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Send a textSome days feel like a gauntlet: a hip that’s healing, an incision that went itchy-to-infected, a possible pneumonia flare, and a tangle of OT and PT notes that don’t quite line up. We walked through the whole maze with honesty, humor, and one bright anchor—standing again after a string of setbacks. That single moment of progress reframed the day and gave us a target to steer toward: by April, walk to the bathroom on our own.We talk about what makes recovery so mentally hard: not just pain or fatigu...

Send a textThe quiet after a hospital stay can feel louder than the beeps and hall lights. Coming home post–hip replacement and hamstring lengthening, we open up about the messy middle of recovery with cerebral palsy: the hope of cast removal, the wobble of weak muscles, and the puzzle of choosing the right physical therapy. Six weeks plus a few days in, the hip feels secure, but the next move matters—orthopedic PT for joint safety or neurological PT for tone, gait, and motor control. We walk through what each path offers, where they overlap, and...

Send a textThe first night home after surgery always tells the truth. We’re honest about the itch you can’t scratch, the cast you can’t ignore, and the stubborn hope that keeps you showing up for PT when the bed feels like the only safe place. This update pulls back the curtain on what recovery really looks like—two incisions, a knee immobilizer, and a plan to earn back each step with patience and grit.We walk through the rehab blueprint: outpatient PT to rebuild strength and mechanics, home PT to reinforce safe mov...

Send us a textA single bite changed everything. What began as a straightforward recovery from hip and hamstring surgeries veered into aspiration pneumonia, a fight for air, and a crash course in medical advocacy. We walk you through the minute-by-minute reality: the warning signs that were missed, the plea for intubation that took too long to land, and the moment a routine anesthesia choice nearly collided with a known allergy. It’s unvarnished, emotional, and grounded in practical takeaways you can use if you or someone you love ever faces a similar crisis.We op...

Send us a textThe countdown is real: I’m heading into a total hip replacement on Monday, and I’m bringing you into the plan, the fear, and the hope. After months of pain and a stubborn leg pulled up by CP tone, the goal is simple but big—get this leg to drop straight and make sitting, standing, and moving a whole lot more human again. I talk through what the surgery involves, why a titanium joint could change everything, and how we’re preparing for the curveballs that come with cerebral palsy.I share...

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Send us a textA fall on a birthday changed everything—and sparked a plan that’s equal parts grit and vision. We open up about living with a hip 50% out of its socket, the decision to move forward with replacement surgery, and the systems we’re putting in place to make recovery sustainable. From pre-op countdowns and pain management to the day-by-day updates we’ll record after surgery, you’ll hear how structure, community, and honest storytelling turn fear into forward motion.At the same time, we lay out a big academic move: stepping back from...

Send us a textA single change rewrites the whole plan: what started as two surgeries has become one hip replacement, and that clarity ripples through everything—work, school, and the way we make and share our work. We open up about the decision to prioritize healing, the relief of a simpler surgical path, and the honest timelines that follow: earliest return to work in March, with June looking smarter for a full, stable comeback.We walk through how recovery will actually look, from pre-op clearances to rehab schedules to the choice to avoid hospital Wi...

Send us a textSam Mitchell Tuesday, December 2, 2025A Different Shaped Heart: http://adifferentshapedheart.weebly.com/. A Different Shaped Heart sponsor: https://melodyclouds.com. Please donate to A Different Shaped Heart by going to Payment Venmo Win1195 at https://venmo.com/. Win Kelly Charles’ Books: https://www.amazon.com/Win-Kelly-Charles/e/B009VNJEKE/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1. Win Kelly Charles' MONAT: https://wincharles.mymonat.com. Flying Has Become Hell for Passengers with Wheelchairs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRntgEiTHIY. PodMatch: https://podmatch.com. Win Charles’ TiTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@a.wi...

Send us a textA new name signals a new season—and we’re opening the door on a deeply personal journey. I’m heading into a hip replacement with cerebral palsy on January 12, and I’m inviting you to see the real process: the planning, the pain, the awkward logistics, and the small wins that make recovery possible. No gloss, no vague updates—just clear, candid storytelling that follows the road from hospital to rehab and back to daily life.We talk through why the rebrand matters and how it connects to a bigger mission: d...

