Posted 6/5/2008 6:46 PM (GMT 0)
I've been lucky that I've been able to stay pretty much in remission (or what I guess is remission...3-4 bms a day, no blood, no mucus, mostly formed stool) and have been able to live my life even in the times when I'm flaring.
I admire all of you on this board who struggle mightily with this illness. On the one hand, this board has provided me with reassurance that there are people who know what this is like and that at the end of a day of teaching and coaching I am DEAD tired. My wife, mother, landlord, etc., who are all night owls, don't always understand the fatigue that goes even with feeling "well".
On the other hand, this board has also given me perspective that the days when I think I have it bad, those days where even in "remission" something doesn't agree with me and it's an 8-trip day, many of you guys are fighting a much more serious, life-altering battle. While I may get there at some point, I'm grateful that I'm not there now. I admire the heck out of all of you that do this while managing families, jobs, not-so-understanding in-laws, and the like.
So to answer the original question, six months ago I would have said "hanging in there". I have learned from this board the true answer to that question is actually "pretty good". I am eternally grateful to all of you for that.