Author: Natalie Hayden

When you’re a parent keeping your kid(s) entertained and engaged throughout the day is a constant challenge, especially as most of us continue to hunker down at home. When you’re an IBD parent, throw extended bathroom breaks, overwhelming fatigue, and debilitating pain into the mix. Keeping up with your kids, while making sure they’re safe and not getting too much screen time can sometimes feel like an insurmountable task. Just as it’s imperative we are proactive at managing our IBD, it’s also extremely beneficial to be proactive as parents. This is where busy boxes come in.Natalie Hayden, Lights Camera Crohn’s…

Ever since I was a little girl, I always knew I wanted to have a family. Being a mom someday seemed like an inevitable part of my future. When I was 21, my world turned upside down. I was blindsided with a diagnosis of an incurable chronic illness. I was told I had Crohn’s disease – an autoimmune disease that attacks the gastrointestinal tract, leading to severe pain and fatigue (just to name a few of the symptoms). In that moment, as I grappled with my new identity and came to terms with the fact that I would live with…

There are so many resources available to patients online, but blogs offer a particularly clear window into what life is really like with a chronic illness. Blogs give patients the opportunity to connect with others who may have had similar experiences, which can help us feel less isolated. Blogs also offer us the opportunity to learn from one another! The Mamas Facing Forward Featured Blogger series will connect you to blogs featuring real moms living with chronic illnesses – all of whom find their own ways to keep facing forward! This article originally appeared on Lights Camera Crohn’s and is…