410: Choosing Pain WTF with Dr. Maggie Kang

Dr. Maggie is a Radiologist and a mom whose daughter was diagnosed with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) at age nine. The moment of terror of seeing the brain MRI of her daughter displaying an inflammatory episode of NMO put her in the downward spiral of grief that so many experience when faced with such a diagnosis.

While watching her child struggle with the most innate parts of her brain functions, Dr. Maggie found herself on the other side of the table, making difficult medical decisions of intubation or facility transfer for better care. The pain she experienced in seeing her child go from perfectly normal and healthy to critically ill while she feared the uncertainty of the future shaped how she now helps other people understand the difference between pain and suffering. 

It can be difficult to feel intense emotions and sit with those feelings, especially as a doctor. But if we can acknowledge our pain and begin to navigate it, it doesn’t hold the power over us that we think it does, and it won’t last as long as it normally would otherwise. 

When she was finally able to work through her pain, Dr. Maggie was able to gain perspective and realize that she could be present in the new normal and take joy in the small moments and little victories. And while suffering can be indefinite, something that you will have to face in small moments every day, acknowledging the pain of those moments can help you move through them and appreciate the progress of the journey out of your suffering.

After her experience, she became certified in coaching and now helps other moms navigate the devastation that comes with having a child that suffers from rare chronic diseases. By helping them acknowledge their own grief, she helps them understand the difference between pain and suffering and how to be present and support their child through their diagnosis.

Tune in today to learn more about the magic that Dr. Maggie is bringing into the world and how she is helping parents and children everywhere navigate their grief by understanding the differences between pain and suffering. 

“When you actually accept and move through your pain, it doesn’t last nearly as long as you think.” Dr. Maggie Kang

Maggie Kang MD

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