Gluten Free Beef Stew

Jan28

It’s been awhile since I said I would post recipes so, here is another gluten-free recipe which is pretty IBD friendly..or at least for some IBDers.

Being that the temperature has been in the 20’s and I have been freezing my butt off lately, I wanted something that would be satisfying and warm me up. I was getting tired of my usual weekly menu and needed a change. When I was online one day, I saw a recipe for beef stew for a crock pot and I thought, I don’t have a crock pot but I can still make the stew. So, I went out shopping, got the ingredients, and made way to much stew. But is was so worth it because it was soooo good. And the cold will be around for a while so I have meals for another day.

Now, for the recipe, I didn’t measure out anything and it made about 8 servings. This is a dish that exact measurements aren’t needed and you can add whatever you want.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb cubed steak
3 Carrots – peeled and rough chopped
6 Celery Stalks – rough chopped
1 Parsnip – peeled and rough chopped
2 Large Potatoes – peeled and rough chopped
1 Onion – peeled and rough chopped (pearl onions work well also and require no prep)
1/2 Frozen Peas
64 oz Beef Broth
2 cans Diced Tomatoes
Olive oil
Gluten Free Flour or Corn Starch

Take your steak and coat in either the corn starch or flour. I decided to use flour just out of personal preference. Heat oil in a large stock pot and sear off meat. You don’t want to cook the meat all the way through, just brown it. You are sear it to seal in the juices. Also, you can do this in batches if the pot isn’t large enough.

After the meat is browned and removed from pot, add onions and more oil if needed. Saute the onions until soft and translucent. If you are using pearl onions, do not do this step. They will be added at the end.

When the onions are done, add some flour to make a roux. Cook this for a couple of minutes until the roux starts to brown. Add carrots, celery, parsnip, potatoes, beef, and stock. Stir well. Add any seasoning you like. They can be fresh or dried. I added some basil, oregano and salt. Again this is to your preference. Bring the stew to a boil.

When it boils, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let cook for about 1 1/2 hours. When the stew is done, add the canned tomatoes and peas. If you are using pearl onions, add them also. Bring back to a boil and remove from heat. If the stew is still thin and not to your desired thickness, make a cornstarch slurry to add to it to thicken it up. Serve with some nice crusty bread.

I Have Reached My Boiling Point

Jan24

Yesterday I came across an article. It started because I was wondering how voting for the Restroom Access Act, aka Ally’s Law, went in Virginia. I looked it up online. I was appalled at what I had found. The act was defeated without a single vote cast. That means that every politician that had the right to vote on it agreed that it wasn’t worth their time to even discuss. I was outraged by this but was soon about to get even more pissed off.

Continuing my research I found and editorial written for a Virginian newspaper. It was written by Kerry Dougherty and can be found here. Please go read it. I will wait until you finish reading it.

…

So you finished it. I can see how red your face is. I guess she made you as mad as I have been for the past 18 hours. How can someone be so ignorant not only to people with IBD but to me it seems like she is against anyone with a disability.

But lets break down some of what she had to say. First, she writes, “And it marked the death of one more over-the-top, well-meaning measure cooked up by a Northern Virginia Democrat. Another bill that would have attempted to legislate common sense.” – First, does it matter if the person introducing the bill is a Democrat or Republican. What just because a Democrat introduces something it is immediately bad? Next, a bill that would attempted to legislate common sense. Yes, it is common sense and yet it is ignored. Why do we have to fight to use the bathroom. IT IS COMMON SENSE and yet people will still not let you use their bathrooms so yes we should have a law.

“The impetus was an Alexandria teenager who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease about two years ago. After being barred from the employee-only bathroom in several retail stores, he told his mom he wanted a state law that would make it illegal to turn away someone with a legit medical condition.” Man, this just shows the author didn’t do her homework. HE TOLD HIS MOM—-Ally is a woman, not a man. I have spoken with her and she is amazing. Follow Ally here on Twitter. See, she is a woman.

