An Alysia for the Long Haul

Welcome back to A Friend for the Long Haul with me, your host, Beth. This week, I am joined by Alysia Dagrosa, a board-certified patient advocate, full-spectrum doula, certified lactation counselor, Endometriosis advocate, and first wave long hauler. In this deeply personal episode, Alysia recounts the early days of the pandemic, contracting COVID-19 in March 2020, and the challenges she faced living with and caring for her family during lockdown. From her father’s cabin fever-induced escapades THAT WILL INFURIATE YOU to the severe health complications that followed, Alysia's story is both harrowing and heartfelt. She opens up about the multi-system failures she experienced, her own struggles with long Covid, and the emotional toll of dealing with a family in denial. While Alysia and I were talking, I was so wrapped up in her story that I couldn't quite process what I was hearing. While editing this episode, I felt all the emotions and you'll go from curious to incredulous to feeling deep empathy to being simply wowed by Alysia as a human. In addition, you'll learn SO MUCH about Endometriosis in this episode. If you're struggling with endo, please give this episode a listen. We mostly get into Alysia's endo advocacy work in the second half and she provides so much education here. Content Warning: This episode discusses serious difficult family dynamics, COVID-19 infection, hospital trips, strokes, and food and body issues which may be difficult for some listeners. This episode is longer than usual, so feel free to take breaks as needed. Join us for an honest conversation filled with vulnerability, resilience, and even moments of humor. Plus Alysia's amazing singing at the end! Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the podcast with your friends. Your support helps us reach more listeners who can benefit from these stories. Tune in every Monday for new episodes! You can find Alysia on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/tantielys/ Find out more about A Friend for the Long Haul here: https://sites.google.com/view/afriendforthelonghaul Or on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/afriendforthelonghaul/ Don't miss this show's playlist, which you can find on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3n0GXLFRWqDJyifglNNM4K?si=665f477ed2b647a0 Disclaimer: While this podcast discusses medical topics, none of the content is intended as medical advice. Please consult your medical professional with any questions or concerns you may have. For more information about the PASC care package fundraiser mentioned at the beginning of this episode, check out https://www.instagram.com/chillusions/ Keywords: Long COVID, patient advocacy, pandemic stories, COVID-19 recovery, endometriosis, endo, advocacy, stroke, personal journey, family struggles, COVID-19 impact