Long story short I got sick in 2010 at 17 years old. They didn’t know why and it took until last year and multiple hospitals including Mayo Clinic, UCLA, and Stanford to officially make a diagnosis. I went from being a successful athletic teenager to a bed ridden and malnourished young adult, with no family history or accidents or pretty much anything to explain it. I found out my gut was completely paralyzed and that I have mast cell activation disorder. So my body is constantly fighting itself and sprung on allergies I’ve never had before. Even now the allergies change all of the time.
So, I never really know what triggers something. Last year my doctor decided it was time to place a port and a feeding tube. I tried formula after formula and even though I was gaining weight, never really gained my life back. I was still sick all of the time. I tried to babysit and do small things but it never felt like enough because I still required home health and a lot of dependence on my family and friends. I stayed happy and hopeful but continued to get sick!
I eventually had a gut bacteria go rabid on my body, causing me to go in to septic shock. I was on my way out. I didn’t look good at all and my body was just done fighting. In a moment of feeling good, I started googling formulas since the one I was on and the few I had tried just weren’t helping. I found you guys and called my dietitian who was able to get me a sample. I started infusing that almost instantly and after a week of that and some good meds I started turning a corner. I went from sepsis and gut failure to slowly making improvements. I stayed on Liquid Hope from last year to current. Fast forward to now and I’m not only alive, but I’m thriving!
I now have a live in nanny for my old tube nurse with Coram. With her help and liquid hope I am doing well. I finished school and continue to try to navigate through life. When I was given the opportunity to go to ASPEN the first thing I wanted to do was meet the people behind the formula that gave me my life back. For the first time in the 8 years I’ve been fighting I got a small glimpse in to the army I didn’t even know existed until recently.
It truly changed my life to meet you guys and share the face to the name of someone you guys had success with. I would not be alive today without you guys, so thank you! Thank you SO much!!
This past weekend I got to be in a big dance production. I haven’t been able to dance since I was a kid but since I’m getting stronger (currently I use nourish) I was able to dance again. It was the biggest deal and I got to be on stage for 2 sold out shows in this big theatre. So again, thank you. I’m more than living, Im thriving!