The Disability Diaries With Steven Vine

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Disability doesn't have to stop you. No need to be a superhero to Rise Disabled, you just need to give yourself a chance, everyday! Etienne was born with Cerebral Palsy. He had 3 careers in his adulthood; firstly - a computer programmer for the Canadian Government, secondly - a United Church Minister, and currently as a disability Life Coach. Etienne had a lot of challenges in his life, but he persevered and found the resources to live to his full potential. When he was younger, he didn't think that he was any different from...

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When Josh was 2 years old, he was caught in and run over by a riding lawnmower. His right leg below the knee was severely damaged and had to be rebuilt. He adapted and dealt with those challenges pretty well through the years, but then when he was in his 30's he started to have heart problems - he had a few heart attacks, had stents put in and had a few strokes. He developed some issues in his right arm and is slowly losing the use of this arm. His doctors were baffled...

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Imagine this scenario: You are 27 years old, you've been in severe pain for years, you have eye surgery and then you wake up and you are permanently blind. This is what happened to Lynn Jensen. Her doctors told her that she may regain her sight in about 6 months time, but after 5 months she had a feeling that she would not regain her vision, which she did not. Her sight loss was due to an earlier brain injury. However, Lynn made it her mission to become a 'good' blind person. She became empowered when...

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Independence: Something very valuable that the disabled person does not want to lose. In this episode Steve and Chris discuss the topic of independence, and how Steve adapts being a disabled person. While Steve does live on his own, his independence is a little unique; because he is 100% blind and, in a wheelchair, he cannot necessarily leave his apartment on his own for his own safety. In the earlier time after Steve had the medical emergency that rendered him disabled, Steve had to relearn a lot of the day-to-day activities he used to...

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Steve interviews Brian Bell, who is a quadriplegic and lives in British Columbia. Brian was 38 when his life changed forever. He was living and working in a regional park doing numerous jobs and maintaining the park. He really enjoyed living there with his family and working on improving the home that came with the position. On an ordinary day, Brian decided to ride an all-terrain vehicle down an embankment. Brian hit the sand, flew forward with the vehicle, and landed on his head in between 2 large rocks, heard a 'pop' and a 'squish...

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Steve, Chris and Michelle Hewitt talk about the 10th anniversary of when Steve had his triple A medical emergency, his life changed forever, and he became a multi disabled person. Michelle does a great job of interviewing Steve; including asking him how he learned how to become a disabled person, how he overcame the anger and adjustment and bounced back to get on with his life, and how he came to do his podcast. You can tell that Steve really enjoys doing the podcast, and the sense of accomplishment he has in recording...

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Jaime was born 3 months premature and diagnosed at an early age with Cerebral Palsy. The doctors told his parents not to expect too much (a discouraging statement from the medical community). Jaime wanted to be like everyone else, so he was determined to prove this statement wrong. He didn't want to be the 'underdog', he wanted to fight for what he believed in - himself. He struggled in school and was told by his parents not to get his hopes up. But he was determined to try - for example: learning to ski...

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We all know that as a disabled person, we have many mountains to climb. In Robert Hill's case, this is not just a metaphor - he is the real deal as a mountain climber with an Ostomy. Robert was diagnosed with Crohn's and Colitis when he was 23 years old. He led a very adventurous life and this diagnosis devasted Rob. He found meditation very helpful, as suggested by his brother. Once he got his Ostomy, he went into Ostomy supply sales. He realized that most people were not even that aware how a...

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In this episode, Steve talks with Albert Ruel from British Columbia. Albert started to lose his vision in his early 20's; and then lost it completely by the time he was 34. He devoted the rest of his career to the disability, non-profit sector; previously he was in Forestry. Albert was inherently afraid of the dark, and he feared the day when his sight would be completely gone - but he actually felt a sense of relief, which he didn't expect. There was no more adjustment for him. Albert has lots of words of...

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Steve and Chris talk with Amanda Lockitch. Amanda has a background in theatre, film, teaching and public speaking. She is currently the Research and Outreach Manager for the non-profit organization Disability without Poverty. They are a rather small but collaborative group, based all over Canada, comprised mainly of individuals with their own disabilities. Disability Without Poverty (DWP) was established when activists across the country united to combat poverty related to disabilities. The main goal is to get the word out about the Canada Disability Benefit. Individuals with disabilities in Canda are roughly 27% of...

