Ep 24 | May 13, 2026 | 29 mins

In this episode of Rewired Minds, Bri Salsman speaks with Michelle, a primary caregiver for her mother who battled glioblastoma. Michelle shares her emotional journey through caregiving, the challenges of navigating grief, and the importance of self-care. Michelle emphasizes the need for caregivers to advocate for themselves and their loved ones while finding joy amidst sorrow.
Michelle was the primary caregiver for her mother diagnosed with glioblastoma.
The caregiving journey is filled with emotional challenges and growth.
Family support plays a crucial role in caregiving.
Self-care is essential for caregivers to maintain their well-being.
Finding joy and laughter is important even in difficult times.
Advocacy for oneself and the patient is vital in healthcare.
Connecting with the brain tumor community can provide support and understanding.
Grief is a personal journey that evolves over time.
Volunteering and helping others can be therapeutic for caregivers.
Open communication about feelings is necessary for emotional health.
Bri will be participating in Coaching for Causes for another year. Each May, certified coaches from various fields donate our time for 1:1 coaching sessions. Clients make a donation to a selected cause in exchange for a session. This ensures that 100% of proceeds go directly to the nonprofit. I'm raising funds for Northwestern Medicine Malnati Brain Tumor Institute. The best part is that every coach chooses their own cause, so you can donate to another coach's cause and still coach with me or vice versa. Visit coachingforcauses.com for details.
Resources
Check out a list of the most common medical terms relating to the brain tumor experience: rewired-minds.com/terms
Connect with brain tumor organizations here: https://www.rewired-minds.com/braintumorresources

Connect with Rewired Minds
Website: rewired-minds.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RewiredMindsPod
Instagram: @rewiredmindspod
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rewiredminds

Connect with Michelle Strubeck
Email: happytraveller15@hotmail.com

Be a Guest
Interested in being a guest on a future episode? Visit rewired-minds.com/guest for more information and to submit your request.

Disclaimer
The stories shared here are personal accounts from the brain tumor community for informational and awareness purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare professionals regarding your specific situation. Most importantly, take care of yourself as you listen and process.

Bri (00:06)
I'm Bri Salsman, a brain tumor survivor and identity integration coach, and you're listening to Rewired Minds, a podcast that shares brain tumor stories that change us. Sometimes guests use medical terminology, so I've partnered with Northwestern Medicine Malnati Brain Tumor Institute to provide definitions of common terms. You can find the full list in the show notes. Most importantly, take care of yourself as you listen and process.

Bri (00:29)
Before we get into today's episode, I'm very proud to share that I'll be participating in Coaching for Causes for another year. Coaching for Causes is built on two core principles, being of service and making a difference. Each May, certified coaches like me from various fields donate our time for virtual and in-person one-on-one coaching sessions. Clients like you make a donation to a selected cause in exchange for a session. This ensures that 100% of proceeds go directly to the nonprofit.

I'm raising funds for Northwestern Medicine Malnati Brain Tumor Institute, where I've received all my treatment and care. The best part is that every coach chooses their own cause, so you can donate to another coach's cause and still coach with me or vice versa. I encourage you to go back and listen to episode 14 to hear Caroline Lehner's story. She's the founder of Coaching for Causes.

Also, visit coachingforcauses.com for details and to find your coach, make a donation and book your session.

Bri (01:28)
Today's guest is Michelle, who is the primary caregiver for her mother, who was diagnosed in June 2016 and passed away in January 2017 after a seven month battle with glioblastoma multiform. Welcome, Michelle. Thanks for joining me.

Michelle (01:43)
Thank you, I'm glad to be here.

Bri (01:44)
Seven months is such a short window of time and I can't imagine how head spinning that time must have been. If there was a word or a phrase that might encompass that seven month window for you, what comes to mind?

Michelle (02:00)
When I found out, I just went in to caregiver mode. I didn't even think about it. I just did it. In that seven months, I watched her slowly decline a little bit. Physically, it got harder for her to get around. And she eventually had to use a walker and then a wheelchair and then she became bedridden towards the end. Mentally, considering what she went through, she did very well and she was with it. She was very aware of what was going on. She was aware of her surroundings and who everybody was. But as the, memory issues developed and once in a while she would make an off the wall comment, but I knew that was just her tumor talking.

