Heidi Bluemel’s Journey: Overcoming MS with Stem Cell Therapy

On this episode of the We Share podcast, Alex and Julie welcome Heidi Bluemel, a mother and business owner who was diagnosed with MS ten years ago and recently completed a life-changing stem cell transplant. Heidi shares her emotional journey, from the initial symptoms that left her numb and fatigued to the difficult decision to undergo the intensive procedure. She recounts the physical and emotional toll of the treatment, the moments of resilience, and the deep appreciation she gained for her support system—especially her husband and children. Now, experiencing a level of wellness she hasn’t felt since high school, Heidi reflects on the renewed possibilities in her life, from attending her son’s football games without pain to planning future travels. The conversation highlights the challenges of change, the power of faith, and the hope stem cell therapy offers to those battling autoimmune diseases.

Transcript

Definitely was beautiful, but hard at the same time. Like it is something that if I had to do it again, I think I would be hesitant about. But I would do it because I felt so good coming out of it. Like my body, I could feel the change from what I've been feeling for the last ten years. I think certain aspects were a lot harder than what I thought.

The emotional side was harder than the physical, which I thought it was going to be the opposite.

Today on the We Share podcast, we're joined by Heidi Blumenthal, a mother and business owner who was diagnosed with Ms. ten years ago and has now successfully completed stem cell transfer therapy. Welcome to the We Share podcast I'm Julie, I'm Alex. We share ourselves and we provide a platform for others to share. We believe everyone has a purpose and a story to tell.

And we're back on the We Share podcast. I'm Julie and I'm Alex and we have a return guest. Return guest, a special guest. We revisited the episode last Wednesday and we are back in studio with Heidi Blum, our mother, Warrior Princess, Queen warrior is yes, it's highlighted enough warrior. She's just paved, a way with Ms.. And and battling Ms..

That is just remarkable. She's inspiring to so many. And so we're so blessed to have her in studio today to share her story. Pick it up from where we left off. So we want to find out what has the last two years been like? Oh, well, I mean, I'm already blushing here because you guys are so nice, but the last two years have really been a different scene from when we last talked.

So we two years ago in April. Yeah. So. So in one month that will be two years to. So a year ago in January, I was doing pretty good. And then out of the blue I had a relapse like nothing triggered it. We can't, you know, pinpoint what happened. I just was getting like at the gym after like 30 minutes of the treadmill, my left foot started to drop and my legs were going numb and I had no idea.

And they couldn't find a lesion at the time. But my doctor thinks that it was a lesion on top of another lesion, and so it was kind of masked hiding it. But so this relapse started to affect my mobility. I was it was stiffening my right leg and from the waist down I was like numb, icy hot, tingly like weird feelings that you don't you ever fall.

I didn't like fall, fall, but just kind of I would get like tripped up. And so I was labeled like a fall risk and, and one of my doctors was like, I would feel safer if you got a cane. I'm like, oh, what? Scuse me. I can't do that right now. Well, do you mind telling people how old you are?

Oh, I just turned 3737. So that would be. But she looks like she's 20. Is she look older than 37. And then be touched to be told use a cane. Right. And so it was because this April I will have had Ms. for ten years. Right. So I got diagnosed at 27. But it just the last two years, it's started to progress a lot faster than like the normal year and a half two year flare up.

It was like I'm not metabolizing my current drug right anymore and now my mobility is affecting me. So did you feel like you were switching back to like progressive form of Ms. versus the relapse remitting that you have? So that's interesting because after ten years, a large amount of individuals who have relapsing remitting turn to secondary progressive okay.

And that's just where your flare ups are. Just getting more frequent. And they last longer. And so you're getting more damage. And so I think I was just how everything was laying out. And so in January last year we started talking to my neurologist about different treatment options. Well, I'd already failed three, therapies and I wasn't metabolizing my current one very well anymore.

So he said, my only option was to look at a stem cell transplant and that, like, just switching a DMT takes like four months. And then if it doesn't work, then you have to go back. And my husband and I talked about it and we had heard of stem cell transplant about six years ago. But it was so new and my babies were so little that I just I couldn't do it right.

You didn't. Well. And and having also tried that new one that kind of took you out for a year and a half, it probably scared. You're like, I can't be out for a year and a half again. Oh, yes. And it was, it was a chemotherapy which was stem cell. You have to do chemotherapy as well. Oh.

