tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90405612726135056242024-03-14T02:53:09.025-04:00The Diary of Li'l CrohnsieStemming from a childhood diagnosis of Crohn's Disease (since re-diagnosed with Colitis) "Li'l Crohnsie" shares with you her experiences as a patient of IBD.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger197125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-89265684863439448452013-04-04T15:39:00.001-04:002015-03-12T17:38:06.854-04:00A Great Loss In Patient Advocacy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This is well overdue, but on March 22, 2013, Arijit Guha of PoopStrong.org passed away. He passed peacefully in the presence of loved ones. His wife has <a href="http://stageivhope.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">memorialized him beautifully</a> in her own post on the Stage IV Hope blog, and I hope you will take the time to visit. It takes immense strength to stand by the side of someone you love while they suffer. Arijit was not only an invaluable patient advocate, successfully combatting the higher-ups at Aetna in a tense Twitter show-down, he was also a loving husband to a loving wife.<br />
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I have never met Arijit or Heather, but in following their story and through my brief e-mail interactions I find they have both set the standard for bravery and strength. Please do take some time to read through <a href="http://stageivhope.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Stage IV Hope</a>. Together they faced fear with love instead of anger. The world is a better place for having had him in it.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-40982522410543067752013-02-23T16:08:00.002-05:002015-03-12T17:43:36.859-04:00Visual Aids<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vLx364qjk3w/USkqSJ59H5I/AAAAAAAAApY/DsoRV8pALMg/s1600/grubs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vLx364qjk3w/USkqSJ59H5I/AAAAAAAAApY/DsoRV8pALMg/s320/grubs.jpg" height="256" width="320" /></a></div>
Remember when this blog first started and I tried to always post pics of things my poop reminded me of? Well, I do and I want to start doing it again. Today's poop looked like grubs to me. Now you know.<br />
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It's been a while since I've checked in, and I regret that. I know this isn't the most heavily-trafficked blog, but I still enjoy populating it. It's been an interesting few months of improving GI symptoms, mental/emotional ups and downs and readjusting to a new home, new cats and no job. I'm lucky enough to have disability coverage and insurance through March, but after that it's going to be a scramble to get my meds paid for. It has been incredibly strange taking disability leave over post-fire stress instead of something actively physical like colitis. I've been seeing a really supportive and soothing therapist in my time off, but the big take-away is that my resentment and loss will be something I'll have to deal with for the foreseeable future, and knowing me that means forever. I need to learn to manage those feelings and not let them debilitate my brain function. It's intimidating thinking of starting a new job up here because I want to give my best performance and care about what I'm doing.<br />
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Returning to the topic of my bowels, I've been steadily improving. I've even been sneaking some coffee in when J's having some and it hasn't blown up in my face yet. OK, yes, my poop should not be short and grub-like, but I'll take it over the runs. I've been taking fish oil and calcium with D supplements, which I think are helping both my butt and my mood. I've discovered two recipes on Pinterest that I think have been good for me: "Almond Joy" oatmeal and banana "ice cream." The oatmeal is quick-cook oats made with almond-coconut milk (or any milk you like) as directed on the oats container. Then mix-in dark chocolate chips, shredded coconut and sliced almonds. I hate breakfast, but this appeals to me. The banana treat is just frozen over-ripe bananas, tossed into a blender with the milk of your choice (again, I used the almond-coconut from Blue Diamond). Add a little of the milk at a time so you can judge the consistency until you get it where you want it. Then toss in some chocolate chips, pulse it a few times and boom. Put some whipped cream and a cherry on top and it tastes like you're eating a banana split. Bananas are binding but not always appetizing to me, so this is a great way to get them into my diet.<br />
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Gross-out humor, a diary entry, and two recipes, all in one post. I feel so accomplished!<br />
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<i>Image Source: <a href="http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/photos/7-animals-that-are-eaten-alive-by-humans/oysters" target="_blank">mnn</a></i><a href="http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/photos/7-animals-that-are-eaten-alive-by-humans/oysters" target="_blank"> </a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-7675973432898540122013-02-08T15:50:00.000-05:002013-02-08T15:50:38.949-05:00Awestomy!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I spend a lot of time mocking the (mis)targeted ads in my Facebook sidebar, but today they put me on to an amazing product - <a href="http://www.awestomy.com/" target="_blank">Awestomy apparel</a>. I don't have an ostomy myself (not yet, at least) but I think anyone with bowel problems can relate to feeling less-than sexy and needing a little boost. I love the idea of fun, sexy undergarments for ladies with ostomies. Oh, and HUGE points for a great pun.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-73969316914954638812012-10-10T21:00:00.001-04:002012-10-10T21:02:06.548-04:00Progress<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So today was the day! I sent an e-mail directly to the GI I was trying to get in to see last week, and on Monday I received a call from her nurse. She was incredibly nice and apologetic about the trouble I've been having trying to get established as a new patient, and helped me get in to see a different doctor than the one I was scheduled to see. We met this morning, and it went...okay.<br />
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Pros:<br />
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Everyone I've dealt with at the medical center so far has been really cordial and has had excellent bedside manner. This is not as easy to come by as you might hope.<br />
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Very timely appointment. I didn't have to wait long to be taken to the exam room, or to see the doctor.<br />
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The doctor himself was nice, and easy to talk to. I was able to speak frankly about my symptoms, things I sometimes do to self medicate (wink) and didn't come away feeling judged. He made it very clear that I am welcome to call if I have any pressing concerns between now and my follow-up.<br />
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Cons:<br />
