EPISODE · Apr 17, 2026 · 42 MIN
Why a Puppy's Medication Sent Me Back to the Worst Day | Episode 485
from Voices for Voices® · host Founder of Voices for Voices®, Justin Alan Hayes
Why a Puppy's Medication Sent Me Back to the Worst Day | Episode 485A syringe shouldn’t be able to time-travel, but sometimes it does. I’m connecting a few moments that still live in my nervous system: my grandma’s declining health, her move through care facilities, the day she kept saying “we need to get out of here,” and the shock of being asked to hold her still while staff gave her a shot. It’s a raw look at how caregiving, elder care, and grief can create trauma triggers that don’t fade just because time passes.I also share the lighter memories that keep a person whole in our minds, like her determination to get a wine discount and the advice she repeated to me about saving money. Those details matter because they bring dignity back into the story and remind us that family members are more than their worst medical day. From there, we talk about regret and anxiety, including how hard it can be to say goodbye when life is already overwhelming.The thread keeps running into the present: hospice care for my dad, the reality of end-of-life medications like morphine, and then an unexpected flashback when our puppy comes home from surgery with antibiotics that have to be given by syringe. If you’ve dealt with anxiety, needle phobia, medical trauma, or the emotional whiplash of watching someone you love change, you’ll recognize the feeling.If any of this hits close to home, listen, share it with someone who needs permission to feel what they feel, and subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations on mental health, trauma recovery, and healing. After you listen, will you leave a review and tell me what moment stayed with you most?*Donate Today: LoveVoices.org, CashApp and Venmo**Find our book here:Amazon: https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AWPublisher: https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN***Website: https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgbInstagram: @voicesforvoicesTikTok: @voices_for_voicesFacebook: Voices for Voices*Voices for Voices is a 501c3 nonprofit charity. All donations are 100% tax deductible.Chapter Markers0:00 Welcome And How To Support1:05 Facing A Loved One’s Decline2:17 Grandma’s Wine Discount Mission9:41 Loss Before The Wedding12:43 Visiting Her And Just Being Present20:39 “We Need To Get Out”24:17 Needle Fear And Holding Her Still29:15 Hospice, Morphine, And More Trauma33:36 Puppy Surgery And Syringe Flashbacks38:42 It’s Okay To Feel This#justiceforjustin #justiceforvoicesforvoicestiktok #VoicesforVoices #FamilyDecline #CareFacilities #TraumaAwareness #MentalHealthMatters #AgingParents #ElderCareChallenges #FamilyDynamics #IntergenerationalTrauma #SupportSystems #EmotionalWellbeing #LongTermCare #HealingTogether #NavigatingLoss #ResilienceInFamilies #CompassionateCare #JustinAlanHayes #JustinHayes #help3billion #TikTok #Instagram #truth #Jesusaire #VoiceForChange #HealingTogether #Episode485Support the show
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Why a Puppy's Medication Sent Me Back to the Worst Day | Episode 485
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