“If only adults or civics teachers would teach kids that there are better ways to fix problems.” – Um, Ally found a problem and is fighting for the government to back her in her fight against injustice. What better way is there to fix the problem? I would love the author to suggest just one way.

Lastly, the author goes on to tell a story of how she was in a nail salon one day. A woman came in to the place, looking like she was in an emergency and asked to use the bathroom. Afterwards it turns out she stole some wallets. So, now everyone with IBD is being compared to thieves and criminals. None of us can be trusted. WOW!

I have seen a lot of prejudice in my life. I have seen discrimination. I have seen bigotry. This editorial takes the cake though. Just weeks ago the CCFA launched a campaign which so many of us agreed was way to light. It showed that we mainly use the bathroom and that there are no other problems. Maybe if they had used a more aggressive campaign, Kerry would have a better understanding of what we go through every day of our lives. I won’t get into it as that is a whole other post. But Kerry’s ignorance shows the need for more awareness. IBD is still mostly unknown. People think we are making up our symptoms.

Shame on you Kerry. Shame shame shame.

Book Review – The Directive

Jan20

Lately I have been seeing a lot more books about IBD. I decided since I love reading to start reading some of these books. I have been impressed by the stories and I decided that maybe I should post some reviews. So, here is my first one for the book The Directive by Rosa Fontana.

I will start by quoting the synopsis from the back of the book. “Lynne McKay is a peculiar twenty something college student. A boring essayist with limited social skills, she is woefully unaware that she’s a recluse in the making. Having experienced life vicariously – only through the books she has read and over-analyzed – she is unprepared when her life is interrupted with the diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease. After being admitted to the hospital, Lynne must shed her introverted shell in order to survive. With an IV pole in hand and a VIP pass to the marble throne at the ready, she reaches out to an unexpected and insistent comrade, Peter, who suffers from the same disease but has penchants for mischief and empathy. During their time in the hospital together, Lynne must consider: is this diagnosis a second chance at life or is it her death sentence?”

My first thought when I saw this book was that it was written by a woman and is told through the eyes of a woman…so would this just be a mushy love story. Thankfully, I was wrong. The book focuses a lot on Lynne and her disease. It deals more with her battles while in the hospital. As I read the story I couldn’t help but feel some of the pain. She describes the disease, treatments, med reactions so perfectly. The author has Crohn’s disease so she was definitely using her experience. However, reading the story I almost felt like this was an autobiography. After talking to Rosa on twitter I would find out it was only based on some of her experiences and people she has met.

I thought this was an excellent read. I had a hard time putting the book down and found myself relating to the characters a lot. I didn’t want this book to end and I really hope she decides to write more about Crohns.

If you want to buy the book you can buy it here. Also, check out Rosa’s page and follow her on Twitter here. Out of 5 stars I give this book 5.

My First Real Attempt at Advocacy

Jan11

For the past year I have been doing my blogs, talking to people online and even participating in the CCFA’s Take Steps. Late December I decided to kick it up a notch.

I was reading a lot of stories online about people with IBD having to pull over on the side of the road to immediately relieve themselves because there were no rest rooms in sight. Now, this is of course dangerous and illegal. It can cause problems on the highways and can even get the person stopping killed by getting hit by a car.

So I am sitting there reading these stories and I start to think of my experiences travelling on the interstates. I think about how you can go for miles without any exits or rest stops. The wheels in my head started turning and I had an idea. I started first by emailing my state representatives. Of course I got no responsive. I asked for assistance from some people on line and they helped me with thoughts and getting a letter drafted. Lastly, I started a petition online.

You are probably now wondering what I am talking about. Well, I am now starting a campaign to get port a potties put on the side of interstates and thruways. The petition can be found here and if you live in the USA, please go ahead and sign your name to it.

Now, if you have stopped and read the petition, you probably have a lot of questions about it. Yes, there are security issues, sanitation issues, etc etc etc. I know there is a lot that has to be worked out with this project. I don’t discredit all that. This petition isn’t meant to be a simple solution fix. I meant for this to be the start of something. It is made to get the ball rolling and make people see that there are major issues on the roadways for people with IBD.

