Going with my Gut: A Journey to Wellness

My blog entries seem to be more spread out as I continue to get healthier. Some days my health is not the first thing I think about when I wake up or the last thing I think about before I go to sleep. Hallelujah! This summer brought lots of new experiences and one of the biggest ones was my first big trip with my jpouch. I went to Seattle and Vancouver for 10 days and it was a fantastic experience. I took some precautions like telling my GI I would be away and he was sweet to say he would be standing by if I needed anything. I carefully packed all of my medications and enough for a few extra days for just in case and kept all my meds in my carry-on. I packed pads and pantyliners for security along with some go-to snacks. It was so fun to see friends and explore new surroundings. I took a wonderful teacher course too. However, there were some physical challenges. Eating differently didn't agree with me and I dealt with some loose stool and butt burn. Still, it was a wonderful trip

Dear Family and Friends, I’m fundraising on the behalf of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation because I believe no one should have to deal with the fear, uncertainty, and pain caused by Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, also known as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). As you know, my life has changed since my diagnosis of ulcerative colitis in June of 2009. I can vividly remember my first signs that something was not right. I was 25, living in New York, and finishing up my first year of grad school for elementary education. My symptoms started out gradually, but got worse fast. I yo-yo-ed between diarrhea and constipation. I remember feeling horrified when I saw blood in the toilet for the first time. After I saw a gastroenterologist and had my first colonoscopy, I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. I barely knew what the diagnosis meant, but I remember feeling grateful that my problem had a name. Little did I know what a rocky road was ahead. Today, even wit

In 3 days it will be my one year anniversary of my Jpouch reconnection surgery. Damn, it's been quite a year. Since my last post in December, I am happy to report that I have seen incredible improvements in my health. It all really started with saying goodbye to my old team of doctors (see my November 19th post about breaking up with doctors) and finding a new team of respectful practitioners who have strategies to help me improve. I was diagnosed with pouchitis (inflammation of the jpouch) and here is the description from the Mayo Clinic: "Pouchitis is a complication of J pouch surgery. It occurs in about one-quarter to nearly one-half of the people who have the procedure. Signs and symptoms of pouchitis can include diarrhea, abdominal pain, joint pain, cramps, fever, an increased number of bowel movements, nighttime fecal seepage, fecal incontinence, and a strong urge to have a bowel movement." Minus the fevers, that was my experience from March 21-December 1. So, the n

12/24/16 at my parents' house- just left the hospital  And this is me today in my apartment (12/24/17) No more steroid moonface! Facebook reminded me that a year ago today, I had just been discharged from the hospital after a successful first jpouch surgery. The picture above (on the left) is from exactly one year ago today. I was overjoyed to be home and both hopeful and nervous about the future. I have come a long way since one year ago and I thought it would be helpful to recap my biggest take aways from this year.  Always remember that you deserve excellent care. This process is long and hard. Progress isn't linear. It's ok to be sad and frustrated sometimes.  Ways to feel better when you're feeling down:  Make a plan (even if the plan is "do nothing" and check back with someone about it at a later, specified date)  Spend time with family/friends (in person or via facetime/phone)  Go outside Remember during times of bette

I was raised to know that I was worthy of love and respect no matter what, but like many of us, somewhere along the line those core beliefs got buried under layers of inadequacy and fear. For much of my life I have measured my own worthiness based on how other people saw me. If someone complimented me or if I got a good grade or if I was accommodating, I felt valued. It felt good and I was really good at it. However, the downfall of being a people pleaser is that you lose sight of what you want and you don't get your needs met. I've done a lot of work to peel back those heavy layers of inadequacy and get back to the core where I can confidently say that my imperfect self is worthy of love and belonging. Still, it's a work in progress and sometimes interactions with others can bring me right back to that insecure girl who lives inside of me. This week I had an appointment with one of my doctors which sent me right back to that place of inadequacy. As per usual with this

*disclaimer: this post mentions bodily functions and the like, so you've been warned :) Summary (for all you busy folks): I was in the hospital last Thursday to Tuesday with a small intestine blockage. It hurt like hell. I'm better now and going back to work tomorrow.  On Thursday morning I woke up for work and I didn't feel right. I was nauseous and a little light-headed, so I called my dad to come over to monitor me. Later I learned that these symptoms were probably early signs of a blockage, but I didn't know at the time. I rested and ate and we even went on a walk- it was a really pleasantly warm fall day. However, after lunch I developed belly pain and I realized I hadn't gone #2 all day (very unusual for me). I tried to stay calm and drink lots of water and stretch. The pain just kept getting worse. I knew from past experience that this might be a blockage and that blockages can take time to resolve, so I tried to muscle through the pain and hope