Ever wonder how the sausage gets made? In this episode, Dr. Amy and Lance take you backstage and discuss Maine bill LD1688, An Act to Encourage Continuing Education Relating to Certain Infection-Associated Chronic Conditions for Physicians and Nurses. It's like your own modern-day ⁠Schoolhouse Rock⁠! Dr. Amy reads her Bangor Daily News Op-Ed wherein she introduces the bill and we share our recent experience testifying in favor of it. We also share why we think it's so important for providers to become better educated about these conditions, why (we think) they are against this effort (even though we think they should be in favor of it), and what roles patients can play in this effort.

5 YEARS AND TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS LATER, WE'RE STILL UNAWARE OF THE FULL EXTENT OF COVID

If you knew there was an illness costing the global economy ⁠$1 trillion⁠ per year, would you want to combat it? What if you learned this illness cost the U.S. economy ⁠$3.7 trillion⁠ over the past five years? Would it make a difference to know that an estimated ⁠400 million⁠ people are affected globally or that ⁠one-quarter of U.S. Marines⁠ are now experiencing long-term decreases in functional performance because of this illness, or that ⁠more than 272,000⁠ Mainers are impacted?

The illness I’m describing is Long COVID, a chronic condition lasting months to years following an initial period of COVID-19 infection. Continues at ⁠https://www.bangordailynews.com/2025/03/18/opinion/opinion-contributor/were-still-unaware-of-the-full-extent-of-covid-joam40zk0w/⁠.

The bill we discuss: ⁠Maine's LD1688⁠, An Act to Encourage Continuing Education Relating to Certain Infection-Associated Chronic Conditions for Physicians and Nurses

Lance is back, baby!!! Oh, how we've missed him! This week, Dr. Amy offers her first report from the field in her effort to spread kindness and give fewer f*cks in this, the year of our Lord Saint Dolly Parton 2025 (I guess the year of our Lord Saint Dolly Parton is technically 79 since she was born that many years ago but whatever). This may sound like a simple enough task - Be kind! Let them! (To borrow a phrase from Mel Robbins, who borrowed - ahem stole - a phrase from Cassie Phillips). But throw in a chronic illness (an invisible one, no less), a crappy medical system, and a whole bunch of institutions and individuals who don't get it and, well, YOU get it.

REPORT FROM THE FIELD

A month or so ago I pronounced this my year of spreading kindness and giving fewer f*cks. Look! Here I am, basking in the glow of all that dimwitted naivety!

"Hi! I'm Amy. This year I'm leaning into spreading kindness and giving fewer f*cks. Can these two seemingly disparate goals be accomplished simultaneously? Stay tuned!"

Had I understood the enormity of this challenge, I may not have set such a lofty goal. Then again, tell me something is going to be tough, or even better - terrifying and possibly even impossible - and I'm first in line to prove you wrong.

In said pronouncement, I inferred with my “stay tuned” ending that I would keep y'all posted as I go about this mission. Thus, as promised, here's a report from each of a variety of social institutions/bureaucracies I've had the pleasure of interacting with in the past few weeks.

Continues at ⁠https://amyblackstonephd.substack.com/p/report-from-the-field⁠

You know that thing in our outro where we say we drop a new episode every Friday, Long COVID willing? Well this week, Long COVID just isn't willing so instead we have a new-ISH episode for you! There's a very important message at the beginning wherein Dr. Amy introduces Maine bill LD1688 - the thing keeping us from dropping said brand spankin' new episode this week AND a bill that we hope will soon become law! Why? Because it would require Maine's medical licensing organizations to encourage providers to seek out Continuing Medical Education focused on Infection-Associated Chronic Conditions like Long COVID (and many others). Check out info on the bill at the links below.

Also this week, a higher quality version of one of our earliest - and currently least listened to (we suspect due to earlier poor audio quality) - episodes! Please listen. It's one of Amy's favorites because she wants everyone who cares about anyone with a chronic illness to hear it. There's always so much we want to share and do and say and so little capacity to do it. Here, she tries to explain.

This is also a very special episode because Dr. Amy's work with her students is and will always be one of the greatest joys and privileges of her life. As the current semester comes to an end, she's feeling especially gushy - and grateful - about that part of her journey. If you are or have been a student or mentee of mine - I love you. I thank you.

Dr. Amy reads "I Love You. I'm Sorry." from her Substack then she and Lance discuss how chronic illness can make you feel like you're letting everybody in your life down, maintaining relationships when you're too sick to move, and making peace with it all.

I LOVE YOU. I'M SORRY.

If I could implant an electronic ticker tape across my forehead, these are the words I’d string across that broad expanse. I should also add them to my email and text headers and footers. And perhaps to a billboard outside my house. You see, as a chronic illness-having person, I’ve learned that time with my peeps is so very precious. I wish I could express to each and every one of you just how much I love you and how very sorry I am that I haven’t been and can’t be more present.

Continues at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amyblackstonephd.substack.com/p/i-love-you-im-sorry⁠⁠⁠.

ABOUT MAINE BILL LD1688: An Act to Encourage Continuing Education Relating to Certain Infection-associated Chronic Conditions for Physicians and Nurses

⁠Text of the bill⁠

⁠Hearing information⁠

⁠Info on how/when/where to testify⁠

⁠Patient-Led Research Collaborative statement of support