A Dream & Speaking Out -Crohn's Disease-

In the past 2 months the responses to my website have been nothing less than AMAZING and I am really seeing the need for my site and my type of personality in the IBD community. No I am not high on myself I just mean someone that is grateful for life, and can show someone that they should never give up hope, and show them all they need to do is believe and make different decisions in their lives.

I have emailed CCFA, and CCFC to try and volunteer for both of these organizations but I have yet to hear a response back from them. They may not be interested in what I have to say but I will be persistant until they give me an actual response. I would love to be able to speak out at one of these events and tell people my story even if it only sheds the light to "a" single person it will be worth it. I have had my site up for only a few months and the positive emails responses are insane. Even if I was to become 100% crohn's disease free I will never stop my involvement in this cause. I advise anyone reading this to always hold me to this promise.

Like, Martin Luther King I TOO have a dream that one day all newly diagnosed IBD patients will consider natural treatment methods before invasive medical drugs and procedures. A day when you read, watch, listen about IBD's you will hear about more stories of perseverance and triumph than pain and suffering. A day when people who regained their health go about their life with a greater appreciation for it and a new found purpose to help inform others who are suffering.

It always starts with a dream, but I have wrote it down and it now becomes something tangible which I can touch and feel (atleast after I print it out lol) MLK had a dream and so do I!!!!! Hopefully some of you can also be part of this dream.

Crohnsboy

CCFC (Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada) Seminar, actually a little suprised

Today I went to a CCFC seminar and will admit I was sort of surprised in some ways. I was expecting to hear a lot of medical BS but It was actually pretty good for the most part.The first doctor that was talking was leading a research project called the GEM project which is looking to find some of the causes to CD. The impressive thing about his approach is that they were looking at many features such a north-south factors, food-diet, genetics, where you are from in the world, etc He also seemed to really state that IBD were caused by more than one thing and not just looking for a single disease causing agent.

I think it is great what this doctor is doing but I still think we have to focus our attention on other things. I was in this room and I’m thinking do most the people in this room really care what causes the IBD?? Or are they looking for an answer on how to improve their quality of life. With all their money and resources why wouldn’t we research the people who have overcome crohn’s disease and colitis and then see what these people did to beat their disease’s…..? that seems like common sense yet nobody has done it…..why? I got better my searching for people who beat their disease and then I modeled the process..the concept seems pretty easy to me. I just really think we have to focus our efforts on what is currently working for people rather than dumping excessive funds into drugs and research on what causes it etc. They have been studying for like 30 years and really how far have they come?? Still no medical cure?

There was a chiropractor doctor who has a practice that treats IBD patient using a holistic approach, and he has had many patients become med and symptom free. I was very impressed to see this guy up and talking at a CCFC event!!! I think I may have judged them a little to hard at first. I may not agree with all of their approaches but I do see some good in what they do and the people who volunteer their time etc. I am going to try and speaks at my local chapter etc. I may try to volunteer for some of the events etc, I think I am more suitable to talk to the group and maybe motive them and create a sense of hope etc rather than volunteering at individual events. I think everyone has their purpose and mine is being a good communicator so I might as well exploit it.

There was a dietician at this event and I did not agree with almost anything that she said lol I had to sit their and listen to a lady who said that it didn’t make a difference in which carbs and sugars that you eat?? I was thinking to myself does this lady really know what she is talking about?? What is her success rate when giving advice for IBD patient’s. If these here clients are not symptom free I wouldn’t even consider what she is talking about. It’s just hard because when you get a group together and you hear a professional “licensed dietician” say things you tend to take their word for it….right? but if I would have took her advice I know in my heart I would not be symptom free. I just hope each person is able to tell what info is legit or not.

There were 2 young girls names Janelle and who spoke about The Gutsy Generation which is a new networking branch under CCFC which is aimed at younger people with IBD’s. I think this is an awesome idea to concentrate on helping younger people!!!! Both these girls did an excellent job at presenting their info and making their sincerity in the cause out to be very evident. I also had an opportunity to speak with both of them and they were both super cool chicks. I think it is people like this who hold the power of really helping spread the word of how to help ppl with IBD’s get better and how to libe with the disease etc.

I just really want to give a shout out to anyone who is actively trying to promote the cause!!! Your doing awesome. I also hope that you always try to keep an open mind to treatment options for IBD’s etc it’s crucial to keep an open mind in order to overcome these diseases.

Keep up the good work!

Family and Friends

I have mentioned in other posts that I grew up in a rough area, single parent family, we did not have that much money, over all family life was pretty shaky and I constantly get people that have asked me how did you turn out the way you are? Beating the odds etc. This seemed to be on my mind a lot in the last few months so thought it was worth writing about.

Even though my family life was far from the most healthy I still believe that both my parents passed on some of the attributes which have contributed to my success. My mother always showed my brother and I that it was important to treat all people equally, be compassionate towards others, told us that she believed in us, we could do what we want with our lives, how important it is to tell a woman she looks beautiful when you think it, and that it’s okay to voice your opinion and speak about your feelings. My father showed us the importance of keeping your word, fighting for what you believe in, how to master arguing lol, stick up for yourself and your family, keep your word, save money, how to be independent, and to make sure we learned not to give a shit about what other people think about us and not let people opinions dictate who we are or what we should do.

