The Long Haul with Summer

What if symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, heart racing, pelvic pain, and orthostatic intolerance have a vascular connection that is being overlooked? In this episode of The Long Haul with Summer, Summer sits down with interventional radiologist Dr. Brooke Spencer to explore pelvic venous disease, iliac vein compression, and the emerging research into their potential connection with Long COVID and POTS. Dr. Spencer explains why the venous system has historically received less attention than the arterial system, how impaired venous return and venous pooling may contribute to symptoms across multiple organ systems, and why vascular compression can sometimes be missed on conventional imaging. She also discusses ongoing research, the limitations of what is currently known, and why better data, education, and collaboration are essential as physicians work to understand these complex patients. Summer also shares her own experience after an earlier scan was read as normal, and why looking at imaging in the context of the patient’s symptoms can make such a significant difference. Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at https://mvresearch.org/

Long COVID patients are often told to push through their symptoms, build their endurance, or keep going until their bodies adjust. But for patients experiencing post-exertional malaise, pushing past their limits can lead to an even harder crash. In this episode of The Long Haul with Summer , Dr. Robert Groysman joins Summer to explain the connection between post-exertional malaise, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and the energy problems many Long COVID patients experience. Dr. Groysman shares how his own experience with Long COVID led him to look beyond traditional medical specialties for answers. He explains why PEM is different from ordinary fatigue, why physical activity is not the only thing that can trigger a crash, and why pacing can be such an important part of protecting a patient’s baseline while working toward recovery. Summer and Dr. Groysman also discuss why standard rehab can sometimes backfire, the challenges of identifying mitochondrial dysfunction, and why treating Long COVID often requires looking at multiple systems rather than addressing symptoms one at a time. Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at https://mvresearch.org/

Summer had sent countless patients to Denver for iliac vein stents. She had watched the procedure, shadowed the team, and explained iliac vein compression in clinic more times than she could count. Then her own name appeared on the schedule. After an earlier scan was read as normal, Summer later learned she had severe iliac vein compression and Nutcracker syndrome. In this personal return episode of The Long Haul with Summer, she shares the symptoms that changed her daily life, what it was like to undergo the procedure herself, and the improvements she noticed within days. Recovery was not a straight line. Summer also opens up about the difficult MCAS flare that followed, the slow process of learning to trust her body again, and how becoming the patient changed the empathy and perspective she will carry into caring for others. Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at https://mvresearch.org/

What if the gut symptoms many Long COVID patients experience are not just IBS, anxiety, or “functional” problems? In this episode, Dr. Vaughn interviews gastroenterologist Zach Spiritos about the overlooked connection between Long COVID, mast cell activation, gut barrier dysfunction, food reactions, dysautonomia, and chronic GI symptoms. They discuss why traditional scopes and imaging often fail to explain what patients are feeling, how COVID may disrupt the gut and immune system, and why symptoms that are often dismissed as stress or anxiety may have a deeper biological explanation. This conversation also explores IBS, MCAS, motility issues, microscopic colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, GLP-1 medications, probiotics, prebiotics, and why asking “why did this happen?” may be one of the most important questions in medicine. Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at https://mvresearch.org/

On this deeply personal update, I'm opening up about why I’ve been away—and what’s really been happening behind the scenes. After reaching the best shape of my life, everything took an unexpected turn. What started as metabolic issues quickly spiraled into something much more complex. From new autoimmune concerns to a COVID reinfection, I’ve been dealing with severe fatigue, brain fog, and debilitating crashes that have completely changed my day-to-day life. After months of testing, treatments, and trying to piece things together with my medical team, we finally have some answers—but they come with new challenges. I’m now facing significant vascular complications and heading to Denver for a procedure that I hope will put me back on the path to healing. This episode is about transparency, resilience, and the reality of living with long COVID. I’ll also be documenting this next phase of my journey—sharing what I learn, what helps, and what recovery really looks like. Thank you for being here, for your support, and for walking this journey with me. More updates soon. Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at https://mvresearch.org/