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The physical part of the exam was the equivalent of kids playing make-believe. I'm used to giving several deep breaths while my GI listens to my heart and lungs, then having my abdomen palpated to check for tenderness. What I got this time around was a brief graze over my heart and gut with the stethoscope, without even lifting the heavy sweatshirt I was wearing. It honestly lasted two seconds. I guess better brief than overly-thorough (meaning I'm glad there was no rectal exam.)<br />
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I asked for prescriptions, expecting to be handed paper copies to bring to the pharmacy next time I need to re-up. The conversation went on after that, so I didn't realize I hadn't been handed them until I was halfway out the door. I did have a page with my exam notes on it, and saw that the scripts were listed there. I went back to the front desk to ask if I was supposed to hand this to the pharmacy (and only later noted they had the wrong pharmacy listed, even though I had specified my preferred pharmacy with the other front desk clerk when I arrived.) She told me I was meant to call them to have them call the pharmacy when I needed my meds. It was confusing, but I was not in "self-advocate" mode today and decided to walk away and deal with it later since I don't need any of my meds for another month.<br />
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My previous GI sent my records, but they failed to make it to the doctor's hands before my appointment. I overheard one of the nurses say it was her bad, and I appreciate that she admitted it. Not a big deal, really, but I suspect having them prior to meeting would have made the appointment more productive. One of the issues I have with this health center in general is that they seem to have too many people going at once - too many chefs spoiling the pot, as they say. Instead of making things more efficient and effective I find it mostly causes confusion and miscommunications.<br />
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Conclusion:<br />
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The take-away from the appointment was that I may need a colonoscopy to determine if this is a flare-up and requires prednisone, or if we should try changing course to bio-therapy like remicaid (yikes!) I, of course, am hesitant to have another scope, since the last one is what sparked me up back in April. So we're kind of at a stale-mate. I understand why he wants the scope, he understands why I don't want it. We have a follow-up scheduled in a month and, as previously mentioned, I am welcome to call in the interim if things get worse. If anything from my records or blood work from today raise any eyebrows they will call me. Somewhat inconclusive overall, but at least it's a start.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-33200775483139845122012-10-05T14:33:00.000-04:002015-03-12T17:54:19.445-04:00Of All The Things...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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When I left New York for Vermont I anticipated a certain amount of culture shock. I knew I would miss certain conveniences. Food delivery, late-night dining, the ability to walk everywhere... But never, NEVER did I think the #1 thing I would miss would be the ease of making a doctor's appointment.<br />
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Let's recap: In April I had a flare-up. Just as it was settling down, my apartment burned down. That was in June. I have had diarrhea ever since. Some bowel movements are slighly less watery than others, but I have basically not had a solid poop since June 3rd. That is four months of the runs. For the first two months I truly believed it was just stress sickness from what we went through. We tried to make it work for us in NY, but I couldn't handle it. Everywhere I looked was a painful memory, even the good ones. Both our cats died of smoke inhalation and, having already lost my first cat to stomach cancer in March, I wasn't taking the extra loss well. We moved back to Vermont in August, and I tried to continue my day job from my parents' house. Emotional issues and constant post-diarrhea exhaustion made that damn near impossible, so I'm now on leave while I go to counseling for anxiety and PTSD. Being here has, for the most part, been far less stressful than life in NYC. I'm enjoying being with my family, and seeing a lot of friends that I haven't been geographically close to in over ten years. The air is fresh and delicious, the foliage is knocking my socks off, and I'm getting my kitty fix by volunteering at the local animal shelter. My main complaints are the terrible drivers (always on cell phones - for some reason there are no hands-free driving laws up here, which is upsetting) and, above all else, the length of time it takes to get in to see a doctor.<br />
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Which brings us back to the four-months of diarrhea. In August I called a local GI to make an appointment. First I was told I needed a referral from my general practitioner. I explained that I had already called my insurance company, and they had said a referral wasn't needed, but they insisted, saying it wasn't for the insurance, it was just an office policy. So I called my GP back in New York, asking for her to give her blessing to get me an appointment. Her nurse called back after speaking with the practice in VT, and was confused beyond belief. So I called the VT practice myself for clarification - what they <i>actually </i>needed were my records from my previous GI. Ah. Now that's something else entirely. So I called the records department, had the files sent over and was given an appointment for November 1st. I took the appointment, put myself on a wait list, and crossed my fingers.<br />
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Then the letter came. Not even the courtesy of a phone call - a letter, explaining that my appointment had been pushed back to November 21st at 8am. Well God help you if you want to meet me at 8 in the morning. And it's a damn good thing I don't have plans to travel for Thanksgiving. Thanks for making these decision for me, health center. When I called to see if there were earlier appointments or better times being offered on the 21st I got a negative. So I called around to some other practices, but they all have comparable wait-times and fed me the same "we need a referral" line and I decided to just keep the appointment I had.<br />
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Then I got a UTI. Thinking it would be a cinch to get in to see my GP from my younger years, I called her office and asked if there was time to fit me in that day. Turns out because I've been away for so long, I would be considered a new patient, which my old GP isn't accepting. (Except, as my mom learned when she ran into my old GP socially, she would have gladly taken me if the receptionist had asked.) I could make an appointment to see another doctor at that practice, but they were booking ten-weeks out. Yeah, UTIs don't wait ten weeks. Luckily I caught it early enough that chugging water and downing cranberry pills for four days staved it off. I certainly wasn't looking to go on anti-biotics anyway, considering the whole unending diarrhea problem.<br />
