MY STORY

My story begins in the sunny city of Miami, FL where I was born and raised.  I am first-generation Cuban-American. Since I was child, I knew I wanted to be a teacher, not because I  wanted to work with children, but because I had a PASSION for teaching. During my teen and college years, I tutored my classmates and even taught piano lessons. Teaching, education and learning are engrained in my soul!  In high school, I switched directions and decided to study pharmacy, with the idea that I could always teach within the profession. I was accepted early into Nova Southeastern University's College of Pharmacy Dual Enrollment Program. Upon graduation, I entered the world of Retail Pharmacy. Along the way, I also worked in hospital and managed care settings. Although, I didn't pursue teaching at the university, I discovered that my profession was full of teaching opportunities. I would train my pharmacy associates and interns, educate my patients and share knowledge with my fellow pharmacists.  

At the age of 28, while pregnant with my second daughter, I had a sudden swelling in one of my toe joints. Due to the pregnancy, the swelling went unattended for many months. After the recovery from the birth, I started addressing the issue with an orthopedic doctor and had several tests done before being referred to a surgeon. The surgeon repeated X-rays and found bone damage. I was then referred to rheumatology to try and investigate the cause. After more labs, the doctors still did not have a diagnosis. The doctor decided to refer me back to the surgeon and request a biopsy. The surgeon then repeated the X-rays and my bone damage had accelerated. THIS WAS THE SCARIEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE! The doctor told me that it could be CANCER!  He said he would schedule my surgery, but I had to see an Orthopedic Oncologist first. I left that appointment a hot mess! All I could think about was my babies! I honestly did not want to believe what had just happened.

Luckily, I was able to get an appointment the same week and the Oncologist put my mind at ease. The orthopedic oncologist performed my surgery and did the biopsy. He said it wasn't cancer, but I still didn't have a diagnosis.  They were able to rule out infections and cancer, so they determined I had seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis. FINALLY, I had answer, but I was so perplexed. I asked myself, "What do I do now?" My first priority, in addition to caring for my new baby, was to heal properly from the surgery.  Once I was cleared to exercise, I started to focus on my health and losing the extra weight I gained during the pregnancy. I wanted to exercise, but I knew that my abilities were limited. During those 2 months of recovery, I lost a lot of muscle mass in my leg and flexibility. That's when I decided to start practicing yoga.  

Yoga has transformed my life! Yoga not only helped me recover my flexibility and rebuild my strength, but also helped me practice self-care and mindfulness. This was the beginning of my journey. In 2020, after practicing yoga on and off for 6 years, I decided that I really wanted to learn everything about yoga to be able to TEACH it to others and share the benefits of yoga with my community.