EPISODE 007: A Journey with Cushing's Disease Part 1: How it Impacts Your Body, Relationships, and Staying Positive
In part one of this two-part series on a couple’s journey with Cushing’s disease, Tiffanny Thomason opens up about her journey of physical symptoms that took years to finally diagnose as Cushing’s Disease, and then how it took even longer to locate the source of the problem as tumors in the pituitary gland.
In this candid conversation, Tiffanny explains how Cushing’s disease has impacted her body and her interactions with her husband Josh. Josh Thomason joins the conversation to talk about supporting Tiffanny through travels and brain tumor surgery recovery.
Tune in to see how Tiffanny looked at surgery and had support from her husband, Josh, plus a tip for how she put her brain tumors behind her.
Pay close attention, as themes of acceptance and support carry over into Episode 008: A Journey with Cushing’s Disease Part 2 - Career Impact, Diagnosis, and Care Taking in a Romance, which you won’t want to miss because we delve into the emotional and transitional aspects of the journey with advice from the couple from both the patient and caretaker perspective.
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HIGHLIGHTS
What the couple loves most about each other, including the bravery and ability to take a sour situation and turn it positive. (Oh yeah, and Josh’s ass too.)
As a couple, Josh and Tiffanny love to travel, but it all hasn’t been for fun.
Shifting focus from success to facing adversity with a positive attitude with an overall attitude of acceptance is key, with a philosophy of do right by yourself and do right by others.
Tiffanny describes her recent brain surgery experience, with augmented reality in use, because of tumors that created a Cushing’s disease diagnosis.
The importance of being with each other and enjoying each other’s company on adventures regardless of what life brings.
Tiffanny describes her experience of ups and downs being her own health advocate and finally getting a correct diagnosis.
Josh describes the recovery process from a caretaker’s perspective and Tiffanny describes the recovery process from her perspective.
Tiffanny had muted emotions from the hormonal imbalance Cushing’s brought with it, and after surgery, her body had to adjust to now being able to experience emotions.
Josh describes how he was able to experience empathy for Tiffanny.
Tiffanny details her symptoms from the beginning in 2008 and increasing to the present: weight gain, anxiety, muscle fatigue, numbness in hands, and mood impact, including a reversed sleep pattern.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES for help navigating cushing’s disease
The couple is active in The Many Faces of Cushing’s support group on Facebook. Request to be part of this group if you’re looking for support through diagnosis, recovery, and thereafter.
Tiffanny recommends Dr. Theodore C. Friedman M.D.Ph.D, who is located in California, is an expert at diagnosing Cushing’s Disease, and has experience with various hormone illnesses. His website is www.goodhormonehealth.com.