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Now I was pissed. I still am pissed. Every practice seems to be involved with the main hospital around here, which makes sense - but being that this is a health-center-wide issue, it doesn't allow for much freedom for the patient. Every practice I called had a sickening wait-time for new patients. I contacted my pediatric GI for advice, and he suggested I get my former GI to call the new practice and try to get me bumped up. Still no appointment. Still having diarrhea, and now abdominal pains to boot, thanks, in part, to the ovarian cyst removal I had a few weeks ago. The surgery itself went swimmingly - however, despite the fact that my chart says I have an adverse reaction to generic medications, I was given generic percocet for my recovery. Great job, health center! Thanks for taking things from bad to worse! Yesterday it dawned on me that the GI I'm scheduled with would have an e-mail address on the hospital website, so I sent her a plea to get me in sooner, explaining that typically when a new patient calls it's not just to make chit-chat, it's because they're in need. I wait with bated breath for a response.<br />
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So that's where I'm at. My appetite is lacking, my gut hurts, and I'm tired all the time. Being on leave helps hugely because I can sleep when I need to, and socializing with shelter pets lifts my spirits. I get to hang out with my mom and grandparents and friends during the day, and I'm definitely not as sick as I could be. That being said, I'm nervous that waiting and waiting to deal with this will only make things worse and that I won't be seen by a doctor until I'm in an emergency situation. Which is - pun intended - shitty.<br />
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<a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_8526772_deal-impatient.html" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_8526772_deal-impatient.html" target="_blank"><i>Image Source: ehow</i></a><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-88100908940354719992012-07-27T13:07:00.000-04:002015-03-12T17:57:02.778-04:00Poop Strong Takes It To Twitter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://twitter.com/Poop_Strong" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I91EeBI9Xww/UBLIiIyYujI/AAAAAAAAAoA/qeeixRu-S74/s320/poop.jpg" height="320" width="226" /></a></div>
A few months back I blogged about a <a href="http://lilcrohnsie.blogspot.com/2012/02/poop-strong.html" target="_blank">31 year-old PhD student who has gone medically bankrupt while battling stage 4 colon cancer.</a> Arijit is still fighting the good fight, and man did he bring it to the folks at Aetna yesterday! One follower, Jen Wang, was kind enough to <a href="http://storify.com/jen_wang/arijit-and-aetna" target="_blank">storify the entire exchange</a>, which I encourage you to check out. Health insurance is a maddening industry in this country, and Arijit has done a great job calling Aetna out on their hypocrisy and the ways they've failed him as a patient. Even though I'm lucky enough to have one of the better insurers around, having to make every professional decision in life based on whether or not I'll have health care has been a huge hindrance to my life's goals. The conversation about Big Insurance and coverage denial is an important one, so <a href="https://storify.com/jen_wang/arijit-and-aetna" target="_blank">go read the thread already</a>!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-29194799535161865332012-07-25T13:36:00.004-04:002012-07-25T13:37:29.050-04:00Hip Hip Poohray!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://consumerist.com/2009/05/how-to-deliver-aigs-golden-poo-trophy.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XpHtoTRP79M/UBAuLnyy7OI/AAAAAAAAAn0/U8wgvs2ZnrU/s1600/luck+poo.jpg" /><span id="goog_1553329064"></span></a><span id="goog_1553329065"></span></div>
I did it! I finally took a poop that wasn't diarrhea! It still wasn't quite "normal" but it didn't sound or feel like pee, so that's a huge improvement. I credit the iron pills I started taking yesterday when I got my blood test results, which reported low hemoglobin (anemia). Iron can cause constipation, which is a good thing for someone like me.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-89033795727115404082012-07-24T16:03:00.000-04:002015-03-12T18:05:38.463-04:00Jeepers Creepers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://bloodyhig.deviantart.com/art/Creeper-Wallpaper-194613548" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VSsthu57QNw/UA77MqdFnnI/AAAAAAAAAno/yHcRVK3Gntw/s1600/creeper.jpg" /></a></div>
So typically a fart is pretty instantaneous in its delivery, right? As in, it comes out and if it's a stinker you're going to know immediately. But lately I've been having creeper farts. They come out seeming harmless enough, then a few minutes later BAM! Right up the nose!<br />
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I'm not sure what's the blame for this. I've continued to have stress diarrhea for going on two months now. I've checked in with my gastro, and though he gave me some medicine it didn't really help. I'm not puking and my appetite is strong as ever, but my bowels refuse to produce anything but muddy waters. Although not the poop I'd like to be producing, the pattern has been pretty consistent, whereas this sneaky fart phenomenon is a new development that's only been happening in the past week.<br />
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Just now I was feeling the need to let one out, and before I could scurry off to the bathroom I wound up letting loose into my desk chair. I was at first quite impressed with the lack of stench, thinking perhaps the chair had absorbed any malicious odor and yet, about three minutes later, I began to notice an undeniable stank wafting up around me. Hopefully the distance from my cubicle to my co-workers is amble diffusion space. This very thing has happened three times in the past five days, usually while I'm in bed and winding down for the night. I'll let one rip, tell J to brace himself, then tell him the coast is clear when I fail to smell anything. Then within five minutes he reels away from me, pissed off and asking why I didn't warn him about the second round in the chamber. I exasperatedly explain that there was no second round, only a delayed delivery from the first.<br />
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<b>In other news...</b><br />
J and I have decided to leave the city for a bit. We're taking at least a month to go to Vermont and have some family time and some post-fire healing. We've been incredibly lucky to have friends let us stay in their basement studio apartment for the past two months, but have not been so lucky in finding a new place of our own. The bottom line for me is that I don't really want to find a new place here. So as of next week we're off! May my mom's home cooking bring some peace to my bowels...</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-79413393426652464462012-06-13T13:49:00.001-04:002012-06-13T13:50:15.536-04:00In the Dumps<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jRqQUmvXJUM/T9jLw7cEqbI/AAAAAAAAAnU/qemLPeE2ZVw/s1600/oscar-grouch-orange-green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jRqQUmvXJUM/T9jLw7cEqbI/AAAAAAAAAnU/qemLPeE2ZVw/s320/oscar-grouch-orange-green.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ever notice Oscar's eyebrows look like a furry turd?</td></tr>
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<br />
It's been a shit year, both literally and figuratively.<br />
