Dec 6, 2019Dear Crohn’s Disease: I Don’t Want to Fight You AnymoreI know we have history and mine is hating you — hating you for ruining my life by changing it forever. You have thrown me for a loop these past eight years. You nearly destroyed my body twice. You made me more self-conscious than I already was. …Crohns Disease3 min readCrohns Disease3 min read
Dec 6, 2019Why It Was Difficult Growing Up With Crohn’s DiseaseWhen I was 11 years old, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Although it was nice to receive an answer as to why my lips were swollen, it had been such a long, confusing journey to get to that point. One year felt like five. …Health3 min readHealth3 min read
Dec 6, 2019How YouTuber Lilly Singh Helped Me Stop Apologizing for My Crohn’s DiseaseSo, I just watched a YouTube video by the amazing llSuperwomanll, also known as Lily Singh, called “ I’m NOT sorry,” and I got inspired. In the video, she talks about how she apologizes for not wearing makeup but then realizes that she shouldn’t have to. Makeup isn’t what makes…Life Lessons2 min readLife Lessons2 min read
Dec 6, 2019To My Newly Diagnosed Self, Don’t Lose Sight of the Light Inside of YouDear 11-Year-Old Me, You were just told you have Crohn’s disease. You’re scared. You’re anxious. You feel guilty. Most of all, you feel isolated. I wish I could say it gets easier. I wish I could say that those feelings go away after a while. Yes, it gets better. …Mental Health3 min readMental Health3 min read
Jun 10, 2019How Horses Have Healed Every Aspect of my LifeI have always loved horses. There isn’t a time where I don’t remember playing with horse figures or dreaming of my future barn. I couldn’t imagine my life without them, so much so that I’m currently studying equine science with hopes of doing something with equine nutrition. …Horseback Riding4 min readHorseback Riding4 min read
May 13, 2019The Unseen Story of an Invisible IllnessI go to college. I am a part of a community service club. I volunteer with my school’s therapeutic riding program. I earn A’s and B’s in school. I attend a horseback riding class for an hour twice a week. From the outside looking in, I seem to have a…Invisible Illness3 min readInvisible Illness3 min read
May 6, 2019College is Hard. Crohn’s Disease and College is HarderIf you saw me walking around campus, you would assume I am your average college student. I take five to six classes a semester. I eat at the dining hall. I am apart of a club. I’m an Equine Studies major, so I spend time in the barn riding and…Health3 min readHealth3 min read
Apr 29, 2019This is DisabilityWhen people hear the word “disability”, they think wheelchair, cane, deaf, blind, injury, etc. They can see it and think it mostly happens to old people or people who have been in a traumatic accident. …Disability3 min readDisability3 min read
Feb 25, 2019Accepting the New NormalGetting diagnosed with a chronic illness is gut-wrenching. Suddenly, your life has changed. You have gone from a healthy person to a sick one. You have to worry about medications, doctors’ appointments, and conserving energy levels. You start to stress about how you are going to everyday tasks, such as…Chronic Illness3 min readChronic Illness3 min read
Feb 18, 2019I Could Tell You a Story…My life is made up of multiple stories, all of which have shaped me. I could not tell you one story without bringing up another. My life is an intricate web of heartbreak, lessons, and empowerment. I could tell you about what it was like living in Connecticut, with 11…Life4 min readLife4 min read