Traci - The Call No Parent Wants

The phone rings at 6:30am.You don’t recognize the number.Minutes later, everything changes.In this episode Traci takes us inside the day her 19-year-old son Trent suffered sudden cardiac arrest during a Navy fitness assessment—and the decade that followed. What began as shock became a long, unrelenting journey through ICU decisions, anoxic brain injury rehabilitation, and the invisible labor of caregiving that few people truly understand.This is not a story about a moment. It’s about the long after.We talk about what caregiver burnout actually looks like when it’s not reduced to a buzzword: Sleeping in 15-minute fragments, forgetting to eat, living in a constant state of fight-or-flight, and carrying the quiet fear of what happens if you let yourself rest.Traci shares the weight of being asked to sign a DNR, the confusion of navigating medical systems that often misunderstand anoxic brain injury, and the hard-earned skill of becoming an advocate—inside both civilian hospitals and the VA.We also name what often goes unseen:The ripple effect of trauma on others, including the classmates who witnessed Trent’s collapse, CPR, and defibrillation—and were left without closure.And still, hope finds its way in.Through adaptive sports, brain injury clubhouse community, equine connection at Henry’s Home, and the slow, honest rebuilding of identity when “caregiver” becomes your whole world—until it can’t be the only thing anymore.If you’re caring for someone you love—whether you’re just beginning, deep in it, or somewhere you can finally look back—this conversation offers language, validation, and options.One clear truth remains:   You don’t have to do this alone. Ask for help. Let people show up.Contact Valerie Support the showRemember YOU are loved and worthy of being witnessed!If today’s episode stirred heavy feelings, you are not alone. Please reach out to a trusted friend or a professional if you need support:National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) | rainn.orgSAMHSA Mental Health/Substance Use: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)988 LIFELINE: Call, Text or Chat https://988lifeline.orgVeterans Crisis Line: Dial or text 988, then press 1Help for Veterans suffering with CPTSD https://saveawarrior.org/https://www.scarsfoundation.org/*This podcast is not therapy. If you’re in immediate danger, please call 911 or your local emergency number.Want to tell your story? Send a DM or an emailFind us on IG @defiance_of_silence_podcast    [email protected]: https://www.instagram.com/defiance_of_silence_podcast?igsh=MWVxMHI3OXY1cm1paA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr