Thank You So Much For The Birthday Wishes!

[jodibelle352]

I want to thank all who sent me birthday wishes and to give you all an update on how I'm doing as well as what I've been doing. None of which I would have been able to do almost 2 years ago.

WELCOME! all Newbies who's names I don't recognize but know in my heart that each of you are in a place where you truly need to be.

Grab a cup of coffe or tea as I have so much I want to tell all of my family here and to share what I've been up to the past few months and how I'm doing.

Are you ready and have a few minutes to read and enjoy?

Welcome back Tex and I am sooooooo happy that you are well enough to be back on the boards doing what you do so well for each and everyone of us. I especially loved your post on "POOP". I have to admit after reading it the first thing I did was look in the toilet after I was finished to see if it 'sunk' or 'floated' LOL

For those who have known me from the very beginning I finally was dx with CC 2yrs. ago this coming June and place on Entocort as well as Bentyl along with Anti-D meds for flare moments. I have been doing very well staying GF which I have to admit I've had a few times where "stinking thinking" came into my head and I've paid dearly for it.

I've been keeping in close contact with Joan as well as Dee who keeps me updated as well as keeps me inline. They also are there for me when I need a shoulder.

Personally I feel that I am improving emotionally, physically and medically. I keep my medical apts. faithfully and David sees to it that I go and don't over look them. My GI still has some reservations about me being GF but is not harping on me to change my diet because I'm doing so much better in most area's. I'm certain her main concern is my weight which I am still concerned about but have come to accept the FACT that I may NEVER be a size 9/10 again. I know longer dwell on the fact that I still have low weight but at least I'm maintaining between 92lbs. & 95lbs and not going below the 92lbs. For me I feel now that this is good that I've reached acceptance with this disease that strikes so many of us when we least expect it.

This site and the extended family I have here will ALWAYS remain. NEVER!!!!!! will I EVER!!!!! forget what brought me here. Much like a person with an addiction I feel if ever I forget where I was 2 yrs. ago then I'm in BIG TROUBLE!!!!!! Going back to old ways is NOT an option for me and the longer the Newbies remain in contact with the family here and absorb all the information giving with sooooooo much love the better off they will be.

At the beginning of my journey with CC I had NO life and at times didn't want to continue living with my life as it was. I was a MESS!!!! I couldn't focus on simple task, I weighed about 82lbs and physically, emotionally and mentally nothing no longer mattered. Slowly but surely and with time I began to accept my illness because of the support of sooooo many on this site. I learned I could go outside my comfort zone instead of staying at home and I have even come to realize I have rights and when something personal happens or someone trys to stand in my way of progressing I've gained back my SPUNK as well as my own view point and am able to express myself for myself without others having to handle my problems. I am also able to start project and complete them and I've come to rely on standing on my own two feet without the fears of failing or relapsing.
I've come a very long way in 2 years.

As many of you know I have been on Entocort since my dx's and have many failures trying to get off the medication and have struggled with the high cost of this medication especially because David & I only have Medicare and live on a fixed income. From time to time I have popped in to read and become more informed about probiotics which Tex has done massive research on this supplement as well as others. Sooooooooooooo, on February 14th (only a month ago) I decided to try it and see what would happen. I'm not ready to celebrate just yet but using the probiotics has truly made a huge difference in my life and am no longer having to take the Entocort at this time. NEWBIES!!!!!!!! I AM NOT TELLING YOU TO GO OFF ANY MEDS AND USING ONLY PROBIOTICS SO PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS WITHOUT YOUR GI's KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT PROBIOTICS. With that said, I feel that my intestines as well as colon need to heal before I could even try decreasing my dossage of Entocort and now maintain an acceptable life style using probiotics. It took me along time to reach this point and I'm not promoting anyone to just go off meds because probiotics are much cheaper. Your disease may or may not have caused major injury or damage to your intestines & colon so before you make any changes in meds you really need to be informed and be aware that the usage of probiotics are not for everyone. For myself they are working for me just as well as if I were on the continuous use of Entocort and I'm doing quite well and hoping to continue.

On a personal note. David & I watch our 6 yr. old grand-daughter; Bailey every other week and soooooooo enjoy those weeks with her. Kindergarten has resulted in positive changes in her as well as some shocking moments as well. LOL I'm very busy making my God-child; Jenna Beth's wedding gown which has become my entire focus which keeps me away from spending much time on the computer except for checking e-mails now and then. The dress is now completed and I am now putting all the sequence, pearls and edgings on her gown which is very time consuming because it's all done by hand. Jenna's dream was to have her God-Mother make her wedding gown when she got married and I am doing my best. I do have days when I'm truly exhausted and mentally stressed but I have a GREAT hubby who pulls in the reins and stops me from pulling my hair out.

Always know my PP family that you will always remain in my heart and I am not casting anything I have here away. If it were not for all of you I would NOT beable to do what I'm doing now. I'm finally able to have a life without depending on someone else living each and every day for me without drama. I'm stronger and am now able to cope and fight battles that 2 yrs. ago I was unable to do. EACH OF YOU HERE GAVE ME THE TOOLS I NEEDED TO FINALLY BECOME AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A WILL TO CONTINUE LIVING! Thank You from the bottom of my heart.

