In 2002, I became an emergency medical technician. Shortly after, my very close friend who was pregnant was killed in a car accident. We lost them both. I decided to take a step back from emergency medicine for a short while. My heart was broken. Five years later in 2007, I gave birth to my first and only daughter and registered for school at Bel-rea Institute of Animal Technology as a veterinary technician. Only 3 months after school started, the unthinkable happened. My daughter, Ryann Madison, passed away inexplicably. The doctors said it was SIDS. (16 years later I learned that I have the MTHFR gene mutation that up to 80% of us have and don’t know it. This mutation makes it hard for my body to get rid of toxins. Both of my younger children have it as well. Based on the circumstances, we are confident she had this too and her little body was overloaded. Girls are typically more sensitive.) I was devastated and decided to step away from all medicine all together. Then, in 2020, I was in & out of the hospital because I was having trouble breathing, seizures and mini strokes. I was on several different medications for lupus & Graves’ disease and for everything from nausea, seizures, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, joint pain, systemic inflammation, restless arm & leg syndrome, insomnia, thyroid disease, allergies, anxiety, and depression. I decided to take my health into my own hands. I had no idea what that looked like, but I promised myself I’d never feel powerless again when it came to the health of my own body. I started really educating myself on everything. Every test result, every symptom, every recommendation by a doctor, every medication. I needed to get to the root of my issues. I found a functional medicine doctor willing to work himself out of a job entirely by helping me heal. Our bodies are made to do that. They work desperately to maintain homeostasis. With proper aid, are capable of healing from so many things that we've been told are lifelong illnesses. I also armed myself with knowledge about how food is medicine & about whole body (holistic) healing. Things people now consider "alternative" for some reason. I learned a lot about plant medicine, including cannabis & also the plants in my yard. I taught myself why the things labeled "toxic" were actually detrimental to my health so I would stop using them. Our bodies can’t break down synthetic materials. It has no idea what to do with them, some get stored and make us even more sick. I taught myself how to decipher what we read on labels & why that is so important to do so. I made myself aware of what I was putting in & on my body. It was quite shocking the things I have learned along this journey. Things every single person should be made aware of, but we aren't. Now I have none of those symptoms. I have dedicated my life now to learning about nutritional healing & herbal medicine because I have experienced its healing capacity. I believe so much in the power of nature that I have built a business around helping others heal themselves. Ryann’s Hope Apothecary. Dedicated to one of the most wonderful human beings who continues to teach me more and more about myself every day. My daughter, Ryann Madison. Question everything because that is your right and trust your intuition. Knowledge is power. Take back your power.