When patients are told their labs are “normal” but they still feel sick, where do they turn next? In this episode of The Long Haul with Summer , Summer talks with Dr. Ben Edwards about root-cause medicine, why symptom management often misses the bigger picture, and how issues like inflammation, gut health, mitochondria, and lifestyle can play a major role in healing. This is a thoughtful conversation for patients and providers looking beyond the standard model of care. Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at https://mvresearch.org/

In this episode of The Long Haul with Summer, Summer shares what to eat with Long COVID and how an anti-inflammatory diet may support healing, energy, and overall recovery. She walks through grocery store tips, the mito diet, foods to prioritize, foods to avoid, meal ideas, snack options, and simple ways to lower inflammation through everyday eating. Whether you’re dealing with Long COVID symptoms or looking for practical nutrition guidance, this episode offers a helpful starting point. Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at https://mvresearch.org/

After COVID, Mitch went from running his landscaping business and living an active life to feeling like he was losing his mind. For nearly three years, he battled crushing symptoms, endless doctor visits, normal test results, and the fear that no one believed what he was going through. Eventually, he learned it wasn’t “all in his head” — it was Long COVID. In this episode of The Long Haul with Summer, Mitch and Michelle share the heartbreaking decline, the medical dismissal, and the treatment that finally helped him get his life back. Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at https://mvresearch.org/

In this episode of The Long Haul with Summer, Summer sits down with Dr. Vaughn and cardiologist Dr. Alexis Cutchins to unpack why so many Long COVID patients are still being dismissed. They explore the overlooked links between Long COVID, POTS, MCAS, venous disease, and microclotting—and why listening to patients is often what leads to real answers. This is an eye-opening conversation about medical blind spots, innovative care, and the doctors working to connect the dots for patients who have been told nothing is wrong. Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at https://mvresearch.org/

After working as an ER nurse through the COVID pandemic, Rachel Lowry never expected to become the patient herself. In this episode of The Long Haul with Summer, she shares how months of coughing, shortness of breath, crushing fatigue, and worsening symptoms were repeatedly brushed aside—until one chest X-ray finally revealed significant lung scarring. Rachel opens up about the fear, frustration, and medical dismissal she faced, what it was like to know something was deeply wrong while being told everything looked normal, and how getting the right answers changed the course of her journey. This is a powerful conversation about Long COVID, lung damage, persistence, and why patients need doctors who will truly listen. Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at https://mvresearch.org

After getting sick and hearing again and again that her tests were “normal,” Olivia was left with no real answers—only worsening symptoms, intense fatigue, chest pain, a racing heart, and months spent bedridden. In this episode of The Long Haul with Summer, she shares how her life changed after COVID, how traditional doctors repeatedly dismissed her symptoms as anxiety, and how finding the right testing and care finally helped her begin getting her life back. Olivia’s story is a powerful look at Long COVID, medical dismissal, microclotting, recovery, and why patients need doctors who will truly listen.

Andrea was a healthy, active mom, nurse, and school worker when everything suddenly changed. What started as strange arrhythmias and exhaustion turned into crushing fatigue, dizziness, swelling, brain fog, and episodes so severe she could barely make it through a grocery store without help. After months of ER visits, cardiology workups, normal tests, and being told to just live with it, Andrea finally found doctors willing to look deeper. In this episode of The Long Haul with Summer, she shares her frightening health collapse, the vascular issues that were ultimately discovered, and the treatment path that began giving her life back.

