From Feeding Tube To Freedom with Sara Kelsey

Send us Fan MailA teenage diagnosis of achalasia set Sara on a path she never asked for—esophageal surgery, years of nausea and vomiting, and a later diagnosis of gastroparesis that made eating unpredictable and exhausting. Add the weight of a “permanent” feeding tube, depression, and the slow drift into binge drinking, and you get a life that looked functional from the outside but felt unsustainable from the inside. We sit down with Sara to unpack how health, marriage, parenting, and purpose tangled—and how she began to untie the knots.The turning point arrived with a hard truth: a drunk driving incident with no memory attached. That shock ended all the excuses. She and her husband quit drinking the same day, and everything shifted—mornings were clearer, fights faded, and parenting stabilized. As the fog lifted, Sara started working out, lost 30 pounds, and rebuilt her routines. But the tube remained, and a painful replacement left her sleepless and raw. One late night, she broke down and prayed with total surrender, asking simply for the pain to ease. Days later, a surgeon who once said removal wasn’t possible took the tube out. The wound healed. The pain stopped. Sara credits sober living and healthier choices—and she won’t ignore the part that faith played in opening a door no one expected.We explore the practical playbook behind her recovery: choosing your circle like your health depends on it, protecting home life from the pull of nightlife, advocating fiercely in a complex GI system, and structuring work to support a child’s therapies without burning through every hour of PTO. We also dig into her new purpose through Booked by Sara, where she helps mission-driven guests share stories that heal, inform, and move people to act. If you’re facing chronic illness, strained relationships, or a habit that keeps winning, this conversation offers a map: small daily wins, strong boundaries, honest help, and a belief that your body—and your life—can still respond.If this story resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review to help others find it. Ready to choose one change today?Intro for podcast information about subscriptions Support the showSupport for Joe's CureHere is the link for Sunday's 4 pm Pacific time Zoom meeting