrace your superpowers. Be kind. Be well.

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Join Jarrod in recognizing and reflecting on your contributions (Ep. 29)

September 11, 2019 — Leave a comment

Warrior: Jarrod Schlipf
AI: Multiple Sclerosis
HSCT: November 2014
Superpower: Patience

How much effort/time/money has been spent battling autoimmune disease? What is your contribution to the outcomes that you are seeking? How committed are you to making time to build habits that nourish your mind, body and soul?

Tracing his 17 year experience with MS to an auto accident that injured his neck, Jarrod continues to find improvements post-HSCT through reducing a majority of his stress, finding the importance of sleeping and rest, and committing to movement and exercise.

Jarrod’s message that “You get out of HSCT… what you put into HSCT” inspires shifts in thinking and movement of both the mind and body. Recognizing the challenges that he might still face through ongoing recovery, by embracing a positive mindset and gratitude Jarrod is able to find patience and space to focus on getting better and living his second chance at life.

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Resources:
MS Gym
Jarrod’s HSCT Journey FB group

Find space and be inspired in the moment by Tammy’s brave vulnerability (Ep. 28)

September 4, 2019 — Leave a comment

Warrior: Tammy Kazen-Richert
AI: Primary Progressive MS
HSCT: 2013, AA Maximov Hospital, Moscow Russia
Superpower: Incredible hulk-type shifts between calm intention and strength to power through

How intentional are you about making memories? Which side of the coin are you on? Who are the people in life that you can count on as running partners?

HSCT Warriors Podcast Ep. 28-2

After she spent years managing another autoimmune issue, Tammy found HSCT in her initial research to learn more when she was initially diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis. After being denied elsewhere for HSCT due to the PPMS diagnosis, she found that Russia offered a path to HSCT that Tammy chose to run.

Finding a new sense of community among fellow HSCT Warriors has been an uncomparable support for Tammy as she realized that even after a successful transplant, she relapsed after three years post-HSCT and is considered a non-responder. Tune in and be inspired by the brave vulnerability that Tammy shares in her perspective ‘on the flip side of the coin.’

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Resources:
The MS Gym Podcast
BrookeSlick.com

Join Allison in efforts to spread hope and awareness (Ep. 27)

August 28, 2019 — Leave a comment

Warrior: Allison Carr
AI: Multiple Sclerosis
HSCT: 2014/15, Northwestern Memorial, Chicago IL
Superpower: Survival

To what extent do your doctors have your best interest in mind? Does the medical community you depend on have accurate information about HSCT?

After suffering symptoms without a diagnosis for twenty years, Allison felt completely ignored by her medical community. As a busy mom in a busy career with a busy life, Allison didn’t find much time for her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, let alone the frightening side effects of pharmaceuticals. Despite the opinions of multiple doctors, when family friends connected her to the possibility of HSCT in a clinical trial, she did her research and pursued HSCT without hesitation.

Tune in to hear the lessons learned as Allison survived a see-saw insurance battle, challenges to her marriage, and what happened when Allison realized that the little she knew about HSCT was more than what her doctors knew or willing to learn. In listening to Allison’s journey, we hope you’ll be inspired to become your own self-advocate and join her in efforts to spread hope and awareness.

Be inspired by Keri’s remarkable journey to persist in self-advocacy (Season 3, Ep. 2)

August 21, 2019 — 1 Comment

Warrior: Keri Huff
AI: Tumefactive multiple sclerosis
HSCT: August, 2010
Superpower: Self-advocacy

When you try to advocate for your health and doctors turn you away, how do you persist? Have you ever reflected on how much time you have? Where do you find beauty each day?

At just 28 years old, Keri started experiencing odd symptoms that countless doctors ignored and dismissed. As she persisted through debilitating pain and extreme fevers, an MRI finally evidenced several masses on her brain. After persisting through additional testing and a ten hour brain surgery, she learned she was pregnant but did not walk away with a diagnosis.

When her masses eventually returned, she continued fighting for answers and connected with Dr. Burt at Northwestern. Sharing her remarkable journey battling multiple autoimmune diseases, be inspired to learn how Keri fought for ten years struggling to find answers and relief from her pain as a one in 20,000,000 statistic, only to face death with the possibility of HSCT.

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Kick off the third season with an update from Ali Strong

August 14, 2019 — Leave a comment

Warrior: Ali Strong
AI: MS
HSCT: 11/6/17
Superpower: Gratitude

Where do you find yourself bringing attention in life? Are you able to find goodness with your current state of being? What have been your most important lessons in life?