On one hand, you know, I just did what I had to do as a daughter cause she wanted me to be there. And I'm very proud of taking care of her. And I would do it all over again if I could.

I didn't think I would cry, but it's hitting me harder than I thought it would.

Bri (02:49)
That’s okay. Grief is never ending. I mean, nine years later I can feel it. I can feel it from you, Michelle. It is as palpable as if it was yesterday, it seems.

Michelle (03:03)
I think about her all the time and even though it's been nine years, sometimes I feel like the longer she's been gone, the more I miss her.

Bri (03:10)
What was your all’s relationship before all of this?

Michelle (03:14)
We had a good relationship, you know, growing up it was, you know, the rocky teenage years and some rocky college years. But as I got older, you know, things got better and we did have a good relationship and we had a lot of fun together. We would talk on the phone every week. We would text, we traveled together every now and then. So we had a lot of fun and I just miss that.

Bri (03:19)
What was your favorite thing to do together?

Michelle (03:36)
I grew up in Montana and I went to college in Illinois and then I was living in Alaska at the time she was diagnosed. So anytime we saw each other, she just wanted to take care of me and buy things for me or pay my way into plays or any other place we would go for fun. So I like to be spoiled and I miss that.

We had a good time together. We would talk a lot. We enjoyed watching certain shows on the Travel Channel and we laughed a lot. You know, anytime we went out, we always had a good time.

Bri (04:03)
And so what were the first signs that something might not be quite right for her?

Michelle (04:12)
She had a history of vertigo, which is how she found out about her tumor, because normally she would take Valium, I believe. And after a few days, it wasn't getting any better. Her balance was getting worse. And my parents were actually vacationing in Glacier Park when this happened. And she said she was trying to write postcards one night when she noticed her handwriting was way off. And that's what prompted her to go to the ER and get an MRI. And that's when she found out.

And actually three months before she was diagnosed, she came to visit me when I was living in Alaska and there weren't any signs anything was going on, but after she passed away, you know, I've spent a lot of time reading books about brain tumors and doing research. And I have found out that oftentimes with brain tumors, even though the symptoms are there, they don't always point to a tumor because they often mimic symptoms of other diseases.

Bri (04:59)
I'm certainly not a medical professional at all, but our brain drives in a sense, every other aspect of our body. And so I can imagine for doctors, even for neurosurgeons, neuro-oncologists, doctors who this is their specialty, it's still got to be a challenge to diagnose because, like you said, you come in with vertigo, there's so many different diagnoses that could be, and brain tumors are considered a rare disease by the numbers that it's not top of the list of all the things that are possible.

Michelle (05:33)
Well that's the other thing cause my mom was an oncology nurse and in all of her years of nursing, she never said anything about brain cancer. So when she told me about her tumor, I felt like it was an unheard of cancer. And unfortunately there is not a lot of funding for it for research, since then I've learned a lot just through research on my own. And, you know, anytime I read an article about someone that's been diagnosed, their symptoms for finding out about their tumor are different because no one's stories are alike. They each have their own path and their own way in which they found out about their tumor.

Bri (06:05)
Absolutely. I mean even just across the stories that have been shared thus far on this podcast, everyone has found out about their tumor in a different way. Some, you know, years of symptoms that finally, after persistence, doctors did a scan and found the tumor and others, something drop of the hat, like a seizure and, everything in between, everything in between.

It's the area of the brain, it's the type of tumor, there's so many different variables that can change the way the symptoms show up in your body. And it doesn't even necessarily have to be a physical change, it could be a cognitive change, it could be a personality change, it could be so many different things. And you had mentioned too that you were living in Alaska at the time. And so how did you find out about everything that was going on?

Michelle (06:54)
Actually, I remember that day pretty well. I was at a physical therapy appointment and she was trying to get a hold of me on my cell phone and we played phone tag for a little bit before we finally connected. And when she told me, it didn't sink in right away. It took a few days and after it sunk in, my head was spinning and I felt like I was almost having an out of body experience. It didn't feel real.

But the thing is when she initially told me she had a tumor, she didn't tell me it was terminal. She waited until I got home to give me that news. And that's when it really hit me. And I think one of the ironies here is that I had a part-time job as a writer for the newspaper at the time. And the last article I wrote was titled, Caregivers Need Care Too. And little did I know that was about to be me.

