Beyond the Diagnosis: Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia • CDH

Beyond the Diagnosis: Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia • CDH

In this episode of Breathe Between Battles, we begin a new series focused on medical complexities, starting with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH). This is CDH for Dummies. Not because families are uninformed, but because no one should have to learn an entire medical language overnight while their child fights to breathe. I break down what CDH actually is in plain terms, what doctors do not always explain, and what life can look like inside the NICU and beyond. This episode blends education with lived experience, grief with hope, and facts with faith. This conversation is deeply personal. My son, McRae, was born with CDH and spent a lot of his life supported by ECMO. Though he did not survive, his story continues to teach, advocate, and create space for families walking this road now. If you are a parent receiving a diagnosis, a loved one trying to understand, or a medical professional wanting to hear the family perspective, this episode is for you. You are not alone. You never have been. P.S. if you want to tell your story/testimony about. a medical complexity- Let's talk!

Light in the Darkest Rooms

In this powerful episode of Breathe Between Battles, Chloë sits down with two women who shaped her family’s story in the most meaningful way. Sherri and Karin were two of McRae’s favorite nurses, and their presence brought comfort, wisdom, and steady strength during the hardest moments of his journey. This episode opens the curtain on who they are behind the scrubs, how they approach caring for fragile babies, and the heart that guides their work every day. Through stories, laughter, and memories of McRae, this conversation honors the impact nurses can have on a family’s life and shows how love can echo long after the hospital stay ends.

Seen, Not Stared At

In this episode, Chloë opens up about friendship — the kind that stays, learns, and shows up even when words fall short. She shares what she’s learned from her time at the Ronald McDonald House and within the CDH and CHD community, where connection and compassion often begin with a simple hello. This episode explores how to teach kids to approach children with disabilities in a way that makes them feel seen, not stared at. As Chloë says, “Curiosity is not cruelty — it’s how empathy begins.” She also talks about how to support friends walking through medical or emotional battles, the beauty of small gestures, and how real friendship isn’t about fixing someone’s pain — it’s about breathing beside them through it. Because sometimes, the best way to love someone is just to stay.

Before the Battle

In this episode, McRae's Mom opens up about who she was before the battles began; before hospitals, grief, and faith got tested in ways she never imagined. It’s an honest, heart-level talk about the moment life changes and how God was preparing her all along. Grab a tissue if crying makes you cry too, lol. If you’ve ever looked back at your “before” and realized how much it shaped your “after,” this one’s for you.

The Heart Behind It

In the very first episode of Breathe Between Battles, Chloë shares the heart behind the podcast; how it was born from both heartbreak and hope. She opens up about what it means to live in the space between chaos and calm, faith and fear, grief and grace. This episode sets the foundation for everything to come: advocacy for medically complex children, navigating loss, finding strength through faith, and learning to simply breathe again. It is not the full story of McRae, but the beginning of why his story matters and how it continues to breathe life into others. Take a seat, take a breath, and step into the story.