While this blog is mainly for me to be able to express myself, I wonder if anybody out there will actually read this. My one follower is someone I know - thank you!!

Man, dealing with Crohn's on a daily basis sucks! I wake up in the morning and go to bed at night with bowel habits on my mind. ALL of my underwear have racing stripes and I bleed a lot. My "exit door" is very sore and I cramp all the way through my intestines. For many years, I've had dental issues. I'm not sure of the exact word for it, but my gums are tender and bleed a lot and I'm losing teeth slowly but surely. I take better care of my mouth than a lot of people I know, and my dentist is stumped as to what the problem could be. I'm convinced it's Crohn's. There are no ulcers in my mouth, but there is soreness, and I understand Crohn's affects the entire digestive system, "from mouth to anus." Why wouldn't I blame my mouth problems on Crohn's?

Even the slightest amount of stress affects my Crohn's. Especially when I travel. I went out of town for just one night, and I spent a lot of time on the toilet. No matter how much medicine I took, the cramps wouldn't go away and the urge to #2 was really strong.

By nature, I worry a lot. I can't help it and efforts to change that in the past have not worked. Long ago, I resigned myself to be that type of person: Kind of uptight, and worry about things I probably don't need to worry about, despite the fact that I have calmed down quite a bit. However, in this economy, with my crappy job working with mean people, my drug-addicted sister, another sister who hates everybody and took her kids away so nobody knows where they are (for many years now), we'll probably lose our house we worked so hard for... The list goes on and on. There is SO MUCH to worry about, it's hard not to.

The Pain, The Pain

It's been several hours, and several pills, and still my guts are churning. I constantly feel like I have to go #2, it never seems to go away. When I can finally make it to the bathroom, only a little bit comes out, so why all the cramps? I've been doing a lot of research into what other Crohn's patients go through and I hear people in a lot of pain. Makes me wonder: Is it the same pain I have? Are they constantly having to go #2 like me? I assume there is diarrhea, but is it only a little a time? I try not to eat so much, so I don't go so much, but it really makes no difference. When I've fasted (prepping for tests) there is NOTHING in my belly, but still the cramps and the urge to go. I just never stops. Is this what other people with Crohn's go through?

A Rough Morning

Today I leaked before I made it out of bed. Thank Goodness for Stay-Free, Extra-Long, Overnight Maxi's with Wings!

The Beginning

So I've finally started this blog. Something I've been meaning to do for a long time. I've recently gotten a second opinion on Crohn's Disease, if I have it or not. After my third colonoscopy, and several other tests, it's been confirmed: I have Crohn's Disease. This is a difficult disease to live with, and I have a lot of issues about it. My plan is to explore it all here. I'm tired of always whining about it to my better half - he deserves better from me. I'm not comfortable talking to my "friends" about - I'm thinking this type of forum might work for me. I'd love to hear back from anybody who cares to comment - good or bad. Let's face it: The subject of Crohn's is not pretty. There will probably be some rather gross subject matter here, so please be aware. If you don't like it - don't read it. I intend to be as open and honest as possible here, no holds barred. I've heard it said before and I agree: The first thing you lose with Crohn's is your dignity.