Stories about us: Clovis mom got the diagnosis. Then she saved her life.

The diagnosis fell on Clovis native Lexi Cross like an anvil out of the sky. 

"You have Type 2 diabetes," her endocrinologist told her last summer at a doctor's office in Roswell.  

First came "shock." Then confronting her own mortality at 40 years old, followed by an alarming thought of not being there for her four kids, particularly her child with epilepsy.  

At the time, Cross had said she knew her health habits weren't the greatest.  

Exercise was contained to weekend softball games. "I would just hit the ball and make it to first base and hope for a runner later," she said.  

Her diet consisted of sugar and convenience: Snacks were quick, easy handfuls of gummy bears and M&M's. The microwave was an orchestra of beeps and slow vrooms. "Hot Pockets, pizza rolls, that type of stuff that you would make quickly," Cross said. 

But after that diagnosis, Cross realized the severity of these habits. 

"It's just like, 'Wow. This can actually end my life if I don't take care of it," said Cross, who was immediately put on diabetes medication and had to monitor her sugar levels. 

Committed to changing her life, Cross signed up with nutritionist/trainer Ashleigh Cooper and began making changes.  

Instead of sugar and convenience, her eating regimen was centered around protein and effort.  

She said breakfast was three eggs, snacks were peanut butter protein shakes, lunch and dinner was chicken or a sirloin coupled with a carb and vegetables. 

Cross said the change of food around the house even benefited her daughter.  

"Our youngest doesn't eat a lot of sweets anymore, and so she's had a much better time being on her epilepsy medication," she said before explaining that "sugar can be a trigger to epilepsy." 

As for exercise, Cross overcame her fear of gyms.  

"When I started going in there, I was a little hesitant thinking people were going to stare at me, or they're going to look at me, be like, 'Oh my gosh, why is she here?' And so I would only go and get on the treadmill and then leave," Cross said.  

Then she started attending workout classes and found her confidence blossoming.  

"I went from not wanting to go to the gym to going and working out pretty close to eight or nine times a week," she said.  

After dropping 35 pounds, the philosophy and dedication has paid off. Perhaps, most importantly, she's proof that Type 2 Diabetes medication doesn't need to be a long-term ordeal.  

Less than two months ago, her doctor told her she could go off it.  

"Our older three (kids) are super excited. They don't have to worry about me going out somewhere and passing out because my sugar got too high, or it got too low," said Cross, who shed tears upon hearing the happy news. "When someone tells you that you don't need this medication anymore because you figured it out, then it's just like, 'Wow, I did that. My mindset did that.'"