From IVF to surrogacy: This IBD mom’s resilient journey

January 27, 2020January 27, 2020Leave a comment

IBD and surrogacy. Those are loaded words. Both evoke emotions and opinions for unique reasons. For Jessie Magaro, 34 of Atlanta, the decision came after the unfathomable struggles she had with her Crohn’s during pregnancy and after. To provide you with the backstory, Jessie was diagnosed with Crohn’s and endometriosis when she was 15. She underwent an elective surgery her senior year of high school for her Crohn’s that put her into surgical remission for 15 years.

Jessie got married in 2016. While she was loving every second of newlywed life, she started feeling endometriosis pains. Less than a year after tying the knot, her doctor discovered her fallopian tubes were blocked. It was unclear if the blockage was due solely to endometriosis, or if it was a result of scar tissue from her bowel resection. Either way, IVF seemed to be the only option to get pregnant, and her fallopian tubes would need to be removed for that to be successful. In November 2017, Jessie underwent the surgery. When she woke up, she thought she would be stripped of the ability to conceive a baby naturally. But, her surgeon told her they were able to save and repair one of her tubes.

Jessie ended up getting pregnant right away, but unfortunately had an ectopic pregnancy that ended up severely rupturing her fallopian tube. During emergency surgery to remove the remaining tube, it was determined her endometriosis was severe and IVF needed to happen sooner than later. I had the chance to interview Jessie about her harrowing experience to bring a baby into this world, while living with IBD and endometriosis.

NH: How did IVF impact your IBD?

JM: “The moment we started IVF, I felt a shift in my body. A storm was brewing, and I could feel it. My completely dormant Crohn’s appeared to be waking up, but I didn’t want to believe it. I battled through the IVF process while experiencing my first flare in a decade in a half. The Reproductive Endocrinologist and GI were miffed. No one could say if this was an isolated reaction to the hormones, or if I was truly experiencing an active flare. After a lot of back and forth, and hard conversations with medical professionals and our families, we decided to proceed with implanting an embryo. The thought process was that most women tend to do better in pregnancy with Crohn’s, if they had been in remission prior. The hope was that this “flare” was an isolated incident from the IVF drugs/hormones, and that everything would calm down once I was pregnant. It was a risk, but one we decided we were willing to take. After a short round of prednisone, the flare subsided, and we proceeded with the transfer.”

NH: You now have a beautiful, healthy 13-month-old daughter to show for it. What was your pregnancy like?

JM: “My pregnancy was a terrifying whirlwind of trying to manage an awful flare while keeping the baby safe. I developed a new manifestation of the disease I never had before: Perianal Crohn’s. Not a pleasant situation and one that is very difficult to treat/manage while pregnant. Things got so bad at one point, I had to have surgery to drain an abscess and place a seton to help a fistula heal. No one wants to have surgery pregnant. It was one of the scariest moments of my life. The first trimester was spent hoping and praying the baby would make it with all the turmoil going on in my abdomen. The second trimester was spent hoping and praying we could keep her in there long enough to be viable outside of the womb. The third trimester was spent in an unbearable amount of pain fighting the urge to take the prescribed pain pills and being so scared about how the increased biologics, steroids and other new drugs being introduced into my system might affect her.”

NH: You must have been going through so many emotional struggles at this time, on top of all the physical.

JM: “The level of anguish and guilt I felt was unimaginable. I already felt like I was failing at my motherly duty to protect her and keep her safe. By 32 weeks it was clear I was rapidly deteriorating, and we had exhausted all treatment possibilities deemed “safe” while pregnant. I desperately needed more aggressive treatment, and that couldn’t happen until she was out. With the newly manifested, aggressive, perianal disease, a vaginal birth was out of the question. I held on until 36 weeks and on New Year’s Eve of 2018 we welcomed our baby girl. We were so incredibly relieved she was ok, and the focus quickly shifted to how not ok mom was.”

NH: As a fellow IBD mom, we all know how challenging the postpartum time is, along with chronic illness. How did you navigate that?

JM: “The first five months of her life were spent in and out of the hospital non-stop. At one point we were traveling down to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville for weeks at a time (without her) for testing and treatment. Leaving her the first few months was by far the hardest, most gut-wrenching thing I’ve ever experienced. I would sit in the hotel bathtub staring at the IV in my arm sobbing. The physical and emotional pain was unbearable. I remember agonizing over the decision to start the new meds, or continue breastfeeding her, and the doctor saying to me “you NEED these meds, Jessie. You HAVE to get better. She needs you to get better more than she needs you to breastfeed her right now …” cue the waterfall of tears again.”

NH: You started to turn the corner when your daughter was six months old. Tell us about that.

JM: “The pain had begun to subside enough for me to take care of her without help, I could finally leave the house and I was starting to feel a little more like myself again. I was, and still am a year later, in an active flare, but we’re making progress. After talking to many medical professionals, we decided it was not safe for me to carry another child. We still don’t know if it was the IVF drugs/hormones that caused the flare going into pregnancy, or if hormones in general and my Crohn’s disease just don’t mix, but we’re not willing to put myself, or another baby at risk like that again.”

NH: I can only imagine what a difficult and complicated decision this has been for you and your husband.

JM: “This was not a decision that was made easily or lightly. As we go through the motions of finding a surrogate to carry baby number two, my days are filled with a roller coaster of emotions. We know we want another child, but at what price? I can’t take care of my family if I am unwell. If carrying another child myself leads me to be unwell again … is it worth it? Or, do I trust someone else, a safer vessel, to carry a precious sibling for our daughter. We’ve chosen to pursue a safer vessel. I am so unbelievably grateful that surrogacy is an option for us and will allow us to continue growing our family while keeping me safe.”

This story is not meant to scare anyone with IBD who is looking to start a family. Make sure you are in complete, clinical remission before you conceive, and know it is completely possible to have a happy, healthy pregnancy with IBD.

