Let me share my story…

The end of freshman year in college, I got really sick. Drained all the time, extreme amounts of pain, and all but physically incapacitated. I couldn’t do basic things like hold a hair dryer, button my pants, tie my shoes, without a struggle. This was a total 180 from where I was at the start of the year: an athlete, fiercely independent, and feeling great. Like many folks with autoimmune diseases, I wasn’t taken seriously by my primary doctor - I became very familiar with the concept of gaslighting. Am I sure I’m really in that much pain, that I really can’t move my hands or feet, maybe it’s just stress. All things that made me feel crazy!

Not knowing what else to do or where else to turn, I landed in the emergency room. Thankfully, the doctor knew something was really wrong and ran, what felt like, every test in the book. Not only was I testing positive for the standard RA markers, but they were off the charts.

That was the start of my autoimmune journey, and what a journey it’s been!

All of a sudden I had this Thing that was changing my life completely and no one told me what I would experience. I thought I’d just take the meds the doctor told me and I’d be ok….boy, was I wrong.

The following years were filled with confusion, destructive behavior, and general unacceptance of what life with an autoimmune disease would look like... cancelled plans, hours long IV infusions, weight gain, stomach issues, strained relationships, degradation of independence & stability. It wasn’t until I really, really understood and accepted how much my life would change did I turn the corner but in doing so, I’ve been able to take back my power in the situation.

That proved to be an invaluable mindset because when winter 2021 rolled around, I got my next autoimmune diagnosis, followed by yet another in fall 2023.

My autoimmune diseases are a large part of life in the sense that they impact just about everything but I finally can say I’ve come out on the other side. I’ve taken back my power and am excited to leverage my experiences over the last 17 years to help others do the same!

Outside of Empowered Roads, I’m building a successful career in Tech, diving into additional income streams, exploring my new home in Colorado with my pup Tank, and further enhancing my skills as a coach through formalized education.