It’s been awhile since I last posted, mostly because January is one of my busy times at work and between work, working out, and other activities for the past couple of weeks I just haven’t felt like blogging! Things are slowing down now and I can once again start to gather my thoughts and update on my progress or lack thereof.
The good news is that I’m making good use of my UP 24 (by Jawbone) band and changing several habits – mostly taking the long way around when walking and trying to add more steps instead of saving them. I need to be purposeful in keeping up with walking and moving on weekends, but during the week I’ve had very little trouble getting in at least 10,000 steps per day. I’m also back to the gym. The first couple workouts left me a bit sore, as expected, and I actually welcomed the tightness which followed – as well as the pump during the workouts. As I’m sure some of you are aware, it’s good to occasionally flex and feel like something is being flexed!
I’m doing very well with my diet, too. I use MyFitnessPal and have logged everything I’ve put in my mouth each day for about a month now. It has become habit and has helped me to make better choices. I have to say that I miss my Little Debbie though…and Krispy Kreme…and…well, you get the drift. However, there are better ways to use all those calories than one or two (or three) fatty treats each day. Oh, and this morning I was told by my Pastor that I looked thinner! I’ll choose to believe that he was talking about my waist and not my chest and shoulders.
Downside, I seem to have reached a fat loss plateau of some sort. My weight is edging down much slower than my exercise level and calorie intake should be creating. I’d like to think it’s because I’m putting muscle on as fast as the fat comes off, but that would be wrong (probably). Nothing to do but to stay consistent and keep upping the cardio.
Emotionally, I’m doing good except for the sadness and depression which followed the death of my cousin John this past week. He was three days older than me and born with Down Syndrome. Despite this he led a good life. He had a strong sense of humor and loved his family deeply. We had much in common including that we both enjoyed Star Trek and Scooby Doo. I will miss him greatly.
Upcoming for me this week a “double balloon colonoscopy” to further investigate my Crohn’s. This treatment will involve a two day prep and I’m on a clear liquid diet starting Tuesday and a full day of bowel “cleansing” on Wednesday. I’ll post more on this afterwards on Thursday (after I wake up that is).
Well, back to work today and back to the normal routine. . At first I was worried I didn’t get done everything I wanted to get done during my holiday, but I did get to spend quality time with family, establish some new healthy habits (another 10,000+ steps today – a six day streak) and cleared my head about a few things. So I guess all in all not a bad holiday break.
Looking forward into the New Year I have quite a bit to keep working on. My diet needs to be cleaner, leaner and more “natural” and by that I mean I need to prepare more of my own food and eat out less. It’s just healthier in general and I think with Crohn’s the closer you can get to natural foods the better anyway. A friend sent me an article on one woman’s experience of going Vegan with Crohn’s and it worked well for her. I don’t see myself going that far, or even vegetarian, but I do see more leafy greens, veggies in general, and raw fruits in my diet.
I’ve started working more on cardio fitness for many reasons. One, I’d like to live well into old age. Two, it’s easier to finish 5Ks when you are not gasping for breath.
I’ll be hitting the weights again. I’m not getting any younger and my body seems to remind me of that each day in new and interesting ways. Plus, I kind of like the feeling of my sleeves being just a little snug…
Creatively, so much to finish. Ditto concerning my professional life as well. All in all, another typical year but this time with an atypical outcome!
It is customary, it seems, at this time of year to take some time to reflect on the previous year and to make plans for the next. And though it may seem cliche I do have to say what a difference a year makes.
2014 started out without much hope or promise. Yes, my family and I tried to celebrate as best we could that New Year’s Eve but the reality was we were going through the motions since the day before we had just buried Dad. Our lives, like anyone else who has suffered major loss, will never be the same. Then the weather seemed to go crazy on us and the snow just kept falling. I work at a college and for the first time since I had started there we had multiple snow days – there was not one week in January were we worked the full week in fact. Though we all like an occasional snow day, it was getting ridiculous and creating more stress knowing that nothing was getting done (and still being held responsible for this by our customers even though they too could not get out any more than we could).
