Living Fully, Fueled by Strength: Stephanie’s Story
During National Nutrition Month®, we often talk about the power of nutrition to sustain, strengthen, and heal. This year, we want to share the story of someone who lives that truth every single day.
Stephanie Edwards is the kind of person who leaves an impression. She’s small in stature at just five feet tall, but her presence is anything but small. Her voice is strong. Her self-advocacy is steady and fearless. And her resilience has shaped not only her own life, but the lives of those around her, including her healthcare team.
From a young age, Stephanie has navigated complex health challenges. In recent years, she became dependent on total parenteral nutrition (TPN), receiving nutrients directly into her bloodstream through an infusion pump each night. While most people are winding down their evenings, Stephanie connects herself to her pump. She sleeps tethered to it, knowing it is what sustains her. In the morning, she disconnects, gets ready, and heads to work.
That rhythm takes discipline. It takes patience. And it takes trust in her body and trust in the care team supporting her.
The road hasn’t been smooth. Stephanie has faced unexpected weight changes, electrolyte imbalances, and surgeries that didn’t go as planned. There have been setbacks that would understandably exhaust anyone. But time and again, she has shown up for herself. Stephanie listens to her body, asks questions, speaks up, and she keeps going.
Determined to Live a Full Life
Her determination extends far beyond her health. While managing complex medical needs, Stephanie continues to pursue her goals with remarkable focus. She holds a master’s degree and earned her second bachelor’s degree last year. Recently, she was accepted into a doctoral program. Education isn’t a side project for her. It’s part of who she is.
And she makes room for joy.
She spends her free time at Dallas Stars hockey games, traveling, and enjoying life with her dogs, Chloe and Marley. Not long ago, she flew to Las Vegas with her mom to see the Backstreet Boys in concert. Parenteral nutrition didn’t stop her. It just required planning.
“If I wasn’t on TPN I wouldn’t be able to do these things. It gives me enough strength physically to be able to do the things I want to do in life,” Stephanie shared.
Partnership in Healthcare
Stephanie’s resilience and determination impact those around her, including her healthcare team. Sometimes she would have a wrapped, decorated cookie for her healthcare team upon arrival, and when Stephanie went into the hospital for a major surgery, her nurse drove to visit her multiple times in her free time. These are small gestures with a big message. Stephanie is not just a chart or a case. She is someone who both cares and is deeply cared for.
InfuCare Rx infusion nurse Mary Daniel spent countless hours visiting Stephanie both in the home and during hospital stays. Their relationship grew through those long days. Stephanie’s strength, honesty, and even her humor left a lasting mark.
When reflecting on her ongoing visits caring for Stephanie, Mary shared, “Stephanie is an amazing, resilient woman. Despite her health issues and needing to infuse TPN to survive, she still managed to hold down a full-time job and continue to obtain higher education degrees. She does not let this chronic illness stop her.”
I’ve always been a huge go-getter in life. No one is going to tell me what I can or cannot do. -Stephanie Edwards
Stephanie’s care team helps her accomplish her goals. They don’t just see a patient. They see someone who inspires them. That’s the kind of connection she builds. She invites people into her journey.
Nutrition support is often invisible to the outside world. Few people see the planning, monitoring, adjustments, and trust required to make it successful. Stephanie lives that reality daily. She manages her infusions, monitors her symptoms, and she communicates openly with her team. This is what partnership in healthcare truly looks like.
“The most rewarding part of caring for patients is making their lives a little easier and more pleasant. A smile, a hug, a check-in phone call, and a kind word go a long way. I am a patient advocate. If Stephanie ever needed something, she knew I would communicate with the pharmacy to make sure she was taken care of.” -Mary Daniel, RN, Infusion Nurse
Celebrating Strength and Resilience
This National Nutrition Month®, we celebrate more than nutrients in a bag or numbers on a lab report. We celebrate resilience. We celebrate strength and determination. We celebrate the possibility of living fully, even when life looks different than expected.
Click the video above to watch Katie Day, MS, RDN, LD, CNSC, a dietitian from the InfuCare Rx Nutrition Support Team, interview Stephanie Edwards about her inspirational journey.
Stephanie is proof that medical complexity does not define a person. We are honored to be part of her journey and grateful for the way she continues to inspire us all.
Here to Help
To learn if parenteral nutrition is right for you, connect with the expert InfuCare Rx nutrition support team today!
Photo credit: Amy Lino Photography
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes