I was failed by mainstream medical doctors. Thankfully, I managed to figure out a few things and take back my health. At my worst point, the one doctor I had found that I trusted said “you’re losing, Rach” and immediately admitted me to the hospital. That was the beginning of my personal health revolution, and why I am so passionate about helping others with their own health! It is an amazing feeling to regain your own health and take back your life, and even more powerful when I get to help others do that for themselves.
Here is the rest of my story:
I was 23, newly wed, and off to a great start in a new career in South Carolina. While I missed my family and friends in Wisconsin, I was consumed with the adventure and opportunities in my life. If there was one thing I wished I could have left behind, it was this strange unexplained recurring pain I had in my lower right side. It had come and gone my entire life, but no one had ever been able to explain what was going on. When I was in 6th grade, it hit hard and I had to spend 2 days in the hospital for observance, over Thanksgiving! We were told I probably had “Chronic appendicitis” and would just have to be careful. My eleven year old self thought “chronic appendicitis? Really? Is that even a thing?” Shortly after my move, I began having the pain more frequently, and even more intensely than I had ever experienced before. One day while at work, I got so sick, so suddenly that my supervisor assigned another staff member to take me to the ER. My new reality was meeting what seemed to be every doctor within a 50 mile radius of my new home. Most of them just wrote me off, and a few prescribed painkillers or anti-depressants which I knew were not going to help. I had set a goal to discover one new place every day until my husband joined me in South Carolina, but this was not what I had envisioned.
I was happy to have my husband join me, but I was not getting better. The one doctor I had found that I trusted and actually believed there was a physical problem with me, were getting to know each other too well. His entire staff knew me by voice when I called. One day, I was too sick to call or drive myself, and my husband took me in. The doctor said “you’re losing, Rach.” We all knew this was pretty serious. I wound up spending 10 days in the hospital with a team of at least 4-5 doctors working on my case 24/7. Still, we had no answers. Finally, an exploratory surgery found an extra section of large intestine, about the size of a small cantaloupe, with severe scar tissue covering the exterior. With no idea where it could have come from, the doctors were anxious to question me. Still recovering from anesthesia, I joked “must have been my alien birth” as my mom was smiling at my side. I still have the bonus intestine chunk and adhesions, along with six small scars from the surgery and a second surgery that removed my gallbladder. Since the scars are all on my tummy, I call them my six pack abs.
Once I got myself healthy enough to get back to daily life, I dived into a Master’s degree program in Natural Health, just for my own knowledge. I was still working full time and going to school and working on our newly purchased, first home! After 4 years, and having our first son, we decided it was best to move back to Wisconsin. We sold our house, packed up and moved home with a plan to live with family until we found jobs. I wound up working in a place I was less than satisfied with, and vowed one day that when I arrived home that evening, the perfect job for me would be listed in that day’s paper. Arriving home, I could feel the excitement as I saw the paper waiting for me on the front steps. I opened it up to find many ads, but one small, vague ad for a chiropractic assistant intrigued me. I thought, “well, who knows? I love chiropractic, this could be it!” I left as voice message as instructed in the ad. Soon after, I got a call back asking for my resume. I prepared and dropped it off, meeting Angie, our office manager (at Blau Chiropractic) when I did so. I felt very confident after walking out, and told my husband that my new life was going to be there. I had an instant feeling of comfort, welcome and belonging. I knew this was the place for me. The rest is history, as they say!
Throughout my years here, I have grown personally and professionally. I completed my Naturopathic Doctor program and PhD in Natural Health while working at Blau Family Chiropractic and have seen wonderful changes in our office and community in that time. It is amazing to know that my professional family is as supportive and wonderful as my home family. Here, it is more than “work,” and it feels more like a calling; like I would not feel right if I weren’t doing this. I feel strongly that everything happens for a reason, and I don’t believe I would be here -as in on Earth- and here in Portage at this clinic without some divine intervention. My personal health struggles and revolution have made me the person I am, and have helped me understand, connect and bond with people so I can serve them better. Fresh out of college the first time, I was bound to change the world by saving the world by raising environmental awareness. Through my own challenges, I realized it’s pretty hard to make your mark on the world when you can barely function. It’s hard to care about anything when you are struggling just to get through the day. Now, I have my life back. With regular chiropractic care and the nutritional and lifestyle changes I have made, I am in control of my health and life again, and I am now on a mission to make the world a better place by helping others feel their best, so that we can all make our mark and lead our best lives! Imagine feeling your best every day, or even most days… then imagine if EVERYONE felt that great every day. I’m convinced this will be a much happier world to live in.
PS: This IS the abbreviated version of my story. If you want to hear it all, dress comfortably, and bring gluten free snacks to share. I’d love to hear your story and help you spark YOUR WILDLY GROUNDED Health Revolution!