“Community is where humility and glory touch” Henri J.M. Nouwen Ever since July it’s been survival mode: trying to hold my declining health together in hopes of being healthy enough to look at other medical treatments. It’s been a form of tunnel vision trying to see a way out of this. A slippery slope of…
Medical Update: A Downward Slope I want to begin by saying a gesture: thank you. Thank you for being respectful of our privacy as we have waited to share this journey. Thank you for the constant support. Thank you for the messages when I have been quiet, checking in on me. Thank you can’t suffice,…
Dear 2017, Thank you for the immense gift of another 365 days of life. Life is the most precious thing. Your time with me has brought tidal waves of countless emotions… pain, desperation, joy, peace, gratitude, anger, fear, grief, calm… an infinite amount of emotions were experienced…
Fears Ever since I was a young child I always had a persistent fear, a fear of the unknown. This fear correlated into many other fears I had… Fears of unknown in the depths of lakes and oceans, fear of unknown in natural disaster situations, fear of somehow being separated from my family and the…
Make-A-Wish Radio-Thon A wish… a wish is so much more than a wish. Being able to receive the granting of a wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation was the start of something where words do not suffice. I, like countless others, knew of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and was humbled by the joy they give to children…
A Tough Road for New Possiblites Stomach, small intestine, colon, rectum. These organs are part of what makes up the digestive system. The digestive system is essential for survival; it provides nutrients and hydration that sustains life. The stomach digests and breaks down the food and empties it into the small intestine. The small intestine…
“The Invisible” Awareness Week 2017 This week marked the 2017 Invisible Illness and Disability Awareness Week. It is a week that gives a voice to those who often times are not given a voice. What are invisible illnesses, you may ask? An invisible illness or disability is a disease or condition that impacts an individual’s…
In the fall of 2016 I had an end ileostomy created with my colon being detached and left in my abdomen. Having an ileostomy has been a life changing experience. It has taught me how to accept when my own vanity cannot be micromanaged, how to have an intimate part of your body suddenly taken…
“Cheers and celebratory vibes all around” Having spent the past couple of years fighting for each day has given me the gift of new perspectives. These countless life experiences have been challenging, but have also brought me my greatest blessings. One of those is my favorite thing to do: the ability to celebrate. Now even…
Goodbye August Goodbye August… August came with 31 days of tears, laughter, fear, joy, anguish, hope, devastation, and countless emotions. August came with an unexpected turn in my health journey. After weeks of being in crippling pain and discomfort at home, on August 5th I was admitted to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. That admission, without…