On February 6th, 2020 I had a liver biopsy at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. At the time, I was living with an unofficial diagnosis of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)— a non-alcohol-related, autoimmune, progressive liver disease. We hoped a liver biopsy would help give us some answers and confirm the unofficial diagnosis. I was EXTREMELY nervous […]
Is Your Biologic Still Working? What to Do If You Think You’re Developing Antibodies to Your IBD Biologic
If you’ve ever flared on a biologic, you may have wondered if you were developing antibodies. This is a stressful situation to be in, especially if you’re not sure what your next step should be. Did you know there’s a specialty blood test you can do to check the effectiveness of the biologic medication you’re […]
Book Review: “Take Daily As Needed” by Kathryn Trueblood
Have you heard of the fiction book Take Daily As Needed by Kathryn Trueblood? I’m so thankful to have been contacted by Kathryn and asked to write an honest review of her book in exchange for a free e-book copy. I jumped at this chance because the main character has Crohn’s disease! So without further […]
PSC Awareness Day 2019: Thank You to the Boy Who Called Me a Superhero
I attended a primary sclerosing cholangitis symposium in 2018, hosted by PSC Partners Seeking a Cure. During this weekend-long event, a young boy gave a short speech that changed my perspective on living with PSC. So in honor of PSC Awareness Day this year, I’d like to share the story about this speech that focused […]
Why I Don’t Identify with the Phrase, “My Chronic Illness Doesn’t Define Me”
There’s a phrase I hear quite often in the chronic illness community. This proclamation, for many, is one that summons strength, brings comfort, and conjures an inner resilience. The phrase is, “My chronic illness doesn’t define me.” While I appreciate the sentiment of this phrase, it doesn’t resonate with me. In this post, I explain […]
Two Things to do When Grief Disguises Itself as Nostalgia
If you live with a chronic illness, you’ve likely experienced some level of grief at some point during your health journey. I always used to think of grief as an overpowering black cloud of darkness and despair. And sometimes it is. Other times, grief can take on other strange forms. Recently, I had a moment […]