What happens when your voice fails while your husband battles cancer?

This week, Kim Eileen Meehan, a longtime special education teacher and lifelong choir member, whose voice began failing just as her husband faced serious cancer surgery. While learning to give injections and manage tube feedings—wearing a mask in 2021—hospital staff thought she was crying when her voice cracked and broke. She wasn't.

In this profoundly moving episode, Eileen reveals:

• ​🔴 Devastating timing: Voice cracking while learning injections/tube feedings—hospital staff mistook competence for tears
• ​🟢 Triple identity loss: Retired teacher, widowed 15 months ago, voice "busted"—all identities gone at once
• ​🟣 50,000-100,000 affected: Spasmodic dysphonia makes vocal cords slam together—a rare disease with daily support groups
  
  

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Chronic Truth Podcast
01:14 Eileen Meehan's Journey of Resilience
10:12 Navigating Life Changes and Loss
15:48 Understanding Spasmodic Dysphonia
22:41 Finding Hope and Support in Community

Connect with Eileen:

💻 Website

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This episode is brought to you by:

The Chronic Truth Podcast, LLC

Host/Executive Producer: Kimberly Nash

Podcast Creative Director & Co-Producer: Jay Wilson, for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Podcast Mechanic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