Hospitalized: How One Pharmacist Balanced the Odds Against Her Health

by Mary Tremaine, PharmD

Being a FitPharmacist means setting an example as a medical professional by seeking balance in your own physical, mental, and spiritual health to enhance your impact on the world.

My journey with nutrition, fitness, and health has not been a linear upward journey. I have experienced both ends of the extremes, from micromanaging every calorie and workout to improper nutrition and living a sedentary lifestyle. 

The catalyst in my journey began when I removed gluten from my diet. I grew up avoiding food because it always caused extreme fatigue and severe abdominal pain.

I experienced brain fog, malnourishment, and self-isolation.

Right before leaving for college, I learned that Celiac disease was prevalent in my family. After removing gluten from my diet, my symptoms subsided! As I began my pre-pharmacy studies at Purdue University, I learned through trial and error how to heal and nourish my body through food. 

After experiencing the benefits of food as fuel, I was motivated to continue to invest in my overall health. This was where my fitness journey began. Unfortunately, my elevated motivation lead to an unhealthy lifestyle. As I faced the stress of pre-pharmacy curriculum mixed with the heartache of family issues at home, I found peace in the something I could control: my workouts and my diet.

You could find me at the Purdue CoRec (the school fitness center) at 5:30AM before classes started, and there again in the evening—all of this activity paired with improper caloric intake. During the summer, I would work 60 hours a week and still made time to be at the gym 2 hours a day so I could avoid the reality of the world around me.

For me, there were no days off. I perceived my hard work as an investment in my passion for fitness. Little did I know that I was using it as an escape and destroying my body. I received a severe wakeup call when I was hospitalized and underwent emergency surgery. This happened the week before I started pharmacy school!

“If you don’t make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness.” —Dr. Adam Martin 

As I healed up from surgery and started pharmacy school, it was my mission to find balance in my physical, mental, and spiritual health. I learned the importance of surrendering the control I tried to gain over my life through trusting in God to take hold of all things.

I took the time to enjoy the people around me, grow in my faith, and give myself grace. I finally said yes to spontaneous ice cream dates and didn’t schedule everything around my workouts!

I enjoyed focusing on my academics, serving my community as Miss Purdue University, and experiencing life more fully during this time. I eventually ended up losing sight of the role of nutrition and fitness in my life. For the very first time, I started gaining weight due to my lifestyle. In addition, I had been ignoring symptoms of severe and debilitating pain due to not having the time or money to be seen by a specialist. My physical health went from one extreme to another with a common theme: ignoring balance in my overall health. 

During APPE pharmacy rotations this past year, I faced my second hospitalization due to ignoring balance in my health. I decided to reset my life by seeking balance all over again and find answers to my prolonged health issues.

My journey towards well-rounded health is far from picture-perfect, and that’s okay! Finding balance in all aspects of my health takes daily, conscious effort.

I urge you to evaluate your physical, mental, and spiritual health consistently.

Is there an area of your health that you might being ignoring? If you find yourself off balance, don’t be discouraged! Give yourself grace and take small consistent steps into seeking healthy balance in your life. We spend our time tending to our academics and to our patients, but it’s just as important to prioritize our own health along the way. “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”

If you desire to establish well rounded health and to reach your full potential throughout pharmacy school, I encourage you to read Gen-Z Pharmacist by Dr. Adam Martin. This book includes motivating and actionable steps to fulfill all aspects of your health and attain your goals within pharmacy practice. As an incoming pharmacy practice resident, I have benefitted by reading Gen- Z Pharmacist and wish I read it sooner!

In addition, I have found so much hope throughout my journey by following @TheFitPharmacist on Instagram. Each post contains motivation that maintains the fire to seek a balanced and healthy life while pursuing a career in pharmacy. 

About the Author

My name is Mary Tremaine and I’m a recent graduate from Purdue University College of Pharmacy Class of 2020. I am about to embark on my PGY1 pharmacy practice residency with Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. I desire to impact patient care as a clinical pharmacist within the acute care setting upon completion of specialized residency training.

If you have any questions or would like to connect, you can reach me on the following platforms:

-Instagram: @marytremaine

-LinkedIn:  https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/mary-tremaine-00911a127/

-Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mary.tremaine/

If YOU want to dominate pharmacy school & script your dream career in pharmacy like Mary, be sure to get your copy of Gen-Z Pharmacist for the manual to guide you through dispensing your full potential.

Click here to order your copy!