Motherhood and IBD: The parallels and what I’ve learned

January 13, 2020January 13, 2020Leave a comment

Let me tell you how small a bathroom feels when you’re on the toilet, your crawling baby is at your feet going after the garbage can and your toddler is pulling at the toilet paper. This has been the scene of my life, multiple times a day, over the past year. Sophia turns one tomorrow (Jan 14!). I feel like we blinked and her first year passed by. That being said, having a baby and a two-year-old, while being a stay-at-home mom and freelancer, who happens to have Crohn’s disease, has its challenges.

Each day, while often exhausting, has been an incredible blessing. I remember being pregnant and wondering how motherhood in general, along with IBD would be. I remember when Reid was born in 2017 and learning to adjust to parenthood and having a family. I remember being pregnant with Sophia, wondering how I would have any capacity energy-wise to take on being home with two little ones, but I did it. Somehow you find a way to get by, to exist, to adjust to your new normal.

Much like navigating chronic illness, with motherhood, you have moments where you feel you’ve found your groove, and then suddenly something happens to prove otherwise. But, that’s the beauty of it. The hard times are temporary and then the beautiful, fill- your-heart with overwhelming joy and happy tears in your eyes moments happen when you least expect it.

Parenthood isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Some moments really suck. Some moments are incredibly frustrating and overwhelming. Some moments you wonder how you’re going to get through. I think there’s this expectation and this fake persona (thanks to social media) that makes us all think we need to do more, be more, and love every moment of parenting, when we all know that’s not the case. Raising little people isn’t for the faint of the heart, but it’s one of the greatest gifts we can be given.

Through motherhood I’ve learned the importance of health—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Through motherhood I’ve learned how imperative it is to rely on your support system. There’s no sense in trying to do this alone.

Through motherhood I’ve learned to soak everything in, because you blink, and another year or milestone goes by.

Through motherhood I’ve learned the importance of listening to my body, resting when necessary, and saying “no” to plans that don’t fill my cup.

The thing is—when you live with a chronic disease like Crohn’s, you learn all these “lessons” long before you become a parent. But, the actual meaning shifts, when you have more to think about than just yourself.

One year ago, today, I went to bed a mom of one and the very next day I woke up, had a c-section and my heart doubled in size and we became a family of four. The addition of Sophia to our family has been an incredible blessing. I don’t know how I ever lived without her. It’s amazing how families adjust to their new dynamic and change in such beautiful ways as they continue to grow.

Photo credit: Alexandria Mooney Photography

Whether you want to be a mom someday, are currently trying to have a baby, are pregnant, or a mom of one or several kids, let’s all practice a little more grace and less judgement. The only shoes we’ve all walked in are our own. No matter how people choose to present themselves, everyone has bad days, everybody has their own set of struggles and worries, and chances are, we can all relate.

Pregnant? Interested in Furthering IBD Research? Check out the Melody Trial

November 20, 2019November 20, 2019Leave a comment

One of my biggest fears as a mom with Crohn’s disease is that one day my children will inherit the disease. It’s a worry that crosses my mind more than I would like to admit. Whether my son tells me his tummy randomly hurts or if my daughter seems to have several number two diapers one day, my mind instantly goes to that thought. I know I’m not alone in feeling this way. When it comes to research about pregnancy and IBD, the information is starting to come to fruition, but is lacking. There is still so much gray area.

UMass Medical School and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai are on a mission to improve the health potential of babies born to IBD moms. Their research team is launching a clinical trial for 200 women in the United States right now that involves diet intervention in the third trimester of pregnancy. The trial is called the MELODY Trial (Modulating Early Life Microbiome through Dietary Intervention in Crohn’s disease).

Barbara Olendzki, RD, MPH, LDN is an Associate Professor of Medicine and the Nutrition Program Director of the Center for Applied Nutrition at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She is involved in research and clinical care, and she created the IBD Anti-Inflammatory Diet which is being investigated through the MELODY Trial. Barbara explains how through the MELODY Trial, the team is aiming to intervene in the transmission of a pro-inflammatory microbiome from women with Crohn’s to their babies.

“Accumulating evidence suggests that maternal health and diet during pregnancy and early life have an impact on the baby’s microbiome composition and immune system development, with long-term health consequences, including establishing predisposition to Crohn’s disease and other immune-mediated diseases. By modulating the maternal microbiome during pregnancy through diet, our team of researchers hope to promote healthier immune system development in infants born to mothers with Crohn’s disease.”

Why the microbiome plays a key role

The microbiome refers to the communities of microorganisms, including viruses, fungi, and bacteria, living on and in the human body. Recently, altered microbiome in early life has been linked to the risk of developing asthma, eczema, allergy, autism, type 1 diabetes and other myriad of immune-mediated diseases. Barbara says the team’s preliminary data demonstrates that babies born to mothers with IBD have a higher abundance of pro-inflammatory bacteria and depletion of beneficial bacteria for up to at least 3 months of age, compared to controls.

“Babies born to mothers with Crohn’s Disease are at a substantially increased risk of developing the disease. Specifically, compared with individuals with no family history, the risk of Crohn’s in first degree relatives of a patient with Crohn’s disease is ~8-fold higher.”

Babies born to mothers with IBD have less diversity of beneficial microbiome than healthy controls, and higher levels of calprotectin, an inflammatory marker common in Crohn’s disease.

How the MELODY Trial will work

The MELODY Trial will test whether a noninvasive diet intervention implemented during the third trimester of pregnancy can beneficially shift the microbiome in patients with Crohn’ s disease and in their babies. This study’s goal is to determine if manipulation of the mother’s microbiome, through diet, would benefit their baby. The diet aims to promote a healthier immune system during a critical time of immune system development.

The study targets the third trimester specifically, as this is when certain changes occur with mom and baby to get the baby ready for birth. The baby is thought to share more of the mom’s microbiome at this time, making the final 12 weeks of pregnancy the most opportune time to beneficially influence the baby’s early formation of their microbiome.

“Diet is a wonderful way to change the microbiome! Specifically, the IBD-AID (IBD-anti-inflammatory diet) incorporates the avoidance of certain carbohydrates and emphasizes the importance of modifying fatty acids. The IBD-AID also supports inclusion of fruit and vegetables (to achieve optimal nutrient intake, targeting phytosterols, antioxidants, and other plant-based anti-inflammatory components). The diet is presented in three phases, according to each patient’s tolerance, digestive and absorptive capacity,” said Barbara.

