ALS -To the moon and back

Send us Fan MailThis one kicks off like most of our chats do — a bit of banter, a few sideways comments about the state of the world, and then… we take a proper turn. I share some recent test results that honestly stopped me in my tracks, looking at mould exposure, toxins, and what might be going on behind the scenes with my health. It’s one of those moments where you start joining dots you didn’t even know were there, and go, “hang on… this could actually matter.” We get into the reality of what that looks like day to day — trying to manage a house that may or may not be working against you, the cost of it all (financial and otherwise), and how quickly things can spiral from “we’ll deal with that later” to “right, we probably should’ve dealt with that yesterday.” There’s a lot in here about learning as you go, making decisions without perfect information, and trying not to lose your sense of humour while doing it.And don’t worry — it’s not all heavy. There’s plenty of laughs (including me apparently being “ground zero” for the apocalypse 🙄), plus one of Portia’s stories that is equal parts hilarious and completely outrageous. We also talk about disability, the strange things people say when they don’t quite know what to say, and those moments that just leave you thinking… what was that?If you’ve ever wondered how we juggle the serious stuff without completely losing the plot — this episode is pretty much it. Real, a bit ridiculous, occasionally confronting, and still somehow hopeful.Support the showThank you for listening to ALS - To the Moon and Back. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who might need it. You can follow, subscribe, and stay connected as we continue exploring life, friendship, ALS, treatments, hope, and all the messy, meaningful bits in between. Take care of yourselves — and each other — and we’ll see you next episode. 

Send us Fan MailThis one starts exactly where you’d expect us to begin… microphones, crockery, and a bit of light chaos before we even get to ALS 😄 From there, we head straight into my trip to Uluru — which, honestly, turned into something far more meaningful than I expected. There’s airport moments (including a very honest rant about accessible toilets), unexpected kindness from strangers that absolutely undoes me, and a Qantas flight attendant who may or may not now be part of our extended podcast family. Also, turns out if you casually mention ALS mid-flight, you might end up with champagne and a personal concierge experience… not complaining. But the heart of this episode is what happened out at Uluru. The walk around the base, the “brain” formation, and a meditation that landed at exactly the right time — all of it coming together in this strange, powerful way. There’s something about that place that’s hard to explain, but you feel it. I talk about “leaving the bags behind” — the stuff you carry that you don’t need anymore — and having a moment to just sit in gratitude that I was even there, doing it. It’s a bit woo-woo, a bit grounded, and very real all at once. We also get into the bigger stuff — the reality of ALS in Australia, the gaps in support depending on your age, and how wildly unfair that can be. There’s a raw conversation around choice, dignity, and what the end of life can look like with this disease. But in true form, it’s not all heavy — there’s humour, honesty, and that constant thread of “keep making plans” running through it. Because at the end of the day, that’s what this is about — living, even when things are hard.Support the showThank you for listening to ALS - To the Moon and Back. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who might need it. You can follow, subscribe, and stay connected as we continue exploring life, friendship, ALS, treatments, hope, and all the messy, meaningful bits in between. Take care of yourselves — and each other — and we’ll see you next episode. 

Send us Fan MailALS to the Moon and Back — Episode 13This episode kicks off the way all great conversations do…With smugness over a 10-minute morning routine and a deep philosophical question: 👉 Can you feel better after just 10 minutes? Answer: no. But you can feel superior. And honestly, that counts. Then we get into it…Somehow (as always), we cover: Teeth, mercury fillings, and why Lisa now has a gap — with a surprisingly good backstory  The wild world of dentistry when you’re navigating ALS  Why your body sometimes knows before your brain catches up  The absolute chaos of modern healthcare access (great… if you can get it) And yes… we absolutely detour into: The manosphere  Social media influence  Politics, privilege, and the occasional rant that probably needed to happen This episode really circles around one big idea:Pay attention to what your body is telling you.Whether it’s: a gut feeling in a medical appointment  something not quite right physically  or just that quiet internal “this isn’t it” Teeth matter more than you thinkThis episode goes deep into something not talked about enough: dental health  inflammation  toxins  and how all of that may connect into bigger systemic issues Also, because this is our podcast and we do not stay in one lane: A very proud dog mum moment (Ony absolutely smashing it 🏆)  The realities of breeding vs temperament  Why dogs might just be one of the best emotional support systems on the planet And then… the real moments A tough day physically and emotionally  What happens when pain, fatigue, and everything else collide  Letting yourself cry instead of holding it all together And one of the most beautiful lines of the episode:“That which you cannot say must be cried out.”Support the showThank you for listening to ALS - To the Moon and Back. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who might need it. You can follow, subscribe, and stay connected as we continue exploring life, friendship, ALS, treatments, hope, and all the messy, meaningful bits in between. Take care of yourselves — and each other — and we’ll see you next episode. 

