00:00:01.218 --> 00:00:06.098
Kevin Lowe: You know that infamous question when people ask, how do you see the glass?
00:00:06.358 --> 00:00:08.718
Kevin Lowe: Is it half empty or half full?
00:00:09.098 --> 00:00:12.398
Kevin Lowe: Well, they didn't tell you that there's a third option.
00:00:12.818 --> 00:00:15.298
Kevin Lowe: What if you see the glass is overflowing?
00:00:15.838 --> 00:00:20.938
Kevin Lowe: Yeah, that is the view of today's guest, Alethea Felton.
00:00:21.258 --> 00:00:27.298
Kevin Lowe: She is going to show us that when she looks at the glass, she sees it as overflowing.
00:00:27.298 --> 00:00:33.098
Kevin Lowe: Overflowing with hope, with love, with excitement, and of transformation.
00:00:33.778 --> 00:00:41.498
Kevin Lowe: She is on a journey today to prove to you that no matter what you're going through
00:00:41.498 --> 00:00:44.638
Kevin Lowe: in life, that you'll get through it.
00:00:45.398 --> 00:00:51.218
Kevin Lowe: That there's always a rainbow after the rain. When you hear Aletheia speak for
00:00:51.218 --> 00:00:55.858
Kevin Lowe: the very first time, you're going to realize that she's like a ball of sunlight.
00:00:56.638 --> 00:01:01.658
Kevin Lowe: She's amazing. And yet, my friend, she's just like all of us, like you.
00:01:02.098 --> 00:01:04.838
Kevin Lowe: She's been through some really hard times in life.
00:01:05.698 --> 00:01:11.458
Kevin Lowe: But look where she is today, here to inspire you, to empower you,
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Kevin Lowe: to make the most of your life, to enjoy every day, because we never know what tomorrow will bring.
00:01:20.298 --> 00:01:26.318
Kevin Lowe: So why don't we all do our best possible to enjoy right now?
00:01:27.098 --> 00:01:33.218
Kevin Lowe: Now, remember, today's episode, today's interview, it's going to be powerful.
00:01:33.478 --> 00:01:38.358
Kevin Lowe: And I guarantee you that there's going to be a girlfriend, a mother,
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Kevin Lowe: an aunt, grandmother, sister, somebody who you think of that you know needs
00:01:45.338 --> 00:01:46.738
Kevin Lowe: to hear this message today.
00:01:47.218 --> 00:01:52.478
Kevin Lowe: Please share it with them. That would mean the world to me, and I know it would
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Kevin Lowe: mean the world to today's guest, Alethea.
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Kevin Lowe: And with that, my friend, I'm going to turn it over. It's episode 324. Let's go.
00:02:02.442 --> 00:02:06.042
Theme: Yo, are you ready to flip the script on life? Because those bad days,
00:02:06.182 --> 00:02:08.022
Theme: they're just doors to better days.
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Theme: And that's exactly what we do here at Grit, Grace, and Inspiration.
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Theme: Your host, Kevin Lowe, he's been flipping the script on his own life,
00:02:16.102 --> 00:02:20.382
Theme: turning over 20 years of being completely blind into straight-up inspiration,
00:02:20.742 --> 00:02:23.202
Theme: motivation, and encouragement just for you.
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Theme: So, kick back, relax, and let me introduce you to your host, Kevin Lowe.
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Kevin Lowe: Well, Miss Alethea, welcome to the podcast. It is such a pleasure to have you.
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Alethea Felton: Hey, Kevin. I am so excited to be here with you today, my friend.
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Kevin Lowe: Oh my goodness, absolutely. Well, I have been looking forward to this so much because you know what?
00:02:48.782 --> 00:02:53.882
Kevin Lowe: Even though I'm blind, I actually am wearing my sunglasses today because I feel
00:02:53.882 --> 00:02:57.922
Kevin Lowe: like you are like nothing but a ray of sunlight shining at me.
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Alethea Felton: Oh, well, look, all that I'm going to say is, you know it. And if I am the sun, then you are the moon.
00:03:05.462 --> 00:03:11.462
Alethea Felton: And both of us are reflecting and doing some awesome solar light things in this universe.
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Kevin Lowe: I love it. You can tell we think a lot of ourselves.
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Alethea Felton: Oh, my goodness.
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Kevin Lowe: Oh, my goodness. Well, I want to start off our conversation today.
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Kevin Lowe: And I'm going to throw it at you because I want you to tell me,
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Kevin Lowe: how would you describe who Alethea Felton is right now in your life?
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Alethea Felton: Who Alethea Felton is, is I am a self-assured,
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Alethea Felton: confident woman of God and faith who has evolved extraordinarily into knowing
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Alethea Felton: who I am and accepting my worth.
00:03:50.659 --> 00:03:55.679
Alethea Felton: I'm still learning more and more about me daily. I am a woman who is grateful
00:03:55.679 --> 00:03:58.639
Alethea Felton: for every single day that I get.
00:03:58.979 --> 00:04:04.219
Alethea Felton: I am also someone that absolutely loves the oceans, ocean life,
00:04:04.439 --> 00:04:06.939
Alethea Felton: mermaids. I don't care what anybody says.
00:04:07.319 --> 00:04:12.459
Alethea Felton: Mermaids are real and I will take that to the bank. So I love mermaids.
00:04:13.579 --> 00:04:18.479
Alethea Felton: I am a Southerner born and raised in Southeastern Virginia, right by the North
00:04:18.479 --> 00:04:24.119
Alethea Felton: Carolina line. So I am a Southerner, lived for many years in Washington, D.C.
00:04:24.139 --> 00:04:28.839
Alethea Felton: Proper, still have property up there and I still go up there once a month.
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Alethea Felton: But in terms of the core of who I am, I am just someone who is so grateful for
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Alethea Felton: every day that I'm given.
00:04:37.199 --> 00:04:44.159
Alethea Felton: I've always seen my glass as just not half full, but half full to overflowing.
00:04:44.199 --> 00:04:52.419
Alethea Felton: My cup runneth over so as to speak with my life. And that's who I am for sighted people.
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Alethea Felton: If anyone sees me, people automatically recognize that I wear,
00:04:57.359 --> 00:05:04.559
Alethea Felton: I have locks in terms of my hairstyle, but I also wear head wraps and very colorful ones.
00:05:04.559 --> 00:05:08.359
Alethea Felton: So people will see me with my colors.
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Alethea Felton: It can be gloomy outside and I still have on something bright and vibrant because
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Alethea Felton: I'm a colorful person, meaning that I just embrace the beauty of life, even on the dark days.
00:05:21.819 --> 00:05:25.859
Alethea Felton: So that's how I would describe who I am at this point in my life, Kevin.
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Kevin Lowe: Oh, my goodness. Well, I think that is an adequate description.
00:05:29.799 --> 00:05:33.759
Kevin Lowe: And I think this sets the stage for us today because, I mean,
00:05:33.919 --> 00:05:36.699
Kevin Lowe: you are such an amazing woman.
00:05:36.839 --> 00:05:43.639
Kevin Lowe: And what I'm anxious to discover, though, is kind of the story behind this woman.
00:05:43.719 --> 00:05:46.059
Kevin Lowe: What's led to this story?
00:05:46.536 --> 00:05:51.496
Kevin Lowe: Point in your life? Have you always been this just glowing ray of sunlight?
00:05:51.796 --> 00:05:58.596
Kevin Lowe: And so I guess I would love to ask if you would kind of take me back a little
00:05:58.596 --> 00:06:02.436
Kevin Lowe: bit in life, because as radiant as you are,
00:06:03.176 --> 00:06:07.536
Kevin Lowe: I don't want anybody to think that you haven't been, you know,
00:06:07.536 --> 00:06:12.976
Kevin Lowe: through your own hardships, because I know that you've dealt with many medical issues.
00:06:13.256 --> 00:06:18.456
Kevin Lowe: And so would you mind just kind of exploring that aspect of your life with us?
00:06:19.196 --> 00:06:27.576
Alethea Felton: Certainly, I will. So in terms of my life, I have definitely had my share of
00:06:27.576 --> 00:06:32.156
Alethea Felton: hardships and people are probably like, why is she laughing if she's had hardships?
00:06:32.736 --> 00:06:38.836
Alethea Felton: Because sometimes I say to myself, God, I know that they say that you make no
00:06:38.836 --> 00:06:42.236
Alethea Felton: mistakes and that you make all things perfect and you're perfect.
00:06:42.236 --> 00:06:47.856
Alethea Felton: But sometimes I said maybe God took a nap on the day that he made me.
00:06:50.296 --> 00:06:51.296
Alethea Felton: But uh.
00:06:53.675 --> 00:06:58.975
Alethea Felton: So I say that because part of my journey literally started at birth,
00:06:59.035 --> 00:07:05.815
Alethea Felton: where I was born as a baby with a defective liver, had a very severe case of jaundice.
00:07:05.955 --> 00:07:10.715
Alethea Felton: Now, jaundice is common in a lot of babies, but with mine, it was lingering.
00:07:10.895 --> 00:07:15.695
Alethea Felton: And I was quite sickly as a baby, as a kid growing up.
00:07:15.795 --> 00:07:20.335
Alethea Felton: And I always like to say that just because I had a defective liver,
00:07:20.515 --> 00:07:23.495
Alethea Felton: my parents did nothing to cause it.
00:07:23.675 --> 00:07:28.515
Alethea Felton: Turned out to be some type of genetic fluke and abnormality,
00:07:28.715 --> 00:07:32.555
Alethea Felton: which led to stunted growth in my early childhood.
00:07:32.735 --> 00:07:38.075
Alethea Felton: I'm tall now. I'm 5'9". So I had a major growth spurt when I was about 13.
00:07:38.355 --> 00:07:44.015
Alethea Felton: But I was very short as a kid, very sickly, always vomiting,
00:07:44.235 --> 00:07:49.935
Alethea Felton: always achy, not feeling well. And my mom used to take me to doctor after doctor.
00:07:50.255 --> 00:07:55.835
Alethea Felton: And my dad, frankly, at the time thought that my mom was just over exaggerating,
00:07:55.855 --> 00:07:57.875
Alethea Felton: but mom knew something wasn't right.
00:07:58.135 --> 00:08:03.555
Alethea Felton: So I grew up in the 80s and 90s. I'll be 43 August 27th. the 7th.
00:08:03.655 --> 00:08:11.835
Alethea Felton: And so I grew up in a time when they did the basics when it came to pediatrics.
00:08:11.855 --> 00:08:14.055
Alethea Felton: They just made sure you were breathing.
00:08:14.235 --> 00:08:19.475
Alethea Felton: And if you were breathing and alive, you were okay. So my mom tried to get me
00:08:19.475 --> 00:08:22.775
Alethea Felton: all of these different specialized tests. They never found anything.
