Hi, I’m Kacie. I’m a Registered Nurse, Endometriosis Warrior, Stroke Survivor, Fertility Coach, and Founder of Your Fertile Soul, LLC. This is my story.
I want to start by sharing why I became a nurse. About ten years ago, out of the blue, I began experiencing intense pain and discomfort around my menstrual cycles. I knew something wasn’t right with my body, but I had no idea what was causing it.
I spent years searching for a doctor who would truly listen. After countless appointments, tests, and trials of various medications, I still had no answers. No one could give me a diagnosis, a reason for the pain I endured. I felt helpless, frustrated, and often wondered if something was just inherently wrong with me.
Four years into this journey, I finally found a reproductive specialist who diagnosed me with endometriosis. For the first time, I had a name for what I was experiencing. But with the diagnosis came more questions than answers. I had never heard of endometriosis, didn’t know anyone who had it, and—being before the days of widespread social media information—I felt utterly alone. Doctors told me there wasn’t much research available, gave me hormonal birth control, mentioned surgery might be needed in the future, and casually noted that conceiving could be a challenge when I was ready.
At that moment, I felt isolated. I had no one to talk to who truly understood. That feeling of loneliness and the desire to support women going through similar experiences inspired me to pursue nursing. I wanted to advocate for women, to help them feel seen and heard.
I was already completing my undergraduate studies and prerequisites for nursing school. Two years later, I earned my Bachelor’s in Nursing and completed my senior practicum in Women’s Health—because I knew that working in this specialty was my calling.
After graduation, I started my nursing career on a Med-Surg oncology floor. Though I learned a lot, I knew my heart was elsewhere. Eventually, I applied to and joined a local fertility clinic. It was the moment I finally felt I was in the right place. As someone with endometriosis, I could relate to the struggles of women facing PCOS, hormonal imbalances, infertility, or the emotional rollercoaster of trying to conceive.
Working as a fertility nurse was fulfilling, but I realized I could do more. My experiences as a patient, combined with my clinical knowledge, revealed gaps in care. Many women needed more than medical guidance—they needed someone to listen, someone who understood, someone to help them navigate a complex and emotional journey. That’s when the idea of fertility coaching was born.
After months of preparation, I launched my company, Your Fertile Soul, LLC, at the start of this year. My mission is to educate, empower, and encourage women and couples to become their own best advocates on the path to parenthood.
Life, as many of us know, rarely goes as planned. In August, while on a vacation in the Colorado mountains, my husband and I decided it was finally time to try for our first baby. I had been on birth control for my endometriosis, and our doctors advised trying within 3–6 months of stopping, as endometriosis can progress quickly. We took a photo with my last pack of birth control, excited for this next chapter.
Six days later, my life changed completely. I suffered a stroke caused by a basilar artery dissection. It began with blurred vision and high-pitched ringing in my ears. I called my husband to come home, then dialed 911. Mid-call, I had a seizure and could no longer communicate. EMS arrived thanks to my urgent call, and I was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery to remove a blood clot caused by the artery tear.
The doctors explained that strokes like mine are rare and usually result from trauma, but no clear cause was found in my case—likely connected to a minor excursion we had taken on our trip. They told my husband I might not wake up, and if I did, I would likely face severe deficits. How could it be possible that just days ago we were planning a family, and now he was facing the thought of losing me?
Miraculously, I woke up that night in the ICU, passed all neurological exams, and spoke to my husband as if nothing had happened. Every doctor and nurse agreed: this was nothing short of a miracle. I was truly blessed.
Our own journey to parenthood has been postponed until next year. While it is heartbreaking to delay, I am profoundly grateful to be alive and well. I have returned to work full-time, coaching my clients to become their own advocates and helping them pursue their dreams of building a family.
This experience has taught me just how fragile and precious life is. I encourage everyone to cherish their loved ones, embrace what they love, and live fully. Let go of the small frustrations, spend time in nature, read the book you’ve been longing for, take that vacation. Life is too precious not to. And for anyone struggling with fertility: just because someone else achieves it sooner doesn’t mean it’s not possible for you. When the time is right, it will be your turn.
