A Writer's Life Interrupted #crohns #colitis #ibdsympathy

Crohn's disease can attack anywhere in the digestive system. It creates inflammation and ulcers in the affected area. These ulcers are deep, penetrating ones that can cause fistulas, which is an abnormal tunneling between various organs. Like your intestines and your skin.

Imagine waking up one morning...

Hey, look, a pimple!

Not.

Just a smelly volcanic eruption near your belly button.

Sounds like fun, huh?

This weekend, I learned what it's like to have Crohn's in my stomach and esophagus. Talk about painful. The esophageal spasms are killer, I can't even begin to describe how horrific the pain is in my stomach. I've had indigestion before, but this is heart-burn times ten.

It is clear, even to a die-hard hopeful like me, that Humira is no longer working. I guess Cimzia is next. My doc is out of the office today, but I'll see him tomorrow or end up in the emergency room tonight.  If he asks me what it is I'd like to do next, I think I'll throw up on his lap. That's a good conversation starter. Or maybe I'll just sob because that's pretty much how I feel right now. One drippy, soggy, mess of feel sorry for myself tears.

I haven't had anything to eat for what seems like days. A little beef broth, some noodles, but let me tell you, I will never, ever, have a taste of barbequed tri-tip again. Promise.

Something nice happened today. A client said, "Hey, you've lost weight! You look great."

I didn't know what to say, but I did appreciate the thought.

At least I don't have any hunger pains. It's like my body knows we have an issue going on and at least took sympathy by removing starvation from its repertoire. However,  I think I am obsessed with food.  That said, perhaps my inability to eat will jump start my writing.

I finished Shadowlands, a quirky sidequel, yes, sidequel, since it's not a prequel or a sequel to A Shadow of Time. I'll probably send it off tomorrow, one more read-through should do the trick. Then it's back to work on the third book in the Gemini trilogy. After all that, I get to work on Flatfoot, a wonderful novel about a Chinese/Irish cop located in New York. The inspiration being my littlest grandson, Dylan. He is convinced he is going to be an Irish cop. All because my husband told him he had flat feet and he was Irish, leaving out his very significant Chinese history.

Go figure. Kids are impressionable.

I'm still waiting on my edits for The Light and the Flame. I'm hoping this is not bad news. *urgh*

I may or may not update my blog this week depending upon how I feel. Right now, I'm off to take a nap.  Thanks for listening.

Happy reading!

(((hugs)))

Louann

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