Bri (07:39)
Wow. And so how did you step into that role as a caretaker, unbeknownst to you?

Michelle (07:47)
I was living in Alaska at the time and my brother was living in Vermont, so we both flew home for her surgery. And when I was there, she asked me to move back home and take care of her. Like I said, I just went into caregiver mode and I did what I had to do. My brother helped out as well. He was here a majority of the time helping out, but we each had different roles and somehow, without talking about it, we instinctively knew what to do.

I took over everything from a medical standpoint and he got our parents’ finances together. He eventually moved back to Montana from Vermont and he was living about an hour and a half away. So he would come over on the weekends and help out. And then the town where he lived is where my mom was getting all of her treatments. So anytime we went for one of her appointments, if he didn't meet us at the appointment, we would stop and visit with him afterwards. So he was very active as well.

Bri (08:32)
The phrase that comes to mind is tag teaming. Sounds like you kind of tag teamed with one another.

Michelle (08:35)
Right.

And it's funny you should say that because one night we had a bunch of relatives at the house just visiting. This is at the point when she was bedridden and needed more care. And he made the point that we were like the pit crew. We just instinctively knew what to do without talking about it. And after he said that, I'm like, yeah, that's a good point. And that's really how it was.

Bri (08:58)
And how did you find ways to take care of yourself through all of this?

Michelle (09:03)
My mom always said go do what you have to do. So in the beginning when she didn't need much care, I would go run errands. I'd be gone for a couple hours at a time and I would make sure she had everything she needed before I left. And then as things progressed, someone would have to be with her while I was out and then she eventually needed 24/7 care. Because there were always people around, I was lucky enough that I had a strong support system. So if I did have to step out, someone could always step into my role for a little bit so I could do what I had to do.

Even if someone wasn't watching her while I wasn't there, there would be weekends when I would just go upstairs and watch TV to relax and try to decompress. Although it didn't always work because my mind was running a million miles a minute. But I was sure to take care of myself and just get away when I could.

My aunt and uncle live five minutes away from us, so oftentimes I would go over to their house because we had a good relationship and we had a lot of fun together. My aunt was someone that could always make me laugh no matter what. So she was my comic relief. And she was also a big help too, because she took my mom to a few of her appointments. She would come over and help out when she could. The three of us would try to do things together. I remember since she died in early January of 2017 for her last Christmas, we all made gingerbread houses. So that was a fun little activity we did. Or there was another night when one of my mom's friends wanted us to go to a local bar. So we all got together and went out for a few drinks. So even though it was not the best situation, we tried to make the best of it when we could.

Bri (10:37)
It's like sprinkling in where you can a little bit of normalcy as much as possible.

Michelle (10:44)
Even though it's a tough thing to go through, you do have to find ways to enjoy yourself, laugh a little bit along the way. My family and I use dark humor to cope, so that's one way we got through it.

Bri (10:55)
And how did your relationship with your mother evolve during this time?

Michelle (11:00)
Well, my mom was always taking care of other people, looking out for other people and worrying about everyone else. And, in the beginning, she was still wanting to do things around the house in order to feel useful and just do what she normally did. And my aunt made the point that, you know, she's so used to taking care of everybody that she doesn't know how to stop and let someone else take care of her. And that never crossed my mind because, you know, my mom just did what she did and that's the way it was.

But once she realized she couldn't do so much anymore, it was just a natural transition. I don’t think we… I know we didn't talk about it and I know I didn't think about it. But I remember when my brother and I were kids, every now and then she would joke around and say, someday we'll be changing her diaper. And I always told her, I'll hire a nurse because I can't handle bodily functions. So there was a few times when she would say, oh Shel, I'm so sorry you have to do this. But I got through it because it's your parent and you do what you have to do.

Bri (11:55)
This phrase, you do what you have to do or I did what I had to do has come up a couple times now. Where does that come from? That mindset.

Michelle (12:03)
I’ve always been a strong individual and I've always had really good coping skills. So I think that's where a lot of my ability to get through this came from. Cause if it wasn't for that, who knows what would have happened. Cause I know there are people out there that wouldn't be able to handle a situation like this and they would literally fall apart, but that's not me.

Bri (12:22)
What was the most challenging part?

