When Stress Isn't Just Stress: An Academic's MS Journey with Catrina Mitchum

About this episode

Dr. Catrina Mitchum shares her journey with multiple sclerosis while managing academic and personal responsibilities.

I sit down with Dr. Catrina Mitchum to hear about her journey through multiple sclerosis diagnosis while balancing academic demands, motherhood, and career transitions. We explore the challenges of recognizing chronic illness symptoms when life is already demanding, how healthcare providers sometimes miss critical signs, and finding clarity through articulating our experiences. Catrina shares how she managed dissertation writing in 15-minute increments while dealing with early MS symptoms and what ultimately led to her leaving higher education. Key discussion points include: How chronic health conditions can be misattributed to stress or other common causes Navigating diagnosis while teaching, parenting, and completing a PhD The importance of finding community who understand your specific challenges How to communicate limitations to family members when cognitive symptoms arise Transitioning from academia to entrepreneurship with purpose For those managing chronic illness, working in higher education, or navigating significant career transitions, this conversation offers validation and practical insights for creating systems that work when traditional support structures aren't…

People in this episode

Host: Practical Hug

Guest: Dr. Catrina Mitchum

Topics covered

• chronic illness
• multiple sclerosis
• academic challenges
• motherhood
• career transitions
• community support
• communication of limitations

Keywords

• multiple sclerosis
• chronic illness
• academic demands
• motherhood
• career transitions
• healthcare providers
• dissertation writing
• community support
• cognitive symptoms

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Learning Design

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