Calling all IBD patients and caretakers, the IBD Insider Patient Education Program is this Saturday (January 30) at 11 am CT. The virtual symposium will include IBD clinicians along with patient moderators. I’m excited to share I am one of three patients who will be speaking and sharing my experience during the live event.
The discussion will include updates from the Crohn’s and Colitis Congress, and we’ll talk about the following topics:
Getting the most out of your healthcare visit
Future therapies in IBD
Holistic Approach to IBD Care
Management of IBD Care during the COVID-19 pandemic
I’ll be teaming up with Dr. Brigid Boland, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Diego to talk about the future treatment of IBD. As someone who was diagnosed with Crohn’s nearly 16 years ago, it’s been extremely comforting to see how many therapies have become available since 2005 and all that is on the horizon. Below is a chart that was shared during the Crohn’s and Colitis Congress that shows all the therapies currently in research and clinical trials. When I started my biologic in 2008, I had two options. With each year that passes, we get closer to a cure and get more and more options to manage our disease if our current therapies fail us.
“I love the idea of designing a program with patient advocates where we are communicating to patients and their families about the latest breakthroughs in research and patient care. There’s never enough time in visits to talk about all the research going on that will impact their care now and in the future. Ultimately, all the research and future therapies that are being studied are ways to improve patients quality of life and provide a lot of hope for everyone affected by IBD (patients, caregivers and providers),” said Dr. Boland.
As people living with a disease for which there is no cure, it’s in our best interest to stay up to date on all the latest happenings and developments. IBD can feel like a beast of a disease to be up against day after day. When you participate in learning opportunities like this that are right at the touch of your fingertips you empower yourself as you make decisions and grow through your patient journey. It’s like the education saying, “The More You Know.” As you make decisions about how you manage your Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, as you take on flares from a hospital bed, as you navigate life milestones like career and family planning, having resources like this in your arsenal of knowledge will only help you advocate for yourself and collaborate with your care team.
It’s not too late to register! Click here to sign up and can’t wait to “see” you Saturday!
Well, the cat’s out of the bag. I’m 14 weeks pregnant (tomorrow) with a baby BOY! We will be family of five in mid-July. Since as long as I’ve remembered, I’ve envisioned my life with three children, I just never thought it would happen in the middle of a pandemic! Bobby and I feel extremely fortunate with all the outpouring of love, support, and congratulations during this exciting time for our family. As an IBD mom, I feel constant gratitude that my remission has held strong these 5-plus years and enabled me to have healthy, uneventful pregnancies. So far, out of all four of my pregnancies (miscarried between Reid and Sophia), this one has been my “easiest”. Aside from too many migraines to count, the nausea and fatigue in the first trimester were minimal and I feel great most days.
While I plan to be transparent and share content over the next six months about my experience being a high-risk pregnancy during these crazy pandemic times, I also want you to know I’m cognizant of the fact that pregnancy announcements, and pictures of baby bumps can be a trigger for our community. I am empathetic to the fact that family planning can look differently for those of us with Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. Because of this—I’m excited to announce I’ll be launching a special series on Lights, Camera, Crohn’s entitled “IBD Motherhood Unplugged”.
IBD Motherhood Unplugged topics will include (but are not limited to):
The decision not to have children due to IBD
Being told you can’t carry a child and coping with that loss
Adoption
Surrogacy
Infertility
IBD pregnancy after loss
Single parenting with IBD
Biologics and pregnancy/breastfeeding
The list goes on…
If you want to share your experience of navigating family planning or motherhood with IBD, please reach out. I already have several women lined up, ready and willing to share their personal journeys. I’m anxious to share their brave and resilient words with you.
My advocacy focus has always been to be the voice I so desperately needed to hear upon diagnosis and through all of life’s milestones. I want you to feel seen. I want you to feel heard. I also want you to remain hopeful that pregnancy and motherhood is possible for most women with IBD, we all just get there in different ways.
He’s not your typical IBD advocate. He doesn’t have Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis himself, but he’s extremely passionate about supporting the patient community, spreading awareness, and making a difference. John Peters’ wife, Katherine, was diagnosed with Crohn’s when she was 12. John met her when she was 21. They dated 4 years and just got married in April. As they dated and got to know one another, he had a front row seat to the challenges IBD brings about in a person’s life. Ironically, John’s brother, Bobby, was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis this past year.
John and his brother, Bobby
Connecting with the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation
When John met Katherine, he remembers how she was a volunteer at Camp Oasis.
“I remember her coming back from camp and telling me what a rewarding and inspirational experience it was. I signed up the next year because I wanted to learn more about Katherine’s illness, while contributing to a good cause. As I reflect on my experience at Camp Oasis now, I feel like it enabled me to develop a deeper appreciation for the courage those with IBD bestow.”
