What can happen when one little boy’s love of music becomes a movement? Mike Gomoll never expected epilepsy advocacy to become his life’s work. Mike and his wife adopted their son Joey from Guatemala as an infant. About a month after Joey came home, he experienced his first seizure. Eventually, Joey was diagnosed with Dravet syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy. Joey was non-speaking, but music became one of his greatest connections to the world. When music started playing, Joey wanted everyone around him dancing. After Joey died just before his fifth birthday, Mike took an idea he had already begun imagining and created Joey’s Song, an organization built around one goal: helping the next family. What began with CDs and small acoustic release parties grew into an annual rock-and-roll event bringing together artists connected to the Goo Goo Dolls, Garbage, The Bangles, The Go-Go’s, Tears for Fears and many more. The musicians donate their time, audiences come for the music, and along the way thousands of people learn about epilepsy. Joey’s Song has now raised more than $2 million for epilepsy research. Mike and Alycia also dig into an important reality: epilepsy is often invisible until a seizure occurs. Seizures can also take many different forms, from convulsive seizures to brief lapses in awareness. Around 50 million people worldwide live with epilepsy, and stigma and discrimination remain significant challenges. This conversation is about epilepsy education, research and advocacy, but it is also about community. As Mike says, sometimes we simply need to give people the chance to be good. From a child who loved to dance to rock stars volunteering their time in the middle of a Wisconsin winter, Joey’s story continues to bring people together and help the next family. Main Episode Themes 🎵 Music as Connection 💜 Understanding Epilepsy 👨‍👩‍👦 Helping the Next Family 🔬 Research Matters 🤝 Community Can Be Powerful 🎸 Advocacy Can Look Different Three Big Takeaways 1. Epilepsy does not look one way.Seizures vary widely, and epilepsy can be largely invisible outside those moments. WHO describes epilepsy as a chronic brain disease characterized by recurrent seizures, which can range from brief lapses of attention to prolonged convulsions. 2. Awareness can reduce isolation.Mike describes how people living with epilepsy can feel alone or embarrassed. Joey’s Song deliberately puts epilepsy in front of thousands of people and creates a visible community around it. 3. You do not need to be personally affected by something to show up.One of Mike’s most memorable ideas is simply giving people an opportunity to be good and bringing them together around something bigger than themselves. A Couple of Mike’s Quotes from the Episode “You need to give everybody the chance to be good.” ~ Mike Gomoll  “We all do better when we all do better.” ~ Mike Gomoll  Episode Timeline 00:00 Podcast Welcome 01:25 Meet Mike Gomoll 02:03 Life Before Joeys Song 05:04 Joeys Diagnosis Journey 08:10 Music Was His Voice 09:59 From CDs to Concerts 11:16 All Star Jam Origins 12:36 How Artists Say Yes 15:54 The Next Family Mission 16:14 Epilepsy Risks And Stigma 19:48 Research First Nonprofit Model 23:02 How To Support And Attend 25:38 Rapid Fire Backstage Stories 28:42 Final Takeaways And Goodbye Connect with Mike Gomoll Learn more, follow Joey’s Song, support epilepsy research, watch the livestream or explore tickets and sponsorship opportunities at JoeysSong.org. Support Joey’s Song by following the organization, subscribing to its YouTube channel, watching the free livestream, attending the event or by donating and corporate sponsorships. Website: JoeysSong.org LinkedIn: Joey’s Song Instagram: @joeyssong YouTube: @joeys-song TikTok: @joeyssong Facebook: Joey’s Song Connect with Alycia ⁠Alycia Anderson⁠ — Explore Alycia’s speaking, advocacy, accessibility work, podcast, resources, and latest projects. ⁠Book Alycia to Speak⁠ — Bring Alycia’s keynotes and disability inclusion programs to your organization, conference, or event. ⁠Pushing Forward with Alycia⁠ — Listen to more conversations about disability, accessibility, inclusion, identity, leadership, and belonging. ⁠LinkedIn⁠ — Follow Alycia’s work in disability inclusion, accessibility, leadership, speaking, and advocacy. ⁠Instagram⁠ — Follow along for disability advocacy, speaking, lifestyle, travel, and behind-the-scenes moments. ⁠YouTube⁠ — Watch podcast episodes, keynote clips, accessibility conversations, and disability inclusion content. The ⁠Accessibility Check™⁠ — Explore practical accessibility resources designed to help organizations build more inclusive workplaces, experiences, and systems. Listen. Subscribe. Review. Share. Find Pushing Forward with Alycia wherever you get your podcasts, and watch the full conversation on YouTube. If this episode made you think differently about disability, identity or belonging, share it with someone in your community. Open hearts. Clear paths. Let's go. