What’s The Matter With Me? Podcast

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My name is John, I’m 40 years old, husband and father of two, small business owner, radio DJ, podcaster, and I have multiple sclerosis. I made this podcast to share what I’m going through.

Episodes:

Two Wheelchair Rides, One Was Insane and the Other Was Beautiful

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I went to Costco on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. On accident, of course I didn’t think about it.

I went to the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University.

I had to position myself to avoid the glare. The Rodin, they had “The Thinker”. So, I went into the gallery and saw that and I had to kind of position myself all around it. And because you have to spend so much, because I had to spend so much time positioning myself, I couldn’t do this kind of casual looking. It really changed the way I looked at stuff. I had to look kind of more actively. It was interesting. Anyway, it was just a really cool experience having been to so many art shows in my life. It was totally new way of doing it, but I enjoyed it. I did it. I’m going to do it again, I think that’s cool and so cool stuff with the wheelchair, positive things.

I appeared on another MS Podcast, the YEG MS Podcast. Read on..

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First Wheelchair Ride

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I have a wheelchair and I busted it out over the weekend. It was kind of a big deal. I’ve never ridden around in a wheelchair before. We’ve talked about it before on the podcast that I’ve got the wheelchair, but also that I’m kind of apprehensive about riding around in a wheelchair. But I did it. I was with my family. I had gone to see my cousin Amy in the hospital where she’s recovering. We talked about that last episode. And then my wife who had been in nanny in San Francisco was like, “There’s a playground right around here in Golden Gate Park and kids love it. Let’s go there.” And I thought, “maybe I’ll ride my wheelchair around.”

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Grief and Trauma

John Hoppin portrait in front of fig tree

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Welcome to the What’s The Matter With Me? Podcast, “grief and trauma”

My brain chemistry, the amygdala, stress, fight-or-flight part of my brain is throttling my hippocampus, which is the intelligent part of my brain. The fear and anxiety part of my brain is getting the upper hand because of all of these traumas that are happening right now. I’m recording this episode to try and get it out there to say it all and to hopefully move beyond some of this fear, trauma, and anxiety.

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My Life Feels Totally Different Now

my life feels totally different now

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My life feels totally different now

I have a lot more energy and I am much more present. I’m able to think complicated thoughts.

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