Arthritis Life

Love, Lupus & Pregnancy: Finding Joy Through Chronic Illness, with Alex Cain

Episode Summary

What does it mean to live a good life when chronic illness keeps changing the rules? In this episode, Cheryl sits down with Alex Cain, host of the Calling in Sick podcast, to explore her journey from childhood arthritis symptoms to diagnoses of lupus and vasculitis, and how she's learned to navigate life's unexpected twists and turns.

Episode Notes

Alex shares how humor, honest storytelling, and finding small moments of joy have helped her cope with serious health challenges.  They also discuss navigating marriage when one partner has a chronic illness, Alex's  pregnancy journey, challenging ableism and misconceptions about invisible illnesses, and redefining productivity to include rest. 

Throughout this heartfelt and often hilarious conversation, Alex and Cheryl reflect on how living well with chronic illness isn't about pretending everything is okay, but about embracing the full spectrum of life, including the hard moments and the beautiful ones. 

Episode at a glance:

• Alex’s diagnosis journey: From childhood arthritis symptoms to diagnoses of lupus, mixed connective tissue disease, and vasculitis.
• Love, marriage, and chronic illness: How Alex and her husband Cooper navigate caregiving, communication, and maintaining a strong relationship through health challenges.
• Pregnancy with lupus: Alex shares her pregnancy journey, including fertility concerns, preparing for IVF, and how pregnancy has affected her autoimmune symptoms.
• Finding humor and hope: How Alex uses comedy, storytelling, and her Calling in Sick podcast to help others feel seen and less alone.
• Challenging ableism and misconceptions: Why invisible illnesses are so often misunderstood and how sharing authentic patient experiences can help change perceptions.
• Navigating identity, grief, and relationships: How chronic illness affects friendships, boundaries, and self-image, including the differences between growing up sick and being diagnosed as an adult.
• Redefining productivity and embracing rest: Why rest is productive, how to release guilt, and the importance of adapting activities to meet your body's needs.
• Finding joy amid uncertainty: Why living well with chronic illness doesn't mean ignoring the hard days, and how to embrace the possibility that good things can still happen.

Medical disclaimer: 

All content found on Arthritis Life public channels was created for generalized informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Episode Sponsors

Rheum to THRIVE, an online course and support program Cheryl created to help people with rheumatic disease go from overwhelmed, confused and alone to confident, supported and connected. See all the details and join the program or waitlist now!