A Chronic Entrepreneur: April Dawn White

April Dawn White took what she thought would be a short medical leave of absence from her job as a pharmacist in January 2016, after experiencing symptoms that she thought she would be able to quickly resolve. Little did she know that she would be unable to return to work as her health declined rapidly and she was diagnosed with a rare neuromuscular disorder. Through this period of grief, she found solace in journaling and writing, which helped her process her thoughts and emotions. White was eager to “name it, claim it, and move on” from her past… But little did she know that she would eventually return to her old life again through authorship.

Now, April Dawn White is a writer at aprildawnwhite.com and other publications, and author of the new book, ‘Destination Hope: A Travel Companion When Life Falls Apart (Ambassador International, Sept. 2021)’ which ‘offers camaraderie and a beacon of hope for women who feel alone in loss, struggle, or change of circumstance.’ Read on to learn more about April Dawn White’s inspiring story.

What’s Your Chronic?

My chronic illness is Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis, a rare genetic neuromuscular disorder characterized by severe muscle weakness and episodic paralysis. This illness threatened to derail my sense of worth, security, and identity. Suddenly, I catapulted into the world of chronic illness. As we know, chronic illnesses rarely work alone. Since my initial diagnosis of HypoK PP, I’ve also been diagnosed with mold toxicity, Lyme disease, hypothyroidism, and adrenal failure. 

What Makes You an Entrepreneur?

Being an author, who desires to extend hope and connect with others with reminders along their journey they are not alone, makes me an entrepreneur. 

What Came First, The “Chronic” or the “Entrepreneur”?

My chronic illness precluded my entrepreneurship. While I have consistently blogged as a hobby since 2012, chronic illness hijacked my life in the fall of 2015. When my health forced me to step off the path I planned for my life, I stepped onto a new path as a future author.  During the first several years of seeking a diagnosis, journaling and writing was the only way I could process my thoughts and emotions. Most of this writing remained as my private thoughts, not shared with my blog readers. However, when I shared about grieving the old me, missing my before illness self, when I shared about my struggle with my sense of worth, security, and identity, readers took notice. Unbeknownst to me, I tapped into the felt needs of others which are not limited to the chronically ill but are also shared among caregivers, widows, divorcees’, and single moms. My path towards entrepreneurship took shape when Ambassador International was accepted for publication in the summer of 2020. Destination Hope: A Travel Companion When Life Falls, (co-written by Marilyn Nutter) was released on September 28, 2021. 

What’s Your Diagnosis Story?

I began to notice joint and muscular pain and memory issues in my mid-thirties. At the time I had two elementary age children, I worked thirty-six hours a week, ran three miles a day three days a week, served at our church, and volunteered at my children’s school. In my mind, I rationalized the pain as work related. As a pharmacist, I stood all day. Each time I mentioned to my doctor my concern for memory issues and word retrieval, I was told I was a stressed full-time working mom. This conversation with my doctor about my memory went on for years. Meanwhile, at work I changed my shoes, but my legs still throbbed in pain. The only relief I felt was after multiple days off with long periods of rest.

The memory lapses and muscular pain continued for years. When I was thirty-nine years old, my OB/GYN suggested I try something new to stimulate a different part of my brain. I enrolled in violin lessons. I enjoyed learning a new instrument (I played the piano) but I found it difficult to hold the violin. I scoffed at myself for having weakened arm muscles when my seventy-year-old instructor could hold the violin. I retired the violin, unable to hold it.

