A little bit about me…

Hello! My Name is Mariana Jeanette Mezzacappa (aka Maya aka Mezz!). I have a dog named Zach, and a sister named Sophia. I love taking walks in the city while listening to music, writing in my journal, going out to eat with friends, cooking, blogging, and drinking coffee.

I was born and raised in Staten Island, New York.  My family has always been very active. My mom and my sister are runners, but I could never join them regularly because it caused me too much pain. Fitness has always been a part of my family routine, I just didn’t know how I could be included. As everyone was off to their runs, I found myself off to the pantry, on an unhealthy path. I found that I was trying to find control, somehow, because my pain was controlling me. Food was my only safe place for a while. I didn’t even realize that the only time when I was happy was when I was eating. 

There comes a time when you sink so deep that you reach rock bottom. I reached the sea floor and needed to get some air. That air was exercise. I began to educate myself on the importance of health, nutrition and wellness. I began to figure out the exercise aspect pretty quickly, but figuring out the nutrition and wellness aspects was a little harder for me. I developed bulimia and depression. I started to hate everything - my friends, my family, and where I went. Sometimes, I felt as if there was some alter ego inside of me, because sometimes, everything was dark. I could be at a concert, or with my family, but I couldn’t hear anything or recall anything. I just wanted to be alone. Now those episodes, as well as my eating disorders, have gotten better. Writing this blog and helping you is also a way that I help myself. It helps me realize that I am loved, I am special, and I can do anything I put my mind to. Now, a couple years later, I attended Boston University promoting health and inclusivity online, and the greater Boston area. Now, I am competing in my first bodybuilding competition!

My Medical BACKGROUND

At age three, I was diagnosed with Multiple Hereditary Exostoses. This is a genetic bone disease or disorder in which benign cartilage capped bone tumors grow outward from the long bones in my body. So basically, I have extra bones in random places throughout my body. These extra bones in sneaky places affect my mobility and daily function.  MHE affects 1 in every 50,000 people. In most cases, it is passed on from one of your parents.  I am one of the 10% of people affected by this genetic disease that have this condition as a result of a spontaneous mutation.  So I am the first person in my family to be affected. My first surgery was in third grade and I have had multiple procedures since then. I know that I am not confined to a wheelchair, but I assure you that I am affected. It is not uncommon for MHE patients to undergo numerous surgical procedures throughout their lives to remove painful or deforming osteochondromas. I have had many already, and I continue to figure out what I can and cannot do to experience a comfortable life.