1 Year, 3 Months Update

Part of the reason I blog is to keep track of my own progress. I use these posts as a time to relate how I am currently doing and, long term, I will be able to reflect and keep motivated to never allow myself to get so sick again. I also do these updates to help anyone else out there who is suffering with debilitating digestive distresses and who want to fix their ailment "naturally." Just know that Crohn's is far from a glamorous disease, but people relate to truth and can emphasize with honest situations.


Compared to one year ago I seem to be miraculously better. I can function in society, go to a job daily, and volunteer, all without crashing at the end of the day or feeling miserably sick. I don't have "Crohn's cramps" anymore, or at least not on a daily basis, and not so severe that tears come to my eyes for lack of a better expression of pain. Bathroom visits are normal and blood-free. Stranger effects that you may not typically link to digestion: my memory is improving, I used to forget things all the time both short-term and long-term, and while it is still far from perfect, I can actually recall something to mind without having to have first drilled it in my mind specifically because I knew I would have to remember later on. My nails have no more little white spots on them. My skin is less dry. Hair is strlonger and healthier. Dark circles under my eyes are very much gone. And I no longer get cravings for sugary and carb-loaded foods. Things that I am still waiting on to get better: While I do have significantly more energy, I still tire very easily and have spells where I don't feel up to doing much of anything. My hormones are out of whack, so my emotions are up and down throughout the month, as well as stomach pains and mild nausea. Again, not as bad as pre-scd but I'm far from perfect. Even when I get over 8 hours of sleep a night sometimes I need to take hour long naps in the middle of the day so that I don't die. I am not losing weight. I am still "puffy." I can tell there is still a lot of inflammation inside my body. My stomach gets bigger and smaller according to how my digestion is going, still makes loud gurgling noises very frequently, and I can't wear contact lenses because the tear ducts in my eyes are inflamed and cause severe dry eyes. I can digest a lot more foods than I used to be able to. For instance last summer whenever I would eat watermelon I would get really sick, but this year that's not the case at all. I can eat just about whatever raw, legal food I wish and be okay. I haven't cheated in 11 months :)
Well, I have been incorporating cocoa nibs into my diet very slowly the past 2 months, eating about a tablespoon every week or so, which isn't technically legal, but Elaine really didn't explain much about why they are illegal and I seem to tolerate it, so that's my little "cheat" I guess. Other than that I have had no dietary slip-ups I am proud to report.

For those of you on scd, I wish you a successful journey! As always, please feel free to give me suggestions on what you think may help me out! Thanks!