Spring brought hope and some relief. It was my niece’s final season with the University of Michigan Softball Team. Though they played well and fought their way to another Big 10 championship the NCAA crown eluded them. Still a great season by any measure, but a little heartbreaking as well as we knew that we would never get to cheer Caitlin on to a Women’s World Series Championship (which, come to think of it, most families never do get to do for their players).
I lost a close election in my theatre group and for the first time in well over a decade I found myself not on the board (I was off the board for a year by choice during this time though). I was okay with this, because that’s how elections go, and I had plenty of other things to keep me busy (the Community Theatre Association of Michigan board of directors, Masons, Church) and frankly could use the free time. Still, it felt odd.
The summer was okay, but nothing special until July when I attended a play writing workshop offered by CTAM and conducted by playwright Jim Henry . This was the creative spark that I needed to get writing again. I was enthused about my off stage work again and currently gave two plays which I’m working on with the goal of getting paid to have at least one play produced this year (a rather ambitious goal actually, but I’m going for it).
The summer was unusual in that I didn’t even get on a roller coaster – and I love roller coasters – until the fall this year. The good news however, was that my Crohn’s was pretty much inactive (yes, there was the occasional flare-up but nothing out of the ordinary).
Then in the late fall my world began to shift. Things weren’t going so well at work (declining enrollment at the college among other issues), but things were going well with my professional association, acting, playwriting, and other aspects of my life. I left the CTAM board (term limits you know) and even more time became available to me. Then I went to see a new doctor and he said, “I’m not sure you have Crohn’s.” You can read more about this in earlier blogs but the effect of suddenly not having the thing which, for better or for worse, had defined me for nearly thirty years was surprising. I felt liberated and then happy. For the better part of November when someone asked me how I was doing I would respond with “I’m unreasonably happy.” I can only attribute my good mood to the idea that I might not have Crohn’s. I was no longer a slave to a daily pill. Of course, I knew that there was still something wrong but I think I actually had hope that something could be done and I might get better.
Of course, there have been tests and now the doctor is 95% sure I have Crohn’s but we need yet another test to get a biopsy. And he seems to be hinting, strongly, that surgery is probably in my near future – if they can actually find the fistula and Crohn’s which the CT Scan indicates is there. But, again, I’m not upset by this. I’m actually still hopeful that something can be done.
So, I’m ending this year I think on a high note. My faith in God has been restored. I like blogging and finding a new community of fellow “Chronies” as well as a new audience. . My Facebook “Get Fit and Healthy” group seems to be thriving with new members who are embracing the idea that we are all more successful together and put up with some of my random posts which do not interest them (but of course, interest me). I’m committed to getting healthier than I’ve been for several years in terms of weight and muscle tone. Things are getting better at work, because I have very supportive bosses and staff, and I’m developing other avenues to explore which may allow me at some point to be less dependent on a “regular” job in the future or at the very least provide a few extra dollars (the threat of layoff is very real this coming year). And most importantly, in many ways I’m closer to my family, including cousins, than I’ve ever been even if we are separated by miles.
Loss is always painful and some losses we never recover from. But, even in loss there is something to be gained, even if it takes a while.
And I think that this is the lesson for me from 2014.
May you all have a Happy and Prosperous New Year – onward to 2015!
Just a short post today to update the status of my Crohn’s (and/or other mystery condition) this holiday season. So far this week my “gut” has been remarkably quiet. I had some problems a week ago – which struck during the annual holiday outing with the office sadly – but I went through all of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day without any incident. This was even after eating popcorn two days in a row (which sometimes seems to cause me issues).
My energy is okay – not too tired, but not too energetic either – and overall I’m okay and think I feel pretty much as a “normal” person without an IBD would feel (not really sure of course).
