Leukemia Changed Everything: From Dopey Training to Hospital to Remission

Welcome back to The Bry & Samua Show — we’re Bri and Samua, and if you’re new here, this is your seat at the table for real-life conversations: the messy stuff, the funny stuff, the heartbreaking stuff, the “how is this even happening?” stuff… and the moments that remind you you’re stronger than you think. We’ve been sharing episodes around the Dopey Challenge and the Disney race world because it’s been consuming our time, our energy, our calendars, our group texts, and honestly our sanity (in the most fun and chaotic way). But today’s episode is different. This one is deeper. It’s more personal. It’s the kind of conversation that reminds you why this podcast exists in the first place. Because life doesn’t pause just because you finally launched the thing you’ve been talking about forever. We had been planning and talking about starting this podcast for a long time — literally since August 2024 — and like most people, we kept pushing it off for “good reasons.” Work, kids, schedules, travel, the million plates we’re juggling… all the normal stuff that makes you say, “We’ll do it next month.” Then we finally etched it in stone. We were like, no more delaying. We’re launching. We’re recording. We’re posting. We’re showing up. And then… the day we launched, BS hit — and yes, that’s ironic because our initials are literally B.S. and we have truly dealt with a lot of BS in life. But in this episode, the BS isn’t just “life chaos” or “things not going as planned.” It’s not a scheduling issue or a stressful week or even a disappointing moment. It’s the kind of thing that knocks the breath out of you. In this episode, Bri shares how what seemed like a stubborn sore throat turned into something no one expects to hear: leukemia. What followed was a whirlwind: hospital stays, the Cleveland Clinic, intense treatment, living inside a routine that feels like Groundhog Day, being surrounded by numbers and labs and medications, and still trying to hold onto yourself — your humor, your hope, your identity — while your body is fighting a battle you didn’t see coming. If you’re here because you or someone you love is going through a health crisis, cancer treatment, leukemia treatment, or a diagnosis that feels impossible — we want you to know right now: you’re not alone. And if you’re here because you feel like life has been heavy, disappointing, exhausting, or unfair… if you feel like you’re struggling to keep your head above water… you’re also not alone. This is what we’re about: telling the truth about life, without sugarcoating it — and also without losing the ability to laugh, connect, and keep moving forward. What this episode is really about Yes, we talk about leukemia. We talk about the shock of hearing it out loud. We talk about the hospital reality and how quickly the Cleveland Clinic moved once they identified what was happening. We talk about what it’s like when your body suddenly becomes a numbers game — platelets, labs, white blood cells, and waiting on “good enough” numbers to go home. But we also talk about bigger things: The difference between real resilience and toxic positivity Why you’re allowed to cry, rage, fall apart, and still be strong Why “life is good” doesn’t mean “life is perfect” How friendships and family can carry you through the worst moments How sometimes the thing you thought you were training for… prepared you for something else entirely Why you have to advocate for your health when you know something isn’t right Why hard moments don’t mean you’re failing — they mean you’re human This episode includes humor, honesty, raw feelings, and the kind of truth you usually only share with your closest people… except we’re sharing it here because we know someone out there needs it.

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