In this episode of TayTalks, Taymeyah sits down with Raquel Riggle, creator of Menopalz, to talk about the messy, hilarious, and terrifying reality of navigating health scares and midlife in a world that won’t slow down. From waiting for an ablation only to see her doctor’s mugshot scroll past on TikTok, to being handed a single sheet of paper that casually declares “acute liver failure” and then sent on her way, Raquel shares the kind of medical moments that make you feel like you’re in a dark comedy rather than your own life.

They move between generations and geographies: kids who trick‑or‑treat as baby sharks and end up in the ER, growing up barefoot and “running the streets” without phones, and remembering when you had to choose between using the landline or the dial‑up internet. Taymeyah and Raquel talk about how technology has both disconnected us from everyday human contact and quietly made it possible to turn a passion project into real work that actually feels like you.

Along the way, they swap stories about grounding, watches and wearables, living between Florida and Rome, and what it’s like to try to protect your body and mind in a healthcare system that often feels rushed, transactional, and surreal. You’ll hear how Raquel makes room for humor inside panic, why she tells her kids “go green, don’t have kids” even as she loves being a grandmother, and how finding language and community around menopause and chronic health issues can turn fear into something more bearable—and even a little bit funny.

Why listen

• To hear a brutally honest, funny look at what it’s like when your medical care feels more like a plot twist than a treatment plan—from “your doctor got arrested” to “here’s your liver failure, have a good day.”
• To explore how technology can both numb real‑life connection and quietly give women a platform to turn menopause, health scares, and midlife chaos into community and purpose.
• To remember barefoot childhoods, ice cream trucks, folded notes, and landline‑only days—and what grounding and nostalgia can offer when adult life feels loud and clinical.
• To get language and laughter for talking about menopause, parenting, and chronic health without pretending any of it is neat, linear, or fully under control.

If this episode resonated

• Share it with a friend who’s juggling health scares, hormones, caregiving, or just needs to laugh about how wild the medical system can be.
• Tag @taytalks_pod with your favorite quote or moment so we can repost you and keep the conversation going.
• Leave a quick rating or review—your words help thoughtful, growth‑minded listeners find TayTalks and feel less alone in their own nonlinear paths.