My Health Journey- Preparing For Surgery with the Four Pillars of Health.
Part 1 of 3
I’ve always been very active, healthy, and fit, and staying active has been an essential part of my life. But, over the past year, I’ve been navigating some significant health challenges. My journey truly began several years ago with a serious snowboarding accident. That accident left me with a neck injury that I initially hoped to recover from through physiotherapy and medical treatment. However, as the years passed, my symptoms only worsened, eventually leading to the need for spine surgery.
I worked hard to prepare for the surgery, focusing on my health pillars—nourishment, movement, sleep, and mindset—to set myself up for the best possible recovery. While the surgery was successful, my health journey didn’t end there. In the months following surgery, I faced an even greater challenge.
This 3 part blog series shares my journey through these experiences—how I prepared for the challenges, what I learned along the way, and how those lessons can help you prioritize your health and wellness. In this first part, I’ll focus on how it started, how I prepared for surgery and why setting a strong foundation for your health matters, no matter what life throws your way.
Snowboarding Accident
My husband and I were on a weekend trip to go snowboarding in Revelstoke. This was a regular thing for us and we spend most weekends exploring different mountains together. We would pack our backpacks with warm clothes, supplies, snacks, hot chocolate and spend the day up in the mountains enjoying the fresh air and quality time together. Nothing was abnormal this particular day- except the conditions were a bit icier than we were used to. I had a hard crash, and the moment I hit the ground, I heard my neck crack. I stayed down for a few minutes, trying to assess the damage. Thankfully, I could wiggle my fingers and toes, and after a while, I managed to get up and shake it off. A trip to the hospital and some X-rays later, the doctors confirmed nothing was broken and sent me home with a diagnosis of "severe whiplash."
Why I Needed Surgery
Despite physiotherapy and other treatments, my pain worsened over the years. X-rays revealed a herniated disc pressing on my spinal cord, causing pain, numbness, limiting my mobility and affecting my quality of life. While initially hopeful it would get better- it continued to get worse. After years of trying to avoid surgery, my surgeon recommended a multi-level disc replacement and spinal fusion.
It wasn’t an easy decision, but the thought of restoring my active lifestyle—maybe even snowboarding again—helped me take the leap. Snowboarding wasn’t just a sport for me; it symbolized freedom and the life I wanted back. When I asked my surgeon, “If I have surgery, will I be able to snowboard again?” and he said yes, I felt a spark of hope. That moment solidified my decision, and I booked the surgery for a few months later.
How I Prepared
This was a very scary time. It is a pretty serious surgery- and there was a variety of risk factors, none of them good. But quality of life long term is important to me, and so the surgery gave me the best hope to return to an active life. I was determined to set myself up for success going into my surgery. Even with the uncertainty surrounding the recovery process, I knew focusing on my four health pillars would give me the best chance to heal.
I knew I had to focus on what I could control—my mindset, my nutrition, my movement, and my sleep. While there were so many unknowns, I found comfort in the fact that I could take small, meaningful steps each day to prepare my body and mind. This gave me a sense of stability in the midst of the uncertainty.
Nutrition: I knew that to give my body the best chance to recover, I had to fuel it properly. I focused on building a nutrient-rich diet that ensured I was getting the vitamins and minerals necessary for my body to thrive—both for everyday life and specifically in preparation for the surgery's impact on my system.
Movement: Rehabilitation would be tricky, and I knew it. Because I was already in pain, this pillar was a struggle for me to work on. I began strengthening my body in the months leading up to surgery by walking, doing at-home fitness workouts, and following physiotherapy-specific exercises. Strengthening my neck, core and back was a priority to help ensure a faster recovery post-surgery. It was hard, I was in alot of pain.
Sleep: Sleep plays a crucial role in recovery, and I knew it was essential not just for healing after surgery but for managing the stress that was piling up. I made my bedroom a peaceful, restful space by ensuring it was dark, quiet, and the right temperature. Restorative sleep was non-negotiable in my plan.
