01/05/2026
My Health Journey – Explanation for Friends, Family, and Those Around Me
I want to share a little more about my health journey so you can better understand what I’ve been living with.
My symptoms began a long time ago, but they were not recognized or diagnosed early. For an extended period, doctors were unsure what was happening, which was both physically and emotionally frightening.
At one point, my symptoms were serious enough that doctors suspected inflammatory breast cancer. Later, there were also concerns about Paget’s disease. During that time, I lived with constant fear, uncertainty, and ongoing pain while undergoing many evaluations and tests.
One of the most difficult symptoms I experience is a burning sensation throughout my body—it can feel as if my skin is on fire. This pain is very real, intense, and exhausting. Even now, doctors are still trying to fully understand what triggered these symptoms and why my nervous system reacts this way.
In addition to the burning pain, my skin condition has changed significantly. I experience swelling, inflammation, and physical changes in my body that can make me feel uncomfortable and unrecognizable at times. Despite trying many treatments and approaches, nothing has fully resolved these symptoms. The swelling can make me feel as though I’ve suddenly gained weight, even when my habits have not changed.
I was eventually diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a chronic neurological condition that affects how the body processes pain, energy, and stress. This diagnosis helps explain why I experience widespread pain, severe fatigue, brain fog, and heightened sensitivity throughout my body, even when medical tests do not always provide clear answers.
Another important part of my health is the level of stress I carry. I live with ongoing worry and emotional pain related to my family and close friends in Ukraine. The constant concern for their safety, combined with feelings of helplessness and fear, places a heavy emotional burden on me. This emotional stress significantly worsens my physical symptoms.
Despite all of this, I have always tried to continue working and serving people to the best of my ability. I am the only person running my business, and balancing my health, finances, and emotional stability has been extremely challenging. Over the past months, my health has made it impossible for me to work consistently, and I have had to step back to focus on healing. I am actively working toward getting better so I can return, take care of what is important, and continue serving my wonderful clients while supporting my family as I move forward.
I care deeply about all of my amazing clients. Serving them brings me genuine joy, and seeing their happy faces when they receive what they hoped for means more to me than I can express. This work is important to me and gives my life purpose.
I also want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported me along the way—through financial help, prayers, kind messages, and encouragement. Traveling frequently to the Mayo Clinic and staying there for evaluations was only possible because of your generosity and care. Without your support, I would not have been able to continue searching for answers or gain a clearer understanding of what has been happening with my health.
At the same time, this journey has been very hard—and at times, unbearable. I am asking for mercy, grace, patience, and kind understanding as I continue working to heal and learn how to manage my life and health one day at a time. Good thoughts, positive energy, and compassion truly help more than people realize.
Thank you from my heart for taking the time to understand, for standing with me, and for offering kindness and support along the way.
