Aliien, it's good to find humor in your situation.  I laughed when you mentioned the 35 pounds!  My son lost 120!  But we go through this all the time, finding something to laugh about or something positive happening.  My son has had a really difficult time over the last two years.  But he has worked through all the pain, anixity, surgeries, and diagnosises with such grace and a positive attitude.  I tell,him almost every day, failure is not an option!  Keep your sense of humor!

Great topic Aliiien!

I was diagnosed with fulminating pancolitis just shy of my 16th birthday. Rather than shake my fist at God and ask, "Why?," I thought, "Why not?" Rain falls on everyone, so why despair about it?

Like most, having IBD gave me the opportunity to learn to not sweat the small stuff and to understand that most of it small stuff. I also learned priorities at a young age. What an awesome gift!

I could laugh at pain illness, because it did not stop me from succeeding. It led me to a path towards becoming a nurse. IBD and my surgery 20+ years later do not define me, but they are a part of who I am. It is all good and I am glad to be living in a time with advanced treatments.

Jan

I volunteer at our local hospital, something I probably would not have had the time or inclination to do before I got sick. I've also taught exercise to older folks since before I was diagnosed with UC. I think I'm an inspiration to them as they go through age-related issues. Besides, when I hear them say, "Ugh, Honey, don't get old," I just smile at them because they know how much I've been through at a fraction of their ages. I remind them to count their blessings!

I love this. For me,

1. (soon to be) 2 babies 

2. being able to wait to use my own bathroom, rather than whatever nasty public bathroom or thick foliage that is nearby

3. a general ability to talk frankly about things that normally freak people out

4. surgeries forcing me to reassess how I care for myself, and learning how to rest when needed and live my life with less stress

5. the incredible blessing of seeing God, husband, family and friends care for me when I was at my worst and had nothing to give in return.

Love this!!  too many to count, really. Compassion, empathy, humor, gratitude, and lots of humor.  I went back and got my counseling masters after my first husband and I split (he was a doctor...sigh) and I felt the pouch and subsequent infertility were why the split happened.  So, I went into counseling (and going through all this certainly made me much better at that job - tons of understanding for people going through all kinds of difficulties)  and met my 2nd husband of 19 years - and this man has never wavered in his support through several surgeries, blockages, etc. - so - love came to me and this time is was the real thing...not love ya, but....not like this! 

Really, even the depression and anxiety  - when they are in check and not out of hand - teach you over time to be mindful of any day that you are not in terrible pain.  Whenever I get bored or I feel tired, run down, etc. - I do the mindfulness thing:  breathe in and out, stay in the present, and remember:  I could be in the hospital w/ a blockage or whatever - to stay in the now and appreciate the simplest things is the only way to go as you age.  Humor: Endless toilet paper use, endless baby wipe use, endless toilet cleaning, endless propel drinking, etc. , etc.....  I like to think in the future that this will get easier and eventually they will edit out the gene or figure out a drug treatment that means the end of the pouch for all eternity!! P.S. and yes - loved post op weight loss - I was never big, but it was so fun to need to gain weight and when young have legs like a supermodel  - back in the day! pain meds were great too!!

Wow...so much...so many.

Mostly...this site. Pretty much says it all.

Being able to help others through my experiences

Seeing things that others do not and knowing how to react.

Learning. 

Learning more. 

Still learning.

Realizing how much I still have to learn.

Watching medicine and science finally take an interest in us other that just 'slapping a bag on it'.

Empathy.

Teaching.

Thanks

Sharon

Mine is a simple one, and that is how fortunate I am that medicine has advanced so far -- giving doctors the ability to first SEE a cancerous tumor and then to have options that  lead to a "normal" life!  I am very thankful.   How many years ago would a tumor go undiagnosed and led to an early death?  

I thought of another one I have to share - finding this forum.  It's made me feel so much less alone and also supported.  Thank you to everyone who takes the time out of their busy lives to post.  You guys really do make a difference.  I've never done any social media (I have no facebook page!) - I just didn't want to get hooked on it.  But, this forum has been a Godsend.  Thanks to all.

1. Being 11 when this all started, and not remembering at all what it's like to have a normal poo. 

2. Butts don't bother me one bit. 

3. Became a nurse because of my journey/surgeries at age 19. No regrets there.  Was briefly a nurse in a nursing home, then an oncology nurse for 3 years, now an ICU nurse for 17, and seriously, even you with the worst pouch isn't the worst thing I've seen. Today: 18 year old with total spinal cord dissection and paraplegia. My job is humbling. My perianal fistula issues pale in comparison. 

4. Nothing embarrasses me, partly from my journey, partly from nursing.  

5. Yay, get to share IBD with my kid (at least I get to be a role model FOR my kid who has it; thankfully she has me, UNthankfully I passed this on to her (grr, still angry at God about that one).

6. Knowing I have a ridonkulous pain tolerance. I do. I never take drugs.

7. It is what it is. I can't change it, therefore, I educate others because of it, and I just keep swimming, just keep swimming...