Mindset: Having a positive mindset was incredibly important, and not easy. This was a big surgery, and a stressful time. My doctor said to expect six to twelve month for recovery, and although I was anxious, I looked forward to enjoying pain free life. It was going to mean I couldn’t work for a few months- so on top of the physical pain, financial stress, and figuring out life moving forwards was also on my mind. I did the best I could to make sure I had the right tools in place to manage my healing journey. Taking time to mentally prepare allowed me to feel more in control of the situation- I’m a person that likes to feel in control. Mindset is everything.
The morning of surgery- I was ready. Mentally, physically- although scared, I was eager to get it over with. After checking in at the hospital , waiting for surgery was difficult. My husband and I played backgammon on his phone to distract me until they took me in. This is me all ready to get started. Although I’m smiling in this photo- there was tears that morning, I was very nervous.
After Surgery: Navigating the Unexpected
Post-surgery, I quickly realized that recovery wasn’t a straight line. There were good days and tough days, and the process wasn’t as quick as I’d hoped. Healing takes time, and there were moments of frustration when things didn’t progress as expected.
My surgery was in my neck- so eating and swallowing food was hard for over a month. Luckily I had a friend come out before surgery and make a ton of home made soup with me.
Moving and lifting my head was very hard - after I got out of the hospital, I spent a few weeks in bed listening to audio books. Thanks to whoever gave me that idea, I downloaded a few books on Audible and it’s been how I spent a lot of my time since.
The pain medication didn’t sit well with me- I’m very sensitive and generally don’t handle meds well- so I went off them (with my Dr approval) very quickly and just got by with Tylenol.
What I learned was that recovery isn’t linear—it’s full of ups and downs. The key was to stay patient, focus on small wins, and continue nurturing my mindset, knowing that every step forward, no matter how small, was a victory. I’m not saying that mindset is easy- I had to constantly remind myself to focus on my best next step- and that was different every day. From eating more solid food, to finally getting out of the house for a walk in the fresh air.
I was through what I thought was the hardest part (it wasn’t), and very much looked forward to life getting better and back to ‘normal’.
A Starting Point for You
If you’ve been going through a difficult time in your health - I encourage you to start small. If you're feeling overwhelmed by everything you "should" be doing, take a deep breath. Start small, but start. If you're ready to take action but don't know where to begin, I highly recommend taking my Four Pillars Quiz.
This quiz will help you assess where you stand in each of the four pillars—nutrition, movement, sleep, and mindset—and give you an actionable plan to start building a strong foundation, just like I did. Even small, consistent improvements can make a huge difference.
Click here to take my Four Pillars Quiz to identify where you’re doing well and where there’s room for growth.
Looking Ahead in This Series
This blog is just the beginning of the story. In the next part of this series, I’ll share what happened after surgery, how I navigated the unexpected challenges that were soon coming my way, and the strategies I leaned on when life didn’t go as planned. In part three, I’ll reflect on the lessons I’ve learned from my health journey and how they’ve shaped the way I approach health coaching.
Through it all, my hope is to show you that no matter what you’re facing, investing in your health is always worth it. 🌟
If you're ready to make your health a priority and learn from my journey, here are some of my best programs to help you get started:
90 Day Nourish: Build healthy habits and transform your well-being—this is the exact plan I used to prepare for surgery: Click here to learn more
21 Nights to Restful Sleep: Improve your sleep for more energy and better wellness: Click here to learn more
Nourished: The Whole Plate: Learn how to create nourishing, balanced meals in just 30 days: Click here to learn more
Did this blog resonate for you?
This journey hasn’t been easy, but each step, each challenge, has taught me something invaluable about resilience, self-compassion, and the power of prioritizing our health. If you’re facing your own health hurdles, know that you don’t have to do it alone. Whether you're just starting out or in the middle of your own recovery, remember that every small step forward is a victory.
I’d love to hear from you! Have you faced any health challenges that required preparation? Or maybe you're currently working on improving your four pillars? Share your thoughts in the comments below—I’m here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can make this journey a little easier.
Continue reading: My Health Journey- Part 2