Living

I often miss my grandma. She was my biggest supporter. She really encouraged me to follow my own path. In adolescence, I tended to feel alienated from my family, for...

"Time for grillin’ and chillin’!" That’s how the invitation read. Would I attend the "I Do BBQ" request? Of course, I would attend! After all, this was my son and...

When I started taking Humira a few months ago, I was assigned a Nurse Ambassador — I’ll call her S — who would focus on how I was feeling with...

Well, I did it. I knew I shouldn’t, but I did anyway. At this point, I didn’t want to opt for "safe." No, I wanted to live life on the...

Acupuncture is a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine that has been used for thousands of years. It is often employed for pain management and symptom mitigation. While some are creeped...

Health anxiety is a thing. Health anxiety is when someone spends so much time worrying about their health – that they are ill, or about getting ill, that it negatively...

For the last few months, my doctors were monitoring my hemoglobin levels, in case of anemia. Since I was bleeding from my ulcerative colitis flare, my care team really wanted...

The other day, I read a quote that said, "We are all broken... that’s how the light gets in." It got me thinking about my journey living with ulcerative colitis...

People who rant endlessly about the power of positive thinking often get on my nerves. With certain types, it’s almost a religion. Anything can be overcome if you think positively...

As a Crohn's patient, I have had numerous colonoscopies (truthfully, too many to count!) and I always like to share tips to make others' experience better. For those with Crohn's or...

I regularly find myself "nagging" at people because they're suffering, but not contacting their healthcare professionals (HCPs). Often using reasons such as work or other commitments. Lots of us don't...

Between my recent flare and the pandemic, my world has mostly become confined to my own apartment. While I’ve become more comfortable with the occasional eating outside at a restaurant...

It's Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Week! The perfect time to think about: What does it mean to be an IBD advocate? As an advocate, I share a lot about my...

My superpowers aren’t outwardly visible. And, my super-hero cape is not actually a cape. Instead, it’s a black t-shirt sporting a bold purple ribbon. On the back of this shirt...

This giveaway is now closed. The frequent flare-ups of Crohn's and colitis can be a literal pain in the butt. From the irritation of constant bathroom trips to stomach and...

The famous writer Gustave Flaubert once wrote: "Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world." There are other ways to gain perspective of course: developing new...

"Experience is the best teacher." This mantra rules my life. As Thanksgiving approaches, I thought I would address how ulcerative colitis has taught me lessons of gratitude. So, here is...

Living with ulcerative colitis (UC) eventually means you will have flares. These are times when inflammation and symptoms get worse. They are uncomfortable and exhausting. To better understand your experience...

Over the years I have gone back and forth with alcohol. There have been in times in my life when I drank heavily during remission and did okay with it...

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be complicated and may require a team effort to help you achieve the best health. It is important to think about health from a holistic...