Send us Fan MailNew Episode: ALS to the Moon and Back – Episode 12Ohhh my… this one’s a bit of a ride.Portia and I kick things off completely off track (as usual), wander through grief, a bit of politics, a few strong opinions, some questionable humour… and then eventually remember we’re meant to be talking about ALS 😅We get properly stuck into what I’m calling the “why we can’t” attitude — especially in healthcare. You know the one… where the answer’s no before anyone’s even had a crack at finding a yes.And I’ll be honest, I think I’ve hit my limit with it.When your time suddenly feels very real and very precious, being mucked around, brushed off, or told something can’t be done — it lands a bit differently.There’s also a bit of a rant (fair warning) about being stood up for appointments — twice 🙄 — driving all over the place for things that don’t happen, and that general feeling of “you’ve got to be kidding me.”Plus a classic moment in a mobility shop where everyone’s trying to help… but no one’s actually listening. I may or may not have lost my patience over socks. It happens.Portia, as always, brings the laughs, a bit of perspective, and the occasional “pull your head in” moment — which, to be fair, is sometimes needed.But… it’s not all doom and gloom.There’s actually some really good news in here.I’ve been accepted into a clinical trial that’s looking at treating what’s actually going on in the body — not just managing symptoms. And that feels pretty bloody significant. We chat about what that means, what’s coming next, and that weird mix of hope and disbelief when something positive actually happens.Anyway… it’s a bit messy, a bit funny, a bit raw — very us.Have a listen ❤️Support the showThank you for listening to ALS - To the Moon and Back. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who might need it. You can follow, subscribe, and stay connected as we continue exploring life, friendship, ALS, treatments, hope, and all the messy, meaningful bits in between. Take care of yourselves — and each other — and we’ll see you next episode. 

Send us Fan MailThis week Lisa and Portia joined by Katrina Small, and honestly, this episode has everything.Katrina shares her wild health journey — from trekking the Kokoda Track and picking up a gut parasite, to years later getting long COVID and feeling like someone had literally switched her brain off.Not “a bit foggy”.Not “a little tired”.More like: successful professional woman suddenly wondering where half her cognitive filing cabinet has gone.We talk about:✨ the gut–brain connection✨ long COVID and brain fog✨ inflammation, autoimmune responses and microbiome health✨ why sometimes your body knows exactly what’s wrong even when nobody else does✨ what it feels like to not be believed✨ and why asking for help remains one of the rudest personal growth exercises on earthIt’s a big conversation — smart, funny, honest, and full of those moments where you go, “Oh wow… that actually makes a lot of sense.”Also featured:poo transplants, medical gaslighting, women being called “difficult” when they’re actually just accurate, and a reminder that healing is rarely tidy.Support the showThank you for listening to ALS - To the Moon and Back. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who might need it. You can follow, subscribe, and stay connected as we continue exploring life, friendship, ALS, treatments, hope, and all the messy, meaningful bits in between. Take care of yourselves — and each other — and we’ll see you next episode. 

Send us Fan MailIn Episode 10, Lisa shares a hard but important breakthrough with her infusion treatment, after another draining run-in with hospital bureaucracy. There’s also a big win: a new walker that is already making everyday life easier, plus a chat about advocacy, clinical trial confusion, swimming, old Sydney memories, leeches, and the strange art of keeping your sense of humour when life gets very real.Support the showThank you for listening to ALS - To the Moon and Back. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who might need it. You can follow, subscribe, and stay connected as we continue exploring life, friendship, ALS, treatments, hope, and all the messy, meaningful bits in between. Take care of yourselves — and each other — and we’ll see you next episode. 

Send us Fan MailEpisode 9 starts with pirate patches and a nostalgic detour into Photios Brothers — Sydney’s legendary costume and fabric wonderland — before Lisa shares some genuinely good news: several key blood markers are finally moving back into normal range. From there it’s the usual Lisa and Portia mix of laughter, frustration with the medical system, and celebrating the small wins that keep you going.Support the showThank you for listening to ALS - To the Moon and Back. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who might need it. You can follow, subscribe, and stay connected as we continue exploring life, friendship, ALS, treatments, hope, and all the messy, meaningful bits in between. Take care of yourselves — and each other — and we’ll see you next episode. 

Send us Fan MailAn eye sty, a half-built microphone, and Lisa recording from an actual zero-G “hospital bed” setup… and then we get into the big one: dead-end moments with ALS.Lisa shares what hit hardest after a visit from MND NSW, why the system can make you feel boxed in, and how perspective can mess with your head (especially when you’re convinced you’re declining and your physio’s like, “Mate… you’re doing great.”)They cover the tools that help: swimming, meditation, singing, sorting the mould, lowering the toxic load, and a surprisingly brilliant visual trick for not storing every emotion in your body.Come for the banter, stay for the truth bombs.Support the showThank you for listening to ALS - To the Moon and Back. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who might need it. You can follow, subscribe, and stay connected as we continue exploring life, friendship, ALS, treatments, hope, and all the messy, meaningful bits in between. Take care of yourselves — and each other — and we’ll see you next episode. 