And so it was a huge like if this is my only option, this is like a Hail Mary. Everything is like prayers galore. You know, because I didn't have an option. Well, it much like we were talking about before we started podcasting, you're absent. Absolutely. It is, you're void from your family for a long amount of time.

Yeah. You're in LA. Yeah, yeah. So how the process worked is after I met with my neurologist, like February, March. Then we started working on getting in contact with the location. And so the US has a few locations around. It just depends how, extreme the treatment is. Like does it have Ray, radiation with it? What type of chemo?

You know, how strong, how long they keep you there? And we ended up finding Doctor Bird in San Diego, and he got me in it in May, and he had to do the prescreening test, and he's like, yeah, you're kind of like on that border. Like, we will approve you if you come. But I would have to be away from my family between like five and eight weeks.

My, my trip ended up to be five weeks, which I'm grateful for. But it was from May to September. I had to get off my current medication, so I was on steroids every month to keep the relapse down. And then when it came time for October, I went to California. We packed up and I was there for two and a half weeks, and I was given, shots to stimulate the cell growth so they could harvest it at the end of two weeks.

And I had one round of my toxin, which is chemotherapy and a drug called ATG, which is kind of like another chemotherapy. And, Messina, which Messina helps coat your bladder because the chemotherapy can ruin your bladder. So that was just the first two weeks. But you're here. Let me dump you for that part. No. So I had to leave before I left.

I had really long hair, and. Yeah, we chopped it. And then you're just cut it, right? That they cut it when I came back. Oh, okay. But I had a good friend cut it for me. And my cousin came and stayed the two weeks in October, but it was, like, perfect, right? Like, we missed Halloween.

And then we came back the 1st of November, and I got to stay home for a week. And that's when my hair started, like to fall out. I was in the shower just washing it and it just like came out. And so my husband's like, yeah, we we probably need to shave it now. So we waited till the kids got home and we shaved my head and then a couple days later I had to pack up and leave.

But this time, instead of staying outpatient, I had to be admitted in the hospital on the transplant floor. I watched all her videos. Oh my gosh, it was like, and I'm just cheering you on. Oh, I know your messages were awesome, but it's so surreal looking back now because at the time it was like, okay, just one day at a time, just one day at a time.

And my babies were staying with, a cousin. And then they were staying with some really good family friends of ours. But we missed Thanksgiving, too, so I wasn't there for anything. And it's just a lot. I think I have PTSD, I still think face time though. Yes, yes, but you could have video calls and it was hard though, because when I would, I think the nighttime was the hardest because I would FaceTime my kids to see how school was and see how their day was going.

And then I just was trying to be strong and not cry in front of them, because then when I got off the phone with them, I just lost it. Oh yeah. Yeah, it was everything. And I remember one day my son, we had FaceTimed him, he got a haircut and he wanted to show me, but he got hurt in some way.

I can't remember if you like, busted up his lip or something. And oh my gosh, the tears were right there because I'm just like, I just want to hug my baby boy and tell him it's okay and I'm not there as a mom to comfort him. But they were with some amazing people, angels on earth who help. Oh my gosh.

Yes, I mean, was brown with you the whole time? Yes. Okay. So, the only time he wasn't with me is after the three rounds of chemotherapy, I became neutropenic. And that's where you have, like, no cells whatsoever to help you fight off infection. Bacteria. And he got sick. And so they wouldn't let him back in the hospital for about four days.

So that was kind of like four really lonely days. Yeah. Like three weeks alone with all the machines and yeah Beeping yeah all the time. And you're constantly hooked up. Like sometimes I have to I'm running at the same time and the treatments are long. We. One of my treatment was ten hours and then the chemo was at least 4 to 6.

So they're like long, long treatments. Did you ever have a point in that treatment? Like of the five weeks you were there, were you lost hope or were you did you have those moments how you oh, I would say I didn't lose hope, but I definitely I know that sounded like a lot. I mean, but where are you then.

Painful. And am I going to. Absolutely. Like I think towards the end because the first five days are like boom, boom, boom, boom. Like I went in and you have five rounds of chemo and then you have a break and then you get your stem cells back so that first weekend or first week is like really fast and you have a lot going on.

