“Hey! My name is Nikki Henry and in addition to being a lifelong athlete I survived blood clots in both lungs and a partially dead lower right lung nearly 10 years ago! Boost Oxygen has helped keep me comfortable on a daily basis in high altitude living (Colorado and now Montana), and it has allowed me to continue maintaining a higher level of fitness than most!”

“My backstory: Back in 2010, I was training for an Olympic weightlifting national qualifier competition back home in Colorado Springs, CO. It was the summer between my freshman and sophomore year of college in Kentucky and I kept feeling that being back in the higher altitude was making me feel different. Lifts were harder, I felt like I wasn’t getting enough blood flow, my oxygen levels were low and I was having a really hard time recovering. We chalked it up to adjusting back to high altitude and pushed forward. On July 31, 2010 I completed 5/6 personal record lifts and took gold in my weight class – I had qualified for junior nationals the following summer!”

“I tried to go back to training the following Monday but felt…off. Tuesday I had this really annoying achy pain in my back beneath my right shoulder blade. We assumed that it was a pulled muscle from the competition and I took off Wednesday. Thursday the pain was much worse and I was pretty much laying on a heating pack and taking epsom salt baths all day by Friday. The pain was so bad, and laying flat made me so short of breath, that Friday night I laid on my left side and shoved my body pillow behind me so I wouldn’t roll over and wake up from the pain. Then the real fun began.

Saturday I woke up and the pain was so bad that I couldn’t stand up straight. I called out to my dad downstairs and doing so took all my energy, so I fell to the ground. As soon as I hit the ground the pain just tore through me. I’m talking real, full on, 10/10, writhing on the floor, screaming like a banshee pain. After rushing me to the ER it was discovered I had TONS of blood clots in both lungs and the pain was the bottom of my right lung had started dying from the blockages. After 5 days in the hospital, 3 months on blood thinners, 2 months on oxygen and a lot of pain medicine later, I was doing ok.

From there I’ve been able to build back up and even competed in bikini bodybuilding and plan to return to the stage within the next year. I’ve been a personal trainer since a week before my blood clots and have been able to keep that up as well as keeping myself in shape!”

“Moving back to Colorado in 2017 from 8 years in Kentucky was my next biggest hurdle – since the altitude and lower oxygen levels really make a difference in my life. I’d used Boost Oxygen as needed (read: leg days) back in Kentucky (after my dad discovered it somehow – I’ll never know, lol), but after moving back to Colorado it became something I kept around like chapstick – car Boost, bedroom Boost, kitchen Boost, backup Boost, it was everywhere. Between Boost and lots of IVs I was able to resemble something human and overall normal! In April 2019 I moved to Montana and Boost has kept me moving and able to complete some pretty rigorous hikes ranging from 1 mile to 10 miles and 2,600’ elevation change.”

“I’ve also started using their brain boost product THINK TANK as well in the last few months. It’s been right next to me during brainstorming every step of my new fitness apparel line and planning the opening of my own store (Iron Belle) here in Montana!”

“Not only have they been a huge part of my active lifestyle, but they’ve supported my online store and business as a whole and you don’t always find businesses who invest in the PEOPLE they serve. I can’t thank Boost enough for their product, their customer service and for giving me a way to live my life despite the wild ride I’ve been on.”

Thank you for sharing your empowering story Nikki – your personal strength and your dedication to empowering women to ‘live their best life’ is truly inspiring! Follow Nikki’s ongoing journey on her Instagram: @ironbellemt and Facebook: IronBelleOnline

Good Luck with your Iron Belle store, as you describe it to be: “A fitness brand dedicated to long term results and cutting out the ‘get skinny quick’ mindset tricks played on women”.

Your Friends at Boost Oxygen