My trainer and coach both love to tell me that progress isn’t linear. As a person who started taking fitness seriously in middle age, this has been a rock fact for me, not a lesson I needed drilled into me. But I wanted to add some clarity for what setbacks look like for someone inContinue reading “Setbacks”
Tag Archives: chronic pain
Pain
Two nights ago I experienced what I think may have been the worst pain of my life. Following a very high stress week, like crying at work, the students can tell something is wrong stress, like your elderly parents and disabled brother are living in filth with mouse shit all over their kitchen and onlyContinue reading “Pain”
To be fit in my 40s
I am trying some things this winter to beat the sunless, warmthless doldrums. I read a memoir by a woman who healed from chronic fatigue syndrome. Parts of it seemed like sound advice. Parts of it seemed like real wellness influencer film flam (like starting and ending the book with Rachel Hollis quotes). I won’tContinue reading “To be fit in my 40s”
Diet for Remission Update
I have reached the 6th week of my Crohn’s disease exclusion diet. Half of my daily calories are from enteral nutrition (Kate Farms chocolate flavor nutrition shake). Half of my calories are from fruits and vegetables, mostly smoothies, soups, and the occasional salad. I actually guess I haven’t been following the diet, per se, becauseContinue reading “Diet for Remission Update”
Riding the Flare & Dietary Interventions for Crohn’s Disease
I’m about 3 weeks into this flare. Had a great talk with my primary care doctor where we discussed my long term health goals and I shared with her my research on treating Crohn’s with diet. She is incredibly supportive and promptly ordered a bunch of tests to assess my micronutrient levels and try toContinue reading “Riding the Flare & Dietary Interventions for Crohn’s Disease”
Life with Multiple Chronic Illnesses
In a word, confusing. What is causing the symptoms? Are these conditions impacting each other? I have Crohn’s disease, hypothyroidism, and Seasonal Affective Disorder. What is causing my fatigue? My brain fog? Why does my whole body hurt? What is throwing off my sleep schedule? When you are navigating multiple diagnosis, specialists make it moreContinue reading “Life with Multiple Chronic Illnesses”
Food Diary 7-29-20
Pain 3/10 Bloating 1/5 BM 5/7 Fatigue 2/10 Been coasting along with about the same daily symptoms, and eating the same standard foods. I added in dirty rice yesterday. It was made with white rice and was not very filling. Whole grains y’all! Still on the steroids. Side effects: insomnia, tension and feeling “up” allContinue reading “Food Diary 7-29-20”
Losing Faith in my GI
My gastroenterologist got me through the worst, and I want to put that up front, first and foremost. Her aggressive plan for treating my worst bout of Crohn’s Disease put me in remission The First Time. That is a feat, and I am so thankful for that. Months of steroids cut the inflammation, and aContinue reading “Losing Faith in my GI”
Irritable #4
A year of comics and rumination about chronic illness now available. Email totbchicago@gmail.com for a printable PDF and instructions, or I can send you a copy by snail mail.
Pain Flares
Until I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, pain always had a purpose. Something hurt because I smashed, cut, burned, bruised, or otherwise maimed myself. Then came a new chapter of my life: mysterious pain flares. Inflammatory and Auto-Immune diseases are unique in their ability to inflict random pain on their unwitting victims. Example: I justContinue reading “Pain Flares”
Eating Vegan with Crohn's Disease 