Then it's afterwards when you have you get like really, really tired and really sick and worn out because everything just takes so much energy and you just have to be patient and wait for the cells to regenerate and to and graft into your bone marrow that there were days where I was like, it's okay. Like, it's okay. We're just gonna it's okay to be lonely.

Like it's okay to just sit here and feel all the feelings and but it, it was so hard. Especially when Brandon wasn't there. The night time got really hard. What did you do to fill the time? Did you read 800 books? Did you watch every Netflix series that's ever existed? Every movie. But then I, I had a lot of friends who sent, like, coloring books and motivational books.

I had, like, my diffuser, you know, just to make it a little homey. So when people walked in, they're like, oh, it doesn't smell like a hospital in here. My mom bought bed sheets that I could put on the hospital, and I brought my own bed, pillows. And I had crossword puzzles, and so do good books.

And, you know, just little things here and there. But there, there's a few days where you just don't have energy to do anything. But they did make me walk the hallways every day, which was good. But still I had to set a routine. Like in the morning. I had breakfast, took my medicine. Then we had treatment, then I always made sure I showered and took a walk and made my bed.

But that that was my life for five weeks. Yep. That's so heavy. I mean, I, I, I would imagine that you went to the place of just survival mode and now when you look back on it, you're like, wow, how did I how do I do that? Also watch any of her videos like she wrote everyday and they were for me, it was just like, oh good, now I know she's just little, a little better because you don't want to bug someone when they're right healing.

But it was, I'm glad, looking back, that I recorded a lot of it. Because there's some days, like I didn't, and I wish I did, even though I wasn't feeling the best I wish I would have because trying to recall everything now, I think my mind is like, no, no, don't. We're not ready to go back there yet.

I'm like repressed a little bit, The stuff. Yeah, but it definitely was beautiful, but hard at the same time. Like, it is something that if I had to do it again, like I think I would be hesitant about, but I would do it because I felt so good coming out of it. Like my body, I could feel the change from what I've been feeling for the last ten years, but just so hard.

So what do you say? It's hard to say harder than you thought it was going to be, but definitely worth it. Definitely worth it hard. I think certain aspects were a lot harder than what I thought the emotional side was harder than the physical, which I thought it was going to be the opposite, because I'm not one who likes to like, have like stomach flu issues.

And so the chemo really stressed me out because I didn't know, you know, like how your body was going to respond. And I actually responded pretty decent to the chemo, and I wasn't as nauseous as I thought I was. But it was just the emotional change that took me by surprise. Because I'm not really a crier, you know, unless I'm like, pushed to that breaking point.

I just used to being sound. That's what I was going to say. You like battling it for ten years, so you're like, I can handle physical pain. I know what that is, right? It's just, the emotional was like, and when you go in for chemo, it does take a toll on you emotionally. And so there were times that the nurse would come in and be like, hey, how are you doing?

And I would just break down and just ball. And I'm like, I don't even know why I'm crying. And she's like, oh no, it's it's okay. It happens. It's a side effect, right? And then I had to like, be okay with myself crying and feeling that because I was like part of me was like, well, this is dumb.

Like, why are you crying? There's nothing to cry about. But then I had to be like, no, this is a lot like, you can cry. It's okay. So I would, I would do it again. I think. Well, and then let's just even fast forward to right now. Today. How much better do you feel? Oh, it's like night and day.

Like getting over the hump and recovering like my cells. Regenerating is tricky, you know? And there's things that come up that you're like, oh my gosh, what if I'm getting, like, sick again? But it's just your body building back strength. But I, I don't have any more pain. My balances come back. I use, like, I can close my eyes and, like, stand and I don't sway.

I can balance on one foot. I can walk a straight line and not look like I'm drunk, you know? So the doctor, doctor bird, he took me off all of my medications that I've been on for ten years. Oh, wow. And I'm down to just one nerve pain pill. And he said I can eventually get off that and then I won't be on like, anything.

I've been on medication for years and years. And so I know you said prior to the diagnosis you were on medication. Yeah. So I know you said it's not curable, but what does this mean then? If you don't have meds? I would say people who get asked like they're they're looking at like 12 and 15 years now with no relapses, no MRI scans, like no trace of the disease.