00:08:23.275 --> 00:08:26.735
Alethea Felton: So my parents raised me to have a pretty much normal life.
00:08:26.855 --> 00:08:32.615
Alethea Felton: And kind of fast forward to my late 20s, I was was officially diagnosed with
00:08:32.615 --> 00:08:34.415
Alethea Felton: having Crohn's disease,
00:08:34.815 --> 00:08:41.555
Alethea Felton: as well as a liver condition named autoimmune hepatitis type 1 that eventually
00:08:41.555 --> 00:08:45.615
Alethea Felton: also led to primary sclerosing cholangitis,
00:08:45.835 --> 00:08:52.515
Alethea Felton: which is PSC, or hardening of the bile ducts, which can lead to complete and
00:08:52.515 --> 00:08:57.435
Alethea Felton: total liver failure, which could lead to either transplantation or death.
00:08:57.695 --> 00:09:04.155
Alethea Felton: And obviously, Kevin, you are not speaking to a spirit or a ghost. So I am still living.
00:09:04.375 --> 00:09:10.515
Alethea Felton: So that has been my journey where I have had multiple hospitalizations in my past.
00:09:10.795 --> 00:09:15.335
Alethea Felton: I was almost in hospice care at one point, planned my entire funeral,
00:09:15.475 --> 00:09:17.915
Alethea Felton: and I'm now here and I'm thriving.
00:09:18.275 --> 00:09:20.275
Alethea Felton: So that's the nuts and bolts of it.
00:09:20.395 --> 00:09:26.375
Kevin Lowe: Yeah. Wow. Now, during your childhood years and like teenage years and stuff,
00:09:26.375 --> 00:09:31.415
Kevin Lowe: Did these issues affect you from living a, you know, quote unquote,
00:09:31.555 --> 00:09:33.015
Kevin Lowe: like normal life as a kid?
00:09:33.435 --> 00:09:36.355
Alethea Felton: No, not at all.
00:09:36.375 --> 00:09:41.115
Alethea Felton: And pardon me for saying I was taking a drink of water, but no,
00:09:41.295 --> 00:09:45.335
Alethea Felton: it didn't. And I'll tell you why. Because.
00:09:46.536 --> 00:09:52.936
Alethea Felton: My parents could not get an official diagnosis. A lot of it was the home treatment care of things.
00:09:53.416 --> 00:09:58.956
Alethea Felton: My late grandmother, who I adore, this was my father's mother, she was a nurse.
00:09:59.256 --> 00:10:07.236
Alethea Felton: And so on times that I had to be home from school sick, oftentimes I would be with my grandma. mom.
00:10:07.336 --> 00:10:15.016
Alethea Felton: But even my sick days, my parents had to force me to stay home from school because
00:10:15.016 --> 00:10:17.096
Alethea Felton: I was such an overachiever.
00:10:17.236 --> 00:10:19.756
Alethea Felton: I was very active in school.
00:10:20.016 --> 00:10:26.056
Alethea Felton: In fact, growing up, I was big in theater and on the stage and music lessons
00:10:26.056 --> 00:10:27.396
Alethea Felton: and things of that nature.
00:10:27.576 --> 00:10:34.096
Alethea Felton: So I was in academia as well as the arts. And my parents always had it so that
00:10:34.096 --> 00:10:37.776
Alethea Felton: my sister and I lived a normal life.
00:10:37.976 --> 00:10:42.376
Alethea Felton: So although I always felt a certain kind of way and I never felt my best.
00:10:42.716 --> 00:10:47.496
Alethea Felton: I didn't think about the fact growing up that I had these conditions or that
00:10:47.496 --> 00:10:51.076
Alethea Felton: I was sick because I still made honor roll.
00:10:51.276 --> 00:10:53.316
Alethea Felton: I still was active in school.
00:10:53.636 --> 00:10:58.976
Alethea Felton: I still did things, normal things. And ironically, a lot of my close friends
00:10:58.976 --> 00:11:04.916
Alethea Felton: didn't even realize that I had these health conditions until I was an adult.
00:11:05.056 --> 00:11:10.736
Alethea Felton: Even some people in my family, I'm talking aunts and uncles and first cousins,
00:11:10.836 --> 00:11:16.216
Alethea Felton: didn't know that I had been going through these battles with sickness as a kid,
00:11:16.436 --> 00:11:22.056
Alethea Felton: Kevin, because my parents kept it private and they did everything they could
00:11:22.056 --> 00:11:24.636
Alethea Felton: to make me have a sense of normalcy.
00:11:24.636 --> 00:11:28.676
Alethea Felton: And you asked me earlier if I've always kind of had this kind of outlook.
00:11:28.896 --> 00:11:31.276
Alethea Felton: I would say yes. And I'll give you an example.
00:11:31.696 --> 00:11:36.596
Alethea Felton: Due to the liver conditions, some of my toenails are...
00:11:37.426 --> 00:11:42.386
Alethea Felton: Meaning that when I was born, some were like brown and black,
00:11:42.726 --> 00:11:44.606
Alethea Felton: which would freak out other people.
00:11:44.786 --> 00:11:49.566
Alethea Felton: It's not fungus, but it's a clear sign of liver disease.
00:11:49.986 --> 00:11:54.986
Alethea Felton: Make a long story short, when I was a toddler, I noticed it as a small kid.
00:11:55.246 --> 00:11:58.966
Alethea Felton: And Kevin, I thought God painted my toenails.
00:11:59.506 --> 00:12:04.106
Alethea Felton: I literally thought that. Oh my God, this is so cool. Like, wow,
00:12:04.466 --> 00:12:07.406
Alethea Felton: this is cool. God painted my toenails.
00:12:07.626 --> 00:12:13.126
Alethea Felton: That's what I thought. And it wasn't until I got older that I told my mom that
00:12:13.126 --> 00:12:14.546
Alethea Felton: that's what I thought as a kid.
00:12:14.766 --> 00:12:20.166
Alethea Felton: So I've always been the kind where I've seen the glass just really, really overflowing.
00:12:20.266 --> 00:12:24.546
Alethea Felton: And I've always saw things from a happier view.
00:12:24.706 --> 00:12:27.366
Alethea Felton: Even with rain, I absolutely love rain.
00:12:27.546 --> 00:12:31.606
Alethea Felton: A lot of people People don't. But my father taught me at a young age,
00:12:31.786 --> 00:12:37.226
Alethea Felton: we would literally open up the front door and be standing by the screen door.
00:12:37.446 --> 00:12:38.826
Alethea Felton: Yes, I said a screen door.
00:12:39.106 --> 00:12:42.146
Alethea Felton: And if anybody knows what that is, that's old school for you.
00:12:42.246 --> 00:12:47.286
Alethea Felton: We will open up and stand by the screen door and look at thunderstorms.
00:12:48.046 --> 00:12:52.866
Alethea Felton: And daddy would tell me he would say, although it's raining and it's cloudy
00:12:52.866 --> 00:12:57.766
Alethea Felton: and thundering outside, the sun always shines behind the clouds.
00:12:58.106 --> 00:13:00.266
Alethea Felton: And he was telling me this when I was like five and six.
00:13:00.726 --> 00:13:06.486
Alethea Felton: So he always told me without rain, we couldn't have grass. We couldn't have flowers.
00:13:06.726 --> 00:13:10.146
Alethea Felton: We couldn't have all of the beautiful verdant greenery.
00:13:10.306 --> 00:13:13.906
Alethea Felton: And so that was instilled in me as a young kid.
00:13:13.986 --> 00:13:19.506
Alethea Felton: And I always lived by it. Does it mean though, Kevin, that I didn't slump into
00:13:19.506 --> 00:13:22.886
Alethea Felton: moments of depression, sadness, and sorrow?
00:13:23.286 --> 00:13:25.286
Alethea Felton: Oh gosh, absolutely not. I
00:13:25.286 --> 00:13:30.286
Alethea Felton: definitely did. but overall, I've always had a more optimistic viewpoint.
00:13:30.686 --> 00:13:37.566
Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. I love it. And oh my gosh, I love that story about your dad with the rain.
00:13:37.926 --> 00:13:40.946
Kevin Lowe: I think that is so powerful, so amazing.
00:13:41.928 --> 00:13:48.748
Kevin Lowe: Talk to me a little bit about your faith journey. How has that played out in your life?
00:13:48.928 --> 00:13:54.348
Alethea Felton: My faith journey, yeah. Well, I grew up in a Christian household.
00:13:54.648 --> 00:13:59.588
Alethea Felton: And what I mean by that is we were followers of Jesus Christ.
00:13:59.808 --> 00:14:05.428
Alethea Felton: My father is a former psychiatric counselor as well as a former pastor.
00:14:05.428 --> 00:14:13.728
Alethea Felton: What I will say is that my sister and I did not follow that stereotypical preacher's
00:14:13.728 --> 00:14:19.388
Alethea Felton: kid upbringing of us being wild or rambunctious and all that kind of stuff.
00:14:19.428 --> 00:14:25.348
Alethea Felton: No, because with my my daddy having that psychiatric counselor background,
00:14:25.808 --> 00:14:30.748
Alethea Felton: he and my mother, they always talked with us about things.
00:14:30.748 --> 00:14:35.108
Alethea Felton: So we had the type of household where we could talk about any and everything.
00:14:36.188 --> 00:14:41.888
Alethea Felton: So as a young kid, I remember going to Sunday school, but I wasn't your typical
00:14:41.888 --> 00:14:47.108
Alethea Felton: Christian that just fell into whatever was told me. I questioned a lot.
00:14:47.368 --> 00:14:53.508
Alethea Felton: And I had a father and he's still living, but daddy was always so patient with
00:14:53.508 --> 00:14:54.968
Alethea Felton: me and explaining things.
00:14:54.968 --> 00:15:02.868
Alethea Felton: And so in terms of a religious practice, I graduated more towards teachings of Christ.
00:15:03.208 --> 00:15:06.788
Alethea Felton: However, if you look at it from a more spiritual standpoint,
00:15:07.028 --> 00:15:11.588
Alethea Felton: I did have times in my life where I had near death experiences.
00:15:11.588 --> 00:15:16.388
Alethea Felton: I've talked about them more recently on a couple of podcasts where I've literally
00:15:16.388 --> 00:15:24.408
Alethea Felton: seen things and had experiences in the supernatural, which solidified my faith even more.
00:15:24.508 --> 00:15:31.648
Alethea Felton: I didn't see Jesus in those occurrences, but those were times when I did encounter what I call angels.
00:15:32.008 --> 00:15:38.348
Alethea Felton: I've encountered spirits on the other side, and I've seen realms that I know were not dreams.
00:15:38.348 --> 00:15:45.128
Alethea Felton: And so that also gave me a piece about death where I don't fear death itself
00:15:45.128 --> 00:15:47.968
Alethea Felton: but also it taught me that.