In other good news the pathology report from my last colonoscopy did come back and the polyp that was removed was deemed to be “hyperplastic” which means, according to the American Cancer Society website at least, that it was benign and nothing to worry about (hurray!).
I am scheduled for what is called a “double balloon endoscopy – colonoscopy” on January 29th. This test is designed to go higher than the previous one, which if you’ll recall came back pretty much normal. There was some “focal distortion,” indicating healed injury, of the Ileocecal valve but the etiology (causes) was not apparent. But, still no definitive proof of Crohn’s. And if surgery is needed it won’t be done without this evidence. Though my doctor does say that there is a 95% chance it is Crohn’s. He is also concerned that the Crohn’s could have become lymphoma over the years and wants to rule this out as well.
Another fun thing, by the way, for Christmas I got an “UP 24” (by Jawbone) to help me monitor my overall fitness. So far after using it for two days I’ve discovered that I don’t walk enough (almost 2,000 steps short yesterday), I eat too much (I told you I was feeling good) and my sleep is restless at best. Hmmmm…like I needed a new app and device to tell me all this! I’m also trying to make better use of the GI Monitor app to better track my IBD symptoms. I’m not doing as well with that as I could. But, I’m off work until Friday, January 2 so I’ve got some time to break in a few new habits.
So, I got a call from my gastroenterologist today. I thought he was responding to an email I had sent earlier in the day concerning this week’s flare-up of my Crohn’s but no. He was calling with the results of the biopsies taken during my recent colonoscopy…
Now, I never take it as a good sign when biopsies come in sooner than expected and when the doctor takes the time to call. But, this call as one of those “mixed bags” of news. First what most people would consider the good news: no Crohn’s was revealed by the biopsy. The samples taken were perfectly normal despite evidence of previous “injury” (his word not mine) of the area.
The bad news: what we are looking for must be further up the intestine that thought. We need to look again, but this time go higher. Good news: there’s a new state of the art (and presumably expensive) test that we can do to look further. Basically, another colonoscopy with an even longer hose! Yay…
So, I go back under the “Twilight” drugs in 4-6 weeks (still have to have the procedure scheduled) and have another colon cleansing. I hope that I don’t get used to being completely empty (so empty that last time I whistled when I walked – and not using my mouth…think about it).
Why keep looking? Several reasons, without a biopsy there’s still a slim chance I don’t have Crohn’s. It is possible for Crohn’s to have changed into a more serious condition such as lymphoma (i.e. cancer) and we need to rule that out. He does admit that this is unlikely, especially given how long I’ve had the condition but best to be safe. Also, I think he really believes that surgery is in my future and no surgery will be considered without a biopsy confirming the Crohn’s.
So, here we go again! Weeeeee! Maybe this time I really will glitter after getting the “Twilight” drugs. I can only hope.
Well, today was difficult…not because of anything that went wrong per se but because sometime during the night my Crohn’s decided that it hadn’t been active enough and I’ve been dealing with a “flare-up” all day.
Now, my flare-ups for the past many years have been mild and probably to many sufferers of Crohn’s non-existent. I have a feeling of bloating, sporadic pain – but today only a few spasms that were strong enough for me to double over – one incident of vomiting (more on this later), and a lot of noise and rumbling from my mid-section. Oh, and my favorite sensation, hunger “pains” with Crohn’s pains which leaves me wanting to eat but realizing that if I do I’ll pay for it dearly. But, temptation is always there and I finally gave in early this evening. I’ll tell you all about it but first let me set the scene…
For those who don’t know me personally, I consider myself an actor (director, playwright, whatever) and for the past 32 years or so community theatre has been my passion. I perform mostly with the Monroe Community Players (MCP) in Monroe, Michigan and have gone so far as to be active at the state level, including four terms as president, with the Community Theatre Association of Michigan (CTAM). Well, because of my affiliation with MCP I was invited to help out at a concert tonight with the Monroe Community Symphony Band, directed by Mark Felder who coincidentally has two children who suffer from Crohn’s but that’s incidental to my tale, and introduce a few of the numbers while portraying some famous people from the movies. I got to be Charles Kane, Otis (from Superman) and an agent of SHIELD. A quick, simple gig for the most part but fun and enough to quench the acting bug’s thirst for a while (I’m between shows). What could go wrong?
