Columns

July 16, 2020July 14, 2020

Live or Let Die: My Thoughts on Advance Care Planning

Columns, Intestinal Fortitude - a Column by Emmeline Olson

With my dark sense of humor, I was obsessed with death long before being diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis and Crohn’s disease. I don’t understand why death is so ... Read more

July 9, 2020July 7, 2020

Testing — 1, 2, 3

Columns, Intestinal Fortitude - a Column by Emmeline Olson

After a weeklong delay, I had my liver biopsy yesterday. Today, I’m under doctor’s orders to be lazy. I’ll be spending the next few days not lifting more than ... Read more

July 2, 2020June 30, 2020

IBD, PSC, and Me: The Mystery of the Ornery Body

Columns, Intestinal Fortitude - a Column by Emmeline Olson

For the last two weeks, I’ve invited my readers to join me on a quest to unlock the medical puzzle that is my body. I feel like Indiana Jones ... Read more

June 25, 2020June 23, 2020

I’m Losing Patience with Being a Patient

Columns, Intestinal Fortitude - a Column by Emmeline Olson

Last week, I discussed my current health battle with elevated liver enzymes. I continue to get weekly bloodwork so that my transplant team can monitor my situation remotely. After ... Read more

June 18, 2020June 16, 2020

When Good Bodies Attack Themselves

Columns, Intestinal Fortitude - a Column by Emmeline Olson

Recently, the satirical news site The Onion published an article told from the viewpoint of a quarantined man’s immune system. Fighting the same germs every day had become tedious, ... Read more

June 11, 2020June 9, 2020

4 Tips for Working Out While Staying In

Columns, Intestinal Fortitude - a Column by Emmeline Olson

Most people are excited about returning to the gym, but not me. I never stopped exercising. I’m going on three months of home workouts. In mid-March, I had decided ... Read more

June 4, 2020June 2, 2020

Lifestyles of the Rich, the Famous, and the Chronically Ill

Columns, Intestinal Fortitude - a Column by Emmeline Olson

A few weeks ago for World IBD Day, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation interviewed Pearl Jam lead guitarist Mike McCready, a national spokesperson for the organization. Not counting the ... Read more

May 28, 2020May 26, 2020

Making Sense Out of a Summer ‘Staycation’

Columns, Intestinal Fortitude - a Column by Emmeline Olson

Except for my July birthday, I’m not fond of summer. Living in the South, summer means at least five months of oppressive heat and humidity. Last week, I mentioned ... Read more

May 21, 2020May 19, 2020

Stepping Up for World IBD Day

Columns, Intestinal Fortitude - a Column by Emmeline Olson

Tuesday was World IBD Day. The European Federation of Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis Associations (EFCCA) first recognized May 19 as a day to raise awareness and support IBD patients ... Read more

May 7, 2020May 6, 2020

As Healthcare Facilities Adapt, So Must I

Columns, Intestinal Fortitude - a Column by Emmeline Olson

I’ve remained secluded safely at home for two months. As an introvert, I’m content never leaving the house. However, being a Crohn’s and liver transplant patient, I had to ... Read more