Michelle (12:24)
It got a little tiring after a while. And I don't say that in a bad way, but we were constantly on the go. She had regular doctor's appointments. And if there weren't appointments, then I would do her therapy exercises with her here at home. And there was the caregiving here at home, you know, bathing her, preparing her meals, helping her get dressed, things of that nature. If it wasn't one thing, it was another.

Bri (12:47)
And then of course the time comes closer to January of 2017 when she passes away. Were you with her in that moment?

Michelle (12:58)
Yes. She had been on hospice for four days when she passed away. She was given morphine and my brother got up a little earlier than usual one morning to check on her when she had passed. And when I heard him coming up the stairs, I knew what he was going to say. And, she was in a hospital bed, here at home. So, we went downstairs to be with her and I started calling the family to let them know.

And then my aunt and uncle and a couple of our cousins came over and they just sat with us for a while. And then I eventually called the funeral home to get her body.

But when she died, she did have a bit of a smile on her face. So that made me feel better, but it doesn't change things. And I know she's in a better place but, you know, I just miss her more and more every day.

Bri (13:40)
How would you describe this grief that is showing up?

Michelle (13:43)
Sometimes I don't know if the grief gets better or worse. I think there's a part of me where you just, you learn to live with it, you adjust. It becomes your new normal. But unfortunately, there's been a lot of death in my family in recent years. So I feel like I've become an expert in grief, so to speak.

You know, it's obviously difficult to deal with. It's part of life, but you just have to take it as it comes and find a way to get through it and move on. I have good friends that I talk to about this every now and then. I mentioned earlier that I have a strong support system and if it wasn't for that, I don't know how different the outcome would have been for me because you do need someone to talk to. And as a caregiver, I found that, you know, a lot of people reach out to you wanting to know if there's anything they can do for you, which I've always appreciated. I found that the best thing you can do for any caregiver is just talk to them, listen, be a shoulder for them to cry on.

I've also read things that have said, you know, if you're a caregiver and people are offering help, ask them to help with little things around the house, like get groceries or put the groceries away or help with housework or just say, go for a walk with me. It doesn't have to be anything major, just something small because it's the smallest things that make the difference when you're in a situation like that because sometimes you don't have time for yourself or if you do, you're just too exhausted to think about anything else.

Bri (14:59)
What are the things that you needed to talk about most in those moments?

Michelle (15:04)
For anyone that's listening, Caroleen was my mentor through the American Brain Tumor Association, and we have since then become long-term friends. Anytime I needed to talk to someone, I would call her because her dad was going through brain cancer at the same time. So she knew where I was coming from, and she's been mentoring people for a while now. So she knew how to get me through the situation. She knew the right words to use and the right questions to ask and the right advice to give. And that helped a lot.

Bri (15:34)
You know, having been through this yourself and now having that experience even to mentor others, what would you say?

Michelle (15:45)
To other caregivers, I would say don't be afraid to speak up. Be an advocate not only for yourself, but for the person you're a caregiver to. Don't be afraid to ask questions. If you don't like the answers you're getting, keep asking. Go somewhere else if you have to. Get a second or third opinion. Just do whatever it takes to make you feel better and get through the situation until you get the answers you want. And don't forget to take time for yourself because that is important.

Don't feel selfish about it. I know a lot of caregivers do feel selfish about taking time for themselves, but you need it because you need to be healthy too. Cause if you're not taking care of yourself, then you're not taking care of your loved one.

Bri (16:19)
As you're describing that and giving that advice, I'm also thinking back to the mindset of I did what I had to do. Certainly there's different coping strategies that are useful in different situations. And at that moment in time, that's what needs to be done.

I also imagine there's a parallel experience with that where it's almost like you're having to suppress your own needs so that you can push through and do what you have to do. And at some point, suppression isn't going to work anymore. And so what do you do in those moments when you can't do what you have to do? And all the stuff that has been suppressed starts rising to the surface.

Michelle (17:07)
Well, I definitely had a lot of sleepless nights. You know, no matter how tired I was, sometimes I just couldn't sleep because of all the thoughts that were running through my mind or I would just, I would go to bed and cry. I would cry in the car. I would cry on the phone with other people or I would just have a moment that no matter where I was, something might strike me and I, you know, I would break down and cry, but you have to let your emotions out. You can't keep them inside and you know, there's nothing wrong with crying.

