Living

One of the most horrid experiences of my life was when I had to reteach myself how to use the bathroom. I was twenty-two years old and I was being...

Find part 1 here. ...He ran into my room looking like a child who’d just found a chest full of candy. He was so excited. This was a big deal...

Stress is something that everyone deals with on a daily basis. However, as an IBD patient, the amount of stress increases due to pain and other debilitating symptoms, medications and...

When I had to have a MRI recently, there were two separate rooms for people to wait in, given everyone had to be in a gown. Women were on one...

Family gatherings are a time to indulge in family favorites that may be more decadent than your usual fare. You may find yourself feeling overwhelmed at the dinner table, especially...

One of the many complaints people living with chronic illness have is that their friends and loved ones just can’t grasp the concept of a chronic illness. They don’t understand...

When diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease, we unknowingly create a team of people that accompany us on this life-long journey. These people include: Our team supports and cares for us...

Over the course of my almost 16 years as someone with ulcerative colitis, I have learned quite a lot. You do have to go through a good amount to really...

For many people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including those with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, there may come a time when treatment is not enough to control disease progression...

David and I had been dating for about a year and a half. Though we hadn’t really been dating for very long, we’d already been through some pretty major crises...

Remember, I went into surgery to have my whole entire colon removed on December 17 2007? As I stated before I was suppose to be out five days after surgery...

I can’t tell you exactly when I came to the realization, but eventually, I realized that I couldn’t do this disease thing on my own. It was probably more of...

Though the statistics vary somewhat from state to state, nationwide about 65% of all disability claims are denied on the first application. Luckily, receiving a denial does not mean that...

"There are many illnesses and negative things that have happened to people that have gotten them to greatness. Without the obstacles, these people may have never become great." –Prince Ea...

Being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis is a life-changing event. There are likely so many things going through your head that you’re not sure where to start. Here...

I know this topic isn’t commonly talked about or even researched very much as far as I can tell but I want to write about it. I am not a...

The day of my sister’s wedding had finally arrived. Everyone was happy and excited. I was, too. but I also had more pressing issues on my mind. Surgery was in...

For the final day of Crohn's and Colitis Awareness month, we asked Marisa - our phenomenal contributor and IBD advocate - 31 things about herself. We hope her candid responses help...

We know that inflammatory bowel disease is so much more than just urgency and diarrhea. Many of the most impactful symptoms happen far outside the bathroom walls. And while some...

I wanted to share some of words of wisdom and advice that I have heard from some of the important women in my life. All of this has helped me...