So wow. And I think you can't say cured because we still have permanent damage. From where, the lesions are in our brain and spine. So to be 100% cured, we would have to wait for like, re myelin ization drugs to come out to fix that. But I, I feel so good. Like if this is how normal people feel every day, you know, where you can get up and you can go throughout the day and get stuff done and not feel like you're dying by like 2 p.m. and she's been cooking at the store.

Yes, I have, I just like I'm seriously jealous because I don't think I've felt this good since I was in high school. Wow. Oh, wow. Yeah. Tell everyone the ages of your kids. So my daughter will be 13, in, in a few months, and then my son just turned ten. So I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis right after he was born.

Ten years ago. So just so people can think that through, let's say you get 10 to 15 years of feeling like this is going to get the best that you can, right? Send them off to dances and high school. Yes. Whatever activities they're involved in, you get to show up to those and feel well. You get to move them to college and you get yes, like all of the things a mother craves to do, you're there's a potential for you to feel well enough to be 100% involved in all of that.

Oh my gosh. Which is mind boggling, because there were times like the past ten years where I'm just like, okay, my son's really active in baseball and football, but I can't sit at football games, I freeze and I am in pain. So how am I going to handle this when he's in high school and super active or I?

My daughter is doing tennis and she wants me to play with her. Okay, well, I don't do heat really well either, you know? And how am I going to be around and be to her tournament or just play with her like I can't play tennis with her like I can barely ski. I can like I've given up. I'll play tennis with her.

Okay, I'll teach you. I would love to, because it's on my bucket list this summer. Like so many doors have opened now because of how I'm feeling, and I am just so excited to get back to the life that I grew up with that had to just be completely shut down at the age of 27, right, Heidi, to point out just yes, yes, yes, I, I'm really excited, but there's kind of a little nervousness in the back of my mind, like, how long is this going to last for?

Like, am I going to wake up again one day and have it be like symptoms flaring up like so there's a little bit of caution? Well, I think you'll build your faith and trust in it as you keep getting more time. Yeah, in it, but also like positive mental attitude. Need to learn that. And if you're podcasting a lot like listening to things in there.

Yeah, the power of the mind is amazing. Like what we can actually do have or come solutely. And it's just like, if you can't take one week at a time or a year at a time, and it's just like how I was in the hospital taking one hour at a time. Just keep reminding yourself, like, I can do this, we can do this, I can handle this.

Just baby steps, micro baby steps, whatever you need. But it yeah, it's very very real. I was I was just explaining this to somebody literally an hour ago I was listening to a black preacher on TikTok and he was, he was saying we've got to quit living in our problems. Yeah. Guess what. That's a Tuesday like problem.

Yeah. Happen. And that's what you were experiencing. Noon is a tough hour. Yes. I'm going to make it through noon. And 1:00 is coming and I'm going to be okay. And then 2:00 is coming and I'm. And if you have to break it down, that minimal two hour by hour and you get through, you get through. Yeah. And I think everybody, I was talking to a friend about like, change in hard times and stuff, but everybody is set on, well, change is bad or I can't overcome it.

Or they have this fear about it. But what if change is just for a way that you can say, well, why not me instead of why me? Like, why not have this change? We've talked about this concept before and like growth. Yeah, it's growth during times of change. And when I look back on things in my life that have been hard, I think if that didn't happen I would not be where I'm at today because of things, you know, absolutely with you and Jeff as well.

Like it just isn't the funnest when you're going through the hard time. But we all have hard just effort hard. Yeah, yeah. And that's why you can't compare your changes. Right. Because everybody's changes different. The rates different how they are processing it is different. It might be like a similar circumstance, I believe, but everybody is unique on how they change.

So it just and this whole experience was I mean it opened me up to things that I'd never, you know, thought of before or experienced before. I mean, like loneliness, like true loneliness. Like I have so much empathy for people now who experience that because, I mean, there are some times where you're like, yeah, I just feel lonely or but there might always be somebody around, like it's a different type of lonely, but just isolation, just nobody there.

Nothing like that was a huge eye opener to me. Yeah. And I can tell you feel the feels. You don't know, right? Yeah. The mental pain and anguish that so many have. And for the first time being on that transplant floor I was one of the healthiest people there, which was another like eye opener. Was it because of your age.

Were you the youngest one. Well at Scripps they put the stem cell transplants with like organ transplants and other like chemo transplants, you know, so like individuals who are, like, very critically sick there however is failing that. Yeah. Whatever. Yeah. And they have family members coming and like pacing the floors with cups of coffee all night. You know, I didn't have that.