Embrace a shift from the typical podcast interview and listen in on Jen’s conversation to check in with Ali Strong on her HSCT journey, and share more about the new nonprofit, HSCT Warriors, Inc. for which Ali serves on the Advisory Board. Tune in and be inspired to integrate strategies that calm the mind and nerves, and be encouraged to find ways to shift the sense of control, or make time in a busy day to nourish yourself.

It has been great to connect with Warriors worldwide so reach out if you’re interested in sharing your story. We would definitely love to learn how the podcast has helped your journey with autoimmune disease… if you could take a moment to share your story, leave us a comment on instagram or share feedback on our website. We appreciate all your support, and if you’re looking to contribute in other ways – including volunteering or monetarily – we’d love to hear from you. We hope you’ll tune in next Wednesday for another episode, highlighting another HSCT Warrior. Until then, be a snowflake and embrace your superpowers. Be kind. Be well.

_________________________________
Jen Stansbury Koenig and the producers disclaim medical influence and responsibility for any possible adverse effects from the use of information contained herein. If you think you have a medical problem, please contact a licensed physician immediately.

Revisit the launch of AIMS, the world’s first HSCT charity

July 17, 2019 — Leave a comment

Snowflake: AIMS Charity, UK
HSCT: MS Caregiver, Alison
Superpower: Dedication

Have you considered the possibilities of traveling abroad to pursue HSCT to halt your autoimmune disease? Are you striving to overcome obstacles like funding or researching HSCT? How do you turn a challenge into opportunity for others?

Meet Alison, a caregiver for her warrior husband who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2010 and experienced significant declines in a short time. Once they determined HSCT would be the best avenue for treatment, they struggled to be accepted to their local clinic in the United Kingdom. After fundraising to pursue HSCT at Clinica Ruiz in Puebla Mexico, they were finally accepted for treatment in the UK and allocated the dollars already raised to begin AIMS; the world’s first charity to support individuals in their pursuit of HSCT.

Tune in to learn more about how Alison came to co-found AIMS, the world’s first registered charity to support UK residents with Autoimmune Disease and Multiple Sclerosis, with an emphasis on HSCT.

Be sure to visit our website, HSCTWarriorsPodcast.com where you can find notes from today’s episode, submit ideas or feedback, and access the latest HSCT research and resources. Special thanks to musical genius Billy Alletzhauser for sharing his superpowers to create the soundtrack, edit, and produce the audio to make this podcast possible. You can find us both when you subscribe on SoundCloud, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts.

Take a moment to leave a review because your feedback will help to develop even better episodes, and your ratings will help other people find the show. Tune in next Wednesday for a brand new episode, highlighting another HSCT Warrior. Until then, be a snowflake and embrace your superpowers. Be kind. Be well.

Resources noted:
AIMS Charity
Symptom Checker
Clinica Ruiz, Puebla, Mexico
Aa Maximov Hospital, Moscow Russia

Replay our first chat with HSCT hopeful Katie

July 10, 2019 — Leave a comment

Warrior: Katie
Snowflake: Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis
HSCT: April 15, 2019
Superpower: Walk with God

Where do you find confidence to move forward? How do you take the reins and find the right mindset? Who do you consider to be family?

Replay our first chat with HSCT hopeful

Join us along Katie’s Hope Journey and learn from this interview with our first HSCT Hopeful. After spending 9 years battling multiple sclerosis, Katie found the mindset and the communal support to tackle HSCT head on. Despite her roller coaster of seeking insurance approval, the denial that led to fundraising and efforts of advocacy, Katie is now scheduled for pretesting and if all goes well, to undergo HSCT in Spring 2019.

Tune in and learn strategies for fundraising, answers to lingering questions, and how connecting with other HSCT veterans helped Katie build genuine excitement for HSCT.

Resources:
Personal blog: Katie’s Hope Journey to end her MS
End my MS blog: by Anna Wise

Hosted by: Dr. Jen Stansbury Koenig aka “Zen Jen”
Tags: #HSCT, #HSCTWarriors #HSCTWarriorsPodcast, #warriors, #podcast, #autoimmunedisease, #RRMS, #MS, #HSCTsnowflakes, #HSCTsuperpowers, #snowflakes, #superpowers

Revisit gratitude with Ali Strong

July 3, 2019 — Leave a comment

Warrior: Ali Strong
Snowflake: RRMS
HSCT: 11/6/17, Northwestern Memorial, Chicago
Superpower: Gratitude

Where do you find gratitude in life? Are you just surviving in life, or are you thriving?

Tune in for updates from Ali Strong and find out what our first HSCT Warrior has been up to since her first interview. Find out more about the healing that Ali has experienced, her training and research to grow her #alistrong business, and get inspired to shift from just surviving to thriving.

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