00:15:48.571 --> 00:15:53.091
Alethea Felton: Throughout my life, I just always believed that God was within me.
00:15:53.271 --> 00:15:58.531
Alethea Felton: If I call myself a child of God, then that means that I share God's DNA.
00:15:58.871 --> 00:16:04.471
Alethea Felton: And so therefore, I have the power within myself that God has given me to be
00:16:04.471 --> 00:16:08.291
Alethea Felton: able to overcome any and every obstacle that comes my way.
00:16:08.471 --> 00:16:13.911
Alethea Felton: And that always guided me is that I don't see God necessarily as this high off
00:16:13.911 --> 00:16:20.611
Alethea Felton: being sitting in the clouds, but that God is everywhere. God is spirit. God is love.
00:16:20.971 --> 00:16:26.751
Alethea Felton: And so with that being said, Kevin, I've carried that principle of faith and
00:16:26.751 --> 00:16:31.611
Alethea Felton: just believing in the impossibilities turning into realities.
00:16:31.871 --> 00:16:38.411
Alethea Felton: And that's what my spiritual journey faith walk has been like. It is firm. It is solid.
00:16:38.651 --> 00:16:45.391
Alethea Felton: And I have found that the intimacy I have with God has come from the darkest
00:16:45.391 --> 00:16:48.031
Alethea Felton: moments of my life, whether it was from sickness,
00:16:48.351 --> 00:16:52.751
Alethea Felton: whether it was from grieving the deaths of two of my best friends,
00:16:53.051 --> 00:16:57.951
Alethea Felton: whether it was from heartache due to heartbreak, whatever it was,
00:16:58.111 --> 00:17:03.591
Alethea Felton: the most severe trials of my life have brought me closer to God.
00:17:03.591 --> 00:17:08.791
Kevin Lowe: Wow. So, so amazing. Amazing power.
00:17:09.151 --> 00:17:13.591
Kevin Lowe: So amazing. And such an amazing testimony.
00:17:13.991 --> 00:17:21.811
Kevin Lowe: Yeah, that's absolutely beautiful. Now, you just mentioned the loss of two of your best friends.
00:17:22.663 --> 00:17:29.423
Kevin Lowe: I want to ask you about that. But before we do, I want to ask you to explore
00:17:29.423 --> 00:17:34.303
Kevin Lowe: a little bit about something you said earlier that I have to go back to.
00:17:34.463 --> 00:17:40.043
Kevin Lowe: And that is the fact that you said at one point in time, you were preparing
00:17:40.043 --> 00:17:42.923
Kevin Lowe: to die. Will you talk to me about that?
00:17:43.563 --> 00:17:48.903
Alethea Felton: Yeah, sure. I certainly will. Back in 2012, May of 2012.
00:17:49.143 --> 00:17:54.663
Alethea Felton: So this is what, 12 years ago now. Now, May of 2012, I was still diagnosed with
00:17:54.663 --> 00:17:56.583
Alethea Felton: the autoimmune hepatitis type 1.
00:17:56.803 --> 00:18:02.943
Alethea Felton: And just to give people some education, autoimmune hepatitis is exactly what it is.
00:18:03.043 --> 00:18:08.043
Alethea Felton: It's not the type that you catch. It's not hep A, B, C, or anything like that.
00:18:08.123 --> 00:18:12.803
Alethea Felton: But it's literally where the liver fights itself with autoimmune hep.
00:18:12.883 --> 00:18:17.723
Alethea Felton: And because the liver thinks that it itself is a foreign object,
00:18:17.923 --> 00:18:22.683
Alethea Felton: it fights itself, overworks, and basically takes the liver into liver failure.
00:18:23.003 --> 00:18:29.143
Alethea Felton: At the time, I had a severe case of autoimmune hepatitis that led to full cirrhosis of the liver.
00:18:29.423 --> 00:18:33.083
Alethea Felton: I had had different ultrasounds. I had a fibro scan.
00:18:33.263 --> 00:18:38.623
Alethea Felton: I had MRIs, everything confirming this end-stage cirrhosis.
00:18:39.043 --> 00:18:44.203
Alethea Felton: But I didn't qualify for a transplant. It's a very complicated scale to even
00:18:44.203 --> 00:18:45.483
Alethea Felton: qualify for a transplant.
00:18:45.623 --> 00:18:50.023
Alethea Felton: That's a whole other episode. So, well, anyway, there had come a point where
00:18:50.023 --> 00:18:53.983
Alethea Felton: my hepatologist or my liver specialist at the time,
00:18:54.103 --> 00:18:58.443
Alethea Felton: she was taking all these tests and was the best of the best,
00:18:58.483 --> 00:19:03.263
Alethea Felton: but taking all these tests and she kind of broke protocol as a doctor.
00:19:03.383 --> 00:19:05.203
Alethea Felton: And I'm going to tell you how.
00:19:05.403 --> 00:19:09.783
Alethea Felton: Breaking it in a good way. when she had to come to me with the news that there
00:19:09.783 --> 00:19:11.363
Alethea Felton: was nothing more she could do.
00:19:11.683 --> 00:19:16.683
Alethea Felton: Kevin, I remember she looked at me square in the eyes and she kind of tilted
00:19:16.683 --> 00:19:19.543
Alethea Felton: her head back and just looked down on me.
00:19:20.350 --> 00:19:25.650
Alethea Felton: And she said to me, she said, although medically there's nothing more I can
00:19:25.650 --> 00:19:29.690
Alethea Felton: do, she said, but I believe God is not through with you yet.
00:19:31.710 --> 00:19:32.930
Kevin Lowe: Oh, wow.
00:19:34.190 --> 00:19:38.770
Alethea Felton: She said that she said God is not through with you yet. She said,
00:19:38.810 --> 00:19:41.570
Alethea Felton: scientifically, there's not much more I can do.
00:19:41.850 --> 00:19:46.830
Alethea Felton: She said, but I just have the biggest feeling that your life is not over.
00:19:46.830 --> 00:19:52.130
Alethea Felton: And so I need you right now to take this information I'm giving you and to,
00:19:52.230 --> 00:19:54.890
Alethea Felton: yes, talk to your loved ones, family and friends.
00:19:55.210 --> 00:20:02.590
Alethea Felton: But I need you to keep trusting God. And we had never really talked about faith or anything like that.
00:20:02.770 --> 00:20:10.650
Alethea Felton: So I remember that I was going in for a final biopsy just to confirm the whole stage for it.
00:20:11.690 --> 00:20:17.970
Alethea Felton: And when that happened, you know, she said that the next talks would have to be hospice care.
00:20:18.070 --> 00:20:23.390
Alethea Felton: So I remember calling everybody from my pastor, the people in my family,
00:20:23.430 --> 00:20:25.450
Alethea Felton: to my close friends, pretty much telling them.
00:20:26.228 --> 00:20:30.448
Alethea Felton: Hey, I need to prepare for hospice. This is what's happening.
00:20:30.868 --> 00:20:34.828
Alethea Felton: But even I had a feeling, Kevin, that my life wasn't over.
00:20:34.948 --> 00:20:40.288
Alethea Felton: But I started planning my funeral, getting arrangements in order, writing things down.
00:20:40.528 --> 00:20:44.468
Alethea Felton: And on the day of the biopsy, I had to be at the hospital very,
00:20:44.568 --> 00:20:45.808
Alethea Felton: very early that morning.
00:20:45.988 --> 00:20:51.328
Alethea Felton: And shortly after midnight, I remember feeling excruciating pain in my upper
00:20:51.328 --> 00:20:57.248
Alethea Felton: right quadrant. Now, contrary to popular belief, the liver itself cannot feel pain.
00:20:57.608 --> 00:21:03.828
Alethea Felton: However, if there's something going on with the liver or something's attacking
00:21:03.828 --> 00:21:09.888
Alethea Felton: it, then the pain from those conditions can affect where the liver is located.
00:21:10.328 --> 00:21:16.068
Alethea Felton: So in the early morning hours of the day of the biopsy, I felt the most excruciating
00:21:16.068 --> 00:21:18.428
Alethea Felton: pain in that upper right quadrant area.
00:21:18.648 --> 00:21:22.668
Alethea Felton: And I begged God. I begged God to take away the pain.
00:21:22.988 --> 00:21:28.128
Alethea Felton: It lasted for probably a good half hour. And then all of a sudden the pain subsided
00:21:28.128 --> 00:21:32.008
Alethea Felton: and I was able to sleep. So I said, I can actually sleep.
00:21:32.148 --> 00:21:34.348
Alethea Felton: I only had a few hours prior to my getting up.
00:21:34.668 --> 00:21:39.968
Alethea Felton: So I wake up the next morning, I get prepped to go to the hospital and they
00:21:39.968 --> 00:21:43.648
Alethea Felton: go in, they do the liver biopsy, it's outpatient.
00:21:44.148 --> 00:21:48.288
Alethea Felton: So I come home that same evening. I don't hear anything from my doctor.
00:21:48.288 --> 00:21:52.568
Alethea Felton: But then the next day, I remember it had been some time.
00:21:52.648 --> 00:21:55.068
Alethea Felton: So I was able to shower and whatnot.
00:21:55.308 --> 00:22:00.968
Alethea Felton: And I had to be very careful because of the bandage over the spot of the liver.
00:22:01.268 --> 00:22:05.748
Alethea Felton: And it was very, very tender and painful. And Kevin, this was about seven o'clock
00:22:05.748 --> 00:22:07.028
Alethea Felton: in the evening on a Wednesday.
00:22:07.508 --> 00:22:13.088
Alethea Felton: And I remember coming out of the bathroom and looking down at my cell phone.
00:22:13.288 --> 00:22:17.608
Alethea Felton: And I saw that it was my doctor's office calling. Now, this was the evening,
00:22:17.668 --> 00:22:20.668
Alethea Felton: evening hours. I said, this is strange.
00:22:21.268 --> 00:22:24.528
Alethea Felton: So I answer the phone and it's my doctor on the phone.
00:22:24.928 --> 00:22:29.408
Alethea Felton: And she asked me how I'm feeling. I said, I'm feeling okay, you know, blah, blah, blah.
00:22:29.608 --> 00:22:34.308
Alethea Felton: And then she says, well, I'm calling because the hospital has been on the phone
00:22:34.308 --> 00:22:39.008
Alethea Felton: with me all day asking if I sent them the right patient. And I said,
00:22:39.068 --> 00:22:40.828
Alethea Felton: what are you talking about the right patient?
00:22:41.008 --> 00:22:47.088
Alethea Felton: All of my prior scans that I took, even leading up to about 48 hours before
00:22:47.088 --> 00:22:52.868
Alethea Felton: the actual biopsy, showed that I had end stage liver failure,
00:22:53.128 --> 00:22:55.088
Alethea Felton: total cirrhosis of the liver.