In addition, the IBD-AID includes foods with pre- and probiotic properties. Prebiotics are foods (typically nondigestible fiber) that favor the growth of beneficial bacteria colonizing the colon. Probiotics include a variety of fermented foods containing live active bacteria. Each woman who chooses to change their diet receives counseling from nutritionists in the study.

How to enroll and participate in the MELODY Trial

The research team is looking for both healthy controls and women with Crohn’s disease. The MELODY Trial is a national study; anyone living in the continental United States can participate. Whether you’re on medication, in remission, or experiencing active disease—this study is open to everyone.

The study will include 200 women over the next two years. If you are not yet pregnant but are planning a pregnancy, you can also get in touch with the study team now, and then start participating once you are pregnant.

Women who are interested in participating should contact the study team at themelodytrial@gmail.com or by calling 347-620-0210. You can also register to be contacted by our team by filling out this form: https://www.umassmed.edu/nutrition/melody-trial-info/

Participants will be compensated $200, which is paid in installments throughout the study period. Participation begins in the third trimester of pregnancy and involves stool, saliva, vaginal swab, cord blood, and breast milk sample collections as well as health history questionnaires and diet assessments. There is no cost or travel required.

“We will send participants thorough instructions about how to collect and ship each sample. We also provide all the tools needed to collect and ship samples. All stool, saliva, breast milk, and infant diaper samples will be collected at home by participants. Vaginal swab and umbilical cord blood samples will be collected by doctors, midwives, or other trained health care professionals. We will coordinate directly with your provider, or we will give you the tools and instructions needed to coordinate with them directly.”

From one IBD mama to another: My call of action to you

As a mom with Crohn’s who has been pregnant three times and who has two kids ages 2.5 and 10 months, I can’t reiterate enough the importance of participating in research like this.

Photo credit: Jennifer Korman Photography

Not only are you benefiting your baby, but you’re contributing to research that helps paint a clearer picture of what we can do to lower the incidence of IBD in future generations. Results from the study are expected to be complete and ready for sharing in three years. Let’s join together and help push this research along so future women and families have greater peace of mind and understanding as they bring life into this world.

Flaring during pregnancy and after: Addy’s story and advice for IBD moms

October 28, 2019October 28, 2019Leave a comment

Flare ups during pregnancy and after, starting a biologic while breastfeeding, and wondering whether one baby is enough—all experiences and concerns that have weighed heavily on 30-year-old Addy Irvine of Minneapolis. Addy was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in May 2015. Addy’s son, William, is now 13 months old. This week—she shares a guest post about her journey to bring him into this world and the challenges and victories she’s experienced as a new mom with IBD. I’ll let her take it away.

Children were always a part of my plan. My husband and I knew we wanted to have children and were ready to start trying after I completed my Master’s degree. While my colitis had not been officially determined to be in remission, I was on Asacol and had not experienced symptoms for some time when my IUD was removed. After 8 months of “letting the universe decide” when to have a baby, we found out I was pregnant! Yay!

My first trimester was filled with the usual discomforts. Second trimester, you know, the one where you’re supposed to enjoy pregnancy and start feeling better? Not for me. I went through the worst flare of my life. It was easily the most miserable I’ve ever been, both physically and mentally. I had to stay home from work multiple days a week and was unable to help at home. I don’t know how I could have made it through without my husband’s support.

My doctors put me on oral Uceris, and when that wasn’t enough, they also put me on the rectal foam. The Uceris made things bearable, but I knew I wasn’t doing well.

I wasn’t gaining any weight despite my ever-growing belly. My friends and colleagues started noticing that I was losing weight. At first, it was in the chipper way people comment on weight loss. After a while people started to ask about it in a concerned voice.

I’d tell myself, “At least my baby is doing okay!”

By 3^rd trimester, I could function normally most of the time. At my 36-week growth ultrasound, it was determined that my son had intrauterine growth restriction, and they talked to me about the possibility of induction between 37 and 39 weeks of gestation. After my second-high blood pressure reading that week, a nurse advised me to come into labor and delivery. When I arrived, I was diagnosed with gestational hypertension and started the induction process the next morning at 37 weeks.

Five days of induction later (really), my beautiful baby boy, William, arrived at 5 pounds 1.5 ounces. He was small, but healthy! After he was born, my UC got so much better until he was 2 months old when I had another flare. Suddenly I needed to care for my newborn in addition to taking care of myself. It seemed an insurmountable task. With frequent bathroom trips and intense fatigue, the newborn phase was made even tougher.

Holding on to the hope of breastfeeding

Breastfeeding was something I was really hoping for as part of my journey into motherhood. When William was born, I was thrilled, and so fortunate, to have a successful early breastfeeding relationship with him. When I started flaring again, breastfeeding became a significant challenge. I’d be with William during a late-night feeding, get a few minutes in, then have to wake my husband to keep William safe while I quickly ran to the bathroom. Obviously, this made William more than a little upset to start eating only to be pulled away. I also became increasingly worried that he wasn’t getting the nutrition he needed from me because I wasn’t absorbing nutrients the way I needed to. I upped my supplements and kept close tabs on his weight but continued breastfeeding. At this point, I knew I needed to do something different with my medications. What I was doing clearly wasn’t working.

I started to research biologics and met with my doctor to discuss my options. He recommended Entyvio, and my insurance approved it. I worried William would be harmed by breastfeeding while I was on a biologic. Would he be more susceptible to illness because of it? Would my supply be affected? My doctors reassured me that it was safe to be on Entyvio and continue breastfeeding, but I knew the research is limited. After seeking information and support from other moms who have breastfed on biologics, I decided to take the risk, start the biologic, and continue breastfeeding.

“Healthy mom, healthy baby” is the way I decided to frame it.

From flaring to remission

After 3 infusions, I started to feel significantly better, and I am now in clinical remission for the first time since being diagnosed. I finished my breastfeeding journey about a month ago. My supply wasn’t affected by starting the biologic, and my son has had absolutely no ill effects. He gets sick less than I do! Most importantly, I can engage with and care for him so much better than I could while I was ill.