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when a musician stops trying to fit into an industry and starts changing the culture instead? This week on Pushing Forward with Alycia, Alycia Anderson welcomes award-winning recording artist, author, media personality and disability culture leader Lachi for a joyful, candid and wildly entertaining conversation about music, disability pride, representation, identity and liberation. Lachi is the founder of RAMPD, a UN-recognized organization advancing disability inclusion across the music industry, author of I Identify as Blind, host of PBS Renegades and creator of Glam Canes. Her work uses music, fashion, humor, storytelling and pop culture to challenge the way disability has traditionally been represented. But Lachi’s path into disability advocacy began with something deeply personal. Growing up with low vision, she often avoided using the cane and glasses she needed because she feared being treated differently or losing opportunities in the music industry. When her vision changed dramatically, something unexpected happened: instead of making her life smaller, it pushed her to start living bigger. Lachi began checking experiences off her bucket list, pursuing music more intentionally and eventually embracing the disability identity she had once tried to hide. And something else changed. Once she started asking for the access she needed, she discovered that accommodations did not make her less competitive. They helped her perform better. That realization became part of a much larger mission. Today, Lachi is helping bring disability culture into music, fashion, entertainment and mainstream pop culture while opening doors for other disabled creators along the way. Alycia and Lachi talk about everything from sparkling mobility devices and disability fashion to performing with legendary musicians, meeting Stevie Wonder and unexpectedly jamming with Wynton Marsalis and the White House band. They also dive into Lachi’s new children’s music album, Magnificent, a collaborative project featuring dozens of artists and disability community members. The album celebrates different ways of moving, thinking and communicating without watering down disability language or infantilizing young listeners. At the center of the conversation is a message that applies far beyond disability: The parts of ourselves we are taught to hide can become some of our greatest sources of creativity, connection and power. Lachi reminds listeners that disability culture is not simply about overcoming barriers. It is art. Music. Perspective. Adaptation. Innovation. Community. Pride. And it deserves a much bigger stage. In this episode, Alycia and Lachi explore: 🎭 Disability culture and what it means to celebrate it 🌟 Moving from hiding disability to living visibly and proudly ♿ Why accommodations can improve performance and opportunity ✨ Disability pride, identity and unmasking 🎤 Using pop culture to challenge disability stigma and erasure 💎 Fashion, Glam Canes and mobility devices as expressions of identity 🎬 Why disability representation belongs in mainstream entertainment 🎶 Lachi’s work through RAMPD and disability inclusion in the music industry 🤝 Collaborating with disabled artists and creators 🎺 Meeting Stevie Wonder and performing with Wynton Marsalis 👑 The creation of Lachi’s album Magnificent 🧒 Teaching children disability pride without infantilizing disability 🚀 Creating larger stages and bringing the disability community along ❤️ Why belonging does not have to be earned 🔥 And the power of celebrating the parts of yourself society tells you to reject In Lachi’s Words “Don't just embrace the parts society rejects. Celebrate them.” ~ Lachi Music “Disability culture belongs center stage.” ~ Lachi Music 🎧 Episode 158 Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome to Pushing Forward with Alycia00:33 – What happens when a musician stops trying to fit in and starts changing the industry?02:48 – What is disability culture?03:39 – Celebrating disability through fashion, identity and Glam Canes08:04 – From hiding blindness to living visibly and proudly09:07 – The day Lachi woke up blind10:42 – Choosing to take the wheel of your own life11:03 – How accommodations actually led to more opportunities12:08 – “It’s not the condition. It’s the conditioning.”15:46 – Why Lachi builds everything in community16:51 – Creating Magnificent with disabled artists and collaborators18:35 – Performing with Wynton Marsalis at the White House19:44 – The unforgettable Stevie Wonder story21:27 – Creating music around different ways we communicate22:41 – Why Magnificent is children’s music that doesn’t infantilize disability 24:03 – What Lachi wants today’s eight-year-olds to know 25:22 – “You belong just because you are.” 25:59 – What’s next for Lachi? Bigger stages and bigger impact 26:51 – Bringing the disability community onto the stage with her 28:18 – How to connect, collaborate and work with Lachi 30:41 – Glam Canes, wheelchair bling and one future collaboration 