Cared For

The Love Troopers

On February 13, 2007, in Portland, Oregon, Heather MacAllister used medical aid in dying to end her life. Today, for our season finale, we're honored to have members of Heather's caregiving circle, also known as The Love Troopers, share their recollections of tending to Heather—and each other—through her illness and final day. This February, New York became the 14th U.S. jurisdiction to authorize medical aid in dying. It will go into effect this August. Cared For is executive produced and hosted by Kelli Dunham. It’s executive produced by Erica Getto and Myrriah Gossett for Good Get, in collaboration with PRX. For more resources, and to join the conversation, head to kellidunham.substack.com [http://kellidunham.substack.com/] or @caredforpodcast on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/caredforpodcast]. Kelli’s on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kellidunham/?hl=en], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@kellidunham?lang=en], and Substack [https://substack.com/@kellidunham] @kellidunham. Good Get is on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/goodgetproductions] @goodgetproductions. PRX is on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/prxofficial/?hl=en] @prxofficial. Pictured here: A collage featuring photos of Heather, and letters and ephemera from The Love Troopers' archives.

The stories we share.

Our lives rarely follow a neat plot, but that doesn’t mean we can’t use narrative devices to try and make sense of them. All season long, Kelli’s shared personal reflections on grief, illness, and caregiving. This week, Kelli’s sharing how they’ve crafted those reflections—and how storytelling techniques can be a valuable care resource for everyone. Join us next week for our season finale, where we’ll be putting more of these techniques into practice, and welcoming some new voices to the mix. Cared For is executive produced and hosted by Kelli Dunham. It’s executive produced by Erica Getto and Myrriah Gossett for Good Get, in collaboration with PRX. For more resources, and to join the conversation, head to kellidunham.substack.com [http://kellidunham.substack.com/] or @caredforpodcast on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/caredforpodcast]. Kelli’s on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kellidunham/?hl=en], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@kellidunham?lang=en], and Substack [https://substack.com/@kellidunham] @kellidunham. Good Get is on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/goodgetproductions] @goodgetproductions. PRX is on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/prxofficial/?hl=en] @prxofficial. Pictured here: One of Kelli's Lego creations, reflecting on their time as a nun. To learn more about that period of their life, you can listen [https://pod.link/1869948705/episode/cHJ4XzE1NTA0X2RjOTAxMmI0LWViODUtNDAyMy04OWUxLWZlMmQzNGE4M2ZlNA] to our episode on faith.

Once a nurse, always a nurse.

What's it like for care to be your life's work? This week, we're turning our focus to the pros: the nurses and other caregiving professionals who have been in our homes, by our loved ones' bedsides, and a call away when we're in need of support. Join Kelli as they reflect on their own experiences in the nursing field and share some strategies for relationship-building between family caregivers and professional caregivers. Cared For is executive produced and hosted by Kelli Dunham. It’s executive produced by Erica Getto and Myrriah Gossett for Good Get, in collaboration with PRX. For more resources, and to join the conversation, head to kellidunham.substack.com [http://kellidunham.substack.com/] or @caredforpodcast on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/caredforpodcast]. Kelli’s on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kellidunham/?hl=en], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@kellidunham?lang=en], and Substack [https://substack.com/@kellidunham] @kellidunham. Good Get is on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/goodgetproductions] @goodgetproductions. PRX is on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/prxofficial/?hl=en] @prxofficial. Pictured here: Kelli on stage, blending their nursing and storytelling expertise. Yes, those are mittens on their hands, in a reference to " homemade chemo socks syndrome." You can learn more about that in our caregiving episode [https://pod.link/1869948705/episode/cHJ4XzE1NTA0X2M1NTRiOGY1LTliODUtNGY2OS05NjU4LTk4Mjk2NmVmMmIxYw].

Waiting for the grown-ups.

Navigating end-of-life care can often feel like waiting for the adults to arrive. You've got paperwork and meds and a whole host of emotions that, naturally, come with the knowledge that these months or even days may be your last with a loved one. This week, we'll explore how folks can access support in this period—support that's often available sooner than we might realize. Cared For is executive produced and hosted by Kelli Dunham. It’s executive produced by Erica Getto and Myrriah Gossett for Good Get, in collaboration with PRX. For more resources, and to join the conversation, head to kellidunham.substack.com [http://kellidunham.substack.com/] or @caredforpodcast on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/caredforpodcast]. Kelli’s on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kellidunham/?hl=en], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@kellidunham?lang=en], and Substack [https://substack.com/@kellidunham] @kellidunham. Good Get is on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/goodgetproductions] @goodgetproductions. PRX is on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/prxofficial/?hl=en] @prxofficial. Pictured here: Kelli, as a kid, perhaps waiting for the grown-ups.

Quick! It’s an emergency.

When we’re in the midst of a medical crisis, things can quickly feel out of control. That’s why this week, we’re turning our focus to emergency planning. What can you do now to set yourself up for an unexpected trip to the emergency room? What strategies can you use to advocate for yourself or a loved one in the ER? And how does an actual ER differ from what we might see on a fast-moving medical drama like The Pitt or Grey’s Anatomy?! To look up healthcare proxy forms in your state, head to CaringInfo.org [https://www.caringinfo.org/planning/advance-directives/by-state/]. Cared For is executive produced and hosted by Kelli Dunham. It’s executive produced by Erica Getto and Myrriah Gossett for Good Get, in collaboration with PRX. For more resources, and to join the conversation, head to kellidunham.substack.com [http://kellidunham.substack.com/] or @caredforpodcast on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/caredforpodcast]. Kelli’s on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kellidunham/?hl=en], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@kellidunham?lang=en], and Substack [https://substack.com/@kellidunham] @kellidunham. Good Get is on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/goodgetproductions] @goodgetproductions. PRX is on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/prxofficial/?hl=en] @prxofficial. Pictured here: The view from Kelli's Covid ICU bed in 2020.