Or, you know, I've heard some people like to go outside and scream or throw things. Just do whatever it takes to get through that emotion and then you'll feel better afterwards. Sometimes it can be cathartic. Some of it might sound crazy, going outside and screaming, but if that's what it takes, then do it. Cause you have to find a way to get yourself through the situation. Otherwise you will go crazy and you will fall down the dark rabbit hole that you don't want to go down.

Bri (18:00)
There's this phrase I've heard. I'm probably not going to get it right, but something along the lines of, if you don't get the best of it, it'll get the best of you or something along those lines.

Michelle (18:09)
Right. Yeah, I've heard something like that as well.

Bri (18:13)
What's been the most surprising thing you've learned through all of this?

Michelle (18:18)
Wow. I don't know if I've ever really thought about that, but after my mom died, I spent two years reading books about brain tumors and people that had near-death experiences. And then I found some online programs that I thought were enjoyable and helpful in getting through my grief. In that respect, I've learned a lot about brain cancer and I feel like I could just talk all day about brain tumors. It's kind of become second nature for me, I guess. I do enjoy talking about it because, once you go through something like this, it's amazing how many people you've meet who've been in your shoes because it seems like when you're dealing with brain cancer, you just start meeting people in the brain cancer community. And like I said earlier, before my mom was diagnosed, brain cancer was practically unheard of to me. Now it's almost everywhere.

Shortly after my mom died, I was at work and I got a phone call from a customer and we just started chatting and he happened to mention that he was just diagnosed with brain cancer and he found out about his tumor because he was having double vision. So he went to the eye doctor thinking he had a problem with his eyes, but he was told to get an MRI and that's how he found out. So I told him about my mom and that's how we connected and we would email every now and then. And once I stopped getting emails from him, I knew he had passed away.

It’s just situations like that where you meet people in unexpected ways. And I don't know if they come into your life for a reason or if it's coincidence, but I like connecting with people in the brain tumor community to share our stories and to learn from them and hear what they've been through and how they got through it, etc.

Bri (19:54)
You don't realize who's driving down the street next to you or who's checking out in the grocery ahead of you until you're involved. And then all of a sudden there's brain tumors all around you. And so I can promise that whoever is listening, thinking that they don't have a connection to the brain tumor community, if you started asking, I bet it wouldn't take long before you found someone, if not in your close circle, very, very adjacent, closely adjacent to it.

Michelle (20:24)
Yeah, because someone you know might know someone or do volunteer work as well. There's, you know, multiple ways to volunteer at different hospitals or other places of treatment where patients go.

Bri (20:36)
Yeah, absolutely. And that's a really great point. I'm so glad you brought that up, Michelle, because oftentimes we think about these brain tumor centers and these nationally or internationally recognized centers, hospitals, or institutions. And don't get me wrong, they are very much needed.

At the same time, there are so many patients who are getting treated by local hospitals. And I would almost argue that, in a certain sense, those local hospitals, those local facilities might need more volunteer or other kinds of support because they see maybe a handful of brain tumors a year. This is not their specialty. And so when it does come up, it can feel very isolating for that patient because that patient's the only one there with a brain tumor at that time.

I know the care center or the treatment center that I go to, they have volunteers who on clinic days, they sit in the waiting room and just talk with the patients as they're to go back with their appointments.

Michelle (21:50)
Right, that's all have to do.

I remember one day leaving an appointment with my mom and somebody, one of the other patients, they had to arrange for a ride or have the clinic get them a ride. And I just felt so bad for that person because there was no one to take them to and from their appointment, so you know, just be a volunteer and take patients to and from their appointments or help them run errands. Just do whatever they need to do because those things help out more than you know.

Bri (22:17)
It's often the small things that are the most impactful. Think about the things that you, as you're going through an average day for yourself, and thinking about all the things that you do for yourself. And now imagine that you can't do those things anymore. What would you need from someone else to keep your life running? And whatever is on that list, that's what you can offer to someone in this situation.

Michelle (22:37)
People were constantly sending my mom gift cards or food baskets in the mail or we had one relative that would call a restaurant in town every now and then and just have a meal delivered for us. And there were a few times when other people cooked meals for us and just stuff like that makes such a difference because even though you have time to do it, sometimes you're too tired and sometimes you just don't have the time. So anything like that helps out more than you know.

