Hey there, we are working hard this month on some big projects we've got coming up.

Stories I am super excited about.

And meanwhile, I want to share another show with you.

This one takes on a topic that, although it is definitely tied to the cost of health

care, is just too big, too complicated, and honestly, too enraging, terrifying, and

depressing for me to tackle in this show, that's the opioid crisis.

And actually, somebody else has made the podcast about this topic, one that goes deep and

does it in an incredibly human way, determined to find answers to tough questions, find

a way through, find connection at every step.

That show is called Last Day, and the person is Stephanie Whittles-Wax, a couple things

about Stephanie.

First, when she found out that insurance companies in Texas weren't required to cover hearing

aids for death and heart of hearing kids, like her own young daughter, she basically went

to war and got state law changed.

We told that story in an episode of this show that is still one of my favorites, Mom versus

Texas.

Second, after her younger brother, Harris, died from a heroin overdose, she did a couple

things.

One, she wrote an incredibly moving and sometimes hilarious book called Everything is Horrible

and Wonderful.

And then, she started a podcast company, Lemonada Media, to make Last Day.

You're about to hear the first ever episode of Last Day, which means if you haven't met

...