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I've already posted on here about how we lost one of our beloved cats to stomach cancer, and shortly after I had another nasty flare-up of colitis which lasted about a month. I was finally recovering, and had gone to Vermont to visit my family for a much needed vacation. I was rejuvenated by the trip, came home to J and our other two cats and then the next day OUR FUCKING HOUSE BURNED DOWN. Both cats died of smoke inhalation (thankfully, I don't think I could handle it if we discovered they'd been burned to death) and we're now living in a neighbor's basement apartment as we get back on our feet.<br />
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All things considered, we lucked out. We have renter's insurance and the support from neighbors and my workplace has been overwhelming and eye-opening. We miss the "kids" terribly, but we have each other and a pretty remarkable support network to see us through. My pharmacist took care of getting all of my meds re-ordered without any problems from my insurer. My appetite has been decent, which is remarkable as I typically don't eat when I'm upset. I have, however, had non-stop stress diarrhea for the past week and a half so I'm exhausted an my butt is chafed. I know you were dying to know that. <br />
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So that's the update for now. I don't anticipate updating this blog again for a while since I have too much other pressing stuff to do, unless the stress diarrhea escalates into something worth writing about (and I hope it doesn't). See you in a few months?<br />
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xox<br />
Li'l Crohnsie<br />
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-4413563515356421602012-04-30T15:25:00.001-04:002015-03-12T19:02:53.853-04:00Poop Factory<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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(Video NSFW) <br />
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The good news is I'm back to pooping like a champ - the bad news is I'm running my poop factory on the night shift and it's really messing with my ability to get back to the day job. I've been lucky enough that they've let me sign on from home to help get some work done, but the problem is that I'm so tired and twisted from pooping like a machine that I find myself being flighty and making embarrassing mistakes, which bring on the darker side of the prednisone mood swings, depression and paralyzing anxiety. My daily schedule is basically toss and turn and poop all night, fall asleep around 7am, get up to poop and take prilosec around 8:30, fall back to sleep until around 10, take the first round of prednisone, try to wake up and eat something, slump around like a loser, take the second dose of prednisone around 12:30, and slump around like a loser some more. <br />
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I was honestly looking forward to being on a course of prednisone right now. The last time I took it it make me hyper-productive, and I was hoping to have a similar experience this time around considering I'm in the final two weeks of my semester. Unfortunately I'm thusfar only more disorganized and unmotivated than ever and it's making me rather disgusted with myself. I have so much I can be doing while I sit at home healing my body, but instead I just watch the time go by, waiting for tomorrow and hoping it'll be better than today. Tonight I'm going to try to take something to help me sleep with the intention of getting to work for at least a half day tomorrow. I'll probably be pissed off and miserable the whole time I'm there, but at least I'll be out of the apartment.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-31748050050037546042012-04-27T19:26:00.000-04:002012-04-27T19:26:38.371-04:00Relapse 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Two weeks ago I was doing pretty good. Not taking great care of myself - drinking iced coffee and mixed drinks socially - but I was doing pretty damn good by all accounts. And then I went in for my annual scopes. <br />
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Ordinarily I look forward to my annual scopes. I get to take a planned sick day off of work and enjoy the countdown from ten as the knock-out drugs warm me over on the exam table. But this time I wasn't ready to go back to work the next day. As of today I've been out of the office for almost two weeks with a full-blown flare-up.<br />
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At first I thought the preparation was taking some time to wear off. I came home and pigged out immediately after the procedures (I get my colonoscopy and endoscopy done at the same time) and felt well enough, until I tried to go to the bathroom and a river ran through me. The next morning saw more of the same and there was little changed by Friday. At this point I had my doctor paged, as per the instructions on my release forms from the endo clinic, but while he sounded concerned his advice was "if you're starting to feel better you're getting better." <br />
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By that Sunday I was getting desperate for some relief so I took an Immodium AD. This stemmed the diarrhea, but started me vomiting. On Monday I called the doctor again and he suggested Pepto Bismol, which struck me as overly-simplistic- I'm not exactly consulting a gastroenterologist for over-the-counter solutions.<br />
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So J picked some chew tabs up from the corner store and on Tuesday I stepped out to by the old fashioned liquid and some popsicles, as the puking had turned me off to eating solids. The pepto did indeed help continue to slow the flow of the runs, but it also incited a stomach pain that resulted in a two-day festival of shomiting. Every time I'd sit to poop my gut would contract and I'd shoot liquid out of my face and into the sink.<br />
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By Wednesday, exactly one week post-procedure, I was done pussy-footing around with Band-Aid fixes and was ready for a real and actual solution. I was missing not only work but school, and in the middle of finals season to boot. The doc had mentioned there was very slight inflammation indicated on my scopes, but nothing that should make me sick. However, he did admit it was possible that the mere act of scoping me had caused the ruckus I was experiencing. I was eager to confirm this and left a message with his office that morning. I eventually got through to the PA, who always has it together. She was kind enough to call me even though she was out of the office that day, and advised me to come in the next day to be seen, or go to the ER. Well, had I any faith in my local ER I probably would have wound up there that night. I was having spasms every hour on the hour and it was excruciating. At one point I tried to camp out on the bathroom floor because I was so tired of the back-and-forth from my bed to the can. By 3am things began to slow down to the point where I was going every two hours and by 7am I was able to sleep for three hours uninterrupted. I was at my doctor's office by noon, and was given IV fluids, and anti-nausea med and prednisone. So I've been on 40mg for the past two weeks, and just started to taper down to 30 today. I have a slight moonface, but leg pains and sleeplessness are my current concerning side-effects. I've been working a few hours a day from home just to help out at the office, but the thought of commuting back to work on Monday is nothing short of intimidating. My boss and my professors have all been understanding, and I'm hoping to get more into the swing of things by next week. <br />
