Little book nerd me recently finished a book titled Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad. I have to say it was one of the best books I have read in recent years. I found it relatable in every aspect - so relatable that I highlighted forty passages on my… Continue reading Navigating Life’s Great Divide
Tag: crohns disease
2021: A Year in Review
As I look back and reminisce on what 2021 brought me, I realize that I had a pretty good year, but not without some hardships. At the beginning of 2021, I wrote a blog post with some of my goals for the year. As I read through them, there are a few that I absolutely… Continue reading 2021: A Year in Review
Anniversary of My Diagnosis
Today, January 4th, marks three years since I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. I still remember it like yesterday. I woke up from my colonoscopy with a cup of water in hand and I overheard the doctor tell my parents that it was definitely colitis. "There are ulcers covering her entire colon." At the time,… Continue reading Anniversary of My Diagnosis
Trust Your Gut
As someone with IBD, I find it hard to trust my gut. By this, I don't mean trusting my instincts. I mean trusting that my gut will behave on a daily basis. One thing I have always struggled with as someone who has ulcerative colitis is the unpredictability of the disease. I could feel really… Continue reading Trust Your Gut
IBD Affects More Than the Gut
I saw a post on Instagram recently that said "Chronic illness is just as much a mental battle as a physical one." I wish this was something the chronic illness community could easily convey to others, but it just isn't that easy. Only when you are faced with the challenges a chronically ill person faces… Continue reading IBD Affects More Than the Gut
The Changing of Seasons
Fall is my favorite season by far (and not only because November is my birthday month!). Something about the changing colors of the leaves, the cooler weather, and turning on the fireplace brings me joy. I don't usually like change, but as someone living with IBD, I have to learn to like it. The change… Continue reading The Changing of Seasons
Combating the Sunday Scaries
The Sunday Scaries - we all dread them. This is a term that has become popular in recent years to refer to the intense anxiety and dread we feel before heading into the workweek. Typically this feeling starts to settle in on Sunday afternoon and evening. According to this article in Better by Today, up… Continue reading Combating the Sunday Scaries
The Power of Resilience
As some of you may know, I have a busy schedule these days. I work a full-time job, I take night classes in the MBA program, I run an IBD support group, I am a blogger - all while fighting a chronic illness. When I was diagnosed with IBD in 2019 at the age of… Continue reading The Power of Resilience
Tips for Managing a Flare
Many IBD patients have found themselves in a flare over the past year due to the stress and uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. So far, I have been able to maintain my symptomatic remission during this time, but that does not remove the constant fear I have of possibly developing a flare. Let's be honest,… Continue reading Tips for Managing a Flare
How Can I Support Someone with IBD?
I get this question often from both friends and family, which is a good thing! It is nice to know that they, who maybe do not quite understand the entirety of my disease, want to contribute in any way they can to make me feel better. The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation posed this question last… Continue reading How Can I Support Someone with IBD?