If you're new to the blog, my website, podcast, brand, or even just oblivious haha!
You may not know that I have been living with a chronic autoimmune disease since I was 16.
It's called "autoimmune hepatitis" or "autoimmune liver disease".
No, I'm not contagious, and yes, I live an extraordinary life regardless of my chronic illness.
"growing up I had never been the person to get sick, maybe the common cold once in a blue moon, but other than that I was pretty healthy."
Now let me give you the rundown of how it all went down.
So when I was 16, I believe it was in March of 11th grade when I was first admitted into the hospital.
Mind you, growing up I had never been the person to get sick, maybe the common cold once in a blue moon, but other than that I was pretty healthy.
Anyways, I had been admitted into the hospital because I had been way sicker than I had ever been. I was already home from school for several days & was coughing so much to the point where it was getting hard for me to breathe.
After staying overnight and getting several tests done. The doctors realized my liver enzymes were through the roof and my liver along with my spleen were both extremely enflamed.
"they said the inflammation should subside within a 3 month period."
The doctors proceeded to diagnose me with mono (short for mononucleosis) also known as "the kissing disease".
Honestly, this didn't make sense to me because secretly....I'm about to expose myself hard haha! I never actually kissed anyone when I was diagnosed and I was still a virgin, so I'm sitting there listening to my diagnoses thinking WTF.
They told me to take it easy, and I went home with the diagnosis of mono, and they said the inflammation should subside within a 3 month period.
I also think its important to mention, the doctor told me I wasn't allowed to participate in any of my gym classes & I had to stop playing soccer. This was extremely difficult for me because sports, fitness, and especially soccer were my passions. I absolutely loved playing!
"Although I had the diagnosis, the doctors couldn't figure out WHY I had it, or where it came from."
3 months passed by and I was still experiencing the the same symptoms, so I was referred to a gastroenterologist (a liver specialist). After further testing which included a liver biopsy, I was finally diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis.
The specialist had questioned me about drugs, alcohol, anything harmful to the liver, and even tested me for any street drugs etc, and didn't find any in my system. Mind you, I was raised going to Jesus school from kindergarten until 12th grade, so half of these drugs he was questioning about I didn't even know what they were!
Although I had the diagnosis, the doctors couldn't figure out WHY I had it, or where it came from.
"The liver specialist told me I had 3-6 months to live;"
I have to be honest, the day of the diagnosis I will never forget. The liver specialist told me I had 3-6 months to live; he scared me into thinking if I didn't start taking the steroids he was prescribing me that I would go into liver failure & that the transplant list was too long for me to get on top.
"I found my purpose."
I obviously took the medication he recommended me to take. But when I took a holistic approach with guidance of a naturopath and traditional Chinese medicine doctor, I ended up having to wean myself off the medication (not something I would recommend). I feel it's important for me to share because it was a huge risk I took and here I am today. But the more important reason as to why the day of my diagnosis is something I will never forget is this. I found my purpose.
I weaned off my medication within 6 months of starting it, and ever since then I've been in remission.
Today I am proud to say I am a nutrition professional. My goal is to help others not have to go through what I did. Like I said before, my chronic illness may have really sucked in the beginning, but I wouldn't change it. If weren't for me going through this, I wouldn't be where I am and I wouldn't be the woman I am today.
**I do not recommend weaning of medication without guidance from a healthcare professional**
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