I wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you who has supported us over the last ten years. I cannot believe I have been doing this for a decade!
Many of you may not know how I got into the hormone and wellness arena so I wanted to share that with you today so you could get a better idea of what we’re about.
Several years prior to opening our doors, our oldest daughter was diagnosed with a rare life-threatening auto-immune disease called Juvenile Dermatomyositis. She was just 6 years old. Our entire lives became devoted to her healing journey. We saw numerous doctors over a period of about six months before we finally received a definitive diagnosis. It took a lot of grit and persistence but we finally got our diagnosis and the treatment she needed that ultimately put her in remission.
I share our family’s story because it shaped the kind of provider that I became. I have been on “other side of health care”. As a mom of a chronically sick child, I have experienced the same invalidation that many of my patients have experienced. We were dismissed. Not believed. Told that our previously happy, healthy, well-adjusted child was being manipulative when she was complaining of all-over body aches and pain — even to the point of being too weak to lift her head off of a pillow, or walk more than a few steps before complaining of foot pain and asking to be carried—Not normal for a six year old! One of the most frustrating things about auto-immunity is that the patient can look well but still be very, very sick.
She continued to get worse and I finally gave up on her local doctors and took her to a world-renowned immunologist/rheumatologist in Chicago. Treatment took over three years but our beloved Dr. Pachman is the reason Sarah is still with us and thriving at the age of 25!
I share my family’s story because THAT major life experience changed me and the kind of care that I would provide. When I opened my clinic doors in 2014, I vowed to never allow one of my patients to feel what we felt on that journey. Invalidated, unheard, and honestly — humiliated. So many of our patients are seeking answers to their health concerns and come to us after having been dismissed and told, “your labs or normal; this is just a normal part of aging; but here’s an antidepressant” or “perhaps you should see a psychiatrist and/or therapist” and on and on it goes. So, I know first-hand how frustrating and demeaning that can feel.
I vowed to never allow my patients to leave my clinic feeling that they haven’t been heard. If I can’t help you, I will tell you and then I will refer you to someone who CAN. But rest assured, you will never be ignored or brushed off.
My driving passion remains to help you improve your life and maintain your vitality as you age regardless of where you are on your health journey. We will meet you where you are.
As we celebrate our tenth year in business, I would like to extend a HUGE THANK YOU to my biggest cheerleaders – my FAMILY – Karl, Sarah, Caroline, Kristopher and my mom and dad – you guys have lived through the laughter and tears and cheered me on and told me to “just keep going” every time I wanted to give up! And I am so glad that I just kept going.
And I’m far from done… I look forward to serving you guys for many more years!
Thanks for an amazing decade!!!