I am not going to bother commenting on any of the negative stuff b/c I really do not care about it and have moved on from that part of my life. One of my main issues in life was holding a grudge against my parents, or just being mad at the world for not dealing me a perfect hand. Only within the last year or so can I honestly admit that I let this stuff go and really moved forward in life. I can’t put into words how much this held me back in life, whether is made me angry, insecure, or resentful. Once I understood I could not change the past I was forced to deal with it and move on. I think every person deals with things different ways etc but one thing I can tell you is that “it wont be easy” but it will be worth it in the end. Once you deal with this you’ll be amazed that doing drugs, getting juiced, or other abusive actions will not be necessary to make you feel good in life. Yeah I am far from perfect!! I have been there done that and back again J But regardless the good stuff and bad stuff that has occurred in my life is what has made me who I am!! And I am pretty damn proud of myself so you do not hear me complaining.

The most influential people in the last 10 years of my life have definitely been my friends and their families. Most of my friends are from Portuguese decent, I didn’t go out of my way to befriend all the chops in my hood but it just ended up that way lol. Many of these friends invited me into their families allowing me to learn about their culture, morals, belief, and my favorite their FOOD mwuahh. What Portuguese people have taught me the most is the REAL importance of family and how important it is to be happy. When I say family I do not just mean blood line but the people in your immediate circle etc. They make sure that the family and friends stay close and get together on regular basis. I never learned how important family/friends really were until I was like 21. If any of my friends happen to be reading this just want to say you guys rock!!! And I love all of you mofos J

I think it’s important to make sure you have time for your family + close friends because these people have such a huge bearing on how happy you are. Sometimes we find ourselves too busy to make time but that is just a sad excuse that will send us on a road to NOWHERE which leads to the town of UNHAPINESS (corny I know)

Have a GREAT WEEKEND!!!

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Someone who made a difference

I was thinking about someone in my life that made a huge difference into the person who I have become and I could think of 1 person who stood out among everyone.

When I was young I was raised in a single parent family in an an area with concentrated poverty (the ghetto or whatever you call it) We called it the North End, I’m glad to be a northender but regardless it did have its tough moments. Most people that I went to school with also came from poor broken families as you can imagine this kind of enviroment is not quite motivational…

When I was in grade 3 I had this teacher who was from Chicago his name was MR M and he changed my life in ways that he could never know. At the beginning of grade 3 my reading comprehension was below a grade 1 level, I was said to have ADD, also had to spent lots of time in the resource room as I was considered a “slow learner” needless to say I was far from the sharpest tool in the shed. Mr M's teaching approach was more of our class becoming a big family rather than just students. He taught us about different cultures including his own bringing in dradles for the class to play with, sharing with us some of his experiences he has being involved in the Vietnam War, and we also experienced and excellent music program which was done by another teacher named Mr R which we sang fun songs from the 50s,60s, and 70s I know it may sound gay but we had a blast!!!

Most of all Mr M showed that he believed in my abilities to be a better person and my ability to learn which gave me the confidence I needed to become who I am today. He use to call me the “little philosopher” because I always would stand up with excitement to answer a question or give my opinion on a specific topic etc-made me feel sorta special lol This teacher went out of his way to be more than just a teacher and he became a motivator!!! He never treated his position as a job not even for one day that I can remember. I think most teachers stick to a very structured ciriculum and teaching style which does not stimulate growth and inspiration. The truth is this Teacher is one of the very few of his kind and I wish the world had more of people like him.

To keep my story short I tracked Mr M down today at the school he is currently working at and I knocked on the door of the class he was teaching. At first he did not recognize me but when I told him my name I could see he knew exactly who I was and everything came back to him as if it happened yday. The funny thing is nothing in his class seemed like it changed as every student seemed like they were having fun an were intrigued by his prescence. I was there talking to him for no longer than 30 minutes and they had to try so hard not to interrupt as they wanted to speak with him and ask him questions etc. I coould tell this guy hadn’t lost his touch as he still was an “amazing” teacher.

I told him the purpose of my visit was to tell him how much of an impact he made on my life and that I was so grateful for his efforts. He told me in his whole teaching career I was the 2nd person to tell him this…I thought to myself that was crazy!, but also made me realize something really important-I think somewhere in the midst of life we really forget to communicate to the people who have greatly impacted and changed our lives that we are sincerely grateful for their efforts. Just like his intial encouragement gave me the motivation I needed to become a better person, I believe my gratitude gives him the motivation to keep doing what he is doing as it does make a difference.

So please take a few minutes to think of someone who made a difference in your life whether it be today, yday, 10 years ago.. GO OUT of your way to tell them you are grateful for their efforts. This will make them feel good and you will amazed how good you feel after telling them your thoughts.

