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?
Tag: crohn's disease
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
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
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
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
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
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
A Book Review: What Doesn’t Kill You
I recently read Tessa Miller's book titled What Doesn't Kill You which has proved to be a big hit in the chronic illness community. A member of my support group recommended the book to me and without hesitation, I bought it. Through every word, I felt connected. By the end, I just hoped that even… Continue reading A Book Review: What Doesn’t Kill You
A Mother’s Day Tribute: The Caregiver’s Perspective
This past weekend was Mother's Day and as a tribute to my mom I wanted to talk about the caregiver's perspective of life with IBD. Not only did the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis change my life, it changed my family's life. Not many people talk about how a chronic illness diagnosis affects those around them… Continue reading A Mother’s Day Tribute: The Caregiver’s Perspective
Lessons I’ve Learned Living on My Own
It has been one month since I moved out of the comfort of my parent's house. While this month has been the toughest month of my life, I have learned a lot along the way. Living on your own is definitely not easy. It requires a lot of extra effort, which sometimes I do not… Continue reading Lessons I’ve Learned Living on My Own
Turning Wellness into a Lifestyle 