If you can, write your congressmen and senators. Let them know of the petition. Let them know that we are no longer going to sit by and be ignored. It is time for us to raise our voice and be heard.

Crohns & Colitis Awareness Week – Dec 1 – Dec 7 2012

Nov30

Ok, I lied in my last post. Here is another one, but this will be short and sweet.

Starting tomorrow, we celebrate Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week here in the US. So how is everyone going to show their support. Here is one site that explains it best . Everyone should wear something purple this week. You can also wear one of your “Ask Me” shirts from The Great Bowel Movement, which is what I will do as I don’t really own anything purple. If you don’t have one, come here to buy one.

Go out, have some fun, and spread the love. While you do that, take some pictures and send them to me. I will post as much as I can on here for everyone to see just how great we are at advocacy.

Day 21 #NHBPM – Mental Health

Nov21

Yes I have Crohn’s Disease. Yes it is a physical ailment. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect our minds though. When people hear the words mental health, many will think of diseases like schizophrenia. However, just because we have a problem with our gut, doesn’t mean we can’t also have a problem with our mind and need some mental help.

Within my first year of being diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, I was seeing a shrink. I was only 16 and it was not my choice to see one. My doctor wanted me to see him because he felt that I should be able to go to school and the reason I wasn’t going was mental. (Nice GI dr I had).

Over time I have dealt with a number of issues with my disease one of which is depression. Many people with IBD will experience depression at least once in their life, some will experience it many times. I myself have had numerous bouts with it, the last time being the beginning of 2012. I was so fed up with my disease and didn’t want to go on anymore. I was spending all day in the bathroom, in constant pain, and had to sight of relief.

My problems were real, but I would soon learn that what I was going through was nothing compared to others. What about all the people with IBD that have to have surgery for a resection or worse, have part of their intestines removed. I can’t even start to imagine what goes through someone’s mind when they are told they will have to have an ostomy bag for the rest of their life.

Mental health is overlooked when it comes to IBD but in fact, from experience, it goes hand in hand with our psychical disease. The problem is many GI’s are not educated on how to help. Psychologists and psychiatrists get a bad rap, but we need to put our hands in theirs. We must seek them out and learn to use them as much as we use a GI doctor.

There is no shame it seeing a shrink. Just because you go to one doesn’t make you bad. All it means is that you need some help sorting out your feelings. And really, if it helps us feel better, isn’t it worth it.

Day19 #NHBPM – Life & Death

Nov19

I think everyone thinks about their life and how they live. When you’re a kid you are carefree. You run around playing all the time thinking you are immortal and nothing can hurt you. As you get older, you learn to appreciate life and when you have a family you get insurance.

Growing up with IBD really makes you appreciate life even more. When all your friends are in school or outside playing, a lot of times we are in bed with pain. When kids get together to have a pizza party we are sipping tasteless broth. We look at ourselves in a mirror and ask why. Why can’t I have a normal life..and we start to really appreciate what we do have. After awhile we learn that even though we are sick, we are alive. After you have lived some years with the disease, you see that you can live and start to want to do things. We have all been there. We look at what we haven’t done and think, what can I do to enjoy life. Maybe it is taking up jogging since you can stay local and near bathrooms. For others, maybe it is skydiving for charity. But we learn that just because we have a disease, it doesn’t have to end our lives.

Over time we learn to live with our pains and drug side effects. We know there will be hospital visits and stays in our life. We know there are days we won’t get out of bed…or the bathroom. But we also know we have a life to live and we try to live it to it fullest capacity.

When I was 15, I got sick and was in bed for a week. After I got diagnosed, I went back to school and tried to live a normal life. Within half a year, I got pneumonia and that put me in a horrible flare. I stopped going to school. I never saw my friends. My life was staying in bed watching TV (this is before cable). It was watching certain shows that made me realize I was wasting my life. I found a new hobby while I was sick. I started to love cooking and I was watching a number of cooking and food shows. I then started to realize that if I stayed in bed I would never amount to anything.

