Posts

Time & Spoon Management

Do you ever feel like most of your time is wasted being sick??  When I am going through a particularly bad spell, all I focus on is listeni…

One-Size-Fits-All

One of the biggest myths of healthcare is a one-size-fits-all approach. We are led to believe that:  Bacterial Infection -> …

Frayed Tightrope

Chronic illness often feels like I'm walking on a frayed tightrope.  I can't fix everything. No one can. We can't e…

Dietary Update - potatoes, potatoes, potatoes

Things are starting to move in the right direction!  On November 20, 2022, I reduced to a mostly liquid and soft-food diet. Every 2-3 weeks…

Rare Disease Day - Mind-Blowing Daily Symptoms

Feb 28 is Rare Disease Day!  What very normal/daily symptom do you deal with that would be considered mind-blowing to someone w…

Sometimes You Just Have to Laugh About It

I've been struggling lately with some very annoying (and often mildly-moderately painful) symptoms since coming off of a medication.  I…

New Symptoms

When some new symptom comes up, there is a predictable set of events that has to occur before I finally speak with a physician about it. • …

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 …

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…

Thyroid Issues

Over the last couple of months, I have suspected that my thyroid levels were out. I have been having mood swings and uncharacteristic irrit…

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…

Struggling with Isolation

Self-isolation and social distancing is relatively simple in its concept, and difficult in its execution.  As I have mentioned on here befo…

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 …

ERCP & Surgery

This is Part 4 of the Gallbladder Saga This part starts on the Friday. The day after the Hyda scan and eating delicious popsicles until mi…

The Lighter Side of: Nausea (Part 3)

I do not drink pop very often. Basically the only time I drink pop is when paired with an alcoholic beverage or when I am particularly nau…

Licorice Root vs Star Anise

I have learned quite a bit about this topic over the past few days. My body reacts badly to Star Anise, Anise, and Fennel. Worst case - vo…

The Lighter Side of: Weird Allergies

I have had odd reactions to various medications and a few food items. Some reactions have been simply unpleasant, some have been life-thr…

The Lighter Side of: Waiting to Vomit

Vomiting is just plain awful. The best part about a retching fit is the blissful moment after finishing when the nausea has subsided and …

The Lighter Side of: Little Extras

It's not always the big symptoms or diagnoses that really grind someone down. Sometimes it's all those little extra complications …