Bri (23:11)
And I would add to that as well, thinking about the timing of things. When a diagnosis comes soon after someone passes away, there's a lot of support that comes in that window of time – a week, two weeks, three weeks – in that short window.

But thinking about a month out, two months out, six months out, on the anniversary. And I hate calling it an anniversary because the anniversary sounds like something to celebrate. And I certainly don't feel like my annual, whatever you want to call it when my diagnosis comes around is not an exciting time for me. I haven't come up with another word other than anniversary. So call out to our listeners. If you've got a better way of calling this, I'm all ears because I'd love to know.

But, you know, as we've heard from many guests now, this is a lifelong thing. It doesn't go away. So thinking about what does support look like and how does it evolve as time passes? And so on that note, what's the kind of support nine years out from your mother's passing that you appreciate and value the most today?

Michelle (24:24)
Nine years on, I think for me, it's just talking about it. You know, reading things when I see them. I do go through phases where, for lack of a better word, I enjoy reading about brain cancer. I'll read articles about how someone was diagnosed and what their battle was like, but at the same time, I do get tired of it, because it feels like when I'm reading about it, it's everything all at once. I just see article after article, and then I'll stop seeing them for a while, but I get to a point where there's only so much I can take and I'm okay with reading about it for a while, but then I need a break.

So it's cyclical, it goes through phases. Every now and then I'll see something on TV or in the news and I'll pay attention to it. Depending how I'm feeling at the time, I may dive into it further to see what more I can find out and sometimes I'll just let it go.

Bri (25:13)
Michelle, how has all of this rewired your mind?

Michelle (25:15)
I'm not afraid of death anymore. Because before my mom was diagnosed, if I did think about death, I didn't give it much thought because it scared me. But after going through something like this, you learn that it's not a scary thing. I believe my loved ones are in a better place. You know, we're stuck here to deal with the grief and that's the hardest part.

Bri (25:34)
How would you describe your relationship with death today?

Michelle (25:38)
Not that I want to die tomorrow, but you know, if it happened, I would be okay with that. I've had a full life. I've had a good life. I've had my ups and downs like everyone else, overall it's been good. And you know, there's a part of me that does look forward to seeing my family again someday.

And, you know, after my mom died, I struggled with, know, God has a reason for everything. And I do believe that, but I went through a period where I questioned why he thought she should die from a brain tumor at the age of 66, because up until then, her health was fine. You know, she enjoyed traveling and reading and going to football games or a little gambling every now and then, but, you know, she was a good person and I didn't understand why he thought this should happen to her, but I quickly realized if I tried to find an answer, I would just be driving myself crazy trying to find an answer when there isn't one. So maybe someday when I see her again, I'll find out.

Bri (26:34)
I can really appreciate that perspective that, you know, you will have answers someday. It’s probably, maybe, arguably the most difficult thing to reconcile is not being able to have answers to some of our biggest questions.

Thank you so, so much for your, your time, your honesty, your vulnerability, your story. I appreciate your willingness to allow the emotions to enter the conversation.

I think that it gives permission for listeners to allow those emotions in as well and not suppress them. So I'm grateful for you. And I imagine that some listeners may want to connect and continue the conversation. And if they do, where can they find you?

Michelle (27:31)
They can email me. My email address is happytraveller and the number 15 at hotmail.com.

Bri (27:37)
And I will include that in the show notes and that way people can have a chance to connect with you further if they are interested.

Thank you so much, Michelle, for joining the conversation and for being just an amazing, wonderful voice in the brain tumor community.

Michelle (27:58)
Well, thank you. I really enjoyed doing this and I hope my story helps someone.

Bri (28:09)
Thank you for being part of the Rewired Minds community. Full show notes, resources, and a transcript for today's conversation can be found at rewired-minds.com. If you or someone you know has a brain tumor story to share, I'd love to hear from you. Visit rewired-minds.com to learn more about collaborating on a future episode. This podcast is a one woman labor of love. It's a true honor to bring it to your ears and facilitate connection among the brain tumor community. If this episode resonated with you, please rate, review, and share with someone who might need to hear it.

Bri (28:41)
The stories shared in this podcast are personal accounts from the brain tumor community for informational and awareness purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare professionals regarding your specific situation.