OT Fun thread - Let's get to know each other!

My name is Lora. I am 34 years old. I have two kids ages 12 and 7. I love to read, walk, watch movies, play on the computer, cook, and play with my kids. I am currently unemployed and broke ...thank you economy!!!!! I have been married to my hubby for 13 years and he has been wonderful with this uc stuff. I have had uc since I was pregnant with my daughter in 2002. We live in Florida and I love to swim. We always have nice weather except for the mid summer when it is like a thousand degrees. I enjoy spending time with my awesome family and friends. Can't wait for this flare to be over so that I can go to
Disney World!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My name is Stacy and I am a 39 years old. I am a professor of higher education. I love my job. I live with my very sweet husband in TX and we are renovating a 1942 bungalow. I like nature, film, live music, and riding my bike (a cool Electra beach cruiser--her name is Gigi). This spring I hope to start a my first garden. Oh, and Fruitgirl and I are friends and she told me about the forum.

Hi, I'm fruitgirl, Stacy's (hefud) friend! I'm really glad she joined the forum...and, I was glad (in a really weird way) when I found out she also had UC. It's nice to have a friend who really gets it.

I'm going to be no fun and not share my first name, but that's because it's pretty unique, and if I did, you'd probably all be able to get my work and home contact info. I trust the regulars on here, but this *is* a public forum after all!

I live in PNW and am research director for a company that grows and processes blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. We also have a nursery division that grows strawberry, blackberry, and raspberry plants.

I have an 11 (how did that happen!) month old son and a great husband. In my free time, I love to play with my son, cook, read, and spend time outside.

I'm Gina. I'm 50 years old and live about 15 miles from Vancouver in British Columbia. I never get tired of looking at the mountains here.

I have 2 boys, 24 and 27. I have a part time job working for a woman who imports fashion accessories from Japan. She lives in my sub division, so it works out beautifully because we only have 1 vehicle. I also make and sell decorative switch plates online. I live a really quiet life and am a total home body.

I'm Amy. I'm 32 years old and live just outside of DC. I've been happily married for 5 1/2 years and have two lovely daughters that are 3 1/2 and 9 months. I'm fortunate enough to be able to stay home with them full time. I also have one cat that likes to harass me to get up really early to play with him. He makes up for it by giving me tummy massages tho.

I like to play on the computer, read, shop, spend time with friends and family and laugh as much as possible. I'm so happy to have found this forum!

Well, as you see - I am Elaine - Grandma H.

Especially to make Christine feel young - I am 69 and planning to stay 69!!  Married to the same man 48 years.  We were military (now retired) so I have lived in Germany, Japan, Colorado, Virginia, etc.  We live in central NY near a lake and love it.  We have two sons and four Grandchildren.  Youngest son with 3 children live near Chicago.  The oldest is near us with our Granddaughter who is nearly 14 (going on 30 at least).  They are a big help to us "older" people.

I say I am too old to deal with UC but don't have any choice.  I have dealt well with IBS for many years before.  We love traveling and I try not to let the UC change that.  We have been to Disney World, Hawaii and Vegas (several times) in the last few years.  Our plan is Orlando again next Spring.

Thanks to everyone here for keeping me sane and although my doctor does not approve of me coming to this forum (I think he feels I will learn TOO much LOL) I will not stop.  I always consult my doctors before I try anything new, etc.  I am changing doctors soon - hopefully I can say I am in remission by Spring (or sooner) as I need knee replacements badly!!

ElaineNY

I'd rather not share my name, but my husband calls me Peety, shortened from Pretty Lady (isn't that sweet?). We've been married for 12 years, no children, two spoiled cats, and many nieces and nephews we like to spoil, too.

I am an attorney and work for a faith-based hospital system (although I'm not a religious person).
I am their lobbyist and so am immersed in health reform (ask me anything).

I'm an avid golfer, playing two or three times per week with a 15 handicap. I like to be strong, although back problems are interfering with my strength training lately (but I don't let it stop me from playing golf, I just suffer later). I love being outdoors and am tinkering in my flower gardens whenever I'm not working or on the golf course.

I love to have friends over for cocktails and drifting in my little swimming pool. In winter, college sports are big in our town, so we spend lots of time with friends going to games and hanging out in sports bars. My husband just stepped out of the corporate world to teach high school, so we're having fun with that especially since we don't have kids.

I have had UC for a long time and it has been surreal to finally "get to know" others with the same disease. But you may know I keep my condition private, don't believe there is benefit in telling anyone, especially my employer. I'm enjoying sharing what I have learned with everyone here, and learning about Remicade has been a godsend.

