I'm Not Who I Was — And That's the Whole Point
The unfiltered story behind Alpha Mom Vital — the heartbreak, the fight, the healing, and why I built something I desperately needed myself.
I want to tell you my real story. Not the highlight reel. Not the curated version. The one with the hard parts left in — because those hard parts are exactly why Alpha Mom Vital exists.
Where it began — homeschooling and building our world
Back around 2010, I pulled my two oldest boys out of traditional school and began homeschooling them through 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade. It was one of the most intentional decisions I've ever made as a mother. I built curriculum, sat beside them through struggles, and watched them grow in ways that still fill me with pride. Those years shaped how I think about structure, planning, and showing up purposefully for the people you love.
Life moved forward, as it always does. Years passed. And then, eight years ago, everything changed.
The pregnancy, the diagnosis, and the fight that never ends
My youngest was not an easy pregnancy. Doctors were watching closely, flagging concerns, and I carried that weight every single day — the kind of worry that doesn't let you sleep, that follows you into every appointment, that makes you bargain with everything you have just to hear that your baby is okay.
He was born. And two days later, we were told he might need brain surgery.
I want you to sit with that for a moment. Two days old. And we were already fighting for his life.
He was diagnosed with HHT — Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia. Now, I need to be clear about something, because this is important: HHT is typically a hereditary condition passed down through families. We all got tested for the gene. Every single one of us came back negative. His body created this on its own. A spontaneous mutation. No family history. No warning. Just our little boy, and a diagnosis that would change all of our lives forever.
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare disorder that causes abnormal connections between arteries and veins — called arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and fistulas — throughout the body. These malformations can form in critical areas including the brain, lungs, liver, and spine, and carry serious risks including bleeding, rupture, and stroke.
In my son's case, his body developed this on its own — our entire family tested negative for the gene. He has fistulas in his lungs, spine, and brain. It is a lifelong condition with no cure, requiring ongoing monitoring and specialized medical care. To learn more or find support, visit hht.org.
Fistulas in his lungs. His spine. His brain. We live with the weight of that every day — every scan, every specialist visit, every moment where you hold your breath and pray the numbers haven't changed. We don't know exactly what the road ahead looks like. What we do know is that we show up for him, every single day, and we fight.
"When your child is fighting something every day, wellness stops being a lifestyle choice. It becomes an act of love."
Living with this reality changed me at my core. It made me ferociously protective of my family's health — physical, mental, emotional. It made me deeply aware of how fragile life is, and how much intention it takes to truly care for the people in your home, including yourself. I cannot pour from an empty cup. None of us can. And when your child needs you at your best, you learn that fast.
Postpartum depression — and the courage to ask for help
In the middle of all of this — a medically complex newborn, the fear of brain surgery, the unknown stretching out in front of me — I also hit a wall of my own. What I was experiencing wasn't just the "baby blues" or tired-new-mom exhaustion. It was postpartum depression. And it was real, it was heavy, and it didn't care how strong I thought I was.
I fought. Every single day I fought. But somewhere in that fight I had one of the most important realizations of my life: I could not do this alone. And more than that — I didn't have to.
I sought professional help. I made the call, I showed up, and I did the work. That decision — to ask for help instead of hiding — became the foundation of everything I believe about wellness today. Because real strength isn't white-knuckling it by yourself. Real strength is knowing when you need support and being brave enough to go get it.
"Asking for help wasn't a sign that I was broken. It was the first sign that I was finally ready to heal."
If you are in that place right now — quietly struggling, telling everyone you're fine — please hear me: you are not alone. There is no shame in reaching out. Getting help is not weakness. It is one of the most courageous things you will ever do for yourself and your family.
A new season — Montessori, college, and choosing myself
As I healed, I kept making intentional moves. I homeschooled my youngest for two years, pouring the same love and structure into his early education that I had given his brothers. But I also kept checking in with myself honestly — my well-being, my bandwidth, my goals — and eventually that honesty told me it was time for a change.
I researched until I found exactly the right environment for him. He started at a Montessori school, and watching him thrive there gave me something I hadn't felt in a long time: peace. And with that peace came clarity.
"The moment I knew he was exactly where he needed to be, I finally gave myself permission to go where I needed to be too."
I enrolled in college to start my prerequisites for nursing school. I earned my CCMA certification. And today I am actively pursuing my BSN — because the experiences I've lived, the medical world I've been forced to navigate for my son, and the deep belief that knowledge is power all pointed me in the same direction. I want to help people. I want to understand the body. And I want to bring that understanding into everything I build here.
Why Alpha Mom Vital exists
Alpha Mom Vital was not born from a trend. It was born from real life — the hard, beautiful, exhausting, extraordinary life of a mother who has been tested and is still standing.
I built this brand because wellness saved me. Professional help saved me. Structure saved me. Community saved me. And I want every mother who finds this space to have access to tools, resources, and a community that meets her exactly where she is — not where she thinks she should be.
My son's fight reminds me every single day that time is not guaranteed and health is not something to take for granted. We have to choose it. We have to build it. We have to protect it — for ourselves and for the people who need us most.
"I'm not someone who arrived. I'm someone who is still going — and I'd rather build with you than ahead of you."
What I want for you
I want you to feel like yourself again. To wake up with a plan. To nourish your body, move with intention, and lead your home with confidence — without burning out in the process.
And if you're in a hard season right now — a really hard one — know that you belong here exactly as you are. You just have to be willing to take one step forward. That's enough.
You are more capable than you've been given credit for. And you deserve support that actually fits your life.
That's what I'm here for. That's what Alpha Mom Vital is built on.