Disclaimer: This is a sponsored collaboration with Health Grades.
Trigger warning: This article discusses weight gain/loss as a symptom of a serious medical condition.
Receiving a life-altering medical diagnosis is challenging on its own. Add in a major life event and everything surrounding that event can become much more difficult to manage.

My wedding was quaint, intimate, and very personal. My husband and I got married in a quiet corner of Central Park and proceeded to our favorite local restaurant for the reception. Every detail from the invitations (which my husband designed by hand) to the bouquets (which my mother made the night before) were very “us.” We disregarded many wedding traditions and focused on the things that were important to us. When it came to my dress, hair, and makeup, I didn’t want to look like a glamorous new person; I just wanted to feel like myself. This proved to be incredibly difficult when autoimmune conditions were wreaking havoc within my body.