Florida born and Maine grown, my life has been atypical. Suffering a very early loss of my young mother when I was 4, I started the path less traveled. From being orphaned and then raised by a foster family, to having major back surgery at the age of 13, the emotional and physical stress load was extreme. Those early childhood years, that were supposed to be carefree, were filled with extreme loss and pain. Both emotional and physical stress during childhood have been found to contribute to autoimmune disease. My first autoimmune diagnosis was at the age of 28, which has led to juggling multiple autoimmune diseases (Hashimoto’s, Fibromyalgia,  Ankylosing Spondylitis, Psoriatic Arthritis and most recently LEMS- Lambert Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome). I am officially now classified as having “Multiple Autoimmune Syndrome.” You know what they say, go big or go home!

Coming from a background of health education, it was only natural for me to partner with my specialists and research latest treatments. Due to the concerning and unknown interactions that can happen with overlapping treatments, I have undergone a complete overhaul of my diet, which has led to much less inflammation and much more living!

I am a spoonie. When spoons are plentiful, I am very involved with pug rescue, baking, renovating my home, attending musical and theatre events and finding new adventures in nature with friends. When I’m lacking in spoons, writing is one of my outlets, which has led to blogging. Blogging allows me to share what I have learned with others as I like to bring hope and inspiration when days are dark with the battle of our own bodies being our biggest enemy.

I raised 3 sons who are now in their 20’s. I am owned by a pug, Rocky and a beagle mix, Anna, as well as two kitties, George and Wylie. They make sure I keep moving, even on my toughest of health days.  My full-time job is stopping my body from imploding on itself. I write a weekly column, LEMme Tell Ya on Lambert-Eaton News about my journey with LEMS. If you like Maine views, pugs, beagles, and motivation around autoimmune disease, you can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram.