Growing up, a friend was someone you could share your snack with, tell your secrets to, and play with at recess. Of course, that changes with adulthood. But how does this change when you are a parent of a medically complex child? What does friendship look like when your days and nights are spend caregiving?

Susan and Katrina chat about just that. You will hear how they have found and maintained friendships, when they really don’t have time or energy to spare. With those friendships, they have built an amazing community of moms, willing to help each other out, even when it comes to international travel.

“I almost didn’t get on that plane.” -Katrina

Here’s what you don’t want to miss:

• Community in isolation
• Trauma vs healing
• Beauty in the story
• Long distance
• Community

Touch base with us in the When Autumn Comes Society or send us a DM on Instagram! We’d love to hear from you! While you’re at it, consider supporting the podcast .

When Autumn Comes:

WAC Instagram

WAC Facebook Page

What happens when internet friends meet in real life? Does Suz smell bad? Is Katrina super short? Join us to find out!

Links and resources:

• Follow Suz: @suzgeoghegan
• Follow Katrina: @kattymac
• Join the conversation: www.facebook.com/WhenAutumnComesSociety
• Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WhenAutumnComesPodcast
• Follow us on Instagram: @WhenAutumnComesPodcast

Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on our upcoming stories of medical and special needs parenting from families like yours.

And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and a review? Thanks!

Any parent of a child with a rare disease hopes for a cure, a treatment, anything to improve their child’s quality of life. We often hear about new developments in medicine for more common illnesses, but are our young zebras forgotten? Is someone doing something to help? Today, Susan gets to speak with Dr Keri-Lyn Kozul, one of the researchers studying the Benji and Lorelei’s specific disease. Parents, we hope this episode gives you hope, that there are people working on this, good people who truly care.

Dr Keri-Lyn Kozul works in the Niemi Lab at Wash U in St Louis, Missouri. During her PhD, Dr Kozul was one of the first scientists to define the mechanisms of FBXL 4 disease in 2023. We are sure that you can tell from this episode, Dr Kozul’s focus and passion is to help children like Lorelei and Benji, and help find answers for families with FBXL 4 disease.

“Three years ago, we wouldn’t even be able to think about these things.” -Dr Kozul

Here’s what you don’t want to miss:

• Life in the lab
• Baking
• Support for families
• Treatment
• Call to action

Vote for Dr Kozul!:UMDF Accelerators

Contact Dr Kozul at kozul@wustl.edu if you have questions about this research.

Touch base with us in the When Autumn Comes Society or send us a DM on Instagram! We’d love to hear from you! While you’re at it, consider supporting the podcast .

When Autumn Comes:

WAC Instagram

WAC Facebook Page

Did Katrina ever make it to America? Stay tuned to find out!

Links and resources:

• Follow Suz: @suzgeoghegan
• Follow Katrina: @kattymac
• Join the conversation: www.facebook.com/WhenAutumnComesSociety
• Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WhenAutumnComesPodcast
• Follow us on Instagram: @WhenAutumnComesPodcast

Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on our upcoming stories of medical and special needs parenting from families like yours.

And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and a review? Thanks!

Our dear friend and former co-host, Diane, used to talk about two things sitting together at the same time without blending the two. Did you know what she meant by that? It seems like it resonated so well with some people, while Suz never fully understood it.

Today, the girls re-visit that concept. They discuss how two very different emotions and experiences can be a part of your life at the same time, without affecting how you experience or process the other. They discuss the uniqueness of this concept as it relates specifically to medical motherhood.

“I guess I understood but I didn’t physically understand in my bones until that moment.” -Suz

Here’s what you don’t want to miss:

• The barn has burned down
• Jealousy and joy
• Bravery and fear
• Vulnerability and healing
• Gratitude and worry

Referenced in this episode: Welcome to Holland

Touch base with us in the When Autumn Comes Society or send us a DM on Instagram! We’d love to hear from you! While you’re at it, consider supporting the podcast .

When Autumn Comes:

WAC Instagram

WAC Facebook Page

Wiggly teeth, shark teeth, new grown up teeth. This is all new in the Geoghegan house.

Links and resources:

• Follow Suz: @suzgeoghegan
• Follow Katrina: @kattymac
• Join the conversation: www.facebook.com/WhenAutumnComesSociety
• Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WhenAutumnComesPodcast
• Follow us on Instagram: @WhenAutumnComesPodcast

Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on our upcoming stories of medical and special needs parenting from families like yours.

And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and a review? Thanks!

According to the google, anxiety is a normal human emotion characterized by feelings of unease, or fear about a future-oriented threat. Anxiety can have physical manifestations, along with mental, and can interfere with daily life. We have spoken about anxiety before. Today, the girls sit down to re-visit the subject. Medical motherhood comes with a whole host of anxiety inducing opportunities.

The girls will discuss their individual experiences with anxiety, including what triggers it, and how they manage.

“I don’t have the mental capacity to deal with that stuff, so that box needs to stay shut.” -Katrina

Here’s what you don’t want to miss:

• Susan’s boggy uterus
• Explaining
• Physical manifestation
• What to do

Touch base with us in the When Autumn Comes Society or send us a DM on Instagram! We’d love to hear from you! While you’re at it, consider supporting the podcast .

When Autumn Comes:

WAC Instagram

WAC Facebook Page

WAC Society Facebook Page

WAC is a program of the Apricity Hope Project

Apply for a Caregiver Package

We love our listeners. Meeting them in person is always extra special. Kaylee (I hope we spelled your name right,) we are your fan club!

Links and resources:

• Follow Suz: @suzgeoghegan
• Follow Katrina: @kattymac
• Join the conversation: www.facebook.com/WhenAutumnComesSociety
• Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WhenAutumnComesPodcast
• Follow us on Instagram: @WhenAutumnComesPodcast

Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on our upcoming stories of medical and special needs parenting from families like yours.

And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and a review? Thanks!