CHERRY HEALTH | COMMUNITY REPORT 20/21
INTRODUCTION LIFE-CHANGING LIFESTYLE CARE Vivian Jones’ story is a journey into life, and one that lights a path to health and hope for all of us.
When Vivian came to Cherry Health, she was nearly 300 pounds and dealing with anxiety—she was worried about dying. Through access to comprehensive health care at Cherry Health, Vivian was able to manage her anxiety with proper medication, but that was not all. After seeing a gastrointestinal (GI) tract specialist for digestive discomfort and determining that all was well internally, she switched tracks and saw a nutritionist. With support, she learned to eat healthier, and lost 160 pounds. Once she felt better, Vivian not only felt less anxious and had less stomach pain but was also surprised to experience her dream come true: pregnancy. After 10 years of marriage and nearly a year working with her Cherry Health team, Vivian became pregnant. With a smile on her face, Vivian recounts telling her family and friends that she was going to have a baby: “Everyone is calling me on the phone like, ‘You’re pregnant?!’ They didn’t believe it, even my husband didn’t believe it. After I found out I was pregnant, everything shut down because of COVID-19.” Vivian tells the story of being nervous to experience her first pregnancy in a pandemic, and how supported she felt by her Cherry Health Maternal Infant Health Program (MIHP) team. Her phone appointments were her favorite; she could not believe that every week she received multiple phone calls from her primary nurse, her lactation consultant, and other team members, and that normally these phone appointments would have been in-person home visits. She was soon texting her care team all the time, and they were extremely responsive and supportive. Vivian says she and her family would not be where they are today without Cherry Health, and she is so grateful that Cherry Health team members have played such important roles on her journey to health and motherhood.
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