Pain

Living with Ulcerative Colitis

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Today, May 19, is World IBD Day. For the first 20 years of my life, I lived blissfully unaware of the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ulcerative colitis (UC). Sure, I’d heard of stomach upset, suffered through childhood digestive woes and stomach viruses, but I didn’t know there was anything more than the ever-fleeting “nervous stomach” term I’d been assigned as a kid. Those first days of school tummy jitters, the clamminess before big tests or speaking in front of the class, the waves of nausea after making an ass of myself in front of my crush, etc.

I took an acid-reducing medicine while in 11th grade and the occasional half-tablet of Imodium-AD to settle my digestive system, but it wasn’t until college that I started having severe problems.

The changes were subtle at first, so subtle that I only recognize them now as I reflect on that time in my life. Continue reading

Day 7: Countdown of my favorite love songs (message to new lover)

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Designed by Eightonesix / Freepik

Welcome to day seven of my ten-day series of Valentine’s Day inspired blog posts. Yesterday, I wrote about my favorite pour your heart out songs. Today’s songs are all messages to a new love, as in don’t give up on me, help me heal, let me help you heal, etc.

These are songs for when you’re in love again after heartache, when someone’s in love with you after heartache, or when you love someone who’s had their heart broken. Half the heart is ready to love again, but the other half is still in a dark shadow, stuck in the past hurt.

The first song perfectly describes how I felt when I was falling in love with my then-boyfriend, now husband, Jonathan.
Continue reading

Day 4: Countdown of my favorite love songs (love/hate)

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Photo by Diego Medrano

Welcome to day four of my ten-day series of Valentine’s Day inspired blog posts. Yesterday, I wrote about my favorite songs for the brokenhearted. Today’s featured songs are about love/hate. You know? When you love and hate them and can’t seem to figure out why? Or when you hate them but still love them?

I don’t think I’ve ever truly hated someone. I’ve said it and regretted it. What kid hasn’t uttered those words to a parent or sibling? I am a firm believer that you must have loved someone first to hate them. I don’t think the opposite of love is indifference; I think it’s hate. HATE: loathe, detest, despise, abhor, execrate.

My favorite three love/hate songs are listed below. Continue reading