Lemon Grove Wellness

I know what it’s like to have orthopedic injuries rivaling that of a veteran stunt woman… Having personally rehabbed through five orthopedic procedures, starting at 31, I have the requisite 10,000 hours in physical therapy, bodywork and doctor’s offices to be considered a Pro Patient, or a Patient Champion as I like to call it. I’ve learned things the hard way many times, and since, I’ve sought to become a true champion of the injured and healing, and highlight the humor within the human experience.

Lemon Grove Wellness has roots back in 2014, when my husband lovingly began referring to me as a "Lemon" - a term to describe a car with the propensity to break down... cute, right? It actually helped to make light of all of the dark between multiple surgeries and emotional turbulence around them. The nickname stuck, and fed right into the concept to "turn lemons into lemonade" and all that jazz. It was when the realization came that lemons grow on trees, and trees grow in large groves, that Meryl saw she wasn't alone in any of her struggles. Ultimately, we are all lemons!

Thus "Lemon Grove Wellness" was born as an umbrella name for greeting cards, podcasting, wellness coaching and a digital course, always with the mission to help other lemons feel seen and heard.

During the pandemic, I was unable to find cards online that represented the moment, how I felt, the things I wanted to say or how I'd say it, so a I started designing them damn self. Turns out having good handwriting and a sense of humor is still really good for something!

As a patient of chronic pain for many years, I built this course to help myself (and now others!) to navigate an injury from pain point to (ideally) a full recovery- I give no medical advice, I just thoroughly share what I learned with all of my personal experiences, give tips from a patient’s perspective. I strive to educate, empower, inspire and help patients and their loved ones get back to the party of a full and meaningful life, with as little pain as possible. In the end, filling the gaps in our healthcare system, we can collaborate better between doctors and patients, and all the hardworking caregivers.