I’ve been pretty quiet here of late. Most of that is due to moving and all the emotions that brings up… Some of it is purely down to lack of anything interesting to write or share with you. But it has been troubling me; not having this creative outlet when things get tough. You see, this week, whilst it’s been #mentalhealthawarenessday I’ve been struggling more than usual. Alot of change…
IBD
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Biological Treatment, Gratitude and Being Comfortable in Hospital
A year in the making. Last year, my September was tough. It was a positive consequence of my August and the decisions myself and my IBD team made to get me well again. A quick recap – https://www.instagram.com/p/BZfybJGlq61/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link I wrote these – The Return of… Everything , “It is okay to be angry at your situation sometimes” and Vedolziumab: Here We Go Again – Third Time is a Charm – because…
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Taking Steroids for an IBD flare up whilst living with an Ostomy
Disclaimer: this is an expanded version of a previous post – IBD Basics: Corticosteriods which will now cover how to take steroids, how they work within the digestive tract and how this affected when having a stoma. Disclaimer: This information is based on my own personal experience with Crohn’s medications and should not be used as medical advice. My medication regimes and processes are part of the IBD protocols set out…
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What are the Early Warning Signs of an IBD Flare Up?
Most of the time the cause of a Crohn’s flare is unknown. But the most common causes of flares include: Non adherence: Not taking medications as instructed Medications: Taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen Diet: Eating too much of foods that the bowel can’t process or handle Other possible causes of flares include: Smoking Alcohol Stress Antibiotics, which can alter the amount and type of bacteria…
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Oh ‘August’, Why do You Hate Me?
August, oh my. Patterns emerge when you’ve had your chronic illness for a while. There are some things you enjoy seeing the patterns towards; like when you can anticipate some symptoms or you get a click moment of clarity. But there are some patterns that do nothing but chip away at your emotions. August is that for me. Trigger, for sure. August 2011 was pretty damn crap. I had ever…
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That Seven Year Itch
Yesterday, I made my way to work; another Thursday commuting through town. Nothing special, nothing new, nothing different; just the same old routine. The same thing I’ve been doing for months over the summer. I scroll through my phone, enjoying the Throwback Thursday as I do most Thursdays, to find myself fixated on the date. My Timehop shows me everything from September 6th. Everything on that date from the last…
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Pancaking and Ballooning – An Education
Disclaimer: This information is based on my own personal experience since my ostomy surgery in August 2016 and is not intended to replace medical advice from a trained professional. If you are requiring advice regarding your own stoma, routines which might benefit you most, or products that suit your needs best, please contact your stoma care nurse for further assistance. What is Pancaking and what causes it? Pancaking is when the…
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What does it mean to be a “patient”?
Just HOW do you do it *all* when you’re chronically ill? It is a question I wonder about from time to time. Sometimes I have my shit together and other times I don’t. And sometimes, this is just the way it goes; for some, for others, for the many. I don’t seem to have an off season with my IBD, there is sadly always something going on. Whilst it is…
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Happy 2nd Stomaversary!
What I’ve Learnt and Achieve in the Last Twelve Months with my Ostomy Year One with a stoma came and went with great highs and terrible lows. I started Year Two by saying this: But what did the next twelve months have in store for me? I would be admitted to hospital a few days later, in horrific pain which turned out to be my bowel twisting. That’s what I’d…