My Story

My kidney journey unexpectedly started on my 21st birthday. I went out with friends to celebrate just like any other 21 year old American girl. The next morning, I woke up with severe back pain. Growing up, I would occasionally experience back pain and always shrugged it off as menstrual. This felt different, but everyone told me I was just experiencing my first hangover. After 3 days in terrible pain, and not being able to stand up or walk, my parents took me to the emergency room. A CT scan showed that my right kidney was three times its size, and my internal abdomen was filled with urine.

Right away, a stent was surgically inserted. I woke up from surgery with no pain and started my journey of discovery. I transferred my care to the best nephrologist in New England where it was discovered I was born with a small ureter. It had cracked over time causing urine to flow into my abdomen. You're probably wondering why this wasn’t detected at birth? Well, back in 1985, a baby’s sonogram was not a part of everyone's pregnancy journey like it is today. So, a defect with the ureters is usually seen by physicians when someone has a urinary tract infection (UTI). I’ve never had a UTI, so the next time it is noticed is when the blood alcohol level rises, and/or when  a patient becomes pregnant. Alcohol saved my life, and that was the first and last time I ever drank it. 

The stent relieved the pain but had a 3 month expiration. So from July to October that year, I went through testing, met with nephrologists, and urologists to determine the next course of action. My left kidney was not functioning and slowly dying as each month passed. 

On October 9, 2006, I had it removed and prayed that my right kidney would be able to do a two organ job all on its own. 

 After the nephrectomy, I was advised that it would take up to 6 months to be fully healed, but I was able to do it in 3. My secret? Yoga 😊 Prior to my 21st birthday, I had always been interested in yoga and occasionally practiced at home with DVD’s. One summer, my sister took me to Bikram yoga classes and I loved it! So 6 weeks post-op, I went to regular yoga classes. The heated 26+2 asana practice of Bikram was extremely beneficial because I was circulating and cleansing my blood; which is the primary function of our kidneys. Paired with a Vinyasa home practice, I was able to manually pump my blood and be the team worker my sole right kidney needed. 

I’ve been a health conscious rule follower my entire life. So post surgery, I followed a low sodium low protein diet, exercised regularly, and felt great. But this all unexpectedly changed in February 2014 when I went for my 11 month follow up appointment. I remember dreaming on the drive there that this would be the day I graduated to annual check ins with my nephrologist. I felt and looked amazing on the outside…but not on the inside. The ultrasound and lab results showed that my right ureter was inflamed, and urine was rising up my ureter into my kidney. The hydronephrosis that took my left kidney was now affecting my right…the only one I had left. 

My left kidney lasted 21 years and I was emotionally distraught thinking that I only had 21 years left till I needed a transplant. I immediately flashed back to 2006. When I was in the hospital recovering from stent surgery, my roommate was another woman about my age who also had kidney health issues. She was awaiting her second kidney transplant. I have such a vivid memory of her because she was awake half the night, going out to smoke cigarettes, drinking soda, and urinating every hour. She also was so skinny and had bags under her eyes. God, The Universe, and Angels put her in my path for a reason: a glimpse of one way my life could be. I was at a cross road and immediately decided to find out what the alternative was. 

At that appointment in February 2014, my nephrologist advised me to stay away from red meat. I asked her if I should become a vegetarian, and her reply was “I can’t advise you to become a vegetarian, but I can share that some medical research has shown that red meat is not good for the kidneys.” That was my answer. At lunch that same day, I immediately became a vegetarian and have not eaten meat since. 

I took a cold turkey approach (no pun intended) and would not recommend this. I did a lot of research but after 2 months, I seeked out a naturopathic doctor to guide me along this new health journey. I spent the next year making a lot of cold pressed juices, following strict diet plans, having various detox cleanses, supporting my body with IV therapy and supplements…and it was the hardest year of my life. My nephrologist said at my next appointment that whatever I was doing, was working; this was the guiding light carrying me through. ✨

2015 to 2019 was spent transitioning to more whole foods and a healthy lifestyle that felt best for me. I moved and established care with an Ayurvedic practitioner, becoming fascinated learning about my dosha. I tried acupuncture and didn’t like it, and in 2016 I walked into a yoga studio that felt like home. Yoga, meditation, and my inner light all became a valuable asset to my daily life. I spent a lot of time in the kitchen (and still do😊). I adapted my favorite recipes to plant based and started to dream about sharing an alternative to taking care of your kidneys with the world. I would attend dinner parties and casually pick peoples' brains about website design, blogging, patents, owning a business. In 2018, “The Healthy Yogini” brand name came to me in a deep meditation and what you see today is a vision I’ve always held on to. 🪷

In 2017, I saw Tao Porchon Lynch and she instantly became my guru. Her life of 101 years is forever an inspiration. I was encouraged to achieve my 200 hour Registered Yoga Teacher Certification in 2018 which was such a personal blessing because I learned so much about myself and the power of what it means to Just Be. After meeting Tao in person in 2019, her words of “There is nothing you can not do” opened up a pathway for me. 

From 2019 to 2022, I spent 3 years with the passion to share what has been best for me and my health in hopes of inspiring, empowering, and connecting with you. But…I had intense fear about doing so. My perfectionist self didn’t want to fail. I didn’t share my dreams with anyone due to fear of other entrepreneurs stealing my ideas. Working full time felt impossible adding a business to my already full plate. Then the Covid pandemic changed my practice and teaching. There was a lot of comparison    and despair of how I could be a part of the yoga world. And the biggest thought that held me back: How could I publicly be “The Healthy Yogini” if I was no longer on my mat as often as I was pre-pandemic?

Being immunocompromised changed how I interacted with people. Yoga for me during this time was a daily meditation practice and a lot of healing. 

In time, I slowly got back on my yoga mat and discovered a love for beach yoga. I started

building the website and then delegated to amazing experts and slowly but surely, The Healthy Yogini bloomed.

Thank you so much for reading my story! I look forward to joining you along your kidney health journey. 

Namaste and Lots of Love,