J-pouch Life » Stress http://www.jpouch.net Stories: Ostomy, Ileostomy, Jpouch, Colitis, Crohn's, Surgery and Support Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:31:30 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 “You’re Fired.” http://www.jpouch.net/2010/03/15/youre-fired/ http://www.jpouch.net/2010/03/15/youre-fired/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:01:40 +0000 Lizz http://www.jpouch.net/2010/03/15/youre-fired/ Well, this is one of those days that I come here to post and I wish I had a positive, uplifting one for you…perhaps this will turn out to be just that. Today, I was fired from my job because of my inability to come to work regularly because of my disease. Now, my employer is simply blaming it on an attendance issue, but they are all aware that I had a “condition” which was keeping me from working regularly. I’ve been having issues since December with a Crohn’s flare or a pouch problem-my docs and I are still trying to figure it out. I had a barium study done Friday, so hopefully that will lend some wisdom to us on that matter.

I feel relieved, bittersweet, I think. I will miss the money, and some of the work, but it was a horrible environment for me to be in, quite honestly. I loved the people I worked with, but the energy was all stress. When I am completely honest, I just couldn’t do the job because I was too tired a lot of the time when I was there to function mentally. I forget so quickly how much I’ve been through and what my body has to go through to just function every day when I feel well-I work as hard as I can and I see my “old” self come though. However, those days, honestly, kick my ass and I end up having to sleep for 4 days nearly without interruption to recover from it. It’s depressing and frustrating to me that I cannot do certain things that others can, and that’s why I’m really upset. I’m also worried about what my fiance (soon to be husband) and I will do financially, and what I will do about health insurance.
On the other hand, this opens a lot of doors for me. I have more time to help out with CCFA stuff, and to finally make it a priority to find a career, not just a job for a paycheck, that I can do and that I will enjoy.
Life with Crohn’s and a J-pouch is not easy, but I’m glad to have it.

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]]> http://www.jpouch.net/2010/03/15/youre-fired/feed/ 15 The New Year’s Curse http://www.jpouch.net/2009/12/31/the-new-years-curse/ http://www.jpouch.net/2009/12/31/the-new-years-curse/#comments Thu, 31 Dec 2009 23:18:27 +0000 Lizz http://www.jpouch.net/2009/12/31/the-new-years-curse/ newyearNot sure what’s going on here, but for the past two years, I’ve had a Crohn’s flare over the New Year’s holiday. Perhaps it’s related to stress from the holidays. Either way, it’s time to make a change. Bahamas next year!
Does anyone else notice this phenomenon? Things are going totally great, then all the holiday stress gets to you and *bam* tummy problems. The good news is, I seemed to get out of it pretty quickly last year, so I’m hoping the same is true today.
Hope everyone has a safe, happy, and healthy New Year’s!

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]]> http://www.jpouch.net/2009/12/31/the-new-years-curse/feed/ 10 Keepin’ it Real in the Real World with IBD. http://www.jpouch.net/2009/06/17/keepin-it-real-in-the-real-world-with-ibd/ http://www.jpouch.net/2009/06/17/keepin-it-real-in-the-real-world-with-ibd/#comments Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:54:33 +0000 Lizz http://www.jpouch.net/?p=1966 So, first off, I’m am really too white and too dorky to be throwing around phrases like, “Keepin’ it real.”  Just wanted to acknowledge that!  I am thrilled to have recently earned a position at a prestigious law firm in downtown Portland.  I am currently working as a paralegal and am super-swamped with work already!  I notice a trend when I’m working though-really, it’s a very personal thing and something that I think is common to a lot of IBD-ers/J-pouchers.  We tend to be, based on my experiences, very smart, good-looking (duh), and type A personalities.  Ironically, I can be very anal retentive, although I try so hard not to be.  After the Crohn’s diagnosis I embarked upon a major personality overhaul.  Well, I kept the sweet, adorable, witty parts, but tried to work on the neurotic, perfectionist ones.  So the bad thing is, I’m one of those people who thrives on stress.  I think it’s good for my brain and bad for my guts.  I can physically feel my body tensing up and I just feel like I’m constricting.  I am at least aware of this and do things like yoga, prayer, and simple acts of stopping to take deep breaths and remind myself to “keep things in perspective” and chill.

My new job requires me to write, a LOT, which I love, but I’m feeling really overwhelmed with my case load.  I know 99% of this is just coming into a new position and trying to become familiar with all the nuances of the work environment, people, learn how they do things, and become acquainted with my position.  I really had to check myself today though.  I had a reality check moment with myself and with God.  I just said, “Okay…I realize that I’m freaking out.  I see what will happen if I don’t get this behavior under control, I’ll get sick and have to leave another job and be unemployed again…” I know it’s something I can control, but it still shocks me how our personality types and stress levels can affect our diseases.  It’s just a pattern I’ve noticed with myself, so I’m trying to surround myself with Zen thoughts, but it’s been a rough transition so far.  It’s also a good reminder to keep things in perspective.  My job is important, but without my health, what do I have?  If there is anything good to be gained from being chronically ill, it is the appreciation for the things that matter.  Most refer to these as the “little things”, but we know better.

I’m trying to live life in the moment and not worry about things that, like my yoga teacher always said,” are no longer serving me”.  I’m enjoying my dog and my fusband (fiance+husband…we like fusband better) and learning that days go by a lot faster when you are incredibly busy!  So those moments of “little things” are already much more valuable.

Just a friendly reminder to all you workaholics out there to keep it real and be good to your guts, and yourself.

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