So Many Apologies!

I AM SORRY I AM SUCH AN INCONSISTENT BLOGGER!
If you haven't gathered from my previous posts, I am a ridiculously busy and involved college student. After another fantastic summer as a camp counselor once again I came back to school, helped out with Freshmen Orientation, joined my Residence Hall's board as the Public Relations Officer (because I like crafts and decorating!), started up Dance Team again and joined another dance group on campus- BAM; Bust-a-Move Beavers! Oh and that's not to forget my job as a writing tutor! Can you say busy?! I wouldn't have my life any other way! Alright so I left this blog hoping to be in an independent study this semester to begin a book about my life (or something along those lines) but unfortunately it didn't work out so I will be starting that this January! Until then I have done a little bit of writing and I am going to copy in my latest piece about dealing with Crohn's! It was for one of my psych classes and we were instructed to write a self help book. Maybe this could get me started on my actual book?! Who knows! Enjoy reading!

Crohnie 4 Lyfe!
Holly Elizabeth



Finding Your Guts
By Holly Legere

    Forward: If you’re reading this, you or someone you know was probably recently diagnosed with IBD. If for some reason you just picked this book off the shelf for a fun read, I’ll provide a little background. IBD, or Inflammatory Bowel Disease, occurs throughout the length of the digestive tract in either the form of Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative Colitis. It is an autoimmune disease where the immune system fights off healthy tissue and creates inflammation; this results in cramping, pain and poor digestion. That would be the extremely short version of the diagnosis. Make sure you are comfortable talking to your doctor to better understand the diagnosis; understanding is a big part of healing.
    Okay! Before you go any further, take a moment and pat yourself on your back for making it this far! You now have a reason for feeling sick or losing weight! Most of the work has been passed off to the doctors now! If we look at Abraham Maslow’s basic needs for human motivation, you’ll see that the first thing to get in check is your “physiological needs.” With IBD, this entire need is thrown into the hands of health care professionals. It is their job to make sure you are digesting the nutritious properties of food that you need and that you are no longer living in pain. Now that you have a diagnosis you can start finding your way back to living, actually living, a great life!
    Lets be honest with each other for a minute. Staying constantly positive and upbeat may be really difficult right now, and for good reason. You are learning to live a new life. This doesn’t mean that you have to give up everything you knew from your old life. Truthfully you will probably be starting a better life now than you ever lived before.  You may need to learn to adapt to new changes like remembering to take medications or going to doctors appointments regularly but the goal of this book is to help you restore your quality of life. IBD can’t be cured by reading a book but hopefully this will help you realize that living a great quality of life is still in your hands!
    Alright, so we’re just going to skip over your “physiological needs.” Yes, they are important, but for now we’re going to leave them for the doctors to handle. The second Need in Maslow’s hierarchy to take care of is “safety needs.” When you get to this chapter you’ll find some tips on making sure you feel comfortable handling your new life. Understanding your diagnosis and the medical world is a big part to feeling safe and can play a huge difference when it comes to reaching a new, better quality of life. Continuing the hierarchy we’ll reach “love needs.” Everyone reading this could be at a different point in their life and have different ideas of love but simply put, it can all be the same. As humans we strive for acceptance. Whether it be continuing to be accepted by those you already have formed relationships with or receiving a new acceptance with those you hope to form a relationship with, sharing about IBD can be difficult. Although we want and strive for this acceptance, this book will show you that acceptance may not be the most important part in finding a better quality of life.
    Next we see the esteem needs. In a way this plays into those of love. When being accepted and loved, our esteem benefits. The idea that acceptance is not everything needs to be understood. If someone doesn’t have the capability or want to learn to accept IBD, then your time could be better spent elsewhere. This is where esteem comes in. Finding or continuing something you love doesn’t have to be lost with this new diagnosis. I say now is the perfect time to find that new hobby you have always wanted. Your body is working on getting healthy and finding a new hobby is the perfect way to remind yourself that you are still you, not someone ruled by IBD!
    Goal setting is also a key point to finding your guts and living life to the fullest. Setting small goals to get yourself back on the right track will ensure you find the quality of life you have always wanted and deserved. These steps will be directed differently as everyone is at a different stage of life or diagnosis. They may start with learning to swallow pills and develop into new crazy hobbies you never saw yourself accomplishing.
    I hope that through reading this book you will be able to take the steps to finding your guts and coping with IBD. As intimidating as it may seem, it can be easily broken down and you will be back on your feet and taking on the world in no time. IBD doesn’t have to get in your way and put your life on hold. This is a new opportunity to define yourself and your guts. Keeping asking yourself what the next step towards accomplishment could be! Good luck on your journey to discover your guts!