No one really talks about the grief that chronic illness patients experience. Having a chronic illness is not always about dealing with the symptoms. It is largely about understanding and accepting feelings of loss, helplessness, and uncertainty. I have had a tough few weeks and I saw these posts on social media recently that helped… Continue reading The Grief of IBD
Tag: crohn's disease
The Four Agreements
September is my favorite month of the year, yet this year it was filled with a lot of lows. I have been feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and frustrated - especially since I haven't really gotten back to 100% after having COVID. I have been tested a lot in my life, but I always find my way… Continue reading The Four Agreements
COVID and IBD
Well, COVID managed to find it's way to me after two years of avoiding it. As someone with chronic illness and a weakened immune system, this was devastating. I called my mom in tears immediately after I tested positive, not sure what to do or how to handle it. Based on the symptoms I was… Continue reading COVID and IBD
Daily Life with IBD
It's not easy to put into words what daily life is like living with a chronic, autoimmune disease like Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The best way I can describe it is uncertain. I ask myself so many questions each day - questions that do not have a simple answer. "Why me?" "Are these random body… Continue reading Daily Life with IBD
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
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
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
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?
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 Wellness into a Lifestyle 