In this episode of Beyond My Diagnosis, I sit down with Jeannie Taylor, an educator and artist living with a rare condition called solar urticaria—a severe allergic reaction to sunlight. Jeane opens up about her years-long journey to diagnosis, the emotional and physical toll of living in partial darkness, and the creative ways she continues to find joy and meaning.

We talk about identity, self-advocacy, and how art became both a refuge and a form of resistance. Jeane reminds us that healing isn’t always about “fixing” what’s broken—it’s about embracing what still shines.

You’ll learn how to:
• Understand the emotional weight of invisible illness
• Navigate medical systems when answers are hard to find
• Build a support network rooted in empathy and shared experience
• Reclaim joy and self-expression even in the face of limitations
• Transform adversity into art, advocacy, and acceptance

In this episode of Beyond My Diagnosis, I sit down with Lorie Gardner, a nurse, certified patient advocate, and wellness coach whose story embodies resilience and reinvention. After facing a major health crisis that led to a complex Whipple surgery, Lorie turned her recovery into a calling—helping others navigate the healthcare system with strength and purpose. Together, we talk about what it means to take control of your health, why self-advocacy saves lives, and how women can embrace midlife with clarity, confidence, and compassion.

You’ll learn how to:
• Discover how mindset and self-talk can change the outcome of recovery
• Learn why having an advocate beside you can make all the difference
• Understand how strength training supports healing after major surgery
• Explore how to navigate hospitals and healthcare systems with confidence
• Find inspiration to reinvent wellness and purpose in midlife

Lorie’s Resources:
Patient Advocacy Website:
🔗 https://www.healthlinkadvocates.com
→ Focused on helping clients navigate complex healthcare systems and become empowered patients.

Women’s Wellness & Coaching Platform:
🔗 https://healthlinkadvocates.mykajabi.com
→ Dedicated to women’s wellness, strength training, and mindset programs for midlife vitality.

Podcast:
🎙️ Don’t Let the Old Lady In
→ A show dedicated to helping women stay vibrant, strong, and connected to their mind-body-spirit health.

What happens when the healthcare system runs out of answers, In this episode of Beyond the Diagnosis, I sit down with Dr. Sima Kahn, a former OB GYN turned independent patient advocate who helps people unravel complex, often mysterious medical cases. After decades in clinical practice, Dr. Kahn realized that patients were falling through the cracks, not because doctors did not care, but because they did not have the time or systems to look at the full picture. Together we explore how medical advocacy fills the gap between overwhelmed patients and overworked clinicians, the difference between routine and complex cases and how to know when you need help, what it takes to investigate rare and misdiagnosed conditions, and how communication, narrative medicine, and persistence lead to breakthroughs. Dr. Kahn’s story reminds us that curiosity saves lives, and that being heard can be as healing as any prescription.

• Explore what independent patient advocates do and how they help
• Understand when to seek advocacy support for complex or confusing cases
• Learn how persistence and clear communication reveal hidden answers
• Discover why narrative medicine and whole person listening matter
• Find empowerment in asking better questions and documenting your journey

Dr. Sima Kahn, MD, is a board certified OB GYN who became an independent patient advocate after more than 25 years in clinical practice. She founded Healthcare Advocacy Partners in Seattle, helping individuals and families navigate complex diagnoses, second opinions, and care coordination. She is a founding member of the National Association of Healthcare Advocacy and is listed in the Greater National Advocates directory.