👀 31:14 – Lachi’s Pushing Forward Moment 32:34 – Closing 🔗 Connect with Lachi Lachi Music — Explore Lachi’s music, speaking, advocacy, media work, upcoming appearances, and latest projects. Listen to Magnificent — Stream Lachi’s children’s album celebrating disability pride, identity, belonging, self-expression, and difference. LinkedIn — Follow Lachi’s work in disability inclusion, entertainment, advocacy, leadership, and culture. Instagram — Follow Lachi for music, fashion, disability culture, behind-the-scenes moments, and advocacy. YouTube — Watch Lachi’s music, interviews, performances, advocacy content, and media appearances. TikTok — Catch short-form videos featuring Lachi’s music, personality, disability pride, and cultural commentary. Facebook — Keep up with Lachi’s latest news, performances, releases, and community updates. RAMPD — Learn more about the organization Lachi founded to advance disability inclusion and opportunity across the music industry. Glam Canes — Discover Lachi’s fashion-forward approach to mobility devices, turning canes into bold expressions of style, independence, and disability pride. 🔗 Connect with Alycia Alycia Anderson — Explore Alycia’s speaking, advocacy, accessibility work, podcast, resources, and latest projects. Book Alycia to Speak — Bring Alycia’s keynotes and disability inclusion programs to your organization, conference, or event. Pushing Forward with Alycia — Listen to more conversations about disability, accessibility, inclusion, identity, leadership, and belonging. LinkedIn — Follow Alycia’s work in disability inclusion, accessibility, leadership, speaking, and advocacy. Instagram — Follow along for disability advocacy, speaking, lifestyle, travel, and behind-the-scenes moments. YouTube — Watch podcast episodes, keynote clips, accessibility conversations, and disability inclusion content. Accessibility Check™ — Explore practical accessibility resources designed to help organizations build more inclusive workplaces, experiences, and systems. Listen. Subscribe. Review. Share. Find Pushing Forward with Alycia wherever you get your podcasts, and watch the full conversation on YouTube. If this episode made you think differently about disability, identity or belonging, share it with someone in your community. Open hearts. Clear paths. Let's go. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deafness, Captions & Accessibility: Progress Over Perfection with Meryl Evans What does accessibility look like when you have depended on it your entire life? This week on Pushing Forward with Alycia, Alycia Anderson welcomes respected accessibility advocate, speaker, content creator, consultant and CPACC-certified professional Meryl K. Evans for a candid conversation about deafness, captions, communication, advocacy and why lived experience matters when we design more accessible experiences. Born profoundly deaf, Meryl grew up lip-reading, using hearing aids and learning how to navigate a hearing world long before today's accessibility technology existed. She remembers hunting through the TV Guide for the tiny closed-captioning symbol and the moment captions finally gave her access to the conversations everyone else was already having. Today, Meryl helps organizations better understand accessibility through training, workshops, accessible content, user experience testing and speaking. And she brings an important reminder to the work: accessibility does not require instant perfection. It requires a willingness to listen, learn and keep moving forward. Alycia and Meryl explore everything from growing up disabled and finding confidence through sports to the evolution of captioning, accessible social media, reading friction, disability language and the importance of hiring people with lived experience. Meryl also challenges a growing social media trend: captions designed primarily to entertain rather than communicate. As she explains, captions are information first. When words bounce, flash, change colors or appear one at a time, the very accessibility feature intended to provide access can instead become another barrier. The conversation closes with a message that applies far beyond accessibility: progress over perfection. We do not need to know everything before we begin. We need to remain curious, keep learning and continue making progress. And sometimes progress includes knowing when to rest. As Meryl reminds us: “There’s a difference between taking a break and quitting.” In This Episode 🐝 Growing Up Deaf Meryl shares what it was like being born profoundly deaf, learning to lip-read and recognizing at an early age that she communicated differently. 🏆 Sports, Confidence & Disability From softball to basketball, soccer, volleyball and half-marathons, Meryl reflects on how sports helped build confidence, competitiveness and resilience. 💬 The Evolution of Captions From searching TV Guide for captioned programming to today's built-in captioning tools, Meryl shares how dramatically access has changed during her lifetime. 