<br />
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-66849874796447943692012-04-21T21:46:00.001-04:002012-04-21T21:47:20.413-04:00A River Ran Through Me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm working on a pretty lengthy update, but long story short I passed more fluid out of my butt in the past week than most people do in a lifetime. GROSS. Tonight I ate solid food for the first time in six days. Cross your fingers and stay tuned for the full story of flare-up 2012. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-80551809735658298882012-04-12T16:45:00.001-04:002014-10-14T17:50:24.094-04:00On Puffy Faces<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
All this hubub about <a href="http://jezebel.com/5900444/ashley-judd-writes-a-kickass-feminist-essay-about-her-puffy-face" target="_blank">Ashley Judd's puffy steroid face</a> brought out a little "bitch, please" in me. It surprised me when I felt a twinge of competition over her steroid-induced moon face, but I did. So I present to you:<br />
<br />
Before prednisone... <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uLZExgTwc-g/T4c0kgvBN6I/AAAAAAAAAl0/_whve6spwPk/s1600/babyface.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uLZExgTwc-g/T4c0kgvBN6I/AAAAAAAAAl0/_whve6spwPk/s1600/babyface.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lR2eOchMYFg/T4c0mEerMiI/AAAAAAAAAl8/LfalomkoOpY/s1600/fatface.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lR2eOchMYFg/T4c0mEerMiI/AAAAAAAAAl8/LfalomkoOpY/s200/fatface.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
...and after.<br />
<br />
I'm probably about 6 in the before photo, and about 13 after, so there's admittedly a big gap there. But the before face was basically the same structure until I hit 12 and wound up on 60mg of prednisone for four years.<br />
<br />
Besides the obvious detrimental effects of living with a visible deformity, there were unseen physical effects as well. At one point my forehead was as engorged as my cheeks and it was actually painful to keep my eyes open. My weight ballooned to 160lbs (I was and am 5'2) and opted to have a breast reduction when I hit an "e" cup (it was a decision two-years in the making). Oh, and I had four kidney stones when I was 14. On the plus side, I didn't have my period for about a year and a half.<br />
<br />
I was sixteen when I finally came off of the steroids, after a long process of weaning, but I was around 20 by the time I felt the majority of the side-effects finally wore off. However, to this day I am covered with striations across my lower back and around my arm pits, something that I could try to tackle with laser treatments but probably won't. I like to think of them as my tiger stripes. Most people confuse them for tattoos, though I'm not sure how.<br />
<br />
I was relatively lucky in terms of how my peers responded to me when I returned to middle school after a two month absence. The closest thing to ridicule I experienced was being called "Marty", in reference to <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102729/" target="_blank">this awful 90's movie</a> in which Martin Short's face swells after being stung by a bee. But that moniker was given to me by a guy who was one of my best friends, and even "went out" with me for a spell, moon face and all. In some ways the moon face was a hugely positive influence on me. It made me a stronger kid who couldn't be bothered with what other people might think. I was too busy enjoying the privilege of eating solid food again to care about my looks, or anyone beyond my family for that matter. <br />
<br />
I'm not about to blow smoke and pretend I'm not relieved to have my normal face back, nor can I deny having grown into a vain asshole that my childhood self would be ashamed of; but when I think back to that time of my life I still value the experience and try to remind my jaded, cranky adult self of the lessons learned by my adolescent self. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-69502533049504127882012-04-06T12:00:00.000-04:002015-03-12T19:06:03.332-04:00Poop attack!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17ir7gjeax43njpg/original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17ir7gjeax43njpg/original.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
My love for <a href="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17ir7gjeax43njpg/original.jpg">io9.com</a> grows with each and every <a href="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17ir7gjeax43njpg/original.jpg" target="_blank">story they post that involves poop</a>. Above,"A 1793 map of England firing a tsunami of poop at revolutionary France." Amazing, although, considering my French heritage, I wish things were the other way around.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-13396268147277660312012-03-14T14:03:00.001-04:002012-03-14T15:22:23.705-04:00If You Gotta Mess in Texas<meta name="google-site-verification" content="niFOxE5Dh81gOa56idOwx0TpvlGCFM0x6VWZ40Ujcdk" /><br />
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<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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...I hope it will be in the port-o-potty sponsored by yours truly! That's right, this Sunday, March 18th the annual GAYBIGAYGAY event will be held in Austin, Texas and one of the big pink pots will be adorned with brown ribbons and tips for pooping your pants courtesy of moi.<br />
<br />
I have yet to have the pleasure of attending, but GAYBIGAYGAY a big, queer-friendly outdoor party organized by one of my buddies from college who I guarantee knows how to show you a good time. There will be food and music, and there will even be shuttles to get you to and from the location. Check out their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/GAYBIGAYGAY/177568843121?sk=info" target="_blank">Facebook</a> event page and <a href="http://gaybigaygay.com/" target="_blank">website</a> for more info, and take lots of photos for me if you go!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-9384687299277350472012-03-12T18:47:00.000-04:002015-03-12T19:08:02.766-04:00Now We're Solid<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="180" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/xsd7v" width="240"></iframe><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xsd7v_ashford-simpson-solid_music" target="_blank">Ashford & Simpson - Solid</a> <i>by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/trashfan" target="_blank">trashfan</a></i></div>
<br />