This journey has made me think twice about having more children. Pregnancy and childbirth were really, hard on my body because of my UC and other complications I experienced after delivery and I’m not sure I want to risk my health again. Sometimes I wish that I were like “normal” people who approach pregnancy without having to think about all of this. I remind myself that this is MY normal, and that’s okay. And it’s okay to have one child if we decide to do that. I keep repeating this: healthy mom, healthy child(ren).

Reflecting on my journey, here are some lessons learned that I hope you take away:

Work closely with your GI doc and your Maternal Fetal Medicine team to make a plan BEFORE trying to have a baby (or even “letting the universe decide!)
Prioritize your own health, even when pregnant. Remember: healthy mom, healthy baby. This includes taking care of your mental health.
Connect to other moms who have CD or UC to learn from them
Flaring during pregnancy and postpartum is physically and mentally exhausting – lean on your support system heavily if you find yourself in that place
If breastfeeding is important to you, talk to your doctor about whether it’s safe to continue to do so while on a biologic – utilize the IBD Parenthood Project as a helpful resource.

“My mom has Crohn’s and I do, too”: Why Sam doesn’t allow IBD to take over her life

August 26, 2019August 26, 2019Leave a comment

Motherhood provides perspective. Motherhood shapes us in a way we didn’t know possible. When you’re a mom with IBD, your past and current struggles make you look onward to the future in a different way. Meet Sam Zachrich. She’s a 30-year-old mom and wife from Utah, who works full-time outside the home. She’s battled Crohn’s disease since December 2011.

Even though she was officially diagnosed a week before her wedding (imagine that!), Crohn’s is something that was a part of her life long before that. Her mom, also has the disease. This week–Sam shares her experience taking on motherhood and marriage, while juggling everything that comes along with a life of chronic illness.

Like someone with a bad knee before a rainstorm. I knew I was not feeling well and the results of my colonoscopy would reflect that. More medication and more doctors is all I heard from my GI. My husband Nate will tell you a different story. He is always my biggest supporter and remembers way more than I do after waking up from a scope. He heard “Sam things look better… your colon is healing… but there are some issues.” All I heard was “issues”. As a Crohnie, it’s easy to focus on the negative of our disease. It’s easy to forget to celebrate how far we’ve come and the milestones we’ve accomplished throughout our journey.

Growing up with a parent who has IBD

I knew my mom had Crohn’s from an early age, but I didn’t fully understand how much pain and hardship it caused her, until I was in college. I had a wonderful childhood, filled with amazing memories. I don’t remember my mom being sick very often. There were hospital visits here and there, I just always had faith that she would get better.

My mom did an amazing job making sure our lives did not revolve around her disease. She did her best to stay healthy and support us. I want my daughter to have the same experience as I had growing up. I don’t want her to ever feel the burden of my disease. I want her to know that no matter how difficult life gets, there is always hope. My mom is the one person I can call who fully understands my struggles. To have another family member that has and is dealing with the same chronic health issues is a huge support. I am very grateful for her.

A mother’s love

My mom was with me for every scope and doctors appointment leading up to my diagnosis of Crohn’s. She was a shoulder to cry on and a listening ear because she completely understood. Feeling guilty is not something we do easily in our family. We try to stay the course and figure out next steps. I think to some degree she had guilt, but she wanted me to stay strong and knew I would be alright. She has always told me to focus on what I can change in the moment.

To this day, she reminds me: Crohn’s will always be apart of your life, it’s what you do with it that matters.

I try not to focus on passing this disease to a third generation. I know that one day I might be in the doctor’s office with my daughter listening to the same talk I received December 2011. Hopefully we will never have to go there, but if we do, I know that the support and perspective that I’ll be able to provide my daughter can make or break a diagnosis.

In sickness and in health, literally

My husband, Nate, was there from the start of my Crohn’s journey. I remember explaining to him at one point that this disease would be something I will deal with my whole life and it was okay for him to leave me. It’s really hard to put my relationship with my husband into words. When it comes to Crohn’s, the thought of all he does to support me, makes me tear up. He knew that after our wedding day he would take my mom’s place at all my appointments and be my sole caregiver. Nate never shied away from the challenge and it makes me love him more and more everyday. He is my number one and having support from him means the world to me.

Despite receiving the IBD diagnosis a week before getting married, our wedding day was amazing! I look back and don’t remember being sick (thanks to the steroids!). Throughout our lives there will be days we get to be “normal” and we try to embrace those times as a couple and as a family. Don’t allow for this disease to control all aspects of your life. Have that amazing wedding and find a spouse who loves you regardless of your illness. You deserve that and so much more!

Finding peace through support and letting go

Fast forward to this month. Following my scope, I had surgery to remove an abscess. My husband and I had planned a date night for that evening and already had a sitter. We traded our dinner and play tickets in for a night out at the hospital. This was my second surgery to remove an abscess. It doesn’t get any easier, but I have a different mindset now that I am a mom.

It’s always hard to leave our daughter Kamryn. We are very blessed to have an amazing support system that we can rely on. It’s so helpful to know that when you are going through a medical procedure, the person taking care of your child loves them as much as you do. We do not have any biological family in Utah. However, we have an amazing church family that really loves and takes care of us just as well.

My advice to fellow IBD parents is to find peace in knowing that your child will understand one day how much sacrifice you have made to fight this disease. There will come a day when they will ask you questions and you can share your experiences with them.

I am healing well and my doctors are monitoring things to make sure my Crohn’s stays under control. I have had routine blood work since the surgery and it looks like I will be going in for an MRI this week to check on my liver. While these unexpected twists and turns in my patient journey don’t get easier, I’ve learned not to focus on what I can’t control.

The bright spot of my journey

I was blessed to be able to have a baby girl in January. After so many years of hating my body and being sick, my body finally showed me what it’s capable of. I know that my journey with Crohn’s has made me the best mom possible for my sweet Kamryn. Even though my body may be riddled with illness, it was still able to create a perfect miracle.

