We all have goals in life. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can sometimes get in the way. It’s not ideal, but that’s the reality.
However, the goal of treatment should be to get us back to doing what we love to do, and minimize the effects of Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis on our lives. Our doctors also have goals for us. These goals might be different, but they’re all important in getting symptoms and inflammation minimized and living life on our terms again.
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How does an IBD patient attend Day on the Hill events and meet with the offices of congressional representatives in Washington DC? What is it like to go to these events? In this episode I describe how I got involved in hill day meetings, why I do it, and what the process is like to attend. I also offer you my tips on how to make the best of the time spent in the capital in order to make the biggest impact on the people who can affect change in the lives of IBD patients.
Working with our local elected officials is important to having our voices heard. But attending local town hall meetings held by state or federal congressional representatives is daunting, especially if you’ve never done it before. Shawntel Bethea of Chronically Strong describes her journey from sending an email to asking for support from her Congresswoman at a meeting in her district. She gives her tips on how you can make an impact in your community for people living with IBD.
Many young people who are undergoing ileostomy surgery to treat Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis have never met another younger person with an ostomy. Gaylyn Henderson, founder of Gutless and Glamorous, wants to make sure that people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) don’t experience the uncertainty and stigma that she encountered before her ostomy surgery. In between running a successful foundation and a support group for people with chronic illness, Gaylyn has also become a spokeswoman for people with an ostomy, proving that her ileostomy is not a barrier to success.
A Twitter chat is a way for Twitter users to gather together at the same time and talk about a particular topic. In this case, we’re moms who have IBD and we want to discuss clinical trials. Our co-host this month is Clara Health, a group focused on making it easier for patients and families to access breakthrough treatments. By searching for, or clicking on, the hashtag, #IBDMoms and #PatientsHavePower you can follow along with all the posts using that tag. In this way, you can see the conversation and also take part.
You’ve seen the posts: “Click like” or “Retweet” to vote! An interaction with a post is a “vote” and after a certain amount of time the “votes” are tallied and a winner is declared. Magazines might use this type of crowdsourcing to decide their “best restaurants” or a photography web site may use it to choose a “cutest baby” photo.
I’ve been online, running web sites for myself and for others, since 1996 and this type of popularity contest is nothing new. It’s never going to go away because it’s inherent in our culture. It might be something we have to accept, up to a point. However, I take issue with using this type of “voting” for where we are now: choosing a “best” person from the online chronic illness community. Continue reading
Are you ready to tell your story? Your legislators in Washington D.C., in your state, and your home town want to hear from you about how IBD has affected your life and the legislation you care about. Brooke Abbott of The Crazy Creole Mommy Chronicles and Amber tell you how to get started in health activism and how to make your voice heard in our government!
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Welcome to the year-end wrap up show! I put together clips from my first 14 shows that drop the heaviest knowledge bombs about how life with IBD affects us, our careers, our relationships, and our stress levels.
Do you have an IBD Elevator Speech? I got you, here’s where you can learn to create yours after you listen to Brooke Abbott give hers: www.verywell.com/how-to-create-yo…r-speech-1942452
What are your goals? Are you taking steps each day to move towards those goals? Brian Greenberg, endurance athlete and president of Chronically Better You, tells us how he moved from goals after surgery—getting out of bed and making his own lunch—to training for an Ironman in 2018. People with IBD know the value of structure and Brian explains how he has learned to manage his life with Crohn’s disease and an ostomy through careful planning and setting goals.
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