That takes us back the Crohn’s flare up. I made it through the work day, though I got very tired during an afternoon meeting – which isn’t unusual after lunch but this was “Crohn’s tired” which means I was running the risk of falling asleep in front of my usually understanding boss (who’s father and brother also have Crohn’s, apparently I’m connected to most of the 1.6 million sufferers in the USA if I look hard enough). I didn’t eat all day and by the time I got home I thought maybe I should try something before going to the concert. But what? The pains in my lower abdomen told me that anything I tried would be coming back up quickly and then it occurred to me. I have all that Jello left from my colonoscopy prep. Jello, which is considered by the medical profession to be a “clear” liquid. Surely, I could have some Jello to settle my stomach and not further aggravate my Crohn’s. Moments later two little cups of lime Jello are gone and I felt satisfied enough to stop there and head on to my performance.
On drive to the concert my cramps became more insistent. I stumbled into the dressing room, changed into my first costume which had become uncomfortably tight around my waist…tried to maintain a positive attitude through backstage pictures, excitement, etc. The pain increased until finally I had no choice – I broke out of a group photo unannounced and walked quickly to the restroom filled with band members taking care of business before the concert. No, I wasn’t going to be alone for this…empty stall secure and then as quietly as I could the vomiting began. Green liquid poured out of me mixed with a day’s worth of bile and other acidic fluids…nasty. And though I thought I was being quiet I hear from the next stall “you okay in there?” and I weakly tried to explain between upchucks (is that a word) that I had this digestive disorder and that I was fine, please don’t worry. Though I think that my symphony sympathizer worried a bit anyway judging from the sideways glance I got while washing my hands afterwards.
Anyhow, I toughed it out. Got through my first two intros without incident and even the later one. Begged off as everyone else started talking about pizza afterwards and came home. No sense in tempting fate further. Now I only hope that I can get some sleep tomorrow and that everything settles down by morning.
Oh, and why the flare-up I wonder? I know that Crohn’s is random but I have also noticed that whenever there is a big change in the weather my gut reacts. It warmed up quite a bit this weekend and I still think that the sudden “swing” in the barometer. I wonder if anyone else has noticed something similar with their Crohn’s?
Long story, no point really. Just a glimpse into what I sometimes go through for my work and my craft…I know that there are others who can tell tales even more distressing and embarrassing but I think I’m occasionally allowed to vent a bit, too.
It occurs to me that although I talk about Crohn’s disease and my experiences with it, I haven’t ever said exactly what Crohn’s is. Well, since it is Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week I can’t imagine a better time to explain. By the way, most of the information that follows, as well as much more, can be found at the website of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (www.ccfa.org). One of the foremost organizations dedicated to Crohn’s and Colitis research and the search for a cure.
The disease was first described in 1932 by Dr. Burrill B. Crohn and his colleagues Dr. Leon Ginzburg and Dr. Gordon D. Oppenheimer, who were early pioneers of Crohn’s disease and a group of conditions known as Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) of which Crohn’s belongs too. Compared to the 7 billion people in the world, Crohn’s is rare. Currently there are believed to be about 5 million people with Crohn’s world wide about 1.6 million of them in the USA alone.
In simple terms, Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract caused by a malfunctioning autoimmune system. Basically, my body is acting as if the normal bacteria which is in everyone’s gut is foreign or invading. Thus, inflammation, low grade fever, and sometimes sweating occurs – along with pain (the sweet, sweet, pain…). The diarrhea, which by the way is not only frequent but violent, is the body trying to flush the “invaders” out of the system. In my case, vomiting is often the result of a flare-up. I think that this is because my Crohn’s tends to attack above the large intestine and is thus closer to the stomach and my mouth than to the “back door.”
