Medical Media Mixer: The Perfect Cocktail- your go-to health and wellness podcast, shaken with cocktails and stirred with entertainment and media.

Ep 60: Death Row — Aileen Wuornos, Mental Illness & The Death Penalty

In Episode 60, we explore death row through the documentary Aileen: Queen of Serial Killers. Using Aileen Wuornos’ case as a lens, we examine the intersection of mental illness and the death penalty — along with the broader history of capital punishment in the United States.
We discuss women on death row, sentencing disparities, vulnerabilities within the system, and the different execution methods used across states. This episode takes a closer look at the legal, ethical, and human questions surrounding the ultimate punishment.
📚 Sources
Death Penalty Information Center – State by Statehttps://deathpenaltyinfo.org/state-and-federal-info/state-by-state
Death Penalty Information Center – Mental Illnesshttps://deathpenaltyinfo.org/policy-issues/biases-and-vulnerabilities/mental-illness
Death Penalty Information Center – LGBTQ+ Peoplehttps://deathpenaltyinfo.org/policy-issues/biases-and-vulnerabilities/lgbtq-people
Death Penalty Information Center – History of the Death Penaltyhttps://deathpenaltyinfo.org/facts-and-research/background/history-of-the-death-penalty
Death Penalty Information Center – Women on Death Rowhttps://deathpenaltyinfo.org/death-row/women
Death Penalty Information Center – Methods of Execution by Statehttps://deathpenaltyinfo.org/executions/methods-of-execution/authorized-methods-by-state
Cocktail Inspirationhttps://www.liqculture.com/death-row/
New episodes every Monday → Hit that subscribe button! 🔔 ⭐️ Rate and Review 🍸 Cocktail recipes drop on socials every weekend before the episode airs 🍹 If you love the podcast, please join our 💳 Patreon to support our continued success! If you don't want to commit to a monthly contribution, you can always donate on ☕️Buy Me a Coffee 🎶 Music Credits: Music by Vlad Krotov, Sound Effect by Akiva Vita For updates visit our 💻 Website  

Ep 59 The Blue Baby: Honoring Vivien Thomas and Life-Saving Heart Surgery for February- Heart & Black History Month

❤️ Episode Summary
In this episode of Medical Media Mixer, we explore Something the Lord Made and the true story of Vivien Thomas, a pioneering cardiac innovator whose work helped revolutionize pediatric heart surgery. The episode traces Thomas’s partnership with Dr. Alfred Blalock and their collaboration with Dr. Helen Taussig, leading to the first successful surgery for Blue Baby Syndrome. Alongside the film’s historical context, we provide a brief medical overview of congenital heart defects and how this groundbreaking work continues to shape modern cardiac care.
🎬 Film & Story
• IMDb: Something the Lord Made https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386792/
• Wikipedia: Something the Lord Made https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Something_the_Lord_Made
• Vivien T. Thomas – Vanderbilt MSTP Biography https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/mstp/person/vivien-t-thomas/
💙 Medical Background
• American Heart Association – Congenital Heart Defects https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/congenital-heart-defects
• Mott Children’s Hospital – Tetralogy of Fallot https://www.mottchildren.org/conditions-treatments/ped-heart/conditions/tetralogy-fallot
• NCBI – Tetralogy of Fallot Overview https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537231/
• Mayo Clinic – Tetralogy of Fallothttps://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tetralogy-of-fallot/symptoms-causes/syc-20353477
• Wikipedia – Eileen Saxon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eileen_Saxon
🍹 The Blue Baby Cocktail
Inspiration: Celebrating Vivien Thomas, Black cardiac pioneer, and the first “Blue Baby” surgery. Perfect for Heart Month & Black History Month.
Ingredients
1.5 oz Gin 
 
0.5 oz Blue Curaçao
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
0.5 oz Simple Syrup
Top with Sparkling Water
Garnish: Lemon twist + edible silver shimmer
Instructions
In a shaker, combine gin, Blue Curaçao (if using), lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice.
Shake well until chilled.
Strain into a highball or martini glass over fresh ice.
Top with a splash of sparkling water.
Garnish with lemon twist and a pinch of edible shimmer.
Tasting Notes: Bright citrus, smooth or slightly smoky, lightly sweet, visually striking blue. Symbolizes hope, innovation, and Thomas’s lasting legacy.
New episodes every Monday → Hit that subscribe button! 🔔 ⭐️ Rate and Review 🍸 Cocktail recipes drop on socials every weekend before the episode airs 🍹 If you love the podcast, please join our 💳 Patreon to support our continued success! If you don't want to commit to a monthly contribution, you can always donate on ☕️Buy Me a Coffee 🎶 Music Credits: Music by Vlad Krotov, Sound Effect by Akiva Vita For updates visit our 💻 Website  

