As we bid farewell to 2018 there is much to reflect on. Each year brings new experiences, relationships and opportunities. Some years leave more of an imprint on our memory and on our heart, than others. When you think back on the past 365 days what were the highlights? What were the low points?
For me—the past nine months I’ve been incredibly grateful to have another healthy pregnancy, that silenced my Crohn’s symptoms. I’m also celebrating 3.5 years of no IBD-related hospitalizations or ER visits! The cherry on top was the release of Citrate-free (pain-free) Humira this year! After more than a decade of giving myself the painful injection, the new formula has greatly improved my patient experience.
Here are my 5 wishes for you in the days ahead:
- Strength through difficult days
There’s no telling when the next flare will strike. We all know it’s not a matter of if, but when. When the going gets tough, take it one hour, one moment at a time. Try not to overwhelm yourself with worry. Go to your happy place and think back to past flares and all the hurt and pain you’ve overcome. Use the moments of your journey from the past that have tested you the most, to serve as your greatest source of empowerment. As the years go by, and your diagnosis seems like a different lifetime, use that to your advantage.
- Management of your symptoms
Remission is something that is possible, but there’s no telling how long it will last or for some, if it will ever become a reality. By getting your symptoms under control and well managed, whether that’s through medication, diet or both—your quality of life improves vastly. 
Celebrate the feel-good days and soak up the moments where your IBD isn’t top of mind. You have an innate sense of when your body is giving you warning signs that rough waters are ahead. Be mindful of the inner conversation going on in your head and listen to your gut. Although it tends to be our nemesis, it has a way of alerting us when things are about to get out of our control.
- Perspective about your experience
Use your patient journey and that of others to give you perspective. Empathize with friends and family members going through health struggles, whatever they may be. Sure, many people have it better than us, but many have it a lot worse. It’s not a competition to see who is the sickest, but rather a way of shifting our mindset and understanding that many people have struggles and we are not alone in our experiences. Like the saying goes, until you “get” a chronic illness, you don’t really “get” it.
- Support from those around you
Having a network of close family and friends to lean on at a moments notice plays a major role in how we take on IBD. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Communicate the good and the bad, without fear of being judged or ridiculed. 
Trust that those close to you love you and appreciate you for everything that makes you, you—including your disease. Show appreciation for your caretakers—those who live with you and are in the trenches by your side, day in and day out. Find comfort in those who allow you to be vulnerable when you need to be. Stop putting effort into relationships and friendships that don’t add joy to your life—eliminate the negativity, cut the fat, there’s no need for people who bring you down or belittle what it’s like to live with Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis.
- A health care team who listens
Find IBD specialists and gastroenterologists who enable you to be your own best advocate, who listen when you’re worried and address your concerns without making you feel less than or like a number. By trusting in your doctors and the care they provide you, you’ll feel much less stress about the path you are on as a patient.
I hope you take this week to enjoy time with loved ones, relax and find time to care for yourself!
and industrial to have in your personal bathroom. But reviews far and wide have been overwhelmingly positive!
You’ve reminded me of what is possible and what I’m capable of. You’re already an inspiration to me and you don’t even know it.
You and your brother serve as my greatest motivation to push through the pain and be strong. You’ll see how your dad loves and nurtures unconditionally and rises to every challenge that comes my way.
She is a news reporter for a community television station in the Minneapolis/St.Paul area. Sonya is also a Crohn’s patient, diagnosed with the digestive disease in 1985 while she was in college. I’ll let her take it from here:
However, it took me a minute to adapt a positive inner attitude. You see, in public I put on a good, cheerful attitude. There were times when I wanted to crawl up into a big ball and shut out the world. The first few weeks of constantly wearing a backpack full of IV fluids were very hard. I did not like what I saw in the mirror. I was angry at my situation. It wasn’t until I visited a pediatric Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation support group that I changed my way of thinking. Seeing young people living with the digestive diseases, and going about their lives despite their circumstances, motivated me to do better.
Anthony has seen me fight for so long. It makes me feel like I’m not going through this alone,” said Alexandra.
Chronic illness, while physically, mentally and emotionally taxing, also has the ability to show us the beauty of the world around us and all that we’re capable of. Instead of thinking how my Crohn’s holds me back—I think about how I’ve lived despite its restraints.
My disease has helped me take on motherhood. It’s made me soak in the feel-good moments, take mental snapshots of the happy days and celebrate the beauty of life. My disease has forced me to press pause when I’m doing too much, it’s reminded me of the importance of self-care and taking time for me. It’s shown me which people are meant to be in my life and which are meant to be in the backstory.
Try having a flare during the worst natural disaster in the history of your country. It happened to me. I survived.
One morning I decided to stop in my GI’s office. He had lost the A/C unit and the office was flooded during the storm. He ordered some labs, an emergency colonoscopy and a few days of rest. I was anxious, exhausted, scared. After the colonoscopy, I was prescribed prednisone for a month and then started Humira.
I hope my experience sheds light on what it’s like for those in the chronic illness community as they endure the repercussions of natural disasters. It’s a critical conversation that needs to happen—preparedness for the IBD community in the face of weather disasters. How can employers, government and society step up to the plate?
Sickness and health truly take on a whole different meaning when you live with a chronic illness. Katy witnessed her husband Vince’s compassion and character while they were dating.
“Operation: Good Health.” She made it a priority to get a minimum of eight hours of sleep a night, as lack of rest tends to be a trigger for her. She was on a mission to hydrate, hydrate and hydrate some more. To set herself up for success and limit any surprise flares, she planned out her meals the entire wedding weekend. For example, she does well with bland foods, like noodles, rice, chicken and (big one) avoiding alcohol. And finally, she delegated responsibilities (aka stress) to friends and family. Katy admits she’s pretty Type A and would much rather do things herself than hand them off. However, she wanted to enjoy her wedding and because of her proactive planning, she was able to do just that!
Reagan, Grayson and Carter may not understand why their mommy is in bed or why she needs to pull over on the side of the road when she gets sick, but Katy’s Crohn’s has taught her children a great deal of empathy at a young age. A few weeks ago, she was in debilitating pain and her nine-year-old offered to make dinner for her brothers. She poured them each a bowl of cereal and that was everything.
lights camera crohn's 