2: Locked-In
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What are the content warnings for this podcast?
Blink is intended for mature audiences as it discusses topics that can be upsetting, such as drug use, sexual assault, and emotional and physical violence. Content warnings for each episode are included in the show notes. Resources for drug addiction and domestic abuse can be found in the show notes and on our website, BlankThePodcast.com. The testimonies and opinions expressed by guests of the show are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of myself or affiliates of this podcast. Any individuals mentioned in the episode are presumed innocent until proven guilty in the court of law unless explicitly stated otherwise. Fear. It's a primal emotion that has been an inseparable part of the human experience since the dawn of our existence. It is both a protector and a tormentor, guiding us away from danger while often chaining us to our anxieties. Fear keeps us safe. Yet, when it comes to our health, fear does not necessarily aid in our survival. You have a rare disease that's eating away at your brain.
You're given six months to live. And no, this is not your search results on WebMD. But being told this is certainly scary, and it's a reminder of just how little control we have, and a reminder of the impermanence of life, the fragility of our bodies. Sometimes diseases cannot be conquered, and fear cannot be overcome. Dark, I know, but this is what happened to Jake. Just weeks earlier, Jake's life was normal. Well, I mean, as normal as it could be. He lived at home with his wife. He went to work every day. He spent time with friends and family. He took romantic getaways and he traveled frequently. But Jake was also an addict and his addiction resulted in an extremely rare brain disease, a death sentence. His body shut down at a rapid speed.
A few weeks was all it took for Jake to go from walking and talking to relying on others to carry him and make all the medical decisions. Jake and those around him struggled to figure out what to do for him in the short window of time they had before Jake would inevitably become paralyzed, slip into a coma, and die. Losing Jake. Now, that was a fear that was shared by everyone around him.
What happens when Jake receives his diagnosis?
Or so he thought. This is Blank. I'm your host, Corinne Vienne.
I'm Jake Handel. This is my story. I was becoming horribly contracted I couldn't walk to the bathroom I had to be carried I was in extreme pain so it wasn't like some rosy picnic eating blueberries My wife, Ellen, is advocating pretty strongly with the therapist in coming up with these ideas, strategies. She wouldn't accept there's nothing. She's like, what about this? She would like look up things online. And she found Spalding Rehab. And I never heard of Spalding in my life. And she was advocating to get me into Spalding Rehab.
Spalding Rehab, the third best rehabilitation hospital in the U.S., which just so happens to be in Boston, where Jake lives. But Jake wasn't able to get into Spalding quite yet. At this moment in time, he was being cared for by Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital. And over the next few months, Jake would transfer from hospital to hospital. He'd spend time in different rehab centers and even spend time at home. Throughout this time, his wife continued to advocate for him.
She had this great ability to sense what I wanted. I thought that was amazing, this telepathy connection. And she could just know things when no one else knew things. She always decorated my room pretty festively, tried to do like fun things. She brought a bunch of her girlfriends over and they brought some karaoke machine and they were like singing karaoke for me. It was kind of cool. I remember some family coming to Fairlawn, and particularly my Uncle Michael. He was someone I was always very close to and had a partying relationship with, among other things. Shout out, Uncle Mike. What up, big dog? He had like a pint of Smirnoff vodka with him. This pissed my wife off so much. Even though I was in like no place to, you know, drink, everything has to be kept away from Jake.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What are the content warnings for this podcast?
0:00–2:20
2
What happens when Jake receives his diagnosis?
2:20–5:46
3
How did Jake’s wife advocate for his treatment?
5:46–7:44
4
What challenges did Jake face during rehabilitation?
7:44–13:55
5
How did Jake's condition affect his relationship with his wife?
13:55–22:45
6
What significant events occurred on Jake's birthday?
22:45–31:51
7
What led to Jake needing a tracheostomy?
31:51–36:12