So, my parents got me some teachers that would come to my home to teach me. I caught up on my schoolwork and eventually graduated. I wanted to live life again so I decided to chance it and go away to college. I wanted the full experience and yes, I did get it. I decided that I wasn’t going to let my Crohn’s run my life. I got my education and degrees. I met some great people and eventually also me my wife.

Over the years I would have some Crohn’s related issues, but I would always think back to my bed ridden days and vow to continue living life. I would not ever let my disease get to me.

And then my life changed. My father in law lived with Ulcerative Colitis for years. He had it so bad that he had to have his intestines removed and lived with an ostomy for a number of years. I saw life in him. He had numerous problems because of the bag but he always chose to fight on and live. And then his and my world crashed. He was in and out of the hospital with an unknown problem. Eventually it affected his heart too much and he passed away from a heart attack. His ostomy caused him to have electrolyte problems which eventually caused a lot of problems for him.

I say my world crashed because he was an inspiration to me. He always tried to stay positive with his situation and I could only wish to be half a man if I was ever in his situation. During his funeral, his friends would talk about how he was always full of life and had such a drive.

Part of me never grieved for him. I never had the chance. My wife and mother in law were devastated and I had to stay strong for them. I was hurting on the inside but could never show it. As the days went on, it was harder to show my feeling. Here it is a year and half later and I still have the pain. It still is deep in me and I don’t know how to release it. Not only do I hurt because I lost a great father in law, but I hurt to know that one day I can be in that same situation.

Medicine has not helped me over the past 24 years. I am on the last medicine available and even this is experimental for Crohn’s. I know I have a mild case but if I fail on meds and have to eventually go off all meds, my Crohn’s will get worse. Where will that lead me. Will I need surgery? Will I have to have my colon removed? Will I be like my father in law and end up with tons of problems?

No one likes facing their mortality. As I kid I did a lot of dumb things. Now, with my 40th birthday creeping up to me, I look to what I have left in my life. I know that I won’t live forever. My question is how will I live it though. Will I spend each day thinking will this be the day my medicine stops working? Or will I live it like it is my last and have a blast. Right now I take it one day at a time. I try to enjoy the time I have here. I do what I can and try to help who I can in the moment. If I am here tomorrow, then I will continue on. But unlike when I was 6, I know I have an expiration date. Hopefully, it won’t be for another 50 years as I still have a lot to do with my life.

Day 16 #NHBPM – How You Take Time for Yourself

Nov16

Time for myself. What is that?

I am sure a lot of people ask that question these days. We live in a busy fast pace world. No one seems to stop and smell the roses. We work 8-10 hours a day, spend about 2-3 hours commuting and 6-8 hours sleeping. That is about 16-21 hours out of our lives, leaving anywhere from 3-8 hours to eat, shower, do chores, etc. So time for myself…again, what is that?

Sad thing is that for us IBDers, stress is a big factor. It is know that the more stress you have, the more likely you will have a flare or it makes it harder to come out of one. We need to listen to our bodies when it tells us STOP! Let Me REST!!

For me, I make sure to factor in some time to just chill and relax. I try to spend some hours at night just vegging out. This may be watching television or playing on the computer. But it is time for my body to relax and unwind. About every 4-5 weeks, I get messages. This helps in releasing the body of stress and it is a time for me to relax and not think about anything.

There are so many ways for a person to make some time for themselves. One way is to take a class. It can be anything from educational to fitness to recreational. The reason I say a class is that they are usually scheduled ahead of time. This forces you to put it on a calendar and make the time for it.

Another way to make time (and this is more for the ladies) is instead of taking a shower, draw yourself a bath and take a 1/2 hour or an hour to soak it up and relax. If you have kids, tell your spouse to watch over them for that time. Have some wine, play some relaxing music or read a book in there.

