Let me start with a confession: I avoided going to the doctor because I gained weight. I knew something was wrong—I felt exhausted, weak, and just off—but instead of scheduling an appointment, I told myself, “Lose twenty pounds first, then go. You’ll feel better.” Spoiler alert: I didn’t feel better.

I felt worse. And worse. Until I ended up severely anemic and hospitalized for seven days. That’s when they diagnosed me with sarcoidosis. Looking back, I can’t help but think: If I had just gone to the doctor when I first started feeling bad, maybe things wouldn’t have gotten so serious.