I had my husband in the hospital bed next to me. Yeah. And I, I wasn't coding right, you know, but I was sick. But I wasn't like that. Yeah. We knew you're going to come right? Yes. You know, I mean, might be like some complications, but we can totally handle it. Like I'm. It was another surreal thing. So it's like I will just take what I have and I'm so grateful for it.

How's your family doing now? How are your kids? They're doing better. They're getting back in their routine. Where? Hey, mom's here now, so I'm not going to do my chores. So now I'm getting back in the routine of being mom. But, my daughter and my son, I'm super proud of how they handled everything. You know, they leaned on each other.

They supported each other. And just a deeper relationship between them grew, which I was so happy to see. But my son, when we shaved my head, my son had the hardest time. He. Because I was handing the razor like my husband took a turn. My daughter took a turn and we went to give it to my son and he goes, I don't know how I.

And so he just did a little part back here and he goes, yeah, I don't like it, I don't like. And we're like, it's okay. Like it's we understand. Like it's hard. But my daughter was like all gung ho for it. She's like, can I, can I just shave more? Can we do this? I'm like, yeah, but then dad's going to have to like, clean it all up.

Exactly. Because it's all over the place now. But coming out of it, My mom, my daughter got to experience, like, trust and resilience and things that if I wouldn't have stepped away to do this, I don't think she would realize how strong she is and how much people actually care and love her outside of mom and dad.

And then for my son, I think it was a faith building thing where mom's going to come home, she has to come home, and I, I just said, yes, I will come home like we will get through this. It's going to be fine. And I think he's softened up a bit and has built that same resilience too, which I'm grateful for.

Oh I'm sure, yeah, he was probably afraid. Yeah. Because he's only he was. Yeah. Just barely ten. It fair. Totally fair to be afraid. How's Brandon a he. Man if I could laugh Tasnim oh my gosh. Yeah I mean if I had to tell myself what I would go through in my life and he just, he's just been my rock through everything and just to see him take care of the kids and me.

And at this time he, he his contract was up at the company he worked for. And so he hasn't been working since July, and he chose not to go get a job. So he could just be there for me. And he's. Yeah, he's my rock. And I think through all of this, there becomes like, a deeper respect because you see what they're going through as a caregiver, which is just as heavy as what I went through as a patient.

And maybe more so because he's the husband and he said, you know, like I'm supposed to take care of you and look out for you and make sure you're okay. But here you are in this bed and you're not okay, and I can't do anything. So it you know, it's really humbling, but I, I wouldn't choose another partner because he just is so strong and so by my side through everything.

I think the life lessons too, that you guys are showing your kids like the things they've learned just from watching your love, and then their resilience and strength. I mean, yeah, they're like definitely once in a lifetime lessons. And sometimes you wish that circumstances were different, but like you said, like, how else do we learn and grow and, and let's, let's even highlight, I mean, the first episode, remind me talked a little bit about.

Yeah. And not that does play in right here 100%. Yeah. There I mean no doubt, no doubt. I've never felt so much peace at such a terrifying time. Well, it's chaos and peace that reside together. Yeah. And I know that it just didn't come from me because sometimes you rely on other people when you're at your weakest. And I know that my prayers were just like, just please help me not throw up today.

You know, when other people, I mean, I could feel the prayers and and I know it was real because there is no way I could get through that by myself. Like, absolutely no way. It's by far the hardest thing I've ever done. And I. I can just tell a difference that whole time. And now when I'm back getting ingrained into my normal routine, you know, that that strength and that peace is like still around.

But it's not like it was when I was in the hospital and there were so many.

I want to say, like so many tender mercies that I felt and that happened in my experience, that just confirmed to me that it, you know, faith and love are a huge critical part of my life. And I know that's what sustained me. Yeah. Beautiful. How's your business? You know what? People are still tanning in eastern Idaho.

Yeah, I've been there. That's been there when I'm not there. Yeah. No, I have such an amazing manager and support. She's been with me for three years. My is just. I just said my, I have to do this. And she said, okay, go. We'll take everything over. Everything will be fine. And so and corporate stepped in a little bit, you know, to help and make sure that my had everything.

