Life to the Max Podcast
Welcome to 'Life to the Max Podcast,' where resilience meets inspiration!
Join us on a transformative journey through the life stories of remarkable individuals, including Quadriplegic Army Veteran Maximilian Gross. In this empowering podcast, we dive into tales of triumph, courage, and the human spirit's unwavering ability to overcome obstacles.
Our show is a celebration of diverse narratives, from awe-inspiring achievements to the darkest of traumas. 'Life to the Max' is a testament to the power of living authentically, no matter the circumstances. We believe that everyone has a unique story worth sharing, and we invite individuals from all walks of life to join us.
Discover the profound meaning of living 'Life to the Max'—a concept that resonates differently with each storyteller. It's a journey of perspective, resilience, and finding joy amidst life's challenges. Tune in to be inspired, motivated, and reminded that there's strength in every story.
Ready to redefine what it means to live life to the fullest? Share your story with us and become a part of this uplifting community. Because, at 'Life to the Max,' every story matters.
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Life to the Max Podcast
The Art of Resilience: Amanda Peters on Chronic Creativity
Follow Amanda's journey on Instagram @chronically._.creative and discover how art becomes both healing and revolutionary in the hands of someone determined to increase representation through creativity.
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From the 2025 Abilities Expo in Chicago comes a powerful SpeedCast that packs an emotional punch in just under eight minutes. Meet Amanda Peters, the creative force behind "Chronically Creative," whose journey through over 100 surgeries has transformed into an artistic mission to increase wheelchair representation in digital art.
Amanda candidly shares her life with spina bifida, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and hydrocephalus—challenges that kept her frequently hospitalized yet sparked a creative awakening. "I started getting into design once I entered a bit more of a healthy era," she explains, noting her disappointment at the scarcity of wheelchair-inclusive artwork despite millions of Americans who use mobility devices.
What makes Amanda's art distinctive is her digital approach. Using an iPad with a stylus, she overcomes hand tremors through digital filtering tools, allowing her to create whenever inspiration or health permits. This adaptive technique emerged during COVID when she found herself with fewer surgeries and more creative energy. Her mother introduced her to crafting as therapy—a way to focus on creation rather than pain.
Perhaps most striking is Amanda's perspective, summed up by her t-shirt: "Chronically ill, I prefer medically fascinating." This outlook culminates in her parting wisdom that resonates far beyond disability communities: "Try to take different risks and do new things, even if you're not quite sure you're going to be able to do it, because chances are you're going to be surprised at what you actually are capable of."
What's up, guys? As you can see, we're not in the studio at home. We're actually at the Abilities Expo in Chicago and this podcast is going to be a little different. It's going to be like a speedcast. The sound is not going to be as great because of how wide open this space is, but I hope you guys enjoy it. Please enjoy this. Lif to the Max speedcast. What's up, everybody? It's Life to the Next Podcast and we are at the Abilities Expo in Schaumburg, illinois. It is June 20th, friday 2025. And today I am here with Amanda Peters and she's trying to launch You're trying to launch an art for iPad type thing art for ipad type thing.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, I um started getting into design once I entered a bit more of a healthy era. Before that I was always in the hospital and unable to really do much, and I was kind of disappointed that there were so few decent designs and interest in stuff with wheelchairs and as well as drawings of just people in such wheelchairs, especially when there are millions of people in america alone with wheelchairs could you explain a little bit your your health problems?
Speaker 2:I have spina bifida, along with all the other included diseases like ehlers, danlos and hydrocephalus and a bunch of others, and, from a comedy of errors, is this because of the hole in your spine. Yeah, as I've kind of mentioned before, I've really dumb luck and ended up in a lot of complications that weren't typically normal or common. I mean from having an anaphylactic reaction to sunscreen on our first day on vacation after many years to having the oxygen concentrator break in the middle of when we're moving in wow, that's and that's.
Speaker 1:I admire you, coach, I really do oh, it's mostly from my mom.
Speaker 2:She's taught me to be well, not only to be strong, but she does not let me, uh, really wallow in self-pity. What uh?
Speaker 1:I'm really sorry about all that has happened to you, but I admire your perseverance and like I hope people like that are listening like get, like, like realize that life is precious and like it could always be worse oh yeah, it could always be worse yeah, well, in my too, it's also a very brave to share, all like to talk and to share among so many people.
Speaker 2:That it's well. I don't kind of think I was born in the wrong generation, because I'm not very big on, uh, emailing, texting, social media, so it's a bit of a still kind of a work in progress. But I, my mom, had I she used to work in preschool and until she quit her job to become my caregiver, um, but she had like this, like the cricket, and so she started. She had it. So then, once I started, once I was doing a bit better, I started doing that to make things to do in my free time rather than, like when you just sit around doing nothing, you're like, oh, my head hurts, oh, my back hurts, oh, this is horrible, this is bad. And so I started doing that just for fun. Then I started doing it for gifts, and then after that, I got into the design part On an iPad, correct?
Speaker 2:Yeah, usually I have like different tremors and stuff in my hands, so doing it usually on my iPad with the pencil, I could use the different settings to like help filter it out, so it's not, like you know, all shaky and wavy, yeah, so, and then plus I don't have to worry of like doing, like getting out pencils and everything if I feel good, or have inspiration, I can just take it out and start at any moment.
Speaker 1:What got you into it?
Speaker 2:I've always been interested in art. When I was at RIC I did a lot of art therapy with the art therapist. A few times I was there and doing other things like that. That's awesome. But then I really didn't have like I was. I wasn't really doing well and feeling well and it's kind of a lot to take out. You know paints and like colors and markers and you know you have to be, have like that, not only the time but the energy and the ability to do it.
Speaker 2:So I think, it was sometime, like in the middle of like COVID, that I started to do a bit better and was no longer going in for like brain surgery every few months and I wait, you have brain've had over a hundred surgeries.
Speaker 1:You've had over a hundred surgeries.
Speaker 2:Yes, most likely we didn't really keep track, but they made a list of like the major ones a few years ago and it was somewhere over 50.
Speaker 1:For everybody listening. Do not fucking complain. This person had a hundred surgeries, okay, and I'm blessed to be sitting here talking. Do not fucking complain. This person had a hundred surgeries. Okay, I'm blessed to be sitting here talking to her. What does your t-shirt?
Speaker 2:say Chronically ill, I prefer medically fascinating.
Speaker 1:It's perfect. I used to say handicapable.
Speaker 2:That's what I would say instead of handicapable. I like the sticker on yours Respect the Chair. Respect the Chair you will definitely get one. Yeah, for sure For what you've been through.
Speaker 1:I will definitely give you a Respect the Chair and also what's your Instagram page.
Speaker 2:Chronically Creative, but it's chronicallyunderscorecreative.
Speaker 1:Blow up her page. Follow it. Follow. Chronically Creative. Chronically Creative. She deserves it and she Follow it. Follow Chronically.
Speaker 2:Creative.
Speaker 1:Chronically Creative. She deserves it and she'll get it, and I admire your courage. I really do. I'm a person.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you. Like I said, I've been.
Speaker 1:You're honestly living life to the max. I'm happy, obviously, to talk to you about this. I wish your conversation. Is there anything you would like to say out there to the people? Okay, I'm happy, obviously, to talk to you about this short conversation. Is there anything you would like to say out there to the people?
Speaker 2:That to try and take the different risks and do new things, even if you're not quite sure you're going to be able to do it, because chances are you're going to be surprised at what you actually are capable of.
Speaker 1:Perfect Amanda Peters, everybody. Are you're going to be surprised at what you actually are capable of? Perfect amanda peters, everybody. And make sure to follow her page. Chronically creative, chronically creative. We will leave that in the handle below. Blow up her instagram, message her if you want art.
Speaker 2:She's amazing well, thank you please like, comment and subscribe that was an honor and a pleasure.