Living

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...

Last weekend, I got to enjoy one of my favorite fall activities. No, I didn’t visit a pumpkin festival with the hopes of gorging on every conceivable pumpkin food item...

Lately, I find myself wanting to talk about the stuff we don’t ordinarily talk about. Things that might embarrass us. Things that other people might be experiencing, and feeling alone...

When I was first experienced ulcerative colitis symptoms, I hid them from my family. On a visit home my parents figured out that something was wrong because I kept running...

It's been more than 7 years since my partial colectomy surgery and I often reflect on how much it has changed my life for the better. However, upon hearing the news...

Crohn's patients are all too familiar with the unsolicited advice we receive from others about how to treat our disease. What causes a flare, what we can do to "cure"...

Lately, I’ve been experiencing a new phenomenon in my life with inflammatory bowel disease. Up until recently, I was a first-thing-in-the-morning pooper. I knew that in the hour between waking...

Crohn's disease can easily make you feel like an outsider. Why? It often exacerbates a sense that you are not like others. It also frequently alters your priorities away from...

I realize this can be a loaded phrase, and it’s okay to disagree with me, but I am just sharing my opinion: I think despite being diagnosed with the horrid...

Emails. Phone calls. "Chat" messages. "Ms. Musick, can you help me?" Teach. Change Class. Change subject matter. Bell rings. Intercom interruptions. As a classroom teacher, I am inundated with daily...

A question I'm often asked, and one that I’d like to pose to you is, "Do you think our healthcare team should be bringing up surgery sooner rather than later?"...

If having Crohn's disease isn't bad enough, lots of us struggle with other digestive symptoms alongside it. For me, one of these is acid reflux: categorised by burping and a...

“My friend had that. She takes Buscopan and she’s fine now.” Let’s look at this statement for a moment. If someone had it, it’s not inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). If...

Going for your infusion every 4-8 weeks can be difficult to fit into your busy schedule. And, let's be honest, it is not always the most comfortable situation – the...