Lastly, on the days off from work, instead of doing chores, take your loved one out and have some fun. Go to a movie or museum. Go for a hike if you like. Whatever it is, just do it. Don’t hesitate. If you don’t make the attempt, you will never do it and you will just keep yourself stressed.

Now I know some of you are going to say that they just don’t have the time to do these things. I say, you do, you just don’t know it. If you have a kid, get a babysitter. If you work real long hours, then see about taking a personal day one day. If you just make excuses of why you can’t do it, then you need to look at yourself and ask why you’re not making the time.

Crohn’s and Colitis is a tricky disease. We can go for years with no problems and then suddenly, BAM, we are sick for months on end. If we don’t take the time now for ourselves, we might regret it. No matter the situation you are in, there is always a couple of hours in the day to take as a “Me” time.

So go do it now. Step away from the computer and go enjoy yourself with a loved one and do something fun. Go bowling. Go see a movie. Go to a museum. Doesn’t matter what you do….just go and do it.

Day 13 #NHBPM – Write about something taboo

Nov13

Poop, bum brownie, dookie, turd, water log, and the all time favorite, doodie. Have you guessed what I am going to talk about today?

When it comes to IBD, there is no shortage of taboo subjects. Pretty much everything surrounding the diseases are not pleasant to talk about, especially the acts surrounding the disease. No one talks about going to the bathroom, especially if you’re a woman. It is seen as an unattractive thing and most women will never touch the subject.

But what do you do when you life all of a sudden revolves around the bathroom. I think about the Humira commercial where you see this person walking in a circle always being near a bathroom. That is what Crohn’s and Colitis does to a person. Whether we like it or not, our bowls take over our lives.

No one really ever wants to talk about their poop. I agree it is disgusting and not something pleasant to talk about. But after you have had some bowel accidents you learn to live with it. It’s amazing that we are so obsessed with the food that goes into our mouths but once we swallow it, we forget all about it. The food gets digested and turns into that taboo subject.

So why are we so skittish to talk about dropping the kids off at the pool (one of my favorite sayings). I think it is because it is deemed a filthy and unclean act and we as humans want to be clean. We live in a society where we take daily showers and use hand sanitizers. When we eat things like lobster, we wear plastic bibs to keep us clean and use wet naps afterwards to clean our hands. Now I used this example because lobsters are considered unclean. They live at the bottom of the ocean and eat the poo of other animals. Have you ever wore a bib when you ate a salad or wiped your hands using a wet nap after eating a hamburger?

The thing with poo is that our IBD lives revolve around it whether we like it or not. For a lot of us, it is in the form a diarrhea. With diarrhea come urgency. People with IBD have little control over their sphincter muscle. When we have to go, we have at most one minute to get to a toilet. Many people don’t understand that. I have read so many stories that start off, “We were riding in the car and I said I have to go. My spouse said, I will pull over at the next exit” What that person doesn’t understand is that the next exit could be miles away. We don’t have that time. Now truly means now with us.

Lately I have been hearing more stories about people having accidents or going on the side of the road. More and more people with IBD are starting to open up on the subject. I love it because we are all in the same boat. I think we have all been there at one point. Talking about it gives us comfort to know we are still normal. It also helps take away the stress associated with it.

Another thing about poo, is that it can tell a lot about our health. Doctors can use it to find out if we have certain ailments or diseases. They can see what our body is digesting and what they aren’t. Now I am reminded of the song from Scrubs…and I will end it with the video and lyrics.

Everything Comes Down To Poo Lyrics – Scrubs

J.D.: Hey, Ms. Miller — we just need a stool sample
Patti: Why do you need a stool sample if you think I’m just a nut?
Turk & JD: ‘Cause the answer’s not in your head, my dear — it’s in your
butt!
J.D.: You see….
Everything comes down to poo!
From the top of your head, to the sole of your shoe
We can figure out what’s wrong with you by lookin’ at your poo!
Turk?
Turk: Do you have a hemorrhoid or is it rectal cancer?
When you flush your dookie down, you flush away the answer!
J.D.: It doesn’t really matter if it’s hard or if it’s loose
We’ll figure out what’s ailing you, as long as it’s a deuce!
Yes!
Everything comes down to poo!
Nurses: Everything comes down to poo!
J.D.: Cardiovascular and lymphatic, yes, the nervous system, too!