📱 Captions Are Information, Not Entertainment Why animated, colorful or one-word-at-a-time captions may look engaging but create cognitive overload for people who rely on them. ♿ Lived Experience Matters If you want to know whether an accessibility feature truly works, include people who depend on that feature in the testing and design process. 👀 Reducing Reading Friction Small choices including alignment, capitalization, font size and formatting can dramatically change how easy content is to consume. 🗣️ Language & Disability Advocacy Alycia and Meryl discuss terminology, education and why people sometimes need the opportunity to learn rather than being expected to already know everything. 🌱 Progress Over Perfection Organizations are complex. Accessibility is ongoing. Sustainable inclusion happens when people continue learning and improving rather than waiting until everything is perfect. ❤️ Rest Is Not Quitting Meryl's Pushing Forward Moment reminds us to understand our energy, take care of ourselves and recognize the difference between taking a needed break and giving up. Key Takeaways Accessibility often benefits far more people than the population it was originally designed to support. Hearing aids do not create the same experience as hearing for every deaf or hard-of-hearing person. Good captioning prioritizes comprehension and communication. Accessibility testing should include people who actually depend on the accessibility feature being evaluated. Small design choices can create significant cognitive and reading friction. Disability language evolves, and education can be more productive than expecting perfection. Large organizations may be making accessibility progress even when that progress has not reached every department. Inclusion requires consistency, curiosity and continued learning. Rest can be part of progress. Accessibility is not about getting everything perfect today. It is about continuing to move forward. Episode Chapters 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:25 Meet Meryl Evans 01:52 Growing Up Deaf 03:39 Sports And Confidence 06:38 How Meryl Communicates 10:10 Captions Change Everything 13:28 Captions For Everyone 15:14 What Makes Captions Bad 18:12 Becoming An Advocate 21:38 Work With Companies Today 24:25 UX Testing And Reading Friction 26:38 Language Matters In Disability 27:45 Hope For The Future 29:33 Progress Over Perfection 31:31 Pushing Forward Moment 32:27 Final Thanks And Sign Off The Pushing Forward Moment “There’s a difference between taking a break and quitting.” Meryl reminds us that taking care of ourselves is part of doing meaningful work. Pay attention to your energy. Rest when you need to. Then keep going. Connect with Meryl Evans Continue learning from and connecting with Meryl K. Evans, CPACC, accessibility consultant, speaker, inclusion advocate and UX tester. Meryl works with organizations through accessibility consulting, speaking engagements, training, workshops and user experience testing. Website:  https://meryl.net LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/meryl/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/merylke/ YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/merylkevans X / Twitter:  https://x.com/merylkevans Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/merylnet Connect with Alycia 🌐 Website:⁠ ⁠⁠https://alyciaanderson.com/⁠⁠⁠ 🎙️ Podcast:⁠ ⁠⁠https://alyciaanderson.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠ 💼 LinkedIn:⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyciaanderson/⁠⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram:⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/alyciaanderson/⁠⁠⁠ About Pushing Forward with Alycia Pushing Forward with Alycia gives disability a voice through conversations about accessibility, inclusion, ambition, resilience, leadership, advocacy, and creating a more inclusive world for all people. Subscribe, like, share, and send this episode to someone who needs the reminder that there is no finish line when it comes to possibility, purpose, and pushing forward. Open hearts. Clear paths. Let’s go. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when two wheelchair users fall in love, get married, build careers, travel the world and navigate life together? Apparently, people have questions. After sharing more of their life as a disabled couple online and seeing an overwhelming response, Alycia Anderson brings her husband, Marty Anderson, back to Pushing Forward with Alycia for a lighter, candid and often hilarious Q&A about their nearly 15 years of marriage. Who is more stubborn? Who notices an accessibility problem first? Who takes longer to get ready? Who carries more disability-related gear? And when the world is not designed for two wheelchair users, how do they figure it out? As Alycia and Marty quickly discover, the answers lead to much bigger conversations about disabled relationships, wheelchair accessibility, accessible travel, independence, interdependence, ableism