00:22:55.588 --> 00:23:01.388
Alethea Felton: Kevin, by the time I went in for my biopsy, from what the liver biopsy showed
00:23:01.388 --> 00:23:06.388
Alethea Felton: is that I had reverted to stage one instead of stage one.
00:23:06.388 --> 00:23:07.948
Kevin Lowe: Amen. Amen.
00:23:09.583 --> 00:23:12.463
Alethea Felton: Yeah. And it stumped everybody.
00:23:12.543 --> 00:23:16.583
Alethea Felton: And to this day, now this is the truth. A few years ago,
00:23:16.743 --> 00:23:21.763
Alethea Felton: because I have a different team now, that doctor is still in practice,
00:23:21.823 --> 00:23:26.863
Alethea Felton: but she loved me enough where my case started getting very complex with the
00:23:26.863 --> 00:23:32.283
Alethea Felton: Crohn's and liver issues that she ended up transferring my case to a major hospital
00:23:32.283 --> 00:23:35.643
Alethea Felton: in the Washington, D.C. area, Georgetown. town.
00:23:35.883 --> 00:23:39.243
Alethea Felton: And so I have my doctors now out of there.
00:23:39.423 --> 00:23:44.183
Alethea Felton: And just a few years ago, when they were going through all of my files,
00:23:44.383 --> 00:23:50.663
Alethea Felton: things like that, they can't find evidence of the fact that now in this day and age,
00:23:50.863 --> 00:23:54.963
Alethea Felton: they can't find autoimmune hepatitis type one.
00:23:55.063 --> 00:24:00.763
Alethea Felton: I do have the bile duct thing, but they can't find the autoimmune hep.
00:24:00.843 --> 00:24:04.363
Alethea Felton: And I used to have it. And the reason why I bring this up, Kevin,
00:24:04.363 --> 00:24:05.863
Alethea Felton: it is because it's not curable.
00:24:05.983 --> 00:24:06.423
Kevin Lowe: Wow.
00:24:07.103 --> 00:24:12.883
Alethea Felton: It's not curable. And so they are really baffled. Like, how did you have it?
00:24:12.923 --> 00:24:16.463
Alethea Felton: And this prior doctor is like, like excellent.
00:24:16.623 --> 00:24:21.043
Alethea Felton: And I saw the evidence of me having it. I saw the past scans.
00:24:21.483 --> 00:24:27.443
Alethea Felton: And so, you know, I know it's a longer story, but I wanted to give you the context
00:24:27.443 --> 00:24:29.483
Alethea Felton: of that's what happened.
00:24:29.643 --> 00:24:34.463
Alethea Felton: And I, and I had other Other hospitalizations post that, but it was due to the
00:24:34.463 --> 00:24:39.463
Alethea Felton: Crohn's and those I was critical and things like that.
00:24:39.523 --> 00:24:42.163
Alethea Felton: And I've bounced back by the grace of God.
00:24:42.383 --> 00:24:46.323
Kevin Lowe: That doctor, she was right. God wasn't done with you yet.
00:24:46.943 --> 00:24:51.503
Kevin Lowe: And yeah, it is incredible. It is absolutely incredible.
00:24:52.323 --> 00:24:58.603
Kevin Lowe: Talk to me about your two friends that we're going to hear their stories.
00:24:58.603 --> 00:25:03.683
Kevin Lowe: And I feel this is such a powerful part and I know it's a tough part,
00:25:03.823 --> 00:25:08.283
Kevin Lowe: but I would love to hear about these friends of yours.
00:25:09.269 --> 00:25:16.749
Alethea Felton: I definitely am honored to tell you about my friends. I had two very close friends who passed away.
00:25:17.809 --> 00:25:24.709
Alethea Felton: And I have to explain why they're so pivotal and so important to my life.
00:25:25.029 --> 00:25:31.829
Alethea Felton: Let me start with their names. Their names were Shadary and Nakisha.
00:25:32.129 --> 00:25:37.949
Alethea Felton: I have been longtime friends with both ladies and met both of them through my church, actually.
00:25:37.949 --> 00:25:42.469
Alethea Felton: We sang on the praise team together at some point, but ironically,
00:25:42.829 --> 00:25:49.349
Alethea Felton: Shadary and Nikesha weren't friends with each other because they sang at different
00:25:49.349 --> 00:25:50.469
Alethea Felton: times on the praise team.
00:25:51.289 --> 00:25:56.289
Alethea Felton: Shadary was, I can't remember the exact age gap now, but I think she may have
00:25:56.289 --> 00:25:58.669
Alethea Felton: been four or five years younger than I.
00:25:59.529 --> 00:26:06.049
Alethea Felton: Nikesha was three years older than I was. But Shadary was diagnosed with stage
00:26:06.049 --> 00:26:08.529
Alethea Felton: four colon cancer in 2015.
00:26:09.049 --> 00:26:15.009
Alethea Felton: She ended up transitioning or passing away from it June of 2017.
00:26:15.589 --> 00:26:22.389
Alethea Felton: The reason why her death was so important to me, and yes, she had an incredible life.
00:26:22.569 --> 00:26:27.009
Alethea Felton: But Kevin, the reason I focus on her death is the last three months of her life,
00:26:27.189 --> 00:26:32.709
Alethea Felton: I was able to spend one-on-one quality time with her because ironically,
00:26:32.989 --> 00:26:38.909
Alethea Felton: I had been on short-term disability from work for a couple of months due to a Crohn's flare.
00:26:40.009 --> 00:26:44.889
Alethea Felton: Shadary was unable to work at the time and her husband was at work and he allowed
00:26:44.889 --> 00:26:48.329
Alethea Felton: me to come over and sit with her and things of that nature.
00:26:48.729 --> 00:26:56.389
Alethea Felton: But the reason she was so special to me was because she told me at the time, And my nickname is Lili.
00:26:56.549 --> 00:27:02.389
Alethea Felton: And she told me, she said, Lili, you do so much for everybody else.
00:27:02.509 --> 00:27:07.429
Alethea Felton: She said, but I want you to start taking care of you and doing things for you.
00:27:08.261 --> 00:27:15.801
Alethea Felton: In other words, Kevin, she saw areas of weakness or flaws in me.
00:27:17.001 --> 00:27:20.141
Alethea Felton: And I'm careful using the word flaw.
00:27:20.301 --> 00:27:21.761
Alethea Felton: I guess what I'm trying to say
00:27:21.761 --> 00:27:28.401
Alethea Felton: is she knew back then that I didn't see and accept my entire full worth.
00:27:28.661 --> 00:27:34.761
Alethea Felton: She saw it in me. And she made me promise that I would work on me.
00:27:34.761 --> 00:27:38.561
Alethea Felton: It's not like I was a terrible person or anything, and I wasn't necessarily
00:27:38.561 --> 00:27:46.741
Alethea Felton: a people pleaser, but I accepted certain things in my life that were not serving me, that did me no good,
00:27:46.861 --> 00:27:55.221
Alethea Felton: that I allowed myself to be put on strings by certain men who were in my life at the time.
00:27:55.221 --> 00:28:00.921
Alethea Felton: I wasn't, you know, sleeping around or anything like that, but just accepting
00:28:00.921 --> 00:28:04.641
Alethea Felton: crumbs as opposed to accepting the full meals.
00:28:04.881 --> 00:28:08.081
Alethea Felton: And then I was overextending myself for people.
00:28:08.581 --> 00:28:13.801
Alethea Felton: I was kind of all over the place, although I was constantly achieving things
00:28:13.801 --> 00:28:18.641
Alethea Felton: and outwardly appearing like this strong, confident, courageous woman.
00:28:18.741 --> 00:28:25.641
Alethea Felton: I had so many insecurities from the, you know, sicknesses. I didn't really embrace who I was.
00:28:26.361 --> 00:28:32.581
Alethea Felton: And Shadary died in front of me. I was there when she took her last breath.
00:28:32.721 --> 00:28:37.361
Alethea Felton: And she waited until I got to her house to transition.
00:28:38.141 --> 00:28:41.801
Alethea Felton: And I thought that was the best gift she could have ever given me.
00:28:41.881 --> 00:28:47.561
Alethea Felton: Because after she died, very shortly afterwards, I was hospitalized again within
00:28:47.561 --> 00:28:53.001
Alethea Felton: a week for a very severe Crohn's flare after her funeral. I helped to plan her funeral.
00:28:53.601 --> 00:28:56.981
Alethea Felton: And the stress of it sent me right back into the hospital.
00:28:57.061 --> 00:29:03.001
Alethea Felton: And that's when my doctor at the time transferred me over to Georgetown because it was so serious.
00:29:03.481 --> 00:29:09.461
Alethea Felton: And that time I was in the hospital, Kevin, it was very, very serious. It was touch and go.
00:29:09.741 --> 00:29:16.141
Alethea Felton: And I had such a spiritual reawakening in that hospital bed.
00:29:17.182 --> 00:29:26.062
Alethea Felton: Where I had visitors in and out, where the worship team came and sang to me in the quiet times.
00:29:26.202 --> 00:29:31.602
Alethea Felton: I really felt the presence of God moving, but I was in that hospital bed and
00:29:31.602 --> 00:29:35.462
Alethea Felton: I said, no, my life isn't over. It's only beginning.
00:29:36.082 --> 00:29:41.142
Alethea Felton: And Shadari's death led me to not only getting grief counseling,
00:29:41.682 --> 00:29:45.942
Alethea Felton: but I got personal counseling that I needed for myself.
00:29:46.262 --> 00:29:51.902
Alethea Felton: And I always attribute her passing to being the person I am today.
00:29:52.582 --> 00:30:00.062
Alethea Felton: Nakisha was like another sister and she ended up getting pancreatic cancer in June of 2019.
00:30:00.442 --> 00:30:03.462
Alethea Felton: And she was dead in October of 2019.
00:30:03.922 --> 00:30:07.902
Alethea Felton: My parents considered Keisha, their third daughter.
00:30:08.422 --> 00:30:12.402
Alethea Felton: She was such a, you call me a ray of sunshine.
00:30:12.682 --> 00:30:17.322
Alethea Felton: Keisha, oh, you would have loved her, Kevin. She was the most bubbly,
00:30:17.342 --> 00:30:21.782
Alethea Felton: full of life, energetic, joy-filled people.
00:30:22.062 --> 00:30:27.962
Alethea Felton: And I saw Keisha, me and my sister growing old together as sisters.
00:30:27.962 --> 00:30:32.322
Alethea Felton: Characters and her death knocked the total wind out of me.
00:30:32.622 --> 00:30:38.782
Alethea Felton: But the gift was I got to spend it with her also in her last moments and hours.
00:30:39.102 --> 00:30:42.462
Alethea Felton: But her death really took a toll on me.
