Join our Weekly Classes! I felt condemned. My pediatrician had just informed my mother I was on pre-hypertensive. Because I was overweight, my mother had to have clothes made for me or ordered my clothes from JC Penny catalog because it was hard to get anything in my size. Bullies: "She turned around because she is always hungry. Look at her! My family did not help in these matters.
I was always reminded of how big I was especially in comparison to my mother. What is interesting a few years prior to that my mother thought I was too tiny. So she asked my grandmother to send for a syrup from Haiti that would boost my appetite so I would gain weight.
After being told by my pediatrician that I was pre-hypertensive and I needed to address my weight I set out to make some personal changes-Yes, I was that kid. It seemed like a simple undertaking but, things got a bit more complicated. During that visit, I had my first period.
What are the chances? It was celebrated by family and it involved me taking on more responsibility because I was now considered a young adult. After my first period, my cycle became irregular. My mother was concerned and pressured my pediatrician to pursue it more and I was diagnosed with a pituitary tumor prolactinoma which lead to me being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS.
About a year later, I was also diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder called scleroderma. In some traditional cultures, they say healers are confronted with illness to propel their journey as a healer. Twenty one years ago, I was definitely on that journey; I was pre-med because I wanted to heal my mother and myself. After some investigation, I realized I needed a lifestyle overhaul. The rewards were many. Starting your wellness journey or feel in a rut?
