When the Flames Go Up
When the Flames Go Up
Episode 8: "No one prepares you for this level of ... intimacy?"
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Episode 8: "No one prepares you for this level of ... intimacy?"

Tiffany Noel Taylor and Richard Furlong had nothing prepared when her father was suddenly too sick to care for himself. 26 months later, here's what they've learned, and why they're still above water.

This week, Episode 8 drops a little later in the day. But it’s worth it, because this is our first Extended-Cut episode, featuring over 45 minutes of bonus dialogue! We laughed so much with Tiffany and “R.B.” that there were too many great moments to choose from. So we said, “the hell with it!” and left them all in.

We also needed the extra length to cover the extraordinary scope of their story. Tiffany’s dad was a vital, doting 73-year-old when a sudden illness left him unable to do much of anything on his own. Now, he sees 12 specialists in four hospital systems, and it takes about 45 minutes to list the timing and dosage of his 27 medications.

In 26 months, Tiffany and R.B. have learned volumes about hospitals, insurance, and powers of attorney; worked hard to find balance to keep living as spouses and parents; and figured out how to share caring duties with her brother and his sister—who also happen to be married to each other.

The key to surviving all this, they say, is keeping their sense of humor. Which is probably why the conversation veered into the wacky Loofa System at The Villages, Blanche Devereaux’s Olympian libido, and what it means to “draw four” in Dirty Uno.

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