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Marie LeBlanc is a Canadian artist (photographer, performance, video) and an advocate for environmental sensitivities. Marie lives with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and Lyme disease. Her MCS makes her extremely sensitive to various exposures including: cleaning products, perfumes, electrical devices and the most devasting - mold. Her disability has forced her to live unconventionally in a van to protect Marie from the exposure to chemicals found in conventional housing. Marie has made it her life's work to advocate for herself and others by bringing attention to this rare disorder. She has collaborated with...

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In this episode, Steve talks with John Cooper from Columbus, Georgia, who is a Physical Therapist Assistant working with the lower limb loss community. John has a particular passion for the work that he does and continues to practice his passion for the last 18 years. John talks about his grandfather, and how his recovery from brain surgery fueled John's passion to help others in rehabilitation. John tells the story about travelling with a below the knee amputee to a conference in Las Vegas, and what he learned from that trip. John also talks...

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Steve interviews Lisa Gausman, a fellow ostomate, and an amazing human being. Lisa noticed she may have had an illness in her teenaged years. Her mother decided to pursue intervention for Lisa, and she was immediately diagnosed with Crohn's disease. She had 15 abdominal surgeries after that diagnosis. She was put on some serious medication at the age of 16. Things started to get worse, and she had 17 more surgeries - leading to getting the ileostomy, and then a serious medical incident - leading to the removal of 17 feet of her GI (gastrointestinal) tract. Lisa...

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Steve and Chris talk with Dr. Marla Inducil, the Director of Medical Research at BC Diabetes in Vancouver. Marla's work focuses on diabetes research, but the three of us talk about various topics including: Type 1 vs. Type 2, eating, shopping and portion control. Exercise, fasting and making good choices at the grocery store. (We previous talked about this topic with Tristan Elliott in Episode 23). The bottom line is: we are all responsible for our own health and making sensible choices to ward off Diabetes, and some of the current medication available to assist the...

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In this episode, Steve talks with Monica Gartner and Walt Lawrence about Faith, Spirituality and God. This discussion is far from preachy - but rather offering some personal perspectives on how people can find their own ways to cope with disabilities; whether it is within their own hearts, in a church, or in their own community. You may recognize Monica from a previous episode - as the Dynamo in a Wheelchair. Monica offers a thoughtful perspective from her own personal experiences. Walt also speaks to his open mindedness as he works as a...

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In this episode, Steve talks with Mike Bolland, who has his own podcast entitled: 'We're not Stumped'. Mike's podcast serves as motivation to share survival stories, recovery journeys, and real-life success stories from the limb loss and disability community. Mike is a one handed cancer survivor and the first person with limb loss to compete on the PBA Tour (Pro Bowling Association), Mike is also a speaker and stand up comedian, using humour and real life experiences to challenge the perceptions around disability. We're not stumped. Not by limb loss. Not by fear...

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In this special episode, Steven welcomes Dr. Michelle Hewitt and Dr. Ricky Manhas to talk about MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying). Michelle gives her perspective as the spouse of a patient who used MAID last year. Michelle is also the Chair of the Disability without Poverty non-profit organization. Dr. Manhas gives his perspective as a Family Doctor who has guided patients who have made this request, and he's also Steve's GP.  It's a very thought provoking episode with a thoughtful discussion outlining the guidelines for MAID, Track 1 vs. Track 2, the compassionate vs. medical a...

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In this special 50th episode of the podcast, Steve talks about the writing of his new book: 'Beyond Green Eyes: The Day I Died, the Life I Began'. The episode starts out with Chris reading the Prologue of the book. If you're interested in hearing more from the book - it is available to purchase on Amazon. (Hardcover, softcover or Kindle)  Beyond Green Eyes: The Day I Died, The Life I Began: Vine, Steven: 9781997730835: Books - Amazon.ca

Steve would like to thank Life Sized Publishing for publishing this book. As a...

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Steve talks with Thomas Exler from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, who was born with a very rare congenital birth defect known as bladder exstrophy. As Tom describes it, his bladder was like a balloon on the outside of his body. He had to have this removed at the age of 4. His mother created the first ostomy group in the world for caregivers of children with this condition. Bladder exstrophy brought Tom numerous challenges, including multiple surgeries and long hospital stays as a child. Yet, it also offered him countless blessings—chief among them, the opportunity to...