I have learned to deal with life in a completely unorthodox way, because of my disease. I am a better mom, wife, daughter, sister, coworker, employee, and friend. Don’t get me wrong, there are days I wonder ‘God, why me, why this disease?’ But I know deep down I am stronger for it and He will see me through the tough times and setbacks. As someone who grew up with an IBD mom, it’s my hope Kamryn will someday look at me the same way I look at my mom.

Why I refuse to mourn who I was prior to Crohn’s: A birthday reflection

August 19, 2019August 19, 20195 Comments

This week, I turn 36-years-old. Birthdays are a time of reflection, celebration, and excitement. Last month marked 14 years since I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. A chronic illness that has shaped my adult years and my identity.

I recently saw a post on Instagram about imagining life prior to illness. Prior to the challenges and the hurt that coincide with having a disease that you expect to have until your dying day. It’s heavy and can be overwhelming. There’s no cure for IBD and once you are told you have it, your world and your life is forever altered.

When I see childhood photos of myself and think back on my wonderful memories with family and friends through my college years, that girl often feels foreign to me. There are a few things I wish I could whisper in her ear:

“Stop taking your health for granted.”

“Soak in this feeling of invincibility.”

“Make the most of every single day.”

“Enjoy how carefree it feels to never have to worry about what the next day will bring.”

“Soak in the comfort of never needing medication or going through painful pokes and prods.”

“Have more empathy for those around you who aren’t as lucky.”

…the list goes on. Hindsight is 20/20. I can’t fault myself for floating through life the first 21 years. I’m glad I had no idea of what was to come. At the same time, I wouldn’t trade what the last 14 years have given me:

They’ve brought me debilitating pain that built my strength.

They’ve brought me sorrow that’s made the sunshine feel extra bright on my shoulders.

They’ve brought me fear that’s been replaced with resolve.

They’ve brought me lonely moments that are now filled with the laughter of my little ones.

They’ve brought me years of feeling unlovable, but then finding magic with a man who never once shied away from my illness.

They’ve brought me extreme vulnerability that’s now coupled with gratitude.

They’ve brought me scars internally and externally that I now see as battle wounds.

They’ve brought me years of embarrassment, that’s transformed to a scarlet letter that I wear with pride.

They’ve brought me feelings of worry that have been washed away by clarity and perspective.

On this birthday and moving forward, rather than mourn the loss of who I was up until age 21, I choose to celebrate who I’ve become the last 14 years. While this illness has tried time and time again to rob me of my joy, it’s provided me with evidence of my resilience. Since my diagnosis, I’ve worked full-time as a TV news anchor, reporter, and producer, I’ve gotten married, I’ve had two children in 21 months, and I’ve become a steadfast patient advocate. Crohn’s has shown me that just because I get knocked down with a flare, doesn’t mean I can’t bounce back and be better. With Crohn’s, life often feels like you’re in the passenger seat and your fate is out of your hands. Rather than sit back passively, I choose to grab the wheel. Cheers to 36!

Breastfeeding with Crohn’s: What I wish I would have known

August 12, 2019August 12, 2019Leave a comment

Breastfeeding. Before I became a mom, I had no idea what a loaded word it was. So many emotions, so much controversy, so much judgement. As an IBD mom of two little ones, my journeys with my kids differed greatly. Ironically, World Breastfeeding Week wrapped up (August 1-7) and so did my breastfeeding journey with my daughter. Whether you’re a chronic illness mom or not, one of the first questions you often get asked is “are you breastfeeding?” It’s such a personal choice and decision, that really isn’t anybody’s business. Yet, men and women alike act as though it’s just casual conversation.

For many of us in the IBD community, breastfeeding is complicated. We have a lot more to consider than our milk supply coming in and a proper latch. We have to weigh the pros and cons of how our biologic drug passes through the milk, whether or not to pop a pain pill or struggle through the day so we’re able to feed our babies, along with the stress and exhaustion that comes along with the postpartum period, while navigating motherhood with chronic illness. We have to worry about what’s going to happen if we’re hospitalized and unable to feed our baby, our minds race with the what-ifs, even when we’re in “remission”.

My son, Reid, will be 2.5 in September. Before I ever became pregnant with him and up until the moment he was born, I was adamant on feeding him formula. I personally felt there were too many gray areas with the medication I am on and didn’t want to find out down the road that I put him at risk for dangerous long-term side effects. I ended up nursing the first three days in the hospital so that he could get the colostrum. Even though I was confident in my decision at that time, I sobbed when he got his first formula bottle in the hospital, because once again my Crohn’s prevented me from feeling like a “normal” person. Each time someone questioned my decision to formula feed or assumed I was breastfeeding, it pulled at my heartstrings and made me feel a bit embarrassed and less than.

My daughter, Sophia, will be seven months this week. During her pregnancy, it was like a light switch went off. I did my research and I was determined to give breastfeeding a go. I learned about how breast milk would benefit her microbiome, lower her chance of one day developing IBD, improve her immune system, and that Humira was considered safe for nursing, among other remarkable benefits. Many friends and family members offered invaluable advice and support to prepare me for what was to come once she entered the world. No matter how much I thought I was ready, it was still overwhelming and emotional.

Looking back—here’s what I wish I knew as a breastfeeding mama who has Crohn’s.

Just because it’s natural, doesn’t mean it’s easy

To go from making a formula bottle with my son to pumping and syringe feeding a newborn was a bit of a shock to our family. As you can imagine—it was all new and foreign to us. The first night home was an absolute nightmare. Sophia was cluster feeding the entire night. Didn’t sleep a wink. Her latch was off. I was bleeding. She’d only nurse on the right side. Tears were falling and I didn’t know how I was ever going to breastfeed. I felt like I was letting myself and my daughter down. The IBD piece of it all made me feel the pressure to push through. I wanted to do all I could to protect her and felt guilt for not doing the same for my son. I remember lying in bed with her on my chest that first night, my husband sleeping, and texting a bunch of fellow breastfeeding moms for advice in the middle of the night. They all responded in minutes and comforted me. Initially, I had been told not to use my breast pump the first few weeks. I ended up using my pump the first week and it was the best decision I made. If I hadn’t done that, chances are I would have never made it through that initial week without changing my mind and formula feeding. If nursing is painful or difficult, don’t hesitate to break out the pump and relieve your engorged chest. Whether a baby is nursing or receiving breast milk in a bottle, it’s all the same at the end of the day.

