Holyoaks Rise: Stories of Rising Through the Unexpected

Rise Story Series. In this episode, we’re talking about the life of Christopher Reeve—a man most people knew as Superman… until everything changed in a single moment.After a devastating accident left him paralyzed from the neck down and dependent on a ventilator to breathe, his life didn’t just shift—it completely reset.This is the part of the story we don’t always know what to do with.The part where survival doesn’t look strong.Where identity feels lost.Where “normal” never comes back.But this episode isn’t just about what he lost.It’s about what he built after.From becoming one of the most powerful advocates for spinal cord injury research, to helping create the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, his life became something bigger than the one he had before.This is a story about redefining strength.About rising in a way no one expects.And about what it really means to keep going when everything changes.If you’ve ever felt like your life took a turn you didn’t choose…If you’ve ever wondered who you are on the other side of hard…This episode is for you.“This story is shared using widely known, publicly available information, told in a way that connects us to the meaning behind it—no formal citations needed.”Warm Memories - Emotional Inspiring Piano by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoonAttribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Rise SeriesWhat does Rising actually look like in medical motherhood?Not the dramatic moments—
but the everyday ones.In this episode of Holyoaks Rise: Stories of Rising Through the Unexpected, I’m sharing what that season really looked like for me—
the routines, the appointments, the court dates, and the quiet decisions I made without even realizing it.This is a raw look at: ● The daily weight of medical motherhood ● Living on autopilot when your capacity is stretched thin ● Foster care and adoption—the emotional complexity no one prepares you for ● Showing up in court when you don’t feel equipped ● Choosing kindness in situations that aren’t simple ● And the moments I handled things I never thought I couldThis episode isn’t about big, dramatic breakthroughs.It’s about the quiet, steady kind of strength—
the kind that looks like getting everyone where they need to be,
asking questions you don’t feel ready to ask,
and continuing to show up… even when you don’t feel strong.If you’ve ever felt like you’re just going through the motions,
just doing the next thing,
just trying to hold everything together—this episode is for you.Because sometimes rising doesn’t look like overcoming.Sometimes it looks like staying.Warm Memories - Emotional Inspiring Piano by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoonAttribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

You think rising comes after survival mode. After the crisis. After the fear.After everything finally settles down.But what if you are already rising?In this episode of Holyoaks Rise: Stories of Rising Through the Unexpected, we’re redefining what “rising” actually means— because it’s not something that started when life gets easier.It’s happening right in the middle of the hard.Rising looks like… showing up when you’re exhausted.. making decisions you never thought you could handle.. learning, adapting and advocating in real time.. holding it together for your family— even when you feel like you are falling apart… becoming stronger without even realizing it. If you’re stuck in survival mode right now, you might feel stuck. Like you’re just getting through the day.But survival mode isn’t the absence of growth— it is were the deepest growth begins. Because rising isn’t a finish line you reach someday. It’s something you are already doing— even if it doesn’t feel like it yet. If you are in the middle of something heavy and wondering if you are “doing okay”.. this episode will help you see that you are.