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Steve interviews Jared Taylor, from Washington state. In his younger days, Jared's life consisted mainly of construction and skiing. He decided to buckle down and pursue a career as an EMS, working as an emergency medical technician and firefighter. In 2012 he sustained an injury as a trail runner, as he loved the outdoors. While running one day, he experienced a misstep which led to a life changing injury. He required a below the knee amputation in 2015. While going through the process of adjusting to the amputation, Jared found that there was limited support...

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In this episode, Steve talks with Dr. Ghobadi about medical screening. He has experience working in emergency medicine, medical clinics, as well as screening, diagnosing and patient care. He did his schooling and training in his home country of Iran but moved to Canada a few years ago and is continuing to pursue medicine. Steve wanted to talk about this topic, because he feels if he had more screening done for himself, it may have lessened the severity of some of his disabilities. Screening is a great tool to determine if preventative treatment...

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Linda Siegel is a retired professor from the University of British Columbia, who taught educational psychology. In this episode, Linda talks with Steve about dyslexia because she feels this is a very important condition to talk about. Her quote is from a 10 year old boy with dyslexia, which Linda elaborates more in her conversation with Steven. Linda did a lot of research about children and how they struggled with reading, and she also worked in schools trying to help children with their dyslexia. She did her research over 45 years ago, but she finds...

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Steven interviews Evan Starnes who was born totally blind. Evan lives in the Denver, Colorado area, works for the non-profit organization 'Aftersight' and produces and hosts a technology podcast called Blind Level Tech. (And he doesn't mind being called Nerdy Evan). He had a white cane in his hand by the time that he was 3 years old. When you listen to the episode, you will likely think that Evan sounds like he was a scrappy kid with a good attitude. Fast forward a few years later, and he started working with Aftersight; which...

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Erez is an amputee; right leg below the knee - by choice.  Instead of asking himself - Why me or Why did this happen; Erez found a beautiful gift wrapped up in some terrible circumstances. A former elite commando and survivor of three near-death experiences, including a car crash, a heart attack, and a life-changing medical decision to amputate his leg- Erez’s journey from survival to thriving is not just inspirational; it’s instructional. He experienced much pain, adversity and challenges - which eventually led him to his current profession in public speak...

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Steve and Chris talk with Emily and David. Emily Price is the Program Coordinator at CVS (Community Ventures Society) a non-profit organization in Port Moody, British Columbia. The mission of CVS is as follows (from their website): 'To open doors to opportunities for children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families so that they live the life they choose. We are committed to enhancing the quality of our services through advocacy, innovation and collaboration. We strive to inspire the community to join us in creating positive social change.' 

David i...

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Jeff Tiessen is a 45+ years double-arm amputee, Canadian Paralympic gold medalist and world record holder. He is the publisher of 'Thrive' magazine - Living Well with Limb Loss, an award winning journalist with over 1,000 published features to his credit, and multiple recipient of numerous disability related and sports awards. He's an educator, advocate and sought after public speaker. He also hosts a monthly podcast - 'Life and Limb', all about living well with limb loss, sharing lived experiences and practical advice. 

Life & Limb - A monthly podcast about Living Well with L...

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Kent was born with poor vision. He was active in sports as a young person, in spite of his vision issues. As time went on, his vision continually lessened. He had to change career paths a few times because of his vision. He was considered legally blind by the time he was in his 30's. He eventually started to work for the CNIB (Canadian Institute for the Blind) and started a peer support group. Once he went totally blind, he started up his own business which he still manages today. 'Magnify' supplies low...

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Steve and Chris talk with Kari Krogh, PhD Psychology and the founder of Eco Wisdom. Kari's quote from meditation teacher, Tara Brach, has a special meaning for people with disabilities who experience social and systemic barriers (outside the personal body) that shape our experience of living with disability. Within the EcoWisdom Community where accessibility in forest bathing/ shinrin yoku is promoted, we find that nature reminds us that our disabled body/minds are simply a natural expression of biodiversity. As part of Kari’s journey of living with a fluctuating, complex chronic illness di...

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Prior to having ostomy surgery, Janet spent more time in the hospital than out of it. Crohn’s disease had been ravaging her entire digestive system and had necessitated multiple bowel resections. It finally reached a point in 1996 when Janet was in her early twenties and 31 weeks pregnant that the doctors declared that she had reached a point where ostomy surgery was her only option, and it was imperative that they deliver her daughter immediately and give her a jejunostomy. (When you listen, Janet gives great medical explanations). Janet and Steve also discuss in...

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Steve interviews former mayor of Vancouver Sam Sullivan, in an open discussion that gets quite candid. Sam talks about his former political life and his current life with his foundation: The Disability Foundation.  

