Unhinged

Unhinged Podcast is Back!

by Doug 2 Comments

Show #42 will be available everywhere, including at UnhingedPodcast.com, August 15th!

We’ve been on hiatus since March, as Doug has gone through a nasty & long relapse. With the help of the UHN Neuroscience & Neuropsychiatry team, it looks like there has been some signs of improvement, and we’re hoping that Doug will get back to that very good quality remission he’d experienced several months ago. Until the neuromodulator battery died and surgery was performed…and once again leading to a complete relapse.

We’ll get more in detail on his current status with show 42, as well as a couple of hot topics due for discussion, and more. We’re very excited to get things going again full-throttle. We want to thank you, our loyal listeners, fellow advocates and dear friends for being so patient and understanding during the ups & downs. Please know that we’re dedicated & passionate about what we’re doing, and we want to be with you every Tuesday, as we’d done for so long.

So, mark your calendars and don’t miss Show #42, it will be a real occasion for us, and we can’t wait to get back to doing what we do. “See” You Then!

Where We Are Right Now…

by Ed 2 Comments

Hello, Unhinged listeners. I know it’s been awhile since we’ve communicated, and even longer since we’ve put out a show. Lots of things have been keeping us from being able to get back into the swing of things.

First and foremost, Doug is still suffering from severe depression and anxiety ever since his DBS battery started dying and needed to be changed. Unfortunately, even after the battery was replaced, his remission has not kicked back in. His doctors are experimenting with different settings and intensities to see if it starts working again. In the meantime, I can only offer words of hope and encouragement to Doug as he struggles to regain a sense of normalcy.

Secondly, all this has been happening during my move out of the San Francisco Bay Area. After 21 years of living in California’s Silicon Valley, my wife and I have decided to move to Loveland, Colorado. Though I still love everything that Silicon Valley stands for, and have many friends there, we felt that it was the right time to leave. The Bay Area has been getting steadily more congested as more people move there, and continues to get more expensive. The time was right to sell our house and move somewhere that has more seasons, less traffic, and is more affordable. It also happens to be much closer to my employer in Golden, Colorado, which is another positive.

The move is complete but we’re still living out of boxes. I’m also waiting for a new desk to be delivered so I can set up my recording studio in preparation for our next show.

Thank you all for being so patient with us as Doug recovers and we get things back in order. We will be back as soon as we can. It’s just taking us a bit longer than expected. Thanks for understanding!

-Ed

Update: Still hoping…

by Ed 0 Comments

Hey there, Unhinged listeners and followers. I know it’s been a while since we’ve put out a show. We went on hiatus at the end of March when Doug’s DBS battery needed replacing. His mood dropped as the battery was dying, and unfortunately, it has not yet returned to comfortable levels after the surgery. Doug is still struggling for relief, and recently had the intensity of his DBS increased slightly in hopes of helping it kick in again.

We’re still waiting for his mood to increase. I have high hopes that it will improve in the coming weeks. Until then, we won’t be recording any shows to give Doug time to relax and heal. Any words of encouragement and hope are very much appreciated.

Ed
Co-founder/Co-host
Unhinged Podcast

Post-Surgery Update

by Ed 0 Comments

UPDATE: After Doug’s DBS battery-replacement surgery on March 27th, he started feeling better almost immediately. However, as we all know how unpredictable the brain can be, his mood has dropped significantly since then. We’ve seen this before, and as disheartening as it is right now, I truly believe it will turn around again and we can continue with his remission and recovery.

Thank you all for your continued support!

Ed
Co-founder/Co-host
Unhinged Podcast

Doug’s Surgery Update

by Ed 0 Comments

Hi Unhinged listeners! Just letting you know that Doug goes into surgery this morning to change his DBS neurostimulator battery. The unfortunate timing of his current battery losing its juice has definitely derailed his mood. We’re hoping that once it gets replaced, the DBS can do its thing and Doug can get back on track with his remission and his life!

The podcast is still on hiatus until things settle down after the surgery. For now, let’s all send Doug best wishes for a quick recovery! Maybe even post a joke to get things started on a positive note 🙂

Thank your all for understanding. We hope to be back soon!

Ed
Co-founder/Co-host
Unhinged Podcast

Unhinged on Hiatus Until After Surgery

by Ed 0 Comments

Hello Unhinged listeners! As you may know, Doug has been on the longest remission of his life and things have been really good until the battery on his DBS started to get low. When this happens, the battery needs to be replaced surgically. Unfortunately, the doctor that does the surgery is out until March 20th, and Doug’s surgery is scheduled for March 27th.

That’s about two weeks away, and a lot can happen in two weeks. Doug’s mood has not been as high as it was when the battery was solid, and as the battery gets weaker, there’s a chance he could relapse (this happened years ago during his first real remission).

Due to this situation, we feel that the quality of any show we do right now would not be up to par, plus talking about all this could bring him down a bit, so we feel it is necessary to take a little break until after he gets the battery replacement surgery.

We have a lot of great things planned for future shows, but we first want to make sure that the surgery goes smoothly and that the remission continues so that we can get back on track in a very positive way.

In the meantime, take this time to catch up on some of our previous episodes if you have not listened to all of them yet. We’re also both still online and will answer emails and posts on our Facebook page. We’re not going away! We’re just making sure Doug stays healthy, and the podcast content quality remains high.

Thanks again for understanding!

Unhinged Episode #041: Juicy Juice

by Ed 1 Comment
Unhinged Episode #041: Juicy Juice

Originally, this episode was going to be focused on music and how specific songs affect our moods and emotions. Unfortunately, the battery in Doug’s DBS is running down and this has affected his mood. Since we want to give this music topic the attention and justice it deserves, we decided to postpone that topic until after Doug’s battery is replaced and he’s back in a more positive mood.

In this short episode, we talk about the DBS battery, how Doug checks it, how it’s replaced, and ultimately how important that little piece of tech is for any DBS patient. As it stands, Doug is trying to get an appointment for the surgery as soon as he can, but the doctor that does it is out until the 20th of March, so he might have to wait up to of 3 weeks. We’re hoping the trickle charge lasts until then so he doesn’t fully relapse. Fingers crossed!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:08 — 53.0MB)

Coming of Age -Mental Health

by Doug 0 Comments
Coming of Age -Mental Health

Unhinged Facebook Page Post 
Published by Doug Warren · Yesterday at 7:19pm

Our discoveries and advances in understanding the brain – we are making real strides right now.

We need to treat & refer to serious Mental Illnesses, including Schizophrenia, Bipolar & Depression, not as behavioral or mental disorders, but as brain disorders; Neuropsychiatric disorders.

*Don’t miss Show #41 on March 7th as Ed Caggiani and I will be discussing at length about the magic of Music and its effects on the brain, but we will also elaborate some more on brain functioning as it relates to mental illnesses. I believe this is crucial in order to focus on issues like diagnosis, early detection and treatment, above perception and stigma. Stigma will die at the hands of Science & Progress!

~Doug Warren
Unhinged Podcast-Talking Mental

Next Show Coming March 7th

by Ed 0 Comments
Next Show Coming March 7th

Hello Unhinged listeners! Due to Ed traveling this week, we won’t have a show ready this coming Tuesday. So our next show will be released on Tuesday, March 7th. It’ll be worth it! What will we talk about? Music!

Music is powerful. The lyrics, the melody, and the instrumentation all play a part in shifting mood and emotion. We are affected on a unique and personal level. What makes us cry? What makes us happy? What songs do we avoid? Join us as we dissect what songs affect us, and how.