Shining Brightly

Episode Summary – "YOU CAN’T CHANGE YOUR LIFE – UNTIL YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND” in Episode 52 of the Shining Brightly Podcast show (links in the comments), titled, “LOSING MY MIND - FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA (FTD)” please meet my very special guest, Kris Bowring. He is a son, husband, and father. bass player, VP and business executive, motorcycle rider and SO MUCH MORE. He lived with ME and the MYSTERY of what was going on with his health. The secret he was told to hide. Finally. He was diagnosed after 18 long months and stuttering lead his doctors to finally figure it out, he has FTD. This quiet and hard to diagnose disease has severe symptoms of aphasia (loss of the ability to understand or express speech, caused by brain damage). Hollywood actor Bruce Willis (caregiver angel - wife Emma) was diagnosed with FTD after 3 long years. Hear Kris’s story for the first time on a podcast of how his life has been changed and he is living with FTD and what he has learned. Join me to learn about Kris’ courageous story (caregiver angel – wife Cassie). Please listen, download, review and share this incredible episode.

Mentioned Resources

Kris Bowring - LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenbowring/

Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration

https://www.theaftd.org/

National Aphasia Association

https://www.aphasia.org/

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/frontotemporal-disorders

About the guest –

Kris Bowring, and I have FTD. Currently, I have a Logogenic Variant PPA. My brain damage is in the Frontal, Temporal, and Parietal Lobes of each with various damage. I will be very honest, authentic, and fair. I felt that the Global FTD Awareness Week was the perfect time to tell my short story. Me and the mystery. I was a Vice President of Innovation and Development, it was a decent job, but I wasn’t the me, I knew I should be. My wife knew something was wrong, at one point we thought it was Meniere's disease symptoms of Vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss. Still, I worked harder, and she watched while I began to be slightly paranoid. I left the company. Shortly after the job loss, I decided to have an outpatient surgery procedure since I had time. My time with the Doctor showed no illness or anything else. I was PERFECT. She asked, “If there were any other questions,” and my response was “I’ve heard about long-term COVID-causing stuttering, I’ve never stuttered.”  She must have noticed as well, and she scheduled a neurologist immediately. Seemed every test required blood work. Our doctor was very aware when I told her I was stuttering, I have never stuttered in my life, but it is a big symptom. We met with the Surgeon, several tests, and two MRI reviews. Then I was sent to a Neuropsychological Therapist and took five hours of crazy testing brain testing and puzzles. My PET Scan was on Valentine's Day 2023 and the results were in, I have Frontal, Temporal, and Parietal damage. All this work on and around me, the doctors, nurses, PA’s all did great work. The teams knew what to do. It took only 10 months to have the complete diagnosis. This is not what so many don’t experience, 3.6 years is way too long. We simply need to get the right people in place to understand, more people in the system need to know more. Terminal? Yes, it is. How long do I have, the answer is we don't know. During that same period, we needed to manage the insurance, financial resources, and the government for disability services and state services. There is a cost to all the needed Services. There is tremendous pressure, time, and anxiety. The anguish FTD creates, in all the mess, all the anxiety, all the anxious worry at 3:57 AM. FTD won’t reveal what will happen, what are the likely deficits in functions coming, how much time, and the anger. This is where I privately cry, it will break any man or woman. This is the end of you, this is the end of your ego, and you crash into your broken default behavior. It’s just you. Alone and enormous.

The Quiet did Come. We had a terrible 2022 year, but then two angels came to my battle-worn ego. They rescued me and turned me into a Yes-Man. Are we happy, in general, maybe, we have our moments, and those moments are creating more. I do have Miracles, and I walk beside them every day, and I cannot believe the caliber of my miracles, and friendship. Do I have a worthy purpose? Yes, and working, FTD is a known unknown, and many doctors, neurologists, and neural surgeons need to get known. Corporations need to know the people who directly interface with the Patient.

About the Host:

Howard Brown is a best-selling author, award-winning international speaker, Silicon Valley entrepreneur, interfaith peacemaker, and a two-time stage IV cancer survivor. He is also a sought-after speaker and consultant for corporate businesses, nonprofits, congregations, and community groups. Howard has co-founded two social networks that were the first to connect religious communities around the world. He is a nationally known patient advocate and “cancer whisperer” to many families. Howard, his wife Lisa, and daughter Emily currently reside in Michigan, and his happy place is on the basketball court.

Website

Http://www.shiningbrightly.com

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