Sam broke his neck in a 1978 skiing accident, aged 19. He found himself tetraplegic, unable to dress or feed himself, let alone continue playing active sports or making music. Or so it seemed at the time.

Over an intensive 20-year period, Sam built a succession of non-profit groups offering opportunities to people with physical disabilities in Vancouver a...

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Chantal was born with no vision, grew up in Quebec, and moved to British Columbia as a child and she learned how to live with her disability. Chantal loves her involvement and responsibility as she engages with the CCB (Canadian Council of the Blind) BC/Yukon Division. The Canadian Council for the Blind (CCB) is a national organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals who are blind, deaf-blind, or living with low vision through advocacy, support, and community engagement.  Email: ccb@ccbnational.net Toll-Free: 1 877-304-0968

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In this episode, the last guest on our show (Walter Lawrence from GF Strong), interviews Steve! Walt asks Steve some very intimate questions about Steve's recovery, outlook, goals and his future. Walt's experience as a mentor and counsellor at GF Strong, makes him a very curious and straightforward interviewer. Steve shows his vulnerability as he reflects on his life post his accident. We hope that you enjoy listening to this special episode during the holiday season. 

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In this episode, Steve talks with Walt Lawrence from GF Strong rehabilitation hospital. When he was 17 years old, he took a dive in shallow water off a seawall, hit the bottom and broke his neck. Walt instantly because a quadriplegic. In the hospital in Kelowna, he was hooked up to a ventilator, and he could not speak. He remained positive that he was going to get through this. Walt wondered how his parents coped with his injuries; but he just knew that he could count on them. An educator by nature, he would...

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In this episode, Steve talks with Zafira Nanji who is a caregiver on many different levels. Besides her son who is neurodivergent, which can be an exploding controversy in some circles; Zafira has also had challenges with her parents' health, their passing, and her own grief. She is a doula, a human resources manager and an author of children's books. Her motto is 'Have Fun' (inspired by her father) and 'Never alone' (inspired by her mother). These phrases are indelible to Zafira as permanent tattoos on her arm in her parent's own handwriting...

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In this episode, Steve talks with Agust who lives in Iceland. Our guest has had 2 serious conditions: Ostomy care and bouts of manic episodes. He's had a very challenging life as he was affected with manic episodes when he was 19 years old. He also dealt with colitis and cancer, which led to the removal of his colon and getting an ostomy. He is an avid mountaineer and leads an active outdoor lifestyle. The news of his health challenges was very difficult. To help in his healing process, he started to move and get...

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In this episode, Steve interviews Deborah James Sabo - a student of Therapeutic Recreation, which is therapy designed to improve the health, wellbeing, and quality of life of the individual seeking help with cognitive challenges. Debra has a diverse background, but found her interest to be in the emerging field of therapeutic recreation. She is working mostly with older adults with dementia; but the other areas that she also works with are children, youth, mental health and workplace wellness. She enjoys helping other people and seeing their quality of life improving, with the...

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As a younger man, Marty was into sports big time. He eventually worked in the tech industry as a technician for Apple.  He slowly lost his vision completely. Marty eventually applied his technical experience into 2 Podcasts entitled 'Unmute' and 'Code Orange' (on the Aftersight Network). Unmute is a podcast focused on technology for blind and visually impaired users. Code Orange is the disability inclusive guide to emergency preparedness for the blind and low-vision community. No hype - just what to do before, during and after a crisis.  You think your life is tiring? Tr...

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Steven talks with Seaver Stafford, a representative from the Neil Squire Society, a Canadian national not-for-profit organization that helps Canadians with disabilities through advocacy, computer-based, assistive technology, research and development, and various employment programs. There are four locations across Canada. Seaver also hosts a podcast on Spotify "We have solutions"

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Unedited, uncensored, and raw. Please join Steven and Chris as we warmly reflect the project’s first year, including memories of: unforeseen challenges, memorable episodes, and other anecdotal stories. All said with a sense of humor and candor over a bottle of bubbly. Don’t miss the announcement at the end (before the abrupt ending)

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Steve has a candid discussion with Andy Manson, a recently retired Ostomy nurse about the crappy and not so crappy sides of having and caring for an Ostomy You will find topics that you can slide right into, it's a slippery slope - but Steve and Andy think you won't find anything stinky about this episode. After all, as Andy reminds us: it's just poop. HOME - Ostomy Canada Society