00:30:42.762 --> 00:30:48.822
Alethea Felton: And I remember telling her right before she died, maybe a couple of weeks prior
00:30:48.822 --> 00:30:55.522
Alethea Felton: to it, I said, how am I going to live my life without you? And I meant it. I said, how?
00:30:55.762 --> 00:31:01.242
Alethea Felton: Because we had all these She's plans as, you know, sisters to do things together and go places.
00:31:01.422 --> 00:31:04.842
Alethea Felton: And she was very stern with me
00:31:04.842 --> 00:31:09.382
Alethea Felton: and said, Lili, you got to keep living your life. You better not give up.
00:31:09.622 --> 00:31:15.182
Alethea Felton: And it was almost an admonishment that you better keep going.
00:31:16.111 --> 00:31:22.351
Alethea Felton: And the reason I go into debt with these and why this is so profound, I have other friends.
00:31:23.111 --> 00:31:30.231
Alethea Felton: They know that I love them. But Kevin, I'm telling you, when two of your best
00:31:30.231 --> 00:31:32.771
Alethea Felton: friends and actually currently my third,
00:31:32.931 --> 00:31:37.851
Alethea Felton: like very, very best friend, she's actually going through stage four liver cancer
00:31:37.851 --> 00:31:43.731
Alethea Felton: right now and she's still living and hopefully she'll be healed.
00:31:43.731 --> 00:31:46.751
Alethea Felton: But it's becomes a
00:31:46.751 --> 00:31:50.271
Alethea Felton: different world when the closest
00:31:50.271 --> 00:31:53.311
Alethea Felton: people in your inner circle are no longer here
00:31:53.311 --> 00:32:00.671
Alethea Felton: and I really was grateful for the friends who were still around and knew their
00:32:00.671 --> 00:32:07.671
Alethea Felton: place knew I still loved them but understood the difference Shadari and Nakisha
00:32:07.671 --> 00:32:12.571
Alethea Felton: made in my life and I'm glad I'm glad I can talk about it now and not feel so hurt,
00:32:12.711 --> 00:32:15.411
Alethea Felton: but it is still to this day in 2024,
00:32:15.831 --> 00:32:20.011
Alethea Felton: a very different world navigating life without them.
00:32:20.231 --> 00:32:23.911
Kevin Lowe: Yeah, I mean, I can only imagine that.
00:32:24.511 --> 00:32:30.871
Kevin Lowe: I mean, I just have to acknowledge the fact of how brutal life can be sometimes.
00:32:31.351 --> 00:32:38.671
Kevin Lowe: The fact of your two best friends to lose them within just a couple of years of one another.
00:32:39.771 --> 00:32:46.891
Alethea Felton: And Kevin, if I can say this too, the irony was that they were the ones by my sickbed.
00:32:48.331 --> 00:32:52.931
Alethea Felton: They were the ones by my sickbed. They were the ones looking after me.
00:32:52.991 --> 00:32:55.311
Alethea Felton: And so when the script was flipped.
00:32:56.117 --> 00:33:01.677
Alethea Felton: That really was a mind blowing thing.
00:33:01.817 --> 00:33:06.477
Kevin Lowe: And actually, that actually brings me to one point that I wanted to bring up.
00:33:06.577 --> 00:33:12.777
Kevin Lowe: And you're going to have to fill in the gaps for me is one of your friends actually,
00:33:12.997 --> 00:33:19.677
Kevin Lowe: while she was sick herself, was came to the hospital to celebrate your birthday.
00:33:20.457 --> 00:33:23.897
Alethea Felton: Yes. Oh, my gosh. Thank you for bringing that up.
00:33:24.037 --> 00:33:29.277
Alethea Felton: Thank you, Kevin. Yes. So, oh my gosh, that's something. Okay.
00:33:29.417 --> 00:33:32.077
Alethea Felton: Because of the stress of everything, blah, blah, blah.
00:33:32.597 --> 00:33:36.157
Alethea Felton: August of 2019, I had another Crohn's flare.
00:33:36.597 --> 00:33:43.077
Alethea Felton: And I think, and what my doctors think was that the stress of what Nakisha was
00:33:43.077 --> 00:33:48.977
Alethea Felton: experiencing really manifested in my body. And so in August of 2019,
00:33:49.257 --> 00:33:50.957
Alethea Felton: I had another serious Crohn's flare.
00:33:51.057 --> 00:33:55.937
Alethea Felton: And that was my last hospitalizations until this day.
00:33:55.997 --> 00:33:59.777
Alethea Felton: And prayerfully, I won't have any more hospitalizations until God lets me have
00:33:59.777 --> 00:34:02.217
Alethea Felton: a baby or something like that.
00:34:02.357 --> 00:34:07.117
Alethea Felton: But that was my last hospitalization. That was in 2019, August.
00:34:07.117 --> 00:34:11.597
Alethea Felton: August and I had to spend my birthday in the hospital.
00:34:11.697 --> 00:34:15.497
Alethea Felton: That was my 38th birthday in the hospital.
00:34:15.677 --> 00:34:25.057
Alethea Felton: And my sister, Dina, my blood sister, she took it upon herself to throw a party
00:34:25.057 --> 00:34:26.917
Alethea Felton: for me in my hospital room.
00:34:27.217 --> 00:34:30.337
Alethea Felton: And so certain loved ones came in and all this stuff.
00:34:30.417 --> 00:34:36.317
Alethea Felton: And keep in mind, y'all. This was pre-pandemic, so people could just come in and out, right?
00:34:36.557 --> 00:34:41.277
Alethea Felton: And Georgetown has a 24-hour visitor's policy.
00:34:41.637 --> 00:34:46.877
Alethea Felton: And so I was having guests come a lot. So anyway, as we're partying.
00:34:47.697 --> 00:34:53.897
Alethea Felton: Next thing you know, I see Keisha walking into the hospital room with her walker
00:34:53.897 --> 00:34:57.637
Alethea Felton: and her son and her husband are behind her.
00:34:57.857 --> 00:35:04.317
Alethea Felton: And the reason why this was shocking is because Nakesha had stopped all of her treatments.
00:35:04.757 --> 00:35:08.457
Alethea Felton: They knew there was nothing more they could do for her. She was supposed to
00:35:08.457 --> 00:35:10.317
Alethea Felton: only go to her doctor's appointments.
00:35:10.397 --> 00:35:13.037
Alethea Felton: The last place she needed to be was in a hospital.
00:35:13.457 --> 00:35:17.497
Alethea Felton: And she comes through that door and I'm just like, okay.
00:35:18.506 --> 00:35:23.526
Alethea Felton: Now I talk to her anyway, every day, but to actually physically see her.
00:35:23.666 --> 00:35:29.386
Alethea Felton: And that was maybe the last time I saw her like very, very vibrant and peppy.
00:35:29.486 --> 00:35:35.466
Alethea Felton: And I have video as well as a picture of her like dancing, us hugging.
00:35:36.466 --> 00:35:40.846
Alethea Felton: And that was one of the best moments is that I'm in my sick bed.
00:35:41.146 --> 00:35:49.246
Alethea Felton: And here Keisha had stage four pancreatic cancer spread throughout her body. And she's in such pain.
00:35:49.486 --> 00:35:55.266
Alethea Felton: And yet she came and celebrated with me, knowing that her body was shutting
00:35:55.266 --> 00:35:57.386
Alethea Felton: down. And she passed in October.
00:35:57.606 --> 00:36:00.726
Alethea Felton: And this was August 27th, 2019.
00:36:01.126 --> 00:36:03.826
Alethea Felton: And she passed in October.
00:36:04.206 --> 00:36:08.286
Kevin Lowe: What a beautiful representation of friendship. Yeah.
00:36:08.726 --> 00:36:12.866
Alethea Felton: Yeah. She was the best. Her and Derry were the best.
00:36:13.066 --> 00:36:19.846
Alethea Felton: They always had a joke. They always made you smile. They were just the absolute best.
00:36:20.066 --> 00:36:26.806
Alethea Felton: And Derry's mom, the one who died in 2017, I kept in touch with her every week
00:36:26.806 --> 00:36:29.126
Alethea Felton: after she, Derry passed.
00:36:29.446 --> 00:36:36.186
Alethea Felton: And unfortunately, her mother passed due to complications from the pandemic. Damn it.
00:36:36.546 --> 00:36:44.966
Kevin Lowe: Wow. Wow. How how was it for you moving on with life after the loss of both of them?
00:36:45.806 --> 00:36:49.566
Alethea Felton: Therapy helped. Therapy helped, no doubt.
00:36:49.706 --> 00:36:56.226
Alethea Felton: That helped a lot. And I opted for a therapist who who also specialized in Christian
00:36:56.226 --> 00:37:02.046
Alethea Felton: counseling because she was able to use scripture to help me through it.
00:37:02.690 --> 00:37:08.670
Alethea Felton: And the grief program that I went through, Grief Share, is hands down,
00:37:08.830 --> 00:37:11.170
Alethea Felton: I would recommend that to anybody.
00:37:11.250 --> 00:37:13.830
Alethea Felton: It's a national program. Amazing.
00:37:14.950 --> 00:37:19.150
Alethea Felton: But how did I get through life? I guess the simplest answer,
00:37:19.390 --> 00:37:21.450
Alethea Felton: Kevin, would be one day at a time.
00:37:21.670 --> 00:37:29.670
Alethea Felton: And I think my other people in my support system were really carrying me through.
00:37:29.670 --> 00:37:37.630
Alethea Felton: I had a full circle moment in August of 2021 when I turned 40 and the world
00:37:37.630 --> 00:37:39.050
Alethea Felton: was just opening back up.
00:37:39.190 --> 00:37:44.850
Alethea Felton: And my sister planned a surprise birthday party for me at a winery.
00:37:44.890 --> 00:37:50.850
Alethea Felton: And I don't drink, but it was such a like a beautiful scenic place. It was outside.
00:37:51.670 --> 00:37:56.730
Alethea Felton: And the way that my sister organized this, I have no idea, Kevin,
00:37:56.810 --> 00:37:58.970
Alethea Felton: how she knew the right people to invite.
00:37:59.670 --> 00:38:05.190
Alethea Felton: But I think that the beauty of that was, you have to think, this was August of 2021.
00:38:06.490 --> 00:38:11.750
Alethea Felton: We were going through, as a country, a pandemic, getting out of the brunt of it.
00:38:12.470 --> 00:38:20.550
Alethea Felton: But there were about 10 of my closest sister friends who came to that party.
00:38:21.390 --> 00:38:24.510
Alethea Felton: And I knew them at different stages of my life.
00:38:24.610 --> 00:38:28.510
Alethea Felton: And they were the kind of ladies where I didn't have to talk to them every day,
00:38:28.510 --> 00:38:31.710
Alethea Felton: but they were just perfect in my world and still are.