Medical Motherhood series.You make it through the emergency… and everyone expects life to go back to normal.But what happens when it doesn’t?In this episode of Holyoaks Rise: Stories of Rising Through the Unexpected, we’re talking about the part no one prepares you for—the emotional crash that comes after the crisis is over.When the adrenaline fades, the appointments slow down, and things are finally “stable”… why can it feel like everything is hitting you all at once?This episode dives into:​Why the emotional crash after survival mode is completely normal​What it means when life doesn’t go back to the way it was​The mix of grief and gratitude that so many medical moms carry​Why you’re not “behind” just because you’re still processing​How to begin rebuilding instead of trying to go backIf you’ve ever thought, “Things are better… so why don’t I feel better?”this episode is for you.You’re not doing it wrong.You’re coming down from survival mode.⸻🎧 Holyoaks Rise is a podcast for parents navigating medical motherhood, NICU life, and the unexpected paths we never planned—but learn to rise through anyway.Warm Memories - Emotional Inspiring Piano by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoonAttribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Next up in my Medical Motherhood series.. If you feel like you’re constantly on edge… exhausted but unable to rest… forgetting everything and just trying to make it through the day—you might be living in survival mode.In this episode of Holyoaks Rise: Stories of Rising Through the Unexpected, we’re talking about what survival mode actually is—especially in medical motherhood—and why it’s not something you can simply “push through” or fix with better routines.Survival mode isn’t a mindset problem. It’s a nervous system response to prolonged stress, uncertainty, and real-life medical challenges. And for so many moms walking through the NICU, diagnoses, therapies, and ongoing care… it becomes a way of life.We’ll talk about:​ What survival mode really looks like day-to-day (the mental fog, decision fatigue, and autopilot living)​ How survival mode affects your identity, your relationships, and your ability to rest​ The hidden cost of “staying strong” for too long​ And the gentle first steps toward feeling like yourself againThis episode will help you put words to what you’ve been feeling—and remind you that you are not broken, and you are not alone.Whether you’re in the middle of a medical journey or coming out of one, this conversation is for you.🎧 If this episode resonates, share it with another mom who might be in survival mode too.Warm Memories - Emotional Inspiring Piano by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoonAttribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Medical Motherhood series: There’s a part of medical motherhood no one really prepares you for…Not the appointments.Not the diagnoses.Not even the relationships.But you.Because somewhere along the way, while you’re caring for everyone else…you start to feel like you’ve lost yourself.In this episode, we’re talking about the identity shift that happens in medical motherhood—the quiet, in-between version of you that no longer feels like who you were… but not quite who you thought you’d become.We’ll walk through: • the grief of what you expected motherhood to be • the moment everything stops being about you • the many roles you carry every single day • the tension between “nurse brain” and “mom brain” • and why feeling lost doesn’t mean you areIf you’ve ever thought:“I don’t recognize myself anymore…”You are not alone.And you are not broken.You are becoming.🤍🎧 Holyoaks Rise: Stories of Rising Through the UnexpectedNew episodes weeklyWarm Memories - Emotional Inspiring Piano by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoonAttribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Medical Motherhood SeriesMedical trauma affects more than just the child— it reshapes the entire family system. In this episode, we discuss how chronic illness, NICU experiences, and prolonged medical stress impact marriages, siblings, grandparents, friendships, and caregiver mental health. Learn how trauma can influence family dynamics, and emotional regulation for parents raising medically complex children. We also explore practical ways to support siblings, maintain relationships, and understand nervous system responses to ongoing stress.This episode is for parents of medically fragile children, NICU families, special needs caregivers, and anyone seeking trauma-informed guidance for family resilience. Warm Memories - Emotional Inspiring Piano by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoonAttribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

NICU Rise SeriesMom guilt doesn’t start when you leave the NICU… and it doesn’t end when your baby comes home.In this deeply honest episode, we talk about the many layers of guilt medical moms carry — from not bonding the way you imagined, to pumping exhaustion, comparison, medical decisions, identity shifts, and the quiet guilt of just wanting the hard season to end.If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doing enough?” — this episode is for you.You’ll hear reassurance from both a NICU nurse and medical mom perspective, plus gentle reminders that doing all you can is enough.This episode speaks to NICU parents, medical moms, foster/adoptive moms, and any mother navigating unexpected motherhood journeys.✨ Topics include:​NICU bonding guilt​Pumping guilt & feeding pressure​Comparison & decision guilt​Leaving the bedside guilt​Identity shift from nurse brain → mom brain​Finding peace in impossible seasonsYou are not failing.You are rising.🎙 Holyoaks Rise Podcast — Stories of Rising Through the UnexpectedWarm Memories - Emotional Inspiring Piano by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoonAttribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

NICU Rise SeriesWhen your baby is in the NICU, suddenly there are a dozen specialists involved in their care. Neonatology. Cardiology. Neurology. Gastroenterology. Ophthalmology. Genetics.It can feel overwhelming fast.In this episode of Holyoaks Rise, NICU nurse Amanda Holyoak walks families through the many All the Ologies™ involved in caring for babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and explains what each specialist is watching for and why.You’ll learn:​ What a neonatologist actually does​ Why cardiology may evaluate heart murmurs and pulmonary hypertension​ What neurology looks for in brain development, tone, reflexes, and seizures​ Why gastroenterology monitors feeding tolerance, weight gain, and NEC​ When genetics becomes involved in chromosomal or metabolic concerns​ How infectious disease helps manage sepsis and line infections​ Why ophthalmology watches retinal vessel growth and ROPUnderstanding the All the Ologies™ involved in your baby’s care can make the NICU feel less overwhelming and more understandable.Because when you know what each specialist is watching for, the journey becomes clearer.🎙 Part of the Steady Through the NICU series on the Holyoaks Rise Podcast.