and belonging. Two Disabled People. One Very Normal Marriage. One of the biggest misconceptions Alycia and Marty encounter is the assumption that when disability exists in a relationship, one person must automatically become the caregiver. Their reality is much different. They help each other. Sometimes that means Marty holding Alycia's wheelchair during a transfer or Alycia grabbing onto Marty's chair for a tow. Sometimes it means reviewing an email, figuring out a business decision or helping each other navigate a difficult moment. And sometimes it simply means knowing somebody is standing beside you. As Alycia puts it, having Marty on her team makes her feel braver in the actions she takes in her life. Their partnership illustrates something much bigger: support in a relationship does not always move in one direction. When Accessibility Assumes Disabled People Are Alone Some of the funniest stories in the episode expose something decidedly less funny: much of the world is still designed around the assumption that a wheelchair user will be accompanied by a nondisabled caregiver. Movie theaters may provide one wheelchair space and one companion chair. Venues may offer accessible seating without considering that two wheelchair users might actually want to sit beside each other. Transportation systems may have accessibility policies but still create frustrating or alienating customer experiences. Hotels may technically meet accessibility standards while still making everyday tasks difficult. Alycia and Marty have spent years navigating those gaps together. Their solution is often the same: Figure it out. For Alycia, that mindset is deeply connected to disability itself. When the world is not designed for you, creativity and adaptation become part of everyday life. The Airport Shuttle Stress Is Real Accessible travel gets its own unofficial therapy session in this episode. Alycia and Marty talk about one of their biggest travel stressors: getting from the airport to the rental car facility. Wheelchair-accessible shuttle experiences can be unpredictable. Ramps may not work. Drivers may approach wheelchair passengers differently. Other travelers may board while wheelchair users are still waiting. Policies can sometimes override a simple conversation about what actually works best for the individual passenger. The frustration is not always about the equipment. It is about the experience. Marty describes accessibility as something that should create a feeling of being invited rather than treated like an exception. That distinction between technical access and true belonging sits at the center of much of Alycia's work. Accessible Parking Is More Complicated Than It Looks Alycia and Marty also tackle one of disability culture's perennial hot topics: accessible parking. They are quick to point out that disability does not have one appearance. Someone using an accessible parking space may have a completely legitimate non-apparent disability. But they also raise an important distinction around van-accessible spaces and access aisles. Those striped areas next to certain spaces are not extra parking. They provide the room someone may need to deploy a wheelchair ramp, transfer from a vehicle, use a walker or maneuver mobility equipment. It is another example of how accessibility education can make systems work better for everyone. What Do Nondisabled Couples Take for Granted? Their answer? Sometimes, spontaneity. Traveling without researching accessibility. Accepting an invitation to someone's house without wondering whether you can enter. Booking a rideshare without thinking about whether a wheelchair will fit or whether the driver will refuse the trip. Checking into a hotel without wondering whether the mirror can actually be seen from a wheelchair. These may seem like tiny details individually. Collectively, they shape whether people can participate fully and independently in everyday life. Disabled Relationship Myth Busting Perhaps the biggest misconception Alycia and Marty challenge is the belief that two disabled people somehow live a fundamentally different kind of relationship. Their marriage has accessibility logistics and mobility adaptations, yes. It also has careers. Finances. Intimacy. Arguments. Love. Partnership. Medical challenges. Travel. Laughter. And almost fifteen years of figuring life out together. Disability is part of their relationship. It is not the entirety of it. Marriage Is Still Marriage Near the end of the episode, Marty asks Alycia what nearly fifteen years together has taught her that has nothing to do with disability. Her answer becomes one of the episode's most beautiful moments. Marriage, she says, is one of the hardest things she has ever committed to, but also one of the very best. Creating a life with another person remains one of the accomplishments she treasures most. And after several heavy weeks for the Anderson household, their final Pushing Forward Moments are wonderfully simple. Marty's: Take life a little