I feel like it has been my whole life but I first started dealing with Crohns disease in 6th or 7th grade. I can't even remember which one. I was sick frequently and had to go to multiple hospitals before being correctly diagnosed.

My first major surgery was at age 15. With 6 more to follow to today.

I was just reading another person's blog and it ended up being a post about how having a chronic illness from childhood effects your relationships. Normally for the bad.

I would like to think I am pretty self aware but have had maybe only 3 actual, deep conversations about how my attitude and life choices may have been shaped by Crohns. I guess I'm actually not that introspective after all.

Now I'm just rambling, but I feel like I've got some sort of "bug" in my mind now and under my skin about this whole thing. As my neice B-rad would say, "That's irritating!"

All I know is that stress totally messes me up. Not physical stress so much, like heavy exercise. But emotional stress and turmoil sends my body and health into a downward spiral that normally puts me in the hospital.