My Story

In October of 2022, I hit rock bottom. I was suffering in ways I couldn’t even describe—crippling fatigue, constant brain fog, muscle weakness, and, as if that weren’t enough, about 20 bones dislocating each week. The pain was unbearable, and I found myself planning how to end it all.

For years, I had battled suicidal thoughts, feeling utterly lost and hopeless. It all began after buying my first house, not knowing it was a mold- and water-damaged building. From that point on, my health spiraled out of control. I spent 18 years chasing symptoms, consulting 27 different doctors, passing 34 kidney stones, undergoing two Lithotripsy treatments, and facing two bouts of Acute Lyme Disease, which left me bedridden for nine months with facial paralysis, muscle atrophy, and hypermobility. I had been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Lyme Disease, and possibly Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, with endless tests for countless other invisible illnesses but no real answers.

The modern medical system dismissed, gaslit, and let me down time and time again. I felt unheard ashamed and blamed myself as if I were at fault. The system had failed me, and my pleas for help seemed to fall on deaf ears or into the hands of doctors who didn’t understand.

I was prescribed 16 different medications at once, but the side effects were too much to bear. In desperation, I quit them all cold turkey, risking dangerous withdrawals—and my life. I had reached my breaking point. It was time to take control and figure out what was happening to my body.

I moved to an ashram and immersed myself in a yogic community, hoping to heal through diet, movement, and meditation.

Fast forward 12 years, and despite all my efforts, I was still in that community, having spent tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars searching for answers. I had lost everything I had worked for, and I was sicker than ever. To make things worse, my father—my best friend—passed away just nine months earlier. I was too ill to travel and be by his side, so I managed his care and passing from a distance, adding grief to my overwhelming fear of contracting COVID.

Amid all the loss, a small blessing appeared. I received a modest inheritance, which gave me the chance to pursue treatment for what I believed was Chronic Lyme Disease. But there was a catch: I had to choose wisely. Whether it was S.O.T., LymeStop, whole-body hyperthermia, HBOT, or even traveling to Mexico—each option was costly, and if I chose wrong, I’d be out of money and still suffering.

Months of intensive research led me to Dr. Andrew Heyman, a Lyme Disease expert specializing in Mold Illness and Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS). After completing the VCS test, extensive blood work, and genetic testing, I finally had a legitimate diagnosis—CIRS. I had a clear answer for the first time in nearly two decades. I was overwhelmed with relief, validation, and a renewed sense of hope.

With my diagnosis, I started the Shoemaker Protocol and partnered with a top-tier CIRS coach. I was determined to take this challenge head-on.

The path wasn’t easy. Even with the best resources, it took me over a year to fully remove myself from mold exposure. I thought my DIY remediation efforts were enough, but I was wrong. I lost precious time, money, and energy by not educating myself properly and not addressing the issue on the scale it required.

Still, I adapted quickly. I made rapid progress through Strategic Biohacking,” the art and science of optimizing your internal and external environment to gain control over your biology.” I advanced through the protocol faster than expected, reaching the final stage, VIP, in just six months. However, I then spent the next year stuck in that stage—an experience that was both costly and filled with hard-won lessons.

I believe everything happens for a reason. That challenging year became a time of profound learning, growth, and transformation. I immersed myself in the teachings of biohacking and self-improvement pioneers like Dave Asprey and Tony Robbins, which sparked life-changing shifts in every aspect of my journey.

Then, fate intervened. My house flooded, was torn apart, and treated with chemicals, forcing me to move. It felt like the Universe had kicked me out of the nest. Two weeks after moving, I felt better than I had in years. Finally, I was free from exposure. It’s true what they say: a fish doesn’t realize it’s in water until it’s out—and the same goes for us in toxic environments.

Today, my labs are better than they’ve ever been. My energy is high, my muscles are strong, and I now have to be mindful not to overtrain. I’m ready to travel again, to re-engage with the world. Life is good.