Beyond The Tube: Real Stories, Real Advice

It's the final episode for 2025 and Eliana joins me to wrap up the year with some incredible stories and practical advice. We discuss the reality of establishing feeding schedules (flexible or strict), managing big emotions in the morning, and transitioning from NG tubes to G-tubes.Eliana shares an amazing story about Luke’s button popping out mid-flight and how preparation saved the day. She also opens up about the shift from feeling overwhelmed to eventually enjoying normal family days at the beach.This chat also covers the importance of advocating for your family when medical plans don't fit your lifestyle. Eliana offers advice on navigating the festive season, reminding tubie parents to focus on the fun rather than the food!We’re building a community here – one story at a time – and I’m so glad you’re along for the ride. Please feel free to reach out! Instagram: @beyond.the.tube.podcast Email: [email protected] is a Podvan Media production.

Nurse Mary (The Butterfly Pig founder) shares her journey from paediatric oncology to designing over 90 different medical play toys (from G-tubes to miniature ultrasound machines). She explains how tangible, realistic medical toys are a vital resource for children managing medical conditions and procedures.Mary highlights that play is the gold standard for patient education and is an essential tool for helping children express and process their fears around medical procedures. She and host Fi Rodrick discuss the lasting effects of medical trauma (even from one-off incidents) and the need for a system-wide shift in providing more child-friendly, trauma-informed care.Check out The Butterfly Pig here: https://thebutterflypig.com/We’re building a community here – one story at a time – and I’m so glad you’re along for the ride. Please feel free to reach out! Instagram: @beyond.the.tube.podcast Email: [email protected] is a Podvan Media production.

In this episode, Fi welcomes law graduate Tomika, who has a special interest in helping families navigate the complex world of the NDIS. Tomika clarifies the differences between a plan reassessment and a change in circumstance . She also shares practical advice on handling plan rollovers and escalating issues to your MP.You'll hear about the essential evidence checklist to help families with their NDIS applications (including the Functional Capacity Assessment), and the importance of a detailed daily life log and a Carer’s Impact Statement (due to high rates of carer burnout). If you'd like the checklist mentioned in this episode, just shoot me an email and I'll get it straight out to you!Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠We’re building a community here – one story at a time – and I’m so glad you’re along for the ride. Please feel free to reach out! Instagram: @beyond.the.tube.podcast This is a Podvan Media production.

In this episode, I’m joined by Reidena Barrett, Complex Care Coordinator, to explore the vital role care coordinators play in supporting families of children with medical complexity. Reidena shares her experience working alongside families, health professionals and support networks to make sure no detail is missed and every child gets the care they need.From navigating hospital stays to coordinating services at home, Reidena gives an inside look at what makes effective care coordination truly life-changing for families.This episode is proudly sponsored by Spewy - the versatile must-have for families. From spills to bed protection, Spewy makes life easier for parents and carers, and they also accept NDIS orders.✨ Enjoy 15% off your order with the code BEYOND 🌐 Shop now: https://spewy.com.au and follow on Insta @spewyau We’re building a community here – one story at a time – and I’m so glad you’re along for the ride. Please feel free to reach out! Instagram: @beyond.the.tube.podcast Email: [email protected] is a Podvan Media production.

In this episode, I'm joined by Simone from Plan Tracker, to explain the often confusing world of NDIS plan management.She breaks down the three ways you can manage NDIS funding (plan managed, self managed, and agency managed) and explains the statistics on which options are most popular. Simone also clarifies what a plan manager actually does, focusing on how they remove the administrative burden from families.I share my personal experience with being self-managed but still using Plan Tracker's support to successfully gain funding for critical equipment. We also discuss the different tools available (like the 'Number Cruncher') and the community work PlanTracker does.This episode is proudly sponsored by Plan Tracker. Plan Tracker specialise in helping families get the most from their NDIS funding with tools, guidance, and community support to make plan management simple. Follow on Insta: @plantracker or online at plantracker.com.auWe’re building a community here – one story at a time – and I’m so glad you’re along for the ride. Please feel free to reach out! Instagram: @beyond.the.tube.podcast Email: [email protected] is a Podvan Media production.