Episode 14: My Brother's Midlife Health Scare and How It Changed Everything....Part 1

In Episode 14, Lara is joined by her brother Joel (newly 40 and officially “midlife”) to tell the story behind a sudden, terrifying health spiral that started with flu + strep and escalated into mastoiditis, meningitis, shingles, and even a “brain-adjacent” blood clot.

They talk about what it felt like to lose basic processing (including not being able to read a simple kids’ book), the reality of two hospital stays and heavy IV meds, and the part people don’t say out loud: the fear of surviving… but not fully coming back.

On the other side of it, Joel shares what’s changing now—getting healthier, showing up more for the people he loves, reconnecting with old friends, and parenting with more softness and clarity.

In this episode:

• How an ear infection turned into a full-body emergency
• Mastoiditis + meningitis (and what those actually mean in real life)
• The cognitive symptoms that scared everyone most
• Shingles, a blood clot, and the “throw everything at it” treatment plan
• Recovery: hearing loss, ENT follow-ups, and the slow return to “normal”
• The mindset shift: presence, family, marriage, and parenting differently

Note: This episode includes medical discussion (not medical advice). If you’re worried about symptoms, seek professional care.