Eventually, my dream of running the Disney marathon came back into my life. I started training only to be derailed by chronic back pain, hip pain and fatigue. After having orthoscopic surgery for a torn labrum, I had to have my hip replaced at the age of 40. After that my health began spiraling. Multiple injections in my spine for pain, severe fatigue, poor digestion, and hair loss were just the tip of the iceberg. After being given varying diagnoses like depression, co-dependency, diabetes, GERD, chronic fatigue, lupus and a host of others, I was finally diagnosed properly with chronic Lyme disease. My health had deteriorated quickly, with fatigue and pain becoming so intense I needed to be on high doses of pain killers and was unable to continue working. I went through several surgeries and treatment centers. One treatment center said they could have me back to a full recovery in a year and I needed to pick a dream goal to look forward to. The dream of running the Disney marathon never died so I signed up! As weeks turned into months, I was no closer to my goal than when I started. Lyme disease is very complex and individual. Ten months into treatment my local doctor said I had complete adrenal failure and was forbidden to do the marathon. As you can imagine I was crushed and fell into deep depression. As many of us do I worked with a therapist, and she saved my life! Secretly I had signed up for the Disney princess half marathon just in case I couldn’t do the full marathon. We talked about the half and the requirements per Disney, and it turned out I could possibly walk the required pace. I had already paid for it so why not give it a try, what’s the worst thing that could happen? So I gave it a shot. I flew down on a Saturday and completed my first half marathon on Sunday! I crossed the finish line in tears, and that was the day I reclaimed my life! I have gone through a lot of treatment protocols since then, but that was the day I learned that anything was possible as long as I was open to looking at things a different way. I had to be open to changing the rules I had set for my life.

Since then I have gone on to do countless other races including the Disney marathon! I am back to work helping others obtain their goals and dreams, and would love to help you achieve your goals like I was able to achieve mine. It doesn’t matter if you run, walk or ride, everyone’s medal looks the same. Just get out there and do what you can, no matter how it looks as long as it keeps your dream alive. You make the rules to your life and you can change those at any time!