00:38:32.130 --> 00:38:35.870
Alethea Felton: But I think that the beauty of that, I think that's where, oh,
00:38:36.050 --> 00:38:39.490
Alethea Felton: and I don't want to get emotional, but I feel some tears welling up.
00:38:40.830 --> 00:38:45.990
Alethea Felton: That surprise party made me realize how well I navigated through it because
00:38:45.990 --> 00:38:52.850
Alethea Felton: here were other women in my life, Kevin, who knew the extreme losses that I had.
00:38:53.940 --> 00:38:58.780
Alethea Felton: Yet they were secure enough in themselves and knowing that they didn't feel
00:38:58.780 --> 00:39:05.400
Alethea Felton: slighted by me, that they still knew I loved them, but they knew the importance
00:39:05.400 --> 00:39:07.960
Alethea Felton: Shadary and Keisha played in my life.
00:39:08.740 --> 00:39:13.900
Alethea Felton: And even at my party, somebody said in a tribute, because they all came around
00:39:13.900 --> 00:39:20.620
Alethea Felton: and did tributes to me, one of my friends said, we know that you would have
00:39:20.620 --> 00:39:23.480
Alethea Felton: loved to have Derry and Keisha here with you.
00:39:23.940 --> 00:39:27.420
Alethea Felton: But to know that we have your back too. And like.
00:39:28.440 --> 00:39:35.260
Alethea Felton: Oh my God, that was a game changer for me to know that these women thought so
00:39:35.260 --> 00:39:40.420
Alethea Felton: much of me to love me enough to say, we're still here to help carry you.
00:39:40.700 --> 00:39:46.980
Alethea Felton: Auto is hard. And it's been tough. Like I'm not going to act like I don't think about them often.
00:39:47.120 --> 00:39:51.820
Alethea Felton: I don't necessarily think about them every single day, but every week they still
00:39:51.820 --> 00:39:53.840
Alethea Felton: cross my mind. I miss them.
00:39:54.020 --> 00:39:59.040
Alethea Felton: I mean, it's no getting around it. And they are forever young in my mind.
00:39:59.180 --> 00:40:03.820
Alethea Felton: Derry was 32 when she passed. Keisha was 40.
00:40:04.220 --> 00:40:09.040
Alethea Felton: And they kind of stay stuck in time as you grow older.
00:40:09.300 --> 00:40:14.900
Alethea Felton: And I dealt with survivor's guilt for a while because I was the one expected
00:40:14.900 --> 00:40:17.160
Alethea Felton: to die, expected not to live.
00:40:17.840 --> 00:40:20.620
Alethea Felton: And that could play its game on me.
00:40:20.760 --> 00:40:25.700
Alethea Felton: So I've just learned to just utilize what I've learned in therapy,
00:40:26.660 --> 00:40:31.160
Alethea Felton: ask God to guide me through it and to be surrounded and supported by love.
00:40:31.420 --> 00:40:33.180
Alethea Felton: And that's what's really helped me.
00:40:33.620 --> 00:40:42.920
Kevin Lowe: Wow. So emotional. But again, just such a powerful story of love,
00:40:43.240 --> 00:40:45.100
Kevin Lowe: of relationships, of friendship.
00:40:45.580 --> 00:40:47.840
Kevin Lowe: So amazingly beautiful.
00:40:48.860 --> 00:40:54.900
Kevin Lowe: So maybe kind of shifting gears a little bit, Where in the world does podcasting
00:40:54.900 --> 00:40:56.720
Kevin Lowe: enter this whole story of yours?
00:40:59.760 --> 00:41:06.180
Alethea Felton: Oh, my goodness. Let me tell you about this. So podcasting is kind of a funny story.
00:41:07.000 --> 00:41:13.260
Alethea Felton: I launched the Power Transformation podcast back in December of 2022.
00:41:13.680 --> 00:41:19.860
Alethea Felton: So this was when I was still working a full time nine to five and everything like that.
00:41:19.860 --> 00:41:26.240
Alethea Felton: I had a 20-year career as a public school educator, and I had roles from classroom
00:41:26.240 --> 00:41:29.000
Alethea Felton: teaching to leadership roles in schools,
00:41:29.080 --> 00:41:37.100
Alethea Felton: and I retired early last July at the age of 41 and ended my career in HR.
00:41:37.540 --> 00:41:42.640
Alethea Felton: But when I started my podcast, it was in December of 2022. Okay.
00:41:43.128 --> 00:41:47.948
Alethea Felton: I was still teaching, but one of my mentors and a dear friend of mine for many
00:41:47.948 --> 00:41:50.168
Alethea Felton: years, his name is John Narrow.
00:41:50.688 --> 00:41:56.708
Alethea Felton: John told me in early 2022, Kevin, now get this, early 2022,
00:41:57.048 --> 00:42:00.248
Alethea Felton: John says, I think you should start a podcast.
00:42:00.388 --> 00:42:04.348
Alethea Felton: Kevin, I ain't even listened to a podcast. So how in the world am I supposed to start one?
00:42:04.708 --> 00:42:11.408
Alethea Felton: I was like, I don't even listen. And the hilarious part is that John has a very
00:42:11.408 --> 00:42:18.628
Alethea Felton: successful podcast about workplace, careers, jobs, et cetera.
00:42:18.928 --> 00:42:23.708
Alethea Felton: So as much as I love John, I didn't even listen to his podcast.
00:42:23.768 --> 00:42:27.128
Alethea Felton: So how in the world am I going to listen to my own?
00:42:27.128 --> 00:42:33.008
Alethea Felton: So John said, well, the reason I think that you should is he noticed that my
00:42:33.008 --> 00:42:37.768
Alethea Felton: social media posts had some really good content topics, things like that.
00:42:37.808 --> 00:42:39.708
Alethea Felton: And he said, I just think you should start a podcast.
00:42:40.368 --> 00:42:42.008
Alethea Felton: So I said, I don't know.
00:42:42.808 --> 00:42:48.248
Alethea Felton: Look, Kevin, don't judge me, but I sat on that idea for probably almost a year.
00:42:48.368 --> 00:42:51.028
Alethea Felton: I just sat on it like I ain't gonna do no podcast. Right.
00:42:53.628 --> 00:42:57.008
Alethea Felton: And so I was like, no, I ain't going to do a podcast.
00:42:57.308 --> 00:43:03.448
Alethea Felton: So John said, start listening to maybe five that resonated with you.
00:43:03.468 --> 00:43:04.948
Alethea Felton: I said, John, I don't even know where to begin.
00:43:05.228 --> 00:43:10.788
Alethea Felton: Like, so John is the best. He was like, well, first you can subscribe to my
00:43:10.788 --> 00:43:13.128
Alethea Felton: podcast. So I was like, what?
00:43:17.004 --> 00:43:20.264
Alethea Felton: So I did that. I was like, okay, okay. So I did that.
00:43:20.504 --> 00:43:25.064
Alethea Felton: Then I started to see, gosh, this world of podcasting is pretty huge.
00:43:25.524 --> 00:43:30.184
Alethea Felton: Let me find topics I like. So I went into the deep end where I was subscribing
00:43:30.184 --> 00:43:31.924
Alethea Felton: left and right, this one and that one.
00:43:31.944 --> 00:43:34.644
Alethea Felton: I said, wait a minute, I'm not gonna have time to do anything else.
00:43:34.864 --> 00:43:39.564
Alethea Felton: So I scaled back and then I started to really pray about it.
00:43:39.644 --> 00:43:44.424
Alethea Felton: And I said, God, show me the way to go with this podcast idea.
00:43:44.544 --> 00:43:46.724
Alethea Felton: Give me creativity, insight, and ideas.
00:43:47.464 --> 00:43:53.564
Alethea Felton: So John actually coached me through how to launch a podcast, how to create one.
00:43:53.944 --> 00:43:58.604
Alethea Felton: And I'm the type of a person, if you give me good, solid, grounded,
00:43:58.684 --> 00:44:04.344
Alethea Felton: wise counsel, I will implement it if I see that it's going to be a best,
00:44:04.484 --> 00:44:06.744
Alethea Felton: not just to me, but to the people that I serve.
00:44:06.964 --> 00:44:14.284
Alethea Felton: I was already a certified holistic health coach and really focusing on that
00:44:14.284 --> 00:44:17.244
Alethea Felton: at the time, as well as with my career.
00:44:17.784 --> 00:44:23.444
Alethea Felton: I had already had many other experiences in my life. So I was like, okay.
00:44:23.564 --> 00:44:30.104
Alethea Felton: And the key with the name is that John said, try to find a name nobody has.
00:44:30.544 --> 00:44:35.524
Alethea Felton: So at the time when I created this podcast, nobody had this name.
00:44:35.604 --> 00:44:42.904
Alethea Felton: I think someone since then has has created one similar, but I have the original name of it.
00:44:43.024 --> 00:44:48.024
Alethea Felton: So anyway, so I found the name of the podcast wasn't taken.
00:44:48.384 --> 00:44:54.464
Alethea Felton: And I said, okay, I want this show to be about things, maybe holistic health
00:44:54.464 --> 00:45:01.024
Alethea Felton: principles people can implement into their lives based on the power they have within themselves.
00:45:01.164 --> 00:45:05.984
Alethea Felton: So for example, maybe they want to be more mindful in their daily life.
00:45:06.064 --> 00:45:07.244
Alethea Felton: Maybe they want this and that.
00:45:07.464 --> 00:45:13.764
Alethea Felton: So I started it off as that. I started with five episodes, launched December 7th, 2022.
00:45:14.264 --> 00:45:19.004
Alethea Felton: That date was important because that was the date of my late godmother's birthday.
00:45:19.264 --> 00:45:23.604
Alethea Felton: And she had died not long prior to me launching. She passed,
00:45:23.804 --> 00:45:26.564
Alethea Felton: sadly, of complications due to the pandemic.
00:45:27.264 --> 00:45:31.224
Alethea Felton: And so I was very close to my godmother.
00:45:31.404 --> 00:45:35.864
Alethea Felton: She was an incredible woman. And if she were living, Kevin, she would have been
00:45:35.864 --> 00:45:38.344
Alethea Felton: a perfect guest to have on your show.
00:45:38.524 --> 00:45:40.044
Alethea Felton: She was the epitome of that.
00:45:40.264 --> 00:45:45.244
Alethea Felton: And so in honor to her, with her grit and her grace, inspiration,
00:45:45.624 --> 00:45:51.764
Alethea Felton: I decided to say, I'm going to launch the Power Transformation Podcast on Sandra's birthday.
00:45:52.284 --> 00:45:56.244
Alethea Felton: So I launched it, and then John taught me the art of being consistent.
00:45:56.824 --> 00:46:02.884
Alethea Felton: However, what it's formed into now, Now, Kevin, is what I noticed were,
00:46:03.104 --> 00:46:08.724
Alethea Felton: yes, I would do some solo episodes, but I noticed that with the guests I started interviewing.
