This Topical Life

Season 3 is here! We are taking this season of episodes to reflect upon one word, "Selah." You are invited on a new journey and with only one guest. ME! I'm going to leave the explanation for your ears. I will say this though, there is something in this series for you. Get ready for nitty gritty, unrefined vulnerability folks! These recordings are recorded LIVE so, no edits, just raw. Follow "This Topical Life" on Instagram and Facebook to learn more about live recordings. Stay strong. Stay loved. Selah

Welcome to the Season 2 wrap up! Join with me in honoring our guests and what it has meant to the "This Topical Life" mission. I share some behind the scene thoughts in light of current events and some heart speak that's been in the works. If you have never listened to an episode this is a good place to start and get a quick capture of what this season holds. Thanks so much for your support and encouragement and riding this wild wave with me. Season 3 will be here before you know it!

Please let me introduce you to the incredible Donna Parker folks! She may look familiar as she is the owner of "Blondy's Baked Goods." She's a local favorite by many but who is this Donna Parker I speak of? What's her story? How did she get to where she is today despite what happened to her? Behind every amazing person is usually an equally amazing story to back them up, am I right?  I'm going to leave the details for your listening pleasure.  Thank you Donna for speaking out your truth and paving a path of authenticity for us to follow.  I will be leaving her contact info on social media outlets. Have an amazing week you guys and stay safe.

Robyn Byleveld was born with a rare birth defect called, "Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency" (PFFD) - "rare" meaning only 1 in every 200,000 children are born with this defect and it varies in severity from person to person.  Robyn was also born with a cleft palate and hydrocephalus (water on the brain). For Robyn, all of this has meant many surgeries, a prosthetic leg on her left side, and 50% of her bones are shorter than the average adult which has led to hip mobility issues and chronic pain management.  Did I mention she was born without a left femur bone yet?!

It's a road less traveled for many for us.  Physical disabilities combined with the emotional toll that can transpire is enough for anyone to give up and sink into a dark place. Not for Robyn though. Listen to her story and take heart in her perseverance and self acceptance. You are a shining star Robyn! Thank you!

Erik Kilgore tragically lost his older brother to an accidental drug overdose.

In Erik's words, "James Matthew Kilgore was a son, brother, friend and uncle. His smile could light up a room. It seemed that everyone he met became a friend instantly. James had a sense of humor that could make the most serious person burst out laughing.  Most importantly, James wanted to know how YOU were doing as a person. However, James also suffered from a disease, opioid use disorder, for 12 years. He was first introduced to opioids during a wisdom tooth extraction in high school, a classmate turned drug dealer introduced James to OxyContin.  The addictive nature of OxyContin was not understood by many people at the time." 

Then on December 9, 2018 James died of an accidental overdose from a pill laced with fentanyl.

If there is one thing I choose to take away from this episode and conversation, it is that NO ONE and I mean NO ONE is immune to a drug disorder.  Thank you Erik for sharing your story and so much more.  I am left with no words for the loss of your beloved brother except that I am incredibly moved by your dedication to helping educate others about drug addiction. 

Erik started a non profit organization breaking down the stigma and statistics surrounding drug addiction that can be found at https://www.henrysuncle.org.

This week the lovely Christine Borchert zooms with me about her experience in her profession of being an end-of-life Doula.  Christine describes what death can look like in a positive light and how to promote a good experience in the process of losing a loved one.  The process starts now.  There are things you can do today to ensure an easier transition in the process of life to death.  This is just a touch of what we talk about. No one loves talking about death obviously, but I learned that death has so much to do with life and the now.  Thanks Christine for talking to us about such an important topic.  You can find Christine (and team) at https:/eveningstar-eol-doula.com/

Before Covid-19 hit Pam Pearce and I recorded on the topic of alcohol.  We covered a TON! Part 2 and Part 3 episodes are packed with full disclosure information.  Pam shares her own personal recovery journey and all that she has learned along the way.  We talk about genetic predisposition to alcohol.  We entered the advice arena as well.  How do you respond if someone talks to you about your alcohol use? How do I talk to someone who has an alcohol problem?  How do I know if I even have an alcohol problem? The list goes on. 

In Part 3 we talk mostly about PREVENTION.  How do we stop a substance use  problem before it starts? Pam is a wealth of information and encouragement.  Are you struggling? Do you need a Pam in your life? She is available to help in any way you might need.  No problem is too big for Pam.  Feel free to contact Pam at pamflorapearce@gmail.com 

Before Covid-19 hit Pam Pearce and I recorded on the topic of alcohol.  We covered a TON! Part 2 and Part 3 episodes are packed with full disclosure information.  Pam shares her own personal recovery journey and all that she has learned along the way.  We talk about genetic predisposition to alcohol.  We entered the advice arena as well.  How do you respond if someone talks to you about your alcohol use? How do I talk to someone who has an alcohol problem?  How do I know if I even have an alcohol problem? The list goes on. 

In Part 3 we talk mostly about PREVENTION.  How do we stop a substance use  problem before it starts? Pam is a wealth of information and encouragement.  Are you struggling? Do you need a Pam in your life? She is available to help in any way you might need.  No problem is too big for Pam.  Feel free to contact Pam at pamflorapearce@gmail.com

The struggle is REAL folks. Many people are experiencing massive amounts of adversity in this virus season of our lives.  For many, drinking alcohol helps soften the blow.  Is that bad? How much is too much? Am I becoming an alcoholic? Is it bad to want to drink at 10am? These are few of the questions I ask Pam Pearce.  Pam is a fountain of knowledge and experience in the area of alcohol and substance abuse. So much so that this episode is just a touch of what we will be talking about in the next two episodes following.  This is an episode you DO NOT want to miss. This isn't a talk about what anyone is doing wrong it's about getting ourselves in the right light.  Where does alcohol sit in your life?  I've had to ask myself that question recently and I'm thankful Pam helped me with my answer. Love you Fierce Pearce!!

You heard right! My sister! Chelsea Lauchner joined us on the last talk LIVE on Combat Covid-19 to talk quarantine life. Chelsea has had extensive quarantine experiences, especially most recently after a strict quarantine with her son, Skylar, who was tested and cleared from Covid-19.  However, for Chelsea and family, isolation was a lifestyle not too long ago, even before recent events. Her daughter, Leora (LeeLee) was diagnosed with autoimmune neutropenia a little after she turned one year old. (15-17 mo old). It meant COUNTLESS hospital visits and life protected in isolation (given her susceptibility) not knowing what the future would hold. Now, LeeLee is 5 years old and healthy!  Chelsea shares incredible wisdom she gained during her time in isolation and how her faith literally carried her through. We covered a lot in an hour but we could have kept going for sure. Lucky for us, Chelsea is currently writing a book about her story and it will definitely be THE BEST BOOK EVER.  We hope you leave the conversation encouraged. Have an awesome week!