The Refill: Oral GLP-1 now on the market

Wegovy® is now available as a once-daily pill — and that changes the conversation around obesity treatment, cardiovascular risk reduction, access, and adherence.
In this week’s Refill, we revisit our original GLP-1 deep dive and add the latest updates:
✔️ FDA approval details ✔️ Oral vs injection dosing ✔️ Clinical trial data ✔️ Cost comparisons ✔️ Side effects ✔️ Who this impacts most
Same episode. New context. Because medicine doesn’t stand still.
🎙️ Listen wherever you get your podcasts. ⭐ Rate, review & follow — new episodes drop Mondays.
#MedicalMediaMixer #GLP1 #Wegovy #ObesityMedicine #CardiovascularHealth #RefillEpisode #Semaglutide
📚 Sources
FDA Orange Book. 2026.
Wegovy® (semaglutide) FDA Drug Label. Updated December 22, 2025.
Wharton S, Lingvay I, Bogdanski P, et al. Oral Semaglutide at a Dose of 25 mg in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2025.
Rubino D, Abrahamsson N, Davies M, et al. STEP 4 Trial. JAMA. 2021.
Ryan DH, Lingvay I, Deanfield J, et al. SELECT Trial. Nature Medicine. 2024.
Schweitzer K. What to Know About the Wegovy Pill for Obesity. JAMA. 2026.
AACE Consensus Statement 2025 Update. Endocrine Practice.
New episodes every Monday → Hit that subscribe button! 🔔 ⭐️ Rate and Review 🍸 Cocktail recipes drop on socials every weekend before the episode airs 🍹 If you love the podcast, please join our 💳 Patreon to support our continued success! If you don't want to commit to a monthly contribution, you can always donate on ☕️Buy Me a Coffee 🎶 Music Credits: Music by Vlad Krotov, Sound Effect by Akiva Vita For updates visit our 💻 Website  

Ep 58 The Asylum: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum

In this episode, we explore Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum by Antonia Hylton, a powerful investigation into the history of Crownsville Hospital Center — a segregated psychiatric institution in Maryland that became a symbol of how race shaped mental health care in America.
We trace the legacy of institutionalization, the roots of racial bias in psychiatry, and the long arc from overcrowded asylums to deinstitutionalization and modern mental health policy. Along the way, we connect this history to broader themes in medicine: early antipsychotics and “chemical lobotomies,” the story of Henrietta Lacks, the evolution of sickle cell care, and how these narratives continue to shape trust, ethics, and equity in healthcare today.
Primary Book
Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum — Antonia Hyltonhttps://www.amazon.com/Madness-Race-Insanity-Crow-Asylum/dp/1538723697/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3HSZ9FXJFMSY0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.TJDt-pA529ILx4OMw1AnQrXutKdqwEXJ6O5uQKx6oqBwHsm7m-78FhcBPdNDmaznYvwURllTsLjDFdICe9nmJHuGeFHQnO4CHNscMXuDGt0rrOeiQgAvJuyyGYhsmpAD6BFi9-puBiA6Rm3YQ74M1s8uDJe_2PpoUn1Z9MtEWe8FXz8vtPT7FBhxx9e-ozCgRhY7e-5QZD06dhCSbMYzHCwxif3HKATHRyOUok95glE.nV8LnaKPXBBMVV-p4kXJdsIhUJZ5Op4YedeK1TJ1Pp8&dib_tag=se&keywords=madness+book&qid=1762537789&sprefix=madness%2Caps%2C77&sr=8-1
Crownsville & Psychiatry
Psychiatry Online — Crownsville & racial inequities in mental healthhttps://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2020.8a23
Crownsville Hospital Center (Wikipedia)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crownsville_Hospital_Center
Anne Arundel County — Crownsville Memorial Parkhttps://www.aacounty.org/CrownsvillePark
Audio & Journalism
NPR Transcript — Crownsville and Madnesshttps://www.npr.org/transcripts/1227498861
Related Medical & Cultural Context
Henrietta Lacks (Wikipedia)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrietta_Lacks
Sickle Cell Disease overviewhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sickle_cell_disease
The Boondocks (Wikipedia)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boondocks_(TV_series)
Rodney Barnes (Producer/Writer)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Barnes
Psychiatry & Policy
Deinstitutionalization & JFK’s Mental Health Acthttps://psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp-rj.2021.160404
🍸 Episode Cocktail
The Asylum Cocktail — Esquirehttps://www.esquire.com/food-drink/drinks/recipes/a3867/asylum-cocktail-drink-recipe/
New episodes every Monday → Hit that subscribe button! 🔔 ⭐️ Rate and Review 🍸 Cocktail recipes drop on socials every weekend before the episode airs 🍹 If you love the podcast, please join our 💳 Patreon to support our continued success! If you don't want to commit to a monthly contribution, you can always donate on ☕️Buy Me a Coffee 🎶 Music Credits: Music by Vlad Krotov, Sound Effect by Akiva Vita For updates visit our 💻 Website  

