Hey! So Glad You're Here.
After struggling for almost a decade with scary episodes and symptoms, I was finally diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in December of 2018. It took me 7 years and a preliminary self diagnosis to finally be able to get the help that I desperately needed. This experience lead me to completely reevaluate my life and what I felt was most important to spend my time doing. My disease has changed so much about the way that I live for the better. I am the healthiest I have ever been, having lost 70 pounds since I was at my heaviest and sickest, I am so much more in tune with my body and acutely aware of the strengths I have been able to cultivate.
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I am an LA native and I have spent nearly 9 years in the finance industry working as an Investment Advisor. It wasn't until I was faced with the loss of certain functionalities and several hard truths about compromise, leading a fast paced lifestyle and keeping up with my health and sanity, that I figured out that I had to start putting my health first. I had to discover what really makes me happy. Much to my surprise, that was so much harder than I ever imagined. I had to find a way to clear my head and set aside everything that I had been taught that I should want or aspire to be and start to get to know the new me.
When trying to figure out where my voice would fit in this amazing community, I thought about the voice that I needed to hear when I felt the most alone and in need of support. So many of us fighting for a diagnosis, let alone our quality of life after being diagnosed, suffer several traumatic experiences along the way. It is not an easy thing to be diagnosed. It is especially difficult to pursue a diagnosis for a disease that is changing your life as you know it, and yet, it's not quite at a point where you're able to be given a definitive answer for what is "wrong" with you. I remember feeling crazy, disheartened, dismissed, and like a burden. I began to lose trust in myself and question my relationships. There is a massive need for support and counseling during a time of such uncertainty and constant rejection. I am hoping to be the support for people that I needed so that together, we can end the loneliness in seeking a diagnosis for an autoimmune disease and create a community that believes and uplifts it's members.
Writing is something I have always found my way back to, both in joyful times and in times of grief. One of the most incredible things that I have discovered along this journey is that I have looked to others for inspiration, tips on choosing a healthy way of living, what to put in my body, motivation to try new things and creating a new narrative that I’ve chosen for myself. I am completely in control of my own story and that revelation has freed me from so much fear and stress.
A huge part of why I am living so happily and well is because there were perfect strangers out there who decided to start sharing their lives with people. I am one of the millions who has stumbled across different Instagram pages and blogs, fallen in love with the many characters of social media and used their strength as fuel to change my life. I would love nothing more than to pay it forward and be that for any one of you. I am proud of the well rounded life that I live and happy to share my personal journey with you all. I want to be an open pathway of communication, storytelling and a trusted resource for all who need it. Reach out. Let us know how we can help. You are not alone.
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Lots of Love,
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Suni
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Founder of Suni Side Up Project, Inc.