What Legacy Are You Really Building

What Legacy Are You Really Building

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071161/fan_mail/new] The scariest thing you can do in a family built on masks is tell the truth out loud. We sit down as Michael and Victoria and talk through a chain of stories that start with a simple change, Victoria’s hair after surgeries, and quickly turn into a deeper conversation about identity, grief, and what we refuse to chase anymore. Along the way, Victoria shares a Make-A-Wish memory where she handed scissors to a beautiful little girl who wanted to be a redhead, a moment that still shapes how we think about giving, letting go, and what actually matters. Then we get into the real heart of it: our daughter Faith is grown, brave, and ready to reach out to Victoria’s biological parents after years of no contact. We talk about closure vs reconciliation, why she feels she needs to say her piece, and how we support her even when we expect silence in return. If you are navigating narcissistic parents, family estrangement, or healing from toxic family dynamics, you will hear language for what you may have lived: the black sheep role, the way stories get rewritten, and how “respect” gets used as a weapon instead of something earned. We also zoom out to legacy. We talk about money, image, and the emptiness of performance when your home is cold, plus the hard reality of caregiving and hospital life where showing up is the only currency that counts. Victoria even shares a moment about book reviews for “Narc Narc Who's There” and why truth can feel like battery acid to people invested in denial. If this hits close to home, subscribe so you do not miss what’s coming, share the episode with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help others find us. What boundary are you ready to set this week? Support the show [https://gofund.me/01c59071]

BRAND NEW PODCAST SOMEBODY HAS TO SAY IT WITH VICTORIA CUORE AND MIKE MACKNIAK

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071161/fan_mail/new] Electronic medical records were supposed to make healthcare simpler. Instead, we’re watching patients get buried under repeated intake forms, duplicated medication lists, and “pre-check” paperwork that seems to disappear the moment you walk through the door. We say what a lot of people are thinking: if the chart is electronic, why are we answering the same questions at every visit, sometimes while we’re in pain, dizzy, or just trying to get basic care?  Michael Macnack and Victoria Cure dig into what this does to trust and safety, from the everyday frustration of MyChart-style portals that do not talk to each other, to the bigger issues of HIPAA, privacy, and accountability. Victoria shares a raw, specific post-surgery experience that raises tough questions about allergy documentation and surgical timeouts. We also debate pain management head-on: when “just take the meds” helps healing, when it can create risk, and why personal history, trauma, and caregiving responsibilities change the decision completely. Along the way, we get practical about patient advocacy, including what you can ask for in the ER and how to push for clearer answers without getting brushed off.  Then the conversation takes a hard turn into the online world, where a cyberbullying tragedy ends in a lawsuit that feels upside down, and we ask what accountability should look like when harm spreads through social media. If any of this has ever made you want to scream in your car, you’re in the right place. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s fed up with the system, and leave a review so more people can find the show, then tell us what topic you want us to take on next. Support the show [https://gofund.me/01c59071]

When The Likes Fade, The Truth Stays

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071161/fan_mail/new] A seven-hour surgery is one thing. The days after can be the real test, especially when your body reacts, your pain is off the charts, and you’re trying to get medical people to listen while you’re still healing. We share what spinal surgery recovery looks like in our house, why Victoria refused to use a pain pump, and how a “simple” allergy oversight can turn into swelling, skin reactions, and a scary infection concern that sends you looking for a second set of eyes. Then we get into the part nobody likes to admit: support is easy when it’s public. We read a line that stops us cold, “A woman dies, and 300 people react… The funeral is attended by twelve,” and we talk about what it exposed for us during recovery. We unpack the difference between friends who check in because they care and people who only show up when they want something, plus how to set boundaries without letting cold people change who you are. The conversation also turns serious as we discuss cyberbullying, teen suicide, and a mother who speaks out and gets sued, raising hard questions about accountability, parenting, and what justice should look like when online cruelty has real-world consequences. We also share a personal win around body dysphoria, scars, and learning to feel safe being seen again, and why we’ll choose peace, love, and laughter over money and appearances every time. If this hit home, subscribe, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What part of the conversation do you want us to go deeper on next? Support the show [https://gofund.me/01c59071]

Mediumship Without The Movie Magic

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071161/fan_mail/new] Your gut knows things before your brain can explain them, but how do you tell the difference between real intuition and a loud imagination? We sit down with Danielle Ribbon Clumber, an LCSW trauma therapist in Utah and founder of Willow Medella Wellness, and her husband Nganga Mr. Pishu, a medicine man and practitioner, to talk about mediumship as a lived reality: confusing, validating, and sometimes isolating. With Abby jumping in as our guest co-host, the questions are curious, direct, and refreshingly human. We dig into the hardest part of being “gifted”, not the spooky moments, but the pressure to hide, second-guess, and feel ashamed because of culture, stigma, or fear of being labelled. Danielle shares how discernment grows through pattern recognition, self-trust, and nervous system regulation, plus why sensing energy in a room can be both ordinary and powerful. Nganga brings vivid haunted house stories, from unexplained footsteps and toys activating on their own to strange lights and experiences that seem tied to the land itself. Then we get practical. We debate Ouija boards versus spirit boards, talk about EVP (electronic voice phenomenon), and explain why tools like tarot, pendulums, and boards don’t “do” anything without the user’s energy, boundaries, and integrity. We also explore dream interpretation through a grounded lens: snake dreams, teeth dreams, house dreams, and why nightmares may be your brain trying to solve a problem, not punish you. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re picking up something real, this conversation offers language, guardrails, and a lot of permission to trust yourself without drifting into fantasy. Subscribe for more honest conversations, share this with a friend who loves the paranormal or psychology, and leave a review with the biggest question you still have about intuition or spirit communication. Support the show [https://gofund.me/01c59071]

Surgery, Setbacks, And Self-Advocacy

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071161/fan_mail/new] One minute we’re hearing, “You can go home,” and the next we’re being warned that leaving in the wrong condition could mean paralysis. That whiplash sets the tone for a raw, honest update from Victoria and Michael after a major spinal surgery that turns into a week of complications, extreme pain, and a crash course in what patient safety really looks like when you’re the one in the bed.  We talk through the surgery and the aftermath: blood pressure dropping dangerously low, being flooded with monitoring and IVs, and the disbelief of being discharged without basic repositioning that protects skin and supports recovery. Then the plot twists again when the dressings come off and Victoria’s back is visibly, painfully raw in the exact shape of the materials used. The emergency room confirms a severe allergic reaction to medical adhesive and wound products, forcing a new plan with antibiotics, steroids, and topical treatment. If you’ve ever searched “allergic reaction to surgical tape,” “Dermabond irritation,” or “post-op rash,” you’ll recognize how fast this can escalate.  From there, we zoom out to the bigger issue: patient advocacy. We break down the surgical timeout process, why sedation like Versed can make it harder for patients to protect themselves, and what should happen when allergies are clearly documented. We also share the emotional side people do not warn you about, including who shows up, who disappears, and how to set boundaries when you’re recovering and still being asked to give more.  If this story hits home, subscribe, share it with someone facing surgery, and leave a review so more patients and caregivers can find these conversations. What’s one question you wish you’d asked before your last procedure? Support the show [https://gofund.me/01c59071]