By the way, when reading about IBD’s, it is important to know that Crohn’s disease is not the same thing as ulcerative colitis, another type of IBD. The symptoms of these two illnesses are quite similar, but the areas affected in the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) are different. For example, Ulcerative colitis is limited to the colon, also called the large intestine, but Crohn’s can affect any part of the GI tract, from the mouth to the anus and (rarely, thankfully) other areas as well including the heart. Crohn’s most commonly affects the end of the small bowel (the ileum) and the beginning of the colon. This is true in my case and one doctor described my initial x-rays as “classical and textbook” Crohn’s.
Also, it is important to understand the IBD’s, like Crohn’s, are not the same as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Two different things and I may go into further detail in a future blog.
While symptoms vary from patient to patient and some may be more common than others, the tell-tale symptoms of Crohn’s disease include, but are not limited too:
Persistent Diarrhea
Rectal bleeding
Urgent need to move bowels
Abdominal cramps and pain
Sensation of incomplete evacuation
Constipation (can lead to bowel obstruction)
I personally suffer from all of the above as well as an overall lack of energy/malaise especially during a flare-up. There have been times when I have been so tired from a mild flare-up (which mine usually are) that I’ll fall asleep early in the evening – 7:00 PM or so – and not wake up until 12 or 13 hours later! When I was first diagnosed I was suffering – yes, suffering – from rapid and unexplained weight loss and loss of appetite. This along with the intense pain are very common first signs of the disease. So please understand that when I, or anyone else you know with Crohn’s, says they are tired – they really are. Likewise, if you notice I’m suddenly listless and not moving or just staring into empty air, there’s a good chance that I’m suppressing some serious pain at that moment. When it’s really bad you’ll see me grimace. I’ve gotten so I don’t usually bend over anymore regardless of how bad the pain is.
The chronic inflammation may also cause a fistula to develop. This is what my doctor has discovered has happened to me. A fistula is a tunnel that leads from one loop of intestine to another, or that connects the intestine to the bladder, vagina, or skin. This is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention – which is why I’m not on a waiting list for the colonoscopy but got moved to the front of the line. Because of the chronic nature of the inflammation I also have a permanent “narrowing” or “thickening” of my small intestine near the ileum (the most common location for Crohn’s to occur where the small and large intestines join) and scar tissue. There is a good possibility that even if medication can heal the fistula that my symptoms may actually get worse and surgery becomes my only option for relief.
The causes of Crohn’s Disease are not well understood even today. It is known that diet and stress may aggravate Crohn’s Disease, but they do not cause the disease on their own. Recent research suggests hereditary, genetics, and/or environmental factors contribute to the development of Crohn’s Disease.
Crohn’s tends to run in families, so if you or a close relative have the disease, your family members have a significantly increased chance of developing Crohn’s.
The disease is most common among people of eastern European backgrounds, including Jews of European descent. In recent years, an increasing number of cases have been reported among African American populations.
The environment in which you live also appears to play a role. Crohn’s is more common in developed countries rather than undeveloped countries, in urban rather than rural areas, and in northern rather than southern climates. Personally, I suspect pollution of the environment and wouldn’t be surprised if they find that chemicals added to our food play a role.
I hope that this helps everyone to better understand Crohn’s in particular. As I think I’ve mentioned before, I’m one of the lucky people with Crohn’s. My flare-ups are mild and usually short in duration – though I do have some mild discomfort almost all the time – days, not weeks and months. People like Peter K. Vaughan, who I profiled in my last blog entry, have suffered much worse. Though Crohn’s in and of itself is not considered fatal, in the worst cases complications of the disease and/or treatment are.
Peter K Vaughan in his 2011, in what he considers his previous top shape. He plans to better this build!
Peter K Vaughan, just out of the hospital in January 2012. He weighs about 116 pounds here and still not his all time worst condition.
