Posts

Pouchoscopy

Alright - some good-ish news.  I had my pouchoscopy today - to look in my internal J-Pouch, check on the Crohn's, and try to figure out…

Scope Prep

I've got a pouchoscopy in the morning (scope of my internal J Pouch), so today I am prepping for it. This means fluids all day (full fl…

Daily Life with IBD

What is it like to live with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (like Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's Disease...)?  The short version…

A Week in the Life: My Crohn's Diet

Let me preface this by saying that my current 'diet' has nothing to do with diet trends. It has nothing to do with a list of recomm…

Quick Tip: Dehydration

With any kind of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, dehydration can be a persistent issue. If your bowels don't work properly, there is a lot …

"Things are Good"

I just had an annual checkup with my gastrointestinal specialist this week - and the appointment went well!!  In the chronic illness world …

Burping Update #2

So the incessant burping came, I had x-rays done, a lower and upper endoscopy done, bloodwork done, and IV HAE meds given.  Then it settled…

Burping Update

Long story short: I started burping every 5-10 seconds late Thursday night and couldn't stop. My guts felt like they were being filled …

Stranger Than Fiction

If you have read my last post, you will remember that I have been dealing with a brand new (and life-disrupting) symptom - with a side of t…

Smart Device and Chronic Illness

Picture this:  You are given a device.  This device has to last you a lifetime. There are no exchanges, no returns, and none available to p…

Disease-iversary

As of this month, it has been twenty years with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.  While I have other illnesses that significantly impact my life…

Pop-Up Port-a-Potty

My newest camping accessory arrived in the mail yesterday.  I am a HUGE fan of camping. It has become my only real vacation in the last few…

Why Chronic Illness is so Complicated

Chronic illness is ALWAYS complicated.  Here's a little snapshot into why it seems like no one can figure it out, or why we, as patient…

Face-Palm Miscommunications

Having had Inflammatory Bowel Disease for 20 years as of this coming November, diet is always a massive obstacle and an ever-changing part …

What it Means to Have an Invisible Illness

It is often difficult to tell what anyone else around us is thinking, feeling, or experiencing.  A fake smile can hide a life of loss and d…

The Lighter Side of: Frequent Bathroom Breaks

To be honest, I am not even sure how many times an 'average' person goes to the washroom. I think when people are young and health…

Philosophizing

After watching the news about the discovery of fluid within the heart that helps to heal - the fluid that is usually thrown away during sur…

The Lighter Side of: Constipation

Alright - this is a BRAND NEW symptom for me. I have had chronic, constant, diarrhea for almost 18 years. 10 or more times a day, stuck in…

The Lighter Side of: Strict Diets

Due to my ever complicated Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, I have had to try a shocking number of really strict diets. All of them made it d…

Cravings

I think I have talked about cravings quite a bit on this blog. Cravings are usually a symptom of an underlying deficiency. Usually . Of c…