TRIGGER WARNING: This episode discusses medical trauma, brain tumors, miscarriage, and infant loss.

"I’m going to be strong for you." It’s the vow every caregiver makes, but rarely do we talk about the crushing weight of that promise. Ryan Leonard joins me to pull back the curtain on what it’s actually like to be the "well-spouse." When his wife Cheryl—who had already survived two brain tumors—experienced a sudden, sharp pain just four months after the birth of their second child, their world shifted back into a nightmare they thought they had escaped.

Ryan opens up about the "beauty and the burden" of caregiving. We dive into the reality of medical gaslighting between oncologists and radiologists, the agonizing choice between life-saving treatment and the dream of having more children, and the moment Ryan had to swallow his pride to ask for help. This isn't a story of toxic positivity; it’s a raw look at marriage, resilience, and choosing love even when it feels like a heavy weight.

Connect with Guest: Instagram: @ryanlinks_

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TRIGGER WARNING: TW: This episode discusses addiction, abandonment, child medical trauma, and miscarriage.

Daniella became a mom at 20, expecting a "normal" transition into adulthood. Instead, she found herself navigating a high-risk pregnancy, a disconnect with her newborn that lasted nearly a year, and a partner lost to addiction.

But the fight was just beginning. From holding her two-week-old son down for painful medical tests to battling doctors who dismissed her oldest son’s "staring spells" as daydreaming, Daniella’s story is a masterclass in maternal instinct. She opens up about the reality of "grieving the life you expected," the terror of invisible illnesses like epilepsy, and how a local barber stepped up to heal three hearts without ever breaking them.

Connect with Daniella: @danielalatina_96 (Instagram)

Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and share to help us continue bringing these stories to light.

🔹 New episodes drop every Monday!

🔹 Follow us on Instagram: @forthehayters

🔹 Submit your story: info@forthehayters.com

🔹 Grab some merch! beckyhayter.com

🔹 A KILLR Network podcast! killrentertainment.com

If you or someone you know needs support, please visit: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988lifeline.org | Call or text 988 Epilepsy Foundation: epilepsy.com

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode discusses postpartum depression, suicidal ideation in children, chronic pain, and mental health crises.

When Katie sat down with me, she described a moment leaning over her 6-month-old’s crib, crying so hard that her baby stopped crying out of shock. That was the moment she knew she was in the "vortex." After a 20-year career in nursing, Katie found herself battling severe medical gaslighting during pregnancy, debilitating chronic migraines, and the terrifying reality of parenting a child with severe mental health struggles.

But the hardest thing she had to do? She had to learn how to emotionally detach from her daughter’s pain in order to save her. In this raw conversation, we talk about the identity shift of leaving a stable career, the lie of "balancing it all," and how to find peace when your body and your family are in crisis.

Connect with Katie: Host of The Midlife Purpose Project https://katiefarinas.com/ Substack: Katie Freeness

Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and share to help us continue bringing these stories to light.

🔹 New episodes drop every Monday!

🔹 Follow us on Instagram: @forthehayters

🔹 Submit your story: info@forthehayters.com

🔹 Grab some merch! beckyhayter.com

🔹 A KILLR Network podcast! killrentertainment.com

If you or someone you know needs support, please visit: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988lifeline.org | Call or text 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): nami.org

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.