I have mentioned before that my case of Crohn’s is a mild one. Even though it doesn’t seem so to me late at night with my head over a toilet or when writhing on the floor of an airport waiting area, jaundiced and almost hoping for death to arrive (then realizing the awful truth – that it wasn’t coming. Yes, the pain can be that bad) others have had it much, much worse.
Over the years I have known and met others with Crohn’s who have been through much worse than I have and who have also accomplished much despite the illness. One of these people is a young man from Ireland (we met on bodybuilding.com – never in person) whose name is Peter K. Vaughan. Since I have first been in contact with Peter about five years ago his courage and perseverance has inspired me. His Crohn’s is one of the worst cases I’ve heard of and it has effected his life in ways that I will never fully understand. His story, however, is also one of the most inspiring.
Like many of us, Peter had an early interest in bodybuilding and he first picked up weights when he found a set of dumbbells under the stairs in his uncle’s house. He immediately became hooked. However, life had other ideas and before he could start to realize his bodybuilding potential Peter was diagnosed with Crohn’s in 1998 at the age of 12.
Within just a couple years Crohn’s had attacked most of his digestive system, from mouth to anus, and he was in bad shape. His large intestine was removed, his small intestine was mostly removed and altered. His kidneys came close to failure and blood loss was rampant. Plus, the joints in his knees and fingers locked up. So badly that at one point his fingers would curl up and his fingernails cut his own hands. He says that he had so many procedures over the years that he lost track of his operations and medications.
Things were so bad that by age 13 he was having thoughts of suicide. But then he made a different decision. He was not going to let his life be defined by Crohn’s he was going to fight and persevere!
And fight he had to do because Crohn’s was going to go the distance with him. Over the years he has had (in no particular order): ulcers, adhesions, blockages, cysts, fistulas, abscesses, strictures, kinks, tears, tags, pouchitis, and stomas. In addition to the crippling pain that Crohn’s would afflict him with he also suffered through thousands of needle punctures, IV therapies, blood transfusions, collapsed veins, feeding and draining tubes, osteopenia, cracked ribs and even a collapsed lung post surgery! He spent so much time in bed and his muscles atrophied so much that he had to learn to walk and run again. I’m not sure that I’ve even covered all the things that Peter had to endure.
But, somehow, he managed to finish school, and at 17 he was healthy enough to begin growing again eventually reaching a just above Irish average male adult height of 5’10” in his early twenties (many children with Crohn’s are “stunted” during puberty and Peter is shorter than his brothers who are all over six feet tall, but he is a little taller than his father. By the way, the latest figures I found online indicate that the current average male in Ireland is 5’9″ – but men born in the eighties as Peter was are closer to 5’8″) and in 2007 at the age of 20, tired of being known as the “skinny, sick kid” he started to lift weights to improve not only his under 120 pound body but his confidence.
The weights worked. In about two years he had built himself up to a healthy, and healthy looking, 160 pounds. He was able to pursue normal activities again, even traveling abroad. The gym, diet, and disease were no longer the center of his life and he was doing well until in 2010 the unthinkable happened. Crohn’s once again returned into Peter’s life.
He lost all the gains he made in the past several years and his weight plummeted back below 130 pounds. But the worst effect was the one on his mind and his attitude. As he said, “it ate into my mind. It took everything I had to not let it take hold over me all these years later.” In early 2011 a new treatment was tried and he began to recover. He knew what he needed to do: he went back to the gym and refocused on his nutrition. He recovered reaching new gains in size and strength. But Crohn’s was never far away and by the end of 2011 he was once again fading and his weight plummeted down to a frightening 114 pounds. Back to the hospital….and the cycle continued. Crohn’s would knock Peter down for another 15 months and but Peter just got back up again!
Today Peter is healthy again and eating – a lot. You have to eat the calories to put on the mass. He says that he no longer eats for taste, that it’s all about giving his body what it needs to heal and grow.