But she is a literal rock star. I mean she's managed it. She's ran it and she's like, I'm not going to bother you at all with work. But then me, I'm just like, what's going on? She's like, it's fine, don't worry about it. And it's a test. I've been there and they're doing a great job. Oh, good.

I in on them all the time. Yeah. Thank you. And she really is a sweetheart. She is. And she I mean, she's just flourished in her own managerial roles, which is awesome but is so good to be able to step away and trust somebody. Well, yeah, it's just I had the hardest time preparing to do stem cell treatment because I had to prepare to step away from my life for four months.

Well, letting letting go of anything. Oh, right. Yeah. It just like at first I couldn't even fathom, like, how do you do that? How do you prepare yourself? It's like you're dying, right? And I had to get, like, every thing ready. And then I went into, like freakout mode and I like, over organized and started to remodel and like, I was painting baseboards.

My friends are like, you don't need to do that. I'm like, no, I do. Yeah. You're like my mental form of nesting. Yes, yes, exactly. Jackson really. Oh my gosh. Yeah. But like every detail I mean to go into stem cell like I had to have like living wills and if you want a DNR or not a DNR because hospitals Mandy like they want everything right.

Cover there. Oh yes. And so it's like making sure all the businesses were in line but then also self-sufficient and all your bills like business and personal like taking care of and on auto pay, you know, and that people knew like I am leaving October. I will not be back functioning till like March. So and it's not going to be a fun vacation.

No, it's a mini mission. A mission for your life. Exactly. So that was a big thing too. But I also realized like, oh, I don't really need this in my life. And this could be a little bit more organized because when I do die, or if something ever were to happen, I want to set it up so my kids are okay and the business is better, you know?

So it totally different perspective now. Things. Yeah. You've got a huge jump on most of the population. You're like, I didn't really need that. But. Right, right. Well I made the best of it. Yeah, well, we've crossed paths for several years. I'm sure you and Alex have as well. You look amazing. Thank you. Do they look fantastic?

Are we open our business at the same? Yeah, yeah. 2012 and everything. And I've known you through Ted and. Yeah, I just it's refreshing that people can see a difference, because right now, I'm still kind of like, in the thick of it, and my hair is just barely growing back, so I'm not feeling like myself. Like my normal put together anal fiber.

Right, right. Yeah. You know, so I'm not I'm not feeling it. But this is another eye opener thing where this is a change, but my body has to go through it. And because of the medication I took and because of what I just went through and the, you know, my body has to change and it's just it's another thing where I'm like, this is it.

This is what I have to deal with now, and it's just going to be what it is. So I want it. There's another one of your posts, like one of your videos you brought up how, the stem cell had completely taken away any, proof of the virus. Yeah. So let's bring that up. And why?

Just tell the audience? Because I thought that was amazing. Oh, the HSC treatment, is phenomenal. I mean, it is groundbreaking right now. And what happens is you take chemotherapy and chemo completely kills off all the cells that could have had the mutation. Could have had that just defect where it signals your, immune system to attack itself.

And so you just wipe out everything. It's like they went in and cut out all the tags on the clothes. Oh, yeah, the good and the bad. Yeah. The labels are gone. Everything, everything. And so the chemo wipes it out. And then when I got my stem cells back, they had already spun them and froze them. So any cell with that marker, they completely annihilate it from the good bag that I was getting.

So then I got my stem cells back, and then those cells now go into my bone marrow and repopulate healthy brand new cells. So cells that don't even know what's going on. It's like a baby again. Right? And and it was it's phenomenal because now my body's not attacking itself. My inflammation markers are way down like non-existent. And it is the coolest process to be a part of hard process.

But just the way the medical treatments are coming about nowadays. Yeah. The science right. It's just yeah, there's no trace of miss. Like I have no symptoms. I still have lesions, but no, like nothing. But it's like she's been recoded. Yeah it no it's crazy. And so in that first episode and I want everyone to come back here, then this will make more sense.

But, we talked about autoimmune diseases being maybe triggered or created by trauma. Yeah. And your trauma was maybe when you had Epstein-Barr or mono, right. Right. Back when I was in high school. And now they're linking Epstein-Barr to a whole different array of autoimmune diseases because it's just something that's triggering your body to attack and go after.

But it never really goes away. Right? Right. Yeah. And so. And since then, I had forgot about it. But I've been to some medical doctors and appointments and I have autoimmune too. And they brought up that it can even be like emotional trauma that triggers, yeah, it's immune diseases. And so many of us don't realize that something that happened when we were five that we held onto or repressed might be manifesting as something 100%.

I've heard that as well. Where? There is a gentleman, I I'm sorry, I can't remember who it was, but I did read an article that said, if you have any trauma before the age of like puberty, right. It can trigger the flight or flight mode in your body. And then when your body tries to grow and develop, it kind of gets like stuck in that fight or flight mode.

And so yeah you think of anybody who's gone like anything. Right. We all I mean we all have something. But now how do we pinpoint exactly like the time and what that trauma specifies. You know. So people like me who just got all reset don't get thrown back in it. Right. So that's another question is I, I don't know, it's that's a lot.

Yeah I don't mean it's just a whole oh it's insane. So the and you might not know the answer this because we're getting really deep in the science here. But she's practically a doctor. Yeah I know I should say it a holiday. And last night yes, I had I need that certificate based on so they say 10 to 15 years.

Is that because the old Heidi starts to resurface? Because you've still got those cells in there? Or is it just be like, what? Why the time span of 10 to 15 years? What happens that then it potentially can come back. So first of all, that time frame is set because that's the oldest study that they followed. An individual that has had HSC is like so 1250 no.

It could go longer. It has to go longer. Yeah. But Doctor Bird he's been doing he's like the godfather of stem cells and he's been doing it for like 25 years. And their success rate now is I think it's like 97% where you will just be fine. But yeah, I don't know. There have been doctors who have told me now that I had stem cell.

You can only have, your childhood vaccines, but don't get the Covid vaccine because we've seen relapses with people who have gotten the Covid vaccine. Just don't get it. I just don't. Oh well, yeah, we all know how I feel about I just don't get it. Please. Yeah. So and then, I think that's the only like and some food, you know.

So I need to be really careful. And I'm anal too, because I'm like, I don't want to put that sugar in my brand new body. Like, I don't want that pop. But like, certain foods are more inflammatory than other foods and processed foods. Just we have to be really careful of and so there there are things that people are knowledgeable about.

That I think after you have asked if you're not careful, it could throw, a relapse in, but it goes back to our autoimmune. There's so many and they're probably linked together. But different triggers like environmental triggers and some of those you can't get away from, you know, unless we move. Yeah, right. We're all gonna live in the same sunny, non overly humid location.

San Diego was calling. Yeah, San Diego, I just don't like the traffic. Do they have you on a supplement regimen? Are there. You know, you're you're completely off of everything but the nerve blocker right. Do they have you taking vitamin D and things like that. Not yet. Because they want my system to rebuild itself to like my new baseline.

And then we'll see where I'm too depleted. Obviously we're in Idaho, so vitamin D is going to be a huge one, but I'm on a antiviral, an antibacterial and an antifungal for a year because my immune system just can't fight them off. And we'll do red light at your. Yes. No. So yeah. So I have the red light panel.

And then we also have a bed that does UV and red light combo that you can adjust the, how intense it is. So but what I didn't know and I experienced firsthand is chemotherapy makes you, like, sun sensitive. Oh, and to the point where I was like, when I went outside after a week and a half of being isolated, I was completely covered.

Like I wore the gloves, I had a mask, I had my hat. And just like right here was showing and it felt like I was burning. And this was in California in November. So I don't hypersensitive. Yeah. Just to a point that I've never experienced it before and it was just gone away first a little bit, but I've been doing red light.

I have one in the salon and then I have a panel at home. So the red lights really helped. I just I'm kind of cautious of the UV right now, but I want to get back to it because I know of the vitamin D and everything. The help that will come from that. Right? Right. Just in in moderation.

But I've want to be smart about it, because I do know that there are medications and treatments out there that can make you photosensitive. Right. And I'm one of them now. Yeah. Well, do you have anything further? I guess it's just our final and final parting. Like, what is your one thing that you would leave our audience with today?

You did it two years ago about. Wow. What message? Why do you share? You know, right now I'm focusing on being okay with changing, you know, and being okay, going through the really, really hard things and gratitude because we've had so many people, you know, helping us and supporting us through this. Just a lot of gratitude, like more than I could ever repay anybody for.

And then also just it will be okay. Like, I might be uncomfortable in a couple situations, but I'm getting better and my life is changing and we we all go through that. And I think if we're softer with ourselves when we're changing and let the process just unfold, it just it's so much more beautiful than resisting it and thinking that the change is bad.

I like that, I do like that too. I had a friend have a really bad, bad pregnancy. She dropped below 100 pounds. Oh my gosh, almost lost the baby. Everything. And that was a couple of years ago. And after she had the healthy baby, because I didn't think it was appropriate to say anything until there was some sort of completion to what she was going through.

But after she had the baby I sent to her. Have a lot of grace. Yeah. With yourself, because this was trauma. And it will come back and it might be in four years. It might be in five years. It might be next weeks cell memory. Yeah, yeah. And have a lot of grace with yourself because you did something really hard and that's so hard to do.

I think we, we tell each other that and, but it's so hard to internalize because we want things a certain way and we want our life to play out a certain way. And we've been planning it. Exactly. Yeah. This is expectations, right. And goals. And we're so set on like goals and markers. And I gotta get this accomplished.

But life doesn't fall like that. And grace is really hard to give yourself. At least I've seen for me, you know, because I'm like sweet. I'm feeling better. Like, we got to get back rowing. I can't wait to get back to the gym. I need to get back to work, you know? But it's not the time frame, you know?

And it's just it's so hard. It's easier to be graceful with other people because you're like, something about. It's easier to be compassionate, right, than for yourself. Like, I can tell you're going through a hard time, like, how can I help? Or what do you need? Or. Yeah, I have empathy. I've been there like I can understand a little bit, but it will be okay.

But then I look at myself and I'm like, you are slacking. Like, this is not where I want to be, you know? Yeah, it's very obvious for Alex and I to look at, you know, Heidi, take a nap today, I right? I'm just in awe, like, honestly. Yeah. It's just and for me, I'm thinking that I'm like, man, I've taken a lot of naps over the last couple months.

I don't want to take any more for the rest of my life. You're like, I've been. I got all my hours and I'm good for you right now. I don't need a nap. ERA is done exactly like I was in the hospital bed for two weeks. I know, like looking at my bed. I'm like, I'm I can't do this.

But yeah, it's just how do we change our perspective with grace and change and, you know, be better towards ourselves like we are other people, right? It's we're all yeah, I'm in the middle of it. Well, we think you're doing amazing. Oh, thanks. Thank you. Thank God I in two years I want you back and we're going to talk about all the successes that I have.

And her hair will be long, right. It's just going to be it's not going to be this. But it is super soft. My kids like to rub it. I know I secretly like I don't know what it is I like, I don't like a little noogie, like you can rub it because it's super, super size. They have my boys and they got summer cuts.

Yes, it pretty much that's what it is. I asked my son last night. I said, are you going to be sad when mom's hair comes back in? And he goes, yeah, I'm kind of going to miss your little fluffy head. And I'm like, okay. So it's it's it's getting better. But yeah, two years. I mean, the next two years I have all the things I want to try and do, and I'm really just excited for it because like more trips to Italy.

Oh my gosh. Yes, yes. Because I, I do want to go over there and I've been invited to go over and share this story with them, with my friends over there. So I just have to be healthy enough to travel. Yeah, well, if you need, an expert chaperon Q&A. Yes, yes, I'm really good at picking restaurants.

Yes. Oh, and you can't go wrong there. No, no, it's. I think my daughter is like, can I, can I go this time? Can, can I go? And I'm like, I think you're, you're old enough, you know, and mature. She's really mature. Well and if you need okay. So if you need ally and I to go with you, your trip.

She's going to be senior next year. Oh, my gosh, that's insane. I know that girl. Yeah. Wait. You so fast. Well, I just yeah, it's an amazing this treatment, you know, just to think back on it, anybody who has multiple sclerosis or an autoimmune disease, you know, doctor birds was treating like Crohn's and scleroderma. And he has things, you know, he wants all the autoimmune diseases could respond very, very well to this.

And if you're having, you know, your first initial diagnosis with Ms. or anything like HSC, t there's not a lot of information you have to dig. You have to look for it and talk to your neurologist and be proactive about it. But this treatment has changed my life. It ended discussion. That is it. Yeah. It's a great way to end up.

Thank you. All right. Two years I'm marking it on the calendar. Will be back. Okay. We'll be back.

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