00:46:09.748 --> 00:46:14.188
Alethea Felton: Every single guest, Kevin, had a story where they had a challenge,
00:46:14.428 --> 00:46:21.148
Alethea Felton: some type of adversity or an obstacle that they overcame or could even currently still go through.
00:46:21.188 --> 00:46:25.988
Alethea Felton: Yet they haven't used that as a place to wallow or feel sorry for themselves,
00:46:26.108 --> 00:46:27.848
Alethea Felton: but they've used that as a catalyst
00:46:27.848 --> 00:46:32.828
Alethea Felton: for change to make their lives and the lives around others better.
00:46:32.828 --> 00:46:38.248
Alethea Felton: And so that then became the essence of the Power Transformation podcast,
00:46:38.448 --> 00:46:40.928
Alethea Felton: where it started as this one idea,
00:46:41.108 --> 00:46:46.928
Alethea Felton: but now it's crafted into this entirely different idea that fits its name.
00:46:47.028 --> 00:46:52.108
Alethea Felton: And it ranks currently in the top 5% of podcasts globally.
00:46:52.248 --> 00:46:57.288
Alethea Felton: It's audio only for right now, but in September, I'm actually going to start
00:46:57.288 --> 00:47:00.908
Alethea Felton: putting episodes on YouTube as well.
00:47:00.908 --> 00:47:04.568
Kevin Lowe: Well, fantastic. No, I mean, that's amazing.
00:47:05.008 --> 00:47:08.948
Kevin Lowe: And I mean, I love the story of how you started the podcast.
00:47:09.468 --> 00:47:12.868
Kevin Lowe: The fact of not even knowing what the heck a podcast was.
00:47:13.708 --> 00:47:22.148
Kevin Lowe: And now you, Miss Power Transformation Podcast Superstar, you're amazing.
00:47:22.148 --> 00:47:29.808
Alethea Felton: Oh, thank you. And on LinkedIn, I got one of those, um, those.
00:47:30.750 --> 00:47:34.310
Alethea Felton: Badges for top podcasting voice badge.
00:47:34.530 --> 00:47:38.770
Alethea Felton: So I'm pretty excited about that, you know, the measly thing,
00:47:38.930 --> 00:47:43.850
Alethea Felton: but I have a lot of this, like, I literally have a wait list right now for guests
00:47:43.850 --> 00:47:46.310
Alethea Felton: because I'm still doing this on my own.
00:47:46.390 --> 00:47:51.190
Alethea Felton: After a while, I may hire other people after a while, but you know,
00:47:51.190 --> 00:47:54.090
Alethea Felton: I'm still doing all of the editing on my own.
00:47:54.190 --> 00:47:58.250
Alethea Felton: But when I say, and I think you and I I kind of talked about this.
00:47:58.310 --> 00:48:01.950
Alethea Felton: I have approximately, this is no, no exaggeration.
00:48:01.970 --> 00:48:08.830
Alethea Felton: I have approximately 200 people who have requests to want to be on my show as guests.
00:48:09.090 --> 00:48:13.430
Alethea Felton: And I'm not exaggerating about that. So I'm sifting through that.
00:48:13.610 --> 00:48:20.070
Alethea Felton: So that is really, really a blessing that, wow, so that people are learning
00:48:20.070 --> 00:48:25.190
Alethea Felton: more about what I'm doing and getting it out there because I'm so courageous
00:48:25.390 --> 00:48:30.590
Alethea Felton: and bold and believe in dreams where I say I'm going to be a top 1% podcaster
00:48:30.590 --> 00:48:33.370
Alethea Felton: one of these days. I don't care how long it takes.
00:48:33.570 --> 00:48:37.050
Kevin Lowe: But I will be. Absolutely. Absolutely. I love it so much.
00:48:37.410 --> 00:48:43.630
Kevin Lowe: Now, talking a little bit about your podcast and it leading into something that
00:48:43.630 --> 00:48:46.750
Kevin Lowe: you also have done of some public speaking.
00:48:47.310 --> 00:48:52.950
Kevin Lowe: I want you to tell me the story about one of your doctors while you were,
00:48:53.010 --> 00:49:00.530
Kevin Lowe: I think, prepping for surgery who actually helped you with your podcast and it's Oh yeah,
00:49:00.710 --> 00:49:07.370
Alethea Felton: I can't tell you that. Thank you. Yeah, so okay, so this is the greatest story
00:49:07.370 --> 00:49:13.950
Alethea Felton: ever and I'm going to give him a public shout out because he's been so amazing. Dr. Mark Mattar.
00:49:14.862 --> 00:49:22.302
Alethea Felton: At Georgetown University Hospital. He is the head of the gastroenterology fellows at Georgetown.
00:49:23.142 --> 00:49:28.682
Alethea Felton: Hands down, just an incredible doctor, but more so one of the most compassionate
00:49:28.682 --> 00:49:30.722
Alethea Felton: human beings that you will ever meet.
00:49:30.862 --> 00:49:35.002
Alethea Felton: He has an awesome wife. Also, I met her recently.
00:49:35.282 --> 00:49:41.542
Alethea Felton: But what happened was, it was last year at my annual colonoscopy.
00:49:41.742 --> 00:49:49.122
Alethea Felton: Now, keep in mind, ever since I was 28 years old, I've had to get annual colonoscopies.
00:49:49.382 --> 00:49:51.262
Alethea Felton: No fun at all.
00:49:51.602 --> 00:49:58.562
Alethea Felton: Yuck. Hate that time of my life. But I've had to get them every year because I live with Crohn's.
00:49:58.902 --> 00:50:07.202
Alethea Felton: So what happened was I was literally prepping for my annual and went in the back and, um,
00:50:07.342 --> 00:50:13.222
Alethea Felton: I was all prepped up and it's a room that has the anesthesiologist,
00:50:13.322 --> 00:50:14.602
Alethea Felton: the anesthesiology assistant,
00:50:14.922 --> 00:50:16.702
Alethea Felton: nurses, doctors, et cetera.
00:50:17.102 --> 00:50:23.042
Alethea Felton: So Dr. Mattar comes in prior to him getting into scrubs just to say hi.
00:50:23.262 --> 00:50:30.362
Alethea Felton: And he, And he remembered that I had been telling him since 2022 about my podcast.
00:50:30.882 --> 00:50:37.362
Alethea Felton: So prior to my procedure, he literally says, wait a minute, stop.
00:50:37.822 --> 00:50:42.382
Alethea Felton: Before we put you under, tell me the name again of your podcast.
00:50:42.902 --> 00:50:47.362
Alethea Felton: I say it's called The Power Transformation Podcast. It's on all platforms.
00:50:47.742 --> 00:50:53.542
Alethea Felton: So he takes out his phone, tells everybody in the room, take out your cell phone.
00:50:53.882 --> 00:50:57.822
Alethea Felton: If you're an Apple user, go to Apple. If you're Android, go to,
00:50:57.842 --> 00:51:00.342
Alethea Felton: you know, Spotify, iHeart, anywhere.
00:51:00.662 --> 00:51:06.522
Alethea Felton: And he subscribes to my podcast then and there and makes everybody else do the
00:51:06.522 --> 00:51:09.082
Alethea Felton: same prior to me going under for my procedure.
00:51:10.882 --> 00:51:12.682
Kevin Lowe: That is classic.
00:51:12.682 --> 00:51:16.742
Alethea Felton: So that was pretty fun. It was classic.
00:51:16.902 --> 00:51:25.542
Alethea Felton: It was classic. And on top of that, I also pay homage to him because he invited me in June.
00:51:25.582 --> 00:51:32.242
Alethea Felton: Well, in June, I had a major speaking engagement that really helped to catapult
00:51:32.242 --> 00:51:35.222
Alethea Felton: me to a desire I have been having for a while now.
00:51:35.819 --> 00:51:42.739
Alethea Felton: Is while I am a transformational coach, what I also have been yearning to do
00:51:42.739 --> 00:51:46.739
Alethea Felton: is getting to more of the public and professional speaking world.
00:51:47.039 --> 00:51:53.779
Alethea Felton: And several months ago, Dr. Mattar contacted me and said that for the gastroenterology
00:51:53.779 --> 00:51:59.899
Alethea Felton: fellows graduation, he asked me if I could be their key keynote speaker.
00:52:00.259 --> 00:52:07.759
Alethea Felton: So in early June of this year, I had the esteemed honor of speaking at the.
00:52:08.739 --> 00:52:14.879
Alethea Felton: Congressional Country Club in Maryland to speak with the gastroenterology fellows,
00:52:15.059 --> 00:52:18.559
Alethea Felton: as well as numerous other doctors at Georgetown.
00:52:18.739 --> 00:52:24.379
Alethea Felton: And it was a keynote speech about caring, about showing compassion,
00:52:24.819 --> 00:52:29.859
Alethea Felton: care, and never forgetting your why when it comes to you working in healthcare.
00:52:30.199 --> 00:52:35.819
Alethea Felton: And that was absolutely tremendous because my target audience of people that
00:52:35.819 --> 00:52:39.139
Alethea Felton: I coach, as well as who I'm targeting in terms of speech,
00:52:39.339 --> 00:52:46.499
Alethea Felton: it's really two groups is that I coach educators and I use that word to say teachers,
00:52:46.839 --> 00:52:52.519
Alethea Felton: principals, instructional specialists, anyone who works in that school setting
00:52:52.519 --> 00:52:55.179
Alethea Felton: directly with students, educators.
00:52:55.339 --> 00:53:00.679
Alethea Felton: I coach them and I also coach people living with invisible illness.
00:53:00.959 --> 00:53:05.999
Alethea Felton: And so those are my two aspects. And specifically the targets is how to help
00:53:05.999 --> 00:53:12.099
Alethea Felton: them get unstuck in order to reach that next personal or professional goal in
00:53:12.099 --> 00:53:14.899
Alethea Felton: their life. I know what it feels like to be...
00:53:16.150 --> 00:53:20.010
Alethea Felton: Underappreciated, overwhelmed, undervalued, burnt out, exhausted.
00:53:20.250 --> 00:53:26.490
Alethea Felton: And I know the strategies of how to be resilient despite the obstacles,
00:53:26.610 --> 00:53:31.750
Alethea Felton: either self-imposed or external obstacles that can tend to hinder you.
00:53:31.850 --> 00:53:36.990
Alethea Felton: I know through a system I've created, as well as what I've used in my own life
00:53:36.990 --> 00:53:41.010
Alethea Felton: on how to bounce back from them in order to still be highly successful.