Love & God's Blessings To All!
Jodi

[JLH]

Wonderful post, Jodi. I'm always glad to hear from you and happy you are doing so very well.

Here's a little something for your doctor: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-h ... 79089.html






Love,

[jodibelle352]

Hi Joan:

Those who know me know that I always speak from my heart and I mean everything I say in my post. I'm not eliminating anyone from PP from my life. I'm just truly busy and focusing on completing Jenna's wedding dress. I am so consumed with the beading at it's not something I can do for just a couple hours then say; "I'm Done!". As David has reminded me, maybe you're in over your head. Well I've surprised him as well as myself. The dress is done and now I have until Oct. 9 to finish the beading. Sewing all the beading on by hand is very time consuming and I find at time my eyes having a very hard time focusing on what I'm doing. When that happens I have to put it aside because making mistakes is NOT an option.

I truly hope all of those who read my post realize what an important part they have played in my life and without their help I would not beable to do the things I am now doing.

Love You Also!
Love & God's Blessings My Friend:
Jodi

[tex]

Hi Jodi,

Thank you so much for the inspiring post, and it's especially nice to see the good news about your success with probiotics. You may have discovered the key, (or at least one of the important keys), to successfully using probiotics - namely, timing. Many of us have tried probiotics with either no success at all, or in some cases, even adverse results. And once we have a bad experience with something, we tend to shy away from it, in the future. Of course, selecting the right type of probiotic is probably vitally important, also, but maybe some of us should consider trying probiotics again, after we are farther along with our healing.

It's great to see how you've been able to take control of your life, by getting the main issues under control, and by shaping and guiding the direction of events, so that instead of worrying about new challenges when they appear, you have the confidence that allows you to be able to enjoy dealing with them, so that they no longer disrupt your enjoyment of life. Happiness is the knowledge that you are in control of your own destiny, and knowing that no one can change that - because you are empowered.

Thank you for the inspiration, and I hope that you never doubt your abilities. May you remain empowered, forever.

Love,
Tex

[jodibelle352]

Thank You so much Tex for the very kind words.
I do feel better knowing that once again I am able to handle my life with out crawling into a 'dark hole'. I was unable to focus or even start reading a book because my whole being was swallowed up with the dx's of CC. I didn't understand it, didn't like the idea that I had to watch everything I put in my mouth. HATED the restrictions and truly wanted to be normal.
Now I learned and accepted what HAS to be my normal. I know that I will probably have weight issues and when I once devistated by this issue I'm now accepting that as long as the weight I have gained stays ON! Then that's a positive thing for me. If I dwell too much on all the negatives as you know very well I was doing almost 2 yrs. ago then that 'black hole' becomes a part of my life and I do not want that for myself anymore.
The best part of living with this disease is the fact that I now want to LIVE! It's a very good feeling to have once again.
Love & God's Blessings:
Jodi

[Jan]

Jodi,

It was great to read your post. You have changed so much since I arrived here.

I hope you will post some pictures of the dress (and maybe the new bride) when it is done. I do a lot of hand work (crochet, knit, tat) that I understand about getting to a point of having to rest.

Jan

[jodibelle352]

Thank you for the positive and supportive post. I really appreciate it. I will however, NEVER forget the love and constant support I received when life seemed not worth living.
Love You & God's Blessings:
Jodi

[ant]

Dear Jodi,

Your post is an inspiration. The will to live is what this family gives to each other. Thank you,

Love ant

[Polly]

Jodi,

Wonderful post! I'm so happy to hear how well you are doing.
And happy belated birthday too.

Love,

Polly

[Stanz]

Jodi,

Truly inspirational to hear how you are doing. As a pretty newbie here, I also feel the same as what you said.

The best part of living with this disease is the fact that I now want to LIVE! It's a very good feeling to have once again

When you are sick for so long it just sucks the desire to live for many people, and I was one of them. The love and support of PP and the obvious long friendships here made a real difference for me.

I am one who chose not to do Entocort and have used only Pro-biotics, L-Glutamine, Vit. D., Vit. B. and Immodium - in the beginning only - as my self treatment. 2 1/2 yrs. of D stopped w'in weeks.

I am smiling as I think of you beading a wedding dress. I did that as a career for many years and obviously it is more of an act of love than a livable income, but I love what I created for my clients, and eventually my daughters & my SIL, it is a gift of love and giving it means alot.

Connie

[MaggieRedwings]

Morning Jodi,

I was so inspired by your post and boy have you come back from being down so far on that dark road. Would love to see the dress when it is done. Miss you around here but am so happy you posted. Sorry for the belated birthday wishes but work has really been busy lately and just never get on board with home.

Love, Maggie

[Bifcus16]

Way to go Jodi!!!


It is so good to hear you sounding so positive about life. Hope you had a fantastic birthday.

Pleeease let us see the dress when it is done. I have done a bit of cross stitch with beading and it can be so time consuming. Tackling a wedding dress is just AWESOME. The photo's you shared of that other dress you made (wasn't it for Jenna as well?) were just lovely, and I am sure the wedding dress will be stunning.

Best wishes.
Lyn