In today’s episode, I’m joined by Octavia Sisley.

Octavia and I first met as riders at RevCycle, a cycling studio in Los Angeles. We later worked together in the studio, often folding towels side-by-side in the early 5am shifts. 

A little over two years ago, Octavia’s body began to suddenly and rapidly shut down. She quickly found herself blind, paralyzed, and suffering from constant chronic pain that doctors couldn’t explain.

While she was eventually blanket-diagnosed with fibromyalgia, she soon learned that she was suffering from a mind-body illness called TMS or Conversion Disorder, a mental condition that causes devastating neurological symptoms that can’t be explained by medical evaluation.

Today Octavia and I talk about what she’s learned from the unthinkably hard reality of these last few years, how she began to recover, and how she continues to motivate herself to turn her pain into purpose every single day.

We also talk about:

• How and why her body started to shut down after the loss of her two brothers
• The experience of her body shutting down and living with chronic pain, paralysis, and blindness, day in and day out for two years
• How she began her own recovery and kept her determination strong even as doctors couldn’t figure out how to treat her or outright didn’t believe her
• How she’s doing now, just four months after standing again for the first time in two years
• . . . and so much more!

Octavia is such a brave warrior superhero human, and I am constantly in awe of her and how she shows up in the world.

If you’ve ever suffered from chronic pain — or even the pain of heartbreak — I know you’ll be moved and inspired by her resilience and her message of hope and healing.

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Follow Octavia:

• Instagram
• Octavia’s GoFundMe

CREDITS

Editing & Sound Engineering: Jordan Johansen

Music: “Kenton” by Dr Crosby (Licensed via Marmoset)