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This Is Not How It Should Be: Dr. Carolyn Foster’s Path to Redesigning Pediatric Home Care

The moment that changed everything wasn’t particularly loud. Dr. Carolyn Foster was a third-year medical student, doing rounds on the pediatric complex care unit. A mother was speaking up, clearly, calmly, and urgently, trying her best to explain and convey something concerning her child’s health status. But the team wasn’t listening. At least not really. … Read more

Ep 13: The Caregivers Are (Bleeping) Overwhelmed

We’re back with coffee, chaos, and maybe a few choice words, and diving straight into what feels like the collective caregiver mood of 2025: utter overwhelm. Between policy threats, service cuts, and the general sense that the ground keeps shifting beneath us, it’s no wonder so many caregivers are running on fumes. In this episode, we … Read more

Caregivers Are the Experts: Tovah Feehan’s Story of Listening, Learning, and Showing Up for Families

“Families have always been my greatest teachers, I carry what they’ve taught me into every setting I work in.” Tovah Feehan’s path into the world of medically complex care didn’t start with a textbook or a formal training. It started with a question: How do we make therapy meaningful for the whole family? It came … Read more

I Know Medicaid Keeps My Kid Alive and My Family Together, But I Don’t Always Know How to Explain It

What You Need to Know (and Say) About Medicaid Right Now If you’re raising a disabled or medically complex child, you probably already know this truth: Medicaid is the reason your medically fragile child is alive, and the reason your family is together. It’s not just an insurance card. It’s the ventilator that keeps your child … Read more

Hour by Hour: A Story of Grief and Growth

My caregiver origin story began with what felt like a random medical fluke. I had two healthy pregnancies, two smooth births, and life was wonderfully chaotic with two young children. One night, after the usual bedtime routines, we tucked in our toddler and 7-month-old, believing we’d wake to another ordinary day. But the next morning, … Read more

The Caregiver Experience of Medical Discrimination: You’re Not Alone, And You’re Not Powerless

Not long ago, we asked our community to share if they’d ever experienced inappropriate comments and interactions with medical providers. We were expecting a few responses that we could shake our heads at together. While both of us at Caffeinated Caregivers have had firsthand experience of discrimination in healthcare settings, we still weren’t prepared for … Read more

Medicaid Myths and Misconceptions around Medically Complex Families

When it comes to Medicaid, we’re hearing a lot of talking points and not all of them are totally accurate… So we’re going to break down some of the most common misconceptions so caregivers can be informed and empowered when discussing this crucial program. Misconception #1: “Medically complex and disabled kids automatically qualify for Medicaid.” … Read more

Caregivers, Our Voices Matter!

…And it’s the most powerful tool we have! Caregivers of medically complex children know what it means to fight. We fight for services, for medical supplies, for nursing support, for accessible education, and for policies that allow our children to receive care at home. Every aspect of our lives requires advocacy, persistence, and resilience. Everything … Read more

Ep 12: From Hospital to Home: What They Don’t Tell You (and what we’ve been doing the last six months!)

We’re back and ready to dive into the community complaint department! In this episode, we catch you up on our six-month hiatus (spoiler: it’s been a mix of zero-fun medical stuff and a few bright moments). Erica’s disappointed with Alyssa’s coffee fail, but we’re making up for it with real talk about the challenges caregivers … Read more

Between Breaths: A Caregiver’s Journey Through Grief, Love, and Resilience

I can still feel the summer of 2015 in my bones, when everything began to fall apart. The moment when my carefully constructed, seemingly perfect life shattered. Even now, fragments of that time float up, like bubbles rising to the surface, bursting with sharp memories that make me wince, my eyes welling up with tears. … Read more