January 2012: How is Your Crohn’s Today?
Hi everyone! I hope that your Thanksgiving and holiday season was wonderful — and uneventful (at least in the Crohn’s area.)
For those of you who are new to this blog, every now and then I like to check in to see how everyone is doing with Crohn’s symptoms. I’ll give you an update, and you reply in the comments with your current status. And since this is a post-holiday blog, I especially want to hear how you handled all the yummy, tempting food and activities.
Luckily, my Erythema Nodosum cleared up just in time for the holidays.
In general, my Thanksgiving and Christmas was okay. Not great, but okay. My erythe...
Source: Life with Crohn's - January 24, 2012 Category: Other Conditions Authors: Kelly R Tags: Crohn's disease Crohn's blog crohn's disease at workplace Crohn's flare up Crohn's research How's your Crohn's today stem cells and Crohn's Source Type: blogs
The Skin Problem That Goes Hand in Hand With IBD
I have a swollen, red, and very painful inflammation on my foot — and it’s called erythema-nodosum.
Erythe-what?
Erythema nodosum is a common skin manifestation, occurring in about 10 to 15 percent of people with inflammatory bowel disease, particularly those with Crohn’s disease. It results in reddish, painful, tender lumps that are most commonly located in the front of the legs below the knees. These tender lumps, or nodules, can range in size from 1 to 5 centimeters. Even though they are commonly found on the legs, I have had them on my arms in the past. I have read that the erythema-nodosum usually com...
Source: Life with Crohn's - November 7, 2011 Category: Other Conditions Authors: Kelly R Tags: Crohn's disease Crohn's disease blog Crohn's disease1 Crohn's flare up IBD symptoms Understanding Inflammatory Bowel Disease Source Type: blogs
October 2011: How is Your Crohn’s Today?
Hello everyone! I hope that you are doing well today! It is time for us to have another edition of ‘How is your Crohn’s today?’.
For those who are new to the blog, every now and then I like to check in with everyone to hear how you are doing and how your Crohn’s is holding up.
Here’s how I’ve been doing: I started the Stem Cell Clinical Trial and had the first infusion on the 12th of October. I was really nervous about the first one since I don’t have good success with medications (I always seem to get those rare side effects!), so I asked my husband to take me. It was good that I brought him because they...
Source: Life with Crohn's - October 24, 2011 Category: Other Conditions Authors: Kelly R Tags: Crohn's disease Crohn's community crohns How is your Crohn's today medication Source Type: blogs
Courage
This past Sunday was the anniversary of 9/11 and I have been thinking about that nightmare of a day all week. I have also been thinking about courage, and what it means to be courageous. My Aunt, who I am really close to, was in the World Trade Center that day and she was lucky to make it out alive. We are very thankful that she is still here with us, because she could easily not have made it.
I don’t like to think about that, though. I also don’t like to remember the fear of not knowing where she was that day or what had happened to her. I think that my Aunt is one of the most courageous people I know, but she wi...
Source: Life with Crohn's - September 14, 2011 Category: Other Conditions Authors: Kelly R Tags: Crohn's disease 9/11 building a crohn's community courage Crohn's disease1 Crohn's motivation fear Source Type: blogs
Stem Cell Research and Crohn’s
This study (by Celgene) is very similar to a previous study that was performed by Osiris a few years ago. I wanted to participate in the Osiris study, but we had just moved back to the states and I was starting a new job. Besides, I just had a colonoscopy — and they were going to make me repeat it. But now that I’m due for another colonoscopy, my career is basically in limbo, and I’m scared to try Cimzia, I’m ready to try this.
The trial studies the effects of PDA001 on the immune system and how this affects Crohn’s disease. Adult Stem cells can be harvested from many different places, such as the bone ma...
