here's what i've figured out so far: izzie was adopted by a picture perfect family in denver when she was 7 after she bounced around a couple of foster homes that didn't work out, so she kind of always had a chip on her shoulder and felt like it was only a matter of time before her new family also gave up on her. that never happened and now she appreciates how good they were to her considering she was a royal pain in the ass for her entire adolescence, but it still took her a long time to get her shit together. after high school she hopped from job to job and then followed her best friend to boston without a plan in 2015. that was where she eventually decided to get her act together and go back to school for nursing. now she works as a psychiatric nurse and mass gen and maybe does something with troubled teens in her free time idk. personality wise she's sarcastic and brash and very private but is surprisingly good with people and will do anything for her friends.