00:53:41.010 --> 00:53:47.290
Kevin Lowe: Yeah, I love it. Well, Alethea, before I ask my final question today,
00:53:47.530 --> 00:53:52.750
Kevin Lowe: will you please share with us for anybody interested in your coaching,
00:53:52.950 --> 00:53:57.390
Kevin Lowe: in maybe hiring you as a speaker or just even finding the podcast,
00:53:57.510 --> 00:53:59.050
Kevin Lowe: where can we send everybody? everybody.
00:53:59.330 --> 00:54:05.570
Alethea Felton: Thank you. Yes. So my website is being updated as we speak, but it is still live.
00:54:05.770 --> 00:54:10.770
Alethea Felton: So my website is www.alethiafelton.com.
00:54:11.010 --> 00:54:15.550
Alethea Felton: That's A-L-E-T-H-E-A-F-E-L-T-O-N.
00:54:15.950 --> 00:54:21.410
Alethea Felton: People often try to default and say Althea and skip over that first E,
00:54:21.470 --> 00:54:24.210
Alethea Felton: but it's Aletheia. It's a Greek name, means truth.
00:54:24.650 --> 00:54:32.050
Alethea Felton: That's one way. Also, you can email me directly at coach at aletheafelton.com.
00:54:32.330 --> 00:54:36.730
Alethea Felton: That's coach, C-O-A-C-H at aletheafelton.com.
00:54:37.130 --> 00:54:41.790
Alethea Felton: I'm on LinkedIn. If you're on LinkedIn, that's a great place to connect with me.
00:54:42.170 --> 00:54:45.530
Alethea Felton: And that is my name up there, Alethea Felton.
00:54:45.850 --> 00:54:50.490
Alethea Felton: I'm also on Instagram, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, I'm up there,
00:54:50.590 --> 00:54:55.470
Alethea Felton: but I don't have a huge presence on TikTok, but definitely Instagram, Facebook.
00:54:55.710 --> 00:55:00.430
Alethea Felton: In terms of the podcast, the Power Transformation Podcast, you can find that
00:55:00.430 --> 00:55:02.010
Alethea Felton: on all podcast platforms.
00:55:03.150 --> 00:55:10.250
Alethea Felton: Apple, iHeart, like everywhere, Spotify. And in September, it will be on YouTube as well.
00:55:10.430 --> 00:55:15.110
Alethea Felton: But for now it's on every platform and subscribe, follow.
00:55:15.310 --> 00:55:21.390
Alethea Felton: If you're an Apple user, please write a review so it can build traction and
00:55:21.390 --> 00:55:24.030
Alethea Felton: just get the word out. I interview everybody.
00:55:24.310 --> 00:55:29.210
Alethea Felton: I have interviewed everyone We went from CEOs of companies to New York Times
00:55:29.210 --> 00:55:37.170
Alethea Felton: bestselling authors, all the way to people that are on permanent disability in their life.
00:55:37.290 --> 00:55:40.010
Alethea Felton: I don't discriminate against who I interview.
00:55:40.170 --> 00:55:44.870
Alethea Felton: It's literally about people who have really had some amazing stories.
00:55:45.090 --> 00:55:50.350
Alethea Felton: And also, Kevin, on top of that, in terms of the public speaking event,
00:55:50.390 --> 00:55:57.230
Alethea Felton: I also want I want to acknowledge that I went to that event with my partner's
00:55:57.230 --> 00:55:59.370
Alethea Felton: significant other boyfriend,
00:55:59.770 --> 00:56:06.290
Alethea Felton: Brandon, who's been very supportive of me, along with my family and friends
00:56:06.290 --> 00:56:07.810
Alethea Felton: and things of that nature.
00:56:07.950 --> 00:56:12.030
Alethea Felton: But he stays behind the scenes a lot.
00:56:12.170 --> 00:56:18.610
Alethea Felton: But he, my parents, my sister, my immediate family, as well as some friends
00:56:18.610 --> 00:56:24.690
Alethea Felton: have been so supportive on my journey. And I'm very, very grateful for that.
00:56:25.010 --> 00:56:29.350
Kevin Lowe: Yeah, I love that. I mean, it's no doubt. I mean, it takes a village.
00:56:30.170 --> 00:56:36.150
Kevin Lowe: And, you know, we, life is tough enough, much less to try to do it all on your own.
00:56:37.050 --> 00:56:41.450
Kevin Lowe: And so I love that. And I will be sure that all of the information you mentioned,
00:56:41.550 --> 00:56:46.690
Kevin Lowe: all those links, everything is in the show notes for today's episode for easy access.
00:56:47.870 --> 00:56:52.890
Alethea Felton: Oh, wait a minute. Wait a minute, though. No, also y'all, Kevin is such a very,
00:56:53.735 --> 00:57:00.275
Alethea Felton: humble person. So you might not know this too, but I want you to please go to
00:57:00.275 --> 00:57:06.175
Alethea Felton: the Power Transformation podcast because Kevin is a past guest on my show.
00:57:06.395 --> 00:57:07.875
Alethea Felton: So listen to his episode.
00:57:08.015 --> 00:57:12.975
Kevin Lowe: Good mention. I'll be sure that's linked in the show notes also. Amazing.
00:57:13.195 --> 00:57:16.315
Alethea Felton: Yes. You had a phenomenal interview. Yeah.
00:57:16.395 --> 00:57:20.235
Kevin Lowe: Oh, well, I think you're absolutely phenomenal yourself.
00:57:20.495 --> 00:57:26.475
Kevin Lowe: And my last question, honestly, is looking back at this conversation today,
00:57:26.775 --> 00:57:32.415
Kevin Lowe: I mean, we've gone through the health struggles, the loss you've experienced,
00:57:32.635 --> 00:57:35.755
Kevin Lowe: but also the gain that you've gone through.
00:57:35.855 --> 00:57:40.095
Kevin Lowe: The idea of this cup of yours is just overflowing.
00:57:40.875 --> 00:57:47.695
Kevin Lowe: What, though, is the one thing that you hope the person listening today comes away with?
00:57:47.935 --> 00:57:53.795
Kevin Lowe: What is that one message that you hope that they remember about hearing your story?
00:57:54.095 --> 00:58:00.475
Alethea Felton: The one thing that I hope that people remember about my story is that regardless
00:58:00.475 --> 00:58:02.835
Alethea Felton: of what life brings your way,
00:58:03.055 --> 00:58:09.355
Alethea Felton: regardless of the obstacle set in your path to To thwart where you're supposed
00:58:09.355 --> 00:58:15.375
Alethea Felton: to go is to just keep moving forward, to keep going, to know and believe that
00:58:15.375 --> 00:58:17.535
Alethea Felton: you are worth every and anything,
00:58:17.775 --> 00:58:26.435
Alethea Felton: to embrace your self-worth, to trust in your creativity and your ideas.
00:58:26.435 --> 00:58:33.115
Alethea Felton: Us, but also know that you are here not by accident, but you are here for a
00:58:33.115 --> 00:58:38.415
Alethea Felton: reason and that sometimes it may be difficult understanding or seeing what that reason is.
00:58:38.655 --> 00:58:44.155
Alethea Felton: But regardless of your age, your socioeconomic status, your upbringing,
00:58:44.435 --> 00:58:48.435
Alethea Felton: your past does not necessarily determine your future.
00:58:48.635 --> 00:58:53.075
Alethea Felton: And so as long as you have breath in your lungs, you're able to still breathe,
00:58:53.315 --> 00:58:58.475
Alethea Felton: you're able to still communicate in some form, whatever form that is,
00:58:58.755 --> 00:59:05.035
Alethea Felton: realize that your being here is not by chance, but that you too have a story
00:59:05.035 --> 00:59:08.055
Alethea Felton: to share and can make an incredible difference.
00:59:08.375 --> 00:59:13.415
Alethea Felton: Avoid getting caught up in the comparison trap of thinking that your story isn't
00:59:13.415 --> 00:59:16.475
Alethea Felton: big enough or great enough. That's not the point.
00:59:16.555 --> 00:59:20.255
Alethea Felton: But the point is knowing that there is hope.
00:59:20.903 --> 00:59:26.963
Alethea Felton: No matter what you go through, walk away knowing who you are and walk away knowing
00:59:26.963 --> 00:59:32.603
Alethea Felton: that your life matters and you sincerely can make a difference.
00:59:32.703 --> 00:59:35.803
Alethea Felton: I know what it's like being at rock bottom.
00:59:35.923 --> 00:59:42.203
Alethea Felton: And while I didn't talk about a lot of the emotional turmoil I experienced, I get it.
00:59:42.243 --> 00:59:47.203
Alethea Felton: I know what it's like where you don't even want to wake up on the next day,
00:59:47.243 --> 00:59:52.263
Alethea Felton: but you know that you have to. I know what it's like being on bed rest and not
00:59:52.263 --> 00:59:53.303
Alethea Felton: being able to go anywhere.
00:59:53.543 --> 00:59:58.163
Alethea Felton: I know what it's like having people having to come and change you and and bathe
00:59:58.163 --> 01:00:01.583
Alethea Felton: you and just not being able to do anything on your own.
01:00:01.723 --> 01:00:06.343
Alethea Felton: And I just know what it's like to feel that you're so alone in the world.
01:00:06.503 --> 01:00:11.343
Alethea Felton: But then knowing that despite the rain that pours in your life,
01:00:11.443 --> 01:00:18.163
Alethea Felton: always remember that the sun is still shining brightly, even behind the clouds. Wow.
01:00:18.923 --> 01:00:23.963
Kevin Lowe: Alethea, thank you for just simply being you.
01:00:24.163 --> 01:00:32.623
Kevin Lowe: You are one of the most amazing, beautiful, shining people I've ever met.
01:00:32.823 --> 01:00:38.723
Kevin Lowe: And it's been just the utmost pleasure to have you here today. So thank you.
01:00:38.723 --> 01:00:45.443
Alethea Felton: Thank you, Kevin, for having me. And you are definitely a gift in my life.
01:00:45.523 --> 01:00:50.683
Alethea Felton: And I am so glad that our paths crossed and we'll definitely keep in touch.
01:00:51.663 --> 01:00:57.863
Kevin Lowe: Absolutely. And for you, my friend listening, hopefully you're smiling just
01:00:57.863 --> 01:01:04.003
Kevin Lowe: as big as I am because we just had a little bit of Aletheia in our life and
01:01:04.003 --> 01:01:06.163
Kevin Lowe: that makes it a better day.
01:01:06.163 --> 01:01:11.763
Kevin Lowe: So if you loved it if you liked it and you're thinking to yourself man i know
01:01:11.763 --> 01:01:15.603
Kevin Lowe: somebody who really needs to hear this well then be a good friend and share
01:01:15.603 --> 01:01:21.323
Kevin Lowe: it with them because you know sharing is caring anyways you enjoyed the day
01:01:21.323 --> 01:01:25.903
Kevin Lowe: have a great one and this is kevin with grit grace and inspiration
01:01:26.480 --> 01:01:44.890
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