Back in March, when things started shutting down and I started staying home as much as possible, one of my first thoughts was that I’m prepared for this. That I’ve been unknowingly preparing for this for the last five years. Isolation, canceled plans, and being extra cautious about getting sick are not new to those of us with chronic illnesses. As the country starts to open back up, I’ve been thinking about what this pandemic has meant for myself and others with chronic illnesses. Here are five reflections from the past few months. The rest of the world is learning what it’s like to live with ..read more

Awhile ago (I think it must have been over a month ago, but time is a blur now), I was having an especially bad day. My insides felt like they were contracting in on themselves and I didn’t know why. My anxiety was building and turning into panic, so I decided I needed to get out and take a walk. I started on my usual walk around my neighborhood, trying to let go of my anxious thoughts. And then I saw the bunny. It was standing in front of a bush in the yard of a church, nibbling on the grass, with its cute brown ears and perfect little bunny face. I stood and watched it awhile, my stomach beg ..read more

Those of us with chronic illnesses are used to spending a lot of time at home, and I’ve written previously about TV shows that cheer me up during a flare. Now that all of us are spending a lot of time at home, here are five more TV shows that I’ve enjoyed recently. Schitt’s Creek Schitt’s Creek is a Canadian sitcom that follows the Rose family, who move to a small town named Schitt’s Creek after losing all of their money. The show is very funny and also sweet and heartwarming at times. It’s the perfect show to binge during these challenging times. Seasons 1-5 available on Netflix. Season 6, t ..read more

This post contains Amazon affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended. When I moved last summer and started a new job, my problems falling asleep got worse. It started on Friday of my first week on the job. I went out to a show with my mom and sister, and then we went out for hot chocolate and a huge chocolate brownie. I think consuming large amounts of chocolate past my bedtime was a bad idea, and I didn’t fall asleep until after 3 am. I thought it was just a one time thing, but two nights later I was lying awake a ..read more

My seton supplies: baby powder, diaper rash ointment, and calmoseptine. This post contains Amazon affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended. Back in October, I had a seton put in to help my fistula drain. It’s been uncomfortable and took some getting used to, but it has gotten better over time. I thought I’d share some tips I wish I’d known when I first had it put in that have made it more bearable. But first, you may be wondering what a seton is. A fistula is a tunnel that goes from my colon to my skin ..read more

I hope everyone is staying healthy and safe during these difficult times. It’s been awhile since I posted anything because I just haven’t had time, but that has obviously changed so I’m hoping to start posting again. I know this has been a stressful time for IBD patients, and a lot of us are worried about how being on immunosuppressants affects our risk of getting COVID-19 (I know I’ve been worried!). I wanted to post a few resources that I have found helpful during this time. The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation has a webpage with information on COVID-19 for IBD patients. They also have a page ..read more

I don’t like writing posts where I tell readers what they “should” be doing. I’m not a doctor, and everyone’s situation is different. I prefer to share my experiences and hope they help someone else going through something similar. But flu shots are different. I’ve heard too many people say that they’re not going to get the flu shot because one time they got the flu from a flu shot. Or that there’s no point because the flu shot isn’t completely effective against all strains of the flu. These things just aren’t true. It’s especially important for those of us with IBD to get the flu shot. Since ..read more

I haven’t posted in awhile because it’s been a very busy summer (and now fall). I moved from DC to Boston at the beginning of August. It’s something I had been thinking about doing for the past several years, and I spent a LOT of time worrying about how moving with a chronic illness would work. I spent hours obsessing over how to navigate a move and possible change of job and health insurance without delaying any Entyvio infusions. Then I found out last December that I had developed antibodies to Entyvio and stopped taking it, and then found out in May that I have a fistula and would need to s ..read more

This post contains Amazon affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended. I recently had my first MRI. It was on a Friday night in a hospital basement, which was a little creepy. As usual, I had a lot of anxiety about what to expect, but it ended up not being a big deal.In December, I developed an infected abscess and saw a colorectal surgeon who drained it and prescribed antibiotics. While the abscess improved a lot initially, it had been over four months and I still had small lump that got irritated and oozed pretty ..read more

What is the relationship between anxiety and depression and inflammatory bowel disease? A recent study published in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and summarized by the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation looked at the impact of anxiety and depression on patients with IBD. It found that IBD patients with anxiety and/or depression reported their symptoms to be more severe and to have higher levels of inflammation. This study got me thinking about my own relationship with anxiety and IBD.I have struggled with anxiety all my life, both social and general anxiety. I have come a long way in managing it, bu ..read more