Patient Advocate

I doubled in size at age 4. My large, puffy cheeks and big belly were already causing an unhealthy body image to form in my young mind. My poor mother took me to doctor after doctor, specialist after specialist throughout my childhood while trying several different diet plans on me. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t look like the other kids even while living the exact same childhood. I was active, I was happy, and I was eating normally but I kept gaining weight. Nothing was working. Doctors were no help at all and I dreaded going every time. They would never bother testing me for anything considered “rare” but would simply throw their hands up and put me on another diet. I became less confident as I grew up and had periods where I did lose weight, only to have it all come back. I suffered from menstrual irregularities, headaches, muscle weakness, facial hair, abdominal stretch marks, mental illness, dizziness, brittle teeth, the list goes on. I would never try out for sports for fear of getting winded before the other kids and I continued to hate what I saw in the mirror. I cried myself to sleep more times than I can count and wrote goal lists in my childhood diaries with the top goal always being “Lose weight”.

I knew exactly how it felt to be ugly and isolated.

Fast forward 25 years later and I’m still obese. What’s changed is that I now have more answers than questions. On November 18, 2020, they found a tumor. Specifically, a pituitary microadenoma. It explained everything. Due to countless hours of research and soul searching, I believed I had developed cyclical Cushing’s Disease as a child. The thing no one tells you is just how hard it is to get doctors to take you seriously, especially when you’re overweight. In my experience, American doctors don’t see a patient in distress; they see a slob. They don’t see a sick child; they see lazy parents. They never get to see your every day lifestyle but they sure have an awful lot of opinions on the subject. I had to beg for every blood test, every specialist referral, even the MRI that proved my intuition was more qualified than their degrees. I knew I was on my own and had to fight for my health.

No one knows my body better than I do and I wasn’t going to let anyone tell me otherwise.

That’s where my pitch comes in. I am heart broken by the amount of people who go unrecognized and invalidated in our healthcare system. So many have given up hope for a better life or have actually lost their lives due to the arrogance of such doctors. It’s sickening and it’s WRONG and I want to help. A person should never take the word of a stranger about a condition they’ve lived with for years simply because that stranger listened to one or two lectures on the subject. Unfortunately, that is what our country has become. It’s quantity over quality. Let’s change that, shall we?

My name is Chelsie Speer and I am your patient advocate. I know the ins and outs of our healthcare system and I will fight for you. I have a real knack for medical research so if you’ve given up, that’s okay because I haven’t. I'm very passionate about solving problems and figuring out the why behind medical puzzles. I will deal with insurance companies, stubborn doctors and nurses, and testing options. I will be your voice. I am your middle woman searching for answers. I will research your condition, find the best specialists for you, make your appointments, and even come with you when you’re too tired to fight. I will take on your insurance company, find options for those without insurance, and jump through the hoops that are all too often thrown at us. There is a way to get better and I will do all that I can to find it. I’m still in this battle myself and know exactly what you’re feeling. Please know that it’s worth the effort. It’s worth every ounce of it.

You will receive an email to schedule a free consultation and will get updates as they happen. I will condense my research into a concise, digestible format tailored to you and send it in an email once a week, along with appointment reminders and advice for your next step. Payment will be discussed and will be based on your needs and income level. I am here to help and don’t want money to be what keeps you from reaching out to me.

No one, especially a child, should have to feel worthless. Our bodies are meant to live, not just exist and everyone deserves to experience life with as little limitations as possible. I’m not saying everything can or will be cured but I want to make your journey easier in any way that I can. I have learned so much through my experiences and would love to use that knowledge to help you.

Suzy Kassem said, “We are all connected. When one arm or foot becomes poisoned, the whole body becomes infected.” Let’s figure out what’s poisoning your body and find someone to help! It’s time to live for you!