Peace out

Crohnsboy

A year of growing

This last year has definitely been a crazy one, but one thing I can tell you for sure is that it has helped me realize who I really am.

a year ago I thought that havnig a great job and making good money was priority #1 I know money is the 2nd most important thing next to oxygen..lol but it doesnt define a person.....god knows it only took me 25 years to realize this. But I once heard the only way to fail at something was to learn nothing.........

After being diagnosed with Crohn's disease I learned how much I really loved being able to enjoy life and all the awesome things in it. I was working at a great job with excellent pay, benefits, and the ability to advance quickly but I was still not happy every day... I knew sitting at a desk all day was not what I wanted for my whole life. Please do not take this offensive if you work at a desk it's just I know I was not built to work in this type of enviroment.

I took the plunge and left my comfy office and started my own landscaping business. It has been a great experience with ups and down but I have learned that I was meant to be self employed. There are days that get pretty stressful but ultimately I know Im the one who makes the "choices" so it doe not bother me at all. Although landscaping is a great industry and my business is doing good I have also realized that for an outgoing, hyper, energetic person who loves sales marketing etc I need to be in an industry where I am able to communicate with customers on a one to one basis. I guess what I am saying my search is still not over.

As I am in a cold part of the country my business does some snow removal for commercial clients in the winter time but I have decided to scale back the amount of customers I am taking on so that I can also experience more of life and work a little less.

I applied for a part time sales position at a large cellular network and found out that I got the job. The job pays very minimal compared to what I made at my previous job or the hourly rate which I charge my own clients BUT I took the job to have some fun and gain some more sales experience. It feels really good to do something because you want to NOT because you have to. I always use to say to myself " I wish I could have that attitude..." all it took was a degenerative disease to kick my ass into motion and I am thankful for that :)

I constatly hear motivational speakers speaking about the importance of "knowing your OUTCOME" I have finally realized how important this is in every aspect of your life and relationships with other people etc.

My desired outcome in life is to live by the ocean atleast half of the year-some place where life is slow and you take time to enjoy the atmosphere and people around you. Have a beautiful wife and a few rug rats who I love and spend time with as much as I can-family is KEY. I also want to be involved in something that makes a REAL difference ie running my website, youtube videos, podcasts, maybe IBD foundation helping spread the word on larger levels-I will do the craziest things imaginable to promote how myself and others regained our health and got a second chance. I also want to be involved in a business which I love and am challenged with on a daily basis as it feels great when you are a part of greatness especially is that product, service or good will etc changes the lives of others. I think the most important part of my life that I want is to make sure I am always growing and learning as this way things dont get boring and make you enjoy being HERE almost every day!!!! I think the ability to grow is one of the most signifigant human needs. I know I will get there as I really deserve to be happy and have the things I want and on top of that I have the balls to pursue the things which I want. I may fail 10 times in a row but you can bet your ass I will dust myself off and try again.

my two cents and nothing more lol

Thanks

 

Just wanted to say thanks to all the great people who have checked out my site and sent me stories of encouragements etc. I also encourage anyone that wants to talk to me to drop me a line and don’t be shy for whatever reason.

 

Salsa Lesson

So I started doing salsa lessons and to be quite honest they are lots of fun. At first I thought that salsa dancing was pretty gay, or maybe that was me just being a guy or an automated response for something which I was probably just a little scared to do (thats prob it). I think we are usually scared to try things that we think we are not going to be good at because it would leave us being vulnerable to embarassement etc.

For me I screw up a lot lol and the the girl I attend these classes with (a good friend) is an awesome dancer so trying to keep up with her is pretty insane lol she usually makes me look good regardless so I can't complain. But I have learned that it really is okay to try things, get embarassed, put yourself out there and be a little vulnerable as the truth is that the process is almost always a little stressful...or atleast if you allow yourself to percieve it in that sense. Now I do not care as I just keep telling myself go through the embarassement with laughts etc but ultimately I will become AWESOME at whatever I practice at. Keeping this thought in my head has allowed me to try lots of new things over the last few years or so.

I remember hearing this one speaker say the people who are most sucessful in life are usually the people who have failed the most. There is some truth to this, take Babe Ruth into consideration and the dude is on the all time home run list, yet he struck out more than anyone??? In baseball the guys that strike out 7/10 times are considered really good Go figure?? So I'm thinking if I try something 10 times I can atleast prob make good results 3 times..right?? Also instead of thinking why I shouldn't do something I started asking myself what am I going to miss out if I dont take this chance or try something new etc?

I know many people that know me may think that I have never been insecure or scared to take risks etc, but the truth is that I was at one point in my life. I read and interacted with people who were not scared to take risks and that were confident in themselves etc and eventually it wore off on me. Only then did I realize all the stuff that I had missed out because of my own self constructed insecurities. I just want people to know that you dont have to be born confident, you simply can create it :)

I tell you sign up to go skydiving just 1 time, I can tell you after you touch the ground you most likely wont be scared to do anything in your life again. I'm not shitting you :)

I dare ya to try it...let me know how it goes...what's the worst that can happen SPLAT?