DAY 29: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 29 - Write about the unexpected blessings of your health conditions....

When I was little I used to fear getting sick. Colds or a 24 hour bug, I hated getting sick. The first time I really realized that you could have an "illness that stuck" around longer than the average two week cold was when my Aunt got breast cancer. I watched her fight for months and months and that's when it really clicked that someone can get really really sick. Fast forward to today all I see are shots, pills, IVs, tests and doctors appointments. I truly understand now.
This is one blessing that having chronic illnesses has taught me. Not everyone gets to be healthy all of the time. You take what you get and you make the best of it. It's not fair but it's life.
I try to abide by the motto "absorb, ignore, appreciate".
Absorb the information you need to know.
Ignore the downers that will ruin your positive attitude.
Appreciate what you do have instead of wishing for what you can't have.
Oh ya, and smile. Always smile.
:)

DAY 28: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 28 - Write about how you deal with mean comments or bullies.

I don't have a problem with mean comments on my blog as I don't get too many and they are always positive. Thank you to everyone that comments. And if you haven't, go ahead. I love feedback and ideas. It gives me a chance to read your blogs and get to know you as well. Go! Comment now!
;)

As for bullies or meanies in real life all you can really do is try to ignore them. Even if it's hard.
There will always be someone who THINKS that they are better than you or have more than you do or are more popular than you are. The thing is if you are happy in your life with your family, your friends, and who you are as a person no one can bring you down. So what if you are different? So what if you are sick? It's nobodys business but yours and your doctor's. And if someone thinks it's their business you can tell them to shove off because they were never really your friend or ally.
Other than that just smile. You never know when a smile will knock them down a few notches on the karma ladder. (And it feels pretty good too!)
:D

DAY 27: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 27 - "I bet you didn't know...."

....that I never ever in a million billion trillion years want to grow up. When I think about adulty things my heart beats fast and I go into panic attack mode. These things include (but are not limited to) big responsibilities, big decisions, anything that I can majorly screw up, mortgage payments, car payments, anything that requires large sums of money, having to remember something very important, going to college/university and having adult conversations.
Why do you think I work with kids? Their problems are most often solved with either a timeout, an ice pack or a kiss. When's the last time you paid your cable bill with a kiss? Or your gas bill by giving the CEO of the company a timeout in the corner?
The point being that if I had the choice I would stay little forever. In a heartbeat.
:)

DAY 26: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 26 - Make a chart/meme/poster and write about it.

These are the "memes" I came up with. Forgive my lack of writing. I have a lot on my plate tonight. If possible I will try to make up for it tomorrow.

DAY 25: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 25 - Write about what you want to happen to your blog/community when you die.

What a good question. What would I like to happen to my blog if something happened to me? I suppose it would sit in limbo until someone deleted it right? If I'm gone then there would be no one to write on it. There would be no one to moderate it.
My friend Aly's blog is still up. She hadn't written on it in some time because she had started another one that I recently found out about and am currently trying to read through. When you talk to someone they will almost always respond. They always have that option. There's just something about reading through someone's life when you know you are going to hit the end one day and that is all that they will ever write. You can't ask them any questions. you can't praise them on a beautifully written post. It fills you with dread.
But if I were gone I wouldn't want my reader to feel this way. I would want them to smile.

So I guess if I was to not wake up tomorrow morning I would like my blog to stay exactly like it is when I pass forever so that many people after me can share in my optimism and better their lives.

DAY 24: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 24 - "If I had more than 24 hours in a day...." (Or unlimited spoons or funds).

(and did not have to worry about health) I would....

• Go to England and perfect my accent.
• Go to Hawaii and lay in the sand.
• Go to California and see a taping of Ellen AND The Big Bang Theory.
• Go to Australia and swim with Nemo.
• Set up a charity for those less fortunate.
• Go back to school and become a doctor.
• Or go to acting school and become an actress.
• Write a book about optimism.

But the #1 thing that I would do?

• Eat salad everyday. (I miss caesar salad more than anything.)

DAY 23: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 23 - How to take time for myself.

Put simply, I knit.
A lot.
:)

DAY 22: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 22 - Write about change.

