Living

I’ve talked about this a lot on my own website; the difficulty I have faced planning for the future because of living with severe chronic illness. I used to love...

From around February 2008, to about August 2008, I did not eat or drink anything. That’s right, about six months! The reason why the doctors in the hospital stopped my...

Everything is going to be roses right? Sorry sweetheart. Life with an Ostomy isn't always smooth sailing. You have Crohn's disease. What they don't always tell you, probably because it's...

Now that I have shared a little about my background having lived with an ostomy from the ages of 16-19 and then again from 24 until present day, as well...

Going out with friends may not sound as fun when you feel limited by what you can eat and drink. However, it is still possible to enjoy yourself without compromising...

I learned at a very young age that I wasn’t invincible and I honestly wish I hadn’t figured that out so soon in my life. Being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis...

Depending on which country you are from, you will call them a Stomal Therapist, Stomal nurse, Wound care nurse, ostomy nurse, or if you're like me; My godsend Stomal Queen!...

I recently attended an event for patients with ulcerative colitis where we were asked to come up with a word to describe the disease. This is no easy feat. There...

I missed out on a childhood. I'm not really sure which specific thing to blame it on. Could it have been the abuse I suffered as a child or the...

Given that living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can truly wreak havoc on all aspects of a person's body and life, I am never sure how to handle "regular people...

To be completely honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect after surgery. I had a lot of people telling me what I would need and giving me tips on how...

It is no secret that relationships are hard work in general, but when you add a chronic illness into the mix, it can change a lot of things. Some for...

Holidays are meant to be a time of joy and celebration. Unfortunately, the holidays and stress often go hand-in-hand. The traveling, the shopping, the cooking and the family feuds can...

I would like to continue where I left off to some degree in Part 1 of this article. Again, I want to reiterate that I share these personal, oftentimes hard-to-talk-about...

Most people living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis will tell you that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an invisible illness. Life with IBD is isolating. Many of us are...

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping...

I had my fair share of weddings this past Summer.  And I was in the weddings, as a groomsman. Of course I felt honored to be in my best friend's...

Many Americans honor the holiday of Thanksgiving by reflecting on what they are thankful for in life. It’s easy to be thankful for the good things like a bonus you...

Being chronically ill is absolutely, without a doubt a full-time job! Obviously, the severity of a person’s disease will dictate how much time, energy, and money is spent on “coordinating”...

I was lucky that my surgery put me into remission, but I wasn't lucky enough to have never felt the crushing agony of living with Crohn's disease. Being in remission...