Welcome infection, come on in

It is not unusual for someone I know and love to ask me what it is like to live with Crohn's Disease every day.

I appreciate  their concern and care when they bring this up, but sometimes it is a hard question to answer.  The medications I am on help to curb a lot of the intestinal tantrums so those (while not unusual) do not show up every, single day (for which I am INCREDIBLY grateful).

However, there are other, smaller disturbances that have wheedled themselves into my life because of my love affair (ha ha) with Crohn's.

One of those reared its ugly head this past week.

About two weeks ago, Bryce got sick.  He was besotted by a lovely little virus which began with some congestion, grew into a ridiculously sore throat, and then promptly dropped him leaving him tired but ok after a couple of days.

And that's when the fun started.

Thanks to the medicines which keep my Crohn's caged (for the most part) my immune system is turned to the lowest setting possible (which is how they keep my Crohn's caged).

This means that ANY illness that meanders into this house will likely introduce itself to me and come stay for a while.

So, Bryce got sick and I watched closely knowing this monster would likely come my way.  And it did (it also came Gavin, and Logan, and Ellie, and Aubrey's way so it really was fun for the whole family...poor Parker has been left out thus far).

However, for me, this nasty little bug didn't do its business and then shove off for a new show at another venue.  Instead he blossomed.  After two days, my congestion grew and grew and my throat, while not burning anymore, now felt plastic.  A week after it all started it was obvious that my version of the disease was going nowhere without help so I headed off the the doctor.  Sure enough, what started out as something small had flourished in my very willing body and had become a full fledged sinus infection with the beginnings of chest/breathing issues.

Super fun.

So, two days of heady antibiotics later, I can finally start to breathe through my nose and my chest doesn't rattle every time I inhale.  I'm no longer coughing up blood (that's fun) and while my ears feel tight, they don't hurt like they did.

HOORAY!  PROGRESS!

I am forever grateful for good doctors and other health care professionals who give their lives to the service of making my life and the life of my family better.  I know it is not an easy thing to do and I am thankful for their time and dedication.

I LOOOOVE feeling better.  It is nice to be on the road back to normal.  Here's hoping we can all stay that way around here for a good, long time (well, as normal as we ever are).