Hi everyone, I'm Susie Weiss, and I've noticed there's just simply not enough podcasts in the world. So I'm launching my own. Let's go. Let's go, baby. Second Thought is a weekly show about pop culture. The stuff everyone's been binging, arguing about, obsessing over. Here's the thing about heated rivalry. I mean, even the most devoted swifties, I think we can agree, not our best work. We'll be hosting thoughtful conversations with culture's most important figures. Talk about genius.

Talk about generational talent.

Coming to headphones near you on

April 17th with a first guest you won't want to miss. Available wherever you get your podcasts.

She was in chronic pain and I think it might have been rheumatoid arthritis. And she said,

I wish I had cancer.

Because then people would believe me and support me.

Right.

Yeah, I know.

We do a terrible job of preparing people for what life has in store.

Welcome to how to. I'm Carvel Wallace. I want you to think back to the last time that you were in pain.

I mean, some of you could be experiencing pain right now, but if not, do you remember what it felt like? How sharp it was,

or how dull it was, or how pervasive or distracting it was? For 50 million adults in the U.S.,

that kind of pain, chronic pain, is a reality. So what do you do if that's you? Well, that's what today's listener wants to know.

My name is Mavi, and I am a 50-year-old mother of two. I was working as a special education teacher.

I had pretty young children at home. I, you know, I had worked for this life.

I had a master's degree in special education.

Very suddenly, I became very ill.

Looking back, there were probably signs that Mavi was sick,

signs that at the time she attributed to overwork and stress.

But then something happened that Mavi couldn't write

off. My feet went completely numb very suddenly, like I was on yard duty at school one day

...