lighter. Have some fun. Everything does not have to be serious. Alycia's: All you need is love. Sometimes pushing forward means solving the accessibility problem. Sometimes it means advocating for change. And sometimes it means laughing with the person sitting beside you while you figure everything else out. IN THIS EPISODE Alycia and Marty discuss: What life is actually like for two married wheelchair users Who is more stubborn about asking for help Why asking for help can be difficult when independence has been ingrained in you Who notices accessibility barriers first Wheelchair travel and airport shuttle frustrations Accessibility versus genuine hospitality and belonging Why Alycia carries more disability-related supplies while traveling When they speak up about inaccessible environments How two disabled partners physically and emotionally support each other The assumption that every disabled person has a nondisabled caregiver Why theaters and entertainment venues often fail wheelchair-using couples Disability, marriage and intimacy Accessible parking and non-apparent disabilities Why van-accessible spaces serve a specific purpose Rideshare and transportation discrimination Why accessible hotel rooms should not have thick carpet How disability creates everyday problem-solving skills Automatic doors and universal access Spontaneity and the hidden planning involved in disability What nearly fifteen years of marriage has taught them Finding more fun, light and love in everyday life KEY THEMES 💞 Disabled Love Disabled people date, marry, build families and experience the same complex layers of partnership as anyone else. ♿ Accessibility vs. Belonging Compliance can create access. Human-centered design creates belonging. 🤝 Interdependence Independence does not mean doing everything alone. Healthy relationships involve giving and receiving support. ✈️ Accessible Travel Transportation, hotels, shuttles and rideshares remain major areas where accessibility can break down. 👀 Disability Representation Systems often reveal an underlying assumption that disabled people will be accompanied by nondisabled caregivers. 💡 Problem Solving Adaptation is not an occasional disability skill. It can become an everyday way of navigating environments not designed with you in mind. ❤️ Marriage Underneath all of the disability-specific logistics, Alycia and Marty are simply two people who have spent almost fifteen years building a life together. UNFORGETTABLE QUOTES “Being disabled and a couple is not nearly as complicated or ‘tragic’ as some people imagine.” ~ Alycia Anderson “How do two people help each other? It’s just a natural thing to do when you love each other.” ~ Marty Anderson “The world’s not built for us, so we figure it out.” ~ Alycia Anderson CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:25 Why This Q&A 02:59 Stubbornness And Help 04:35 Travel Shuttle Stress 07:45 Getting Ready Routines 09:19 Parking Spot Etiquette 12:27 Speaking Up Access 14:13 How We Help 17:24 Myths And Assumptions 20:35 Non Disabled Privilege 23:08 Hot Takes Debate 27:05 Marriage Lessons Wrap 27:50 Pushing Forward Moments Connect with Alycia Anderson Visit⁠⁠ ⁠⁠AlyciaAnderson.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more about Alycia’s keynotes, disability inclusion programs, accessibility resources, and consulting services. Explore more episodes of⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Pushing Forward with Alycia⁠⁠⁠⁠. Pushing Forward is how we roll. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes pushing forward looks like going faster. And sometimes it looks like recording a podcast from bed. In Episode 155 of Pushing Forward with Alycia, Alycia Anderson welcomes her husband, Marty Anderson, back to the microphone for one of their most personal conversations yet. Over the past several months, Alycia and Marty have found themselves navigating an unexpected medical journey that has included multiple hospitalizations, a bowel obstruction, a uterine embolization and the placement of a nephrostomy tube to protect Alycia’s functioning kidney while her body heals. But this episode is not simply a medical update. It is a conversation about aging with disability, something Alycia and Marty are discovering requires continuously getting reacquainted with bodies that change over time. Both are wheelchair users. Both live with different disabilities. And after nearly fifteen years of marriage, the couple is experiencing one of those seasons when the vows “in sickness and in health” become very real. When the Body Changes the Plan Alycia has spent a lifetime adapting. Born with a congenital disability, she describes herself in the episode as a “science project that’s gone right.” From the outside, people may simply see a wheelchair user. Internally, however, her anatomy and health are far more complex. Now, aging, disability and perimenopause are colliding in ways she could not have predicted. The physical challenges have also introduced something emotionally