Happy December! It's the unofficial start to the holidays in my house AND the beginning of Crohns and Colitis Awareness Week... so things are feeling incredibly festive! Over the past two years, though, celebrating this week seems to top even the best of holiday preparations and I can't say that I'm too sad about that fact. Awareness weeks has officially turned into its own holiday for me, as I look to acknowledge my past experience with the disease, celebrate the communit

For years, I didn’t think I’d ever tell my kids that their mom has Crohn’s disease. I had worked so hard for so long to achieve remission... so I was tired of dealing with Crohn's when my first was born. As a result, I never shared what was going on and often focused on how much I wanted to be a "normal" mom. But over the past year, my 5-year-old started to notice that there are some things about me that are different -- I’ve missed out on some family activities, sometimes

Knowing that I'd be hitting double digits since my diagnosis with Crohn's disease has caused me to spend a lot of time reflecting over the past few months. After spending so many years focused on getting to a future that was bright and disease-free, it's a little weird to look back at the journey. Along the way, I've experienced fear, sadness, anger, and pain, along with determination, personal growth, and a constantly fluctuating battle between finding peace with my diagno

A few months ago, I received a call that would stop me in my tracks: would I like to share my thoughts on what defines a quality gastroenterologist at this year's Digestive Diseases Week (#DDW2018)? I think that I said "YES!" before the question was even finished. I was so excited that I got right to work. In some ways, I knew exactly what I'd want to say, but in a lot of other ways, I struggled to find just the right words. From a patient's perspective - or at least THIS

In order to get well enough to take on the role of motherhood in the way that I wanted, I would need to take Cimzia (throughout my first pregnancy) and then Humira (started after a rough flare and shortly before my second pregnancy). I was nervous at first, but, armed with evidence-based research, I was able to make my own informed decision to exclusively breastfeed both of my children while effectively treating my Crohn's disease. I'm not one to engage in a mommy-battle of

Working while managing a disability that doesn't take a break between the typical 9 - 5pm work-day is sometimes nerve-wracking. How will my boss, coworkers, and clients handle situations that require me to put my symptoms first? Will symptoms hold me back from achieving the professional goals that I set for myself? Can I do it all; take care of my kids, the house, my marriage, and my health? These thoughts go through my head as I start applying for jobs, and it makes me s

From a young age, I knew that I wanted to be a mother. But, when I began experiencing symptoms of Crohn’s disease at age 21, I became worried about how my future may look. Knowing instinctively that I wanted to be well to have a child, I set out on a mission to heal the angry disease that was taking over my intestines. After struggling on lower-tiered medications, a hospitalization for an obstruction led me to realize that the deep healing that I desired would only come us

Chronic illness can be tough and lonely. It seems that most people can appreciate that fact and they know what it generally means to be lonely. But “lonely” takes on a new definition that goes deeper and darker with the personalized, persistent, and relentless class of illnesses considered to be chronic, or lifelong. When I was diagnosed, I quickly learned this new definition for lonely. While doctors were considering a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease, and determining a cours

As the fireworks faded on the first day of 2017, I felt excited and motivated. “This would be the year,” I remember telling my husband, “that I’ll have my strongest body yet.” As an active woman, a busy mom, and a person with Crohn’s disease, it was important to me that I do everything in my power to stay on top of my health. But, could I really do it? Due to my diagnosis, I’d always assumed that I just wouldn’t be able to be as strong and fit as my active friends. What i

When I’m not feeling well, it can be hard to take care of me AND all of the responsibilities that I take on, including parenting two young boys. Because chronic illness requires a life-long dedication, I don’t always have the option to ask for help when things get a little tough. If I did, I wouldn’t always have someone available when things are REALLY bad. It’s a judgement call. So, I have to get creative in my planning and parenting, to make sure that I can still keep th