Living

For many people, a diagnosis of IBD has brought about some pretty major life changes. For some, that has been purely dietary changes. As someone who has had to forgo...

I'm pretty sure this is what dying feels like... It's weird. I'm awake and I'm breathing but I'm spinning down into the dark. You'd think that I've been murdered in...

As a person who is an Enneagram 2, who’s favorite book is “If You Feel Too Much” by Jamie Tworkowski, and who has Crohn’s disease, I find myself sitting with...

Staying positive during a Crohn’s flare is always easier said than done. When my symptoms get severe, I truly can turn into the biggest grouch. Mostly because I am tired...

I know you’re probably reading this title and thinking, “WHAT?” but hear me out... A few weeks ago, I was having dinner with a friend who has struggled with stomach...

"You’re too fat, there's no way you have Crohn's disease. Only skinny people have that." "You’re too skinny, you must have an eating disorder. It can’t be Crohn's disease." "Your...

This past October, I celebrated the 10th anniversary of giving birth to my son. It was also the 8th anniversary of my journey as a single mother. Becoming a mother...

You know how you wake up somedays and you can just feel it's not going to be a good day. As if something in the wind is telling you so?...

I have lived with two traditional ileostomies in my life. The first one was when I was 16 and the second (and now permanent) one was given to me when...

It’s no secret that dealing with a Crohn’s flare is hard. Not only does it take a physical toll on your body, but it messes with your mind and spirit...

I previously wrote about how I lost my first IBD specialist. She moved out of state for an amazing opportunity. Well, I am on the brink of losing IBD Specialist #2...

My grandmother, Sylvia Nagin, who died this year, sadly, at the very sprightly age of 99, was a real inspiration to me. She had certain catchphrases that I will never...

For the last seven years, I have been taking numerous amounts of medications to make sure my Crohn’s stays in remission. It did take a while for me to reach...

When I fell pregnant a year or so ago, one of the first questions I had was about how my Crohn's disease would affect my pregnancy, birth, and beyond. In...

I can remember it like it was yesterday. The cold, sterile room, the hint of hand sanitizer combined with the smell of latex gloves and a tiny squeaky voice with...

Today, I’m going to talk about a bit of a lighter subject: hospital food. Man, that Jello can be incredibly firm, almost like a slab of aged ham. Then there...

Sadly, most people with inflammatory bowel disease don't just suffer from one condition. Not only does having one autoimmune disease make you more likely to have another (don't you just...

Last month felt like the ultimate slap in the face. It follows a long line of smaller slaps in the face from inflammatory bowel disease. Crohn’s disease, to be exact...

I'd like to share with you one of the worst times of my life. I was a new mama with a six-month-old son. However, during my pregnancy and worse after...

Last month, I went on my first real vacation since I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at 13. I also went on my very first cruise with my fiance and...