Talking Chronic Illness on Broad Radio. What was so beautiful is that this one was personal for host Nelly - who has a family member living with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Me/CFS (commonly known as Chronic Fatigue)

Managing your Career while living with Chronic Illness

47% of Australians live with a chronic illness, 70% of whom also work

That's 6.6 million women in Australia living and working with chronic illness

So why don't we talk about this more?

‍ Michelle is on a mission to de-shame chronic illness, illuminate the stories of those 6.6 million Australian women, and help us all see their unique strengths and value.

In this episode with the fabulous Vari we talk about:

Society's outdated and untrue story of illness and wellness

 Michelle own experience of 2 chronic illnesses and how she now helps women in this space

The 'hero's journey' we see portrayed so often, and the power of illuminating the 'heroine's journey' instead - including some incredible ancient mythology

How the pandemic has changed opinions and ideas on chronic illness

Where women with chronic illness can find connection, community and 'helpful help'

How those people's family, friends, colleagues,...

Queen of the Underworld. Life, Love and Bedrest

I was delighted to be interviewed by the gorgeous Monica Michelle, host of the utterly brilliant podcast Explicitly Sick. We had a very honest discussion about chronic illness, love, life and expectations from bed rest.

Much love, 

Michelle xx

Lessons Learned Through My Conversations with Death

It was great to speak with podcast host Kimberly Hambrick about what it feels like to have a life-threatening illness and what I have learned in dialogue with death.

We talk about the Emotional Map that people experience when confronting life-threatening illness. Plus ‘What to say’ and ‘What not to say’ to a loved one going through this type of experience.

This is for anyone going through such an illness or have a loved one that is.

It’s time to talk about it.

I rolled out of bed one Sunday morning and made it as far as the hallway before my whole world started to swirl and I was falling. Logic tells you that once you reach the floor the falling should stop. Even though I knew I was lying on the floor, my stomach kept lurching. I frantically tried to grasp at something, anything to stop the sensation. It didn’t work.

And so began the last five years of my life living with Migraine Associated Vertigo – basically instead of getting the pounding headache we normally associate with migraines, you get – I get – vertigo. The problem is that lying in the dark, going to sleep and waking up the next morning doesn’t fix this type of migraine. I spent months lying in bed 24/7 feeling like I was falling. Every sound, every movement, every turning on of the light – made it worse.

There was no alternative.

I had to take serious medication and begin the ascent back up to...