All across the nation, we trust in defecation!
Everything comes down to poo!
Turk: If you want to know what’s wrong, don’t sit and act so cool
Just be a man and eat some bran, and drop the kids off at the pool!
Robed Woman: My stomach hurts
J.D: Check the poo
Limping Woman: I sprained my ankle
Turk: Check the poo!
Bloody Shoulder Guy: I was shot!
J.D: Check the poo!
Delivery Guy: A homeless guy threw poo in my eye!
Turk: Check the poo!
Delivery Guy: Mine or his?
J.D: First him, then you!
It may sound gross, you may say “shush!”
J.D. & Turk: But we need to see what comes out of your tush!
Because!
All: Everything comes down to poo!
Whether it’s a tumor or a touch of the flu!
J.D. & Turk: Please, won’t you pinch us off a big, fat clue!
Turk: Our number one test is your Number Two!
All: If there’s no breeze, light a match please!
Everything comes down to —
J.D.: Doo-doo!
Turk: Doo-doo!
J.D.: Doo-doo!
Turk: Doo-doo!
All: Everything comes down to … poo!

Day 12 #NHBPM – Advice for Newly Diagnosed Patients

Nov12

Today I am using one of the bonus topics. When I saw this topic I knew I had to write about it. It is one of the reasons I started this blog.

To anyone reading this and are newly diagnosed with either Colitis or Crohn’s Disease, the first advice I can give is….Take A Deep Breath. Your life is about to change forever. You are entering a whole new world. You will have a lot going against you and years of fights to have. So take a deep breath. Relax. Stay calm because you have a very big and caring community behind you to help.

When I was first diagnosed in the 1980’s, I was given some pamphlets to read and sent home from the hospital. I didn’t know what the disease was all about or what was installed for me over the years. Now, there is the internet. In a matter of minutes you can find out all the information you want, see tons of videos, and meet hundreds of people living with the disease.

So, now after you have taken that breath, take another and another. Now sit down and create a journal. Write down your symptoms, your medicine, your diet. This will help you later on in life when you have problems. Try to keep track of every medicine you take and how it helps or doesn’t help you. Keep track of the side effects.

Now that you have done some work, let’s go have some fun. Search the internet. There are so many people out there to help you out. There are a lot of video’s on YouTube to watch. Some are funny, some informational. Some are just video blogs. After you have watched some of the video’s, come on over to Facebook. There are tons of groups with people who have IBD. You will soon find that you are not alone. You will also find that most of these people will be very open to accept you in.

Now that you have had the time to see what the disease has to offer you, you have to take a mental step. You have to toughen up. This disease is a disgusting and descriptive disease. Many people with it are very open and there is a lot of disgusting things. If you are squeamish and don’t like dirty things…well, you will have to change how you are. You yourself will go through some tough disgusting times and it will be easier if you are ready for it mentally.

After all of this your head is probably spinning. There is so much information to take in. You are probably wondering if you will ever have a normal life again. I am happy to tell you that yes, you can. I myself hold down a job, I have gotten married, and I live life to its fullest. Some people do have severe complications and find it hard to live a normal life. But nothing says that this is going to happen to you. Stay strong and stay positive.

The next big thing you have to do is find yourself a really good gastroenterologist. If you are under 18, you will need a pediatric gastro and in a couple of years find a regular GI. It can take years until you find a good doctor. Don’t despair. They are out there. I myself have had at least 6 GI’s before I found a really great one.

So now, do you feel better? You may have a disease but know the disease does not have you. If you ever have a question or problem, there is always someone out there to help you out. And if you want, just ask me. I will do whatever I can to help you because my motto for this disease is “You are never alone”.