Update on my Crohn’s

So far I have only recapped the worst part about my Crohn’s on here. My journey with Crohn’s has not been all bad though, I would consider myself pretty healthy at this point in my life. It has been three years since I have been hospitalized and truly sick. When I began healing after my surgery, I felt so much better. I remember being really self conscious about my scar, but all that is over. It has become part of me and I am so used to seeing it under my bellybutton. 

Thankfully I have been healthy since my surgery, I have had colonoscopies and they were overall pretty good. I am still on medication so I am still treating it. I can’t eat popcorn or corn… I haven’t eaten popcorn since I was diagnosed and I have tried to eat corn a couple of times but it hurts a lot when I do. So now I steer clear from both those foods. I also shouldn't be eating processed food or fast food. I have not fully cut out processed and fast foods, I have gotten better at choosing healthier options though. I think when I am out of school, it will be easier to cut those out but as of now ;I am a student and they are easy options. Healthy food is also so expensive and hard to buy because veggies go bad so fast.

I occasionally regret eating unhealthy because I do get stomach aches whenever I do and I still go to the bathroom more than the average person; but all of that has become normal for me. I expect my stomach to hurt after I eat gummies or oreos. As of very recently I have had stomach pain when I drink coffee so I have actually almost fully cut coffee out of my daily routine (and for those who know me, it was very hard to do and I do not frequent Starbucks as often as I did), now I get teas or refreshers from Starbucks. The Jade Citrus green tea from Starbucks is my favourite, for obvious reasons ;)

I have become pretty comfortable talking about my disease as well. A lot of people know of others who suffer from Crohn’s and it is interesting to hear other peoples stories because no two people have the same symptoms or stories. I have accepted the fact that this is a lifelong illness that could result in relapse and remission. I have thankfully been symptom free for 3 years and I hope my luck will continue for many years to come. 

Thankfully I also have amazing people surrounding me who help me manage my disease. My mom always has the best food in the house and the fridge is always stocked up with healthy snacks which encourage me to eat healthier when at home. My boyfriend does everything he can to make me feel better. He knows I love treats so I can tell it is hard for him to say no to me when I ask him to get me something and then he has to watch me eat them as he tells me “your tummy is going to hurt”, sometimes he even manages to take them away from me because he knows I will regret it. We also encourage each other to eat healthier by cooking healthy meals for each other. 

I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and I think that me getting diagnosed with Crohn’s has made me stronger than ever. I occasionally try to think about when I was hospitalized to remind myself that if I could get through that then I can get through most things.