Girls With Guts and so much more!


Oops, looks like I've forgotten to blog for a while... Well, have no fear, I'm about to blog my pants off!

I just got back from a trip to Detroit, Michigan where I had the privilege of hanging out with some pretty gutsy girls, literally. This was a retreat for GirlsWithGuts.org, a non profit advocacy group created to unite people of all walks of life who share a common thread: Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Many of us suffer from Chron's, Ulcerative Colitis and other digestive disorders and diseases. Many of us live with Colostomies, Ileostomies, Urostomies, and J-Pouches because of chronic illness. We have spouses, significant others, children, parents, family and friends who walk with us daily on this journey. We are employers and employees, business owners, athletes, community leaders and members, parents, grandparents, and friends. We are people like you who just happen to live with chronic illness too and we are part of a group focused on bringing awareness to IBD and Ostomies. 

The Girls With Guts Retreat brought together over 30 women with IBD and/or ostomies from all over the US and even one girl from Canada, all ranging in ages from 18 and older. We differed not only in age but in political beliefs, religious beliefs, ethnicity, careers and lifestyles but, for this weekend, the only thing that mattered was that we fight for an abundant life daily in the face of chronic illness. We were united as one in search of camaraderie and knowledge. We are fighters, survivors, and advocators. We are girls with guts!
Living with any disease is hard and all too often has a very dark side. This dark side is where depression, isolation, pain, and self doubt live. It can rob us of our marriages, romantic relationships, jobs and friends. It's a prison imposed by our bodies on our minds and spirits. It can be both physically and emotionally draining and debilitating. This dark side is always at the ready, to attack and leave nothing but destruction in it's wake. This, right here, is the reason we need to know we are not alone in this fight.

Girls With Guts has given me a network of new friendships that I hope and pray will last a lifetime. I knew it had impacted me while I was there but what I didn't realize was how badly I needed to know I am not alone in how I feel. As I recounted the events of the weekend to my hubby, I was suddenly in tears-- a very rare and uncomfortable place for me.

I have been struggling for the past few months with health issues that I thought were gone forever when my large intestine was removed. Fear is the simplest word that I can use to describe my feelings with. Fear of going back to the worst pain and symptoms I ever had with UC. Fear of what the future holds. I hate it.

I've decided-- empowered by my new friends-- that come what may, I will face this day and every day from here on out with guts. I will not allow my mind to be defeated by my body. I will take each day as its own and I will live abundantly regardless.











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