Rupture: The World of BestGuessistan

She Treated Brain Injuries Until She Had One

Submit a dispatch. BestGuessistan wants to hear from you. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2557991/fan_mail/new] Mandi Dickey spent years helping patients recover from brain injuries as a board-certified neurology nurse practitioner. Then a car accident gave her a traumatic brain injury of her own. In this deeply personal conversation, Mandi and Wendy explore what happens when medical expertise collides with lived experience. They discuss why so many concussion patients are dismissed, the surprising ways brain injuries affect the entire body, the emotional toll of identity loss, and the financial and healthcare systems that often leave people to navigate recovery alone. Together they challenge outdated assumptions about concussion, explain why "mild" traumatic brain injury can have life-changing consequences, and make the case for bringing lived experience into healthcare. Whether you're living with brain injury, supporting someone who is, or simply curious about how healthcare can better serve patients, this conversation offers compassion, practical insight, and hope. Follow Mandi on her podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@brainwellnessnp4328/ Check out more of Mandi's work and resources for concussion patients on her website: https://brainwellnesssolutions.com/ Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BestGuessistan Subscribe to our Substack: https://bestguessistan.substack.com/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bestguessistan/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bestguessistan/

What Clinical Trials Really Look Like: A Patient Advocate's Guide (Part 1)

Submit a dispatch. BestGuessistan wants to hear from you. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2557991/fan_mail/new] Clinical trials can feel overwhelming, confusing, and even frightening, especially for patients navigating a new diagnosis or searching for better treatment options. In Part 1 of this two-part Rupture conversation, Wendy welcomes patient experience expert Kelly McKee and patient advocate Mindy Cameron to explain how clinical trials actually work from the inside out. They break down the terminology, the people involved, and the realities of participating in medical research. Together, they discuss: * What clinical trials are designed to prove * The role of placebos and standard treatments * Endpoints, biomarkers, and informed consent * Inclusion and exclusion criteria * The many professionals behind every study * The real-life burden placed on patients and caregivers * Distrust, fear, and misconceptions surrounding research participation * Why patient voices and experiences deserve greater recognition This episode offers an honest, patient-centered look at a system that shapes nearly every medicine and treatment we rely on today. Subscribe to Rupture for Part 2 of this important conversation on patient advocacy and the future of clinical research. Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BestGuessistan Subscribe to our Substack: https://bestguessistan.substack.com/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bestguessistan/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bestguessistan/

His Scans Were Clear, His Life Was Not | Rob Baugh on Living With TBI

Submit a dispatch. BestGuessistan wants to hear from you. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2557991/fan_mail/new] After a traumatic brain injury during the pandemic, Rob Baugh was told what many concussion patients hear: go home, rest, and you'll be fine. He wasn't. Years later, Rob still lives with chronic headaches, aphasia, cognitive challenges, and the ongoing reality of an invisible disability. In this conversation, Wendy Lurrie and Rob explore what happens when medical systems fall short, how brain injuries reshape identity, and why the phrase "just a concussion" can be so damaging. They discuss caregiving, workplace accommodations, emotional changes, advocacy, and the difficult process of learning to live in the "after." For anyone navigating brain injury, chronic illness, disability, or another life rupture, this episode offers validation, honesty, and hope. Check out Rob's podcast, Life Rewired here: https://www.youtube.com/@liferewiredpodcast Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BestGuessistan Subscribe to our Substack: https://bestguessistan.substack.com/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bestguessistan/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bestguessistan/

What Happens When the Healthcare System Doesn't Believe Women?

Submit a dispatch. BestGuessistan wants to hear from you. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2557991/fan_mail/new] Women are more likely to have their symptoms dismissed, more likely to be diagnosed later, and more likely to be told that pain, fatigue, or serious medical concerns are "all in their head." In this special Rupture roundtable, Wendy brings together three returning guests, Lara Benjamin, Nina, and Fallon Morey, for a candid conversation about gender bias in healthcare. From traumatic brain injury and chronic illness to pregnancy, autism, military medicine, and motherhood, they share the moments when they knew something was wrong, and what happened when the system refused to listen. This is a conversation about healthcare, but it's also a conversation about power, credibility, and what happens when women are forced to become their own advocates just to receive basic care. Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BestGuessistan Subscribe to our Substack: https://bestguessistan.substack.com/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bestguessistan/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bestguessistan/

Awareness, Affordability, Availability: The Concussion Care Gap

Submit a dispatch. BestGuessistan wants to hear from you. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2557991/fan_mail/new] Concussion recovery isn't just a medical challenge. It's a systems challenge. In this episode, Wendy sits down with neurorehabilitation specialist Dr. Kellianne Arnella to unpack what she calls the "Three A's" of concussion care: Awareness, Affordability, and Availability. Together, they examine why so many people struggle to access effective treatment, why outdated concussion advice still persists, and how gaps in education, insurance coverage, and specialized care continue to impact recovery. From telehealth and insurance barriers to the importance of patient advocacy, this conversation explores what needs to change and how individuals can better navigate a system that often leaves concussion survivors behind. Whether you're living with a brain injury, supporting someone who is, or working within healthcare, this episode offers a thoughtful look at the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of concussion care. Connect with Dr. Kellianne Arnella Instagram: @‌the.brainbody.ot [https://www.instagram.com/the.brainbody.ot/] Website: Evolve Brain + Body [https://www.evolveoccupationaltherapy.com/] Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BestGuessistan Subscribe to our Substack: https://bestguessistan.substack.com/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bestguessistan/ Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bestguessistan/