Send us Fan MailALS to the Moon and Back — Episode 7This one is a classic wandering chat.We start with biblical rain, leaking dams, and a surprisingly detailed conversation about vetiver (yes… the grass 😅), before moving into what’s really been on my mind lately.We touch on the equipment block — that frustrating space where funding might exist on paper, but actually accessing the right consumables and support is a whole different story. It’s one of the realities of living with ALS that doesn’t get talked about enough.But this episode goes much wider than that.Portia and I talk about falls (including my very undignified leech-related incident), the ripple effect on carers, and the constant recalibration between independence and safety. We also dive into nervous system load, toxins, emotional stress, and why sometimes the work of letting things go — properly letting them go — matters just as much as anything physical.Along the way there are greyhound stories, apartment dog advocacy, a few blunt truths, and plenty of laughs — because that’s just how we roll.It’s honest, a bit messy, occasionally sweary, and very real.🎧 Listen nowSupport the showThank you for listening to ALS - To the Moon and Back. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who might need it. You can follow, subscribe, and stay connected as we continue exploring life, friendship, ALS, treatments, hope, and all the messy, meaningful bits in between. Take care of yourselves — and each other — and we’ll see you next episode. 

Send us Fan MailNew episode of ALS to the Moon and Back 🎧This one starts exactly how most of our chats do — with absolutely no plan — and then somehow lands in some pretty honest territory.Portia and I talk about easing back into movement, why water feels so good right now, the weird emotional hangover that can come with New Year, and what happens when you stop brushing things off and actually let yourself feel them.There’s laughter, swearing, a bit of reflection, and the discovery that smashing a few plates can be surprisingly good for the soul.If you like real conversations that wander, wobble, and still manage to say something useful — this one’s for you.🎧 Listen now (NSFW language, as always)Support the showThank you for listening to ALS - To the Moon and Back. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who might need it. You can follow, subscribe, and stay connected as we continue exploring life, friendship, ALS, treatments, hope, and all the messy, meaningful bits in between. Take care of yourselves — and each other — and we’ll see you next episode. 

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of ALS to the Moon and Back, Lisa and Portia ease into the post-Christmas slowdown with warmth, humour, and the kind of conversation that only happens between people who truly care for each other.The discussion then turns to the “provider wall” Lisa encountered while trying to access Edaravone treatment close to home. Lisa shares what happened, why she was blocked, and how navigating treatment can become unexpectedly complex — especially outside major cities.She talks through the steps that helped her move forward, the relief of finally having Community Health support in place, and what it means to feel properly cared for. Along the way, there’s laughter, reflection, and a reminder that love and support are not finite resources.Honest, human, and hopeful — with a final thought that leads neatly into next week’s episode.Support the showThank you for listening to ALS - To the Moon and Back. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who might need it. You can follow, subscribe, and stay connected as we continue exploring life, friendship, ALS, treatments, hope, and all the messy, meaningful bits in between. Take care of yourselves — and each other — and we’ll see you next episode. 

Send us Fan MailALS to the Moon and Back — Podcast IntroRecording’s in progress… and before we get into anything remotely sensible, Portia Turbo is over here singing “We wish you a Merry Christmas” and casually wishing everyone a “happy new gonorrhea”, which feels… on brand.I’m Lisa Wright — I live out at Mount Murray Farm in the Southern Highlands, I’ve got dogs that refuse to let anyone have a serious conversation uninterrupted, and I’ve recently found myself living in a world I never planned to be in: ALS.This podcast is us — me and Portia — having the conversations you don’t always get to hear. The ones that bounce from art and travel stories (Starry Night, Kandinsky, the Guggenheim, snow falling over Central Park… honestly, goosebumps) to the big stuff: grief, rage, bodies, systems, and what it’s like to suddenly have your life shaped by timelines you didn’t ask for.In this episode, we eventually stop waffling (no promises) and get into edavarone — or “a daravone”, depending on who’s reading the label — the infusion treatment I’m doing now. It’s a high-dose antioxidant, and the timing matters: 10 infusions in a 14-day window, then time off, then you do it again. It’s a bit of a logistical circus — early mornings, energy management, and the reality that ALS doesn’t make you “tired” in the normal way… it just makes resting feel very seductive.We also go wandering into the “juju” side of things — what trauma does to a body, what happens when you swallow your anger for decades, and how the nervous system flips into “rest and digest” when you finally learn how to properly drop into stillness. There’s a bit of dark humour (because otherwise… how?) and a bit of tenderness, and the occasional dog cameo.So if you’re here for real talk, big laughs in inappropriate places, and the honest mess of figuring out how to live well inside something hard — welcome.This is ALS to the Moon and Back.And if you’re enjoying it (and you’re not a one-star mongrel), please chuck us a five-star review. 💛Support the showThank you for listening to ALS - To the Moon and Back. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who might need it. You can follow, subscribe, and stay connected as we continue exploring life, friendship, ALS, treatments, hope, and all the messy, meaningful bits in between. Take care of yourselves — and each other — and we’ll see you next episode. 

