Al's Crohn's Related Roundup

Take Steps 2012

I think it's time for a recap of whats going on with me and my crap -- anecdotally, events wise and medically. So here you go.

1. Our CCFA Take Steps walk this past Sunday was a success. Our team, the Poo Crew, has raised nearly $12K and counting (donations are accepted through September) and I personally have raised just short of $1500. Over the past three years our team has raised over $30K and when I think of that my heart swells with pride. We are making a difference, a group of used-to-be strangers, who've come together to fight against diseases who threaten to overtake us every day. Take that Crohn's and colitis.
2. As of yesterday, I am now inflicting harm via injection of Humira once a week. I saw both my GI and my rheumy for regular followups and both agree that since I'm seeing a slight improvement on days 2-7 and then back downhill day 8-14, upping my dose to weekly is the next step to trying to get this to really make some progress. I'm praying this helps, because as much as I hate the injection, I want it to work so bad and I will do whatever it takes. Especially since the last week has been a little rougher, I can feel the deep within starts of something ominous and I just do NOT have time for that this summer. So weekly injections it is!
3. I was talking to our insurance provider (home owner, car, life) reviewing policies and he asked why hubs has a life insurance policy and I do not -- we had a different agent when hubby got his policy. I explained just simply that I have a number of autoimmune diseases, but didn't say which ones, which prevent me from even getting a small policy. He went on to say that except for diabetes and heart disease, he didn't think it was a problem to try for a policy, oh accept for Crohn's disease too. This is where I laughed and said, "ding ding that's what I have." He just said, "Oh" and we moved on.
4. I've been attempting to regularly attend "therapeutic yoga" at our local studio. The description of the class is for those with limitations, that's me:) So anyway, while there the other day we were laying on our backs and were hugging our knees in. The teacher says, now feel your ascending colon being massaged (ok I know sounds crazy, but go with it) and in my head again I'm laughing because if I could feel my ascending colon that would be a miracle since it's in a medical wasteland somewhere;) 

I guess the moral of this post is, IBD pops up in my world so randomly but regularly, a reminder of just how forever this disease is. But thankfully I can laugh about it, spread awareness about it and accept my reality knowing that I can choose joy in my life's situation and I am happy.