Too Peas In A Podcast Mandy Hose and Kate Mulholland

It's International Pea Week, Day 2 and Mandy and Kate chat to Kelly, ( in their nighties gifted from Kelly ) a mum of 4 and the owner and founder of Comfort on the Spectrum. Kelly introduces us to her family and her son Max who has a diagnosis of Norrie Disease which means Max has been blind from birth. He was also diagnosed autistic at 8 years old. Max spent lots of his younger years learning skills including braille and was in mainstream primary school. This meant a lot of advocacy for Kelly. For secondary schooling, Max attends a specialist school where he is thriving. Kelly began Comfort on the Spectrum in covid lockdown Melbourne, due to Max having a limited amount of clothing that he preferred to wear. Kelly's mum made the prototype and Kelly now has the clothing manufactured overseas to access the bamboo and the unique flat seams, that are unable to to made here in Australia. Kelly is so proud of her products and know that they have changed many a persons life. She is excited by her new design which is a hoodie with a chewy tube attached. You can find Kelly at www.comfortonthespectrum.com.au. Please thanks Kelly for chatting with us. Plus:  Listen to our Spotify playlist –Too Peas: Songs Our Guest Peas LoveJoin our Facebook HangoutFind us on YouTubeBuy our book The Invisible Life Of Us!Leave us a speakpipe Help spread the love for Too Peas by rating and reviewing us!Melbourne forecast for Tuesday May 7 - Partly cloudy, 17 degrees

For Day 1 of International Pea Week, Mandy and Kate chat with Chloe - the self-described all-rounder and big heavy metal fan!  Chloe is the proud sister of a brother with autism, she’s also a disability support worker and a volunteer with the Melbourne West Special Olympics team.  Chloe’s life mission is to pay it forward and make the world a better place!Mandy met Chloe while she was volunteering as Team Support at the 2022 Special Olympic National Games and became a fan of her big heart, commitment and enthusiasm in supporting the athletes night and day. Chloe chats a bit about her childhood growing up with her brother, how much she enjoys the flexibility of support work and the opportunities she’s had to coach, volunteer and travel to Europe through the Special Olympics. Chloe encourages anyone under age 30 to consider a career in support work, as every day is different, you’re out in the community rather than stuck behind a screen and you come home knowing that you’re the reason for making someone else’s day. Thanks for chatting with us Chloe! Plus:  Listen to our Spotify playlist –Too Peas: Songs Our Guest Peas LoveJoin our Facebook HangoutFind us on YouTubeBuy our book The Invisible Life Of Us!Leave us a speakpipe Help spread the love for Too Peas by rating and reviewing us!Melbourne forecast for Monday May 6  - Cloud clearing, 19 degrees 

One of our last snap peas ... we love to hear your beautiful speak ("speed") pipes. Thank you for sending them peas.

Kate and Mandy chat to Trish, pea mum of three children diagnosed with autism and ADHD, with her oldest child also diagnosed with a pathological demand avoidance (PDA) profile. Trish talks about the journey of diagnosis, which began when her eldest peashoot was in high school and just as COVID was beginning. This then sparked her own journey towards an adult diagnoses of ADHD, and the game-changing experience of taking medication for the first time.Trish also chats about parenting her peashoots along with continuing her rewarding career as a paediatric retrieval nurse. In her role, Trish travels across South Australia to collect sick kids from regional hospitals to transfer them to receive higher levels of care. Trish shares all about the highs and lows and precious moments with her peashoots, and shares some wisdom she’s learned along the way.  Thank you for sharing your story with us Trish! Plus:  Listen to our Spotify playlist –Too Peas: Songs Our Guest Peas LoveJoin our Facebook HangoutFind us on YouTubeBuy our book The Invisible Life Of Us!Leave us a speakpipe Help spread the love for Too Peas by rating and reviewing us!Melbourne forecast for Thursday May 2  - Partly cloudy,  17 degrees