John sees volunteering as a win-win, not only does it give him an inside look at IBD, but also allows him and his wife to spend quality time together. Out of all the volunteering he’s participated in, Camp Oasis takes the cake.
“The campers love sharing stores about IBD, and every camper feels connected to everyone around them. They don’t need to feel embarrassed because everyone at Camp understands first-hand (or through loved ones) the challenges that having IBD brings. It’s a pretty amazing atmosphere to be a part of and the experience has given me a different level of empathy for those who live with Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis.”
From Camp Oasis to Day on the Hill
Day on the Hill is the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s annual two-day event, where volunteers from across the nation meet in Washington, DC to talk with their legislators about policies that directly impact the IBD community.
Because of COVID-19, last year, the Foundation took Day on the Hill virtual, hosting virtual advocacy trainings and organizing conference calls with Members of Congress, their staff, and Foundation volunteers. Plans for 2021 have not been announced yet.
“Day on the Hill has been my most educational experience with Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation so far. I was unaware of what legislative action could do or how much it can affect an IBD patient. My mission is to inform as many people as possible about what legislation can help IBD patients and how to advocate for it. The more people who advocate, the greater the chance for change,” says John.
John with his wife, Katherine, at the Capitol for Day on the Hill
There are two main bills volunteers have been focusing on:
Safe Step Act—This bill would reform the practice of step therapy, which requires patients to try “insurer-preferred” medications before a more ideal medication recommended by the physician. The hope is to create a more transparent and expeditious appeals process.
Medical Nutrition Equity Act—Insurance companies and other healthcare programs would be required to cover necessary foods prescribed by the physician.
John says Day on the Hill is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. He recommends anyone who may be interested to take the leap and apply to participate.
“Our day was mostly speaking with Congress members’ staff and explaining what we are petitioning for (see the bills above). I was on a team of five volunteers and each one had a chance to share how the proposed legislation affects their daily lives. It was incredible to see how just one bill in Congress can have resonating effects on so many people.”
John’s advice—to contact your local congressional representatives and discuss these bills. Click here to find out who your local representatives are. Every single person who advocates for these bills gets us one step closer to getting them passed in Congress.
Taking Public Policy Advocacy a step further
As John juggles being a full-time medical student, a newlywed, and navigating the pandemic, he’s decided to create Facebook and Instagram groups solely dedicated to educating our community about IBD legislation.
He recently launched the following social media pages:
Facebook: Crohn’s and Colitis Legislative Advocacy
Instagram: @ccla_ig
Give the pages a follow and stay up to date on all the latest IBD political news. It’s important to note John created these social media pages on his own and they are not affiliated with the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.
Advocacy doesn’t happen only during Day on the Hill, it’s important to join the Foundation’s Advocacy Network to receive alerts around times of action. You can do so by visiting here.
Since the start of the pandemic, healthcare workers have carried the heaviest burden. Especially those who are immunocompromised while working in harm’s way. This week on Lights, Camera, Crohn’s you’ll hear from three healthcare workers with IBD who are immunocompromised and have received their first vaccine. It’s my hope that by hearing from these warriors firsthand that you’ll gain a sense of comfort, understanding, and perspective while also understanding the importance of debunking medical misinformation. Our IBD community is delicate and requires more expertise than simply listening to a family member or friend who “read something on the internet” or someone who has a cousin with Crohn’s (or now COVID).
Wearing several hats—IBD Mom and Relief Charge RN in COVID Unit
When Shermel Edwards-Maddox of Houston was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2007 at age 24, little did she know that she’d one day lead the charge in a medical unit in the thick of a pandemic, while having two kids and a husband at home, while being on a biologic.
“It has been both physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. I imagine that every healthcare worker has been afraid however being immunocompromised has added an extra layer of fear. The emotional and mental exhaustion comes from the constant worry of “what if today is the day I catch COVID”? Every time I step onto the nursing unit, I’m aware that I could contract the virus. It’s very reminiscent of IBD and the worry of whether a flare is starting.”
Like many other healthcare workers (and the general population for that matter!), she says the roll out of the vaccine provided her with a sense of relief, but also an understanding about the importance of educating the public about the importance of getting vaccinated. As a nurse, she has a solid understanding of how clinical trials work and knows that more than 70,000 people received the vaccine between the Pfizer and Moderna trials. She was especially excited to receive the vaccine after it was found to be 95% effective. Shermel feels blessed to receive “0.3ml of hope” in a syringe and says many in her shoes feel like they just received their “second wind” after months of being beyond exhausted.
“It was quite emotional. I shed several tears in the days leading up to the vaccine. Those tears were in amazement of how grateful I am to be getting a vaccine that could spare me from this horrible virus that takes the lives of so many. When it came time for getting the vaccine, I felt pure excitement!”