Send us a text Matt Johnson A Winning Heart: https://awinningheart.weebly.com. A Winning Heart sponsor: https://melodyclouds.com. Please donate to A Winning Heart by going to Payment Venmo Win1195 at https://venmo.com/. Win Kelly Charles’ Books: https://www.amazon.com/Win-Kelly-Charles/e/B009VNJEKE/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1. Win Kelly Charles' MONAT: https://wincharles.mymonat.com. Flying Has Become Hell for Passengers with Wheelchairs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRntgEiTHIY. PodMatch: https://podmatch.com. Win Charles’ TiTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@a.winning.heart?_t=ZT-8yE9mRv...

Send us a textA new name, a new direction, and a candid plan for a life-changing surgery. We’re opening up about the January 12 hip replacement, how cerebral palsy shapes the rehab roadmap, and why we’re committing to document the good, the bad, and the awkward realities along the way. From navigating inpatient rules to working around shaky hospital Wi‑Fi, we walk through the practical choices that make recovery possible and storytelling honest.We’re launching a dedicated YouTube channel, she13win, to share short, accessible updates on disability awareness and the day-to-d...

Send us a textA birthday fall didn’t seem like a life-changer—until weeks later when pain roared, the knee wouldn’t bend, and the ER’s answers didn’t match what the body was screaming. We walk you through the messy middle: canceled surgery, a psoas impingement label that didn’t fit, a rehab stint that hurt more than it helped, and the relentless push to be heard. When an orthopedic visit finally led to a CT scan, the truth landed with force: the hip had been 50% out of the socket since June.From there...

Send us a textSome decisions feel like a pivot; this one felt like a reckoning. We open up about stepping away from teaching in Arizona and the mix of policy, practicality, and personal wellbeing that led us here. Arizona’s school choice model promises options, but the way public funds flow out of neighborhood schools has real consequences for teachers and students who rely on consistent support. We walk through how dwindling resources, chronic instability, and a tough licensure calculus made the classroom a hard place to build a sustainable future right now.You’ll h...

Send us a textRussell Van Brocklen Sunday, November 2, 2025A Winning Heart: https://awinningheart.weebly.com. A Winning Heart sponsor: https://melodyclouds.com. Please donate to A Winning Heart by going to Payment Venmo Win1195 at https://venmo.com/. Win Kelly Charles’ Books: https://www.amazon.com/Win-Kelly-Charles/e/B009VNJEKE/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1. Win Kelly Charles' MONAT: https://wincharles.mymonat.com. Flying Has Become Hell for Passengers with Wheelchairs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRntgEiTHIY. PodMatch: https://podmatch.com. Win Charles’ TiTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@a.winning.hear...

Send us a textThe body doesn’t wait for perfect timing, and neither do we. This update brings you right into the mess and movement of real life: unclear hip X-rays, a CT scan scheduled for Halloween, and hard choices about partial versus total hip replacement. We talk through pain that steals sleep, the slow march of appointments, and the honest math of rehab—what it takes, what it gives back, and why the mindset you carry is often the strongest medicine.We also get practical about access. Financing for a vehicle fell through, so w...

Send us a textMiracle Pelayo Wednesday, October 22, 2025A Winning Heart: https://awinningheart.weebly.com. A Winning Heart sponsor: https://melodyclouds.com. Please donate to A Winning Heart by going to Payment Venmo Win1195 at https://venmo.com/. Win Kelly Charles’ Books: https://www.amazon.com/Win-Kelly-Charles/e/B009VNJEKE/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1. Win Kelly Charles' MONAT: https://wincharles.mymonat.com. Flying Has Become Hell for Passengers with Wheelchairs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRntgEiTHIY. PodMatch: https://podmatch.com. Win Charles’ TiTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@a.winning.heart?_t=ZT...

Send us a textA tech hiccup tries to shut us down, and we answer with the story that started everything: two friends who met at Challenge Aspen, found a shared language on the mountain, and built a creative life that refuses to shrink to fit. The real co-host finally steps into the spotlight as we trace the arc from a purple walker on a snowy day to a 28-year friendship that powers books, interviews, and a podcast that became much more than a side project.We talk about what Challenge Aspen does so well—ad...

Send us a textA quiet “wow” turned into a hard-earned milestone: 200,000 downloads. We share the win, then get practical about what comes next—two new shows taking shape, a tighter calendar as school begins, and the real work of staying creative while managing complex care. If you’ve ever juggled ambition with recovery, this one will feel close to the bone.We unpack the purpose behind a new writing podcast grounded in disability perspective—interviews with authors who navigate craft, access, and the messy middle of making books when your energy and pain fluctuate. We also la...