Andrea wrote in this story that I wanted to share with you all. I am touched Andrea, thank you so much for writing me!
Dear Alicia,
As I had mentioned to you on Twitter, I wanted to be able to share my life changing story with you and tell you how living a green and vegan life saved me. It’s a bit of a long story, but worth sharing I promise, so bare with me. Back in 2007 while I was applying to get into the Graphic Design program at Virginia Tech I started to become very ill. All the while I thought I was coming down with the flu. Little did I know how serious my situation was. I kept fainting and losing consciousness, so I finally ended up having my husband (boyfriend at the time) take me to the ER.
While getting checked in I lost consciousness. I woke up to nurses and doctors cutting my shirt open, starting an IV, and screaming my name. As a young girl alone at college, I was terrified! I remember the moment when the Hematologist on call came in to talk to me and told me that my Hemoglobin was a 5 and it should be 15…and then had uttered some of the scariest words I have ever heard in my life, “If you had waited any longer to get to us you wouldn’t be alive.” What he thought may be cancer ended up being a massive GI bleed. I was then admitted to the ICU and had three blood transfusions. I was poked and prodded and had so many tests done. The months following my ER visit I continued to go under procedures to figure out why I had the bleed, which ended up not providing us with any answers.
For years I continued to suffer major GI pain which made it hard to eat without inflammation and stabbing pains. I continued to lose a lot of weight during this time because according to the doctors, my body wasn’t absorbing nutrition. I slowly went into a deep depression because I had some sort of auto immune issue and the doctor’s couldn’t give me a solution to my problem.
About a year ago, my mom had read in a magazine that a women had bought your book and decided to adhere to a vegan diet and experienced amazing results. My mom had encouraged me to pick up a copy of it. I was very resistant at first because I was always told you need meat and dairy for protein and adequate nutrition; that was the way I was brought up. Nonetheless, I finally decided to take the leap and pick up your book. Your book captivated me so, so much that I read it in two days. The day I finished your book, I went out and bought a bunch of food so I could try out some of your recipes. After three months of making all of these deliciously good for you foods, I stopped and realized a lot of my pains were gone, I was putting on good weight, and could actually start running and working out again. It has now been a year and all my problems are gone, I am healthy and happy and it is all thanks to you and your amazing book. I am slowly helping my husband transition to the vegan diet so we can start a family.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to opening my eyes to such an amazing and wonderful way of living, you are my true inspiration!
Xoxo,
Andrea
 
Thank you Andrea! This thrills me beyond… Enjoy making your family. I hope The Kind Mama will be helpful on the exciting journey!