IBD Awareness

Staying Strong with Chronic Illness

I've had a few friends reach out to me lately and ask how I keep going despite having a chronic illness. "How does it not bother you?" "You always have a smile on your face!" I can confirm that it does in fact bother me and yes, I do have a smile on my face… Continue reading Staying Strong with Chronic Illness

IBD Awareness

When Nothing Hurts

I haven't been writing nearly as much as I used to or want to, and I'm kicking myself for that. Writing is an outlet for me and it was the best discovery I could have ever made during my ulcerative colitis (UC) recovery journey. I am better able to express my thoughts and feelings when… Continue reading When Nothing Hurts

IBD Awareness

World IBD Day: A Lesson in Self-Worth

Today, May 19th, is World IBD Day! Today is a great day to bring awareness to Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and those illnesses that fall under this umbrella term - Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation advertises this day each year and when I went to their website to see how… Continue reading World IBD Day: A Lesson in Self-Worth

IBD Awareness

Why Me?

When I was first diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, I asked myself this question many times. As a Catholic, I couldn't quite wrap my mind around the fact that God would let me suffer so much by giving me this disease. Sometimes I scan over every part of my life and wonder what I did to… Continue reading Why Me?

IBD Awareness

Giving Tuesday

Happy Giving Tuesday! For those that don't know, Giving Tuesday is an opportunity for everyone around the world to come together and support non-profits in their community or globally. Support can come in the form of monetary donations or volunteering. This is one of my favorite days of the year and I hope you will… Continue reading Giving Tuesday

IBD Awareness

Advice for My Younger Self

The other day, I was looking through old photos of myself before my diagnosis. I thought to myself "Wow, look how far I've come!" Last week, I wrote a paper for one of my classes on integrity. Part of garnering integrity is determining our core values. I mentioned in my paper that the things I… Continue reading Advice for My Younger Self

IBD Awareness

Turning Struggles into Purpose

The biggest lesson that I have learned from being diagnosed with a chronic illness is turning my struggle into purpose. In my eyes, I had two options - one where I could be sad and let my disease affect my life, and another where I could use it to my advantage and lead my life… Continue reading Turning Struggles into Purpose

IBD Awareness

Be Your Own Advocate

One thing I have learned from seeing multiple doctors over the years was to be my own advocate. At my age, it is really easy for doctors to discount what I tell them and just shove medication down my throat. On my first trip to the GI doctor, I was worried they wouldn't believe me… Continue reading Be Your Own Advocate

IBD Awareness

Living With Gratitude

When I was first diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, practicing gratitude was hard. How could I be grateful that I got a chronic, autoimmune disease with no cure? Those of you that know me personally know that I am a Catholic, faith-based woman. I grew up in the Catholic church and actively practice my faith. My… Continue reading Living With Gratitude

IBD Awareness

The Importance of Essential Oils

Essential oils are a huge part of my bedtime routine. In addition to my white noise machine that I mentioned in my previous blog post about getting a good night's sleep, I have an essential oil diffuser I turn on about thirty minutes before I go to sleep. Essential oils have become very popular in… Continue reading The Importance of Essential Oils