This Brutiful Life

  • Backstory #2

    [Note: This post may be updated in the future if more information is available.] I started having new symptoms when I was around 14-years-old. At this age, I developed a skin rash on my scalp that was diagnosed as “just dandruff” by doctors for many years. I also began having more sinus infections, heavy menstrual… Read more

  • Next 3 Weeks

    The next 3 weeks (depending on my menstrual cycle and when the tests arrive at my home) will consist of completing 4 at-home tests (saliva, hair, urine (x2)) and 1 laboratory test (blood). The instructions for the tests are very confusing and require quite a bit of attention to detail. Luckily, attention to detail is… Read more

  • Backstory #1

    [Note: This post may be updated in the future if more information is available.] How did we get here? I don’t know if we will ever know for sure. And, what we know right now might change tomorrow. The number of doctors who have told me that my case is complicated is high. (In fact,… Read more

  • How Much is Your Life Worth?

    How much would you spend to try to save your life? This is a frequent topic of conversation in our house. My husband is the sweetest and has always made it clear that my life is worth every penny we have to spend to try to save it. However, that doesn’t take away the burden… Read more

  • Starting Again

    Last Friday, we found out very unexpectedly that my team of 2 doctors who had been treating me at least 2x per week since last March (2022) was not going to be able to treat me anymore (at least not for a long while, and probably never again). This was the first treatment plan that… Read more

  • Hello!

    Hi! I have a story to share that includes some of the most brutal and beautiful (“brutiful”) moments of my life. If you are here, I hope that sharing my story helps you in some way. For many years, I have been dealing with some health challenges. With the hopes of helping others, I planned… Read more