Caregiving strips you bare—it tests your patience, your humor, your strength, and your love. That’s what I learned talking with Mark Steven Porro, who cared for his mother during the final stretch of her life and turned it into a powerful, painfully funny, and deeply human memoir. Mark didn’t sugarcoat the hard stuff—he carried her, fed her, changed her, and sometimes got peed on mid-diaper-change. But he also found grace in the chaos, beauty in her smile, and humor in everything from rosary beads repaired with hot glue to a cup of tea made on a commode. His story reminded me that caregiving isn’t just about duty—it’s about connection, transformation, and showing up with love even when your tank feels empty.

About Our Guest:

Mark Steven Porro, a New Jersey native (Exit 163), earned an Industrial Design degree from The Ohio State University. After years of agency work, his love of acting led him to Hollywood, where he appeared in dozens of television, film, and stage productions. Mark also spent his twenty-eight years in Tinseltown, entrepreneuring. He started five non-profit companies. But hold the applause, none were intended to be. He now lives in the South of France. But hold your pity. He of sound mind and body chose to suffer in the heart of wine country where the locals insist his French isn’t so bad—at least that’s what he thinks they’re saying.

Mark is an award-winning designer, writer, director, and now a best-selling, award-winning author. He has written lots of jokes, several screenplays, and one award-winning short film. A Cup of Tea on the Commode—a sad, sweet, and funny debut memoir—chronicles his multitasking adventures of filling his mother’s last years with love, laughter, and joy. Though not always successful, he came pretty damn close.

Social Media Links:

• Choose your favorite bookstore to order - https://books2read.com/u/bPN7Pd
• Our website - https://acupofteaonthecommode.org/
• Our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/teaonthe
• Our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@acupofteaonthecommode
• Our Distributor (Independent Publishers Group) - https://www.ipgbook.com/

“This author weaves his stories together, employing a wickedly humorous skill not unlike that of David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs” — Five-Star Amazon review

• 2025 Independent Press Award Winner
• 2025 Feathered Quill Book Awards Finalist
• 2024 Best Indie Book Award Winner
• 2024 NYC Big Book Award Winner
• 2024 Paris Book Festival Winner
• 2024 Living Now Book Awards Winner
• 2024 International Book Awards Winner
• 2024 IndieReader Discovery Award Winner
• 2024 Book Excellence Award Winner
• 2024 Firebird Book Award Winner
• 2024 Eric Hoffer Book Award Finalist
• 2024 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards Finalist
• 2024 National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist
• 2024 American BookFest Awards Finalist
• 2024 Chanticleer International Awards Finalist

About...

No one trains you for the moment your child’s life changes forever—but what you do with that moment can define everything. I spoke with Dr. Maggie Kang and her remarkable daughter Nell, whose rare disease journey sparked a powerful shift from despair to advocacy, healing, and hope. As a caregiver, Maggie learned that taking care of herself made her a stronger support for Nell. Together, they transformed isolation into purpose—Nell through writing, art, and legislative action, and Maggie by embracing coaching and sharing hard-won insights with other parents. Their story is a raw, beautiful reminder that caregiving isn’t about fixing—it’s about showing up, evolving, and growing together, no matter how uncertain the road looks.

Freebie: https://maggiekangmd.com/caregiver

About Our Guests:

Dr. Maggie Kang Certified Life and Healthcare Coach | Rare Disease Advocate | TEDx Speaker Dr. Maggie Kang is a Yale-trained physician and certified life and healthcare coach who empowers parents to transform the journey of their child’s diagnosis into opportunities for growth, resilience, and purpose. After navigating her own daughter’s rare disease, Maggie also uses her expertise to guide parents through the healthcare system, helping them turn health challenges into leadership. A passionate advocate and TEDx speaker with nearly 200,000 views, Maggie has reached national audiences through her inspiring talks. She has spoken at the UCLA Luskin Center and the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), and her daughter’s journey has been featured on CBS Evening News. Maggie is also a regular contributor to Psychology Today.

Social Media Links:

• Link to TEDx talk: The Truth About Pain and Suffering Will Change Your Life | Maggie Kan…
• TEDx reel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_JYN91dlIM
• Website: https://maggiekangmd.com/
• Specific link to my Lobster Mom Collective newsletter: https://maggiekangmd.com/lobstermom
• FB: https://www.facebook.com/maggiekangmd/
• LinkedIn:http://linkedin.com/in/maggiekangmd36
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maggiekangmd/

About Me:

I have cared for many family members across the life span, experiencing the joys and challenges of child-rearing, the poignance of caring for parents, friends, and elder partners. I realized that I could not handle the stress of family caregiving 24/7/365. It was time for a new approach to caring. My health and happiness were slipping away. This is how Think to Thrive for Caregivers evolved. Let your mind meet your heart so you don’t lose track of your life.

Connect with Me:

https://www.deborahgreenhut.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahgreenhut01/

Find my books here

Thanks for...

Success doesn’t follow a straight path—it flows from self-awareness, surrender, and listening to that inner nudge that won’t be quiet. I sat down with Susan Bloom, a powerhouse coach and former therapist who helps women unlock their deep truth and shift into the life they were born to lead. What makes her approach even more magical? Horses. Susan guides transformational breakthroughs through equine therapy, where the presence of these intuitive animals reflects exactly what we need to see in ourselves. We got into how to stop forcing outcomes, tune into intuition, and trust the timing of change. Her journey from burnout to bold alignment lit a fire in me—and it’ll do the same for anyone feeling stuck or small. Overwhelmed caregivers can benefit from learning to trust themselves—a necessary tool for self care.

About Our Guest:

Susan Bloom is a Master Equine Gestaltist and lifelong horsewoman committed to transforming the lives of doctors and caregivers by helping them reconnect—with themselves, their patients, and their communities. Drawing on personal experience and professional training, Susan supports others in reducing stress, enhancing well-being, and fostering better patient outcomes.

Her journey began in western Kansas, where she grew up as the daughter of the only doctor in a small town. Witnessing the toll caregiving took on her father left a lasting impression, which deepened years later when she became the full-time caregiver for her husband, a farmer diagnosed with multiple life-threatening conditions. Over five years and more than 57,000 miles of travel to leading medical institutions, Susan found strength and clarity through the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method®—a modality she was training in during the most difficult years of her husband’s illness and through her own breast cancer diagnosis.

Today, Susan is the founder of Connection and Synergy, LLC, where she combines over 50 years of experience with horses, a B.A. in Communications, and intensive Gestalt training to offer equine-assisted workshops and coaching. Her programs focus on leadership, team building, and emotional resilience—creating space for healthcare professionals and caregivers to reconnect, recharge, and thrive.

Social Media Links:

• SusanB@ConnectionAndSynergy.com
• https://connectionandsynergy.com/

About Me:

I have cared for many family members across the life span, experiencing the joys and challenges of child-rearing, the poignance of caring for parents, friends, and elder partners. I realized that I could not handle the stress of family caregiving 24/7/365. It was time for a new approach to caring. My health and happiness were slipping away. This is how Think to Thrive for Caregivers evolved. Let your mind meet your heart so you don’t lose track of your life.

Connect with Me:

https://www.deborahgreenhut.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahgreenhut01/

Find my books here

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.

Do you have some feedback or...