Welcome to my most vulnerable post on the internet thus far. This isn’t going to be one of those perfectly-worded, pretty-picture-filled type posts. This is going to be an open and honest hot mess just like me. Ultimately, there’s a lot to unpack here so this for sure will be a blog post series.

Pour yourself a diet coke and let’s get real.

So where do I begin? Hm. I guess let’s really start with the day I got my initial wake-up call, one in which I heavily ignored and fully let go straight to voicemail.

On August 17, 2019, I went to the CVS Minute Clinic because I had some sort of boil/bump/growth on my hip. Sidenote: there is no such thing as TMI in this kinda post so I will continue on…

Per usual, the nurse placed the blood pressure cuff on my arm and after the reading she said “Do you feel okay?!” and I was thinking well besides this large mountainous bump growing on my hip, yes lol. But I said, “Yes, I feel fine, why?” She responded, “Because if your blood pressure read any higher than it currently does I would be ordered to call an ambulance.”

*INSERT INSTANT PANIC HERE*

My first thought was omg I have to work today, I absolutely cannot be admitted to the ER. Then I thought it may just be my body in distress due to the painful growth? Lastly, I said, “Well, high blood pressure does run in my family.” She responded, “Okay we will wait a few minutes and check it again.” Same result, increased panic, you know the drill.

So fortunately, I left there without having to be admitted to the ER but I did leave there basically in panic mode.. Which, ICYMI, is literally like the best thing ever to reduce your blood pressure, not.

I called and scheduled a visit with my primary care doctor literally for that following Monday morning.

Made it to my appointment on Monday. First things first, had my blood pressure taken and shocker it was still high. Followed by having my blood drawn for labs. Left that appointment with a prescription for Lisinopril, which is blood pressure medication.

Got a call a few days later that my labs were in and it showed an extremely high A1C and that a script for Metformin, blood sugar medication, had been sent to my pharmacy. The nurse mentioned insulin and lots of other Type 2 terms and I literally felt all the things.

I was anxious, embarrassed, depressed, outraged, defeated, and extremely unsure about my two new diagnoses.

Even though the struggle was very real. I could not have made the progress I have today without the support from my husband and my family. Also, I am pretty damn proud of myself. I still have health goals set that I would like to reach however, I am pleased by how far I’ve come.

The featured image in this post is the only photo I took in August 2019 and honestly the photo makes me emotional. I was in such a spiraling headspace of self-doubt at that moment. I felt absolutely hopeless.

If only I could have told myself, “You got this! You deserve to feel better. You will eventually feel better!”

So if you are feeling that way today just know it doesn’t last forever. Things will happen for you, just believe in yourself. Realize the best things in life do not come easy and that you will grow more than you could have ever imagined.

There is still much of my story to tell and I am excited to share it with you. If just one of you out there can relate than that is literally the sole reason I am hitting publish on this post.

As always, thanks for reading!

xx KL

TO BE CONTINUED…