Mandy and Kate talk to Sonja, a self proclaimed Norwegian princess and introduces us to her gorgeous daughter Emmy who lives with Patau Syndrome or Trisomy 13. Emmy was born 7 weeks prematurely, in a dramatic entrance which has paved the way for Emmy's life so far. Sonja shares the story of Emmys birth, her time in SCN and the genetic testing and diagnosis of Patau Syndrome and the mosaic nature of the results. This time was gut wrenching whilst Emmy was in hospital and they couldn't be together.She came home at 6.5 weeks and was healthy and growing beautifully. Sonja began the journey of hip dysplasia and microcephaly initially and had a hip brace and avoided a head brace. Emmy then got her nickname as baby Elton John with her first pair of glasses.Sonja grew up in America, and lives in Melbourne, so her family came to Australia with their family heirloom gown for Emmy to wear at her christening. It was a very special time.Sonja was told to google Patau Syndrome/Trisomy 13 by her Doctor and she found it affects one in 4000 - 20,000 people. Emmy's geneticist told Sonja that her results had not been found in anyone else in the world and now that Emmy is older, they have met another little boy from QLD.Emmy has had some significant respiratory illness in her life and at age 3, she was extremely unwell and had a cardiac arrest in the ambulance on the way to RCH and thankfully was resuscitated and recovered. She had many respiratory admissions to hospital for many years.Emmy began schooling in mainstream, and then moved to a specialist school in grade one which coincided by covid 2020. Emmy enjoys school and is now in grade 6.Emmy is dramatic, friendly, be anyones best friend, she is a storyteller with a terrific memory. She is a Special Olympics athlete and loves being a part of it. She is now heading into the secondary school with a new diagnosis of Autism and Intellectual Disability and the tours for the schools have began.Sonja is a florist and loves using the creative part of her brain. She is pausing her florist business at the moment, but follow her for when she returns.Thank you for sharing your story Sonja.You can find and follow Sonja on Instagram @sonjabarrettgibbons and @sonjagibbonsfloraldesignPlus:  Listen to our Spotify playlist –Too Peas: Songs Our Guest Peas LoveJoin our Facebook HangoutFind us on YouTubeBuy our book The Invisible Life Of Us!Leave us a speakpipe Help spread the love for Too Peas by rating and reviewing us!Melbourne forecast for Thursday April 25  - Shower or two,  16 degrees 

Mandy and Kate chat to mother and daughter dynamic pea duo Vicki and Rachel from Newcastle. Vicki is a mum of five kids and wife to her husband Neil, who has an acquired brain injury due to a stroke. One of her children also has neurofibromatosis, ADHD and learning disabilities. Her daughter Rachel was a young carer for her siblings and her stroke-affected stepdad, and recently became a mum to 2-year-old Amelia, who is a gorgeous little SWAN girl. Rachel talks about Amelia’s birth and early few weeks spent in NICU. Amelia had a challenging start and needed approximately 25 emergency department visits in her first year for tube reinsertions and tape allergies. Rachel talks about the search for a diagnosis, which after many genetic tests, has still yet to be determined, and living with the uncertainty that this brings. Vicki also talks about supporting her girl Rachel and the joys and challenges of being a mum and grandma to such a diverse family. Thank you Vicki and Rachel for sharing your story with us!Listen to our Spotify playlist –Too Peas: Songs Our Guest Peas LoveJoin our Facebook HangoutFind us on YouTubeBuy our book The Invisible Life Of Us!Leave us a speakpipe Help spread the love for Too Peas by rating and reviewing us!Melbourne forecast for Thursday April 18  - Showers increasing, 17 degrees 

Kate and Mandy talk to Bec, a mad Carlton (boo) supporter and Pea partner and mum to a husband and two boys with disabilities. Her husband Luke has a a congenital deformity of his left hand, plus lived with an undiagnosed dislocated elbow for decades. Her eight-year-old boy Henry has autism and ADHD and is also gifted. Her younger son Kieran is profoundly deaf in one ear and has developmental coordination disorder, formerly known as dyspraxia. Bec talks about the diagnosis journey for her boys, their experiences at school, particularly the Auslan program for Kieran, and the challenges of keeping a gifted child engaged in learning. Bec also chats about Luke's experience with the NDIS as an adult, and the success they had in getting their local MP involved to help with getting plans approved. She also talks about the things her boys love to do - Henry’s an accomplished Irish dancer who enjoys the routine and order of learning the dance steps, and Kieran loves singing, dancing, acting and being an extroverted entertainer. Thanks for sharing your family’s story with us Bec!Plus:  Listen to our Spotify playlist –Too Peas: Songs Our Guest Peas LoveJoin our Facebook HangoutFind us on YouTubeBuy our book The Invisible Life Of UsLeave us a speakpipe Melbourne forecast for Thursday April 11  - Showers easing,  18 degrees 

Hello lovely Peas, pop us in your ears today and hear our announcement. We have loved sharing our lives with you over the last 5 years, but as they say, all pea things must come to an end. So on Mothers Day this year we are hanging up our headphones and turning the mics off, 5 years after we started. We still love each other very much and are so happy to be even better friends than we were 5 years ago, and now we have so many new friends too. You can stay connected with us belowhttps://www.instagram.com/podbarkate/https://www.instagram.com/mandyhosesheknows/Look out for Kate's new Podcast Honestly I'm Lonely it will be out real soon and Mandy is having a little break before she releases her new podcast.