Hayden Moon — Photo: supplied

Whether you’re negotiating a medical certificate for time off work, or you're back in the clinic every fortnight because this latest medication works a bit better than the last but you’re wondering if the dry mouth is worth it – you’ve been to a doctor. Maybe it’s been fine, maybe it’s been … less than fine. And if you're not a white, cis-het able-bodied person with no history of mental illness, your experiences of the medical system could range from being excellent to being very bad indeed.

In this episode of Pill Pop, hosts Silvi and Izzie interview Hayden Moon about navigating the medical system as a chronically ill Brotherboy – and about the best and the worst they’ve seen in the medical system.

'They've gone to the doctor for a cold, or because they've hurt their wrist – and the doctor asked them, "What's it like … being a lesbian?"'

Hayden Moon

Hayden Moon (he/they) is a Wiradjuri Brotherboy, PhD candidate, Pinnacle scholar and competitive Irish dancer. He has worked with the Trans and Gender Diverse Community Advisory Group (ACON), TransHub and Trans Action Warrang to ensure young trans and gender diverse people have the tools they need to navigate their transition and beyond.

Content warning: this episode includes discussions of transphobia, racism, severe physical and mental illness, hospitals, and medical trauma.

Further reading ACON TransHub Trans Action Warrang Get in touch

We want to hear from our listeners! Tweet us your best and/or worst doctor stories at @PillPopCast, or send us an email at pillpoppodcast@gmail.com.

In this episode

Hosted, produced and edited by Silvi Vann-Wall and Izzie Austin. PhD candidate, trans activist and Wiradjuri Brotherboy Hayden Moon is our guest.

Recorded at Studio 757, Melbourne and Silvi and Izzie's respective home offices. This series is produced in partnership with the Wheeler Centre's Signal Boost programme. Mentorship and production support from Bec Fary.

Music: 'Dip Dop' by Barrie Gledden; 'Sad Marimba Planet', 'Thought Bubbles' and 'More on That Later' by Lee Rosevere; Night In Venice by Kevin MacLeod under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. Sound effects sourced from freesound.org.

Transcript

A transcript of this episode will…

Jacinta Parsons

Stop us if you’ve heard this one: a chronically ill person walks into work after an extended flare-up. Their coworker asks, grinning, ‘Where have you been?’, to which they reply: ‘I’ve been at home in bed’. The coworker’s eyes grow wide and the grin gets bigger. ‘Oooh!’ they exclaim, ‘I’d just love some time off!’

Jacinta Parsons is a broadcaster, radio maker, writer and public speaker who currently hosts the Afternoons programme on ABC Local Radio Melbourne. In this episode of Pill Pop, she talks to hosts Izzie and Silvi about what it’s like to be working while chronically ill.

Jacinta is an ambassador for the Crohn’s and Colitis Association, and speaks and writes about the impact of living with chronic illness. She has also been an active member of the arts and music community, and is a board member for Melbourne disability theatre company, Rollercoaster.

She has written a book, Unseen – on living with invisible chronic illness – that will be published in September 2020.

Content warning: this episode includes discussions of severe physical and mental illness, hospitals, medical trauma.

Further reading Jacinta Parsons at ABC Radio ‘Illness can morph you without your consent’ by Jacinta Parsons, Sydney Morning Herald, accessed 15 July 2020
Get in touch

We want to hear from our listeners! Tweet us your stories of working while chronically ill at @PillPopCast, or send us an email at pillpoppodcast@gmail.com.

In this episode

Hosted, produced and edited by Silvi Vann-Wall and Izzie Austin. Radio maker, writer and Crohn’s ambassador Jacinta Parsons is our guest.

Recorded at Studio 757, Melbourne. This series is produced in partnership with the Wheeler Centre's Signal Boost programme. Mentorship and production support from Bec Fary.

Music: 'Dip Dop' by Barrie Gledden; 'Sad Marimba Planet' and 'More on That Later' by Lee Rosevere. Sound effects sourced from freesound.org.

Transcript

Download a transcript of this episode here (Adobe PDF format).

