Columns

January 30, 2020January 28, 2020

The Facts About Blood Donation

Columns, Intestinal Fortitude - a Column by Emmeline Olson

On Dec. 31, 1969, President Richard Nixon signed a proclamation that declared January National Blood Donor Month. For 50 years, the American Red Cross and other organizations have praised ... Read more

January 23, 2020January 21, 2020

Finding a Work-Life Balance with IBD

Columns, Intestinal Fortitude - a Column by Emmeline Olson

This time last year, I left my job as a university lecturer that I’d held for almost a decade. After my liver transplant, I transitioned from full-time work to ... Read more

January 16, 2020January 14, 2020

How to Prep Veins for Infusions and Blood Draws

Columns, Intestinal Fortitude - a Column by Emmeline Olson

The bruises on my arms have finally faded since my Remicade (infliximab) infusion a little more than a week ago. My nurse eventually found an agreeable vein after three ... Read more

January 10, 2020January 8, 2020

MRI Enterography Is Useful for Crohn’s Disease Management

Columns, It Could Be Worse - a column by Mary Horsley

In a previous column, I discussed the various imaging scans that medical professionals use to manage Crohn’s disease. I mentioned one of these, magnetic resonance enterography (MRE), an imaging ... Read more

January 9, 2020January 7, 2020

Preventing Setbacks by Following the Doctor’s Orders

Columns, Intestinal Fortitude - a Column by Emmeline Olson

After I submitted my last column for publication, a couple of new developments happened. First, the good news: I heard back from the company I interviewed with about the ... Read more

January 2, 2020December 19, 2019

Happy Endings and Looking Forward to a Bright Future in 2020

Columns, Intestinal Fortitude - a Column by Emmeline Olson

As we begin a new year and a new decade, in my first column of 2020, I’m revisiting some of the stories I shared in 2019. In July, I ... Read more

December 19, 2019December 18, 2019

Martial Arts Benefits My Body, Mind, and Soul

Columns, Intestinal Fortitude - a Column by Emmeline Olson

This time last year, I became a Kyo Sa Nim, a second-degree black belt in the Korean martial art Mu Sool Won. A first-degree black belt usually trains for ... Read more

December 13, 2019December 11, 2019

Getting Through Cold and Flu Season with Crohn’s Disease

Columns, It Could Be Worse - a column by Mary Horsley

This past week or so, I have been plagued by a nasty cold. My sickness got me thinking about cold and flu season with Crohn’s disease and IBD. Most ... Read more

December 12, 2019December 10, 2019

Reconnecting with an Old Friend When Living with a Chronic Disease

Columns, Intestinal Fortitude - a Column by Emmeline Olson

About six months ago, I reconnected with my childhood best friend, Suzanne, after losing contact with her more than 15 years ago. We had been very close since meeting ... Read more

December 9, 2019December 6, 2019

Nonprofit Is on a Mission to Fund Research into a Cure for IBD

Columns, Finding the Silver Linings - a column by Lisa Burks

Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week took place last week. Though Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis — collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) — affect more than three million ... Read more