248: What if an invisible disease blew up your life?
This Is Actually Happening
Wondery
4.6 • 9.9K Ratings
🗓️ 27 September 2022
⏱️ 49 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
After surviving a chaotic and abusive upbringing, a woman develops an undiagnosable autoimmune disorder that threatens to take her vision and her livelihood, but when a friend brings a blow-up doll to play a practical joke one night, everything changes.
Today’s episode featured Gina Hessburg. You can find out more about her and Rafael on Instagram @blowinguprafael or on her website, blowinguprafael.com. On the website, you can also buy Gina’s book, Blowing Up, featuring her journey with Rafael. Gina is offering listeners to This Is Actually Happening $10 off her book if you use the code HAPPENING. $5 of each sale goes towards organizations that provide patient support and research for treatments for people like Gina.
Content/Trigger Warnings: domestic abuse, mention of suicide, medical trauma, explicit language
Producer: Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits
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Intro Music: "Illabye" – Tipper
Music Bed: “Cylinder Four/Five” – Chris Zabriskie
Services
If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264
National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Crisis Text Line: Within the US, text HOME to 741741
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Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | This is actually happening features real experiences that often include traumatic events. |
| 0:04.2 | Please consult the show notes for specific content warnings on each episode |
| 0:07.6 | and for more information about support services. |
| 0:17.6 | I'm fecin' the mirror and I'm having these catastrophic images of how my life has just changed in this moment. |
| 0:27.3 | Who am I and what just happened in my life? |
| 0:30.4 | How am I gonna take care of myself? |
| 0:32.8 | How am I gonna see the world? |
| 0:45.0 | From Wondry, I'm Whit Missaldine. |
| 0:48.2 | You are listening to this is actually happening. |
| 1:00.2 | Episode 248. |
| 1:01.2 | What if an invisible disease blew up your life? |
| 1:09.8 | Hey, prime members. |
| 1:11.2 | You can listen to this is actually happening. |
| 1:13.6 | Add free on Amazon Music. |
| 1:15.8 | Download the app today. |
| 1:18.2 | Hi, I'm David Brown, the host of Wondry's podcast business wars. |
| 1:21.4 | In our latest series, two visionary automakers each believe they can beat Detroit |
| 1:27.0 | and build America's favorite cars. |
| 1:29.6 | Listen to business wars on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. |
| 1:46.2 | I am from a more rural town of Minnesota, about 30 minutes west of Minneapolis. |
| 1:53.2 | I grew up in a town of about 5,000 people. |
| 1:56.4 | My parents both came from growing up in Minneapolis in large Catholic families. |
... |
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