How My Near-Death Experience Became My Life’s Calling
Hey there — I’m Dr. Mandy Patterson, and I’m so glad you’re here. As a mom, clinician, and healer, I want to share why I do what I do, and how my journey led me to become a functional naturopath helping women reclaim their health and fertility. Hopefully you can see yourself in my story, because I know so many women do!
The Turning Point: I almost lost my first baby at 22
At 22, I was in the final stretch of occupational therapy clinicals and 28 weeks pregnant with my first son. I wasn’t feeling well — just “off” — and, like many women, I pushed through it, thinking it was just the flu or normal pregnancy symptoms. At the time, I was working in early intervention — in-home care — which meant long days on my feet. I was no stranger to hard work or physical demands, and I assumed what I was feeling might just be the flu or pregnancy discomfort. Still, something felt off. My training had taught me to listen to the body, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right.
So I did what many women do: I asked my mom. She reassured me that pregnancy can amplify symptoms and encouraged me to rest. I called my OB/GYN for a second opinion, and again told to just rest (and even get supportive stockings.) But my intuition told me something wasn’t right. When I finally got my blood pressure checked, it was dangerously high — 180/120, a sign of severe preeclampsia.
At that moment, doctors rushed me into a medical emergency — I was placed in a drug-induced coma and became gravely ill. My son was born weighing only 1 lb 14 oz and immediately taken to the NICU, where he faced months of life-threatening complications.
Becoming My Son’s Advocate
I quickly realized the healthcare system wasn’t set up to fully listen — not to my baby, and not to my instincts. My son spent over four months in the NICU, much of it on life support. He suffered infections, coded multiple times, developed severe lung complications, and was diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis, which required two major bowel surgeries.
Once again, my intuition spoke up. When I felt the care he was receiving wasn’t enough, I advocated for his transfer to another hospital — despite resistance from staff. This was my true initiation into medical advocacy. I had nearly lost my son by waiting and trusting too long before. I wasn’t going to make that mistake again.
During this time, I had to pause my clinicals entirely. Caring for my son was a full-time job — therapies, specialists, constant monitoring. And I needed answers. I advocated for his transfer to a hospital with better care, and eventually learned to trust my voice even when it felt like I was going against authority.
That experience was my baptism into medical advocacy, and it transformed how I would approach health forever.
Digging Deeper — Into My Own Biology
After my son’s birth, I was diagnosed with severe pregnancy-induced hypertension (preeclampsia). I learned I had a family predisposition to high blood pressure — but I also knew there was more to the story. When I started researching, I discovered I had the MTHFR gene variant, meaning my body couldn’t process folic acid efficiently — even though I was taking prenatal vitamins and eating well. This discovery was pivotal.
At that moment, I committed myself to understanding my own body — not just managing symptoms, but uncovering root causes.
Rewriting My Health & Defying the Odds
After that first pregnancy, I was told by doctors I would never have more children — or that if I did, it would end in early miscarriage, and that I would probably never be able to carry a baby to term. Yet I knew in my soul, that wasn’t true. After all, they couldn’t give me answers about what was happening with my first pregnancy. I knew they were wrong about everything that had happened before, and I knew they were wrong in that moment, too.
Even back in 2002, there was available information to take a closer look into genetics and how they influence our health. So I started optimizing.
Then I had my second baby…without problems. I made a lot of healthy decisions based on what I learned about how my body absorbed nutrients (and how to support myself properly,) and then I had my third. I now have SIX beautiful, healthy, happy babies. I am healthy. I’m living a reality I was once told was impossible.
And now? I help women who have been given incorrect information from their doctors find root causes and actually take charge of their health, bodies, and babies!!
From Clinician to Functional Naturopath
My own experiences changed everything. I realized that conventional healthcare often reacts to symptoms — but rarely asks why they happened in the first place. I knew I wanted to bridge that gap for other women.
So I immersed myself in education:
- Became a Certified Holistic Health Coach
- Completed a Doctorate of Naturopathy
- Trained extensively in functional medicine
- Specialized in hormone health, and root-cause care
My Mission Today
Now, I help women who have been told things like:
- “That’s normal/there’s nothing we can do about it.”
- “This diagnosis means your health won’t improve.”
- “That symptom is just in your head.”
And I show them something different.
I help women find true root causes, reclaim trust in their bodies, and transform their health, hormones, and confidence through holistic, science-based wellness strategies.
You Belong Here
If you’ve ever been given a terrifying diagnosis that just doesn’t feel right, or if you’re struggling with fertility, hormones, or unexplained health issues — you’re in the right place.
You’re not alone.
Your body is telling a story and I can help you understand it.
Start Your Journey to Vibrant Health
This blog and my work overall is here to help you uncover what’s really going on beneath the surface. We focus on:
✅ Root-cause health assessments
✅ Hormone balance & fertility optimization
✅ Stress, sleep & lifestyle strategies
✅ Personalized wellness protocols
Have YOU been given a terrifying diagnosis that you feel just isn’t right? Have you been pressured to give up dreams of being a mother or just dealing with periods that terrorize you, or shifting into menopause without awareness or support?
If the answer is yes, you have FINALLY found the right place. This blog, and my work overall, is focused on taking a holistic approach to your health and how to optimize stress management, sleep, diet, and your unique genetic story.
If you’re ready to take ownership of your health, I’d love to be the resource and the voice you DESERVE when it comes to living a full life as a woman. My 1:1 hormone and wellness coaching may be the perfect next step. Together, we’ll uncover root causes, review your symptoms and labs, and create a customized strategy to help you feel your best—physically, mentally, and hormonally.
✨ Click here to book a complimentary 15-Minute Strategy Session
If you’re ready for deeper support, my Hormone Harmony program is designed to help you uncover the root causes of hormone imbalance and create lasting results through personalized precision medicine. You can learn more here:https://mandypatterson.com/hormone-harmony/
Your health is an investment — not just for today, but for your future and your family.
Click here to join my free Facebook community where you’ll get ongoing encouragement, hormone education, and support from women walking the same journey.
Let’s take the next step together. 🌿
I’m looking forward to getting to know you!
