A Contagious Smile Podcast · Victora Cuore; A Contagious Smile, Who Kicked First, Domestic Violence Survivor, Advocate, Motivational Coach, Special Needs, Abuse Support, Life Skill Classes, Special Needs Social Groups

Inside The OR: Infection, Accountability, And Self-Advocacy

January 12, 2026·1 hr·5 clips

Victoria opens the conversation seventy-two hours after back surgery and says the infection from her December 3 operation has made the week rough. She does not dress it up. The first serious turn is a reminder to advocate for yourself when recovery feels off. Michael pushes back with jokes, but the point does not move. Victoria keeps returning to the idea that it matters more to live for the people you love than to simply say you would die for them. The conversation keeps drifting between tenderness and teasing, which is pretty much the show's rhythm. Victoria then shifts to the book she wrote about narcissistic abuse. She describes it as a set of detailed would-you-rather questions built to help readers see how they were manipulated. The book is meant to feel like it comes from someone who has lived it. She wants readers to understand that the harm was not their fault. She also wants them to notice the red flags they missed the first time. The questions are supposed to slow people down long enough to think, and maybe help them build healthier relationships with themselves too. Victoria says she wants to turn the book into a workshop at the Academy. Michael reacts like that is exactly the sort of thing she would do. She says the proceeds will go to the Academy so people who cannot afford help can still get some. She jokes about having written so many books that the count keeps shifting, and notes that not all of them are published on Amazon. The episode also wanders through the usual domestic chaos, including jokes about laziness, movie night with their daughter, and the ongoing battle to get Michael to podcast more. By the end, Victoria is still doing what the show does best: mixing advocacy, teasing, and blunt truth in the same room.

As heard by us

A frank recovery conversation about self-advocacy, narcissistic abuse, and practical healing.

The episode settles into a frank recovery conversation about how to keep going for the people she loves after back surgery and an infection have left everything feeling fragile.

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Why you'd press play

You want a raw post-op check-in with survivor-grade bluntness.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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