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of ALS to the Moon and Back, Portia and I finally get to the thing we were always going to get to… timelines.You know the ones.The point scores.The predictions.The question people ask — sometimes quietly, sometimes not — “How long have you got?”I talk about the timelines I’ve been given since being diagnosed with ALS, why I don’t see them as a fixed truth, and how I actually live alongside that information without letting it run the show. We talk about what those numbers don’t capture — individuality, access to care, emerging treatments, mindset, hope, stubbornness… all the human stuff.We also wander (as we do) into voice banking, legacy, leaving an audio record for the people you love, finding your voice, speaking up, even if it makes you shakey.This episode is for anyone living with ALS or MND, anyone walking alongside someone they love, and anyone who’s ever been handed a story about their future that didn’t quite sit right.The timeline is information.It’s not the whole story.Support the showThank you for listening to ALS - To the Moon and Back. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who might need it. You can follow, subscribe, and stay connected as we continue exploring life, friendship, ALS, treatments, hope, and all the messy, meaningful bits in between. Take care of yourselves — and each other — and we’ll see you next episode. 

Send us Fan MailAccess DeniedIn this episode of ALS to the Moon and Back, Portia and I get stuck into something pretty raw and, honestly, a bit outrageous — what actually happened when I was prescribed Edaravone and then couldn’t get it, even though it was on the PBS and everyone was telling me how “great” it was going to be.We talk about the quiet side of ALS/MND that doesn’t get spoken about much: the people who haven’t even told their families yet, the pressure to stay small and “not make a fuss”, and why I eventually decided I was not going to just quietly disappear while my treatment fell over around me.I walk through how I went from hopeful and optimistic with a new prescription… to being told I didn’t “fit the financial model”, to Mark spending weeks on the phone trying to find anyone who could actually deliver a federally funded drug to someone who lives two hours from Sydney. Spoiler: it took writing to the NSW Health Minister and ABC Illawarra before anything really shifted.We also rewind a bit:the early twitching and weakness,being treated like a hysterical woman while I knew something was really wrong,and then being told I had 24–36 months… just three weeks after my friend Mick died of the same disease.From there, we touch on what I’m doing to support myself now — things like the Wahls Protocol, supplements, integrative care, and working through long-held trauma in the body. None of it is presented as a cure or advice; it’s simply my way of trying to live well with this diagnosis and give my brain and body the best shot I can.We finish on something important: fasciculations (all that twitching) don’t neatly map to progression, timelines aren’t guarantees, and there is still room for quiet, stubborn optimism — even with a diagnosis like ALS.If you’re in Australia and having trouble accessing Edaravone or getting care close to home, ABC Illawarra want to hear from you. Their details are below.Jen Courtney - ABC IllawarraE: [email protected] Ph: 02-4224-5011 or 0407-593967Support the showThank you for listening to ALS - To the Moon and Back. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who might need it. You can follow, subscribe, and stay connected as we continue exploring life, friendship, ALS, treatments, hope, and all the messy, meaningful bits in between. Take care of yourselves — and each other — and we’ll see you next episode. 

Send us Fan MailTo the Moon and Back is a new podcast hosted by Lisa Wright and iconic Sydney drag queen Portia Turbo — two longtime friends exploring life, love, art, perfume, dogs, grief, humour, and the unexpected twists that shape us.In Episode One, Lisa shares her recent diagnosis of ALS and the two talk openly (and often hilariously - we thinks so anyway) about how life changes when everything changes — and how friendship becomes the anchor that gets you through.Raw, real, thoughtful, warm, and sometimes wonderfully chaotic — this podcast feels like sitting with two friends who say the things everyone else tiptoes around.Perfect for listeners who love honesty, heart, and an unfiltered look at what it means to be human.Support the showThank you for listening to ALS - To the Moon and Back. If this episode resonated, please share it with someone who might need it. You can follow, subscribe, and stay connected as we continue exploring life, friendship, ALS, treatments, hope, and all the messy, meaningful bits in between. Take care of yourselves — and each other — and we’ll see you next episode.