"My Brain is Draining Into My Stomach" | Spina Bifida
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Joshua, a 48-year-old para-athlete with spina bifida, shares a raw, hilarious, and deeply human story of living with a lifelong disability that began in utero. His journey includes multiple surgeries, a shunt that drains fluid from his brain into his abdomen, and a unique physical reality where he describes his condition as a 'jizzy back rat'—a vivid metaphor for the spinal fluid sac that protrudes from his lower back. The conversation dives into the mechanics of his daily life: how he plays para ice hockey using a modified glove with spikes, throws javelin and discus from a specialized chair, and competes in a class system designed to level the playing field. But the most striking moment comes when he recounts a near-disaster during a hotel stay in Alberta, where a flimsy bath bench collapsed under him, leaving him naked and on the shower floor—only to be rescued by his wife, Tammy, in a moment that became a bonding test for their long-distance marriage. The episode blends medical insight with humor, vulnerability, and a celebration of resilience, revealing how disability is not just a physical condition but a lived experience shaped by engineering flaws, human connection, and the courage to laugh at yourself.
Spina bifida occurs in utero when the spine fails to close properly, leading to a fluid-filled sac (myelomeningocele) or exposed spinal cord, with severity ranging from asymptomatic (occulta) to life-altering (meningocele).
Joshua has a shunt—a surgically implanted tube—draining excess cerebrospinal fluid from his brain into his abdomen, a life-saving device he’s lived with for 48 years.
Para-athletes like Joshua use specialized equipment: spiked gloves for para ice hockey, throwing chairs with poles for javelin/discus, and classification systems (e.g., 56 class) to ensure fair competition.
The bath bench collapse in Grand Prairie, Alberta, was caused by a weight limit not engineered for safety—highlighting how accessibility infrastructure often fails people with disabilities.
Joshua and his wife Tammy’s long-distance marriage, spanning from Mississauga to Alberta, was tested when he fell on the shower floor—turning a humiliating moment into a pivotal bonding experience.
…and 2 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Welcome to Sick Boy & CBC Podcasts on YouTube
Introductory promo for CBC Podcasts on YouTube, highlighting exclusive video content, behind-the-scenes footage, and new episodes.
Meet Joshua: Para-Athlete & Spina Bifida Advocate
Introduction to Joshua, a 48-year-old para-athlete with spina bifida, who competes in javelin, discus, and para ice hockey, and co-hosts The Neutral Zone podcast.
The 'Jizzy Back Rat' Metaphor & Spina Bifida Explained
“The way I tend to describe it is sort of like a telephone line. It's got a coating around the outside of it. Part of that coating just doesn't seal properly. And so part of your spine or just the spinal fluid will actually leak out and it does form a sac on the back of the person that has it.”
Surgical Interventions: From Baby to Adult
Joshua recounts his first surgery days after birth, the in-utero surgeries now possible, and his lifelong shunt for hydrocephalus, which drains fluid from his brain into his abdomen.
The Shunt: A Lifesaving 'Lazy River' of Fluid
“It's like when you're drinking a smoothie, and if it's a banana smoothie... Yeah, right, and you get a little debris in the straw. There you go. A little banana debris. You got to suck it real hard. Suck it hard or blow it.”
“if I swing my stick at somebody, it's a penalty. If I swing my glove at somebody, it's a suspension. Yeah. And a misdemeanor. Probably. Maybe a felony, depending on where you”
“It's like when you're drinking a smoothie, and if it's a banana smoothie... Yeah, right, and you get a little debris in the straw. There you go. A little banana debris. You got to suck it real hard. Suck it hard or blow it.”
“I'm sitting there dazed wondering like what just happened? Just then I hear the hotel room door open and I'm thinking to myself This is either my partner or it's the maid. And if it's the maid, she's in for one hell of a surprise.”
Hosts
Guest
Joshua
person
Brock Richardson
person
The Neutral Zone
media
CBC Podcasts
organization
Grand Prairie
place
Mississauga
place
Murderball
media
Delta Hotel
organization
Sim Hospital
other
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