The Refill: Measles update 2026

New Podcast Episode: The Refill — Measles Update In our latest episode, we revisit our deep dive on measles with urgent new data from South Carolina’s outbreak. With nearly 900 cases reported and ongoing transmission in undervaccinated communities, we unpack how this outbreak started, why it’s growing, and what public health strategies are being used to respond. 🎙️ Tune in for evidence-based insights and implications for healthcare professionals and communicators alike. #PublicHealth #Epidemiology #Vaccination #Measles
🔗 Sources
State Health Updates & Official Data
South Carolina DPH measles outbreak info and case count (updated Feb. 3, 2026): 2025 Measles Outbreak — SC Department of Public Health
DPH initial outbreak announcement, Oct. 2, 2025: DPH Confirms Measles Outbreak in Upstate Region (Oct 2025)
DPH updated measles case reports: FRIDAY UPDATE: DPH Increases Measles Case Count (Feb 3, 2026)
News Coverage & Context
Reuters — South Carolina outbreak hits 876 cases: Measles cases in South Carolina rise to 876 (Reuters)
People.com — Most cases in children: South Carolina measles outbreak with children affected (People)
 
New episodes every Monday → Hit that subscribe button! 🔔 ⭐️ Rate and Review 🍸 Cocktail recipes drop on socials every weekend before the episode airs 🍹 If you love the podcast, please join our 💳 Patreon to support our continued success! If you don't want to commit to a monthly contribution, you can always donate on ☕️Buy Me a Coffee 🎶 Music Credits: Music by Vlad Krotov, Sound Effect by Akiva Vita For updates visit our 💻 Website  

Ep 57 The Bloody Elixir: Sickle Cell Disease from Call the Midwife to The Pitt

In this episode, we explore sickle cell disease through pop culture, science, and real-world inequities in care. We start with the storylines from Call the Midwife Season 8 Episode 2 and Joyce St. Claire from The Pitt, showing how patients experience pain crises and bias in healthcare. Then, we dive into the genetics, symptoms, and treatment of sickle cell disease, including emerging gene therapies. We finish with a nod to our themed cocktail, The Bloody Elixir, inspired by the blood and resilience of people living with this condition.
🔗 Episode References
Pop Culture • Call the Midwife Season 8 Episode 2 Recap https://www.thirteen.org/blog-post/call-the-midwife-season-8-episode-2-recap/
Joyce St. Claire — The Pitt Wiki https://thepitt.fandom.com/wiki/Joyce_St._Claire
Sickle Cell Disease: Medical Sources • CDC – Sickle Cell Disease Overview https://www.cdc.gov/sickle-cell/about/index.html
Medscape – Sickle Cell Overview https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/205926-overview
Cleveland Clinic – Sickle Cell Crisis https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/sickle-cell-crisis
FDA – Newly Approved Gene Therapies https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-gene-therapies-treat-patients-sickle-cell-disease
Poster on SCD Pain & Disparities https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2021/posters_2021/86/
Cocktail Reference • Bloody Elixir (Bloody Mary–style) https://www.liquor.com/recipes/elixir-bloody-mary/
New episodes every Monday → Hit that subscribe button! 🔔 ⭐️ Rate and Review 🍸 Cocktail recipes drop on socials every weekend before the episode airs 🍹 If you love the podcast, please join our 💳 Patreon to support our continued success! If you don't want to commit to a monthly contribution, you can always donate on ☕️Buy Me a Coffee 🎶 Music Credits: Music by Vlad Krotov, Sound Effect by Akiva Vita For updates visit our 💻 Website  

