The Journey Begins
As summer turned into fall, the weight of starting a brand new job and taking over as cross country coach under contentious circumstances continued to press down on me. My mental and physical health were both declining, but I still had hope that as soon as things settled down, I’d be able to rest and heal. We bought a house and moved out of our apartment, which was a huge step towards stability. However, I felt I needed to see a doctor to make sure the symptoms I was experiencing weren’t a sign of something serious. I knew the stress I’d been under over the past few months was a huge reason why I was feeling so awful, and I thought seeking the guidance and care of a doctor would get me over the hump. I found a primary care doctor, and after a few appointments I was referred to a gastroenterologist. At my first appointment, tests were ordered to rule out parasites and Celiac Disease. When both came back negative, it was on to the scopes. Cross country had ended at this point, and not a
