About Me

I was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) in December 2017 after experiencing unexplained symptoms for over a year. I was devastated to learn autoimmune diseases cannot be cured. Up until then, I rarely got sick and now I had an illness there was no cure for?! Life as I knew it changed in an instant. 

But really, life had already changed. In the time leading up to my diagnosis I was in constant pain. My feet kept painfully swelling. My toe joints ached and became malformed. My eyes had multiple bouts where they would turn blood red and any light caused sharp pain to radiate throughout my head (I later learned this was uveitis.) My back hurt all the time. I was constantly tired. I had no energy to play with my then toddler and infant sons. Even if I’d had the energy, I was hurting too badly to run around outside with my son. My husband took on more and more. I felt so guilty. Guilty for having these unidentifiable problems. Guilty for not being able to contribute more to my family. Guilty for suddenly not being able to be the mom I’d always wanted to be. Mom guilt aint got nothing on autoimmune mom guilt!

In my desire to learn more about my newly diagnosed autoimmune disease, and how to heal, I immersed myself in information. Books, research articles, podcasts, anything I could get my hands on; if I could learn something from it, I consumed it. In my quest to get well, I became educated in nutrition. I discovered there was so much I did have control over that my doctors never discussed with me.

I discovered certain foods inflam the body, causing and continuing illness. I learned about foods that had the ability to restore the body. I found foods could aid in my recovery and healing. While my doctors shook their heads at me, saying diet didn’t matter and medicine was my only hope to limit the progression my disease, I knew that could not be the only choice. I decided to listen to my gut and explore my options. This was my life. This was my future, not theirs.

I began implementing what I had learned. I was my own guinea pig. I eliminated certain foods that caused inflammation in my body, and added others which nourished me. Almost immediately, I drastically reduce my symptoms. By embracing a less toxic lifestyle, I furthered my healing.

My health began tanking again in 2019 leading to my Lyme disease diagnosis. Treating the Lyme caused numerous complications, but relying on my knowledge of how the body works and the start of medication, I was able to put my Lyme disease into remission. I have continued to be symptom free from both of my conditions.

My quest to heal put me on a completely different path. Through making these changes my own life, my entire family’s wellbeing has improved. I can honestly say through my illness, I discovered a more robust life. I cannot imagine where I would be had I not followed that inkling that there was more to life than resigning myself to being sick.

I’m not special. I just decided I wasn’t willing to let disease steal my life. If you’re here, it’s because you aren’t willing to let your disease determine the rest of your life either.