He now weighs a healthy 166 pounds, his heaviest ever, his strength continues to improve and, as he says, his biceps are back! He has also finished his college studies and his passion for fitness has led him to become personal trainer, with several certifications, and he has his own training company, PKV Personal Training (more information at: https://www.facebook.com/pkvpersonaltraining).
His life has been difficult. His parents were twice told that he might not make it. He fears that more surgery is still in his future and just recently (January 2014) he was diagnosed as having Pineocytoma, a slow growing tumor of the pineal gland in the brain. It’s rate of growth is being monitored closely, of course, but he says “I’m fighting. I’ve seen enough around hospitals to know better. I’m still alive, and so long as I’m here I will do what I can to make the most of things. I’ve grown up fighting, you’d better believe I’m good at it!”
By now you may be wondering, where does a man who has gone through so much draw his inspiration? Well, remember when I told you about his thoughts of suicide at age 13? There’s more to that story. I’ll let Peter tell you in his own words:
“The suicide bit, that was an extremely difficult time, but there was one kid who in many ways, gave me everything I needed to never go there again and to this day I carry his picture. He was a child a lot younger than me at the time. I didn’t know what was wrong with him other than he was dying. He passed away in the bed next to mine one night, and his mother who had always been very nice to me, gave me his picture and asked me to remember him. From then on I never give out about what happens to me. I’m here, he’s not. What right do I have to be upset? He gives me strength to fight on day after day regardless how many times I fall down. He will never know how he has helped me shape my life into something better and I think of him and his mother regularly, even now 15 years on.”
Despite Crohn’s and new threats to his health I think that Peter’s future is bright and that he will achieve any goal he sets out to achieve. And what does Peter want people to learn from his life? Again, I think he says it best:
“I want to inspire others with life illnesses, who go through years of fighting and refusing to step back and admit defeat. I will never beat my illness, I have it for life, but I will not be beaten by my illness, I will live my life my way.”
And you know what? I think he will.
Peter’s happy that his biceps are back. Triceps, too!
This picture shows the extremes his body has gone through. Note the unevenness of his abs from multiple surgeries.
Warning – I deal frankly with some bodily functions in this blog (not graphic but more sensitive types might want to take care)
Okay, so as I mentioned last blog I got through Thanksgiving pretty well. And I was happy as this was the first Thanksgiving ins a while were I didn’t feel sick during or after wards. Understanding now that I have a permanent “narrowing” of my intestine due to scarring from the Crohn’s has given me a different attitude about eating. Keep the portions smaller, eat more frequently (if I’m really hungry) and no more giant meals…which is an issue since I still haven’t been to Tony’s in Birch Run for one of their famous BLT sandwiches (either Google it or follow this link to the Foursquare entry – https://foursquare.com/v/tonys-i75-restaurant/4b1df72ff964a520871624e3). I guess a doggy bag is always allowed…
Side note: I was never a big portion guy anyway, I remember at the now long gone Trail Duster restaurant while visiting my sister and her husband in Denver, CO that I could barely get through the “cowgirl” steak while my brother-in-law polished off what appeared to be an entire side of beef. I was in awe, and a little in shock – not quite like the old 96 ouncer in the classic movie “The Great Outdoors” with John Candy and Dan Akroyd but close. I tried to look up the menu but it appears that it is no longer served at even the original Trail Duster which is still open in Arlington, TX. They do still cut off your tie after 5:00 PM though!
Anyway, so things were going pretty good yesterday as well. Some mild pain and discomfort but nothing unusual. I ate lightly during the day after a bad start at breakfast. Handy kitchen tip – don’t get a sudden diarrhea attack when the waffles are in the maker and the bacon is on the stove. Or at least turn the bacon off (can you say “extra crispy?”). A delicious turkey sandwich for lunch (by the way, what makes leftover Thanksgiving turkey the best turkey for sandwiches anyway?) and a little leftover Ruby Tuesday’s ravioli for dinner. Then while watching television later in the evening I started coughing.