Has anyone noticed I've been 49 for a very, very long time??

I'm Tracie 38 years old live in Cordele Georgia !!! I'm married to my highschool sweetheart for 19 years now . I have a daughter Lana who is 20 years old and a son Jayden who is 6 years old . I love reading , playing tennis , watching a good scary movie , and a big nascar fan , I enjoy riding fourwheelers gettin muddy lol . I have a zoo at my i have 3 dogs, 3 cats, a cockatiel, a red ear slider turtle, and thanks to Jayden i a aquarium full of tadpoles . We are watching them turn into frogs lol. Got to love little boys !!!!!!!!!!!!!


.

Hi, I'm Leslie. Wrigley is both my cat's name and one of my favorite places, Wrigley Field! I'm 39, mom of an 11 year old boy. (I will be 40 in January) I haven't posted before, so this is my first one!

I have UC. I was diagnosed in 2007, but I suspect I've had it for much longer. I try to live life as normally as I can. I enjoy reading, hanging out with my son, traveling, and doing things with my friends like going to concerts. I work out when I can/feel up to it. I love to do Zumba and I walked the Air Force 10K last week, which was huge for me.

This is the first IBD community I've found that really feels like a community. Everyone here seems to be quick to help others and suggest things, and I think that's so important for people in our situation. You can't talk about the nitty gritty of UC with just anyone! I'm glad that I found this place. :)

Hi, I am Laura-31, married to my hubby for 9 years with two awesome kiddos boy (6) and girl (3). They definitely keep me on my toes. I live in Arkansas, but I am a Louisiana born cajun...GEAUX TIGERS and yes I love those HOGS, too! I work fulltime in mental health and finally going back to school working on my master's in social work. I enjoy spending time with family, on the computer, volunteering and watching my boy and nieces/nephews play sports! I am a real reality tv watcher...big brother, surviver, amazing race...I love the food network as well.

One of m bestfriend's has UC and I never knew what it was that she had until I was diagnosed July 2007..I remember making fun of her when she had to do stool samples...she told me when I was so sick I was being paid back :) Also have a coworker who was diagnosed UC at 17, but two years ago bumped up to Chron's. Love that I have a "community family" online at the HealingWell!!!

One of the things I love about this site is to be able to share and to take off the various professional "hats" that I wear, to not be defined by all that. So I've been thinking about what I feel I can share.
For now, I like Songlady as a name. I'm 53, have lived in new England my whole life, have been married 28 years, have two sons, 19 and 16, and two cats. The older son is in his Junior year of college, the younger, the Junior year of high school. The younger son was diagnosed with UC in the spring of his 8th grade year, was horribly sick, the doc had us take him out of school for the last 2 months of his Middle School experience. When I first realized what kind of symptoms he was having, I felt as if I'd been hit by a truck. We buy Asacol by the truckload (thank goodness for my husband's insurance which brings it down a great deal!) But - knock on wood - he's in remission and enjoying high school. And he has me as a coach, though I worry that we've had to become bonded in this way right when he was at the age to need to separate. So I try not to be overbearing even when he eats stupidly, doesn't get enough sleep, etc.
I am an ordained minister in a liberal Protestant denomination. (Please - the bad thing about becoming ordained was that people started watching what they said in front of me! - But I hope this won't be a barrier for us all. I'm "just folks." This is evidenced by my "probiotics and condoms posts, I think!) I was working in a church when I was diagnosed and my doctors all told me to quit that job - so I did. That work involved about 70 hours a week and sometimes 24/7 on-call.
I am also a musician, so eventually I went back to work p/t as a church musician (organist, choir director... but then I can also pinch hit for the pastor....) and when my kids got a little older I began to teach piano and voice from my home, also.
I have loved this niche I have created, combining several abilities to make work and life for myself. I have not let UC limit me, and in the past 15 years have taken up singing, including giving recitals, and horseback riding - although for the past 8 months the arthritis has been too bad for me to do that.
I love this forum - partly, as I said, because of the chance to share without that "baggage" of being viewed as The Professional, and then, of course, because of the chance to bounce UC symptoms, treatments and ideas off others who have "been there!"

I'm Laura, and I'm happy to see other Minnesota people here! I live in the Duluth, MN area. Been up here all my life minus the brief years spent in Superior, WI.

I'm back at school for one final semester for extra education. I'm currently a paralegal working an internship at a law firm. We'll see where life takes me in the future. Nothing, for me, is set in stone.