My Cancer Story
My journey with cancer began in January 2023 during a routine thyroid ultrasound—an exam I had done annually due to my Hashimoto’s diagnosis in my late 30s. For years, I struggled with thyroid issues and sought help from multiple doctors, only to be met with medications instead of real solutions. I wanted to address the root cause—through nutrition, lifestyle changes, and proper care—but no one seemed to listen.
During this ultrasound, they discovered a large cyst on my thyroid and a suspicious mass they labeled a paraganglioma. This led to a biopsy—one of the most painful experiences of my life. The doctor failed to numb me properly, hitting a nerve in my neck that sent shockwaves of pain through my body. I nearly jumped off the table. She then attempted to numb me again before proceeding with five more needle biopsies, only to say, “I’m not sure I got anything.” 24 hours later, everything changed.
I developed a racing heart and dangerously high blood pressure, despite having low blood pressure my entire life. I was placed on medication, but nothing helped. The symptoms worsened until I was rushed to the ER, where I was diagnosed with a thyroid storm—a life-threatening condition. I spent several days in the hospital, and when I was finally discharged, I was told to follow up with an ENT specialist who believed the mass in my neck was of greater concern than my thyroid.
A Long Road to Diagnosis
The thyroid biopsy came back clear, but my symptoms persisted. I was referred to an ENT specialist later that month, but due to severe swelling, they postponed the biopsy of my neck and referred me to a vocal cord specialist due to increasing hoarseness in my voice.
The search for answers continued with a CT scan, an MRI with and without contrast, and multiple biopsies, but nothing provided a clear diagnosis. A third biopsy revealed an atypical follicular cell. All the tests were inconclusive. A PET scan followed, still yielding inconclusive results.
Finally, after seven long months, I was referred to UC Davis Cancer Center, where a surgeon took an interest in my case. He suggested yet another biopsy, but after my previous traumatic experiences and the risk of another thyroid storm, I was reluctant. The team offered to sedate me, and with that reassurance, I agreed—desperate for answers.
When the results came back they showed but no definitive diagnosis. My case was then presented to the cancer board, and they made there final decision: The only way to know for sure was surgery.
Surgery & the Answer I Feared
August 2023, I underwent a 7-hour surgery to remove the entire thyroid along with thirty surrounding lymph nodes. I woke up to the news I had feared yet somehow expected: My thyroid was cancerous and had spread too lymph nodes in my neck. What started as a routine ultrasound turned into a battle I never saw coming.
Stephology was born from this journey—not just as a brand, but as a commitment to self-care, resilience, and healing beyond the surface. I now share everything I’ve learned about
wellness, nutrition, skincare and creating a home that supports healing—because true health is about nourishing every part of ourselves.
The Birth of Stephology: Trusting Your Inner Voice
Stephology was born from this journey—not just as a brand, but as a mission to help women trust their intuition, advocate for their health, and embrace self-care in every form.
For too long, I ignored the quiet voice inside me that knew something was wrong. I was dismissed, given prescriptions instead of solutions, and told my symptoms were “normal.” But deep down, I knew better. We all have that inner voice—the one that nudges us when something isn’t right, the one that refuses to be silenced.
If there’s one lesson my journey has taught me, it’s this: you are your greatest advocate. Your body speaks to you, and you deserve to be heard. You deserve doctors who listen, treatments that heal, and support that empowers—not just quick fixes and temporary bandages.
That’s why Stephology exists—to give women the knowledge, confidence, and tools to care for themselves holistically. Through skincare, wellness, nutrition, and a home that nurtures healing, we’re here to remind you that your well-being matters, your voice matters, and your intuition is worth trusting.
You are strong. You are capable. And most importantly—you deserve to thrive.
Surgery & the Answer I Feared
Life has a way of knocking us down when we least expect it. It shakes our foundation, tests our strength, and forces us into battles we never asked for. Like an oak tree struck by a storm, its roots exposed, its branches broken—we, too, are left vulnerable, unsure if we will ever stand tall again. But the oak does not surrender. Its roots dig deeper. Its trunk strengthens. And even after it falls, new leaves begin to grow.
This is the resilience of the human spirit. There are moments in life that break us, that change us in ways we never imagined. A diagnosis, a loss, a moment that redefines everything we thought we knew. In those moments, we face a choice—to remain in the wreckage or to rebuild, to stay in the pain or to rise from it.
Healing is not just about recovery—it is about transformation.
It is about learning to trust again, to find purpose in the pain, and to use the cracks in our foundation to let the light in. It is about knowing that even when we are at our weakest, we are still growing, still becoming something stronger than we were before.
Faith teaches us that no storm lasts forever. The wind may shake us, but it cannot steal what is deeply rooted within us the ability to heal, to rise, and to thrive again. Like the oak tree, we may fall, but we do not break.
We rise again, with stronger roots, deeper wisdom, and a renewed purpose. We grow not despite the storm, but because of it.
Stephology was born from this truth that healing is more than skin deep. It is about nurturing the body, the mind, and the soul. It is about creating a life where we don’t just survive, but flourish. So if you are in the midst of your own storm, hold on. Your roots are deeper than you know. Your strength is greater than you realize. And the leaves will grow again.
You were made to rise.