Introduce the bottle early on

When you live with IBD, you rely heavily on others being able to help you when you’re stuck in the bathroom or fatigued beyond belief. Some days other people are going to need to feed your baby, whether it’s a spouse or your mom. If you wait too long to introduce a bottle, you increase the likelihood of your baby refusing a bottle, which puts added pressure on you. We gave Sophia a bottle the first week home, since I needed to pump. For the past seven months she’s gone back and forth from breast to bottle beautifully. It eased up the pressure on me and helped make it easier on both of us! We still got to bond and be close, but others are able to feed her as well.

Before you take a pain pill, talk with your GI

Like many IBD moms, the fear of a postpartum flare and flaring in general weighs heavily on my heart and on my mind. I noticed symptoms start to creep up when Sophia was about two months old. I took a pain pill and reached out to my GI, only to find out I couldn’t breastfeed for the next 14 hours. At another point, I had to be put on Entocort for a week to help combat a small flare. Rather than try and be a superhero, I reached out to my GI immediately. While on the Entocort I had to pump and dump in the morning. It pained me to pour the “liquid gold” down the drain, but it’s what I needed to do to prevent a hospital visit. My kids needed mama present more than my baby needed a bottle of breast milk.

Supplementing is not failing

Whether you’re pregnant now, aspire to one day breastfeed, or if you’re in the thick of your journey, don’t make yourself feel like it’s all or nothing. For the first three months, Sophia was exclusively breastfed. Once I started introducing formula here and there, it took some of the stress off my shoulders. Was my diet providing her with the proper nutrients? Was she getting enough milk? I have my hands full with a toddler, so sitting next to a breast pump by myself with him running around isn’t all that conducive to my lifestyle. By making Sophia a flexible eater, it made breastfeeding seem like less of a struggle for me and a lot more doable for our family life.

Put your mental and emotional health first

As a mom, it’s easy to beat ourselves up about how we choose to feed our babies. There is SO much background noise. Everyone has an opinion. As a mom who has formula fed and breastfed, I’ve had the opportunity to witness both sides. I’ve witnessed a shift within myself. Saying I breastfed felt and still feels like a bit of a badge of honor. Now that I’ve done it, I’m proud, because it was such a labor of love for me. Breastfeeding was blood, sweat and tears and so much effort. While traveling to San Diego I had no choice but to pump in a public bathroom at the airport, right at the sink, while a line of women stood staring at me. I had no choice. I think back to how drained and emotional I was on Sophia’s first night home and can’t believe we made it this far on our journey.

When we took our kids to the zoo last week and I mixed a formula bottle in the food court, I felt a sense of worry—that other parents would look at me and judge my decision to feed my baby this way. Even though in my heart, I know fed is best. There are so many mind games associated with it all!

In the end, if you’re struggling mentally and emotionally, it’s going to take away from the type of mom you are. Don’t allow yourself to get so caught up in the pressure that it’s detrimental to you or your family life.

Lean on fellow IBD moms

While I was pregnant and breastfeeding I found it incredibly helpful to touch base with fellow moms, specifically IBD moms who related to my journey. Do your “homework” and don’t be shy about sending private message or sending an email to ask questions to fellow parents who are patients that you see online. We are all a resource for one another.

In my case, breastfeeding ended up being something I’m so grateful I was able to do for nearly seven months. Unfortunately, once my period started after Sophia was six months, my supply plummeted greatly. I went from making 30-35 ounces a day, to five. Prior to that happening, we had gotten into such a comfortable, easy groove, I was planning on breastfeeding her until her first birthday. My body had different plans, and I’m fine with that. Flexible feeding brought me to this mindset. Pregnancy gave me a renewed love for my body, despite my illness, and now I can say breastfeeding did the very same.

BONUS TIP! Be proactive and set yourself up for success prior to your baby’s arrival. Order your breast pump ahead of time. Have nursing tanks and bras, hands-free bras for pumping and to sleep in, pads for your bra, nipple cream, a Haakaa for catching let down milk, and storage bags. If you’re dealing with extreme nipple pain or discomfort, alert your OB and see about getting a prescription for All-Purpose Nipple Ointment (APNO). This is mixed by a pharmacist and contains an antibiotic, an anti-inflammatory, and an anti-fungal. I used this and it worked wonders!

The steps one IBD mom and teacher takes to stay healthy, while being immune suppressed

July 29, 2019Leave a comment

Biologic drugs have the ability to give many of us in the IBD community a chance to live a much fuller, and well-rounded life. But there are trade-offs, especially when it comes to our immunity and the ability to fight off infections. As a mom of a 2-year-old and 6-month-old whose been on Humira for more than 11 years, I’m extremely cognizant of protecting my kids from sickness to not only protect them, but myself. I often feel as though people may think I’m over the top with worrying about illness in my household, but quite honestly, unless you or someone you love is immune compromised, it can be a difficult concept to grasp.

This week–a special feature from a Maryland elementary school teacher with indeterminate colitis. Meet Lisa Lacritz. She’s a 38-year-old wife and mom who juggles two autoimmune diseases. She also has Hashimoto’s disease. Since she started on Remicade in 2018 following her IBD diagnosis, she’s experienced the difficulty of warding off illness while being an elementary school teacher and a mom to a young child.

“Shoes off, hands washed!” My son knows the routine by heart. Every time we come into the house, shoes come off and hands get washed. I like to think that all of my years spent worrying about germs when I didn’t need to be, were fantastic training for when I actually needed to be concerned.

When I was diagnosed with IBD, I was hesitant to get on a biologic because of my fear of being immunosuppressed. I’m an elementary school teacher and when I started on Remicade infusions, my son was only six. I basically spend my day in a Petri dish. Dealing with the symptoms of IBD was more than enough–how on Earth would I be able to handle that plus avoid picking up viruses at school and in public?

