Potatoes Gonna Potate

You've probably heard the term "haters gonna hate" but maybe haven't heard the follow up "potaters gonna potate". I chose that title for this post because it's silly, and has some truth it. Potatoes have no choice but to be true to themselves. They cannot make a wish on a star and become carrots!

So be true to yourself, be confident, and let the haters do what haters do. Maybe they're jealous, and maybe they're genuinely concerned that you're making a mistake, but whatever the motivation, negativity is a vicious cycle.

SO, don't judge me, and if you really feel the need to tell me how to live my life, try phrasing it with some compassion.

That's my 2 cents, and you can take that to the bank!

P.S. Please support Bank of Annabelle. She will charge you 3 nickels for each nickel that you borrow. 🤣

Invisible

Sometimes I feel invisible. Not just my illness, but myself. I could spend hours doing dishes and laundry and picking up toys, and 30 minutes later the toddler tornado has me back at square one.

I'll admit, I have a bad habit of putting things down wherever I am, and not where they belong, and this contributes to the mess. I'm working on that.

I'm aware that the problem exists, and that's the first step down the path to a solution.

This week is Crohns and Colitis Awareness Week, and I've been sharing my personal IBD story on Facebook and Instagram. It takes courage to #EscapeTheStall and talk about my symptoms (mostly diarrhea and urgency), and I'm practicing being brave, standing up and speaking out, with each day that passes.

It took me a long time to get diagnosed. My mom advocated for me, and even at age 15, when I'd much rather have buried my nose in books, I advocated for myself. I had no choice. The pediatrician couldn't figure it out, my mom's family doctor couldn't either, and when I AGAIN insisted that I did NOT have an eating disorder, I went to a GI specialist and they said Crohn's Disease almost immediately. Most people my age haven't even thought about a colonoscopy, but I'm already a pro.

 (Pro Tips: Chill it, and Don't drink water in advance so that when its time to start you're REALLY thirsty)

How can a medicine that's used to treat diarrhea have the side effect of diarrhea?! All jokes aside, I've been on all kinds of meds over the past 15 years, and have my fingers crossed that more options are found before I need them. 

Surgery was really scary, but the pain relief made it 10,000% worth it.

Even in "remission" I have symptoms. Lucky for me, I'm so used to them that I've nearly forgotten what it feels like to be healthy. 

My journey isn't over, but that doesn't mean that I can't share my story. 

#IBDVISIBLE 

Crossroads: A Poem About Choices

So I've been thinking about my career, about my goals, dreams, passions, and I was inspired. Leave a comment if you like!

Crossroads
Sitting at the crossroads
Afraid to choose a path,
Sitting at the crossroads
Doing mental math...

Weighing the pros
And weighing the cons,
Stretching my neck
To see farther beyond.

What if I choose wrong
Wont change add more stress?
What if the change I want so much
Isn't for the best?

Weighing every factor
Before I take a step,
Sitting at the crossroads
Stretching out my neck...

Deliberation is exhausting
Sometimes I take a break,
Sleeping at the crossroads
Another birthday, time for cake!

Sleeping at the crossroads
Afraid to make my move,
Time to dance out all my fears
And really get in that groove.

Stuck in a rut
But at least I'm content,
I'm not complaining
Though sometimes I vent.

Sitting at the crossroads
With many paths around,
I don't know which to pick
Possibilities abound.

Sitting at the crossroads
Criss-cross applesauce,
Close my eyes and open my heart
And listen to The Boss.

Open my ears
Let that inner voice speak,
My journey has really just begun
I'm far from reaching my peak.

Sitting at the crossroads
Waiting for a nudge,
But sometimes what it really takes
Is a great big monster shove!

Sitting at the crossroads
Until I no longer have a choice,
Scared to take a baby step
Ignoring my inner voice.

Then life throws lots of curveballs
I duck and dodge and weave,
And then I get hit right smack in the face
It's time to finally believe.

Believe that I got this
It'll all be okay,
Believe that God's working for my good
Even through the pain.

That curveball really hurt
And it didn't have to hit,
If I hadn't sat at the crossroads
It probably would've missed.

So sit at the crossroads
But dont linger too long,
It doesn't really matter
If the choice you choose is wrong.

Learn from the mistake
Rise up and fight the fight,
Face each day's curveballs
Shining with your light.

Shine bright like a star
Knowing that you've tried,
And if the ending doesn't fit
It means you haven't died.

The path is winding with some dark spots
And maybe at the end,
All the paths wind up together
Your choices were pretend.

Is life preordained
Do we have a destiny?
All I know is that tomorrow
Cannot be foreseen.

So I was sitting at the crossroads
Making perfect plans,
When life threw me some curveballs
And I put it in God's hands.

Let go and let God,
and keep fighting the fight,
And never let lifes challenges
put out your inner light!

Which is the path less traveled?!