Mark Steven Porro on Resilience, Regret, and the Realities of Caregiving | EP037

Caregiving strips you bare—it tests your patience, your humor, your strength, and your love. That’s what I learned talking with Mark Steven Porro, who cared for his mother during the final stretch of her life and turned it into a powerful, painfully funny, and deeply human memoir. Mark didn’t sugarcoat the hard stuff—he carried her, fed her, changed her, and sometimes got peed on mid-diaper-change. But he also found grace in the chaos, beauty in her smile, and humor in everything from rosary beads repaired with hot glue to a cup of tea made on a commode. His story reminded me that caregiving isn’t just about duty—it’s about connection, transformation, and showing up with love even when your tank feels empty.About Our Guest: Mark Steven Porro, a New Jersey native (Exit 163), earned an Industrial Design degree from The Ohio State University. After years of agency work, his love of acting led him to Hollywood, where he appeared in dozens of television, film, and stage productions. Mark also spent his twenty-eight years in Tinseltown, entrepreneuring. He started five non-profit companies. But hold the applause, none were intended to be. He now lives in the South of France. But hold your pity. He of sound mind and body chose to suffer in the heart of wine country where the locals insist his French isn’t so bad—at least that’s what he thinks they’re saying. Mark is an award-winning designer, writer, director, and now a best-selling, award-winning author. He has written lots of jokes, several screenplays, and one award-winning short film. A Cup of Tea on the Commode—a sad, sweet, and funny debut memoir—chronicles his multitasking adventures of filling his mother’s last years with love, laughter, and joy. Though not always successful, he came pretty damn close.Social Media Links:Choose your favorite bookstore to order - https://books2read.com/u/bPN7PdOur website - https://acupofteaonthecommode.org/Our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/teaontheOur YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@acupofteaonthecommodeOur Distributor (Independent Publishers Group) - https://www.ipgbook.com/“This author weaves his stories together, employing a wickedly humorous skill not unlike that of David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs” — Five-Star Amazon review2025 Independent Press Award Winner2025 Feathered Quill Book Awards Finalist2024 Best Indie Book Award Winner2024 NYC Big Book Award Winner2024 Paris Book Festival Winner2024 Living Now Book Awards Winner2024 International Book Awards Winner2024 IndieReader Discovery Award Winner2024 Book Excellence Award Winner2024 Firebird Book Award Winner2024 Eric Hoffer Book Award Finalist2024 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards Finalist2024 National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist2024 American BookFest Awards Finalist2024 Chanticleer International Awards FinalistAbout Me:I have cared for many family members across the life span, experiencing the joys and challenges of child-rearing, the poignance of caring for parents, friends, and elder partners. I realized that I could not handle the stress of family caregiving 24/7/365. It was time for a new approach to caring. My health and happiness were slipping away. This is how Think to Thrive for Caregivers evolved. Let your mind meet your heart so you don’t lose track of your life.Connect with Me:https://www.deborahgreenhut.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahgreenhut01/Find my books hereThanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.