Hello friends and followers!
It’s been quite a year so far! Five great podcast episodes out, editing on my book completed, guest spots on other shows, collaborations with new podcast sponsors and - oh yeah - I made a human. Our son’s due date is in exactly 1 week! I cannot believe I’ve been able to get this much professional side hustle work done - on top of pregnancy - on top of buying a house and moving - on top of continuing work at the bedside in the ICU. Crazy. Just crazy.
I can’t say how excited I am though - to COMPLETELY drop everything and pick up a baby, ignoring all other interests and passions other than nesting with my family. My calendar is literally empty after next week. It’s nuts. I’ve never had this much time planned away from professional work EVER. Not that motherhood won’t be work - it’s been a transformation already. It will certainly be a rearranging of priorities.
But I want to take a moment to mention the gratitude I have for all the collaborations I’ve had the privilege of developing this year. It was so great meeting with spiritual guide Anne Richardson earlier this year to talk labyrinths and spiritual care in the healthcare setting. What an awesome journey she is on in Europe finding her ancient roots. Right as I was researching pediatric offices Alison Escalante entered my realm and email inbox. I loved chatting with her on the podcast and appreciated her advice on developing a relationship with a pediatrician. If I ever get a TED Talk developed I’m coming back to you for help! I got to take an absolutely BALLER winter retreat with 10 of my ICU nurse buddies in Sunriver, Oregon. There was snow, a hot tub, lots of alcohol, card games, and a Britney Spears revue. I was a few months pregnant at the time and while I didn’t stay up late hollering “I’m A Slave for U” with a bottle of whiskey, I had an absolutely fun time. Nurses out there - MAKE your retreats happen. Just do it. The reset and camaraderie are freaking necessary to continue doing what we do. That weekend away led me to the Nurses’ Week shout out podcast episode with voicemails - an idea I want to continue in the future.
I was also thankful for all the donations I received for the podcast’s 3rd birthday! 14 people gave a total of ~$250 - which has been great because I have spent it on professional editing. Yet another professional collaboration I’ve been happy to find this year in Tara Voshell at spookedgirlproductions. Thank you for being a true professional, awesome to work with, and an inspiration to women in the podcasting world. Follow her on Instagram!
Another cool thing: I had a repeat podcast guest! Dr. Zahir Basrai returned to Head-to-Toe! Of note, he has his own blog and podcast called The Physician Grind and we traded work again. He told a story on my show about when he was abroad as a medical student, and I wrote -am still writing I swear I’ll finish at some point - a blog post about being pregnant in the healthcare workplace. (Still writing it…hopefully posting soon!) I so love connecting with other healthcare people who are totally in to narrative medicine as much as I am.
I also was a guest on the Nurse Keith Show! Keith and I connected over LinkedIn - I think? - and just having several colleagues in common in the nursing world. He’s a fantastic nursing career coach and has >200 episodes of his own podcast (Insert Wayne’s World “We are not worthy! We are not worthy!”). I so enjoyed espousing my love for storytelling and a bit of my own genesis as a podcaster on his show - episode #221! Listen here.
I also caught up with some other old friends from previous podcast shows. I enjoyed reconnecting with Mary Chiesa, CEO of Saplacor and developing a sponsorship with her invention, the neonatal AEGIS wrap. I also caught up with Engel and Amanda Jones who are having another baby around the same time I am.
The baby journey lead me and husband to childbirth class, which lead me to Sarah Suhrstedt, childbirth educator and doula extraordinaire. She was kind and lovely enough to come to my house after the 6 week series to talk about childbirth education! On the show! The transformation into motherhood (aka “matrescence”) was a really special Trending Topics episode and it is a podcast that I am perhaps most proud of so far this year.
So, with all these things in motion, I’m grateful to press the pause button for awhile. Thank you for reading, listening, supporting. Stay tuned for baby photos, and a possible/probable/tentative book release Fall 2019!
~Marie
Birthing babies. Teaching new parents. Just how scientifically real “mom brain” is and the physiological transition into motherhood. Listen now to the neonatal nerdout with certified birth educator and doula, Sarah Suhrstedt.
I was a guest on the Nurse Keith podcast! Super grateful to have another nurse to talk to about narrative medicine and the intersection of storytelling and healthcare. Check it out!
