The nurse practitioner who ordered the FibroScan put me in touch with a hepatologist at a hospital in Georgia. I’m so thankful for my California gastroenterologist, Dr. Davies, who had several phone calls with this nurse practitioner and the referred hepatologist to help explain my unique situation. The Hepatologist Refused to Perform a Liver Biopsy […]
On Feeling Invisible: The Thoughts and Wishes of a Chronic Illness Patient
Happy Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week! The theme for Awareness Week this year is “Making the invisible visible by sharing a day in the life with IBD.” In today’s blog post, I share my innermost thoughts and wishes as someone living with an invisible disease. Life with Invisible Symptoms My colon was almost destroyed because […]
When Your Diagnosis Isn’t About You Anymore (And Why It’s a Good Thing)
Celebrating my five-year ulcerative colitis diagnosis this year, I had an epiphany. I realized that my diagnosis isn’t about me anymore. I’d started out sharing my story to find community and emotional healing, and now I share my story to help others. If you find yourself in a similar boat, keep reading to see why […]
Ulcerative Colitis Diagnosis: How my Chronic Illness Journey Began
Ah, August of 2014. The summer I transferred to William Jessup University—a small, humble school on the outskirts of Rocklin, California. I had always dreamt of attending a large university after my two years at a cramped and overcrowded community college—someplace where I could continue to appease my inner introvert and hide camouflaged amongst the masses…