NICU Rise SeriesWhat should you expect in the NICU? What actually happens in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)? And what does a typical NICU day really look like?If your baby has just been admitted to the NICU — or you’re preparing for a possible NICU stay — this episode walks you through what to expect from the first 24 hours to the daily rhythm of care.As a NICU nurse and a medical mom, I explain:​ Why babies are admitted to the NICU​ What happens on the first day in the NICU​ What the monitors and alarms mean​ Who the NICU doctors, nurses, and specialists are​ What “rounds” look like​ How feeding, oxygen support, and growth are monitored​ What progress really looks like in the NICU​ And how to find your footing as a parent in a medical environmentThe NICU can feel overwhelming — with wires, equipment, medical terminology, and constant beeping. But understanding what is happening and why can make the experience less frightening and more manageable.This episode is your calm, honest guide to navigating life in the NICU.You are not behind.You are not failing.You are learning a new world.

NICU Rise Series When your baby is in the NICU, some fears never fully leaves your mind:Will my baby have long term problems? What will their future look like? Will life ever feel normal again?Even after survival feels certain, many parents enter a new season of fear— the fear of the unknown.In this episode of Holyoaks Rise: Stories of Rising Through the Unexpected, I talk honestly about the worries NICU parents carry long after the monitors quiet and discharge approaches. We talk about..~ Fear of developmental delays~ Living in the “wait and see” season.~ Anxiety about milestones, follow ups, and the future.~ Grieving the loss of the pregnancy and parenting experience you expected.~ Learning how life becomes peaceful again— even if it looks different than before. If you are wondering whether your baby will be okay, or if your family will ever feel normal again, this episode is for you.Because healing after the NICU doesn’t happen all at once.It happens slowly… quietly.. as families learn to rise.

Sometimes the signs are quiet before they are loud.Sometimes the story begins long before we know what we’re looking at.In this episode of Holyoaks Rise: Stories of Rising Through the Unexpected, I share our daughter’s journey through pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease and liver disease— and how early urinary symptoms were actually the first clue.We gently walk through:*Early signs of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in children.* Crohns Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) considerations.* Chronic Gastrointestinal (GI) inflammation.* The “sensitive neighbor” bladder explanation.* Abnormal liver labs and liver involvement.* Autoimmune liver disease, including Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) and Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH)*Parenting through chronic illness with steadiness and advocacy.If you are navigating pediatric IBD, Crohn’s disease, liver disease, PSC, AIH, complex autoimmune conditions, or any chronic disease in your child— you are not alone here.This is our “Tough Cookies” rise story— not rushed, not dramatic — just honest, steady and anchored in hope. [email protected] Warm Memories - Emotional Inspiring Piano by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoonAttribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

I met “Busy Bee” as her nurse. At the time, I didn’t know I was meeting my daughter. In this episode of Holyoaks Rise: Stories of Rising Through the Unexpected, I share the story of how a hospital shift turned into something far bigger than medicine. We talk about foster care, the long road of “all the ologies” TM, the uncertainty, the paperwork, the prayers, and the quiet moments that change everything.This isn’t just a story about adoption.We talk about bringing a premature baby home, navigating foster care and adoption, searching for medical answers, and what it really feels like to stand on both sides of the hospital crib. This episode validates both my experiences as a NICU Nurse and my journey as a medical mom.If you’re walking through the NICU, considering foster care or adoption, or learning how to parent a medically complex child the story is for you. It’s a story about rising above diagnosis and uncertainty.About how sometimes the hardest roads lead you exactly where you’re meant to be.And how a busy little bee changed my life forever. [email protected] Warm Memories - Emotional Inspiring Piano by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoonAttribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

In this first episode of Holyoaks Rise, I share how I went from being a NICU nurse to becoming a medical mom myself. From navigating my daughter’s NICU journey to facing an unexpected chronic GI diagnosis with my older child, this episode offers an honest look at what it means to stand on both sides of the hospital crib.If you’re parenting a premature baby, managing pediatric chronic illness, or learning how to stay anchored through medical uncertainty, this podcast is for you. Here’s what you can expect from future episodes — practical guidance, real stories, and encouragement to help you feel calm, prepared, and empowered.Because difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations. And when we share our stories, we rise togetherWarm Memories - Emotional Inspiring Piano by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoonAttribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/