Living with IBD or chronic illness can oftentimes make us feel trapped—especially when we’re flaring. In 2018, I was hospitalized for the worst ulcerative colitis flare of my life. However, this awful flare actually improved my perspective on life! When I was finally able to leave my house and travel, I found a new appreciation for life I never would have encountered without enduring that painful flare.
My Mental Shift During My Flare Recovery
My flare lasted from June through October, and thanks to my new medication Entyvio, I began to get back into remission in November.
As I recovered, I was able to walk around my neighborhood again and stroll around local parks. I hope I never again take for granted the ability to do this.
A New Appreciation for Travel and the Great Outdoors
Also during my time cooped up at home, I caught the travel bug big time! My husband had moved from California to Tennessee to start an amazing new job, and I stayed back a few months to heal and wrap up my medical situation.
I was set to join up with him in January 2019. I was SO excited! That November, I was healthy enough to board a red-eye and fly across the country to visit my husband Tyler for a weekend!
Tyler planned an entire weekend of outdoor activities in our new Tennessee town! My healing came just in time for us to have an incredible November weekend filled with hiking, shopping, eating, and visiting the nooks and crannies of our new city.
From Confinement to Freedom
During the months of my flare, I had felt an adventure calling.
I’d been healing slowly, wondering when again I’d be able to travel and explore the great outdoors.
Not every part of ulcerative colitis is bad. The confinement of the flares ignites something in you. Flares may feel like they’re emptying you, but they’re really creating a space that, when you’re better, you’ll appreciate a thousand times over.
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