Crohn's Chronicles: A blog about Crohn's Disease

I know, I missed yesterday. I'm sorry. But it does say in the rules that we have two free days and I had a good reason, I promise. Maybe one of these days I'll write two to make up for it. So, back to writing. I'm going to use yesterday's prompt because I kind of love it and I've got something to say about it. The question is: Why? Why do I feel the need to write my story? And my answer boils down to one simple answer. Because it's important for these stories to be told. It's important that there's some information out there about the day-to-day activity of living with illness. Often, when we talk about disease, we focus on research and cures and treatments. While I understand, support, and engage in these conversations, I'm far more interested in sharing experiences. I'm interested in the community that can form out of those shared experiences. I'm interested in the change that these communities and their stories can make within a large...

The scene: You're sitting on a comfy couch having a conversation with a good friend or a family member. Someone you're very close to. Maybe you're having a cup of coffee/tea or a glass of wine. It's been a good night of sharing with someone you trust. The issue you're talking about doesn't necessarily have to be Crohn's, but let's say it is. You're feeling comfortable, so you are very honest about your experience. You decide it's okay, just for a moment, to let go of that tone of optimism you normally adopt when speaking about your disease. It's not that you've actually given up hope, you're just tired. After you finish your tale, your friend/family member looks at you lovingly and says something like, "you're the strongest person I know" or, my personal favorite, "it'll just make you stronger in the end." I've been trying to write this post for a while now, and I've been having a lot of troub...

This comes up a lot. Every time I meet someone new, there's always that point where they know that I have Crohn's, we've talked about it briefly, and they have a vague understanding of what Crohn's means. One day, we have a more in depth conversation about what Crohn's actually is and how I live with my disease. At some point during this conversation, my friend/co-worker/family member/ect. will express their fear of saying "the wrong thing." I totally understand. It's not an easy subject and we aren't really equipped with the tools to speak about disease until we are forced to figure it out. So, don't feel like you are alone. I'm right there with you. I work everyday to figure out the most effective way of speaking about my disease. Also, don't ever worry about offending me. Now, I can't speak for everyone with a chronic illness here, but I promise you, I am just thrilled that you are expressing interest. If you say something ...