Inflamed and Untamed

Haaaaaaaapy Monday and Happy first day of October!

How was your weekend? If you were able to tell me right now I’d listen, but you can’t because this is a blog and I am all the way over here typing this in my bed and you’re….well, I don’t know where you are. I would if I looked at my real time google analytics because I can see the locactions of who is reading my blog. Creeeeeepy!

Since I can’t listen to you tell me about your weekend (unless you email me, go ahead do it!) I will tell you about mine. I participated in the Take Steps for Crohn’s and Colitis walk. I didn’t have a team because I already did fundraising for GYGIG this year, so I just decided I would show up and see where the day took me. I know the director of the walk and all the people who work in the office so I figured they would put me to work, which is what I normally do at the walks anyway. I volunteer! Luckily my good friend Allison from Camp Oasis was there early to help out too, and the two of us spent the day together doing random jobs. Last year we were assigned to put up all the signs along the route and we got attacked by a killer goose. This year wasn’t as full of adventure. For a long time we were in charge of the table that had all the information brochures about Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. This brought opportunity to talk to a bunch of new people. We talked to a lot of concerned parents and family members who had very young children who were
just diagnosed and they were scared. They asked us a lot of questions about our lives with the disease and we were able to (hopefully) share with them things that helped. I was wearing my Ask Me About My J-Pouch shirt so I got a lot of questions about that and was able to share my story. We talked with people about camp, about life as a child with the disease, about upcoming support groups, and of course I gave a lot of people the URL to this blog. If I met you this weekend say hi! 

The rest of the day Allison and I were given odd jobs. First we were in charge of taking pictures for the walk until we realized the camera was out of memory. So I then had to take them on my phone. Then we were driven by golf carts to the middle of the walk where we set up a table with water and powerade and passed them out to walkers. Then once the walk was over we took down the signs and then packed up our table. I met some people who already knew who I was from my videos or blog and that was fun! 

Seriously. We took FOUR pictures and I still couldn’t get a normal smile! My eyes were red and watery the whole day and I looked so tired. lol 

The day was beautiful! So sunny and warm and perfect for being outside. I sometimes forget why events like this are so important. Aside from the money that is raised, I forget how helpful they can be for people since I already have all the support and information I need in my life. My life has become about providing that to others, and this weekend I was reminded how many people there are out there that still need this. I talked to so many parents who were scared, who didn’t know what to do, and who had never heard about the disease or didn’t know the extent of the impact these diseases can have. They were there taking every brochure possible to get as much information as they could to take care of their children. They wanted to meet others, share stories, and learn. That is why it’s important. For the people out there who still need those things in their lives. And that reminded me again, why I do what I do. 

Happy butts & guts! 

Sara