Starting Long COVID treatment can feel overwhelming—especially when your first visit comes with a busy day of testing, labs, education, and a brand-new plan to follow. In this solo episode of The Long Haul with Summer, Summer walks through what that first appointment typically looks like, how the care team builds a personalized roadmap, and why it’s common to feel a little worse before you feel better as your body begins healing and adjusting to new medications, rest, hydration, and nutrition changes. She shares practical tips for managing brain fog, staying organized, pacing exercise, improving sleep, and avoiding setbacks—plus the mindset of grace, patience, and perseverance it takes to make progress that isn’t always linear. Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at https://mvresearch.org/

Ernie went from averaging 30,000 steps a day to being nearly bedridden after 2021—failing lung tests even with an inhaler, battling crushing brain fog, constant shaking, and being told by doctor after doctor that nothing was wrong. After four years of searching for answers, one appointment changed everything. In this episode of The Long Haul with Summer, Ernie shares how he finally found a care team that listened, built a clear plan, and supported him through treatment from out of state—then accelerated it on-site in Birmingham with adjunct therapies like HBOT, red light therapy, SoftWave, and EBOO. Today, his pulmonary function tests are normal, and he’s back to running, hiking, and rebuilding the life Long COVID stole—with a message of faith, persistence, and hope for anyone still stuck in the cycle of dismissal. Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at https://mvresearch.org/

COVID isn’t just a lung disease—and under the microscope, the blood reveals a very different story.In this episode of The Long Haul with Summer, Summer sits down with world-renowned physiologist Dr. Resia Pretorius to discuss what her team discovered: extreme platelet hyperactivation, vascular damage, and amyloid-like clotting structures often referred to as “microclots.” They unpack why many Long COVID patients can have “normal” standard labs while still feeling profoundly unwell, why microscopy is so validating, and what it will take to move this research into mainstream care.Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at https://mvresearch.org/

35 Doctors. 3 Children's Hospitals. One "Medical Jailbreak." Kyle Cooper was a nationally ranked triathlete until he was found collapsed on his bedroom floor. He explains how severe sensory overstimulation forced him into a "blackout room," wearing noise-canceling headphones just to survive the day. For years, every specialist called his symptoms "preposterous" or "just dehydration." They were wrong. Colby Cooper shares the heart-pounding moment he pulled his son out of the hospital to find the truth. Discover how Dr. Jordan Vaughn and the Microvascular Research Foundation (MVRF) identified the 92% vein blockage and micro-clots that traditional medicine missed. "This experience has made us lifelong supporters and advocates for the Microvascular Research Foundation. This is our new calling." — Colby Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at: https://mvresearch.org/

Discover how one medical practice is transforming patient care by building a pharmacy right inside their clinic. Pharmacist Scherry shares her journey working with an integrated healthcare team, providing same-day prescriptions, compounded medications, and expert guidance on supplements and off-label therapies. From streamlining care to supporting patients through the pandemic, see how this unique setup improves outcomes, builds trust, and redefines what patient-centered healthcare can look like. Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at https://mvresearch.org/

For years, Grace Gilliver knew something was wrong — but doctors kept dismissing her concerns. Her symptoms worsened, answers never came, and she was left searching for help on her own. In this episode of The Long Haul with Summer, she shares her journey through chronic illness, long COVID, and the moment everything changed when one doctor finally listened. Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at: https://mvresearch.org/

For years, Deb Moyer’s seizures, paralysis, and debilitating symptoms were dismissed by doctors as “all in her head.” Labeled psychiatric and accused of faking her illness, she faced a life-threatening reality that went unrecognized. When she finally found a care team willing to investigate the true cause — blood clots and severe microvascular issues — they told her she should have been dead. Through perseverance, faith, and innovative integrative care, Deb fought to reclaim her health, regain her mobility, and rebuild her life. Her story highlights the dangers of medical dismissal, the importance of being believed, and the hope that comes from care that thinks outside the box. Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at https://mvresearch.org/

When Laura's husband was hospitalized with COVID, she knew something wasn't right. The treatments weren't helping, he was getting worse, and she made the bold decision to take him home.In this episode of The Long Haul with Summer, Laura shares the challenges they faced, how they found care outside the traditional system, and why she believes her actions saved his life. She also reflects on patient advocacy, hope, and the importance of questioning a broken system.Learn more about the Microvascular Research Foundation and how you can help at: https://mvresearch.org/