Crystal’s Story

Hashimoto’s, Fibromyalgia, & Dysautonomia

You have Hashimoto’s, and it’s an incredibly difficult condition to treat,” my primary care doctor told me during a telemedicine appointment on my lunch break.
I had just taken a bite of my veggie sandwich in my freezing corporate office when she continued, “We have a long road ahead of us. Autoimmune diseases are tricky.”
Boy, was she right.  And I wasn't prepared. Thyroid conditions run in my family, and I had been chasing a diagnosis for nearly a decade. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of the road. From there, I was referred to an endocrinologist, who then referred me to a rheumatologist, a neurologist, and even a cardiologist. This was all to rule out what might have developed from going so long without treatment.
Those appointments led to two more diagnoses: fibromyalgia and a form of dysautonomia. You see, these conditions often come in multiples — once you have one, others tend to follow. I don't just have one complex condition to manage; I have several. And as anyone with a chronic illness knows, the journey rarely ends there.
To top it all off, I lost my job. Between ER visits and missed workdays, I was let go from my corporate position. I remember thinking, Who would want to hire a chronically ill girl who keeps calling out?
But somewhere between the unknown and the exhaustion, a new thought began to form: If I can’t work for somebody else, why not work for myself?
I had been contemplating starting my own design business for a while — I didn’t think it would happen as soon as it did. I’m an architectural designer. The work is demanding and often stressful, but it’s also what I love. So I took the leap.
Now, in my first year as a business owner, I’ve worked on more projects than I ever did at any single company. I’m building my business between flare-ups. It’s not easy — but it’s worth it.
This story isn’t just about me, though. It’s about creating a space where people like me (people with chronic illnesses) can thrive. Through High Bar Designs, I’ve been able to hire others who also live with chronic conditions, including a drafting assistant and an administrative assistant who both understand what it means to work through flare-ups, fatigue, and unpredictability.
We are misunderstood... but certainly not unmotivated.
Together, we’ve built something that’s rooted in understanding, empathy, and excellence by giving each other grace, flexibility, and purpose.
At High Bar Designs, our motto is simple: If you take care of people, they’ll take care of you.
We’re setting the standard — and changing our little corner of the world, one project, one person, and one act of understanding at a time.