Taking steps to be proactive

After I got sick on the second day of school last fall, I decided that washing my hands frequently wasn’t going to cut it. I have always been a frequent hand washer, especially at school, but I needed more protection. At first, I was nervous about how others would perceive me. There were a lot of confused looks by coworkers and students when I would politely decline to use someone else’s pen. I started carrying a pen with me everywhere to ensure I wouldn’t have to use a communal pen. Now people know that I always have “my” pen with me and that I don’t share it with others.

Another thing I’m very careful about is touching door handles and knobs, especially the door to the main office. The main office is where you can find the school’s health room, where every sick kid passes through. I either wait for someone else to come and open the door, or I use a barrier such as a paper towel to open it and then wash my hands right away.

I never touch my face and I keep my phone in a plastic bag (quart size bags work great!) so that I keep school germs at school. Kids are definitely puzzled by that last one, but I explain that I need to keep germs away as much as possible, and if I need to touch my phone then my phone gets the germs on it so I protect it with a plastic bag.

Worrying less what others thought and making my needs a priority

I really needed to stop caring about what others think and prioritize my health. One of the most surprising things to me was that people really don’t understand what immunosuppression means. Some people think I’m just a paranoid germaphobe even after I’ve explained that I’m immunosuppressed. They don’t understand that a simple cold for them, can mean days of sick leave for me due to a secondary infection. Or a fun day swimming in the bay can mean a bacterial infection for me that lasts for weeks and causes symptoms similar to a bad flare.

Yes, it is mentally exhausting to worry about immunosuppression on top of all the other things chronic illness brings. Plus being a teacher. Plus being a mom.

As much as I hate getting sick, the worst part for me is missing out on doing fun things with my son. Somehow my body knows when we have something fun planned and chooses those times to conk out on me. When I’m lying on the couch at home feeling sorry for myself while my husband and son are at a friend’s New Year’s Eve party or Memorial Day BBQ (both events I missed this year), I try to remind myself that Remicade is what allows me to lead a relatively normal life and be able to do things like go sledding with my son on a snow day and take him Trick or Treating. I couldn’t do those things when I was in a bad flare before treatment and definitely can appreciate them more now. I just make sure shoes come off and hands are washed right when we get home.

Another one bites the dust: My latest colonoscopy tips

July 15, 2019July 12, 20195 Comments

Save the date, it’s time for your annual colonoscopy! Ugh. From the moment I schedule my scope I make a mental note and the dread and anguish looms over as the day of the procedure grows near. It’s so much more than a procedure to me though. The entire process—from getting the prep, to taking the prep, to getting prepped at the hospital is a painful reminder of my reality. I have Crohn’s disease. A day, not even an hour, usually passes where I don’t think about my chronic illness—but this is a stark reminder that I’m different. Different from other people my age. Different from all the “healthies” in the world.

For me, downing the magnesium citrate is physically painful. The moment I smell it. The moment the disgusting liquid touches my lip, the hair on my arms stands up and I instantly start to dry heave. Then, I remember I have 20 ounces to get down, plus 64 ounces of Miralax mixed with Gatorade…all within a few hours. It’s overwhelming and daunting.

If you’ve had a colonoscopy, you get it. The prep is the worst, the procedure is easy. When you live with IBD, the worry about what can be discovered weighs heavily on you. This time around—along with the prep, I had some additional “obstacles”. This time—I was home with my rambunctious (but oh so sweet) 2-year-old and my 6-month-old, while going more than 72 hours on clear liquids. Along with being an IBD mom, I’m breastfeeding. That in and of itself is exhausting and zaps your energy. Nothing like burning 500 calories while you’re not eating!

As patients, each experience throughout our journey impacts us in a unique way and toughens our skin a bit. Each test, each poke and prod, each surgery, desensitizes us. Every person is different, no journey is the same.

But, I want to share a few helpful “work arounds” I used this time.

GUMMY BEARS!! Boys and girls, this is a game changer. Gummy bears are considered a clear liquid because they liquify upon digestion, much like Jello. In the days leading up, you can eat all the colors, but 24 hours before your scope stay away from any red, orange or purple as those colors are not allowed during prep. I used gummy bears to chase the magnesium citrate, two bears for every sip! It was also a nice treat and it felt good to actually chew something after only having liquids for days.

72-hour liquid diet. This is aggressive, it’s not easy. But, it can be done. I impose this on myself and for years have seen what a difference it makes with my prep. Much less to pass, and if you aren’t able to drink all your prep—less chance of needing to redo the scope.

Daydream about that first meal, eyes on the prize. There’s nothing quite like that first morsel of food you get to eat after your colonoscopy. Use this as a reward and something to look forward to. Look up menus and decide where you want to treat yo’self. Along with that first meal, I try and plan something fun to do. This time around my husband and I went shopping after breakfast and then we went out to dinner and to a light show at the Botanical Gardens (where we got engaged!). Knowing I had that to look forward to, helped me a great deal!

Lean on your village. It’s nearly impossible to go through this process alone. My husband took my toddler out for dinner this week so I wouldn’t need to see them eating or smell food. (Greatly appreciated). My mom flew in from Chicago to take care of my kids the moment I started prep and so that my husband could take me to the procedure. I shared my experience on Instagram and connected with hundreds of people publicly and through private messages. People shared their “tricks”, offered words of encouragement and made me feel empowered. My compassionate little 2-year-old even held my glass of prep with me and didn’t want to leave my side when I went to the bathroom. (lucky him!)

Rather than lemon lime Gatorade, check out the Cherry Frost flavor! I learned this from a virtual friend. The mixture of the Miralax is SO much better this way. Much more palatable and I tolerated it much better. It allows you to enjoy a “red” flavor, without drinking something that is red in color.

If you’re breastfeeding, get ready to pump and dump and supplement if you don’t have a stash in the freezer. The day of the prep, I pumped and dumped and then 24 hours after the procedure you need to do the same, so the anesthesia is out of your system. In the days leading up, my GI recommended I drink whole milk or chocolate milk to get some protein for the baby. (I chose not to do this because my stomach can be sensitive to dairy.) I made sure Sophia got a couple bottles of formula each day, since my breastmilk was probably lacking it’s normal nutrients.