Ep 56 The Lobotomy: Howard Dully’s Story & History of Lobotomy

In Episode 56 of the podcast, we dive into the true story behind My Lobotomy, the memoir of Howard Dully, who was lobotomized at age 12 in 1960. Through firsthand accounts and historical context, we trace Howard’s experience before, during, and after the procedure — a surgery once hailed as a breakthrough in treating mental illness that later became one of medicine’s most controversial chapters.
We explore:
How lobotomies became mainstream in mid-20th-century psychiatry.
Howard Dully’s remarkable journey toward reclaiming his identity and voice.
The evolving ethics of psychosurgery and modern mental health care.
Reflections on memory, autonomy, and the stories patients tell.
Tune in for a nuanced discussion that connects personal narrative with the broader history of psychiatric treatment and its lasting impact.
✔️ Sources 
📘 Primary Text
My Lobotomy by Howard Dully (book) — https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Dully-My-Lobotomy-Reprint/dp/B00N1BRRH4/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1X37A5AQHQRKD&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.wamzX4VSSRwU-HxJR-a7p0LtmUGeJDL5pP3K6w2kn58zjYLz0jRnmNag8tTxRWuSYmPKxh_Np2wIJcKaEyxOp6RCPDDYqASgwaASAPTTE95mcQWuwnAUHy1km5PSo8NCiJ1h_S2s7m476_DFxD6QDw.zjezd4i-wmlISeryWQmG0msYQLbnjZeLqZJXOdusyUw&dib_tag=se&keywords=my+lobotomy+by+howard+dully&qid=1762537653&sprefix=my+lo%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-2
🍸 Cocktail (for episode theme fun)
Lobotomy mixed drink inspiration — https://quench.me/mixed/lobotomy/
📚 Background & Context
NPR: My Lobotomy — Howard Dully’s Journey — https://www.npr.org/2005/11/16/5014080/my-lobotomy-howard-dullys-journey
StoryCorps: My Lobotomy oral history — https://storycorps.org/stories/my-lobotomy/
Wikipedia: Lobotomy overview — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobotomy
Wikipedia: Psychosurgery context — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychosurgery
 
New episodes every Monday → Hit that subscribe button! 🔔 ⭐️ Rate and Review 🍸 Cocktail recipes drop on socials every weekend before the episode airs 🍹 If you love the podcast, please join our 💳 Patreon to support our continued success! If you don't want to commit to a monthly contribution, you can always donate on ☕️Buy Me a Coffee 🎶 Music Credits: Music by Vlad Krotov, Sound Effect by Akiva Vita For updates visit our 💻 Website  

Ep 55 Cussy’s Elixir: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and the True Story of the Blue Fugates

Cussy’s Elixir: The Blue Fugates, Troublesome Creek, and the Science of Methemoglobinemia
In this episode, we explore the real Blue Fugates of Kentucky, the fictional but historically grounded world of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, and the science behind the rare condition methemoglobinemia. We also break down the Twisted & Uncorked episode that re-popularized this Appalachian medical mystery — all while sipping a blue moonshine cocktail: Cussy’s Elixir.
🍸 Featured Cocktail: Cussy’s Elixir
A moonshine-based blue cocktail inspired by Cussy Mary Carter from The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.
Ingredients:
2 oz Blue Houdini Moonshine
½ oz fresh lemon juice
½ oz honey syrup
Top with sparkling water (or ginger ale)
Garnish with lemon twist or edible wildflower
Shake, strain, pour over ice, enjoy.
 
🔗 Sources
📚 Books & Literature
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_Woman_of_Troublesome_Creek
👩‍🔬 History & Case Background
The Blue Fugates – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Fugates
🧬 Medical Science
Methemoglobinemia – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methemoglobinemia
Cleveland Clinic – Methemoglobinemia Overview https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24115-methemoglobinemia
NCBI Bookshelf – Methemoglobinemia (Clinical Review) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537317/
🎧 Podcast Referenced
Twisted & Uncorked – Episode 210: I’m Blue Da Ba Dee Da Ba Da (Conspiracy) https://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-210-i-m-blue-da-ba-dee-da-ba-da-conspiracy--67782725
New episodes every Monday → Hit that subscribe button! 🔔 ⭐️ Rate and Review 🍸 Cocktail recipes drop on socials every weekend before the episode airs 🍹 If you love the podcast, please join our 💳 Patreon to support our continued success! If you don't want to commit to a monthly contribution, you can always donate on ☕️Buy Me a Coffee 🎶 Music Credits: Music by Vlad Krotov, Sound Effect by Akiva Vita For updates visit our 💻 Website  

Ep 54 The Quad: Girls & Their Monsters: The Quadruplets, Madness, and the Making of Mental Illness

