When looking at options after my senior year of high school, my guidance counselor never suggested taking a gap year. Coming from a rigorous high school, I felt pressure to attend college right away. Unfortunately, the decision to take a gap year was not in my control.  In March of my ...

Fourteen was an extremely difficult age to be diagnosed with chronic illness because there were already so many other changes occurring in my body. At that age, we are all trying to fit in and be accepted by our peers. I was still in my first few months of high school, trying to find my...

Having dietary restrictions is difficult throughout the year, but around the holidays, coping with this challenge becomes even harder. With endless amounts of food being offered by relatives and friends, and nearly every gathering surrounding...

During the chaotic times that we are living in, it is more important than ever to reflect on the things we are appreciative of. It can be easy to forget to be thankful for the things we find normal in our everyday lives, such as our families, our homes, our education, our jobs, and more...

Food became my personal enemy during my freshman year of high school. When a brutal Crohn’s flare hit, I fell into a downward spiral of pain, confusion, and weight loss. My body began to reject all of the foods I once knew and loved, and my diet had whittled down to four foods that I de...

My world was flipped upside down three years ago after I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. I didn’t even know these digestive diseases existed before I was quickly thrown into all the changes and challenges that come with having one. I was a new high school graduate eager to start ...

Oh, August. The weather is warm. The big box stores begin their seasonal sales. And college students anxiously anticipate beginning a new year filled with friends, classes, and memories to be made. But for those with IBD, especially during a g...

I have always loved the summer months. I looked forward to summer camp, sitting by my pool, eating watermelon in the sunshine, and walking along the beach on Long Beach Island. But my Crohn’s disease forced me into a love-hate relationship with the summer. The sun makes me tired and out...

Although post-traumatic stress is a harsh reality thousands of people live with, I always thought of it as something that people experienced after facing a severe event. Little did I know how deeply it could impact people living their ordinary lives, just like myself.  ...

When I was 15 years old, I was diagnosed with severe ulcerative colitis. Twelve days later, I underwent surgery to remove most of my large intestine. I woke up from surgery having lost most of my colon (and gained an ileostomy), a month of my sophomore year, and a lot of self-confidence...