My daughter Marley’s first big adventure abroad—a four-month humanitarian trip in Thailand—turned into one of the scariest moments of my momming life. Every parent’s worst fear happened when she was rushed to a hospital in a small Thai town called Phitsanulok with unbearable abdominal pain. So far from home. So far from mom.

In this episode, I open up about what happened, my own kidney stone journey, and the lessons I’ve learned as a mom watching my child suffer from afar.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

The terrifying night I got the call from Thailand
How my past health struggles prepared me for this moment
Why pain can be life’s greatest teacher
The hardest part of parenting no one tells you
Tips for you and your kids as they travel abroad.

If this resonates, please like, comment, subscribe, and share. It means the world to me and helps others find these conversations. Watch the full episode on YouTube here or head to https://www.youtube.com/@RealHeidiPowell.

Here are the key moments from the episode:

0:00 Why I Had to Record This Episode

3:03 The Emergency Call That Changed Everything

7:59 What Kidney Stones Really Feel Like

16:06 When Marley’s Diagnosis Was Confirmed

17:04 Surgery or Wait? The Impossible Decision

20:15 Discovering Thailand’s Health Care System

23:14 The Helpless Reality of Parenting From Afar

27:04 The Moment Marley Realised She Was an Adult

31:10 Becoming Your Own Safety Net

36:39 Why Struggle Is the Greatest Teacher

39:39 A New Perspective on My Own Mom

43:14 Trusting Our Kids’ Inner Strength

46:08 The Song That Captures It All

Connect with Heidi: 

Website: https://heidipowell.net/

Email: podcast@heidipowell.net

Instagram: @realheidipowell

Facebook: Heidi Powell

YouTube: @RealHeidiPowell 

Train with Heidi on her Show Up App: https://www.showupfit.app/

Ep. 73 Kidney Stones in Thailand Part One! Parenting Through Pain & Uncertainty Abroad