From struggle to strength: reclaiming health, strength and purpose

I recently realised that I launched my Substack hub two years ago. Time has flown, and yet, looking back, I see fewer posts than I had intended. The reason? My long-standing battle with gut issues, which reached a crisis point on November 19, 2023. Everything spiralled, and my health took centre stage once again.

A Life Interrupted by Illness

For decades, gut issues have shaped my life in ways I never wanted. Everyday activities—going out, exercising, even something as simple as keeping an appointment—felt impossible. My world became smaller, dictated by pain, exhaustion, and uncertainty. My husband bore much of the burden, and that reality was heartbreaking for both of us. Our partnership became one-sided, with him holding me up while I struggled just to get through each day.

Time and again, just when I thought I was making progress, another wave of illness would knock me down. My symptoms—ferocious pain, extreme fatigue, and an inability to digest or absorb food—were dismissed by doctors. I was repeatedly told that I had nothing more than gastritis, even as I wasted away, barely able to eat. I sought out nutritional support, only to find that expensive tests confirmed what I already knew—I was dangerously depleted of vital nutrients.

Despite my expertise as a nutritional therapist, my knowledge wasn’t acknowledged, my voice wasn’t heard, and my suffering wasn’t taken seriously. If the medical system had listened and provided suitable help, I could have avoided years of unnecessary pain.

A Near-Death Wake-Up Call

Everything came to a head at the end of 2023. I found myself in an emergency department—this time, outside of Dublin. Within hours, I learned I had been two hours away from slipping into a coma. My body had been slowly bleeding internally for years. By the time this Waterford medical team saw me, the bleeding had escalated. Immediate medical intervention saved my life.

After stabilising, I was sent back to Dublin, only to be admitted to a hospital that failed me once again. I had major traumatic interventions, The lack of aftercare, the dismissiveness, the trauma—it was beyond words. One nurse in Dublin showed kindness. Totally unlike the treatment a few days later in Waterford. And yet, I had no choice but to push forward. The road to recovery was slow, and my body was left fragile, my spirit shaken.

Embracing a New Chapter

As I stepped into 2024, I was merely a shell of my former self. Healing wasn’t just about my body—it was about reclaiming my life. This experience forced me to reevaluate everything. What did I want? What truly mattered?

Now, I view every decision through a new lens:

• Does this bring me joy?
• Does this enhance my health?
• Does this build meaningful connections?
• Does this contribute to my financial stability?

This mindset shift led me back to my Substack hub. it’s a space to document my journey of healthy aging, to share insights on nutrition and lifestyle, and to support post-menopausal women in prioitising themselves and finding their own purpose. Everyone needs a meaningful purpose to them. At the very least it has you jumping out of bed to grab hold of the day. 

Through this platform, I’ll be offering

• practical tips,
• recipes, and
• wellness strategies
• how you can work with me

all designed to help you nourish and nurture your body. I’ll also be sharing ways to work with me, whether through one-on-one consultations or a future paid subscription filled with even more valuable resources.

Looking Forward: A Year of Rejuvenation

Now, in March 2025, I am finally feeling stable. My health, after years of uncertainty, has found balance.

A colleague recently suggested that I embrace this year as one of rejuvenation—a year to truly come back to life. That’s exactly what I plan to do

This is my journey of learning to live with purpose again, to savour food, to build a life rooted in well-being. And I’ve love you to join me.

If you’re a post-menopausal woman seeking to reclaim your health, happiness, and sense of purpose, let’s do this together—one micro-step at a time. Check out how you can work with me on a one to one basis, see Nurture or Essentials on my website.

Subscribe to my Substack and stay connected as we navigate this journey to thriving purposely, together.

Let’s embrace this chapter of life and carve out the best yet.