Briefly introduce yourself and share a bit about your background.
I have worked in some aspect of the health care field most of my adult life and have been employed in administration at University Medical Center for slightly over 6 years. I live in Northport, am happily married to Jeff Harrell and we have two adult sons, three precious grandchildren and two cats. My oldest son works in the football/athletic arena and my younger son is in the Army and currently stationed in Korea. We love to travel, even if it is just a day trip, and I am always looking for an interesting place for our next adventure.
Can you describe the starting point of your journey and the factors that led to this decision?
In 2010, I was diagnosed with two auto-immune diseases/disorders (Sjogren’s Syndrome and Fibromyalgia) and started to really feel my health declining. I also have a strong family history of high blood pressure, diabetes, strokes and heart related conditions. I knew I had to make up my mind that even though I may have a disease, that disease did not have to have me. It is hard for most people to understand what a person with an auto-immune condition is dealing with because they look “fine” on the outside but internally the body is at war against itself and just waiting to surprise you every day with a new symptom or side effect to deal with. In addition to the auto-immune disorders, I have hypothyroidism and all of the issues can cause weight gain, low energy and fatigue which make it hard to exercise and stay motivated. I also had some health issues and surgery in 2022, that sidelined me for a while and shortly afterward lost a close family member and I have had to work hard to come back from that physically, emotionally and mentally.
How has your wellness journey influenced your daily life, including work, relationships, and overall well-being?
Having grandchildren has made me want to be healthier so that I am able to play and keep up with them. When I feel better it makes me more productive at work and more likely to plan activities with friends and family. I am blessed with a great group of friends, and we try to plan a day trip at least every 6 weeks and often these trips include hiking or lots of walking and I want to be able to keep up.
What wellness practices or habits have you incorporated into your routine?
I have become more aware of little steps that I can take to work on maintaining the health that I have and stay ahead of my symptoms. Things like always taking the stairs at work and parking further away from the entrance. I have tried to increase protein in my diet and not eat a meal after 6pm. The main thing I have done is to increase my water intake and that made has made a big difference. I use the MoveSpring app for fitness tracking and also use the Walk-Fit app that has daily 7-minute exercise routines. Even though I have not seen the weight loss I would like to see, at my last check-up all of my lab values were within normal range, and I got a “gold star” from my physician. At my previous job, I used a standing desk so that I was not sitting the majority of the day. Since starting at UA, I have participated in the American Heart Association 5K and the Couch to 5K each year. Both of these events motivate me to walk more and be more active during the training and in the months to follow but I tend to really slack off during the winter months and I want to get better at sticking to a program through-out the year.
How do you plan to sustain your well-being and continue growing in the future?
I am enjoying the ease of the exercise routines on the Walk-Fit app, and I plan to keep using it. I am working on developing better sleep habits and I know that will make a big difference in how I feel and my energy levels. The WellBAMA program has truly influenced some of my decisions in trying to become a better version of myself and I am thankful for that.
Read more inspiring wellness stories, tips for maintaining a healthy routine, and meet all the UA Spotlight on Wellness employees from this year.