Wear a robe or a dress on prep day. It’s much easier to make a mad dash and not have to pull your pants or shorts on and off every time. I wore a casual summer dress that didn’t press on my stomach or slow me down in the bathroom.

The play-by-play of how this colonoscopy experience measured up to others

Overall, I handled the prep much better than normal. I was able to get about 90% of it down without a problem. I slept four hours and was on the toilet from 2:15-3:30 a.m. At 3:30 a.m. I tried to take the remaining 10 ounces of magnesium citrate. This is where things started going downhill.

Up until this point, I hadn’t shed a tear or vomited. This was a first for me! As soon as I held my nose and started pacing in the darkness of my kitchen as I tried to get it down, I puked in my kitchen sink and started crying. I felt miserable. Exhausted. Nauseous. Weak. I was ready to wave the white flag and just be done with it. When I puked again, I decided I couldn’t take anymore. I was nervous about being cleaned out, but physically and emotionally I had checked out.

As the nurses prepped me for the procedure, I told them about my bad veins and horrible IV experiences. (At one point, during a hospitalization for an abscess the size of a tennis ball, it took 4 people, EIGHT tries to get my IV)…ever since, I have slight PTSD about getting IVs. The nurse grabbed a vein finder and decided to go through my hand. She tried getting four tubes of blood drawn through my IV, but it was making me too weak, it burned, and the blood wasn’t flowing, so they waited to draw labs until after my colonoscopy.

It’s in these moments where I pause and reflect with positive internal self-talk. I think about family members and friends who inspire me. I pray to God for a smooth procedure and good results. I try and breathe and relax the best I can.

I was worried about whether I was cleaned out enough. My GI rated my prep a “9” on the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS). It’s the scale used to judge the quality of bowel cleanliness and replaces subjective terms such as “excellent”, “good” and “fair”. Three segments of the colon are looked at for this, with the highest rating being a 3. I was pretty pumped to get a 9 this time around, despite throwing up the last 10 ounces of mag citrate! Now, in the future, I’m not going to beat myself up the morning of if I can’t get it down.

Drum roll please…The Results!

Honestly, I could not ask for better results. My ileum and entire colon looked “normal”, no specimens were collected, and I am in mucosal remission. Hearing you’re in remission is amazing, and something I don’t take for granted. I take that word with a grain of salt though. To me, remission is fleeting. It can be robbed from you quickly. I was once told I was in remission after a colonoscopy and then less than a week later, I was hospitalized with a bowel obstruction.

Rather than rely so heavily on achieving remission, focus more on how you feel each day. Are you having more “feel good” days than symptomatic days? Are you able to function and complete tasks personally and professionally without your health getting in the way?

I am sensitive to the fact that many people in the IBD family won’t ever be told they are in remission. It took nine years for me to ever hear that word uttered out of a GI’s mouth. So, trust me, I get it. Don’t beat yourself up over this. Trust in how you feel. You know your body best.

Why you shouldn’t put ‘self-heal’ and Crohn’s in the same sentence

July 1, 2019July 1, 20194 Comments

This article was written earlier this month, while getting my hair done.

I hear her cry. I glance at the clock that reads 4:55 a.m. I clutch my abdomen. The pain I went to bed with hours earlier is amplified. It feels like a fiery pain inside my rib cage that travels all the way down my stomach. The gnawing makes me feel raw internally and externally. I put my glasses on and as I’m standing up and rocking my daughter in her nursery, I try to think of her warm little body as a heating pad.

I wrestle with my thoughts about how to handle my pain. Last time I took pain medication I couldn’t breastfeed my daughter for 20 hours. I decide to take one 600 mg ibuprofen left over from my C-section recovery, with the understanding that as someone with IBD I shouldn’t be taking that. But I’m desperate. Desperate to get a reprieve from the pain and the inner monologue racing in my head as I lay back down. While at the same time, trying to keep my painful moans quiet so I don’t wake my husband.

I wake up and the pain is still there, but I have no choice but to take on the day. Thanks to my mom being in town, I’m able to head to the hair salon for a much needed hair cut and color. The stylist asks me questions and my Crohn’s comes up fairly quickly in the conversation. Her response—“one of my best friends has Crohn’s and she’s completely self-healed herself by eating very strictly”. She goes on to say her godmother has Crohn’s, too—and constantly posts pics on social media eating and drinking, so it’s no wonder she struggles, acting almost disgusted by her godmother’s lifestyle and patient journey.

I bite my tongue. The pain from the night before and the worries weighing heavily on my mind and heart are still fresh. Self-healing and Crohn’s, if only it were that easy, that simplistic. But I don’t have the energy to get into that discussion. The fact that so many people without IBD are under the assumption that our pain and symptoms are self- imposed upsets me. We already beat ourselves up mentally as it is. My husband and I took our son for ice cream last night, so immediately I wonder if all of my pain is a result of the choice to have ice cream with my 2-year-old.

As a mom who’s battled Crohn’s for nearly 14 years, the background noise and ignorant comments about IBD tend to bounce off me. I have thick skin, now. But, it’s worrisome at the same time. What if the girl getting her hair done wasn’t me? What if she was newly diagnosed and struggling? What if she chose to go off all medications and “self-heal” because someone cutting her hair told her it was possible? This is what we’re up against as patients. Everyone tries to relate and thinks they are offering “words of wisdom” or assurance, when really they’re just contributing to the hurt and feelings of being less than.

Luckily, I’m not that girl. But—if you’re reading this, know that your patient journey is unique to you. What works for one person, will not necessarily work for you. Needing medication to manage symptoms and keep your disease from progressing is not a sign of laziness or weakness. You need to take the steps necessary to improve your quality of life and overall health. Living with IBD is not black and white. There is so much gray area. Trust in your physician. Trust in the support available both online and in your community from fellow patients. Be patient in discovering what works for you, be flexible, and do what you need to do to self-heal.

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Tag: IBD mom