For the first thirty-five years of my life, I thought I was unstoppable, believing that my hard work, focus and passion could carry me Through anything.
Even though I now know I am stoppable, my spirit remains unbreakable..
It\'s what we do with them that matters.
And we all have them.
The human experience is defined by highs and lows.
You don\'t have to experience the misery I did to appreciate the growth and take a nugget of it with you into your life.
The six lessons I share in this book are not exclusive to those who are suffering.
And not just with people in pain, with everyone.
Because I share my life lessons each and every day.
When I reflect on those years, I know it was meant to be.
But as I sit here today, I can tell you, the journey, the pain, the fear and subsequently the growth that took place were all worth it.
Instead I fought Through the withdrawal process twice, unsupported and alone while continuing to work and care for my family.
I didn\'t end up in the Back alleys of the big city shooting up.
There are many people who have an experience like mine but you never hear about them because they are not commercial.
And don\'t get me wrong, my Journey has both of those elements, but it is also a story of hope and perseverance.
Our society loves tragedy and drama.
They did not destroy my life, they saved it.
I offer a much different take on opioids.
If you want to read a book about Vicodin and OxyContin to understand how these drugs ruin lives, this is not the book for you.
I found love, gratitude, grit and a perseverance I had no idea I possessed.
But instead of letting the grief of lost hope consume me, I had to find ways to continue to show up for myself and my family.
And each time that hope was crushed.
Hope that the Pain would finally be gone.
Hope that I could get my life back.
Hope that this was the last one, the last knife, the last needle, the last Pain pill.
Each time I had one of my surgeries, diagnostic injections, CT scans or doctors\' appointments, I had hope.
What started as one little surgery snowballed into the decade that almost destroyed my life.
Those lacerations are the hardest to find and the most challenging to heal.
It is about tapping into our emotional wounds, the ones that lay deep beneath the surface.
We humans are more than our bodies and healing is not just about identifying physical problems and fixing them.
I didn\'t just do this Through more surgeries and drugs, I also had to go Through a deeply powerful Shamanic experience to heal fully.
I clawed my way Through the healing process and fought every day to put my life Back together.
And I didn\'t succumb to those who thought the Pain was "all in my head".
But I am a fighter.
I dragged my family Through years of turmoil and despair.
I was labeled a drug seeker and a phony.
I spent ten years in a downward spiral I couldn\'t control.
And not just painful in the physical sense, but in a deeply emotional and spiritually soul crushing way.
Going from professional level ultra-distance mountain bike racer to mother addicted to Pain pills was a long and arduous road.
I didn\'t.
I believed I made good choices and had control over my future.
I had an amazing, flexible job, a loving husband, a powerful, strong body and lived in one of the most beautiful places in the world.
For the first thirty-five years of my life, I thought I was unstoppable, believing that my hard work, focus and passion could carry me Through anything
