My Story

Life in the Hospital:

I began undergoing many procedures in an attempt to sustain my life. My treatments began with immunosuppressants, steroids, insanely high amounts of pain meds, and frequent blood transfusions. During this time, I was receiving TPN nourishment through a PICC line while not being able to ingest anything orally. 

About a month into my hospital stay, I was still not responding to treatments and I was in so much pain. I was ready to give up and began to plead with God. I soon learned that He had bigger plans for my life. That day I ended up having a total colectomy, removing my colon and gaining a colostomy bag. This surgery was life-saving, as my colon had ruptured that day.

Regaining Strength:

I then began a month long recovery in the hospital. Now facing a severe infection, I required drain tubes to be put in and my abdomen to be reopened so that it could heal from the inside out. I had an open wound on my abdomen that was deep enough to set an egg in.

We worked on reintroducing food orally and gaining weight back as I had dropped down to around 80lbs. I had also developed muscle atrophy from being in a hospital bed and so I had to build up the strength to walk again.

After nearly two months in the hospital I was finally able to return home with plans for a series of surgeries to reconstruct my digestive tract. These surgeries had to be spaced out over the next 6 months as my body needed to build back strength before undergoing anymore major surgeries.

A New Lease on Life and J-Pouch Surgeries:

I was now more determined than ever to continue the fight for this precious life. In early December, just two months after my release from the first hospital stay, I was strong enough to undergo another surgery. I had so much optimism and determination to not be in the hospital long, that way I could be home for Christmas. Everything with this first reconstructive surgery went smoothly. I was released from the hospital in time to be home for Christmas, praising the Lord for yet another miracle!

More than Just a Headache:

Around the time I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, my chronic migraines began. If you’ve ever experienced one you probably know just how debilitating and painful they can be. To cope with the physical pain of recovering from my Ulcerative Colitis and experiencing frequent migraines, I began self-medicating and living a very unhealthy lifestyle. But our Lord is so faithful and He rescued me out of a destructive lifestyle and brought my now husband into my life.

A Purpose and A Calling:

I was 26 years old when I began to struggle with increasing joint, ligament, and tendon pain that was affecting my mobility. After a few years of this I decided to figure out what was behind my symptoms. I visited an orthopedic doctor, and quickly learned that I had a rare auto-immune inflammatory condition, called Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Read more about my diagnosis: Finding Hope with Autoimmune Disease Diagnosis

Living with Ankylosing Spondylitis can be so disabling at times that even basic tasks like dressing myself or reaching up into a cabinet can be nearly impossible without assistance. I keep a cane next to my bed for those days that I wake up and can hardly walk.

Facing yet another devastating diagnosis was all too familiar and left me feeling anxious about the future. I did not want my health to plummet the way it did with my first auto-immune illness. This set me on a path to change my diet and lifestyle in order to improve the quality of my life. I became determined to learn how to live a clean, organic, anti-inflammatory life. 

I am now over a decade into living with Ankylosing Spondylitis. Even on my best days I still experience a level of joint, ligament, and nerve pain along with chronic fatigue. However, I am so hopeful that healing is still possible.

Waiting in Hope

My husband and I are over a decade into our journey with infertility, miscarriages, and loss from failed fertility treatments. It’s hard to put into words the complex emotions that come with experiencing this cycle of grief over and over again every month. Infertility can feel so isolating however, we continue to remain hopeful through the grace of God!

Prayerful Decisions and Life Changes:

After 9 years, I made a tough decision to leave my beloved career as a first grade teacher. This was to allow me to focus more on healing and growing our family. In this journey I am always learning and discovering new ways to support my healing. I want to share these things with you!

Living a Purely Joyful Life:

I absolutely love spending time outdoors and in the mountains. It is refreshing and healing on so many levels. Although living with ankylosing spondylitis can present many physical challenges, I am motivated to keep getting out in the mountains. Some of my favorite outdoor hobbies include snowboarding, splitboarding with our pups, backpacking, hiking, hunting, and fishing. When I’m not in the mountains I enjoy tapping into my creative side through cooking, baking, gardening, and creating things from scratch.

The Light Shines in the Darkness

Stick around as I plan to share so much more depth into my journey and the specific ways in which God was with me through it all!! I hope my testimony can inspire hope in you and shine light on your story as well. 

Here on ‘This Purely Joyful Life’, alongside sharing more of my story, I plan to share practical and valuable ways to live a healthy life. Follow along for anti-inflammatory recipes, clean living, self-care routines, and inspiration.

Despite the challenges, God is faithful and always present! He fills my heart and anchors me in living a purely joyful life!