In this episode of Medical Media Mixer, we explore Girls & Their Monsters by Audrey Clare Farley — the haunting true story of the Dionne quintuplets and how science, society, and media collided to shape our understanding of mental illness. We unpack the ethics of human experimentation, the historical roots of psychiatry, and the ongoing debate of nature versus nurture, while examining how voices, behavior, and diagnosis are understood across time and culture. Paired with The Quad cocktail, this episode blends history, medicine, and media to question who defines “madness,” and at what cost.
📚 Sources & Links
Book & Background
Girls and Their Monsters (Amazon):https://www.amazon.com/Girls-Their-Monsters-Quadruplets-Madness/dp/1538724472/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0
Wikipedia overview:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girls_and_Their_Monsters
Mental Health & Psychiatry
Hearing Voices Network:https://www.hearing-voices.org/#content
Nature vs. Nurture in mental illness (review article):https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8702084/
Family history and schizophrenia risk:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1181880/
Creation of the NIMH (75-year history PDF):https://www.nimh.nih.gov/sites/default/files/documents/NIMH-Celebrating-75-Years-508_0.pdf
Cocktail
The Quad cocktail recipe (Difford’s Guide):https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/2884/the-quad
New episodes every Monday → Hit that subscribe button! 🔔 ⭐️ Rate and Review 🍸 Cocktail recipes drop on socials every weekend before the episode airs 🍹 If you love the podcast, please join our 💳 Patreon to support our continued success! If you don't want to commit to a monthly contribution, you can always donate on ☕️Buy Me a Coffee 🎶 Music Credits: Music by Vlad Krotov, Sound Effect by Akiva Vita For updates visit our 💻 Website  

Ep 53 The False Accusation: Patricia Stallings, MMA & Miscarriage of Justice

Summary: This episode explores the tragic story of Patricia Stallings, wrongfully convicted for poisoning her son due to a misdiagnosis of methylmalonic acidemia (MMA). We discuss the medical background of MMA, the legal implications, and media portrayals—including podcasts, documentaries, and Lifetime movies—that brought this case to public attention. Learn how medical science corrected a grave miscarriage of justice and the ongoing lessons for rare disease awareness.
Resources & Links:
Patricia Stallings – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Stallings
Without a Kiss Goodbye (1993) – IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108581/
Forensic Files – “Deadly Formula” Episode https://youtu.be/8AAM2Pi44v8?si=Pi-afyTb2knWVVB-
Methylmalonic Acidemia – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylmalonic_acidemia
NCBI – Misdiagnosis of MMA https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
JAMA Neurology Review https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health – False-Positive MMA https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
Unsolved Mysteries Wiki https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Patricia_Stallings#:~:text=Details%3A%20On%20July%209%2C%201989,suffered%20from%20chronic%20gastric%20distress.
🍹 The False Accusation
Inspiration: Patricia Stallings’s story is one of misunderstanding, suspicion, and eventual truth. This cocktail is dark, mysterious, and layered, representing the tension and uncertainty of her case, with a subtle bright note at the finish to symbolize vindication and hope.
Ingredients
1.5 oz Dark Rum (deep, rich, symbolizes the shadow of suspicion)
0.5 oz Cherry Heering or Cherry Liqueur (hint of danger, red “warning” tone)
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice (sharp clarity, representing truth cutting through deception)
0.25 oz Maple Syrup or Honey (soft sweetness, resilience and hope)
2 dashes Angostura Bitters (complexity, the moral and legal undertones)
Garnish: Lemon twist or cherry (symbolizing resolution and recognition)
Instructions
Fill a shaker with ice and combine dark rum, cherry liqueur, lemon juice, maple syrup, and bitters.
Shake well until chilled.
Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
Garnish with a cherry or lemon twist.
Tasting Notes:
Flavor: Dark, layered, slightly tart with a sweet finish
Symbolism: Shadows of false accusation, tension of uncertainty, and a final note of truth
💡 Optional Twist:
Serve smoky with a small mist of smoked rosemary or cinnamon to symbolize the murkiness of being wrongly accused.
For a lighter variation, use spiced rum instead of dark rum.
New episodes every Monday → Hit that subscribe button! 🔔 ⭐️ Rate and Review 🍸 Cocktail recipes drop on socials every weekend before the episode airs 🍹 If you love the podcast, please join our 💳 Patreon to support our continued success! If you don't want to commit to a monthly contribution, you can always donate on ☕️Buy Me a Coffee 🎶 Music Credits: Music by Vlad Krotov, Sound Effect by Akiva Vita For updates visit our 💻 Website