difficult for a lifelong achiever: being forced to slow down. Alycia admits that one of her greatest fears has not simply been the medical uncertainty. It has been losing momentum. After an incredibly successful Disability Pride Month, nine events, the company’s first live webinar and Alycia's Pitch Perfect competition win at Disability:IN, suddenly the body demanded something completely different. Rest. Running a Business When Life Says Stop Being self employed might seem like it would make dealing with illness easier. Alycia and Marty explain why the opposite can be true. There is no traditional medical leave. No department waiting to absorb the workload. No manager to tell that you will be unavailable for the month. When one partner becomes sick, the other is balancing caregiving, household responsibilities, client needs and the business itself. It has forced Marty into an even larger role while simultaneously asking Alycia to release control over work she deeply cares about. And for a self described Type A personality, that surrender has not come easily. When Both Partners Have Disabilities One of the most compelling parts of the conversation explores a question people have asked Alycia and Marty throughout their relationship: How will two disabled people take care of each other? Their answer is beautifully simple. They adapt. When Alycia became unable to transfer as easily after her hospitalization, Marty drew from years of disability experience and ordered a transfer board. They modified routines. They used equipment differently. They accepted home healthcare. They figured it out together. And while their disabilities can create additional logistical complications, Alycia says they also create something extraordinarily valuable within their relationship: understanding. Marty does not need an explanation of what it feels like when the body suddenly stops cooperating. Alycia does not need to translate disability for him. That shared understanding creates an intimacy rooted in lived experience. “I Don’t Have to Be the Strongest Person in the Room Every Day” Perhaps the most vulnerable moment comes when Marty asks Alycia what this season is teaching her. She does not manufacture an inspirational answer. Instead, she admits that she does not know yet. She is still inside it. But she is beginning to understand something important. It is okay to rest. It is okay to say she is too tired. It is okay to receive help. And it is okay not to be the strongest person in the room every single day. For someone whose career has been built around resilience, achievement and pushing forward, that may be one of the biggest adaptations of all. Love as an Accessibility Tool There is also a love story woven quietly through this episode. Alycia talks about lying in bed while recovering, looking over at Marty and feeling safe. She describes this medical season as a reminder of the depth their marriage has developed over time. Not because everything has been easy. Because it has not. But because when things become difficult, they know how to turn toward one another. Their marriage becomes another form of adaptation. Another form of access. Another reminder that independence does not have to mean doing everything alone. Episode Themes ♿ The Things Disability Keeps Teaching Us ♿ Aging with disability and adapting as bodies and needs change ❤️ Disabled love and marriage through unexpected medical challenges 🫶 Caregiving when both partners have disabilities 🩺 Navigating complex medical care and repeated hospitalizations 🛏️ Learning to rest without feeling like you are giving up 💼 Running a business during a health crisis 🧠 The emotional weight of losing independence and momentum 🔄 Adaptation as a lifelong disability skill 🤝 Letting other people show up for you 💛 Receiving care instead of always being the strong one 🦽 Accessible caregiving, transfers and changing mobility needs 🌱 Aging, disability and reengaging with your body 🙏 Surrendering control and trusting your support system 💡 Finding light while you are still inside the difficult season Unforgettable Quotes “There’s no other way for me to get better or to find what I am to learn and where I’m to grow from here than going straight through it.” ~ Alycia Anderson “Things can get complicated. Things can get severe. Things can get critical. But it’s how we carry ourselves.” ~ Marty Anderson Episode Chapters 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:25 Medical Journey Update 03:32 Aging With Disability 05:47 Self Employed Stress 08:41 Procedures And Setbacks 11:49 New Normal Adapting 14:05 Lessons And Rest 15:50 Dual Disability Care 22:53 Pushing Forward Moments 26:58 Closing And Gratitude Connect with Alycia Anderson Visit⁠ ⁠⁠AlyciaAnderson.com⁠⁠⁠ to learn more about Alycia’s keynotes, disability inclusion programs, accessibility resources, and consulting services. Explore more episodes of⁠ ⁠⁠Pushing Forward with Alycia⁠⁠⁠. Pushing Forward is how we roll. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices