Meet Krista.

Meet Krista. Corgi dog-mom, glowing newlywed, cybersecurity analyst, and lifelong athlete.  

But what you may not know is that Krista has Turner syndrome, a rare genetic condition. From a young age, she has had to work with her medical teams to manage her hormone levels, initially with daily hormone injections and then evolving into estrogen replacement as a teen. But hormones are extremely complex, so treatment plans must constantly adapt over time.

“I tolerated the HRT fairly well until about 2017, when I began suffering from very bad abdominal cramping and nausea. We tried every form of treatment under the sun and ultimately I ended up having a hysterectomy in the Fall of 2021. Today, even nearly four years post-hysterectomy, we are still refining.”

Health is a constant dialogue of experimenting with nutrition, sleep, exercise, and managing stress to determine what results in the best outcomes for you and your body. This is even more acutely so for women with chronic health conditions. It’s a tiresome battle on top of everyday life.

“I have had to perpetually advocate for myself and educate myself as much as possible to stay as healthy as I can. I work hard at the gym, I work hard while I’m out running, and I have even become certified in nutrition, sleep, stress management and recovery. When my body doesn’t seem to be working with me, it can be super frustrating. I have to put in a conscious effort to reflect on that hard work and where it has gotten me. I will never give up on myself.”

Krista, you are a badass for all you’ve achieved with GRIT + GRACE that even you, at times–let alone the medical community–didn’t think was possible. Watch Krista’s story and comment below if you can relate to her journey.  We welcome community dialogue and reflection.

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This is one profile from a series of badass female athlete profiles. To learn more about the rest of the women and the series, visit the series home page here.