What started as a cute sunset photoshoot for the podcast ended with Annie in hospital, undergoing surgery to remove a pufferfish spine from her foot. Yes, you read that correctly.

In this episode, we’re giving you a life update and telling the story of how one of our most chaotic filming days somehow managed to get even more chaotic.

From running barefoot along the beach, to stepping on a dead pufferfish (and barely thinking anything of it), to discovering there was an entire spine lodged deep inside Annie’s toe, we take you through the ridiculous series of events that landed her in surgery.

Along the way, we talk about our experiences in the healthcare system, the incredible nurses who made the whole ordeal surprisingly enjoyable, and how this experience helped Annie overcome some of her fears around hospitals and medical care.

But underneath the ridiculousness of it all, there’s a much bigger conversation about women’s pain.

Because while Annie was receiving scans, surgery and prescription painkillers for a pufferfish spine in her toe, she was experiencing period cramps that were significantly more painful.

And it raises a pretty confronting question: How have we created a healthcare system where a spine in your toe warrants urgent medical attention, but debilitating period pain is so often dismissed as just another part of being a woman?

We also get completely sidetracked with astrology readings in India, Milli’s childhood hospital experience, and why Annie thinks adults deserve a few more teddy bears and a little Sesame Street before surgery.

A whole lot of chaos, some very questionable luck, and a reminder that just because women’s pain is common doesn’t mean it should be normalised.

Enjoy xx

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