A Writer's Life Interrupted #crohns #ibd #uc

One man's pain is another person's agony.

Crohn's is a bit like living in a puzzle. You never know which piece is going to fit.

Each Wednesday I blog about Crohn's disease which is a combination of a genetic mismatch coupled with something in the environment.  Or it is purely genetic though some lean toward a bacteria cows get with some regularity. With Crohn's it attacks everything in the digestive tract.  #sonotfun

I really don't care. I just want a cure.

My guest poster for today was unable to make it so you will just have to put up with me until next week when Julia Nigh will be guest posting something special just for you.

If I have done this before, excuse me, if I haven't well maybe you can relate to just a few things Crohn's has taught me.

1. Compassion. I do not judge anyone. I have learned that Crohn's travels and wherever it is at that moment is the worst pain I've ever had. And pain is relative. There are some pains that are horrible to others but minimal to me.

2. Patience. This too shall pass is a mantra for me and for those with Crohn's and UC.

3. Love. Omg, I have met so many people that stare down the face of pain, deal with permanent bags on their bellies, and have the strength of character to overcome the stigma AND the daily discomfort their disease brings them. You cannot help but LOVE these people. They are quiet heroes which is why I am not quiet. I wish I could list every one of them here. Can you possibly begin to imagine what life is like for them?

4. Family. Many of them are family. They get how I feel. They understand when I am in trouble and they are there when I need help. I can't thank them enough for the support they give.

5. Grief. When  Crohn's gets bad you have to face the reality of the disease. If you have been out of a flare you get grief because you are back in one and if you are facing your first flare you get grief because Crohn's really sucks. PLUS you get to discover that the depression you have comes from the vitamins your body can no longer absorb such as:

B12: Absorbed in the stomach. I take it under the tongue or liquid B12 because I have a hard time absorbing anything in my stomach. I take Dexilant 60 mgs and one word of advice, do not look up the side effects because it will make you freak. But the pain associated with my stomach and esophageal spasms are not livable either.

Vitamin D: Of which I have little, so I take supplements for that too. I was experiencing horrific pain in my legs and arms which everyone chalked up to Crohn's arthritis. Then my primary doc checked my D levels. They were non-existent.  So I supplement those as well. Within just a few weeks the muscle pain was gone and so was the depression.

Then there is the magnesium issue, the zinc problem, the probiotic problem, and the calcium and iron issue. Anyway, I learned a lot about vitamins and the whys and hows of supplementation.

Exercise: It makes you and your body happy. Just make sure all your levels are good to go. I have a low thyroid that I take medication for. If I don't take enough I will become exhausted after a work out and I'm no good the following day. My thyroid goes up and down so I really have to regulate it daily.

Admission: I admit to having Crohn's and I am living out loud. I kept my disease as quiet as I could. While my kids knew I had issues and my husband knew I had issues they didn't know the extent of my issues. So, now I don't care who knows. I am too old to be embarrassed.

That is enough about me. If you are an artist, or a writer, or a photographer, or quilter or whatever, consider joining our group on Facebook. We are a fun group and work to support each other. You can find us here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/744907258892429/

Thanks for stopping by.