The year I turned forty, 2015, other symptoms appeared. A tingling sensation, as if I held the lit end of a sparkler, began in my hands and feet. This sensation eventually moved up my arms and legs. Then my muscles weakened spontaneously. One day I could run, work in the yard, and perform “normal” activities, while other times, I was too weak to hold a coffee mug or walk without holding the walls or furniture.  My first attack of Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis occurred at the beach in fall of 2015. I distinctly remember the day; I woke early and ran a three-mile loop through the village of Ocracoke Island. Then I showered, dressed for the beach, and ate pancakes, eggs, and bacon for breakfast. Several hours later, while relaxing on the beach reading a novel, a strange sensation crawled across my face and shoulders. My lips and face began to tingle. I tried to stand, but could not. I called out for my husband. He picked me up and threw me into our Jeep. Back at the rental house, I wondered if I was having an allergic reaction, so I swallowed several diphenhydramine capsules (allergy medication). The pharmacist in me knew I was not having an allergic reaction, but the patient in me knew something was terribly, terribly wrong. When we returned home, I scheduled an appointment with my family physician who referred me to a neurologist. 

During this time, I recorded my exercise, pain levels, food intake, etc. in a medical journal. My bizarre symptoms mimicked many other disease states. Test after test ruled out Multiple Sclerosis, Myasthenia Gravis, Lupus, Lyme Disease, and Rheumatoid Arthritis. All tests results returned normal. But something was obviously wrong. It wasn’t until my husband and I told the neurologist we noticed a correlation between carbohydrate intake plus exercise and an increase in my symptoms of muscle weakness. My neurologist recalled one patient during his residency that had Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis. My doctor emailed me a medical research article about the illness and it felt as if someone had read my journal, the symptoms were spot on. My local neurologist sent me to Duke Medical Center for a second opinion. It took over thirteen months of additional testing at Duke before my diagnosis was confirmed in 2017. Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis is quite rare; only one person per 100,000 people have this genetic disorder.

Soon after confirming my diagnosis, my local neurologist moved to another state. Before he left, he said, “there’s something else under the surface, I can’t put my finger on.” Not all of my symptoms were typical with Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis. I joked with him, “Oh you mean, I have the Loch Ness Monster? Something else is stirring up the waters, but we don’t know what it is.” 

In 2018-2019, I experienced symptoms that do not align with Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis. I battled daily headaches, nasal congestion, heat and cold intolerances, hot flashes, night sweats, unable to maintain body temperatures, cold extremities, urinary frequency, sense of internally vibrating, and I gained twenty pounds. I also battled extreme fatigue. Some days, it took all the energy I had to shower and dress only to crawl back into bed.

After many years of traditional medicine and treatment, I embarked to find an integrative functional medicine doctor in January 2020. I am blessed to have found an incredible physician in my town. I jokingly refer to her as my personal “Sherlock Holmes.” My quirky descriptions of bizarre symptoms, don’t intimidate her. In fact, she loves the challenge. For those of us battling chronic illnesses, to find a physician who listens with compassion, and strives to find the root cause is rare. This doctor discovered “my Loch Ness” the root of my other bizarre symptoms; mold toxicity, hypothyroidism, Lyme disease, and two other tick-borne illnesses.

What’s your current frame of mind like? How have you survived the pandemic?

My current frame of mind regarding my health is hopeful. I survived the pandemic with hope. I was quarantined at home with COVID-19 for three weeks. My symptoms were brutal; heart racing a zillion beats per minute for no reason, unbearable headaches, unrelenting nausea and vomiting, and difficulty breathing. Two years prior, in 2018, I suffered from multiple pulmonary emboli (blood clots in the lungs). The experience with the PE was nothing compared to my battle with COVID-19. At one point, I begged God to take me. I don’t say that to sound melodramatic, but the pain was so intense I could not tolerate it. I prayed and asked for God’s hand to see me through. One verse that I’ve clung to over and over in my life is “I cling to you; your right hand upholds me” (Psalm 63:8 NIV).

What have you learnt about yourself through this journey? How have you changed, if at all in your relationships, decisions, what you value/your life philosophy?