Now coughing isn’t rare during this time of year and I’ve had a nagging sinus drip for about a week now (no fever, just drip, cough, etc.) and tonight something from my sinuses was trying to go down my throat but not quite making it. As a result my coughing got violent as did my gagging. Well, after so many years of vomiting on a regular basis I think that my guts are just ready to “go” on a moment’s notice and sure enough – upchuck city without even feeling ill! I did have the good sense to move to the bathroom before the moment occurred at least. To me the worst part was that my sinuses still didn’t clear!
The good news, if any, is that the food from earlier in the day did seem to be digesting well as very little solid matter came back up and I would say my gastric juices were working well. No real burning sensation as I had just drank some water a little earlier. All in all, not a bad vomit if I were to rate them – and sadly, I do now.
The point of this post? Not much, just that with Crohn’s you always have to be ready for the unexpected. This is why I sometimes find it tough to go to the movies. I like to sit in the center but also like to have a clear aisle. If I’m feeling a little off I’ll just go ahead and sit on the side so if I need to get out I don’t have to disturb anyone else. I try to take a little plastic bag with me a lot, too – and have even quietly thrown up during a broadway show (at least I hope it was quiet, no one glared or looked at me from what I could tell and they all came back after intermission. Of course it was a good show). And, just like the commercials, I’m always very aware of where the nearest restroom and/or trash receptacle is. Life with Crohn’s, even a mild case like mine, is always an adventure.
Of course, it does make it easier to pretend that I squatted until I puked in the gym!
Well, with Thanksgiving yesterday the holidays have officially started – IMHO, despite what the radio stations playing Christmas music and retailers would have you believe, Halloween isn’t the first holiday of the “Holiday Season.” And with the holidays the annual challenge of not overeating has begun. Though in one sense, the holidays are no different than any other time of year, because let’s face it, gooey, delicious sweets are available year round. But during the holidays I think that there’s a little (a lot?) more social pressure to snack on sweets. After all who can turn down a Christmas cookie? A slice of pie? Fruitcake (okay, I have no trouble turning down fruitcake). Even yesterday during Thanksgiving after eating sensible portions for dinner I found myself snacking on a few extra pieces of the delicious home made fudge one of my cousins makes…yeah, a few…like 10 or 20.
I’ve read before that the average person gains somewhere between 3-5 pounds during the holidays and frankly, I’m surprised it’s not more!
Oddly enough, I don’t usually have too much trouble with additional weight gain during the holidays. I came to the conclusion quite a while ago that there is no reason to overeat during the holidays and in my case especially so. Thanks to my Crohn’s if I stuff myself as I used to do in my youth, pigging out on the Thanksgiving meal as if I had not eaten in weeks, taking the meal as a challenge to see how much I could it, instead of focusing on the meaning of the meal as a way to acknowledge and give thanks for everything I have as it should be, I would suffer later.
Remember, because of my Crohn’s a portion of my intestine has literally narrowed (shrunk) so that only so much food is going to go through. I think this is the case with everyone, but in my case the amount is much less. If things “back up” on my I might have enjoyed the meal, but I won’t enjoy it later that evening when it makes a return visit to my mouth (if you get my drift).
So I’m going to take things one step further. I’m planning to drop weight between now and the New Year. My goal is to be down at least 10 pounds.
Not just for myself in general, but I’ve got this fitness contest that I’m involved in with my brother-in-law and another friend. In order to win, I need to lose weight and put on some muscle (actually, I suspect I need to put on a fair amount of muscle to beat these guys who historically seem to have gained muscle more easily than I have – of course we are all older now). But, as my bro-in-law pointed out last night, I may have a little bit of an unfair advantage over them. I have a colonoscopy coming up in two weeks. Part of that prep will involve essentially a clear liquid diet for 4-5 days prior (what fun that’s going to be). I may drop five pounds just because of this.
The trick, as always, will be to keep it off.
What do you think? Do you have strategies to get through the Holidays without getting a belly like a bowful of jelly? I’d love to hear about them.
Journeys With Dave 