Shermel’s only side effect she experienced was a sore arm, which is expected with any type of vaccine.
The COVID vaccine allows Shermel to not only protect herself but her husband, children, patients, and the community. It makes her feel hopeful to know her daughter will get to see her kindergarten teacher’s face without a mask and that her son will be able to attend his school graduation, free of social distancing.
From an Ostomy Reversal in March to working as a clinical researcher
Caroline Perry also happens to live in Houston and after battling Crohn’s since the age of eight in 2000, she had an elective ostomy reversal surgery March 4th just as the pandemic was unfolding in the States. She takes Entyvio AND Stelara and says that even though she’s on two biologics, her physician had explained to her that both drugs have a relatively good safety profile. While she wasn’t overly nervous about contracting the virus more than the next person, she has been nervous about how her body would react to it.
As a clinical researcher, her boss, happens to be her gastroenterologist. Having her care team readily available and working alongside people she knows and trusts on both a personal and professional level has helped her cope through the pandemic immensely.
Prior to receiving the vaccine in December (2020), Caroline admits she had some initial concerns and brought them up to her doctor, which is what she recommends everyone does.
“Many people are getting all their information from the internet or by word of mouth and are neglecting to listen to our experts—some even mistrusting them. My doctor gave me lots of evidence on why she believes the vaccine is safe and debunked a lot of my fears, which I found out were fairly common questions or misconceptions regarding the vaccine. I got the information I needed to make an informed decision, and once I had all the information, I was no longer worried about getting the vaccine! I am much more concerned about getting COVID than any potential side effect of its vaccine.”
Caroline says she was so excited to receive the vaccine, not only for herself, but for all the healthcare workers that were in the room with her.
“Sitting in that chair, it hit me. I was really experiencing a significant piece of history and I will never forget the feeling of palpable relief in that room. As healthcare workers, we have heard nothing but bad news for so long, and the vaccine is a beacon and glimmer of hope, at the end of a very long tunnel.”
Due to the pandemic, Caroline and her fiancé canceled their wedding for the time being, but finally feel like they can breathe a sigh of relief. Her fiancé won’t be eligible to receive the vaccine until the last round is available, so until then, she says they will continue to practice COVID precautions and keep up to date with the latest data surrounding the vaccine.
After receiving the vaccine, Caroline still received her Entyvio that afternoon! Her only side effect, like Shermel, a sore arm. As of now, she’s working on COVID research in addition to her usual IBD research. Caroline says this past week was her first time working in the COVID ICU for a new clinical trial, and she felt a lot safer thanks to having the first vaccine.
Juggling Women’s Health while being a mom of 3
Janice Eisleben, a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner in St. Louis, was diagnosed with Crohn’s in October 2017 while pregnant with her third child. She was initially on Humira, but started Stelara a year ago. Janice happens to work at the OB office I go to, so I know her personally and have experienced her amazing care through my own pregnancies. We connected immediately once we both discovered years ago that we were IBD moms on biologics.
She recalls how scary the onset of the pandemic was, between the limited information and the looming unknown. As a patient with IBD, on a biologic, she wasn’t sure what that ultimately meant for her well-being. When she found out the vaccine was going to start being available to healthcare workers, Janice says she was elated.
“I feel like the vaccine finally offers some level of comfort to healthcare workers who have literally been giving everything they have to take care of patients. And this is not limited to nurses and doctors! The hospital cannot run without the respiratory therapists, housekeepers, and maintenance staff—these people are truly the unsung heroes of this pandemic.”
Janice said she did not have concerns or worries about the vaccine because she had been following the clinical trials from the early stages. She says the energy she felt just standing in line to receive her vaccine was something she’ll always remember and that everyone there was beyond ready to take this next step.
“It was incredibly emotional. I honestly teared up when I received the email inviting me to schedule my appointment. I was so excited that the night before I had trouble sleeping—kind of like a kiddo who can’t sleep the night before Santa comes. This vaccine means so much for us. It means that maybe sooner than later I will feel more comfortable with my kids going back to school and participating in activities. It means that we have less worry about me bringing this virus home from work to our household, and less worry about me getting a severe case of this virus.”
She says she can completely understand why someone would be skeptical of the vaccine, but she encourages everyone to avoid the “Google trap” and to please contact your physicians/care providers to discuss it further. For anyone with IBD, Janice advises you to specifically contact your gastroenterologist. If there is anyone those of us with Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis should trust, it should be our GI!
Janice’s only side effect was also a sore arm, though she does anticipate more symptoms (low grade fever, aches, fatigue) after the second dose, because this was well documented in the trials.
Helpful Resources to Educate Yourself About IBD + COVID Vaccine
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