Through my journey with chronic illness, I’ve learned with God’s help, I am stronger than I think. My biggest area of change has been in letting go. Letting go of my desire to be perfect, letting to of my desire to try to do it all (I’m an overachiever), and my desire to accomplish a giant “to-do” list.  As the first person to attend college (on both sides of my family), I clung tightly to my undergraduate degree with appreciation and I clung to my Doctor of Pharmacy degree with professional pride. When my illness struck and I stopped working, I wrestled with my identity. As a woman of faith, I’ve had to surrender the plans I had for myself, for what the prophet Jeremiah wrote about in God’s plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11). I’ve learned to end the toxic relationship I had with “perfect” and I can be productive without being active. I’ve also learned it’s okay if my serotonin is store-bought, counselling is incredibly beneficial, and when in doubt, take a nap. I joke that I get by every day with Jesus, coffee, and afternoon naps.

Did you go through any sort of 12-stages of grief with the diagnosis or take it in its stride? In other words, how did the grief process manifest itself – did you immediately reassess your life or was it more gradual?

Grief is a peculiar process and varies from person to person. At the beginning of my illness, I cycled through the stages of grief; denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. During this time, I began anti-depressant medication and counselling. With the help of faith and medication, my counsellor helped me work through my identity crisis and how to deal with my new reality. Now, years later, I fluctuate between acceptance and depression. If I were to guess, I’d say my acceptance to depression ratio is 70:30. Remembering the traditions “before” my illness triggers a cascade of emotions and triggers moments of depression. Fortunately, I recognize the emotions and I journal to help process my thoughts on the written page. With the support of my family and friends, I usually don’t stay in a funk for too long.  

In the midst of my waiting for a diagnosis, we sold our rural and beautiful lakefront home. We moved closer to my family and to medical facilities. I also needed a one-level home.  I love where we are located, but I still have a pang of identity crisis when I meet someone for the first time and when asked what I do for a living. If I tell them, “I’m retired”, they’ll reply, “good for you” or “you don’t look old enough.” No matter which response they give, I feel the need to explain, but don’t unless they press. I met someone new last month and for the first time when the conversation veered toward professions, I said, “I’m a writer.” My husband looked at me and winked. 

Are you on any treatments? What modalities are in your wellness team?

I am battling four different chronic illnesses and I have treatments for all four. For the Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis, I take acetazolamide and potassium twice a day and extra potassium throughout the day on an as needed basis to prevent weakness and paralysis attacks. I also take gabapentin for the neuropathic pain related to this rare illness. I am also Effexor XR, an anti-depressant that has a trifecta affect- treats depression, reduces hot flashes, and reduces neuropathic pain. For the mold toxicity, I take a combination of activated charcoal and fiber binders, in addition to Argentyn 23 bioactive colloidal silver nasal spray. Mold toxicity also caused mitochondrial cellular damage, adrenal fatigue, and mineral loss. I take supplement to restore the cellular damage and medications to supplement the loss of copper, zinc, and magnesium. For the Lyme disease, the same binders for mold help with Lyme. I finished a series of borrelia babesia and bartonella series of Lyme treatment.  I take Arour thyroid for the hypothyroidism, (a suspected side effect of mold toxicity). 

What is a ‘bad day’ for you? How do you look after yourself on a ‘bad day’ or a day that is particularly stressful?

My “bad days” vary on a spectrum of severity. On an average day, I live at a pain threshold of 4-5. I have learned to press-on despite the pain, but also to rest when needed.  A bad day for me is when the pain creeps to a level six or higher, brain fog sets in and I can’t think straight. Some bad days include extreme muscle weakness to the point I am unable to hold a coffee mug or walk unassisted. The absolute worst days occurs when my potassium levels drop critically low and my skeletal muscles paralyze. Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis affects the skeletal muscles, the muscles that allow our arms, legs, and head to move. HypoPP does not alter my ability to breathe, swallow, or move my eyes.