Alex McFadden

Okay, your life is different now – you’ve accepted that. But the question remains: who do I complain to? Do you take this to Twitter? Talk to your family? Say 'fibromyalgia' really loud in a public place, and see who turns around?

Alex McFadden is a writer and performer living with fibromyalgia. We had a chat with them about support networks: where to find them, how to make them, and how to support (and how not to support) your chronically ill friends.

Content warning: this episode includes discussions of severe physical and mental illness, hospitals, medical trauma.

Further reading Alex McFadden's blog
Get in touch

We want to hear from our listeners! Tweet us your stories of chronic illness support at @PillPopCast, or send us an email at pillpoppodcast@gmail.com.

In this episode

Hosted, produced and edited by Silvi Vann-Wall and Izzie Austin. Writer and performer Alex McFadden is our guest.

Recorded at Studio 757, Melbourne. This series is produced in partnership with the Wheeler Centre's Signal Boost programme. Mentorship and production support from Bec Fary.

Music: 'Dip Dop' by Barrie Gledden; 'Sad Marimba Planet' and 'More on That Later' by Lee Rosevere.

Sound effects sourced from SoundSnap.

Transcript

Download a transcript of this episode here (Adobe PDF format).

Ferris Knight

So, your chronic illness has been (correctly) diagnosed. You’ve memorised your mile-long prescription list. But, you’ve started to notice something – everything around you is exactly the same. There’s no extra seat on the tram for young-people-who-are-sick-but-don’t-actually-look-it. And no amount of smiling is turning the stairs at your job into a ramp. How do you go about asking for the help you need?

Ferris Knight is a writer, producer and performer living with chronic illness and disabilities – bipolar 1 and hypertensive peristalsis, to name but two. She’s had more than a few run-ins with frustrating social barriers, and has gone to great – and painful – lengths to show everyone else just what it’s like to live in her body. Even so, she finds herself tempted to deny that anything is wrong. Asking for help can feel weirdly humiliating … but, as we’ll discover, it’s an absolute imperative to living with chronic illness.

Content warning: this episode includes discussions of severe physical and mental illness, hospitals and medical trauma.

Further reading 'My Bipolar Story' by Ferris Knight, Ramona, published 6 August 2018 Get in touch

We want to hear from our listeners. Tweet us your stories of denial at @PillPopCast, or send us an email at pillpoppodcast@gmail.com.

In this episode

Hosted, produced and edited by Silvi Vann-Wall and Izzie Austin. Writer, producer and performer Ferris Knight is our guest.

Recorded at Studio 757, Melbourne. This series is produced in partnership with the Wheeler Centre's Signal Boost programme. Mentorship and production support from Bec Fary.

Music: 'Dip Dop' by Barrie Gledden; 'Sad Marimba Planet' and 'More on That Later' by Lee Rosevere.

Sound effects sourced from SoundSnap.

Transcript

Download a transcript of this episode here (Adobe PDF format).

Charlie Park

Ah, medication – can't live without it, can't … well, that's pretty much the extent of it. In this episode of Pill Pop, Charlie Park talks to Silvi and Izzie about the trials and tribulations of meds.

What do you say to people if your medication drawer resembles the backroom of a well-stocked pharmacy? How do you cope if even one slip up with a pill threatens your life? And why can't you eat during yoga class?

Charlie Park is a blogger and disability advocate living with Addison's Disease, a rare autoimmune disease of the adrenal glands.

Content warning: Discussions of severe illness, hospitals, medical trauma.

Sensory warning: Screaming sound effects have been used.

Get in touch

We want to hear from our listeners. Tweet us your medication story at @PillPopCast, or send us an email at pillpoppodcast@gmail.com.

In this episode

Hosted, produced and edited by Silvi Vann-Wall and Izzie Austin. Blogger and disability advocate Charlie Park is our guest.

Recorded at Studio 757, Melbourne. This series is produced in partnership with the Wheeler Centre's Signal Boost programme. Mentorship and production support from Bec Fary.

Music: 'Dip Dop' by Barrie Gledden; 'Sad Marimba Planet' and 'More on That Later' by Lee Rosevere.

Sound effects sourced from SoundSnap.

Transcript

Download a transcript of this episode here (Adobe PDF format).