There are some days that I forget I have a chronic illness. When the flare ups are a memory and life is normal, or as close to normal as it gets when you have chronic illness. Then, there are days where your body reminds you, “Oh, right. I’m sick.”
The last few days have been like that for me. The unpleasant reminder that all is not well in the core that is Danielle Bannister’s body. And orange sherbet is to blame. Yep, something as pure and sweet as a frozen treat can sometimes be all the trigger my ulcerative colitis needs to go, “Nope, that does not work for us. Cue the pain and misery.”
When a flare-up happens, the best you can do is be VERY careful what you eat (nothing rough on the gut at all) lay on your couch and be close to a bathroom. It makes doing much of anything challenging. Even making dinner for your children becomes hard because standing up hurts. You also lose quite a bit of blood during a flare up so you also just feel weaker in general. It makes to-do lists nearly impossible. And you know how much I love a to do list.
Today is day three of the flare and I think I’m getting better… though I still couldn’t finish my 20 min walk. I got about 7 min in and had to lay down. Frustrating.
Even after a decade long journey with this illness, I’m still finding new things that trigger symptoms and new wrenches it throws at me. Good thing I write my to-do list in pencil. I’ve learned that plans change. For chronic illness suffers, it can change on a dime. We have to be ready to PIVOT.
I’ll now attempt a shower to get ready for a podcast recording later today. Assuming I’ll be able to sit up that long.
Until next time, my peeps.
Danielle Bannister, Author 