Good ol' Emergency Department visitsHow many times have you walked into the Emergency Department and tried to accurately explain why you are in there? Do you think that they understand that you are (if...reactions3comments
A Letter to MyselfDear Self, For twenty years of your life, you had an “iron stomach.” No foods bothered, you, and you were the “good eater” of the family. Unfortunately, that has changed. All...reactions2comments
A Letter to my newly diagnosed self...To my newly diagnosed self (in 2013), I'm nearly six years into this Crohn's malarky now so I thought it only right to look back and give you some much-needed...reactions1comment
I Tried Going Vegan to Help My Crohn's Disease and Here's What Happened…I often chat about the foods that I find helpful and, let's face it, not so helpful (aka: makes my digestive tract freak out!) for my Crohn's disease but today...reactions6comments
IBD & House HuntingWhen I first began showing symptoms of IBD back in the fall of 2009, I was living with a roommate in a high rise apartment in the city and had...reactions2comments
Broken Homes, Where All The Broken People Live"Broken homes, where all the broken people live." If you're a true Grey's Anatomy fan, I assume you know where this quote comes from. On a very old episode of Grey's, Meredith said she...reactionscomments
Why I am Grateful for Crohn's DiseaseIt is common, if not expected, for those with IBD to have the "why me?" mentality. Sure, we deal with chronic pain, the urgency to find a bathroom, extreme fatigue...reactions1comment
Fear of Expecting the BestHave you ever been afraid of being positive? Afraid of having high expectations of yourself or your body? Solely because you know better. Have you ever wanted to have faith...reactions4comments
Putting IBD Pain Into WordsOften those who don't have IBD ask, "What does the pain feel like?" If you're like me, it can be difficult to put into words. At the same time, the...reactions17comments
Red Light, Green Light: The Uncertainty of UCDo you remember that childhood game red light, green light? You know, that game where you had to race across a field when the gamemaster would yell out "green light."...reactions3comments
Can IBD Cause Weight Gain?We have been getting a lot of questions in the IBD community about whether living with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis can cause weight gain. I know the more common...reactions73comments
My Journey With Body Dysmorphia: Part 1I struggle all the time to recognize myself. My body has drastically changed over the past 5 years. And when I struggle with my mental health, my physical health starts...reactions1comment
Things to Know about the J-PouchDon’t get me wrong. I love that I have a J-Pouch. I would not be able to live the life I do, without one. What a J-Pouch is is something...reactions4comments
Why I Chose Not to Participate in a Study, This TimeHave you participated in a study? I haven’t, but I’ve always wanted to. I love science. And since I’m not a scientist, participating in a study could be my personal...reactions2comments
My Journey into Seeing an IBD SpecialistFor a long time, I didn't realize there was a difference between a gastroenterologist and an actual IBD specialist. I assumed that because I was seeing a gastroenterologist, or "GI,"...reactions1comment
Fear - that weight loss can bringI've recently lost a fair amount of weight and I can't really say that the feedback has been fantastic. I wanted to write about it and my hubby wanted to...reactions9comments
How IBD has Amplified my EmpathyHaving become chronically ill nearly a decade ago, I’ve learned so much about how I process disease, hardship, and other challenges in life. Having symptoms that for years had no...reactions2comments
With IBD, are sometimes the 'what ifs' worse than the reality?I'm not going to lie. As I'm typing this, I'm having one of these evenings when I get caught in a 'what if?' cycle. I've not long blogged up about...reactions1comment
When Are You Having a Baby?No more than five minutes after my best friend decreed, “You may kiss the bride,” it happened. My little cousin ran up and exclaiming, “Great, you did it! When are...reactions1comment
Heartbreaking Things that Well-Intentioned People SayOh you know the drill. You may be sitting there taking it all in and thinking everything those loved ones are saying is gospel. Loved ones don’t specifically have to...reactions1comment