An interview with Melissa Miller The Marathon of Caring for a Chronically Ill Loved One & Epilepsy Awareness on July 12, 2024.
Biography:
Hi! I’m Melissa Miller. I have 15 years of prior experience as a Certified Nursing Assistant where I worked primarily in Long-Term Care facilities. My caregiving journey began unexpectedly when my husband started experiencing unexplained seizures. Unable to return to work due to his health, I decided to create my own business. It was the only option that gave me the flexibility I needed as a Spousal Caregiver and Stay-at-home. What started as a blog became my passion: caregivingentrepreneurship.com. Today, as the host of the Caregiver & Entrepreneurship Reimagined Podcast, I help entrepreneurs caring for chronically ill loved ones balance their caregiving and business roles by helping them create stress-free systems. I believe it doesn’t have to be a choice between caregiving and entrepreneurship – you can do both!
Please tell me a little about your background.
I have 15 years prior experience as a Certified Nursing Assistant and have personally cared for my grandmother and Father the last two years of their lives and my husband following his diagnosis of Epilepsy four years ago. I also am a full-time Stay at home Mom to our five-year-old daughter.
Can you tell me more about your Advocacy?
I began my business to help other entrepreneurs who are struggling with balancing their business while learning to care for a chronically ill loved one be it a spouse, aging parent or grandparent, or child. Through my website, blog, podcast, and coaching program I am passionate about helping other caregivers feel less isolated, alone, and that it’s possible to balance the needs of their loved ones and clients without sacrificing their own well-being.
What is your passion and how did you get involved in Epilepsy awareness and hope for a cure?
I got involved in advocating for epilepsy and chronic illness due to my own experiences in seeing my parents deal with chronic health issues and my husband being diagnosed with epilepsy without any prior medical history as a child or in his family history. Chronic illness can touch anyone at any age and impact the whole family.
What type of goals do individuals with Epilepsy have when seeing your Advocacy?
To hopefully raise better awareness for Epilepsy and chronic illness in general as we need more awareness for better treatments if not cure and support for the caregivers who are managing it lots of the time alone.
What type of training and how long are the programs?
My three-month small group Coaching Program Caregiving & Entrepreneurship Reimagined is meant for 5-6 caregivers who are struggling with balancing their needs, and their loved ones and building their online business. Inside this program I teach them how to create simple, stress-free systems using my PROMPT framework with a blend of 1:1 and group coaching support.
What effect can your Advocacy have on an individual with Epilepsy?
By raising awareness that it doesn’t matter your age, race, or medical history, chronic illnesses like Epilepsy impact 1 in 20 people, and 20% who are diagnosed have no medical history of seizures disorders or epilepsy. It just happens for no explained reason.
What would you like to see as a future goal for your Advocacy?
Scaling my business to help more people like in a mastermind setting and my podcast and other speaking opportunities world-wide to spread awareness and support.
What events do you participate in?
I have participated in other podcast swaps, freebie swaps, and bundles collaborations.
How does this also assist the caregivers?
It gives them resources and tips from the perspective of not just my professional experience but personal experience plus support of the caregivers or businesses, etc.
How can someone get in touch? What is your website?
Shoot me an email at melissamiller@tyrosupermom.com or a direct message on my website at https://www.caregivingentrepreneurshipreimagined.com
How can others also become advocates for awareness?
By sharing their stories, I am currently looking for other caregivers to share their experiences on my podcast Caregiving & Entrepreneurship Reimagined. Email me at melissamiller@tyrosupermom.com for more information.
In your opinion, what is the key to effective advocacy?
Just continuing to share our experiences and those of others so they feel seen, and heard, and at a national and global level we start to see changes for better research for treatments and cures and support for the caregivers caring for the chronically ill. Your story and voice matter and can inspire someone else!
How can we better fundraise to support a cure for Epilepsy?
Continuing to push locally, nationally, and globally that more and more people are daily diagnosed with epilepsy and numerous other chronic illnesses that don’t have a standard treatment that they can test for in diagnosing or better yet a cure!
What other activities do you undertake to help improve and support your daily living Eg exercise and alternative remedies?
I drink a lot of water, take supplements to manage my IBS and thyroid disease, exercise for 15 minutes a day and listen to devotional meditations and read my bible and journal on scripture I read, and knit and read books.
Why should people who don’t have Epilepsy care about this?
Because you never know, perhaps one day it will be them or a family or friend that is diagnosed with epilepsy.
Have you had any family members or relatives affected by Epilepsy?
My husband’s stepfather also has epilepsy but other than him and my husband I haven’t had anyone in my family deal with seizures or epilepsy.
If you had one song that would tell us more about you or represent your life, which song would it be?
Joy In The Morning By Tauren Wells as it talks about how God isn’t done with me yet and that he is still good, faithful and that with each morning comes new hope and meaning despite all the challenges my family and I have been through.
If you had one final statement or quote you could leave for the Epilepsy community, what would it be?
“You’re not alone. You’re doing the best you can. No one knows your loved one better than you do. Give yourself grace on the hard days and celebrate and enjoy the good days! And remember you can’t fill from an empty cup. Taking care of your mind, body, and soul will allow you to continue to care for your loved one and advocate for better treatment options, cures and support for fellow caregivers caring for loved ones diagnosed with epilepsy or any chronic illness.