There have been times when I’ve woken up totally paralyzed, unable to move my body, but able to dart my eyes around the room. Thanks to technology, I can verbally speak to my phone and say, “Hey Google, call…” My husband and teen children know how to administer emergency medication to abort the attack.  When an attack or paralysis, muscle weakness or even brain fog occurs, all I can do is rest. These are not the days to pay bills, talk on the phone, or even read; my brain cannot function well enough for these tasks. I usually nap or rest in the recliner with a blanket a watch a movie or my favorite British shows. Depending on the severity of the attack or bad day, the next day will be a “recovery” day, which means my body needs another day to rest. At the beginning of my illness, bad days were extremely stressful because I was still trying to live my life the way I did “before” I was sick. I constantly remind the gung-ho, type-A, overachiever inside my brain that I cannot do all I used to do.  Now, I understand that rest is part of the process. I joke with my family and friends that “I have commitment issues” because plans are always made with flexibility of knowing, this commitment might change if I’m having a bad day. 

Who are your backup dancers?

My backup dancers are primarily my family.  My husband and I celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary this year. We have two teen children living at home. Our son graduated from high school this spring and will attend the local community college in August. Our daughter is sixteen and will be a Junior (3rd year) in high school in August. My parents, sister and nieces live in the same small town and help whenever needed. I have a great group of friends who keep me laughing. We have book clubs, luncheons, or coffee at my house, and spend an afternoon at the local craft store. Each Friday, I attend a prayer/Bible study. This group of ladies have become my fiercest prayer warriors on the darkest of days. I am blessed by the people in my life who support me and cheer me on. 

The best and worst bit of being a Chronic Entrepreneur?

A Flexible schedule. Working from home and having a flexible schedule is a double-edged sword. My chronic illness dictates my need for flexibility. However, sometimes it’s easy to let things slide because after all, I am sick. I try to stick to a consistent writing schedule as much as possible, but it’s difficult to do with at least one doctor appointment per week and weekly conference calls, and etc.  I can easily get discouraged when time away from writing and sharing on social media results in no likes, comments, or shares. Ugh! 

Are you a 5-year planner or are you winging it?

I used to be a 5-year and 10-year planner, but that was before my illness. Now I hold my plans loosely recognizing my plans and my life requires flexibility. I have hopes for my book, Destination Hope: A Travel Companion When Life Falls Apart (Sept 2021) to sell internationally with a target number I’d love to reach. I also aspire to travel to the UK, in the next few years, but I’ve learned to hold my plans loosely. 

What are your dream weekend plans and have these changed over the past year?

My dream weekend plans have changed over the years. Prior to my illness, my weekend plans included physical activities such as kayaking, hiking, spontaneous road trips, and dining out. Now, I typically have enough energy for one activity per day. Now I must schedule rest days before and after a trip. I also must schedule rest times during our trip. For example, while my husband and kids go out shopping, I will stay back at the hotel and take a nap. Illness hijacked our spontaneity. However, we’ve learned to still have a sense of adventure but know mom will need to rest. 

Who are your ultimate dinner party guests, (dead or alive), and who would you seat on either side of you?

My ultimate dinner party guests would include Corrie ten Boom, Anne Frank, Jennifer Rothschild, Joni Erickson Tada, Priscilla Shirer, Bono, Felicity Hayes-McCoy, Charles Spurgeon, C.S. Lewis, Jesus and my husband. On either side of me would be Jesus and Corrie ten Boom while my husband took photos.  

In the next 6 months to one year, I am looking forward to launching my first book, Destination Hope: A Travel Companion When Life Falls Apart (Sept 2021) and encouraging women who have been knocked off-course by the unexpected. I am also looking forward to launching a shop from my website, with handmade jewellery, custom shirts, vinyl decals, and custom travel coffee mugs. 

I can be found online at:

Website: www.AprilDawnWhite.com

Email: April@AprilDawnWhite.com

Instagram: @AprilDawnWhite_Author

Facebook: @AprilDawnWhiteAuthor

Private Facebook Group: Destination Hope 

Pinterest: @ AprilDawnWhite_Author