Source: Life with Crohn's - September 2, 2011 Category: Other Conditions Authors: Kelly R Tags: Crohn's disease Crohn's blog Crohn's disease medicine Crohn's disease treatment Crohn's disease1 Crohn's doctor Crohn's research God medication Source Type: blogs
Managing Job Stress and Crohn’s
Well…I think that, once again, I am facing a change in my career. Actually, I am not certain where my career is going, but I do know that I cannot continue working in my current position. During October of last year, I was transitioned onto a ‘Proposal Tiger Team’ within my corporation and have been struggling with my work-life balance ever since. The job is intense, stressful, and one of those occupations where, to succeed, you have to give up your personal life and give everything you have to the company. I cannot do that — nor do I want to. Having a chronic disease further limits how much I can afford to...
Source: Life with Crohn's - June 28, 2011 Category: Other Conditions Authors: Kelly R Tags: Crohn's disease blog Crohn's at work crohn's disease at workplace Crohn's disease1 job work-life balance Source Type: blogs
May 2011: How is Your Crohn’s Today?
Hello Everyone! I hope that you are doing well today! It is time for us to have another edition of How Is Your Crohn’s Today?. For those of you who are new to the blog, every now and then I like to check in with everyone for updates and your Crohn’s is holding up. I’ll tell you how I am doing, and you reply in the comments section about your current status.
I finally went to see my rheumatologist and did my yearly bone scan. I was reluctant to go because I was so afraid that my bone density would be worse and I have been anxious about taking the Reclast medication again. As I wrote in a previous blog, I have b...
Source: Life with Crohn's - May 6, 2011 Category: Other Conditions Authors: Kelly R Tags: Crohn's disease Crohn's blog Crohn's disease medicine Crohn's disease1 Crohn's doctor dealing with crohn's disease side effects Source Type: blogs
Finding a Work-Life Balance With Crohn’s
Ever since I took this new position within my company, I am having a real problem with my work-life balance. The type of work that I am doing now leads to periods of high intensity followed by a lull, or low-intensity work. My problem arises, of course, when I am in the midst of insane deadlines and mountains of work that has to be done to impossibly high standards of quality. I have no problem doing the work and think that I am becoming quite good at it. The problem is that I give too much to do it.
If I had more time to work within a reasonable schedule, then I would love this job and may even want to do it forever. ...
Source: Life with Crohn's - April 6, 2011 Category: Other Conditions Authors: Kelly R Tags: Crohn's disease burn out Crohn's at work Crohn's blog Kelly R. Time management work-life balance Source Type: blogs
Prayers to Japan
I just want to take a few minutes away from our usual Crohn’s disease blog topics to send some prayers to the people of Japan. I can’t even imagine what they are going through and hope that it gets easier soon.
I also want to send special prayers to anyone who has a chronic disease and has been impacted by the earthquake, tsunami, or nuclear evacuation. It is especially hard for you when you don’t have what you need to be healthy, and I will pray for you and everyone who is suffering. Actually, let’s just take a moment to pray for anyone, anywhere who is suffering!
Please, Crohn’s bloggers, send your prayers!
...
Source: Life with Crohn's - March 17, 2011 Category: Other Conditions Authors: Kelly R Tags: Crohn's disease Crohn's blog Crohn's community earthquake Japan prayer tsunami Source Type: blogs
Anxiety About Testing, Medicine, and Doctors
It’s that time of year again — time for my yearly bone density check. I am really dreading the bone scan this year, but it is not because the test is hard. It is pretty much one of the easiest procedures that we, as Crohn’s patients, have to take. I am dreading the scan, because I am dreading the results. I just don’t want any more bad news. I don’t want to have to take the Reclast infusion again, and I know that if my test comes out worse, the rheumatologist is going to insist that I do.
Recently, the FDA has begun studying drugs like Reclast, Boniva, and Fosamax due to signs that the drugs can cause ab...
Source: Life with Crohn's - February 23, 2011 Category: Other Conditions Authors: Kelly R Tags: Crohn's disease bone density check Crohn's disease blog Crohn's disease community Crohn's disease1 Crohn's treatment reclast infusion Source Type: blogs