Yesterday I ate a substantial amount of solid food for the first time since my cat died. It's mostly been soup, crackers and cheese for six days. But then a friend from California gave me some cookies - medicinal cookies - and boy did I rediscover my appetite. I spent the better half of Sunday stuffing my face. I didn't realize it when I woke up, and I didn't have to go before I left the house, but by the time I got off the train I was high-tailing it to Starbucks for a little public restroom action. I'm pleased to report that my grief diarrhea has subsided. I'm still down and I expect I will be for the next few weeks, or at least until the ashes come back and I've settled all the billing. Death is a hell of a business.<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-58738638029452436462012-02-23T12:47:00.000-05:002012-02-23T12:47:35.565-05:00Poop Strong!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Meet Arijit.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1KBmZCgihPE/T0W0cTrIo4I/AAAAAAAAAlY/nSTRnnnOpj0/s1600/arijit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1KBmZCgihPE/T0W0cTrIo4I/AAAAAAAAAlY/nSTRnnnOpj0/s1600/arijit.jpg" /></a></div>Arijit is a 31 year-old PhD student, currently undergoing treatment for stage IV colon cancer. A friend whose husband went to college with him passed along the link to his website, <a href="http://poopstrong.org/">poopstrong.org</a>. I hope you will visit and cross-post to your friends.<br />
<br />
In the past year alone Arijit's medical costs have maxed out his insurance provider's lifetime limit, presenting him with the threat of medical bankruptcy. Although he hopes to regain coverage in about six months, treatments in the interim could cost as much as $100,000. To offset costs Arijit has gotten creative by designing "Poop Strong" and "Arijit Loves Me" t-shirts, as well as other merchandise which he sells on his website. Should he receive funds in excess of his medical bills, they will be donated to the <a href="http://www.azcc.arizona.edu/" target="_blank">University of Arizona Cancer Center Patient Assistant Fund</a>.<br />
<br />
I absolutely love Arijit's designs and his sense of humor in the face of what I can only imagine is a thoroughly draining experience. I definitely intend to get myself some Poop Strong merch! Please check out the <a href="http://poopstrong.org/" target="_blank">Poop Strong</a> home page to read more about Arijit and peruse the goods.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-41874431553649384722012-01-18T13:28:00.000-05:002012-01-18T13:28:16.121-05:00Presented Without Comment<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PdJs5a84Gus/TxcPFZGgcPI/AAAAAAAAAlI/1fcd2jnb5oY/s1600/poop+poem.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PdJs5a84Gus/TxcPFZGgcPI/AAAAAAAAAlI/1fcd2jnb5oY/s320/poop+poem.png" width="240" /></a></div><i><a href="http://www.happyplace.com/3907/unintentionally-inappropriate-test-responses-from-children/page/2" target="_blank">via happyplace.com</a></i><br />
<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-241921458278063402012-01-10T11:53:00.004-05:002015-03-12T19:23:19.474-04:00Let's Talk About Brains<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-widU9BheYSc/Twxmyjn8K9I/AAAAAAAAAkw/DyRAPRY56Jw/s1600/brain2211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-widU9BheYSc/Twxmyjn8K9I/AAAAAAAAAkw/DyRAPRY56Jw/s1600/brain2211.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
So perhaps you've already read about <a href="http://gawker.com/5873148/the-crazy-department+wide-emails-that-everyone-at-nyu-is-talking-about" target="_blank">the angry NYU student who very publicly flipped her lid by cc'ing her entire department on a thread of <i style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><u>diversely</u></i> <b>fonted</b> <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">e-mails</span></a>. It's brought up a lot of questions about her mental state, political leanings and overall sense of entitlement. A lot of commentors on the blogs that have covered this story have diagnosed the student in question as being bi-polar or schizophrenic. Some who claim to know her dismiss this and say she's not "crazy" at all, just annoying. While I have all sorts of opinions on this, the reason I'm posting about it here is this- who says mental illness has to be a grand diagnosis? I know I've had bouts of anxiety or depression that are more akin to a cold than acute inflammation, and I think these short-term cases of the head-sicks are far more common than typically addressed. I don't mean to imply that mental health issues just come and go or magically disappear, rather that you don't have to be clinically insane or identify as "crazy" to suffer from an episode of mental illness.<br />
<br />
A personal anecdote: It's no secret that I take celexa to deal with my anxiety. I tried therapy a few times, and never found the right doctor so, as a college student short on time and in desperate need of a solution, I turned to meds. A few years ago I tried to come off of it, and I became irritable, paranoid and somehow both self-deprecating yet self-aggrandizing. In this time I also happened to try the Nuva Ring for birth control and it made me borderline suicidal. I spent two weeks out of every month thinking about slitting my wrists which is, hands down, the last thing I would ever do to myself. I've never been a cutter and, with the exception of my period, I typically feel faint when I see my own blood. The moment of truth came for me when I was in Florida on a family vacation and I couldn't stop crying when I was sitting on a private beach on a beautiful day. Thankfully I know myself well enough that I was able to say "Okay, this is not me, this is not right, this ring has to come out." I had an awesomely blunt conversation about it with my mother on our flight back, with my poor little brother stuck in the middle seat between us. I've never seen him squirm so much in his life. Ha!<br />
<br />
But removing the ring wasn't enough. Although it relieved the more serious symptoms of depression and I no longer found myself thinking about wrist-slitting, I still felt miserable and angry almost all of the time. I had angry delusions of storming-out on my then-job, as if I'd be acting out in the name of the little guy like a corporate martyr. I usually managed to direct these emotions and only act on them when it came to bitching out my cable company, but that's not to say I didn't also do stupid shit I'm not proud of. I've burned a fair amount of bridges thanks to lapses in my mental health, and clearly I'm not alone. I met with my doctor, went back on my meds, and have been significantly happier since (although I do hope to someday give them up, perhaps when I'm living somewhere less miserable than NYC).<br />
<br />
So, going back to this NYU student. Although I've linked to the story, I'm hesitant to go into it in-depth or even include her name here. She may very well be mentally sound and deserve all of the criticism she is getting (she does paint a pretty unflattering picture of herself) but if she is indeed suffering from a wave of mental imbalance then I feel kind of terrible for her. Although she certainly seems to want the attention, she might look back in a year and say "Oh God I wish I knew then that I was making a huge mistake." The Internet is an amazing thing, but it can do a hell of a lot of damage to your reputation and, when mentally ill, even in brief spurts, it can be one of your worst enemies.<br />
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<b>**Update**</b> <a href="http://shuflies.blogspot.com/2012/01/depression-and-living-abroad-part-1.html" target="_blank">Here's a much more expansive piece</a> on attitudes towards depression that is a worthwhile read and offers some great advice. Thanks to Catherine for writing about her experiences so openly!<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.physorg.com/news83410847.html" target="_blank">Image source: physorg.com</a></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-44819155019149204842012-01-03T15:24:00.001-05:002015-03-12T19:25:06.703-04:00Resopoohtions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--fuZ3n1RIFU/TwNgRr5RUlI/AAAAAAAAAko/8_uEDIjZFEA/s1600/calvin-and-hobbes-new-years-resolution-comic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--fuZ3n1RIFU/TwNgRr5RUlI/AAAAAAAAAko/8_uEDIjZFEA/s320/calvin-and-hobbes-new-years-resolution-comic.jpg" height="244" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>1. Work "pooh" into as many words possible</b><br />
<b> </b>My love of poop humor is rivaled only by my love of puns. The more I can make the two combine, the<b> </b>better my blogging experience.<br />
<br />
<b>2. Reduce my daily average of bowel movements from 4-5 to 1-2</b><br />
2a. Stop drinking coffee<br />
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<b>3. Be less lazy. </b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
I spend all day at a computer, then go home, slump on the couch with my laptop and watch tv. My primary source of exercise is walking to-and-from the subway.</div>
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Well, that's not many resopoohtions, but it's a good start. Especially for someone who share's Calvin's views on self-improvement. What about you, readers? Any resopoohtions of note for 2012?<br />
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<i>Image credit: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Watterson" target="_blank">Bill Watterson</a>/<a href="http://universaluclick.com/">Universal Press Syndicate</a></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-2039497793462045422012-01-02T17:19:00.002-05:002015-03-12T19:26:26.651-04:00Hello 2012, bring on the apoohcalypse!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Happy New Year! I can't believe it's 2012 already. I've been AWOL thanks to a business trip, finals and the holidays. Surprisingly, none of these events have seemed to spark much on the IBD front (knock on wood). Ordinarily I don't do to well with time changes, so the business trip had me a little worried since it was out West. Finals weren't that stressful because I was taking all design classes, so that wasn't a big deal. The holidays are usually the biggest risk, as I have little-to-no self-control when it comes to gorging myself on home cooking and drinking too much holiday cheer. We'll see if the piper comes to collect in the next few weeks, but for now everything's coming out nice n' easy.<br />
<br />
...and on the topic of poop coming out, I just read over on <a href="http://io9.com/5872472/the-wombats-cubic-poop-is-one-of-natures-weirdest-superpowers" target="_blank">io9</a> that <a href="http://io9.com/5872472/the-wombats-cubic-poop-is-one-of-natures-weirdest-superpowers" target="_blank">wombat shit comes out in cube form</a>. How weird is that?? If the world does end this year (and I kind of hope it does) I'm glad I lived long enough to learn that fun fecal fact.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-57044077673187000392011-12-16T14:07:00.000-05:002015-03-12T19:29:57.911-04:00The Neverending Butt Itch<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FfYWx_nDyGk/TurI5rrcOcI/AAAAAAAAAj0/KOG-qbyJ8nk/s1600/brownfalcor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FfYWx_nDyGk/TurI5rrcOcI/AAAAAAAAAj0/KOG-qbyJ8nk/s320/brownfalcor.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> I'm sorry Falcor. I done you wrong.</span></div>
<br />
Let's talk about that awful sensation of The Neverending Butt Itch, a phenomenon recently highlighted on <a href="http://textsfrombennett.tumblr.com/post/14289986464/take-your-time-bennett-textsfrombennett" target="_blank">Texts From Bennett</a>. Bennett, however, blames his butt itch on a lazy wipe. Me, personally, I find while it feels like I haven't wiped enough, on those days of The Neverending Butt Itch I actually wipe significantly more throughout the course of the day than I normally would in a week. I find myself ducking into a corner as I walk down the hall at work, or the sidewalk, so I can discreetly get a good crack scratch in, but this only serves as a temporary fix. Ten minutes later my brown eye starts to tear up again and the sensation of being bitten by mites can't be ignored. My only respite is to slip into a bathroom and wipe yet again. It could very well be that the irritation from all that wiping is doing more harm than good. In fact, I'd say that's pretty likely. But what that doesn't explain is the constant presence of poop on the paper. No matter how in-depth I get with the wiping, I still manage to come back with a streak. I might wipe a good ten times - without having even pooped - before I can get away with an acceptably clean swipe. I have yet to find a pattern (i.e. it only happens when I drink coffee, or it only happens when I'm on my period) so I'm assuming it's just the colitis itself having some fun with me. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-72023891663938071312011-12-01T15:17:00.002-05:002015-03-12T19:31:43.848-04:00Do you know what today is?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M8Mr5JF7CAc/TtfeoZPuQ_I/AAAAAAAAAjg/WKbz1M8tlII/s1600/happyribbon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M8Mr5JF7CAc/TtfeoZPuQ_I/AAAAAAAAAjg/WKbz1M8tlII/s1600/happyribbon.png" /></a></div>
Get ready for company, World AIDS Day, for today also marks the start of the first ever Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Week! What a busy day for people with immune disorders! Go out and get yourselves some brown ribbon and make yourself a little pin for IBD education.You can even make it hold hands with your AIDS ribbon, as pictured above.<br />
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Here are some tips - <a href="http://online.ccfa.org/site/PageNavigator/AdvocacyPage.html" target="_blank">snagged directly from the CCFA website</a> - on what you can do to take part in the fectivities (that pun might be kind of a stretch but I'm sticking to it): <br />
<ul>
<li>Write to your House Representatives and encourage them to join the Crohn’s and Colitis Caucus, <a href="http://capwiz.com/ccfa/home/" target="_blank">http://capwiz.com/ccfa/home/</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>“Like” the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America on Facebook (<a href="http://www.facebook.com/ccfafb" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/ccfafb</a>) and follow the Foundation on Twitter (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/ccfa" target="_blank">www.twitter.com/ccfa</a>)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Change your Facebook status to: <b>I’m supporting Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness week and you should too! To learn more, <a href="http://online.ccfa.org/AwarenessWeek" target="_blank">http://online.ccfa.org/AwarenessWeek</a></b></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Use the<b> #CCFAawarenessweek</b> on twitter</li>
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<li>Change your profile picture to our logo, <a href="http://online.ccfa.org/images/content/pagebuilder/cc_week_icon.jpg" target="_blank">download here</a>. </li>
</ul>
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<li>Download our <a href="http://online.ccfa.org/site/DocServer/pps_awareness_week_poster_2.pdf?docID=17501" target="_blank">Awareness Week Poster</a></li>
</ul>
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<li>Reach out to anyone you know with IBD and let them know you care</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Download the Crohn's and Colitis <a href="http://online.ccfa.org/site/DocServer/IBD_Week_press_release.pdf?docID=17502" target="_blank">Awareness Week Press Release. </a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Visit <a href="http://www.ccfa.org/" target="_blank">www.ccfa.org</a> to learn more about the disease </li>
</ul>
<img border="0" src="http://online.ccfa.org/images/wrpr/spacer.gif" height="1" width="1" /><br />
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I've admittedly got some personal reservations with the organization, but I still suggest expanding your awareness or sharing your expertise by reading through the forums at the CCFA site, as well as other sites like <a href="http://e-patients.net/" target="_blank">e-patients</a> and <a href="http://www.wearecrohns.org/" target="_blank">We Are Crohn's</a> and contribute what you can. Do you have advice or simply words of compassion to share with others? Why not start a blog of your own? Or give some readership to the wonderful folks I've got featured on my blog roll? Go on, get to it!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-69035740020836266722011-11-30T10:47:00.001-05:002015-03-12T19:35:42.482-04:00Example: The Importance of Being a Pro-Active Patient<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DX9rMrHZJWQ/TtZOYagme9I/AAAAAAAAAjI/pC6QYAHKEXs/s1600/drug%2Bchart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DX9rMrHZJWQ/TtZOYagme9I/AAAAAAAAAjI/pC6QYAHKEXs/s320/drug%2Bchart.png" height="242" width="400" /></a></div>
I'm posting this somewhat hastily since I'm on the clock right now, but <a href="http://e-patients.net/archives/2011/11/kenneth-s-spriggs-do-it-yourself-electronic-health-record.html">e-patients.net</a> just posted a great story by a pro-active patient, Kenneth Spriggs, who created the above infographic charting his medication history over two decades of various inflammatory issues, including IBD. (It's far more impressive than the various spreadsheets I've kept over the years, although if you ask me it could use a few more pooh puns.)<br />
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I'm a firm believer in the importance of being a pro-active patient - your history and your data is yours and you should know it more intimately than any doctor you have or will interact with. You will always be one of many other patients and doctors are, after all, flawed humans like the rest of us - even the best will make mistakes or have bad days, which is why I cannot stress enough how important it is to stay proactive!<br />
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Check out Spriggs' pet project <a href="http://diyehr.com/about">DIYEHR </a>to learn more about collecting your health data.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9040561272613505624.post-67908796678987060832011-11-22T11:37:00.001-05:002015-03-12T19:46:51.687-04:00From the Archives: A Guide to Shitting Your Pants<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A friend on Facebook made mention of having a potty emergency, and, although I'm not sure what type of potty emergency it was, it inspired me to revisit <a href="http://lilcrohnsie.blogspot.com/2009/07/q-time-todays-episode-self-defecation.html" target="_blank">this post from 2009:</a><br />
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"Last night a colleague of mine posed the question: is it possible to shit your pants with a solid poop instead of diarrhea? In other words, does self defecation necessitate the runs?</div>
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In my experience, while more often than not accidents do involve the loosies, I do recall pooping a normal poop in my pants, or at least it started coming out that way. In the end, if you're pooping in your pants it's going to get squished. This brought about a discussion on the best type of underwear to be donning at the time of an unfortunate "incident." It got me going on a bit of an advice kick, so here I present a few tips on what to expect when shitting your pants.</div>
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Obviously if you find yourself in this, er, shituation, you'll want to get yourself to a place where you can clean up and put the whole event behind you as fast as possible, as discreetly as possible. Taking even the simplest precautions can better prepare you for an unlikely and unpleasant experience such as crapping your pants.</div>
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I find it best to be wearing snug underwear and slightly loose pants when losing my bowels. Tight undies will help contain the mess, which is important when trying to act casual. <b>Thongs are not your friend!</b> If your doo-doo does escape the first layer of protection provided by your drawers then loose fitting pants should be your next line of defense because they're less likely to give you away with big stains (the logic being that the fabric is farther from your skin, whereas if you were wearing leggings as pants everyone could tell from the rapidly spreading brown stain that you shat yourself). Obviously you shouldn't let your wardrobe be dictated by your shit, but if you happen to be mid-flare or in any situation where you think the risk of a blow-out is higher than usual, you may want to give this some consideration.</div>
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Regardless of your attire it is never fun or comfortable to poop yourself. You're probably going to have to run somewhere to take care of the situation and that will just smear the poop all over your butt cheeks, genitals, and maybe even down your legs... and it doesn't stay warm for long. In addition to considering your wardrobe you should probably take care to have a wetnap on you at all times, and stow a spare pair of pants wherever is convenient. I keep pants and underwear in my desk at work, the LAST place you want to be when shitting your britches!</div>
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An additional word to the wise: try not to panic. I know it's hard not to when you start to feel the tell-tale pangs of imminent self-defecation, but try to breathe. I was stuck on the subway the other morning and started to cramp up, but I began taking deep yogic breaths and the anxiety soon passed and with it went the cramps. There is no surefire way to avoid the pants-pooping that is bound to happen at some point in a lifetime of IBD, but I find trying to keep my stress down increases my chances of making it to the bathroom.<br />
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One last tip before signing off: the worst and most common part of the self defecation experience is shame. Don't forget, LOTS of people shit themselves, and you'd be surprised how few of them have an excuse like IBD. I cannot reiterate the importance of not feeling shamed. I've claimed "morning sickness" to use a public bathroom before because I was embarrassed to explain that I had a poop-inducing disease. It's certainly much easier for people to wrap their heads around, but I've resolved to be more honest. In the future I hope to have the nerve to say: "I have colitis. I can poop in your bathroom, or I can poop on your floor."<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0