I'm going to cover all angles here...

a) "To cause to be different."
Crohn's has caused my life to become different. I have to plan now. My life can't be a whim. I don't like change; never have, never will. Why fix an already good thing. And when I'm forced to give into change that's usually when I end up sick. Pro-stayingthewayitis!

b) "To exchange or replace with another; usually of the same kind or category."
I would like to be able to change society's attitude towards chronic illnesses. Not just the ones about my illnesses but of all illnesses. I wish people who didn't understand didn't accuse. For some reason everyone who isn't schooled about your illness thinks it's your fault. "You must be eating the wrong thing", "Such and such I know has that and they started such and such a diet and now they're fine" or my favourite "If I can't see that you are sick then obviously you're not that sick".

c) "To give or receive the equivalent of (money) in lower denominations or in foreign currency."
I don't like the new Canadian $20, $50 and $100 bills. They stick together when counting, they melt in a hot car and they don't smell like maple syrup. I was promised currency that smells like my Saturday morning breakfast. I am thoroughly vexed.
>:\

DAY 21: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 21 - Advice for newly diagnosed patients....

Dearest new fellow Crohnie warrior,
I am going to give you a quick ten minute crash course on everything I wish a fellow Crohnie had told me when I was brand spankin' new to the CD game. In point form. Because who doesn't love point form when reading something quick?

• Don't underestimate what you were just told. Crohn's Disease can become very serious, very fast.
• Listen to your doctors. If you are very sick an this is why you have been lead to this diagnosis then they are just trying to keep you alive at this point.
• For goodness sake, take your meds.
• And take them when and how prescribed.
• Prednisone, while making you feel like Spider-Man AND The Hulk simultaneously and giving you emotions and cravings like a pregnant woman, will work wonders on your gastrointestinal symptoms.
• Coming down off of prednisone is horrible. The high fades; the symptoms return. You will most likely be put on a longer term drug by then. I promise it will suck in comparison.
• At this point you will hate your doctor.
• If/when this med doesn't work you may be put onto a biological drug like Remicade. Do it! It will change your life.
• Remicade will be a love/hate relationship.
• Go to the ER if you feel something is wrong. I went three times in a week and a half even after them insisting that I was fine. WRONG! I had an infection that would have been fatal if I didn't keep up on it.
• If it's not an emergency don't be afraid to "bug" or "annoy" your doctor. It's their job.
• Crohn's can happen anywhere from your gums to your bum. Other symptoms are likely. Tell your doc, it's probably related and fixable.
• Buy an iPod. Doctors offices are boring. And you're about to be visiting a lot of them. Or take up an easily portable hobby.
• You can choose to let CD define you, or you can say Hey! I have it. I have to deal with it everyday but it's just one aspect of me.
• Read "The Spoon Theory" ( http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/ )
• Laugh. I promise this will do you good. I double pinky promise! :)

This will get you started. But I'll keep you updated as I experience them as well. Stay tuned!
:D

P.S. Oh ya! When your mouth swells up and your gums are inflamed eat freezies!

DAY 20: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 20 - "A health moment I regret is...."

Before I tell you I need to let you know about the events leading up to my one event that started the downward spiral that is my non-existent health.

I've always been sick. I had tubes in my ears at 10 months old because I was one solid ear infection from birth. I had strep throat more times than I can remember including 6 times in the winter of '99. It was my own personal Y2K. I always got stomach bugs. Always got colds. My immune system seems to have left in utero never to return. Until a mid-September day in 2002. I had got home from school and spent my usual 30 minutes in the bathroom. But when I was done I was greeted by something rather alarming in the toilet (here comes the gross bit). And there staring back at me was a whole lot of blood. I panicked and the very next day I made a doctor's appointment. When there he hummed and hawed about what to do. I had been complaining to him for years and years about some very vague symptoms; diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, fatigue. But this was the last straw. He ordered a butt load(pun totally intended) of blood tests and decided to send me onto a gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy. Well being 12 years old the sound of a person putting a tube up your arse sounded horribly painful and incredibly embarrassing. So I did the blood tests (rather begrudgingly as most 12 year olds hate needles. If only I had known the pokes to come!) and when the doctor never called to say that they contained anything terrible or life threatening I let the colonoscopy go unperformed.
This is my biggest health regret to date.
I wish I had followed up with a specialist appointment and a colonoscopy when I was 12. I'm sure I wouldn't be as sick or have suffered as much since then if I had. I would have felt better. I would have had a better quality of life. I would have done better in school. I wish this most of all. But that was then and this is now. And I am thankful for every breath I get to take as of being diagnosed two years ago.
:)