Wow, it has been awhile since I posted anything.  I am sorry for that everyone.  Life has been real busy, especially at work.  A lot of good things are happening though so even though I am busy, it is a good thing.

I recently started working with The Intense Intestines Foundation (www.intenseintestines.org).  I don’t want to say just yet what I am working on but I will definitely reveal that in a couple of months once all the details are worked out.  I will say it has to do with supporting others with IBD and I can not wait to get started.  I also have been working with The Crohn’s Journey Foundation (http://thecrohnsjourneyfoundation.org/).  Again I can’t say just yet what it is I am working on but that will be revealed next month if all goes well.

So how was everyone’s holiday season?  Did you have fun and do anything special?  I know a lot of people I talk to online spent it in the hospital.  Myself, I spent it on a cruise down south.  My wife and I took a Christmas cruise to Florida and the Bahamas.  It was reflecting on the cruise that got me to write this blog.  I was wondering how many of you with IBD find it hard to travel and go somewhere? 

This was my first cruise where I am gluten free.  We had done some research and had read that there would be plenty of options for food for me.  I really didn’t worry about it.  I should have.  My first clue was when we first got on the ship and went to lunch.  The only thing listed as gluten free was the mashed potatoes.  Good thing I know what normally has gluten in it so I was able to play it safe.  This theme of lack of gluten free items would carry on throughout the cruise.  Most of the desserts were not gluten free.  I started to get annoyed because the reality is that it isn’t hard to do.  They did have GF bread and it was ok.  My dinners were altered to be GF and I was happy for that.  But for desserts, they could have made a flourless chocolate cake.  I am sure many people would eat it.

Overall, I had fun on the cruise.  We went to Cape Canaveral in Florida, Nassau Bahamas and their private island in the Bahamas.  I was lucky and had no major issues with my Crohn’s.  I was able to go out and have some fun.  I even was able to indulge in a little alcohol…ok…it was more then a little.  I did worry at times that I might have some problems but luckily my guts stayed quiet.

I would like to know what some of your tricks are travelling.  Do you pack extra clothes?  Do you take certain meds to calm the guts?  I remember take Lamodal on one cruise about 3 years ago.  I helped me enjoy myself and gave me a life off of the toilet.  Thankfully, I didn’t need it this time around.

Well, vacation time is over and it is a new year.  I think this is going to be a great year.  I myself am working on so many IBD related things.  Besides IIF and TCJF I will be working with GYGIG again in June.  I might do the CCFA Takes Steps this year.  So much to look forward to this year.  I hope to post more often and will let everyone know about everything that is going on.  I do want to say that if you live in the NYC tri state area, we have some good things for you this year.  But that is another post for another time.