In this episode of Navigating Mental Illness: Parents Stories, the hosts interview Sarah Boes, who shares her compelling journey from rural Kentucky to becoming a nurse practitioner and a mother. Sarah details her daughter's diagnosis with Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart defect, and discusses the emotional highs and lows from selling her business to managing her daughter's multiple surgeries.

She opens up about her personal mental health challenges, ultimately leading to her diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Sarah stresses the importance of being a strong advocate for one's child and highlights the crucial role of collaboration with medical teams. Additionally, she talks about her advocacy work for congenital heart disease, aiming to improve future care and outcomes for affected children. The episode offers invaluable insights into coping with uncertainty, managing mental health, and the resilience needed in the face of life's unpredictable challenges.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

02:27 Meet Sarah Boes: A Journey from Kentucky to Nursing

04:08 Navigating Pregnancy and Unexpected Diagnoses

06:07 Understanding Tetralogy of Fallot and Early Surgeries

08:25 Mental Health Challenges and OCD Diagnosis

15:19 Coping Mechanisms and Family Dynamics

22:18 Advocacy and Future Goals

33:12 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections