A Conversation with Paige Lightner
It’s 9 am in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Paige Lightner joins me via Zoom.
A bit nervous, I give the best non-sheepish sound I can provide. “Hey, Paige!” She responds, “Hi, Sara! How are you?”
She has been awake for a while. The inviting and bright tone of her voice dissipates my nerves, and we begin. A simple introduction between two [now former] strangers has started. What takes place next is a new sisterhood, a connection through words.
Paige is a 29-year-old from Altoona, PA, and a newly elected Vice President for the NAACP Blair County Chapter. It’s a small town with one high school. She lived there her entire childhood then moved to Ohio when she went to college at Central State. Coming from a small town with a very small Black population, it was vital for her to go where African American culture was prominent. Her dad–a big advocate for African American culture––and founder of the African American Project significantly influenced her decision to attend an HBCU. He taught the importance of knowing African American culture. Paige believed its validity and her father’s passion behind it. Little did she know, at that moment, her desire to learn more about the culture would pave the way to many doors for her future.
Paige is a woman of firsts. At a young age and time in her life that could arguably be considered her prime, she currently sits as the Vice President of the Blair County NAACP chapter as one of the youngest members to hold a seat and the first member of the LGBTQ community to hold that position. Paige described the win of her new responsibility with the NAACP as something up her alley. “I’ve always been a person in the area that has been a ‘bully fighter.’ So when someone has a problem, I’m the one people come to.” She joined [the NAACP] then got nominated by her dad to be the vice president. Skeptical about the personal nod and if her schedule could accommodate the duties, the chapter president agreed, and the entire chapter voted her in. The next thing she knew, she was sworn in. Today, only two weeks in office, Paige is now a part of a very young chapter. She explained that the current president is in his early twenties, and the former president was in his eighties.
To further build her community, Paige also dedicates her time to health matters. Outside of political and cultural advocacy, Paige is a fearless health advocate for endometriosis awareness.
At the age of 20, she was diagnosed with endometriosis during her first year at Central State University. A new college student in a foreign area away from home, her family, and her network, she was confused and had never heard of the condition until that moment.
“I saw three to four different doctors before being diagnosed. When I would explain how I was feeling, they, who were all women doctors, would all tell me things like, ‘Oh, she just doesn’t want to go to class.’ or ‘She’s just making this up. It’s just cramps; they aren’t that bad.’ Finally, one doctor recommended that I have a hysterectomy. I said no. There’s no way I’m having a hysterectomy; I’m too young! I’m glad I followed my gut.”
After discovering another doctor who happened to be male, he also recommended she have a hysterectomy but only as an option. The alternative option was to have a laparoscopy performed. Paige hastily agreed to the latter. However, before her surgery, periods became unbearable to the extent of excruciating pain. Determined to make the pain go away, Paige sought the help of several physicians. One doctor after another, Paige grew frustrated. Expecting to have her feelings and concerns backed, to her surprise, she was made to feel like she was embellishing her symptoms.
“When I woke up after surgery, I opened my eyes to my doctor crying, which is never a good sign. When I asked him why he was crying, he answered it’s because there was so much scar tissue that he couldn’t fathom how I was still functioning. That’s when he told me that I have Stage 4 Endometriosis.”
Curious to know if anyone in her network knew about or has had the same diagnosis, Paige went to her tribe searching for answers. She shared her new diagnosis with family members and came to find out that no one in her circle had it or knew about it. She heard some quite similar explanations, but no one could relate to what she had.
“I was having mood swings to the point where I did not want to talk to anyone. Then, I would feel like I wanted to be social. I knew I didn’t want to be like this. I didn’t want to live like this. All any doctor would offer me was a prescription for heavy medications. I did not want to be on Vicodin or Percocet. I felt inside of me that there had to be another way.”
After making the conscious decision to take her life and her health into her own hands, Paige decided to postpone attending school. The mental and physical stress was too much for her, in addition to the expensive cost of out-of-state tuition. She returned home and began working at a restaurant as a server with multiple hats with the goal to save up enough money to return to school.
While she worked at the restaurant, Paige started making custom drinks to soothe her endometriosis symptoms. Out of her determination to treat her body with kinder options, Paige would research natural remedies and ingredients to create CBD-infused concoctions. “I make my own CBD oil. It’s not bought from the store,” she says. “I started off making drinks for myself, and then friends started asking for it. Eventually, I started selling them!” A lucrative passion was birthed.
Pa’je’s Potions, derived from her first name and a magical description for the word beverage, is the name behind the endo symptom fighting drink line, exclusively owned by Paige. Starting off with sales solely from the kitchen of her home, the business has grown to now being sold at four locations in the central Pennsylvania, Altoona area. She also still incorporates her potions into her daily routine to manage her symptoms.
““There is a difference between being angry vs. strong.””
Endometriosis was considered a white woman’s disease for several years, adversely leaving many non-Caucasian women undiagnosed and far worse, untreated. A condition still vastly misunderstood, with more research conducted, more definitive diagnoses are being given to women of all races. And while it is not pleasant news to receive, sometimes (particularly to this subject) knowing what is there, is better than a mystery. The diagnosis has led dozens of women to form support groups that function as a resource to guide and inform.
Paige accredits Endo Black––a resource and support group for Black women with endometriosis––as a strong encouragement system.
“Endo Black confirms I am not alone.” According to a 2019 article by ‘OASH’ (Office on Women’s Health in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) data shows that endometriosis may affect more than 11% of American women. That’s nearly 6 million women in the U.S. alone. She further shares, “There are so many women in the group who are doing great things and still managing endo. When I saw that, I said that I can do that too! I’m not trying to be mean but there are a lot of groups out there that are a pity party. But not Endo Black. There is a difference between being angry vs. strong. This is a sisterhood, and I am a part of a sisterhood of strong Black women.”
To keep her grounded, Paige gives much credit to her support system. Consisting of her parents as her number one team, she also credits her friends for being very helpful and understanding. With much warm fondness in her voice, Paige emphatically expressed that her parents have been her biggest supporters from the beginning, noting that they have been extremely understanding of the condition, patient, and great note-takers, writing down her eating habits to help track food activity as a reference for endo flare-ups.
Between the early rising and late nights of getting projects done when she can, (which by the way, she says she is horrible at time management), Paige still manages to work full-time at Verizon Wireless as a Salesperson. In her words, as she lets out a big laugh, “I sling phones all day.” Disclaimer: All jokes here. There is not any real slinging happening here. All of Paige’s sales are legal and sold at a price listed by the retailer. As for hobbies, Paige enjoys traveling, making drinks to music, and watching reality TV and Netflix. As of now, if you were to look at her viewing queue, her two favorite shows are Joseline’s Cabaret and The Handmaid’s Tale.
To try Pa’je’s Potions, send her a message via Facebook. A website is coming soon. Follow Paige on Facebook @Pa’je’sPotions and Instagram @KeepingUpwithPaje.
…Psst! She follows back too!