caregivers – The Great Bowel Movement

Crohn’s, Colitis, and Being a Parent

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Crohn’s, Colitis, and Being a Parent We had the chance to sit down and chat with two very special people about an important topic – IBD and Parenting. In this post, we compare, via discussion, parenting roles with IBD. They share their emotions, fears, and what it means to be a parent. Frank Garufi, Jr of the Crohn’s Colitis Effect doesn’t have IBD, but his young son does, and he’s just as involved as if he was the patient. Sharon Saeed of IBD Journeys has IBD and has been through her share of hospital stays, all while being the best mom she can to her amazing kids. GBM: Tell us about your family. How has IBD touched your family? Ever since my kids could remember, they know Mommy sometimes goes into the hospital. Especially in the past two years, it has really turned our lives around. Prior to June 2011, I was probably one of “those” moms - if there was an activity, my kids would be signed...

Cheering Despite Crohn’s

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Cheering Despite Crohn’s This guest interview comes from a young girl who didn’t let a Crohn’s diagnosis take away her strength and spirit. Read about how Crohn’s has changed her life, why she’ll never give up on her dreams, and her advice for other kids going through the same thing. GBM: Let’s start by having you introduce yourself. Shaye: My name is Shaye and I’m 11 years old. In September of 2012, I considered myself a very active girl – I was on an elite-level cheerleading team, playing rep soccer, on the diving team, and I had just landed a role in a Christmas pantomime (play). It seems like a lot for anyone, but this was a normal lifestyle for me. I love being active and being involved in things. GBM: What is your diagnosis? Shaye: I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease a few months after I started noticing symptoms. My diagnosis was in May 2013, but I first went to the doctor earlier in...

Relationships, Marriage, and IBD

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Just like we did with our Parenting Perspective, we sat down to chat with two IBD activists about how their marriages work in the face of IBD. This special conversational post compares two perspectives – one spouse who has Crohn’s, with that of a spouse who is a caregiver. You may know Ryan Stevens of The Crohn’s Disease Survival Guide. Ryan is a long time patient of Crohn’s, and is working on his second attempt to swim across Lake Erie for funding and awareness. On the other hand, we have Rebecca Kaplan, blogger at Caring for Crohn’s, who is not a patient, but has seen and cared for IBD first hand. GBM: Tell us about yourself and your spouse. How does IBD affect your family? Were you together when the diagnosis happened, or were you/your partner already diagnosed when you started dating? Rebecca: My husband Dan has Crohn’s Disease. We began dating two months before he was diagnosed in 2007 and have been married...