What happens when your entire world collapses, your body betrays you, and even the medical establishment refuses to believe your pain? For Deborah Weed, this nightmare became reality during a three-year health crisis that transformed her from a successful corporate executive to a bedridden patient fighting for her life—and her dignity.
Deborah's remarkable journey began at the peak of her career. As Director of Development for Citibank overseeing 19 branches and leading major projects with Disney and Universal, she embodied professional success. Then came the pain—excruciating, relentless pain that doctors repeatedly misdiagnosed or dismissed entirely. For three agonizing years, she received conflicting diagnoses ranging from MS to Lou Gehrig's disease, while others told her it was "all in her head." With iron levels dangerously low at 3-6 (normal being 15), she was literally dying while fighting to be believed.
The turning point came from an unexpected source: a 1943 copper penny. Learning that such a seemingly ordinary object could be worth a million dollars sparked a profound realization about self-worth. "If people walk by a penny thinking it's worthless, then who am I?" she wondered. This metaphor became the foundation for her first musical, "The Luckiest Penny," teaching children about inherent worth regardless of external circumstances.
After finally receiving proper diagnosis and treatment for a grapefruit-sized tumor pressing against her spine, Deborah emerged with a crystal-clear understanding of the difference between self-esteem and self-worth. "Self-esteem is what we do. Self-worth is what we say we're worth," she explains with hard-won wisdom. This distinction fuels her current mission—the Quills Up movement and development of "Paisley the Musical," a Broadway-scale production about reclaiming personal power.
Deborah's story reminds us that sometimes our deepest pain becomes our greatest purpose. When everything falls apart and you have nothing left but yourself, you discover what you're truly made of. Are you ready to reclaim your power and declare your worth? Visit paisleysfashionforest.com to join Deborah's movement and transform your own pain into purpose.
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